Let’s get the bad news out of the way first: Balkan Treat Box’ first brick-and-mortar site is only open for lunch. They close at 3 p.m. “or whenever we run out”. That presumably means no grabbing a bite en route to a function at the Rep or OTSL.
On the other hand, this means they understand their limitations and won’t expand their span of control until they’re ready and that, especially in restaurants, is a good thing. The drill is, get in line – there’s almost always a line, it’s that popular – and while you’re waiting in line, staff assigns you to a table or the long communal table in the middle of the dining area. After ordering and paying, take your seat and listen for your name. (It’s noisy, but manageable.)
The menu is short, only seven options plus a dessert, and beverages out of a refrigerated case.
My pal and I hit it for lunch the other day and came out raving. Clearly we’re not the only ones; the New York Times mentioned it approvingly in their “36 Hours in St. Louis” feature on April 7.
One order of cevapi, finger-sized sausages of beef laid out on somun, the pita-like bread baked in-house with a characteristic checkerboard pattern, spread with kajmak, a dairy product not unlike sour cream, and topped with onion. The sausage is savory indeed, not dry, some garlic hanging around, the whole thing leaving us salivating. The other order was lahmacun. It would be an injustice to describe this as burrito-like or blintz-ish. Certainly it was a rolled sandwich with the ends tucked in. But only the shape made it similar. Inside is a spicy beef mixture, not incendiary, certainly, but moving toward warm, as well as ajvar, the red pepper spread made with sweet peppers that is frequently found in the Balkans, chopped parsley and some other fresh herbs, and another, more mysterious item, the BTB sauce. It was way to busy to press for information on that, but no matter; it’s a killer dish, the sort that leaves the diner grunting with pleasure after every second or third bite. A wedge of lemon came alongside. Both dishes had red cabbage salad, very fresh and very lightly dressed, making sure diners felt healthily fed no matter how much they ate.
A couple of vegetarian options as well as fish are on offer, despite the seeming brevity of the menu. Webster has gone Balkan bonkers but tables seem to turn fairly quickly. Still, until they get their groove on, the “whenever we run out” may happen sooner than 3 o’clock. There’s off-street parking in the rear, and an entrance there as well. No reservations, so be prepared. The wait is worth it.
Balkan Treat Box
8103 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves
(314) 773-5700
Credit cards: Yes
Lunch Wed.-Sun.
Sandwiches $11-$14