Once upon a time, St. Louis had plenty of small bars that also had kitchens. They offered humble food, most of it made on site, and a nearby accountant or salesman might drop in for what was often called a merchants’ lunch, or for a fast sandwich and a glass of beer. In fact, it was at such places that the now-gone brain sandwich flourished. One of the neighborhoods where such places existed is Carondelet.
For those unfamiliar with it, Carondelet (which originally was an independent city) is tucked into the city’s southeast corner, bordering both the Mississippi and River des Peres, a short hop from the sublime to the ridiculous. It’s also home to one of this year’s new crop of theaters, the Ivory Theater, named for a street it faces. That means, we hope, many first-time visitors to the neighborhood. Dining options in the area are limited. But across the sort of plaza that the Ivory Theater faces is the Ivory Coast Bistro–which, be warned, at this writing does not have a sign outside. It’s at the south end of a wedge-shaped block, and its entrance faces south. (Look for the neon beer signs.)
The Ivory Coast is larger than it looks. There’s the bar, which serves as a dining room for smokers, a non-smoking dining room, and another room with a pool table. As befits the neighborhood tradition, there seem to be a fair number of regulars at the bar. The food is relatively simple. A couple of fish specials, this being Lent, were added to the menu’s sandwiches, pasta, steak, pork and chicken. Lots of first courses, including a couple of soups. While there are some things that are less home-y than our choices, what we had was really basic American food. This is salt-and-pepper-land, not tarragon-and-chutney-ville.
Fried green beans were our chance to try something new. A light coat of cornmeal batter clung to the crispy beans, great finger food, with a bowl of chili mayonnaise for dipping. They were delicious and we rationalized that they also had fewer calories than french fries. They also stayed hot longer than their potato counterparts. Beef barley soup, clearly homemade, was full of chunks of beef, several kinds of vegetables, and barley that hadn’t been cooked so long the broth became sludgy. Good seasoning and served piping hot, a pleasing factor that has been overlooked too often lately. Entrees include a salad, surprisingly large, and with greens more sparkling than some we’ve had at three times the price.
The phrase "chicken dinner" is an old one, not much used in conversation any more. But that’s how our cheerful server described what she placed on the table for one of our entrees. Four pieces of fried chicken, half a chicken, had been battered and fried to a satisfying crunch. A large baked potato (wrapped in foil, alas) fought for space on the plate, leaving green beans to reside in a side bowl. The beans were seasoned with plenty of bacon, but had not been cooked until they were dead.
Chicken pot pie? It’s been a while since we’ve seen it on menus hereabouts.
The surprisingly large serving was topped with a few layers of filo dough rather haphazardly applied. Underneath, while the gravy was thinner than expected, the chicken, potatoes, carrots and celery were full of flavor. One of the problems with the filo was that it did not soak up the juices the way puff pastry or biscuit dough will.
One of the oldest bakeries in the city, Carondelet Bakery, is in the next block. We wondered–but didn’t ask–if the Ivory buys from Carondelet. We split a slice of moist carrot cake and strolled off to the theater.
And that brings us to one more thing. Allow enough time for dinner if you’re going on to a show. This isn’t 45th Street in Manhattan, or Grand Center, where the restaurants are accustomed to getting people out before curtain time. The servers flew around the dining room, and the kitchen didn’t seem to dawdle, but it’s just easier for diners to enjoy a meal if they’re not anxiously peering at their watches during most of it.
Ivory Coast Bistro
7637 Ivory St.
314-544-4900
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner daily
Credit cards: All major
Wheelchair access: Poor
Smoking: Yes
Entrees: $11-$16
Comments
6 responses
I went there last weekend and had the worst service and food experience possible. The food was cold and undercooked. Our server was rude and inattentive of the details…no refills on drinks, asked for silverware, inappropriate comments around guest, and general lack of concern for guests needs. Total time at dinner was over 3 hours, which is a far cry than previous visits. As much as I love to support local businesses, I refuse to return here.
I’ve been there 3 times; one breakfast, one lunch, and one dinner. Loved it.
I’ve been there 3 times; one breakfast, one lunch, and one dinner. Loved it.
We have been frequenting this establishment since they opened a few months ago and have had wonderful servers and nothing but fantastic food. We enjoy the friendly atmosphere and they have music on Sunday afternoons. I recommend it to all my friends.
Some friends recomended this place and we visited this weekend. Would have never known it was there. The food was outstanding, the service great and the prices were fantastic. We had four people eating dinner and a few drinks for under $60!!! I will be going next week to try out the breakfast menu!!
Ate there tonight for the first time. Loved it!!! They serve an amazing steak. We’ll be back for sure!