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by Lisa Kampeter

It was déjà vu all over again. Last time the Dining Divas tried to go to Reeds American Table, illness, late cancellations, and general nervousness about the menu caused our generally large group to be more of an intimate gathering. And those that missed it this time around should be disappointed.

Located on Manchester in the heart of Maplewood, first glance from the outside, Reeds looks like a hole in the wall and not that that’s a bad thing. It’s such a gem.   We sat upstairs in a nondescript, yet appealing dining area. At first I worried it was one of those “putting us in a corner away from others” things, but it wasn’t. There were plenty of diverse diners upstairs this evening too, even though it initially felt like the main dining area was the place to be.

While Reeds menu claims to focus on the classics, I would not necessarily consider much of it classic food from these parts (as in North County). Perhaps beef cheek, rabbit, char, and farro may be classics in other areas of St. Louis, when I think of comfort foods, I think of a good old fashioned hamburger, pork chops, or a St. Louis salad.   Maybe if they just weren’t so honest with the names of their foods, we wouldn’t have been so cautious.

The Reluctant Diva decided to start off with a cider (the alcohol kind) since she was the pickiest one in the group and thought she might need a little liquid courage while the Adventurist Diva went straight for bourbon, straight up. We came to the realization that we probably would not be that adventurous this evening, and we were okay with that.

What we were surprise with was how much we enjoyed our food. A couple Divas did stick with a classic, the Reeds Cheese Burger. And they definitely were pleased. It was big and juicy and even though it was pricier than an average burger joint, the flavor and quality paid off. It came with loads of fries that we all shared.

The Red Wine Braised Beef was so tender and flavorful, the Meat and Potatoes Diva was reluctant to share any of it. Served with mushrooms, onion, roasted carrots, and a potato puree, the only disappointment with the dish was that there wasn’t any leftover to take home. Still dreaming of more of the amazing dish, she’s ready to make a return visit.

The Roasted Brussel Sprouts were “even better than my own” said the Culinary Diva. Uniquely prepared with bacon, currants, caramelized onions and panko breadcrumbs, the Divas hoped to mimic this combination at home.

The Pork Shoulder with black-eyed peas, collard greens, and a hot sauce warmed the heart of the Southern Diva. Such a delight to her, she said more than once how much she really like the place.

We didn’t get to try the Bacon-fat Fried Cornbread or the Mushroom Bruschetta or the Milk and Cookies (like bourbon chocolate chip, biscotti & rum-amaro milk punch). We were too full.

Even though we proceeded with caution with the menu at Reeds, the adage “you can’t judge a book by its cover” is so true here. Reeds American Table doesn’t look like much from the road, and their menu may be atypical of what you might consider classic, but when you give it a try, you’ll see that it really is classic “American”. Diverse. Different. And delicious.

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