The Mexican Barrel House makes its long-awaited debut in Creve Coeur

After an in depth rework that remodeled each nook of the previous Houlihan’s in Creve Coeur, The Mexican Barrel House (1085 N. Mason) is able to roll. The 280-seat house is presently within the soft-opening section, with restricted hours on select breakfast, lunch, and dinner dates forward of the grand opening on February 16. Additional particulars can be posted on its Facebook page. Here’s what to know earlier than you go.

The Menu

Owner Alfredo Flores categorizes the menu into three interwoven components: genuine Mexican favorites, Tex-Mex barbecue, and American breakfast. Customers can mix the elements in quite a lot of methods—for instance, ordering brisket from the smoker, steak from the grill, St. Louis’ personal pork steak inside a single “Mexi-Q Board,” a make-your-own-tacos unfold for the desk.

Flores has given the culinary workforce, led by head chef Ulises Lopez, license to innovate and experiment, simply as he likes to do himself. The Mexican part consists of classics equivalent to tacos however with fillings together with deep-fried braised pork shoulder, grilled hen and chorizo, adobo-marinated hen thighs, plant-based al pastor, and grilled portobello. The torta sandwiches characteristic grilled telera bread with a crispy cheese crust and a DIY record of proteins, toppings, cheeses, and garnishes.

Noteworthy shareables embrace the agua chile de ribeye (seared sliced steak marinated in citrus and jalapeño juice plus soy and Worcestershire sauce), queso over shredded smoked brisket with fries, and grilled “corn ribs” (a mess-free model of road corn on the cob with butter, cotija cheese, and cilantro).

The kitchen may even supply rotating each day specials like a roll of brisket and steak atop a mattress of mashed potatoes.

Although the barbecue is technically Kansas City type (that means it’s dry-rubbed, slow-smoked, and served with a tomato-based sauce—or, on this case, a alternative of six house-made sauces and an equal variety of salsas), the kitchen makes use of Mexican spices equivalent to paprika and Chile powders together with sugars in its seasoning blends. Flores additionally leans towards the serving type that he grew up with. “Mexico has a big barbecue culture, but we plate it with fresh vegetables, not so heavy on proteins and carbs,” he explains.

The choices for sides are plentiful. Dishes just like the pulled pork sandwich and the brisket Philly sandwich will be ordered with fries, road corn potato salad, or charro beans—a facet much like baked beans however named for Mexican cowboys or charros.

The restaurant is just open for dinner by means of February 7. The breakfast menu that launches February 9 continues to be in improvement, however Flores says it’ll lean towards American classics equivalent to pancakes.

The Beverages

On the beverage facet, as within the kitchen, bartender Nico Romo is was inspired to be artistic with the cocktail record he’s. The N/A choices embrace six barrel mocktails just like the Nada-Rita and Whiskey Palmer made with zero-proof spirits creating., with extra choices out there as specials.

In anticipation of excessive quantity, Flores has arrange a separate compact bar station off the kitchen to take the stress off the primary bar employees. An even smaller bar cart stocked with the fundamentals will be rolled out tableside as nicely.

House margaritas begin with a high-end Cadillac, adopted by a spicy model with cucumber, a bourbon-based Kentucky model, a tropical model with do-it-yourself mango shrub, grilled pineapple juice, and sizzling sauce. Other cocktails are listed beneath the heading The Mix, which ranges from a uniquely fruity Green Apple Moscato Sangria to a regular Blue Hawaiian and from a riff on the historic Martinez (gin, candy vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and bitters) to a contemporary a Ranch Water (a Texas highball with tequila, lime juice, and glowing mineral water).

It’s uncommon to see Mexican wines within the States, however Flores has organized for a really good introduction to the nation’s viniculture. Highlights among the many whites embrace a Chenin Blanc from Monte Xanic, heralded as Mexico’s first boutique vineyard when it was established in 1988, and a Chardonnay with Chenin Blanc from RGMX in Valle de Parras, one among Mexico’s authentic wine areas, the place vines have been first planted within the 1500s.

Among the reds, word the Sangiovese Grosso from the family-owned Paoloni vineyard. The Italian-born winemaker makes use of methods from his dwelling nation, however with grapes grown solely 10 miles from the Pacific within the Northern Baja area.

Another uncommon sight in a Mexican restaurant is a dessert wine record. “My pretension wasn’t to be high end,” Flores says, “but in Mexico, people have a digestif or a hot tea or a dessert wine for their digestive system. I thought, ‘Why not do that here?’” The picks embrace a dolce, Riesling, ruby port, Grand Marnier, and Amaro Montenegro.

To keep away from competitors with the Flores household’s Casa Juarez Mexican Town, only a few miles to the north in Maryland Heights, The Mexican Barrel House is not going to host tequila tasting occasions. However, it affords a well-curated choice of tequila manufacturers and kinds.

