April2014

moll's cup no. 3 at the good pie p. 48

The List The people, places, dishes and drinks we love

tr e n dwatc h

edible easter

farro, bologna, earl grey

i n d u s t ry h au n t sa n d r i n a’ s

b a s k e t s

places to try

p. 14

p. 25

p. 37

p. 16

April 2014

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april 2 014 • VO LUM E 14, Issue 4 PUBLISHER EXECUTIVE EDITOR ART DIRECTOR MANAGING EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR, DIGITAL SPECIAL SECTIONs EDITOR Fact checker PROOFREADER PRODUCTION DESIGNER EDIBLE WEEKEND WRITER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

What's the best way to celebrate getting taxes done?

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Buy a Missouri wine priced at less than $10.40 and share it.

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Buying my dad a Allyson Mace beer.

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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.

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St. Louis, MO 63103 April 2014

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contents

Papperdelle at Cucina Pazzo p. 19

april 2014

editors' picks 13

EAT THIS The Maine Event at Sweet Art

14

TRENDWATCH A look at what’s on the plate, in the glass and atop our wish list right now

by ligaya figueras 16

HIT LIST 5 new places to try this month

reviews

29

WINE Chill that red

19

NEW AND NOTABLE Cucina Pazzo

by michael renner

by daniels and lauren blake-parseliti 31

COCKTAILS

22

Sorel: hibiscus, spice and everything nice

Grassi's Ristorante & Deli

by matt obermark

POWER LUNCH by byron kerman

WHAT I DO Kore Wilbert

32

by ligaya figueras

25

VEGETIZE IT

Sandrina's

by kellie hynes

Features

37

38

NIGHTLIFE by matt berkley

Mushroom pâté

MAKE THIS

dine & drink Photo by jonathan gayman

58

Ham and egg baskets

by dee ryan

27

last course

A SEAT AT THE BAR Four experts tell us what to sip, stir and shake

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

April 2014

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STUFF TO DO by byron kerman

cover details The List Moll's Cup No. 3 is the epitome of a handcrafted drink. For more on why this colorful cocktail made The List, turn to page 48.

photo by jonathan gayman

the list The people, places, dishes and drinks we love

by matt berkley, julie cohen, ligaya figueras, kellie hynes, byron kerman, catherine klene, anne marie lodholz, suzanne matthews, meera nagarajan, amrita rawat, michael renner and dee ryan saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 9

letter from the editor these days about St. Louis – in particular, its restaurant scene.

In this issue, we celebrate the people, places, dishes and drinks that we love in The List (p. 38), our annual homage to the best of The Gateway City. Among the nearly two dozen items on our lineup, we raise a glass to people like the employees at Corner 17 who mesmerize us with their noodle-stretching abilities, to menu items like the chicken wings at Mi Linh that we would easily drive double the distance to scarf down, and to the cocktail Moll’s No. 3 that we first fell in love with at the now defunct Little Country Gentleman and continue our love affair with at its sister restaurant The Good Pie. If I’m going to celebrate the very best of this town, I’m sure as heck going to do it in style. That means pulling out my black dress, which doesn’t see nearly enough wear. And there’s no one better suited to tango with in a black dress than veteran restaurateur Zoë Robinson, the dame of them all. Zoë has such a touch of star quality that I don’t believe I’ve ever seen her dressed in anything but a little black dress. With the new salon-like expansion (p. 43) of her petite bar and restaurant Bar Les Frères in Clayton, fancy black dresses are certain to remain in vogue.

Tsk, tsk. Sauce’s executive editor is wearing a black gown, you say. What have things come to? It’s not my fault, St. Louis.

Pretend that I’m belting this one out like an opera singer as I reply: If ever I go too far, it’s because of the things you are.

Beautiful town, I love you.

Cheers,

These lyrics are from the song “Buenos Aires” from my hands-down favorite musical “Evita.” During this song

protagonist María Eva Duarte (soon to be Eva Perón) is lauding the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and I feel the same pride

Ligaya Figueras Executive editor

Chefs only work in restaurants, right? Wrong. On this month’s Sound Bites, DePaul Health Center sous chef Kore Wilbert and nutrition specialist for the St. Louis Cardinals and co-owner of Athlete Eats Simon Lusky, join Sauce executive editor Ligaya Figueras to discuss unconventional culinary paths that take chefs beyond the narrow walls of a restaurant kitchen. Tune in to St. Louis Public Radio 90.7 KWMU’s Cityscape Friday, April 18 at noon and 10 p.m.

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photo by ashley gieseking

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nd if ever I go too far/ It’s because of the things you are/ Beautiful town, I love you.”

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editors' picks

eat this

All great things start from small beginnings, and THE MAINE EVENT cookie at SWEET ART is no exception. It began years ago in Reine Bayoc’s home kitchen when she made chocolate chip cookies for her brother, Jermaine. So smitten was he with the sweet treat that he sold it at his office until Bayoc finally opened her storefront in South City. That perfect little photo by carmen troesser

cookie, named for Bayoc’s big bro, is flecked with sea salt and holds the rich flavors of high-quality butter and fine Belgian chocolate. But the main event is a piece of luscious Callebaut chocolate set in the middle of each cookie that keeps the texture gooey and chewy long after it’s pulled from the oven.

Sweet Art, 2203 S. 39th St., St. Louis, 314.771.4278, sweetartstl.com

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A look at what’s on the plate, in the glass and atop our wish list right now By ligaya Figueras

Juniper's pimento grilled cheese

Cauliflower gets the leading role

Move over kale.

Cauliflower is the veggie of the hour, so much so that those white florets are pushing proteins aside to star in main plates. In NYC, it was in a veg version of chicken and waffles at Dirt Candy, and it’s taco filling at Salvation Taco. In STL, it was the principal character in the cauliflower “lasagna” at Niche. Although that show is now over, you can still catch it at The Precinct in a grilled cheese ‘wich, at Athlete Eats as the rice base in a protein-packed bibimbap bowl and at Central Table Food Hall, where a thick-cut cauliflower steak rests on a bed of warm hummus, sauteed chickpeas and kale. And you thought cauliflower was just for ranch dressing.

It’s a Southern thang Pimento cheese, that pâté of the South, rises again. A pimento BLT has been on the menu at SugarFire Smoke House since it opened (And with location No. 2 soon to open in St. Charles, it will double the pleasure.).

Pimento cheese also appears at Juniper, where y’all can find it in a pimento grilled cheese sandwich. The spreadable orange stuff is everywhere at Quincy Street Bistro: in smothered potato chips, pimento cheese skins and, of course, its (artery) killer The Hog Burger. Last November, QSB collaborated with Strange Donuts on a hog burger stuffed inside a doughnut and topped with pimento cheese; it still ranks among the most popular of the doughnut shop’s savory late-night Strangers.

Cheesy bar snacks Gougeres, aka French cheese puffs, have been on Brasserie’s menu since day one.

Now you can find these airy, cheesy poppers at wine bar and photo gallery The Dark Room, newly opened in Grand Center. For a meat-flavored, Southern spin, munch on spicy cheddar cracklins at Juniper.

No boloney

David Chang thinks bologna is going to be bigger than pork belly. At least in these parts, the old-school sandwich with its underappreciated meat is back and maybe even worth being dubbed “artisanal.” The Southsider at Quincy Street Bistro is no ordinary fried bologna sandwich with house-made, smoked, thick-cut bologna plus cheddar mornay and a farm egg on a Companion brioche. At Annie Gunn’s, diners dug into a hearty lunch of fried bologna with Comté on brioche served with heirloom tomato soup. It’s left the menu, but fear not; it’ll be back come June when tomatoes begin to ripen. And when Michon’s Smokehouse opens downtown on Washington Avenue in May, you can get a smoked bologna sandwich there, too.

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Fernet, round two

New waves of grain Quinoa is so 2013. This is farro’s year. At Elaia, the ancient grain lived in modern comfort for a time with sausage, charred eggplant and kefir. It’s still making waves at Taste, where it offers nutty flavor and satisfying chew in risotto.

They went far(ro) out with ragout at Sidney Street Café, and Planter’s House served it up in a hearty vegetarian farro pilaf during this long winter.

As we enjoy a pint of Odell Brewing Co.’s new FernetAged Porter, we’re scrolling through Twitter to find fernet aflutter. The herbacious liqueur, popular among the restaurant-industry crowd, is trending in everything from Fernet-spiked hot chocolate to a minty sipper (and Italian-American marriage) of equal parts Fernet-Branca and Colorado-made Leopold Fernet to fernet vinaigrette. We simply must #fernetaboutit.

