Posts Tagged ‘St. Ann’

Mark you calendars! For the next five weeks, there's a fish fry every Friday.

Having grown up Catholic, I’ve attended my fair share of Lenten fish fries, and one thing is certain: not all fish fries are created equally! I’m still lamenting the sad little cod square I got several years ago at one church. Fortunately, I’ve also enjoyed a number of home-style fish fries in North County, where every fillet is hand-breaded and actually looks like a fillet, and where even the side dishes have been lovingly prepared.

With Lent just starting, I haven’t been able to personally test every one of these fish fries, so I’m relying on the recommendations of NOCO readers in many cases. This is by no means a comprehensive list of every Friday night fish fry in the area, but I think it represents some of the best. Prices average $7-8 per adult meal, plus drinks and dessert.

St. Ferdinand: 1735 Charbonier, 63031, 3-7pm

This granddaddy of NoCo fish fries, which the parish has been running for 40 years, is open year-round and always draws a huge crowd. The fish is excellent; the seamless assembly line is even more impressive! Fried and Cajun catfish, fried and baked cod, shrimp, chicken, pie and more

Our Lady of Guadalupe: 1115 S. Florissant Rd, 63135, 11am-2pm, 3:30-7pm

If you like your fish with a Mexican twist, try this fish fry, which draws on the parish’s large Hispanic congregation and is also open for lunch. Fried cod, baked tilapia, fish tacos, shrimp, guacamole, clam chowder, baked apples, mac & cheese and quesadillas

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne: 3500 St. Catherine, 63033, 4-7pm

I’ve gotten LOTS of emails touting the tastiness of this fish fry. Fried Alaskan cod, poppy seed coleslaw, clam chowder, French fries, green beans & hush puppies

American Legion #444: 17090 Old Jamestown, 63034, 4-7pm

Open since January, this fish fry offers a serene setting in the woods! Fish by the pound, plate or sandwich, plus spaghetti, baked beans, coleslaw and hush puppies

Holy Trinity: 3500 St. Luke, 63074, 4-7pm

Another parish with a growing Hispanic congregation, this fish fry features handmade chile rellenos!! Grilled salmon, fried and baked cod, grilled cheese, fried catfish, grilled and fried shrimp, spaghetti, mac & cheese and applesauce

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta: 1050 Smith Ave, 63135, 4-7pm

Drive-thru service is the big draw here, but you can also eat in. I’ve enjoyed this fish fry many times. Cod, shrimp, catch of the day, two soups, pizza and more

St. Andrew United Methodist: 3975 N. Lindbergh, 63034, 4:30-7pm

Fried fish, baked chicken, spaghetti, coleslaw, baked beans and hush puppies

Holy Name of Jesus: 10235 Ashbrook Dr, 63137, 3:30-6:30pm

Baked or fried cod, spaghetti, green beans, coleslaw and French fries

St. Ann: 7532 Natural Bridge, 63121, 5-7pm

Baked or fried cod, shrimp, coleslaw, salad and spaghetti

Knights of Columbus #2951: 50 St. Francois, 63031, 3:30-7pm

Battered cod, jumbo shrimp, spaghetti, mac & cheese, green beans

If you try any of these fish fries, I’d love to hear what you think! Happy eating!

Supporters of all ages packed Northwest Plaza's center court today to show support and discuss ideas for the mall's revitalization.

Nearly 300 concerned citizens gathered today at Northwest Plaza, aiming to spur interest in its revitalization. The mall-walk and unofficial rally was organized by St. Ann resident Steve Erdelen, who grew up hanging out at the plaza’s Grand Court Fountain in the 1960s and 70s and recently launched a popular Facebook group called “I hung out at the fountain at Northwest Plaza as a teenager.”

As supporters streamed into the mall this afternoon, many astonished by just how empty it has become, security guards and other mall employees noted that they hadn’t seen this many people at Northwest Plaza in at least five years. “A lot of folks assume it’s dangerous here, but the fact is it’s mostly just dead,” one Sears employee told me. “I would love to see the place redeveloped, because it has so much potential.”

St. Ann mayor Gary Guittar addresses the crowd of Northwest Plaza supporters

That sentiment was echoed frequently at the rally, with most of the attendees recalling fond memories of Northwest Plaza and many still residing in the North County area.  “It’s just such a waste,” Judy Gaithers of Overland said. “I don’t see Northwest Plaza becoming what it used to be, but surely it can be converted into something positive.” A corporate headquarters, a college campus, a mixed-use development with residential and retail – those were some of the ideas being kicked around the crowd.

