Edwardsville
Jan 6, 2008 Illinois, chefs, restaurants
Amy Zupanci, current employee of Niche but native of Edwardsville, IL, is planning to open a fine dining restaurant around Main Street in Edwardsville later this year.
With my frequent trips across the river I’d heard rumor of this previously, but the Edwardsville Intelligencer has now confirmed it with this article.
It’s safe to say I love Edwardsville, and while I think their community definitely has room for more fine dining, when I read this:
“I will do a lot of my own pickling and canning,” Zupanci said. “I don’t want a greenhouse tomato on a plate.”
The reason for this new restaurant is simply because Edwardsville is currently lacking in the fine dining department, according to Zupanci.
“We just don’t have a restaurant like this,” Zupanci said. “I would like to bring back Main Street because our standards have raised.”
it left me wondering: Just what the hell has Kevin Willmann been doing for the last year at Erato On Main?
- Canning: he does it
- Local sourcing: he’s extremely committed
- Fine dining: definitely
Now, if by fine dining we’re talking suit and tie formal, then no, you won’t find it at Erato or anywhere else in Edwardsville that I’m aware of. However, although I could very easily be wrong, I also don’t think Edwardsville wants a restaurant like that.
So if, presumably, we’re talking about upscale food in a more relaxed environment with a Niche-like dress code, then someone owes Willman an apology because he’s already doing that, and very well.
Tags: Amy-Zupanci, Edwardsville, Erato on Main, Kevin Willmann
From the mountains of Panama and Ethiopia, to the urban-jungles of Portland and Chicago, journalist Michaele Weissman takes us behind the scenes for a look at the world of third-wave specialty coffee. How did we get to Starbucks, and where we go from here?
February 5th, 2008 at 1:10 am
“Very well,” is in the eyes (or stomachs) of the beholder. I visit Erato often, and “very well” is not what I experience there. Nore, is it what I experience anywhere in Edwardsville. Erato doesn’t offer me a relaxed atmosphere, either. More like an upscale version of the cold noisy refridgerator box turned club house.
It’s my desire not to travel across the river, or to another major market for Very Well, or Upscale meets Comfortable. Until then, good luck to our restauranteurs here in Edwardsville. This culinary consumer welcomes anyone new to our local scene that adds something better to the mix. Good luck Chef Amy, Good luck Chef Willmann. Edwardsville has a more discerning palette than you might think.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:16 am
I didn’t mean “room for more fine dining” because your dining is bad. I meant, Edwardsville could easily support more restaurants because they have a population of people who are interested in eating well, and know what it is when they have it.
I do love Erato though, and disagree strongly on that point.
February 12th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I agree that Erato is an excellent Restaurant, tops in our local area until you get into St. Louis and to Champaign, IL.
I don’t want to sound to disagreeable, but my point is that I would like to see Erato, the existing restaurants, and anyone new step it up another notch.
Time will season the place like a good cast iron skillet.
I have high hopes for everyone in E’ville, and encourage them to shoot for the stars rather than just being the best… in Edwardsville.
February 12th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Our whole metropolitan area needs to step it up one more notch.
March 15th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Erato features some of the best food I’ve ever tasted. I’ve met and talked to Amy and am looking forward to her new restaurant. I think her house, Kevin’s food at Erato on Main, along with the featured steakhouse of Andria’s will only enhance the fine dining in Edwardsville.
March 16th, 2008 at 5:06 am
thanks steve for coming often. i promise that it is my every desire to do everything i can to save you the drive. my ambitions go beyond that even and include pulling adventurous souls east from the city to taste the food that i love to make. i believe that our food and drink stands up to a much larger audience than that which you’ve described. we do have some damning limitations -for which i cannot make excuses- but if we / i fail you -as it seems we have- i can only hope that the next restaurant gives you what it is that we are lacking. i sleep well at night knowing that i’ve pushed myself to my ability, my staff to their potential and have made no sacrifices in the product that we sell. i encourage you to give us another chance. if we fail you again, then perhaps erato is simply not your thing. our goal has never been to be all things to all people -those places inevitably fail- however, i can assure you that i do everything i can to make erato a destination and not just an option in edwardsville. in the kitchen we are currently working on curing and smoking our own pork products, farming a large garden in greenville, and honing our preserving and canning skills so that we can offer you a taste of summer in the dead of the winter just as my family did and still does for each other. we are working to make the space as accommodating as we can, understanding that our focus will always be to deliver flavor first, and more amenities as we can realize them. i appreciate your critique. ultimately, you have the taste buds and a comfort zone. i understand that if you are to continue to patron my restaurant, i have to deliver. i will not ever quit pushing to accomplish these goals. thanks again for both your patronage and your assertions.
kevin willmann
chef / partner, erato on main
March 16th, 2008 at 5:12 am
thanks JC,
-kev
April 28th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Is there a reason no one has mentioned Neruda on this blog?
