A lobster and crab shack isn’t the first thing you’d expect to see in St. Louis. Yet Kevin Nashan has transformed the former Niche into a large, open space with laminated wood tables, aluminum chairs, tin-tub light fixtures, weathered-wood walls and ceilings, and a seaside vibe so authentic you can almost hear the tide come in.
The menu, naturally, follows suit—or rather leads the way with steamed Maryland crabs, seafood boils, lobster rolls, oysters and fried clams. Nashan promises the goods won’t dry up when the weather cools up East. He says the menu will simply adjust, using whatever is available for the season—especially seafood from New Orleans. The one caveat? All this premium seafood is subject to availability, which means you’ll see a lot of ‘Mkt’ in the price column.
A starter of Watermelon Gazpacho certainly set the mood for the kind of food you’d expect from one of St. Louis’ most acclaimed chefs. The sweet and cold soup had a bite, and chunks of melon and cucumber—refreshing and satisfying in its blend of sweet and spicy. An order of Fried Green Tomatoes ($3) offered wonderfully crisp and oil-free slices that were meaty and well-matched with sweet, rich remoulade. Better order them before the restaurant realizes they’re worth twice the price.
The Lobster Boil, $35 the night I visited, captured the casual, hands-on essence of coastal eating. The platter—a wax paper-coated sheet pan—was piled with the elements of a boil: new potatoes, corn on the cob, sausage, a hard-boiled egg, a biscuit and a 1-pounder. Every element was well done and tasty, but I would have liked more corn—the 3-inch piece included simply isn’t enough—and less water (when I broke open the lobster, it soaked my platter).
No doubt, the featured attractions here are the sandwiches—like the restaurant’s namesake Peacemaker ($12), reputed to be so delicious, fishermen would offer it to their wives upon returning home after a night of carousing. Plump fried oysters share a hoagie with shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, dilled pickles and creamy remoulade. House-made chips, thick and salty with a little bite, accompany all sandwiches.
The Lobster Roll ($22 that night) was every bit as good as 4.5 ounces of pure lobster meat sounds like it would be. It comes wedged between two thick slices of deliciously soft and buttered Italian-style bread. I chose the meat ‘Maine-style,’ which is lightly tossed with mayo; the alternative, Connecticut-style, comes
warm, tossed in butter.
I never thought I’d see Steamed Maryland Crabs ($25 for four) in St. Louis. Yet, authentic Blue Crabs they were, peppered with Old Bay and lined up, ready to be tackled. These were the real deal, and, although on the small side, they had good, sweet flavor. Desserts did not disappoint, with the peach pie ($5) scrumptiously fruity rather than overly sweet, its crust crisp and delicious. Don’t miss the soft-serve ice cream, a tin dish of vanilla with a chocolate topping that coats and hardens all over, yielding a crust so thick, it’s almost impenetrable (remember the old Gold Brick topping?).
[amuse bouche]
THE SCENE | New England lobster shack in Benton Park
THE CHEF | Kevin Nashan
THE PRICES | Soups $5, Poorboys $7 to $12, Seafood boils and rolls: market priced
THE FAVORITES | Watermelon Gazpacho, Fried Green Tomatoes, Soft-serve Ice Cream, Peacemaker Poorboy, Lobster Roll
[chef chat] >>kevin nashan
WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO OPEN A SEAFOOD SHACK IN ST. LOUIS? | It’s food I love, food I really wanted to bring to St Louis, and everyday food that I wanted to eat.
FAVORITE SEAFOOD DISH | Paella
HOW ARE NEW ENGLAND AND NEW ORLEANS CUISINES SIMILAR? | The Acadians, the French settlers, settled in both areas
MOST POPULAR DISH | Lobster boil and crab boil
1831 sidney st. | 314.772.8858
Photos: Bill Barrett
