King Louie's, located improbably but splendidly amid a scrappy swath of Chouteau Avenue just west of 39th Street, would have celebrated its 13th anniversary this fall. Would have... Should have... With its outdoor brick oven, top-flight wine cellar, expert wait staff, charming bartenders and pioneering focus (around these parts, anyway) on local ingredients, it's a stretch to believe that the sovereign of St. Louis restaurants could have even considered tossing in its toque. In the end, geography determined destiny. For two long years, patrons arriving from the west were forced to retool their route as the restaurant weathered the closure of Chouteau between 39th Street and Vandeventer Avenue. Although securing last-minute reservations became a welcome fait accompli for the faithful, most believed the rush would resume just as soon as the road reopened. Sadly, it wasn't so. In July owner/general manager Matt McGuire deemed he would not recover his losses and abdicated, so to speak. Here's hoping for a coup.