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ERATO
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By Sarah B. Smith
When executive chef Kevin Willmann decided it was time to venture
out on his own, he looked for a strategic location where he
could establish his own culinary niche. Having worked for such
St. Louis favorites as Blue Water Grill, Mosaic and Lucas Park
Grill, he was ready for a location he didn’t need to share with
35 to 40 other restaurants. He soon met sommelier Tim Foley,
owner of local wine bar Erato, who was eager to expand his business.
The two found that they had been looking at the same location,
and a few beers later, decided to team up.
Just 30 minutes from downtown St. Louis, Erato is nestled on
Main Street in Edwardsville in an historic building. Erato is
part wine bar and part fine dining establishment, with the sum
combining for a delightful dining experience.
Willmann, who was born in Greenville, Ill., brings a refreshing,
creative philosophy to the restaurant. “I wanted to source as
much as possible close to home. We try to get everything from
100 to 200 miles from the St. Louis area—if its not traveling,
it’s fresher,” says Willmann. “We let the ingredients speak
for themselves.” Willmann’s exception is seafood—which he gets
from sources on the Gulf, where he worked on commercial fishing
boats in his younger years.
Willmann takes special advantage of the farms in the region—from
the peach and apple farmers in the southern part of the State,
to his own father’s farm which supplies ‘awesome’ sweet corn.
Willmann brings the concept of “grown locally” even closer by
using his own home grown tomatoes and herbs from the garden
on the roof of the restaurant.
“Our menu changes every day,” says Willmann. “I don’t have it
written until about four in the afternoon. A lot of what we
do is avant garde. We play with creative things. We might create
a texture or aroma that you haven’t had before.” One recent
example is his asparagus salad, for which he created a light,
airy asparagus foam, full of flavor.
Willmann is also fond of traditional Midwestern and Southern
food—hearty American classics where he can combine his newer
twists. One recent evening his menu included Gulf red grouper
in puff pastry, as well as heartier dishes, such as Illinois
strip steak, or a soy marinated grilled flank steak. Erato’s
larger plates are priced in the $17 to $25 range.
The smaller plates (a.k.a. appetizers) are a big part of the
menu. “You can try three or four different selections that will
be beautiful to look at and interesting to share,” says Willmann.
His house mozzarella bruschetta—made with their own mozzarella—is
one such example. Other interesting selections are the Missouri
lamb ribblets barbequed in guava sauce with riled corn spoon-bread,
or the pan fried soft shell crab with black bean cake and smoked
tomato remoulade. Priced from $4 to $12, these smaller plates
are a great accompaniment at the wine bar.
Erato offers two to four desserts each evening, and usually
include their own homemade ice cream or sorbet. Recent choices
included boysenberry sorbet in lime, as well as graham cracker,
and basil ice cream. Erato’s biggest seller is their Spanish
style chocolate cake—bite into it and the chocolate lava oozes
out.
Erato offers over 145 different wine selections and 47 different
beers, with offerings changing weekly. A new feature of their
wine tastings includes several different courses with wines
especially selected for each. Their inaugural event was recently
hosted by Peter Mondavi. Erato is planning its next wine tasting
event in July, centered around Bastille Day. Another unique
opportunity is Willmann’s tasting menus. With a 48-hour reservation,
you can have a multi-course, beautifully-presented dinner with
special wine pairings. Willmann will even design the menu based
on your preferences.
“I want people to experience something different, not just pay
money to have something they could have somewhere else. We try
to pack value and intrigue into our dishes,” says Chef Willmann.
Reservations are strongly recommended. The restaurant seats
just 35, with additional seating in the wine bar area. Erato’s
features the work of local artists, including Willmann’s wife
Jennifer.
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TalkingPOINTS
Erato
126 N. Main Street, Edwardsville, Ill.
(618) 307-3203
Lunch: Tuesday thru Friday - 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Dinner: Tuesday thru Saturday – 5 p.m. to close
www.eratoonmain.com
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