October 1st, 2008 at 12:40 am
[...] of you may recall that Zupanci tipped off a bit of an Edwardsville uproar earlier this year when she was quoted as saying that she’d be opening her restaurant because she [...]
July 19th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Chef Amy has a lot of work left to do…we went for dinner last night (drove in from STL), showed up at 6:20 for a 6:30 reservation and were told they were not ready (the entire staff was standing around the bar talking) so we happily went to Erato for a drink, we should have never left (Erato’s menu looks great!)…the servings were tiny and sub par, warm white wine, the $24 corn risotto had a stale parm cracker, and was no more than a ladel full (tasted like canned cream corn), the rest of the food we ordered was so disappointing that we left before dessert (which we were never offered, nor were we EVER asked how our meal was) – Amy sounds like a pretentious chef, I am shocked that she spent any time at Niche. She woudl fair well to send her staff to a chain like PF Changs to learn how caring and attentive servers act. We did complain but were met with “Uh, it is unfortunate you feel that way” from the manager, who shoudl dress for the job she has, not like she is running to walmart in her capri’s and long sleeve t-shirt. We spent $250+ at dinner and they could care less about us or the food we were served.
July 19th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
Oh 2 more points –
1.)I have NO IDEA how Fond won best new restaurant in Sauce – I find this impossible. However if read the sauce write up, they do not brag on the food at all.
2.) She says she will not serve chicken because she cannot find a good local perveyor, but she serves tasmanian salmon and that “you can make chicken at home” Well, I could have made everything we had at dinner on a $25 budget and it woudl have been way better. Even the potato leek soup sucked, it was like potato broth.
July 20th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
CC your remarks while totally within your rights are crude and unprofessional. You should not use a forum for personal attacks just because you did’t get a meal up to your standards. Stick to the food.
I’d like to see you open a restaurant and provide the quality you say you can for $25.
July 20th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
You can’t please all of the people all of the time.
Chef Amy and her staff do everything in there power to make sure you evening is enjoyable.
I’ve been several times and been more than satisfied each time.
Cheers
July 21st, 2009 at 4:52 pm
If you have a question or problem CC, I would for sure email or call Amy. I’m sure she would be happy to talk to you about it….
July 22nd, 2009 at 9:55 pm
CC obviously has a personal agenda against Chef Amy and is completely out of line. I’ve been to Fond several times and had a great experience every time.
August 1st, 2009 at 2:41 pm
I appreciate your points but have no personal issue with Amy or her rest. I had never even been to Edwardsville before.
That said, we were met with an unprofessional and unpleasant response to our complaints, being basically told “too bad and I cannot do anything about it” is just unfair to any customer. Granted they may have had an off night, but we were treated poorly and clearly our expectations were too high, but those expectations were influenced by them being chosen “best new rest.” in Sauce.
I was emotional in my previous posts because we felt (and still feel) ripped off by the experience.
I have contacted Amy directly about the issue.
August 8th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
I’ve been very disappointed in the last two times I’ve visited Fond.
Courses were delivered slowly and served cold. The restaurant was empty on a Thursday night. I think word is getting out that the hype is over…we have since given our loyalty to Erato. Chef is much more attentive to his patrons.
August 11th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
CC
I understand Chef Amy is not returning your calls or refuses to contact you about your recent experience. I stopped by the restaurant to confront Chef Amy about this as was told “I don’t have time to listen to what customers want” So I guess we should have time to eat at this establishment. Amy is blind to her ignorance on how to deal with customers.
August 12th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
We prefer Erato over Fond 3-1. Fond just feels cold when you walk in…everyone is on pins and needles afraid of something. I think the place could use some loosening up. Fine dining in the metro east is a little different than NYC. Guess that’s why Chef came back here. To big a big fish in a little pond.
August 14th, 2009 at 9:31 am
Sarah – I thank you for your understanding and speaking to her!! I was starting to think I was crazy because it could just not be true that a business owner would treat a customer this way.
After some prompting from a local food writer, I got this email from Amy through Facebook “Got your messages. Thanks for the feedback.” ….that is her response?!?! I am happy we found Erato through this experience, but am still saddned that in these hard times, our money was spent with a person who does not give a care. There are plenty of restaurant owners who work hard and care and I would much rather support them.