The 1 And Only Restaurant: a slow food delight

The 1 And Only Restaurant on Old St. Charles Road is not a fancy place, but it serves up some of the finest organic comfort food in the St. Louis area.

They say the Lord works in mysterious ways, and I have to agree. How else can you explain finding an all-natural, gourmet restaurant, where nearly everything is organic and made from scratch and most of the ingredients are locally grown, in a faded strip mall on the outskirts of Northwest Plaza?

It doesn’t seem possible, and yet it is. In fact, Thomas and Tracy Mathews, owners of The 1 And Only Restaurant in St. Ann, are probably cooking up some of the best and healthiest food in North County.

Both spent years working in other people’s restaurants, until they opened The 1 And Only in June 2009, after four years of saving money and amassing equipment. “We slowly collected supplies here and there, closed restaurants or sales, and then just stored everything in our basement and garage, waiting until we could afford to open our own restaurant,” Tracy says.

Joe Floyd (L), Tom Mathews and Tracy Mathews

These days, the business is in full swing, offering dine-in, carryout, delivery, and catering. Executive chef Tom cooks every meal to order – from Florentine omelets, chicken wraps and apple pancakes to five-cheese penne, salads and coconut shrimp. With the help of sous chef/brother-in-law Joe Floyd, he also creates a daily soup, fresh veggie dish and fresh starch. Today it was creamy chicken soup with brown rice, sautéed butternut squash, and real baked potatoes.

Tracy handles the sweeter side of the restaurant – and wow, is she good! I can only pass along the raves of others in describing Tom’s food (and the raves are many), but I’ve tasted Tracy’s baking myself and it’s outstanding. Grinding most of her own seeds and flour, she makes gorgeous loaves of bread from scratch: whole wheat, banana, onion, even spinach, sage and cheese. She also makes applesauce, apple butter and mouth-watering desserts, including her best seller, the Melting Snow Brownie.

Cocoa for the brownies comes from the same source as the Mathews’ organic, fair trade coffee (which they freshly grind by the pot): Dean’s Beans. “We’re the only place in Missouri you can get Dean’s,” Tom says. “And it’s the best coffee you’ll ever taste.”

Tracy's fiber-packed fresh baked wheat bread and cutie-pie mini cinnamon loaves

Tom sources all of his restaurant’s products, working closely with local farmers and other small, green-minded vendors, and he’s adamant about using strictly natural and organic items, including meat. Not because it’s trendy or because Tom considers himself an environmentalist per se, but because he and Tracy strongly believe that caring for the earth and properly nourishing their bodies is fundamental to their mission as Christians.

That’s right. The 1 And Only is not just a restaurant. It’s a Christian restaurant and lending library, where the Mathews not only serve meals but also generously share books and DVDs on Christian teachings and subjects like homeschooling. (Tom and Tracy have six kids, three of whom are currently home-schooled.)

With scripture verses streaming across the walls and tables painted to match books of the Bible, there’s no mistaking the homey café’s Christian slant. Tom might even ask you what your favorite Bible book is so he can seat you at the corresponding table. And if you’re a kid who learns the restaurant’s daily Bible verse, you’ll get a fun surprise.

That all sounds fine if you’re a Christian, and indeed, the Mathews have many customers who share their beliefs. But they’re also happy to serve anyone who shares their love of good quality natural food.

The 1 And Only has a pool table that customers can use for free.

“A woman came in from Warrenton one day, and right away told me she was an atheist,” Tracy says. “I told her I didn’t mind, just as long as she enjoyed her meal. We’re not here to preach.”

That certainly proved true during my visit to The 1 And Only. I’m about as non-religious as you get and normally avoid Christian-specific businesses like the plague, but the fact is Tom and Tracy Mathews are warm, genuine and surprisingly progressive people, and I really respect their passion, their work ethic and their talent.

In a few weeks, they’ll be hosting a number of farmers at their restaurant to discuss the possibility of creating a St. Louis-wide BSA. That’s a CSA (community supported agriculture) subscription service that would allow local restaurants to receive weekly lots of fresh produce directly from local farmers.

The Mathews regularly open their doors for community meetings like that, even welcoming some of their troubled neighbors at the “long-term hotel” on N. Lindbergh. They chose their location – in a tiny strip mall fronting what used to be the Northwest 9 cinema – precisely because it’s in a struggling area. “We thought we could reach out to people who need our help,” Tracy says.

And thankfully, that help extends to embarrassed writers with dead car batteries. Because not only did Tom and Tracy (and Joe) share their time and delicious baked goods with me, patiently telling me about their family, their faith, and their lovely restaurant. They also were kind enough to give my car a jump start, in the rain. Hallelujah!

The 1 And Only Restaurant is located at 11188 Old St. Charles Rd, 63074. (314) 298-9811. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 7am-9pm. Dine-in, carry-out, limited delivery, and catering. Full menu online.

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