July 2014

7 restaurant

fav o r i t e s you can make at home

Watermelon Agua Fresca, p. 37

Re a der s' Ch o ice

R e v i e w :

R e s u l t s

Adam's Smokehouse

A Q & A w ith Mai Lee' s Pho King

(Flip the magazine over.)

p. 22

p. 52

July 2014

FREE, july 2014

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J uly 2 014 • VO LUM E 14, Issue 7 PUBLISHER EXECUTIVE EDITOR ART DIRECTOR MANAGING EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR, DIGITAL SPECIAL SECTIONs EDITOR Fact checker PROOFREADER PRODUCTION DESIGNER EDIBLE WEEKEND WRITER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

What's your favorite ice cream topping?

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS The Trifecta - Oreo cookies, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Health bar

Events coordinator Listings manager ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Account Executives Advertising Accounts Coordinator interns

To place advertisements in Sauce Magazine contact the advertising department at 314.772.8004 or sales@ saucemagazine.com.

To carry Sauce Magazine at your store, restaurant, bar or place of business Contact Allyson Mace at 314.772.8004 or amace@saucemagazine.com.

All contents of Sauce Magazine are copyright ©2001-2014 by Bent Mind Creative Group, LLC. The Sauce name and logo are both registered to the publisher, Bent Mind Creative Group, LLC. Reproduction or other use, in

Chunks of

Allyson Mace chocolate chip Ligaya Figueras cookie dough Meera Nagarajan Garrett Faulkner Catherine Klene Garrett Faulkner Crumbled Heath bar Rosa Heyman Emily Lowery, Stacy Schultz Michelle Volansky Catherine Klene Jonathan Gayman, Ashley Gieseking, Elizabeth Jochum, Greg Rannells, Carmen Troesser, Michelle Volansky Vidhya Nagarajan Glenn Bardgett, Matt Berkley, Garrett Faulkner, Ligaya Figueras, Sara Graham, Kellie Hynes, Byron Kerman, Jamie Kilgore, Ted Kilgore, Cory King, Catherine Klene, Anne Marie Lodholz, Meera Nagarajan, Matt Obermark, Michael Renner, Dee Ryan Rebecca Ryan Heath bar Rebecca Ryan Allyson Mace Rachel Gaertner, Jill George, Jackie Wagner Jill George Mary Baker, Kelly Crutsinger, Elena Makansi, Erica Van Buren

whole or in part, of the contents without permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. While the information has been compiled carefully to ensure maximum accuracy at the time of publication, it is provided for general guidance only and is subject to change.

The publisher cannot guarantee the accuracy of all information or be responsible for omissions or errors.

Additional copies may be obtained by providing a request at 314.772.8004 or via mail. Postage fee of $2 will apply.

editorial policies The Sauce Magazine mission is to provide St. Louis-area residents and visitors with unbiased, complete information on the area’s restaurant, bar and entertainment industry. Our editorial content is not influenced by who advertises with Sauce Magazine or saucemagazine.com.

Sauce Magazine is printed on recycled paper using soy inks.

Our reviewers are never provided with complimentary food or drinks from the restaurants in exchange for favorable reviews, nor are their identities as reviewers made known during their visits.

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St. Louis, MO 63103 July 2014

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contents july 2014

editors' picks 13

EAT THIS Braised Beef Bruschetta at Scape American Bistro

14

FIXATIONS

Tabasco butter shrimp at Evangeline's p. 19

Products we love right now

16

HIT LIST 6 new places to try this month

reviews 31

19

NEW AND NOTABLE Evangeline’s Bistro and Music House

by michael renner

BEER Barbecue brews

by matt obermark 32

VEGETIZE IT

22

POWER LUNCH Adam's Smokehouse

by byron kerman

His and hers Reuben sandwiches

by kellie hynes 37

Feature

Watermelon agua fresca

38

by dee ryan

by popular demand

MAKE THIS

25

NIGHTLIFE Bella Vino Wine Bar & Tapas

by matt berkley

dine & drink 27 Photo by jonathan gayman

A SEAT AT THE BAR

July 2014

last course 50

STUFF TO DO by byron kerman

Four experts tell us what to sip, stir and shake

52

by glenn bardgett, cory king, and ted and jamie kilgore

Qui Tran

WHAT I DO by ligaya figueras

cover details

recipes compiled by catherine klene

Watermelon agua fresca p. 37

photo by greg rannells

(Flip the magazine over to see Readers' Choice winners.)

What are your favorite places to eat, drink and shop?

We asked; you voted. We tallied, then tallied again.

Check out the 2014 Readers' Choice results, which include repeat victors like Pappy's Smokehouse, voted Favorite Barbecue (That's Pappy's owner Mike Emerson on the cover.), and quite a few surprises. A Saucy congrats to all the winners! - Photo by Greg Rannells

saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 9

letter from the editor

Above: My husband took this photograph in 1995 just prior to our wedding when we feared we’d be robbed of presents and other “valuables,” like Gilbey’s gin.

I defend my taste by noting the bottle of Tanqueray in the photo. Left: Natasha Bahrami (center) and I shake some gin drinks at The Gin Room inside Cafe Natasha’s while her father, Behshid Bahrami, sips a Dirty Persian martini.

winners is filled with many longstanding establishments that, like Cafe Natasha’s, keep customers coming back for more – be it for pho at Mai Lee (p. 52) or meatloaf at Annie Gunn’s (p. 42).

Bottom-shelf gins don’t have a place at The Gin Room inside Cafe Natasha’s.

Fellow gin devotee Natasha Bahrami recently revamped the bar at the South Grand restaurant to showcase a collection of 63-and-counting gins, with emphasis on small-batch and hard-to-find bottles, plus some tasty house-infused ones. You can try them in a flight, the gin and tonic of the day, or, taking a page from her father’s book, in a Dirty Persian, a wet gin martini made with his housemade pickled pepper brine.

Cafe Natasha’s isn’t just a primo pick for a gin drink. As St. Louisans have known

for years, the family-owned business is the place for Persian cuisine. And you’ve recognized the excellence of its food by voting Cafe Natasha’s your favorite Persian restaurant in the 2014 Readers’ Choice poll. (Flip the magazine over to see this year’s results.)

All too often the masses (OK, and we in the media, too) are drawn to places where the paint is barely dry. “What’s new? What’s hot?” we ask. So it’s exciting that, 30 years after throwing open the doors to Cafe Natasha’s, the Bahramis are still attracting new customers while keeping regulars happy. This year’s list of

The combination of tried-and-true restaurants and those yet to celebrate an anniversary is what fosters a food community and gives it energy. I hope this issue reflects the diversity of our thriving dining scene and whets your appetite to revisit some familiar haunts – and check out a few newbies while you’re out and about town.

Cheers,

Ligaya Figueras Executive editor

portrait by jonathan gayman

E

very gin drinker has a few good stories. One of mine (and my husband’s) dates to 1995 in the days leading up to our wedding. We had been warned about people who prey on newlyweds, swiping wedding gifts while the lovebirds are honeymooning or, even worse, still exchanging vows in the chapel. Aghast that someone might steal our new place settings, flatware and stemware and leave us with only our cruddy secondhand furnishings, we went around the apartment taking photos of everything of value – including a bottle of Gilbey’s gin.

Price tag? Probably $7.

St. Louis now boasts a number of Vietnamese restaurants, but that wasn’t the case when Mai Lee opened in 1985. On this month’s Sound Bites, Mai Lee’s Qui Tran joins Sauce executive editor Ligaya Figueras to discuss the evolution of the local Vietnamese dining scene and look back on how the family business has shaped Tran’s career. (For more on Tran, turn to p. 52.) Tune in to St. Louis Public Radio 90.7 KWMU’s Cityscape Friday, July 11 at noon and 10 p.m.

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editors' picks

eat this

The BRAISED BEEF BRUSCHETTA at SCAPE AMERICAN BISTRO might not cross your mind as an appetizer in July, but trust us when we say it’s a midsummer night’s dream, especially when enjoyed alfresco at the Backbar at Scape.

Moist, tender braised beef is piled atop stout cuts of sourdough and garnished with shaved Parmesan and delicate celery plumes. But it’s the one-two punch of spicy Calabrian chile peppers and a red pepper-goat cheese tapenade photo by greg rannells

that turns each bite into a satisfying pageant of slow heat and robust creaminess. In the depths of summer, hefty meat dishes should probably be shared. Just not this one.

Scape American Bistro, 48 Maryland Plaza, St. Louis, 314.361.7227, scapestl.com

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Fixations It’s summer, and it’s time to play – whether with a Strange Donuts video game, a coffee-inspired skateboard or a sharp, new kitchen toy.

Here are the products at the top of our shopping list right now.

2011 Hamacher Chardonnay Aged for 18 months in French oak, this full-bodied, golden beauty from Willamette Valley in Oregon will be our liquid sunshine all summer long. $50. Garland Wines, 11 S. Old Orchard Ave., Webster Groves, 314.961.9463, garlandwines.com

Scyavuru pistachio cream This condiment is the closest Italians come to making peanut butter, and it’s delicious. Use it as a filling for pastries like cornetti or cannoli, or just grab a spoon and eat it straight from the jar. $10. eataly.com

Wüsthof 200th anniversary celebration two-piece knife set What happens when one of the most respected names in cutlery has a birthday?

This limited-edition set, which includes a 9-inch chef’s knife and a 4-inch paring knife with forged carbon steel blades and rosewood handles. Danke, Wüsthof. $199.

Bertarelli Cutlery, 1927 Marconi Ave., St. Louis, 314.664.4005, bertarellicutlery.com

Pour-over station skateboard We’re buzzing over this piece of functional art handcrafted by Mississippi Mud Coffee owner and artist Chris Ruess. A carved wooden skateboard complete with steel wheels becomes the perfect station for brewing two pour-over coffees. $200. mississippimudcoffee.com

Want to add this Wüsthof knife set to your collection? We’re giving it away online this month. Follow us on Facebook for a chance to win.

Strange Donuts vs.

The World video game Strange Donuts has found a way to make waiting in its long line fun. Download this video game and navigate your skater past an 8-bit Mai Lee, Pastaria and more local favorites to collect coins and dones. Just watch out for cops, potholes and gators. Free. Available for iPhone and Android

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Blood Orange & Vanilla Bean Meltaway Bar Tiny Illinois chocolatier Ethereal Confections offers big flavor with its organic dark chocolate bar filled with a creamy blood orange and vanilla bean center. $8. Olive Oils & More, 105 E. Argonne Drive, Kirkwood, 314.821.4645 and 202 S. Buchanan St., Edwardsville, 618.656.4645, oliveoilstoreandmore.com

Crown Valley Big Bison rib-eye These fabulous 10-ounce steaks come from naturally raised bison that roam the Crown Valley Winery vineyards in Ste. Genevieve.

Pair that lean, flavorful meat with Crown Valley’s Big Bison Ale. $20 each. Crown Valley Winery, Brewery and Distillery, 23589 State Route WW, 866.207.9463, bigbisonmeat.com

Delancey: A Memoir What’s it really like to open a restaurant? Molly Wizenberg, author of A Homemade Life and food blog Orangette, gives a blood-sweat-and-tears account of how she and her husband opened acclaimed Seattle pizzeria Delancey and survived. $25. Left Bank Books, 399 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314.367.6731, left-bank.com

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hit list

6 new places to try this month

Death in the Afternoon 808 Chestnut St., St. Louis, 314.621.3236, deathinthe afternoonstl.com The much-anticipated lunch spot in Citygarden from Blood & Sand’s Adam Frager and T.J. Vytlacil is open. But adjust your expectations, aficionados: Unlike its members-only sister restaurant-lounge, Death in the Afternoon is open to the public, doesn’t serve dinner and doesn’t have a cocktail menu. What you will find is a gorgeous gardenside patio and a lunchtime bill of snacks, soups, sandwiches and salads. We enjoyed the grilled pita with an eggplant dip redolent with Asian flavors, as well as crispy falafel that shares space with garden-fresh veggies and tzatziki in a warm pita. For a more Westernized option, try the burger with Calabrian chile aioli. Pair it with a beer brewed on-site by new Upper 90 Brewing Co.

4

Root & Vine 5100 Daggett Ave., St. Louis, 314.773.5553, fivebistro.com Anthony Devoti’s latest rotating restaurant concept inside his Five Bistro focuses on produce, much of it grown in Five’s garden. The almostvegetarian, six-course prix-fixe begins with a deviled duck egg placed atop a leaf of bok choy kimchee. Other highlights include a panna cotta of creamed turnips served with smoked trout and a gnocchi dish that celebrates spring onions. But don’t wait too long, veg-heads; we can’t guarantee Root & Vine will last past July.

