Sauce Magazine // June 2018

SUPER SALADS

Frozen cocktails: for them or against them?

JUNE 2018 • VOLUME 18, ISSUE 6

PUBLISHER

ART DIRECTOR

MANAGING EDITOR

MANAGING EDITOR, DIGITAL STAFF WRITER

EDIBLE WEEKEND EDITOR

PROOFREADER

SENIOR DESIGNER

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Allyson Mace

Meera Nagarajan

Heather Hughes

Catherine Klene

Matt Sorrell

Catherine Klene

Megan Gilmore

Michelle Volansky

Lauren Healey

If they’re done well, I’m for them. It’s like anything – there are some good ones and some gross ones.

Julia Calleo, Jonathan Gayman, Ashley Gieseking, R.J. Hartbeck, Izaiah Johnson, David Kovaluk, Cory Miller, Greg Rannells, Carmen Troesser, Michelle Volansky

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

I don’t like them because most are way too cold, so they seem flavorless.

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

EVENTS COORDINATOR

LISTINGS EDITOR

FACT CHECKER

INTERN

Vidhya Nagarajan

Glenn Bardgett, Matt Berkley, Lauren Healey, Katie Herrera, Heather Hughes, Jamie Kilgore, Ted Kilgore, Catherine Klene, Kevin Korinek, Meera Nagarajan, Michael Renner, Dee Ryan, Stacy Schultz, Matt Sorrell, Quinn Wilson, Stephanie Zeilenga

Allyson Mace

Matt Bartosz, Angie Rosenberg

Amy Hyde

Amy Hyde

Caitlin Lally

Quinn Wilson

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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 $2.50 will apply.

Sauce Magazine is printed on recycled paper using soy inks.

A $30 CHECK TO: SAUCE

I say yes to icy boozy goodness!

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.

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.

soup at billie-jean p. 19

COVER DETAILS

Super Salads

If you see those ready-to-serve salads strolling your grocery aisle, resist. We have six fast and easy recipes for stunning dishes like the spring roll salad with wasabi dressing pictured on the cover. p. 32

CARMEN TROESSER

BY

PHOTO

FLIP THE MAGAZINE OVER TO SEE THE READERS’ CHOICE. Where are your favorite places to eat, drink and shop? We asked; you voted. We tallied, then tallied again. Now, our readers have declared the 2018 Readers’ Choice Winners, including champions like David Choi, (That’s him on the cover.) owner of Seoul Taco – your favorite taco truck and Korean restaurant. Congratulations to all the winners!

PHOTO BY ASHLEY GIESEKING

Tune in to St. Louis Public Radio 90.7 FM this month when Beast Craft BBQ Co. chef-owner David Sandusky and Smoki O’s chef-owner Otis Walker discuss the evolution of the local barbecue scene. Also, don’t miss our regular monthly Hit List at the beginning of June.

Banh Mi So No. 1 boasts of its spring roll superiority for good reason. The mung bean spring rolls are what every vegetarian version aspires to be: a careful balance of tender rice noodles, crisp lettuce, fresh mint and a surprising crunch of fried mung bean sprouts, all expertly wrapped in delicate rice paper. A quick dip in the salty, savory soy-based sauce is all that’s needed to make this (as the neon sign out front proclaims) St. Louis’ best spring roll.

Aval Cider

Pleasantly sweet up front with a funky and dry finish, Aval’s super crisp cider is the perfect picnic drink. $15. Saint Louis Hop Shop, 2600 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.261.4011, saintlouishopshop.com

Cleto Chiarli Premium

Lambrusco di Sorbara

Lightly sparkling with juicy strawberry and raspberry notes balanced by a crisp, dry finish, this beautiful ruby wine made us forget the headache syrup we used to call Lambrusco. $17. Parker’s Table, 7118 Oakland Ave., Richmond Heights, 314.645.2050, parkerstable.com

Fixations

From a local mole to a funky cider, here’s what’s at the top of our shopping list right now.

Biver Farms Seedlings

Along with killer produce, Biver Farms floods the markets with organic, hearty seedlings that yield generous fruit and veggies every year. $3. Tower Grove Farmers’ Market, tgmarket.org

Enlightened Sriracha

Broad Bean Crisps

High in fiber and protein, this snack is more than a healthy alternative. It’s not too spicy, with a satisfying crunch and ideal blend of salty and sweet. 4.5-ounce bag: $4. Whole Foods Market, various locations, wholefoodsmarket.com

Trader Joe’s Zhoug Sauce

We’re using this cilantro-based, spicy green sauce on everything from fish to steak to crudités. Stir it into yogurt. Top your hummus with its vegetal spice. If you’re like us, you won’t be able to shut up about Zhoug. $3. Trader Joe’s, various locations, traderjoes.com

Kakao Mole Sauce

We don’t have time to make mole, but we’ll make time to eat enchiladas cooked with Kakao’s new version of the rich, complex sauce. $8. Kakao, 7272 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.645.4446; 7720 Forsyth Ave., Clayton, 314.726.7974, kakaochocolate.com

Like cake, these cards don’t actually need an occasion. The colorful illustrations come with candle stickers and a gold paint pen for any celebratory needs. 12-pack: $18. Cheree Berry Paper, 9214 Clayton Road, Ladue, 314.533.6688, chereeberrypaper.com

Carebags

These feather-light mesh produce bags are super strong, super stretchy and eliminate the need for those (not super earth-friendly) plastic bags at the grocery store. Four-pack: $12. coolearthproducts.com

Cheree Berry Birthday Cards

hit l ist

3 new places to try this month

The Boathouse is worth a trip even if you stay on dry land. When Sugarfire Events took over management this year, it updated the menu and upgraded the beverage list. Bud Light is still there, but now you can opt for something like a Stillwater Insetto dry-hopped sour with Italian plum if you prefer. Even the chardonnay on offer is interesting – like the unoaked version from A to Z Wineworks in Oregon. The full drinks menu, which rotates frequently, is also available at the bar attached to the boat rental building. If you’ve ever had to wait for your paddleboat turn on a busy day, you know the importance of this news. If you’re also ordering food to go with your duck watching, start with the Szechuan sticky pork spare ribs . The tender meat falls off the bone, shellacked in rich, sweet and spicy Szechuan sauce and stacked around a pile of al dente noodles. Try the surprisingly meaty roasted portobello Reuben from the selection of sandwiches, or opt for a more composed entree like the bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin with sweet potato asparagus hash or the classic New York strip steak with roasted potatoes . Just be sure to wait an hour before going on the water.

the boathouse at forest park

clockwise from bottom, barrio’s chile relleno, interior and margarita

TWISTED ROOTS BREWING CO.

When Demun Oyster Bar reinvented itself as Barrio in April, a restaurant specializing in Latin American, Mexican and Spanish flavors, some local foodies were worried. Changing concepts is a tricky business for a restaurant, especially when the original version has proven to be such a popular proposition. However, diners need not fear – the concept may have changed, but the food and drink remain top-notch. Tasty takes on staples like street corn, tacos and chile relleno have replaced oysters, and the beverage program is no longer centered on wine but on agave spirits – in cocktails and solo – along with a rotating selection of agua frescas and sangrias. Combine the stellar menu with the restaurant’s much-loved patio, and summer dining never looked so good.

740 Demun Ave., Clayton, 314.725.0322, barrioclayton.com

With stints at 4204 Main St. Brewing Co. and 4 Hands Brewing Co. on their resumes, Twisted Roots owners Kris Wangelin and Adam Patterson were expected to turn out tasty beer. Their brewery delivers with a mix of classic styles like Kingsman, a malty ESB, and more unique creations like Kali, a summery “saturated pale ale” filled with juicy mango notes. We didn’t expect such tasty and creative pub fare. The Reuben version of the house-made Twisted Rolls packs the flavors of our favorite sandwich –chopped corned beef, gooey Swiss and pungent kraut – into a flaky, crispy egg roll and serves them with house Russian dressing. A basket of addictive, poppable calamari is easy to share among friends. For hungrier, more selfish appetites, try the Spicy Thigh Sandwich. A flaky breaded thigh is drizzled with Mike’s Hot Honey and topped with Sriracha cheddar, pickle and onion and served with wide, flat house fries that satisfy both our french fry and potato chip cravings.

3690 Forest Park Ave., St. Louis, 314.449.6363, Facebook: Twisted Roots Brewing

BARRIO

rev iews

NEW AND NOTABLE

billie-jean

BY MICHAEL RENNER | PHOTOS BY CARMEN TROESSER

Zoe Robinson named her latest restaurant, Billie-Jean, after her parents, who seemed like a couple of fun-loving bons vivants, judging by the black-and-white photo cards of them included with each check. It’s those little details that make Robinson’s some of the most popular restaurants in St. Louis, starting with Café Zoe and Zoe Pan-Asian Café. Like her other places on Wydown Boulevard, I Fratellini and Bar Les Fréres, Billie-Jean is designed to elevate the senses and enhance the dining experience.

dumpling soup from billie-jean

The entire restaurant is draped in a monochromatic veneer, from the dramatic, matte black entryway to the striking, black-on-black interior motif. The design manages to exude casual and chic in the same breath. Black-andwhite Rorschach-like prints by Robert Motherwell line the main wall, while photographs by celebrity photographer Harry Benson appear here and there.

Carved walnut chairs, curved walnut bar stools and vases of greenery on the white-clothed tables provide colorful contrast throughout the intimate shotgun floor plan.

Everything about Robinson’s touch – the aesthetics, the food, the inexplicable dice and poker chips scattered about – is meant to take us some place else. Even the uniforms –chef coats, jumpsuits, T-shirts, cardigans – convey whimsy. To embrace the expected confusion with the Michael Jackson megahit, some of the clothing is embroidered with “Lover” or “Not Your Lover.” New York fashion designer and St. Louis native Todd Thomas receives special credit on the menu for designing the outfits.

It shouldn’t be surprising, but the food – Mediterraneaninspired with Asian flourishes – is excellent, sometimes excitingly so. As with her other restaurants, Robinson collaborated with her longtime executive chef Ny Vongsaly to create a compact menu thoughtfully balancing smaller plates and full-sized entrees.

Taking a seat at the bar one evening – highly recommended for watching the action in the cramped, open galley kitchen – a plate of flaky, chewy-crunchy scallion pancake triangles with a ginger-soy sauce soon arrived, a nice touch provided gratis with meals.

