The Scoop: Japanese restaurant Yamato adds to restaurant scene in Belleville
New restaurants continue to crop up in Belleville. Sauce recently reported the arrival of seafood spot Catch 22, and now we’re adding another to the list. Yamato Japanese Restaurant, located at 4205 N. Belt West next to Shop ‘n Save, also opened this month. Yamato specializes in sushi, hibachi and bento boxes and is open…
The Scoop: Joey B’s No. 3 newest addition to Gianino restaurants
The Gianino family of restaurants is growing. The newest member is a third location of Joey B’s Food and Drink, soon to open at 189 Concord Plaza in South County. Joey B’s general manager Greg Hard told The Scoop that the 4,000-square-foot space, formerly occupied by Klipper’s Pub and Grill, is currently undergoing renovations and…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Somerset Ridge puts Kansas back on map as worthy wine producer
Did you know that before Prohibition most of the wine produced in the U.S. came from Missouri and eastern Kansas? The Noble Experiment didn’t work out for many wineries in the Sunflower State, but in the past two decades, the region has reasserted itself. There are now 25 wineries in Kansas, with 12 licensed in…
Three Reasons to try Grassi’s West
If Grassi’s West were a person, it would be the guitar tech who makes sure the lead guitarist’s instrument is accounted for and in tune or the speechwriter who makes the politician look smarter than he truly is – in a word, “dependable.” To denizens of Frontenac, Ladue, Creve Coeur and the surrounding communities, Grassi’s…
The Scoop: Kirkwood Deli and Market to serve grocery, gyro needs of nearby community
Mom and pop grocery stores can be special places. Sam Abdallah certainly agrees, which is why he is opening a deli and market in Kirkwood. The market will be located at 500 W. Essex Ave., in the space formerly occupied by the popular Majic Market. Abdallah’s father is the property owner of the space. Kirkwood…
Stocking Up: Gus’ Pretzels
As spring training commences, we’re thinking not only of La Russa, Pujols and the rest of the Cardinals, but also of all the food that always tastes better at the ballpark. We can all agree that no game is complete without a nice, greasy hot dog, but for some of us, baseball season also means…
The Scoop: La Vallesana owner discusses his big renovation plans
Diners who have headed to Cherokee Street in search of authentic Mexican fare in the past few months might have noticed that the doors are shut at La Vallesana, located at 2801 Cherokee St. They have also likely seen a sign directing their hungry tummies to owner Hilario Vargas’ second location, La Vallesana 2, across…
Extra Sauce: Another bowl of pho ga to fill up on
In this month’s Short List, Sauce contributor Dee Ryan revealed which bowls of pho ga you should be cozying up to this winter. Now, exclusively in the Extra Sauce section of SauceMagazine.com, Ryan reveals whose version of this classic Vietnamese soup fell just shy of taking home a medal. After all, with those cool wintry…
Short List Runner-Up: Pho Ga
In this month’s Short List, Sauce contributor Dee Ryan divulged which bowls of pho ga you should be cozying up to this winter. Now, just as those chilly winter days return, Ryan reveals whose version of this classic Vietnamese soup fell just shy of taking home a medal. Pho Long 8613 Olive Blvd. St. Louis,…
Just Five: Pork Tenderloin with Cumin and Agave
Welcome back to Just Five, a new column where we share recipes for refined and delicious dishes that use just five ingredients, excluding butter, oil, salt and pepper. There’s just one rule of thumb: Always choose the highest quality ingredients, as each will stand out in the recipes we feature. Oh pork tenderloin, how do…
A Sauce Exclusive: A taste of the new Taste
Can you taste it? Although no exact date has been given, chef and owner Adam Altnether hopes to open his new and improved Taste late next week. As the public waits for doors to unlock at the highly anticipated cocktail haven that now sits at 4584 Laclede Ave. in the Central West End, Altnether and…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Chios in the Rye at Harvest: A Sazerac masquerade for Mardi Gras
With Mardi Gras season upon us, carnival lovers are getting into the spirit. At Harvest in Richmond Heights, general manager William Kunderman and lead bartender Veronica Schuster immediately began fashioning their play on the New Orleans signature Sazerac when a bottle of new-to-the-market spirit Skinos fell into their hands. Skinos is made from the sap…
