December 2019 Feast Magazine

Inspired Local Food Culture

/

midwest

december 2019

Plus: industry innovators & rising stars

MAKE YOUR HEALTH A PRIORITY FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IN 2020!

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!

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• ALL NATURAL & ORGANIC

• NO PRE-PACKED FOOD

• EAT REAL FOOD

• NO BLOODWORK

• NO EXERCISE

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• NO STARVING YOURSELF

• NO STIMULANTS • NO CAFFEINE • NO DRUGS

• NO COUNTING POINTS OR CALORIES

REAL 30 DAY RESULTS WITH MAXLIFE

CONSULTATION & BIOMETRIC BODY ANALYSIS

MARGIE HAS DONE TWO 30-DAY PROGRAMS WITH US. SHE LOST 21 LBS IN THE FIRST 30 DAYS AND LOST ANOTHER 23 LBS IN HER SECOND 30 DAYS

ONLY $30

Try one of our recipes!

“My health has changed tremendously. I no longer fight my mastocytosis everyday. The program has boosted my immune system to fight off my recurring sinus infections. For the first time in over 15 years, I finally feel like I’m healthy. I no longer take most of my allergy medication. The staff is outstanding.

Thanks for all the encouragement!”

(NORMALLY $100)

LACEY LOST 19 LBS

“As the program has progressed, I have noticed an overall healthier feeling. I am not as tired during the day. I can feel my body getting leaner and I have received several compliments on my weight loss. I have also noticed my thoughts are not fuzzy and my concentration has improved. The staff is very kind and helpful.”

8 2-4 15 2 3

MELISSA LOST 18 LBS

“I feel great! Plus, the weight loss has put me back in my normal size clothes. Everyone who sees me has good comments about my appearance. I can’t wait to add cardio back into my routine because of how great I feel. The staff has been great. They are super helpful and always positive. I would recommend MaxLife to anyone who feels old and crummy!”

½ ½ ½

833-MAXLIFE | MAXLIFEBODY.COM ST. LOUIS

100 Chesterfield Business Pkwy Chesterfield, MO 63005 Suite 209

2

Hormone-Free Chicken Spinach Tomato Soup

KANSAS CITY

11014 Quivira Road Overland Park, KS 66210

oz hormone-free chicken stock cups water oz can diced tomatoes (no sugar added) cups baby spinach oz chopped, cooked hormone-free chicken breast tsp minced garlic tsp basil tsp oregano pink salt and pepper, to taste

| PREPARATION | Combine all ingredients except spinach in a saucepan over mediumhigh heat, and heat until simmering. Add spinach and heat another 2-3 minutes.

Males tend to lose weight more rapidly than females. Average 30 day weight loss is 15-35+ pounds. Results are fast and typical.

feastmagazine.com / dec em ber 2 0 1 9

Program Features:

(What you can expect when opening a black Frank J Kuna box)

1855 upper 2/3rds Choice Angus & Prime Program Cattle sourced from upper Midwestern farms, 40 day aged

Prairie Fresh Prime Pork A much more flavorful and juicy cut of pork

Products are processed using state te of the art equipment Ensuring a much more consistent product and weight

Quality product cut by y a team of experienced meat mea cutters Product trimmed to exact specifications

Visit:

kunafoodservice.com

(618)-286-4000 / d e c e mbe r 2 019

3

PROMOTION PROMOTION

SPREAD THE JOY T H I S H O L I D AY S E A S O N

SIPS THE VOLPI IPA SPRITZ | SERVES | 2 1 6 2 2 2

12-oz bottle clean and crisp IPA, chilled oz blood orange soda, chilled oz Aperol ¼-inch slice hot sopressata ⅓-inch orange half-moon slices

| PREPARATION | Pour half the beer into a 10-oz pilsner glass. Add 3 oz of blood orange soda followed by 1 oz of Aperol. Fill the glass with ice, if desired. Repeat for the second drink. Cut a slit in the sopressata slice and orange slices then place them on the rim of the glasses as a garnish.

BAKED GOAT CHEESE WRAPPED IN GRAPE LEAVES | SERVES | 2 to 4 8 4 24 1 2

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brined grape leaves slices genoa salame, minced Nicoise olives, pitted Tbsp chopped fresh chives 3-oz discs boucheron

PROMOTION

COOKING AND SHARING ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON. That's why Volpi Test Kitchen works to share new recipes meant to spark culinary curiosity and provide simple ways to create elevated dishes in the comfort and warmth of your own home.

MAIN PASTA ALLA GRICIA | SERVES | 4 1 2 ¼ 1 1

lb spaghetti Tbsp EVOO lb guanciale, thinly sliced in ½-strips cup Pecorino Romano, finely grated Tbsp black pepper, coarsely ground

| PREPARATION | Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil and guanciale in a large skillet. Set the skillet over medium heat and cook until the fat has rendered and the guanciale is softened.

Swirl in splashes of water as needed to keep the guanciale moist.

When the pasta is cooked, use tongs to lift it out of the water and drop into the skillet. On high heat, vigorously toss and stir the pasta with the pork fat, slowly adding more pasta water as you go until the pasta is coated in a silky sauce. Remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle the cheese over the hot pasta, allowing it to melt. Serve with fresh ground black pepper and more grated cheese.

SPREAD | PREPARATION | Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

on the parchment, drizzle a little olive oil on top and rub into the leaf. Repeat for second package.

Soak grape leaves, drain and pat dry.

Bake about 6 minutes. Remove to a serving plate, cut through the leaves and spoon out the warmed cheese. Serve alongside crackers, prosciutto, mortadella, pears and marcona almonds.

Stir the salame, olives and chives together in a small bowl. Spoon half of the mixture on top of the center of each pile of leaves, and put a disc of cheese on top. Wrap the leaves around the cheese, covering fully. Flip and place seam side down

MORE ABOUT VOLPI Volpi has been handcrafting charcuterie in America's heartland since 1902. What started as a small shop in The Hill neighborhood in St. Louis has expanded to four curing plants throughout the city and Union, Missouri. Volpi is world renowned for their unparalled dry cured meats – a must have for any holiday soirée. / d e c e mbe r 2 019

5

line leader

PROMOTION

Patrick Russell // Executive Chef, the train shed by aubrey byron The Train Shed celebrated its opening in Union Station on Nov. 18. Located directly across from the much-anticipated St. Louis Aquarium opening in Dec., The Train Shed will feature upscale bar food inspired by sustainable fishing and sourcing.

The new menu by executive chef Patrick Russell will feature appetizers such as Trash Fries, playful bites like the Smoked Burger and entrees like the Tuscan Salmon. The menu will also have pizzas, salads and even vegetarian specials like the Beet Poke.

Russell’s flavor palate and knack for new recipes stem from his experience at notable restaurants like Field & Main in Marshall, Virginia and Max’s Wine Dive in Dallas, Texas. He moved to St. Louis just a year and a half ago to help open The Chocolate Pig. At The Train Shed, he hopes to utilize the technique of scratch cooking in a high-volume environment. His flavor inspirations are influenced by his background, but he says he has been in St. Louis long enough to have an understanding of what

people are looking for there.

“We’re trying to use good technique, source great ingredients and give the city something fun and new,” says Russell.

Because of its proximity to the aquarium, Russell and his team knew they wanted to serve seafood to its visitors responsibly.

To achieve this, they traveled to aquariums around the country to taste the offerings at associated restaurants. They also consulted the St. Louis Zoo and formed a partnership with Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch. All the seafood served at The Train Shed will be Seafood Watch-certified.

The Train Shed will join the recently opened, retro-themed Soda Fountain and longstanding Landry’s Seafood around the Union Station lake. The long bar and décor give a nod to the golden days of Union Station during the World’s Fair. Guests can stop by before catching a Blues game or after a full day at the aquarium and ferris wheel. No reservations are required, but guests can plan their visit with the Yelp app No Wait.

Let's Dish!

tuscan salmon

12 oz ribeye

smoked burger

The Tuscan Salmon is served with olives, grape tomatoes, charred lemon, citrus butter, basil oil and romesco sauce.

The 12-oz Ribeye is served with au gratin potato, asparagus, carrots and a house-made steak sauce.

The Smoked Burger is smoked and braised in BBQ sauce, then topped with cheddar, an heirloom tomato slice and griddled red onions. The burger is inspired by the St. Louis pork steak.

Happy Holidays!

STOP IN TODAY FOR OUR NEW (AND OLD) SEASONAL DRINKS!

Espresso 700 and whole milk paired with our house made brown sugar, rosemary, and vanilla syrup.

House-made cardamom and cinnamon syrup combined with Espresso 700 and whole milk.

Firepot Masala Chai, ginger, and honey are combined and steamed with milk to give you a spicy and warming winter drink.

7 / d e c e mbe r 2 019

Inspired Local Food Culture /

midwest

December

2019

Volume 9 / Issue 12 contributors

Vice President of Niche Publishing, Publisher of Feast Magazine

Catherine Neville, publisher@feastmagazine.com

EDITORIAL

sales

Editor in chief

For advertising inquiries, please contact:

Heather Riske, hriske@feastmagazine.com managing editor

sales@feastmagazine.com 314.475.1298

Rachel Huffman, rhuffman@feastmagazine.com

Special projects coordinator

assistant editor

Aubrey Byron, abyron@feastmagazine.com

Kasey Carlson, kcarlson@feastmagazine.com Kansas City Contributing Editor

Jenny Vergara St. Louis Contributing Editor

Mabel Suen fact checker

Rose Hansen Proofreader

Erica Hunzinger Contributing Writers

Julia Calleo, Tessa Cooper, Gabrielle DeMichele, Amanda Elliott, April Fleming, Teresa Floyd, Juliana Goodwin, Hilary Hedges, Rogan Howitt, Justin Phelps, Lillian Stone, Michaella Thornton, Jenn Tosatto, Jessica Vaughn Martin, Shannon Weber

jenn tosatto

Kansas City, Writer "I think what I really love about pairings is how many different directions they can take. This month, though, when I read the recipe [for the butterscotch pots de crème], I knew exactly what I wanted to

FEAST TV

feature. Wood Hat [Spirits] makes some of my favorite cordials – the

producer: Catherine Neville production partner: Tybee Studios

blackberry, in particular, is out of this

Contact Us

able to feature it. I hope you enjoy it

world. I was extremely happy to be as much as I do! " (On the Shelf, p. 40)

Feast Media, 8811 Ladue Road, Suite D, Ladue, MO 63124 314.475.1260, feastmagazine.com

cheryl waller

Distribution

"When I was asked to photograph

To distribute Feast Magazine at your place of business, please contact Eric Freeman for St. Louis, Jefferson City, Columbia, Rolla and Springfield at efreeman@post-dispatch.com and Jason Green for Kansas City at distribution@pds-kc.com.

ART

St. Louis, Photographer some of the cocktails for Miracle pop-up bar, I was really excited.

I adore Christmas and was thrilled to dig into my Christmas bins to find some of the best trinkets. I was able to pull in some of my grandpa’s and great-grandma’s hand-painted and wooden ornaments. Can you

Art Director

spot them among the trees?"

Alexandrea Povis, apovis@feastmagazine.com

(On Trend, p. 16)

production designer

Kelly Glueck, kglueck@feastmagazine.com

Jenny Vergara

Contributing Photographers

Brandon Alms, Chris Bauer, Zach Bauman, Keith Borgmeyer, Julia Calleo, Tessa Cooper, Anneka DeJong, Judd Demaline, Ana Elliott, Teresa Floyd, Gregg Goldman, Dean Groover, Travis Howard, Anthony Jinson, Mark Neuenschwander, Sam O'Keefe, Aaron Ottis, Spencer Pernikoff, Anna Petrow, Drew Piester, Rolf Ringwald, Jennifer Silverberg, Christopher Smith, Starboard & Port Creative, Mabel Suen, Alistair Tutton, Cheryl Waller, Brad Zweerink Contributing illustrator

James Olstein

Kansas City, Contributing Editor “Our [Best New Restaurants] issue is one of my favorites because it looks at who is making an impact on our food scene today, and who will be tomorrow. It’s inspiring to see how many people are simultaneously pushing Kansas City’s food and beverage industries forward. I look forward to all the good food and drink that is yet to come."

(Kansas City Best New Restaurants, p. 66)

Feast Magazine does not accept unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork.

Submissions will not be returned.

All contents are copyright © 2010-2019 by Feast Magazine™. All rights reserved.

Reproduction or use in whole or in part of the contents, without the prior written permission of the publisher, is strictly prohibited. Produced by the Suburban Journals of Greater St. Louis, LLC.

anthony jinson

Jefferson City, Photographer "For the Rising Stars feature, I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing multiple amazing people and their work. Unfortunately, due to the tight schedule, I didn't get to try many of the dishes I photographed. However, I did get to enjoy an icy glass of Tiger Chef's Thai tea and Sugarwitch's Hagrid ice cream sandwich. I would have never thought potato chips and pretzels in an ice cream sandwich

on the cover Bait in St. Louis by Gregg Goldman table of contents Go Out: Miracle Pop Up cocktails by Cheryl Waller; Stay In: How-To caramel candies by Julia Calleo; Features: Bulrush in St. Louis by Rolf Ringwald

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would be a good idea, but the saltiness combined with sweet butterscotch is so good!"

(Columbia Rising Stars, p. 78)

Go Out

Stay In

/ 16 /

/ 13 /

DINE & DRINK Pirate's Bone Burgers, Turmeric, Surah Korean Cuisine & BBQ, Just A Taste, Mayo Ketchup, Ironhaus Bierhalle & Garten, Lucky Tiger

/ 16 / On TREND

Holiday bars / 18 / SHOP HERE

Rosewood Farms / 20 / one on one

Carol and Susan McLeod of Hold Fast Brewing / 22 / HOT BLOCKS

High Street in Jefferson City / 24 / one on one

Wayne Sieve and Kendele Noto Sieve of Noto / 26 / HOMETOWN HITS

Beanik Cafe and Pastry, Cafe B-29, Sweet Kayle

Soup & Salad Bar

Features

/ 32 /

/ 31 / healthy appetite

Savory Japanese pancakes

with lox and whipped yogurt / 32 / How-to

Caramel candies / 34 / the mix

Ponche Navideño / 36 / MIDWEST MADE Nuts / 38 / mystery shopper Anchovies / 40 / sugar Rush

Butterscotch pots de crème

/ 58 /

57

best new restaurants From taquerias to tasting menus, discover our picks for the most exciting eateries of the year. Plus, meet the people behind the region's top restaurants with our annual lists of Rising Stars and Industry Innovators.

/ 58 / ST. LOUIS / 66 / KANSAS CITY / 72 / SPRINGFIELD / 78 / COLUMBIA

/ 42 / THE DISH

The Pressed Penny Tavern's fried Brussels sprouts / 44 / one on one

Kurtis and Holly Jones of SAVA Trading Co. / 46 / quick fix

Roasted red snapper in vanilla-scented sauce / 47 / culinary library

Ben Parks of Barred Owl Butcher & Table / 48 / crash course Chocolate

In Every Issue

/ 10 / from the PUBLISHER

Best new restaurants / 11 / events / 82 / back burner

/ d e c e mbe r 2 019

9

Letter

from the

Publisher

I

n our annual “best new restaurants” issue, we celebrate the people who are at the top of their food-and-drink game. From the best restaurants that have opened over the past year to the culinary and beverage worlds’ rising stars to the innovators who keep pushing the industry forward, these pages are a tribute to those who are the best of the best.

Our picks for the best new spots to open range from Poi-õ in Kansas City, where Carlos Mortera, Sr., is dishing up vinegar-brined fire-roasted chicken, to Columbia’s Tiger Chef, where Sai Tai and Nang Lont offer Burmese and Thai dishes such as tea-leaf salad, to the Ozark cuisine elegantly plated by the team at Bulrush in St. Louis. The diversity of flavors and perspectives enjoyed at restaurants that have opened up across the region in 2019 is exciting for those of us who are always seeking out a taste of something distinctive and unique.

In the Arts episode of Feast TV, I pulled a traditional Spanish recipe for cod-and-pepper sandwiches from chef Ferran Adrià’s book The Family Meal. You’ll find the recipe in the Feast TV section of feastmagazine.com.

Likewise, the individuals we honor in this issue bring very personal perspectives to their work. In Springfield, Abbie Brown pays tribute to her mom’s home cooking with Brown Abbey Gourmet, her line of impeccable seasonings and dressings. Brad Newkirk is a beloved figure in the Columbia food scene, boiling and baking perfect bagels while dishing out jokes and hugs to his loyal customers at B&B Bagel Co. Iris Green makes vegan and gluten-free baked goods not only accessible, but utterly delicious at The Littlest Bake Shop in Kansas City. And in St. Louis, Chris Kelling draws on years of hospitality experience to ensure that each guest feels at home at Elmwood.

Unlike our annual Feast 50, in which you, dear reader, pick your favorites across a swath of 50 categories from your go-to brewery to your top place for brunch, this is the editorial team’s chance to weigh in on who we think deserves to be celebrated for the caliber of their work regardless of category. It’s a task we don’t take lightly.

Throughout the year, our entire editorial team keeps tabs on who might make this prestigious list. When it comes time to pull the issue together, we collaborate with key contributors to determine who should make the cut. In the Kansas City area, we tapped Jenny Vergara and April Fleming; for Springfield’s picks, we reached out to Tessa Cooper, Juliana Goodwin and Lillian Stone; and Jessica Vaughn Martin weighed in on who should make the list in Columbia.

That collaboration is critical to the success of our “best new restaurants” issue as well as, frankly, every issue we publish.

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We have cultivated relationships with outstanding writers, editors and photographers across our coverage area and we rely on them to help us shape our reporting throughout the year. Without our contributors’ insight and knowledge, we couldn’t effectively or authentically cover what’s happening throughout the region, so as 2019 draws to a close and we welcome the beginning of a new decade, I want to say thank you to not only the core team at our home office, but to our extended family of contributors throughout Missouri, Kansas and Illinois. Each issue is a collaborative process and this, our “best of,” is a reflection of the great work that can happen when you are lucky enough to work with talented and passionate professionals. Just like a great restaurant, a great publication takes a team and I am grateful to every person who makes this magazine possible. Cheers!

Until next time,

Catherine Neville

publisher@feastmagazine.com

Fr om cl as se s to g in co ok ne w ye ar 's Ev e pa rt ie s, pl an th e mo nt h ah ea d w it h fe as t

CALENDAR STL | 12/5 Sample St. Charles Thu., Dec. 5, 5:30 to 9pm; $20 in advance, $25 at the door; Foundry Art Centre, 520 N. Main Center, St. Charles, Missouri; stltoday.com/ourevents

Sample the best of St. Charles – all in one night!

Join us at the Sample St. Charles event for the opportunity to try bites from local restaurants, sip beverages from area breweries, listen to live music, shop from area vendors and more.

mo | 12/7 WinterFest Sat., Dec. 7, 8am to 7pm; Free to attend; 400 W. Main St. and 113 Grand Ave., Festus, Missouri; cityoffestus.org/296/WinterFest---Dec-7-2019

This all-day event includes fun for the whole family! Start the day at breakfast with Santa, and then throughout the day, enjoy ice skating, face painting, fire performers, carriage rides, a petting zoo and food and craft vendors! Don’t miss out.

STL | 12/18 Schnucks Cooks: Roasted Red Snapper Wed., Dec. 18, 6 to 9pm; $45; Schnucks Cooks Cooking School, 12332 Manchester Road, Des Peres, Missouri; nourish.schnucks.com/web-ext/cooking-school

In this class, you’ll learn how to make roasted red snapper baked in a robust tomato sauce with notes of vanilla bean. This dish is a perfect entrée for holiday entertaining.

STL | 12/31 NYE Live! 2020 Tue., Dec. 31, 8pm to Wed., Jan 1, 3am; All-inclusive tickets start at $80; Ballpark Village, 601 Clark Ave., St. Louis, Missouri; nye-live.com/st-louis

Relive your ’90s pop star dreams at the biggest New Year’s Eve Party in St. Louis! Celebrate the new year and pop some Champagne with the Pop 2000s Tour hosted by Chris Kirkpatrick of *NSYNC with performances from O-Town, Ryan Cabrera and LFO’s Brad Fischetti. Enjoy access to six venues, an all-inclusive drink package from 8pm to midnight, complimentary Champagne toast at midnight, the only ball drop in St. Louis and more. / d e c e mbe r 2 019

11

Now Open Reserve your table on OpenTable today.

Sunday – Thursday 5pm – 10pm Friday - Saturday 5pm – 11pm

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Know When to Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-888-BETS OFF. Must be 21 or older to gamble or obtain a Caesars Rewards ® card. © 2019, Caesars License Company, LLC.

Go Out DINE & DRINK

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ON TREND

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SHOP HERE

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HOT BLOCKS

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HOMETOWN HITS

▪ KANSAS CITY

Pirate’s Bone Burgers Written by Jenny Vergara / photography by christopher smith

Zaid Consuegra Sauza and Lydia Palma opened Pirate’s Bone Burgers in the Crossroads this fall, delighting customers with eye-catching plant-based burgers served on their signature activated-charcoal black buns. The bright and cheery space currently seats 25 at a turquoise counter, but there’s room for the pair to expand into a larger diner, which would still be 100-percent vegan. Besides the popular burgers – with patties made from grilled beets, black beans and carrots and Beyond Meat for a more traditional texture – the Sriracha Chix, featuring a Sriracha-spiced “chicken” patty topped with guacamole, greens and vegan cheese on a buttered bun, is a runaway hit. With nothing on the menu more than $5, Consuegra and Palma hope to make plant-based eating accessible to everyone.

2000 Main St., Kansas City, Missouri, plant-based-burgers.com

beet burger with aïoli, greens, guacamole, pickled cabbage and sesame seeds

sriracha chix with Sriracha-seasoned "chicken," guacamole, greens and vegan cheese

/ d e c e mbe r 2 019

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▼ ST. LOUIS

Turmeric Story and photography by Mabel Suen

A new spot for pan-Indian cuisine has arrived in the Delmar Loop in University City, Missouri. Turmeric offers modern takes on traditional dishes such as dosas (thin and crispy south Indian crêpes made from fermented rice and lentil batter).

