New Brentwood Restaurant Offers a Twist on Wood-Fired Food

Update Nov. 28: The restaurant was renamed "twinOak Wood Fired Fare" in July but remains a Friedrichs-owned restaurant in Brentwood.

Everyone knows that a pizza thrown in a hot, wood-burning oven is going to taste delicious. But how about a steak, salmon or chicken wings?

As it turns out, they taste great too. This is the type of unique twist Taste, Wood Fired Fare will be offering Brentwood residents. The new restaurant opened last Tuesday at 1201 Strassner Drive with a Renato wood-burning oven as the main cooking source.

The restaurant is co-owned by twin brothers Casey and Curt Friedrichs, along with their father Bill Friedrichs. The brothers wanted to make the wood-fired food concept a reality because they "wanted to really showcase the versatility of what it can produce besides pizza."

The oven generally operates at a temperature of between 650 and 800 degrees. The result is food that cooks fast and has great flavor.

"People are amazed at how quickly we can get the food out to them," Curt Friedrichs said.

Casey Friedrichs said cooking everything from steak to fish in the oven is a healthier method of cooking.

"You're going to be eating the freshest possible food," Casey Friedrichs said. The brothers both graduated with degrees in hospitality from Florida State University before working for six years with the Hillstone Restaurant Group, which Casey Friedrichs said is one of the largest privately-owned groups in the country right now.

After working in the New York, South Florida and California markets, they came back to St. Louis where they call home, and will be working hard to become an integral part of the Brentwood community.

Once operations are fully underway and running smoothly, Casey Friedrichs said the restaurant will be offering to-go or delivery food services to the nearby and condos.

"It's a courtesy that we would like to offer the guests and residents," he said. Hotel guests will eventually receive a 10 percent discount on food as well.

In terms of food, patrons can build their own pizzas or choose from signature Taste selections like the "Gringo" Star with chorizo, jalapeno and mozzarella. And if you want to try something new?

"Everyone that's ordered the steak has been blown away," Curt Friedrichs said.

Side items include oven roasted, seasonal vegetables and made-from-scratch salads.

You should definitely try the melt-in-your mouth baby back ribs, along with the brothers' pride and joy on the dessert side, the Deep Dish "Dee-Lish" - a chocolate chip cookie partially baked in a ramekin, then topped with vanilla ice cream. They don't skimp on the chips and it is a masterful gooey yet crunchy delight.

Look forward to seeing a growing inventory of carefully thought out selections of microbrew draft beers and wine. Don't worry too much about the cost; Casey Friedrichs said everything is approachable and priced appropriately.

"One thing (Brentwood residents) can expect is that you can walk in and out of here only paying around $15 - $20 and feel very satisfied with the food you've received," he said.

Taste, Wood Fired Fare is located at 1201 Strassner Drive. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.