Sauce Magazine // April 2019

labneh with pomegranate molasses and zhoug, p. 40

CLUB MED 9 fresh, easy mediterranean recipes

THE CHOCOLATE PIG, P. 21 TWO PLUMBERS BREWERY , P. 27 TRENDWATCH, P. 16

April 2019

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APRIL 2019 • VOLUME 19, ISSUE 4 What’s your favorite restaurant merch?

I collect stickers from

PUBLISHER ART DIRECTOR MANAGING EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR, DIGITAL STAFF WRITERS ASSOCIATE EDITOR EDIBLE WEEKEND EDITORS SENIOR DESIGNER PROOFREADER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

My fancy Byrd & Barrel koozie that zips up the side

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS I’m obsessed with my HiPointe hoodie.

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES EVENTS COORDINATOR LISTINGS EDITOR INTERNS

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

All contents of Sauce Magazine are copyright ©2001-2019 by Bent Mind Creative Group, LLC. The Sauce name and logo are both registered to the publisher, Bent Mind Creative Group, LLC. Reproduction or other use, in

my favorite places.

Allyson Mace I’m mighty partial to Meera Nagarajan my Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions and Grace Heather Hughes Meat + Three stickers.

Catherine Klene Adam Rothbarth, Matt Sorrell Lauren Healey Lauren Healey, Catherine Klene Michelle Volansky Megan Gilmore Jonathan Gayman, R.J. Hartbeck, Virginia Harold, Izaiah Johnson, David Kovaluk, Greg Rannells, Adam Rothbarth, Carmen Troesser, Michelle Volansky Vidhya Nagarajan Glenn Bardgett, Matt Berkley, James Boeckmann, Ryan Griffin, Justin Harris, Lauren Healey, Heather Hughes, Jamie Kilgore, Ted Kilgore, Catherine Klene, Rebecca Koenig, Meera Nagarajan, Michael Renner, Adam Rothbarth, Dee Ryan, Matt Sorrell, Stephanie Zeilenga Allyson Mace Matt Bartosz, Angie Rosenberg Amy Hyde Amy Hyde James Boeckmann, Taylor Coutain

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.

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Sauce Magazine is printed on recycled paper using soy inks.

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.

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St. Louis, MO 63103 April 2019

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contents A PR I L 2 019

editors' picks 9 EAT THIS Marble cake with fudge frosting

by meera nagarajan 11 HIT LIST 5 places to try this month

by lauren healey, heather hughes, catherine klene and adam rothbarth 14 ELIXIR

last bite 46 STUFF TO DO by james boeckmann and taylor coutain 48 WHAT I DO David Kirkland

features 28

40

WASTED

CLUB MED

by rebecca koenig

by dee ryan

St. Louis’ fight to reclaim food waste

by catherine klene

35

50 LANDMARK

by james boeckmann

Fresh, easy mediterranean recipes

MARVELOUS MERCH

Cunetto House of Pasta

by adam rothbarth

Perennial’s Northeast IPAs

by catherine klene 16 TRENDWATCH What’s on our plates and in our glasses right now

by catherine klene and adam rothbarth 19 A SEAT AT THE BAR Five experts tell us what to sip, stir and shake

by glenn bardgett, justin harris, ryan griffin and ted and jamie kilgore

reviews 21 NEW AND NOTABLE The Chocolate Pig

by michael renner 24 LUNCH RUSH PHOTO BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

Yapi Mediterranean Subs and Sandwiches

by matt berkley 27 NIGHTLIFE Two Plumbers Brewery + Arcade

Tune in to St. Louis Public Radio 90.7 FM April 2 when Sauce joins St. Louis on the Air to discuss this month’s must-try new restaurants on Hit List. Then listen in later in the month when we discuss how area organizations are on a mission to reduce food waste.

COVER DETAILS Club Med Learn how to make quick and easy Mediterranean recipes like the labneh with pomegranate molasses and zhoug on p. 40.

scallops at the chocolate pig p. 21

by stephanie zeilenga April 2019

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E D I T O R S ' P I C K S

Eat This

PHOTO BY CARMEN TROESSER

Helfer’s Pastries & Deli Cafe, 380 St. Ferdinand St., Florissant, 314.837.6050, helferspastries.com

The marble cake with fudge frosting from Helfer’s Pastries & Deli Cafe is a nostalgia trip to simpler times. The chocolate and vanilla zebra-striped cake has a light, soft crumb and delivers that best-of-both-worlds flavor, topped with an entirely unfussy, dense, sweet fudge frosting. It’s not avantgarde baking, but it will remind you how good a sheet cake can be.

