WEBVTT - Ben Poremba’s Big Plans for 2024 0:00:02.619 --> 0:00:05.399 Hello again and welcome to Arch Eats where we take 0:00:05.409 --> 0:00:07.960 a deeper dive into the things that listeners may not 0:00:07.969 --> 0:00:10.979 know about the restaurant scene here in Saint Louis with me. 0:00:10.989 --> 0:00:14.529 As always on this journey is my friend, co-host Copilot 0:00:14.539 --> 0:00:18.399 cohort Cheryl Bear. And I can say happy holidays again, 0:00:18.409 --> 0:00:21.049 my friend. Yes, happy holidays. I wish we were doing 0:00:21.059 --> 0:00:23.239 this with a web cam. They would see our festive 0:00:23.250 --> 0:00:25.879 gear today. I'm not sure that would be a great idea, 0:00:25.889 --> 0:00:28.010 but i it's hard for me to take you seriously 0:00:28.020 --> 0:00:30.100 in those reindeer antlers. But I'm, I'm glad you, I'm 0:00:30.110 --> 0:00:31.090 glad you wore them. 0:00:31.950 --> 0:00:36.009 This episode of Arch Eats is sponsored by Westport Plaza. 0:00:36.139 --> 0:00:39.639 Joining us will be restaurateur, Ben Pemba. Then we will 0:00:39.650 --> 0:00:42.599 finish as we always do with a micro rant this 0:00:42.610 --> 0:00:48.290 time about restaurant appetizers specifically how they're traditionally served and 0:00:48.299 --> 0:00:51.250 how they should be served. But first we'll begin as 0:00:51.259 --> 0:00:53.930 we always do with what I can't stop thinking about 0:00:53.939 --> 0:00:54.569 this week. 0:00:56.919 --> 0:00:59.159 And Cheryl you gave me a hint and I can't 0:00:59.169 --> 0:01:01.299 believe you're going there again. Well, 0:01:02.220 --> 0:01:05.849 I'm trying to redeem the green bean casserole, so I'm 0:01:05.860 --> 0:01:09.018 sure I broke a lot of hearts or maybe no 0:01:09.029 --> 0:01:12.709 one really cares. But when I grandma's hearts, yes, I 0:01:12.720 --> 0:01:15.480 broke a lot of grandma's hearts and maybe Campbell's Soup 0:01:15.489 --> 0:01:18.039 Company's heart. When I professed 0:01:18.135 --> 0:01:24.955 my deep seated disdain for the green bean casserole, I, um, 0:01:24.964 --> 0:01:27.144 I don't need to rehash that. It's just not my 0:01:27.154 --> 0:01:29.855 favorite dish. It's not even close to my favorite dish. 0:01:29.864 --> 0:01:33.934 It's maybe my least favorite holiday dish. However, 0:01:34.459 --> 0:01:38.870 I recently went to Cellar House, which is a restaurant 0:01:38.879 --> 0:01:43.759 in Oakville, Deep, deep South County Chloe Yates is the chef. 0:01:43.769 --> 0:01:46.360 It's just a wonderful neighborhood restaurant. She's doing a lot 0:01:46.370 --> 0:01:48.879 of fun things there. And one of the things she's 0:01:48.889 --> 0:01:52.720 doing is they've turned the entire restaurant into a Christmas 0:01:52.730 --> 0:01:53.519 pop up dinner. 0:01:54.014 --> 0:01:57.514 They aren't just doing some holiday specials. They've basically thrown 0:01:57.525 --> 0:02:00.275 out their regular menu and their cocktail menu and their 0:02:00.285 --> 0:02:04.474 cocktail menu and they are doing um, really wonderful kind 0:02:04.485 --> 0:02:07.995 of traditional, you know, think figgy pudding and goose pie 0:02:08.005 --> 0:02:11.084 and all of these just very quintessential kind of old 0:02:11.095 --> 0:02:12.645 school Christmas dishes. 0:02:13.119 --> 0:02:16.380 One of the dishes she's doing is a take on 0:02:16.389 --> 0:02:21.350 the green bean casserole. That is wonderful. It is actually 0:02:21.360 --> 0:02:26.259 a savory cannoli. So think green bean casserole. But instead 0:02:26.270 --> 0:02:32.100 it is um, Eric o just sauteed. Um, they 0:02:32.190 --> 0:02:36.839 stuffed into a house made super flaky cannoli shell, green bean. 0:02:36.979 --> 0:02:40.550 Did you see green beans? Cannoli? Yes. A green bean cannoli. 