Intriguing varieties include the truffle masala dosa cooked in truffle oil and stuffed with potato masala hash, chopped cashews and curry leaves and the shepherd’s pie dosa filled with spicy lamb, classic potato masala, fresh cilantro and ghee (clarified butter). Artfully presented small plates and entrées also dazzle diners. Try the cauliflower Manchurian bezule (crispy cauliflower florets tossed in a sweet and tangy Indo-Chinese sauce) or the char-grilled masala halibut wrapped in a banana leaf and served with spinach poriyal, lemon rice and yogurt-fenugreek sauce.

6679 Delmar Blvd., University City, Missouri, turmericstl.com

stir-fried sweet potato noodles with veggies ▶ COLUMBIA, MO.

Surah Korean Cuisine & BBQ Written by Jessica Vaughn Martin / photography by sam o'keefe

From Korean, “surah” translates to “king’s meal,” and in Columbia, Missouri, Surah Korean Cuisine & BBQ duly serves cross-cultural fare fit for royalty.

The wood inlay menus present a triad of cuisines – Korean, Japanese and Chinese – but the Korean specialties are what people are really talking about.

Bulgogi (juicy grilled beef marinated with the traditional salty-sweet sauce), japchae (stir-fried sweet potato noodles with vegetables) and bibimbap in a hot stone pot will leave everyone in your party full and happy.

3510 Interstate 70 Drive SE, Suite A, Columbia, Missouri, comosurah.com

▶ WEBB CITY, MO.

Just A Taste Written by Tessa Cooper photography by mark neuenschwander

Grab a date or rendezvous with friends at the new Webb City, Missouri, location of Just A Taste. The wine bar currently offers approximately 20 house wines under the Eagles’ Landing label, alongside others produced with Missouri-grown grapes as well. From a dry Chambourcin red to the sweet Lake Trip White, you can sample as many wines as your heart desires before committing to a bottle.

Flights are also available, and a kitchen is in the works, but in the meantime, customers can bring food from home to munch on as the evening progresses.

105 S. Main St., Webb City, Missouri, facebook.com/JustATasteWebbCity 14

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▼ ST. LOUIS

Mayo Ketchup Story and photography by Mabel Suen

Mandy Estrella, a.k.a. Plantain Girl, is at it again.

With the opening of her first stand-alone restaurant, Mayo Ketchup, she brings her distinctive Puerto Rican, Cuban and Dominican fare to Lafayette Square.

Estrella heaps slow-braised flank steak, black beans, maduros (fried sweet plantains), avocado and pickled onion over rice in her signature ropa vieja bowl, while the jibarito sandwich (your choice of meat, Swiss-American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and mayo-ketchup layered between twice-fried green plantains) has quickly become another of the restaurant’s mainstays.

2001 Park Ave., St. Louis, Missouri, plantaingirl.com

▲ LEAWOOD, KS.

Ironhaus Bierhalle & Garten Written by Jenny Vergara / photography by christopher smith

Hidden inside the Ironhorse Centre in Leawood, Kansas, Andy Beye’s small German café and beer bar, Ironhaus Bierhalle & Garten, serves local German-style beers from KC Bier Co. on tap, as well as established German favorites. It also produces housemade radlers on-site. With all the frothy pints being passed around, you may be tempted to brush aside the food menu – but that would be a mistake. Several kinds of schnitzel are on offer, made with the highest quality meat from McGonigle’s Market and pounded to order, and the wursts are sourced from Fritz’s Smoked Meats and Superior Sausage Co. and served on Farm to Market Bread Co. pretzel buns. Plus, the spätzle specials are lovingly made from scratch.

5317 W. 151st St., Leawood, Kansas, ironhauskc.com

▶ SPRINGFIELD, MO.

Lucky Tiger Story and photography by tessa cooper

Bold flavors, tantalizing spices, pickled vegetables and fresh herbs make up the menu at Lucky Tiger. The sandwich shop – a concept by City Butcher founder and owner Cody Smith – invites customers to choose between six bánh mì sandwiches, such as the blackened shrimp, beef bulgogi and lemongrass grilled chicken, or four American-inspired sandwiches, such as the Far East Nashville Hot Chicken. Don’t skip the snacks, either: The kimchi tots come topped with Cheez Whiz, kimchi, green onions and sesame seeds; meanwhile, the falafel with Thai basil, mint and garlic is suitable for vegans.

3654 S. Campbell Ave., Springfield, Missouri, luckytigersandwich.com / d e c e mbe r 2 019

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DINE & DRINK

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ON TREND

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SHOP HERE

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HOT BLOCKS

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HOMETOWN HITS

While building out his New York City cocktail bar in 2014, Greg Hoehm decided to pause construction and transform the unfinished space into an over-the-top Christmas bar. Offering themed cocktails in a place decked out with holiday tchotchkes, that first pop-up bar soon blossomed into the nationwide concept Miracle. Now with 100-plus locations around the world and a Tiki-inspired spinoff, Sippin’ Santa, Miracle bars offer signature cocktails, such as the Snowball Old Fashioned, alongside their own creations. Here, a couple local bars show us how they’re getting into the Yuletide spirit this year. -Heather Riske

For more holiday bars, visit feastmagazine.com.

y a d i l o H KANSAS CITY

s r a B

ST. LOUIS

True to its name, Julep is best known for its classic whiskey cocktails, but this year, the Kansas City bar is offering dozens of Christmas-inspired rum cocktails as part of the Sippin’ Santa pop up.

In addition to Tiki drinks such as the Kris Kringle Colada with dark Jamaican rum, Cynar, allspice, lime and pineapple juices and cream of coconut, owners Beau Williams and Keely Edgington are serving up house specials such as the Holiday Cheer featuring bourbon, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, turbinado sugar and mint in a traditional julep tin and the Sugar Plum Old Fashioned. You can feel good about indulging: In honor of Williams and Edgington’s daughter, Lula, who is a cancer survivor, Julep will donate a portion of proceeds to Noah's Bandage Project, a local organization that funds pediatric cancer research. Sippin’ Santa runs Nov. 25 through Dec. 31 at Julep.

The owners of the venerable Planter’s House first introduced St. Louis to the Miracle concept with Miracle on Chouteau in 2016. This year, they’re building on the buzz with two holiday experiences: the Miracle pop up will return to sister bar Small Change in Benton Park, and the team will also offer the Sippin’ Santa experience at 3146 Locust Street in Midtown. Favorites such as Santa’s Helper, served in a Santa’s head mug, and Gelt-y As Charged, served in a Hanukkah glass, will return alongside a few new additions unique to St. Louis. ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, for instance, features Wild Turkey 101 rye whiskey, Averell Damson plum gin, orgeat and an apricot-liquor rinse. Both pop ups run Nov. 25 through Dec. 28.

4141 Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 104, Kansas City, Missouri, julepkc.com

2800 Indiana Ave., St. Louis, Missouri, facebook.com/SmallChangeSTL photography by cheryl waller

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DINE & DRINK

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◀ HARTVILLE, MO.

Rosewood Farms Written by Juliana Goodwin / photography by dean groover

Rosewood Farms offers a holiday shopping experience like no other. Housed in an old stone building on the Boyster family farm in Hartville, Missouri, the retail shop is home to Grandpa Joe’s Chocolates, so named for John Boyster’s grandfather who loved to craft confections and dreamed of owning his own candy store.

When John and Melody Boyster and their now-adult children moved from Arizona to Missouri, they realized Grandpa Joe’s ambition. They opened Rosewood Farms with six of his original recipes and have since expanded their line of chocolates to include more than 100 varieties. The family rises at 3am to start the time-honored tradition of making these sweets, which feature real dairy and no preservatives.

But chocolates are just the beginning: The Boysters also make their own jams, salsas, dips, dressings, glazes, barbecue sauce, ketchup, jewelry and furniture.

7345 Highway 5, Hartville, Missouri, grandpajoeschocolates.com

3

Rosewood Farms Products for Your Holiday Party

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Sweet Bourbon Glaze This marinade will take your holiday ham – or just about any meat or vegetable for that matter – to new heights.

Sea Salt Caramels An old-fashioned buttery caramel drenched in milk or dark chocolate and sprinkled with flakes of sea salt, this bestseller will quickly disappear from any holiday party.

RaspberryJalapeño Jam This housemade jam is produced in small batches with sweet vine-ripened raspberries and spicy jalapeños; simply stir it into softened cream cheese and serve with crackers or tortilla chips.

BRING YOUR FAMILY

HOLIDAY ADVENTURE! for a delicious

WHERE FINE DINING MEETS SMALL TOWN CHARM WWW.DOWNTOWNCAPEGIRARDEAU.COM

1099 Welt Street, Weston, MO 64098

GREENDIRTFARM.COM/CREAMERY

local small batch gifts cheese and charcuterie boards wine and cheese pairings gourmet sandwiches

~ ~ ~

thanks for selecting lachance Vineyards as the best winery in the stl region. we offer lunch wednesday through sunday and dinners thursday, friday and saturday 30 minutes from the south county area

open all year

12237 Peter Moore Lane • DeSoto, Mo 63020

636-586-2777

Wednesday and sunday – 11am – 6pm • Thursday and saTurday – 11am – 8pm • Friday – 11am – 10pm

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ONE ON ONE /

ONE on

SPRINGFIELD, MO.

with Carol and Susan McLeod

/ owners, Hold Fast Brewing from

3 Winter Beers Hold Fast Brewing

Carol and Susan constantly experiment with new brews. Some of their favorite ingredients to play with are Munich malt, El Dorado hops and Fuggle hops; the results have to pass a strict taste test before hitting their taps. “To be honest, Carol and I are more critical of our beers than our customers have been,” says Susan.

“I believe in learning and improving, which is why I like the beer industry.”

amber ale

Crisp to the core, Hold Fast Brewing’s amber ale is a great companion for a relaxing afternoon thanks to subtle notes of a light roast and a delicate hop finish.

Written by tessa cooper / photography by brad zweerink

Sisters Susan and Carol McLeod (pictured left to right) have created more than just a microbrewery in Springfield, Missouri; they’ve carved out the perfect place to relax, reflect and connect with friends. Housed in the former Fire Station 1, Hold Fast Brewing has preserved the building’s rich history by keeping some of the firehouse’s original elements, including the yellow subway tile on the wall, truck markings on the ground, the doors and heaters and the hose tower and ladder – but no climbing, please. In winter, sit near the windows for glimpses of Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Mosque and the top of the Hammons Tower.

But when things warm up again, spend the night on the patio under strings of twinkling lights with your favorite brew in hand.

boondock brown ale

This robust brown ale comes alive with hints of chocolate. Nice and

What encouraged you to open Hold Fast Brewing? A midlife crisis.

[Laughs.] After our dad died, my perspective changed. I didn't want to keep climbing the corporate ladder; I wanted to do something with my family. One day it just kind of came to me: I thought, “I like beer. We should open a brewery.” So I told Susan my idea and she didn't laugh at me. She just said, “Maybe we should brew beer first.”

So we started homebrewing and then every domino kind of fell our way. I got into the American Brewers Guild, landed a job at Dead Armadillo Craft Brewing in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and here we are today.

We actually brewed our first beer ever on our dad’s birthday. It was such a special day because it was Thanksgiving – exactly six months after his passing. –Carol McLeod What distinguishes Hold Fast Brewing from other Springfield breweries? I think mainly our focus on family and community. Our dad was a believer in doing what you love and making sure you support the community you live in. Our drive is to work together and bring people together, which beer does naturally. That’s why we have such a large patio with a beer garden and space for live

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music. I know other breweries offer similar things, but we’re in a good location where we can attract people from all walks of life.

Everybody has a place here. –Susan McLeod Why did you choose the historic Fire Station 1 for Hold Fast Brewing’s location? Old fire stations have been used for breweries before. They have high ceilings and great big garage doors to bring the outside in. We even have a display of items on loan from the Springfield Fire Department to honor the firefighters who called Station 1 home. We are also gathering photos to display on the wall, showing the fire station through the decades. –S.M. I knew we needed this location when we toured it. I fell in love the moment I walked in. I think reminding people it was a fire station is important because it’s part of Springfield’s history. Plus it’s a great way to say thank you to the men and women who protect our city every day. –C.M. 235 N. Kimbrough Ave., Springfield, Missouri, facebook.com/HoldFastBrewing

toasty, it pairs well with smoked cheese or roasted pork.

highlander wheat

Well-balanced with wheat malt shining through and a slight hit of citrus on the finish, this beer goes down easy.

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DINE & DRINK

1.

/

ON TREND

2.

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SHOP HERE

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HOT BLOCKS

3.

High Street

/

HOMETOWN HITS

4.

High Street in Jefferson City, Missouri, is in the nucleus of the river city’s downtown district. A stone’s throw from the Missouri State Capitol, the lively strip beckons politicians, tourists and residents alike with the promise of a hearty lunch platter or a post-press conference cocktail. During the holiday season, strings of white lights brighten the historic brick storefronts, ribbons wrap the streetlamps and wreaths decorate each front door, encouraging you to linger out in the cold a little longer before ducking into one of these eateries to warm up. -Jessica Vaughn Martin

Jefferson City, Mo

Housed in the former Lohman Opera House building, REVEL Catering & Events hosts and caters the gamut of celebrations, from fundraisers and election watch parties to wedding receptions, galas and holiday soirées. Owner Johnny Graham spent close to 20 years in the fine-dining industry before making the switch to catering special events. He also worked as a chef for celebrities (Bruce Willis, Keith Richards and Stevie Nicks, to name a few) and movie productions such as the second and third Pirates of the Caribbean films, which he says gave him the chops needed to pull off large-scale events.

Opening REVEL in 2014 was a homecoming for Graham, who grew up in Jefferson City. Today, the company pairs local goods and services with global flavors to customize each of its affairs.

102 E. High St., Suite 200, Jefferson City, Missouri, reveljcmo.com

2. Sweet Smoke BBQ

3. The Grand Cafe

4. High Rise Bakery

5. BarVino

Sweet Smoke BBQ brings slow-smoked, sauceslathered fare to downtown Jefferson City. After working in resort kitchens at the Lake of the Ozarks, owner and head chef John Biggs, along with his girlfriend, Lila Backes, headed north to pursue a restaurant venture of his own. Sweet Smoke serves classic brisket, burnt ends and pulled pork, but unlike some barbecue joints, it also offers vegetarian-friendly options, including the Beyond Burger made with Beyond Meat.

Save room for sides such as chunky applesauce, pit beans and jalapeño-Cheddar grits.

A prime spot for a sit-down lunch, happy hour cocktail or pleasant dinner date, The Grand Cafe is refined yet relaxed; you’ll find a mix of suits and denim here any time of day. For lunch, keep things simple with a gooey grilled cheese featuring caramelized onions and bacon atop three cheeses (Cheddar, Provolone and goat) between toasted wheat bread. Or pair the small plate of maple-roasted veggies with the slow-roasted duck breast in a sake-soy glaze for dinner. Any dish is best accompanied by a signature drink from the custom-built bar where mixologist Kevin Thompson works his magic.

New to town, High Rise Bakery – catty-corner from its sister restaurant, The Grand Cafe – opened this year. Owner Ben Huhman wanted to expand the hours, space and most of all, menu items available to fans of The Grand. The bakery brings fresh roasted artisan coffee from Kansas City-based Messenger Coffee Co. to the city, which goes great with a warm cinnamon roll or something snagged from the cold case. Patrons can also enjoy brunch until close at 2pm: Think bulgogi tacos, Italian paninis and classic biscuits and gravy. The only low you’ll feel at High Rise is the realization that you can’t order everything.

BarVino’s focus is in the name. Owner Matt Green opened the wine bar this year and uses his experience as a wine rep to stock the cellar, showcasing fine varietals from around the globe.

Although the concept’s foundation is wine, Green doesn’t exclude craft beer and spirits, but rather spotlights Missouri breweries and distilleries with his creative cocktails. BarVino also offers dishes such as the best-selling whipped goat cheese with Mission figs, red-wine gastrique and candied pecans and hosts wine and spirits tastings every month. While you’re there, ask Green about the single black wine glass at the bar.

107 E. High St., Jefferson City, Missouri, grandcafe-jc.com

118 E. High St., Jefferson City, Missouri, facebook.com/highrisejc

204 E. High St., Jefferson City, Missouri, barvino.wine

127 E. High St., Jefferson City, Missouri, sweetsmokebbqmo.com

Tiffany Walker co-owner

Eat. Crepe. Love.

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BarVino

“It’s nice that Jefferson City has a warm, festive place that caters to a crowd that enjoys wine and handcrafted cocktails. BarVino’s small plates are excellent, too, and Matt [Green] is great at finding the right pairing.”

revel catering & events photo by travis duncan; sweet smoke bbq, The grand cafe and high rise bakery photos by aaron ottis

1. REVEL Catering & Events

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@OISHISTL / d e c e mbe r 2 019

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ONE ON ONE

ONE on

/

sT. PETERS, MO.

with Wayne Sieve and Kendele Noto Sieve owners, Noto

must-try dishes at

noto

Written by Heather Riske photography by spencer pernikoff

In Naples, Italy, Wayne Sieve and Kendele Noto Sieve fell in love – with pizza. Wayne was inspired to buy an Ooni wood-fired pizza oven for their backyard and quickly got to work developing his own dough recipe. Over the past few years, the couple has returned to the Amalfi Coast several times with one goal in mind: to bring traditional Neapolitan-style pizza to the St. Louis area. Two years ago, they hit the streets with the Noto mobile pizza trailer,

offering their take on Neapolitan pies in flavors such as classic Margherita and a potato, prosciutto and hot honey number.

This month, the couple is expanding Noto into a full-service restaurant in the former home of Kendele’s family bakery in St. Peters, Missouri. Here, Wayne cooks those beloved pizzas in a roaring 1000°F hand-tiled oven imported from Italy, alongside wood-fired appetizers

such as Calabrese meatballs and fire-roasted eggplant dip served with housemade hearth bread. Inspired by their travels, Noto also serves handmade pastas, Italian soups and an impressive amaro-forward cocktail program. Wayne and Kendele are currently pursuing certification from the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana – above all, they want to respect the craft of those dishes that stole their hearts in Italy.

fried calamari

Inspired by a dish Wayne and Kendele first ate in Praiano, Italy, hand-breaded calamari are flash-fried and then served with leeks and a drizzle of local honey.

margherita pizza

Wayne recommends that all diners start with his personal favorite: the Margherita pizza. A good representation of the Neapolitan style, it’s made with fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, San Marzano tomatoes, Sicilian sea salt and a garnish of olive oil – the simplicity of this pie allows the quality of the ingredients to shine.

Describe the pizza at Noto. It’s heavily influenced by Neapolitan-style pizza – I always say “Neapolitan-style” to respect the craft of Neapolitan pizza because we’re not truly Neapolitan. Our dough ferments for a total of 36 hours: 24-hour bulk fermentation and 12-hour secondary fermentation, which relaxes the structure of the dough. That’s what leads to the bite on the pizza, the softness of it and the air in the crust. Then we cook the pizza at 1000°F and it’s finished within 90 seconds. People describe it as more of a soupy center with a poofy crust. –Wayne Sieve Neapolitan pizza is one of the best styles we’ve ever tasted. We like the char: These little black spots, which they call “leoparding,” that’s a signature of Neapolitan-style pizza. –Kendele Noto Sieve Walk us through some of the pizzas on the menu. We have done a new pizza almost every single week. This summer, we did a seasonal pizza with an olive oil base, local peaches and prosciutto. After the bake, we topped it with arugula, honey balsamic and goat cheese.

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We also like to feature some familiar ingredients, but elevate them with our spin. Instead of doing a plain pepperoni pizza, after the bake we finish it with Calabrese chile flakes and drizzle it with Mike’s Hot Honey. It’s still familiar ingredients, but it nudges people outside of their comfort zone. –W.S. How do you strike a balance between classics and more seasonal pizzas? Everything is as seasonally influenced as possible, but we never veer away from our core menu items. More or less, the Campania and Calabria regions influence our menu, but we plan to have monthly tasting menus to explore different regions in Italy.

[The differences are] just so drastic; you could drive 10 miles in Italy and find a completely different cuisine. We want to do this not only to have fun and get people to experiment with different things, but also to tailor our menu to the neighborhood. –W.S.

stuffed peppers

Noto’s wood-fired oven is good for more than just pizza: Red peppers are filled with an Italian stuffing of olives, capers and onions

5105 Westwood Drive, St. Peters, Missouri, notopizza.com

and then roasted to blistered perfection.

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DINE & DRINK

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ON TREND

bacon quiche

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SHOP HERE

/

HOT BLOCKS

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HOMETOWN HITS

These three delicious destinations are under the radar – but should be on yours.

▶ OZARK, MO.

Cafe B-29 Written by Juliana Goodwin

Paying homage to the U.S. military, Cafe B-29 in Ozark, Missouri, is adorned with black and white photographs of local veterans, vintage military posters and Army-green tabletops.

The juicy burgers at this female-owned business are a fan favorite: The B-29 Brat Burger, for example, features a pepper Jack-bacon bratwurst formed into a pork patty topped with a slice of pepper Jack, sautéed onions and a light drizzle of Sriracha ranch.

The Monte Cristo and Tank Nachos also garner rave reviews. However, no matter what you order, you can expect to leave full: Portions are decidedly generous.

1751 W. State Highway J, Ozark, Missouri, facebook.com/cafeb29

▼ BOLIVAR, MO.

Sweet Kayle Soup & Salad Bar Written by Juliana Goodwin

▲ STE. GENEVIEVE, MO.

Beanik Cafe and Pastry written by Michaella Thornton

This red-brick café on historic Main Street in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, serves quiche and café au lait to make the French proud. Known for her hospitality, Beanik Cafe and Pastry owner Shannon McBride also makes bagels, cinnamon rolls, turnovers and spiced apple and cheese crisscross pastries. Everything here is delicious, as well as morale-boosting: When the flood of 2019 hit this little river town, McBride donated from-scratch pastries to the relief workers.

122 N. Main St., Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, facebook.com/beanikcafe

You never know what you’re going to get when you visit Sweet Kayle Soup & Salad Bar, but you know it’s going to be good. Opened in December 2018, the Bolivar, Missouri, restaurant’s menu features a daily lunch special, two rotating housemade soups and a consistently delicious salad bar – owners Judy and Dusty Ross source the greens locally, make their own ranch dressing and stock the bar with only the freshest toppings. In the past, lunch specials have included a Monte Cristo croissant, a spicy crab roll wrap and Thai peanut chicken nachos. Paired with a peanut butter pie, there’s no better place to take a break from your busy workday.

