That's "driven," not "drive-ins." What should the career-mobile M.P.A. know about this area's restaurants?

Elsewhere in America, politicians themselves open up restaurants, or politicians are forced into retirement and then open up restaurants. Another tradition is the local city council member or district leader who owns a corner bar. Now, Kim Tucci himself a St. Louis civic leader - politician, has cornered the market for these corner establishments with his Pasta House chain, although the chain's typical faux-restauranteurs are sports figures -- Brett Hull, Charlie Spoonhower -- not politicians. The late lamented Sugar's, at Euclid and Washington in St. Louis, fell within this tradition, opened as it was by Tishaura Jones, the daughter of Virvus Jones, during the weeks before her father's indictment. Virvus's former colleague Tom Villa isn't in the restaurant business, but his father, Alderman Red Villa, was the proprietor of one of those "corner bars." Other public administration figures in St. Louis have opened and closed restaurants -- Dempster Holland, Jesse Horstman, Ed Bushmeyer (Ed's was called Tammany Hall).

So, if career-mobile public administrators are not compelled to patronize some boss's restaurant or bar, where might they choose to go?

There's Beffa's Cafeteria, at Olive and Beaumont's southwest corner, an entirely unmarked spot (no signs, no indication that it's a restaurant). Terrific roast beef sandwiches, and a crowd of St. Louis city administration identifiable faces, mingling with other city celebrities. Very friendly, despite the "you don't deserve to find it, unless you knew how to get there, in the first place" mystique. Let me continue, by providing answers to more specific questions, about where different types of relevant St. Louisans congregate:

Newspaper People?

In the old days, Llywelyn's on McPherson, just east of Euclid. Under new ownership however, Llywelyn's went into rehab. With Dressel's around the corner, it's one of St. Louis's two Welsh pubs; I advise the Welsh rarebeef and potato chips.

Trade Union Officials?

Maggie O'Brien's, on Market Street, just west of Union Station, smack in the center of the conveniently located low commercial rental space union hall neighborhood of St. Louis. The owners also offer -- down Market Street a few blocks -- the terrific Harry's.

Older Community Leaders?

There's Schneithorst, at Clayton Road and Lindbergh (a very dignified setting), and Bevo Mill, a great sightseeing attraction with its mill and its baronial beefhalls, supposedly founded in South St. Louis (Gravois and Morganford) halfway between Grant's Farm and the Busch Brewery. The biscuits/popovers are the special treat of Bevo Mill.

Those Interested in Monitoring the Busches to See What They'll Sell Next?

Lynch Street Bistro, just north of the Brewery, is my favorite restaurant in St. Louis. It's south Soulard, but distinctively not bar food.

Those Seeking the Real White Castle?

Billy Birk's, at 1915 Billups, across from Sumner High School in St. Louis's historic Ville neighborhood, offers the real thing, dollar hamburgers pressed into slim buns. They're delicious, not Death Castle gristleburgers.

Writers?

Karen Duffy of Duff's always has been generous with her space for such programs as the River Styx Poetry Series, and the food at Duff's, at Euclid south of McPherson, is particularly appealing, with a full set of appetizers on its dinner menu.

The Homeless?

McMurphy's is a downtown (614 N. 11th St., at Lucas) self-help luncheon spot employing the homeless. Once a week, they have celebrity luncheon hosts, including politicians and other civic types.

Volunteers?

The Junior League's dining room (10435 Clayton Road) is the site of lunch meetings of those who wish to contribute to its efforts by purchasing a Junior League lunch (the facility also is a major regional conference center). As you probably know, probationary Junior Leaguers have to serve these lunches, so there's unlikely to be any overlap with McMurphy's in their serving staffs.

Alternative Journalists?

Kaldi's at 700 DeMun, across from Concordia, is the successful coffeehouse project of former RIVERFRONT TIMES staff writer Suzanne Langlois, who broke any number of public policy exclusives in her pre-coffeehouse career.

Those who'd Like Cartoons to Reside on Their Favorite Restaurant's Walls?

Jimmy's, just up the street from Kaldi's, is the darkest restaurant (with a strong and original new American menu) in the area, making it hard to identify who's being caricatured.

Political Campaign Buffs?

Hannegan's, on Laclede's Landing, is named after a former Postmaster General and Chair of the Democratic National Committee from the FDR-Truman era. It's the restaurant in St. Louis that's strongest on political history imagery.

Entertainers?

Casting Director and St. Louis Film Office principal Carrie Houk's sister Zoe runs Cafe Zoe, a wonderful choice for those who enjoy Pan-Asian preparations and a great St. Louis restaurant. Zoe  is one of the hosts of St. Louis's Oscar Night party for Cinema St. Louis. Cafe Zoe, transplanted from Lafayette Square and Clayton, is at the corner of North Euclid and McPherson.

Politicians Who Like Ice Cream Other Than Ted Drewes?

Crown Candy Kitchen, at 1401 St. Louis Avenue on the corner of a failed street mall, is the area's authentic surviving ice cream parlor. Not far from Downtown, it's popular with calorie-disregarding politicians.

People Serious about Chinese Food?

Tom Hsu was St. Louis's great Chinese chef. It would be a mistake to go anywhere other than the  restaurant most committed to his recipes, Hunan Star, across Brentwood from the Galleria. I would suggest one of his most recently introduced dishes: tsien-fu chicken.

Families Seeking Sunday Dinners?

The Lemp Mansion, on DeMenil up the street from the mansion, serves generic continental food the rest of the week. On Sundays however they offer family style, all you can eat" pan fried chicken/roast beef/ham dinners for $12.95. This brewery family's historic home has been beautifully rehabilitated, although its legends of suicides and ghosts qualify the haunted Lemp Mansion as St. Louis's best conversation piece of a restaurant. And provocative conversation after all is at the heart of public administration: talk, eat, talk, talk.

People Who Have Lost Their Edge?

King Louie's, which always had its following, has been an urban flavor of the last few years. Not far from that Bogey Club East hideaway, The Edge, the newly dashing King Louie's offers a romantic dining and family event-quality menu just west of south Grand on Chateau.

Late Night Downtowners?

Tangerine, offspring of Traffic, is the Washington Avenue (at 14th Street) setting to most likely to attract a Metropolis crowd. While the menu isn't vegetarian, it leans toward healthfulness. Late one recent weekday evening, Tangerine restaurant goers were to be seen slumped over their bingo cards.

Those Seeking Princes of the City?

Trattoria Macella on Watson a few blocks east of Ted Drewe's on Chippewa, is a wonderful state-of-the-art Italian restaurant. After Big Night, it only took Americans 40 years to embrace risatto, available here. Looking around it's easy to recognize star surgeons and on-the-air news personalities.

 

Supporting Restaurants Who Support the City?

At Norton's Cafe, at 8th and Geyes in Soulard, according to Joey Buger, there are excellent Rams items. Even better, Rick, who owns the Cajun-style largely outdoors venue has spearheaded the work on redeveloping the riverfront's Robert E. Lee riverboat, which, thanks to his efforts, soon will offer something other than gambling to the riverfront.

 

Displaced Los Angelinos?

While Saint Louis seems to have lost David Slay to his superstar-pleasing L. A. restaurant, this brilliant chef returns to his family hometown a certain number of weekends a year to direct the Seven Gables Hotel restaurant at Merrimac and Maryland in Clayton, managed by the Webbes. There, for example, is the Slay Salmon entree. There are no more famous Saint Louis political names than "Slay" and "Webbe".

BON APPETITE