Cheese Grits with Onion
6 to 8
Drink This Weekend Edition: Have your cake and drink it too
Nothing says celebration like a cake. As we kick off Sauce Magazine’s 10-year anniversary this weekend, you can bet that we’ll be having our cake – and drinking it too, thanks to Pearl vodka’s newest product. The makers of Pearl Wedding Cake Vodka tout a “taste of yummy vanilla-almond cake with hints of smooth, rich…
Cheap Date: A blanket, a bottle of red and a little au jus (on the side)
Welcome to Cheap Date, a new online column that takes the stress out of planning your next date. Every other Thursday, Nightlife reviewer Matt Berkley will reveal how you can enjoy the best our city has to offer for under $30. Some good news for guys: The ladies are much easier to romance than we…
Stocking Up on butternut squash
One of the first foods my daughter enjoyed as a baby was butternut squash. Now she’s 10 and has moved on to more sophisticated fare (her current obsession is with cheese from the Basque region), so whenever those elongated vegetables start showing up around local markets, I can’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia.…
The Sausage Syndicate? food truck gets rolling this weekend
Just in time for the cold weather, a sausage-centric food-mobile is set to join the area’s fleet of food trucks. When The Sausage Syndicate gets rolling this weekend, it will be dishing out sausages made by a local butcher to the company’s specifications, according to owner Christy Perry. The menu will include a lineup of…
Shortbread Cookies with Blueberry Jam
12 cookies or 1 9-inch tart
Baked: Shortbread Cookies with Blueberry Jam
Amid baking macarons, fancy French pastries and European cake classes at Kitchen Conservatory, sometimes I long for a classic cookie. And, to me, shortbread is just that. These remind me of the butter cookies I used to eat from a cold tin back in India, but with slightly less butter. I started with a recipe…
The Scoop: Harry’s Bar & Grill closed
Yesterday marked the last day of service at Harry’s Bar & Grill, located at 4940 Southwest Ave., on The Hill, as first reported by Ian Froeb of The Riverfront Times. The restaurant, which had been open for more than two decades and is not be confused with the nightlife hot spot Harry’s Restaurant and Bar…
The Scoop: The Tavern Kitchen & Bar expanding
Only one year after opening The Tavern Kitchen & Bar at 2961 Dougherty Ferry Road in Valley Park, owners Brant Baldanza, Mike Rayner, Jon Fogarty and chef-owner Justin Haifley have leased the space next door with plans to expand the popular restaurant to accommodate large parties and private events and to provide overflow dining space…
Kaldi’s named among nation’s best small coffee makers by Fortune magazine
Raise a cup of joe in honor of Kaldi’s. The St. Louis-based coffee company made Fortune magazine’s list of the nation’s best small coffee makers, shining a light on the post-Starbuck’s era of artisan coffee we talked about in-depth back in March. Despite providing little information as to why it chose Kaldi’s, Fortune ranked the…
Sauce Celebrity Chef Series and Left Bank Books presents Alton Brown
You’ve watched his quirky, kitschy and abundantly informative show, Good Eats; you’ve listened to his quick-witted, sharp-tongued comments as the main commentator on Iron Chef; and you’ve seen him put future Iron Chefs to the test as host and judge on The Next Iron Chef. Now, in the latest installment of the Sauce Celebrity Chef…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Cocktails at The Parlour maintain South City flavor, prices
South City restaurant and bar The Wicked Lady Pub closed in late August. Less than two weeks later, the venue at 4534 Gravois Ave., reopened as The Parlour, offering food and beverage menus that matched a South City penchant for decent-sized portions and moderate pricing. Working within that framework, new partner and general manager Mike…
The Scoop: Chef shake-ups around town
Bryan Flaxbeard is no longer the executive chef at Molly’s in Soulard, a position he assumed last November. Flaxbeard departed from the restaurant in July when an opportunity arose to work the remainder of the summer in the kitchen at Hotel Hälsingland in Haines, Alaska. Flaxbeard told The Scoop that he plans on getting back…
