The Scoop: Owner of The U comes home to Kemoll’s
It’s a family reunion at Kemoll’s. Adam Kustra, owner of the recently shuttered Midtown sandwich and burger shop, The U, has rejoined his family at the Italian restaurant located downtown on the 40th floor of the Metropolitan Square Building. Kustra, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, will be helming the kitchen during weekday…
Sauce debuts on Foodspotting!
We love when our readers turn to us for suggestions on where to dine and drink well around town. That’s why we’re so excited to announce that we are now featured on Foodspotting, a social media platform for finding must-try dishes wherever you are! What does this mean for you? Well, it means more recommendations…
The Scoop: Bailey reveals secret strategy for opening restaurant No. 4
After last night’s Dorm Room dinner where restaurateur David Bailey helmed the non-kitchen kitchen at 33 Wine Shop and Tasting Bar in Lafayette Square, The Scoop nudged Bailey for more intel on his soon-to-open restaurant downtown. Bailey stated that he’s taking the stealthy route, with plans to remain mum about the menu, concept and even…
The Scoop: Wild restaurant action out west
As we reported only last week, there is quite a bit of activity among the restaurant industry in St. Louis’ Metro West region. This week, we have a slew of additional openings and closings to announce. Super Smokers is no longer at the space at 1365 Jungermann Road, near Highway 94 in St. Peters. You…
The Scoop: Local Winestyles franchisee spurs off as indie-owned wine bar Naked Vine
Since November 2006, Bryan Herr has been a franchisee of retail wine operation Winestyles. Now, Herr is spurring off from the national chain to become an independent, locally owned business and, as part of the move to “extricate” his operation from the Winestyles franchise, he’s changing the name of his Chesterfield wine shop to Naked…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Push back against winter with this Sauvignon Blanc
Credit Kyle Harsha of Harsha Wines for bringing yet another great wine to town. The latest is a Sauvignon Blanc from Pushback Winery, a small operation owned by former St. Louis resident Nick Floulis. A “pushback moment” in 2004 led the then 25-year-old Floulis to quit his job as a wine buyer, pack his bags,…
Three Reasons to check out UnderWAREs
Underground dinners have become trendy over the last few years. And sure, there is a place for a five-course meal prepared by a trained chef, but it will set you back between $50 and $125 – more if you choose a wine flight – plus don’t forget the tip for the servers. For budget-minded folks…
The Scoop: Ballyhoo adds to restaurant growth out west
As recent census data has indicated, St. Charles is growing, and with it, we’re seeing an increase in dining options. The latest addition, Ballyhoo Restaurant & Bar, is taking the space formerly occupied by Twister’s at 1048 Wolfrum Road, near Highway 94. Owner Steve Surplus said that he and his business partner Mike McDonnell hope…
Stocking Up on Missouri-raised bison this grilling season
According to Alfred Lord Tennyson, in the spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love. According to us, come spring, our thoughts are more likely to turn to thoughts of grilling. This season, we’ll leave the plain burgers and dogs to less creative cooks. When we fire up the Weber, it will…
The Scoop: Add Noboleis Vineyards to wine-tasting treks to Augusta
Warmer weather heralds the return of weekend visits to area wineries and now there’s another stop to add to your getaway plans. Noboleis Vineyards is the newest winery to open in Augusta and for those who didn’t visit the tasting room when it opened last October, now is the perfect time to plan a visit…
Local market masters unite to form St. Louis Farmers Market Association
The creation of the St. Louis Farmers Market Association is the latest effort to make make fresh, locally grown food available to more consumers here in town. The group, still in its infancy, currently includes the likes of seven area farmers’ markets: Maplewood, Tower Grove, Downtown, Ferguson, Webster Groves, Ellisville and Carondelet. Market masters from…
It’s round two for Dining Duels at The Ritz-Carlton
The chef duel held this past January between The Ritz-Carlton’s culinary top guns, executive chef Azhar Mohammad and executive pastry chef Simone Faure, and Salume Beddu’s Ben Poremba and Mark Sanfilippo was a tasty and entertaining affair. The four-course dinner, dubbed “Dining Duels in The Wine Room,” was a friendly competition pitting dishes prepared in…
