Carnivores serves unforgettable made-from-scratch dishes
Story and Photos by Paul Newton
The smell of smoked dishes and grilled steaks immerses you as soon as you walk in the door. The tables aren’t set for a fancy, white tablecloth dinner in this strip mall just off of Route 66; they’re set for memorable meals and craft cocktails inside a refined space where conversations and meals are meant to linger.
Carnivores Steakhouse in St. Robert is owned by Army reservist Eloy Garcia, who bought Carnivores in 2022 and has built the steakhouse around the idea that quality — in both the food and environment — starts long before a guest sits down. Located about 2 miles from Fort Leonard Wood, the restaurant serves from-scratch appetizers, steaks and sandwiches in a place where community matters as much as flavor.
Eloy was first introduced to Carnivores in 2021 while attending classes at Fort Leonard Wood. “I wasn’t necessarily used to having the best food when I was traveling for the military,” he says. “I remember coming here and noticing how good the food was.”
Not long after, he was transferred back to Fort Leonard Wood to teach, which meant moving to St. Robert. Shortly after, Eloy purchased Carnivores and spent his mornings in the classroom and the rest of the day in the restaurant, immersing himself in every detail of the hospitality business, which recently included purchasing a nearby meat market.
“The meat market gives us another layer of quality where we can be the ones handling our food,” he says. “We source meat from local farmers and process it right over there.”
From-Scratch Flavor
Those locally sourced products are handled with care by Chef Tony Estrada. “If we’re going to do something, we’re going to do it right,” he says. “There’s a lot of work and effort that goes into each dish.”
That includes smoking their house ketchup, hand-crafting sauces and dressings and french fries that are double-fried then tossed in beef tallow — which is rendered in-house — and served with house aiolis.
“The identity of the restaurant is from-scratch, long-process cooking that packs a big punch,” Eloy says.
Carnivores’ theme is “Where Warriors Feast” and that drives the names on the menu. Start your meal with the Brisket Battle Rolls, one of the most popular appetizers. Diced brisket, cheese and barbecue sauce is portioned into egg rolls and deep-fried to order. The rolls are topped with spicy ranch and parsley. “It’s like a Philly cheesesteak but with brisket in an eggroll,” says Tony.
Other apps include Chuckwagon Candy, thick-cut, smoked pork belly, or Yolk Grenades, a half-dozen deviled eggs topped with pork belly.
Carnivores delivers for meat lovers. For a classic flavor, diners can order the 14-ounce rib-eye cooked to your liking and served with a loaded baked potato so big it makes your steak look like a slider. Other options include a sirloin served with beef tallow fries and chimichurri and steak pinwheel rolled with pepperjack, herbs and garlic. The pinwheel is served with garlic whipped potatoes and broccoli.
Eloy’s favorite dish is the Samoan Rib-eye. Steak marinates in a pineapple-soy sauce for up to 48 hours. The flavorful steak is seasoned, grilled and served with the oversized loaded baked potato. “Every bite is just juicy on the inside and out,” Eloy says. “It’s like a meat Starburst.”
Nonbeef options include the lamb chops and salmon. For the Ragnar Rack, Tony manipulates lamb chops into the shape of a lollipop and chills them in a flavorful marinade. The chops are grilled, topped with chimichurri and served with whipped potatoes and seasonal vegetables. The Triton’s Spear features 8 ounces of fresh salmon, which is seasoned, baked, topped with a housemade lemon-caper butter sauce and served alongside whipped potatoes and broccoli. Tony says the sauce makes the dish. “You have the flavor from the butter, the saltiness from the capers and sweet creaminess from the heavy cream,” he says.
After dinner, order a Drunken Loaf for the table. Carnivores’ take on bread pudding features day-old bread, cinnamon, heavy cream and vanilla and is served with vanilla bean ice cream and a bourbon glaze sauce.
For Eloy, “Where Warriors Feast” isn’t just a slogan on the wall, it’s a mindset. Carnivores was built to be a place where people slow down, share a meal and connect. There are no televisions and no rush to turn tables.
“St. Robert and Fort Leonard Wood are this cultural melting pot,” Eloy says. “You’ve got warriors from all over the world coming through here. A lot of them come eat here after graduating basic training, after making that transition from civilian to soldier. They’re going to want a steak or a big burger. They don’t come here to dine — they come here to feast.”
Email Paul Newton at pnewton@ruralmissouri.coop.