Beatnik's: A Culinary Hipster's Haven

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Tell your goatee-stroking, poetry-reading, beret-wearing hipster friends they finally have a place to nourish themselves without subjection to scorn from society's squares. Beatnik's is among the hippest and latest eateries to set up shop in St. Charles, and the venture has launched with a nod to 50's counterculture as its defining characteristic. One need not even step inside the restaurant to realize the Beatnik's dining experience is far from ordinary. A mannequin donning a chef's coat greets visitors outside the entrance, bearing a massive neon "open" sign. Upon seating, you'll realize the mannequin theme doesn't stop at the door, with figures placed at tables throughout the building. Eccentricity extends to the walls here, as abstract paintings from local artists provide the interior's color. Though it's a disturbing trend for restauranteurs to focus on shaping an establishment's theme at the expense of food quality (The location's prior occupant ran a 40's-themed greasy spoon and didn't last a year.), the Beatnik's brass seems to realize, in this economy, price and food quality tend to trump atmosphere. You won't find an entree topping $15 and cocktails and beers hover shy of three bucks, so bring $30 and you'll stumble out speech-slurred and belly-distended.

Never one to turn down Mediterranean fare, ToastedRav's meal started with the Dig n' Dip, an appetizer platter loaded with red pepper hummus, tabouli, tazziki, and grilled pita wedges. Though it's usually the toppings that stand out with a dish like this, the pita is easily the highlight, with grill marks that make those on any flame-broiled item from Burger King seem like a sunburn. In fact, a few of our wedges came borderline charred, a small price to pay for such carbohydrate ingenuity. The hummus is good, but doesn't stand out from similar offerings at other restaurants. An above-average tazziki offers a cool break from the aforementioned hummus, bringing an oral explosion that isn't disappointingly bland, as is often the case with the yogurt/cucumber/garlic dip. The tabouli dominates the trio, however, with a parsley-heavy taste that isn't overbearing. Though the serving size isn't gargantuan, such is the point of an appetizer. Entree-wise, customers have their choice of a few dozen items ranging from seafood to burgers. Longing for the ocean, we opted for the Crab Cake Sliders with a side of curly fries. The dish came loaded with three miniature sandwiches and a generous helping of hand-curlied curly fries which, one can only assume, means some poor sap is in the back running a scissor blade along a pile of normal fries until they twist, much like ribbon on a Christmas gift. The effort is not done in vain, as the fries are excellent; benefiting only from a bit of salt. The crab cakes are impressive; loaded with more crab meat than breading and topped with a tasty cream-based spread. If anything, the buns take over the sandwiches and a fifty percent size reduction would equal the desired "crab in every bite" result. All said, Beatnik's makes for a nice place to drop a little cash. The atmosphere's fun but not overstated, the food's worth the trip, and the beer (the restaurant boasts its own brand, available in a 100-ounce serving for those walking home.) is cold. View the gallery and check out Beatnik's at 3331 Rue Royale in St. Charles. Ring 'em up at 636.916.2006.