5

Jilly’s Ice Cream Bar 8509 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.993.5455, jillysicecreambar.com Located just steps from its sister establishment Jilly’s Cupcake Bar & Café, this chef-driven ice cream bar offers 19 ice cream flavors divided into classics, cupcake inspirations and monthly chef creations. Our pick is the Ka-Boomm, chock-full of brownie bits, Oreo chunks and M&Ms. Enjoy it in a Jilly’s cupcake waffle cone or a twoscoop side-by-side cake cone. Feeling indulgent? Build your own sundae or go with a signature one like Lemonberry: Bee Sting ice cream, blueberry compote, morsels of streusel crunch, whipped cream, a cherry and a wee sugar bee.

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A Pizza Story 7278 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.899.0011, apizzastory.com

Que Sazon 314.775.7714, quesazontruck.com

A Pizza Story’s pizzaiolo and co-owner Muhammad Alhawagri spent months perfecting a dough recipe that serves as the foundation for 12-inch Neopolitanstyle pies like Fantasy (burrata, prosciutto and arugula), Mystery (a pairing of meaty mushrooms and red peppers) and Space Opera (smoked salmon, capers and fresh dill atop a swath of ricotta), all baked in a wood-burning oven. A slight twist on the dough recipe makes for a fine house bread, seasoned with rosemary and sea salt. If the limoncello gelato is available during your visit, order it.

Que Sazon finds its niche in the food truck scene with authentic, flavorful South American cuisine. Expect a rotation of empanadas, their smaller cousin the empanadilla, and arepas – handheld cornmeal discs split and stuffed with meat, beans, cheese or vegetables. Keep an eye out for the arepas de pernil, filled with slow-roasted pork and a house-made mango barbecue sauce, or the pollo and mango arepa of tender chicken studded with bright bits of avocado and mango. Light, flaky empanadas hold surprising flavor combinations – like the Che, filled with ground beef, hard-boiled egg and briny green olives served with chimichurri mayo on the side. Wash this down with a glass of refreshing maracuya, a sweet-sour passion fruit juice.

6 Shack Restaurant recently relocated to Valley Park and added Shack Restaurant breakfast to the menu. The Nutty 13645 Big Bend Road, Suite 105, Monkey smoothie, a mix of crunchy Valley Park, 636.529.1600, shackstl.com granola and banana, is a great way to ease your hunger pangs before the real food arrives. Order The Kitchen Sink from the Skillets section and load up on ham, bacon, sausage, veggies, white cheddar, hash browns and eggs. Craving sweet? The Wild Berries buttermilk pancakes are crowned with a scrumptious berry compote and a generous spoonful of creme fraiche. Best of all was the breakfast pizza, which changes frequently. Ours held a richly satisfying version of creamed spinach, pork belly and eggs – but atop that sweet yeasty dough, anything would be delicious.

July 2014

death in the afternoon photo by garrett faulkner; photos by michelle volansky

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reviews All Sauce reviews are conducted anonymously.

Blackened red snapper at Evangeline's

new and notable

Evangeline’s Bistro and Music House

by Michael Renner | Photos by Jonathan Gayman

T

he 7-month-old Evangeline’s Bistro and Music House – instantly likeable and New Orleans-inspired – sits on the northern fringe of the Central West End in the same handsome building where Pierce-Arrow automobiles were once displayed. With a loud bandstand at the front of the dining room, the atmosphere can be boisterous, even overwhelming. It can also be a helluva lot of fun – one evening the celebratory spirit of birthday revelers was so fetching that other diners couldn’t help but join in. Another positive observation: Apart from the Goody Goody Diner, the clientele during my visits was the most racially diverse I’ve seen in a St. Louis restaurant recently.

n e w a n d n o t a b l e e va n g e l i n e ' s p . 1 9 / p o w e r l u n c h a da m ' s s m o k e h o u s e p . 2 2 / n i g h t l i f e B E L L A VINO p . 2 5 July 2014

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from a lime on the side made it even more so. You’ll want to use the generous slices of grilled French bread for sopping up as much of that sauce as possible.

reviews

Sticklers for authenticity will either have to lighten up or save their taste buds for the Crescent City; the fact is, the line between Creole and Cajun styles has blurred over the years. Call it New Orleans-influenced cuisine or even Cre-jun, but Evangeline’s doesn’t overthink what’s genuine and what’s not. Case in point: cheese, lots of it. Of the 25 menu items (excluding salads and cheese bread), 10 listed Parmesan or mozzarella as an ingredient. That doesn’t even include the shredded Parmesan used to garnish several other dishes. The dairy-averse would be wise to inquire about the amount of cheese in their order.

new and notable p. 2 of 2

That’s not to say it’s bad. The beans in the Famous Red Beans and Rice were cooked to the proper texture, the andouille was smoky, the house-cured steak cut thick and the two mounds of fragrant jasmine rice steamed just right. I don’t know if it was replacing the ham with steak, adding red wine or dialing down the heat that made the dish “famous,” but it was an innovative – and very good – spin on an old standard. Other entrees included three étouffées (crawfish, shrimp, blue crab), gumbo, jambalaya, baked chicken, seared duck breast and blackened red snapper.

On the patio, there is an air of New Orleans festivity with outside seating and street performers, including a dancer gyrating in slow motion with a hula hoop. Inside, diners can watch the action through gorgeous floor-toceiling, wraparound windows. Overall, the dining room is a tastefully appointed, inviting space.

two pieces of complimentary bruschetta, one topped with marinated feta – spicy and bright with Cajun seasonings and lemon – the other a muffuletta full of chunkier-than-normal, coarse-cut olives and carrots. There’s no barbecue shrimp on the menu, but the Tabasco butter shrimp carries considerable heat for the classic dish: seven big tail-on Gulf shrimp drenched in a piquant sauce of Tabasco, butter, garlic and shredded Parmesan. The heat was surprisingly gentle, and a squeeze or two

Though it seems odd to serve your top appetizer gratis, the kitchen sends out

AT A GLANCE Evangeline’s Bistro and Music House

Don’t Miss Dishes Oyster po’boy, blackened red snapper, Tabasco butter shrimp

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The blue crab étouffée had the rich texture of butter and cream, and included the bell pepper, celery and onion “holy trinity” – all nearly overpowering the headliner.

Accenting the dish was a crab leg, which would have been a good idea but for its anorexic size and lack of a cracking utensil to extract whatever miniscule amount of meat lay inside. However, the kitchen scored big with its blackened red snapper filet by keeping the warm spices balanced, being judicious with the meunière sauce and understanding that “blackened” doesn’t mean burnt and bitter.

The cooks also know that duck breast should be served medium-rare, a practice

Vibe Raucous on weekends (NOLA style), quiet on weeknights, contemporary bistro décor that dodges Big Easy kitsch

Entree Prices $10 to $24

they back up by stating so right on the menu. The four medallions of juicy, caramelized breast in a balsamic reduction and topped with orange zest were both savory and tart. Thick-cut rounds of roasted potatoes and spinach, sauteed with garlic and ginger, rounded out the dish.

There were po’boys, of course, and they were substantial. The fried oyster version was so loaded down – plump Gulf Coast oysters, red Cajun gravy, chopped romaine lettuce, sliced Creole tomato and, yes, shredded Parmesan – that closing it would have been futile. This was a knifeand-fork sandwich. Even with the sauce and shaggy, crunchy breading, the oysters’ briny-fresh flavor and tender texture came through with each bite. All sandwiches come with a choice of sides and a cherryinfused pickle.

Abita Amber beer went well with that po’boy, but there was a good selection of local brews on tap also. (Sadly, Dixie beer, a New Orleans mainstay, isn’t available.) Hurricanes were made fresh with juice instead of syrupy-sweet nonsense. For dessert, Evangeline’s serves up favorites like bananas Foster and adapts cherries jubilee by using strawberries. Both were prepared in the kitchen but can be made tableside upon request. Beignets are served at Sunday brunch, and the bourbon pecan pie was a pleaser: not too sweet with a hint of booze, a flaky crust and crunchy nuts. It had me at first bite.

During all visits, service was engaged and friendly, though there were long lags between appetizers and entrees.

Others must have experienced similar timing problems, evidenced by the general manager holding several table conversations with diners, none of whom were smiling.

Much like NOLA itself, Evangeline’s makes no bones about what it is: a lively, convivial spot with good food made from scratch and with earnest intent – even if there is a lot of cheese.

Where 512 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314.367.3644, evangelinesstl.com

When Daily – 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., kitchen open until midnight

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reviews power lunch

Power Lunch

Adam's Smokehouse

by Byron Kerman | photos by jonathan gayman

Adam’s Smokehouse, which opened in Clifton Heights last fall, boasts an ownership and management team with intimate ties to both Pappy’s and Bogart’s smokehouses. One of its specialties is brisket, which just might bring you to your knees. The smoked salami alone is worth the pilgrimage.

Other cuts, however, aren’t worship-worthy just yet.

[3]

[1] worked their asses off, and the customer was king. The speed at Adam’s was thunderbolt-quick; you might order at the Adam’s Smokehouse register and suddenly 2819 Watson Road, notice, before finding a St. Louis, 314.875.9890, table, a server hovering adamssmokehouse.com next to you with your order in a basket. Yet the staff was far from coldly efficient or impersonal. Everyone was so kind that they made this firsttimer feel like a regular. The management frequently visited the tables to assure everything was in order, a rare and welcome gesture these days.

Meat Me in St. Louis The melt-in-your-mouth brisket [1] was the star of the show. Adam’s sliced it thin as deli meat, and its reddish trim and smoky taste were rapturous. Only a heretic would put a drop of sauce on it. That masterful smoked salami [2] was flecked with fat and black pepper, and arrived on the tongue with an umami-blast of salty, meaty goodness.

Smoked turkey, so often the overlooked stepsister of pork ’cue, was another, more minor revelation of deliciousness.

Of course, ribs are the sine qua non of a smokehouse. While Adam’s ribs [3] had a juicy texture and tasty cap of smoked fat and muscle above the ribs themselves, they weren’t smoky enough and lacked something – possibly rub – to make them stand out. The chicken (served whole or by the half ) was moist and smoker-pink, but was slathered thickly in a cranberry cayenne sauce. If you’re not nuts about the sharp flavor of cayenne, ask for it unsauced. Unfortunately, the pulled pork was overcooked and had to be rescued with one of Adam’s sauces. And the burnt ends, a Wednesday and Saturday off-menu special, were missing the concentrated burst of caramelized flavor the meat normally has.

A Trinity of Sauces While many barbecue joints around town leave a half-dozen sauces at each table, Adam’s exercises austerity with a simple selection of three. Sweet Jane is its version of St. Louis’ preferred, heavily sugared sauce; it was sweet but not cloying. The aforementioned cranberry cayenne was tangy and left a

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The Takeaway Adam’s has a wonderfully simple menu that befits a barbecue joint. It’s easy to figure out your favorites and worth returning for them again and again. The juicy, smoky brisket, salami and turkey are enough to drive any decent person to sin – gluttony, for those who live nearby, and envy, for those who don’t.

bit of heat lingering on the tongue. It’s a bold combo of flavors that will likely divide the crowd – you’ll either love it or say “nuh-uh.” Carolina is that region’s signature thin, vinegar-based sauce, and was done with aplomb.

Sides and Other Diversions The pit beans were dotted with bits of pork, but the smoke flavor was overwhelmed by a pronounced brownsugar sweetness. The potato salad – made

with both mustard and mayo – and a creamy slaw were identical, respectively, to what you’d find at Pappy’s and Bogart’s. A mild house-made pasta salad was thoroughly enlivened by a squirt of the Carolina sauce. The menu had no desserts, but a decorative pig filled with free chocolate crouched near the register.

Service at Light Speed The service ethic at Adam’s was identical to that of its sister restaurants: Everyone

[2] July 2014

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nightlife

reviews

Bella Vino

nightlife

by Matt berkley | Photos by jonathan gayman

cabernets, rich super Tuscans and other conscientiously placed, reasonably priced white and red blends. These choices are reinforced with a handful of bottled beers plucked from nearby microbreweries. There exists an unimpressive cocktail menu, which stumbles on itself with fruit purée infusions that, despite being fresh, should be dropped entirely. The worst offender is the Blood Orange Margarita, the flavor of which Bella Vino Wine Bar my companion & Tapas, 325 S. Main St., likened to orange St. Charles, baby aspirin. Best 636.724.3434, to stick with the bellavinowinebarstl.com wines.