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PHOTO BY ADAM ROTHBARTH

hit list

5 new places to try this month

THE DINING ROOM AT THE MIDWESTERN

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HIT LIST p. 2 of 2

PETRICHOR BREWING Buried deep in a residential neighborhood, Petrichor is a surprising suburban oasis with a strong beer game and promising food menu. It offers both pints and tasters of 11 house beers, so we tried many. Favorites included the chocolate stout, with a fulfilling, smooth chocolate flavor and a tight carbonation evoking midcentury chocolate sodas. We also really liked the IPA, which was crisp and a little dry.

The full food menu hasn’t launched yet (a unique selection of arepas coming soon), but the spicy cauliflower with harissa aioli was brilliantly executed, and Petrichor’s hearty skin-on natural French fries were some of the best we’ve had in a minute.

COCINA LATINA Cocina Latina combines Peruvian, Colombian and Cuban flavors at a new eatery in the Central West End. Vibrant art by local Honduran painter José Gomez dominates the small space, and the food is just as colorful as the decor.

Classic ceviche makes a bright, fresh start to the meal; a generous portion of perfectly diced white fish is cured in lime juice with Peruvian aji limo peppers and served with shaved red onion and sweet potato. Tostones con ahogado – twice-fried plantains served with a warm tomato and green onion sauce for dipping – are also great to split among friends. But save room for the aji de gallina, a Peruvian chicken and rice dish in which shredded chicken swims in a creamy sauce that gets its golden color from aji amarillo peppers.

508 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314.696.2294, Facebook: Cocina Latina

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MANN MEATS Bob Mannecke turned his North County food truck into a brick-andmortar in February without much fanfare. Now, Mann Meats is making noise with its subtly awesome food.

The smoked Mann Burger – which tastes strangely like a kosher hot dog in burger form – holds its spices well, its juicy heft resting confidently under a refreshing layer of mozzarella. We also loved the massive, peppery Fork Steak (so called because this pork steak renders knives superfluous).

The smoked brisket is cut extremely thin, but still packs a ton of smokiness.

Of course, like any great barbecue meal, Mann Meats’ star dishes are incomplete without an assortment of supportive side items, like the creamy potato salad and the sweet, mildly tangy baked beans.

300 St. Ferdinand St., Florissant, 314.942.7000, mannmeats.com

The Midwestern Meat & Drink brings together the slick design sense of the team behind The Wheelhouse and Smart Bar and the flawless barbecue of Ben Welch, owner of the now-closed Big Baby Q and Smokehouse in Maryland Heights.

Grab a seat at the massive wood bar and order a monthly rotating riff on a Manhattan mixed by superb beverage director Tony Saputo.

There is a short menu of toasts and sandwiches, but on your first visit, you must try the sampler platter complete with three ribs, two wings, a quarter-pound each of smoked turkey breast, pulled pork, brisket and pastrami, as well as two sides and cornbread. Welch’s poultry in particular stands out in a city filled with first-rate barbecue.

THE DOGHAUS SOULARD

900 Spruce St., St. Louis, 314.696.2573, midwesternstl.com

The booze flows while your furry friends frolic and play at this dogfriendly bar. The cocktail menu is on theme, with drink names like Chaihuahua, Homeward Bound and our favorite, the Doghaus’ sweet version of gin and juice, Snoop Dog with Aviation gin, agave syrup, orange juice and ginger beer. As Fido burns off some energy, refuel with Caribbean-inspired fare from Good Bowl, the latest concept from Plantain Girl Mandy Estrella. We favored rice bowls like the Regulator with citrus-braised chicken, red beans, Chihuahua cheese, pico de gallo, house-pickled jalapenos, chipotle cream and cilantro, but the Mister 305, with ropa vieja, black beans, avocado, pickled red onion and cilantro, and The Bounty Hunter with roasted pork, pineapple salsa, guava barbecue sauce, crispy wontons and green onion, are equally satisfying options.

crispy pig head platter at the midwestern meat & drink

1800 S. 10th St., St. Louis, 314.809.1817, thedoghaussoulard.com April 2019

PHOTO BY ADAM ROTHBARTH

THE MIDWESTERN MEAT & DRINK

7434 Village Center Drive, O’Fallon, Missouri, 636.265.4004, petrichorbeer.com

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PERENNIAL’S NEW LEAF

By Catherine Klene

Once upon a time, IPAs were bitter, prickly things. Brewers crammed so many hops into their beers that some felt like sucking on a pine cone. Then, a new style of IPA invaded the country, dethroning its harsh West Coast cousin. Suddenly, people began describing IPAs as soft, juicy and hazy as a glass of morning OJ. All hail the Northeast IPA. Florissant’s Narrow Gauge Brewing Co. set the regional standard, but most local breweries have given the style a shot. Now, it’s Perennial Artisan Ales’ most recent round of IPAs that’s caught our attention.