0:02:40.559 --> 0:02:45.350 I promise you. And my Italian foremothers and forefathers, um, 0:02:45.360 --> 0:02:48.970 they would approve. It's actually quite delicious. Um And then 0:02:48.979 --> 0:02:51.130 instead of, you know, the Campbell's soup filling, 0:02:51.600 --> 0:02:55.100 she puts like a mushroom, kind of like a creamy 0:02:55.110 --> 0:02:58.149 mushroom sauce at the bottom of the plate and then 0:02:58.160 --> 0:03:01.619 stacks two cannoli on top of there, it is delicious. 0:03:01.639 --> 0:03:05.100 It is the green bean casserole for green bean casserole haters. Wow. 0:03:05.229 --> 0:03:07.570 That really, actually give you a hard time. But it 0:03:07.580 --> 0:03:09.228 really does sound like a lot of fun. And this 0:03:09.240 --> 0:03:13.050 goes all through December, I think until the sixth, maybe 0:03:13.160 --> 0:03:14.139 until the 6th January. 0:03:14.229 --> 0:03:17.050 January 6th, I believe is the last day of it. 0:03:17.059 --> 0:03:20.529 It's really a lot of fun stuff. The, um, so 0:03:20.538 --> 0:03:23.130 the thing I can't stop thinking about this week is 0:03:23.139 --> 0:03:26.449 a croissant, uh, specifically a chocolate croissant. I think we've 0:03:26.460 --> 0:03:29.589 talked about these before, but this is possibly the best 0:03:29.600 --> 0:03:31.470 one I've ever had. I had it last week at 0:03:31.479 --> 0:03:35.210 a place called 23 West Coffee, a new coffee shop in, 0:03:35.220 --> 0:03:38.320 in Webster Groves. And the thing that's different, you know, 0:03:38.330 --> 0:03:41.570 we talked about these chocolate croissants. They've got those little, um, 0:03:42.119 --> 0:03:44.350 what do they call them? Little nubs of chocolate, they 0:03:44.360 --> 0:03:47.149 call chocolate batons. And there's never enough in there as 0:03:47.160 --> 0:03:50.130 far as I'm concerned. And it's apparently that's the classic 0:03:50.139 --> 0:03:52.389 way to make them, but it's not the best way 0:03:52.399 --> 0:03:54.520 to make them. In my opinion. There's a place called 0:03:54.529 --> 0:03:57.539 Lucy Anna's pastries, which I've never heard of. It's up 0:03:57.550 --> 0:04:01.539 in Alton, they supply the pastries to 23 West coffee 0:04:01.669 --> 0:04:05.130 and they make a chocolate croissant that's, you know, crescent shaped. 0:04:05.250 --> 0:04:07.660 And instead of those little nubs of chocolate, 0:04:07.979 --> 0:04:11.600 there's like a river of chocolate. I mean, it's solid 0:04:11.610 --> 0:04:14.320 chocolate and it is so good. And what makes it 0:04:14.330 --> 0:04:17.619 doubly delicious is I think they take a little, it 0:04:17.630 --> 0:04:20.390 tasted like honey. They brushed a little honey on top. 0:04:20.399 --> 0:04:23.329 So you've got this little chewy component to this. I 0:04:23.549 --> 0:04:25.399 cut it up with a knife and fork because it 0:04:25.410 --> 0:04:27.649 was so sticky. And let me tell you, it was 0:04:27.660 --> 0:04:31.159 a really, really good croissant. So the chocolate in the center, 0:04:31.170 --> 0:04:32.549 is it gooey or 0:04:32.649 --> 0:04:38.089 you said it's solid. It's, it's kind of, it's go OK. 0:04:38.279 --> 0:04:40.420 I like we point the term on our cheese a 0:04:40.428 --> 0:04:44.640 little of each. But anyway, uh this is again, I 0:04:44.649 --> 0:04:47.909 don't know much about Luciana's pastries. They're up in Alton. 