Mussels With Salsiccia
2 to 4 servings
The Scoop: 2011 season canceled for Downtown Farmers’ Market
The 2011 season has been canceled for the Downtown Farmers’ Market, as reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Joe Bonwich. Patrick Horine, who helped get the market up and running for last year’s inaugural season and spearheaded organization efforts this year, told The Scoop that the market was canceled because “turnout last year was so…
Half & Half to open in Clayton
When Michael Randolph, owner of Midtown’s The Good Pie, whipped up some of the dishes that would be served up at Half & Half, his new Clayton breakfast and lunch destination, for our Guide to Entertaining, he left us drooling for more – and dying for his restaurant, located at 8135 Maryland Ave., to open.…
The Scoop: Tasting room now open at Second Shift Brewing
Steve Crider launched Second Shift Brewing last year. And while St. Louisans have been able to enjoy Second Shift suds on tap at a few area bars and restaurants, beer-lovers looking to make the short trek to New Haven, Mo., where the brewery is based, can now enjoy Second Shift beers at the brewery’s own…
Just Five: Mussels with Salsiccia
There is something very primal about eating mussels. You are going to dig in, and you’re going to get your hands dirty. Bread is as much of an utensil as a fork in this case and, quite honestly, that’s my kind of eatin’. There was a time when I would only eat mussels when I…
Sneak Peek: A look at what’s brewing at 4 Hands Brewing Co.
This week, we got a sneak peek at what’s brewing at the soon-to-open 4 Hands Brewing Co. Will Johnston, a former brewer for Goose Island Beer Co., in Chicago, and Lucette Brewing Co., in Wisconsin, will serve as the brewmaster at 4 Hands, as first reported by STLHops’ Mike Sweeney. Johnston is opening the craft…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Spanish white wines make a splash in St. Louis
Grow white grape varietals in the land of La Rioja? The Spaniards at wine company Vintae may sound nearly as crazy as Don Quixote fighting a battalion of windmills, but what winemaker Raùl Acha has done with Vintae’s line of white wines, Spanish White Guerrilla, is nothing less than impressive. And lucky for us, these…
Mark your calendar for the first Food Truck Friday, June 10!
The food truck trend has hit St. Louis with a bang, with more trucks than ever now trolling the streets to serve up everything from pizza to tacos to cupcakes to hungry St. Louisans willing to track down their mobile meals on Facebook and Twitter. Now, for the very first time, you can put down…
The Scoop: Tomorrow is last call at Beffa’s
As first reported by the St. Louis Business Journal, Beffa’s – the restaurant located at 2700 Olive St., with more than a century of history – is closing its doors. Tomorrow is the final day at Beffa’s, so don’t miss your last chance to pass through the un-marked front doors, dine among St. Louis politicos…
The Scoop: It’s a New Day in Ellisville for those seeking gluten-free fare
When New Day Gluten Free opens at 15622 Manchester Road, in Ellisville, those who suffer from celiac disease will finally have the option to dine in a gluten-free (and peanut-free) environment. New Day is the brainchild of Kelly Patrick, who was diagnosed with celiac disease five years ago. “It was a long road to my…
The Scoop: Six North Café expands to Ballwin
Mike Altrudo, owner of Six North Café downtown at 701 Market St., is opening a second location in Ballwin. Last November, Altrudo began construction on the café at 14438 Clayton Road, which will include a drive-thru, and the project is nearly complete. The menu at the Ballwin café will be similar to the one offered…
The Scoop: Mr. B’s on The Hill gets new name, owner
After 27 years in business, Mr. B’s Bar and Restaurant on The Hill has closed. Owner Sheri Badalamenti – who worked alongside her father, Michael, for years to turn out t-ravs, pastas, eggplant Parmesan and other Italian comfort food – decided that it was time to sell the business at 5800 Southwest Ave. “It was…
Stocking Up on strawberry season
