Review: Veritas Gateway to Food and Wine in Chesterfield
Veritas Gateway to Food and Wine, 1722 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield, 636.530.9505, veritasgateway.com During a recent visit to Charleston, S.C., my goal was to eat as much shrimp and grits as humanly possible. I indulged; they know what they’re doing down there when it comes to seafood. But I could have saved a lot of time…
The Scoop: J. Spain’s Waffles & Wings Debuts Today, Capitalist Pig on the Way
Don’t be surprised if there’s bustling activity at The Tudor building downtown today. That’s because waffle and chicken wing enthusiasts may be checking out J. Spain’s Waffles & Wings, which opens its doors today at 1901 Washington Ave., in the space formerly occupied by Smoking Joe’s Bar-Be-Que. Jason Spain, the restaurant’s owner and namesake, told…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Find heat relief with a patio pitcher at Sub Zero
Meteorologists predict triple-digit temps all weekend long. Where do you plan to beat the heat? Our pick is to grab some pals and cool down at Sub Zero in the Central West End. Now that a year-long construction project is complete, the restaurant’s dining area has increased, the new sushi bar is super spiffy and, best of…
The Scoop: Tin Can Tavern to close location on Locust
Tin Can Tavern and Grille, the bar and grill built upon the concept that beer-lovers don’t mind drinking from a can, will be closing its location at 1909 Locust St. A Twitter post from Dan Pistor (@DanSTL77) tipped off The Scoop that things were amiss at the establishment. Although Pistor wrote that “both locations of Tin…
The Scoop: Prime 1000 no longer just a steakhouse
Since opening its doors at the corner of Tenth Street and Washington Avenue in late 2010, Prime 1000 has been a place to visit when you’re in the mood for sirloin, a 10-ounce New York strip or a rib-eye. (See Michael Renner’s January 2011 review of Prime here.) But starting July 16, it won’t just…
By the Book: Stéphane Reynaud’s
Stéphane Reynaud’s new book, Barbecue & Grill, isn’t your typical grilled meats book. It has creative and interesting recipes like Steak with Shiso and Duck Tenderloins a l’Orange, or the one I chose to make: Chicken Breast with Coconut Milk. It’s also full of beautiful photography – sophisticated, simple, delicious. Page 8 of the book…
Gerard Craft talks to Eater about his restaurants and “Midwest’s thriving restaurant scene”
Today national culinary website Eater published an interview with our very own Gerard Craft. Craft is, of course, chef-owner of the Niche family of restaurants – including Niche, Brasserie, Taste and Pastaria, set to open later this summer. In the interview, Craft discussed how he chose to move to St. Louis as a young “completely…
Meatless Mondays: Eating urban
It seems like South City’s Urban Eats Cafe was made for picky people like me. At this vegetarian-friendly eatery, you choose your flavor (Asian, Italian, southwestern, Mediterranean or American), your main ingredient (Since it’s Monday, you know the meatless option is all I’m going to tell you about.) and then your style (panini, wrap, flatbread pizza…
Just Five: Cantaloupe Cocktail
Melons are a very preppy fruit. All pink and green and coral, they practically scream: “Cocktails? Why I’d love to!” at you as you waltz down the produce aisle or through the farmers market booths. Melons are summer’s perfect fruit – sweet, juicy and messy. And who among us didn’t partake in that age-old tradition…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Wine Stories
Sometimes, the back story of a wine is as tasty as the finished product. This week, we’re taking a look at two such tales and offering up a couple places to go to experience a few stories first-hand. Not so long ago, I was handed a glass of 2009 Rouge L’Artolie by Bordeaux wine producer…
Annie Gunn’s Lou Rook and Glenn Bardgett to make return appearance at James Beard House
Annie Gunn’s executive chef Lou Rook and wine director Glenn Bardgett have been invited to cook at the James Beard House in New York. The pair will prepare a meal for members of the James Beard Foundation and the media on October 23. This will be the second time that Rook and Bardgett have been invited…
Cook Wise: Demystifying France’s most fussed-over dish
Think soufflés are difficult and temperamental? Not ours! Click here to learn how to make these sweet or savory summer dishes in just a few easy steps.
