the hot list menu of rolls, sashimi and nigiri served up in modest fashion (for modest prices, as well) in their narrow dining room with a sensibility straight out of Tokyo. Central
sweet tooth; don’t get us started about their mouthwatering beignets. Midtown, 314.531.7500. Best Business Lunch
West End, 314.367.2209.
Sage Urban American Grill
Best Spring Rolls
Impress your business buddies or boss by taking them to this understatedly elegant Soulard spot. Inspired by seasons and locally-driven, the menu screams delicious from every angle, from the Gus’ warm pretzels appetizer to the Asian peanut chicken wrap to the Cajun shrimp and crab bisque. And cap your meal by ordering their signature sweet shots, mini desserts that leave you satisfied and your dining guest happy. Soulard, 314.256.1203.
OR Smoothie & Cafe How does OR make an everyday Vietnamese dish like spring rolls stand out? They start with fresh, allorganic ingredients and then take it a step further by offering four delicious varieties—vegan, shrimp, tuna or salmon—with a savory sidekick sauce. Central West End, 314.367.8883. Best Desserts
Kota Wood Fire Grill
Best Wine Menu
This Cajun-influenced restaurant complements its spicy menu with a collection of sweet, satisfying desserts. Milkshakes come in creative sweet tooth combinations, as well as liquorinfused versions. And melt-in-yourmouth bread pudding is topped with a rich, buttery caramel sauce. Midtown,
Wine geeks claim they read restaurants’ wine lists like novels. Much as we love the visible wine library at SleeK, we appreciate the option of delegating the choice of grape, vintage and region to the librarian, er, sommelier. Downtown,
314.535.5577. Best Menu
Herbie’s Vintage 72 To build a stellar menu, Herbie’s started with a few Balaban’s classics (think Beef Wellington, escargot and smoked trout pancakes) and added contemporary dishes that incorporate French, Asian and American flavors and techniques, plus a notable rotating oyster selection. Central West End, 314.769.9595. Best Casual Date Spot
Soulard’s
SLeeK
314.621.9590. Best Tapas
BARcelona If St. Louis could have a so-called “original” tapas restaurant, it would be this Clayton hotspot. The small plates menu features big Spanish flavors and the martinis and cocktails are as bold as the colorful décor. Sure, many places have followed foot—but why would you want to go anywhere else? Clayton, 314.863.9909. Best Late-Night Noshing
Mosaic Lounge
Impressing your date doesn’t have to break the bank. The secret to this restaurant’s longtime success is offering gourmet fare at reasonable prices. So go ahead, splurge on the bread pudding with whisky sauce. You’ve earned it.
The cuisine on this lounge menu shouldn’t really be considered bar food. Sure, there are burgers and fries. The burgers are short ribs with maplesmoked white Cheddar. The fries are truffled frites. From there the menu flits around the globe, with delectable results.
Soulard, 314.241.7956.
Downtown, 314.621.6001.
Best Café
Best Brunch
Café Ventana
Benton Park Café
Technically, a café is “a place people go to eat.” As delicious as its food is, this café is so much more—coffeehouse for university students, lunch for gourmet gurus and those with a serious
Wake up hungry for something different? How about a breakfast pizza with four kinds of meat? An egg burrito with dill sour cream and salsa? Even the classics will leave you salivating. And, of course,
Best View Cielo
Cielo image courtesy of Cielo.
The Arch pops into view from many rooftop patios, but the one on the eighth floor of the Four Seasons is special. Surrounded by the luxury of Cielo’s outdoor tables as the sun sets behind the skyscrapers, real life feels light years away. Downtown, 314.881.2105.
there are bloody marys and spiked coffee. Benton Park, 314.771.7200 Best Healthy Noshing
Local Harvest Café In keeping with the style of the grocer that launched it, this eatery serves local food in biodegradable containers, keeps an eye out for organics and urges its customers to recycle as they leave, with full stomachs and satisfied hearts. Morganford, 314.772.8815. Best Breakfast
Crêpes, etc. The name is true: The crêpes deserve top billing, but without the rest of the menu— buttermilk-pecan waffles, chocolate pancakes, corned beef hash—this would not be such a great place to break the overnight fast. CWE, 314.367.2200.
Best Mexican
Chuy Arzola’s
The original Dogtown destination reopened and relocated to the Coronado building under new ownership—and we couldn’t be happier. It serves its famous fare of enchiladas, tacos, burritos, fajitas and more. A sunken patio the length of the restaurant is the prime place to sip margaritas in the sun. Midtown, 314.644.4430.
Best Rolls
Drunken Fish Some quick tips on this longtime sushi nightspot: The menu offers maki rolls, or makimono, in three types: classic, signature and simple. Some are handrolled; others are shaped with bamboo mats. Some are Japanese; others are Americanized. All are ultra-fresh and delicious. CWE, 314.367.4222. Best Mid-Day Meal for Your Money
Audi K’s Mad Dog, Hound Dog, Junkyard Dog—just some of the two dozen hot dog variations on the menu. Cucumber topping a hot dog may take some salesmanship, but not cream topping a New Orleans shaved ice. Mmmm…sno in summer. CWE, 314.361.0270. Best Group Dining
IceKitchen Gather for a drink in the see-and-be-seen lounge up front, then migrate back into the private rooms for a fusion feast. The small plates are perfect for group grazing while hashing out a plan for the rest of the evening. Westport, 314.542.2000. Best Coffeehouse
The Mud House If your daily coffee stop is for actual coffee, get your fix at this café on Cherokee. The first-roasted Mississippi Mud beans will wake you up enough to enjoy the breakfast menu or, if you must, get to work on time. Benton Park,
Best Mediterranean
Aya Sofia
St. Louis’s only Turkish restaurant has perfected the balance of their many exotic ingredients to bring out multiple rich flavors in every bite. Be sure to share the cold and hot meze (small plates) and be there for the belly dancing. South City, 314.645.9919.
Best Greek
Momos
Avgolemono soup, traditional lamb gyros and mezes like stuffed grape leaves and spanikopita. Maybe they should have named this taverna for the seductive Greek Sirens, because it’s certainly alluring. And that’s just the food. The belly dancers are a bonus. University City, 314.863.3511.
best Italian
Lorenzo’s Trattoria
Amidst a world-famous neighborhood of traditional Italian fare, Lorenzo’s stands out with their contemporary take on Northern Italian cuisine. Be sure to try the authentic house-made gnocchi and risottos, as well as the much-raved-about osso buco. The Hill, 314.773.2223.
314.776.6599. Best All-In-One Destination
RiverCity Restaurants South County’s new casino has the expected eateries—an expansive buffet, a burger grill, an American comfort food café—plus the 1904 Beerhouse, boasting its own house brew on tap, and the first Missouri location of the Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse chain. South County,
best South American
Mango
The Peruvian menu has always been deliciously authentic. Now that Mango’s second location is in the heart of a nightlife district, the latenight Latin vibe feels so real you may start wondering where you put your passport. Downtown, 314.621.9993.
888.578.7289. Best Gluten-Free
The Pasta House Co. This local chain responded courageously to the awkward fact that its main menu item, pasta, was a nogo for those with gluten allergies or intolerance. Its specialized menu offers everything from classic mostaccioli to the famous house salads. Multiple locations, pastahouse.com.
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Worldly Eats
best Thai
Basil Spice Thai Cuisine If your knowledge begins and ends with pad thai, this is the place to expand it. Move on to dishes like tom yum goong (hot and sour soup with shrimp) or paneng curry, and soon you’ll be savoring filet of whole trout. South Grand, 314.776.1530.
JUNE 2010 ALIVE STL 61