Just Five: Landlubber No-Crab Cakes
Welcome back to Just Five, a column where we share recipes for refined and delicious dishes that use just five ingredients, excluding butter, oil, salt and pepper, of course. There’s just one rule of thumb: Always choose the highest quality ingredients, as each will stand out in the recipes we feature. I love the concept…
James Beard Awards elude St. Louis chefs and sommelier
The finalists for the 2011 James Beard Foundation Awards have been announced via Twitter this afternoon, and unfortunately none of the members of the St. Louis culinary community who were named semifinalists for awards made the short list. Three St. Louis chefs were named semifinalists in the Best Chef: Midwest Category including Gerard Craft of…
The Scoop: Pratzel’s Bakery rises again under new ownership
When Ronnie and Elaine Pratzel announced in late January that they were closing the area’s only independently owned kosher bakery after 98 years in business, there was an outcry of support from local businesses to keep the St. Louis institution alive. But rye bread and chocolate-covered cupcake lovers, fear not! Pratzel’s Bakery will rise again,…
Mike Marquard, formerly of Kaldi’s, goes to Half & Half to head up “progressive’ coffee program
Mike Randolph, chef-owner of midtown’s The Good Pie, is finalizing the line-up for his soon-to-open Clayton breakfast and lunch spot, Half & Half. The latest addition is Mike Marquard, former Kaldi’s education and customer service leader, who will serve as general manager. Marquard, who finished 6th in the 2009-2010 U.S. Barista championship, will be in…
Celebrating Missouri wine, one taste at a time
In 2008, Jeff Siegel, founder of the popular Web site The Wine Curmudgeon, and Dave McIntyre, wine writer for The Washington Post, founded DrinkLocalWine.com as a way to focus more attention on the other 47 states that make wine (i.e. not the COW states: California, Oregon and Washington). Since then, the duo has hosted conferences…
Three Reasons to try the pie at Pizza-A-Go-Go
Pizza-A-Go-Go has been a spot you want to go-go to-to since 1967. Here’s why: 1. This place ain’t pretentious, buddy. Getting a meal from Pizza-A-Go-Go is a no-nonsense affair. You have a choice of pizza, pizza or pizza. There are no appetizers, no salads, no calzones and no desserts. The restaurant takes cash or check…
Drink This St. Patty’s Day Edition: McGurk’s hybrid cocktail gets Irish eyes a-cryin’
If you wanna drink like an Irishman on St. Patrick’s Day, it’s gotta be Guinness, right? But what if you prefer cocktails? At McGurk’s Public House in O’Fallon, you can have both by ordering up a DGB. This beer cocktail is a combination of Guinness, a half shot of Irish whiskey and a shot of…
Extra Sauce: What to do with all that Buddha’s hand syrup
In this month’s What In the World column, we revealed the wonders of Buddha’s Hand, a yellow fruit that originated in India. And Kakao Chocolate’s Brian Pelletier provided a recipe for candying Buddha’s hand, heating the citrus fruit in a sweet syrup made from sugar and water. But what can you do with all that…
The Scoop: Fitz’s founder quietly returning a Delmar original to its roots
A fresh coat of paint to the dining area. An outdoor lighted sign that needed to be fixed. A kitchen that needed a chef. A menu that yearned for house-made ingredients. If you’ve frequented Fitz’s over the past few months, maybe you’ve noticed some of the changes that Michael Alter has been quietly making to…
The Scoop: Niche GM headed to Keller’s famed French Laundry
A very Saucy congrats to Bryan Lipa. The general manager at Niche and St. Louis native has accepted a position as a captain at chef-owner Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry in Yountville, Calif. Lipa interviewed for a front-of-the-house position at the legendary Napa Valley restaurant last fall, but the final decision was not made until…
The Scoop: New local cupcake biz will put farm-friendly spin on popular dessert
It’s no secret that cupcakes are all the rage, but the latest little cake maker in town is putting a refreshing spin on this much desired dessert. Rather than operate a brick-and-mortar store, owner Kaylen Wissinger will debut her Farm Fresh Cupcakes at the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market this spring and at events such as…
Extra Sauce: Short List Runner-Up
