4 minute read
Food for Thought
Farm-fresh fabulousness!
By Vicki Bennington
For The Edge
GODFREY — Another destination this week, especially if you’re ready for a drive and to get out of the house. Adopting a seed-to-table philosophy, Bakers & Hale uses naturally, locally grown ingredients as much as possible.
And with credentials like Kelsi Baker Walden as executive chef, and Rex Hale as consulting chef, you can’t go wrong.
Walden and Hale, who were instrumental in starting the restaurant a couple of years ago, worked together at destination restaurants, like, Fox & Hounds Tavern, Boundary and Basso, all at St. Louis’ famed, historic Cheshire Inn, and Three Sixty at the Hilton at the Ballpark in St. Louis, among others. Both grew up with Midwestern family influences of freshly grown food, which planted the seed — so to speak — for Bakers & Hale.
Bakers & Hale’s large garden on the restaurant property provides readily available fresh produce for whipping up salads and other fresh dishes. There’s also an herb garden with things, like, ginger root, lemon balm, mint, basil and lavender.
Menus change with the seasons in order to utilize the freshest ingredients. Even cocktails rotate and include herbs that are in-season and syrups with things, like, lemon verbena. Out-of-season vegetables are brought in fresh from area greenhouses.
People drive from far and wide to sample the fresh fare and made-from-scratch creations.
Last fall, my husband’s class reunion was held on the outdoor patio, which is a surprisingly big space with a large bar that is great for social distancing — though those thoughts didn’t cross my naïve pre-COVID 2019 mind.
The food was great and the atmosphere couldn’t be beat. Even though now the outdoor bar has reopened following the lifting
(Vicki Bennington | For the Edge)
Hand-breaded chicken strips
(Vicki Bennington | For the Edge)
B&H Burger
of shelter-in-place orders, there is limited indoor seating, so we recently opted for curbside ordering. Our order was conveniently brought to the car when we pulled up under a canopy. We ordered and paid by phone.
For our curbside order, I chose the “B&H Burger,“ which comes with bacon jam and aioli (and white cheddar, if you want it) on a Duke Bakery bun
There’s also a mushroom and gouda burger that includes fried onion strings and aioli on a Duke Bakery bun.
I started my meal with a side salad with a Chardonnay vinaigrette that was especially good, and the greens were crisp and fresh.
My husband’s chicken strips were plentiful – more than he could eat, and the French fries, which I couldn’t help but sample, were tasty. I’m picky about my fries, so that’s saying something.
Plate choices include two 5-ounce steak skewers with garlic mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables; pork steak (can’t be found just anywhere) – 24 ounces smoked and grilled; a beef brisket; grilled salmon with zucchini and black bean succotash; Cajun fettuccini and ribeye steak, among others.
Fried pickled vegetables on the starters menu are definitely a must-try for our next visit, or maybe the burnt end brisket nachos, which I had once before.
A selection of soups and salads using fresh seasonal ingredients and house-made dressings make for a meal all their own.
Keto selections are offered in the form of a gyro bowl with cauliflower rice and gyro meat, or a fajita bowl, with the cauliflower rice and steak or chicken. Other menu items include a selection of pizzas and tacos.
If you have more than a couple of people to feed and you like the idea of curbside, the family take-home dinners provide a nice break from cooking.
You can even get appetizers in quantities for four to six people, like a dip tray, wings or a burnt end brisket nacho bar.
Family fajitas are meant for four to six, and include chicken or steak with a selection of veggies, house-made pico and salsa and a dozen tortillas. Brisket mac ‘n’ cheese, steak skewers, fried chicken or pizza are among other family choices to try.
Don’t forget dessert! Madefrom-scratch on site, choices are lemon gooey butter cheesecake with blueberry compote and whipped cream, seasonal fruit crisp or chocolate fudge brownie with bourbon pecan caramel and vanilla bean ice cream – yum!
Bakers & Hale serves lunch and dinner, and under normal circumstances, a popular Sunday brunch buffet, which is currently unavailable, but will hopefully, be back soon as the world returns to normal.
The restaurant is located at 7120 Montclaire Ave. in Godfrey. And Bakers & Hale also caters! For hours of operation, more information or to check out the catering menu, visit www.bakershale.com.
Side salad with chardonnay viniagrette