Last course: Earl Grey

Tea is no longer just for drinking. It’s accenting sweet treats across town, and Earl Grey – that black tea with a touch of citrus – is the blend of choice. You can find this timeless classic in baked goods and pastries at 4 Seasons Bakery (Earl Grey macarons), La Patisserie Chouquette (Earl Grey macaron with Cream Earl Grey caramel ganache and Earl Grey tea biscuits), at Comet Coffee (Earl Grey cookies), the recently relocated London Tea Room (lavender Earl Grey bread) and Winslow’s Home (a rotating special of chocolate cake-bread pudding with Earl Grey anglaise). In the mood for a tea-spiked frozen sundry? Go for Earl Grey-blended gelato at Gelateria Tavolini or Gelateria del Leone – both call it London Fog. April 2014

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Seedz Café 6344 S. Rosebury Ave., Clayton, 314.725.7333, seedzcafe.com

It’s vegan and organic all the time at this new cafe in the DeMun neighborhood of Clayton. Grab a seat in the tiny yet airy space, and fill up on healthy, feel-good food. On Seedz’s small but growing menu, you’ll find a soup, some salads, a handful of nibbles like veggies and hummus, as well as a global smorgasbord of dishes fit for raw, paleo and gluten-free diets. Recent offerings included raw pad Thai, mock tuna salad and a “rawvioli” of thinly sliced beets sandwiching walnut-pesto. Order a smoothie or a juice (We liked the Omshanti Elixir of freshly juiced greens, apple, pineapple, cilantro and ginger.), but when you want to indulge, get a glass of biodynamic wine or Seedz’s house-brewed organic beer.

3

21st Amendment 2017 Chouteau Ave., St. Louis, 314.241.6969, 21stbrew.com

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The Purple Martin 2800 Shenandoah Ave., St. Louis, 314.898.0011, Facebook: The Purple Martin

Sample suds from local and regional breweries at Lafayette Square’s newest beer bar. Owned by Paul and Wendy Hamilton, the bar is located in the basement of the historic building that houses some of their other venues, such as Vin de Set and Moulin event space. Take a seat at the long, L-shaped bar crafted from timber sourced from the Hamilton’s property in South County, and choose from among 50 taps and more than 80 bottled brews.

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5 Mediterranean-inspired bar and restaurant The Purple Martin is sure to become a fast favorite for South City’s Fox Park neighborhood. The colorful, urban space with rustic, handmade details offers local bottled beer, wine and craft cocktails, like the ryebased, deliciously summery Mint Spray. The small menu currently features appetizers, salads, flatbreads and entrees inspired by flavors from Italy, Greece and North Africa.

Urban Chestnut Grove Brewery and Bierhall 4465 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.222.0143, urbanchestnut.com

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The Dark Room 615 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.531.3416, thedarkroomstl.com Art and wine make a perfect pair at the newest venue in Grand Center.

Savor an evening at this small wine bar and photo gallery – intimate despite its industrial look – as you sip fine wine and local beer, share casual snacks and peruse works by local photographers in exhibits curated by the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum. Food offerings on the minimalist menu – primarily shared plates and bar bites – are prepared inhouse or sourced locally. Choose from a selection of wines by small producers, including a few high-end labels available by the glass, then sit back and let the cultured conversation flow.

Start your night at Urban Chestnut’s new brewery and bierhall with one of 12 UCBC beers on tap, then take a self-guided tour of the massive facility.

Once you’ve worked up an appetite (and finished your beer), order another round and pair it with a take on brandade [1], Zwickel-battered balls of puréed salt cod and potatoes, or the drunkenly delicious Raclette, a cheesesmothered pile of potatoes, onions, cauliflower, cornichons and pork glacé [2]. Finish with a vanilla-laced Liege waffle covered in sticky caramelized Belgian sugar served with a side of house-made chocolate sauce. Prost!

April 2014

photos by michelle volansky

hit list

5 new places to try this month

April 2014

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reviews All Sauce reviews are conducted anonymously.

Pork Vicenza at Cucina Pazzo

new and notable

cucina pazzo

by Michael Renner | Photos by Jonathan Gayman

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orner bars, four-way stops, Italian restaurants. St. Louis is loaded with them, especially that last one. Think The Hill and newer spinoffs like Pastaria, Marcella’s Mia Sorella, Sugo’s, among the 200-and-counting Italian eateries in town. So how crazy was it for the guys behind OG Hospitality Group (The Corner Pub & Grill, The Tavern Kitchen & Bar, The Shack PubGrub) to unveil yet another Italian restaurant … and in the building that, until recently, housed Duff’s, one of St. Louis’ most iconic and cherished restaurants? Not full-blown crazy, but it sure took some palle.

new and notable cucina pa zzo p. 19 / power lunch Gr a ssi's Ristor ante & deli p. 22 / nightlife SANDRINA'S p. 25 April 2014

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server suggested.). Both were unexpected versions of the expected, but I found the ricconi far more flavorful than a couple bites of Italian bologna lost in translation.

reviews

While not explicitly labeled as Cucina Pazzo's such, most of the bar and dining menu is laid out in the typical Italian area three-course format – antipasti, primi piatti, secondo piatti – even if the options aren’t all that typical. In addition to corn dogs and ricconi among starters, there were pork rillettes with crispy bits of smoky pork belly confit spiced up with more of that jalapeño honey mustard and balanced with the acidity of pickled red onion. Two thick slices of cured, roasted pork belly glazed with maple syrup and black pepper made up the Pancetta di Pazzo. The tartness of the accompanying apricot-cherry mostarda paired perfectly with the subtle sweetness of the meat.

new and notable p. 2 of 2

sprawling diptych painting of the Grand Canyon once hung; when the TV is turned on – even muted – it’s a visual insult.

Yet, Cucina Pazzo (PAHTS-tsoh, Italian for “crazy”) fits comfortably in its new Central West End address. While the facade, including the gorgeous stained glass Duff’s signage, has been replaced, remnants of the old space remain: the beautiful brick archway, the two dining rooms adjacent to the bar area, the pressed tin ceiling, the oddly leveled floor and the noise level on busy nights. Extensive renovations, however, have brightened and opened up the once warren-like interior with an overhaul of the bar and a striking open kitchen buzzing with activity. Executive chef and co-owner Justin Haifley is used to cranking out myriad dishes at a frenetic pace from a kitchen that is essentially a fishbowl on display (At The Tavern, I would sit at the kitchen bar watching what seemed like utter chaos as Haifley and his crew reeled out dishes with remarkable coordination.). One addition to Cucina’s space I can’t understand is the flat-screen TV hanging on the wall in the far dining room where Bill Kohn’s

AT A GLANCE Cucina Pazzo

Like the renovated physical space, the extensive menu is rooted in tradition with an eye toward modernity, even whimsy, working to appeal to a broad audience.

When done well, as Cucina Pazzo is doing, this notion is what defines the essence of a neighborhood haunt. Think of it as an Italian gastropub. Italian, yes, but you won’t find tired old-timers like toasted ravioli and spumoni. Rather, there are nuggets of battered mortadella corn dogs and golf ball-sized spheres of ricconi. The former is a lighthearted take on the classic carnival food served with Moretti beer cheese and jalapeño honey mustard for dunking; the latter, three balls of fried ricotta sitting in a pool of brightly flavored tomato confit with slices of crispy pepperoni and basil blossoms (“Think deconstructed pizza,” the

Where 392 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314.696.8400, oghospitalitygroup.com

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The pasta portion of the menu would be the primi piatti in most authentic Italian restaurants. According to my server, the house-made pappardelle is wildly popular, and I can understand why. Tender, beefy short ribs are braised for 16 hours in red wine, with carrots and celery, and served in a sauce of cipollini onions and roasted mushrooms.

Unlike a lot of fresh pappardelle I’ve had elsewhere, these broad, flat noodles weren’t overcooked into a gloppy mess. Linguine with shrimp and clams consisted of three plump, juicy grilled shrimp atop a tangle of beautifully al dente house-made noodles, while bits of clam meat, slivers of soppressata salami and hot chile flakes added another layer of taste, texture and subtle heat. Cucina’s open kitchen is smaller than The Tavern’s but just as entertaining and informative; grab a perch at the counter and chat up the cooks while watching them execute your order – it’s where I learned cream and butter were incorporated into the linguine to help tighten the sauce, as well as add silky richness.

My entrees from the piatti pazzo portion of the menu (or the secondo piatti if we’re keeping count in Italian) were no less

Don’t Miss Dishes Swordfish Salmoriglio, Pork Vicenza and pappardelle

Vibe Vibrant, casual, urban and chic with lots of exposed brick and noise on busy nights

satisfying. Pork Vicenza combined two mustardy flavors common in Italian and French cooking: a pear mostarda (candied fruit cooked in a white wine-mustard seed syrup) and Meaux mustard sauce (a creamy pan sauce incorporating a grainier Dijon-style mustard). Far from being overwhelming, the savory Meaux bathed the pork – a bone-in porterhouse brined, prepared sous vide and grilled – while the sweet-tinged tartness of the mostarda proved a worthy counterpoint.

