The Precinct: 1900 Locust St., St. Louis, 314.588.8899, Facebook: The Precinct Sports Bar & Grill Jim Edmond’s 15 Steakhouse has been re-concepted as police-themed bar and grill The Precinct. At this casual downtown eatery, start with The Potato Bat, a spiraled, fried potato skewered on a stick; order it seasoned with salt and vinegar. Wings are a signature item at The Precinct. Our pick among sauces: the sweet-and-spicy, house-made Stop Resisting. (Warning: If you pursue the Hot Pursuit wings, they’ll arrest your taste buds for hours.) The blackened pork flat iron steak gilded with smoked tomato butter and accompanied by a side of mashed potatoes makes for a hearty, satisfying dinner after a day walking the beat.
Adam’s Smokehouse: 2819 Watson Road, St. Louis, 314.875.9890, adamssmokehouse.com You can get pulled pork or a slab of ribs at Adam’s, the newest relation to the Pappy’s and Bogart’s ‘cue clan, but for something out of the ordinary, try Adam’s house-made, house-smoked salami. Whether you order this garlicky, cracked peppercorn-laden sausage as a plate or sandwich, it comes with two sides. Be sure one of those is the cold pasta salad, a simple yet tasty serving of mini shells tossed in a barely-there creamy dressing.
Vito’s in the Valley: 138 Chesterfield Towne Centre, Chesterfield, 636.536.3788, vitosinthevalley.com Brothers Vito, Marco and Giovanni La Fata have opened Vito’s in the Valley, sister restaurant to Vito’s Sicilian Pizzeria & Ristorante in Midtown. The menu offers old Vito’s favorites like arancini, deep-fried saffron risotto balls stuffed with meat, mozzarella and peas; and fettuccine Alfredo laced with a healthy dose of garlic. They’ve added new classics, too, like the PM Pie. A nod to Valley neighbor PM BBQ, Vito’s tops its airy, hand-tossed crust with pulled pork so tender it practically melts onto PM’s sweet barbecue sauce, then blankets this winning pizza with bubbling cheese. How could you go wrong?
Juniper: 360 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis, 314.520.6750, junipereats.com Chef-owner John Perkins waved goodbye to the pop-up concept and opened Juniper, a restaurant with a permanent home. His southern table and bar is located in the same spot as his previous pop-ups like southern-themed A Good Man is Hard to Find, where some Juniper dishes – such as chicken and waffles – first saw light. Other must-try mains include shrimp and grits finished with a bold, buttery sauce. Embrace carbs and order a breadbasket featuring a selection of house-made buttermilk and angel biscuits, cornbread and hush puppies, accompanied by seasonal jams and butters (peach compote and sorghum butter during our visit). End on a sweet note with doughnut holes served with Cointreau chocolate sauce, the perfect foil to Juniper’s buttermilk salted-caramel ice cream.
-photos by Michelle Volanksy
This article appears in Guide to the Holidays 2013.