The Scoop: Amigos Cantina owner to open La Cantina in The Loop
Robert Trevino, chef-owner of Amigos Cantina in Kirkwood, has inked a deal to open a restaurant called La Cantina in The Loop, two storefronts west of – but in the same building as – Michael Del Pietro’s soon-to-open Italian eatery Tavolo V. According to Trevino, La Cantina will highlight rural Mexican culinary traditions. “It’s a…
Welcome fall with the special release cider party tonight at The Stable
Calling all hard cider imbibers! Tonight, two limited-release kegs of Crispin Cider are getting tapped at The Stable in Benton Park. The first keg will feature Joan of Arc: a wine-esque, unfiltered version of Crispin Original Apple cider that’s been aged for more than six months in Sauvignon Blanc oak wine barrels. The other will…
Canceled: Calvin Trillin book signing
Unfortunately, we received word today that our book signing event with food funny man and New Yorker columnist Calvin Trillin next week has been canceled due to a health issue. We’re told that Trillin is hoping to reschedule his book tour, including a stop in St. Louis, but we have no further information at this…
Stocking Up on apples’ savory side
This time of year, you can certainly take your pick of apple varieties around town. Each market has a wide range from which to choose, from Honeycrisp (firmer and crisper than most with a sweet, tart flavor) to Braeburn (a juicy flesh and a tart-sweet flavor) to good old Red Delicious (a juicy, crisp texture…
The Scoop: The Terrace View to close due to lack of downtown dinner-goers
Jim Fiala is calling it quits for The Terrace View, his downtown restaurant at 808 Chestnut St., that sits adjacent to Citygarden sculpture park. As first reported by Matt Sorrell of Feast, Fiala cited a lack of dinner patrons as the reason for closing the restaurant a little more than two years after it debuted.…
Please your palate at Taste of St. Louis this weekend
With an ever-growing, forward-moving food scene, St. Louis has sautéed, flambéed and puréed its way into the proverbial culinary spotlight … and it’s not even breaking a sweat. But it is something to celebrate. And what better way to savor the flavors that our local chefs are concocting than by taking a stroll down Sauce…
The Scoop: Opening dates announced for two new restaurants
Followers of David Bailey’s trio of restaurants – Baileys’ Chocolate Bar, Rooster and Bridge – have been eagerly awaiting the opening of his newest restaurant, Baileys’ Range, since it was first announced in late winter that Bailey had secured the space at 920 Olive St., for the eatery. The wait should end on October 7.…
Just Five: Roast Chicken with Onion and Clove
As the long-awaited chill returns to the air, the time has come to begin closing the grill and head back into the kitchen. Oh how we’ve missed you, oven. What better way to get back into the long, warming meals that are soon to come than with a tried-and-true classic? Having the ability to put…
The Scoop: Falafelwich owners look to enhance local mobile food scene with meatball sandwiches, ice cream treats
Gary Tripp and Colin Shive, partners of the Falafelwich Wagon, sure have been busy. This Wednesday on the Falafelwich Wagon, they will debut a few meatball sandwiches from Big Balls, the newest addition to their food truck family that we told you about in June. The Big Balls food truck is expected to roll out…
The Scoop: Momoyama in Chesterfield announces closure, relocation
Last week, management at popular Chesterfield sushi restaurant, Momoyama, announced on its Facebook page that it would be closing its doors at 1637 Clarkson Road on September 15. Those who have enjoyed sushi at Momoyama (formerly named Yoshi’s Japanese Sushi Restaurant after famed in-house sushi chef Yoshio Aoki) will be happy to hear that the…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Samogon: Not your grandpa’s hooch
When a new spirit called Samogon recently arrived in St. Louis, I admit that I was skeptical. Why? This spirit with Eastern European roots is 90 proof; produced from grapes, wine and pomace; and, according to a press release, is “usually made at home in small batches and given to family and neighbors.” Sounded like…