Swordfish Salmoriglio sounded fancy but was presented simply: Quickly grilled and bearing perfect crosshatch marks, the meaty fish retained moisture and flavor from a salmoriglio marinade of lemon juice, fresh herbs, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and a splash of lemon-caper butter sauce. Several sides are available, including a notable creamy polenta made with Anson Mills ground corn and rich Italian sausage ragù.

But before any of these courses, there is soft rosemary focaccia baked in a miniature cast iron-pan and served hot from the oven with Sicilian “butter,” an enticing dipping sauce made of balsamic vinegar, Parmesan, honey, chile flakes, olive oil and straight-up raw garlic. Whereas so many restaurants now charge for bread service from the getgo, here, the first pan is complimentary.

Cucina’s wine list is understandably heavy on Italian and surprisingly underwhelming, with about twice as many reds as whites and a handful of each available by the glass.

Bottle pricing follows industry markup standards, meaning above my pay grade.

The house reds and whites are a smarter choice at $7 a glass, even if they are commonly available at most grocery stores: Toscolo Chianti, Rex Goliath pinot noir, La Terre cabernet sauvignon. Desserts are fine, even fun, like the lemon ricotta fritters: five airy pillows of fried sweet dough served with limoncello lemon curd and blueberry compote dipping sauces.

While I thoroughly enjoyed my meals, Cucina Pazzo isn’t breaking any new culinary ground – just solid cooking with enough variety and panache to make it a perfectly sane dining choice.

Entree Prices $11 to $36

When Mon. to Sat. – 11 a.m. to close, Sun. – 4 p.m. to close; Brunch: Sun. – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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reviews power lunch

Power Lunch

Grassi's Ristorante & deli

by Byron Kerman | photos by Elizabeth Jochum

Despite its hidden location on a side street off Lindbergh Boulevard, Grassi’s Ristorante & Deli has been putting smiles on the faces of families from Frontenac, Ladue and Creve Coeur for long enough to be considered an institution. The cafeteria-style, casual Italian spot was purchased and remodeled by its fifth owner in May 2012, but its tasty pizza, Italian salad and veal parmigiana sandwich, thankfully, remain essentially unchanged.

[4]

[1]

special every day from 3 to 5 p.m.: Buy any large pizza and get two Italian salads and two fountain drinks for free. If you’re not a teen, you can order that same Grassi’s special Mondays and Ristorante & Deli Fridays.

10450 German Blvd.,

All Hail the Salad Grassi’s’ Italian salad [4] is deceptively simple. Adherents go gaga over the housemade sinfully buttery croutons, manzanilla olives, flakes of Parmesan and pepper, and Italian dressing that adorn the greens, but the secret is in the tossing. The salad occupies a rare echelon between dry and wet – dressed and tossed just so.

314.994.1111, grassisstlouis.com

Pizza is a Go The pizza [1] at Grassi’s was more than serviceable; it was delightful. Thin, St. Louisstyle crust isn’t made on-site, but it turns crisp and flaky just the same. The cheese is a diplomatic mix of mozzarella, Provel and provolone that seems intended to appease those with violent allegiances to a certain St. Louis-style cheese on their pizza. The result is a fine détente between stringy and goopy.

Between The Slices Of the signature sandwiches – all of which are served on garlic cheese bread – the veal parmigiana [2], called Terry, was the star.

Breaded and fried veal, Provel, house-made meat sauce, toasted bread and a puddle of more meat sauce for dipping combined for a rich, crave-able meal. The loaded roast beef

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[3]

[2]

sandwich with a side of au jus also made for a great value, yet the Thursday special, a grilled Black Angus sirloin sandwich, was unremarkable, though a tub of self-serve hot giardiniera on the cafeteria line helped make it more interesting. Other sandwiches featuring meatballs (made in-house) and salsiccia (bought from elsewhere) were just OK.

butter sauces. The red sauces are simple gravies with a hint of sweetness that appeal to kids’ palates, yet they’re robust enough for adults. The Alfredo has a flat, uninspired quality. Grassi’s’ french fries [5], however, are not an afterthought; they’re golden brown, crispy and just right.

With its briskly moving lunch line, informal plastic bowls and plates, and hearty sandwiches, pizza and salads, Grassi’s keeps on keepin’ on, some 40 years after the Italian eatery’s founding (at its original Hill location).

Two years after its purchase by the latest owner, many of the faces behind Grassi’s’ counter remain the same – as does its fast and satisfying food. All you have to do is figure out where it’s located, and you’ll be in on the secret.

Real Deals The Rest Pasta – ravioli, linguine, cavatelli and whole-grain penne – is available in a choice of tomato, meat, Alfredo or garlic-and-

The menu offers a number of specials, like the T-rav special: toasted ravioli [3], a small Italian salad and bread and butter for $8.25. For high school kids, there’s a pizza

[5] April 2014

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nightlife

reviews

Sandrina’s

nightlife

by Matt berkley | Photos by jonathan gayman

when getting you slammed. Case in point, the Sandanista – a shot of Jose Cuervo shaken with lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, Sriracha and white pepper. Wash this spicy bad boy down with a draft of local craft beer Sandrina’s or, better yet, a 5098 Arsenal St., Bay Rye martini St. Louis, 314.601.3456, made with Jim sandrinasstl.com Beam Rye whiskey and hints of Campari and sweet vermouth. Freshly shucked oyster shooters, laden with vodka and Worcestershire, are available when in season. But always available (thankfully) is Sandrina’s’ house bloody mary, which comes spiked with A1 Steak Sauce and Sriracha along with the usual suspects. On the sweeter side is an Irish coffee martini with a triple threat of Jameson, Baileys and espresso liqueur.

P

art corner bar, part gourmet drunk-food mecca, and part booze-soaked 3 a.m. industry clubhouse, Sandrina’s is a few-frills drinking hole that makes staying out late seem like your best idea yet. If your ideal evening involves indulging in a duck quesadilla with a stiff Gibson cocktail to a heavy metal soundtrack, this is your spot.

According to owner Trish Erwin, the building itself has a storied past – first a 19th-century tavern and later a Prohibition-era “pharmacy.” (Wink.

Wink.) Yet, the only trace of vintage décor is a grand, old wooden bar (no worse for wear after generations of revelry) that dominates the checkered floor of the main bar area. Off the bar, through a pair of April 2014

sliding doors, is a sparse dining area with a low cove ceiling, rickety chairs, worn tables, dim lights and a bit of a musty stench. The back and side walls feature kitschy drawings of local celebs like Mark Twain, Stan Musial and Tennessee Williams – probably more visible now that there isn’t a thick haze of cigarette smoke.

Today, smokers have to decamp to the patio tables that claim space on the wide strip of sidewalk out front.

What Sandrina’s lacks in aesthetic appeal, it more than makes up for behind the bar with affordable and quality drinks. Classic cocktails with clever twists mingle with innovative shots served up thoughtfully, yet form still follows function. This crew takes no shortcuts

Every great kitchen has a secret weapon; Sandrina’s finds one in its smoked Gouda sauce. Bold, creamy and devilishly indulgent, Gouda is available on request and goes well slathered on anything and everything. Definitely do some slathering with two of the small plates: fried artichokes and the aforementioned duck quesadilla. Both are welcome treats from a kitchen that stays open until 2 a.m. What’s also surprising are the rotating fish specials, such as roasted red snapper with “truffled mashers” and even the occasional mussels with cream sauce.

Even better, this is the kind of elevated bar food that isn’t overpriced.

While Sandrina’s is open until 3 a.m., it’s not your typical late-night, cheapbeer chugging spot. Quality trumps quantity, and flavor counts for more than presentation, hence the popularity of the bar among a steady industry crowd of discerning drinkers who mix and mingle with shorts and flip-flop-wearing regulars from the Southwest Garden neighborhood.

Sandrina’s is certainly not the kind of place to start your night. It’s not the kind of place to take your mom (unless she’s in a biker gang). And there’s the smell. But through the smoke-stained walls, Sandrina’s shows how a little focus and the right ingredients equal a late-night feast.

order it: Sandrina’s

End your night with a martini, such as the Bay Rye, left, or Irish coffee.

Treat yourself to a duck quesadilla slathered in the devilishly indulgent Gouda sauce.

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dine

& drink

Check out Cory King's picks for his favorite Trappist brews.