In this month’s Short List, Sauce contributor Russ Carr revealed whose cornbread – served up both savory and sweet – ranked as his favorites. Now, exclusively in this month’s Extra Sauce, Carr reveals whose version of this classic ground corn dish fell just shy of taking home a medal. To see this month’s Short List…
Short List Runner-Up
Yummies Restaurant 3149 Shenandoah Ave., St. Louis, 314.226.9800 Corn muffins may take the guesswork out of trying to cut a pan of cornbread into equal portions, but what poor soul decided that corn muffins should be tiny little things? Though they had a great roasted corn flavor, Yummies’ wee muffins were a bit on the…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Molly’s bartender shows knack for meeting cocktailians in the middle
Jim Crandall has taken the reins behind the bar at Molly’s in Soulard. A former bartender at the recently shuttered Sleek, Crandall’s style is all about “meeting in the middle,” he said. A case in point: the cocktail menu that he developed for the Soulard establishment. Crandall’s menu syncs with Molly’s NOLA vibe while including…
Three Reasons to try Absolutli Goosed
The martini is not a drink you can gulp. I mean, you’re allowed to, if you’ve just seen something horrible, like a mime, but really you should sip it. A martini is too potent to suck down in mindless, bibulous need. It’s for savoring, for reflecting. Well, you can reflect in about 80 different ways…
Extra Sauce: More from Five Questions For Rachel Kitchen
In this month’s Five Questions interview, available in the March issue of Sauce, Sarah’s Cake Stop driver Rachel Kitchen told us about St. Louisans’ response to her cupcake truck on the road and her working relationship with a certain taco-toting food truck. Now, in the second part of the interview, she reveals how she wound…
More From Five Questions For Rachel Kitchen
In this month’s Five Questions interview, available in the March issue of Sauce, Sarah’s Cake Stop driver Rachel Kitchen told us about St. Louisans’ response to her cupcake truck on the road and her working relationship with a certain taco-toting food truck. Now, in the second part of the interview, she reveals how she wound…
Stocking Up on Schlafly Irish-Style Extra Stout
You gotta hand it to the Irish. They not only produce some of the world’s greatest literature, but some of the world’s greatest beer as well. This St. Patrick’s day, though, you might want to put down that pint of Guinness and give a local brew a try. We suggest the Irish-Style Extra Stout from…
Locally driven and independently strong
Ten years is a long time. As we mark a decade in print this year, we reflected on how far we – and the local culinary community we document – have come. We’ve had a front-row seat for all of it: impressive new restaurants that have bulldozed through culinary boundaries; talented, young chefs who have…
Corned Beef and Cabbage
4 to 6
Choosing the Cover
When we put on an exhibit of Sauce photography at The Philip Slein Gallery over the summer, photographer Greg Rannells couldn’t take his eyes off the coffee vac pots that Chris Lee of Sanctuaria brought to the event. He was immediately taken with them. I feel like he’s been thinking about coffee ever since. For…
The Scoop: Terrene owner calls exec chef change not “a big deal”
Perhaps we in St. Louis are a bit quirky when it comes to our obsession with exec chefs. We refer to them in conversation by their first names. We make a fuss over changes at the top spot, wanting to know exactly what the new guy or girl is all about and whether our fave…
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 the gorgeous photograph on this month’s? She tells all in Choosing the Cover. Also, don’t forget to check our Extra Sauce page throughout the month for…
The Scoop: Beautiful space complements eclectic small plates at Vino Nadoz
When Steven and Kathy Becker take on a project, it’s going to be first class. The owners of Steven Becker Fine Dining, who also operate the two Nadoz Café locations in the Coronado on Lindell Boulevard and in Richmond Heights at The Boulevard, have taken pains to make sure that their newest venture, Vino Nadoz,…
Baked Pears with Pistachios and Cardamom
4 to 6 servings
Just Five: Baked Pears with Pistachios and Cardamom
Welcome back to Just Five, a column where we share recipes for refined and delicious dishes that use just five ingredients, excluding butter, oil, salt and pepper, of course. There’s just one rule of thumb: Always choose the highest quality ingredients, as each will stand out in the recipes we feature. My childhood friend Amy…