0:04:48.309 --> 0:04:52.309 Um They have, I know a, a high tea that 0:04:52.320 --> 0:04:55.549 they're doing in February, which I've got my eye on. 0:04:55.839 --> 0:04:58.760 I just know their pastries are delicious. They've got, uh 0:04:58.769 --> 0:05:02.000 in the case they've got almond horns and uh they've 0:05:02.010 --> 0:05:04.850 got muffins and they've got quiche and, and they've got 0:05:04.859 --> 0:05:07.970 lemon tarts, oatmeal bars. I mean, I practically memorize this 0:05:07.980 --> 0:05:08.450 because I want 0:05:08.549 --> 0:05:10.750 try every one of these, but they also have a 0:05:10.760 --> 0:05:13.779 chocolate pecan tart. That might be the best one of 0:05:13.790 --> 0:05:18.549 those I've ever had. So anyway, 23 West coffee go 0:05:18.559 --> 0:05:21.829 for the coffee indulge in the pastry. Wow. Well, I 0:05:21.839 --> 0:05:24.309 will definitely be heading there and I'm told the scones 0:05:24.320 --> 0:05:27.820 are incredible quote unquote. So all this on my list, 0:05:27.829 --> 0:05:31.058 great coffee. They don't sleep on the pastries and maybe 0:05:31.070 --> 0:05:33.428 even take a road trip to Alton too if you 0:05:33.440 --> 0:05:34.849 want to check out the pastries. 0:05:35.399 --> 0:05:37.450 Yeah, that's right. I might just go there when we 0:05:37.459 --> 0:05:39.299 get done right here. I'm ready to go. 0:05:40.480 --> 0:05:42.459 We'll take a break and when we come back, we 0:05:42.470 --> 0:05:45.899 will talk at length with restaurateur, Ben Pemba, who has 0:05:45.910 --> 0:05:47.660 lots of surprises in store. 0:05:48.380 --> 0:05:52.290 This fall and Winter Westport Plaza is welcoming Soda Fountain Express. 0:05:52.299 --> 0:05:55.750 And 360 Westport Soda Fountain Express is a spin on 0:05:55.760 --> 0:05:58.469 a classic diner and burger joint from the fifties and 0:05:58.480 --> 0:06:01.260 is a great place to host private events, birthday parties 0:06:01.269 --> 0:06:04.809 and more. 360 Westport is a modern rooftop bar and 0:06:04.820 --> 0:06:05.679 lounge featuring 0:06:05.790 --> 0:06:09.209 cocktails, expansive wine list and small plates. Come for a 0:06:09.220 --> 0:06:11.980 cocktail or dinner with a hand picked bottle of wine 0:06:11.988 --> 0:06:15.500 from the sommelier. Follow Westport Plaza on social media at 0:06:15.510 --> 0:06:19.209 Westport STL to stay informed about giveaways and upcoming events 0:06:19.299 --> 0:06:23.049 experience the unexpected at Westport Plaza 0:06:23.738 --> 0:06:26.959 and now back to the show as promised with us 0:06:26.970 --> 0:06:30.368 today on Archa's Ben Pamba, a familiar name to just 0:06:30.380 --> 0:06:34.000 about everyone within ear shot of this broadcast, but just 0:06:34.010 --> 0:06:37.440 in case, Ben is a three time James Beard award semifinalist. 0:06:37.450 --> 0:06:40.290 He's the owner of Benin Hospitality Group 0:06:40.709 --> 0:06:43.910 which operates six restaurants as well as a O and 0:06:43.920 --> 0:06:48.230 co that little bit of everything culinary shop in Botanical Heights. 0:06:48.589 --> 0:06:51.109 Ben is one of the most prolific and passionate members 0:06:51.119 --> 0:06:54.429 of the local restaurant community. Welcome to the podcast, Ben. 0:06:54.480 --> 0:06:55.730 No pressure. Hey 0:06:55.738 --> 0:06:58.380 George, thanks for having me on. Hey Cheryl. Nice to 0:06:58.390 --> 0:07:00.029 see you again. Great to see you. 0:07:00.399 --> 0:07:02.709 Suffice to say you're a busy, busy guy right 0:07:02.720 --> 0:07:04.950 now. Yeah, tons of stuff going on, 0:07:05.459 --> 0:07:10.279 obviously. Um As uh I've announced before, three of my 0:07:10.290 --> 0:07:14.559 restaurants including my flagship and the one I'm most known 0:07:14.570 --> 0:07:16.040 about Ellie and Olio. 0:07:16.739 --> 0:07:19.899 Uh and Nita are all gonna be closing down uh 0:07:19.910 --> 0:07:22.589 at their current location at the end of the year. 0:07:23.089 --> 0:07:26.690 Uh December 31st is gonna be the last day at 0:07:26.700 --> 0:07:31.640 their tar grave locations and they're gonna be uh relocating 0:07:31.649 --> 0:07:35.250 to the Delmar Maker District. That's that stretch uh on 0:07:35.260 --> 0:07:37.869 Delmar between Union and King's Highway 0:07:37.880 --> 0:07:40.029 before we get over to that area 0:07:40.399 --> 0:07:43.820 on New Year's Eve on