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Bixby’s, located in the Missouri History Museum, has unveiled some Civil War-inspired dishes on its winter menu to complement the museum’s current Civil War exhibit.

Chef de cuisine Todd Lough has created a savory Southern chicken pot pie and a hearty Northern beef stew, each served with a hardtack biscuit. Lough says that while dishes hearken back to the era, they’ve been made a bit more palatable for modern diners.

“That era wasn’t known for its fine cuisine,” Lough says. “But there were things we picked up on, like the hardtack biscuit, which a lot of the soldiers carried with them. Our version is a soft, savory, moist drop biscuit. We also came up with some one-pot comfort food, like the chicken pot pie, that could have been made over a camp fire if need be.”

This isn’t the first time Bixby’s kitchen has created menu items to complement an exhibit. Lough says he normally ties the menu into what’s on display at the museum.

“One of our most successful ones was the Napoleon exhibit, which made for a natural play on French cuisine,” he says. “We had three or four dishes that were French-inspired.”

Lough says he usually gets his ideas for these specialty menu items from the local purveyors he frequents.

“I visit their fields, their shops, and that’s where I get my inspiration for what we can use that’s available locally that will tie into whatever the exhibit is,” he says.

The Civil War specialties will be available through mid-March.

THE FEED: Bixby’s Serves Up Civil War-Era Eats.

Celebrate the Season at Bixby’s

For an intimate lunch with friends or an impressive venue for a family or corporate event, Bixby’s is the place. Experience sweeping views of Forest Park from the comfort of the Missouri History Museum’s second floor. Open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, Bixby’s is a distinctive lunch destination. Bixby’s also features a spectacular brunch every Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. And remember that Bixby’s “After Hours” is the premier choice for an elegant private event. Enjoy artfully prepared, locally inspired cuisine, crafted by Chef ‘de Cuisine Todd Lough. Contact Bixby’s at 314.361.7313 or visit bixbys-mohistory.com.

“…Mr. Lough, the chef de cuisine at Butler’s Pantry, didn’t have to look far for inspiration. Local pecans, Missouri black walnuts, and fall-ripened pears highlight the homegrown menu. “The weather is everything for local produce,” he says, adding a final dish to the evening’s bread course—stained-glass potatoes with homegrown dill—as the guests move into the dining room.

Place settings comprise bittersweet and alstroemeria flowers floating in tiny glasses with the name of each guest painted in gold. Lilies, sunflowers, and cream-colored roses glow at the table’s center as guests remain standing at their seats.

“You can sit down!” Mrs. Mellanby exclaims as she enters.

“We’ll wait until the queen sits—you’re the hostess!” a guest laughs.

Mr. Lough’s feast begins with a “very savory, hot shrimp appetizer,” followed by a “lighter and refreshing” pear salad meant to cleanse the palate before the main entrée—a rich lamb course complemented by expertly sautéed morels…”

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Butler’s Pantry is one of St. Louis’ largest full service caterers and event planning companies; however the expertise does not end there. Exclusively catering at some of the city’s most cutting edge venues, Bixby’s at the Missouri History Museum is one of the most popular. Dedicated to providing fresh, nutrient rich and delicious cuisine Bixby’s achieves this standard by actively endorsing the restaurant motto, “dining with local influence.” Making the effort to abandon the negative effects of industrial agriculture, Bixby’s is committed to using locally grown products whenever possible. Chicken entrees, a plethora of salads, soups and flatbreads grace the menu and boast ingredients within a 200 mile radius. Chef de Cuisine, Todd Lough understands the importance of utilizing local resources when preparing his menu. “Sustainability is the biggest factor when driving the decision to purchase locally. The products we receive from Double Star Farm are high quality and extremely fresh.” Bixby’s allegiance to sustainability ensures a fresh menu that is updated as seasons and product availability change. The distinctive ingredients create delectable dishes where bold presentation is complimented by rich flavors and leaves guests anxiously awaiting their next visit. For more information please call Bixby’s at 314-361-7313 or Butler’s Pantry at (314) 664-7680. www.butlerspantry.com.