It was faint at first, but the closer we drew to Tower Grove Farmer’s Market last weekend, the stronger it became. Once we reached the market, our feet wet with the previous night’s rain, we were nearly overwhelmed by the heavy perfume of strawberries. Yes, it’s high strawberry season here in St. Louis and almost…
Rose Pastry Cream
Makes about 15 macaron sandwiches
Rose-Lychee Macarons
Makes about 15 sandwiches
Soulard Farmers’ Market to get a makeover
The city of St. Louis is developing a long-term plan to revamp the Soulard Farmers’ Market, according to Gary Bess, director of the city’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry, which has governed the market facilities for the last three years. The planning process began last week with a meeting among a 12-person steering committee…
The Scoop: Former A-B InBev exec purchases O’Fallon Brewery
O’Fallon Brewery founders Fran and Tony Caradonna have sold the craft brewery to Jim Gorczyca, a former Anheuser-Busch InBev marketing executive and a native St. Louisan. The deal, inked on Friday, means that O’Fallon Brewery is back in business. The Caradonnas, who founded the brewery in 2000, made the decision to sell after experiencing years…
Sneak Peek at The Underground Lounge at Miso on Meramec
Brad Beracha, owner of Miso on Meramec, has made major changes to The Underground Lounge, the lower level club space of the Clayton sushi restaurant. With the remodel nearly complete, Beracha gave us a sneak peek at the face-lift, designed by Jeff Orbin, restaurant designer and co-owner of Monarch and Herbie’s. Get your party clothes…
Baked: Rose-Lychee Macarons
Welcome to Baked, a new column in which Amrita Rawat will share her adventures in the kitchen as she explores our fair city. Born in India and a longtime resident of Atlanta, Rawat recently moved to St. Louis to attend graduate school at Washington University. After eating her way through places like Hong Kong, Paris,…
The Scoop: Sons of St. Louis’ “Thai Kings” to open Yogurtland
Cousins Shayn Prapaisilp and Jojo Prapaisilapa know quite a lot about the food biz. Their fathers, Suchin Prapaisilp and Pat Prapaisilapa, have dominated the Thai restaurant scene in St. Louis for years and are responsible for making ethnic eats more widely available to area grocery shoppers with an international palate. (You can read about Suchin…
The Scoop: Bartenders TJ Vytlacil and Adam Frager to open members-only Blood & Sand
Two of the area’s top bartenders, TJ Vytlacil (pictured) and Adam Frager, have long wanted to open a place of their own. With the ink now drying on a lease at 1500 St. Charles St., downtown in the space formerly occupied by Red Moon, their brainchild, Blood & Sand, is closer than ever to becoming…
Sneak Peek: Three Kings in The Loop making name for fine pub fare and brews
We got a sneak peek at Three Kings Public House, the restaurant that recently opened at 6307 Delmar Blvd., in The Loop. As first reported by St. Louis Magazine’s George Mahe, the space was formerly occupied by Riddles Penultimate Cafe and Wine Bar. Three Kings’ owners Derek Deaver, Derek Flieg and Ryan Pinkston would like…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Spiced ice, spirits switcharoos add spunk and style to Bloody Marys at Mosaic
We’re on a Bloody Mary quest of late, searching for creative spins on this oldie but goodie. We recently checked out Mosaic’s Bloody Mary menu, piqued by some interesting fixings and fun liquor change-ups. Did Dianna Hemann, bar manager at the restaurant and lounge downtown at 1001 Washington Ave., know how much we drool over…
The Scoop: Crostini to bring “little toasts,” paninis and other Italian eats to The Grove
Chef Eric Winbigler is opening an Italian eatery in The Grove, as Ian Froeb of The Riverfront Times first reported. Winbigler’s new project, Crostini Restaurant and Lounge, will be located at 4501 Manchester Ave., in the space formerly occupied by Phil Noe’s Mia Rosa, which closed last August. Winbigler told The Scoop that, as the…
Three Reasons why we love drinking in Missouri
The accolades keep coming in for our area bartenders and wineries. In the last week alone, a St. Louis bartender and a nearby winery bested national competition. Another bartender received news that he’s headed to compete in NOLA, all proof that drinking in our fair city rivals any in the country. Here are three reasons…