O

n a calm Saturday night on Main Street in St. Charles, the clamor of the packed dining room at Bella Vino Wine Bar & Tapas hits newcomers with the force of an oncoming freight train. It’s immediately obvious that Bella Vino, which opened its doors on Black Friday last year, has done well since. The crowd speaks for itself (loudly).

And despite a handful of rookie mistakes, this is one of the better 30s-plus, couplesfriendly spots St. Charles has seen in years.

There’s a definite house-party feel to Bella Vino. This may be because the building was once a home on historic Main Street. (Locals will remember this spot as the location of The Vine.) Front patio tables serve as popular perches for couples and groups of friends who flock July 2014

there during happy hour. A handful of waiters dash about the foyer/bar area upstairs, running carafes of wine out to customers. The interior parlor room is tastefully dressed down in subtle color tones, wooden floors and exposed brick.

Back and to the right, a wraparound couch dominates a far room that opens to a spacious rear patio with overflow space, inhabited on some weekend nights by private parties.

Sumptuous, dark red Malbecs were standouts that complemented the handful of thoughtfully crafted small plates. The mussels and chorizo was a surprisingly light starter that featured delightful thick strands of homemade pasta. Crisp flatbreads with such accoutrements as fresh mozzarella, pancetta and soppresso were likewise well worth tucking into. The best of these had to be the duck prosciutto flatbread with Gorgonzola, which normally smacks too much of bleu cheese for my taste. This one was much smoother and offset by a tinge of sweetness from the caramelized onions, which did not overpower the savory cuts of duck. The calamari was another treat, served thickly sliced, lightly breaded and searingly hot, adjacent to a bed of crispy fried spinach and a few dollops of saffron aioli. The menu’s identity crisis (is it tapas or is it Italian?) certainly didn’t detract from the stellar plates themselves. Fair warning, though: they were all quite small, so order accordingly. Also, plan to linger over your drinks. Though the servers were enthusiastic, they were unimaginably slow in delivering beverage orders, which were frustratingly served up one at a time – a custom understandable with tapas but not with booze.

There is plenty to like, starting with the wine menu, which deftly straddles the line between sparse and overloaded. There’s nothing intimidating about this place, and at the same time, there’s nothing serious wine lovers would roll their eyes at either. The compact, two-page menu overflows with pinots, sauvignon blancs,

Dress code at Bella Vino is upscale business casual. Tables are typically full, and for good reason: it’s worth the wait. Generous flavors and tall pours of affordable options (most bottles come in under the $40 mark) help fuel the laid-back ambiance of this enticing little wine bar, which has proven a sublime addition to downtown St. Charles.

order it: Bella Vino

With dark berry notes, the 2010 Monteti “Caburnio” Super Tuscan is available by the glass or bottle.

The House Cured Duck Prosciutto flatbread: subtle and sweet.

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dine

& drink

Check out the Kilgore's pick for a mai tai.

The Kilgores recommend these brands to mix a mai tai: Appleton Estate Reserve, Clément V.S.O.P. Rhum Agricole Vieux, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao and BG Reynolds’ Oregeat.

A Seat at the Bar

ILLUSTRATIONS BY VIDHYA NAGARAJAN; photo by jonathan gayman

Four experts tell us what to sip, stir and shake

While I’m anxious for local tomatoes to turn bright red, early-season green ones – battered and fried – keep me content, too. Continuing my quest to pair any food with a regional wine, I glenn bardgett turned to 2012 St. James Member of the Missouri Wine Winery Pioneer White. and Grape Board and wine Although I tend to think of director at Annie Gunn’s Missouri wines mostly as single varietals, this one is a blend. The combination of chardonel, seyval blanc and vignoles – three of Missouri’s workhorse white grapes – lend this very dry wine a juicy, fruity balance. Its crisp acidity and medium body make it an impressive match for tangy fried green tomatoes.

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A mai tai has somehow come to indicate a rum drink with loads of whatever juice is on hand.

But being sticklers for classics, we always make this cocktail the way Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron did when he created it in 1944 for two Tahitian friends. Upon ted and jamie tasting the drink, one of Vic’s kilgore pals exclaimed, “Maita’i roa ae!”

USBG, B.A.R. Ready, BarSmart meaning, “Out of this world! The and co-owners/bartenders at best!” We couldn’t agree more.

Planter’s House To make Trader Vic’s mai tai, combine 1 ounce Jamaican rum, 1 ounce Martinique rhum, ½ ounce orange curaçao, ½ ounce orgeat and 1 ounce fresh lime juice in a shaker. Shake and strain over crushed ice.

Garnish with the spent lime shell and a mint sprig.

Mikkel Borg Bjergsø of Danish microbrewery Mikkeller is a leader among European brewers, pushing boundaries with everything from sours and IPAs to imperial stouts and incredibly low ABV beers. cory king Bjergsø recently celebrated Certified Cicerone, head Mikkeller’s return to the brewer at Perennial Artisan Missouri marketplace by Ales and founder of Side brewing a beer specifically Project Brewing for us: Show Me Cuvee. It pours a perfect ruby color with thick toffee and biscuit on the nose. Ripe figs, a hint of brightness and a Belgian candy palate flow with the moderate but fluffy carbonation. This beer is delicate and traditionally inspired, but forward, new and exciting. Show me more, Mikkel!

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Barbecue brews

BEER

By MATT OBERMARK

Schlafly Yakima Wheat Ale + barbecue chicken Black pepper and juniper notes from Yakima Valley hops enable this spicy Schlafly brew to stand strong next to grilled chicken.

Leave the skin of that bird on and stick with a simple seasoning like herbes de Provence.

Perennial Artisan Ale Peach Berliner Weisse + pork steaks Peaches and pork are a classic combination. Act like a local and pair your pork steak with another homegrown sensation – Perennial’s

tart, German-style wheat beer brewed with Missouri peaches. Its delicate fruit notes, dry finish and acidity make it an ideal match for the staple of St. Louis grilling.

Avery Joe’s Premium American Pilsner + spicy sausages This sessionable beer made with noble German hops has the floral aroma, effervesence and subtle sweetness to cut through the heat of your favorite sausages. To change things up, add some fresh grapefruit juice or your favorite lemonade for a top-notch shandy.

Four Hands Cast Iron Oatmeal Brown + beef ribs Don’t slather those ribs with sugary barbecue sauce. If you like a little sweet with your meat, pair it with this rich brown ale that holds notes of dark chocolate and coffee.

Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA + burgers Malty-sweet with spicy hops and a citrusy earthiness, this West Coast-style IPA is complex enough to handle whatever variety of toppings you choose for that burger.

Photo by jonathan gayman

Barbecue season is in full swing, and while grilled meats are fine on their own, if you want to stay true to ‘cue culture, ice-cold beer must be part of the ritual. But which brew to choose?

Every protein has a distinct flavor profile, which means that not every meat is best paired with the pale yellow, fizzy stuff so often associated with barbecue. Luckily, the craft beer boon has given us more choices than ever beyond the ubiquitous lager. So before you fire up the grill and don your Kiss The Cook man-apron, head to your favorite beer store and stock up on these suds.

July 2014

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vegetize it

His and hers Reuben sandwiches

A

BY kellie hynes | Photos by carmen troesser

s anyone who has ever ordered a ham-and-cheese-no-ham sandwich knows, a vegetarian diet is defined by what we’re not eating. No meat, no fish. For some, it also means no dairy or eggs – there’s a whole spectrum of no-nos. Which, ironically, leads to a fondness for the seemingly inedible, like nondairy chocolate. And quinoa. Seriously, folks, I don’t really love quinoa. I just smother it in fresh fruit and nuts because people get all judgy when I feed my kids French fries for breakfast.

Hungry for more vegetarian dishes? Go to samg.bz/saucemeatless every Monday to check out our Meatless Monday column, where you’ll find tasty vegetarian fare to make at home or order at area restaurants.

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I sometimes wonder whether vegetarian cuisine would be more interesting and more palatable to nonvegetarians if we flipped our way of thinking. Instead of talking about what we choose to omit, what if we focused on foods we can add?

A hold-the-corned-beef Reuben sandwich is my standard order at the deli counter. Russian or Thousand Island dressing, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, rye bread and butter blend together strangely and magnificently, creating a masterpiece of satisfying meatless flavors.

Testing my theory meant including a new food to make an already delicious vegetarian Reuben even better.

Sauerkraut has such a strong flavor that whatever I added needed to complement it. I imagine real chefs know intuitively what flavors work with each other. I am not a real chef, and the only intuition I possess is how to choose the slowestmoving checkout line. So bite by bite, I mixed a potential sandwich topping with forkfuls of sauerkraut and tasted them.

Here is the list of foods that absolutely do not belong on a Reuben: grilled pineapple, kale, grapes, watermelon and a fried egg. I was most disappointed in the fried egg. I had hoped it would add a velvety texture that responded to the bite of the sauerkraut. It did not. Also on the don’t-try-this-at-home list was any bread other than rye. I tried to substitute the normally delicious Whole Foods Seeduction bread, but the taste clashed with all of the other Reuben ingredients.

While the corned beef may be optional, a Reuben on anything but rye is just a really bad sandwich.

However, I’m thrilled that fig jam paired perfectly with the sauerkraut. It added the sweetness of a traditional Russian or Thousand Island dressing without the heaviness of an oily condiment. I spread the fig jam over a piece of buttered, toasted rye, added sauerkraut, and topped it with a generous amount of shredded raw-milk Emmentaler, which has more flavor than plain deli-counter Swiss. It was tasty, but truthfully, all of the butter, cheese and sauerkraut juices made my sandwich feel like a pile of melted – albeit yummy – goo.

A roasted red bell pepper added a bit of structure to the mess, and I thought the pepper’s mild taste and meaty texture would appeal to my husband, Carnivore Bob. But when I presented my new

July 2014

and improved Reuben to him, the conversation went like this: Bob: This isn’t a Reuben. There’s no Thousand Island dressing.

Me: Sure it is. It’s a pseudo-Reuben.

You know, Rubenesque.

Bob: Um, that’s not what that word means.

While rye bread and sauerkraut were the defining Reuben ingredients for me, apparently Thousand Island dressing is the deal-breaker for my hubby. And since he’s a good guy who cheerfully eats fried eggs and rye toast (no kraut) for dinner when I’m too busy developing recipes to actually cook, I created a vegetarian Reuben just for him. His Reuben was the standard rye, Thousand Island and sauerkraut, with the addition of a broiled apple and Gruyere cheese. The soft apple appealed to Carnivore Bob’s sweet tooth and harmonized with the sauerkraut and nutty Gruyere.

This project started because I wanted to change how I thought about vegetarian cuisine. Along the way, I learned that, like fine art, what appeals to one person will leave another politely spitting into his napkin. You may prefer the approachable apple and Gruyere version, or appreciate the quirky fig jam and roasted red bell pepper combination. Either way, what’s important is that you’re saying “yes” to something rather than “no” to meat.

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted 2 tsp. Russian or Thousand Island dressing ½ cup sauerkraut, drained 2 oz. freshly grated Gruyere cheese • Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the apple slices on the baking sheet and broil them 6 inches from the heat until the apple is soft and browning on the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the apples from the heat and set aside.

• Replace the aluminum foil with a fresh sheet and arrange the bread slices on it. Brush the tops lightly with melted butter. Broil 6 inches from the heat until toasted, 1 minute. (Watch the bread carefully; it burns quickly.)

Remove the bread from the heat.

• Place 2 pieces of bread toasted-side down on a plate. Spread 1 teaspoon dressing on the untoasted sides. Flip the remaining 2 slices of bread on the baking sheet. Arrange equal amounts of sauerkraut and apple on each, and top with cheese. Broil the open-faced sandwiches until the cheese is melted, 1 minute. Top each with a previously toasted bread slice. Serve hot.

Her Vegetarian Reuben 2 servings Half a large red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded 4 slices rye bread

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted 2 tsp. fig jam ½ cup sauerkraut, drained 2 oz. freshly shredded Emmentaler cheese • Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the bell pepper skin-side up on the baking sheet. Broil 6 inches from the heat until the pepper is mostly charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Using tongs, immediately place the pepper in a zip-lock bag and seal. Allow the hot pepper to steam 15 minutes.