A Seat at the Bar

ILLUSTRATIONS BY VIDHYA NAGARAJAN

Four experts tell us what to sip, stir and shake

After attending a memorable St. Louis Symphony performance recently, my wife and I stopped at Olympia Kebob House and Taverna to cure a craving for saganaki, a seductive flaming cheese glenn bardgett dish. Looking for a simple, Member of the Missouri Wine crisp dry white, I connected and Grape Board and wine with Argyros Assyrtiko director at Annie Gunn’s Santorini 2012. I’ve been a fan of the whites of Santorini for many years, but on this particular night, my socks were blown off. The wine was clear, fresh and bright, and its high acidity was the perfect match for the cheeseon-fire appetizer. Next time you eat Greek, make room on the table for this white goddess.

April 2014

Longing for a Mexican vacation this time of year, we find ourselves turning to tequila. This agave-based spirit is notably flavored by terroir.

To fully appreciate how the agave’s growing environment expresses itself in the finished product, look for “100% de agave” printed on the bottle. Anything else is tequila mixto. ted and jamie Avoid these, since they are usually kilgore cut with neutral grain spirits, and sugar and caramel coloring are often USBG, B.A.R. Ready, BarSmart added. Some great 100 percent and co-owners/bartenders at agave tequilas to try are Milagro Planter’s House and Tequila Ocho, both highland tequilas, which offer floral notes and juicy acidity. Lunazul and Partida are fine lowland tequilas.

Those are generally more full-bodied and herbaceous with a spicy earthiness. Whichever tequila you choose: take a sip, close your eyes and relish the flavor of Mexico.

Some of the most globally recognized beers are those by Trappist breweries. All of these breweries are housed inside the walls of Trappist monasteries and the sale of their beer is not for profit; instead, revenue supports the living cory king expenses of the monks and the Certified Cicerone, head brewer at Perennial Artisan maintenance of the facilities.

The International Trappist Ales and founder of Side Association oversees the Project Brewing designation of this group of prestigious breweries and their beer production; while there are beers similar to Trappist beers produced by secular breweries, those are referred to as abbey beers. Trappist brews are nothing short of fantastic and, hallelujah, are available year-round. I highly recommend Orval Trappist Ale, Trappistes Rochefort 10 and Chimay Red Cap.

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wine

Chill That Red

By Daniels and Lauren Blake-Parseliti

With a sweaty St. Louis summer hiding around the corner, most wine drinkers’ thoughts turn to white.

Who wants to sit on a patio or stand by a grill with a glass of 15 percent ABV petite syrah as the temperature approaches triple digits? But maybe you don’t want to drink white (or rosé for that matter), yet you do want to drink wine. The answer is a chilled red.

La Petite Mairie “Les Galluches” Bourgueil Chilling this cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley will deemphasize the tannins, while the mouth feel will become sleek, and more notes of cherry, olive tapenade and earth will glide across the palate. There is nothing better than a bottle of chilled Bourgeuil and some fresh chevre on a hot day.

But reds aren’t supposed to be chilled, right? Wrong.

First, unless the reds you consume are coming right out of the cellar, you are probably drinking them too warm. Once reds get into the 70-degree range, the mouth feel becomes flabby and they show their alcohol. So in one sense, most reds should take a little chill, down to about 65 degrees, before consumption.

Manicardi Vigna Cà del Fiore Lambrusco Perhaps the king of chilled reds, the nose of this dry – not sweet – Lambrusco shows bright raspberries and black cherries, along with hints of leather and herb. On the palate, this wine, which hails from Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, is frizzante — it’s fizzy, but less so than Champagne. More fruit, leather and herb are wrapped in velvety tannins, all backed by a crisp, refreshing acidity.

Drink it with mortadella or your favorite charcuterie.

However, there are a substantial number of red wines that, when chilled below cellar temp, can be exceptionally refreshing and very food friendly.

And we aren’t suggesting you chill these wines just because warm weather has finally arrived. Lowering the temperature of these wines into the mid-50 degree range tends to tame their tannins, add a bit of snap and slyly bury their alcohol.

Reds that take a chill tend to be light-to-medium bodied. Gamay, the grape used to make Beaujolais, is a classic example of a red that benefits from a brief ice bath. So is the often misunderstood Lambrusco grape from Emilia-Romagna in Italy. Yet there are plenty more. Try icing down cabernet Franc, pinot noir, and lighter Piedmontese grapes like Dolcetto, Barbera and Grignolino. Here, four red wines ripe for chilled drinking.

Domaine de Montbourgeau Poulsard 2011 From the Côtes de Jura region of France, this red is so light in color that it could be mistaken for a rosé. Dried herbs and red berry on the nose, tart quince and rhubarb on the palate, and zingy acidity at the finish make for an endlessly refreshing wine. Pair it with grilled vegetables, especially ones that lean toward the sweet side such as corn, zucchini or ripe grape tomatoes.

Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais Nouveau 2012 This Beaujolais offers snappy red fruit on the nose. Ripe cherry, cranberry, and even notes of black pepper and black soil show themselves on the palate. With a refined tannic structure and very high acidity on the finish, this one pairs perfectly with a white bean and octopus salad.

Photo by elizabeth jochum

Give these bottles about 45 minutes of fridge time or 10 minutes in an ice bucket to go from room temp to the mid-50 degree mark.

Thirsty to learn more about the world of wine, beer and spirits? Head to samg.bz/sauceDTWE every Friday and read Drink This Weekend Edition. You’ll stay abreast of newly released beers, not-to-be-missed wines and delicious cocktails to order around town or mix up at home.

April 2014

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Sorel: hibiscus, spice and everything nice

cocktails

By Matt Obermark

The rise of craft distillers in the U.S. has provided bartenders with an arsenal of new, unique spirits with which to build memorable cocktails. One such spirit is hibiscus liqueur Sorel by New York distillery Jack from Brooklyn. Based on traditional Caribbean recipes, the combination of hibiscus, clove, ginger, cassia and nutmeg produces a complex liqueur. Sorel offers a spicy bouquet, while floral notes and bright fruit on the palate keep acidity and sweetness in check. It can be sipped straight and is delicious whether served ice cold or piping hot (which gives it a taste akin to mulled wine). Sorel is surprisingly versatile as a modifier in cocktails, mixing equally well with all base spirits and even with sparkling wine. With these endless possibilities, it’s no surprise Sorel is popping up on menus at bars around town.

Caribbean Cosmo at Brasserie Sorel replaces cranberry juice, and the spicy orange liqueur Clément Créole Shrubb subs for a typical one like Cointreau to build an elevated twist on an overdone classic. The juiciness of the hibiscus shines in this cocktail and is balanced by citrus vodka, orange liqueur and fresh lime.

Brasserie, 4580 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, 314.454.0600, brasseriebyniche.com

Caribbean Cosmo at Brasserie

The Thunderball at Eclipse This creamy concoction from Eclipse’s new cocktail menu features Sorel alongside Greek yogurt, house-made huckleberry jam, fresh lemon and Ford’s gin. Dairy and Sorel play nicely in this unique recipe, spice notes of cassia and clove come through, and hibiscus lends more lush fruit notes alongside the jam.

Photo by jonathan gayman

Eclipse, 6177 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.726.2222, eclipsestlouis.com

Blood Orange Margarita at Milagro Modern Mexican At a restaurant that serves more than its fair share of seasonal margaritas, this cocktail is incredibly popular. Sorel adds bright fruit and nutmeg notes to Milagro silver tequila, fresh blood orange and lime juices, and a touch of agave nectar.

Milagro Modern Mexican, 20 Allen Ave., Webster Groves, 314.962.4300, milagromodernmexican.com

April 2014

Caribbean Cosmo Courtesy of Brasserie’s Layla Linehan 1 Serving 1½ oz. North Shore Sol chamomile-citrus vodka ¾ oz. Sorel ½ oz. Clément Créole Shrubb ½ oz. lime juice Orange twist, for garnish • To a Boston shaker, add the vodka, Sorel, Clément Créole Shrubb and lime juice. Add ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with the orange twist.

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vegetize it

How to make a designer pâté BY kellie hynes | Photos by carmen troesser

P

âté is one of those French words that sounds far more dignified than the pedestrian object it describes. Like bidet.

Or Gerard Depardieu. In layman’s terms, pâté is just chopped up seasoned meat that’s spread on bread. And if you’re worried that it’s snob food, remember that not-snobby liverwurst is technically pâté, which is awesome because “liverwurst” is such a funny word. My point is: If you can get over the snooty name, pâté is a delicious, unexpected appetizer that’s unexpectedly easy to make.

Continued on page 35

Vegetarianism isn’t the only dietary lifestyle we embrace. Visit our Wheatless Wednesdays column every Wednesday at samg.bz/saucewheatless, where you’ll find fabulous gluten-free recipes that won’t leave you wishing for wheat.

