Short Orders

A LITTLE HI

Continued from pg 27

of booths and tables, though guests can also dine outside under the cheeky eye of a vintage, pompadoured Big Boy statue at one of the several patio tables. The restaurant also offers a drive-thru for those who want to get their burgers on the go.

Hillman sees A Little Hi as not simply a way to bring the Hi-Pointe Drive-In brand to west county; he believes the concept makes it possible for him and Johnson to expand to other markets around the country, as this smaller and more nimble type of restaurant is easier to replicate.

“We wanted to be more flexible with our expansion and wanted to be able to go into smaller spaces that are focused on takeout and speed,” Hillman says. “That meant paring our menu down to the greatest hits.”

As for those greatest hits, diners at A Little Hi can expect Hi-Pointe Drive-In’s signature smash burger, its Frisco Melt, the outstanding Belgian-style fries and shakes such as the Jungle Love Ore-Oreo and Raspberry Cheesecake. Hillman and Johnson also promise a rotating menu of over-the-top specials, such as the Fat and the Furious, which pairs a double cheeseburger with a Wagyu hot dog, fried mac and cheese, and a special sauce.

“We will really push our creativity with specials,” Hillman says.

Though they are not ready to announce exactly where they will be headed to next, Hillman teases that there are additional A Little Hi restaurants on the horizon. Between these smaller-scale spinoffs and the original, he and Johnson will have a suite of options to choose from as they move forward in developing their brand.

“I think the sky is the limit with HiPointe,” Hillman says. “The goal is to represent St. Louis on a national stage. I think we have the creativity, the environment and the team to make that happen.” n

Cooks from Dubai stand with their Supper Club meals. | VIA WELCOME NEIGHBOR STL

[FOOD NEWS]

Dine and Dash

Welcome Neighbor STL brings back drive-thru Supper Club

Written by ROSALIND EARLY

Welcome Neighbor STL hosted an Afghan Drive-Thru event at STL Foodworks (408 North Sarah Street) on November 12, the first time the local nonprofit has offered its signature experience since this past summer.

Back in 2017, Welcome Neighbor STL, which supports area refugees and immigrants, started hiring refugee chefs to cook an international meal. Proceeds from the meal would go primarily to the cooks, with just 10 percent of the money going to cover the cost of the food. The Supper Club raised $390,903 over the course of 201 events.

In 2020, Supper Club shut down, but not for long. Welcome Neighbor shifted to a drive-thru model to keep the fundraiser going.

Last Saturday, for only $35, patrons received an authentic Afghan lunch that included bolani, a popular flatbread with vegetable stuffing; kabuli pulao, a basmati rice cooked with onion, saffron, black pepper, cardamom, coriander and cumin and topped with raisins, nuts and julienne carrots; and lola kebab, a minced beef dish with green chili, tomato, coriander and cumin. The lunch also included mantu, or Afghan dumplings filled with lentils and other goodies and drizzled with a yogurt and tomato sauce; ashak, a pasta filled with scallions, leeks and cilantro; andgosh e-fil, a sweet pastry dough also known as elephant’s ear.

Welcome Neighbor will also offer an Afghan cooking class on Saturday, December 3, so that you can host your own Afghan supper.

Plus, be on the lookout for international cookies from Syria, Morocco and Afghanistan this holiday season — also from Welcome Neighbor. n

e Chalet Room brings high-class ski-lodge style to St. Louis. | COURTESY PHOTO

[FOOD NEWS]

Ice Palace

Grab your bougiest pals: A ski chalet experience is opening at Le Méridien

Written by ROSALIND EARLY

For the bougiest among us, Le

Méridien St. Louis Clayton

(7730 Bonhomme Avenue, Clayton; 314-863-0400) has a Chalet Pop-Up Bar that started last Friday and will run through Sunday, February 26. It’s a time of year the hotel is branding as the “La Fête season.”

“The La Fête season is a time to embrace the winter season traditions, which center around celebrations, so we want to transport guests to the magic of a European ski holiday in downtown Clayton,” says Andrew Hargis, general manager of Le Méridien St. Louis Clayton. “The objective is to bring the glamour of traveling through Europe during the holidays to the Midwest.”

It’s the perfect experience for people who want the après-ski fun without all the pesky skiing.

The event, as you might expect of something being held at a luxury hotel, is extremely bougie (or, to say it another way, expensive). The weekend-only pop-up transforms the hotel’s rooftop bar into a chalet evocative of European ski holidays full of wood pergolas, fire pits and warm alcoholic drinks. There will also be a temporary curling rink that guests can rent for $50 per hour. At the chalet, guests can get bites such as baked Brie and pork belly brochette along with cocktails such as bourbon hot toddies and mulled wine.

For a more private experience, there’s a Chalet Room, which is modeled after a classic ski lodge. You’ll have access to a private outdoor patio as well as the chalet pop-up on the rooftop. The rental costs $500 per hour and includes access to the curling rink. The experience is limited to groups of 10 or less and comes with 10 beers and two bottles of champagne.

The curling rink and Chalet Room can be reserved via Open Table. (Le Méridien is working to fix the Open Table system, which currently says that the curling rink is $50 per hour per person. It is just $50 per hour, and the Chalet room is $500 per hour for up to 10 people, not $250 per person per hour. If you have questions, call 314-863-0400.)

For big private events (up to 150 guests) there’s the Apres Ski Experience, which includes a private bartender, access to the curling rink and a light menu of noshes.

Le Méridien is also offering hotel packages, a specialty coffee at its Café la Vie and a special inroom music experience in partnership with Takashima Record Bar throughout the winter. n