Yet despite the hopeful spirit of today’s gathering, mall management tried to prohibit the media from taking photographs and initially denied Erdelen’s request to hold a much larger event. “This is not an insurrection, it’s a resurrection,” he told the audience, which included officials and staff from the city of St. Ann. “We’re here to show our support for the future of Northwest Plaza.”

“We will revitalize this mall,” St. Ann mayor Gary Guittar later assured the crowd. “With the support of citizens like you, we can do this.”

He and Erdelen then led the group on a quick mall-walk, firing up many attendees but also raising questions with others. “I’m thrilled to see so many people show up today,” a Florissant woman with two young children told me. “But what’s next? Where do we go from here?”

On January 23, a group of concerned citizens will gather to mall-walk at Northwest Plaza in hopes of spurring interest in its revitalization.

Though Northwest Plaza was once touted as the “largest mall in the world,” boasting nearly 200 retailers, today you can walk its massive, lifeless corridors and barely find a store or another shopper in sight. Following foreclosure in 2009 and the recent news that anchor Macy’s is closing, the mall’s future definitely hangs in question. But St. Ann resident Steve Erdelen, who grew up hanging out at the Plaza’s Grand Court Fountain, has a plan that he hopes can change that.

In late December, Erdelen, 54, started the Facebook group “I hung out at the fountain at Northwest Plaza as a teenager,” quickly drawing more than 700 members. Inspired by the enthusiastic response, he launched a successful spin-off group, “Let’s Revitalize Northwest Plaza Now!,” and is currently aiming to funnel that interest into a genuine grassroots movement.

On Saturday, January 23, Erdelen is inviting anyone with a desire to see Northwest Plaza revitalized to join him at the mall, on the site of the late fountain, for a mall-walk and informal reunion. He attempted to organize a formal gathering – a big bash featuring live music and probably more simultaneous visitors than the mall has seen in years – but mall managers told him that would not be possible. So onto plan B…the mall-walk.

“This cannot be considered an ‘event’ because many groups of people walk the mall every day,” Erdelen says. “There will just be a lot more mall-walkers on that day.” And what does he hope to achieve with this walk? Primarily draw attention to the fact that plenty of St. Louisans still care deeply about Northwest Plaza and want to see it rejuvenated.

“It became apparent that everyone wanted to get back together, so why not do it at the mall and generate some awareness that we really do care about Northwest Plaza’s future and we want to do something about it,” Erdelen said. “By creating a voice of thousands of interested parties, we hope to convince local government and developers that there is a demand for revitalization and a market for business.”

Personally, Erdelen would like to see Northwest Plaza converted into a mixed-use development featuring both retail and residential. He also believes it’s imperative that the mall return to its original open-air design, which offered more of a neighborhood feel and many unique architectural features, including the modernist fountain that Erdelen and so many others are nostalgic about to this day.

Once Northwest Plaza went into foreclosure in 2009, it was purchased by St. Ann Shopping Center LLC, a newly formed conglomerate of institutional investors that obtained the property for $29.95 million after being the sole bidders. Several years ago, the city of St. Ann formerly approved tax increment financing (TIF) of up to $98 million to revitalize the mall, and city officials once discussed the possibility of locating a Wal-Mart and even an Ikea there, but since the new owners took over, no firm plans for redevelopment have been shared with the public. Perhaps Erdelen’s mall-walk can start the ball rolling once again…

If you care about the future of Northwest Plaza and would like to join Steve and his legion of Facebook fans, meet at the mall’s center court, in the raised stage area, at 1pm on Saturday, January 23.

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.

After decades of gradual decline and various owners, Northwest Plaza went into foreclosure this year and was sold on September 1. The new owners, a conglomerate of 17 pension and investment funds, say they will continue to maintain the mall and keep it open while searching for a new developer.

Visiting the mall today, it’s hard to believe that it was ever a thriving shopping center. But in fact, when Northwest Plaza opened in the 1960s, it was a stylish and vibrant destination featuring striking architecture and unique modern sculpture.

click on images for a larger view

Dinoland Tour, 1966

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The 1966 Dinoland Tour at Northwest Plaza, fresh from the New York World's Fair. Credit: flickr / flickstadt