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I decided to make a mushroom pâté since ground mushrooms have the meaty look of a traditional pâté. But which mushrooms would I use? A trip to the produce department revealed as many varieties of mushrooms as there are couture designers – and dried morels, at around $25 per ounce, are just as outrageously expensive. Fresh shiitakes were more reasonable, but still rang up at twice the price of regular ol’ crimini.

I believe, in my ever-so-shallow heart, that some things (French handbags) are better when they are more expensive (Don’t tell my husband.). But is that true of mushrooms? For this recipe, would designer mushrooms be worth the designer price?

Always up for a taste test, I bought some fresh shiitakes and criminis, plus some extravagant dried morels. I reconstituted the morels and noticed that they were ever so slightly rubbery.

I hoped the texture issue would magically resolve itself (Did I mention they were expensive?) and tossed the morels in a hot pan with the shiitakes, along with butter, garlic, shallots and sherry (because mushrooms and sherry go together like Louis and Vuitton). A quick whirl in the food processor and … The taste was too wild – so strong and gamey that it made me wince.

Even worse, the morels were still chewy, like chunks of expensive gristle.

I went back to the basics and filled my pan with the fresh crimini mushrooms. Saute, saute. Whirl, whirl.

The criminis offered a more pleasant texture compared to the shiitake-morel mixture, but tasted mild, bordering on bland. To liven things up, I added a splash of white truffle oil. The oil added just the je ne sais quoi I was looking for.

Yes, the oil was a splurge, but hey, I was saving money on this batch of ’shrooms.

Next, I needed a binder. Emeril Lagasse binds his mushroom pâté with a combination of cream cheese and goat cheese. Martha Stewart just uses cream cheese. Now on a taste test roll, I tried it both ways. As much as I love goat cheese, any touch of it overpowered the yummy truffle oil. The cream cheese version tasted delicious and had a light, lovely texture, but it was the pale brown color of canned cat food. You might as well serve liverwurst, because no one

April 2014

will eat something that looks like that, even if you tell him it’s French.

A vegan cooking trick is to mash cashews when you need something creamy. I added some toasted, chopped cashews to the mushroom mix and hoped the pâté would hold its shape. After a night in the refrigerator, it did. More importantly, the pale cashews added a contrasting color to the mushrooms, which made the pâté look like a million francs.

Mushroom PÂtÉ 2 cups ½ cup unsalted raw cashew halves 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter 2 oz. shallots, peeled and sliced 1½ lbs. crimini mushrooms, sliced 1 tsp. kosher salt ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 2 tsp. minced garlic ¹∕³ cup dry sherry 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice ½ tsp. white truffle oil 1 paper-thin lemon slice, for garnish Baguette slices or crackers

and truffle oil to the cashews in the food processor bowl. Run the food processor until the mixture is creamy, stopping to scrape the sides as necessary. Taste and adjust seasonings.

• Cut a piece of plastic wrap large enough to line the bottom and sides of a two-cup ramekin or pâté mold and with at least 4 extra inches of plastic wrap hanging over the sides.

Center the lemon slice in the bottom of the lined ramekin or mold. Spoon the pâté mixture into the dish, being careful not to disturb the lemon garnish. Fold the extra wrap over the top, pressing down to remove any air pockets. Refrigerate pâté overnight.

• Serve chilled with baguette slices or crackers. Pâté will keep, wrapped and refrigerated, up to three days.

vegetize it

A splash of white truffle oil adds just the je ne sais quoi to a mushroom pâté. Splurge on a 2.1-ounce bottle of La Rustichella White Truffle Flavored Olive Oil. $14.

Whole Foods Market, 1601 S. Brentwood Blvd., Brentwood, 314.968.7744, wholefoodsmarket.com

• Toast the cashew halves in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, until they begin to brown.

Transfer the cashews to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the nuts are coarsely chopped.

• Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly brown. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are soft and brown and the liquids have released and evaporated, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add the sherry and cook 1 minute longer, or until the liquid has evaporated. Remove the mixture from heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.

• Add the mushrooms, lemon juice

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Need an easy, springtime brunch recipe? Put all your eggs into ham and egg baskets, and then watch them disappear. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a muffin tin with cooking spray. Place a thin slice of ham in the base of each muffin cup, letting any excess ham drape over the sides. Drizzle ½ to 1 teaspoon maple syrup over each ham slice.

Carefully crack a large egg in each cup. Bake until the egg whites are just cooked but the yolks are still runny, about 15 minutes. Using a spoon, remove the ham and egg baskets from the muffin tin and transfer to a serving platter. Season each basket with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Serve with additional maple syrup and hot sauce. – Dee Ryan

MAKE THIS HAM AND EGG BASKETS active time: 5 minutes

make this

photo by greg rannells

For a decadent drizzle, use Sweet Sophie Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup, available at all The Wine and Cheese Place locations. wineandcheeseplace.com

Everyone loves quick recipes, but when you’ve got the time, we’ve got The Weekend Project.

Go to samg.bz/sauceweekendproject where, this month, we’ll give you a lesson on making stocks.

April 2014

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T he

LIST the people, places, dishes and drinks we love by matt berkley, julie cohen, ligaya figueras, kellie hynes, byron kerman, catherine klene, anne marie lodholz, suzanne matthews, meera nagarajan, amrita rawat, michael renner and dee ryan

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Belgian Waffle with Bacon Walk Away Waffles

We could spend hours contemplating flavor combinations at Walk Away Waffles food truck.

A lemon waffle with blueberry syrup? Sounds dandy. Pumpkin with apple butter? Sounds like Thanksgiving. Chocolate with chocolate syrup? Sounds like a first-grader’s dream. But the real secret to the perfect Walk Away Waffle is adding bacon. Owner Jack Williams lays two strips of Kenrick’s bacon on top of the batter before shutting the iron. The resulting bite is a sweet, slightly caramelized waffle – thanks to the Belgian sugar – infused with delicious salty, porky goodness. Add some maple syrup for dipping, and we’re walking away happy – and then walking back for seconds. Facebook: Walk Away Waffles, Twitter: @walkawaywaffles – C.K.

photo by jonathan gayman

April 2014

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Gamlin Whiskey House

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Photo by jonathan gayman

Smoked Manhattan

What came first – the cocktail or the glass? For Derek Gamlin, it was definitely the glass. Introduced to the whiskey pipe by a colleague, Gamlin saw its potential and bought as many as he could find. All that was left was coming up with a cocktail to do it justice. Enter: Smoked Manhattan. Once the restaurant’s houseexclusive Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve, Antica Formula vermouth, whiskey barrel-aged bitters and a touch of cherry juice are poured into the whiskey pipe (yours to keep), a bartender adds cherry wood chips to a motorized smoking gun and infuses the drink with smoke for almost a minute. What results is a smoky, robust (and admittedly pricey) Manhattan that will have you dreaming of Luxardo cherries and leaving with a sweet souvenir to boot. 236 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314.875.9500, gamlinwhiskeyhouse.com – S.M.

Canh Ga Chien Mi Linh

Last year, I loved Mi Linh’s Canh Ga Chien so much that it made my Top 5 Dishes of 2014 list. Lightly breaded with rice flour and cornstarch, deep-fried and then sauteed with butter, red pepper flakes, garlic and diced onions, these chicken wings made me wish I could eat them every day.

Then there was a shake-up in the family-run restaurant, and head chef Nelson Tran – brother of owner Dee Dee Tran – was out. How are the wings now? During a return visit, the dish was overloaded with scallions and garlic, but the light and crispy coating still cracked with the first bite, the meat was still juicy, the gentle heat still warmed my lips, and the wings still glistened – as did my fingers – with butter and oil. My verdict? I’m still eating them. 9737 Manchester Road, Rock Hill, 314.918.8868, milinh.net – M.R.

Mike Miller Dressel’s Public House When Mike Miller took the executive chef position at Dressel’s Public House three years ago, he faced the challenge of aligning his food with a much-loved public house steeped in decades of tradition, while staying true to his own experimental, from-scratch cooking philosophy. Miller explained how he managed to find that elusive, delicious and very fine line.

Impress Your Guests

mike miller photo by elizabeth jochum; mi linh photo by jonathan gayman

“This place has been open for 30 years, so you don’t want to scare away people that come in two or three times a week because they like certain things.

You know, we have an amazing rotation of soups. We probably sell just as much soup in the summertime as the winter. People associate this place with good soup. We probably wouldn’t have taken soup away, but that is something we put a lot of emphasis on making exceptional – the little things.

“But it really was flipping over the from-scratch attitude. It was building a really good staff and a respect for the ingredients, and in the process, creating really good food in a pub environment. It took a while to instill a culture in the kitchen, but it was a lot of fun. It’s still a lot of fun.

