creek side pub
ONE ON ONE
stl
matthew daughaday
written by ettie berneking
SPRINGFIELD, MO. there’s nothing swanky about Creek Side Pub in Springfield,
chef-owner, reeds american table
Missouri, and that’s part of its charm. the crowds don’t come for dazzling décor or service; they come for two reasons: to enjoy the laid-back atmosphere and to chow down on homemade chips and guacamole. Situated along the banks of galloway Creek, the tiny bar and bistro draws large crowds that often spill out of its doors. the spot is a popular summer hangout, as it’s tucked away in the woods with a bike path winding by out front and a creek bubbling in back.
WRITTEN By BETHANy CHRISTO
MAPLEWOOD, MO. Growing up in University
City, Missouri, Matthew Daughaday remembers visiting nowshuttered U City Quality Foods and ordering the same turkey sandwich from the butcher, Stan, five times a week. It was just turkey, iceberg lettuce and Miracle Whip, but the beauty was in its freshness: the turkey sliced right in front of you, lettuce pulled directly from the head. Daughaday, formerly executive chef of Taste, is trying to recreate that simplicity and attention to detail at his soon-to-open neighborhood dinner spot (lunch and brunch to follow in coming months), Reeds American Table, in Maplewood, Missouri. In addition to Daughaday, its beverage director is Andrey Ivanov, formerly of Elaia and Olio, and Summer Wright is heading up desserts and pastries. Savory dishes include a pastrami beef tongue Reuben and grilled pork steak with Brussels sprouts slaw, while sweets include a blackberry crisp with cardamom, barley and ginger ice cream. We caught up with Daughaday (and briefly with Ivanov) to learn more about the new venture.
Limited staff, not to mention limited seating, is why owner bear gannaway has kept the menu so small. there are just four items to choose from: the muchlauded chicken salad sandwich served on a flaky croissant, a ham and cheese croissant, the Anti-Vegan Delight (a combination of mushrooms, avocado, tomatoes and cucumbers packed between – you guessed it – a buttery croissant) and the chips with guac or salsa. Chips are made to order and are nothing more than flour tortillas that gannaway cuts up and fries. they’re simple and delicious, crispy but still chewy, and they serve as the perfect vehicle for dollops of fresh guacamole. with live music on the occasional thursday night and every Friday and Saturday night, the bistro quickly fills up, but the back patio is a big draw during the day (gannaway opens shop at 3pm). Snag a seat at one of the faded pink picnic tables or on mismatched patio furniture to enjoy the food and drink, and then try your luck tossing rocks from the bank into the metal Miller Lite bucket that hangs over the creek. it’s also common to find sunbathers lounging along the banks with their feet cooling off in the water. Creek Side Pub, 3830-C S. Lone Pine Ave., Springfield, Missouri, 417.893.8131, facebook.com/creeksidepub
mo
photogrAphy by eMiLy SuzAnne MCDonALD
photogrAphy by jeSSiCA SpenCer
What can people expect at Reeds? Hopefully it’s a comfortable, local neighborhood “haunt” that gives off the sense of being around a dinner table. Maplewood is a very self-contained community, old-school, with family-owned businesses; it reminds me of where I grew up in University City. My menu is simple, unpretentious and seasonal. Housemade breads, soups, salads, sandwiches, small plates, entrées and a couple of whole-roasted items, and then matching that with a great beverage program – not just wine, but also beer, cider, liqueurs, nonalcoholic beverages, etc. What motivated you to open your own place? I didn’t start cooking to open a restaurant; it was never something I thought possible for myself, honestly. Without the support of my friends and the customers at Taste telling me, “No, I think it’s definitely something you can and should do,” it would have just stayed as a fun dream forever. It’s definitely more than just my idea; it’s all of these people who’ve helped me and shared this vision. Can you share details about the menu? I’m excited to work with fish since a lot of people in the Midwest don’t know how available fresh fish is to us. For example, we’re doing a whole-roasted bronzino with roasted fennel, shaved raw carrots, marinated cherry tomatoes and lemon-brown butter. Our dishes all start with the vegetables and what’s seasonal – like local green beans with sweet basil dressing, pickled blueberries and almonds, or roasted summer squash lasagnette – and then the proteins follow suit – with pork sourced from Newman Farm, chicken from Double Star Farm, trout from Troutdale Farm. What can guests expect from the bar program? I don’t drink, so I knew I needed a beverage director who was as passionate about beverages as I am about food. Andrey, tell us about the bar program. The beverage program is about providing context and adding a personal, experienced touch. Our core wine list is made up of wineries that a member of the beverage staff has visited or has a personal relationship with the winemaker or importer. Our beer director, David Schroeder, is a certified cicerone who put together a small-buttargeted program with four beers on draft and a dozen by the bottle. On one tap we have Budweiser – but it’s the original Budweiser Budvar brewed in the Czech Republic that Budweiser is modeled after. We’re the only place in the history of St. Louis to pour that. Zach Althaus, previously of Sump Coffee, is specifically dedicated to coffee and nonalcoholic drinks, and he’s knowledgeable about where [coffee] beans come from, the different flavor profiles and how to emphasize those flavors in a drink. We have an ambitious offering of nonalcoholic drinks – things like nontraditional juice combinations and sodas. Reeds American Table, 7322 Manchester Road, Maplewood, Missouri Inspired Local Food Culture
AUGUST 2015
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