Vegetize It: More Meatless Meatballs
In this month’s Vegetize It column, we showed you how, with a little imagination (and a handy food processor), you can turn everyone’s favorite comfort food into something vegetarians can find in comfort in as well. Now, we add chickpeas into the mix, infusing Mediterranean flavor into this Italian classic dish. For the recipe, click…
Extra Sauce: Short List Runner-Up
In this month’s Short List, we scoured the city’s bakeries for the best in show of our favorite breakfast item: bagels. Now, we reveal our Short List Runner-Up. Unlike most months, however, this bagel didn’t fall short in flavor or texture. So, why didn’t this bakery’s doughy wonders make into this month’s Short List? Find…
Short List Runner-Up: Bagels
Pratzel’s 9265 Deilman Industrial Court, Olivette When Jon Mills saved this beloved kosher bakery from extinction, a throng of longtime patrons were behind him – and secretly hoping that he wouldn’t change the decades-long formula for some of the city’s best bagels. And alas, once Pratzel’s reopens its doors, St. Louisans will be happy to…
A sneak peek of the menu at Blood & Sand
Will a members-only restaurant and bar concept work in St. Louis? All eyes will be on Blood & Sand this Saturday when doors are unlocked for the grand opening. While some might brush off the idea of paying to get into the downtown venue, those who do shell out the $15 monthly membership fee for…
Stocking Up on damson plums
If little Jack Horner was lucky, the plum that he pulled from his Christmas pie was a damson from Lori Murray’s Orchard. Murray had some of the small amethyst-colored fruit on sale last weekend at Tower Grove Farmers’ Market. They’re smaller and darker colored than the more widely known Santa Rosa variety – slighter more…
The Scoop: Highlands Brewing Co., changes name to Kirkwood Station Brewing Co.
Editor’s Note: Kirkwood Station Brewing Co. has closed The folks over at Highlands Brewing Co., have officially changed the brewery’s name to Kirkwood Station Brewing Co., as the result of a legal dispute with a North Carolina brewery of the same name. This summer, the company held a contest on Facebook asking its fans to…
Snickerdoodle Coffee Cake
8 to 10
Today is the last day to vote local food trucks as America’s Favorite
Loving the local food truck scene? Today is your last chance to put STL on the national mobile food map by voting for one of two local trucks – Cha Cha Chow and Shell’s Coastal Cuisine – in contention for the title “America’s Favorite Food Truck.” Besides bragging rights, the winning truck will receive $10,000…
Baked: Snickerdoodle Coffee Cake
I love anything with cinnamon, but I usually don’t stop there; I add nutmeg, cloves, cardamom and ginger, inevitably ending up with a chai-spiced cake every time. I simple adore anything that reminds me of a masala chai. This time, though, I reined it in and stuck with cinnamon – but only because I intended…
The Scoop: Ya Hala to bring Middle Eastern eats to Bridgeton
The city of Bridgeton will soon be home to Ya Hala, a restaurant and hookah bar to be located at 12434 St. Charles Rock Road in the space formerly occupied by Culpepper’s. Owner Ahmad Abuelawi told The Scoop that his restaurant will serve Middle Eastern cuisine, with 35 percent of the menu devoted to Lebanese…
The Scoop: Dooley’s is back with Grand Center location
Dooley’s, a restaurant that had a 40-year run downtown, is back. Sean Dooley, who ran the original location with his father, Alex Dooley, for a few years before the restaurant closed in 2008, will be opening the new Dooley’s at 601 North Grand Blvd., in Midtown this fall. The restaurant will serve lunch and dinner…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Asian elements bring cohesion to cocktails at Hiro
Many restaurants and bars have jumped aboard the craft cocktail bandwagon. And while I will be the first to applaud artisanal spirits, house-made infusions, bitters, mixers and fresh – even locally grown – produce, there are times when mixed-drink menus feel disjointed, be it a lack of harmony among cocktails with the food offerings or…
The Scoop: Blood & Sand bolsters bar staff
