Alec Schingel’s Robin Restaurant opens in downtown Maplewood

The concept grounds itself on the idea that fine dining should be approachable – an affordable luxury – designed not to intimidate but rather to welcome. “Fine dining started out as ultimately just having a break from the daily grind,” Schingel says. “Having the chance to go to a restaurant has always been a relatively affordable luxury. You can’t always afford to have the big house, but you can go to the same great restaurant as everybody else.” For Schingel, bringing Robin to life meant infusing indulgent elements into an unpretentious space, doing away with the idea that fine dining must be a white tablecloth affair. “If people come in and are stressed or in any way put off by the experience, we’ve already lost,” he says. “It should be about feeling comfortable and enjoying your night and your time with your friends and family.”

Robin Restaurant will serve a tightly edited prix fixe menu offered in both the dining room and bar area featuring products sourced from local farmers and purveyors. Menus will rotate with the seasons, exploring the history and culture of Midwestern cuisine. Guests can choose from three options available for each course, with a total of three elevated savory courses and one dessert or cheese course to finish. Those familiar with Schingel’s past private dinners and pop-ups will recognize the final bite — his signature gooey butter cake served as a treat before guests depart for the night.

For the opening menu, guests can expect a mushroom-cured trout with green tomato and horseradish; a winter salad comprised of celeriac, apple, endive and pecans; and chicken liver with beet jame, toast and chervil as options for the first course. For the second, guests can select Schingel's take on the classic Midwestern "hot dish" with oyster mushrooms, wild rice and cream; "Dorothy's Potatoes" with sour cream, herbs and trout roe; or sunchokes with brown butter and sunflower shoots. An aged duck breast with roasted carrot, shelling beans and jus; pork schnitzel with braised cabbage, apple and mustard; and cotton candy squash with leeks, brioche and squash jus round out the choices for the third and final savory course. For dessert, guests can select either a caramelized tart of black walnut and persimmon or a vacherin of lemon verbena, citrus and meringue. 

Schingel’s course structure allows freedom of movement for dishes that stand on their own but work seamlessly as a set, something he spent time thinking through as the concept was taking shape. “When I was trying to conceptualize a menu in three courses, you're so locked in creatively with what people expect as an appetizer and an entrée,” he says. “By adding just one more course, you add so much more flexibility, and it allows me to edit the dish better.” Schingel will serve as both executive chef and wine and beverage director for the concept, enabling him to flow the menus together with ease.

Diners eager for a quick bite will find it in the restaurant’s snack menu, exclusively available in the bar in addition to the lounge area that functions as a cozy extension of the bar. The snack menu will feature a rotating plate of three to five finger foods that follow the seasons and reflect the same approach to Midwestern cuisine as the prix fixe menu. The translation of the cuisine into two menus allows guests to experience Schingel’s dishes in multiple ways within the same space. “Offering a menu that is inspired by what’s fresh allows us to say truly innovative and also gives diners the chance to come back and have a totally different experience the next time,” Schingel said in a statement. “I love the feeling of nailing a new dish and watching customers enjoy the season’s finest ingredients in a way they maybe haven’t tried before.” The drink menu is designed to complement the food, with a lineup of beer, wine, liquors and cocktails all available. Wine will be highlighted in two formats – via bottle or carafe to encourage sharing and offer diners flexibility.

The restaurant makes its home in the heart of downtown Maplewood in the space formerly occupied by The Benevolent King. The interior has been wholly transformed into something Schingel notes resembles – quite by accident – his own home, with warm touches that soften the angles of the space at every turn. The 1,400-square-foot space accommodates 30 guests in total and features six seats at the bar and nine tables in the main dining area, with a banquette running along a mirrored wall. Four lounge area seats perched just off the bar are situated in the front window.

A centerpiece open kitchen lines the back of the space, drawing guests into the bustle of the kitchen as they dine. Elements like macrame wall hangings, sage patterned wallpaper, shelves with personal baubles and a record player tucked into the corner pull the space into more intimate territory, while dried flowers and neutral walls play to the organic feel of the space. “Our priority was to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere influenced by the simple elegance of dining rooms in Scandinavia and Japan, while still holding true to our Midwestern roots,” Schingel says. He notes that the space came together with help from family and friends: His partner sourced furniture for the space while his father made the tables. 

Schingel himself has deep roots in the Midwest. A native of Urbana, Illinois, he began his culinary career with a three-year stint at the Chase Park Plaza Royal Sonesta St. Louis before shifting to Gerard Craft's iconic Niche restaurant as a sous chef. Schingel continued working around the country at such establishments as the world-renowned Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York, where he teamed up with Tara and Michael Gallina, eventually moving back to St. Louis mere months after the couple, who were establishing their brand in the city, did.

After turns as the opening chef de cuisine at Vicia and the executive chef at Winslow’s Table, Schingel began his pop-up The Robin Project as he searched for a permanent home for his concept. Now, he’s landed in a space that seems tailor-made for what he wants to bring to St. Louis. “This is a highly personal endeavor and a vision that has been 18 years in the making,” Schingel said. “There is an enormous amount of excitement and generosity in St. Louis towards supporting great, well-run restaurants with a strong identity and point of view. We are beyond excited to be part of this community, and we can’t wait to open our doors and welcome everyone.”

Robin Restaurant will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. Reservations for the dining room are strongly recommended but not required; these can be made using Resy. Lounge and bar area seating is available on a first come, first served basis.

For more information and updates, follow Robin Restaurant on Instagram.

Robin Restaurant, 7268 Manchester Road, Maplewood, Missouri, robinrestaurant.com