By
Sarah B. Smith
Restaurateur Andy Ayers has been a big fan of using locally
grown seasonal food since he opened Riddle’s Penultimate Café
and Wine Bar in the Delmar Loop in 1985. According to Ayers,
“Buying from local farmers makes for good eating and good politics.”
Andy
Ayers
Owner, Riddle’s Penultimate café and wine bar |
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Customers must agree, as Riddle’s has become a Loop fixture
and a destination for outstanding preparations of both traditional
and original fare.
Ayers’ menu planning starts once he knows what fresh ingredients
that area farmers can provide that day—and then his creative
flair takes off. His job has been made easier by frequent trips
to local farmers’ markets along with technological advances
of the last two decades—email has replaced telephone tag with
growers and desktop publishing and the Internet have made preparing
fresh menus each day a snap, with daily postings on the web.
Ayers’ passionate support for small farmers extends to the political,
as well as culinary arena. “We need a state agricultural policy
that encourages more small farms in Missouri instead of fewer,
closer to urban centers, instead of further away,” testified
Ayers before the Governor’s Task Force on Agriculture. “We need
farmers’ markets all over the State—small towns, big cities
and even at interstate highway rest areas.”
Riddle’s support for local sourcing involves the Ayers family.
Ayers serves as executive chef with daughter K.T. Ayers serving
as chef de cuisine. Wife Paula is the pastry chef.
The Riddle’s menu changes daily, but traditional favorites will
reappear. As a bonus to the menu, Ayers provides the ‘back stage’
insights about his sources. Bottom line—you’ll know where your
food came from!
For starters, you might try appetizers on the Riddle’s menu,
such as blue cheese stuffed caps (from the hand-milked cows
of an Amish dairy co-op in Wisconsin) at $6.95 or Cajun andouille
sausage (from Paul Prudhomme’s butcher shop in New Orleans)
to Crostini Newark featuring cheese sauce made with Tony Caradonna’s
smoked porter from O’Fallon, Mo at $7.50.
While the entrée selections also change frequently, two Riddles
originals are well worth considering. Shrimp Sara includes jumbo
wild gulf shrimp that are sautéed with fresh garlic and mushroom
and served with a sauce of White Port wine, tomatoes, artichoke
heart and cream. Chicken Major Grey is another long-time customer
favorite—Riddle’s offers this boneless breast of chicken selection
sautéed with green onion, flamed in brandy and served with a
sauce of sour cream and mango chutney.
Ayers includes at least one seafood special every evening. On
a recent visit, the selection was blackened redfish with this
juicy description: “dipped in butter and dredged with Cajun
seasoning...dropped into a red-hot cast iron skillet…When the
smoke clears, the outsides are blackened and spicy, the insides
sweet and white as the new driven snow.” Entrées are priced
$11.95 to $29.95 and come with a choice of farm-fresh vegetables.
Brussels sprouts anyone?
Desserts are created by Paula Ayers and are luscious. Be sure
to take advantage of their homemade ice cream, which they make
the ‘old way’—using an oak tub packed with ice and rock salt.
Flavors such as Butterfinger, Kahlua-cappuccino and chocolate-raspberry
are sure to delight your palate. Other great choices include
Paula’s Bosc pear custard tart with Grand Marnier custard sauce
and the Penultimate almond cheesecake. Dessert selections begin
at $4.50.
Riddle’s was the first wine bar in St. Louis and continues to
maintain an outstanding selection of wines, as well as beers.
Ayers offers 20 wines by the glass, each served in a quarter
bottle carafe.
Like many of the agricultural products, which Ayers uses in
his fine foods, Riddle’s also features live music with local
talent. The restaurant seats 150 in its comfortable, unpretentious
setting, with sidewalk seating available when the weather permits.
A few of Riddle’s local agriculture favorites
Chioggia beets from Sam Hilmer’s Walnut
Grove Farm in Eureka
Summer squash and fingerling potatoes from Lori Sommer’s Farm
in Salem, Mo.
Carrots from Bob Lober’s St. Isidore Farm in Moscow Mills, Mo.
Blackberries, tomatoes and other homegrown fruits and vegetables
from the Theis Family Farm in St. Louis County
Shiitake mushrooms from the Bald Eagle Farm in Shannon County
Missouri apple-lamb sausage from Dave and Barb Hillebrand’s
Prairie Grass farm in New Florence, Mo.
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TalkingPOINTS
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Riddles
Penultimate Café and Wine Bar
6397 Delmar Blvd.,
St. Louis, MO 63130
(314) 725-6985
www.riddlescafe.com
Serving Dinner:
Tuesday-Thursday: 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 5 p.m. to 12 p.m.
Sunday: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. |