St. Louis Magazine, July 2011

Bixby’s is excited to be a part of St. Louis Magazine’s A-List Awards. 

lunch with a view
BIXBY’S

“Museums aren’t the first places that come to mind for business lunches.  But Bixby’s is perfect: open every day, with comfortable chairs, a menu that touches various levels of formality, and food that’s tasty and beautifully presented.  What else is needed?  How about a view over Forest Park, which ranges from soothing to stunning, depending on the weather and season?  As a bonus, the tab benefits one of our town’s great institutions.”

Bite at the Museum: The Missouri History Museum Exhibits a Trove of Lunches and Brunches

By Ian Froeb
RFT, Thursday, Jun 16 2011

 I take my smoked salmon like I take my whiskey: straight, no chaser. You can have your capers and onion, your everything bagel. In my dream restaurant, the smoked salmon would be treated as prosciutto is, displayed on the plate like a swatch of the finest silk. Your smoked salmon can’t withstand such scrutiny? Don’t serve it.

photos by Jennifer Silverberg

At Bixby’s Sunday brunch, the smoked salmon shares space on a table with some of its traditional accompaniments; on the lunch menu, it is served as part of a salad niçoise. I urge you, though, to try at least one piece by itself. This is as luscious as salmon can be, its mild flavor tinged with sea and smoke, an experience so pure that for a moment you might think you are eating a piece of salmon sashimi.

Indeed, this is sushi-grade Shetland salmon from Scotland, imported via Bob’s Seafood in University City. “We buy [the fish] whole,” says Bixby’s executive chef Todd Lough, “fillet it, cure it, cold-smoke it, slice it.”

This process isn’t remarkable in and of itself. That is how you smoke salmon, after all. Consider, though, that Bixby’s isn’t your typical higher-end restaurant. It is open only 22 hours each week (and never for dinner). You might not know it exists until you visit the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park, where it occupies the southwest corner of the second floor. That Lough and his staff take such pains with their smoked salmon is but one clue that, despite its location and hours, Bixby’s is no mere museum café.

photo by Jennifer Silverberg

Bixby’s — named for William K. Bixby, a local philanthropist and two-time president of the Missouri Historical Society — opened a year ago, replacing Meriwether’s, which was pleasant enough for a museum restaurant but hardly destination dining. The space is basically unchanged, its dominant design feature the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the park. The menu, however, has undergone wholesale revision by Lough, previously the executive chef at Lester Miller’s short-lived reinvention of Busch’s Grove in Ladue.

In truth the salmon, though outstanding, might not be the best introduction to the fare here. Bixby’s theme, Lough explains, is “dining with local influence.”

“I frequent the farmers’ markets, shake hands with the growers,” he adds.

The menu isn’t exclusively local, nor does it hit you over the head with a long list of vendors. To me at least, “local influence” comes across not as a dominant theme but as one part of a larger emphasis on seasonality. The menu changes quarterly, and there are specials as specific, limited-season items (say, soft-shell crabs) become available. This certainly isn’t unique, but it is always welcome.

What impresses me most is how well Lough’s dishes convey a sense of spring: vividly colored and brightly flavored food that — crucially in our recent heat wave — doesn’t sit too heavily on the palate or in the stomach. An entrée of a grilled chicken breast with a relish of early-harvest tomatoes, avocado and charred tomatillo might be the best example of this springlike quality: The chicken itself is perfectly seasoned, the flavors of the moist breast meat and its crisp brown skin simply accented with salt and perhaps a dash of citrus. The relish gives it a gentle bite, a little tart, a little acidic, a little sweet. On the side, both a lovely garnish and, if you like, an additional component to the relish, slices of Bermuda onion are fanned across the plate.