106 E. Jackson St., Bolivar, Missouri, sweetkaylesalads.wixsite.com/sweetkayle

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First & Only Latin RestauRant in downtown Lee’s summit

We can’t wait for you and your family to experience “A taste of latin”

22 SW 3rd St. Lee’s Summit, MO 64064 • * tasteoflatin.com

Destination: Waterloo, Illinois

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PROMOTI ON

A burst of berries brings a kaleidoscope of benefits SPONSORED CONTENT BY KATHERINE LEWIS

RASPBERRY With their cheerful red color and sweet-tart flavor, raspberries are perfect for perking up cold December days. Just one cup of raspberries brings more than half of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C, and they are filled with antioxidants.

Thanks to their low sugar content, raspberries are stellar additions to diabetic diets.

Berries are wonderfully diverse – if occasionally confusing – fruits. Botanists are quick to point out that, technically speaking, bananas and eggplants are berries while strawberries and raspberries are not. Some varieties can thrive even in freezing temperatures. For others, only the tropics will do. “Heading into the cold and often gray winter months, there’s something special about adding some color to your meals. It can brighten the day that little bit and maybe even lift the spirits,” says Hank Dart, a health communications lead who works in prevention and control for the Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University School of Medicine. “And when that color comes in the form of berries, it can also add some great flavors and a real health boost to your winter menus.”

Berries are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber, as well as nutrients called phytochemicals. Dart explains that phytochemicals are found in many fruits and vegetables (particularly brightly colored ones) and may help ease inflammation, reduce tissue oxidation and inhibit damage to DNA – which in turn might mitigate the risk of some cancers.

It’s been estimated that only about 12 percent of the population consumes the recommended amount of fruit each day. Dart points to eating berries as an easy way to get closer to reaching that goal. “Toss some on your cereal in the morning. Keep a container in your bag for midday snacking. And have a bowl of mixed berries for dessert after dinner,” he says.

Compared to other options in the produce aisle, fresh berries can come with a steep price tag, and they don’t typically have a long shelf life. Dart says that frozen berries can be more affordable and are often just as tasty and nutritious as fresh Hank Dart ones. “And you can keep a stash Health communications lead in prevention and control for in the freezer for whenever you the Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University might want them. Just be sure to School of Medicine choose options without added PHOTO PROVIDED BY SITEMAN CANCER CENTER syrup or sugar,” he says.

BLUEBERRY Though blue and purple fruits and vegetables are somewhat uncommon in nature, that deep, inky color – courtesy of a compound known as anthocyanin – is a tipoff to their significant health benefits. Anthocyanins are a hot topic in research, but they’re thought to help thwart inflammation, microbes, obesity and diabetes, and they may even help in the fight against some kinds of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

in good taste PRESENTED BY SITEMAN CANCER CENTER

CRANBERRY Cranberries are one of only a handful of fruits native to North America.

Although today we tend to associate them with the holiday months, for thousands of years Native Americans have used them to create medicine, dye and even tea from their leaves.

Low in calories and brimming with vitamins C, A and K, cranberries’ famously tart and bitter taste mellows after cooking.

Consider making cranberry jelly or cranberry salsa for a twist on traditional cranberry sauce this year.

Raspberry Pistachio Scones

STRAWBERRY

YIELDS | ABOUT A DOZEN SCONES

2 cups flour ¼ cup sugar 1 Tbsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt 6 Tbsp butter

1 ¼ cup heavy cream ¾ cup raspberries ¼ cup pistachios 2 Tbsp sugar

| preparation | Preheat oven to 425°F. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut up butter into

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SITEMAN CANCER CENTER

tablespoons, and work into the flour mixture with clean hands until it is in pea-size pieces. Stir in the heavy cream until combined. Fold in raspberries and pistachios. Drop 11 or 12 scoops of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush each scone with heavy cream, and sprinkle the remaining sugar on top. Bake until golden, about 20 to 25 minutes.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: 177 CALORIES, 7G FAT, 188MG SODIUM, 26G CARBOHYDRATE, 1G FIBER, 3G PROTEIN

The world’s most popular berry isn’t a berry at all (scientists would call it an “aggregate accessory fruit”), but that hasn’t slowed its roll. Sweet and juicy, strawberries pop up in everything from breakfast to cocktails and desserts, as well as in non-food items like fragrances and facial treatments.

Although strawberry slices can help reduce under-eye puffiness, their best work happens inside the body, where they lower blood pressure and raise good cholesterol.

Plus, they contain more antioxidants than almost any other fruit. / d e c e mbe r 2 019

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PROMOTION

LET’S TALK ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS. This is my favorite time of year, but it’s also probably the busiest and most stressful. Our calendars are booked with parties and special events. We are hosting guests, traveling and shopping for gifts. It’s not the time of year anyone wants to transform their diet. So instead, think of small swaps you can make to your classic recipes to make your holidays a little healthier.

Over the years I’ve become famous for my cranberry sauce.

Each year it keeps getting better. Cranberry sauce is a staple at our holidays so I knew I had to find a way to make it a little healthier. It originally started out as my quest to reduce the amount of added sugar in traditional cranberry sauce recipes. So I reduced the granulated sugar and replaced it with fruit that is naturally sweet, like strawberries and pineapple. I also added spices that have sweet aromas and finished with a little orange zest that has the sweet smell of an orange without the bitterness of the pith. Then it suddenly became the most versatile dish at the holiday table that I make every year. I’ve used it to glaze a turkey, repurposed into a dessert, served with cream cheese as a dip, topped my morning oatmeal and this year I’m trying it on a flatbread as an appetizer. The possibilities of this delicious sauce are endless, which is why it continues to be one of my favorite family traditions.

This recipe also reminds me of my great uncle Gerald and the valuable lessons he taught me. Every holiday for as long as I can remember he would bring his classic dish, canned jellied cranberry sauce. It jiggled and glistened as he proudly carried it in the house on a plate. As a child I was always in awe of how it maintained its unique shape. After he set the plate down on the food table, he would carefully cut it into slices with the notorious ridges from the can still visible. It always tasted amazing and the holidays weren’t complete without it. Now as an adult, I think about the power that food traditions have to bring people together and connect us with our family and friends. What makes a holiday memorable, is what makes it yours. And the secret ingredient is sitting right there around the table with you.

SPONSORED CONTENT BY KARA BEHLKE, REGISTERED DIETITIAN SCHNUCKS DIRECTOR OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS

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CRAN-STRAWBERRY SAUCE SERVES 8

HOLIDAY FLATBREAD SERVES 4

12 oz bag fresh cranberries 2 cups water 1/2 cup sugar 8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained 1 1/2 cup frozen sliced strawberries, partially thawed and chopped 1/4 tsp apple pie spice 1/2 tsp finely grated orange peel

2 Stonefire flatbreads 2 tsp olive oil 2 tsp sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 2 Tbsp chia seed 1 cup cran-strawberry sauce 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled Fresh rosemary

PREPARATION

PREPARATION

Bring water and sugar to boil in a medium saucepan. Add cranberries and return to boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pineapple, strawberries, apple pie spice and orange peel.

Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place 2 Stonefire flatbreads on a baking sheet. Lightly brush flatbreads with olive oil. Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and chia seed. Toast for 5 minutes in oven. Remove and top each flatbread with 1/2 cup cran-strawberry sauce. Top with goat cheese and fresh rosemary. Return to oven for another 5 minutes or until cheese is softened and flatbread is crispy. Cut into strips and serve.

Stay In HEALTHY APPETITE / how-to / THE MIX / MIDWEST MADE / MYSTERY SHOPPER / SUGAR RUSH / THE DISH /

Savory Japanese Pancakes with Lox and Whipped Yogurt

yields 6 pancakes Whipped Yogurt Sauce ½ cup Greek yogurt 1 tsp dried dill ½ tsp honey 1 Tbsp olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

In the season when food memories and traditions are ever-present, I want to shake things up.

Inspired by one of my favorite flavor profiles for the holidays – cured salmon with all the fixins’ – I’ve combined lox with a savory, fluffy and exceptionally delicious Japanese pancake.

It’s the perfect vehicle for everything else that comes on top.

Unlike traditional American pancakes, Japanese pancakes aren’t limited to just brunch – they’re great anytime, anywhere.

Japanese Pancakes 2 egg yolks 2 Tbsp milk 6 Tbsp cake flour 1 tsp salt ½ tsp baking powder 3 Tbsp finely sliced scallions or chives 5 egg whites ¼ tsp cream of tartar nonstick cooking oil spray whipped yogurt sauce, to serve (recipe follows) 4 oz cured lox, to serve 1 small red onion, slivered, to serve chopped fresh dill, to serve

Story and recipe by Amanda Elliott, chef-co-owner, Beet Box in Columbia, Missouri Photography by Drew Piester

/ preparation – whipped yogurt sauce / Mix yogurt with dill, honey and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside. / preparation – japanese pancakes / Whisk egg yolks with milk. Sift flour, salt

and baking powder over egg yolk mixture and stir until fully incorporated. Add scallions or chives. In a separate mixing bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until thick, stiff peaks form. Slowly fold egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture, ¹⁄₃ at a time, being careful not to deflate.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, turning down to low heat once warm. Spray pan with nonstick cooking oil spray. Pour ¼ cup of batter into pan to form each pancake; cover with lid. After 2 to 3 minutes, open lid and pour an additional ¼ cup of batter on top of each mound (the goal is to form thick, high pancakes); cover and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Open lid and gently flip each pancake; cover and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pancakes from pan and garnish with yogurt sauce, lox, red onion and dill. Serve warm.

PA I R IT! pair with: Vidal Blanc

Bright and refreshing, the Blissful Vidal Blanc from The Peculiar Winery in Peculiar, Missouri, is a dry white wine with notes of apple and crisp citrus. It will bring a nice touch of acidity to these savory Japanese pancakes, like squeezing a wedge of lemon over the lox. –Hilary Hedges peculiarwinery.com

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HEALTHY APPETITE / how-to / THE MIX / MIDWEST MADE / MYSTERY SHOPPER / Sugar rush / THE DISH /

QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

During the holidays, I can't seem to get enough of little candy dishes (fully stocked, of course) scattered around the house. They come in handy when you have company or even when you’re by yourself and your sweet tooth starts to act up.

Caramel candies are an easy and long-lasting treat for times like these and also make a great hostess gift during the holidays.

Recipe and photography by Julia Calleo, writer and recipe developer, mylavenderblues.com

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This recipe yields 50 caramels.

Line an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.  Spray lightly with nonstick cooking oil spray.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 1¼ cups  heavy cream, 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine 1¾  cups granulated sugar, ¹⁄₃ cup light corn syrup and

vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon salt; stir until butter melts.

Remove from heat and set aside.

¼ cup water until a thick paste forms. Wipe down sides of pan to stop sugar crystals from forming.

Cook over medium-high heat for approximately 7  minutes, letting syrup come to a boil without stirring.

Slowly pour warmed cream-butter mixture into syrup  and gently whisk until fully combined. (The mixture will

Increase heat back to medium-high and bring mixture  to a boil (do not stir). When caramel begins to turn a

Once sugar reaches 250°F on a candy thermometer – before it reaches 320°F – turn off heat.

bubble, so go slow to avoid splatters and burns).

reddish-brown color and the temperature reaches 240°F to 245°F on a candy thermometer, remove pan from heat.

Pour caramel into baking dish lined with parchment  paper and let sit out at room temperature for 4 hours.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flaky sea salt on top  and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour before cutting

Wrap individual caramels in a small square of wax  paper and twist paper at either end.

caramels into small squares or rectangles.

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HEALTHY APPETITE / how-to / THE MIX / MIDWEST MADE / MYSTERY SHOPPER / Sugar rush / THE DISH /

QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

This hot, booze-free Mexican punch is the perfect way to heat up your holidays. Hibiscus, cinnamon, guava and tamarind are standout ingredients that will make the long, dark winter nights a bit brighter. Want a boozy version?

Add your favorite aged rum or brandy to individual mugs.

Story and recipe by Rogan Howitt, beverage director, Good Spirits & Co. in Springfield, Missouri Photograph by Starboard & Port Creative

Ponche Navideño

yields 1 gallon

◀ Hibiscus Flowers Also known as Jamaica, these bright pink dried flowers add natural color and subtle tannic and floral flavors to food and drink.

They can be used for simple syrups, tea and aguas frescas, too.

Piloncillo ▶ Minimally processed sugarcane from Central America, piloncillo is reminiscent of dark brown sugar and usually found in cone or block form.

◀ Tamarind This fruit resembles a large, tan bean pod when fresh, but it can also be found in paste form. Sour by nature, tamarind packs huge flavor and is often found in savory dishes.

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1 4 2 2 12 ¼ 2 1 8 1 1

cup dried hibiscus flowers large cinnamon sticks (not Ceylon) star anise pods cones piloncillo (or 2 cups brown sugar) guava, quartered cup tamarind paste apples, diced orange, sliced in wheels with rind intact oz (4-inch-long) sugarcane stick cup prunes cup pecans (optional)

This ingredient list may look daunting, but most items can be found at any well-stocked Latin market.

/ preparation / In a small saucepan over high heat, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add hibiscus and remove from heat; steep for 20 minutes. Strain liquid into large stockpot and discard solids. Add 12 cups water to pot. Add cinnamon, anise and piloncillo and bring to a boil, stirring often to break down sugar cones.

Stir in remaining ingredients, lower heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes. / to serve / Top with rum, brandy or your favorite cold weather spirit. Serve hot.

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HEALTHY APPETITE / how-to / THE MIX / MIDWEST MADE / MYSTERY SHOPPER / Sugar rush / THE DISH /

QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

Good things come in small packages – in this case, we’re talking about nuts. Each type has its own superstar qualities, adding sweet, earthy or bitter flavor along with some crunch to a range of dishes. Missouri is teeming with these nutrient-boosters, from pie-ready pecans and wild black walnuts to locally made butters and flavorful mixes.

Written by Rachel Huffman / photography by chris bauer

It all started in 1972 with a single pecan nut cracker. Since then, Miller Pecan Farms in De Witt, Missouri, has expanded into a full-fledged family business that supplies reliable, high-quality pecan products to customers near and far. You’re welcome to pick your own pecans after the farm weathers its first freeze of the year and they drop from the trees. But if that seems like a tough nut to crack, you can buy everything from hickory-smoked pecans and pecan caramel patties to praline pecan ice cream topping and pecan syrup from the comfort of your own home at millerpecanfarms.com.

Go Nuts

Savory, sweet and spicy, the premium roasted nuts from Thēz Nüts are handcrafted in small batches and seasoned with locally sourced herbs and spices.

The Smokey Sweet KC BBQ almonds are a nod to the company’s hometown, while the cinnamon candied pecans – baked in organic cane sugar, cinnamon and vanilla – are a crowd-pleaser this time of year. Love spicy foods? Thēz Nüts also makes bhut jolokia (ghost pepper) peanuts. Go nuts and grab a bag of all three flavors at Kansas City-area stores, such as all Made in KC and Rally House locations, and select Fresh Thyme locations in St. Louis, or online at theznuts.com.

Craig von Foerster

chef, harvest in Rogersville, Missouri

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Grab a spoon – gourmet nut butters are having a moment. At worker-owned cooperative East Wind Nut Butters, peanut, almond and cashew butter are sustainably milled and packaged in the secluded Ozark hills of southern Missouri. Whether you’re into raw or roasted, smooth or crunchy, natural or certified organic, these addictive spreads are the perfect sandwich stuffer or straight-out-of-the-jar snack. Feeling adventurous?

Fill Medjool dates with gooey almond butter or whip up Thai peanut sauce from East Wind’s smooth peanut butter. Find more ideas at eastwindnutbutters.com.

Distinct, naturally bold flavor, incredible versatility and impressive health benefits make wild black walnuts a standout. Family-owned and -operated since 1946, Hammons Products Co. processes black walnuts hand-harvested by farmers across the Midwest and East-Central U.S. at its plant in Stockton, Missouri. Each year, the plant shells approximately 25 million pounds of black walnuts, producing edible nut meat for consumers and ground nut shells for industrial use. Black walnuts are a favorite in sweets – Prairie Farms and Baskin-Robbins both make black walnut ice cream with Hammons nuts – but they also add earthy flavor to savory dishes such as chicken, fish, wild rice and salad. Hammons sells them by the bag, baked into cookies, breads and brittle and as all-natural black walnut oil online at black-walnuts.com.

Hammons Black Walnuts

“Every fall, [my wife], Tamara, and I feature Hammons black walnuts on the menu at Harvest. Topping the list is a flourless black walnut cake with black walnut-bourbon-honey ice cream. Seasonal greens get additional earthiness with candied black walnuts, [but] now that it’s holiday season, the black walnut fudge is also a must!”

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HEALTHY APPETITE / how-to / THE MIX / MIDWEST MADE / MYSTERY SHOPPER / Sugar rush / THE DISH /

QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

Do you recoil at the mere thought of tiny tinned fish?

Maybe you’re doing it wrong.

What Is It? Anchovies – and their friends sardines and sprats – are little fish you can sometimes find fresh or frozen, but most often they live in steel tins in the canned fish aisle, reviled by passersby who don’t understand them. I know that people have had bad experiences and some can’t get past the thought of an oil-slicked fish sliding down their gullet, but tastes change over decades – and that’s not really how anyone eats them anyway.

What Do I Do With It? Anchovies are less fishy than you’d imagine, exuding a saltier umami funk. Don’t try to eat one straight out of the can or even garnish your pizza with them – you may hate that, and it’s truly not the best use of anchovies. Instead, melt some butter into olive oil, add chopped garlic and slide your anchovies into the mix. Voilà! You have bagna càuda, an Italian sauce similar to fondue that you can serve with anything. You can also whip up a classic Caesar dressing, add depth to creamy potato dishes with a few anchovies or use them as part of a wet rub for a leg of lamb, beef tenderloin, skillet rib eye or pork loin. Not only do anchovies add the salty hit that meat craves, but they crust up beautifully when seared.

Written by Shannon Weber, writer and recipe developer, aperiodictableblog.com photography by Jennifer Silverberg

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Anchovy-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Anchovy-Lemon Butter

serves 8 Pork Tenderloin 2 2-oz tins anchovies in oil, drained 5 cloves garlic, smashed 3 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper 3 lbs pork tenderloin (about 1½ lbs each), at room temperature kosher salt, for sprinkling anchovy-lemon butter, for serving (recipe follows)

Pork tenderloin is an easy way to serve a crowd: A quick sear in cast iron gets them going, and you can get your side dishes together as they finish in the oven.

This recipe calls for an anchovy-based rub, which creates an appetizing crust around the tenderloin. It’s a dramatic presentation that looks like you worked way harder than you actually did.

Anchovy-Lemon Butter 6 Tbsp unsalted butter 2 Tbsp olive oil 6 tinned anchovy fillets, drained 1 Tbsp lemon zest pinch chile flakes juice of 1 lemon / preparation – pork tenderloin / Preheat oven to 400°F. Add anchovies,

garlic, rosemary, mustard and pepper to the bowl of a food processor; pulse until mixture has broken down and is combined, but not completely smooth. Set a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat while preparing meat.

Sprinkle tenderloins with salt; remove anchovy mixture from food processor and rub evenly over both tenderloins. When skillet is hot, sear tenderloins – one at a time – on all sides until deep golden and crusted, 2 minutes per side. Transfer first tenderloin to a dish while searing the second. Place both tenderloins back in cast iron, leaving 1 to 2 inches of space between and transfer to oven. Roast until thermometer registers 140°F (for medium-rare with a little pink), then remove and tent with foil for 10 minutes. / preparation – anchovy-lemon butter / While pork is cooking, melt butter in a

small saucepan with oil, stirring occasionally. Add anchovies, lemon zest and chile flakes and simmer, pressing anchovies against bottom to dissolve, 2 to 3 minutes.

Once anchovies have dissolved, whisk mixture until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in lemon juice. Set aside and keep warm until ready to use. / to serve / Slice pork tenderloin against the grain and lay on a platter; drizzle with anchovy-lemon butter and serve hot.

pair with: Double IPA

PA I R IT!

Urban Chestnut's STLIPA (pronounced “sta-leep-ah” at the brewery) is a Double IPA with the extra hops and malt needed to match the intensity of these flavorful fish. The subtle caramel flavor from the malt aligns nicely with the crisp sear of the pork while the pungent hops complement the anchovies without suppressing them. –Justin phelps urbanchestnut.com

HEALTHY APPETITE / how-to / THE MIX / MIDWEST MADE / MYSTERY SHOPPER / Sugar rush / THE DISH /

QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

serves 6 Butterscotch Pots de Crème 3 cups heavy cream ½ tsp kosher salt ½ vanilla bean, split and seeded 7 large egg yolks 3 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 cup packed dark brown sugar mascarpone cream, for garnish (recipe follows) Speculoos cookies, crumbled, for garnish

Store-bought are fine; I use the Lotus Biscoff brand, but Trader Joe’s also has a good version of this spiced cookie.

Mascarpone Cream ½ cup mascarpone ½ cup heavy cream ½ vanilla bean, split and seeded ¾ tsp sugar / preparation – butterscotch pots de crème / Preheat oven to 300°F.

Bring a pot of water or large tea kettle to a simmer and set aside. Set 6 ramekins, each with a 5-ounce capacity, in a large baking pan. In a medium saucepan, combine cream, salt, vanilla bean seeds and scraped pod.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside. Add egg yolks to a large bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, over low heat, melt butter. Add sugar and increase to medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar melts and mixture turns a dark amber color and begins to smoke, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in cream mixture to avoid splattering.

Return to heat and whisk mixture until smooth, approximately 1 minute.

Whisking constantly, gradually pour the hot butterscotch mixture into the yolks. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or pitcher.

Divide the custard evenly among the ramekins and carefully pour hot water into the baking pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Lightly cover pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or just until custard has set in the center and no longer ripples when you nudge the edge of the pan.

