Short Orders

[ST. LOUIS STANDARDS]

Written by CHERYL BAEHR

James Probstein cannot verify the urban legend that surrounds the chicken wings at his Ladue mainstay, Sportsman’s Park, but the rumors have been swirling for years. The word on the street is that Jackie Smith, the NFL Hall of Famer and former co-owner of the restaurant (along with James’ dad Norman), was the person who brought Buffalo wings to St. Louis when the restaurant opened in the 1970s. It makes sense; Smith’s football career regularly took him to Buffalo, where he would play the Bills and nosh on wings when he was off the field. s robstein explains, no one knows if it’s actually true, but the mystery is part of the fun.

“Legend has it that he tried them in Buffalo and brought them to town,” Probstein says. “We can’t prove it, but when we opened as Jackie’s Place in 1974 they were on the menu not at the very beginning, but soon after. We still sell a lot of them, but we are known for other things now.”

Even if Sportsman’s Park’s status as the fountainhead of St. Louis chicken-wing culture is untrue, it does not diminish the special place it holds in the city’s heart. Since opening 47 years ago under the name Jackie’s Place, the restaurant has become a beloved gathering place, not just for its immediate neighbors in Ladue but for sports fans throughout the area, thanks to its impressive collection of photographs and memorabilia amassed over the years.

Probstein’s dad, Norman, had such a vision in mind when he happened upon the place nearly five decades ago. longtime hospitality professional who operated several businesses around town in area hotels, the elder Probstein was looking for a standalone spot in a good location to open up a small neighborhood restaurant. The building at 9901 Clayton Road tic ed all the right boxes, and he was eager to sign the lease and get to work with the right partner by his side.

That person would be Smith, who Norman was introduced to through the Cardinals football team’s then-owner Bill Bidwell. Norman, who knew Bidwell socially, was a regular at football games, often bringing his son with him to watch the action on the field and meet the players. That connection led to a business relationship between Norman and Smith, and the two men operated the restaurant together for four years until Smith decided to pursue other interests. Two years after that, Norman changed the restaurant’s name to Sportsman’s Park, a nod to the storied former home to both the St. Louis Browns and St. Louis Cardinals baseball teams.

From the beginning, James Probstein was there alongside his dad and began earning his keep as a dishwasher as soon as he was old enough to work. Though it was never explicitly stated or expected of him that he ta e over the restaurant when his dad was ready to retire, he knew, deep down, that he was going to be in the hospitality business in some way, shape or form because of his early exposure to it.

“Growing up with my dad in the hotel and restaurant business, I’d go to work with him every Saturday morning,” Probstein says. “I never really knew anything else; I just assumed I’d be in the business, went to school and got a degree in hotel and restaurant business, and went into it with my dad, never thinking too much about it. I never took for granted that I would still be here at this place at this age, but it just happened. And I think of that as a good thing.” robstein finds fulfillment in operating Sportsman’s because he knows what it means to the com-

e Jack Buck wall is one of the touches that makes Sportsman’s so St. Louis | ANDY PAULISSEN [FIRST LOOK]

munity. As he’s watched Ladue’s dining landscape change over the years — with mainstays like Busch’s Grove, Schneithorst’s and even the grocer Ladue Market closing up shop — he can’t help but feel a sense of responsibility to keep alive Sportsman’s Park’s legacy as a way to maintain a connection to the area’s history. He admits it’s a balance. Though he understands the importance of adapting and being flexible, he’s also learned over the years that people do not want things to change all that much and are more concerned about being able to come into a place that feels familiar.

“We’ve had to adopt without fundamentally altering who we are,” says Probstein. “For years, I used to think we needed to freshen and needed new items, so I’d add those on the edges. I finally got to the point where I stopped doing that several years ago, though, because most people didn’t want things to change. They just want us to do what we do well and keep doing it, so why mess with it?”