The Scoop: Planet Sub’s CWE location closed
Zach Oldham, owner of three Planet Sub locations in St. Louis, has closed the sub shop located at 7 N. Euclid Ave., in the Central West End. Oldham cited a decline in business as the reason for closing the CWE operation that he opened in November 2008. “It wasn’t performing like it needed to,” summed…
The Scoop: Bailey’s biz plans at old City Gourmet space downtown all about roosting close to home
As first reported by Ian Froeb of The Riverfront Times, David Bailey continues to amass city addresses for his restaurant operations. The owner of Baileys’ Chocolate Bar, Rooster and Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar has taken over the downtown space at 920 Olive St., previously occupied by City Gourmet. He plans to use a…
Drink This Weekend Edition: A Soulard original for Mardi Gras merrymaking
In the February issue of Sauce we suggested 1860s Genuine American Vodka as a new-to-the-Lou liquor for vodka lovers. The five-times distilled vodka is a project by a pair of locals Todd McGowan and Max Burton, owner of 1860 Saloon and Hardshell Café in Soulard. Being that Soulard will be the hub of Mardi Gras…
Route 66 Organics can help area restaurants go a deeper shade of green
What happens to the food you leave on your plate when you dine at area restaurants? Until recently, the serving staff had to pitch it, even though those last forkfuls have the potential to be converted into primo garden compost. Now that Route 66 Organics, a local food waste removal services provider, has become the…
The Scoop: Big Daddy’s founder to keep Belleville bustling with Silver Creek Saloon
James “Jimbo” Sinovic, founder of restaurant and bar Big Daddy’s, along with partners Jeff Buttzinger, Ryan Loeffer and Jon Vieluf, has some big plans for Belleville. Sinovic, who opened the first Big Daddy’s location 11 years ago in Soulard, will be opening The Silver Creek Saloon at 2520 Mascoutah Ave., in the space formerly occupied…
Better Brewing At Home
If our cover feature Coffee’s New Wave has sent you in search of a better cup of coffee, we’ve got just the thing. First head over to the videos section where you can watch as Gelateria Tavolini’s Jonathan Andrus takes you through a step-by-step video for brewing the perfect cup of coffee at home using…
The Scoop: Former Sleek CDC to helm kitchen at neo-cabaret venue in downtown Maplewood
Jim Callahan, owner of local recording studio Jupiter Studios, is turning his love for music and entertainment into a whole new act. His latest venture, The Jumpin’ Jupiter, will be a “neo-cabaret venue” located at 7376 Manchester Road in the space formerly occupied by Jive and Wail in Maplewood. The Jumpin’ Jupiter slogan gives an…
Stocking Up for Mardi Gras
It’s about that time of year again. Time to practice your bead-catching skills, dig out that Hurricane recipe and get ready to let those bon temps roll. That’s right, it’s Mardi Gras season and no N’awlins-style bash would be complete without a pot bubbling away on the stove. Many Louisiana specialties like gumbo and jambalaya…
Review: DeMun Oyster Bar
At prime time on a weekend night, a stool at the DeMun Oyster Bar is a rare commodity. If you’re curious about which is the place to be in St. Louis right now, this is it. As darkness falls on the short strip of venues tucked away off Clayton Road, throngs of locals crowd the…
Review: Central Café and Bakery in Central West End
It’s not often you see a hookah lounge paired with a diner atmosphere and a long display case full of Lebanese and French pastries, but such is the case at Central Café and Bakery. Don’t let the eclectic mix dissuade you from settling in at the new Central West End spot: The retro Formica tables,…
John Griffiths is leading an evolution at Truffles
“Truffles is not something that failed and we are starting over. It is a restaurant that has a great legacy. Now we’re moving it into a different direction,” explained John Griffiths, executive chef at the Ladue restaurant. Griffiths, who helmed An American Place when it opened in 2004 and has worked as a consultant chef…
Review: Fin Japanese Cuisine in Chesterfield
Fin Japanese Cuisine, 1682 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield, 636.536.4228, finstl.com Fin Japanese Cuisine in Chesterfield has no wall-sized aquarium stocked with local river fish. It’s just as well; catfish sashimi sounds about as appetizing as chicken sashimi (although raw chicken is a delicacy in Japan, so who knows?). Instead, owner Supatra Klum has created a comfortable…
