Gazelle 14 Spring 25-48_Gazelle Magazine 4/17/14 8:20 PM Page 41
QUALITY&QUANTITY
Go Hand-in-Hand
Tripel Brings Authentic Belgian Cuisine to St. Louis
By Vicki Bennington
Great cooking and fine beers
are the hallmark of a good Belgian restaurant, and Tripel
Brasserie is all about “doing it
the way it should be done.”
General Manager Jim Darst
said the food is top notch and
when customers walk in the door,
they no longer realize they are in
St. Louis – they are in Belgium.
“There’s a lot of cut glass and
wood throughout,” Darst said.
“It’s cozy; it’s sexy, with lots of
candles and atmosphere.
“And beers are huge in a Belgian brasserie. We have a massive selection of bottled and on
tap – some local, and we have
every kind of whiskey under the
sun, along with a large selection
of French wines, and a few German varieties,” he added.
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Darst, along with partners,
Executive Chef Max Crask and
Bar Manager Terry Oliver – all
three long-time restaurant veterans – opened Tripel last June in
a totally renovated space in
Lafayette Square.
“It’s the hottest new concept
around, and we’re ahead of the
curve in this area,” Darst said.
Basically, Belgian fare is a
blend of French, German and
Flemish cuisines and inspirations. Some people say that its
German-size quantity with
French quality.
Crask, who attended Hautes
Etudes du Goût through Le Cordon Bleu-Paris and University
de Reims Champagne-Ardenne,
has been cooking since he was a
teenager.
Creations range from those
with a French twist like pommes
frites, served with mayonnaise
and prepared just like it’s done
in Belgium; escargots served
with marrow; and a steak tartare
- on toast, to several varieties of
steamed mussels that satisfy
seafood lovers and offer something a little off the beaten path.
Crask even butchers and prepares whole hogs in-house to
make German dishes like
sausages and smoked pork,
alongside sauerkraut that takes
him a month to make.
So what is Flemish food?
“In general, its meat and
potatoes,” Darst said “But its
great meat and potatoes. Hearty
dishes like beef or vegetable stew
over frites.”
The large bar has plenty of
room to “hang out,” watch a
game on television, or try a Manhattan with fresh ingredients or
specialty craft cocktails that are
Tripel’s alone.
The restaurant seats 170,
and is available for wedding parties and celebrations, and also
offers catering services.
Tripel is located at 1801 Park
Avenue. Entrees average from
$20 to $25. The restaurant is
open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Sunday, with a
happy hour from 2 to 5 p.m.;
open until 10 p.m., weekdays;
until 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Late night bar menu is
available until 1:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Reservations are encouraged, but not
required. For more information,
visit www.tripelstl.com.
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