The Scoop: Manila Bistro soon to open in downtown Kirkwood
Dining options are sparse for those who love Filipino fare. Guerrilla Street Food offers street fare from the Pacific Island nation, but as far as a sit-down venue, we’re hard pressed to find any place other than Cafe Manila, the seasonal outdoor eatery operated by Emilio Bombais at the Kirkwood Farmers Market. That will soon…
Sophie Dahl’s Fennel Frittata
2 servings
The Scoop: Now open and opening soon in U. City
Dining options continue to increase in University City. Those who like sushi – or are at least intrigued by sushi that gets placed on a conveyor belt after being rolled fresh in the kitchen – can head to Tokyo Buffet, located at 8008 Olive Blvd., in the same shopping plaza as Seafood City. The restaurant…
By the Book: Sophie Dahl’s Fennel Frittata
I’m obsessed with Sophie Dahl’s new cookbook, Very Fond of Food: A Year in Recipes. It’s printed on uncoated paper and has tons of gorgeous, rustic photos of food, which is usually uncomplicated and (for the most part) healthy. Many of her recipes don’t list a ton of ingredients, which is good for me – easy…
Top Chef: The Tour coming to St. Louis on June 30
Bravo TV’s Top Chef is on the road again. The popular “cheftestant” showdown hit the road in May for its fifth annual mobile tour, and St. Louis is the final stop on a 15-city circuit that features a live, interactive cook-off between two former Top Chef contestants in front of fans and a panel of…
Pear Crostata
6 to 8
Meatless Monday: A vegan potluck
I’m a vegetarian, not a vegan, which means I include some animal bi-products in my diet like eggs, dairy and honey. While veganism isn’t something I plan on adopting anytime soon (I love my farm-fresh eggs from Local Harvest for binding, and there’s no way I can turn down Mr. Wizard’s in the summertime.), it’s…
The Scoop: The latest feed on St. Louis mobile cuisine
The wheels are turning for Seoul Taco owners David Choi and Andy Heck. Their Korean fusion street food (That’s Seoul’s spicy pork in everything from gogi bowls to quesadillas to the right.) has become so popular that the business partners are looking to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant. “We’re running out of commissary space,” said Choi. “The…
Baked: Pear crostata
I’ve never been a huge fan of cooked fruits. I love fresh fruits paired with dessert, but once they get soft and mushy, my excitement often wanes. My eyes have never lit up at an apple pie or any sort of cobbler. But of late, I’ve been trying to step out of my comfort zone.…
The Scoop: The Good Pie’s Ted Wilson to open artisan bread shop
Anyone who’s eaten at The Good Pie in Midtown knows that the crust is a fine one. A great deal of that credit goes to Ted Wilson, baker at the Neapolitan pizzeria since it opened in late 2008. Wilson spent a year-and-a-half learning the trade from famed baker Jim Lahey at his Sullivan Street Bakery in New…
Drink This Weekend Edition: A big, hoppy brewers’ festival
It’s debatable whether St. Louis is “America’s beer capital.” This weekend, however, area brewers and beer enthusiasts will certainly show some local love for suds at the annual St. Louis Brewers Heritage Festival, held downtown in Ballpark Village across from Busch Stadium. What began just six years ago as a fete featuring craft suds by…
The Scoop: Teaspoons Cafe now open in Edwardsville
The restaurant scene continues to grow in Edwardsville, Ill. Teaspoons Cafe recently opened at 2125 S. Route 157, serving breakfast and lunch, and offering a variety of tea and coffee drinks. All bakery items sold at the cafe are made in-house and include regulars like cinnamon rolls, gooey-butter cake and quiche. According to manager Shane…
The Scoop: Pie Oh My! to open brick-and-mortar shop in Maplewood
If you shop at Local Harvest Grocery, Baumann’s Fine Meats or the Clayton Farmers Market, you may have already tasted the pies made by baker Jane Calllahan. Now Callahan is bringing her business, Pie Oh My!, to even more St. Louisans as she makes the move from a commissary kitchen to open a shop of her…
The Scoop: Ex-cops open doughnut shop in South County
If former police officers are going to start a second career in the restaurant biz, it’s only natural that they specialize in the food cops love the most: doughnuts. That’s exactly what Frank and Linda Loforte, both retired police officers for the city of St. Louis, did when they opened Ex Cop Donut Shop at…
By the Book: Adam Perry Lang’s Man Steak with Thyme Zinfandel Salt
