Peppe Profeta has been around the St. Louis restaurant scene for a very long time. He must have been only just out of his teens when he opened Gian Peppe's on The Hill in 1981, and since then he's been almost constantly welcoming and feeding hungry St. Louisans and their guests. Now he's opened his first off-the-beaten-path spot, Peppe's Apt. 2. It's only two months old, but his fans are finding him for a good time and a good meal.
Across the street from the northeast corner of the Meramec Campus of St. Louis Community College, in a storefront that's evocative of old Kirkwood, the exterior, with its cream-and-black striped awning and old-fashioned, cut-glass chandeliers, feels a bit like uptown New Orleans, and the interior, with more chandeliers, soft pink lighting and paneled walls, evokes the old days on The Hill. Stuffy? Not a chance, despite the décor. The ebullient Peppe is too bubbly to let that happen, and he's nearly always on hand.
Lovers of calamari should not miss the fritto misto, its tender and very lemony squid dusted with crumbs and flash-fried. The accompanying lemon wedges are superfluous; leave these guys crisp, because the pre-crumbing lemon juice dunk is just right. The dish also carries some tempura-battered asparagus and slices of pepper, the latter remarkable for their sweetness. A salad of thinly sliced mushrooms and fennel, dressed with a light vinaigrette and topped with shaved parmigiano reggiano, was a delight, its contrast of crisp and soft adding to the diner's pleasure.
Also listed as a first course are Signora Profeta's meatballs. Peppe's mother cooked with him for many years, and these wonderful meatballs are all the credentials she needs to prove her skill. All-beef, they arrive in a tasty red sauce, with three fat polenta fries. They'd do for a light entree, but we pressed on, in the interests of our readers – and our own curiosity and appetite.
On both the appetizer side and the list of main courses, there are old standards and some newer options. We were mightily tempted by fettuccine Alfredo, one of Peppe's signature dishes and a classic preparation, but aimed instead for spaghetti al pomodori fritti, described as “fresh marinara sauce, pan seared till golden crispy” We've had this before, too, arriving in a pan-sized pancake with crisp edges. Not this time. What was placed before us was a handsome plate of al dente spaghetti, with a brilliant red tomato sauce, full of basil, absolutely as summery as a day in July. Delicious. But not fried. An inquiry got only a very vague explanation. And though it tasted good, it wasn't what we expected.
More contemporary was a pair of duck breasts, sauteed to the requested medium-rare, sauced with a demiglaze made of vin cotto, a sweet Italian dessert wine, and a garnish of peas and shallots. The duck was tasty and tender, with hints of sweetness, but it was not overwhelmingly sticky-sweet. Alongside were a few more asparagus spears, and a potato croquette, devilishly rich inside. We asked for a side of pasta with Bolognese sauce, and were rewarded with that same al dente spaghetti with a thick, dark red sauce in the classic style of Bologna, almost sweet from sauteeing the odori, the carrot, celery and onion mixture (almost like a New Orleans roux) that begins the sauce. Not much tomato, but lots of meaty flavor, including chunks of tasty, tender and very lean, beef. If the marinara sauce was July, this was February, absolutely rib-sticking.
At dinner, all of the pastas and many of the other entrees are available in half- or full portions, a good idea for the budget- or weight-conscious diner.
Desserts are made in-house, led by small cannoli that are cooked to order, and the lightly sweetened ricotta filling was a charming and cool contrast to the still-warm shell. Carrot cake turned out to be moist and pleasant, slightly spiced, the sort of thing Grandma-who-had-been-a-hippie can still turn out. (Has carrot cake stuck around longer than any of the other iconic foods of the Seventies?)
The wine list is short, both on bottles and by-the-glass choices, but reasonably priced, heavy on Italian wines, with a Sangiovese house wine that has flavor but is very young and slightly raw. To offset that, look for lots of happy customers and good food – we'd strongly advise reservations. Lunchtime is weekdays only, but we like seeing an eggplant muffaletta, a fritatta and an anchovy pizza on a lunch menu.
Peppe's Apt. 2
800 S. Geyer Rd., Kirkwood
314-909-1375
Lunch Tues.-Fri., Dinner Tues.-Sat.
Credit cards: Yes
Wheelchair access: Fair
Smoking: No
Entrees prices (full dinner portions), 14-$28
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We are so lucky that we found Peppe’s last night. It is a wonderful restaurant for a casual evening (like we had) or a special celebration. From service, to wine, amazing food and desserts…this is the way dining should always be!!! Can’t wait to return.