Top 10 First Looks of 2016
From new arcade bars downtown to long-awaited breweries in Maplewood, here are the 10 places you couldn’t wait to check out before they opened in 2016. Don’t miss out! Follow Sauce Magazine on Facebook and Twitter to get First Looks of the latest St. Louis-area restaurant, bar and shop openings. 1. First Look: Start Bar downtown 2. First…
Stur Restaurant and Lounge in Edwardsville closes
After two-and-a-half years in business, Stur Restaurant and Lounge has closed its doors in Edwardsville. The closure was announced on the restaurant’s Facebook page Tuesday, Dec. 27. Co-owners Angie and John Schmitt opened Stur in June 2014 with a menu focused on cocktails, shared plates and appetizers. Schmitt opened with the help of My Mixologist, a…
Recipe: Barbecue Braised Beef Pot Roast
There’s nothing more satisfying on a bone-chilling night than a heaping plate of warm comfort food like braised pot roast. Seared over a mighty flame, then braised in savory broth, this recipe transforms an inexpensive cut of beef into a king’s feast. The key to this dish is temperature control: Aim for a light simmer…
Top 10 news stories of 2016
From big chef changes at Niche Food Group to new taco restaurants in Kirkwood and steakhouses in Sunset Hills, here’s the dining news you were most excited about this year. Don’t miss out! Follow Sauce Magazine on Facebook and Twitter to get news on the latest St. Louis-area restaurants. 1. Kirkwood to see new taco restaurant 2. Owners…
Recipe: Brownie Cookies with Earl Grey Glaze
I love to pair Earl Grey tea with chocolate. It’s flavored with bergamot, an Italian citrus that tastes somewhere between a lemon and an orange and smells a bit floral. I added bergamot extract and ground Earl Grey tea leaves to the powdered sugar glaze that tops these chewy brownie cookies. The result is a…
Recipe: Rubis Bulles Cocktail
Champagne is probably my favorite cocktail ingredient. I love a French 75, Black Velvet or a Kir Royale. They make me feel like I’m in a pretty cocktail dress wearing ridiculous shoes and laughing at the most charming stories that my adorable friends are telling – even if I’m just binge-watching Chopped in my pajamas.…
J McArthur’s to close, new concept from Robust owners to open
Changes are underway at 3500 Watson Road in Lindenwood Park. J McArthur’s An American Kitchen will close doors for good Dec. 31 after a year-and-a-half in business, according to co-owner Kathleen Bibbins. The announcement comes four months after the original head chef Ben McArthur left the restaurant, and chef Will Volny took his place. McArthur’s…
Best New Restaurants: Top 5 Dishes of 2016
Sauce restaurant critic Michael Renner has tasted his fair share of St. Louis cuisine. All year, he shared his thoughts on New and Notable restaurants. Here, he shares his top five dishes of 2016: 5. Hakka Stir Fry at Tai KeIn a single mouthful, this Taiwanese dish, consisting of matchstick slivers of pork, squid and…
4 gifts on our editor’s holiday wish list
From sustainably raised beef to countertop butter crocks, here’s what associate editor Tiffany Leong wants this holiday season. 1. The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg This is the perfect book for those “this sauce needs something” moments.$38. Intoxicology, 4321 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.833.3088 2. Le Creuset butter crockI’ve recently been obsessed with butter keepers, which your butter…
Summer Wright to helm Vicia’s pastry program, Reeds American Table names new pastry chef
Summer Wright has been named executive pastry chef at new restaurant Vicia, set to open in late January 2017. Wright currently holds that position at Reeds American Table, where she will be replaced by pastry assistant Ashley Rouch. Wright said she took the new position in part because of the opportunity it will provide to…
DTWE: Schlafly Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
Old dog Schlafly is learning new tricks with its From the Ibex Cellar series. With a nod to what beer nerds are after these days, Ibex offers all barrel-aged beers, which expand the brewery’s purview to include new projects like intensely fruited sours, a gose and foeder-aged beers. Ibex beers have been difficult to find…
Budget Crunch: 6 delicious deals to try now
Got $10 and a friend? Then contributor Holly Fann has six delicious deals you need to devour this month. 1. The burger at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Clayton is a glorious, meaty, satisfying sammy. Usually priced at $16, the restaurant offers its massive 10-ounce burger with seasoned house-made chips for $10 Thursdays in the…
Recipe: Frosted Peppermint Cookie Bars
These minty cookie bars are perfect for Christmas. I’ve added crushed candy canes to the cookie batter and peppermint extract to the frosting. I was afraid it would be too sweet, but the mint balances the sugar quite nicely. The cookie is reminiscent of those delicate lovely Lofthouse treats: fluffy frosting atop a soft, crumbly cookie.…
Two specialty food businesses launch in St. Louis area
Two new specialty food businesses aim to bring edible artisan products to St. Louis. Fans of the fizzy, fermented tea beverage kombucha have a new local source: Komblu Kombucha. The Fenton-based company produces a certified-organic version of the drink in four flavors: grape, mango, ginger and citrus. The bottled kombucha is available at Sym-bowl in…
Mission Taco Joint to open at the Streets of St. Charles, Tortillaria to close in CWE
The fiesta is headed across the river as the Tilford Restaurant Group prepares to open its fourth area Mission Taco Joint at The Streets of St. Charles. The Streets of St. Charles is a walkable mixed-used development currently home to a movie theater, apartments and retail stores, as well as local and national chain restaurants.…
Katie’s 12 Beers of Christmas
