Previous Brentwood Schnucks salad bar manager to open restaurant in Maplewood

After 27 years as the salad bar manager and a checker at the Brentwood Schnucks, Reggie Davis’ dream of opening a restaurant is being realized.

Davis plans on opening her ‘Café on the Park’ at 7310 Manchester Road soon. The space was previously T. Rohan Interiors. He moved upstairs, and is now Davis’ landlord.

“This is the dream that I’ve talked about for as long as ( the Schnucks customers) have known me, and I’ve talked about it ever since I was a little kid.” Davis said. “I love everything about food, from beginning to clean-up.”

Davis was there Tuesday morning while a carpenter worked on the minimal build-out. When that is done and the kitchen equipment moved in, after inspections, she’ll open. She said her experience with Schnucks taught her how to deal with health inspections.

She spoke about a few menu items.

The Niçoise salads will have fresh tuna and chicken. She said she’ll get all her  oils, vinegars, liquors from Vom Fass, a few doors down.

“We’ll have a really nice chicken, apple pecan salad, and I’m going to make an apple vinaigrette with some of Vom Fass’ apple vinaigrette, which is the best on this planet.”

She also plans on using Maplewood products from Great Harvest Bakery and Traveling Tea.

Davis said she’ll make her own flat breads and crackers. Her chili comes with a cracker made with a Mexican chocolate and black pepper, she said.

The pickles will be the same as found at The Carnegie Deli in New York City.

“I know the owners, and they’ve connected me with the people who do their pickles,” she said. “I hope St. Louisans don’t hold it against me that I get my pickles from New York, but once they taste them they’ll see why.”

She said a liquor license will come in 2014, and a brunch will start in the spring.