THE LIBERTINE: 7927 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.862.2999, libertinestl.com Check your preconceptions at the door of The Libertine, the long-awaited new restaurant from Nick and Audra Luedde and local super-star chef Josh Galliano. Here, “buffalo style” crispy pig tails (pictured below) stand in for chicken wings and are far more addictive than their poultry counterparts. The house burger gets topped with house-made cheese “whiz” and served on a bacon-studded challah bun, while Three Little Birds arrive as one: hen, quail and chicken all pressed together for a brick of poultry that’s crisp, tender and perfectly cooked. Finish things off with The Libertine Candy Bar, a highbrow convergence of flavors likened to an Almond Joy and those ice cream-laden Snickers bars you pulled from the freezer at 7-Eleven as a kid. But first, head to the bar to fill your glass with small-batch liquors, local craft brews or a glass of bio-dynamic wine.
{The Libertine’s “buffalo style” crispy pig tails}
It’s pho and more at this new Vietnamese restaurant in Rock Hill. Mi Linh offers oodles of options among noodle soups and bowls, including the house specialty, mi, a delicate soup of egg noodles in a rich pork broth, made hearty with meat or seafood and enlivened by bean sprouts, celery leaf, chives and lime. From starters like spring rolls down to the do chua (pickled veggies) that accompany rice plates, Mi Linh pays homage to the fresh flavors that characterize this section of the globe. A taste of Vietnam continues with beverages, whether you’re thirsty for Saigon or Tiger beer, Vietnamese coffee, a guanabana smoothie or a glass of refreshing house-made green tea lemonade.
– The Libertine photos by Michelle Volansky
This article appears in June 2013.