Rags To Riches

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Introduction

Our most recent adventure brings us to a restaurant named St. Louis Bar and Grill where most people just jump to the assumption that it is named after the city of St. Louis. I like many others made this same assumption.

As you will soon learn this is not the case and investigating the history of St. Louis Bar and Grill I came across one of the most intriguing stories you will find. It almost makes the discussion of food here secondary. Did I just say that?

History

This is a remarkable story of both the human will to survive and the human desire to succeed.

I have to relate here that our son played football a few summers ago and I remember the coach often using the phrase “hard work pays off”. When it comes to the story of the St. Louis Bar and Grill this is certainly a philosophy that rings true.

Although the story behind the St. Louis Bar and Grill involves several individuals it begins in 1956 in the midst of an uprising known as the Hungarian Revolution. This uprising opposed the Soviet backed Hungarian Peoples Republic. Soviet deployed troops put a swift end to the revolution.

It was during this time that people in Hungary feared for their lives and it is here that we meet 18 year old Louis. You guessed it. This is the Louis behind St. Louis Bar and Grill. Louis made plans to escape Hungary. The journey for Louis is far from easy.

Over a span of several months Louis avoided police and walked over 20 miles to cross into Austria. From there he made his way to England, St. John’s, NL and finally Toronto, ON arriving with under $2 in his pocket. Louis was a trained chemist and the Canadian Embassy covered the cost of his transportation by ship from Liverpool , England to St. John’s, NL and then eventually his train transportation to Toronto.

Within two days of arriving in Toronto he landed work and shortly after landed a position at Canada Packers in the lab. Louis worked very hard, also working in the evening doing furniture rental.

Twenty years after his arrival in Toronto Louis opened his first restaurant specializing in chicken wings. In 1982 he sold this first restaurant and shortly after opened a second restaurant again specializing in chicken wings.

Also during the 1980’s another individual enters into this story. His name is Brent and again this turns out to be another example of “hard work pays off”. Brent relocated from his home of Sudbury, ON to Toronto to attend university where he studied urban planning.

It was while at university that Brent met his wife to be Sue. After graduating from university through the help of a friend Brent found employment as a mortgage underwriter.

It was not long after that Brent’s father in law to be Louis, yes Sue is Louis’s daughter, asks him to manage a restaurant for him. I think this is such an interesting twist to the story how all the circumstances fell into place for this to happen. In 1994 Louis opened the first St. Louis Bar and Grill location in the Davisville area of Toronto, again specializing in chicken wings.

Brent went to work in the evenings managing the restaurant while still working during the day as a mortgage underwriter. It is within a short time though that Louis asks Brent to come into the business full-time. After learning the business Brent agrees to buy Louis’s interest in the company. Now son in law Brent with a young family at this point acquires the St. Louis Bar and Grill and begins plans for growth. The franchise company is established in 2002 and calculated strategic expansion begins.

There are currently now 68 locations, predominantly in Ontario but with locations also in Atlantic Canada and Alberta.

The Facts

As I mentioned, growth has been calculated and strategic. Focus has always been on the brand and developing the brand.

It is very evident that a lot effort is put into connecting with customers and providing a consistent and memorable experience when they visit St. Louis Bar and Grill. A lot of attention is paid to ensuring customers expectations are consistently met so they are motivated to return again.

St. Louis Bar and Grill does have a chicken wing, ribs, beer and sports bar kind of vibe to it but I also find there is so much more to it than just that. I think this focus on the brand just shines through. There are so many diverse and delicious menu choices it is always hard to decide what to order. If wings, ribs and beer are not your choice there is lots of other choices to satisfy you.

There is one detail that is evident when you are there and even may show a little in the photos that I think really defines what it is mean’t by brand when it comes to St. Louis Bar and Grill. I think there is a little bit of a play on words here. Look closely in the photos at how the meals are presented. When you are there and you read what is printed on the napkins “Devilishly Good” it sinks in how this brand is all linked in the name, the presentation and the entire experience.

After each experience I must say we are always motivated to return. When I reflect afterwards I fully understand how from humble beginnings such growth has occurred.

The Fun

I have to say once again what a marvelous story this is and with patio dining now available we thought this a perfect spot to spend some time on a sunny and warm day.

We are fortunate there is a location at Fairview Mall that is just a ten minute walk for us. A little exercise is always a good thing.

A must have for us every visit are the St. Louis Garlic Sticks. They are a delicious twist on garlic bread with pizza dough that is fried then coated with garlic and Parmesan cheese. Served with pizza sauce and once in our hands the word that comes to mind is vanish. In case you need the definition for vanish it is disappear suddenly and completely. No wonder that word comes to mind!

As I mentioned there is a very diverse menu to choose from. Ruth went for the California Quinoa Salad. It is a mix of chopped lettuce, quinoa, dried cranberries with sweet chili poppy seed dressing. It is topped with chipotle mango grilled chicken, cucumber, red pepper, jalapeno straws and goat cheese. When I asked Ruth for a quote she said “It’s a 10”.

Although Lee is a chicken wing connoisseur he decided to go for the Southern Chicken Sandwich this visit. It is Southern style fried chicken on a Brioche bun with the usual fixings and BBQ aioli as a side for dipping. Lee had the house salad for his side to go with it. Lee had a good quote for this one “It is too good to have leftovers”.

Last but not least by any stretch of the imagination I decided to go for the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich. It was piled high with amazing sweet and smoky pulled pork, topped with coleslaw and onion straws and served in a toasted Brioche bun. I opted for onion rings as the side and have to say the pulled pork melts in your mouth.

My quote “What it says on the napkins”.

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