If I were forced to choose between the two exquisite roasted entrees I tried, I’d have to go with the quail. Rarely seen on local menus, it was a great change from the ubiquitous roasted chicken. Stuffed with golden raisins, pine nuts and cornbread served on a bed of roasted root vegetables, the bird’s subtly wild character still remained distinctive. But the other roasted selection – whole red snapper under a pungent layer of lime leaf and cilantro-based salsa verde nestled in a copper serving dish – was no less impressive, nor was the sticky rice alongside. It sounds like a mishmash of Latin-Mediterranean-Asian flavors, but nothing overwhelmed the snapper’s moist, flaky texture and mild, slightly sweet taste.

Not counting the 10 bar seats and cozy semicircle booth tucked into the back of the restaurant, there are just seven tables along the main banquette wall. The setup seemed pretty smart. Sitting at one of the many two-tops during another visit, it was downright quiet – not in a formal, hushed way, but in the way an intimate atmosphere fosters normal conversation when fewer people are chattering.

A couple small dishes exemplified the kitchen’s skill with Asian flavors. Dumpling soup (cup $13; bowl $18) reminded me of a similar soup at Bobo, the noodle house Robinson sold three years ago. Full of bok choy and scallions, it had the rich upfront meatiness of plump pork- and shrimp-filled dumplings followed by the fresh, floral finish of a broth redolent of lemongrass and lime leaf. Chunks of tender neon purple Japanese eggplant glistened in a sesamesoy-vinegar lacquer with crispy cubes of fried tofu providing crunch and a meaty but silky texture.

Hardcore carnivores will be pleased. I saw quite a few beautifully thick prime strip steaks leave the kitchen seasoned with nothing but salt and pepper. But I was in the mood for the beefy braised short rib, a hulking hunk of meat barely clinging to its Flintstonesized bone, ready to slip off with the barest nudge. It was topped with a zingy horseradish-citrus gremolata.

The beverage selection is as compact as the dinner menu, but there are several cocktails ($13) cued by classics like the Manhattan Rebellion, which combines rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, orange bitters and Cappelletti, an amaro that imparts the drink’s smoky rhubarb character. The intriguing wine list is decidedly New World – mostly South American, Californian, Australian and African – and at $13 to $17 per glass, enough to make one hesitate unless someone else is paying.

If good things come in threes, then Billie-Jean rounds out Robinson’s stylish transformation of the 7600 block of Wydown Boulevard. When was the last time a restaurant handed out matchboxes? When did you last feel transported somewhere you couldn’t quite describe by a dining experience? Welcome to BillieJean. Mom and Dad would be proud.

the stellar hog

BY MATT BERKLEY | PHOTOS BY DAVID KOVALUK LUNCH RUSH

The Stellar Hog is a South City neighborhood barbecue joint straight out of central casting, complete with a glowing neon pig sign, a jukebox blaring Bob Seger tunes, $2 cans of Natural Light and a backyard beer garden littered with picnic tables. A devout crowd of locals line up outside the ramshackle old tavern in Holly Hills to devour chef-owner Alex Cupp’s stripped down menu of staples. Cupp, an Adam’s Smokehouse alum, gives all his attention to a handful of basic plates that will leave you smiling and stuffed.

RIBS

Ribs are the measuring stick for any good barbecue joint, and The Stellar Hog does not disappoint. Tender meat easily tears off the sticky-sweet baby back ribs, which are patted with a garlic-heavy dry rub then slow smoked for four hours in a thick haze of cherry wood, which is milder than harsh hardwoods like hickory. The smokiness hits you first, but it’s the chipotle-honey glaze that locks in moisture and imparts a distinct but subtle sweetness to every bite. Extra barbecue

sauce is available (each table has a bottle of sweet tomatobased sauce and a spicy, sweet mustard-based chipotle sauce), but the glaze makes adding anything almost a sin.

BURGER

I wasn’t expecting to fall so hard for the burger at a barbecue joint, but it’s easily one of the best things on the menu. Simplicity is the key:

A half-pound of 100 percent Angus beef is prepped with just salt, tossed on a grill for a few minutes and then finished with a brush of compound butter infused with garlic, herbs and a red wine reduction. The thick patty has a fantastic char, and its lightly toasted Vitale’s Bakery

bun remains crisp despite the meat’s delightful juiciness. It’s dressed with lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion and, if you’re in the mood, a house-made rib jam for an extra buck and a half. Similar to bacon jam, this is a savory and sweet amalgamation of brown sugar, balsamic, caramelized onions and bits of pork rib cooked down into a thick stew of candied meat.

CHEESY PULLED PORK FRIES

I almost laughed at the massive mound when it slid onto my table. The half portion is big enough to serve as an entire entree. The mediumthick french fries somehow retain crispiness beneath the onslaught of a creamy five-cheese sauce (cheddar, American, smoked Gouda, mozzarella and Provel), a generous amount of the mustard-chipotle barbecue sauce and a layer of house

pit beans, laced with bits of brisket and slow-smoked overnight. But the real treat is the incredibly moist and smoky pulled pork, which is dry rubbed and smoked 14 hours, a portion of which is spent in a pan stewing in its own drippings.

BEEF BRISKET

The Stellar Hog brisket (available in a traditional barbecue style or as corned beef cured more than two weeks) is a masterpiece. Try the traditional first – it’s

treated to a rubdown with coffee before slow smoking 14 hours. The gloriously thick slices have a crispy charred edge and tender middle that tear effortlessly into deliciously smoky bites. The brisket was especially good paired with the house slaw, featuring a citrusy sweet vinaigrette made with lemon, lime and orange juice.

THE DOWNSIDE

The Stellar Hog isn’t a spot for a quick weekday lunch. Similar to the cooking process, the service can be a bit slow. Settle in with a tall beer and get ready to wait.

Stellar Hog

5623 Leona St., St. Louis, 314.481.8448, thestellarhog.com

NIGHTLIFE

parlor

BY STEPHANIE ZEILENGA | PHOTOS BY DAVID KOVALUK

With respectable cocktails, an edgy hipster vibe and more than a dozen arcade games, Parlor in The Grove is the place to go if you want a night out that involves more than staring at your friends across a table.

The large space is ringed by all the nostalgia-inducing arcade games you could want –

including pinball, racing games, Pac-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Tapper, a hilariously retro 1980s Budweiser-branded game that has players service a busy bar. To keep things fresh, Parlor occasionally changes up what’s offered. A coin machine is conveniently located onsite, making it easy to acquire quarters. You’ll need a lot – it doesn’t take long to burn through $10.

Parlor’s decor tones down the loud neon of the arcade games with the help of exposed brick and a black, gray and white color palette. Taxidermied animals add to the eclectic air. The space was clearly designed for mingling with limited seating and communal tables. The result is a loud, fun bar that’s also sophisticated and cool. On weekends (and occasionally

during the week) the party atmosphere is pumped up with a DJ spinning tunes.

Parlor 4170 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.833.4999, parlorstl.com

The games are the point at Parlor, but the booze is far from an afterthought. Heavily tattooed bartenders serve drinks, including a small list of New Orleans-inspired specialty concoctions dreamed up by Casey Colgan, who previously tended bar at Atomic Cowboy and Handlebar.

The daiquiri is a straightup classic made with rum, lime juice and simple syrup. No sugary slush here. La Louisiane is another classic done well – a boozy mixture of High West Double Rye, Benedictine herbal liqueur, sweet vermouth and bitters. For groups of four, Parlor offers a Gin Bucket served in a large silver trophy. With lime Vess, vanilla, sweet vermouth, bitters and, of course, gin, it’s sweet and sour with an herbal undertone. A few of the cocktails were a touch too sweet, but otherwise solid. Eight beers are on draft with more available in cans. Canned wine is also available.

Out back is a large patio with picnic tables, bold handpainted murals and string lights. Can you even call it a

bar these days without string lights? It’s also the permanent parking spot of the Nug Shack, a food truck run by Byrd & Barrel. The truck serves up a handful of chicken sandwiches (cauliflower is available as a swap on one item), as well as Byrd & Barrel’s much-loved Nugz. On one visit, the Nug Shack was already out of a few items by 9 p.m., so late-night noshers may have limited options.

As with many food trucks, service was a little slow but worth the wait. The garlic naan taco, which folds chicken tikka masala, pickled red cabbage, bean sprouts, herbs and basil creme into a soft naan, isn’t shy with the curry. Dripping with tikka masala sauce, it’s messy to eat but perfect for a late-night Indian craving. Also notable was the Ole’ Smokey, which sandwiches smoked barbecue chicken, cheese, ranch slaw and Flamin’ Hot Funyuns on a pretzel bun.

If you want a straightup classic cocktail, order the Parlor daiquiri

Parlor calls itself a neighborhood bar and –games aside – that’s exactly what it is, given the mix of hipster millennials, young professionals, couples on dates and groups of friends you’ll find there. The best part: Each game has a wire drink rack, so you never have to choose between enjoying a cocktail and showing off your skee-ball chops.

The Gin Bucket, made with lime Vess, vanilla, sweet vermouth, bitters and gin, is meant for sharing.

the interior at parlor; from top, nugz and the garlic naan taco

dine & drink

portlandia pinot noir carries notes of cola and cherry

A SEAT AT THE BAR

/ Four experts tell us what to sip, stir and shake

TED AND JAMIE KILGORE

USBG, B.A.R. Ready, BarSmart and co-owners/bartenders at Planter’s House

The French aperitif/digestif Pineau des Charentes was allegedly created via an accidental blending of young wine and cognac more than four centuries ago. However it came to be, we imbibe it with great pleasure, especially the version from Pierre Ferrand Its ripe peach, fig, honey, almond and floral flavors are rich and heavenly. Drink it neat with soft cheese, nuts or summer fruit for an exquisite after-dinner treat, or top it with club soda for a predinner refresher. $30. The Wine & Cheese Place, various locations, 314.962.8150, wineandcheeseplace.

GLENN BARDGETT

Member of the Missouri Wine and Grape Board and wine director at Annie Gunn’s

Quality Oregon pinot noir existed long before a certain TV series began. Portlandia Pinot Noir 2015 features cherry aromatics and pairs well with salmon, grilled seafood, mild cheeses or Grandma’s pork roast. This blend is reminiscent of a soda shop fountain Coke with cherry syrup. I have always believed wine should be fun, and this smile-inducing variety is enjoyable in more ways than one. $17. The Wine & Cheese Place, 457 N. New Ballas Road, Creve Coeur, 314.989.0020, wineandcheeseplace.com

KATIE HERRERA Director of beer at STL Barkeep and account manager at Craft Republic

Microbrasserie

Glutenberg’s celiacfriendly brews have made their way to The Lou from Montreal. This French Canadian brewery does an incredible job utilizing gluten-free ingredients such as buckwheat, quinoa and millet to brew artistic expressions of traditional styles. The APA offers a classic citrus and piney hop presence, while the Blanche is a white ale spiced with just enough coriander and orange zest. Four-pack: $11. Friar Tuck, various locations, friartuckonline.com

summer of the slushie

BY HEATHER HUGHES

Summer tip: It’s impossible to be unhappy with a frozen drink in your hand. From a frosty classic cocktail to the equivalent of a 7-Eleven Slurpee, we’re not too good for an alcoholic slushie. You can’t get that beautiful, smooth, granular churning commercial slush machine texture from a blender, and the St. Louis bar scene is fully on board beyond the requisite margarita. Well, mostly.