A trio of crab cakes, each with the circumference of a half-dollar and roughly an inch and a half high, is notable first for its ratio of meat (a lot) to filler (not much). Good crab cakes don’t need much accompaniment. The preparation here looks busy on the plate, but as with the chicken, a relish of black beans and tomatillo and a chipotle-citrus aioli give the crab a clean spring accent (and a little heat) without overwhelming its natural flavor.

(Citrus appears to be the go-to seasoning here. This isn’t a complaint. In fact, it’s a reminder of how easily a squeeze of lemon or lime or orange can elevate a dish. Here, for example, plain ol’ hummus explodes with citrus flavor and, for balance, smoked paprika.)

This is a lunch and brunch restaurant, so truly substantial fare is scarce. The burger is a decent specimen, moderately plump and juicy. It comes topped with white cheddar and charred onion on a brioche roll, with habanero ketchup (more tangy than hot, for those intrigued or frightened by the habanero) on the side.

Bixby’s shines brightest with its brunch buffet. The selection isn’t as large as at some venues, but the quality of the fare more than makes up for the lack of breadth. Hell, the smoked salmon alone is worth the absence of brunch-buffet clichés like crab claws and cocktail shrimp piled on ice. On my visits, standout dishes included thin slices of grilled beef tenderloin, the interior as red as a rose, paired with a bracing chimichurri sauce. There were excellent vegetable dishes, too: a crisp, lightly sweet salad of watermelon and jicama; asparagus, simply tossed in oil. The gravy for the biscuits and gravy could use a touch more seasoning, though. It tasted too blandly of a blond roux.

If you survey the buffet selection before you take your seat, you might be confused: There is a tray with bacon and sausage, but there is no quivering mass of scrambled eggs, no guy in a toque hunched over a burner, deftly folding your choice of ingredients into an omelet. Smartly, Bixby’s brunch includes a short menu of à la carte items, including omelets, that are made to order in the kitchen and included in the price of the buffet. You could make a meal from these items alone: with the eggs Benedict — on my visit the poached egg was paired with sausage, the hollandaise spiked with fresh basil — as your main course and a small freshly made Belgian waffle topped with walnut-maple sauce as dessert.

Service is very good — too good, if anything. (During one lunch visit, four different people asked me whether I was enjoying my meal.) From the host who walks you to your table to your server to Chef Lough, everyone seems to take great and justified pride in the food here. It’s enough to make you forget you’re inside a museum — and to wish it were open for dinner, too.

This Sunday’s  brunch features chicken a’ la orange served with double star gingered sugar snap peas and a delicious orange glaze, a brined smoked pork loin with a coriander honey glaze served with roasted garlic potatoes, and for those desiring a vegetarian option the menu will include a cheesy pasta con broccoli.

The various salad options include the cauliflower and sno peas with mustard vinaigrette, summer succotash, French beans and home grown tomatoes, tortellini and grilled balsamic vegetables, in addition to watermelon and jicama with fresh mint.

It doesn’t matter if you’re in fourth grade or forty, secrets are something that everyone desires to be “in the know” about. In this year’s annual issue of Alive Magazine’s “Hot List,” readers were filled in on some of St. Louis’ “best kept secrets!”

Bixby’s was awarded with Best Unexpected Dining Spot as Alive acknowledges the historic setting, breathtaking view and fresh, local ingredients. Open for lunch six days a week and brunch on Sundays this hidden gem doesn’t have to be a secret any longer!

By Amy De La Hunt , May 25, 2011

Bixby’s is honored to be a part of ALIVE Magazine’s 2011 Hot List.  Recognized as one of St. Louis’ Best-Kept Secrets.

Best Unexpected Dining Spot: Bixby’s
For an institution dedicated to preserving the past, the History Museum is certainly placing itself in the present of the city. Most patrons would be hard-pressed to name the restaurant inside, but Bixby’s is worth discovering. Open for lunch six days a week and brunch on Sundays, it features local ingredients in modern dishes overlooking a lovely landscape.

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