Using your fingers, peel and discard the charred skin. Cut the pepper into four long, thin slices and set aside.

• Replace the aluminum foil with a fresh sheet and arrange the bread slices on it. Brush the tops lightly with melted butter. Broil 6 inches from the heat until toasted, 1 minute. (Watch the bread carefully; it burns quickly.)

Remove the bread from the heat.

• Place 2 pieces of bread toasted-side down on a plate. Spread 1 teaspoon fig jam on the untoasted sides. Flip the remaining 2 slices of bread on the baking sheet. Arrange equal amounts of sauerkraut and 2 pieces roasted bell pepper on each, and top with cheese. Broil the open-faced sandwiches until the cheese is melted, 1 minute. Top each with a previously toasted bread slice. Serve hot.

His Vegetarian Reuben 2 servings 1 large red apple, Fuji or other sweet variety, cored, sliced ¼-inch thick 4 slices rye bread

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MAKE THIS

make this

watermelon agua fresca active time: 10 minutes

Refreshing, vibrant and summery, watermelon agua fresca is a heat- and humidity-buster in a glass. To a blender, add: 3 cups cubed, seeded watermelon; half a peeled, chopped cucumber; 5 to 6 mint leaves; and ½ cup water. Blend until liquified. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher. Stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 tablespoon simple syrup. Refrigerate until chilled. Then throw on your best sundress and Panama hat, find a shady spot and start sipping. – Dee Ryan

photo by greg rannells

To turn this agua fresca into a tasty cocktail, pour 1 ounce gin in a glass filled with crushed ice.

Add 4 ounces aqua fresca and stir gently. Garnish with fresh mint. Careful! It goes down pretty easy.

Everyone loves quick recipes, but when you’ve got the time, we’ve got The Weekend Project. Go to samg.bz/sauceweekendproject where we’ll put the bounty of the garden to work in Vegetable Canning 101.

July 2014

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by

Popular

Demand 7 restaurant favorites you can make at home RECI P ES COM P ILE D B Y CATHERINE KLENE

Photo by greg rannells

The last bite. It’s a bittersweet moment, when you slowly raise that final forkful of an amazing dish, satisfied yet saddened. How, you wonder, did they make that? And more important, how can I make that? Surely these chefs must hold the cards close to their chests, right? Luckily, many chefs are happy to share their culinary knowledge – and recipes – with you. Sauce readers asked us to hunt down the secrets behind some of their favorite dishes in St. Louis, and here, we give you the highlights – by popular demand.

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buttermilk

pa n c a k e s

We confess: This was a Sauce staff request.

Light and pillowy with crisp edges, these perfect pancakes will revolutionize your Sunday mornings. Or Tuesday nights. (Hey, go ahead. We don’t judge.) from winslow's home, recipe on p. 47

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salted

caramel

croissants

Oh, the Saturday mornings we’ve driven to Pint Size Bakery on a quest for buttery, flaky croissants, only to find them sold out! When Sauce reader Lisa Walther asked us to nab this recipe, we were more than happy to oblige. Saturday is saved. from pint size bakery, recipe on p. 45

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Photo by greg rannells

Afraid of working with yeast doughs? Frozen, store-bought puff pastry makes an OK substitute. The final pastry will have a texture crisper and will be less tender. Start at the folding stage using sugar. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until lightly golden.

July 2014

eggs en cocot te

Sandy Zub put in a request for one of Brasserie’s classic brunch dishes, a luxurious blanket of warm, creamed spinach studded with bacon and a pillow of delicate, barely-set baked eggs. Yeah, those eggs en cocotte have given us reason to crawl out of bed on more than one occasion. Now we can enjoy these French oeufs while wearing our pajamas.

Photo by CARMEN TROESSER

from brasserie, recipe on p. 45

July 2014

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meatloaf with

mushroom sauce Sauce reader Bob LaFoy hails Annie Gunn’s meatloaf, smothered in a mushroom sauce scented with red wine, as the best he’s ever had. We’re inclined to agree – so much so that we poked and prodded executive chef Lou Rook III for nine long months before he finally handed over the recipe.

Photo by greg rannells

from annie gunn's, recipe on p. 45

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FLYING

pig

Photo by greg rannells

Guerrilla Street Food excels at Filipino fusion, as Sauce reader Tamara Paget Walters knows well. Ms. Walters, not only did the food truck deliver its recipe for pulled pork that you requested, but also the directions for its Flying Pig – a plate of jasmine rice topped with the succulent pulled pork you crave and a poached egg.

Talk about a By Popular Demand bonus! from guerilla street food, recipe on p. 47

July 2014

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cassata ca k e COCONUT

Sauce reader Matthew Brown begged us to get the recipe for the decadent coconut cassata cake at Piccione Pastry.

Brown described the bakery’s signature cake as “liquor-soaked.” Your buzz isn’t coming from booze, Mr. Brown, but rather the rich combination of coconut milk and heavy cream. Oh, and sugar.

And eggs. And vanilla …

Photo by carmen troesser

from piccione pastry, recipe on p. 47

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recipes Salted Caramel Croissants (Kouign-amann)

•

Courtesy of Pint Size Bakery & Coffee’s Christy Augustin 12 servings 1 Tbsp. fresh cake yeast, firmly packed 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided ¼ cup unbleached bread flour 1½ tsp. plus 1 Tbsp. coarse sea salt, divided 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature Vegetable oil to coat 1 lb. unsalted butter, chilled 3 to 4 cups sugar, divided • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, crumble the yeast into 14 ounces of room temperature water. Add 4¾ cups all-purpose flour, bread flour, 1½ teaspoons sea salt and the room temperature butter and mix slowly on low speed 2 to 3 minutes, until mixture is uniformly moist and butter is incorporated into the dough.

• Lightly coat the dough in vegetable oil, then wrap the bowl in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.

• Meanwhile, prepare the butter block, or beurrage. In the bowl of the stand mixer, mix the cold butter, remaining ¼ cup all-purpose flour and remaining 1 tablespoon sea salt on medium speed. Use your hands to shape the beurrage into a 6-by-9inch rectangle approximately ½-inch thick on a piece of parchment paper.

Let rest at room temperature 10 minutes until pliable but not greasy.

If it is too soft, refrigerate up to 20 minutes.

• Remove the risen dough from the refrigerator, punch it down and fold in half to deflate. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and July 2014

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

roll out into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle approximately ½-inch thick.

Place the beurrage on the bottom half of the dough rectangle and fold the top half over the beurrage, crimping the edges lightly to seal, as if making a calzone or hand pie.

Lightly dust the work surface and dough with flour, then roll it out again into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle ½-inch thick. Fold the dough into thirds, as if it were a letter to fit in an envelope.

Dust off any extra flour between the folds.

Rotate the folded dough 90 degrees and repeat the rolling and folding method again. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 20 to 25 minutes.

Sprinkle the work surface with sugar.

Roll and fold the dough 2 more times, rotating 90 degrees between each turn, and spreading 1½ cup sugar on the work surface and dough as you go. Do not dust off excess in between turns or folds; the sugar creates the caramel. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 20 to 25 minutes.

Sprinkle the work surface with the remaining sugar and roll out the dough a final time, creating a 12-by16-inch rectangle ½-inch thick. The croissant dough will keep frozen up to 1 week or refrigerated up to 12 hours.

Slice the rolled croissant dough into 12 4¼-inch squares with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Pull the opposite corners of each square to the center and press lightly, making a clover shape.

Butter the cups of a jumbo muffin pan or 12 pastry rings. Place each croissant in a cup and let the dough rise in a warm place 30 to 35 minutes until puffed (previously frozen dough may take up to 1 hour).

Preheat the oven to 390 degrees.

Bake croissants 25 to 30 minutes until dark golden brown. Unmold while warm and serve.

EGGS EN COCOTTE Courtesy of Brasserie’s Nick Blue 8 SERVINGS 2 lbs. bacon, medium dice 2½ lbs. spinach, washed and dried 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil 8 cups heavy cream, divided 16 eggs, divided Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Fresh chives, chopped, to garnish • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Scatter the diced bacon on a sheet pan and bake 15 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Leave the oven on.

• In a large pan, heat the vegetable oil. Add the spinach and saute until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.

• Divide the spinach and bacon evenly between 8 6-inch cast-iron skillets or place in 1 large, deep cast-iron skillet. Pour 1 cup heavy cream into each skillet (If using 1 large skillet, pour all 8 cups into the skillet.) and bring each to a simmer over medium heat.

• Once simmering, crack two eggs into each skillet and season with salt and pepper. (If cooking in a single skillet, crack all 16 eggs over the top.) Bake about 6 minutes, until the egg white is almost set. Then, switch the setting to broil. Broil for a few minutes, until lightly browned.

Garnish with chives and serve.

MEATLOAF WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE Courtesy of Annie Gunn’s Lou Rook III 8 SERVINGS 1 cup tomato juice ¾ cup tomato paste

2 large eggs 1 large Vidalia onion, finely chopped 5 lbs. ground beef 2 cups panko breadcrumbs 1½ Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste 1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste ¼ cup canola oil 8 oz. button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 3 cups low-sodium beef broth (no MSG) 3 Tbsp. cornstarch ½ cup red wine • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Grease a rimmed,18-by-13-inch baking sheet.

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the tomato juice, tomato paste and eggs.

Set aside.

• In another large bowl, mix together the onion, ground beef, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and the tomato mixture until well incorporated.

• Divide the meat mixture in half and form into 2 loaves. Set the loaves on the baking sheet and bake 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of each meatloaf reaches 125 degrees.

• Meanwhile, heat the canola oil in a 2-quart saucepan. Over high heat saute the mushrooms 3 minutes.

• Lower the heat to medium and deglaze with the beef broth, scraping the bottom of the pan, and bring to a simmer.

• In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch into the red wine to dissolve.

Add the slurry to the beef broth, and simmer 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Cut the meatloaf into ½-inch slices.

Working in batches on a grill pan over medium heat, sear the slices 3 minutes, rotate the slices 90 degrees and sear another 3 minutes. Flip meatloaf and repeat on opposite side.

• To serve, place 2 slices of meatloaf on each plate and ladle mushroom sauce over the top. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 45

tres leches

cak e The tres leches cake at Milagro Modern Mexican soaks up a sweet, thick cream mixture that’s so addictive, Sauce reader Susan Dayton had to have the recipe. What time is dessert, Ms. Dayton?

Photo by carmen troesser

from milagro modern mexican, recipe on p. 47

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COCONUT CASSATA CAKE Courtesy of Piccione Pastry’s Laura Dignon 12 SERVINGS For the sponge cake 6 oz. cake flour 11 oz. granulated sugar, divided 9 eggs, separated into whites and yolks ½ Tbsp. cream of tartar ½ Tbsp. vanilla extract For the coconut pastry cream ¼ cup cornstarch ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided 1 14-oz. can coconut milk, divided 4 egg yolks 1 pinch kosher salt 2 Tbsp. vanilla extract 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 2 cups heavy cream ¼ cup powdered sugar Toasted coconut flakes, to garnish For the sponge cake: • Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Line 2 9-by-13-inch cake pans with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray.

• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and 5 ounces sugar. Set aside.

• Using a mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Add the remaining 6 ounces sugar and whip on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.

Set aside.

• Using a mixer, whip the egg yolks on high until they are light in color and doubled in volume, about 1 minute.

Then, with the mixer running, add the vanilla extract.

• Use a spatula to fold the whipped egg yolks into the egg whites. Slowly fold in the flour-sugar mixture in batches, making sure there are no flour pockets in the bowl. Transfer the batter to the prepared pans, smoothing the top slightly.

• Bake 15 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake another 15 minutes until the cake is golden and pulls away from the pan. Set aside and let cool.

For the coconut pastry cream: • Stir the cornstarch and ¼ cup sugar together in a large mixing bowl.

Stir in half the can of coconut milk, then add the egg yolks and stir until July 2014

blended. Set aside.

• In a saucepan, combine the remaining coconut milk with the remaining ½ cup sugar and salt over medium heat.

Bring to a boil, then remove pan from the heat.

• Temper the egg mixture by gradually whisking in one-third of the hot coconut milk mixture. Whisk in the remaining hot coconut milk, then return the entire mixture to the saucepan.

• Continue cooking over medium heat about 5 to 7 minutes, whisking constantly. (Do not stop whisking. The cream will change from a liquid to custard consistency in 1 minute. If you aren’t whisking, the mixture will turn into a chunky mess.) Whisk until the mixture comes to a boil and the whisk leaves a trail in the pastry cream or when the pastry cream coats the back of a spoon.

• Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and butter. Place the saucepan in a shallow ice water bath and stir occasionally until the pastry cream has cooled, about 30 minutes.

Transfer the pastry cream to a covered storage container and refrigerate until ready to use.

• In a mixing bowl, make whipped cream by whipping the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

• To assemble the cake: Carefully transfer one of the sponge cakes to a serving plate. Frost the cake with the chilled pastry cream, then place the second cake on top. Refrigerate 1 hour.

• Frost the cake with whipped cream and garnish with toasted coconut flakes.

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES Courtesy of Winslow’s Home’s Wil Fernandez-Cruz 4 SERVINGS 4 eggs 4 cups buttermilk 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2 Tbsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. baking soda 2 tsp. kosher salt 1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter, melted • Preheat a large skillet or griddle to medium heat.

• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and buttermilk until incorporated.

• In a separate bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add the buttermilk mixture, then whisk rapidly while drizzling the melted butter into the bowl. Continue whisking until a lumpy batter forms. Do not to overmix.

• Coat the hot griddle with pan spray.

Pour 4 ounces of batter onto the griddle and cook 1½ to 2 minutes, until the underside is light brown. Flip and cook 2 more minutes. Repeat until all batter is used.

• Serve with fresh seasonal fruit, compote, lemon curd or maple syrup.

TRES LECHES CAKE Courtesy of Milagro Modern Mexican’s Jason Tilford 1 8-INCH CAKE 3 cups cake flour 2½ tsp. baking powder 2 sticks (1 cup) butter 1¾ cups sugar 1½ tsp. vanilla extract 4 eggs 1 cup whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup sweetened condensed milk 1 12-oz. can evaporated milk Whipped cream and fresh berries or berry syrup, to garnish • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease an 8-by-8-inch cake pan.

• In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour and baking powder. Set aside.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamed, about 1 minute. With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar until well combined. Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Slowly add the flour mixture, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and mix until the batter is smooth.

• Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake 25 minutes.

• Meanwhile, prepare the tres leches mix. In a large bowl, stir together the heavy cream, condensed milk and evaporated milk until well combined.

Set aside.

• Remove the cake from the pan and place on a rack to cool. Once cool, place the cake on a serving plate.

Poke several holes in the top with a skewer or fork. Pour the tres leches mix over the cake, allowing it to soak in.

• Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries or berry syrup.

FLYING PIG Courtesy of Guerrilla Street Food’s Brian Hardesty 6 SERVINGS 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 3 lbs. pork shoulder 6 whole garlic cloves 1 cup soy sauce 2 Tbsp. Sriracha 2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce 2 Tbsp. lime juice 4 cups jasmine rice Vinegar, for poaching 6 eggs 1 bunch green onions, chopped, to garnish 1 Tbsp. black sesame seeds, to garnish • Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

• In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Once hot, sear the pork until brown, about 5 minutes per side.

• Add the garlic and soy sauce to a large oven-safe dish and place the pork on top. Cover with aluminum foil and braise in the oven until tender, about 8 hours.

• Using your hands or a fork, shred the meat and place it in a large bowl. Add the Sriracha, hoisin sauce and lime juice to the bowl. Toss to combine and set aside.

• Prepare the jasmine rice according to package instructions. Set aside.

• Poach the eggs: Bring a saucepot filled with water to a gentle simmer.

Add a splash of vinegar and crack 1 egg at a time into the water. Poach 4 minutes, then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and let dry on paper towels. Repeat with remaining eggs.

• To serve, divide the rice evenly among 6 plates. Top each with 6 to 8 ounces of pork and a poached egg. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 47

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stuff to do:

this month

by Byron Kerman

Fair St. Louis July 3 – 5 to 10:30 p.m., and July 4 and 5 – noon to 10:30 p.m., Forest Park, St. Louis, 314.434.3434, fairsaintlouis.org What’s to eat at this year’s Fair St. Louis, located in Forest Park? New food vendors include The Restaurant at The Cheshire, offering tenderloin sandwiches plus crabcake sandwiches; barbecue from Straub’s; and chicken speidini from Russo’s. Returning faves include: gyros by Teddy Tianov, kebabs

by Dizon Foods, bourbon-glazed chicken-ona-stick by Bayou Seasoning and Catering, treats from Great Lakes Italian Ice, Nitro Hog barbecue and Scimeca’s Italian sausage. Of course, there’s also the usual festival fare of funnel cakes, corn dogs, burgers and hot dogs to celebrate the Fourth in all its glory.

It’s All About Elk: Chefs’ Field Day at Hinkebein Elk Farm July 13 – 5 to 8 p.m., Hinkebein Elk Farm, Ste. Genevieve, 573.747.1000, Facebook: It’s All About Elk It’s indigenous to Missouri, it’s lean and it’s what’s for dinner. It’s farm-raised elk, and a group of accomplished chefs will cook it up under a tent at Hinkebein Elk Farm. Chefs Adam Lambay of Chaumette Winery, Rex Hale of The Restaurant at The Cheshire, Lou Rook III of Annie Gunn’s Smokehouse, Josh Galliano of The Libertine, Matt Bessler from Schlafly Bottleworks and DeWayne Schaaf of Celebrations will each whip up a festive elk supper with side dishes and desserts, wine pairings from Chaumette Vineyards and beer from Schlafly. Call or reserve your spot online via Eventbrite.

The Fall of Prohibition Happy Hour July 22 – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Bixby’s, Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, 314.361.7313, bixbysmohistory.com In conjunction with the Missouri History Museum’s exhibit “American Spirits: The

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Rise and Fall of Prohibition,” the museum’s own Bixby’s cafe hosts a themed happy hour. An impressive spread of locally inspired hors d’oeuvres and desserts includes citrus chicken skewers, yellow tomato gazpacho, shrimp Caesar salad, crudités with Mayfair dip and cupcakes inspired by classic cocktails. The eats are paired with cocktails featuring local Pinckney Bend spirits and with AnheuserBusch beers. The price includes admission to the exhibition. Reservations available by phone or online.

Food, Glorious Food July 26 to Sept. 11, Art St. Louis, 1223 Pine St., 314.241.4810, artstlouis.org Fuzzy fabric watermelon slices have been spotted ahead of the Food, Glorious Food art exhibition at Art St. Louis. Every artistic work on display - from drawings to sculptures – references food. This year’s impressive works include a detailed wooden sculpture of a wine bottle, glasses and a wheel of cheese; a tone poem featuring the colors pink and red in candies like Starburst, jelly beans and licorice; an adorable painting of the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile; and a somehow-menacing collage depicting the act of eating.

Food for Fines July 1 to 31, all St. Louis Pubic Library branches, 314.880.8759, slpl.org Every July, the normally strict St. Louis Public allows us to pay off our late fines with canned goods.

St. Louis Area Foodbank benefits from the donations, which can include canned meats, soup, chili, fruits and vegetables; peanut butter; baby formula; hot and cold cereals; rice; beans; powdered milk; and boxed macn-cheese. (No glass items, please.)

July 2014

Overland Farmers Market Saturdays through Oct. 25 – 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Overland Market Center, 2500 Woodson Road, Overland, 314.769.6360, overlandfarmersmarket.com Recent vendors at the Overland Farmers Market have included Cat’s Gardens (herbs and growing mixes), Golden Acres Farm (produce), and Nagl Farms (organic, free-range meats and handmade soaps). Of course, there are also plenty of vendors selling crafts and other tchotchkes you just can’t live without.

dine out during Clayton Restaurant Week.

Just $25 per person buys a special threecourse dinner, so you can try old favorites and find new ones. “Extra Helping” donations of $5 or more benefit Operation Food Search.

Field to Fork July 26 – 5 to 10 p.m., Bellecourt Manor, 225 E. A St., Belleville, 618.566.4451 ext. 10, heartlandsconservancy.org Learn about land conservation and the bounty of southwestern Illinois at HeartLands Conservancy’s Field to Fork dinner. The six-course meal features locally sourced ingredients prepared by six talented area chefs, including Meghan Boyer of Element, Josh Galliano of The Libertine and Jenny Cleveland from Cleveland-Heath. Register online.

Cheshire Celebrity Chef Series

sponsored events Saint Louis Art Museum Outdoor Film Series Fridays from July 11 to Aug. 1 – 6 p.m., Art Hill, 1 Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park, St. Louis, 314.655.5493, slam.org/filmseries Looking for a fun, free Friday night? Check out SLAM’s Outdoor Film Series on Art Hill.

The fun starts at 6 p.m. with food trucks like Chop Shop, Lulu’s Local Eatery, Seoul Taco and Vincent Van Doughnut. Then grab your spot on Art Hill for the free film at 9 p.m. The series kicks off with the 80s classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

Food Truck Friday July 11 – 4 to 8 p.m., Tower Grove Park, St. Louis, 314.772.8004, saucefoodtruckfriday.com Head to Tower Grove Park for Food Truck Friday, with more delicious options and features this year. Find sangria, a kids station to entertain junior truckies and more. This year, proceeds from beer sales benefit Lift for Life Gym. If you’re hungry and in a hurry, stop by the Sauce tent for a Speed Pass, which enables holders to use expedited lines for ordering. Come early and bring lawn chairs, blankets, kids and dogs.

Clayton Restaurant Week July 14 to 20, participating restaurants, claytonrestaurantweek.com With 13 restaurants onboard, including Bar Napoli, Oceano Bistro and Jimmy’s on the Park, you’ll have no shortage of options to July 2014

Aug. 4 – 5:30 p.m., The Restaurant at The Cheshire, 7036 Clayton Ave., St. Louis, 314.932.7818, restaurant-stl.com Another guest chef graces The Restaurant in August. Chef Dean Fearing of Fearing’s Restaurant in Dallas and author of The Texas Food Bible, partners with The Restaurant’s Rex Hale to create a five-course meal paired with wine. Fearing will also meet with diners and sign copies of his cookbook. Tickets available online.

Schlafly Farmers Market Wednesdays through October – 4 to 7p.m., Schlafly Bottleworks, 7260 Southwest Ave, Maplewood, 314.241.2337 ext. 2, schlaflyfarmersmarket.com Wednesday evenings, part of the Schlafly Bottleworks parking lot transforms into a farmers market brimming with meat, eggs, produce, baked goods and more. Dozens of vendors are on rotation, including Cool Cow Cheese, Ozark Forest Mushrooms and Black Bear Bakery. New this season: cooking demos by local chefs every third Wednesday of the month.

Midtown Farmers Market Saturdays through November – 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 6655 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.913.6632, Facebook: Midtown Farmers Market The newest farmers market to hit the scene pops up in The Loop. Grab your tote bag each Saturday morning and stuff it with produce, meat, eggs, baked goods, pantry perks and more from local farmers and artisans. Recent vendors on rotation have included Biver Farms, Stringbean Coffee, Red Fox Baking and Baetje Farms. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 51

What I Do Qui Tran

Qui Tran, 36, has become the face of cult favorite Mai Lee, but he’s quick to credit his mother, Lee Tran, with the restaurant’s success. “The restaurant wasn’t doing so well,” recalled Tran of Mai Lee’s early days as a Chinese restaurant. “So my mother said, ‘Let’s do Vietnamese food.’ She took the first step in ’85 when there was not a Vietnamese restaurant in sight.” While he reveres his mother, the cuisine of his native country and life in America, there are some things that St. Louis’ king of pho can’t embrace – like ramen burgers. Here, Tran tells all.

Why did your parents pick St. Louis when they immigrated to the U.S.? When we arrived, they didn’t

speak any English. My dad said he remembers circling NY. They sent us to STL. Where did you grow up? The Hill.

There’s my love for Italian food right there.

How old were you when you started working at Mai Lee? Eight. I was translator, dishwasher. You grow up kind of fast. That’s why I don’t believe in child labor laws. Put ’em all to work! It builds character. I turned out OK, I think.

Is your mom still the primary cook at Mai Lee? Yeah, she’s the exec.

Mom and I finalize things. We do all the master sauces. If she’s not here, I’m doing it. People ask me, “Are you opening another one?” I’m like, “Not a Mai Lee.” It’s too difficult to replicate.

How do you feel about ramen burgers? If I want ramen, I want ramen. If I want a burger, I want a good old American burger. Some trends are fine, but that one – I’m not interested.

What’s the best-seller at Mai Lee? I wanna say pho.