the last night. I'm assuming 0:07:43.829 --> 0:07:46.420 everything is sold out but can, can people walk just 0:07:46.429 --> 0:07:49.019 stop by and walk in to, to say farewell or 0:07:49.029 --> 0:07:51.559 is it just gonna be too crazy? I, I 0:07:51.570 --> 0:07:55.809 actually did something uh probably counterintuitive from the, from a 0:07:55.820 --> 0:08:00.000 business perspective. Uh I decided not to have any events, 0:08:00.010 --> 0:08:03.380 uh you know, any ticketed events uh on that night 0:08:03.869 --> 0:08:06.839 and just really celebrate my staff, celebrate the time uh 0:08:06.850 --> 0:08:07.899 uh we've had there 0:08:08.149 --> 0:08:11.279 and so Nita Oyo and Elia are going to be 0:08:11.320 --> 0:08:14.950 closed um, for, I mean, I shouldn't say closed. They're 0:08:14.959 --> 0:08:17.579 gonna be, we're gonna just host a big party at 0:08:17.589 --> 0:08:21.410 Orio starting at 8 p.m. no tickets, like I said, 0:08:21.420 --> 0:08:24.309 no reservations. Uh, the bar is gonna be open for business. 0:08:24.320 --> 0:08:27.269 We're probably gonna put some food out. But, uh, I 0:08:27.579 --> 0:08:30.269 just wanted people to actually do exactly what you just mentioned, 0:08:30.279 --> 0:08:31.730 come in, come through. 0:08:32.229 --> 0:08:36.068 Uh, have a nice time and, and reminisce and, uh, 0:08:36.229 --> 0:08:36.989 and be sure, 0:08:36.999 --> 0:08:39.559 well, so Cheryl and I could just stop by. That's 0:08:39.568 --> 0:08:40.338 what you're saying. 0:08:40.528 --> 0:08:43.939 Yes, exactly as you should as you should. So, you know, 0:08:43.948 --> 0:08:47.049 it actually, you know, this, this Year's New Year's Eve 0:08:47.059 --> 0:08:48.489 uh falls on a Sunday, 0:08:48.909 --> 0:08:51.210 which kind of works out really, really well. So our 0:08:51.219 --> 0:08:55.109 official service day at El Oro and hia will be 0:08:55.119 --> 0:08:57.900 that that night and then we decided that the next 0:08:57.909 --> 0:09:00.270 day we will give my step a little time off 0:09:00.280 --> 0:09:02.820 and next we celebrate them. So at 8 p.m. we'll 0:09:02.830 --> 0:09:04.210 just do a big party. 0:09:04.455 --> 0:09:05.465 Great. These are 0:09:05.474 --> 0:09:09.395 places that have meant so much to so many people 0:09:09.494 --> 0:09:14.554 and obviously they meant so much to you. Um, you know, 0:09:14.565 --> 0:09:19.965 we're just kind of curious if, if it's bittersweet, if it's, um, 0:09:20.344 --> 0:09:24.424 you know, mixed emotions, if it feels like the right time, 0:09:24.434 --> 0:09:25.354 maybe all of the 0:09:25.364 --> 0:09:28.424 above. Yeah, I mean, obviously, uh 0:09:29.140 --> 0:09:32.390 it's bittersweet. It's the, it's the intuitive thing to say. Uh, 0:09:32.640 --> 0:09:35.119 we've been at, at those locations for, I mean, I 0:09:35.130 --> 0:09:38.729 started working on Oyo and Elia almost 14 years ago. 0:09:38.739 --> 0:09:41.210 I mean, it took a couple of years to build. So, yeah, 0:09:41.219 --> 0:09:43.539 of course. I mean, it's, it, it's my corner. Right. 0:09:43.549 --> 0:09:46.169 You know, I have, I have Oyo and Elia and 0:09:46.179 --> 0:09:48.500 I have Nita and I have uh sh and I 0:09:48.510 --> 0:09:51.010 have a O and co and, you know, I'm proud 0:09:51.020 --> 0:09:54.000 of what uh what I was able to do over there. 