Veteran chef John O ’Brien (Table Three, Balaban’s, The Ritz-Carlton, King Louie’s and more) has taken over a free-standing building just west of Kingshighway Boulevard that once housed a rollicking Harry’s Bar. And Three Flags Tavern, much to his credit, is a kind of gourmet neighborhood restaurant without the hubbub of the usual TV-strewn sports bar.
That makes sense, given the orientation of the place—its name refers to the 1804 date when St. Louis passed from Spanish to French to American jurisdiction, and O’Brien’s menu (and décor) is based on that heritage. The dining room has reclaimed wood wine stacks at one end, warm cinnamon walls and padded chairs. An entire wall is devoted to an old map of the times and a few portraits of founding fathers in vintage frames; it’s cool.
The menu is fascinating, with heritage homestyle dishes like Indian fry bread, Monte Cristo sandwiches, pork croquettes, biscuits, hasty pudding and skillet-fried chicken. And because they are so well-executed, they’re both interesting and delicious (and moderately priced).
A starter ‘salad’ of sliced salmon and trout ($12.25) had house-smoked fish with capers, fingerling potatoes, mustard seeds and pickled red onions on a few leaves of butter lettuce. The fish was superb, with a subtle smokiness and delicate flavors. The vinegary onions dominated, the classic complement to fish prepared this way, and the whole effect was entirely pleasant.
The Heirloom Pork Mixed Grill ($18) served up superior pork (‘heirloom’ indicates the meat comes from an animal that has remained genetically stable for generations) in a brined chop, cured cheek meat and roasted loin meat. The thick chop, wrapped in bacon, had great flavor, even though I found it a little over-cooked/dry. It sat on a dab of apple chutney-like pudding that added the requisite sweet element that goes so well with pork. The cheek yielded a few bites of crusty, fat-laden meat. The coup de grace was the chunk of loin, the meat almost sticky on the outside and red-roasted inside. Great flavor and texture.
While this (and other entrees) was a big serving, I prefer a veggie of some kind with all that meat. But dishes here are strictly a la carte; sides are offered at about $5 to $6. My order of Lyonnaise Potatoes ($5) was, hands-down, among the finest I’ve had: layered slices of potato, beautifully crisped on both sides, topped with caramelized onions—memorable.
The trout entrée ($17.50) was a sizable fish with delicious flavor—very fresh-tasting and moist. It had a light, lemony sauce with chopped marcona almonds, lingonberries and herbs and came with ‘horseradish flan,’ a creamy dip with mild bite. A seafood and grits entrée in pan sauce ($19.75) was memorable, its two jumbo scallops and two shrimp deliciously pan-browned and caked with seasoning. They sat attractively atop a bed of creamy grits with bits of spicy tasso ham and a pool of the dish’s cooking juices.
Do not miss the flourless cake here ($7), more like rich fudge than cake.
[amuse bouche]
THE SCENE | Small, down-home bar and dining room
THE CHEF | John O’Brien
THE PRICES | $5 to $14.75 starters, $12.50 to $19.75 bigger plates
THE FAVORITES | Smoked Salmon and Smoked Trout Salad; Trout with Horseradish Flan; Lyonnaise Potatoes; Shrimp, Scallops and Grits; Flourless Chocolate Cake with Crème Anglaise
[chef chat] >>john o’brien
PEDIGREE | Scottsdale Culinary Institute
FAVORITE INGREDIENT | Butter
FAVORITE LOCAL RESTAURANT | Tony’s
FAVORITE COOKBOOK | The Art Of Cooking, Vol. 1 and 2, by Jacques Pepin
MOST MEMORABLE DINING EXPERIENCE | In San Francisco, Scoma’s on the wharf. The cioppino was amazing.
GUILTY PLEASURE FOOD | Double cheeseburger at Carl’s Drive-In
4940 southwest ave. | 314.669.9222
By Jonathan Carli
Photos by Bill Barrett