BAJA CANTINA OPENS FOR SURFER DUDES AND DRY-DOCKED MERMAIDS IN CHESTERFIELD

Beach Hut Restaurant is a 'Tropical Getaway Serving Up Mexican Seafood & Crab Cake Poboys

March 4, 2003, St. Louis, Missouri ... Baja Cantina, a tropical-themed restaurant offering colorful Mexican seafood cuisine and comfort food for surfers, landlubbers, mermaids and their families, plus a funky old bar stocked with exotic cocktail potions and ice cold beer, has opened in Chesterfield Commons at 17304-115 Chesterfield Airport Road.

Designed by the architectural firm Tao & Lee Associates, with original painting and wall designs by the artist Jay Ferger, Baja Cantina is A Tropical Getaway for Those Who Cant Getaway" and the only restaurant of its kind in St. Louis, a city more than 1,000 miles from Mexicos Baja peninsula on the Pacific Ocean coast.

My wife Leslie and I created Baja Cantina so we could eat in a place like we visit while on vacation, but with a bigger menu and better food," says owner Brian Krieger.

Mexico-born chef Nolberto Rojo created the restaurants Baja-style fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas and tacos, while St. Louis chef Pat Hartman created fresh seafood platters showcasing grilled tuna, salmon, grouper, shrimp and fried oysters. Baja Cantina offers more than 60 menu items, including fish, chicken, beef and crab cake Poboy sandwiches, plus a range of special salads and side dishes such as spicy-creamy Baja corn.

With its tangerine-colored walls, painted palm trees, surfboards and soft-glow neon signs, Baja Cantinas décor is festive and relaxed, accentuated by a bar made from aluminum salvaged from a 100-year-old barn and indoor seating for 150 people at booths and tables, plus 40 people on the outdoor patio.

Baja Cantina will celebrate the season of Lent for six weeks with an all-you-can-eat extravaganza for $9.95 featuring a clam bake on Monday nights, shrimp on Tuesday nights and crawfish on Wednesday nights, all served with hushpuppies and choice of side dishes ranging from Mexican rice to refried beans, Baja corn and fresh vegetables.

The choice of exotic cocktails and foo-foo drinks is liberal, including such potions as the Shark Attack, Wild Thing, Spring Break, Cool-Aid and Baja Cantinas house specialty, The Blue Lagoon, mixed with Malibu Rum, pineapple juice and blue Curaco liqueur. There are ample choices of ice cold beer, plus a range of specialty coffee drinks and coladas.

Menu prices are from $5.95 to $8.95, with a childrens menu of choices from $2.50 to $3.25. Baja Cantina hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Happy Hour is 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Ray Lauman is General Manager and Steve Hempel is Manager.

Owner Brian Krieger and his wife Leslie arent strangers in the restaurant business. Krieger is a co-founder and co-owner of the popular Kriegers Pub & Grill chain of sports-themed family restaurants in greater St. Louis.

For more information, contact Jeff Dunlap at 314 721 5505.