The Kitchen Sink, the little hole-in-the-wall that began on DeBaliviere just off the Forest Park Expressway, has moved into more genteel quarters on Union – but still a half-block off the expressway. The site, on the ground floor of a prewar apartment building, has held several spots, from high-end dining to sports bars, but still retains the dignity and the columns of its early life. It's airy, with lots of sun from big windows and room between tables.
Alas, no liquor license yet. It's working its way through liquor czar Bob Kraiberg's department – c'mon, Bob, we're counting on you for access to mimosas and bloody Marys here. Because this visit was for morning food.
The Sink doesn't open until 11 a.m., but the breakfast menu is available all day, perfect for those of us who understand that life doesn't necessarily begin when day hasn't even broken yet. (I worked 3-11 p.m. too many years.) The coffee is good, although our server took our cups back to the kitchen for refills rather than bringing the pot out, not a problem but a bit of a surprise.
From the breakfast part of the menu came the Pony Express. A coffee-rubbed small boneless ribeye steak was quite tasty, as thin as a breakfast steak usually is, although it managed to maintain a little pink inside it. Very flavorful, too, without the coffee running roughshod over the beefiness. Scrambled eggs were not cooked to rubberiness and the tater tots had been well-drained, so no excess greasiness.
Not listed in the breakfast section was (?were?) the chicken and waffles. The Kitchen Sink's take on this piles fried chicken wings atop a large, very tender waffle. The wings are very lightly breaded and equally greaseless, the seasoning with some black pepper bouncing around, a nice contrast with any syrup that happened their way. The syrup in question wasn't real maple, but it was sufficiently thick, not the watery stuff that waffles and pancakes soak up immediately.
It's difficult to go to The Kitchen Sink and not succumb to one of their hamburgers or some of their Creole specialties, but next visit, I think I have to try their take on shepherd's pie, called humble pie, cornbread with shrimp, andouille sausage, peppers and onions, topped with mashed sweet potatoes, etouffee sauce and cheddar cheese. Too tempting.
The Kitchen Sink
255 Union Blvd.
314-454-1551
Lunch and Dinner daily
Credit cards: Yes
Wheelchair access: Fair
Smoking: No
Entrees: $8-$13