Sportsman’s has had to adapt over the past two years, though. Probstein notes the challenges presented by the pandemic, but he feels fortunate to have done well in spite of them. He credits his loyal customers for supporting the restaurant and its staff through it all, and he appreciates their grace and patience as he and his team have had to navigate the ups and downs of the past year and a half. However, he is quick to acknowledge one silver lining. “ e finally got an outdoor seating area,” Probstein laughs. “It only took 46 years and a pandemic, but it’s better late than never.” Aside from that new outdoor space, Probstein doesn’t anticipate that there are any other changes on deck at Sportsman’s, other than a forthcoming Wayne Gretzky memorabilia wall curated by the Great One himself. It will join the homage to the late Jack Buck the restaurant has on one of its walls, one of the many reasons Sportsman’s is seen as a temple of St. Louis sports culture — and in turn, St. Louis culture in general. This, plus the good food, longtime staff and generations of regulars are the reasons for Sportsman’s staying power and why Probstein feels it will be around for years to come. “We’re in this great neighborhood and are just one of those oneoff restaurants that people like,” Probstein says. “At the end of the day, if you have a cozy restaurant that people like to be in and feel comfortable, and have good food and good service, that’s what they want. We make you feel like you are somewhere else — not in the real world anymore — and people like that. To keep doing that, you have to keep coming in every day and act li e it’s the first day that you’ve been here; you have to stay focused and not get comfortable just because you’ve been here for a long time.” n

Written by CHERYL BAEHR

For years, Timothy Metz and his business partners Steven Manns and Sean Olson have made the restaurant industry their profession, working around town at everywhere from upscale restaurants and pubs to delis and other casual spots. However, even in their off hours, the three friends found themselves gravitating toward food and drink, whether going out to eat or hosting elaborate dinner parties where Metz would create elegant, multi-course meals. Now, they have drawn upon their decades of personal and professional experience to create Timothy’s The Restaurant (12710 Olive Boulevard, Creve Coeur; 314-7865301), the fine-dining restaurant of their dreams.

“When Steven approached us about opening a restaurant, it just made sense,” says Metz. “We have all the components to make it work, and I felt like I was wasting my talents not putting it out there.”

Timothy’s, which opened two months ago in Creve Coeur, represents a completely different food-and-beverage experience than the one Metz and Olson have been offering St. Louis diners at their casual concept, Pickles Deli. There, the partners have been serving classic delicatessen fare to guests at locations in both the Central West End and Downtown, drawing a loyal following for their fierce commitment to quality, even in such a low-key setting.

However, fine dining has always been something near and dear to their hearts, a passion that was stoked over their many years in the industry. It’s even how they met Manns, a former server at the former Balaban’s in the Central West End who became their good friend when they were regulars at the iconic eatery. The three recognized in one another a love for both food and the industry, and exploring the city’s culinary scene and cooking and eating together was a major driver of their friendship. With extensive wine and service knowledge, Manns gravitated toward the beverage and front-of-house sort of duties, as did Olson, who has a background in hospitality management. That left Metz to do the cooking, which was exactly where he wanted to be.

“I used to work at O’Connell’s from 1985 to 2000 and hung out with the waitresses there,” Metz says. “We used to go to places like Blue Water Grill and Cafe De France and all of the different restaurants around town. I really learned to appreciate food that way, and when I moved out on my own after a breakup, I really started cooking for myself. Anytime I had off, I was always in the kitchen whether it was learning to make Bolognese and risotto the correct way or handmade pasta. I stopped going out to eat as much because it was taking me away from what I wanted to do.”

Metz is excited to translate what he’s learned over the years into the professional kitchen and credits his sous

Written by CHERYL BAEHR

Three years after its founding, local distillery Switchgrass Spirits is ready to open its doors to the public. The north St. Louis-based company has announced plans to offer tours of its facilities, complete with a tasting the first aturday of every month. Tours, which are free and must be reserved in advance, will begin aturday, ovember 6.

“We started presenting our products to the public in February of 2020, and were so busy that month with bottling and labeling that we weren’t in a position to do tours,” says Switchgrass founding member Sarah Miller. “We kept saying, ‘We’re going to do tours; it’s going to be great!’ But then COVID happened and we felt like it wasn’t a good idea to have a bunch of strangers coming through.”