Three local chefs and a sommelier named Beard Awards semifinalists
A Saucy congrats goes to local chefs Gerard Craft of Niche, Kevin Nashan of Sidney Street Cafe and Kevin Willmann of Farmhaus Restaurant and sommelier (and Sauce columnist) Glenn Bardgett of Annie Gunn’s, who have been named semifinalists for the 2011 James Beard Foundation Awards – the chefs in the Best Chef Midwest category and…
Short List: Pho ga
When winter’s colds and flus (or an over-indulgent weekend) knock me out, there is one silver bullet I can always count on: pho ga, or Vietnamese chicken noodle soup. At first glace, pho ga is a humble dish, a simple clear chicken broth presented with sides such as shredded chicken, rice noodles, cilantro, lime, Thai…
Three Reasons to go to the Raging Chili Cook-off
How do you like your chili? Arterial red with big kidney beans and chunks of tomato? Brick-red with a slurry of all-meat, no-bean goodness and the occasional chunk of diced green pepper livening up the party? Are oyster crackers a happy embellishment or simply the garnish of a fool? Embittered old cowboys may tell you…
The Scoop: Vin de Set, Eleven Eleven Mississippi owners to open PW Pizza
UPDATE: Paul Hamilton told The Scoop that he plans to open the doors to PW Pizza on Tuesday, May 10. Paul and Wendy Hamilton will soon be tossing pizza pies. The owners of Vin de Set and Eleven Eleven Mississippi told The Scoop that come late April, they will open PW Pizza on the first…
The Scoop: Angelo’s Taverna marks No. 5 for Lombardo family
Carmine’s Steak House, Lombardo’s Restaurant, Lombardo’s Trattoria, Terrazza Grill and now Angelo’s Taverna. Whether downtown, near the airport, or in South County, the Lombardo family appears well-poised to bring classic Italian fare into the mouths of more St. Louisans and visitors alike. The Lombardo’s have been serving up Italian cuisine in St. Louis for more…
Stocking Up: Meat that matches the whole family’s demands
What did one vegetarian say to the other? “We have to stop meat-ing like this.” Okay, the joke’s pretty lame, but the line of meat alternatives known as Match isn’t. This St. Louis company combines plant-based proteins into products resembling Italian sausage, ground beef, ground chicken and other items. They’re available in the freezer section…
The Scoop: Upscale seafood spot Catch 22 opens in Belleville
The kitchen crew is swimming in seafood over at Catch 22. Owner Luis Ibarra, who also owns bar-lounge Blue Agave in downtown Belleville, Ill., recently opened his upscale seafood restaurant at 22 Mascoutah Ave., in Belleville. The catch is pretty extensive at Catch 22. Among the popular appetizers are mahi-mahi lettuce cuts (romaine strips topped…
Three local chefs up for F&W’s People’s Best New Chef
In addition to Food and Wine’s annual Best New Chef award, the magazine has launched the first ever People’s Best New Chef award – a title granted by the people rather than the magazine’s editors – and three local talents are on the list. A Saucy congrats to Josh Galliano, executive chef at Monarch; Kevin…
The Scoop: Japanese fare finds its way into Fenton
The arrival of Kyoto Sushi & Grill at 657 Gravois Road, near Highway 141, means Japanese cuisine for folks in Fenton. The restaurant, which opened last Thursday, has an extensive sushi bar – sashimi and more than 50 rolls – as well as teriyaki and hibachi entrées that are priced between $11 and $20. Kyoto…
Extra Sauce: More from our interview with Franco’s Chris Williams
In this month’s Chef Talk column Franco’s Accessible Seasonality, I spoke with Franco’s new executive chef Chris Williams about what we can expect to see on his new menu, his time cooking in Ecuador and his decision to return to St. Louis. Now, in the second part of this interview, available exclusively in the Extra…
More From Our Interview With Franco’s Chris Williams
In this month’s Chef Talk column Franco’s Accessible Seasonality, I spoke with Franco’s new executive chef Chris Williams about what we can expect to see on his new menu, his time cooking in Ecuador and his decision to return to St. Louis. Now, in the second part of this interview, Williams shares what he learned…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Robust gets wild with champagne cocktails