I tend to leave grilling for someone else; the whole “getting the coals hot” during an endless St. Louis summer has always sounded like a sweaty pain. But Memorial Day was approaching, barbecue legend Adam Perry Lang was coming to town for Sauce’s Celebrity Chef Series and learning to grill just seemed appropriate. I decided…
Pine Nut Brittle
approximately 2 cups
Honey-Rosemary Ice Cream
about 1 quart
Blueberry Iced Tea
• In a medium pot, bring 4 cups of water to 208 degrees, just below boiling point. • Steep 2 orange pekoe tea bags in the water for 5 minutes. Discard the bags. • In a saucepan, combine the blueberries, lemon juice, 1/4 cup of water and sugar. Bring to a boil. • Reduce the…
Just Five: Honey-Rosemary Ice Cream + Pine Nut Brittle
Every few days, someone will stop me and tell me they have a Just Five for me. Sometimes the recipe is something I can work with; other times it’s a bit too Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee. Recently, I ran into my friend Nikki, who told me about the honey-rosemary ice cream she had been making…
Urban Chestnut adds to your list of summer drinking spots
In the June issue of Sauce, we highlighted eight great places to drink outside this summer. It’s time to add one more to the list, now that the Biergarten at Urban Chestnut Brewing Co., has opened. In April, co-owners David Wolfe and Florian Kuplent announced their plans to build a 400-seat Bavarian Biergarten in the area…
Meatless Monday: A meal down memory lane
I’m a die-hard city girl whose main form of transportation is my bike, so when I hop into the ol’ gas-guzzler and venture out to the county by choice, there has to be a good reason (or meal) involved. Enter Hacienda, the Rock Hill Mexican eatery where I’ve been perched on the patio enjoying meals since…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Doing the proof on cocktails at Pi downtown
Confession: Once upon a time, I was a math geek who got kicks from solving trigonometric equations and thinking in terms of limits at infinity. For my first job out of college, I even used the mathematical symbols ? and ? as shorthand for “approximately” and “therefore,” which landed me a raise because my bosses…
The Scoop: Square One to expand distilling operation
Square One Brewery and Distillery owner and distiller Steve Neukomm can barely keep up with demand for his hand-crafted spirits. However, he continues to add to his Spirits of St. Louis brand with products like the just-released nine-times-distilled, twice-filtered vodka made from Midwest spring wheat (pictured). So it was just a matter of time before…
The Scoop: Overlook Farm opens The Farm Café in Clarksville
Natalie Pettus, proprietor of Overlook Farm in Clarksville, Mo., has just added another element to her farmstead-restaurant-inn operation. Pettus recently took over the space formerly occupied by Cool Beans Coffee House at 108 Howard St., in downtown Clarksville. After a brief closure, it reopens today as The Farm Café. Pettus told The Scoop that the…
Food Truck Friday just got better!
It’s that time again … the next Food Truck Friday of the season is this Friday! And in order to make this event the best yet, we have made a few exciting changes. First, to make your commute from your car to the trucks both easier and faster, six shuttle cars will circle the park…
By the Book: Nigel Slater’s Mackerel with Rhubarb and Sherry Vinegar
Readers familiar with Nigel Slater’s cookbooks, especially Tender, are aware that the English food writer adores fresh, seasonal produce. In his newest tome, Ripe, he focuses on fruit and, as with his other cookbooks, Slater demonstrates that when you work with fresh, seasonal ingredients, they require little fuss to taste fantastic. Let me make it…
The Scoop: Internet cafe opens in Florissant
The Spot Cafe is an Internet cafe that recently opened in Florissant’s Boston Square Shopping Center at 1772 Thunderbird Drive. The Spot offers Starbucks coffee, cold beverages, pre-packaged sandwiches, frozen novelties and other snack items to provide sustenance for guests as they surf through cyberspace. Look for free Wi-Fi as well as PlayStation gaming systems…
Taste chef John Griffith’s James Beard dinner without ever leaving town
Back in February, we told you that chef John Griffiths had been invited to cook at the coveted James Beard House in New York City. Well, the time has come, and Griffiths will travel to New York later this month to prepare a dinner for members of the Beard Foundation and the media on June 26.…
The Scoop: The Shack Pub Grub in Midtown to serve high-end grill fare at college-kid prices
