Revelers who rang in the new year at Sanctuaria will remember how “The Great Blackout, ” which caused power loss throughout much of the area, resulted in a most memorable evening at the restaurant on Manchester in The Grove. No electricity? No worries. Chef Wil Pelly cooked by bunson burner and on a grill outside. The staff grabbed candles and, recalled Sanctuaria bartender Joel Clark, “The place looked fabulous.” So, fabulous, in fact, that they are making no-electricity night a monthly occurrence.
Cocktails by Candlelight will be an evening of all-inclusive food and cocktails. The event will be held the last Monday of every month, running from 7 p.m. until midnight, with Feb. 28 slated for the debut. Cocktails by Candlelight will only be open to members of the recently created Sanctuaria Cocktail Club and to St. Louis chapter members of the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild. (Members of either are entitled to bring one guest.) For the February festivities, Cuban beef stew and snacks will be in the offering, and among drinks, patrons will find a punch and a selection of five cocktails to choose from.
The cost for the evening is $30 for Cocktail Club members, $35 for USBG members and for guests of members. Reservations are required. Ten percent of the proceeds will benefit nonprofit coffeehouse Urban Studio Café to support their community service efforts in north St. Louis City.
This article appears in January 2011.