Previously open only for dinner, Rated Test Kitchen at 313 N. 11th St. in downtown St. Louis will begin daytime operations as Rated Cafe, officially opening on Monday, June 10, after a soft opening this week.
By adding a second dimension to his intimate dinner club, chef-owner Juwan Rice is giving the community a new way to experience his cuisine. In other words, he's spreading the wealth — showing us what can be done during the day, when the atmosphere is much different and a little less taxing on the wallet. “It's light during the day. It's more atmospheric at night,” Rice said.
Rated Test Kitchen opened in spring 2023. At the time, Rice described it as a unique culinary playground where he and his fellow “culinary creators” could experiment with exciting flavors from different parts of the world, including South America, Cuba and Asia. That approach is evident at the cafe, where some of the dishes are downright exciting: “Fields of Love” is one of two “eclectic eclairs” that combine lemon-thyme mascarpone mousse with strawberry moscato jam; and Crispy Sticky Rice is a party of rice, quail egg, scallion jam, garlic aioli, crispy shallots and chicken sausage.
Rice is using Need Bakehouse brioche for his French toast, a visually arresting breakfast delicacy with custard, whipped mascarpone, and jewel-red summer fruit. Rice said he's excited about the little “echoes” that might exist between the day and evening operations, like a nice herb sauce crossover that might appear later in the day or later.
As for coffee, Rice imports beans from Mexico and Costa Rica and roasts them at a company in Arkansas. The blend, along with Rice's own pots of spices, are available for purchase at the cafe. The drinks menu also features a dirty miso chai latte with caramel syrup, an uberaté, and an iced refresher with cucumber and lemonade. A friend will soon be sourcing honey from local bees, and Rice said most of the herbs and leafy greens are locally sourced as well.
Rice said he'd always planned to include a cafe, but wanted to get to know the area first. The 1,500-square-foot space seats 30, plus a sidewalk table that seats six. The Test Kitchen hosts two reservation-only seven-course dinners Thursday through Sunday, while Rated Cafe is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
