The Golden Age of Cape Girardeau restaurants, part II

Earlier this year I suggested Cape Girardeau was living in a “Golden Age” of restaurants, and I took you on a tour of downtown’s exciting culinary fare: from fine dining destinations like Celebrations, 36, Gabriel’s and Top of the Marq to fun and delicious venues like Mary Jane Smokehouse, El Sol and Katy O’Ferrell’s. One restaurant that I left off my list, mainly because I hadn’t yet eaten there, was The Farmacy. I’ve since remedied that omission, and highly recommend its “farm-to-fork” innovations. Tucked at the bottom of the courthouse steps between the Spanish Street Mercantile and The Bar (which was featured in the movie “Gone Girl”), the atmosphere is serene and classy. The food: packed with flavor. It’s only open from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, so plan accordingly.

This column, however, isn’t about downtown. Today I want to take you on a quick tour of restaurants in other parts of town. There are many – too many savory places to mention, and most of us already know the chain brands. So my focus will largely be on independents, where local entrepreneurs have followed a dream to create something remarkable and delightful for the rest of us to enjoy. Doing so, they have taken significant risks. Opening a restaurant is not for the faint of heart. Besides the challenge of creating, updating and consistently delivering on a menu that attracts others, the business and financial side has upended many an inspired chef.

But without further adieu, let’s begin.

On the high end of the scale (not more expensive than Outback or Red Lobster but much more interesting) are Ciao Ristorante + Enoteca and Bistro Saffron, both which were originally created by local restaurant legend, Su Hill. They’re alike in quality ambience and high level of service, but different in types of food. Ciao, which Hill originally opened with general manager Gabriele Ruggieri – now successfully running his own eponymous restaurant downtown – features recipes and award-winning wine from Italy. The atmosphere is romantic, sparkling with its chandeliers, and conducive to conversations, while having a chic, metro feel. It also has two elegantly furnished private rooms for business groups or small gatherings. In 2016 Hill sold the restaurant to David Burdin, and he and his family along with a talented staff have not only continued the restaurant’s success, they have added their own touches to elevate it, remodeling much of the space and adding to the menu.

Bistro Saffron has been one of the culinary jewels in Cape Girardeau for more than two decades – for the past 11 years located at Regent’s Parc across from Cape Splash. Now co-owned and managed by Hill’s niece Paula Ridings, it’s a bright, welcoming venue that features Pan-Asian entrees, including the best sushi in town. If not all your party favors Pan-Asian, not to worry, the New York Strip is among the best around.

In the history of local restaurateurs, Su Hill would be in the pantheon of all-time greats. A wise, hard-working, inspired and generous woman, she also founded Pho 8, a Vietnamese “noodle shop” that serves a sliced pork sandwich on French baguette – called “banh mi” – that my daughters relish. Featuring high quality, fresh ingredients, the casual restaurant is now owned by Hill’s cousin Ann Rivera, who loves to get to know her customers – and provides a warm smile and conversation when time allows. (For more about Su Hill and her family, see this column online to link to a recent story about her in B Magazine. You will be amazed at her humble journey from the courts of Thailand to Cape.)

Among the other independent dining establishments on the higher end along with Ciao and Saffron is The Southerner, where the founders of Tractor’s in Jackson, Teresa and Steve Blankenship, have opened up a “sophisticated” Southern restaurant in the new Drury Plaza Convention Hotel. Ambience is modern and pleasant for a hotel space, and the food is rich and tantalizing. Meanwhile, for those who can go – I’m not a member, but business meetings have taken me there – Dalhousie (a private club affiliated with the renowned golf course) never fails to delight.

When I was growing up in Cape, food was so much more “regular.” We didn’t have the exotic flavors now available. For example, the first – and only – Chinese restaurant I remember during my childhood was Pagoda Gardens (recently closed). One of my sisters went there before a high school dance with her boyfriend, and it was the first time he’d ever tried something like it. And not all that long ago, I regularly ran into people here who hadn’t eaten Chinese. Now the town has more than a dozen Chinese, Japanese and Thai Restaurants.

Besides Saffron (for more special occasions) and Pho 8, my favorites include Café N Me, across from Towers dorms on Sprigg Street – and the go-to place when my family is tired, needing a break from cooking, and we just want to pick up something tasty. At Café N Me, it’s difficult for our family to switch away from ordering the same items since they’ve become like comfort food: creamy Panang curry with tofu for me, sweet basil with shrimp for my wife, and pad Thai for the girls. Usually, there’s enough food in the three dishes to serve the six of us for two meals (adding a home-made salad). Then there’s Chan’s, where a university professor from Taiwan introduced us to its secret “Chinese menu,” which features less Americanized dishes. Just be careful if ordering from that menu, “spicy” is a whole other world of hot.