Remove pan from oven, set on cooling rack and uncover. Let cool for 20 minutes, then carefully remove each ramekin from water bath and set back on cooling rack to cool completely. Cover and chill

Don’t skip this step! Straining the custard is key to a silky texture, removing any hardened sugar or overcooked egg from tempering the yolks.

in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. / preparation – mascarpone cream / In a bowl, combine mascarpone,

Pot de crème is a French custard akin to American pudding, only richer and more luxurious.

The custard base is baked in a water bath ensuring a gentle and even heat that prevents curdling. These pots de crème have a deeply caramelized butterscotch flavor with an ultra-silky texture. The whipped mascarpone cream on top has a hint of acidity to balance out the sweet custard, and it’s all garnished with crumbles of spiced Speculoos cookies.

Story, recipe and photography by Teresa Floyd, Food writer and recipe developer, now-forager.com

Pots de crème can be made several days in advance. Keep them covered and chilled until ready to serve or make the custard base the day before and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake the next day.

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cream, vanilla bean seeds and sugar. Using a hand-held mixer, beat mixture until it forms medium peaks. / to serve / Add a dollop of mascarpone cream to the top of each

butterscotch pot de crème and sprinkle generously with crumbled Speculoos cookies.

pair with: blackberry cordial

PA I R IT!

Just as this dessert balances the richness of the custard with the slight acidity of the mascarpone cream, Wood Hat Spirits’ Berry Berry Cordial achieves a similar equilibrium. When prepared like a traditional sour, the blackberry cordial draws out sweet notes in the caramel custard, while providing a fruitiness that blends beautifully. In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 1 ounce vodka, 1 ounce Berry Berry Cordial, ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice and ½ ounce simple syrup; shake to combine. Strain over ice in a rocks glass and serve. –Jenn Tosatto woodhatspirits.com

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HEALTHY APPETITE / how-to / THE MIX / MIDWEST MADE / MYSTERY SHOPPER / Sugar rush / THE DISH /

fried Brussels sprouts Executive chef Tim Marrant and owner Gordon Roberts of The Pressed Penny Tavern in Kansas City recently released a brand-new menu for the Hemingway-inspired Westport bistro. While it now features comforting, but dialed up dishes – think pork medallions with spätzle, fried whole quail and lamb meatballs in a savory blueberry sauce – there’s one dish that’s stood its ground. The fried Brussels sprouts with candied lemon, walnuts, honey and prosciutto bits are too popular to be replaced. –Jenny Vergara Recipe by Tim Marrant, executive chef, The Pressed Penny Tavern

QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

with Candied Lemon, Walnuts, Honey and Prosciutto Bits

serves 4 Candied Lemon 2 lemons ½ cup granulated sugar

Photography by anna petrow

Fried Brussels Sprouts 1 Tbsp finely chopped prosciutto 2 Tbsp olive oil ½ lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved or quartered salt, to taste ¼ cup honey, divided candied lemon (recipe follows) 1 Tbsp finely chopped walnuts / preparation – candied lemon / With a

sharp knife, carefully cut peel off lemons, making sure to leave as much of the white pith on whole lemons as you can. Dice the lemon peel. Place peel in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, 6 minutes. Strain lemon and return to heat; cover with water again and add sugar. Simmer for another 6 minutes, or until the lemon peel starts to become translucent. Strain and allow to cool. / preparation – fried brussels sprouts /

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay out prosciutto. Bake for 12 minutes, or until crispy. Meanwhile, heat oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat until it simmers.

Add sprouts and cook undisturbed until the undersides turn golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip sprouts and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

“This is the dish we bring to all of our food events and tastings because it’s perfect. It’s a little bit of everything: sweet, salty and crunchy.”

–Tim Marrant

/ to serve / Drizzle a plate with 2 tablespoons honey. Pile seasoned sprouts on top and garnish with remaining honey, prosciutto, candied lemon and walnuts.

Andrew Cameron

owner

Donutology 42

feastmagazine.com / dec em ber 2 0 1 9

The Pressed Penny Tavern

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available at your favorite local retailer. / d e c e mbe r 2 019

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ONE ON ONE /

ONE on

kansas city

with Kurtis and Holly Jones

Written by Rachel Huffman / photo courtesy of sava trading co.

From just outside Kansas City, SAVA Trading Co., so named for the Sava region of Madagascar from which it sources its vanilla beans, is curating high-quality vanilla and cultivating change among the Malagasy people.

Founders Kurtis and Holly Jones lived in Sambava, Madagascar, for two years. As they adapted to the culture and learned the local language, they began building relationships with the Malagasy, and although they had to relocate in 2014 due to personal reasons, they left their hearts behind. To maintain their connection to that special place while living in Kearney, Missouri, the husband-and-wife team joined forces with farmers from the remote region of the island nation to start a business that would empower their community and provide consumers stateside with direct-trade vanilla.

/ founders, SAVA Trading Co.

Initially, why did you go to Madagascar, and what led you to start SAVA Trading Co.? We believe it’s a privilege to live our lives for others. We chose to live in Sambava, [Madagascar], specifically, because it is such an isolated area; it’s considered “the island on the island” because it’s so difficult to get to and there was no written language in the local dialect nor access to the gospel. –Kurtis Jones We had no intention of ever starting a vanilla business – although approximately 80 percent of the world’s vanilla does come from the region we were living in; we simply wanted to love the Malagasy people well. So when we had to leave abruptly, we sought out a way to still have a positive impact on their lives, to empower and encourage them. –Holly Jones How did you learn enough about vanilla to start SAVA Trading Co.? When we went into villages to teach or dig wells, everyone was either harvesting or drying vanilla, depending on the season, and so we naturally learned about it. Vanilla comes from the vanilla orchid, which is a vine-like plant native to Mexico. That vine takes three years to produce a flower and when that flower opens, you have 12 hours to pollinate it. In other parts of the world, there’s a bee that naturally pollinates the flower, but it hasn’t been introduced to Madagascar, so the pollination process is done by hand on the island. The farmers take a thorn and press the male and female part of the orchid together, and nine months later, a bean forms. –H.J. It’s an extremely labor-intensive process, and when you think about the fact that one flower produces one bean, it gives you a new appreciation of vanilla. –K.J.

Classic Vanilla Bean Frosting

yields 2 cups Recipe courtesy of Holly Jones

1 small SAVA Trading Co. gourmet vanilla bean

½ cup butter

½ tsp SAVA Trading Co. vanilla extract

2½ cups powdered sugar

2-3 Tbsp half and half

“Vanilla frosting is a baking staple. In this recipe, using a quality vanilla bean creates the perfect flavor profile; soon you’ll want to frost everything from cinnamon rolls to scones to pretzels. Around the holidays, we also like to make festive cocktail rims – frosting-rimmed Champagne, anyone?” –H.J.

/ preparation / On a clean work surface, lay vanilla bean flat and cut down the length of the bean, being careful not to cut

through the other side. The bean will be a little tough to cut, but once it’s open, scrape out the small, black specks inside – this is referred to as the “caviar.” (Do not discard the spent vanilla bean pod; you can use it to flavor cream, milk or sugar.)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add vanilla caviar and butter; whip until light and fluffy.

What separates SAVA Trading Co. from other vanilla producers? Firstly, the climate in Madagascar is perfect for growing vanilla, and the Malagasy farmers’ curing process is unique to the island, which distinguishes their product, and in turn, our products, from other vanilla. –K.J. A Malagasy farmer’s quality of life drastically improves or worsens depending on the price of vanilla: Right now, the price is approximately five times higher than it has been in years.

It’s a bittersweet turn of events. While a roaring vanilla trade is great for the country’s economy, it has also sparked greed, vanilla theft and violence. The farmers are sleeping in their fields to protect their crops. Not only does it take an unbelievable amount of work to pollinate the flowers and procure the vanilla beans, but now farmers are dealing with this stress and worry, as well. They’re being tempted to pick their beans early, but that decreases the quality of the vanilla – the bean is ready just before it rots, when it has the highest concentration of vanillin. Because we import our beans directly from our Malagasy friend, Dylan – we trust him and he trusts us – we know our beans have had time to mature on the vine. It’s our relationship with him and all the farmers that allows us to cut out the middlemen that usually take away from farmers’ profits and integrity. We’re able to pay farmers above market value and still offer the best quality vanilla at a reasonable price to our customers here in the U.S. –H.J.

Add vanilla extract, powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons half and half; whip until fully incorporated (mixture should still be light and fluffy). If necessary, add more half and half, 1 teaspoon at a time (up to 1 tablespoon), to reach desired consistency.

Use immediately – the frosting works especially well with sugar cookies and pumpkin bread.

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SAVA Trading Co. sells vanilla extract and whole beans; visit savatradingco.com to see all its available products.

Where can AAA Travel send you this holiday season?

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COSTA RICA

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FRANCE

CANADA

HOLLAND

GERMANY

SPAIN

JAPAN

CARIBBEAN

ENGLAND

ICELAND

CHINA

You only live once — don’t miss the good stuff. Discover European river cruising, the Hawaiian Islands, Canadian rail journeys, or an Alaska land-and-sea adventure. Our travel agents have access to special offers and amenities with the best cruise lines and tour vendors.

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AAA members must make advance reservations through AAA Travel to obtain Member Benefits and savings. Not responsible for errors or omissions. Your local AAA club acts only as an agent for its travel vendors and is a motor club with a principal place of business at 12901 N. Forty Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141. Copyright ©2019 Automobile Club of Missouri. All Rights Reserved

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HEALTHY APPETITE / how-to / THE MIX / MIDWEST MADE / MYSTERY SHOPPER / Sugar rush / THE DISH /

QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

In this class, you’ll learn how to descale and debone fish, plus how to expertly open a vanilla bean pod to extract the seeds.

Roasted Red Snapper in Vanilla-Scented Sauce A flavorful fish is especially welcome during the cold winter months. This roasted red snapper baked in a robust tomato sauce receives floral notes from the vanilla bean, which elevates the dish and makes it festive enough for holiday entertaining.

Written by Gabrielle DeMichele / Photography by Jennifer Silverberg

Get Hands-On Join Feast Magazine and Schnucks Cooks Cooking School at 6pm on Wed., Dec. 18, at the Des Peres, Missouri, location to make the dishes on this month’s menu. Tickets are just $45 for a night of cooking, dining and wine.

serves 4 to 6

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup fennel, cored and thinly sliced

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup dry Marsala wine

1 vanilla bean, split

1 tsp chopped fresh oregano

1 28-oz can whole San Marzano tomatoes with juice

¼ tsp sea salt 4 to 4½ lbs whole red snapper fillet

1 lemon, cut crosswise into thin slices

1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

MAKE THE MEAL • • • • •

Wilted Lettuce Salad Roasted Red Snapper in Vanilla-Scented Sauce Oven-Baked Rice Pilaf Oven-Roasted Cauliflower Lemon Curd Layer Cake

/ preparation / Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large roasting pan over medium high heat, melt butter with olive oil. Add fennel

and sauté, 3 minutes. Add onion and sauté, 5 minutes. If onion starts to brown, lower heat. Add wine and vanilla bean and bring to a boil; reduce wine for approximately two minutes. Add oregano, tomatoes and salt; reduce heat and simmer, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and scoop out vanilla bean.

Lay fish in sauce, spooning some over the top. Add lemon slices around fish. Place roasting pan in oven and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until fish is done (the flesh should be opaque and flake easily when poked with a fork). Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve with sauce.

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CULINARY LIBRARY /

Columbia, mo

with Ben Parks / chef and co-owner, Barred Owl Butcher & Table tSince opening in 2016, Barred Owl Butcher & Table has cemented its place as one of the

most forward-thinking restaurants in Columbia, Missouri. That’s largely on account of chef

and co-owner Ben Parks, who marries local, hyperseasonal ingredients with a whole-animal philosophy in dishes such as beef blood-oxtail ragÙ, fried headcheese with radish kimchi and a butcher board loaded with housemade cured meats, terrines and rilletes. Here, he shares three cookbooks that have earned a permanent spot on his shelf. –heather riske

The Science and Lore of the Kitchen

Au Pied de Cochon: The Album:

2,000 Recipes from 20 Years of

A Cookbook from the Celebrated

America’s Most Trusted Food Magazine Restaurant by Martin Picard (2008)

by Harold McGee (1984)

by the Editors at America’s Test Kitchen (2011)

“This is a dense read for sure, but I've probably used it more than any other culinary text. It doesn’t contain recipes; it’s more of a textbook on the science of food and cooking than anything else. I think understanding why ingredients do what they do in the kitchen is hugely important, and this book explains that. It’s worth it for the chapter on eggs alone.”

“If there’s a dish you haven't tried to make yet, this cookbook is an excellent starting point.

The folks at America’s Test Kitchen do a great job of developing their recipes; everything is thoroughly researched and explained. I think of it as a Joy of Cooking or The New York Times Cook Book kind of foundational reference with a more modern aesthetic.”

“This one is kind of cheating because it’s out of print and not widely available, but if you come across a copy, I highly recommend you buy it.

The recipes are fantastic and over-the-top on their own, but the photography and illustrations are really what make it special.

It captures the hedonistic vibe of what makes one of Montreal's great restaurants so important. Bonus points for a fantastic introduction by [the late] Anthony Bourdain.”

photo by aaron ottis

On Food and Cooking:

The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook:

They're Not Hard to Shop For...

They Want Tacos.

VALID AT ANY MISSION TACO JOINT LOCATION:

SAINT LOUIS: Soulard | Delmar Loop Central West End | Streets of St. Charles KANSAS CITY: East Crossroads South Plaza

www.missiontacojoint.com

/ d e c e mbe r 2 019

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HEALTHY APPETITE / how-to / THE MIX / MIDWEST MADE / MYSTERY SHOPPER / Sugar rush / THE DISH /

QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

is ubiquitous, so much so that we think of it as a singular ingredient, like an apple. It’s just simply there, readily baked into cookies and cakes or devoured all on its own.

Because of its vast availability, we often take it for granted and don’t give the chocolate-making process much thought – that’s a shame considering the amount of meticulous work that goes into producing even the most mainstream varieties.

This holiday season, let’s take a deep dive into chocolate: where it comes from, why it matters and how to treat it right once you get your hands on it.

Written by Shannon Weber, Writer and Recipe Developer, aperiodictableblog.com Photography by jennifer silverberg illustrations by james olstein

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It’s Beginning to Look a Lot LikeChocolate

When asked to describe chocolate, words such as rich, smooth, shiny, creamy and bittersweet spring to mind.

These are accurate descriptions of the finished product, but chocolate’s origin story begins with the cacao tree, in ridged, drooping sunset-colored pods from exotic locales – a world away from our supermarket shelves. Making the journey from bean to bar is no small task: Each step is vital to the final outcome.

Harvest

Fermentation

Roasting & Grinding

Cacao trees can be fragile, but the pods they grow are tough as nails – getting inside usually means a few swift blows from a rock or machete-style knife. Once open, the interior reveals a column of what looks like giant bleached corn due to a creamy white pulp that surrounds the beans. Depending on the size of the pod, each contains 20 to 50 useable beans.

During the fermentation process, beans are boxed together for two to eight days – close quarters in tropical climates mean temperatures rise quickly, causing natural yeasts and microorganisms to release enzymes, which then begin to develop flavor and round out the bitterness of the raw fruit.

After fermentation, beans dry in the sun for one to two weeks, adding complex character to the final product. Things begin to get personal at this stage: Specific methods of fermentation allow producers to actively customize the flavor profiles of their chocolate.

Roasting kills any bacteria that managed to survive the drying process and adds another layer of flavor to the beans. Some manufacturers pre-roast, which separates nibs from shells by heating them quickly and brings more beans into production in less time. Others slow-roast, which gives them more time to carefully develop the specific flavors they want to taste in their bars.

Pods are harvested by hand because of the inherent fragility of the trees and oftentimes split open by hand as well to preserve the integrity of the fruit. An experienced worker can harvest approximately 1,500 pods a day and spend the next day cracking them open – that’s the equivalent of approximately 120 pounds of finished chocolate.

2 A Hot Number The percentage listed on any given variety of chocolate indicates how much of it is derived from cacao beans. Here’s some guidance on how to choose the proper percentage for all your baking needs.

Note: Some traditional chocolate in Central and South America is produced using unfermented beans, but it is the exception to the rule.

Once beans are roasted, it’s time for the grind: Fans blow the cracked shells away from the cacao nibs, which are ground into chocolate liquor, a paste-like substance that contains both cocoa solids and cocoa butter. After the cocoa butter is pressed from the solids, they're ready to be made into chocolatey treats.

Conching & Tempering Since the harvest, the cacao beans have been broken, heated, transformed and stripped down; conching is where they get built back up. The prepared beans can be finely ground together with sugar, milk powder, milk, cocoa butter and vanilla to begin the final step from humble fruit to luxurious chocolate bar – a process that can take hours or days. Bars are then tempered (p. 50) to ensure what you bite into has a glossy sheen and a snappy finish.

Based on where they grow, cacao beans have specific qualities, subtle differences and layers of flavor that evolve and harmonize to create a wholly satisfying experience in the end. Take the time to learn where your favorite chocolate comes from.

guide to percentages 100%

Unsweetened / Pure cacao

Baking only: Don’t bite into this one expecting the flavor you crave; save it for homemade brownies and cakes.

70% to 85%

Bittersweet

If you’re snacking on chocolate for the perceived health benefits, stick to this range of percentages: It has the highest levels of antioxidants. Throw it in baked goods, as it lends excellent flavor to cookies and ganache.

50% to 70%

Semi-sweet

A versatile percentage with broad appeal: Semi-sweet chocolate is regularly eaten on its own, but it’s also a no-brainer for cookies and candy.

10% to 35%

Milk chocolate

In order to create a whole product, milk chocolate relies on “fillers” comprised of dairy and sugar. Mild and creamy, this chocolate is for eating only, as it can fade too easily into the background when baked.

Honorable Mention: White "chocolate" – comprised of cocoa butter, vanilla, milk and sugar – isn’t technically chocolate, so it doesn’t have a percentage associated with it. The cocoa butter makes it a chocolate-adjacent product, which can be used in baking, but if you’re going that route, seek out a high-quality white chocolate. You’re looking for a brand that has true vanilla bean and sweet cream flavor; cloying and plastic-tasting products won’t do. / d e c e mbe r 2 019

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HEALTHY APPETITE / how-to / THE MIX / MIDWEST MADE / MYSTERY SHOPPER / Sugar rush / THE DISH /

fever for the flavor Chocolate is perfect just as it is, but sometimes you want a little something extra. Infusing it with everything from herbs and spices to extracts and essential oils is a great way to put a personal spin on homemade goodies, but you have to know how to do it, or it’s a disaster waiting to happen.

Chocolate mixtures -

rather than straight melted chocolate – are the easiest way to infuse your chocolate.

If you’re making a chocolate sauce, ganache or truffle, simply add flavor to the melted butter or cream in your recipe prior to adding the hot liquid to chopped chocolate.

See more details on p. 51.

Melted chocolate

is trickier because a few drops of liquid will cause it to seize up and ruin your day.

If you have to infuse pure melted chocolate, do so using essential oils or flavoring oils specifically designed for use in chocolate. But proceed with caution: Oils are strong, and a few drops can mean the difference between flavorful and inedible.

Have you dreamt of recreating the glossy chocolates fetchingly displayed behind the shop window of your favorite chocolatier, only to watch things slow-motion fall apart when you attempt the process at home?

Me too, and it’s infuriating.

Tempering chocolate is a finicky process full of specific steps, and it’s hard to come back from even the slightest mistake. However, if you think you’re up to the challenge, here’s how to give it your best shot.

QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

Temper

Tantrum Start with high-quality chocolate with no more than 70 percent cocoa Here, “high-quality” means no unnecessary fillers to gum up the works, and 70 percent cocoa or lower provides the cocoa butter you need to make the magic happen.

Make sure the bowls and utensils you’re using are bone dry Even the smallest droplets of water or steam can make chocolate seize, so keep any and all water at a safe distance.

It’s also important to keep the water in your double boiler to a slight simmer to avoid splashing and excessive humidity.

Use a digital thermometer A few degrees here or there may not matter in other instances, but such imprecision can devastate your chocolate. Digital thermometers give you exact readings, making it easy to know when to proceed to the next step.

Temper at least two pounds of finely chopped chocolate at a time Two pounds may seem like a lot, but any less and temperatures become more difficult to maintain. You can’t “re-temper” chocolate (with much success, anyway), so make sure you have a recipe that calls for that much chocolate.

Find a method you’re comfortable with There is more than one way to temper chocolate, so look for a method you can manage, gather your tools and read through all the instructions (including temperature variations for dark, milk and white chocolate) before you begin. Steer clear of “foolproof” methods that use the microwave or those that don’t mention a thermometer – I don’t trust them, and neither should you.

Does the mere thought of tempering make you hyperventilate?

Enter couverture chocolate: the universe’s gift to amateur chocolatiers. Specifically designed to melt into glossy liquid, it circumvents the entire tempering process and bestows a stunning, shiny end result on its dependents. Couverture chocolate, ranging from dark to white, can be found at most grocery stores – a quick online search will help you locate a source near you.

let them

chocolate

When chocolate seizes, you know it: Things start to feel thicker as you stir and the mixture that was shiny and smooth seconds before begins to dull and clump as grains form.

The more you stir, the worse it gets, and your

This recipe gives you a solid foundation for making truffles, but as your confidence begins to grow, let your creativity flow.

Infuse the ganache or embellish the exteriors. If you’re nervous about trying a new variation, halve the recipe and make a test batch for yourself before doling them out to your holiday guests. For an irresistible base chocolate, seek out Missouri bean-to-bar chocolatiers Askinosie Chocolate in Springfield and Patric Chocolate in Columbia.

heart breaks a little. Can this chocolate be saved? Maybe, but you can no longer use it for candy-making purposes. Once chocolate seizes, that particular dream is over. But if you’d like to repurpose it, try one of these methods.

Stir solid vegetable shortening or vegetable oil, one tablespoon at a time, into the chocolate to loosen things up and smooth it out. Repurpose the final product by chopping it up and throwing it in your favorite cookies or brownies, slice it into shards to decorate a cake or grate it into warm milk for homemade hot chocolate.