“I didn’t want to do it,” said Público bar manager Nick Digiovanni. But chefowner Mike Randolph insisted on a slush

machine, and we’re so glad he did. The frosé sangria is of the same impeccable quality as the rest of Público’s cocktails. A rich fuchsia color, it’s made with grenache rosé, tequila and hibiscusorange syrup for a slightly floral, barely sweet treat that tastes way more like wine than most frosés.

High-class doubters will feel equally comfortable with the slushes at Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co. The teabased bourbon punch is a mild, balanced introduction, while the rotating seasonal is a place for bar manager Ronnie Walters to show off a little, like with the recent Aviation slush. It tasted just like the fresh, bright and muskily floral classic.

Westport Social and Porano Pasta are also on the classic cocktail train, the former with rotating options like a bright pink hibiscus paloma perfect for cooling down after a competitive game of shuffleboard. Porano offers a spot-on frozen Negroni to accompany its Italian eats.

But if you want one place to try the best of what frozen has to offer – classic cocktails, sweet dessert drinks, creative flavors –head to Narwhal’s Crafted in the Central West End. The frozen kingpin is so popular it just announced a second location. Be sure to order the Flight of the Narwhal to try three different flavors from the massive selection. The electric turquoise Thai Collins is a personal favorite with gin, curaçao and lemon infused with coriander and lemongrass for a fresh, Thai-spiced tropical refresher.

Start Bar’s selection falls more on the Slurpee side, which is not a bad thing at all. The strawberry rosé has more fruit than wine, and would be a crowd-pleaser if you’re interested in the Master Slush special: a 64-ounce slushie with four floater shots that comes with a pair of sunglasses.

If Start Bar leans 7-Eleven, Tropical Liqueurs is the QT of adult frozen beverages with a wide selection of super

sweet, brightly colored drinks. Aficionados are already aware that the slushie destination recently opened in The Grove. The rum- and vodka-heavy menu is full of fun fruit flavors. Go for the Redbird, which tastes exactly like a Sonic cherry limeade. We give you permission to feel no frozen beverage shame.

Público 6679 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.833.5780, publicostl.com

Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co. 1831 Sidney St., St. Louis, 314.772.8858, peacemakerstl.com

Westport Social 910 Westport Plaza Drive, Maryland Heights, 314.548.2876, westportsocial-stl.com

Porano Pasta 634 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314.833.6414, poranopasta.com

Narwhal’s Crafted 3906 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, 314.696.8388, narwhalscrafted.com

Start Bar 1000 Spruce St., St. Louis, 314.376.4453, startbarstl.com

Tropical Liqueurs 4104 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.899.9404, 2trops.com

BY CARMEN

PHOTO

TROESSER

narwhal’s crafted frozen cocktails from left, elderflower gin fizz, golden mango margarita, thai collins and rhubarb paloma

SALADS SALADS SALADS

grilled kale salad, recipe on p. 37

If you see those ready-toserve salads while strolling the produce aisle, keep on walking. There’s never a reason to buy bottled dressing. These six stunning salads are full of color, texture and filling flavors that won’t disappoint on the dinner table, in the break room or at the potluck. Easy and foolproof doesn’t have to be so boring.

BY DEE RYAN // PHOTOS BY CARMEN TROESSER

SALAD SPRING ROLL SALAD SPRING ROLL recipe on p. 34

SPRING ROLL SALAD

This Asian-inspired salad is a triple threat: super crunchy, spicy and pretty on a plate.

2 MAIN SERVINGS; 4 SIDE SERVINGS

1 2-oz. package bean thread or vermicelli rice noodles

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

3 cups shredded napa cabbage

1 cup thinly sliced, peeled English cucumber

½ cup chopped peanuts

½ cup shredded carrot

¼ cup chopped cilantro

¼ cup chopped mint

Wasabi Dressing (recipe follows)

• Cook rice noodles according to package directions and drain. With scissors, cut the noodles into 3- to 4-inch pieces.

• In a large bowl, toss the noodles with the sesame oil. Add the napa cabbage, cucumber, peanuts, carrot, cilantro, mint and wasabi dressing to taste and toss.

WASABI DRESSING

If wasabi packs too much punch, try replacing it with local hot sauce Sriracha Granada for big flavor and less sting.

ABOUT ¹ ³ CUP

3½ Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar

1½ Tbsp. wasabi paste

1½ tsp. sugar

½ tsp. soy sauce

¼ cup neutral oil

• Whisk together the vinegar, wasabi, sugar and soy sauce. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified, then refrigerate until ready to use.

ROASTED CARROT AND SPROUT SALAD

The combination of sweet, tender roasted carrots with the cruciferous crunch of shaved Brussels sprouts, chewy dried cranberries and toasted nuts makes this salad more than a side dish.

2 MAIN SERVINGS; 4 SIDE SERVINGS

5 Tbsp. neutral oil, divided

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. orange juice

1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

1 tsp. maple syrup

¼ tsp. minced shallot

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 lbs. carrots, peeled and trimmed

20 oz. (about 3 cups) shaved Brussels sprouts

1 cup sunflower or alfalfa sprouts

½ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

¹∕³ cup dried cranberries

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

• In a small jar, combine 3 tablespoons oil, the lemon juice, orange juice, vinegar, maple syrup, shallot, salt and pepper. Seal and shake to combine. Set aside.

• If the carrots are small and thin, leave whole. If the carrots are large, cut into 2-inch pieces on a bias.

• Toss the carrots in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake until tender, about 20 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through.

• Drizzle about 3 tablespoons reserved dressing over the carrots and toss to coat.

• In a large bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts, sunflower sprouts, hazelnuts, cranberries and ¼ cup dressing. Transfer the salad to a serving platter and top with the carrots. Serve at room temperature.

FARRO SALAD WITH GIARDINIERA

This workhorse salad earns the title of entree. It’s filling enough to get you through the day after lunch without putting you to sleep and will be met by applause from every vegetarian at the potluck.

4 MAIN SERVINGS; 8 SIDE SERVINGS

¼ cup olive oil

3 Tbsp. giardiniera liquid

2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan

1 tsp. dried oregano Kosher salt, to taste

Sugar, to taste

4 cups water

1 cup farro

1 cup giardiniera

1 15.5-oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes

½ cup chopped Italian parsley ¼ cup chopped basil

¼ cup shaved Parmesan, for garnish

• Combine the olive oil, giardiniera liquid, Parmesan and oregano in a jar and shake vigorously to combine. Taste and season with salt and sugar if needed. Set aside.

• In a medium saucepan, combine the water and farro. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the farro is tender, about 30 minutes. Drain well, then transfer to a large bowl to cool.

• Toss the farro with 3 tablespoons reserved dressing. Add the giardiniera, beans, tomatoes, parsley, basil and 3 tablespoons dressing. Gently toss to combine, taste and add additional dressing if desired. Top with the Parmesan and serve at room temperature.

Go the extra mile and DIY your own giardiniera. Get the recipe at saucemagazine.com.

CITRUS-AVOCADO SALAD

This citrus salad belongs in your yearround bag of tricks – it’s a colorful showstopper on a winter table and equally delightful as a cool summer side.

4 SERVINGS

1 blood orange

1 grapefruit

1 navel or cara cara orange

½ cup matchstick-cut jicama

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

4 cups chopped lettuce like romaine, spinach, arugula or mixed greens

Honey-Lime Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

1 large avocado, cubed ¼ cup toasted pepitas

• Using a sharp knife, remove the peels and pith from the blood orange, grapefruit and navel orange. Slice the fruit into ¼-inch rounds, reserving any juice for use in the vinaigrette.

• In a large bowl, combine the blood orange, grapefruit, navel orange, jicama and red onion and gently toss with honeylime vinaigrette to taste. Add the lettuce and toss, then fold in the avocado.

• Top with toasted pepitas and serve immediately.

HONEY-LIME VINAIGRETTE

ABOUT ¹∕³ CUP

3 Tbsp. lime juice and any reserved citrus juice

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. honey

1 tsp. minced shallot

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

¼ cup neutral oil

• Whisk together the lime and citrus juices, cumin, honey, shallot and cayenne. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified.

DECONSTRUCTED NICOISE

So fancy, so formal, so French! We prefer our salade nicoise composed in rows of ingredients, making it easy for each guest to build their own plate, but don’t let that keep you from throwing everything in a bowl if you prefer to toss.

4 MAIN SERVINGS; 8 SIDE SERVINGS

4 to 6 Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered Kosher salt, to taste

Lemon-Caper Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

1 lb. thin green beans or haricots verts, trimmed

4 eggs

4 cups mixed arugula and butter lettuce

2 5.5-oz. cans Italian or Spanish tuna packed in oil, drained

½ lb. ripe cherry tomatoes, halved

4 to 6 radishes, trimmed and quartered

¾ cup pitted nicoise or Kalamata olives

1 cup torn fresh basil leaves

• Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water and add salt. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat, bring to a simmer and cook until fork tender, about 5 minutes.

• Drain the potatoes and transfer to a medium bowl. Toss with about 2 tablespoons lemon-caper vinaigrette and set aside.

• Refill the saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Prepare an ice bath.

• Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until bright green, about 3 minutes, then transfer to the ice bath. Pat the beans dry and transfer to a medium bowl. Toss with about 2 tablespoons lemon-caper vinaigrette and set aside.

• Place the eggs in the saucepan and cover with about 1 inch cold water. Place over medium-high heat, bring to a simmer, then cover, remove from heat and let rest 10 to 12 minutes.

Drain, then rinse and peel under cold running water. Quarter the eggs and set aside.

• To assemble the salad, arrange the potatoes, green beans, eggs, lettuce, tuna, tomatoes, radishes, olives and basil in rows on a serving platter. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with lemoncaper vinaigrette to taste. Serve at room temperature.

LEMON-CAPER

VINAIGRETTE

ABOUT ¹ ³ CUP

¼ cup neutral oil

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. chopped capers

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. finely grated shallot

1 tsp. sugar

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Combine all ingredients in a jar, seal and shake vigorously to combine.

