By Sarah B. Smith
Reginald Dickson has a long history of helping to make St. Louis a better place to live. As a young college graduate, he taught math and science in the St. Louis Public Schools. At 26, he became the executive director of InRoads, an organization that recruits the best and brightest minority talent and exposes them to career and leadership opportunities in the business community. After successfully developing the program in St. Louis, he became the organizationÕs national president and expanded the program across the country. Today there are more than 20,000 graduates, 500 of them from St. Louis. After his 20-year tenure with InRoads, Dickson became an entrepreneur and is currently a majority owner of Buford, Dickson, Harper & Sparrow Inc., an investment firm.
Dickson has continued with his civic interests and has served as a board member of Grand Center Inc. for the past 14 years.
Dickson is now blending his civic and and business savvy in a new venture—Reggie's Backstage, a restaurant in the heart of Grand Center, directly across the street from the Fox and adjacent to the recently enhanced Leon Straus Park. "I knew that we really needed a destination casual, fine dining restaurant," says Dickson. "I'm 62, a baby boomer and a product of the 60s. We feel we can save the world." So, wanting to personally be part of the Grand Center resurgence, he decided to take the plunge and add restaurateur to his accomplishments.
Dickson embarked on his latest venture with his infectious energy, along with his passion and business acumen. "What I found in developing other successful businesses is that if you are able to articulate the vision, get people to buy into the vision, you find competent and capable people, you train them properly, you give them opportunity to grow (and an opportunity to have fun)—then you have the opportunity to succeed."
Among his team is executive chef Peter Barken. "Our concept is contemporary, American cuisine," says Barken. Clearly catering to those stopping in before or after a show at the Fox, Reggie's menu includes a great variety of appetizers along with a compliment of entree selections. Appetizers are priced from $8 to $10, including the chicken drummers, which are fried and tossed in a spicy orange sauce. Other popular appetizers includes escargot, as well as fried calamari, served with a lemon parmesan aioli.
Reggie's soups and salads worked for me as a later evening choice, especially the roasted corn chicken chowder ($5) and spinach salad ($8.50) served with feta cheese, candied walnuts and warm bacon vinaigrette.
Chef Barken reports that the jerk chicken is one of their most popular entrees. At $18, the roasted chicken is topped with mango salsa and served with blood orange coleslaw and garlic whipped potatoes. His personal favorite is the rack of lamb served encrusted with whole grain Dijon. "It's an eye opener —and very classic," says Barken.
Pastry chef Kenda Morado continues to add dessert specials. Recent selections included her "s'mores brownie" with homemade marshmallow topping, a blueberry bread pudding with caramel sauce, and a cantaloupe sorbet.
Dickson has brought a minimalist approach to the decor of Reggie's—crisp lines and an uncluttered look. In addition to the dining on the main level, Dickson's "speak easy" room downstairs hosts private events and houses their wine selection. A new treat this spring has been their new patio dining in adjacent Leon Straus Park, named for the late developer and renovator of the Fox Theatre. The park has recently been transformed by Grand Center and
is a welcome addition to al fresco dining in St. Louis.
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TalkingPOINTS
Reggie’s Backstage
522 North Grand Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314) 595-5577
www.Reggiesbackstage.com
Hours:
Lunch: Tuesday through Friday — 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on
weekends before Fox matinees
Dinner: Tuesday through Saturday: 5 to 10:30 p.m.
Also open weekend days before shows. Please call in advance. |
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