Perennial Artisan Ales, 8125 Michigan Ave., St. Louis, 314.631.7300, perennialbeer.com

Why did a brewery best known for bold, boozy stouts and delicate saisons revamp its IPA game? Give the people what they want. “It had the most entries of any category at the Great American Beer Festival ever,” said Perennial co-owner Phil Wymore. “It’s not just some fad. It’s the real deal.”

“Christening the program by being able to collaborate with Trillium – it doesn’t get any better than that,” Wymore said.

Then came an enchanting new release of Magic Chords, loaded with Citra and Galaxy hops, followed by an updated version of its popular White Impala. After a couple more new releases, Fluorescent Gray and Pilot Talk, Kinast and crew collaborated with local NEIPA powerhouse Narrow Gauge with the release of

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Objectively Opaque, dry-hopped with Amarillo, Idaho-7 and Eukanot hops. You may still be able to catch that on draft at the brewery, but you’ll definitely find a hazy revamp of Cave Torch, fermented on mandarin oranges.

The beers have been so popular that Perennial plans to update all

its IPA recipes to the new style. But you’ll still only find these cans at the brewery. In fact, Wymore said they’re making smaller batches than before.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER KINAST

To perfect Perennial’s new recipe, cellar manager Chris Kinast turned to one of the industry leaders in Northeast IPAs, Trillium Brewing Co. near Boston. The breweries collaborated and released a limited run of Q:WWJCD? A:IPA (named for Trillium co-owner JC Tetreault) in August 2018. The beer featured a hefty dose of both Mosaic and Galaxy hops, but the new speltbased malt gave it the signature and difficult-to-achieve mouthfeel Perennial desired.

“The idea is to drink these as fresh as possible,” he said. “And if you don’t make very much of it, it should ensure that it’s consumed in the right time frame.”

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T R E N D W A T C H

BY CATHERINE KLENE AND ADAM ROTHBARTH

homespun desserts

chicken-fried veg Some of our favorite veggies are getting the poultry treatment, creating vegetarian dishes as finger-lickin’ good as their chicken counterparts. Vicia chicken fried whole carrots and served them with whipped feta aioli, then made mini versions for the snack menu, complete with honey mustard sauce. SweetArt chef-owner Reine Bayoc created craggy, crunchy fried chunks of cauliflower for her Friday night church basement plate special, and The Chocolate Pig applied a similar method to Brussels sprouts, serving them alongside buttermilk dressing with confit lemon and pickled spring onions. Juniper also chicken fried rutabaga for a featured course on its Valentine’s Day tasting menu.

pea flower syrup even more local liquor

boutique hotel dining

Distilleries like Spirits of St. Louis and Still 630 have made their marks on the local scene for years, but recent months have seen several newcomers to the game. Civil Alchemy owners Kelley Hall-Barr and Ian Vandam recently expanded their Webster Groves-based lifestyle brand to include Truly Floral Spirits, debuting with two gins in early 2019.

Demetrius Cain launched his Nobletons Distilling House with Duckett Blue Rum, now available on the rail at Yellowbelly and Mission Taco Joint. Across the river in Collinsville, Ardent Spirits co-owners Whitney and Derik Reiser have started producing gin, vodka, rum and more at their Old Herald Brewery & Distillery.

St. Louis’ swankiest hotels have long boasted tasty fine dining options (see: Cinder House at the Four Seasons and The Preston at The Chase Park Plaza), but a recent surge in boutique hotel openings has ushered in new dining options too. The brightly colored Angad Arts Hotel in Grand Center welcomed Grand Tavern

by David Burke, an international celebrity chef, at the end of 2018, and Hotel Saint Louis appointed former Quincy Street Bistro executive chef Matt Birkenmeier to run both its recently opened Union 30 restaurant and Form Skybar. Next up: The Last Hotel, set to open downtown later this spring, will feature The Last Kitchen, helmed by Sauce Ones to Watch alumna Evy Swoboda.