I’ve yet to try the new Asian Yummy Buffet near Starbucks, but I hear it’s special. Midori, Watami and Shogun all feature Japanese fare – with flame eruptions at the hibachis part of the atmosphere at the last two. Many people love the tableside shows – and at Shogun the aquariums, bright lights and constant energy – though they tend to wear my wife and me out.

For a quieter, settle-in for a while place, we finally discovered “Sta,” located next to Café N Me. For years we heard how pleasant it was for coffee, tea and healthy bistro fare. Now we’re glad to stop when we can. It’s not so much a restaurant, as a hangout, where you can also bring work or studies. Also specializing in healthy organic, with options of plant-based dishes, are Fresh Healthy Café (located inside Fitness Plus) and Super Fresh, which is a pickup-and-go shop on North Kingshighway, recently featured by the talented Mary Ann Castillo, resident foodie, in the Southeast Missourian.

Less healthy but full of big, bold flavors are the many barbecue joints around town. One of our favorite destinations to take out-of-town guests is The Pilot House. Besides the food, which is mouth-watering, one never knows what will happen inside this cozy, out-of-the-way landmark. One time with visiting friends, we joined several tables of motorcycle riders on one side and a cheerleading squad on the other. Both groups broke into song (or was it cheers) at various times. Crazy fun. For less drama and great food, there’s Dexter Barbecue (though there’s nothing special about the atmosphere except free soft serve ice cream for dessert). New to the area: Bandana’s and Sugarfire Smoke House.

Mexican food isn’t a regular stop for us. But El Torero always provides a filling, tasty meal, and I’ll never forget how one former Procter & Gamble plant manager – who lived in numerous cities around the globe – described it as “the best family restaurant in the world.” I can’t speak to the other Mexican restaurants in town (besides El Sol, which is in walking distance from home). But there are many, and I know their owners work hard to please their customers: from Muy Bueno to La Luna, Seis Amigos, El Acapulco, and I’m sure I’m missing a few.

Over the years the one area where Cape has gone backward is with Mediterranean and Indian food. There were several not too long ago, thanks to talented families who shared their heritage. And in recent memory, we’ve had two different Russian cafes. None of them are open now. It wasn’t for lack of popularity. The businesses did quite well, but running restaurants can also be overwhelming, especially if the success relies primarily on family members as staff. Vacations and nights off are difficult to manage, which is why we should thank those families who persevere, day-in-and-day-out to provide us with great choices.

One family that’s been around – turning their restaurant into a local landmark – is the Sakarelos family, which owns Grecian Steakhouse. The restaurant marked 50 years in business this January. It’s not expensive nor particularly inventive, but the food is consistently good, and it has its regulars, including former Mayor Jay Knudtson who likes to organize luncheon meetings there.

There are so many other places I could write about – from BG’s Old Tyme Deli, which is in the midst of an exciting renaissance; to Beef O’Brady’s; Mario and Angela’s Italian Cucina; not to mention Sandy’s Place (at the airport) for some of the best catfish and homemade pie. Zoi’s Gyro Corner is another crowd pleaser, only available for drive-thru. Hamburger Express, another drive-thru, serves one of the best toasted-and-pressed barbecue sandwiches (with a secret sauce familiar to those who remember Blue Hole Barbecue).

Dogwood Social House provides a dizzying array of delectable options (hamburgers, pizza, chicken wings, fajitas, salads, steaks) and more – including ax throwing, table games, bowling, and one of the world’s largest in-door video screens. My Daddy’s Cheesecake is popular at breakfast and features tasty soups, sandwiches – and cheesecakes that people from around the nation order online. Dessert parlors are plentiful and becoming more so, from Andy’s Frozen Custard, Donut Palace, Simply Swirled to Buddy’s Rolled Ice cream. (Reminder: This list doesn’t include the downtown – nor any of the burgeoning food trucks.)

Someone asked me after my first column, what exactly is a “Golden Age.” To me, it’s a time when something in life is at its peak. And here in 2020: Never before have we been blessed with so many different options of restaurants – with flavors from around the world and innovations on so many favorites. “The Cape,” as they call us in St. Louis, has truly become a culinary destination.

We also have some of the best chains (with Chili’s to be the next to open). But for something out-of-the-ordinary, with a special touch you can’t capture in a franchise, Cape is brimming with adventure and delight. Maybe this is a week to try something new. If you do, enjoy! Bon appetit!

Jon K. Rust is publisher of the Southeast Missourian.