Johnty McCoy understands that most people think of Scarlett’s Wine Bar as a place to have a glass of wine. This reputation does not, however, prevent the ambitious young chef from advocating for the Central West End spot as a culinary spectacle in its own right.
Since arriving on board as Executive Chef at Scarlett’s this summer, McCoy has worked hard to transform his culinary offerings from bottom dishes meant to be enjoyed while drinking wine or cocktails into an event in its own right. The result of her efforts is an elegant bistro-style menu with appetizers, main courses and pastries that are poised to make Scarlett’s a must-see dining destination.
“I want us to be better known for our food, for people to see it as equal to wine,” McCoy says. “We want to create a common space, get people to talk, have fun and share food. We hope to please the neighborhood but also to be a destination where people will go out of their way to try us out.
McCoy has a lot of background to draw on. The talented chef started cooking when he was just 15, while in the juvenile detention system. There he entered a culinary apprenticeship program and found his vocation; when he got out of the system, he worked at the Candlestick Inn in Branson, then moved to St. Louis, where he attended L’Ecole Culinaire and found a job at the old downtown Mosaic.
From there he went to places such as Prime 1000, Oceano Bistro, Catering St. Louis, Patty Long Catering, and Baida. The restaurant to which he credits the most profound influence on what he does now is Basso, where he was part of the opening team. “I learned a lot from helping open it with Patrick Connolly,” says McCoy, who describes Scarlett’s new rear setup as a traditional French kitchen brigade, with him and his team doing it all in-house.
McCoy considers the menu to be what you would find in a gastro pub and notes that the offerings lean towards Spanish and Italian influences with French technique. Dishes include sharing platters such as scorched cabbage with brown butter and herbs; charred ricotta with honey and roasted garlic; and a beet salad with whipped goat cheese, Castlefranco, frico and toasted pine nuts in a poppy seed vinaigrette.
Scarlett’s still uses its wood-fired oven to make a variety of pizzas, but McCoy has added several entrees to the restaurant’s menu as well.
A bistro tenderloin includes a shoulder-cut steak with oyster mushrooms and watercress, and candied baby back ribs are spiced up with pincho spices and served with mustard greens. It also serves a fish of the day over a wood fire.
McCoy encourages customers to save room for sugary treats such as cardamom panna cotta and Fuji apple pie, made with decadents. gjetost, a Norwegian brown cheese known for its caramel flavor.
McCoy understands that to be successful, people will have to change their perception of the restaurant. However, with the feedback he has received so far, he is confident customers will be delighted. “People have been very receptive so far,” he says. “They see us emphasizing eating here, and they took advantage of that.”