The distillery tours are just the latest development for the company, which is poised to take the whiskey world by storm with its unique offerings. Though Switchgrass is three years old, the lengthy lag time that goes into starting a distillery means the brand is just now at the point where it can fully showcase its mission to produce high-quality whiskey that will put Missouri on par with producers from more storied regions, such as Kentucky.

“ istilling gives a lot of value to things like corn, apples and oak — things that are from Missouri that we wanted to give more value to and showcase the Midwest in a different way,” Miller says. “It’s not just Kentucky that makes whiskey. issouri is great and very favorable to alcohol makers because we have great water and oa that is used all around the world. You go to Scotland, where all the famous cotches are being made, or even California wine country, and the barrels are from the Ozarks. People know Missouri oak is great, but people in Missouri aren’t utilizing it as much as they could be. We are happy to be here and do that.”

As Switchgrass distiller Nick Colombo explains, the secret to what he believes will be the brand’s success is how its whiskey is distilled. He and other distillers at Switchgrass have bac grounds in brewing beer, and apply their knowledge from that process to making whiskey. Known as sweet mashing, the process yields what Colombo describes as a more artisanal product that can be enjoyed with less aging than other whiskeys.

“We make our whiskey differently than anyone else,” Colombo says. “With sweet mashing, you spend more time and money babying the yeast; to do that is harder, but it tastes better sooner because it doesn’t have that burn that a lot of young whis eys have.

As Colombo explains, sweet mashing, as well as doing batch distillations, makes Switchgrass’ whiskey taste fundamentally different than those made using other processes. He and his team also use a “cut to taste” method of separating out the head, heart and tail of the distillate, which requires more skill.

“We know when it’s fresh-baked bread or cherry or apple flavors,

and we pic and choose every flavor that goes into the bottle rather than what the still gives us, olombo explains.

Colombo points to Switchgrass’ one year whis ey as evidence of the method’s ability to produce a quality spirit. Though such a young whiskey should be harsh and unpleasant to drink, he and his team were surprised with how enjoyable it was to sip.

“People are sipping on a 100 proof, one-year rye,” Colombo says. “That just doesn’t happen.”

Now that Switchgrass is poised to release its two-year rye, as well as open up the distillery for tours, Colombo and Miller feel that the company has made it through the difficult startup period something that was especially challenging for their brand because of their refusal to engage in the common practice of selling other companies’ whiskey while waiting for theirs to age. With the new release, the tours and a series of upcoming cocktail classes on deck, Colombo, Miller and their partners feel like they can breathe a sigh of relief that what they wished for is finally coming true.

“We took a year building out the building, a year distilling and now have our two year product, iller says. “ his ey definitely teaches you patience and that good things will come if you wait.” n

chef, Will Mabrey, with ensuring his success. Mabrey, whose prior experience includes Herbie’s and Yolklore, has played a key role in helping Metz bring to life his vision for a classic, fine-dining menu that he describes as having a traditional, “old school” kind of vibe. It’s a style of dining he feels is not being done with as much frequency as it once was, even though there is still a hunger for it.

By classic fine dining, Metz means a menu of quintessential New American fare, served on white (or in the case of Timothy’s, black) tablecloths alongside good wine with professional service. Dishes like lobster pot pie, escargots, New Zealand lamb chops and smoked-paprika-dusted scallops underscore his vision.

“We didn’t want to make things complicated or have a menu that people don’t understand,” Metz explains. “For us, it’s more about the quality, which is why it’s not huge; we didn’t want to just throw something on there just to have it.”

In addition to the food, Metz credits Manns with curating an impressive wine list of 160 bottles — his goal is to expand it to 300 — that have each been researched and vetted for quality. Metz believes this, together with the food and the service, make Timothy’s the sort of upscale, yet comfortable, restaurant that is synonymous with timeless upscale dining.

