MY GO TO By Craig Kaminer / Photos by Spencer Pernikoff
Because I grew up in New York City and lived in Italy, people always ask me which are my favorite restaurants? Most of the time, I just share a list of places and let them figure out what they are in the mood to eat. I used to always recommend fancier places, but for the last few years, I have been suggesting places similar to where I went nightly in Florence. All have consistently great food, welcoming and passionate servers, an owner who is deeply engaged, and an intimate atmosphere where you always feel like a regular. Louie is one of those places and we eat there weekly. It has a simple, Italian-forward menu, with just enough regular offerings and a handful of specials to make ordering easy and uncomplicated. The team has worked together for years, are like family with each other and their guests, treat everyone like they own the place, and strive for perfection every time. Located in the Demun neighborhood of Clayton, Louie is surrounded by Sasha’s Wine Bar, the original Kaldi’s Coffee, and Clementine’s Creamery – all of which are standouts in their own right and attract lines nightly. Together, they complement and 26 slmag.net
support each other. My opinion: their clientele protect this little slice of culinary heaven by not telling too many of their friends about it! Since it opened in 2017, I have eaten everything on the menu. For me, the perfect evening starts with a bottle of Poliziano Vino Nobile from Montepulciano, a half portion of the freshly sliced prosciutto, shaved parmesan cheese, and drizzle of Tuscan olive oil, then the roasted chicken with rapini (broccoli rabe). I always razz my wife that we eat too much chicken at home, but the roasted chicken at Louie is without compare. The portions are generous, so I typically share this with my wife. While this is my go-to order, some of my other favorites are the charred eggplant dip or hummus as starters, burrata and heirloom tomatoes when they’re in season, a margherita Neapolitan pizza, the grilled pork chop with shisito peppers, or the polenta. While I rarely order dessert, their panna cotta and ice cream sandwiches are the best. But don’t forget that Clementine’s is down the block - there’s always a wait - so the options are bountiful for something great. The somewhat shy and reclusive owner, Matt McGuire, is one of the great restaurateurs in St. Louis. He was the founder of