“We are constantly trying to push on ourselves internally. Right now, my biggest project is making bread in-house. In the back of my pickup truck, there are 16 loaves of bread in dough form that I actually had to take home with me because it requires some series of folds. I couldn’t just leave them unattended. When I dropped my son off to school this morning, they were sliding around. I was worried about them flying out the back, but we got here safe. That’s just one thing. We want people to always be guessing, what are those guys going to do next at Dressel’s?” 419 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314.361.1060, dresselspublichouse.com – J.C. April 2014

Stone Soup Cottage

If your urbane coastal friends think St. Louis is a cow town surrounded by fields, embrace their misconception with an evening at Stone Soup Cottage. Located in the footprint of a 1929 barn, this elegant, fine-dining restaurant, which was built with much of the original barn’s wood, really is surrounded by farmland. It provides chef Carl McConnell and his wife, Nancy, almost all of the produce for their seasonal six-course, prix fixe dinners. Stone Soup is farm-to-table cuisine at its most literal and just a 45-minute car ride from downtown. 5809 Highway N, Cottleville, 636.244.2233, stonesoupcottage.com – K.H.

Cookbook Nook Juniper

If you’re a lover of all things food, Juniper’s jam-packed bookcase will not just catch your attention, it will compel you to finally renew your library card. Listen to its shelves groan under dozens of cookbooks and memoirs by culinary heavyweights such as Thomas Keller, Ferran Adrià, Julia Child and Jacques Pépin. More recent hits like David McMillan’s The Art of Living According to Joe Beef or April Bloomfield’s A Girl and Her Pig will have you wondering what recipes Juniper’s chef-owner John Perkins has dog-eared when creating his own rustic and tantalizing menus. 360 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis, 314.329.7696, junipereats.com – B.K. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 41

Stephanie Fischer Comet Coffee & Microbakery

Only 24 years old, Fischer is the co-owner of Comet Coffee and the brains behind its remarkable baking program. Her ingredients are locally sourced and organic whenever possible. Everything is made from scratch, including her amazing croissants that are rolled out by hand, “because for now,” she said, “there’s no room for a machine.” Another one of her must-try baked goods: The Rebel Within (below), a savory muffin baked with Asiago cheese and studded with bits of Salume Beddu’s chorizo sausage. Much like its maker, this muffin isn’t pretentious, showy or loud – it’s simply great.

And tucked inside this modest morsel, like a secret, is a soft-boiled egg. 5708 Oakland Ave., St. Louis, 314.932.7770, cometcoffeestl.com – D.R.

Photos by carmen troesser

Stephanie Fischer takes a break from baking to steal a bite of her handmade croissant.

“You have to see my ingredients,” said pint-sized Stephanie Fischer as she led me into Comet Coffee’s tiny kitchen.

Squeezing between her hardworking KitchenAid mixer and her equally hardworking pastry chef Megan Cronin, Fischer proudly pulled out a pound of butter with an 83 percent butterfat content, organic milk and eggs, and decadent couverture chocolate made in France.

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The Rattlesnake King

With a name like The Rattlesnake King, you expect a serious bite. But the only thing dangerous about this citrusy, well-proportioned cocktail is its drinkability.

Flavors of orange and apple mingle with smooth W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7-year-old bourbon in this easy-sipping antidote to a long workweek. 2635 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.776.2337, thefortunetellerbar.com – M.B.

Umami Shakedown

The Fortune Teller Bar

Courtesy of The Fortune Teller Bar’s Kristin Dennis Spring has brought a bounce back to your step, but what about your palate?

When our favorite dishes have lost their dazzle, we turn to dried mushrooms for a mega flavor boost. Mushrooms are a natural source of glutamate, the chemical responsible for the depth and complexity in flavor often referred to as umami. A shake of dried, granulated mushroom powder gives extra nuance to vegetable and fish stocks while allowing them to retain their lighter character. Ozark Forest Mushrooms’ porcini powder also provides an elegant pick-me-up to pasta dishes and scrambled eggs. Mushroom Powder available at Seafood City Supermarket, 8020 Olive Blvd., University City, 314.993.2800, seafoodcitysupermarket. com; Ozark Forest Mushrooms’ porcini powder available at Maplewood Farmers Market and Tower Grove Farmers Market. – A.L.

1 serving 1 oz. W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7-year-old bourbon ¾ oz. Calvados apple brandy ½ oz. Cardamaro amaro ¼ oz. freshly squeezed orange juice 4 to 5 dashes Angostura bitters Orange peel

the rattlesnake king photo by jonathan gayman; bar les frÈres photo by laura miller

• Add all the ingredients except the orange peel to a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and shake 3 times.

• Strain into a chilled Old-Fashioned glass.

Garnish with the orange peel.

Fit for a Queen Bar Les Frères

April 2014

As if we needed another reason to frequent Bar Les Frères, restaurateur Zoë Robinson handed us one on a silver platter this winter when she turned the storefront adjacent to her petite bar into a space reminiscent of a French hotel lobby.

Regal texture is everywhere: a polished wooden dining table surrounded by gilded antique chairs with original needlepoint, a plush velvet settee, and a tall, graceful pier mirror leaning against the wall. Add to that accoutrements like silver candelabras holding court on a sideboard and chartreuse walls adorned with game trophies and paintings. Bar Les Frères brings new meaning to the term “well-appointed” and makes us pine for eras of old. 7637 Wydown Blvd., Clayton, 314.725.8880, barlesfreres.com – L.F. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 43

Truffles

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Photo by greg rannells

Half-Smoked Maple Leaf Farms Duck

Is it wrong to lick your fingers at a fine-dining restaurant? Consider it a tribute to all the work executive chef Brandon Benack puts into Truffles’ smoked duck. To begin the three-day process, Benack brines the Maple Leaf Farms bird in a vat of salt, brown sugar, oranges, bay leaves, black peppercorns and cloves for 24 hours followed by a 30-second dunk in boiling water. After a day to dry out, the duck is then slow-smoked for six to eight hours over hickory and applewood. Just before serving, Benack halves the bird, slides the tender meat from the bones and crisps the skin to melting perfection. For the final flourish, he gilds his masterpiece with a sticky glaze made with smoked duck stock, red wine and dried cranberries. Decadent? Of course, but we’re too busy lapping up that sweet-tart sauce to care. 9202 Clayton Road, St. Louis, 314.567.9100, todayattruffles.com – C.K.

God is in the Details Sugarfire Smoke House

Josh Rowan Say “mace” to local graphic designer Josh Rowan, and instead of conjuring an unimaginative can of tear gas (like we did), he’ll draw you an armor-clad Viking polar bear wielding a ferocious spiked club. It’s this battle-ready beast that guards the bottle of one of 4 Hands Brewing Co.’s newest brews, Bear Mace Baltic Porter.

The chicken wings: smoky, delicious and not always available (which makes us crave them even more).

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4

There are smoked sea saltchocolate chip cookies.

Sugarfire smokehouse photo by jonathan gayman

3

Sure, the barbecue at Sugarfire is pretty awesome, but it’s only one of the reasons we can’t stay away. Here, 12 ways to hook a foodie.

The chocolate-peanut butter-bourbon shake is our idealized childhood and adulthood blended into a glass.

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From beer to ice cream to meat to sodas, everything is sourced locally whenever possible.

April 2014

The always-changing sides are both mouthwatering and surprising, like the vegan barley salad with candied mango, orange peel, fennel fronds, pepitas and a lemon-orange vinaigrette. Who does that at a barbecue joint?

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Pork belly hush puppies with neon green jalapeño jelly exist here.

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6 The walls are decked in pork-worshipping artwork.

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The food trays look like cookie sheets.

8 When we talked to Clint Whittemore, he said, “I’m one of the chefs ... maybe a sous? I don’t know.”

At any given time, there are at least eight house-made condiments on rotation, including Twerk sauce.

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A la mode becomes so cliché when a piece of pie blended into a milkshake is an option.

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The chefs’ bios on Sugarfire’s website are really, really funny.

9200 Olive Blvd., Olivette, 314.997.2301, sugarfiresmokehouse.com – M.N.

Shortly after opening 4 Hands two years ago, Kevin Lemp was on the hunt for a local artist who could produce distinct, eyecatching labels. The designer also needed to keep up with the young brewery’s rapidly growing portfolio while staying true to the style of its first four label designs. “We made a commitment early on to not just create beer labels. Our goal was to create artwork and put it on the outside of our beer bottles,” Lemp said.

Rowan’s first design for 4 Hands, the label for Cuvee Ange (pictured), featured a winged goblet with waves of beer sloshing over the rim. The image drew from his background as a tattoo artist, with its heavily outlined chalice and Japanese-inspired waves. “There is a definite outline and structure to most of the images,” he said. “If the color was pulled out, you’re left with an image that can be reproduced as a tattoo, more or less.”