Blood & Sand owners TJ Vytlacil and Adam Frager continue to bolster their staff in preparation for next week’s launch of their members-only bar and restaurant downtown. In July, the duo hired chef Chris Bork, who was at The Mud House at the time, to man the kitchen. Today comes news of the latest hire:…
Three Kings to reopen today after fire forces closure
Three Kings Public House in The Loop experienced a kitchen fire on Monday, forcing the restaurant to close temporarily, as reported yesterday by the Riverfront Times’ Ian Froeb. According to co-owner Ryan Pinkston, a small fire in the kitchen occurred around 12:30 p.m. on Monday. No one was injured but some cooking equipment was damaged,…
The Scoop: Tom Schmidt to open Nico in old Brandt’s space
Minutes ago, Tom Schmidt signed the lease on the building at 6525 Delmar Blvd., that was formerly occupied by Brandt’s Café, which closed earlier this year. Schmidt, who also owns Franco in Soulard, told The Scoop that he considers the restaurant, to be called Nico, “Franco’s Little Brother.” “It will be a little more approachable,…
Stocking Up on cucuzza
“What …” squealed my 10-year-old daughter, “… is that thing?” She had noticed a pile of squash at the YellowTree Farm stand at last week’s Maplewood Farmers’ Market. But these were no ordinary squash. Some reached nearly three feet in length and their sinuous shape more closely resembled a snake than a zucchini. Farmer Justin…
Extra Sauce: Choosing the Cover
Each month, Sauce art director Meera Nagarajan thumbs through hundreds of beautiful photographs to pick the perfect one for the issue’s cover. How did she decide upon the image this month? Click over to Choosing the Cover to find out. And don’t forget to click over to our Extra Sauce section throughout the month for…
Choosing the Cover
What says urban farming like a rooftop garden in the center of the city? Husband-and-wife farming duo Amos Harris and Natalie Semchyshyn are growing everything from tomatoes to hibiscus on the roof of their downtown loft seven stories above Eighth Street. They’re serious about their plants, too; the space is enormous, equipped with an irrigation…
Just Five: Grilled Flank Steak with Corn Salsa
Sweet corn is one of summer’s gifts and is best found at a farmers’ market and used immediately since its sugars start turning to starch as soon as it’s picked. This recipe has lots of room for alteration; consider using basil instead of cilantro and whatever kinds of tomatoes you like. Lime juice or white…
The Scoop: Smell of seafood now emanating from Mosaic Bistro Market, err Coastal Bistro & Bar
Editor’s Note: Coastal Bistro & Bar has closed. Mosaic Bistro Market, which opened last fall at 14 North Central Ave., in Clayton, has been re-concepted. As of last Friday, the restaurant is now Coastal Bistro & Bar and is specializing in seafood, as first reported by St. Louis Magazine’s George Mahe. Frank Schmitz, co-owner of…
Recipe: Three Kings Public House’s Pub Chips
It’s tavern tradition to add dashes of tart malt vinegar atop crispy, salty pub chips. But swap that sour wine for a tangy house-made fondue featuring Urban Chestnut Brewing Co.’s signature ale – nutty, yeasty, malty Winged Nut – and we’re wondering if we can even call the chips at Three Kings Public House “pub…
Review: Araka in Clayton
Were it not for actually stumbling across a crowded weekday happy hour at Araka during an evening jog, I never would’ve put this bar on my hit list. But something about it stood out, so I made a mental note; I’m happy I did. I’m also happy it’s within reasonable walking distance to my apartment;…
Review: The Block in Webster Groves
If there’s one local restaurant trend that’s not slowing down, it’s meat. It’s as if every chef in town took a course on how to make sausages, cure meats, grind beef, dry-age steaks and butcher a pig from head to hoof. (Actually, several local chefs did take a charcuterie workshop last fall with American Academy…
Review: Tienda el Ranchito in Fairmont City
The front of Tienda el Ranchito in Fairmont City, Ill., is a market with a deli, handmade sweets and pastries, and loads of other supplies – from candy to cleaning products – that you’d expect at a Mexican grocery. Walk all the way through the market and you’ll find a little gem of a restaurant,…
Grilled Waldorf Salad
4 to 6