Who’s the most famous person to walk through the door? We had (Jerry) Seinfeld in here. We’re not like Pappy’s where you get all the famous people. (Pappy’s owner) Mike Emerson gets Wolverine.

What’s one thing you wish people would understand about pho? It takes a long time to cook – 10 to 12 hours. They need time to caress it.

How many pounds of noodles does the restaurant cook in a week? For the rice noodles, we go through at least 300 pounds. And that’s a dry noodle when it weighs nothing.

There are more than 200 numbered items on the menu. Do you know what dish corresponds to each number? Sometimes I’m like, “What is that?” I gotta look it up.

What would happen if you took off the numbers? There would be a lot more Vietnamese-speaking people in St. Louis.

If you were to open another restaurant, what would it be? I’m working on a concept: a fun, little, casual noodle house.

What’s your timeline?

I’m taking my time – maybe a year and a half from now.

What’s your advice for non-Asians on using chopsticks? The bottom chopstick never moves. You have to brace it between your thumb and index finger. Sometimes people crisscross. Sometimes people clamp.

Sometimes people spread it out. I crisscross. There’s no wrong way as long as the bottom one is the stable one. It’s like the pivot foot when you’re playing basketball.

Do you play basketball? I’m Asian. We don’t play basketball.

Mai Lee, 8396 Musick Memorial Drive, Brentwood, 314.645.2835, maileerestaurant.com

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Photo by ashley gieseking

Do you play any sports? I’m a traditional martial artist. I have multiple black belts. In this high-stress environment, that’s my outlet. People are always like, “Why do you smile so much at work?” I say, “Well, because I get to punch the bag at night.”

– Ligaya Figueras

July 2014

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Readers'

Choice

Mike Emerson of Pappy's Smokehouse, your favorite barbecue

s t. l ouis ’ in d e p en d en t cu l ina r y au t h o r i t y

Readers’ Choice 2014

SAUCEMAGAZINE.COM

FREE, readers’ choice 2014

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Readers’ Choice 2014

Readers’ Choice 2014

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Readers’ Choice 2014

favorite new restaurant: the libertine

The Libertine 7927 Forsyth Blvd, Clayton, 314.862.2999, libertinestl.com

photo by jonathan gayman

With each seasonal iteration of The Libertine’s trademark entree Three Little Birds, executive chef Josh Galliano and executive sous chef Josh Poletti exhibit the classic elegance of fowl, whimsically reinvented and roasted to perfection. Chicken, quail and Cornish hen are deboned, brined, stacked in layers and finally topped with morsels of dark meat. The succulent casserole is gently CVapped for several hours, which caramelizes the crispy skin before the Three Little Birds are laid to rest upon a bed of tangy, oldschool Carolina Gold rice middlins, cooked with milk and pecorino. The ensemble is finished with a saute of local, seasonal vegetables – this spring, it was Scharf Farm’s asparagus and Andy Ayers’ snow peas doused in spring ramp butter sauce. The end product is a testament to Galliano’s and Poletti’s ability to elevate mere chicken and rice to first-rate distinction. – Anne Marie Lodholz

Readers’ Choice 2014

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Readers’ Choice 2014

Favorite barbecue: pappy's smokehouse

Last year

360,000 customers shook hands with Emerson and

82,650 pounds of sweet potato fries made last year

10,400 pretty ladies hugged him (He aims to beat that number this year).

30

minutes average wait time in line

27,000 bottles of Fitz’s root beer sold last year

portrait by greg rannells

Just what does it take to deliver the internationally acclaimed Memphis-style (with a St. Louis twist) ribs, pulled pork and brisket to the daily throngs at Pappy’s Smokehouse? Owner Mike Emerson lays it all out, by the numbers. – Sara Graham

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smokers: Walter, Big Ron and LeRoy, plus two new ones, Waino and Porkey LaFarge Readers’ Choice 2014

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60

employees keeping Pappy’s running daily

14 to18

years in business

hours to slow smoke pork over apple or cherry wood

14,000

gallons of barbecue sauce produced last year

6 to 8 producers from Missouri, Illinois and Iowa supply the meat

4,000 pounds of pork smoked daily

Pappy’s Smokehouse 3106 Olive St., St. Louis, 314.535.4340, pappyssmokehouse.com saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 7

Meet some of the Broadway Oyster Bar staff: From left, Casey Donovan, Donna Hornachek, Josh Chartrand, Tory Johnson, Blair Govero, Mike Bridgeman, Brett Johnson, Bobby King, Kathryn Pilch, Jenny Hammond, Stefanie Ricci, Michelle Vessells, Brad Zipprich

Broadway Oyster Bar 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314.621.8811, broadwayoysterbar.com

Photo by ashley gieseking

Favorite Cajun/Creole: Broadway Oyster Bar 8 I SAUCE MAGAZINE I saucemagazine.com

Readers’ Choice 2014

Why did readers vote Broadway Oyster Bar the Best Cajun/ Creole restaurant in St. Louis for the 12th year running?

Because the menu is packed with the tastiest oysters, crawfish, crab legs and alligator north of NOLA. We sat down with owner John Johnson and his staff to find out what it’s like to work in a place that’s impossible to define with customers who defy stereotyping. As the seasoned, snarky waitstaff tells it, they love each other almost as much as they love the food, and they can always find something to laugh about, even after a 15-hour shift. Just don’t ask for separate checks. – Kellie Hynes

What dishes do you snarf on back in the kitchen?

The alligator sausage and shrimp cheesecakes, crawfish enchiladas, Crawfish Mona.

– Mike Bridgeman What’s it like to work during a Cardinals day game?

You get to see the beginning and then (the fans) come back, and sometimes they take the same table. I’ll think, Oh my gosh, you were so different earlier. You did a lot of drinking in three hours!

– Michelle Vessells Fill in the blank. Whatever you do, don’t order the: Mozzarella sticks and toasted ravioli. We don’t have that stuff.

– Kathryn Pilch What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen a customer do?

Eat a whole bucket of boiled crawfish. – John Johnson Why is that strange?

He ate the whole thing.

Seriously, the whole bucket.

Shells, heads and all.

– Stephanie Ricci Tell me a musician story.

Dick Dale, he’s the King of Surf Guitar … he was playing with a cordless guitar. All of the sudden – (he’s) an older guy – he jumped down off the stage, walked through the crowd, all the way out the front door. Everyone was like, ‘'Where’d he go?" He went around the corner, over to the White Castle, and walked through the drive-thru. His Readers’ Choice 2014

favorite chef ed heath

whole band is still playing on stage. The car that’s getting served pulls away and he walks up, with his guitar, playing, and sticks his head in the window. He just felt like going over and saying hi.

He never stopped playing.

Obviously everyone went crazy. – Johnson When is it hard to be a server here?

When you try to (serve) the food, and no one responds to you. You ask, “Who had the jambalaya?” and nobody knows what they ordered. – Bridgeman What do you do when someone orders something right before the kitchen closes?

We smile, and serve them, and cross our fingers they don’t order the crab legs.

Crab legs take a long time to eat. In the last 30 minutes, you just know you’re going to get two orders of crab legs.

And I’m like, "If you’re going to wait for one order of crab legs, might as well wait for two." – Vessells What do you wish people knew about Broadway Oyster Bar? We don’t take separate checks. Why? Imagine having a big party at your house, 200 people, and trying to keep track of what everybody ate and drank. It’s the same thing here. People get upset, but they don’t realize. This ain’t Tony’s, where people come and sit in their seat. That would be way easier. – Johnson

When you’re one of the area’s most popular chefs, everyone wants a word with you. We yanked Ed Heath out of the Cleveland-Heath kitchen for 1 minute to pepper him with questions about his pasture-to-plate restaurant in Edwardsville, then let him get back to making more slinger-like lomo saltado and Japanese pancakes. – Ligaya Figueras What dish on the Cleveland-Heath menu are you most excited about? The duck breast with the German potato salad. English peas, bacon … oh my God, it’s so good.

What menu items surprise you with their popularity? For the breakfast menu, the lomo (saltado). It’s even more popular than our biscuits and gravy. For the starter menu, the okonomiyaki. We get more comments about that than anything else on our menu. The popularity is almost shocking.

What dish can you not take off the menu?

The BLT. Are you working with any new farmers or food producers? Jenna Pohl. She owns Midwest Lamb. She’s all-natural in her feed, but these lambs are huge. They dress out at 90 to 100 pounds. We wonder if we should call them mutton. They are massive, and they are delicious.

What’s the biggest thing you learned since opening Cleveland-Heath in 2011? Staffing –

learning how to be an appropriate manager of people, and keep them happy and wanting to come back every day, and hungry so they want to keep learning on their own. We have a killer staff, but it’s been the most challenging thing.

What music do you listen to in the kitchen?

I hate really heavy metal, so we stick with contemporary rock ’n’ roll, Willie Nelson, good old country, Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, some old-school rap, a ton of old blues. It’s really who gets ahold of the radio.

What are your typical hours at the restaurant? I am there Tuesday through Saturday, 15-plus hours each day.

How do you keep up your energy? After work, I either jog or go to a 24-hour gym. If I didn’t exercise six or seven days a week for a minimum of an hour, I couldn’t keep up with it.

Cleveland-Heath 106 N. Main St., Edwardsville, 618.307.4830, clevelandheath.com saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 9

favorite doughnut shop: strange donuts The guys at Strange Donuts do two things very well: make weird, wonderful doughnuts in oddball combinations (Pig liver?

Crab meat? Why not?), and herald the arrival of these limited-edition “dones” online. Local chefs have created signature “Strangers,” and the shop’s own “Creations” have wowed Strange Donuts’ rabid followers on Instagram – all 5,300 and counting. These nine dones are our picks for the strangest of the strange. – Catherine Klene Strange Donuts, 2709 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, 314.932.5851, strangedonuts.com

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1. The Takeout Soy sauce and chicken stock cake doughnut topped with sweet and sour sauce, chow mein and scallions | 2. The Mai Pho King Done A Mai Lee Stranger with a beef pho consomme filling, hoisin-Sriracha glaze, and carrot, basil and peanut topping | 3. Bad to the Done A Bogart’s Stranger topped with pulled ribs, apricot glaze and Pineapple Express barbecue sauce | 4. The Stewed STL Done A Schlafly Stranger made with coffee stout chocolate icing, sea salt popcorn and a bourbon-caramel drizzle | 5. Finding Nori Nori seaweed doughnut with sesame oil and a caramel glaze, topped with toasted sesame seeds | 6. The Slinger A toasted doughnut topped with an egg patty, chili con carne, Monterey Jack cheese and Billy Goat chips | 7. The Colcanndone A baked potato and sauteed kale yeast doughnut with a Jameson-infused glaze, sprinkled with Irish cheddar cheese | 8. The Strange Hog Burger A Quincy Street Bistro Stranger featuring a Hog Burger patty inside a doughnut topped with maple-caramelized onion glaze and house-made pimento cheese spread | 9. The Donito A Niche Stranger with lemon-maple custard, bonito glaze, roasted shiitake mushrooms, bonito flakes and fleur del sel

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Readers’ Choice 2014

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Readers’ Choice 2014

favorite restaurant sidney street cafe

Kevin Nashan took over Sidney Street Cafe in 2003.

Here, he reflects on the lessons he’s learned running the beloved Benton Park restaurant for the past decade. – Meera Nagarajan

The greatest lesson Sidney Street Cafe has taught me?

Listening – to my wife, my brother, back of the house, front of the house, customers. It helps you grow. It makes you better.

The first time we put foie gras on the menu, we were so excited and nobody ordered it. Another time, we did a mackerel dish and we loved it but customers didn’t get it. A year later? Customers wanted it. Sometimes they’re ready, and sometimes they’re not. You have to listen.

Honestly, it’s harder to take over a restaurant because the expectations are so high. You know what’s worked and what hasn’t. You just don’t know if you should change anything … It takes time and a little courage.

Photo by greg rannells

When we took over Sidney Street, we were under a microscope, but we knew people would show up because there was an existing clientele.

With Peacemaker (Nashan’s new restaurant to open in the coming weeks), we get to be creative instantly with the food.

There’s no model to follow.

Sidney Street Cafe 2000 Sidney St., St. Louis, 314.771.5777, sidneystreetcafe.com

Readers’ Choice 2014

You always want to re-polish.

Before I make a vichyssoise, I research it because there’s always room for improvement.