Two years and 15 labels later, those same striking colors and bold lines make 4 Hands’ brews so easy to spot amid rows of tap handles and bottles. “To put something like that – that has a little bit of a childish whimsical feel about it – on a product that is definitely meant for adults is a fun thing,” Rowan said. joshuarowan.com – C.K. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 45

NoodleStretchers Extraordinaire Corner 17

Come for the noodles, stay for the show. At 8-month-old Corner 17 Chinese noodle shop in The Loop, a glass enclosure in the corner of the restaurant allows diners to watch chefs Wang and Yixiu Zheng expertly stretch wheat dough into made-to-order noodles. Noodle stretchers pull the dough and fold it in two again and again, doubling the number of long noodles with each fluid motion before throwing the noodles in boiling water. It’s mesmerizing.

PHOTO BY GREG RANNELLS

Yi Yao, Corner 17’s manager, said the greatest challenge of the operation is getting the ratio of flour-to-water correct, or, she warned, the dough may turn out too thick and then rip during stretching. The feedback for the culinary performance has been so pronounced, she added, that Corner 17 is considering offering a class in noodle making. 6623 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.727.2402 – B.K. Chef Wang fluidly pulls dough into noodles.

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March of the Merrymaker Chaumette and Charleville wineries

chicken sandwich photo by carmen troesser; shrimp and grits photo by jonathan gayman; hiking photo courtesy of chaumette

Secluded and serene, the tree-lined hiking trail between Chaumette Vineyards & Winery and Charleville Vineyard Winery & Microbrewery in Ste. Genevieve is the perfect activity for those who love the outdoors but prefer to save their energy for wine and beer rather than endure sweat and tears. Start at Chaumette’s Tasting Room and order six wine samples for $5, including its must-try unoaked chardonel. Lounge on the outdoor terrace as you gaze over rolling hills and 32 acres of grapevines. When you’re ready to move on, ask your bartender to point you to the trailhead. Enjoy your brief woodland escape as you hear the crunch of leaves under your feet and breathe in the crisp, piney air because in less than a halfhour, your ramble on this former logging trail will be rewarded with more wine and craft beer. After sampling a flight of Charleville’s bold and inventive craft beers like its Hoptimistic IPA and Tornado Alley amber ale, trek back to Chaumette’s Grapevine Grill for dinner. You earned it, sort of. Chaumette Vineyards & Winery, 24345 State Route WW, Ste. Genevieve, 573.747.1000, chaumette.com; Charleville Vineyard Winery & Microbrewery, 16937 Boyd Road, Ste. Genevieve, 573.756.4537, charlevillevineyard.com – J.C.

Pulled Chicken Sandwich Windowsills Cafe & Marketplace

April 2014

Shrimp and Grits The Kitchen Sink

The Kitchen Sink’s shrimp and grits (eponymously named The Kitchen Sink) is simply lick-your-plate good. In this classic dish – with several big twists – cheesy grits that strike the perfect balance between runny and thick are topped with sauteed shrimp, andouille sausage, bell peppers and mushrooms and then bathed in a rich, slightly spicy crabmeat-and-Tasso ham gravy. If the dish needed anything else (It doesn’t.), the scratch-made, deep-fried corn fritters bobbing along its perimeter are like icing on the cake. 255 Union Blvd., St. Louis, 314.454.1551, letseat.at/thekitchensink – A.R.

Sandwiched between a Dierbergs and a salon in an Ellisville strip mall is the humble yet hardly forgettable Windowsills Cafe & Marketplace.

Step inside this cute counter-service cafe, and order its pulled chicken sandwich with Alabama white sauce. Smoked, hand-pulled chicken is piled on a house-made kaiser bun with lettuce and tomato and drizzled with white barbecue sauce that’s like a mayonnaise dressing with an acidic kick. It’s simple but delicious. While you’re there, don’t forget to leave room for every dessert ending in the word “pie.” 1326 Clarkson/ Clayton Center, Ellisville, 636.527.6400, windowsillscafe.com – M.N. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 47

Moll’s Cup No. 3

Tim Nuell eats a plate of Bucatini All’ Amatriciana at Pastaria while chatting with Henry Mitchell and Evelyn Dick.

Tim Nuell Pastaria

Meet the best server in St. Louis: Pastaria’s Tim Nuell. With 15 years of restaurant experience, he knows his food, he knows his wine, and he knows how to read people. He’s casual with a drop of formality and friendly without being in your face. The best part about having Nuell as a server is that he makes me feel like every decision I make is the best idea he’s ever heard.

Me: “I’ll have the pistachio ravioli.”

Nuell: “Excellent choice.”

Me, to self: “Wow, that is an excellent choice.”

His secret to providing great service? “I really love what I’m doing. There’s no false pretense. Also, Gerard [Craft, Pastaria’s chef-owner] is so passionate about giving people a good experience and that rubs off on everyone.” 7743 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.862.6603, pastariastl.com – M.N.

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At its most basic, Moll’s Cup No. 3 is a refreshing highball. Or, perhaps, a boozy fruit cocktail. But to us, it’s the epitome of what it means to be handcrafted. The cocktail gets its inspiration from a Pimm’s Cup, a British tippler that combines gin-based Pimm’s No. 1 liqueur with club soda or ginger ale plus lots and lots of fresh fruit. For his version, bartender Jeffrey Moll Jr. makes his own liqueur by flavoring bourbon with sweet Dubonnet, cinnamon and bitter orange peel; carbonates it with ginger-infused water and a house-made pastis; and bottles the cocktail in individual servings.

Why bottle? When you order Moll’s Cup No. 3, Moll needs time for the final step: fashioning all that fruit into an edible work of art. 6665 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.899.9221, thegoodpiestl.com – L.F.

Beef Brisket Sandwich Busch Stadium You can only eat so many nachos without feeling cheesy. Next time, check out chef Norman Taylor’s brisket. It’s marinated in a secret house-made wet rub, then smoked for 13 hours on-site. One bite of the tender, barbecued bliss tucked inside a toasted onion kaiser roll, and you’ll know why more than 1,200 pounds of brisket are sold at every home game. Pick the house salad as a side, and you’ve got a plate worth guarding. Available at The Carvery in Section 148, Broadway BBQ in section 128 and in the private suites. 700 Clark St., St. Louis, 314.345.9600, stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com – K.H. April 2014

tim nuell photo by laura miller; cocktail photo by jonathan gayman; brisket sandwich courtesy of busch stadium

The Good Pie

A Staff of Superstars photo by carmen troesser

Planter’s House

Yes, the cocktails are top-tier. Yes, the food is great. Yes, the décor makes you feel like a million bucks. But the real reason we love to take a seat at the hottest bar in town is the staff: a lineup of seasoned professionals who always keep their cool. From left to right: Kate Kinsey, Matt Sorrell, Ted Charak, Mandi Kowalski, Jamie Kilgore, Ted Kilgore, Leslie Gillette, Bradley Hoffmann, Matt Obermark and Travis Garner. 1000 Mississippi Ave., St. Louis, 314.696.2603, plantershousestl.com – L.F.

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Layla Linehan Brasserie

Layla Linehan enjoys a Negroni, her favorite cocktail.

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Linehan was a rocks star on the 2013 cocktail competition circuit, winning the Big O competition, placing third in the Midwest finals of the Four Roses bourbon competition and taking first in the local round of the Campari competition, which earned her a spot at the finals in Portland, Ore. Informally a brand ambassador for locally made The Big O, Linehan is poised to make a national splash now that she’s been named brand ambassador for Phenix Brands.

She’ll split her time working the wood at Brasserie and raising a glass to Samogon, Shpilka vodka and other spirits in Phenix’s growing portfolio. “I’m always trying to better myself,” Linehan said. “I want to keep learning, or I feel stagnant.” 4580 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, 314.454.0600, brasseriebyniche.com – L.F.

April 2014

photo by elizabeth jochum

The Negroni is Layla Linehan’s favorite cocktail. So we’ll lift one in her honor as we ponder just how much one bartender can accomplish in a year. With more than seven years of bartending experience, this alum of Pi, Monarch and Demun Oyster Bar has shaken things up at Brasserie since coming aboard as its bar manager in 2013. Her philosophy about Brasserie’s cocktail menu: Keep things approachable; after all, cocktail bar Taste is right next door.

