Recently I blogged about a new Pub going into the Forum Side of CoMO (HERE). I felt it was my civic duty to reach out to the owners and find out the inside scoop of the establishment, what to expect and maybe a tidbit or two of inside information. I was pleasantly surprised to get some great answers (YES- STEEL TIPS) and even to make a suggestion (Connemara Irish Whiskey). I hope everyone enjoys the interview AND passes it along to their friends. CoMo has been screaming for an REAL Irish/English Pub and now we finally get one. Let’s help them succeed.
Cheers and Good Luck to Dave and Mark.
44 Stone Public House, the dream of 2 Men- Dave Faron (31) and Mark Sulltrop (39) who have a vision and a sense of humor. It’s that humor that shines through in the Restaurant's very name- 44 Stone Public House. A “Stone” is a weight of measure that equals 14 pounds…together, they weigh 44 Stone. I like these guys already 
Accomplished Chef’s at some of Mid-Mo’s best restaurants (Jack’s, Le Bourgeois, Bleu and the Tiger Hotel…just to name a few), these men have believe they can bring British “Gastro” Dining to Columbia. Looking at their resumes and chatting briefly with them online, show ME they have the skills (I’ve eaten at all of the above and loved the food) and desire to do just that….and more. I really think they have found the niche market and I can’t wait to stand back and watch them be successful.
What brought you two together as chefs- We were brought together by Mark hiring Dave as his A.M. Sous Chef in the summer of 2008. We worked together well and shared a common culinary vision/philosophy. After both of us were gone from Bleu in 2009, we started "scheming" a joint venture. It first manifested itself as a downtown, upscale pizza joint called "Fat Guys Pies." Then we attempted our first gastropub downtown, which didn't come to pass. Finally, we continued the self-deprecating name theme (we are both big fellas) with 44 Stone Public House (our combined weight in stones, an English unit of weight).
Do you believe you have the same or complimenting cooking styles- We definitely share similar cooking and management styles. Our goal is to get the doors open as quickly as possible and hopefully break even in our first year. More than that, we just want to do things our way and have a good time doing it. We both love the restaurant business and all things culinary.
What type of menu are you looking to offer? Can you explain the "Gastropub" style- A Gastropub is a casual, convivial place modeled after the great pubs of the British Isles with exceptional food and appealing beer and spirit selections (wines will also of course be offered). We will do contemporary versions of dishes like bangers and mash, shepherd's pie and ploughman's lunch (we plan to do our own charcuterie -- curing our own meats, terrines, pates, etc). We will not limit ourselves to English/Irish/Scottish fare, though, as we will have some contemporary American dishes featuring local products as often as possible. We will have a small, concise set menu (definitely with a GREAT burger...perhaps with lamb) with several features daily.
Are there going to be nightly specials? Are you planning any special events- We will have special events on the British Isle holidays, St Patty's of course, but also other holidays like St George's Day, the English National Day or St David's day, the Welsh equivalent. We will have live music (we inherited a very nice sound system), especially with nice weather coming. Special events will be posted on Facebook, etc, but we will have them as often as possible when we get on our feet.
Hemmingway's had a very intimate environmental feel to it, how much remodeling will be done- The feel of the place has already changed with the removal of the beaded curtain and some booth curtains. The booths remain but the place is definitely more open and convivial. Other than that, we don't plan to remodel much, just change the decor and feel of the place. No white tablecloths, for example.
I heard part of the pub atmosphere will be darts. Please tell me it will be steel tip- Yes, the dartboards will be properly real, no plastic in 44 Stone Public House. No English pub worth a quid would use plastic darts.
With the purchase of the restaurant, does that include the cigar shop next door? If so, what are the plans for it- The cigar shop is gone, sorry. The old retail will be storage, at least for now.
You mention "Unique Beer", does this mean we will be seeing some unusual (for MO) British Beers (my vote is London Pride) and Ciders-Our beers will be a combination of imported, local and interesting domestic beers. London Pride for sure, maybe Tenents, definitely a quality pear/hard apple cider. We are in the process of tasting and deciding in the next few weeks. <Editor’s Note- If you need some help….I’m always available >
As a whisky/whiskey guy, what are your core scotches and bourbons on the bar- Our passion is Irish Whiskeys but we love Single Malt too. Once again, other than Jameson and Lagavulin, we don't know for sure yet. Trust us though, it will be a unique selection for Columbia. As for bourbon, I'm a Maker's Mark man, but we will have other Bourbons/Ryes/Tennessee whiskies of course as well. <Editor’s Note- I would like to suggest Connemara Irish Whiskey. It’s a unique peaty Irish Whiskey that could almost be mistaken for a scotch. It used to be carried by Glazers (as Taz) and is a great buy.>
The website isn't up yet (is there an ETA), where else can a person go to make reservations and/or find out more information- Facebook should be the main source for info at the moment. Our website (44stonepub.com) is up but under construction.
Finally, What is the target date for opening- We hope to be open by early February. The only foreseeable delay would be city permits, but since this was a working restaurant 3 months ago, we hope they will work with us. We hope.