You want to respect your craft and the way you do that is by doing your homework. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 13

your favorite places to eat Favorite Burger Blueberry Hill 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.727.4444, blueberryhill.com 2nd: Five Star Burgers 3rd: O’Connell’s Pub Honorable Mention: The Dam

The Breakfast Wagyu Burger at Blueberry Hill, voted favorite place to get a burger

Favorite Cheap Eats Fast Eddie’s Bon Air 1530 E. 4th St., Alton, 618.462.5532, fasteddiesbonair.com 2nd: Mission Taco Joint 3rd: Southwest Diner Honorable Mention: Seoul Taco Favorite Cupcake The Cup Various locations, cravethecup.com 2nd: Jilly’s Cupcake Bar & Café 3rd: The Sweet Divine Honorable Mention: Sarah’s Cake Shop Favorite Deli Blues City Deli 2438 McNair Ave., St. Louis, 314.773.8225, bluescitydeli.com 2nd: Pickles Deli 3rd: Mom’s Deli Honorable Mention: Gioia’s Deli Favorite Desserts Cyrano’s Cafe 603 E. Lockwood Ave., Webster Groves, 314.963.3232, cyranos.com 2nd: Baileys’ Chocolate Bar 3rd: Element Honorable Mention: The Fountain On Locust

Favorite Restaurant Sidney Street Cafe 2000 Sidney St., St. Louis, 314.771.5777, sidneystreetcafe.com

2nd: Pastaria 3rd: Pappy’s Smokehouse Honorable Mention: Mai Lee Favorite Chef Ed Heath, Cleveland-Heath 2nd: Gerard Craft, Niche family of restaurants 3rd: Kevin Nashan, Sidney Street Cafe and Ben Poremba, Elaia and Olio (tie) Honorable Mention: Josh Galliano, The Libertine

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Favorite Barbecue Pappy’s Smokehouse 3106 Olive St., St. Louis, 314.535.4340, pappyssmokehouse.com 2nd: Bogart’s Smokehouse 3rd: Sugarfire Smoke House Honorable Mention: The Shaved Duck Favorite Brunch Half & Half 8133 Maryland Ave., Clayton, 314.725.0719, halfandhalfstl.com

2nd: Brasserie by Niche 3rd: Rooster Honorable Mention: Café Osage Favorite Buffet Everest Café & Bar 4145 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.531.4800, everestcafeandbar.com 2nd: House of India 3rd: Cielo Restaurant and Bar Honorable Mention: The Emperor’s Palace

Favorite Frozen Dessert Ted Drewes Frozen Custard 6726 Chippewa St., St. Louis, 314.481.2652 and 4224 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.352.7376, teddrewes.com Readers’ Choice 2014

Photo by CARMEN TROESSER

Favorite New Restaurant The Libertine 7927 Forsyth Blvd, Clayton, 314.862.2999, libertinestl.com 2nd: Planter’s House 3rd: Element and Mission Taco Joint (tie) Honorable Mention: Juniper

Favorite Food Truck Guerrilla Street Food 314.529.1328, guerillastreetfood.com 2nd: Seoul Taco 3rd: Lulu’s Local Eatery Honorable Mention: Cha Cha Chow

2nd: Bobby’s Frozen Custard 3rd: Serendipity Homemade Ice Cream Honorable Mention: Annie’s Frozen Custard Favorite Gluten Free New Day Gluten Free 15622 Manchester Road, Ellisville, Missouri, 636.527.5000, newdayglutenfree.com 2nd: PW Pizza 3rd: Whisk: A Sustainable Bakeshop Honorable Mention: Frida’s Favorite Late Night Eats City Diner 3139 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.772.6100, citydinerstl.com 2nd: The Dam 3rd: Mission Taco Joint Honorable Mention: Uncle Bill’s Pancake & Dinner House Favorite Pizza Pi Pizzeria Various locations, restaurantpi.com 2nd: Dewey’s Pizza 3rd: Mad Tomato Honorable Mentions: The Good Pie and Peel Wood Fired Pizza (tie) Favorite Patio John D. McGurk’s Irish Pub & Garden 1200 Russell Blvd., St. Louis, 314.776.8309, mcgurks.com 2nd: Vin De Set 3rd: Billy G’s Kirkwood and Molly’s in Soulard (tie) Honorable Mention: Sasha’s on Shaw Favorite Spot to Impress Out-of-towners Olio 1634 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, 314.932.1088, oliostl.com 2nd: Pastaria 3rd: Blueberry Hill Honorable Mention: Pappy’s Smokehouse Favorite Seafood Farmhaus 3257 Ivanhoe Ave., St. Louis, 314.647.3800, farmhausrestaurant.com Readers’ Choice 2014

2nd: DeMun Oyster Bar 3rd: Tavern Kitchen & Bar Honorable Mention: Oceano Bistro Favorite American, nouveau Niche 7734 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.773.7755, nichestlouis.com 2nd: Sidney Street Cafe 3rd: Elaia Honorable Mention: Farmhaus and Five Bistro (tie) Favorite American, traditional Annie Gunn’s 16806 Chesterfield Airport Road, Chesterfield, 636.532.7684, smokehousemarket.com 2nd: The Restaurant at The Cheshire 3rd: Eleven Eleven Mississippi and Harvest (closed) (tie) Honorable Mention: Herbie’s Vintage 72 Favorite Cajun/Creole Broadway Oyster Bar 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314.621.8811, broadwayoysterbar.com 2nd: Riverbend Restaurant & Bar 3rd: Boogaloo Honorable Mention: Gulf Shores Restaurant & Grill Favorite Chinese Lu Lu Seafood & Dim Sum 8224 Olive Blvd., University City, 314.997.3108, luluseafoodrestaurant.com 2nd: Wang Gang Asian Eats 3rd: Yen Ching Honorable Mention: Hiro Asian Kitchen Favorite Eastern European/ Bosnian Grbic Restaurant & Banquet Hall 4071 Keokuk St., St. Louis, 314.772.3100, grbicrestaurant.com 2nd: Bosna Gold 3rd: Aya Sofia Honorable Mention: HandleBar Favorite English/Irish/Scottish The Scottish Arms 8 S. Sarah St.,

St. Louis, 314.535.0551, thescottisharms.com 2nd: Dressel’s Public House and The Dubliner (tie) 3rd: John D. McGurk’s Irish Pub Honorable Mention: Llywelyn’s Pub Favorite French Brasserie by Niche 4580 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, 314.454.0600, brasseriebyniche.com 2nd: Atlas Restaurant 3rd: Cafe Provencal and Stone Soup Cottage (tie) Honorable Mention: Bar Les Frères Favorite German Schneithorst’s Restaurant & Bar 1600 S. Lindbergh Blvd., Ladue, 314.993.4100, schneithorsts.com 2nd: Dreamland Palace 3rd: Roemer Topf Restaurant Honorable Mention: Bevo Mill Favorite Greek Olympia Kebob House and Taverna 1543 McCausland Ave., St. Louis, 314.781.1299, olympiakebobandtaverna.com 2nd: Momos 3rd: Gyro House Honorable Mention: Spiro’s Restaurant Favorite Indian House of India 8501 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.567.6850, hoistl.com 2nd: Rasoi 3rd: Taj Palace Cuisine of India Honorable Mention: Haveli Favorite Italian Pastaria 7734 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.862.6603, pastariastl.com 2nd: Trattoria Marcella and Zia’s (tie) 3rd: Cunetto House of Pasta and Paul Manno’s Cafe (tie) Honorable Mention: Acero

Favorite Japanese Wasabi Sushi Bar Various locations, wasabisushibars.com 2nd: Tani Sushi Bistro 3rd: Café Mochi and Kampai Sushi Bar (tie) Honorable Mention: Chop Shop Favorite Korean Oriental Spoon 229 Sanatorium, Edwardsville, 618.655.9633, orientalspoon.net 2nd: Seoul Taco 3rd: Seoul Garden Korean Restaurant Honorable Mention: Asian Kitchen Korean Cuisine Favorite Mexican Chava’s Mexican Restaurant 925 Geyer Ave., St. Louis, 314.241.5503, chavasmexican.com, and Mission Taco Joint 6235 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.932.5430, missiontacostl.com (tie) 2nd: La Vallesana 3rd: Taqueria El Bronco Honorable Mention: Mi Ranchito Favorite Middle Eastern Ranoush 6501 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.726.6874 and 200 N. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, 314.984.8899, ranoush.com 2nd: Cafe Natasha’s 3rd: Aya Sofia Honorable Mention: The Vine Mediterranean Café and Market Favorite Soul/Southern Sweetie Pie’s 4270 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.371.0304 and 3643 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.371.0304, sweetiepieskitchen.com 2nd: Juniper 3rd: Quincy Street Bistro Honorable Mention: The Kitchen Sink Favorite South American/Pan-Latin Mango Peruvian Cuisine 1101 Lucas Ave., St. Louis, 314.621.9993, mangoperu.com

2nd: Fritanga Nicaraguan Cuisine 3rd: Yemanja Brasil Restaurante Honorable Mention: Maya Cafe Favorite Spanish Modesto 5257 Shaw Ave., St. Louis, 314.772.8272, modestotapas.com 2nd: Barcelona Tapas Restaurant 3rd: Guido’s Pizzeria & Tapas Honorable Mention: One 19 North Tapas and Wine Bar Favorite Steak Tucker’s Place Various locations, tuckersplacestl.com 2nd: Ruth’s Chris Steak House 3rd: Citizen Kane’s Steak House Honorable Mention: 801 Chophouse and The Tenderloin Room (tie) Favorite Thai King & I Restaurant 3157 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.771.1777, kingandistl.com 2nd: Sen Thai Asian Bistro 3rd: Basil Spice Thai Cuisine Honorable Mention: Thai Cafe Favorite Vegetarian Tree House Restaurant 3177 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.696.2100, treehousestl.com 2nd: Frida’s Deli 3rd: PuraVegan Cafe & Yoga and Sacred Grounds Cafe (tie) Honorable Mention: Lulu’s Local Eatery Favorite Vietnamese Mai Lee 8396 Musick Memorial Dr., Brentwood, 314.645.2835, maileerestaurant.com 2nd: Pho Grand 3rd: Banh Mi So #1 Honorable Mention: Mi Linh Favorite Waitstaff Tony’s 410 Market St., St. Louis, 314.231.7007, tonysstlouis.com 2nd: Niche 3rd: The Restaurant at The Cheshire Honorable Mention: Cardwell’s at the Plaza

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Favorite Spot to Impress Out-of-towners: Olio

John Fausz, bar manager at Olio, mixes drinks with a cultural and historical ken, returning to the classic components of a respectable cocktail: gin, bitters and vermouth. Over the marble bartop at Olio, where Fausz coaches journeyman cocktail enthusiasts, he’ll drop little A-grade bits of spirit wisdom on you: Rye is better for mixing, bourbon for drinking.

Good ingredients and delivery always outclass theatrics. And with a little finesse,

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herbal and mineral flavors become the antidote to years of oversugared, overmixed drinks. “(Olio) is so Old World in spirit,” Fausz said. The bar menu underscores that belief, from the acidic, lambic-like Ramos de Valle cider from Spain to the classic Adonis cocktail (sherry, sweet vermouth, orange bitters) to pacharán, a Basque liqueur made from sloeberries that dates

to the Middle Ages. Also a certified sommelier, Fausz has dialed in on a roster of unusual, rustic wines, like the Grosjean Gamay, a spicy Beaujolais-esque Italian.

There is something atypical, historical, even a little magical at work here. That’s the Old World, transmuted over.

revitalization and community-building.

Our readers are noticing – the bartenders and bar programs they gave nods to this year are singular examples of mighty imaginations, forward-thinking ones, mixing their vision with a jiggerful of St. Louis’ past. Add ice. Shake. – Garrett Faulkner

Above all, Fausz is a dreamer, seeing the cocktail movement in St. Louis for what it can continue to be: a mechanism for

Olio 1634 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, 314.932.1088, oliostl.com

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Where to

explore next

5

favo r ite wi n er i es

by garrett faulkner, ligaya figueras and catherine klene illustration by vidhya nagarajan

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T

he arithmetic seems simple: grow the grapes, press them, ferment and bottle the result. Set up a few patio tables. Print some brochures. Whip up snacks. Build it, and they will come. But the vintner’s task list doesn’t end at making world-class wine. Crafting the experience – that artful combination of rustic tranquility and urbane getaway – is what sets the standouts apart from the simply satisfactory. We raise our glasses to these five wineries who, among more than 100 across Missouri, have earned the praise of our readers for their ability to put a tall pour of the country inside of a bottle. So tear out (just this once) the map of our wine tour and pop it in the glove box – you’ve got driving to do.