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Made from the butterfly pea flower, this syrup is typically a byproduct of butterfly pea flower tea, distilled from a mix of ingredients like dried lemongrass, lemon juice and more. And it’s a VIP when it comes to cocktails, turning them a sultry shade of violet. Retreat Gastropub uses a butterfly pea rum float to top the persimmon- and coconutspiked Queen Frostine, while The Bao’s citrus-heavy Bao Chicka Bao Wow includes a pea flower-infused Plantation 3 Stars rum. Old Herald Brewery & Distillery’s signature Tom Collinsville features butterfly pea syrup alongside Ardent Spirits gin, lemon juice and soda. This unique floral ingredient was also featured in Cat and Mouse wild ale, a deliciously tart, plum-hued collaboration between 2nd Shift Brewing and Off Color Brewing.

April 2019

CHICKEN-FRIED BRUSSELS SPROUTS PHOTO BY IZAIAH JOHNSON; PEA FLOWER SYRUP PHOTO BY MEERA NAGARAJAN

Sure, it’s nice to enjoy a decadent bread pudding, panna cotta or boozy ice cream after a satisfying meal, but sometimes you just want something simple and familiar – which doesn’t mean lowbrow. Between Yellowbelly’s Grandma’s Coconut Cake and Louie’s deceptively understated cookie plate (often containing ginger-molasses, lemon-rosemary and chocolate-sea salt cookies), there’s a push toward the familial in desserts. At The Benevolent King, save room for the My Mom’s Cookies plate – literally made by owner Ben Poremba’s mom – which feature a rotating roster often starring maamoul and ghriba cookies. Juniper has a revolving door of homespun pastries, like the recent coconut-orange marmalade cake and a Coca-Cola cake with bourbon buttercream.

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E D I T O R S ' P I C K S

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

A SEAT AT THE BAR Five experts tell us what sip, stir and AT shake AtoSEAT

Mizu Shochu, a single-distilled Japanese spirit made from barley and rice, is one of our new favorites. At 70 proof, it’s reminiscent of vodka but with rich flavors of flowers, earth, tropical fruits, vanilla custard and fresh grains.

Mizu also makes lemongrass and green tea versions with the flavor added directly to the mash before distilling. Try one on ice for a delicious, refreshing treat. $27. The Wine & Cheese Place, 7435 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.727.8788, wineandcheeseplace.com

THE BAR

Five experts tell us what to sip, stir and shake

RYAN GRIFFIN AND JUSTIN HARRIS Co-owners at Saint Louis Hop Shop

The 5.6 percent dry-hopped rye pale ale Byrd Up! was the first packaged release from Rockwell Beer Co. This go-to brew features a spicy malted rye backbone and a generous portion of Cascade and Simcoe hops, which clash beautifully for perfect balance. Floral aromatics with hints of citrus entice the senses. Six-pack: $12. Rockwell Beer Co., 1320 S. Vandeventer Ave., St. Louis, 314.256.1657, rockwellbeer.com

ILLUSTRATIONS BY VIDHYA NAGARAJAN

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

April 2019

The voluptuous, perfectly balanced 2017 Jayson Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley ranks in my top 10 favorite whites.

Utilizing neutral French oak to add layers of complexity, this lush, ripe blend exudes notes of Key lime pie with white peaches, a major contrast to the gooseberry acidity typical of New Zealand sauvignon blancs.

Plus, it’s a great value since many Jayson Pahlmeyer wines have prices in the triple digits. $32. Lukas Wine and Spirits, 15678 Manchester Road, Ellisville, 636.227.4543, saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 19 lukasliquorstl.com

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reviews All Sauce reviews are conducted anonymously.

scallops at the chocolate pig

NE W A ND N OTA B L E

the chocolate pig

BY MICHAEL RENNER PHOTOS BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

Is the Year of the Earth Pig also the year of The Chocolate Pig? The former occurs once every 60 years, according to the Chinese zodiac calendar. The latter opened five months ago on the ground floor of Innovation Hall as part of Venture Café St. Louis, which is not an actual cafe but part of a global network of drop-in workspace for big-thinking entrepreneurs. If that weren’t innovative enough, it’s tied into the growing Cortex Innovation Community campus that spans the Central West End and Forest Park Southeast neighborhoods. There’s a lot of innovating going on in St. Louis.