0:09:54.340 --> 0:09:57.010 So, yeah, absolutely. It, it feels, it feels uh a 0:09:57.020 --> 0:10:00.070 little sad. But, um 0:10:00.770 --> 0:10:02.349 you know, at the same time, I think that there 0:10:02.359 --> 0:10:05.760 is kind of like a natural expiration date to, to 0:10:05.770 --> 0:10:09.429 a lot of those things. And uh I'm personally very 0:10:09.440 --> 0:10:12.960 excited uh for the opportunity, you know, when you're at 0:10:12.969 --> 0:10:15.289 the same place for such a long time, you, you 0:10:15.299 --> 0:10:19.900 tend to sort of accept certain things and uh this, 0:10:19.909 --> 0:10:22.789 this is a huge opportunity to sort of bake in 0:10:22.799 --> 0:10:24.789 uh uh pour in new foundation and, 0:10:25.210 --> 0:10:27.049 and do things that I've always wanted to do. I 0:10:27.059 --> 0:10:30.010 was just maybe lazy, maybe just uh you know, the 0:10:30.020 --> 0:10:33.319 inertia of things just uh kept me, kept me away 0:10:33.330 --> 0:10:37.949 from doing um maybe too comfortable. The opportunity now is, is, 0:10:37.960 --> 0:10:41.030 is tremendous. And I really, really like that stretch on 0:10:41.039 --> 0:10:44.330 Del Mar. I think it's, it's maybe uh the coolest 0:10:44.820 --> 0:10:49.409 uh yet undiscovered part. Uh There's so much uh budding 0:10:49.640 --> 0:10:50.989 um energy, 0:10:51.320 --> 0:10:54.718 a creative energy with a 30 degree glass factory and 0:10:54.729 --> 0:10:58.700 with uh made STL and with other restaurant operators that 0:10:58.710 --> 0:11:02.380 are coming over there like uh Steve's hot Dogs and 0:11:02.390 --> 0:11:06.979 founding on Locust and, and uh Alpha Brewing. I tend to, 0:11:06.989 --> 0:11:09.799 I tend to look forward in everything I do. So 0:11:10.640 --> 0:11:13.619 I'm more happy, more excited than I am sad. And, 0:11:13.739 --> 0:11:16.289 but I am a little, you know, it's, it's that, 0:11:16.299 --> 0:11:17.469 it's that kind of film. I 0:11:17.479 --> 0:11:20.919 remember Ben when you were originally talking about this, I 0:11:20.929 --> 0:11:24.090 think you were over there in a coffee shop and 0:11:24.700 --> 0:11:26.770 somebody approached you, I think it was one of the 0:11:26.780 --> 0:11:29.510 guys from third degree glass. Do I have this story? Right? 0:11:29.520 --> 0:11:31.719 And he said, hey, Ben, you know, do you wanna 0:11:31.729 --> 0:11:35.218 do a restaurant over here or how did that come about? 0:11:35.229 --> 0:11:35.659 Because 0:11:36.000 --> 0:11:37.750 as I recall the story was pretty 0:11:37.760 --> 0:11:41.130 funny. Yeah. So, you know, I, you know, opening Delhi Divine, 0:11:41.140 --> 0:11:44.090 I was driving uh every day for the last two 0:11:44.099 --> 0:11:48.979 years on Delmar. Um And um 0:11:49.270 --> 0:11:51.609 I just, there was kind of, you know, first you 0:11:51.619 --> 0:11:54.189 just driving right through. I'm probably on the phone and 0:11:54.280 --> 0:11:57.419 slowly I started noticing some, you know, some, you know, 0:11:57.429 --> 0:12:00.250 the street looked clean and looked like uh he was 0:12:00.260 --> 0:12:02.659 loved and looked like there was a lot of energy there. 0:12:02.669 --> 0:12:05.169 I remember driving there one night on a Friday night 0:12:05.179 --> 0:12:08.210 and they, they, they're holding this, uh you know, open house, 0:12:08.219 --> 0:12:10.640 this Friday third Friday of the month, open house and 0:12:10.650 --> 0:12:13.260 Glass Factory. And the city was at the city, the 0:12:13.270 --> 0:12:16.479 street was packed with cars, there was light out there. 0:12:16.929 --> 0:12:19.130 Uh It has just so much, so much energy. 0:12:19.570 --> 0:12:21.969 Uh And at that point, I've always, I've already uh 0:12:21.979 --> 0:12:25.369 made the decisions to, to leave um to leave uh 0:12:25.380 --> 0:12:26.030 tar grow 0:12:26.669 --> 0:12:29.090 and was actively looking for, 0:12:29.840 --> 0:12:32.929 for either a new neighborhood or for, for a new building. 