Stocking Up on chives
It’s really a shame that for so long chives were relegated to serving as an afterthought, their only purpose to decorate a lowly baked potato or to ever so slightly elevate the sophistication factor of a cheese omelet. Their crisp taste and relatively hardy nature (store them wrapped in a damp paper towel in your…
The Scoop: Verlin’s moves from Soulard to The Grove
It was last October when Verlin Gibson opened a bar and grill at 1730 S. Eighth St., in Soulard. However, two weeks ago he closed the restaurant that bore his name and relocated Verlin’s to 1449 Vandeventer Ave. “I like this spot better; the building is much nicer,” explained Gibson of his decision to move…
Shaking Beef
2 servings
Just Five: Shaking Beef
Today we are talking about Shaking Beef, a dish typically served with Chef’s “Special Sauce.” In my house, this dish is a keeper. The method is basic stir-frying and the shaking of the skillet it requires is where it gets its name, though kicking the ingredients around with a wooden spoon will also do the…
The Scoop: Goodbye Provisions, hello Wine and Cheese Place No. 4
Last week, Provisions Gourmet Market closed its doors at 11615 Olive Street Road in Creve Coeur after operating for 10 years in the space. While longtime Provisions patrons may be saddened to say goodbye to the fresh soups, salads and sandwiches they enjoyed at the gourmet café, they won’t have to wait long before they…
Sauce short film by Once Films wins award
When we first began collaborating with Greg Kiger, director of photography at Once Films, on a short documentary about the thriving and dedicated culinary community in St. Louis, we knew the project had the potential to be very special. We were thrilled to learn that others in the community have deemed the final product worthy of…
Can-Do Chicken
Growing up in my house, burnt was best. If the meat’s skin was missing that crispy, crackling char, it needed to sit a bit longer over hot coals or tan some more under the broiler’s flames. Pink was the enemy here, and we would go to the ends of the earth to eliminate it –…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Warm-weather wines from a Washington State Winery
When winemaker David Forsyth of Mercer Estates introduced us to his wines earlier this spring, we knew we were in for a treat. Forsyth has been making wine for over 25 years and has a vast knowledge of grape-growing in Washington State’s wine country. He spent the majority of his career with The Hogue Cellars…
The Scoop: Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe opening in St. Charles
A second location of Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe is coming to the area. The newest location for the sandwich shop will be located in Dierberg’s Plaza at 2041 Zumbehl Road, in St. Charles. Although a lease has been signed, a representative from the Pickleman’s corporate office in Columbia, Mo., tells The Scoop that a build-out still…
The Scoop: Familiar NFL face opens burger spot in St. Peters
Longtime NFL coach Jim Hanifan is the face behind It’s a Better Burger, a burger joint that recently opened at 4881 Mexico Road, in St. Peters. Hanifan, who most recently held a role as an analyst with the Rams radio broadcast team, is one of the business partners behind the hamburger operation. The menu at…
The Scoop: Lion’s Den opens in St. Charles
St. Charles residents looking for a night spot may want to walk into Lion’s Den, the bar and restaurant at 3721 Mexico Road near Cave Springs Road. Owner Gary Wagner, who is also part owner of Concetta’s Italian Restaurant in St. Charles, along with his business partners, has given the space a makeover, turning it…
Stocking up on asparagus
Even with temperature on the rise, many of the farmers’ markets stalls seem mired in winter. The few tender lettuces and spring onions are lovely, but we’re hungry for more substantial signs of spring. Enter the asparagus. We spotted some last week at the Maplewood Farmers’ Market at the booth of Lori Murray of Murray’s…
More from our conversation with Lola’s Mike Ryan.