Boil a cup of water and add it to the chocolate, one tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. Go slow and don’t over-liquefy the mixture. Once things even out, use the watered-down chocolate for sauces, drizzles, ganache or truffles.

expert tip The difference between fine-flavored chocolate and commodity-grade chocolate is so vast; use the [highest] quality chocolate that you can afford. Starting with the best ingredients will set you up to make something great!

–Christopher Elbow, owner, Elbow Chocolates in Kansas City

chocolate truffles yields 30 to 40 truffles

12 oz high-quality 55 to 70 percent chocolate, finely chopped 1 cup heavy cream 1 Tbsp unsalted butter

/ preparation / Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside.

Add heavy cream and butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat; stirring frequently, cook until mixture is steaming. Just before it begins to bubble, remove from heat and pour over chocolate. Let stand 3 minutes without touching, then whisk mixture slowly until it

begins to come together. Continue to whisk, increasing speed, and scrape the edges of the bowl as needed, until mixture is completely homogenized (smooth and glossy). Transfer to refrigerator and chill uncovered, 2 hours.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Once ganache is firm enough to scoop, use a spoon to scoop out ½ tablespoon of ganache as you would ice cream. Use a second spoon to release ganache from first spoon and use your fingers, rather than your palms, to work into a smooth ball . Place truffle on sheet pan. Repeat with remaining ganache. Transfer truffles to refrigerator; allow to set for 1 hour, or freeze for 1 to 2 hours if coating them in melted chocolate.

From here, you can eat the truffles as they are, or take them to the next level with fun infusions, decorative drizzles or a flavorful coating.

b infusions

Fresh herbs (rosemary, mint, thyme) Fresh chiles, seeds removed Whole or ground spices (cinnamon, cardamom, cayenne) Fresh grated ginger Vanilla bean seeds or vanilla bean paste

Add to cream-butter mixture just after butter has melted.

Espresso powder Extracts (vanilla, almond, peppermint) Essential oils (lemon, orange, lavender) Liqueurs (brandy, Cointreau, amaretto, Kahlúa)

b COATING

Finely chopped nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, pine nuts), toasted and cooled

Toasted coconut Cocoa powder Crushed toffee Crushed peppermint sticks Fruit powders (pulverized freeze-dried fruit) Rainbow sprinkles and chocolate jimmies

Stir in after removing from heat.

After refrigerating truffles for 1 hour, remove from refrigerator and warm with hands to ensure an even coat.

Sprinkle a clean work surface with coating and roll each truffle in it.

drizzle Strain out any solid ingredients after removing from heat and before adding to chocolate.

Melted chocolate

After freezing truffles for 1 to 2 hours, remove truffles from freezer and drizzle melted chocolate on the top.

Chill in refrigerator again to set.

Chill in refrigerator again to set. / d e c e mbe r 2 019

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PROMOTION

H OLIDAY GUIDE 2019

T

he holidays are for sipping hot cocoa by the fireside, basking in the glow of festive lights and spending time with those we love. But we all know the looming list of those to buy for can weigh on these memorable moments. Don’t let the daunting task of shopping tarnish your holiday. We have the perfect gift ideas to mark the food and drink lover off your list and the events that will have you wanting to soak up the season.

/ d e c e mbe r 2 019

53

PROMOTION

LOCAL

GIFTIDEAS F O R T H E H O L I DAY S FOR THE CHEF

The Volpi family has been handcrafting internationally charcuterie heart off SSt. Louis rrecognized e cogniz e d cha rcuterie in the he ar t o t. L ouis ffor or ffour our generations America’s-Test-Kitchenge nerations – ssince ince 1902. A meric a’s-Test-Kitchenaapproved pprove d VOLPI PROSCIUTTO is the ultimate unexpected perfect holiday une xp e cte d ffind ind aand nd p erfe ct ffor or aany ny ho liday board.

Bee ssure ssnacking nacking b o ard . B ure tto o aalso lso eexplore xplore the nearly uniquely varieties ne arly 30 uni quely sspiced pice d ssalame alame va rieties and endless pairing accoutrements throughout Volpi’s retail shop on The Hill. $8 per 3-oz package Volpi, 5256 Daggett Ave, St. Louis, Missouri; VolpiFoods.com

FOR THE HOST Looking for the perfect gift for that holiday hostess? Order a DELUXE SAUSAGE & CHEESE BOX filled with charcuterie-grade sausage and cheese ready to ship. Made from Burgers' Smokehouse family recipes, you are guaranteed the best taste in every bite. Boxes ship free anywhere in the lower 48 states, so you can finish your holiday shopping from home! $75 Burgers’ Smokehouse, 32819 Highway 87 South, California, MO 65018; 800.624.5426; smokehouse.com

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&

BY

TREAT

A U B R E Y B RYO N

F O R T H E S N AC K ADDICT

Give the gift of chips with an OLD VIENNA HOLIDAY GIFT BASKET! Share the original chips of the ‘Lou with a basket that includes a Red Hot Riplets t-shirt, original sauce and seasoning, stickers and a mixed case of chips – five each of Red Hot Riplets, Red Hot Corn Chips and Southern BBQ Sweet and Spicy. $50 shipped or $40 picked up Old Vienna, 345 S Old Hwy 141, Fenton, Missouri; 636.343.3050; oldviennallc.com

FOR THE GRILLMASTER G Give ive the p perfect erfect ggift ift ffor or the B BBQ-lover BQ-lover in lifee – the BOGART’S GIFT BOX! yyour our lif Bring home taste off B Bogart’s with B ring ho me the tas te o ogart’s w ith this grill-ready gift box that includes Bogart’s famous sauces, rubs, a Bogart’s decal and stylish gray and black Bogart’s cap. $60 Bogart’s Smokehouse, 1627 S. 9th Street, St. Louis, Missouri; bogartssmokehouse.com/shop

PROMOTION

HOLIDAY HAPPENING

F O R T H E H O L I DAY E N T H U S I A S T Take the elevator to the 26th floor as your favorite rooftop bar transforms into a winter wonderland for the whole month of December. Featuring Christmas-themed cocktails and

festive holiday décor, celebrate the holiday season “UP ON THE ROOFTOP !” Holiday cocktails include favorites inspired by holiday movie classics such as Tickle Fight from “Elf,” Moose Mugs from “Christmas Vacation” and Love is All Around from “Love Actually.”

Three Sixty, 1 S. Broadway, St. Louis, Missouri; 360-stl.com

FOR THE CORDIAL DRINKER For the person with a stocked bar and knack for mixing, what do you get?

BERRY BERRY CORDIAL is a unique and local addition to any bar cabinet. The artisan cordial is made from locally grown blackberries macerated with clear distillate and raspberries. It can be enjoyed mixed with champagne, in a cocktail or neat. $30 for 375ml Wood Hat Spirits, 489 Booneslick Rd., New Florence, Missouri; 573.216.3572; woodhatspirits.com/ berry-berry-cordial

FOR THE SOCIALITE What do you get for the loved one that already has too much stuff ? An experience!

Purchase a certificate for a PRIVATE TASTING PARTY for up to 10 people that includes a designated wine steward, an hour of tasting the entire wine list, as well as charcuterie provided. The recipient can choose their date and who to bring! Get half off before Dec. 15. $125 on sale, $250 value Augusta Winery, 5601 High St., Augusta, Missouri; 888.667.9463; AugustaWinery.com

FOR THE MIXOLOGIST

FOR THE W I N E - LOV E R

Give a unique gift with three bottles of EXPERIMENTAL SPIRITS by the highly-awarded craft distillery, Still 630. These conversationstarters are the perfect local gift for parties, gatherings and the bar of any holiday host. Each quarter, distillers craft a different spirit for every palate: bourbons, single malts, barrel-aged gins and more.

Enjoy the taste of authentic St. Louis spirits. $60

For that wine-lover in your life with a rich palate, LA TROP PORT Style Wine is the perfect holiday gift. This sweet red dessert wine has notes of intense dark plum, cassis and blackberry fruit. It pairs well with nuts and soft cheeses as well as chocolate-based desserts. La Chance has produced a beautifully intense and robust wine in the classic Port style. $26 for 375 ml, $49 for 750 ml LaChance Vineyards, 12237 Peter Moore Lane, DeSoto, Missouri; lachancevineyards.com

Still 630, 1000 S. 4th St., St. Louis, Missouri; still630.com

/ d e c e mbe r 2 019

55

experience x p e ri ence experience xperience

i s so ur i aa missouri issouri missouri

tradition. tradition. since 1927, Burgers’ since 1927, Burgers’ smokehouse has Been smokehouse Been dedicated tohas smoking dedicated smoking and curingtomeats and and curing meatsfoods and other specialty other specialty foods to Be enjoyed in homes to Be enjoyed in homes across the state. across the state.

we’re w e’re open open 8 a.m. - 5 pp.m. .m. monday - friday we’re w e’re op en 8 a.m.through - 5 pp.m. .m. christmas monday - friday and open saturdays eve and saturdays through christmas eve

find us at your local retailer find usor at or you oclaine l retailer derrlon on&line for or youor r de horme gifts. for your home & gifts.

smokehouse.com s mo k e hou s e.c o m | 800-624-5426 800-6 24 -5 42 6 | 32819 3 2 819 highway 87, california, mo 65018 smokehouse.com s56mo k e hou s e.c o m | 800-624-5426 800-6 24 -5 42 6 | 32819 3 2 819 highway 87, california, mo 65018 feastmagazine.com / dec em ber 2 0 1 9

What’s the best new restaurant?

As food writers and editors, it’s a question we hear often – and one that’s often difficult to answer. We’re fortunate to have so many excellent restaurants opening in our neighborhoods, from high-end tasting menu concepts to taquerias to, believe it or not, a restaurant specializing in vegan junk food. In the following pages, we share our picks for this year’s best new restaurants that have opened in St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield and Columbia from November 2018 to October 2019.

These can’t-miss spots are pushing boundaries and defining local flavor – but most importantly, they’re the restaurants we want to return to again and again.

We’re also celebrating the people who make these restaurants run on a daily basis, from line cooks to bartenders to pastry chefs, with our annual list of Rising Stars. These folks are making waves in their industries – and though you might not know their names just yet, you certainly will soon.

You will, however, likely recognize the names of our Industry Innovators. Each year, we honor the seasoned pros who continue to push the envelope in the local food-and-drink scene, from restaurateurs to artisans to hospitality pros.

There’s never been a better time to dine and drink locally – for proof, just turn the page. m Written by Kasey Carlson, Tessa Cooper, April Fleming, Juliana Goodwin, Rachel Huffman, Catherine Neville, Heather Riske, Lillian Stone, Jessica Vaughn Martin and Jenny Vergara

2020 is shaping up to be a delicious year.

Visit feastmagazine.com in mid-December for our list of the most-anticipated restaurants slated to open in the coming year. / d e c e mbe r 2 019

57

|best new

Elmwood

Many new restaurants aim to strike a delicate balance, to be a place where guests can indulge in several courses and a nice bottle of wine for special occasions, but where they also feel comfortable bellying up to the bar for a burger and a beer.

Few restaurants actually succeed at this – but Elmwood does in spades. And the Maplewood, Missouri, restaurant delivers yet another one-two punch: exceptional service under the direction of co-owner Chris Kelling, which only enhances the

inventive menu from chef and co-owner Adam Altnether.

The heart of the restaurant is the charcoal-fired Josper grill and oven combo – one of the only of its kind in the country – which adds flame-kissed flavor to vegetables, proteins and even desserts. Sweet potatoes are buried in embers and puréed into a special take on baba ghanoush, and raw oysters are coal-roasted and drizzled with funky naam jim chile sauce.

In addition to a standout wine list, the bar program delivers an of-the-moment cocktail menu split into full-, low- and zero-proof sippers – ensuring there’s something for every occasion. –Heather Riske photo by rolf ringwald

| best new

Indo

Nick Bognar set the bar high for his first restaurant. After transforming his family’s 20-year-old restaurant Nippon Tei into one of the city’s best spots for sushi, he earned a James Beard semifinalist nomination for Rising Star Chef of the Year – and his star continues to rise.

At Indo, which he opened in the Botanical Heights neighborhood in St. Louis this summer, he offers an experience unlike any other in town. The menu spotlights his expertly cured sashimi and nigiri alongside plates that highlight his Thai heritage, including lamb tartare inspired by the minced pork salad laab and what is perhaps his signature dish, Isaan hamachi, flavored with Thai kosho and coconut nam plam. Bognar’s omakase menu – a tasting menu featuring upwards of 20 dishes limited to just six diners a night – sells out quickly, and for good reason: It offers some of the most ambitious – and delicious – food in town. –H.R. photo by rolf ringwald

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| best new

Balkan Treat Box

If there was a single dish to win the hearts of St. Louis diners this year, we’d argue for Balkan Treat Box’s pide. The boat-shaped Turkish flatbread is loaded with seasoned meat, the daily vegetable or cheese, plus creamy kajmak, tangy ajvar, herbs and cabbage; it's quickly become the calling card for the acclaimed restaurant. Having put down roots in Webster Groves, Missouri, earlier this year after making a name for itself as a food truck, the eatery still gets a line out the door most days. Owners Loryn and Edo Nalic specialize in traditional wood-fired Turkish and Bosnian fare: In addition to signature dishes from the truck, you’ll find an expanded menu including lahmacun (Turkish pizza), patlidzan (wood-fired eggplant) and balik ekmek (grilled whitefish) served with somun. And although the restaurant operates in a casual, quick-service setting, every dish comes from the heart. –H.R. photo by spencer pernikoff

2019 | best new restaurants | st . louis | best new

Bulrush

The long-anticipated Bulrush opened in Midtown this past April, offering diners a unique taste of what chef-owner Rob Connoley calls Ozark cuisine. Connoley spent a considerable amount of time researching the foodways of the people who settled in the Ozarks, the mountainous region that extends from Missouri to Arkansas, Oklahoma and even part of Kansas. Known for his focus on foraged ingredients, Connoley weaves fresh and preserved items – such as pawpaw, acorn flour and pickled elderberries that he and his sous chef, Justin Bell, pluck from fields and forests – into dishes that evoke flavors of traditional cooking, albeit with a fully modern approach. The seven-course menu evolves with the seasons. But if you want to experience Connoley’s cooking without the commitment of a multi-course dinner, grab a seat at the bar, where you can dig into entrées such as turkey thigh with grits and collard greens. –Catherine Neville photo by rolf ringwald

| best new

| best new

Utah Station

The Bellwether

With second- and third-floor views that give diners a look at downtown St. Louis and a patio that encourages lingering, The Bellwether is a welcome addition to the city’s culinary scene.

The menu, spearheaded by executive chef Thomas Futrell, features familiar, yet intriguing dishes such as scallop carpaccio, which pairs silky raw scallop with a smoky bacon-lemon vinaigrette, earthy chanterelles and sweet Asian pear. Lamb meatballs are plated with bluecorn grits, a sweet-spicy Calabrian pepper jam and lavash made with lamb fat. Crispy falafel with red quinoa, kale, marinated cucumbers and blistered tomatoes are drizzled with a vegan tzatziki that lends the dish its creamy zing. Flavors are in balance here, salt and spice playing off heat and bitterness. And don’t ignore the pastas: The English pea ravioli is deliciously rich, with rosé-braised chicken and crispy chicken skin complementing the peas’ fresh sweetness.

Pick a cocktail from beverage director Travis Hebrank’s well-constructed list to cap your evening as you watch the sunset from this elevated perch. –C.N. photo by Rolf Ringwald

| best new

Malinche

Chimichangas aren’t often associated with elevated Mexican fare, but the Mestizo Norteño at Malinche is an exception to the rule. Far from traditional, it’s the only Mexican-American dish on the menu at the Ellisville, Missouri, restaurant, which instead focuses on authentic cuisine from Mexico City.

Co-owner Angel Jiménez-Gutiérrez, who owned the now-shuttered Señor Pique in Ballwin for 13 years, named the restaurant for the Nahuatl woman who played a key role in the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire – and in tribute to his mother and head chef, Doña María Gutiérrez Molina. Fittingly, then, Malinche draws on more than 150 years’ worth of family recipes, offering small plates with big flavors, from the arrachera calavera tacos with bone marrow to yes, a chimichanga, which puts all other versions to shame. In the cozy shotgun-style space, diners will start to feel like part of the family – especially after the complimentary amuse bouche hits the table. –H.R. photo by rolf rinwald

Chris Bertke wants to make one thing clear: Utah Station is not a health-food restaurant.

Sure, it focuses on vegan and vegetarian fare, but here, the chef and longtime vegan is simply making the food he wants to eat. Unlike many other like-minded eateries, Utah Station’s menu centers on vegan riffs on junk food, from the towering Big Mak burger to crispy, crunchy deep-fried Crack Tacos inspired by Jack in the Box. Instead of relying on tofu and commercial plant-based proteins such as the Impossible Burger, Bertke crafts his own meat substitutes in-house, which show up in everything from oversized toasted ravioli to the house gyro.

Utah Station flips the table on the traditional restaurant menu, offering 10 percent meat items (including a BLT and grass-fed beef burger) alongside 90 percent vegan items. By satisfying the most indulgent of cravings, Bertke is pushing the boundaries of plant-based dining. –H.R. photo by rolf ringwald

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Sultan Mediterranean Restaurant

In January of this year, The Grove neighborhood in St. Louis welcomed a new destination for Kurdish cuisine. Sultan Mediterranean Restaurant’s comprehensive menu invites groups of diners to share as many dishes as the table – and their stomachs – can hold, from creamy hummus and smoky baba ghanoush served with fresh naan to sheeshbarak (steamed dumplings stuffed with beef, onion and parsley) and tilapia seasoned with dill, chives, onion and lemon juice and cooked in a saffron curry sauce that is known to impel plate-licking. Through their family-run restaurant, owners Akram Saeed, Jenar Mohammed and their daughter, Media Saeed, share the dishes of Mohammed’s youth with the community. They explain that every dish at Sultan includes either rice, bread or meat, as per tradition, and they personally eat the same lentil soup they offer at the restaurant with breakfast, lunch and dinner – maybe you should, too. –Rachel Huffman photo by rolf ringwald

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Chao Baan

Three decades after the Prapaisilp family opened the venerable King & I on South Grand Boulevard – which introduced many St. Louis diners to Thai food – they are again pushing the envelope.

Their new restaurant, Chao Baan, in The Grove neighborhood, focuses specifically on rustic dishes found in the northeastern Isaan and southern Pak Tai regions of Thailand, where chef and co-owner Shayn Prapaisilp’s mother and father grew up, respectively. “Chao Baan” roughly translates to “of the people,” which gives you some idea of the shareable, homestyle fare that you’ll find on the menu. But what’s truly extraordinary about the restaurant is its inherent ability to expand guests’ palates: Curry and pad Thai devotees will soon be singing the praises of miang kham (perilla leaves wrapped around dried shrimp, toasted coconut, ginger, chile, onion and lime) and khao tod nam sod (crispy rice with fermented pork, ginger and cilantro). Shayn doesn’t hold back when it comes to flavor – Chao Baan offers authentic dishes cooked the authentic way, which in many cases means a scorching level of heat. It’s these bold, unexpected flavors found in the two regional Thai cuisines presented at Chao Baan that differentiate it from the litany of Thai restaurants serving central Thai cuisine in the city. –R.H. photo by rolf ringwald

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Bait

It turns out geography is not destiny. St. Louis is more than 800 miles from the closest ocean, but Bait succeeds in transporting diners to a luxurious seaside locale with chic tropical décor, stunning live florals and, most importantly, unbelievably fresh seafood and fish. Chef Ceaira Jackson creates her tantalizing dishes with ingredients sourced from fishermen who ship them to her the day after they’re caught – almost nothing is more than a day old when she gets her hands on it.