You could call The Chocolate Pig innovative. We could agree, for instance, that the chicken-fried

new and notable THE CHOCOLATE PIG p. 21 // lunch rush YAPI MEDITERRANEAN SUBS AND SANDWICHES p. 24 // nightlife TWO PLUMBERS BREWERY + ARCADE p. 27

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NEW AND NOTABLE p. 2 of 2

Brussels sprouts – crunchy in a cool pool of buttermilk dressing and topped with confit lemon and pickled spring onions – were an innovative twist, at least around these parts, on the typical roasted version. They were an irresistible, shareable snack instead of the same old side, which is probably why I saw them on practically every table.

But innovative is a slippery word, suggesting something so pioneering as to change the course of the modern culinary world. I’d be hard-pressed to label the bacon flight – a platter of house-cured beef, lamb and pork bacon surrounding a schmear of savory-sweet white chocolate sauce – as anything but silly. Each threeslice serving arrived adorned with its own garnish. A quick-fermented kimchi under the beef bacon, which was drizzled with a thick, sweet soy sauce, lacked any spicy sourness. A tapenade of dried olive, capers, candied lemon and tomato atop the lamb bacon did little to complement the meat’s saltiness, while the pork’s coffee-enhanced sherry gastrique seemed more of a suggestion than a flavorful counterpoint. Because it makes for such a whimsical presentation, some may consider the signature shareable appetizer innovative. Either way, we’ll both pay $16 for the experience.

The Chocolate Pig is the second restaurant venture from Bissinger’s 23 City Blocks Hospitality Group. (The first, Handcrafted by Bissinger’s, closed in February.) The restaurant’s name is meant to evoke both its connection to the chocolate dynasty and executive chef Patrick Russell’s whole-hog cooking. It’s set in a slick, sleek open space with four dining areas ranging from the pastry bar to a semi-secluded, peekaboo nook for four. Like the building itself, the room is designed without a right angle in sight, feeling both isolated and inclusive.

Five entrees provided substantial portions to satisfy meat, seafood and vegetarian eaters. There’s no way the giant seared diver scallops will ever approach their expiration date. Your server will tell you Russell has a connection and flies them in several times a week. It shows. A plate of four mollusks, beautifully seared

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the peanut butter bomb at the chocolate pig

flavor as meaty and robust as one would expect from lamb. Were it not for a douse of braising liquid, the crowning haystack of fried leeks and bits of candied lemon, I’d still be searching for flavor. from left, executive pastry chef tyler davis and executive chef patrick russell

on both sides and tasting of the ocean, came nestled in a creamy butternut squash puree with a scattering of roasted, smoked mushrooms, crispy Brussels sprouts leaves and chilled pumpkin relish. A couple dollops of creme fraiche made the vibrant colors of the dish pop even more against the canvas of a glazed earthenware plate.

Other entrees held promise but were less impressive. A roasted half red chicken, burnished and drenched with a simple jus lié, was comforting enough on a cold evening but needed salt. Broccolini and fingerling potatoes rounded out the dish, but rather than boulangère potatoes (cooked in a casserole with sliced onions) as the menu stated, mine were merely boiled and served whole. A gorgeous roasted acorn squash with herbed farro, while colorful with shaved root vegetables, arugula and sorghum berries, was surprisingly bland but for the heat of the pickled chilies.

While the braised lamb shank served on a bed of creamy polenta wasn’t tough, it didn’t slide off the bone either, nor was its

Executive pastry chef Tyler Davis works sweet and savory into several desserts, like the Peanut Butter Bomb, which could have come straight out of an innovation workshop (“Forget Cherries Jubilee: Visualizing New Directions in Wowing Your Diners”).

A baseball-sized orb of dark chocolate on a bed of nitrogen-frozen berries and cookie crumbles melts when your server pours warm berry sauce over it tableside, revealing peanut butter mousse and berries.

Then there’s Milk and Cereal, redefining the concept by topping malted milk ice cream with caramelized pork rinds.

For all its components – berry compote, chocolate-covered bananas, cookie crumbles, blackberries, raspberries, chocolate, whipped cream and three scoops of different ice creams – The Chocolate Pig Sundae was remarkably underwhelming. No matter how many bite combinations I made, nothing really popped. Davis’ affogato caviar, however, transmogrified classic Italian affogato into a delightful deceit with espresso whipped cream and tonka bean caramel topped with nitro-frozen dark chocolate “roe,” serving the whole thing in a sardine can-shaped container, complete with the pop-top. Such brain trickery is indeed innovative.

the chocolate pig Where 4220 Duncan Ave., St. Louis, 314.272.3230, thechocolate pig.com Don’t-Miss Dishes Chicken-fried Brussels sprouts, seared scallops Vibe Sleek flowing space that’s remarkably quiet for its size with myriad seating options (snag one of the back alcoves).