“We have this line, ‘Timothy’s, if you know, you know,’” Metz says. “Since we’ve been open, we’ve had so many birthdays and anniversaries. People have already figured out that this will be their special place. It’s been a great journey so far, and it keeps getting better.”

Timothy’s is open Tuesday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 4 to 11 p.m. n

Written by CHERYL BAEHR

For two years, Jennifer Garcia Barrs has been working alongside Loryn and Edo Nalic at Balkan Treat Box (8103 Big Bend Boulevard, Webster Groves; 314-733-5700), making herself indispensable as their right-hand woman on everything from daily cooking to research and development. Now, she is stepping into the forefront with a Filipinoinspired pop-up event that will kick off the restaurant’s dinner series next month.

The Good Magic dinner event, which will be held on Sunday, November 14, is a chance for Garcia Barrs to explore her Filipino culinary traditions at a much deeper level than she has to date. Growing up the daughter of Filipino immigrants in Los Angeles, she was exposed to the country’s foods through her father’s side of the family, but they were not a part of her everyday experience. Instead, she describes the culinary part of her upbringing as international, which gave her an appreciation for cuisines from a variety of different cultures.

“My mom cooked a lot, but she did not cook a lot of Filipino food,” Garcia Barrs says. “I was exposed to all sorts of different foods since childhood, and I am thankful for that exposure. She cooked a lot of international foods, and we ate out internationally. My main exposure was from my dad’s mom and family friends and aunts and uncles, but it wasn’t an everyday thing — except we ate rice with everything. I don’t think a Filipino can live without rice.”

Garcia Barrs credits that early exposure with sparking her passion for food, which led her to culinary school in LA and a subsequent career as a chef in both the Bay Area and Toronto. In 2016, Garcia Barrs moved to St. Louis to be near her husband’s family; at that point in her life, she’d been out of the industry for a while to raise her kids, but she felt an itch to get back into hospitality. That chance would come to her thanks to a chance meeting while she was having a solo birthday lunch at Union Loafers in Botanical Heights.

“It was August of 2019, and in walked Edo,” Garcia Barrs recalls. “I didn’t know him, but I recognized him from write-ups about Balkan, and I’d seen a few weeks prior that they had posted something about looking to hire people. I just mustered up the courage to talk to him, and he told me to reach out to Loryn.”

Garcia Barrs and Loryn Nalic instantly clicked, and before she knew it, she was working the line at the acclaimed restaurant, soaking up every bit of knowledge that she could about Balkan cuisine. Though the pandemic put a pause on her job at Balkan — the Nalics had to make the difficult decision to furlough staff at the beginning of it — she made her way back to the restaurant to help with curbside, and eventually the full reopening. She’s thrilled to be back, and now that the Nalics feel comfortable launching their popular dinner series after a pandemicinduced pause, Garcia Barrs knows the timing is right for her to show what she can do in a different light.

“I approached Loryn back in spring and told her I would love to do a pop-up collaboration with Filipino and Balkan food,” Garcia Barrs says. “She said, ‘OK, let’s do it.’ I originally wanted to do it in July, but life happens, so I’m so glad it’s finally happening. For the past few months, I have been bringing in different ideas, and the feedback has been positive.”

As Garcia Barrs explains, the flavors found in both Balkan and Filipino cuisine are surprisingly complementary. She believes this is the case because Filipino food is a mash-up of various traditions, ranging from indigenous to Spanish to Chinese, and she also notices several crossover ingredients like peppers and paprika. Though she wants the dishes at her dinner to have an element of surprise, Garcia Barrs says to expect many wood-fired foods and a lot of umami, soy, citrus and vinegar.

“It’s going to be Filipino foods with a Balkan take on them and Balkan foods with a Filipino take,” Garcia Barrs says.

As for Garcia Barrs’ role as the person to kick off the series, Loryn Nalic cannot be more excited to shine a light on the person she describes as her right-hand woman and a huge reason for Balkan’s continued success. It’s validation that Garcia Barrs feels deeply.

“It’s really special, and I feel honored and so much emotion being a part of this,” Garcia Barrs says. “Most of all, though, I just feel really excited.” n