At Basso, Nationally Acclaimed Chef Patrick Connolly Pays Homage to St. Louis' Divisive Provel Cheese
Provel is a proprietary blend of cheddar, swiss and provolone cheeses. At Basso, Connolly uses Prairie Breeze cheddar, Jarlsberg and what he refers to as generic "deli" provolone. The toppings likewise are an upscale take on the Imo's "Deluxe" arrangement. The pizza differs in two key respects: the crust, while thin, is certainly not cracker-thin, and the pizza as a whole is wood-fired.
Connolly says diners' reaction to the "Emo Cover Band" has surprised the Basso team: "It's our top seller. I can't tell if it's because it's got the most stuff on it, or because it strikes a chord." The latter explanation doesn't quite make sense to him, however. "You're not really reminiscing about [St. Louis-style] pizza when you're in St. Louis."
Has Connolly heard from Imo's, notoriously protective of the Provel trademark? (If you're not serving Imo's Provel, you're not serving Provel -- you're serving St. Louis pizza cheese.)
"No," he says and laughs. "It's imitation as the strongest form of flattery. I just love the flavor combination."
Location Info
Venue
Map
Basso
7036 Clayton Ave., St Louis, MO
Category: Restaurant
|
0 user reviews
|
Write A Review |
| Save to foursquare |
|
Email to Friend
Write to Editor
Print Article