The SLU community will soon have a new eating and drinking option. The Shack Pub Grub is taking the space at 3818 Laclede Ave., as reported by St. Louis Magazine’s George Mahe. Although plans hadn’t been finalized at the time, Brant Baldanza, who is spearheading the project, has just confirmed the deal. The building has…
Chocolate-and-Potato Chip Cookies
up to 2 dozen (depending on size)
Blueberry Syrup
Makes 2 cups
Choosing the Cover
Choosing the cover was a breeze this month because everyone loved this cover photo for our main feature, The Perfect Chop. Grilling photos can get brown and monotonous, so we went with something light, bright and delicious for the cover. Photographer Greg Rannells followed Michael Renner’s suggestions for grilling up lamb chops, and this was…
More from our conversation with Mwanzi’s Jermain Todd
In this month’s Five Questions column (p. 54), Jermain Todd told us about his boutique green design-build-supply firm, Mwanzi. Todd talked about what he’s working on for the new Pi location downtown, what other area restaurants we can see his work in around town and how he found his way into the furniture industry. Check…
Blueberry cocktails
We’re gorging on pint after pint of fresh blueberries this month. And in Baby Blues, we offered eight tasty ways to use the deep, dark fruit. Now, with the help of Eclipse’s Seth Wahlman, we’re suggesting three more. Head to the recipes section to find Wahlman’s recipes for three blueberry cocktails that are sure to…
The Scoop: Two new food trucks rolling in this month
Two new food trucks are slated to debut this June. The Cheese Shack will specialize in grilled cheese “shackwiches.” Owner Dan McKean told The Scoop that among the cheesy gourmet sandwich offerings, customers will find: spinach and pancetta topped with melted cheese on sourdough; a hot Italian sandwich loaded with mozzarella and pepperoni, swathed in…
Recipe: Bixby’s Shrimp and Lemon-Basil Lasagna
We tend to shy away from heavy foods like lasagna during warm weather months, but this summer, Bixby’s has given us a reason not to dismiss such comforting fare. Leave the oven off as you prepare this pasta sensation of sprightly seasonal ingredients like tomatoes, leeks, basil and mizuna, all layered between thin squares of…
Review: The Civil Life Brewing Co. in St. Louis
The Civil Life Brewing Co., 3714 Holt Ave., St. Louis, thecivillifebrewingcompany.com Seeing as though I’m a hopeless slave to my credit card, I’d normally take a bar to task for only accepting cash. But I’m happy to make an exception for The Civil Life, a South Side brewing company and taproom that exudes a venerable…
Review: The Gumbo Shop in Webster Groves
Editor’s note: The Gumbo Shop has closed. Last summer, Jon and Holli Kercher bought beloved Rock Hill eatery The Gumbo Shop. Opening the doorway between the tiny original venue and the retail bay next door, they settled into the new digs with roux and okra in hand. So, is the good food and friendly atmosphere…
Review: Nico in University City
Nico, 6525 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.727.0200, nicostl.com Through all the ups and downs of The Loop, there was always the Tivoli, Vintage Vinyl, Blueberry Hill and Brandt’s Café. Last summer, Brandt’s shuttered its doors with owner Adam Brandt citing The Loop’s decline as the reason – a comment that rankled some people more than…
Blueberry Champagne Cocktail
1 cocktail
Blueberry Yogurt Pops
10 servings
Mangosteen fruit salad
4 to 6
Red Rice with Blueberries
2 to 4
Blueberry Salsa
2 to 4
The Perfect Chop: It’s grilling season. Think you got the skills?
Grilling season officially began Memorial Day weekend, but given the mild winter we had, it never really ended. Now that summer is in full swing and triple-digit temps are just a lemonade stand away, it’s time for the Johnny-come-latelies to pull out the grill, scrape off last year’s gunk and get grilling. Burgers may be…
Tuna Salad Three Ways
Like so many culinary “aha” moments, the idea for the base of this recipe came to me during what I like to call a “college kitchen” day. I needed something for lunch but hadn’t gone grocery shopping in more than a week. My ingredient options were either in can form or sitting in the freezer…
Baby Blues
Unexpected accents like cardamom and sage heighten the intense pleasure of one of late spring’s most beloved berries. Fall in love with these little orbs as you toss them into salsa, rice, even iced tea. 1. Muffins Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder…