In this month’s Five Questions column (p. 56), Mike Ryan, the new executive chef at Lola, the swank downtown eatery and lounge, talked absinthe, corn dogs, Megadeth and crêpes with Sauce writer Byron Kerman. Now, in the second part of the interview, Ryan reveals some of the French Creole dishes he’ll be adding to the…
The Scoop: One area restaurant closes its doors, another appears likely to follow
We were tipped off today that Taste of India, located at 3279 Hampton Ave., may have shuttered its doors. After doing a bit of research, we found that Gut Check’s Ian Froeb confirmed that the Indian eatery has indeed closed its doors. Another tip came in today alerting us that Marco’s Soul Food, located on…
More from our conversation with Lola’s Mike Ryan
In this month’s Five Questions column (p. 56) Mike Ryan, the new executive chef at Lola, the swank downtown eatery and lounge, talked absinthe, corn dogs, Megadeth and crêpes. Now, in the second part of the interview, Ryan reveals some of the French Creole dishes he’ll be adding to the menu, his liquor of choice…
Baked: Chestnut madeleines
Welcome to Baked, a new column in which Amrita Rawat will share her adventures in the kitchen as she explores our fair city. Born in India and a longtime resident of Atlanta, Rawat recently moved to St. Louis to attend graduate school at Washington University. After eating her way through places like Hong Kong, Paris,…
Brasserie Lebbe
1 serving
Drink This Weekend Edition: Tuaca makes Mother’s Day drinking almost too easy
For all the dads out there breaking their backs to prepare a Mother’s Day brunch, we’ve come to your aid with an easy-to-make drink. A predictable mimosa? Not a chance. Try a light-tasting tippler using Tuaca instead. Tuaca is an Italian liqueur flavored with vanilla and citrus. It plays a beautiful supporting role in a…
The Scoop: One-man bread biz makes old-world boules for retail sale
Last December, we spotlighted baker Alex Carlson as the face – and hands – behind the beautiful bread program at Five Bistro. Carlson recently “kneaded” that dough operation into an independent business called Red Guitar Bread, whereby his old-world boules, bageuttes and torpedos made from certified organic flour are now available to the public. The…
One-Man Show: At this tiny corner diner in The Loop, chef Hyo Bae is your waiter, busboy and cashier – and turns out great-tast
Click here to view the slideshow. The 10 stools lining the counter at U-City Grill are the restaurant’s most valuable real estate. Maybe it’s the clear view of the menu, lit and hung above the bar, touting a concise list of classic Korean dishes like kimchi and bibimbob that makes the throngs of jeans-clad Wash.…
Extra Sauce: More from our conversation with Kathy Schmidt
In this month’s Chef Talk column, Kathy Schmidt spoke with us about Vino Nadoz, the new Brentwood wine bar where she serves as executive chef, including how she’s adapted to the unconventional kitchen (one without a grill or conventional oven). She also talked about her experience as the exec chef when Jimmy’s On the Park…
More from our conversation with Kathy Schmidt
In this month’s Chef Talk column, Kathy Schmidt spoke with us about Vino Nadoz, the new Brentwood wine bar where she serves as executive chef, including how she’s adapted to the unconventional kitchen (one without a grill or conventional oven). She also talked about her experience as the exec chef when Jimmy’s On the Park…
Stocking up on del Carmen black beans
At the local farmers’ market, you probably expect to see plenty of produce and artisan food products from the bi-state region. You might not expect to see prepared dishes of Cuban-style black beans and rice. You might not expect it, but that’s exactly what you’ll find on any given Wednesday at the Maplewood Farmer’s Market…
St. Louis Bread Co.’s pay-what-you-like biz model: One year later
On May 16, exactly one year will have passed since St. Louis-based Panera Bread turned its café at 10. S. Central Ave., in Clayton, into a nonprofit operation. The company’s St. Louis area director Don Hutcheson told The Scoop that the company deems the pay-what-you-like model a success, though there have been a few learning…
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 the cover of our May issue? She tells all in Choosing the Cover. Also, don’t forget to check our Extra Sauce page…
Choosing the Cover
We wanted the cover to be icy, but not wintery; cold but still springtime. Dark and modern was out. We’d done something like that with ice on a cover before when we did a profile on Ted Kilgore, Mover & Shaker. I kept coming back to the idea of showing a shot glass made of…
Pork with Roasted Grape Sauce
4 servings
Just Five: Pork With Roasted Grape Sauce