Entree Prices $21 to $32 When Mon. to Thu. – 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri. and Sat. – 11 a.m. to midnight

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LUNCH RUSH

Gyro Supreme Yapi’s Gyro Supreme is a showstopper. Easily big enough to feed two, the hearty sandwich offers thick, tender hunks of traditional gyro meat sliced to order and seared on a flattop.

Moist but not too oily, the meat is cooked along with buttered somun, a soft and puffy bread thicker than plain old pita. The somun is then packed to overflowing with the lamby gyro meat, lettuce, tomato, red onion, mild banana pepper, cucumber slices, a sprinkle of feta and a ranch-laced tzatziki sauce. It’s exactly the rich flavors you expect from a traditional gyro and a pleasure to devour.

LUNCH RUSH

yapi

BY MATT BERKLEY | PHOTOS BY DAVID KOVALUK

Yapi Mediterranean Subs and Sandwiches is a casual, family-run spot that dishes out huge portions of classic Middle Eastern comfort food. While it has sparse decor and just a handful of tables, the kitchen is a true powerhouse. Chef-owner Armin Grozdanic makes it his personal mission to turn out big flavors with high-quality ingredients. These are a few of the best dishes.

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The Yapi Burger The Yapi Burger utilizes a quarter-pound of kosher/halal beef for a solidly constructed take on a classic. Seasoned simply with salt and pepper and cooked to order on a searing grill, the quality of the meat shines through.

The thick, juicy patty is plopped on a crispy, buttered bun along with lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber, pickle, a healthy drizzle of mayo and decadent liquid cheddar. The hot, crispy side of fries is seasoned to surprisingly great effect with dry ranch dressing powder.

Falafel Crispy and plump, savory and soft, a gang of five falafel balls comes with a cup of

the cevapi at yapi

gyro supreme

yapi burger

yapi chefowner armin grozdanic

creamy tzatziki sauce for dunking. Fans will find it hard to share these, which make a great side order to any sandwich.

Cevapi The Bosnian equivalent of a kebab, cevapi is the house specialty.

The star of the menu is carefully prepped with minced beef and special seasonings, then cured 24 hours before being pressed into little sausage-like links ready for the flattop. While the traditional version incorporates 20 percent lamb, this one comprises only beef, though Grozdanic smartly cooks lamb grease into the thick and crispy somun it’s served in so that it retains the extra-savory kick of the most classic iteration. The cevapi is served with a layer of red onion, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, banana peppers and sour cream.

The Downside During lunch hours, service can slow to a crawl. Small operations, especially popular ones, can easily get overwhelmed during peak hours. Call ahead and carry out if time is an issue.

Yapi Mediterranean Subs and Sandwiches 6413 Hampton Ave., St. Louis, 314.354.8333, Facebook: Yapi Mediterranean Subs and Sandwiches

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NIGHTLIFE

pinball at two plumbers

an extra-spicy kick to the taste buds, drizzled with lemongrass crema to cut the burn.

from left, the braunem mantel american brown and the pauline american blonde ale

a guerrilla street food mega taco at two plumbers

NIGHTLIFE

two plumbers

BY STEPHANIE ZEILENGA | PHOTOS BY DAVID KOVALUK

Stepping into Two Plumbers Brewery + Arcade is like traveling to a simpler time, when you’d spend hours playing video games in your friend’s dark, musty basement.

Swap the Mountain Dew and Pizza Rolls for craft beer and Guerrilla Street Food, and you’ve got a major upgrade.

Located in a nondescript St. Charles strip mall, the microbrewery and arcade named after Nintendo’s Mario and Luigi has a neighborhood bar feel. The telephone April 2019

booth in one corner, eraappropriate posters and chairs I’m pretty certain were in my grade school cafeteria will snap ’80s and ’90s kids back to their childhoods.

Dozens of quarter-fed arcade games line the space.

There’s lots of themed pinball, from Star Wars and Star Trek to The Sopranos. There are driving games, shooting games and bubble hockey. There are classics like NBA Jam and Dungeons and Dragons.