Chandler Hill Vineyards Chandler Hill’s first press was only in 2011, but its winemaking has been as fecund as the gentle foothills on which it sits. Winemaker and vineyard manager Tom Murphy has wasted no time establishing an impressive catalog of whites, reds and even a port here and there. Native Missouri varietals stand beside heavy-hitters imported from the West Coast, some even mingling inside the barrel, like the winery’s bold Norton-cabernet, slated to debut this summer. The vineyard’s whites shine the most, though, especially the dry vignoles, which blooms with a strong grapefruit nose, tart palate and sweet finish.

You’d be remiss in skipping over the restaurant menu. The King Buck Burger, brushed with house-made barbecue sauce, goes down well with the tannic, refined 2012 merlot. Order an artisan cheese plate – bedecked with bleu cheese, cheddar and brie – and conclude on a decadent note with Murph’s Vignoles White Port, an ambrosial vineyard specialty.

596 Defiance Road, Defiance, 636.798.2675, chandlerhillvineyards.com, Tues. to Thurs. – 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fri. to Mon. – 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; winter hours vary

Chaumette Vineyards & Winery The 2013 unoaked chardonel is one excuse to head to Chaumette this summer, but there are plenty more reasons why this Ste. Genevieve winery is a crowd pleaser. For $5 you can taste six of the winery’s 12 wines in the tasting room. Choose a bottle of your favorite and enjoy it in the airconditioned dining room, or take it to the patio or covered veranda. Chaumette permits you to bring in your picnic spread, but try Grapevine Grill.

The restaurant showcases uber-local ingredients prepared by executive chef Adam Lambay. Come on a Thursday or Sunday for family-style dining.

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A visit to Chaumette isn’t complete without walking the picturesque, hilly grounds. Check out St. Vincent’s in-the-Vineyard chapel at the top of the hill, then saunter down to the barn for a short trail hike to neighbor winery-microbrewery Charleville.

If hiking, eating and drinking wine tires you out, Chaumette has you covered with a spa that offers everything: soothing facials and massages, manis, pedis and even an outdoor pool. Best of all, you don’t have to make it a day trip. Stay overnight in one of the posh villas for a top-flight getaway that won’t require a flight to Napa Valley.

24345 State Route WW, Ste. Genevieve, 573.747.1000, chaumette.com, Wed. to Sun. – 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Montelle Winery Augusta Winery may dominate the valley, but its younger sibling rules the mountain above. Montelle Winery, perched 400 feet above the Missouri River on the Osage Ridge, was purchased by Augusta’s Tony Kooyumjian in 1998. But the wines it produces are its own, and there are plenty.

Step up to Montelle’s bar and enjoy complimentary tastings of nearly 20 different wines, such as the not-so-sweet vignoles or La Rosee, which sees its return to the Montelle portfolio this summer.

Sweeter palates can opt for the best-selling Himmelswein, with notes of crisp green apple.

Looking for something a bit stronger? Be bold and ask for a glass of the distilled spirits, potent yet curiously fruity sippers that pack a wallop.

Once you’ve found your favorite, head over to the counter at the Klondike Cafe, where madeto-order sandwiches, salads, wraps and pizzas are available. If you really want to see Montelle at its best, make reservations for a three-course Sunset Dinner on Friday or Saturday night. There’s no better view than can be found on Montelle’s deck, sharing a bottle while the sinking sun sets Missouri wine country aglow for miles.

201 Montelle Drive, Augusta, 636.228.4464, montelle.com, Mon. to Thurs. – 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Fri. – 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sat. – 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sun. – 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; winter hours vary

Mount Pleasant Estates When you want a lesson in Missouri wine history, Mount Pleasant Estates is the place to start. It’s the oldest winery in Augusta and the first designated wine appellation in the U.S. Moreover, the winery has been in the hands of only two families since it was established in 1859, shut down during Prohibition and resurrected by the Dressel family in 1967.

Among the five wines to include in your $6 tasting, opt for the Villagio, an off-dry white fragrant with peaches. While the Norton has long been a Mount Pleasant stalwart, we enjoyed the Beaujolais-like St. Vincent, added to the winery’s portfolio just last year.

Hungry? The winery doesn’t permit outside food on the property, but you can sup and sip on a deck overlooking the Missouri River Valley at its eatery, Appellation Café. The mesquite-smoked turkey melt, served with a spunky, loose-set red pepper marmalade, is stellar. Before you head out, grab a bottle of Tawny port, a great hostess gift to express some Made-in-MO pride.

5634 High St., Augusta, 636.482.9463, mountpleasant.com, Daily – 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; winter hours vary

Noboleis Vineyards A young arrival among Missouri wineries, familyowned Noboleis is nestled on 84 acres of rolling hills in Augusta. Its tasting program is only in its fourth year, but Noboleis is the place to go when you’re looking for a casual wine session. Samples are free, so sip away to find your favorite among its 16-strong wine portfolio. Off-dry red Steepleview and semi-sweet vignoles are the best-sellers, but we’re partial to the oaky, buttery, double-fermented Baril de Blanc, made in the style of a chardonnay.

Outside food is permitted, but in case you didn’t pack a picnic, order a cheese and salume platter, a goat cheese Margherita pizza or a roast beef panini with horseradish brie served aside a berrystudded kale salad. Spend the afternoon under the shade of a large, airy tent while you admire the vineyard and the ancient mulberry tree that lends its silhouette to every Noboleis bottle label.

100 Hemsath Road, Augusta, 636.482.4500, noboleisvineyards.com, Sun. to Fri. – 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat. – 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; winter hours vary saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 19

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your favorite places to drink Favorite Bartender Ted Kilgore, Planter’s House 1000 Mississippi Ave., St. Louis, 314.696.2603, plantershousestl.com 2nd: John Fausz, Olio 3rd: Tony Saputo, (formerly) Eclipse Restaurant Honorable Mention: Travis Garner, Planter’s House Favorite Bar Planter’s House 1000 Mississippi Ave., St. Louis, 314.696.2603, plantershousestl.com 2nd: Taste 3rd: Brennan’s and The Royale (tie) Honorable Mention: Three Sixty Rooftop Favorite Beer List Global Brew Tap House & Lounge 112 S. Buchanan St., Edwardsville, 618.307.5858 and 455 Regency Park, O’Fallon, Illinois, 618.632.1818, globalbrewtaps.com 2nd: International Tap House 3rd: Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar and Tripel (closed) (tie) Honorable Mention: 21st Street Brewer’s Bar Favorite Brewery Schlafly 2100 Locust St., St. Louis and 7260 Southwest Ave., Maplewood, 314.241.2337, schlafly.com 2nd: Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. 3rd: 4 Hands Brewing Co. and The Civil Life Brewery Co. (tie) Honorable Mention: Perennial Artisan Ales Favorite Cocktails Taste 4584 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, 314.361.1200, tastebarstl.com 2nd: Planter’s House 3rd: Eclipse Restaurant Honorable Mention: Blood & Sand

Readers’ Choice 2014

Favorite Coffee Shop Sump Coffee 3700 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 917.412.5670, sumpcoffee.com 2nd: Kaldi’s Coffee 3rd: Sacred Grounds Cafe Honorable Mention: The Mud House and Park Avenue Coffee (tie) Favorite Happy Hour Café Mochi 3221 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.773.5000, cafemochistl.com 2nd: Water Street 3rd: Milagro Modern Mexican Honorable Mention: Frazer’s Restaurant and Lounge Favorite Sports Bar Lester’s Various locations, lestersrestaurant.com 2nd: Mike Shannon’s Steaks and Seafood and The Post Sports Bar & Grill (tie) 3rd: Amsterdam Tavern Honorable Mention: Friendly’s Sports Bar & Grill Favorite Wine Bar Robust Wine Bar Various locations, robustwinebar.com 2nd: Sasha’s on Shaw 3rd: 33 Wine Shop & Tasting Bar and Olio (tie) Honorable Mention: Balaban’s Wine and Tapas Bar Favorite Winery Chandler Hill Vineyards 596 Defiance Road, Defiance, Missouri, 636.798.2675, chandlerhillvineyards.com 2nd: Chaumette Vineyards and Winery 3rd: Montelle Winery Honorable Mention: Mount Pleasant Winery and Noboleis Vineyards (tie)

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Crown Candy Kitchen 1401 St. Louis Ave., St. Louis, 314.621.9650, crowncandykitchen.net

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Photo by Ashley Gieseking

Favorite candy shop crown candy kitchen

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your favorite places to shop

Favorite Cakes/Pastries La Patisserie Chouquette 1626 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, 314.932.7935, simonefaure.com 2nd: Brevan’s Patisserie 3rd: Piccione Pastry Honorable Mention: Pint Size Bakery & Coffee Favorite Candy Shop Crown Candy Kitchen 1401 St. Louis Ave., St. Louis, 314.621.9650, crowncandykitchen.net 2nd: Kakao Chocolate 3rd: How Sweet Is This (formerly Oh Lolli Lolli) and Merb’s Candies (tie) Honorable Mention: Miss M’s Candy Boutique

Favorite Caterer Butler’s Pantry 1414 Park Ave., St. Louis, 314.664.7680, butlerspantry.com 2nd: Hollyberry Catering 3rd: Catering St. Louis Honorable Mention: Kenrick’s Meats & Catering Favorite Chocolate Shop Kakao Chocolate 7272 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.645.4446 and 2301 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314.771.2310, kakaochocolate.com 2nd: Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier 3rd: Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Co. Honorable mention: Rick Jordan Chocolatier Favorite Coffee Roaster Kaldi’s Coffee Various locations, kaldiscoffee.com 2nd: Sump Coffee 3rd: Chauvin Coffee Company and Kuva Coffee Roasters (tie) Honorable Mention: Blueprint Coffee Favorite Cooking Class Dierbergs Various locations, dierbergs.com/school 2nd: Kitchen Conservatory 3rd: Schnucks Honorable Mention: Pie Oh My!

Favorite Doughnut Shop Strange Donuts 2709 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, 314.932.5851, strangedonuts.tumblr.com 2nd: World’s Fair Doughnuts 3rd: Donut Drive-In Honorable Mention: Vincent Van Doughnut Favorite Farmers Market Historic Soulard Farmers Market 730 Carroll St., St. Louis, 314.622.4180, soulardmarket.com 2nd: The Land of Goshen Community Market and Tower Grove Farmers Market (tie) 3rd: Schlafly Farmers Market Honorable Mention: Kirkwood Farmers Market Favorite Grocery Store Dierbergs Various locations, dierbergs.com 2nd: Trader Joe’s 3rd: Fields Foods Honorable Mention: Straub’s Favorite Kitchenware Store Sur La Table 295 Plaza Frontenac, Frontenac, 314.993.0566, surlatable.com 2nd: Chef’s Shoppe 3rd: Williams-Sonoma Honorable Mention: Cornucopia

Favorite Liquor Store Randall’s Wines and Spirits Various locations, shoprandalls.com 2nd: Lukas Liquor Superstore 3rd: Friar Tuck Honorable Mention: The Wine and Cheese Place Favorite Local Bread Companion 8143 Maryland Ave., Clayton, 314.352.4770, companionstl.com 2nd: 222 Artisan Bakery 3rd: Black Bear Bakery Honorable Mention: Great Harvest Bread Co. Favorite Specialty Food Shop Global Foods Market 421 N. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, 314.835.1112, globalfoodsmarket.com and Jay International Foods 3172 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.772.9393, Facebook: Jay International Foods 2nd: Extra Virgin, An Olive Ovation 3rd: Salume Beddu Honorable Mention: Green Earth Grocery Favorite Wine Shop The Wine and Cheese Place Various locations, wineandcheeseplace.com 2nd: Parker’s Table and The Wine Merchant (tie) 3rd: Bin 51 Wine & Spirits Honorable Mention: Starrs

photo by elizabeth jochum

Favorite Butcher Shop Kenrick’s Meats & Catering 4324 Weber Road, St. Louis, 314.631.2440, kenricks.com 2nd: Straub’s 3rd: Baumann’s Fine Meats and G&W Bavarian Style Sausage (tie) Honorable Mention: Hanlen’s Fine Meats & Catering

Sweet treats from La Patisserie Chouquette, voted favorite place to shop for cakes and pastries

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Readers’ Choice 2014

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