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stuff to do:

this month

by Byron Kerman

A Tasteful Affair April 6 – 2 to 5:30 p.m., Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis, 999 N. Second St., St. Louis, 314.652.3663, foodoutreach.org A Tasteful Affair is a St. Louis benefit that can overwhelm if you’re not careful. More than 40 area restaurants cook and plate specialties at tables spread throughout a ballroom at the luxe Four Seasons Hotel to help Food Outreach pay for vital services for the hungry. Eateries including ClevelandHeath, Juniper, Katie’s Pizza & Pasta, Onesto Pizza & Trattoria, Tenacious Eats and Vernon’s BBQ are in the house. Take deep breaths – and small bites.

Angel’s Envy Bourbon Tasting Dinner April 10 – 6:30 p.m., Glen Echo Country Club, 3401 Lucas and Hunt Road, Normandy, 314.669.1792, bourbonbanter.com Local liquor blog Bourbon & Banter sponsors a bourbon tasting dinner with special guest Wes Henderson of Louisville Distilling Company, which makes Angel’s Envy bourbon. Glen Echo Country Club chefs create dishes to be paired with whiskey samples of original Angel’s Envy, Angel’s Envy bourbon finished in port barrels, Angel’s Envy cask-strength bourbon, and Angel’s Envy rye finished in Caribbean rum casks. Henderson holds forth before each course, and attendees receive a handy Bourbon Flavor Wheel to help identify the aromas and flavors in each glass.

Czech Festival April 12 – 11 a.m., American Czech Educational Center, 4690 Lansdowne Ave., St. Louis, 314.752.8168, acec-stl.org Lovers of kolacky line up each year to buy these pastries at the annual Czech Festival,

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where they’re sold in cheese, apricot and poppy seed varieties. Alongside these flaky treats are duck and pork dishes, goulash, syr (cheese), sausages, open-faced sandwiches, and dumplings with kraut and mashed potatoes. Don’t forget the Czech beer (pivo), a baked goods booth and the popular kolackymaking demo. Stick around for egg decorating, a crafts market, a Balkan fashion show and dancing to live music. Admission is free.

Breakfast for Bikers April 18 - 7 to 9 a.m., Mississippi Mud Coffee Roasters at Art St. Louis, 1223 Pine St., St. Louis; Kaldi’s, 700 Demun Ave., Clayton, 314.436.1324, trailnet.org Get into spring with a bike ride and a free Friday breakfast for cyclists. Pedal-power advocate Trailnet hosts the simultaneous rendezvous at two cafes: the original Kaldi’s on Demun and the fun Mississippi Mud Coffee Roasters inside Art St. Louis downtown. Simply cycle to either location to enjoy coffee, fresh scones and the mutual morning ride.

Dining Out for Life April 24, participating restaurants, 314.645.6451, diningoutforlife.com/stlouis/ restaurants Nutella banana-nut muffins at Annie Moons Bakery, Chocolate Inebriation cake with cinnamon ice cream at Baileys’ Chocolate Bar, lump crab “beignets” with fontina cheese at Molly’s in Soulard, and the Moroccan potpie at The Fountain on Locust. With delightful dishes like these at more than 150 area restaurants participating in this year’s Dining Out for Life, on April 24, you might want to eat out for all three meals.

A percentage of the restaurants’ till that day benefits Saint Louis Effort for AIDS. A full list of participating restaurants is available online.

April 2014

“American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition” April 26 to Aug. 17, Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, 314.746.4599, mohistory.org If you like watching the HBO series “Boardwalk Empire,” you’ll get a kick out of “American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition,” a new traveling exhibition landing at the Missouri History Museum. Visitors can vicariously experience the horrors of the temperance movement and Prohibition, the relief of its repeal, and the long-term fallout of this experiment in enforced abstention.

The interactive exhibition includes artifacts like an actual hatchet used to smash barrooms, flapper dresses, forbidden moonshine and homebrew equipment, Al Capone’s 1931 guilty verdict, and one of the first crates of Budweiser produced after the 1933 Beer Act. A re-created speakeasy includes lessons on how to dance the Charleston, and a video game where players become federal Prohibition agents chasing rumrunners.

Denotes a sauce sponsored event

sponsored events Cheshire Celebrity Chef Series: Michael Smith April 14 - 5:30 p.m., The Restaurant at The Cheshire, 7036 Clayton Ave., St. Louis, 314.932.7818, restaurant-stl.com/happenings James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Smith of Michael Smith Restaurant and Extra Virgin in Kansas City, Mo., teams up with The Restaurant’s April 2014

chef Rex Hale to present a five-course dinner with wine pairings. Tickets available online.

Hunger for More 2014 April 1 to 20, participating restaurants, 314.776.1410, i58ministries.org Eat out at a favorite St. Louis restaurant and support Isaiah 58 Ministries in its effort to fight local hunger and poverty. Each week, participating restaurants donate a percentage of one day’s sales to the nonprofit, which serves more than 600 St. Louis-area families a month. Find a list of participating restaurants on its website.

Saint Louis Fashion Week April 23 to 25, various locations, stlouisfashionweek.com Featuring spring and summer lines from local and national designers, the three days of Saint Louis Fashion Week include a spring fashion show at the Saint Louis Galleria, a summer and swimwear runway show featuring Viktor Luna, and an appearance by designer Rebecca Minkoff at Saks Fifth Avenue. Tickets available online.

St. Louis Earth Day Festival April 27 - 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., The Muny, Forest Park, St. Louis, 314.282.7533, stlouisearthday.org At this free event, festival-goers learn about sustainable products and services offered by local businesses and meet area environmentally-focused nonprofits.

Attendees also enjoy musical acts, performance artists and hands-on educational activities. Local, organic and vegetarian food and beverages will be available for purchase.

Microfest Beer Festival May 2 - 6 to 10 p.m., and May 3 - noon to 4 p.m. and 6 to 10 p.m., Upper Muny parking lot, Forest Park, St. Louis, 314.227.7302, stlmicrofest.org Sample craft beers at one of three different sessions during the two-day festival. The weekend’s events also include live music, food and demos by brewers and chefs.

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Kore Wilbert, 29, is a former member of hip-hop group The Royal Illete, has twice competed on the winning team at Taste of St. Louis’ Chef Battle Royale, and from time to time he works the line at Mad Tomato and MX Movies. But as sous chef at DePaul Heath Center, the L’École Culinaire graduate is a rising rock star in institutional dining, proving that cooking outside the confines of a restaurant has its perks, especially when you want to be a family man.

What’s it like to cook at a hospital?

It was a whole different world coming from a small restaurant where you feed 250 people a night to thousands of people on a daily basis.

Is the kitchen decked out? We have everything: flattops, ranges, 60-gallon tilt skillets. We have these really cool machines called Rationals. They are ovens and smokers and steamers.

I’d never worked with one before I came here. We have four walk-ins (It took me three weeks to know where everything was.). We have a CVap, an immersion circulator – everything you can think of. And if we don’t have it we can get it, which is something that a small restaurant won’t be able to do.

Why have cutting-edge kitchen equipment at a hospital? Usually when people are staying here, it’s because they are ill or coming to see a loved one. We want to make sure that the food is something they don’t have to worry about. That it’s something that’s really good, that’s comforting, that can maybe change their mood even just a little bit to make their stay more comfortable.

will bring their lunch all year, but on that day, they head right down to the cafeteria. It just let’s you know that the hospital does have a sense of community.

I’ve always perceived of hospital food as bland, gray mush. People definitely think about it like that. But here, we’ve changed a lot of people’s minds. We don’t cut corners; we do everything from scratch. [At the cafeteria,] you’ve got a lot of options.

Our “innovation station” showcases different foods from around the world: Japanese, Italian, Indian ... it changes every day.

Do you miss working at a restaurant?

I do. Being on the line, putting out really good dishes, turning over an entire dining room – it’s a rush. Cooking on the line here is completely different. If I was working at a restaurant, I’d be working long nights, long hours and my family would be neglected. [There is] little to no personal life. This job gives me the time to do what I want to do. I can spend time with my kids, put them to bed every night. It’s the perfect job for a chef.

Is the mindset that a restaurant is the only place to find a job as a chef?

It is. But that’s not the only option. You can still be a chef. There are plenty of places you can go. If it’s food-related, you can get into it.

Can you still be a chef and in a hiphop group? I dance with my kids, but I don’t perform anymore.

— Ligaya Figueras

What are best-sellers at the cafeteria? We’re never going to get rid of our chicken wings.

Rice noodles and beef: All the nursing staff, if it’s that day, they are going to be there.

Once a year we do soul food, which is very popular. People

Photo by ashley gieseking

What I Do Kore Wilbert

What’s your job? I’ve got 30 guys under me. I work with the catering staff, and we do production for the cafeteria, as well as patient room service. And we feed the other facility, St. Vincent’s. That’s behavioral health, and we feed the adults, the children, the adolescents. They give me the control to put it all together.

Kore Wilbert with his son Luke, left, and daughter Kiyomi

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