GRILLED KALE SALAD

You’ve massaged it, chopped it, baked it into chips – now it’s time to grill. Add a little smoke, some crunchy radishes and pistachios in a creamy, herbaceous dressing and once again kale reigns. Pro tip: Grill bread to serve on the side.

2 MAIN SERVINGS; 4 SIDE SERVINGS

1 bunch kale (about ½ lb.), rinsed and dried

3 Tbsp. neutral oil

Kosher salt, to taste

3 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced

¼ cup chopped, raw pistachios

¼ cup shredded carrot

Creamy Kale Salad Dressing (recipe follows)

• Prepare a grill for high, direct heat.

• Toss the kale with the oil and a generous pinch of salt, making sure both sides of the leaves are coated.

• Working in batches, grill the kale on both sides until crispy, about 30 to 45 seconds. Use a sharp knife to remove the tough rib of each kale leaf and roughly chop. Toss the kale with the radishes, pistachios and carrot, and drizzle the salad with dressing. Serve immediately.

CREAMY KALE SALAD DRESSING

ABOUT 1¼ CUPS

3 Tbsp. minced shallot

1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

Kosher salt, to taste

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

2½ Tbsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. neutral oil

1 tsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

2 Tbsp. minced herbs (parsley, chervil, tarragon, chives)

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Place the shallot and vinegar plus a pinch of salt in a jar with a lid. Let sit 30 minutes.

• Add the yogurt, lemon juice, oil and sugar, cover and shake to combine. Add the herbs and shake again, adding additional oil to thin, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate.

HOLD THE EVOO HOLD THE EVOO

While a go-to cooking oil, raw olive oil can be sharp or have an acrid aftertaste. When it comes to salads, try using a neutral oil or a 1-to-1 ratio of olive oil and a neutral oil like vegetable, avocado, sunflower or grapeseed to keep your oil from overpowering other flavors in the dressing.

STL BBQ LEGENDS

Explore the old school with Beast Craft’s

BY MATT SORRELL // PHOTOS BY CORY MILLER

David Sandusky

David Sandusky is one of the new kids on the St. Louis barbecue block. The home of the pork steak and square-cut ribs has a long, vibrant history, joined more recently by a spate of chefs and owners with formal restaurant backgrounds and plenty of social media savvy like Sandusky.

He left a career in fine dining to enter the world of meat and fire, eventually opening Beast Craft BBQ Co. in Belleville with his wife, Meggan Sandusky, in late 2014. The next project in his budding empire, Beast Butcher & Block, is a restaurant/butcher shop/ event space scheduled to open in The Grove later this year.

While he has received plenty of accolades since opening Beast, Sandusky is aware of how he fits into the tradition he’s a part of. New places like his wouldn’t exist without the many old-school mom-and-pop spots that are the bedrock of the scene.

“[St. Louis] is a new food city, but it has some grass roots that need to be addressed,” Sandusky said. “We all came from somewhere.”

Smoki O’s

Smoki O’s, established in 1997, is located on a fairly desolate strip of Broadway in North City. The building is a squat concrete bunker with only the smoker out back and sign out front hinting at the goodness within. The interior is more than cozy, consisting of an order window and micro seating area decorated with photos of old Negro League baseball teams. While we perused the menu, an older gentleman sat dozing with his head resting on his cane, waiting for his order while Sly Stone and Stevie Wonder played on the radio.

One of the guys in the kitchen recognized Sandusky from a barbecue event and came around the counter to say hi. He recommended we try the links, snoots (snout and jowls) and baked beans.

Quality snoots are a mark of a topnotch barbecue joint, Sandusky opined, acknowledging that many

places won’t even attempt them because they’re so hard to do well. “Snoots are one of my favorite items on my menu,” he said.

Smoki O’s co-owner Otis Walker has been a particular inspiration

to Sandusky because of his facility cooking that St. Louis signature dish. We dug in and gave Smoki O’s version the thumbs up – crispy with a little bit of chew to it. The sausage link was nicely smoky with a good consistency – not rubbery in the least, with just the

right amount of give. The baked beans were a bit heavy on the cinnamon for my taste, but satisfying nonetheless.

It’s impossible to partake of quality barbecue without appreciating the time that goes into it. Walker is a paragon of

hard work, something Sandusky highly values. “He’s like 65, and he’s still doing it all himself,” he said.

Roper’s Ribs

Roper’s Ribs in Jennings bills itself as the “Best BBQ in the Universe” – a bold statement we felt the need to put to the test. With ribs in the name of the restaurant, we started there. Both the beef and pork proved tender and flavorful, with the pork edging ahead in terms of texture. They were served with a side of chunky church picnicstyle potato salad heavy on the mayo, and the whole repast required many, many napkins.

Denise and Carl Roper have run this barbecue shop for the last 25 years, though they’ve been in the business longer. When she found out the purpose of our visit, Denise laughed. “Just remember when you write them up, to call them ‘legends,’ not old folks.”

She was unconcerned about the attention “youngsters” like Sandusky are receiving and didn’t feel overlooked like Sandusky was worried about after hearing some longtime barbecue purveyors around town felt newer joints like his get all of the love. “Competition is something to be embraced, not feared,” she said. “We’re all part of a barbecue family.”

On our way out, Carl came out from the kitchen to regale us with stories of some of the pro wrestlers who’ve stopped by over the years to gorge themselves in hours-long eating sessions, from Jake “The Snake” Roberts to Harley Race. He then showed us a video of the time Roper’s won Best Ribs at Steve Harvey’s Hoodie Awards, held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. A regular came in out of the rain to pick up his order and watched with us awhile, reminiscing with Carl about all the great barbecue places that are now long gone.

We left with a sample of Roper’s Rub and a sense of what it takes to make it in this business: both owners there on a weekday afternoon, cooking, serving and overseeing the operation.

from left, smoki o’s otis and earline walker and beast craft bbq’s david sandusky

Beast Craft BBQ

Co. 20 S. Belt West, Belleville, 618.257.9000, beastcraftbbq.com

Smoki O’s 1545 N. Broadway, St. Louis, 614.621.8180, smokiosbbq.com

Roper’s Ribs 6929 W. Florissant Ave., Jennings, 314.381.6200, ropersribs.com

Ms. Piggies Smokehouse 10612 Page Ave., St. Louis, 314.428.7776, mspiggiessmokehouse.com

Ms. Piggies Smokehouse

Ms. Piggies Smokehouse sits in an unassuming, spacious storefront in a strip mall on Page Avenue near Olivette, where it’s been churning out quality ’cue since 1999. Unlike Smoki O’s and Roper’s, it has a more traditional restaurant feel, with a separate dining area, plenty of tables and two flat-screens playing the game of the day.

While we worked on our rib tips (nicely crusted and with a bit of unctuous fat), pulled pork (which had a certain muskiness Sandusky chalked up to the use of commodity hogs) and brisket, the only other customers in the shop celebrated a raucous birthday in the back, party hats and all, feasting on what seemed like the entire menu piled in the center of their six-top table. On his way out, the guest of honor – a Ms. Piggies regular decked out in a sharp burgundy suit and matching fedora – went behind the counter to hug the owners.

As we drove home in Sandusky’s big-ass truck, it was that guy in the suit and the others like him that really stuck with us, more so than the food; the conversation we overheard at Smoki O’s between an elderly black man and a young white man wearing a reflective vest and work boots, both waiting for their orders, the older man surprised that the younger liked snoots and chitlins; the regular at Roper’s easily joining our conversation.

It takes more than food to survive multiple decades in the restaurant business, and these classic spots do much more than feed people. Not with professional design and custom-made furniture or boutique breeds in the smoker, but by offering simple hospitality and quality food. As Sandusky noted, they put out the best product they can, every day. It’s a lesson he’s taken to heart with his own business. In Denise Roper’s words, “That’s what barbecue does. It gives you that comfort.”

ms. piggies

smoki o’s

stuff to do: JUNE

BY QUINN WILSON

International Horseradish Festival

June 1 – 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., June 2 – 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Main Street, Collinsville, internationalhorseradishfestival.com

Head to uptown Collinsville to kick off June with the International Horseradish Festival. The two-day event celebrates the community’s longstanding love affair with the spicy root. The free annual festival features horseradish-spiked food like horseradish wings, horseradish burgers and Italian beef and subs with horsey sauce. Eat, then participate in games like root toss and the root sacking contest.

Sharing Ramadan Open House

June 5 – 6 to 9:30 p.m., Daar-Ul-Islam Masjid, 517 Wiedman Road, Ballwin, 636.207.8882, cair-mo.org/ramadan

Participate in an iftar, a traditional meal to break the daily fast during Ramadan, at Daar-Ul-Islam Masjid. Feast on Mediterranean dishes like hummus, rice, gyro meat, chicken and more, then take a tour of the mosque. Learn more about Islam and Ramadan during Q&A sessions and join activities like getting henna tattoos and writing your name in Arabic calligraphy. The free event is open to people of all faiths and backgrounds. Register online.

Hearthside Dinner

June 9 – 3 to 7 p.m., Faust Park, 15185 Olive Blvd., Chesterfield, 314.615.8328, Facebook: Hearthside Dinner

Prepare and enjoy an authentic 19th century meal at the historic home of Missouri’s second governor,

Frederick Bates. Churn butter, grind coffee and prepare ingredients essential to the meal of beef with mushrooms and onions, cucumbers and onions in dill sauce, homemade bread and butter and more. Enjoy the dinner by candlelight, then join in period parlor games with dessert. Tickets available online or by phone.

Sauce Magazine’s Saucy Soirée

June 10 – 5 to 8:30 p.m., St. Louis Union Station, 1820 Market St., St. Louis, 314.772.8004, saucysoiree.com

Join us for the most delicious event of the year – Saucy Soirée, our Readers’ Choice grand tasting party. Sample food, beer, wine and spirits from more than 40 of St. Louis’ top restaurants, wineries and breweries that you voted for in our annual Readers’ Choice Poll. Tickets available online and at the door.

sponsored events

IndiHop

June 2 – 1 to 7 p.m., The Grove and Cherokee Street, St. Louis, 314.535.5311, indihopstl.com

Receive a tasting glass and sample locally brewed and crafted beers from 25 businesses in each neighborhood. Ride the shuttle between neighborhoods, and enjoy live music from local bands at each stop. Tickets available online.

Food Truck Friday

June 8 – 4 to 8 p.m., Tower Grove Park, 4256 Magnolia Ave., St. Louis, 314.772.8004, saucefoodtruckfriday.com

More than 20 trucks join Food Truck Friday, including Guerrilla Street Food, Angie Burger and Buzz’s Hawaiian Grill. Sip local pours from Urban Chestnut Brewing Co., 4 Hands Brewing Co., Noboleis Vineyards and Brick River Cider Co. while you enjoy live music from the Bottoms Up Blues Gang. Take your time and skip the line – buy Speed Passes online and pick them up at the Sauce tent!