Hello again, pork tenderloin; how are you old friend? I know, I ask a lot of you in our relationship, and you are ever so patient with me. From the sweetness of agave to the earthiness of cumin, you are flexible and delicious, combining beautifully with the flavors I introduce you to. For that, I…
The Scoop: Matt Herren puts 222 Artisan Bakery up for sale
The Scoop received confirmation today that 222 Artisan Bakery in Edwardsville, Ill., is up for sale. Owner Matt Herren, who is also proprietor of Goshen Coffee Co., told us that he was selling the bakery he opened in 2005 with his former business partner, Debbie Sultan, due to the increased demands from his coffee roasting…
The Scoop: Spanish fare with flair at Café Pintxos in Hotel Ignacio
When the Interiors Unlimited building at 3411 Olive St. in Midtown was being renovated as a hotel, it only made sense to SLU, as majority partner of the project, to give a nod to its Spanish ties and name the boutique hotel after the Spanish-born founder of the Jesuits, St. Ignatius Loyola (Ignacio, in Spanish).…
Review: Mandarin House in Overland
Mandarin House is a Chinese restaurant for everyone: The 30-year-old Overland restaurant serves the familiar Americanized classics – General Tso’s Chicken, Crab Rangoon – but also masterfully prepares the dishes preferred by the Chinese community – white cucumber pork, spiced black bean beef. The more familiar American-style dishes are denoted on the huge, 11-page menu…
Recipe: Brasserie by Niche’s Goat Cheese Tart
After months of freezing temps and hearty dishes, hail the arrival of spring with lighter fare. At Brasserie by Niche, chef Michael Petres does just that with a goat cheese tart, where a buttery, flaky crust and rich custard filling are lightened with the tang of goat cheese and the peppery freshness of a fennel…
Review: Charles P. Stanley Cigar Co. and Lounge in St. Louis
Clean living and healthy choices are all well and good, but every now and then it’s necessary to stray. Best to do it in style. Enter Charles P. Stanley Cigar Co. and Lounge, Washington Avenue’s swankiest new urban clubhouse where being bad feels really good. A cigar bar: Is it smoky? Yes. Overwhelmingly, obnoxiously, get-me-the-something-something-outta-this-joint…
Review: Catch 22 Seafood Lounge in Belleville
Catch 22 Seafood Lounge, 22 Mascoutah Ave., Belleville, Ill., 618.233.8822, tapsncorks.com Stuck as we are between two coasts and a gulf, the topic of seafood is always an issue for Midwesterners: How fresh is fresh? Is it frozen at sea (FAS)? Does the restaurant have its own terminal at Lambert? All things considered, St. Louis…
Katy Schmidt never stops learning at Vino Nadoz
Kathy Schmidt has worked in the biz for three decades, including operating two restaurants of her own in her native Indiana. Chef Schmidt is now helming the newly opened Vino Nadoz in Richmond Heights, where the wine bar’s unconventional kitchen and sleek, contemporary vibe offer the culinary veteran an exciting opportunity to call upon her…
New Ways to Cook with Kale
In all its forms, kale is one handsome vegetable. The dark green pebbly spears of Tuscan kale, the blushed red ribs of red Russian kale, the impossible frills of green kale and the sparkling brashness of purple kale stacked at farm stands and spilling out from the vegetable bins at Whole Foods has always appealed…
Farmhaus’ Cajun Spice Rub
Makes about 1/3 cup
Farmhaus’ Fennel-Garlic Rub
Makes about 1/3 cup
Farmhaus’ Sweet and Spicy Rub
Makes about 1/3 cup
Beer-Can Chicken
4 to 6 servings
Farmhaus’ Black Garlic Rub
Makes about 1 cup
King and I’s Tom Yum Goong
2 servings
A World Away in South City
When you’re far from home, there are certain meals you crave: mom’s meatloaf, dad’s pork steaks and potato salad, grandma’s strawberry semifreddo. And though I live mere minutes from Aya Sofia, South City’s popular Turkish and Mediterranean restaurant, I find myself craving its moussaka as if I lived half a world away. Baked layers of…
Ice Age: The unsung hero of the cocktail world finally gets its due
For a slideshow on how to make nice ice at home click here. A guy walks into a bar, orders a whiskey of pedigree, straight. The bartender hands him a highball filled with a couple jiggers of the primo spirit. The customer looks quizzically inside the glass, where wavelets of whiskey lap against the sides…
An Iconic Sunday Drink Gets the Mixology Treatment
The Bloody Mary bar is quite probably the highlight of Sunday brunch, but boy are there a lot of options. Hot sauces, celery stalks, olives on skewers, peppers, pickles – that’s a lot of decision-making after a rousing Saturday night. Best to leave it to the pros to throw together the perfect Bloody Mary. Ruth’s…