We hope you’re enjoying the champagne cocktails featured in this month’s Elixir column. The folks at Robust Wine Bar sure are having fun pouring them – so much so that they’ve created one more concoction, this time using wild hibiscus flowers. When owner Stanley Browne discovered Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Rose Syrup, a product made…
The Scoop: Chef’s Stop in Festus to close its doors
Kitchen accessories and gourmet food store Chef’s Stop in Festus has announced that it will be closing its doors for good. “The downturn in the economy just took too much of a toll,” owner Mary Hatfield informed loyal customers in a recent newsletter. Everything in the store is being sold at a 50-percent discount. Chef’s…
Sweet Sensation: The latest sugary craze trickles into town
Get ready sweet tooths, there’s a new dessert in town – well, sort of. Macarons, the signature cookie of Parisian bakery Ladurée, are popping up all over the place in the States – from blogs to bakeries to dessert menus, even Oprah is touting these delicious little treats. But here in St. Louis, this tasty…
The Scoop: Field House Sports Bar & Grill opens tomorrow in Midtown Alley
The revitalization of Midtown Alley continues. Field House Sports Bar and Grill, located at Locust Street and North Theresa Avenue in the newly renovated PW Shoe Lofts, is the latest restaurant to make its home in the area formerly known as Auto Row. Field House Sports Bar and Grill gets its name from its proximity…
Bowled Over
As the chilly wind whirls, we love curling up by the fire with a bowl of hot soup, stew or chili – it’s good for the body and certainly warms the soul. But much like the snow blanketing the ground, the same trusty bowl can get old after a while. Here, a few unique ideas…
Stocking Up: Eggs from not so Farrar Out
If you’re a regular denizen of the Maplewood Farmer’s Market, you’ve undoubtedly picked up eggs at one time or another from Farrar Out Farm. The organic eggs from free range hens, filled with bright orange yolks, make those grocery store eggs, well, pale in comparison. Now you don’t have to wait until market season starts…
The Scoop: Dogtown Pizza to move operations to support “serious growth”
When Rick and Meredith Schaper started making frozen pizzas out of their home in October 2006, they didn’t know their start-up food venture would turn into a burgeoning business – but it did. And so in May 2007, the Schapers moved Dogtown Pizza into an 1,100-square-foot space at 3830 Washington Ave. Come May, the Schapers…
The Scoop: Mango consolidates its two locations to focus on growing downtown restaurant
The owners of Mango Peruvian Cuisine have announced plans to close the original Mango, located at 7307 Watson Road in Shrewsbury. All staff from the Shrewsbury location will move to the downtown spot. Owners Jorge and Nori Calvo, along with longtime friends and business partners Paul and Sherry Sawchak, decided to sell the restaurant on…
Extra Sauce: More from Five Questions for Adam Altnether
In this month’s Five Questions column, Byron Kerman spoke with Adam Altnether, former chef de cuisine at Niche and executive chef at Brasserie by Niche, and new owner of Taste, scheduled to open in its new Central West End home this month. In the first part of the interview, available in the February issue of…
Just Five: Seared Salmon with orange-shallot butter
Welcome back to Just Five, a new column where we share recipes for refined and delicious dishes that use just five ingredients, excluding butter, oil, salt and pepper. There’s just one rule of thumb: Always choose the highest quality ingredients, as each will stand out in the recipes we feature. Salmon has become something of…
More from Five Questions For Adam Altnether
The 24-year-old Gerard Craft protégé, former chef de cuisine at Niche and executive chef at Brasserie by Niche, and new owner of Taste, scheduled to open its new Central West End home this month. Taste will be larger than its inspiration, Taste by Niche. How many will it seat? Fifty to 55, which is a…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Spirits and liqueurs from Windy City’s Koval arrives in The Lou
Similar to the food scene, what’s trendy in the world of spirits these days is small batch, organic and local. If you consider less than 300 miles from St. Louis to be local enough, then check out Koval, the Chicago-based boutique distillery founded in 2008, whose line of white whiskies and luscious liqueurs have just…
The Scoop: Annie Gunn’s adds talented sommelier John Cain to staff