Central West End

Cocktail Party

June 9 – 5 to 10 p.m., Central West End, St. Louis, cwescene.com

Sip your way through the Central West End at this boozy bash featuring food and drinks from local establishments like Bar Louie, Drunken Fish and Pi Pizzeria. Watch as neighborhood bartenders throw down in a spirited cocktail competition, and enjoy live music and performances by fire dancers, unicyclists and more.

Pig

& Swig

June 23 – noon to 7 p.m., Ballpark Village, 601 Clark Ave., St. Louis, 314.797.7530, pigandswigstlouis.com

Ballpark Village combines bourbon and barbecue at its annual free Pig & Swig. Local vendors like Salt & Smoke, Sugarfire Smoke House, Bogart’s Smokehouse and Beast Craft BBQ Co. prepare an onslaught of slow-cooked pig. While you feast, purchase whiskey cocktails and enjoy cigars and live music from Bobby Ford and the Eskimo Brothers while little ones explore the kids zone. VIP packages available online.

630 Day 2018

June 30 – 5 to 9 p.m., Still 630 Distillery, 1000 S. Fourth St., St. Louis, 314.513.2275, still630.com

Still 630 Distillery celebrates its sixth anniversary with new releases, including the five-year, singlebarrel RallyPoint Straight Rye Whisky, American Navy Strength Gin, three-packs of Still 630’s Experimental Spirits and limited three-packs of its first three brewery collaborations. Grab your favorites, and join the party with food from Qui Tran of Mai Lee and Nudo, as well as cocktails and new O’Fallon Brewery beer collaborations. Tickets available online.

denotes a sauce-sponsored event

The Dam and Center Ice Beer Dinner

June 22 – 7 to 10 p.m., Center Ice Brewery, 3126 Olive St., St. Louis, 314.339.5733, centericebrewery.com

Amsterdam Tavern and The Dam chef Matt Galati joins with a new Midtown brewery to host a five-course beer dinner. Dishes include poached shrimp served with creamed whiskey corn paired with raspberry cream ale and braised chicken and vegetables served with two saisons. Tickets available online.

Spirited Sessions: A Trip to the Islands

June 26 – 7 to 10 p.m., The BHive, 4661 Maryland Ave., St. Louis, stlbarkeep.com

STL Barkeep’s Matt Longueville whisks you away to the Caribbean at the next round of Spirited Sessions. Sauce’s Matt Sorrell, Mission Taco Joint’s Kyle Harlan and Yellowbelly and Retreat’s Tim Wiggins all join in the fun, mixing Plantation rum-based drinks at this educational cocktail party. Tickets available online.

“My family has eight [kids], but four of us left together from Vietnam, refugees by boat. … I was 13 – not that young, but young enough that you don’t know what’s going on. You just don’t know what danger is.”

“My mom set up that we would try to escape the country sometime, but we just [didn’t] know when. That afternoon after school, I went to a movie theater with friends, and then right after the movie my mom [had] already packed [us and] said, ‘Go, go, go.’”

“Most foreigners came from a poor country so they are … flexible and realistic. They’ve been through a hard time, so they are tough, I believe, and work hard. I have some of that from my background, my roots.”

“My mom is an amazing mother. Her time was harder than my time. … She has a lot of influence in my drive. She is a businesswoman. … My mom helped her parents [in their noodle business in Saigon], and therefore she has a business mind and things like that that I just picked up.”

“My brother [was] already fluent in Japanese cuisine and sushi, so I was asking him if he wanted to move to St. Louis to open a sushi shop, because [there was] no sushi or Japanese restaurant on South Grand. He was really interested, so he came and my sister, Mina, she … was a really good, experienced server, so we had really good potential to run a restaurant like that.”

Victor Pham WHAT I

Family drives all of Victor Pham’s decisions – from his mother’s insistence he flee Vietnam with his siblings in 1981 to the restaurants he runs in St. Louis. Pham originally found success as a hairdresser and businessman on South Grand, then used that entrepreneurial acumen to open Cafe Mochi with his brother and sister, Duncan and Mina Pham. The trio recently opened VP Square, serving pan-Asian fare including Vietnamese favorites. Here, Pham shares his role in the family businesses and why immigrants make South Grand great. – Catherine Klene

“My role is paperwork, getting a loan financially. I’m a businessman. I’m good with numbers. I think it worked out perfectly, three categories: One works the front, one does the paperwork and one in the kitchen.”

“A day off is an extra day to do paperwork. ... My day off, I could be cleaning both restaurants and have appointments with hood cleaning maintenance at the restaurant, vacuum, scrubbing, painting where it needs it or planting to make the place look nice and clean. It never ends.”

“To be who I am today without going crazy, I know how to manage my time. Whenever I have a little extra time, I go to [Tower Grove Park], I call it [the] Fountain of Youth. Feeling the air, looking at the trees, hear birds chirping – it recharges me.”

“I love living on South Grand. I love working with my family because every day seeing them around me – that’s my joy. Nothing can buy that or replace it. My family is my everything. I create these restaurants to get closer together.”

Cafe Mochi, 3221 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.773.5000; VP Square, 3611 Juniata St., St. Louis, 314.833.4838, vpsquarestl.com

PHOTO BY ASHLEY GIESEKING

david choi, owner of your favorite food truck and korean restaurant, seoul taco

Black Spaghetti

“The black spaghetti is for sure [the most popular menu item]. It’s a squid ink spaghetti made in-house with a simple chili-lemon-butter sauce, plus clams, scallops and prawns, and then we top it with salmon roe.”

Prosciutto Spring Roll

“From the original Clayton Road menu, we brought back the prosciutto spring roll – a piece of prosciutto wrapped around some vegetables and fresh mozzarella topped with balsamic. I forgot how popular those were. Every table is getting them.”

Fiori Arrabbiata

“I eat the fiori arrabbiata almost every day. The noodle has a great bite to it. The arrabbiata is a spicy tomato sauce, and we add a little mascarpone. It’s so simple.”

chef of the year

KATIE COLLIER

Katie’s Pizza & Pasta Osteria chef-owner Katie Collier has scaled the culinary heights by keeping things simple and letting her food do the talking. This less-is-more aesthetic has garnered her the title Chef of the Year for the second year in a row. “We like highlighting one specific ingredient and let it shine with good sauce or good pizza dough,” Collier said. “That’s how I like to eat.” Here are some of the go-to dishes that keep fans flocking to her restaurants. – Matt Sorrell

Wild Boar

Pappardelle

“I change the menu pretty intensively every year and get rid of a lot of stuff, but I’ve never taken off the fiori, the black spaghetti and the wild boar pappardelle. There are certain items that if we took them off, there would be some upset regulars. I want people to have something comforting that they always know they can get.”

9568 Manchester Road, Rock Hill, 314.942.6555; 14171 Clayton Road, Town & Country, 636.220.3238, katiespizzaandpasta.com

Ted’s Meatball Pizza

“Pizza-wise, the Ted’s Meatball Pizza is definitely our most popular. The meatballs have pine nuts and pecorino in them, then some San Marzano red sauce and fresh mozzarella.”

your favorite pizza

18,000 pizzas delivered daily

When you want to grab a slice in The Lou, Imo’s Pizza probably comes to mind first – it’s your Favorite Pizza winner for good reason. The first Imo’s opened in the Shaw neighborhood in 1964. Now, the restaurant chain is one of the most prominent in Missouri, synonymous with St. Louis-style pizza. Here’s what it takes to produce all those Provel-topped pies, by the numbers. – Lauren Healey

7,500,000 toasted raviolis sold last year

7 minutes 30 seconds is the Imo’s pizza cook time

2 to 3 pizza ovens per store

5,000,000 deliveries and counting

Imo’s pizzas are baked at

430 degrees

100 million+ pounds of Provel used

5¢ what president Carl Imo wishes he got every time he had to explain what Provel is

100 franchises

3 states

5,400 employees

54 years in business 5 to 15 average pounds gained by new employees (but who’s counting?)

the original imo's imospizza.com

In 2011, David Choi booked a one-way ticket to the East Coast to buy a food truck. The guy wanted $40,000 for it.

“$18,000,” Choi said.

“$35,000.”

“$18,000,” he repeated, explaining that was everything he had.

“About 30 minutes to an hour into our ride back to D.C., the guy called and said, ‘My wife says she’s gonna kill me if this thing isn’t out of my driveway.’ I turned back around and drove the truck all the way home.”

Seven years later, Choi stands atop Seoul Taco’s mini-empire, complete with two food trucks, five restaurants and enough Readers’ Choice Awards (Favorite Food Truck, Favorite Korean, second Favorite Tacos just this year) to prove a cult following. So, what’s happened since he poured every penny he had into that first truck, and what’s next for the 33-year-old restaurateur?

“At first, it was really just trying to create something where Korean food would be more accessible in St. Louis. At that time, Roy Choi was doing his thing in L.A. All my free time was traveling, eating and trying different cuisines. From there, it was missing those experiences and trying to cook them at home.”

“Any Korean celebration where there’s a birthday party, holiday or whatever, we’re barbecuing something. Whether it’s rain, snow, sleet, whatever, we’re all out there doin’ it.”

“I lived with a Puerto Rican family, so I learned how to cook rice and beans, a few chimichurris and things like – not what you’re typically accustomed to living in West County.”

“We just opened up in Chesterfield. Knowing I was from that area, it was just the icing on top of the cake. I was like, ‘Bread Co.’s not there anymore.’ I used to skip class and go to that Bread Co. all the time!”

“My parents and their friends came here with nothing. When you’re growing up, you don’t even realize the weight of that – how much people go through to open their businesses, to even see whatever success it is. Man, I see now how hard these people work, so I gotta work just as hard, if not more, to make it.”

“Day-to-day’s changed a lot. It went from being every role in the restaurant to now it’s more coaching, leadership and instilling those practices from top to bottom. I would hope that every Seoul Taco has a reflection of my character and personality in it.”

“I can open up three stores in three months, which I’ve done before, but that’s pretty crazy. Maybe spread that out a bit? That might have

helped a little bit. But then again, who knows. I might not have learned from that.”

“I could go, I could wing it, I could improvise on the fly. But you can’t run a business with 100plus employees by doing that. Am I great at those things now? No, but I’m sure as hell a lot better than I was before.”