How Hoophouse Herbs Can Spice Up Your Winter Cooking
When farmer Walker Claridge walks into a chef’s kitchen with freshly cut hoophouse- and greenhouse-grown herbs in the middle of a Missouri winter, chefs can’t wait to buy. “It’s winter. The chefs are trying to get a hold of anything fresh, and here I’ve got these great pungent, strong, locally grown herbs,” Claridge explained. Hoophouses…
Recipe: Monarch’s Crawfish Bread
Celebrate Fat Tuesday with more than gumbo and jambalaya this year. Take a cue from Josh Galliano, the executive chef at Monarch and Louisiana native whose crawfish bread combines the icons of Cajun fare – holy trinity (celery, onion and bell pepper), crawfish and cayenne – with rich cream and melty cheese for a dish…
Reuben Soup
6 servings
Candied Buddha’s hand
• Wash the fruit and remove any brown tips, then slice thinly to make disks from the fingers and base. • Place 2 cups of water and the sliced fruit in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Drain the water, and repeat the process twice more (for a total of three times). •…
The Scoop: Another food truck hits St. Louis’ streets
If you’ve read Spring Scene in this month’s Sauce, you know that the food truck trend has officially arrived here in town. From tacos to cupcakes to arancini and soon locally sourced Filipino street fare, it’s clear that meals on wheels has taken on a whole new meaning. Now, we’re adding another to the list.…
Pueblo Solis Packs in Flavor, People
An experience at Pueblo Solis can vary greatly depending on when you go, what you order and your general disposition. If you translate long waits and spotty service as more time to relax, chat and loosen up with a cool Margarita, then you’ll do OK here. It is a fun place to be, after all,…
Extra Sauce: More from Chef Talk with Truffles’ John Griffiths
In this month’s Chef Talk column, Leading An Evolution, senior staff writer Ligaya Figueras spoke with Truffles’ executive chef John Griffiths about the new Italian focus at the restaurant, changes being made to the space and his opinion on where fine dining fits into today’s culinary culture. Now, in the second part of this interview,…
More from Chef Talk with Truffles’ Exec Chef John Griffiths
In this month’s Chef Talk column, Leading An Evolution, Truffles’ executive chef John Griffiths shared details about the new Italian focus at the restaurant, changes being made to the space and his opinion on whether Truffles is still fine dining. Now, in the second part of this interview, Griffiths reveals his long-term plans, the new…
Westward Expansion
The majority of St. Louis’ cocktailian bars, where creative recipes, proper mixing, fresh ingredients and top-shelf, small-batch spirits trump slinging beverages down the bar, are found within or near the city confines. But a westward expansion of the craft cocktail movement is under way, thanks largely to the pioneering efforts of bartending’s Lewis and Clark,…
Short List: Cornbread
While humble grits has made haute cuisine inroads under its European alias, polenta, the same success eludes that other Southern staple of ground corn goodness, cornbread. Equally adept in both sweet and savory combinations, it’s a wonder more chefs haven’t latched on to its versatility. And though there’s no topping the aroma of roasting corn…
Spring Scene
2011 shows all the signs of being a year to remember for St. Louisans who love to dine and drink well. Here’s a peek at what’s trending in local dining in the coming months. Membership has its privileges The flip side to 2011’s embrace of the casual? Exclusivity. Expect more and more spots to add…
Reubenesque
It was my friends’ homemade corned beef that made my husband – a vegetarian for years – eat meat again. That brined brisket was so tender, so succulent, that he broke down and had a taste. Then he had a plate of it. Clearly, this was something I needed to be able to make myself.…
Coffee’s New Wave: Following in food’s footsteps, coffee pros refine the path from farm to cup
On a snowy Friday afternoon, while most St. Louisans were counting down the minutes till the work week gave way to the weekend, a dozen or so young men were standing around a high-top table in a small warehouse room, waiting. Some were there to train their palates to determine differences in flavor, body and…