Low-tech gamers can grab a board game from a large bookshelf – the long

wooden tables are ideal for getting competitive with a group. All these arcade games make noise, bringing the space to life with a cacophony of dings, bells and other sound effects. It can get busy on weekends, so be prepared to wait for a game if you’re picky.

Between bouts of Super Street Fighter II, be sure to try Two Plumbers’ small-batch craft beers.

A sampler of four is available, but there aren’t always four house beers to try. According to owner Robert Schowengerdt, the place has been so popular the brewery’s

Two Plumbers Brewery + Arcade 2236 First Capitol Drive, St. Charles, 636.224.8626, twoplumbers.com

2-barrel system is having trouble keeping up. Not a bad problem to have, and one Two Plumbers is hoping to solve with a new 7-barrel production and private event space opening late this fall.

What’s available is solid, if not the most innovative. I was only able to try two house beers: The Pauline American blond ale was light and endlessly drinkable, the way a blond should be, but the Braunem Mantel American brown missed the mark a bit. It had the right flavor profile – nutty, roasty and caramelly – but was slightly bitter. A small selection of additional beers and a cider or two are also available. The beer list is respectable, featuring local favorites like Schlafly and Urban Chestnut and a rotating list of more hard-tofind options like Bell’s Hopslam.

If all that gaming makes you hungry, head to Guerrilla Street Food’s outpost at the front of the bar. The menu is small but mighty, filled with Guerrilla’s signature craveable Filipino fusion fare. The sweet and spicy chicken wings can be ordered in “god mode,” with added chili sauce, Sriracha and chilies for

Like the wings, the Mega Taco is true to its name and something my 12-year-old self would have gone nuts over (OK fine, current self too).

Two 13-inch tortillas are bound together with melted cheese and wrapped around your choice of Filipino chorizo or chicken adobo along

with standard Midwest taco toppings – lettuce, tomato, sour cream and cheddar cheese. Another winner is the GSF favorite Flying Pig, which comes in either burrito or bowl form. With pulled pork shoulder, hoisin, Sriracha, a slow-cooked egg and more, this dish has a contrast of textures and flavors that’s hard to stop eating, even after you’ve already inhaled a Mega Taco.

The arcade games, nostalgic decor, imaginative bar fare and small-batch beer add up to one thing: a fun night out that doesn’t take itself too seriously. With plans to keep expanding its brewery operations, Two Plumbers is a worthy addition to the St. Louis beer scene.

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April 2019

STED ST. LOUIS’ FIGHT TO RECLAIM FOOD WASTE

BY REBECCA KOENIG // PHOTOS BY VIRGINIA HAROLD

April 2019

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YOU CAN’T SEE OR SMELL IT, BUT IF YOU STAND CLOSE ENOUGH, YOU CAN FEEL WARM WAVES OF METHANE ROLL OUT OF THE FLARE STACK AND RISE INTO THE SKY. THE LONESOME ORGAN STANDS ATOP A BURIED LANDFILL, DRAWING UP GREENHOUSE GAS FROM THE GARBAGE BELOW AND BELCHING IT INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. It’s a monument to the environmental abuse this quiet corner of Belleville has long suffered. Miners once dug coal here. Then came the landfill, which accepted half a million cubic yards of trash the year it closed in 1997.

Thirty to 40 percent of the U.S. food supply is wasted, reports the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Much of it ends up in garbage dumps like this, which emit about one-sixth of the country’s human-produced methane, contributing to climate change. That waste isn’t just bad for the environment.

Even as food languishes in landfills, 40 million Americans can’t get enough to eat.

Government data shows nearly 12 percent of the country’s households lack food security.

Two decades after the Belleville landfill closed, a veneer of prairie grass belies the land’s contamination. If the plot were still just a landfill, there’d be no more to say.

But beyond the flare stack lie enormous mounds of earth arranged in neat rows like a giant’s garden. These piles have a purpose. Built from waste collected by Total Organics Recycling – manure from Saint Louis Zoo herbivores, beechwood chips from the Anheuser-Busch brewery, overripe produce from Straub’s – they’re evolving into compost, converting trash into gardening treasure.