“We have such a diverse crowd. You have students with backpacks, and then you have people with baby strollers. All of them, you see on their faces – they just enjoy the food. And then you hear Tribe Called Quest in the background, and to me, I think that’s so cool to see.”

“Success would be maybe opening into a third market; I think that would be huge. I want to look into another market that has a similar feel to St. Louis and Chicago, down in Texas or Atlanta. Chicagoland has been really good to us. I think it makes sense to open up a few more there as well. And then possibly another concept; I would like to see that.”

“I think it’s easy for restaurateurs and different owner-chefs to get bored of what they do, but I still love every minute of it. And I know that there’s potential, and I want to get it to where it needs to be in order to sort of fully let go and start another concept. I want to have that same type of attention to detail I did with Seoul Taco.” – Stacy Schultz

BUDGET CRUNCH

BY KEVIN KORINEK

St. Louis has spoken; now it’s time to eat your way through the Sauce Readers’ Choice winners list. Luckily, from golden fried chicken to crisp veggie wraps, some favorites can be tried without breaking the bank. Everyone knows about Mission Taco Joint’s amazing $2 late-night tacos, which won both Favorite Tacos and Favorite Happy Hour. Here are 10 more favorites you can devour at a steal.

// PHOTOS BY JULIA CALLEO

french toast at the shack

Lulu’s Local Eatery

Even the most ardent meat-eater can find something to love at this year’s Favorite Vegetarian/Vegan spot. Lulu’s on South Grand Boulevard serves imaginative, healthy eats in a minimal space accented by reclaimed wood, natural light and a community vibe. Pull up a seat on the dogfriendly patio and enjoy addictive Buffalo cauliflower bites, banh mi tacos and other fun dishes less than $10, like the sushi bowl made with compressed watermelon “sashimi.” Bonus tip: Ride your bike there, and flash your helmet at the counter for a cool 15 percent off.

3201 S. Grand Ave., St. Louis, 314.300.8215, luluslocaleatery.com

Aya Sofia

Aya Sofia, voted Favorite Mediterranean/Middle Eastern, will take you places you never knew existed with a blend of Turkish, Mediterranean and Lebanese flavors. Like the food, the digs have a Middle Eastern influence with large, cushioned chairs, a muted color scheme and classic geometric patterns to set the tone. Lunch is the way to go if you’re on a budget. The kofte, beef and lamb Turkish meatballs, are an absolute delight available in a less expensive wrap, or try your hand at the grilled swordfish and lemon kebabs. The lunch special is the best deal with a generous plate of hummus, tabbouleh, rice pilaf and your choice of a chicken or beef kebab for only $10.

6671 Chippewa St., St. Louis, 314.645.9919, ayasofiacuisine.com

Three Kings Public House

Voted Favorite Beer Bar, Three Kings has the best of both worlds with a dynamic neighborhood pub menu and quality craft on tap. You can sample a wide array of local and national brews, crossing a few things off your Untappd list while enjoying wings and burgers built to satisfy. Pair

a half-off Logboat Flybye saison with house-made pub chips, barbecue pork sliders or one of the other $6 snacks on the happy hour menu. The Loop location offers a generous menu during a late-night happy hour starting at 10 p.m. with a kitchen that doesn’t close until midnight. Various locations, threekingspub.com

John D. McGurk’s Irish Pub & Garden

St. Louis’ Favorite Pub and Favorite Patio this year, McGurk’s, has served up whiskey in the jar for 40 years in downtown Soulard. The patio can accommodate enormous groups, or step inside the classic pub to be transported to the Emerald Isle. A narrow platform at the end of the room serves as a stage for traditional Irish music that guarantees a foot-stomping good time. Between band sets and pints of Guinness, make sure to sample the famous whiskey bread pudding, topped with caramel and raspberry sauce and slathered in whiskey butter for just $6.50. Come up with another two bucks and get ice cream on top. 1200 Russell Blvd., St. Louis, 314.776.8309, mcgurks.com

The Shack

When you walk into The Shack, the first thing you notice is the writing on the wall. Waitstaff encourage guests to make their mark with free pens and markers amongst all the couples’ names surrounded by hearts and notes about favorite dishes. The popular restaurant boasts seven locations across the state and has written its name on the hearts of St. Louis diners, who voted The Shack their Favorite Breakfast and Lunch Spot. Funky cereal milkshakes , omelets bursting at the seams and massive sandwiches are all served up with silly names and large portions. Try this month’s doozy of a breakfast special: $3.50 for one massive plate-sized pancake Various locations, eatatshack.com

House of India

It’s no surprise that House of India won Favorite Indian food in St. Louis. For over 20 years, the Delmar restaurant has been a favorite with food critics and novices alike, rarely deviating from its original strategy: offering solid, classic Indian fare with a variety of meat and veggie options and no American substitutions. It’s well understood in foodie circles that the restaurant’s $9.50 weekday buffet is the best way to spice up your lunch hour. There’s no shame in loitering until someone brings out a fresh batch of naan. One taste of the tikka masala or the chicken kabab and the uninitiated will wonder how the secret eluded them so long. 8501 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.567.6850, hoistl.com

Hodak’s

Fried chicken is still having a trendy moment in St. Louis, but Hodak’s is the city’s first love when it comes to deep-fried yardbird. The Benton Park restaurant was voted this year’s Favorite Fried Chicken with a menu so budget friendly, you might actually make money eating here. Sandwiches come stacked high and sides are copious, but we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the half golden fried chicken plate for $9.50. The dining room offers a relaxed, salt-of-the-earth atmosphere, but at peak dining hours, lines expand and available real estate dwindles. Hunker down at the bar and rub elbows with fellow fried chicken enthusiasts, washing down coleslaw and fries with a frosty mug of beer 2100 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314.776.7292, hodaks.com

Chava’s Mexican Restaurant

For south-of-the-border flavors without packing your bags, head to St. Louisans’ Favorite Mexican, Chava’s. Start with a fresh fruit margarita, then take a deep dive into a hot plate of fajita nachos with chargrilled chicken and pico de gallo. There is no shame in lingering over the sizzling delights of the El Mierko

– dual, flash-fried chicken burritos topped with chile con queso. But for a deal, our money is on the steak torta, a fresh bun layered with white cheese, frijoles, marinated sirloin, guacamole, lettuce and pico de gallo, served with waffle fries for only $10. 925 Geyer Ave., St. Louis, 314.241.5503; 217 E. Vandalia St., Edwardsville, 618.692.8192; chavasmexican.com

King and I

King and I is never one to disappoint. That’s probably why St. Louis has voted the South Grand staple its Favorite Thai spot since the inception of Sauce Readers’ Choice more than 15 years ago. Step in and bask in the intoxicating smell of Thai spices, dark wood decor, soft lighting and soothing atmosphere. Dinner can be an elegant affair or a fast takeout jaunt, but the best time to enjoy The King and I on the cheap is daylight hours. Don’t miss the $10 dine-in lunch special: Choose your preferred hue of delicious curry (green or red) or a plate of pad Thai, accompanied by your choice of crab Rangoon or pot sticker and a beverage.

3157 S. Grand Ave., St. Louis, 314.771.1777, kingandistl.com

Blues City Deli

They don’t call it Blues City Deli for nothing. Voted Favorite Deli/ Sandwich Shop, this neighborhood eatery hosts different live roots and blues music every week. The walls are cluttered with troubadour artifacts, but music isn’t the only thing that makes the joint hop every weekend. The sandwich board is unparalleled in town, offering everything from barbecue to New York-style pastrami to po’boys stacked high and ready to be devoured. While devotees swear by the Memphis Stax pulled pork and the muffuletta, you have to try the Cubano. Made with thick-cut ham and topped with a delectable pineapple glaze, it’s the Tuesday special and sells out almost immediately at $6. 2438 McNair Ave., St. Louis, 314.773.8225, bluescitydeli.com

hipointedrivein.com

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

Since opening in January 2017, Hi-Pointe Drive-In has become known for being over-the-top in every way, from the multicolor building that looks like it’s made from giant Legos, to the regular menu of massive burgers and sandwiches, to the kitchen’s penchant for putting out one-off crazy creations on special daily. It’s this focus on delicious fun and games that has garnered Hi-Pointe regular queues of hungry diners out the door and the title of Readers' Choice Best New Restaurant. Executive chef Adam Pritchett and his crew juggle the chaos like it’s just another day at the office.

– Matt Sorrell

What’s the most food one person has ordered? “We had a ‘competitive eater’ come in once. We made him a 6-pound burger, a 40-ounce malt and 2 pounds of fries. He didn’t finish; we defeated him.” – Brian Bethel, manager

What’s the best-selling menu item? “The Taco Burger, our joint venture with Mission Taco Joint, for sure. It’s been on the menu since the beginning. We sell hundreds a day.” – Brian Bethel, manager

What’s the most outrageous special you’ve ordered? “I think it was called the St. Lunatic Burger. It had Imo’s pizza for buns, and Red Hot

Riplets and toasted raviolis in the middle. It was insane.” – John Mordvar, friend of the family

What’s one of the customer challenges you face on the regular? “Customers always come in, and they want to order something they saw on Instagram, and they don’t realize we change our specials daily. I think we’ve repeated only one or two in a year and a half. We always try to make them what they want if we have the ingredients in-house, though.” – Jason Scroggins, general manager

What’s your go-to order after work? “I usually get the Frisco

Melt. It’s got Thousand Island dressing, sourdough, meat and cheese. What more do you want?” – Ed Diedrich, cook

What makes this kitchen different than others you’ve worked in? “Definitely the creativity, especially with the specials, that and the quality of what we make. They’re really open to ideas.” – Jhonetta Phillips, cook

What’s been the busiest day at Hi-Pointe so far? “I think the Saturday we opened was the craziest day we ever had. It was upwards of $17,000 [in sales]. Figure the average order at $15 a head.” – Adam Pritchett, executive chef

booth from left, fabian sosa, brian bethel, jason scroggins and ed diedrich; outside booth from left, beto castro, jhonetta phillips, adam pritchett, kaitlin bullota, john mordvar and maria ordonez Hi-Pointe Drive-In 1033 McCausland Ave., St. Louis, 314.349.2720,

favorite diner

UNCLE BILL'S PANCAKE & DINNER HOUSE

The diner – a uniquely American institution originally designed to look like a railroad dining car – continues to thrive by providing affordable, comforting food to the people. This year, Sauce readers have declared Uncle Bill’s Pancake & Dinner House, a joint known for its sprawling menu and round-the-clock service, their favorite diner in town.

No one, not even morning breakfast regulars, appreciates a diner as much as those who stumble in at 2 a.m. Uncle Bill’s is there when you shut down a bar, work the graveyard or have a red-eye flight. It had been a good long while since my last visit to Uncle Bill’s and equally as long since I’d found myself out and about after

the witching hour. When I heard about the accolade, I knew I had to revisit this old haunt in the dead of night.

