Ann Lemons Pollack
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Terrene
When Dave Owens left the rarified air of Plaza Frontenac to open Terrene, straddling the fuzzy boundary between Grand Center and the Central West End, he set the bar rather high, using his own vegetarian ideology to take a different approach to dinner, on both the menu and the plate. Like his former boss,
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Dill Potato Salad
There must be people around who don’t carry a list of measurements around in their head. No, not the inseam and waist size of their trousers or how many yards in a mile. I mean the sort of "ought to" measurements that we absorb, often unconsciously, over the years. Most of them seem to be
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Burger Bar
Parking was proclaimed as free on the recent night when we visited Lumiere Place, and it proved to be the most positive – or least negative – experience during an evening when the blackjack dealer turned hot, the slot machines turned cold and dinner at the Burger Bar was way too expensive, though we had
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Pappy’s Smokehouse
"Why," we asked each other, smiling happily "wasn’t there a place like this when we lived nearby?" Pappy’s Smokehouse is at the intersection of Olive and Cardinal, a block east of Compton, actually facing Cardinal rather than Olive, on the edge of what once was the Brigadoon-like Laclede Town. Ann lived in Laclede Town in
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The Piccadilly at Manhattan
A tip from one of many food fans with whom we chat sent us looking for this quiet neighborhood spot in Maplewood. South of the railroad tracks and east of Big Bend Boulevard, it stands at the corner of Piccadilly and Manhattan, which should be — but isn’t — the intersection of a pair of
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Schlafly Bottleworks Brunch
If there is any meal where using the best ingredients makes the biggest difference, we’re convinced that it has to be breakfast. The difference between cheapo bacon and the artisanal product, for instance, or eggs from battery-raised chickens versus free-range, becomes apparent with the first bite–if not before, given the brilliant color of free-range egg
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Ivory Coast Bistro
Once upon a time, St. Louis had plenty of small bars that also had kitchens. They offered humble food, most of it made on site, and a nearby accountant or salesman might drop in for what was often called a merchants’ lunch, or for a fast sandwich and a glass of beer. In fact, it
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Bar Italia
Once upon a time, Bar Italia was cutting edge. When it first opened in 1983, St. Louis didn’t know what to make of this place that called itself an Italian restaurant but whose menu looked so different. Gelato? Cold bean salad with tuna? Risotto? But people soon caught on, and (well before Starbuck’s arrival in
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Brunch: Capri at the Renaissance Grand
It’s been a cold, gray winter here in St. Louis. But we recently ate brunch sitting in wicker chairs under palm trees. Waikiki? San Diego? Nope. Washington Avenue. The Capri restaurant at the Renaissance Grand, to be precise. Despite the palm trees, this is a very casual spot. Weekend hotel guests aren’t interested in dressing
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Katie’s Pizzeria Cafe
Lots of new restaurants appear to be popping up around town, and Katie’s Pizzeria Café, which we tried recently for an after-theater supper, came as a serendipitous choice — welcoming, tasty and modestly priced. It opens at 6:30 a.m. for coffee, begins food service at 11 and serves until 1 a.m., something only a young