Ann Lemons Pollack
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J. F. Sanfilippo’s
Tucked into a corner of a downtown hotel, next door to the sad remains of Union Market, J. F. Sanfilippo’s is too good to leave to the tourists and convention-goers. It’s another one of that underappreciated group, St Louis’ family-owned Italian restaurants. Less formal than some of its relatives, and it has many in the
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This Week’s Wine December 14, 2008
Gaia Gaja grew up in the small hillside town of Barbaresco, in the Piedmont region of Italy, and like a lot of young people in small towns everywhere, she didn’t like it very much. "There was nothing to do," she said, echoing the almost-universal complaint. And then, going into the family wine business and traveling
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Alas: The Brunch Is Gone
Don’t plan on heading to what we all knew as the Adam’s Mark for brunch at Chestnut’s this holiday season. Now the Hyatt Riverfront, the hotel is in the midst of big-time remodeling. The space once occupied by Faust’s, which often created great meals starring Bob Kabel as one of the city’s best-ever wine gurus
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Herbie’s Vintage 72
It felt like 1972, or ‘75, or maybe 1980. . . . The line of cars waiting for valet parkers stretched northward on Euclid Avenue for more than a block. Cheerful noise escaped when the front door opened, waves of warmth accompanying people on their way out, welcoming those arriving. A hostess juggled names and
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Everest Cafe & Bar
The Everest Café began life on Washington Avenue, just west of downtown. It seemed to do a reasonable lunch business, but evenings were usually quiet. We did begin to see other theater-bound folks at dinner, though, and word seemed to spread. Its careful move to Manchester Avenue’s mostly busy Grove area seems to have been
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Acero
Jim Fiala, a most talented chef and restaurateur (they are different talents), operates three excellent and successful St. Louis restaurants. We’ve had fine meals at all three, but right now we’re happiest – these things can change on very short notice–at Acero, with the Crossing and LiLuMa running close behind. The name is Italian for
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This Week’s Wine, November 23, 2008
Bubbly is beautiful almost any time, but it’s special for Thanksgiving, when people gather at the festive table. A variety of palates sit around it, a variety of food is displayed on top, and sparkling wine not only adds gaiety, but also will work with almost any taste preference or type of cooking. France, and
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Cafe Ventana
Café Ventana’s web site talks about it as having a French Quarter style. And that’s not just because beignets are available — oh yes, and excellent, too. Located on the first floor of an old house (although happily wheelchair accessible) just west of the St. Louis U. campus, it has an easy-going feel that fits
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Sugaree Baking Company
Pie Day is coming! Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. (or, we suspect, until the pies are gone), Sugaree Baking Company in Dogtown sells pie. And if you’re thinking, "Gosh, I can’t eat a whole pie," don’t let that stop you. There are two sizes, 6" and 10", the smaller one perfect
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Modesto
It’s not often that we start a review with the dessert. But we know enough to put first things first, and the first thing today is to hurry to Modesto and try Grace Dinsmoor’s exquisite bread pudding. A relatively new item on the menu, a square of bread pudding arrives with the toffee-like sauce bubbling