0:12:33.440 --> 0:12:36.070 And I, I looked everywhere. I mean, my, my day 0:12:36.080 --> 0:12:38.700 was packed with, you know, real estate brokers, calling me 0:12:38.710 --> 0:12:42.520 left and right. Developers uh come to Kirkwood, come to Chesterfield, 0:12:42.530 --> 0:12:45.059 come to uh cattle bill, uh stay in the city 0:12:45.580 --> 0:12:48.690 just every day. I saw so much stuff, a lot 0:12:48.700 --> 0:12:51.909 of cool stuff. Uh But I, nothing gave me this 0:12:51.919 --> 0:12:54.179 sort of kind of um 0:12:55.070 --> 0:12:59.489 um this energy that I saw in Belmar. And then I, 0:12:59.500 --> 0:13:02.329 the story is that I was sitting at brutal loom. 0:13:02.340 --> 0:13:06.409 Uh The now uh uh closed uh coffee shop. 0:13:07.200 --> 0:13:11.760 Um And uh I looked across from bru to Lou 0:13:11.830 --> 0:13:13.929 and there was a new development, looked like a restaurant 0:13:13.940 --> 0:13:17.780 was being built and I uh ran into Doug our 0:13:17.789 --> 0:13:21.419 who's uh now uh one of my, one of my 0:13:21.429 --> 0:13:24.299 uh uh I should say partners on this is the 0:13:24.309 --> 0:13:26.289 landlord on, on a few of these buildings that I'm 0:13:26.299 --> 0:13:29.750 going into. Uh Doug is the founder and of a 0:13:29.760 --> 0:13:32.559 third degree glass factory uh with Jim M Kelby 0:13:33.140 --> 0:13:36.530 and Doug uh told me that the, the, the restaurant 0:13:36.539 --> 0:13:38.270 they were going to do across the street is no 0:13:38.280 --> 0:13:42.099 longer a thing. And if I wanted to tour, and 0:13:42.109 --> 0:13:45.099 so I said, absolutely. And I got a tour of 0:13:45.109 --> 0:13:49.750 that restaurant. Uh But moreover, uh we just started walking 0:13:49.760 --> 0:13:53.280 up and down Delmar and he took me to Ma man, 0:13:53.289 --> 0:13:57.239 which is an architecture office uh right by third degree. 0:13:57.390 --> 0:13:59.919 And um gave me this 0:14:00.280 --> 0:14:02.820 kind of like overview, kind of like his vision for 0:14:02.830 --> 0:14:06.299 the street. And at that point, I really had this, 0:14:06.309 --> 0:14:08.699 you know, II I mentioned this to people like I 0:14:08.710 --> 0:14:12.520 have a kind of like a similar feel like this, 0:14:12.530 --> 0:14:16.218 this I, I would this exhilaration, this uh you know, 0:14:16.229 --> 0:14:20.400 exhilarating uh vibe inside that tells me, oh my God, 0:14:20.409 --> 0:14:23.250 this is, this is where I should be. Um There 0:14:23.260 --> 0:14:25.479 is so much opportunity and there's so much opportunity for 0:14:25.489 --> 0:14:25.979 growth 0:14:26.700 --> 0:14:30.840 as tons of buildings that, that needed, that needed uh loving, 0:14:30.849 --> 0:14:31.320 you know, 0:14:32.039 --> 0:14:35.099 um and right there and then I called my partners 0:14:35.109 --> 0:14:36.799 and I said, hey, I think I found our new 0:14:36.809 --> 0:14:40.890 neighborhood and quickly like started working on, on deals and 0:14:40.900 --> 0:14:44.419 started uh you know, spending more time there. And so 0:14:44.429 --> 0:14:46.289 what I should tell you is, 0:14:47.059 --> 0:14:49.479 and this is kind of like how crazy my mind works. 0:14:49.890 --> 0:14:51.880 And you're the fir and I'm, you're the first people, 0:14:51.890 --> 0:14:54.340 I'm gonna, I'm gonna tell this to. But before we're 0:14:54.349 --> 0:14:58.159 doing uh before we're relocating Nita, which will happen in 0:14:58.169 --> 0:15:02.960 hopefully April and uh and which probably won't happen until 0:15:03.159 --> 0:15:06.869 the summer of 24. Uh We're introducing two new concepts 0:15:06.880 --> 0:15:10.750 to this neighborhood. And so, uh in 2024 we're gonna 0:15:10.760 --> 0:15:12.799 be opening five restaurants on Del Mar. 0:15:13.239 --> 0:15:16.539 Uh the two new concepts, uh one I briefly talked 0:15:16.549 --> 0:15:20.260 about is going to be ESCA that's um 0:15:21.039 --> 0:15:25.000 kind of a coastal Mediterranean concept that uh is gonna 0:15:25.010 --> 0:15:27.940 be in right down the corner. That, that's the first 0:15:27.950 --> 0:15:28.940 building that I saw 0:15:29.929 --> 0:15:34.140 and uh coastal Mediterranean food, uh with an emphasis on, 0:15:34.150 --> 0:15:40.630 on charcoal grilling a very elemental, gorgeous space. And then the, 0:15:40.739 --> 0:15:43.950 that's gonna, I'm, I'm hoping that that's gonna open, uh as, 0:15:43.960 --> 0:15:46.859 as early as February, uh Valentine's Day is sort of 0:15:46.869 --> 0:15:51.429 our peak day. Uh And then once brutal loom closed down. 0:15:51.440 --> 0:15:52.260 Um 0:15:52.619 --> 0:15:54.299 It just made all the sense in the world for 0:15:54.309 --> 0:15:57.229 me to take over that space. There's several aspects you, right. 