As reported today by the Post-Dispatch’s Joe Bonwich, sommelier John Cain has left Truffles in Ladue to join the team at Annie Gunn’s. But with sommelier Glenn Bardgett already an established figure at the Chesterfield restaurant, what would Cain’s responsibilities include? “He’ll be the floor sommelier,” stated Bardgett in a phone conversation this morning. “My…
Three Reasons to eat at Katie’s Pizzeria
Ladies, have you heard that Tommy Lee likes to hang out (ahem) at Katie’s Pizzeria in Clayton? No, we’re not talking about the tattooed dude from Motley Crue, but the restaurant’s general manager, who happens to have the same name. Our Mr. Lee is part of the fun at Katie’s, where you can find excellent…
The Scoop: Jon Parker’s Delmar Farm & Food project falls apart
Delmar Farm & Food, a multi-use farmers’ market/grocery/restaurant project that would have made its home at 6045 Delmar Blvd., near the Delmar Metro station, appears to be dead. Jon Parker, who has spearheaded the project, shared the news with supporters via an e-mail sent last night. In what he referred to as an “interim report,”…
The Scoop: Owner of Monarch, Herbie’s discusses changes, including more pay-what-you-like
Did the “pay what you like” promo at Monarch pay off? That was the question The Scoop posed to Jeff Orbin, who, along with co-owner Aaron Teitelbaum, is coming off of a month-long promotion that offered diners the option to pay what they felt their meal to be worth every Monday and Tuesday in January.…
The Scoop: Rooftop bar to be perched atop Hilton St. Louis downtown
An all-seasons rooftop bar is something we’ve long awaited. With the announcement that St. Louis-based Lodging Hospitality Management (LMH) will be building Three Sixty, a 275-seat lounge atop their Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, it looks like the wait is nearly over. Three Sixty – to be developed by Concentric Restaurants, an Atlanta-based firm…
The Scoop: Pinnacle provides details on restaurants going into old SLeek and Jeff Ruby’s spots
It was widely speculated that Hubert Keller’s recently shuttered SLeeK Steakhouse and Ultralounge would become a sports bar. Today, the Scoop received confirmation from Pinnacle Entertainment, which owns the downtown venue, that the space at Lumière Place downtown would, in fact, be a dining destination for sports aficionados: Stadium Sports Bar and Grill. When doors…
Extra Sauce: Choosing the cover
Each month, Sauce art director Meera Nagarajan thumbs through hundreds of beautiful photographs to pick the perfect image for the issue’s cover. Want to know how she landed upon this month’s? She tells all in Choosing the Cover. Also, don’t forget to check our Extra Sauce page throughout the month for more recipes, interviews, photographs…
Ice cream floats turn boozy at Remy’s Kitchen and Wine Bar??
For many, the term “beer float” refers to a canoeing trip to the hinterlands of Missouri, at which super-human feats of alcohol intake are accompanied by occasional watersport. The beer float at convivial Clayton hangout Remy’s Kitchen & Wine Bar, however, is a fun dessert drink – a scoop of ice cream bobbing gently in…
When you’re Stocking Up for the next snowstorm, skip the staples
As this latest snowstorm comes to an end, most of us are stuck with the load of bread, milk and eggs we stocked up on just in case. What were we planning to make? French toast? The bad part: the snow is scheduled to return next week. The good? We can grab something much more…
Choosing the Cover
Sometimes you gotta give the people what they want. I’ve received criticism in the office for leaning toward dark covers. For the record, they’re wrong. In 2010 we had three, maybe four covers that could be considered dark (one could even argue that they were just colorful); the rest weren’t. So, everyone was excited that…
Recipe: Milagro Modern Mexican’s Mole Poblano
Skip the schmaltzy sweets (though do keep the champagne) and add spice to this month’s romantic meals instead. Go for something with complex flavor, like the famed mole poblano at Milagro Modern Mexican, where chef Jason Tilford simmers a long list of ingredients into a deep, rich sauce suitable for special occasions. Even better, you…
Review: Area 14 Lounge in Clayton
It’s 11:30 p.m. on a Saturday as I step up on the curb at South Bemiston in Clayton. My destination: Area 14 Lounge, a clandestine sake lounge largely unknown to the throngs of Polo-clad barhoppers making their usual rounds on nearby Central Avenue. Like any good speakeasy, no neon signs beckon foot traffic to this…
Artisan Treats to Sample at This Year’s Winter Markets