As I drove south on Kingshighway Boulevard on a late Saturday night/early Sunday morning, I remembered just how desolate this stretch of road is after-hours. The car dealerships and strip malls were all dark; there were scant signs of life. Then the Uncle Bill’s sign appeared like an oasis, casting a pale light on the building’s incongruous, Alpinestyle architecture.

A hostess dressed in an otherworldly white pantsuit guided me across the motel carpeting to a booth in the corner without saying a

word. The waitress called me “hon’” without a trace of irony when I ordered my usual: eggs sunny side up, a mound of hash browns, wheat toast instead of pancakes and a tomato juice.

The restaurant was maybe halffull but bustling and lively on two seating levels with plenty of wood paneling and some stained glass windows to lend a little class. Like a casino floor, time seemed to have no meaning here. It was 3 a.m., but it could’ve easily been noon as servers in maroon Uncle Bill’s shirts worked the floor in constant motion, refilling coffee cups and delivering plates stacked three to an arm with balancing acumen as natural as breathing.

As I waited for the food, I loaded up my tomato juice with Cholula hot sauce and surveyed the scene. When I was still in the social whirl, Uncle Bill’s was best known as an excellent way end to a night out with plenty of greasy goodness to soak up the evening’s excesses. Perhaps longing for my misspent youth, I was hoping to witness some late-night debauchery.

The crowd this morning, however, was surprisingly sedate – the vibe more coffee klatch than gritty Tom Waits ballad. Most diners seemed to be just off work or maybe fueling up for their next shift. Couples and small groups talked over stacks of pancakes and those endless cups of coffee like they were in breakfast nooks at home. Sure, a few guests were dressed in clubwear, rumpled and disheveled after a night out. Some were a little unsteady on their feet as they made their way to the register, but there was nary a sloppy “woo” girl or hammered bro in sight. No one made even a small drunken scene.

I’m sure there are still plenty of nights at Uncle Bill’s when the crowd is lit, but I wasn’t too disappointed to miss that. It was nice to stretch out in my solo booth, savor breakfast and soak up the atmosphere. As I polished off the last of the hash browns – soft in the middle and perfectly crisp outside – it sunk in. Regardless of the building, or how good the coffee is, the best diners are beloved because they welcome people from all walks of life to gather and connect, no matter the hour or sobriety level. – Matt Sorrell

Uncle Bill’s Pancake & Dinner House, 3427 S. Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis, 314.832.1973; 14196 Manchester Road, Ballwin, 636.394.1416

PHOTO BY DAVID KOVALUK

YOUR FAVORITE PLACES TO EAT

favorite new restaurant of 2017

HI-POINTE DRIVE-IN

1033 McCausland Ave., St. Louis, 314.349.2720, hipointedrivein.com

2nd: Grace Meat & Three

3rd: Nudo, Polite Society (tie) Honorable Mention: Westport Social, Vicia

favorite restaurant

OLIVE & OAK

102 W. Lockwood Ave., Webster Groves, 314.736.1370, oliveandoakstl.com

2nd: Cleveland-Heath

3rd: Katie’s Pizza & Pasta Osteria

Honorable Mention: Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co., Lona’s Lil Eats

chef of the year

KATIE COLLIER, KATIE’S

PIZZA & PASTA OSTERIA

9568 Manchester Road, Rock Hill, 314.942.6555,

from your favorite italian

katiespizzaandpasta.com

2nd: Rick Lewis, Grace Meat & Three

3rd: Jesse Mendica, Olive & Oak

Honorable Mention: Tyler Layton, Twisted Tree

Steakhouse and Ashley Shelton, Sardella

favorite barbecue

SUGARFIRE SMOKE HOUSE

Various locations, sugarfiresmokehouse.com

2nd: Pappy’s Smokehouse

3rd: Salt & Smoke

Honorable Mention: Beast Craft BBQ Co., Bogart’s Smokehouse

favorite breakfast and lunch THE SHACK

Various locations, eatatshack.com

2nd: Southwest Diner

3rd: Rooster

Honorable Mention: The Clover and The Bee, Half & Half

favorite brunch HENDEL’S RESTAURANT

559 St. Denis St., Florissant, 314.837.2304, hendelsrestaurant.com

2nd: Rooster

3rd: Half & Half

Honorable Mention: Brasserie by Niche, SqWires Restaurant & Annex, Reeds American Table

favorite burger HI-POINTE DRIVE-IN

1033 McCausland Ave., St. Louis, 314.349.2720, hipointedrivein.com

2nd: Stacked STL

3rd: Mac’s Local Eats

Honorable Mention: O’Connell’s Pub, Carl’s Drive In

favorite cajun/creole BROADWAY OYSTER BAR

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

2nd: Gulf Shores Restaurant & Grill

3rd: Sister Cities Cajun

Honorable Mention: Evangeline’s Bistro and Music House, Boogaloo

favorite chinese LONA’S LIL EATS

2199 California Ave., St. Louis, 314.925.8938, lonaslileats.com

2nd: Wang Gang Asian Eats

3rd: Lu Lu Seafood Restaurant

Honorable Mention: China King, Yen Ching

favorite deli/sandwich shop BLUES CITY DELI

2438 McNair Ave., St. Louis, 314.773.8225, bluescitydeli.com

2nd: Gioia’s Deli

3rd: Mom’s Deli

Honorable Mention: Union Loafers Cafe and Bread Bakery, The Gramophone

favorite diner UNCLE BILL’S PANCAKE AND DINNER HOUSE

3427 S. Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis, 314.832.1973; 14196

Manchester Road, Ballwin, 636.394.1416

2nd: Benton Park Café

3rd: Courtesy Diner

Honorable Mention: Chris’ Pancake & Dining, Eat-Rite Diner

favorite doughnut

STRANGE DONUTS

2709 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, 314.932.5851; 107 E. Argonne St., Kirkwood, 314.394.2323; strangedonuts.com

2nd: Vincent Van Doughnut

3rd: Old Town Donuts

Honorable Mention: Donut Drive-In, John’s Donuts

favorite fine dining

SIDNEY STREET CAFE

2000 Sidney St., St. Louis, 314.771.5777, sidneystreetcafestl.com

2nd: Olive & Oak

3rd: Tony’s

Honorable Mention: Farmhaus, Vicia

favorite food truck

SEOUL TACO

seoultaco.com, Twitter: @seoultaco

2nd: Mission Taco Joint

3rd: Guerrilla Street Food

Honorable Mention: Balkan Treat Box, Gioia’s Deli Food Truck

favorite fried chicken

HODAK’S RESTAURANT & BAR

2100 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314.776.7292, hodaks.com

2nd: Southern

3rd: Byrd & Barrel

Honorable Mention: Grace Meat & Three, Gallagher’s Restaurant

favorite frozen dessert

TED DREWES FROZEN CUSTARD

6726 Chippewa St., St. Louis, 314.481.2652; 4224 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.352.7376; teddrewes.com

2nd: Ices Plain & Fancy

3rd: Clementine’s Naughty & Nice Creamery

Honorable Mention: Fritz’s Frozen Custard, Serendipity Homemade Ice Cream

favorite greek

OLYMPIA KEBOB HOUSE & TAVERNA

1543 McCausland Ave., St. Louis, 314.781.1299, olympiakebobandtavern.com

2nd: Spiro’s Restuarant

3rd: Anthonino’s Taverna

Honorable Mention: Michael’s Bar & Grill, Momos Ouzaria Taverna

favorite indian HOUSE OF INDIA

8501 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.567.6850, hoistl.com

2nd: Himalayan Yeti

3rd: Everest Cafe & Bar

Honorable Mention: India’s Rasoi, India Palace

BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

PHOTO

bucatini all’a amatriciana

restaurant, pastaria

YOUR FAVORITE PLACES TO EAT

favorite italian PASTARIA

7734 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.862.6603, eatpastaria.com

2nd: Charlie Gitto’s

3rd: Trattoria Marcella

Honorable Mention: Katie’s Pizza & Pasta Osteria, Acero

favorite korean SEOUL TACO

6665 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.863.1148; 46 Four Seasons Shopping Center, Chesterfield, 314.548.6868, seoultaco.com

2nd: Oriental Spoon

3rd: Seoul Garden Korean BBQ

Honorable Mention: Kimcheese, K-Bop Food Truck, U-City Grill

favorite mexican CHAVA’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

925 Geyer Ave., St. Louis, 314.241.5503; 217 E. Vandalia

St., Edwardsville, 618.692.8192, chavasmexican.com

2nd: Mi Ranchito Mexican Restaurant

3rd: Hacienda Mexican Restaurant

Honorable Mention: Rosalita’s Cantina, Nixta, Pueblo Solis

favorite mediterranean/ middle eastern AYA SOFIA

6671 Chippewa St., St. Louis, 314.645.9919, ayasofiacuisine.com

2nd: Olio

3rd: The Vine Cafe

Honorable Mention: Layla, Cafe Natasha’s

favorite patio

JOHN D. MCGURK’S IRISH PUB & GARDEN

1200 Russell Blvd., St. Louis, 314.776.8309, mcgurks.com

2nd: Billy G’s Kirkwood

3rd: Broadway Oyster Bar

Honorable Mention: Vin de Set, Molly’s in Soulard

favorite pizza

IMO’S PIZZA

Various locations, imospizza.com

2nd: Peel Wood Fired Pizza

3rd: Katie’s Pizza & Pasta Osteria

Honorable Mention: Pi Pizzeria, Sauce on the Side

favorite pub

JOHN D. MCGURK’S IRISH PUB & GARDEN

1200 Russell Blvd., St. Louis, 314.776.8309, mcgurks.com

2nd: The Scottish Arms

3rd: O’Connell’s Pub

Honorable Mention: Dressel’s Public House, Seamus McDaniel’s

favorite ramen NUDO

11423 Olive Blvd., Creve Coeur, 314.274.8046, nudostl.com

2nd: Vista Ramen

3rd: Robata Maplewood

Honorable Mention: Ramen Tei, Nami Ramen

favorite romantic spot BAILEYS’ CHOCOLATE BAR

1915 Park Ave., St. Louis, 314.241.8100, baileyschocolatebar.com

2nd: Sidney Street Cafe

3rd: Sasha’s Wine Bar

Honorable Mention: Cyrano’s Café, Bar Les Frères

favorite soul food/southern GRACE MEAT & THREE

4270 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.533.2700, stlgrace.com