Seafood-lovers won’t want to miss the Caribbean red snapper: Substantial enough for two, Jackson plates a whole fried snapper with Caribbean rice and pickled Napa cabbage slaw, alongside a trio of sauces: mango salsa, chimichurri and hot pepper. Start with Thai red curry mussels, carrots three ways or the lobster salad with perfectly poached lobster, marinated asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, pea shoots, white Cheddar cheese and supremed orange wedges on a bed of arugula and spring greens tossed in a Champagne-citrus vinaigrette. No matter what you order, Bait proves that you can still experience exquisite seafood and fresh fish in the landlocked Midwest. –R.H. photo by mabel suen

Zac Adcox

2019 | best new restaurants | st . louis

Indo

Zac Adcox, general manager and beverage director of Indo, isn’t afraid to give credit where credit is due – he’s quick to brag about his co-workers. But although he’s humble, he has plenty to be proud of himself. With remarkable precision, Adcox harmonizes the beer and wine selection at Indo with the food menu, sourcing bottles no one else in the area can seem to get – including what was once Missouri’s only case of a certain Newman rosé. His beverage pairings emulate the uniqueness of chef-owner Nick Bognar’s dishes. “I’m trying to do my own thing – like what Nick is doing in the kitchen,” says Adcox. “I always want to be creating, but in the right way: I want to prioritize the needs of my guests and take care of my staff.” The young trailblazer also seeks out winemakers who use sustainable practices to match the practices of the fishermen who supply Indo. And the restaurant’s kitchen works with plenty of other alluring ingredients – from Thai basil to lemongrass – that Adcox incorporates in cocktails. Mixing a little of the old world and a little of the new, above all, he wants everyone at Indo to have fun while they’re there. –R.H. PHOTO BY gregg goldman

Quinn Corrigan

Bemiston Cocktail Club

W rising stars

If you enter Bemiston Cocktail Club as an avowed gin hater, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll leave as a fan. Bar manager Quinn Corrigan works hard to create an approachable environment at the Clayton, Missouri, bar and after he’s established a rapport with guests, often encourages them to try new things. He oversees a small, focused menu of bottled and batched cocktails designed to be made quickly – and you’ll frequently find him bending the ear of the bar’s regulars to chat about different spirits and classic beverages. Aside from the set menu, Corrigan creates weekly, often seasonally inspired, cocktails, ranging from the summery Bye Bye Blackbird with gin, blackberry and thyme to the autumnal Corner Pocket with rye, cassis, amaro, allspice and baked apple. Corrigan – who honed his craft under some of the best bartenders in the city at Blood & Sand and the now-shuttered Público and Randolfi’s Italian Kitchen – strikes a careful balance at Bemiston Cocktail Club, delivering exciting, high-quality cocktails in a place that feels like home. –H.R. PHOTO BY gregg goldman

Ceaira Jackson

Bait

Adaptability and everlasting passion have shepherded Ceaira Jackson’s career thus far. Now the executive chef of Bait, the 10-month-old seafood destination in St. Louis’ Central West End, Jackson previously served as the executive chef of SoHo Restaurant + Lounge in The Grove and Fleur de Lilies in Soulard. Art is a huge inspiration for her – from flaming prawns to exquisite scallops fanned across a graceful arc of parsnip purée, her dishes are a testament to that – but Jackson has also been establishing connections with more and more farmers and fishermen to keep Bait’s offerings as seasonal and as local as possible, which she believes is an art form in and of itself. A reliable, hands-on kitchen team supports her as she blazes her own path. Recently, Bait added fish and chips to the menu – with Jackson’s spin, of course. To achieve the familiar flavors of Southern fried catfish, she pairs beer-battered barramundi and roasted fingerling potatoes with flash-fried capers, pickled shallots and housemade pickles, alongside the house hot pepper sauce, tartar sauce and braised leek. “What I’m going to do next – that’s all I think about,” says Jackson. Relying on drive, enthusiasm and color, she’s adamant about always creating new items with freshness and creativity at the forefront. One day, she wants her own restaurant. “I know I’m always going to be in this industry,” she says. “I love it. But I also want to make sure I’m giving diners what they need.” We’d argue that’s exactly what she’s doing at Bait. –R.H. PHOTO BY gregg goldman / d e c e mbe r 2 019

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Zahra Spencer

Jerk Soul

Born in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Jerk Soul co-owner Zahra Spencer was perched on a step stool stirring pots and learning to cut onions as early as age 5. Jerk Soul, the Caribbean carryout restaurant that she opened with Telie Woods in Hyde Park in April 2018, was a leap of faith for the chef. After Hurricane Maria thwarted the duo’s plan to open a restaurant in a beach shanty on St. Thomas, Spencer sold all of her belongings, dwindling her life down to two suitcases, and booked a one-way ticket to St. Louis, where she had never been before. A labor of love for both Spencer

and Woods, Jerk Soul features classic Caribbean dishes that Spencer grew up eating. Oxtail is marinated in 12-plus spices and cooked for hours in a tomato-based broth with peppers, onions and carrots, while salt fish, the national dish of a number of Caribbean islands, is made with her family’s traditions in mind. She also infuses American fare with Caribbean flavors – think pizza made with doughy naan and succulent jerk chicken. Everything is made from scratch daily, and for the better part of a year, it was just her and Woods cooking and grilling. Someday, Spencer would love to expand into a sit-down restaurant to offer the full Caribbean experience: steelpan music playing in the background and a glass of rum beside each plate. But for now, her cooking alone will have to transport you. –R.H. photo by gregg goldman

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Melanie Meyer

Tiny Chef

When Melanie Meyer was getting ready to open Party Bear Pizza and Tiny Chef inside The Silver Ballroom with her partner, Chris Ward, one of the pinball bar’s regulars told her not to bother putting any vegetables on the menu. Meyer, who had just finished making six quarts of kimchi, was understandably worried – until she sold out of kimchi in the first week. Tiny Chef, inspired by the nickname Meyer earned while working with chef Ben Welch, specializes in Korean street food, from bibimbap bowls and bulgogi beef tacos to, yes, kimchi. Meyer, who was born in Seoul, South Korea, and adopted as a baby, opened the concept not just to feed hungry pinballers, but as a way to reconnect with her heritage. She’s spent the past few years meeting with fellow Korean-American adoptees, researching Korean food and teaching herself how to make classic dishes while putting her own twist on them – her kimchi and Dragon Sauce, for instance, are both vegan in an effort to make the menu more accessible to all diners. Meyer’s menu is constantly evolving as she continues her deep dive into Korean food, with weekly specials ranging from a Korean tostada to tteokbokki, a Korean rice cake in a spicy-sweet gochujang-gochugaru sauce.

At Tiny Chef, she’s serving more than bar food – she’s serving her heart in a bowl. –H.R. photo by gregg goldman

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MJ Stewart

Yellowbelly

MJ Stewart used to joke with her friends that if all else failed, she’d open a bakery. The pastry chef grew up with a family that baked from scratch – her great-grandfather’s family owned a bakery in Mississippi – and she’d frequently bake cookies and take them to school for no reason. Following her first baking job at the original Strange Donuts location in Maplewood, Missouri, she did a 180, moving from donuts to fine dining as a pastry assistant at the now-shuttered Niche. Now the executive pastry chef at Yellowbelly, Stewart draws on her diverse résumé to create its elevated, yet casual dessert menu. Alongside buttermilk biscuits and mini lobster rolls, you’ll find plated desserts such as a hibiscus-peach tart with chai meringue or a chocolate candy bar made with chewy coconut macaroons, chocolate ganache, flaky sea salt, toasted macadamia nuts and a drizzle of rum caramel.

As she builds the restaurant’s new dessert and bread programs, Stewart wants to push diners a little outside of their comfort zone – in a good way, she assures. Although Stewart's desserts are exceptional, they never take themselves too seriously. –H.R. photo by gregg goldman

2019 | best new restaurants | st . louis

W rising star

Shannon Thompson

W rising star

Indie Eatery

Indie Eatery’s Shannon Thompson has a happy, healthy relationship with food. She grew up eating organic produce from the family garden and later cooked for a short period during her 12-year career in the U.S. Air Force; she’s also a farmer by trade. With her love of cooking for others, she says opening her own restaurant was a no-brainer. Thompson and her husband, A.J., opened Indie Eatery in St. Peters, Missouri, in September 2018 and have since narrowed down their purveyors, honed their craft and added new items to the menu, such as crispy chicken tacos. Many dishes are inspired by flavors they were introduced to while traveling and being stationed in different countries, such as the signature waffles: a combination of Brusselsand Liège-style garnished with sweet and savory toppings such as caramelized bourbon cream and maple-smoked chicken. Throughout its evolution, Indie has stayed true to its identity: simplicity and sustainability. Thompson’s goal is to show people that they can eat well without sacrificing flavor. If you’ve visited Indie once or you eat there once a week, you feel like family – and the husband-and-wife tag team in the kitchen only adds to that experience. In Thompson’s words, she and A.J. have a “peanutbutter-and-jelly chemistry” that makes them perfect partners – in the restaurant industry and in life. –R.H. photo by gregg goldman

Eugene Kolb

Savage

Savage chef-owner Logan Ely doesn’t mince words about sous chef Eugene Kolb, calling her the “backbone” of the acclaimed tasting menu restaurant. With just over two years of restaurant experience, Kolb is a relative newcomer to the industry, but her work is nothing less than essential at Savage. On an average day, you might spot her ordering seasonal vegetables, smoking cabbage on the patio or even doing the dishes. A Los Angeles native, she grew up eating her mother’s Korean food and watching PBS cooking shows, which she says piqued her own culinary interest. Yet rather than follow the culinary school route, she took a sink-or-swim approach and threw herself directly into the industry, working at Tree House Vegetarian Restaurant, Old Warson Country Club and Elaia in St. Louis. Kolb says she’s always been drawn to fine dining as a way to understand and work with food in a new way. With the emphasis on aging and fermenting at Savage, she’s learning how to manipulate familiar foods into something extraordinary – like a roasted onion glazed in soy malt with yeast and shiitake mushrooms. The menu changes weekly, if not quicker, which has only encouraged her to push harder. –H.R. photo by spencer pernikoff

W rising star

Mike McManus

louie

A few years ago, Mike McManus made a vow to never work with a pasta extruder again. The chef earned his nickname, “Noodles,” while working at Pastaria in Clayton, Missouri, during culinary school; as the restaurant’s dough manager, he made all of the pizza and pasta dough for service each night. McManus laughs now as he remembers moving to California for a much-needed break before returning to St. Louis and working his way up to sous chef at Taste.

But it wasn’t long before he was

pulled back to pasta – specifically, the Roman Gnocco at Louie in Demun. He joined the team shortly after trying it for the first time.

McManus made an effort to learn every station at Louie to be as versatile as possible, but you’ll frequently find him making the restaurant’s focaccia, pizza dough and pasta, from the seasonal sweet potato ravioli to classic cacio e pepe. He says it’s been refreshing to make all of the pastas by hand, as the finished product is simply unparalleled. His work hasn’t gone unnoticed: Louie owner Matt McGuire says he’s one of the best young cooks he’s ever worked with in a kitchen – anywhere. –H.R. photo by spencer pernikoff

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Sidney Street Cafe/ Balkan Treat Box Alex Salkowski

Besides a short stint in retail, Alex Salkowski has been working in the restaurant industry since age 15. Now splitting his time between the lauded Sidney Street Cafe and Balkan Treat Box, he has an insatiable hunger for knowledge. By day, he bakes all the bread at Balkan Treat Box in the mornings, helping shape the pide (Turkish flatbread) and manning the oven when chef and co-owner Loryn Nalic isn’t there. "Whereas French go-tos are butter and salt, Bosnian and Turkish cuisine has other staples such as sumac and kajmak," he says. "It’s forcing me to use a completely different skill set.”

To explore the science of cooking, Salkowski also pushes himself to regularly make new things. Half Polish on his father’s side, he’s been absorbed in Polish food for the past year – currently he’s perfecting makowiec, a poppy seed cake. But no matter what type of food he's experimenting with, the result is almost always something you’ll crave. –R.H. photo by spencer pernikoff / d e c e mbe r 2 019

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sean baltzell & casey colgan

ZoĂŤ Robinson

Michael Del Pietro chris kelling

tara gallina

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michael gallina

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Industry innovators Zoë Robinson,

Billie-Jean, Bar Les Freres, I Fratellini

Not one to rest on her laurels, Zoë Robinson, owner of Billie-Jean, Bar Les Freres and I Fratellini on Wydown Boulevard in Clayton, Missouri, is constantly thinking of ways to expand her dining empire. “I always have something in my back pocket,” she says, adding that she’s inspired by what’s inside her and what she feels compelled to create. Billie-Jean, Robinson’s latest project, has been open for less than two years and brings a different energy to the block. The restaurant offers a collection of contemporary American dishes with Asian accents, reflecting her and chef Ny Vongsaly’s decades of collaboration – Vongsaly has developed opening menus for all of Robinson’s restaurants and was a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Midwest this year. In their infancy, Robinson says she approaches each restaurant like a painting, where the décor, lighting, food menu, wine list, cocktail selection and staff are individual layers that synergize with each other to create a complex scene. The end result is then framed in her signature brand: hospitality. She is a major proponent of service and making people feel good – “that’s the mother in me,” she says. Operating the three distinct concepts in tandem has been challenging, yet fulfilling for her. “The restaurant business is so rewarding – when it goes well,” she says. “Still, it’s not something you do for money; it has to be something that you just adore, and I do.” –R.H.

Michael Del Pietro,

Il Palato

For more than 50 years, the Del Pietro family has been stuffing St. Louis diners full of toothsome American-style Italian comfort dishes such as four-cheese ravioli, chicken piccata and veal Parmigiana. With Il Palato – the seventh restaurant under restaurateur Michael Del Pietro’s group, MDP Restaurants, which opened in March of this year – he wanted to do something different. Del Pietro says he designed the restaurant’s concept to fit in the chic Clayton market, choosing aesthetics and food that wouldn’t compete with his other eateries. Il Palato still boasts housemade pastas such as linguine with bay scallops, littleneck clams and rock shrimp in a white wineshrimp broth that Del Pietro says is “to die for,” but there is a strong focus on southern Italian cuisine. The menu features Sicilian dishes with Mediterranean, Greek and African influences from executive chef Jordan Knight. Listening to his mom and dad talk shop, Del Pietro was introduced to the food and drink industry at a young age. “[I] didn’t know anything else to be quite honest,” he says. “The restaurant business has been awesome to us.” To this day, he loves going to work and serving his customers.

One of the most important things he learned from his parents is that the customers pay everyone’s salary and deserve to be treated as such. Heeding their advice, he has fine-tuned every aspect of the Il Palato dining experience.

“We’re not just in the service industry; we’re in the entertainment industry,” he says. And he certainly knows how to put on a show. –R.H.

Sean Baltzell and Casey Colgan,

Chris Kelling,

Elmwood

Chris Kelling got into the hospitality industry for a simple reason: He likes to make people happy. And he’s spent the past decade figuring out just how to do that, from opening restaurants across the country as the director of training for P.F. Chang’s to running the dining room at three-Michelin-starred The Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa Valley – an experience he likens to playing center field for the New York Yankees. Local diners were first introduced to Kelling as the general manager of Gerard Craft’s acclaimed (and now-shuttered) Niche, where he worked alongside executive chef Adam Altnether to bolster the restaurant’s service. This year, the pair teamed up again to open Elmwood, an elevated neighborhood restaurant in Maplewood, Missouri. While Altnether oversees the restaurant’s menu, Kelling runs the front of house, ensuring that all diners – whether they’re stopping in for a burger and beer at the bar or splitting a rib eye in the dining room – feel at home. Kelling often tells servers that it’s not enough to bring a diner a plate of food; they have to connect and build a relationship with them. “Our job is to make guests comfortable and let them know we care, and to make a guest feel like you care, you have to actually care,” he says. “From there, we’ve created a platform on which you can enjoy what you came for – the food.” –H. R.

Michael and Tara Gallina, Vicia/Winslow’s Table In St. Louis, if you’ve heard the buzzwords “vegetable-forward” come up in conversation over the past few years, you’re likely familiar with the work of Michael and Tara Gallina. For the uninitiated, the couple own the acclaimed Vicia in the city’s Central West End, which is driven first and foremost by local, seasonal produce. Here, vegetable-forward doesn’t mean vegetarian – rather, the Gallinas treat vegetables with the same respect and attention to detail as proteins. Vegetables show up in new and unexpected ways on both the formal evening tasting menu and the more affordable fast-casual lunch menu – think kohlrabi shell tacos and chicken-fried carrots. The couple met while working at Dan Barber’s world-renowned Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown, New York. Since opening Vicia in 2017, they have also helped bring national attention to Michael’s hometown: The restaurant has earned a slew of accolades from the likes of Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Eater and the James Beard Foundation.

Nevertheless, the Gallinas are hardly resting on their laurels. This fall, they reinvented the beloved Winslow’s Home in University City, Missouri, as Winslow’s Table. The restaurant brings Vicia’s farm-fresh ethos to a more casual setting, offering an expanded menu of grab-and-go fare, including grain salads, soups, charcuterie, pesto and Clementine’s ice cream pints. With both Vicia and Winslow’s Table, the Gallinas are bringing their culinary chops to two concepts firmly rooted in the Midwest. –H.R.

Parlor/Taco Circus/Takashima Records

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photo by judd demaline

If you’ve sipped a Stag during a game of pinball at Parlor or downed a Purple Margarita on the patio at Taco Circus, you can thank Sean Baltzell and Casey Colgan. Baltzell has a knack for creating concepts that each have a distinct brand and identity (he also owns Tower Classic Tattooing, Union Barbershop and Knife & Flag), while Colgan brings serious chops to the bar program at each of their establishments – he’s previously worked behind the bar at hot spots such as Atomic Cowboy and HandleBar. The pair first brought us Parlor: A “grown-up arcade bar” that opened in The Grove in late 2017, it quickly became a neighborhood staple thanks to its approachable menu featuring everything from $2 cans of Stag to a standout Pimm’s Cup made with local Vess soda. This summer, Baltzell and Colgan teamed up with Taco Circus owner Christian Ethridge to transform his humble Bevo taco joint into a full-service restaurant in Southwest Garden, offering an expanded menu of Tex-Mex comfort food alongside a full bar program. Next up? Takashima Records, a Japanese-inspired vinyl bar and record label, set to open soon in The Grove. –H.R.

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Farina

Farina feels like a combination of the best parts of James Beard award-winning chef Michael Smith’s previous restaurants, the eponymous Michael Smith and Extra Virgin. Elegant like Michael Smith with the fun, modern approachability of Extra Virgin, Farina represents Smith’s deep dive into his love of Italian cuisine. A dozen fresh pasta selections – including the classic Four Kings of Rome (bucatini carbonara, spaghetti cacio e pepe, tagliatelle Bolognese and rigatoni all’Amatriciana) – are available every day, in addition to heartier, seasonal entrées.

Luckily, pasta portions aren’t overwhelming, so you’ll have room to sample a few things from the raw bar, as well. The creative crudo menu changes every few weeks, but past plates have included the smoked kampachi with miso-aji vinaigrette, dried apricot, mint, fennel and pistachio and the king crab with carrot-ginger salad and onion crumble. –April Fleming photo by anneka dejong

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Poi-õ

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Fairway Creamery

Christopher Elbow’s latest endeavor is perhaps his most playful. Fairway Creamery is designed to appeal to the kid in all of us, while still satisfying the palate of the most discerning grown-ups. Elbow consulted with chef Wylie Dufresne, a leading American proponent of molecular gastronomy, on how to perfect his from-scratch cake and Bismarck donuts. These unrivaled creations, along with coffee, are available until early afternoon when the shop switches direction and starts scooping Elbow’s Glacé Artisan Ice Cream. Make your favorite flavors into a sundae topped with salted caramel pretzel crunch or torched meringue, or ask for them stacked in a hand-dipped cone. –A.F. photo by anna petrow

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Carlos Mortera, Sr., has spent his life perfecting fire-roasted chicken. He once owned several rotisserie shops in Mexico City – culinary experience and tradition that shows in the food he prepares today at Poi-õ. Together with his son, co-owner Carlos Mortera, he dishes out irresistible fire-roasted chicken, which is brined overnight in vinegar before being seasoned and grilled over cherry wood.

The crispy, finger-licking result of their efforts is best eaten with the Morteras’ fresh salsas and hot sauces, plus fresh corn tortillas to sop it all up. –A.F. photo by katie currid

Fox and Pearl

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Sayachi

In Brookside, Sayachi feels like the perfect next step for chef Carlos Falcon and his wife, Sayaka Gushi Falcon, who have already impressed Kansas City diners with their Latin-inspired seafood at both Jarocho locations. Sayachi was created with two distinct dining experiences in mind: The omakase bar seats eight by reservation only, while a larger, à la carte menu of the same high-quality fresh fish is served in the main dining room. In collaboration with Falcon, sushi chef Ciro Ortega mans the omakase bar, presenting multiple courses of small plates, followed by 12 nigiri and dessert. The rest of the restaurant offers a welcome mix of maki, nigiri and sashimi alongside traditional Japanese comfort food.

Japanese-born bar manager Mari Matsumoto dazzles patrons with her creative cocktails featuring surprising ingredients such as daikon radish, sweet ginger caviar and black sesame seed syrup. –Jenny Vergara photo by anna petrow

Elongated windows that let in tons of natural light, lush live plants and camel-colored leather banquettes set the scene at Fox and Pearl, where chef Vaughn Good and bartender Katy Wade delight guests with a local-minded, proteinforward food menu and a first-rate cocktail program. Start with smoked goat chorizo or the celebrated roasted bone marrow, followed by beef and heritage pork Bolognese, rabbit pot pie or family-style fried chicken. Pair the fare with one of many sensational drinks on offer, such as Give Me The Beet Boys (beet-infused Vida mezcal, Byrrh aperitif, grapefruit and Cinder Block French cider) and Copper and Tod (J. Rieger & Co. whiskey, Old Grand-Dad bourbon, Amaro Nonino and Luxardo Maraschino). Good, alongside partner Kristine Hull, has built a forever home here, one which you’ll want to be a part of – even if it’s just for one night -A.F. photo by anna petrow

2019 | best new restaurants | kansas

owner Christian Joseph has found the right recipe for a fine-dining experience with an elevated level Plate, which reopened in East of hospitality that is more in line Brookside earlier this year, is a with what he always envisioned for completely different animal than his urban Italian eatery. Plate has the original. Given the opportunity everything: a sleek, spacious dining to have a “do-over” in a bigger, room, a bar that stays open late, a better building after a fire breezy outdoor patio and a modern destroyed the original restaurant, Italian menu – likewise enhanced

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plate

by new energy from executive chef Brian Mehl. From business lunches to dressy dinners to buzzy weekend brunches, the handmade pasta continues to steal the show. Don’t miss the Paparadelle Incredibile: With fresh oregano pappardelle, pork shoulder ragù and Parmesan, it lives up to its bold name. -J.V. photo by anna petrow

city

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Local Pig & Pigwich

This year, chef Alex Pope and his business partner, Matt Kafka, made City Market the new home for both their butcher shop, Local Pig, and their sandwich spot, Pigwich. At the space located on the Kansas City streetcar line, devotees can finally shop and eat under one roof. Local Pig offers a quality selection of local meats, sausages and charcuterie in addition to local artisan food stuffs and select spirits and wines. Pigwich, on the other hand, now boasts indoor and outdoor seating and an expanded menu of sandwiches, burgers and sides. Accept the challenge of the Big Pig burger (fried pork tenderloin topped with smoked pork, jalapeños, pickles, pepper Jack and ranch with ‘nduja smeared on the bun) or stick to something classic, such as the cheesesteak, with a side of fresh fried chips.

The casual sandwich shop proves that big flavor can come in small packages –J.V. photo by anna petrow

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Ragazza Food & Wine

It is a gamble to move a successful and beloved restaurant to a different location; fortunately, fans of Ragazza Food & Wine are loyal, and owner Laura Norris says they are flooding into the new space on the corner of 43rd and Main Street. Despite its increased capacity – the new restaurant is three times the size of the Westport location – Ragazza retains the same warmth.

Norris and executive chef James Landis haven’t touched the popular family recipes for lasagna, eggplant Parmesan and meatballs with sugo (the classic Italian meat sauce) and have updated the rest of the menu with dishes such as swordfish in lemon-caper butter and braised lamb with Brussels sprouts, alongside a new drink menu featuring Norris’ housemade limoncello and a top-notch wine list. –J.V. photo by anna petrow

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City Barrel Brewing Co.