0:15:57.239 --> 0:15:59.809 You know, a it's a space in a neighborhood that 0:15:59.820 --> 0:16:02.440 I'm going to try to dominate as far as the 0:16:02.450 --> 0:16:07.000 culinary scene goes. Uh It's a space that's fairly, you know, 0:16:07.010 --> 0:16:09.700 fully built. I mean, we're going to change uh uh 0:16:09.710 --> 0:16:13.159 tons of stuff inside. But the big thing for me 0:16:13.169 --> 0:16:18.119 here is that I uh made a commitment to my employees, 0:16:18.929 --> 0:16:20.900 especially those who have been with me for a long 0:16:20.909 --> 0:16:23.770 time that, uh, it doesn't matter if I, if it 0:16:23.780 --> 0:16:26.030 takes a six months or nine months or a year 0:16:26.039 --> 0:16:29.469 to open those restaurants, they're gonna be employed with me 0:16:29.479 --> 0:16:31.830 and that they don't have to go, uh, they don't 0:16:31.840 --> 0:16:34.549 have to go anywhere or, or worry about that. And 0:16:34.559 --> 0:16:37.960 so sure some of them, uh, we're gonna place at 0:16:37.969 --> 0:16:39.750 the deli and some of them are gonna go to 0:16:39.760 --> 0:16:41.950 benevolent King and some of them are gonna go to 0:16:41.960 --> 0:16:42.909 bar moral. 0:16:43.239 --> 0:16:47.010 Um, and some of them are going to be, uh, uh, help, 0:16:47.020 --> 0:16:48.330 you know, some of them are gonna help me open 0:16:48.340 --> 0:16:51.979 this new, uh restaurant ESCA, but it's still a, you know, it's, 0:16:51.989 --> 0:16:55.460 it's dozens of people, uh, literally dozens of people that 0:16:56.270 --> 0:16:59.460 I'm going to, uh, need to, uh, you know, pay 0:16:59.469 --> 0:17:02.640 for their livelihood and what better way to do this, uh, 0:17:02.919 --> 0:17:06.469 than opening a new, a new spot. So this brutal 0:17:06.479 --> 0:17:09.209 loom space. Uh, we're calling Florentine. 0:17:09.958 --> 0:17:14.338 It is named after Mike's favorite, uh neighborhood in Tel Aviv. 0:17:14.598 --> 0:17:18.458 And it's basically a Tel Aviv inspired, uh all day 0:17:18.468 --> 0:17:22.739 breakfast and lunch spot. Uh, with a huge emphasis on shakka, 0:17:23.019 --> 0:17:27.898 those delicious, uh, eggs that are basically poached or braised in, uh, 0:17:27.909 --> 0:17:31.629 in this chunky tomato sauce. Uh, from North Africa. Uh, 0:17:31.638 --> 0:17:37.379 this uh, menu is almost 95% vegetarian, vegan, vegetarian. 0:17:37.689 --> 0:17:40.410 It's, it's, it's great. Look, fresh juices. Uh We're gonna 0:17:40.420 --> 0:17:43.050 open as early as 8 a.m. My hope is to 0:17:43.060 --> 0:17:44.390 open as early as 8 a.m. 0:17:45.209 --> 0:17:48.089 Uh So, yeah, so it's giving me an opportunity to both, uh, 0:17:48.099 --> 0:17:52.069 give employment or continue employment, retain employment, I should say. 0:17:52.780 --> 0:17:55.129 Uh It's giving you an opportunity to uh place a 0:17:55.140 --> 0:17:57.310 lot of my furniture and a lot of my equipment 0:17:57.319 --> 0:17:58.910 in a, in a, you know, instead of in a 0:17:58.920 --> 0:18:02.359 store it actually put to use. And it's another element 0:18:02.369 --> 0:18:03.670 from this neighborhood. You know, 0:18:04.459 --> 0:18:07.479 one thing I learned from doing, from doing a neighborhood, right, 0:18:07.489 --> 0:18:11.099 from cooking up a neighborhood is um that you need 0:18:11.109 --> 0:18:14.170 diversity of businesses and you need different price points. And 0:18:14.180 --> 0:18:18.239 so uh you want people there at different times of day, 0:18:18.250 --> 0:18:22.050 uh spending their money and their and being entertained at 0:18:22.060 --> 0:18:25.339 different levels. So, you know, ESCA is gonna be a 0:18:25.349 --> 0:18:30.250 little more pricey uh uh than yo uh obviously less 0:18:30.260 --> 0:18:31.438 pricey than Elia. 0:18:31.859 --> 0:18:33.879 And that cafe is gonna be kind of like a 0:18:33.890 --> 0:18:38.389 super approachable. Um Everybody, you know, basically a place where 0:18:38.400 --> 0:18:42.180 everybody can, can, can come to. So this sort of daytime, 0:18:42.189 --> 0:18:45.239 night time, uh middle of the day, different price points 0:18:45.250 --> 0:18:48.709 is super important. Uh So you can attract uh a wider, 0:18:48.719 --> 0:18:49.689 a wider market. 0:18:50.089 --> 0:18:53.119 I I think you said ESCA will be, I wanna 0:18:53.130 --> 0:18:55.399 say unique in Saint Louis in that it's got the 0:18:55.410 --> 0:18:56.030 only 0:18:56.439 --> 0:19:00.560 coal burning appliance, right? You're gonna be cooking the meats 0:19:00.569 --> 0:19:04.609 and the fishes and the vegetables over coal. 0:19:04.619 --> 0:19:07.930 Well, the uniqueness of this concept is that we have 0:19:07.939 --> 0:19:11.929 no other surfaces. Uh I it's not like I have, 0:19:11.939 --> 0:19:15.399 you know, a, a grill in addition to, you know, 0:19:15.410 --> 0:19:19.579 a gas stove or, or, or, you know, uh it 0:19:19.589 --> 0:19:22.109 all we have there is just a charcoal oven and 0:19:22.119 --> 0:19:24.349 we're gonna try to do the entire menu out of there. 0:19:24.599 --> 0:19:28.419 So, including possibly baking bread and doing all of our desserts. 0:19:28.430 --> 0:19:30.060 And so, um 0:19:30.550 --> 0:19:33.349 yeah, that, that's, that's a unique concept for sure. I 0:19:33.359 --> 0:19:33.718 think 0:19:33.729 --> 0:19:36.369 a lot of people are familiar with kind of more 0:19:36.380 --> 0:19:40.849 eastern Mediterranean. You know, I think of um Olio benevolent 0:19:40.859 --> 0:19:44.410 King and all of that. You've said that this is 0:19:44.420 --> 0:19:49.160 going to be Italian Riviera, French Riviera, um maybe even 0:19:49.170 --> 0:19:49.209 into 0:19:49.219 --> 0:19:52.369 Spain. Yeah. So for sure. So the idea for S 0:19:52.380 --> 0:19:57.169 Sky is that it's loosely inspired by Western Mediterranean cuisine. 0:19:57.510 --> 0:19:59.609 So if you kind of think of the Italian and 0:19:59.619 --> 0:20:02.369 French Riviera all the way down to the Catalan coast, 0:20:02.380 --> 0:20:06.459 uh um you know, the, the uh western um coast 0:20:06.469 --> 0:20:09.150 of Spain, a little bit of Sicily, maybe a little 0:20:09.160 --> 0:20:12.800 bit of the Amalfi Coast as well. Um Just this 0:20:12.810 --> 0:20:15.129 kind of, you know, the French, call it the cuisine 0:20:15.140 --> 0:20:18.410 of the sun. And this is really what, what inspires us. 0:20:18.420 --> 0:20:24.198 It's very elemental food. Typically. It's a simple salads. Uh 0:20:24.209 --> 0:20:27.250 a lot of olive oil, um um 0:20:27.640 --> 0:20:30.219 healthy, a lot of, a lot of acid, a lot 0:20:30.229 --> 0:20:32.399 of lemon, uh We're gonna use a lot of lemon 0:20:32.410 --> 0:20:36.959 in different uh in different ways. Um So, yeah, kind 0:20:36.969 --> 0:20:42.060 of like that vibe uh for, for ESCA um which 0:20:42.069 --> 0:20:45.010 really is kind of like the difference. Uh The New Oreo. 0:20:45.020 --> 0:20:48.619 Once we do the New Olio, um, gonna be almost the, 0:20:48.630 --> 0:20:52.020 the opposite. It's gonna be the eastern part of the Mediterranean. 0:20:52.489 --> 0:20:55.199 So, it'd be interesting to see, uh, those two kind 0:20:55.209 --> 0:20:56.579