The Team

Flores is joined by two of his kids in working the restaurant. His son Alfredo Jr. manages the entrance of the home, and his daughter Maggie is dealing with quite a lot of roles whereas Flores works with the kitchen to finalize the menu.

The Mexican Barrel House has been described as a sister restaurant to Casa Juarez, which Flores and a bunch of his siblings opened in 2018. But additionally it is associated to the 4 Las Fuentes Mexican Restaurants and Oats and Honey Café—and Flores has had a task in all of them.

He began working in native eating places within the early Nineties, after arriving within the St. Louis area on a basketball scholarship at Lindenwood University. He labored at El Maguey earlier than shifting on to administration roles at company outfits like Chevy’s Fresh Mex and Olive Garden. Those experiences taught him a terrific deal about finest practices for processes equivalent to stock and for kitchen construction, which he utilized after returning to El Maguey and serving to the corporate broaden.

Eventually, Flores and his brother Jerry determined to open the primary Las Fuentes in Florissant in 2002. Around the identical time, Flores additionally labored with one other brother, Ramiro, and their sister Guillermina to open Chihuahua’s in Maryland Heights. That small restaurant ultimately transitioned into the a lot bigger Casa Juarez, and in the course of the course of, the entrepreneurs acquired their first Small Business Administration mortgage. The expertise motivated Flores to buy the previous Houlihan’s constructing in 2021.

The Atmosphere

The first weekend of The Mexican Barrel House’s mushy opening coincided with the snowstorm that blanketed the St. Louis area, however ready a couple of extra days didn’t dissuade clients who had been eagerly anticipating the restaurant because it was first introduced in 2022.

Purchasing and renovating the 45-year-old constructing posed vital challenges, together with coping with injury from burst pipes, updating civil engineering and architectural plans, and in depth electrical and HVAC work. Even although Flores had renovated different eating places, the 8,700-square-foot constructing was next-level. “I didn’t know how hard it was going to be,” he admits. “I wanted to call it quits at some points.”

But as an alternative of quitting, he used the delays to conceptualize the design. “I dined at Houlihan’s twice, and I remember looking at that brick downstairs,” he recollects. “I fell in love with it.” The brickwork continues to be a outstanding attribute of your entire restaurant, serving as a backdrop for intricate décor that tells Flores’ life story.

There’s an indication from the road the place he grew up, Calle Reforma, in Chihuahua, Mexico. There is a whole wall of family members’ images exhibiting his dad and mom, grandparents, and great-grandparents (together with a outstanding picture of 1 set of great-grandparents’ 23 daughters). There is the home quantity from a house that his grandfather constructed.

Flores is a resourceful enterprise proprietor whose connections throughout industries helped him discover offers on all the pieces from the outside brick to inside tiles—and, within the course of, saved extra constructing supplies out of landfills.

He adopted the identical ideas of sustainability with leftovers from the restaurant’s personal renovations. For instance, he repurposed metallic from the roof into edging for the bottoms of the cubicles to the place they meet the ground. The lamps on the partitions are product of acid-treated mirrors; the picket blocks holding the salt and pepper shakers are handcrafted from two-by-fours.

The cubicles are authentic to the constructing, although they’ve been reupholstered. The black-and-white tile flooring are additionally authentic—and, after all, Flores saved the brick that impressed him on earlier visits.

One part of the primary ground is devoted to the U.S. army in honor of Flores’ two sons, who’re presently within the Marine Corps, in addition to his kids, nieces, nephews, and different members of the family who’ve served within the Air Force, Navy, and Army.

The spiritual symbolism all through the restaurant represents Flores’ Catholic religion, which helped him persevere by means of the challenges of constructing out the restaurant. The crosses, hearts, and archangels are apparent, however different particulars require a better look, such because the small eyes beneath cabinets holding archangels, linked within the Bible to all-seeing God.

Even the brand has symbolism. It is modeled on a St. Benedict medal that Flores carries as safety in occasions of concern and uncertainty—which is mainly daily when renovating a restaurant. “You’re going to fail, but you’re also going to learn,” Flores says.

As prices rose past the anticipated funds, a number of of Flores’ siblings stepped as much as assist out financially, motivating Flores when an sudden problem arose. “There’s a lot of sweat equity in this building, but it was worth it,” he says.

Flores is wanting ahead to February 16, when the restaurant will serve its full menu for the primary time. “A grand opening always gives me butterflies,” Flores says. “Just like when you fall in love with somebody. I get those feelings from seeing people in my restaurant.”

The Mexican Barrel House

📍 1085 N. Mason, Creve Coeur

📞 314-370-6010

⏰ 9 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4:30–9 p.m. Mon and Tue, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4:30–10 p.m. Wed and Thu, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4:30–11 p.m. Fri and Sat; bar solely 2–4:30 p.m.; brunch 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Sun. (Hours after February 16 grand opening)