City Barrel Brewing Co. has achieved the trifecta of good taste: a genius location in the heart of the city’s brewing district, an intriguing yet accessible selection of beers on tap and a full-service, seasonal food menu that gives guests a reason to linger longer. At the industrial East Crossroads brewery, head brewer Jay Mead makes fruity sours, such as Blush (a cherry kettle sour with Madagascar vanilla beans) and double-hopped IPAs, such as Mega High Fives (a West Coast Double IPA with citra and amarillo), among others.

And unlike many breweries where food is an afterthought, chef Benjamin Wood takes his job seriously: Enjoy an extra round with the Second Best Espresso Bacon Burger, flaming cheese dip, curried chicken wings or beer broth mussels. –J.V.

photo by anna petrow

| best new

The Campground

Last winter, when Chris Ciesiel and Cristin Llewellyn’s The Campground debuted in the West Bottoms, it quickly became one of the city’s top destinations for refined renditions of classic cocktails. The airy egg white from the Ramos Gin Fizz practically leaps out of its glass, while the Salty Dog with J. Rieger & Co. vodka is made memorable with the addition of grainy pink sea salt and “fluffy” grapefruit juice, courtesy of an ultra-high-speed mixer. Comfortable, yet stylish, The Campground is also renowned for its thoughtful food menu. Opt for chicken thigh skewers, wild mushroom gnocchi or, in true campground fashion, a s’more of housemade marshmallow fluff. –A.F. photo by anna petrow / d e c e mbe r 2 019

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W rising star

W rising stars Eliza Spertus

Green Dirt Farm

Four years ago, a farm manager position opened up at Green Dirt Farm; owner Sarah Hoffmann was surprised to find her now 28-year-old daughter, Eliza Spertus, eager to apply for the job. With all of her friends headed off to work nine-to-five desk jobs, Spertus decided to join the family business, caring for the flock that makes Green Dirt Farm’s award-winning sheep’s milk cheese. Her days are spent in the rolling green pastures in Weston, Missouri, moving 150 sheep from the paddock to the milking room and back, with help from her trusty co-workers: three Border Collies. The days are long, but the work is rewarding. Restaurants all over the region use Green Dirt Farm cheese and awards are rolling in for its signature selection of fresh, bloomy and hard-rind cheeses, available in Kansas City- and St. Louis-area stores.

Spertus’ future on the farm looks bright. –J.V.

Ian Davis

Marita Swift

J. Rieger & Co.

This past year, the J. Rieger & Co. leadership team named chef Marita K. Swift as culinary director of its flagship distillery. Although some diners might not recognize her name, Swift thrived as the executive chef of the nowshuttered Californos for many years. Now, she oversees the culinary operations for J. Rieger & Co.’s full-service bars, lounges and event spaces. The Hey! Hey! Club and The Monogram Lounge collectively serve a variety of small plates, from smoked bar nuts to steak tartare, and more traditional fare, such as a generous charcuterie board and the wildly popular deviled eggs topped with crispy speck and hot sauce. At the latter, Swift has also introduced a weekend brunch menu featuring boozy banana bread, a chorizo omelet and her famed buttermilk biscuit breakfast sandwich. Whether she's developing new recipes or expanding on the classics, Swift makes the food as much a reason to visit the distillery as the cocktails. –J.V.

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Tyler Harp

Harp Barbecue

Tyler Harp was raised on the smoke and fire of Kansas City-style barbecue, including the pork butts, burnt ends and ribs that he watched his father and uncle enter into local barbecue competitions. However, it would be thick and juicy Texas-style beef brisket seasoned with only a touch of salt and black pepper that would capture his heart and become his signature dish at Harp Barbecue. The Saturdays-only barbecue pop up at Crane Brewing in Raytown, Missouri, opens at 11am and is usually picked dry by 1:30pm. After Texas Monthly barbecue critic Daniel Vaughn came to Kansas City this past summer and gave Harp’s beef brisket his stamp of approval, it’s all anyone can talk about. And as for Harp, he recently quit his day job to prepare for the opening of his own barbecue restaurant, which will serve Texas brisket to local and visiting barbecue-lovers alike. –J.V.

Blip Roasters

Ian Davis is passionate about four things: coffee, motorcycles, conversation and community. Since starting Blip Roasters in 2015, he has gained a loyal following of people mad for his medium- and light-roast coffee beans – and motorcycles.

Many of Davis’ diehard customers share the hobby, which inspired him to host weekend rides that begin and end at the West Bottoms coffee shop; he also sells motorcycle helmets, jackets and T-shirts alongside cups of piping hot coffee. In February of this year, he opened a second location on the first floor of The Wonder Shops and Flats in the former Wonder Bread factory on Troost Avenue. Davis grew up south of Troost, and when it came time to expand, he wanted to build a new community of Blip coffee-lovers in a location that felt right for him. In this setting, everyone from college students to biker buddies feels welcome – a reflection of Davis’ shop ethos: Be aware of and respect your surroundings and be good to your neighbors; in turn, it will all be good to you. –J.V.

Chris White

The Monarch

Before returning to Kansas City last year, Chris White honed his skills in bars on and off the Las Vegas Strip. Now, as head bartender of David Manica’s world-class butterfly-themed cocktail bar and private lounge, The Monarch, White is making good use of his poised and earnest Clark Kent vibe to connect with guests. A quiet, courteous workhorse behind the bar, he is there when you need him and gone when you don’t. His demeanor can be intense at times, but he also exhibits a subtle playful side – when he sneaks in a flashy flip of the shaker before pouring another drink, for instance. Creative to his core and always willing to improvise, White can make delicious cocktails on the fly as well, treating them with the same consistency and care as something straight off the menu. But if all you’re in the mood for is a classic Manhattan or Martini, you can rest assured that it will be the best you’ve ever had. –J.V.

Iris Green

2019 | best new restaurants | kansas

city

Sarah Hogan

Ça Va

When Caitlin Corcoran announced that she was stepping down from helming the beloved Westport Champagne bar and restaurant Ça Va, there was no question who would take over.

Sarah Hogan, who served as bar manager for the past two years, is a natural successor. Her friendly, even temperament coincides with the bar’s motto, “Champagne for the people,” and she has an in-depth knowledge of the sparkling beverage, plus wine and spirits, and the dishes that go best with each.

Hogan has long been the brain behind many of Ça Va’s best cocktails, and she isn’t afraid to take Champagne where some may not think it belongs – blended with Old Overholt rye, perhaps, for an effervescent take on the whiskey sour, or with cola for her refreshing interpretation of kalimotxo, a traditional Basque drink. Her creations beautifully enhance the food program at Ça Va. –A.F.

Chef Iris Green first made a name for herself in Los Angeles, where she founded the Vegan Underground Supper Club, and recently authored Gluten-Free Cooking for Everyone: A Vegan Celebration of the Holidays. An advocate for plant-based nutrition and home cooking, Green firmly believes that vegan and gluten-free diets can be accessible to all. She also loves to bake, so this year she opened the Littlest Bake Shop, a cozy 15-seat bakery and coffee shop located at 59th Street and Holmes Road. Moist and flavorful with flawless texture, her sweet offerings are so good you’d most likely never guess they’re 100 percent vegan and gluten-free. Flavors vary based on seasonality – think cherry-lemon mini cakes, grapefruit scones dripping in rose icing, salted pecan muffins and apple pie cupcakes. –A.F.

photos by zach bauman

The Littlest Bake Shop

Isaac Hendry

Fox and Pearl

The newly minted chef de cuisine at Fox and Pearl, Isaac Hendry, joined chef Vaughn Good’s culinary team at Hank Charcuterie in Lawrence, Kansas, in August 2016. When the restaurant closed two years later, he relocated to Kansas City to help Good and partner Kristine Hull open Fox and Pearl – first the pop up and then the full-fledged restaurant. Hendry is the first to admit that he has found a one-of-a-kind mentor in Good; the two are inseparable. They can be found breaking down whole animals in the curing room before service and analyzing dishes together after. Hendry is as quiet in person as he is on the line – listening and observing more than talking – and he believes he is exactly where he needs to be. There is a shared vision for what the food at Fox and Pearl could and should be, and we can’t wait to see where Hendry and Good take us. –J.V.

Josh Walker

Bluestem

Guroux Khalifah

Distrikt Biskuit House

Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Guroux Khalifah, who previously worked at Lidia’s and Bristol Seafood Grill among others, finally shows us everything he’s capable of with Distrikt Biskuit House. Employing a biscuit-based menu, Khalifah and his team want to bring a fresh take on fast-casual breakfast to the city. This starts, of course, with enormous, fluffy biscuits, which on their own are as buttery and soft as any you’ve ever tasted. Khalifah uses them to make his signature chicken biscuit sandwiches: The shop’s classic Distrikt Biskuit features boneless, buttermilk-brined fried chicken topped with melted American cheese, spicy aïoli and a fried egg. It may seem simple, but it makes for the perfect meal top to bottom. Khalifah recently unveiled new menu items – such as the Bourbon Street biscuits and gravy smothered in Khalifah’s plate-licking version of the classic Cajun gravy étouffée – which further demonstrate his chops. –A.F.

Chef Josh Walker had big shoes to fill when he stepped into the role as chef de cuisine at Bluestem in 2017, but he’s delivered.

Walker, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, started in Springfield, Missouri, before moving to Kansas City in search of a new adventure. He quickly found a home at Bluestem as a line cook, where he mixes old favorites with new standouts. Yet the menu at Bluestem continues to reflect owners Colby and Megan Garrelts’ passion for seasonal fare – the restaurant’s rein of excellence even led to a James Beard Foundation semifinalist nomination for Outstanding Restaurant last year. From a young age, Walker discerned the connection between community, social bonds and food preparation; from grilling for friends on weekends to crafting a fine-dining experience in an unpretentious environment for Kansas City diners, he uses his attention to detail, passion for cooking and fierce work ethic to enhance every meal. At Bluestem, he's created a home away from home for all. –J.V. / d e c e mbe r 2 019

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Bo Nelson,

Industry innovators

Thou Mayest, Thee Outpost, Café Equinox

Talk about a comeback. At the end of last year, Bo Nelson closed his extremely popular East Crossroads coffee shop and cocktail bar, Thou Mayest, and was left with only his coffee roasting company of the same name. Six months later, the coffee entrepreneur opened Café Equinox, a botanically inspired café inside Family Tree Nursery’s Shawnee, Kansas, location and bought the Quay Coffee locations in the River Market and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, which he recently announced he will rebrand as Thou Mayest coffee shops. Nelson also recently opened Thee Outpost in the Crossroads. The 2,000-square-foot coffee shop located inside Collective EX offers Thou Mayest coffees and teas alongside a thoughtful assortment of pastries and snacks, marking the brand’s hotly anticipated return to the neighborhood. Thee Outpost is a unique opportunity for Nelson to test a smaller, more nimble coffee bar that can fit inside other spaces – a concept he plans to replicate. –J.V.

Jill Cockson,

Andy Rieger & Ryan Maybee,

Swordfish Tom’s

To say Jill Cockson stays on top of her game is an understatement. She’s constantly gathering new information about spirits – the foundation of her cocktails-only bar, Swordfish Tom’s, in the Crossroads – but what might be most remarkable about Cockson is her commitment to hospitality and ambiance. She is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences where she discusses hospitality and small business profitability, and at her own establishment, she politely asks that guests turn off their cellphones and keep conversations relatively quiet in the hope that Swordfish Tom’s will provide a space to actually connect. On your first visit to the bar, if the menu looks intimidating or you don’t see something that interests you, Cockson (or one of her expertly trained staff) will happily create something on the spot that is more to your liking, with all the flourish and flavor of one of her signature drinks. –A.F.

Christopher Elbow,

J. Rieger & Co.

With the opening of the J. Rieger & Co.'s flagship distillery in the East Bottoms this summer, business partners Andy Rieger and Ryan Maybee finally got the happy ending Kansas City was rooting for. In 2014, when Maybee contacted Rieger and proposed the idea of resurrecting Rieger’s great-great-great-grandfather’s whiskey business, the pair couldn’t have imagined such success.

The distillery, featuring a shiny new tasting room, two distinct bar concepts, a 16-seat private dining room, event spaces, a museum, a gift shop and even a 40-foot slide, represents more than the brand’s ability to triple its production; it’s what Rieger and Maybee hope will be the beginning of a resurgence of the entire neighborhood.

They encourage other entrepreneurs to open businesses in the East Bottoms – an area the duo have nicknamed Electric Park after the 1899 amusement park and beer garden that was built here by the Heim brothers. The more reasons to spend the night out in the neighborhood, shopping, drinking and having a blast, the better. –J.V.

Pam Liberda,

Waldo Thai Place

The Liberda family has been serving quality Thai food in Kansas City for a long time – chef Pam Liberda’s mother-in-law, Ann, opened the original Thai Place almost 30 years ago. But Pam and her husband, Ted, wanted to rock the boat with their next restaurant; Waldo Thai Place debuted in 2018 as a result.

Combining her northern-style Thai dishes with his Bangkok-style cooking, they’re teaching patrons about the regional differences within Thai cuisine and expanding the palates of their fans, both new and old.

Bartender Darrell Loo adds another layer of interest and flavor to Waldo Thai Place with his craft cocktails, which unfailingly complement the fresh, herbaceous notes of Liberda's specialties. In her own kitchen, serving her own creations, she's finally gained the same confidence in her food that we already have. –J.V.

Christopher Elbow Chocolates, Glacé Artisan Ice Cream, Fairway Creamery

Christopher Elbow has proven that he can master any confection he puts his mind to. A modern-day Willy Wonka, Elbow may have started his career as a fine-dining chef, making chocolate mignardises at The American, but he quickly became one of Kansas City’s favorite chocolatiers with the launch of Christopher Elbow Chocolates in 2003, which now has retail stores in Kansas City and San Francisco. Using similar sweet-and-savory flavor inspiration, fresh ingredients and a chef-driven approach, Elbow then focused his attention on ice cream and opened Glacé Artisan Ice Cream on Main Street in 2010. In 2017, Elbow introduced a line of single-origin chocolate bars to the mix. Up until this point, he had been buying chocolate from a distributor; this was his chance to make chocolate from cacao beans himself. This year, we discovered his latest passion: At Fairway Creamery in Fairway, Kansas, Elbow has taken up donut-making, seeking advice from acclaimed New York City chef Wylie Dufresne, who owns Du’s Donuts in Brooklyn. All of Elbow’s creations, from boxed chocolates and bars to hand-dipped cones stuffed with Glacé ice cream to from-scratch donuts, have finally come together under one roof. Fairway Creamery is a cheerful concept that satisfies the city’s sweet tooth morning, noon and night. What will Elbow think up next? –J.V.

jill cockson

bo nelson

andy rieger & ryan maybee

PHOTO By alistair tutton

pam liberda

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Happy Hour

MARCH 18, 2020

Monday-Friday 2:30-5:30pm ½ Price Beer and Wine $5 Select Cocktails Food Specials

@ ST. LOUIS SCIENCE CENTER

Explore the Science Center after hours while tasting from 50 of the best restaurants in town featured in Ian Froeb’s STL100 List!

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ON GENERAL ADMISSION! Perfect gift for your Foodie Friends!

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restaurants | best new

The Hepcat

Still the new kid on the block, The Hepcat in Springfield, Missouri, has already won over the hearts of downtown residents. A collaboration between owners Jimmy Rollins and Dylan Fox, the jazz club will tickle your taste buds with creative takes on classic cocktails. The house Old Fashioned, for example, garnishes applejack, grilled corn-infused Mellow Corn and Bittermens TransAtlantic with zesty lime instead of orange. From the kitchen, Fox serves complementary fare such as house-cut fries with dry-rub seasoning and shrimp and grits with bacon-tomato gravy. The Hepcat may have recently joined the party, but its refined cocktails and top-notch bar food prove it has staying power. –Tessa Cooper photo by tessa cooper

| best new

Best of Luck Beer Hall

Leave it to Josh Widner, owner of Good Spirits & Co., to bring another quality drinking establishment to downtown Springfield. Inspiration for Best of Luck Beer Hall struck while Widner was in Copenhagen, Denmark, but he wouldn’t dream of taking credit for the end result. Beverage director Rogan Howitt (a Feast columnist) and executive chef Clint McCann teamed up to create the menu, which includes six house cocktails, 32 beers on tap and an extensive menu that goes beyond measly “bar snacks.”

The Scandinavian-style bar offers a beer-and-shot deal: For $6, pair a Coors Banquet, Pacífico or Shiner Bock with Four Roses Bourbon, Fernet-Branca or Arette Blanco Tequila. When hunger strikes, you might find the sticky Asian chicken wings or fried-bologna sandwich calling your name. –T.C. photo by starboard & port creative

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2019 | best new restaurants | springfield | best new

Team Taco

Post up on the patio, grab a pork belly taco (or five) and swig an agave cocktail – that’s life at Team Taco. The concept opened to immediate acclaim in a pint-sized, tomato-red building in Springfield’s Rountree neighborhood this past summer. Like the bold building, the eatery’s menu is small – but it packs a serious punch. Chef Daniel Stern is behind the fare, which is best enjoyed alongside succulent sippers by co-owner Doug Riddle. Staples include grilled chicken, smoked pork belly, braised beef brisket and ground beef tacos, as well as a veggie option.

Don’t miss out on The Ringer, the daily taco special that showcases ingredients such as smoked portabella mushrooms and duck confit. –Lillian Stone photo by ana elliott

| best new

Craft Sushi

Quick-service dining and healthy Asian ingredients: It’s not a combination you see every day in Springfield. That changed in late 2018 when Michael and Jenny Cho opened Craft Sushi. The speedy sushi concept sends guests down an assembly line, allowing them to customize the sushi roll or poke bowl of their dreams without sacrificing flavor or freshness – approximately one-third of the restaurant’s produce is sourced from local farms. In the mood for something warm and hearty? Try one of the homestyle Korean dishes, such as the marinated beef bulgogi, which are sure to put a smile on your face. Substitutions for guests with dietary restrictions or food allergies are also available. –L.S. photo by brandon alms

| best new

Char Steakhouse & Oyster Bar Diners have come to expect excellence from restaurateur Mike Jalili, and his latest creation, Char Steakhouse & Oyster Bar in Springfield, is no exception.

Housed in the same space as Jalili’s former restaurant Touch, Char is an intimate setting – flickering candles, elegant wallpaper, red accents and Frank Sinatra photos set the tone – and features a dry-aging room and impressive wine cellar.

The range of steaks, from rib eye to Snake River Farms American Wagyu, come with chimichurri, horseradish cream and housemade steak sauce, which allow for three very different flavor experiences. Decadence is the name of the game here, even during happy hour. Served in the lounge, the happy hour menu boasts a hidden gem: the fried chicken tacos with Sriracha-cream slaw. “It’s the best taco I’ve ever tasted,” says Jalili. “I wish I had invented it, but the credit goes to my former chef.” –Juliana Goodwin photo by brandon alms / d e c e mbe r 2 019

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W rising star

Abbie Brown

Brown Abbey Gourmet

Abbie Brown’s thoughtfulness and attention to detail are evident in her craft. For example, she hand-decorates the lid of her Brown Abbey seasonings and dressings with an elaborate wax seal. Growing up, Brown’s family didn’t have a lot of money. Nevertheless, her mom made a home-cooked meal every night. Brown would watch in amazement as she tossed together spice after spice and cooked what Brown calls “mouthwatering delicacies.” Still inspired by those

nights in her mom’s kitchen, Brown’s line of products offer a way to easily create flavor-packed meals at home without a laundry list of ingredients. Brown draws inspiration from elsewhere, as well: She created the Brown Abbey Cajun seasoning to satisfy her sister’s love of specific pork rinds from Branson, Missouri, that are no longer available. The all-purpose rub boasts a blend of ingredients – including smoked paprika, fried garlic, thyme, tarragon and coconut sugar – that Brown tested for months. Brown says her work is never done; she constantly challenges herself in her own kitchen and fans are anxious to see what she comes up with next. –T.C. photo by tessa cooper

W rising star

Dustin Fox

The Hepcat

Dustin Fox’s love for cooking is fueled by two things: childhood memories of cooking with his grandma and food’s ability to bring people together. As The Hepcat's head chef, Fox serves some of his family’s most coveted dishes, making the entire bar experience feel like an exclusive evening at his personal dining room table. As a former commercial truck driver who built a makeshift kitchen in the cab of his truck, Fox knows a thing or two about cooking creatively. He sought inspiration for the pickled shrimp on plantains, which now appears seasonally on The Hepcat’s menu, from a fellow driver from Puerto Rico who taught him all about Caribbean cuisine. When Fox was home between deliveries, he often hosted dinner parties for friends and soon decided to try his hand at cooking in a professional setting. His first gig was helping Drake Tillman at a Canvas pop-up dinner, which led to a position at Farmers Gastropub. Now, he’s running the show in the kitchen at the new jazz club, where he plans to continue offering comfort food staples such as smoked fried chicken and mac ‘n’ cheese alongside seasonal specials for the foreseeable future. –T.C. photo by tessa cooper

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W rising star

John Clayton

The Gracious Plate

John Clayton transforms kale, beets and a rainbow of other vegetables into impeccable dips, salads, soups and Buddha bowls as if he’s seasoned them with magic. This past summer, he merged his catering business, Jam Jam, with Katie Baker’s business, The Gracious Plate. Together, the two cater special occasions and create weekly meal plans for customers. Clayton, an advocate of farmers and fellow chefs, believes that the best food comes from collaborations between industry leaders. Before entering the catering industry, he learned from some of the best at Gilardi's, Frisco Crossing Restaurant and MaMa Jean’s in Springfield.

However, health issues forced him to step away from the often physically demanding restaurant industry and focus on developing healthy, low-fat meals for people from all walks of life. He’s gained a reputation for his vegan offerings, such as the roasted beet and farro salad with toasted pecans and an orange vinaigrette. But he’s also been known to make a mean pesto. When the weather is nice, you can probably find him experimenting with Baker’s Millsap Farm CSA or serving a delicious spread at one of Terrell Creek Farm’s cheese nights. –T.C. photo by tessa cooper

2019 | best new restaurants | springfield W rising star

W rising star

David Pruteanu

Grayson Goldsmith

Witnessing dozens of Russian and Romanian immigrants cramming themselves into David Pruteanu’s former 18-seat café in Ozark, Missouri, was a heartwarming experience. For Little Danube, Pruteanu channeled his heritage – his father, Troyan, crossed the Danube River to escape Communist Romania – and his classical culinary training to give diners a taste of Eastern European home cooking. Pruteanu knows his way around the kitchen, having trained under standout chefs including former White House chef Pierre Chambrin and Dan Barber of the world-renowned Manhattan eatery Blue Hill. The one thing he wasn’t prepared for? The loyal fandom that would develop once locals tasted the goods, such as his take on traditional lángos (Hungarian fried bread).