This month’s winter markets offer just-right treats from artisan bakers to soften winter’s cruel tricks. You’ll find pound cakes so buttery they melt on your tongue, tender English scones fragrant with dried fruit, and Cheddar-chive biscuits none the less savory for being gluten-free. Jessie Pearl Hairston sold her first pound cakes 50 years ago, when…
Review: The Stable in Benton Park
Editor’s note: The Stable has closed. The Stable is primarily known as a beer bar, with extensive choices from all over the world. But don’t discount the restaurant, housed in a huge, almost cavernous, space. The menu is also vast, ranging from soups, salads and sandwiches to pasta, osso buco and pizza. Among the 14…
Chris William brings seasonality to Franco
“I was just looking to be a chairlift guy,” responded chef Chris Williams when asked how he landed his first kitchen job. A chance encounter with an executive chef at Colorado’s Keystone Ski Resort (Williams was simply asking the stranger for directions) is just one example of how happenstance has played a role in Williams’…
Review: The Tavern Kitchen & Bar in Valley Park
The Tavern Kitchen & Bar, 2961 Dougherty Ferry Road, Valley Park, 636.825.0600, tavernstl.com In Valley Park, where the eateries lean more toward chains and sports bars than destinations of distinction, chef Justin Haifley runs a gem of a restaurant. Perhaps the name is a throwback, but The Tavern Kitchen & Bar ain’t your father’s tavern…
Chocolate Macarons
20 cookie sandwiches
Agar-agar dessert
12 to 15
Mole Poblano
6 cups
Navratan Korma
• Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Add the cashews and fry till slightly dark. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. • In the same pan, heat the remaining cooking oil. Add the onion and sauté till slightly browned. • Add the garlic and ginger pastes and sauté…
Warming Up to Curry: Debunking the myths surrounding this Indian staple
Stews are a staple this time of year, offering hearty goodness, warm flavors and fragrant aromas to stave off the winter chill. An Indian curry fits the bill, but we’re not thinking along the lines of the ready-made yellow powder that many American home cooks keep in their spice armory. “Curry is such a misused…
The Scoop: Area businesses rally to resurrect Pratzel’s Bakery
Whether it was the chocolate-covered cupcakes, deliciously dipped leaf cookies or the soft and chewy bagels, we all have something we loved about Pratzel’s Bakery. So when the 98-year-old business announced that it would be closing after third-generation owner Ronnie Pratzel could not find a buyer, the beloved bakery’s many fans took action. Chris Reimer,…
Champagne Cocktails Add Pop to Winter Sipping
The official month of romance is upon us, and this year, we suggest you break out the bubbly in the form of a champagne cocktail. At Robust Wine Bar in Webster Groves, owner Stanley Browne offers several bubbly-based drinks – all off the menu – that are guaranteed to make your special someone swoon. Ask…
The Scoop: Eclipse offers imbibers a little knowledge to soak up as they sip
Cooking classes, wine seminars, restaurant kitchen tours … there are more up-close-and-personal ways than ever for eaters and drinkers to get smarter about what they put in their mouths. Now, Eclipse Restaurant at The Moonrise Hotel is the latest establishment where folks can pull up a chair and get educated. Bad Apple Cocktails is a…
The Scoop: Westend Wines in CWE to open doors this Friday
Last December, The Scoop reported that Select Wines had taken over the space at 4906 Laclede Ave., in the Central West End. Renee Skubish, partner and general manager of the business, informed The Scoop today that the store will be opening its doors this Friday, Feb. 4. Regular business hours will be Tuesday through Saturday, 10…
Water Works: Though stockless, this Italian peasant soup is rich with flavor
It was the hottest day of the summer in Florence, and I was on a mission to find acquacotta, a Northern Italian soup whose name translates to “cooked water.” I had scoured the city all morning trying to soak up every bit of Florence in between my carefully selected meals, all of which would be…
Versatility and Warmth at Wild flower
Wild Flower Restaurant is the kind of cozy place everyone wants in his or her neighborhood. It’s casual and warm with a menu that pleases. When it’s nice outside, a seat on the patio is a great spot for watching passersby, and during colder months exposed brick and a warm glow cast by retro hanging…