2nd: Southern

3rd: Sweetie Pie’s The Upper Crust

Honorable Mention: Juniper, Mom’s Soul Food Kitchen & Catering

favorite steakhouse TUCKER’S PLACE

Various locations, tuckersplacestl.com

2nd: Annie Gunn’s Restaurant 3rd: 1818 Chophouse

Honorable Mention: Citizen Kane’s Steak House, Twisted Tree Steakhouse

favorite sushi DRUNKEN FISH

Various locations, drunkenfish.com

your favorite doughnut shop, strange donuts

2nd: Wasabi Sushi Bar

3rd: Café Mochi

Honorable Mention: Sushi Ai, Nippon Tei, BLK MKT Eats

favorite tacos MISSION TACO JOINT

Various locations, missiontacojoint.com

2nd: Seoul Taco

3rd: Taco Circus

Honorable Mention: Chava’s Mexican Restaurant, Taqueria El Bronco

favorite thai KING AND I THAI CUISINE

3157 S. Grand Ave., St. Louis, 314.771.1777, kingandistl.com

2nd: Fork & Stix

3rd: Pearl Café

Honorable Mention: Tei Too, Pad Thai Kitchen

favorite vegetarian/vegan LULU’S LOCAL EATERY

3201 S. Grand Ave., St. Louis, 314.300.8215, luluslocaleatery.com

2nd: Lona’s Lil Eats

3rd: Treehouse

Honorable Mention: SweetArt, Pizza Head, Small Batch, Wicked Greenz

favorite vietnamese MAI LEE

8396 Musick Memorial Drive, Brentwood, 314.645.2835, maileestl.com

2nd: Pho Grand

3rd: Lemon Grass Restaurant

Honorable Mention: Banh Mi So No. 1, Little Saigon Cafe

BY

PHOTO

CARMEN TROESSER

jesse mendica, executive chef at olive & oak

FAVORITE RESTAURANT

olive oak&

jesse mendica

The executive chef of your Favorite Restaurant didn’t originally want to be executive chef of any restaurant. The media-shy chef took a chance during her “year of yes” and has been quietly turning out some of most innovative, perfectly executed food in the St. Louis area ever since. We sat down with Jesse Mendica to talk Webster Groves, Olive & Oak’s ever-changing menu and her very first restaurant job. – Catherine Klene

How did the restaurant industry hook you?

“I got the job [at Two Nice Guys] and just being a part of a kitchen and the camaraderie of it – it charmed me right away. It wasn’t even about the food. I’m the pickiest eater there is. I started out so picky, I wouldn’t eat anything.”

Like what?

“Oh my God, mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, onions, salad dressing, tomatoes … I wouldn’t

eat fish, shellfish, nothing. I ate nothing. I ate dry salads.”

How much does Webster Groves love Olive & Oak?

“We always said at the beginning, ‘We hope we’re as good for Webster as Webster is for us,’ and I think that relationship has worked out great so far. We had somebody write an email to us that said, ‘I think since Olive & Oak moved in, our property value has gone up 25 percent.’ I know it’s a joke, but just the idea that we’ve been so good for the community and people feel like their house is more valuable being near us? That felt great.”

How’s your first executive chef gig going?

“It’s super challenging and super scary and overwhelming at first, and then it just becomes the house you’re running. You feel like the mom of the house. I had two dishwashers call me mom on two separate occasions: ‘Mom, do you know – Oh, Jesse! Sorry!’ … I

think my job is to be the person who has the answers, to be the person who makes the decisions, but it’s not any more important than anybody else.”

Which chefs do you admire?

“Big-time chefs that I like to watch and listen to and learn from a lot?

Jacques Pépin. ... He’s so great to watch. To watch him bone a chicken with only two cuts is incredible. He makes it easy and drinks wine the whole time and he’s like, ‘Don’t even worry. This is easy. The chicken wants you to do it.’”

What’s your postshift meal?

“I eat a big salad out of a huge bowl. It’s not even necessarily a big salad, but it’s definitely a big bowl. I know that it will be easy to clean later, and I can really toss it. … And a beer. Civil Life Brown is my absolute favorite. Beer or a rosé. You can’t get away from rosé here, and I don’t mind that one bit. We are a yes way rosé place.”

What’s your least favorite part of the job?

“The attention and having to be interviewed by people about myself – that’s probably the worst part of all of it, no offense. It’s the worst. People come in here and they’re like, ‘Oh my God, we’re meeting you!’ Yes, I’m just another person in the room with you right now; this is not a big deal. The weird big deal that people put on it is probably the hardest thing for me to get used to.”

What’s the nicest compliment a customer has given you?

“One person said, ‘I don’t even eat cauliflower. I don’t like cauliflower, but I know I’ll get it because everything has surprised me.’ To know that people trust me enough to try something they have verified they don’t like – that’s pretty incredible.”

olive & oak, 102 w. lockwood ave., webster groves, 314.736.1370, oliveandoakstl.com

favorite brunch

HENDEL'S RESTAURANT

Anyone who has tried to get into Hendel’s Restaurant on a Sunday morning already knows it’s St. Louis’ Favorite Brunch spot. From the crabcakes eggs Benedict to the Southwestern omelet to the “Zing Zanged” House Bloody Mary, Hendel’s proves that when it comes to brunch, classic makes perfect. – Heather Hughes 559 St. Denis St., Florissant, 314.837.2304, hendelsrestaurant.com

YOUR FAVORITE PLACES TO DRINK

bartender of the year

HOPE MCCOY, MIKE SHANNON’S GRILL

871 S. Arbor Vitae, Edwardsville, 618.655,9911, mikeshannonsgrill.com

2nd: Charlie Martin, Olive & Oak

3rd: Ted Kilgore, Planter’s House

Honorable Mention: Tim Wiggins, Retreat Gastropub and Terry Oliver, Frazer’s

favorite beer bar

THREE KINGS PUBLIC HOUSE

Various locations, threekingspub.com

2nd: International Tap House (iTap)

3rd: Global Brew Tap House

Honorable Mention: The Side Project Cellar, Tapped

favorite brewery

URBAN CHESTNUT BREWING CO.

3229 Washington Ave., St. Louis; 4465 Manchester Ave., St. Louis; 314.222.0143, urbanchestnut.com

2nd: 4 Hands Brewing Co.

3rd: Schlafly Beer

Honorable Mention: Civil Life Brewing Co., Ferguson Brewing Co.

favorite coffee shop

KALDI’S COFFEE

Various locations, kaldiscoffee.com

2nd: The Mud House

3rd: Sacred Grounds Cafe

Honorable Mention: Sump Coffee, Park Avenue Coffee

favorite cocktails

PLANTER’S HOUSE

1000 Mississippi Ave., St. Louis, 314.696.2603, plantershousestl.com

2nd: Narwhal’s Crafted

3rd: Olive & Oak

Honorable Mention: Taste Bar, Blood & Sand

favorite games bar

WESTPORT SOCIAL

910 Westport Plaza Drive, Maryland Heights, 314.548.2876, westportsocial-stl.com

2nd: 4 Hands Brewing Co.

3rd: Start Bar

Honorable Mention: Pieces the

St. Louis Board Game Bar & Café, Parlor

favorite happy hour MISSION TACO JOINT

Various locations, missiontacojoint.com

2nd: 1818 Chophouse

3rd: Three Kings Public House

Honorable Mention: Taste Bar, Syberg’s An Eating & Drinking Co.

favorite sports bar

SYBERG’S AN EATING & DRINKING CO.

Various locations, sybergs.com

2nd: Amsterdam Tavern

3rd: Blueberry Hill

Honorable Mention: The Post Sports Bar & Grill, Joey B’s Food & Drink

favorite wine bar

SASHA’S WINE BARS

706 DeMun Ave., Clayton, 314.863.7274; 4069 Shaw Blvd. St. Louis, 314.771.7274; sashaswinebar.com

2nd: Robust Wine Bar

3rd: Cork Wine Bar

Honorable Mention: 33 Wine Shop & Bar, Louie’s Wine Dive

favorite local winery

CHAUMETTE VINEYARDS & WINERY

24345 State Route WW, Ste. Genevieve, 573.747.1000, chaumette.com

2nd: Stone Hill Winery

3rd: Montelle Winery

Honorable Mention: Cedar Lake Cellars, St. James Winery

favorite bottle shop

RANDALL’S WINES & SPIRITS

Various locations, shoprandalls.com

2nd: Bin 51 Wine & Spirits

3rd: The Wine & Cheese Place

Honorable Mention: Saint Louis Hop Shop, Intoxicology

favorite bread

UNION LOAFERS CAFE AND BREAD BAKERY

1629 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, 314.833.6111, unionloafers.com

2nd: Companion Baking

3rd: 222 Artisan Bakery & Cafe

Honorable Mention: Missouri Baking Co., Amighetti’s Bakery & Café

favorite butcher shop BOLYARD’S MEAT & PROVISIONS

2810 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, 314.647.2567, bolyardsmeat.com

2nd: Kenrick’s Meats & Catering

3rd: G & W Meat & Bavarian Style Sausage Inc.

Honorable Mention: LeGrand’s Market & Catering, Mannino’s Market

favorite cakes/pastries

JILLY’S CUPCAKE BAR & CAFE

8509 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.993.5455; 222 E. Park St., Edwardsville, 618.307.9545; jillyscupcakebar.com

2nd: Nathaniel Reid Bakery

3rd: La Patisserie Chouquette

Honorable Mention: The Cup, Pint Size Bakery & Coffee

favorite catering

KENRICK’S MEATS & CATERING

4324 Weber Road, St. Louis, 314.631.2440, kenricks.com

2nd: Russo’s Catering

3rd: Butler’s Pantry

Honorable Mention: Seed Sprout Spoon Catering & Events, The Art of Entertaining

favorite specialty shop

CROWN CANDY KITCHEN

1401 St. Louis Ave., St. Louis, 314.621.9650, crowncandykitchen.net

2nd: Bob’s Seafood

3rd: Kakao Chocolate

Honorable Mention: Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier, Parker’s Table

favorite farmers market

SOULARD FARMERS MARKET

730 Carroll St., St. Louis, 314.622.4180, soulardmarket.com

2nd: Tower Grove Farmers’ Market

3rd: Kirkwood Farmers’ Market

Honorable Mention: The Land of Goshen Community Market, Ferguson Farmers’ Market

favorite local grocery DIERBERGS MARKETS

Various locations, dierbergs.com

2nd: Schnucks

3rd: Straub’s

Honorable Mention: Jay International Food Co., DiGregorio’s Italian Market

your favorite cakes/ pastries shop, jilly’s cupcake bar & cafe

BY

PHOTO

JONATHAN GAYMAN