When guests began to squabble over the last bites of his Romanian cabbage rolls, Pruteanu knew he needed a larger space. Now, he’s closed the Ozark location and plans to reopen Little Danube in a larger, more versatile space in Springfield. The location hasn’t been announced, but he’s promised to keep fans of the restaurant posted via Little Danube’s Facebook page. Until then, locals are waiting with bated breath for another taste of the old

Grayson Goldsmith is happiest when he’s behind the bar at Progress – his warm smile and friendly chatter make that clear.

Formerly the spirits and cocktail specialist at Brown Derby International Wine Center in Springfield, he learned a thing or two about what makes a drink memorable. Now as lead bartender at Progress, he’s designing recipes for cocktails such as the fig Daiquiri with fig- and cinnamon-infused dark rum, Giffard Banane du Brésil, demerara and lime. For many of the bar’s other cocktails, he works closely with beverage director Michael Schmitz to bring even their most outlandish ideas to fruition – think Wheatley Vodka, Giffard Crème de Framboise, Aperol, lemon juice and Herbsaint, which make up their cocktail known as a Juicebox. Goldsmith has a wealth of knowledge about his craft: Opt to eat at the bar to learn more about the rich taste of sherry and how zero-proof cocktails are underappreciated. While he’s at it, he will probably persuade you to try something new and guide you through the tasting experience, too. –T.C.

Progress

Little Danube

photo by tessa cooper

country. –L.S. photo by travis howard

W rising star

Eleanor Taylor

Prairie Pie

Eleanor Roosevelt said it best: “You must do the thing you cannot do.” Now, decades later, another Eleanor is putting that advice into practice. Eleanor Taylor is Springfield’s resident pie virtuoso, with a knack for churning out the kind of flawlessly crimped, nutty crusts you’d expect from a grandmother three times her age. But Taylor wasn’t always so confident with dough. She moved to New York City in 2014, applying for a job at a pie shop despite being intimidated by the science behind a quality pie crust – and then it only took a few less-than-stellar crust experiments for Taylor to get the hang of things. She realized she had found her calling at 22 and moved back to the Midwest to launch Prairie Pie. Today, Taylor operates Prairie Pie as a wholesale business out of the commercial kitchen at Vito’s Kitchen, a small Italian bistro in downtown Springfield.

Taylor has a pie for every season, including a summery hibiscuslemon meringue and an assortment of holiday pies with a twist, such as the wildly popular honey custard pie with sea salt.

True, the Springfield area has no shortage of baked goods, but Taylor’s picture-perfect crusts and well-placed savory touches set hers apart every time. –L.S. photo by ana elliott

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Mary Guccione,

Cellar + Plate

Industry innovators

Mary Guccione knows how to make guests feel at home. Most evenings, you can find her perched at the door of Cellar + Plate, her Springfield wine and tapas bar, where she greets guests by name and dishes out hugs. A first-level introductory sommelier, Guccione also presides over the wine bar’s impressive selection of vino, which she carefully crafted herself. The warm atmosphere of the place is a testament to Guccione’s belief in community – a concept that, if you ask her, is best discussed over tapas. Overall, Guccione hopes to combat the city's somewhat lackluster communal dining scene, which, in the past, has been limited to small plate menus at otherwise traditional eateries. Cellar + Plate isn’t her first try. Several years ago, she opened – and eventually closed – Sorella’s Table, an Italian pop up in a downtown Springfield event venue. Now, Guccione focuses on bringing people together the best way she knows how: through wine, small plates and casual events, including pumpkin painting parties and drag queen brunch. It’s all part of her grand plan to get Springfield residents to slow down, catch up with friends and refine their palate. –L.S. doug riddle

Cosmo Kwon,

Bawi Korean BBQ

For some time, Cosmo Kwon has wanted to bring elevated Korean food to Springfield diners. “I want people to know there is more to the cuisine than Korean street food,” says Kwon. With Bawi Korean BBQ, which opened in July 2018, Kwon achieved that goal.

At the restaurant, patrons sit in booths equipped with a built-in grill top, where they personally grill the meat of their choice. As the main course sizzles, friendly staff deliver banchan (an array of side dishes) to the table – it’s a gratifying all-you-can-eat experience. “This is how my family eats,” says Kwon in reference to the authenticity of the fare and the presentation. “[At Bawi], we strive to provide a cultural experience and educate through food.

We want [our guests] to become fully immersed in their meal.”

In a city with less diversity than those with a larger population, Kwon believes that food can teach us to find similarities in our differences and create a bridge across borders. –J.G.

Doug Riddle,

Mary Guccione

Team Taco

With a baseball cap in one hand and a generous pour of mezcal in the other, Doug Riddle is revamping Springfield’s approach to fastcasual grub. As part owner and beverage director of Team Taco, Riddle is behind the popular spot’s agave-centric cocktail menu, pouring adventurous concoctions such as the Mezcal Mule and the Oaxacan Old Fashioned. If Riddle looks familiar, it’s because he’s spent the past decade making waves in the city’s growing cocktail scene. He started as head brewer at Mother’s Brewing Co. and then designed the upscale beverage program at the now-shuttered Social on Patton. Now, he’s putting his expertise to use to make Team Taco a destination beyond its namesake. Riddle’s cocktails feature seasonally influenced ingredients and flavor combinations that are light on the palate and heavy on the attitude. After closing time, he can be found elbow-deep in the various stages of fermentation, whipping up loaves of sourdough with friends. When asked about his next move, Riddle admits that he isn’t entirely sure.

However, one thing is certain: Although a veteran of his craft, Riddle gives the impression that he’s just getting started. –L.S.

Melissa Young-Millsap,

Melissa Young-Millsap

cosmo kwon

Urban Roots Farm

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photo by travis howard

It’s safe to say that Melissa Young-Millsap has always had a green thumb. Known to friends as “Farmer Mel,” she spent summers scurrying between her grandparents’ farm and part-time jobs at greenhouses and peach orchards. Now, she’s applying her expertise to agricultural outposts in southwest Missouri and beyond. As the co-founder of Urban Roots Farm, Young-Millsap is best known for establishing a farm-to-table concept in the city’s neglected west side. Along with her husband, Adam Millsap, Young-Millsap purchased the Urban Roots property in West Central, a historic and predominantly low-income neighborhood on the outskirts of downtown Springfield. The couple spent the next eight months lobbying city council for permission to cultivate the land as an urban micro farm. Fast forward to today; Urban Roots is a successful working farm with community outreach programs, including gardening classes and produce donations, as well as regular farm-to-table dinners for local foodies. Young-Millsap is also working on another agricultural project in northwest Arkansas, where she’s the farmer-in-residence at Red Barn, Arkansas’ first “agrihood,” or agriculture-based neighborhood. There, she’s doing what she does best: cultivating the land and the community that surrounds it. –L.S.

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restaurants | best new

Taqueria Don Pancho Taqueria Don Pancho opened not one, but two locations this year. After debuting inside Loop Liquor in Columbia, Missouri, the Mexican restaurant closed for the summer and reopened in a larger space on Peachtree Drive. Father-and-son team Pancho and Francisco Rutiaga pride themselves on offering authentic Mexican cuisine in an environment that warms the soul. They’ll make sure you get your fill of staples such as tacos, burritos, quesadillas and nachos, but the real star of the menu is the discada, a mixed meat dish popular in northern Mexican states that features beef, pork, chorizo, bacon, ham and sausage – all of which are marinated for 24 hours. –Kasey Carlson

W rising stars

Pancho and Francisco Rutiaga It’s been a busy year for Pancho and Francisco Rutiaga.

In December 2018, the father-son duo opened Taqueria Don Pancho in a corner of Loop Liquor on Business Loop Interstate 70. The two have always worked in restaurants, but this was their first time running their own place. Without even having a sign out front, word spread about the taqueria and the Loop Liquor location gained repeat customers within the first week; people couldn’t get enough of their traditional, family-centered style of cooking and craveable tacos, burritos and nachos adorned with fragrant, tender Mexican meats. A warm smile from Pancho and his signature goodbye, “See you tomorrow,” are the perfect bookends to the Taqueria Don Pancho experience. In May, the restaurant closed its Loop Liquor location, only to reopen in August in south Columbia. Now occupying a space all its own, Taqueria Don Pancho is still attracting customers in droves. “There are people who have gone to Mexico for vacation and told us, ‘The tacos were so good, but they still don’t compare to yours,’” says Francisco. “That’s a really good feeling, to hear people saying that they’re in Mexico and still thinking about us.” While the Rutiagas want to make sure that Taqueria Don Pancho stays on a successful and steady path, their dream is to open another restaurant – not a taqueria, but a concept with different flavor, perhaps something that Columbia doesn’t have yet. –K.C. PHOTOS BY ANTHONY jinson

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| best new

Boss Taco

A catering business turned brick-and mortar restaurant, Boss Taco features a rotating taco menu alongside soups, nachos and the best-selling avocado fries, all of which are as delicious as they are Instagrammable. Commanding attention in the North Village Arts District, owner Lindsey Spratt and her team use high-quality ingredients in all of their modern Mexican fare, including the popular Tinga Turner taco filled with chipotle- and tomato-braised chicken thigh topped with pickled red onion, avocado, queso fresco and cilantro and The Natalie Portman made with refried black beans, avocado, pickled red onion and cilantro drizzled with a chipotle crema. Enjoy a Tecate beer or housemade Margarita amongst the colorful décor while you chow down – it’s a great way to refuel while exploring the nearby galleries. –K.C. PHOTO BY kelly glueck

2019 | best new restaurants | columbia | best new

Paleteria El Tajín

It’s hard to miss the lemon-lime façade of Paleteria El Tajín on Broadway in downtown Columbia, and once you’ve stopped in to eat, it’s hard not to go back every day. The family-owned eatery dishes out antojitos, or “little cravings” – fast, easy-to-prepare Mexican street food – to help curb the city’s insatiable appetite for Mexican food. It’s also the only spot in mid-Missouri to get paletas, delicious Mexican ice pops, which it sources from Paleterias Tropicana, a well-known paleteria in Kansas City. Each member of the Herrera family – siblings Diego, Yesica and Yoselin and their father, Francisco – is equally passionate about the authentic menu and the opportunity to introduce Columbia diners to something new. –J.V.M.

| best new

Tiger Chef

Sai Tai and his wife, Nang Lont, opened Tiger Chef this spring, years after finding themselves in a very foreign place: Columbia, Missouri. The restaurant offers Burmese and Thai fare, representing the regions where the pair spent their first years together, as a couple and as refugees. Lont used to share her cooking – including her take on pad Thai and a dish she calls Tiger Fried Noodles (a plate of ramen noodles served with your choice of meat and sautéed greens) – with co-workers in Columbia, who raved about every dish and encouraged her to open a restaurant in order to share them with the community at large. Lont's other creative offerings include the tea leaf salad, which packs a powerful punch of caffeine, and slow-cooked savory soups, served only on weekends, that will heat you to the bone. Tiger Chef is the realization of a dream that Tai and Lont didn’t even know they had until they reached the U.S. Now, the husband-and-wife team are proud to share a piece of their homeland with their new home country. –Jessica Vaughn Martin

W rising stars

Sai Tai and Nang Lont In Myanmar, Sai Tai worked in sugarcane fields. It was a job he didn’t enjoy, but one of the few that was available to him.

Years after fleeing the country and living as a refugee, he’s proud to say he’s finally doing something he loves. Along with the other great love of his life, his wife, Nang Lont, Tai runs Tiger Chef, a Burmese-Thai restaurant in Columbia. The menu is a compilation of dishes from the couple’s past; spicy soups, papaya salad, curries and pad Thai guide patrons down the same path they traveled from Myanmar to Thailand to the U.S. When they settled in Columbia, Tai landed a job at Kraft Heinz company, where he still works today as a lineman. He’s always supported his wife and her cooking, and when Lont expressed her desire to share her food with their new community, they made the decision together to use their savings to open Tiger Chef. They work hard for their dream: Tai takes the night shift at Kraft from 8pm to 8am, sleeps until lunchtime and then goes to Tiger Chef for a meal before he works there. Lont arrives at Tiger Chef at 9am every day and cooks until she comes home at 2 or 3am. They’re undeniably busy, yet they still smile when they talk about their progress and even have hopes of expanding the business. –J.V.M. PHOTOS BY ANTHONY jinson

W rising star

Yesica Herrera Yesica Herrera shines as the head chef of her family’s new restaurant, Paleteria El Tajín, but she stresses that the eatery is a collaboration of siblings and parents, whom she credits with her knowledge and skill in the art of Mexican fare. With a medley of authentic and creative dishes, such as the Chamoy Tacos (tamarind candy topped with jícama, cucumber, carrots, peanuts and chamoy sauce wrapped in handmade tortillas), Yesica offers a taste of her family’s home kitchen in Veracruz, Mexico, to Columbia diners. Cooking for a crowd brings joy to the Herrera family, especially Yesica, and they want to continue adding new flavors to the local food scene. For instance, although Paleteria El Tajín currently outsources its paletas (Mexican ice pops), Yesica would like to experiment with crafting her own frozen treats when she has the right equipment. –J.V.M. PHOTOS BY ANTHONY jinson / d e c e mbe r 2 019

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2019 | best new restaurants | columbia

W rising stars

Kimie Grimm and Kelly Wisch

The Lookout Farm

For years, sisters Kimie Grimm and Kelly Wisch have played around with business ideas. In 2018, they finally came up with one worth planting in the ground. Together with their husbands, they repurposed the plot of land in Rocheport, Missouri, which they had purchased the year before, and launched The Lookout Farm, where they craft artisan products and foodstuffs from the yield of the sprawling lavender fields. They’ve opened an online shop, but also sell their lavender culinary products – think lavender-lemon lollipops and brownie mix – along with a variety of soaps, sprays and fresh or dried stems at the Columbia Farmers Market. Looking ahead, Grimm and Wisch have plans for a brick-and-mortar shop where they can sell lavender goods and wares from other local makers – bringing consumers and local producers closer together is a driving force for the pair. Also expect them to open up the farm for “u-pick” events during peak season and year-round classes on gardening. –J.V.M. PHOTOS BY ANTHONY jinson

W rising stars

Martha Bass and Sophie Mendelson

Sugarwitch

The year is still dissected into semesters for Martha Bass and Sophie Mendelson, two Mizzou grad students who made the most of their 2019 summer break by selling artisan ice cream sandwiches in Columbia. Their small-batch ice cream pop-up shop, Sugarwitch, sweetens the market with flavors sourced from a variety of local producers, including Danamay Farm and Peachtree Farms, which provide the ingredients for Willow, an irresistible blueberry-peach combo. The culinarians have named each sandwich after well-known witches from fiction and lore, while flavor combinations are conjured up based on what’s in season and by meaningful places. For example, the Kiki, a gluten-free mango sticky rice sandwich, is a nod to time spent in Thailand. Mendelson, who works with the Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri, is adding another dimension to their ice cream endeavor by finding ways to incorporate signature state flavors, particularly elderflower and pecan, into wicked treats. While she and Bass are still in school, Sugarwitch will operate seasonally, but they plan to continue the venture through the 2020 summer season and, if we’re lucky, beyond. –J.V.M. PHOTo BY ANTHONY jinson

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Jeff Spencer,

Just Jeff’s

Industry innovators

Jeff Spencer never dreamed that in his retirement he would open two brick-and-mortar restaurants and attract a bit of local fame. But after he quit his day job as a truck driver, he began selling burgers and hot dogs out of a cart on the University of Missouri’s campus full-time – something he had done only parttime beginning in 2013. Back then he was just a guy manning a grill, without framed culinary degrees or restaurant experience to back him up. To this day, he’s never needed any of that. A jovial personality, simple, scratch cooking and a menu focused on allbeef hot dogs, burgers and other fast-food classics have created a loyal fan base that has followed Spencer from cart to full-kitchen concept. Spencer firmly believes that the best meals start in the cleanest kitchens; he’s proud to showcase his stainless steel grills and spotless prep surfaces in the open kitchen of his south Columbia location. Just Jeff’s lunch-only hours bring in plenty of business, but in the future, Spencer hopes to stay open for dinner to expand his clientele. Until then, he’s rolling with what’s always served him best: just being Jeff. –J.V.M.

Amanda Elliott and Ben Hamrah,

Daniel and Ali Bauer,

brad newkirk,

The Cherry Street Cellar

Over the years, B&B Bagel Co. has become an integral part of the community in Columbia, Missouri, and so has co-owner Brad Newkirk himself; he has watched his customers’ kids grow into adults and even hired staff that he’s known since they were in diapers. “You won’t find those connections within national chains,” he says.

Another thing that makes B&B Bagel Co. different is its New York-style practice of boiling each bagel before baking it. The from-scratch bagels are made with as few ingredients as possible; smeared with complementary cream cheese flavors, including strawberry, honey-walnut, jalapeño and garlic-herb, they’re a heavenly breakfast indulgence. The jovial atmosphere of the shop that Newkirk has created also draws people in: He’s happy to say that there’s a lot of joking around and hugging that goes on whether he’s there or not. –K.C.

For husband-and-wife team Daniel and Ali Bauer, The Wine Cellar & Bistro, now the Cherry Street Cellar, is a place of firsts. It’s where they first met in 2005 – Ali in the kitchen, Daniel stationed in front of house – and now it’s the first restaurant they’ve been able to call their own.

All these years later, coming back to the Cellar still feels familiar. Ali once again finds herself in the kitchen, this time as the executive chef, while Daniel manages the bar and front of house. The Bauers lived in Chicago for 11 years, where Ali was the chef de cuisine at Brindille and Daniel worked in a series of fine-dining restaurants. But after the birth of their second son, a cramped two-bedroom apartment and a sevenhour drive from family gave them plenty of reason to head back home to Columbia. This past summer, previous owners Sarah and Craig Cyr passed the baton to the Bauers, who have strived to maintain the best traditions of The Wine Cellar & Bistro while making the concept feel like their own. Besides the name, other changes include a redesigned interior and new seasonal menu items made with local ingredients. The couple hopes to add more fresh ideas in the coming months. –J.V.M.

B&B Bagel Co.

Beet Box

Chefs Amanda Elliott (a Feast columnist) and Ben Hamrah initially bonded over their love of cooking (and indulging in) Middle Eastern fare. However, their passion for the cuisine comes from different places. Hamrah’s is innate: His Persian heritage means that family dinners were often filled with rich flavors and spices of Middle Eastern origin. Elliott’s enthusiasm, on the other hand, was sparked by a holiday in Lebanon, which triggered a desire to recreate everything she ate there in her New York kitchen, where she was operating Rustic Supper as a private chef at the time. After the birth of her daughter, Elliott moved back to mid-Missouri to be closer to family and connected with Hamrah. The two worked at Hamrah’s family business, Peachtree Catering, for years before taking a leap and opening their first brick-and-mortar restaurant, Beet Box. Allowing their similar cooking philosophies to steer the menu, Elliott and Hamrah create dishes inspired by seasonal ingredients grown by local producers. To get a taste, try the shawarma, housemade flatbread filled with either chicken from Brush & Trouble Farm in Boone County, Missouri, or pork from Sullivan Farms in Fayette; baklava ice cream sandwich; or weekly special, where the chefs’ inspiration shines. –J.V.M. jeff spencer brad newkirk daniel & ali bauer

PHOTO BY keith borgmeyer

Ben Hamrah

amanda elliott / d e c e mbe r 2 019

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Back Burner the

this month, we asked industry pros:

What’s your favorite holiday food tradition?

Amity Mains

owner

Amity’s Cookie Shoppe Columbia, Missouri

“On Christmas morning, my family loves to make green pancakes stacked up smaller and smaller to look like a Christmas tree, complete with sprinkles for ornaments and whipped cream and a star on top. Then for dinner, it’s always Chinese!”

Sarah Breitenstein owner

John Chace owner

Paul Hamilton co-owner

Anna Davis private chef

Christina Corvino co-owner

Sarah’s on the Hill

Frank ‘n’ Steins

Hamilton Hospitality

Springfield, Missouri

Kansas City, kansas

Nixa, Missouri

St. Louis

“Growing up, I anticipated eating

Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room

“For holidays on my dad’s side of

“[We have a] Christmas morning

“We have several traditional holiday

my mom’s special Norwegian

Kansas City, missouri

the family, we do [several] things.

breakfast of scrambled eggs,

dishes, including a fresh cranberry

Christmas bread, julekaka

“My favorite holiday foods

This may sound odd, but every year

veggie quiche cups, pan-fried

and bourbon slushy; marinated

(raisin-cardamom bread), with

are the appetizers: pickled

there’s a Christmas potato: It’s a

potatoes with peppers and

herring with onions; caramelized

gjetost (brown goat cheese) all

vegetables, deviled eggs,

raw potato that we pass around

onions and biscuits and gravy.

balsamic Brussels sprouts with

year long. Our formal dinner,

cheeses, artisan breads, creamy

and each take a bite of. Also, one

Full bellies make for calmer

Applewood smoked bacon and onions;

held on Christmas Eve instead

dips. And, of course, caviar and

year someone received a very

children when it’s time to

and dry-rubbed prime rib cooked rare

of Christmas Day – another

bubbles – there's nothing better

ugly, very stretchy sweater and

open presents.”

to medium-rare with natural jus and

Scandinavian custom – is also a

to put you in the holiday mood!”

[each year] most of us try it on –

horseradish crème fraîche. Dessert

favorite [tradition] full of pork

regardless of our size.”

is [Hamilton Hospitality co-owner]

tenderloin with applesauce, surkaal

Wendy [Hamilton]'s famous bourbon-

(sweet and sour purple cabbage),

pecan pie with homemade vanilla bean

green beans, yellow potatoes

ice cream, followed by an after-dinner

with loads and loads of butter and

drink of tawny Port.”

homemade cranberry sauce.”

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/ d e c e mbe r 2 019

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HOLID

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