As a toast to 2016, I have decided to share my 12 beers of Christmas with Sauce readers. Some are seasonal, some are year-round favorites, but all are easily accessible beers I will drink and/or have stocked in my fridge this time of year. Disclaimer: This list isn’t ranked in any way. Also, I really…
The Purple Martin to close Dec. 23, may reopen under new ownership
Nearly three years after business, The Purple Martin will close after service on Friday, Dec. 23. Owner Brooke Roseberry is selling the Fox Park restaurant and bar and is currently in negotiations with potential buyers. Roseberry opened The Purple Martin in 2014, intending for it to be a community hangout. “I live in the neighborhood, and…
Cafe Natasha co-owner Behshid Bahrami passes away at 74
South Grand staple Cafe Natasha won’t be the same next year. Co-owner Behshid Bahrami died Tuesday, Dec. 13, at age 74, according to his daughter Natasha Bahrami, who said he passed quickly from natural causes. Behshid and Hamishe Bahrami opened The Little Kitchen, the restaurant that would become Cafe Natasha, in 1983. The pair had…
First Look: Side Project Brewing in Maplewood
Beer nerd, prepare thyself. After nearly a year of anticipation, Side Project Brewing is opening its brewery and tasting room at 7458 Manchester Ave., in Maplewood on Sunday, Dec. 18. As Sauce reported in January, co-owners Cory and Karen King received the go-ahead to begin construction of the 2,500-square-foot space in Maplewood. Now the 20-barrel brewhouse is…
Recipe: Pork Meatballs
I love a good meatball, and this is a great meatball. The meat is tender, tangy and tastes absolutely divine paired with a balsamic vinegar drizzle or doused in some marinara sauce. They’re easy to prepare on the weekend and freeze for easy meals all week long. Enjoy and happy baking! Pork MeatballsAdapted from a…
Two Plumbers Brewery & Arcade to open in St. Charles
St. Charles is slated get a new brewery early next year when owner Robert Schowengerdt and brewer John Simon open Two Plumbers Brewery & Arcade at 2236 First Capitol Drive. “After moving back here a couple years ago [from the city], I realized that I was constantly going across the river to get any craft beer. Same…
Schlafly co-founder Dan Kopman to step down
This New Year’s Eve, raise a pint to Schlafly co-founder Dan Kopman, who will step down from his position as board co-chairman of The Saint Louis Brewery and Schlafly Beer on Dec. 31. Kopman and Tom Schlafly founded the brewery in 1991 and have since turned it into an institution. Kopman and Schlafly sold a…
4 gifts on Heather’s holiday wish list
From kitchen workhorses to elegant barware, here’s what print managing editor Heather Hughes wants this holiday season. 1. Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food ProcessorThe last time I had to dice mirepoix by hand convinced me that there’s no excuse not to own a big food processor. Every kitchen should have one.$180. Kitchen Conservatory, 8021 Clayton Road, St.…
Miracle on Chouteau Pop-up Bar
If the crowds are any indication, St. Louis apparently had a deep need of a Christmas-themed pop-up bar like Miracle. It’s like spending time in your holiday-obsessed grandmother’s basement, surrounded by decorations collected over the past 40 years – only better, since you can escape your family and sip on drinks made by the crew…
4 gifts on Meera’s holiday wish list
From memorable cookbooks to a ridiculously gorgeous range, here’s what Sauce art director Meera Nagarajan really wants this holiday season. 1. Nopi: The CookbookOn a recent visit to London, I had a beautiful lunch at Yotam Ottolenghi’s Nopi. The highlight of the meal was the pan-fried mackerel served with tamarind sauce and raw coconut salad…
Recipe: Chicken with Porcini and Cherries
During a recent cleaning frenzy (there were mice – I don’t want to talk about it), I unearthed a jar of dried porcini mushrooms that got shoved to the back of my pantry. I also came across a jar of dried cherries during my epicurean archeological dig, and just like that, a recipe was born.…
First Look: Gezellig in The Grove
The Grove continues to step up its beer game with the recent addition of Gezellig Tap House & Bottleshop. As Sauce reported in July, owner Brandon Cavanagh closed his music venue, The Demo, to open a beer bar at 4191 Manchester Ave., partially inspired by his travels to Amsterdam. The Dutch word “gezellig,” Cavanagh explained, refers…
First Look: LuLu Asian Kitchen in Olivette
LuLu Seafood and Dim Sum has gone fast-casual with its first LuLu Asian Kitchen location, now open at 9626 Olive Blvd., in Olivette. As Sauce reported in July, another LuLu Asian Kitchen location will soon open at 9737 Manchester Road in Rock Hill, with more locations in the works. Popular staples from Lulu Seafood and Dim…
Recipe: Hubert Keller’s Three Kings Cake
Paging through Hubert Keller’s memoir/cookbook is intimidating. The man grew up in a kitchen in France. He’s cooked on more continents than I’ve been to. He’s served presidents and is apparently really into DJing (actually that last one made him more approachable thanks to goofy photos of him spinning with some guy named Frenchy Le…
Spruce Brown Ale at Old Bakery Beer Co.
The St. Louis beer scene is ripe with collaborations and local support. The most recent example can be found just across the Mississippi in Alton. Old Bakery Beer Co. has teamed up with The Nature Institute to offer a series of special brews showcasing ingredients locally foraged at TNI’s managed property. This series showcases 12…
Recipe: Chocolate Chai Cupcakes
Pumpkin spice dominates lattes and baked goods right now, but there’s something special about chai spices. Pairing cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and ginger with deep, rich chocolate gives a boost to each bite. The ReTrailer recently cold-brewed its Don’t Chai Know masala chai blend, and the concentrate is the best part: heavily ginger based and infused…