Eggplant and Mushroom Veggieballs
5 servings or approximately 20 veggie meatballs
Easy Red Sauce
• Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the flavors blend and the sauce thickens, approximately 5 minutes. 1 15-oz. can tomato sauce 1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes 1 Tbsp. sugar ¼ tsp. salt 1 clove garlic, minced ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Winged Nut Ale and Cheese Fondue
• In a heavy gauged pan over low heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to brown the flour. • Whisk in the mustard, Worcestershire, salt and pepper until smooth. Add the beer and whisk to combine. • Pour in cream and…
A Trip Around the World Starts in Maplewood
At Maya Café in Maplewood, traditional recipes from Guatemala, Cuba, Argentina, Spain and Honduras round out a menu of Mexican favorites. The artwork adorning the walls is just as diverse: Works by St. Louis artist Bill Christman, a large floral painting mingling with a Day-of-the-Dead-inspired piece, and abstract and sculptural pieces all make for a…
One Beer, Two Heads
In most industries, new ideas are closely guarded secrets, locked behind a labyrinth of closed doors and security codes that resembles something you’d see in an old episode of The West Wing. Things are a little different in the craft beer industry. Over the past few years, craft breweries across the nation have been reaching…
Beer and Blank
Though September makes us switch into fall mode, warm weather will stick around through mid-October. So rather than leave behind your go-to summer beer, why not mix it up? Literally. A shandy is a classic British creation, typically made of equal parts light beer and a citrus-flavored soda, lemonade or ginger ale. The most requested…
Grill to Table
Man has cooked over an open fire since the dawn of time. But while most of us have spent many a weekend grilling whole fish filets and thick-cut chops to juicy perfection, the rest of our meals have tragically remained under the purview of the great indoors. With the warm weather nearly behind us, there’s…
Short List: Bagels
When I packed my bags to move back to St. Louis after years on the East Coast, I couldn’t wait for the Midwest charm of my hometown. The one thing instigating my impending nostalgia, though, was the thought of life sans New York bagels. Soft and fluffy with just the right amount of chew, begging…
The Scoop: EdgeWild Restaurant & Winery to bring unique wine experience to Chesterfield
Andy Kohn, his wife, Dee Dee Kohn, and Chris LaRocca are already acquainted with wine as minority owners of Chandler Hill Vineyards in Defiance, Mo. Now, the trio is working to bring a unique wine experience to St. Louis with their newest venture, EdgeWild Winery & Restaurant. The 10,000-square-foot restaurant and winery, slated to open…
Hibiscus Heaven
Hibiscus boasts a tart flavor similar to that of rhubarb or cranberries. A versatile and colorful addition to your pantry, here’s your guide to using dried hibiscus flowers in everything from refreshing cocktails to savory chutney and sugary sweet candies. All of these recipes start from this basic hibiscus syrup: In a large saucepan, combine…
Drink This Weekend Edition: What we’re drinking on National Cabernet Day
OK, so it’s not the weekend just yet, but we had to take this opportunity to raise a broad-bowled glass in honor of National Cabernet Day, a fine excuse to buy a bottle of this noble, full-bodied red. Although, credit must be given where it’s due; it was Robust Wine Bar owner Stanley Browne who…
City Grown: Farming on Main Street goes mainstream
No longer are the sprawling acres of the countryside the only place where chickens peck, goats roam and fruit hangs heavy on the vine. In cities throughout the U.S. – and right here in St. Louis – stewards of the local food scene are redefining the term locavore. Backyards are becoming homes for barnyard animals,…
Meatless Meatballs
Meatballs are fun. Like a square caramel, you never know what’s hiding inside, but it’s probably pretty good. They can be an entrée or an app, so really, what’s not to love? Well, maybe the meat, if you are vegetarianly inclined. I decided to create veggieballs because 1.) Anything carnivores can do, herbivores can do,…