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Grocery stores, restaurants, corporations and nonprofits across St. Louis are working together to reclaim food waste – their leaders determined to protect the planet and feed hungry neighbors. “We see food waste as an opportunity,” said Total Organics Recycling President Patrick Geraty. It’s a mindset that’s transforming a dumping ground into fertile soil for change. *** Just past the Schlafly Bottleworks parking lot grows a secret garden. Lettuce, spinach and kale rear their heads in the spring and fall as beets, radishes and turnips grow plump underground. Heirloom tomatoes, peppers and blackberries flourish in the summer.

This bounty bound for the dining room originates in scraps from the kitchen.

The Bottleworks has a closed-loop compost cycle. Discarded onion skins, carrot tops and egg shells from the kitchen end up in a bin mixed with leaves and grass clippings.

TOSS A BANANA PEEL INTO A LANDFILL, AND IT MAY LAST DECADES. Throw it in a well-crafted, hot compost pile, and it will disappear in two weeks. The difference is elemental. Compost piles like Schlafly’s are precisely constructed to admit air and moisture, creating the proper environment for decomposition rarely found in haphazard heaps of trash.

After the concoction stews sufficiently, gardener Ally Conner works the resulting compost into the garden beds, decreasing the need for extra irrigation and synthetic fertilizers. Without that organic matter, crops suffer.

“You can definitely tell the difference,” Conner said. “They’re more susceptible to blights and diseases. They’re not going to be as green and luscious.”

Schlafly sets aside food waste it can’t use for its own garden, like refuse from diners’ plates, for Total Organics Recycling to pick up. Straub’s uses the company too, to collect sweet corn

total organics recycling compost site

April 2019

April 2019

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“That’s a lot of food that isn’t going to a landfill and is being used for a much higher purpose,” Perry said.

One such organization is the Campus Kitchens Project. Student volunteers collect donated food from cafeterias and grocery stores that would have been destined for the trash despite being in decent condition. They use borrowed kitchen space to transform the recovered ingredients into balanced meals – complete with a protein, starch, vegetable and dessert – ready to deliver to people in need.

Pioneered at Saint Louis University in 2001, the nonprofit now operates at 65 colleges nationwide while sustaining branches at SLU, Washington University and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Thanks to the area’s many food deserts, “there’s a huge need in St. Louis for home-delivered meals,” said Jenny Bird, central regional program specialist for Campus Kitchens Project. “Can you imagine carrying a week’s worth of groceries on the bus?”

a campus kitchen volunteer organizes food donated to operation food search.

husks and rinds left over from fresh-squeezed orange juice. And three times a week, Total Organics Recycling empties big yellow bins full of food scraps from Nestle Purina’s downtown campus.

MOTIVATIONS VARY AMONG THE WASTE COMPANY’S CLIENTS. Nestle Purina is working toward a zero-waste goal. Straub’s sells finished compost from Total Organics Recycling’s sister company, St. Louis Composting, to demonstrate the chain’s sustainability efforts.

“We’re one of the players that makes it all happen,” said Straub’s produce category specialist Greg Lehr. “We basically carry it for that purpose – so we can tell the story.”

Though Total Organics Recycling services aren’t free, they do help some businesses reduce their trash bills. But for small companies, involvement is “by no means a cost savings,” Geraty said.

That means finances are not the primary force influencing his clientele. “They’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do.” *** Some food trash is inevitable; we simply don’t eat all fruit peels or animal bones.

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But perfectly edible fare goes to waste too, like tomatoes that rot on the grocery store shelf and neglected milk that spoils in the fridge.

Meanwhile, 11.6 percent of people in the St. Louis region live in poverty, according to recent figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.

That includes one-fifth of city residents and one-tenth of St. Louis County residents.

They’re elderly, young and in between. Many struggle with hunger.

Faced with these twin realities, social service agencies and grocery stores have developed a “symbiotic partnership” designed to convert leftover food into meals for hungry locals, explained Lucinda Perry, director of strategic initiatives at Operation Food Search.

“A lot of people really depend on the food safety net,” she said.

OPERATION FOOD SEARCH COORDINATES food

recovery and distribution in rural, suburban and urban areas in 30 counties, plus the city of St. Louis. It partners with 220 soup kitchens, homeless shelters, church pantries and transitional homes to repurpose $30 to $35 million worth of rescued edible goods a year.

THE CAMPUS KITCHEN AT SLU recovers about 3,000 pounds of food each month, keeping 36,000 pounds out of landfills each year. The Brentwood Trader Joe’s is one of the branch’s reliable food providers. “They’re amazingly generous,” Bird said. The store donates food that is “still perfectly good, but past its sell-by date. They try to preserve it and set it aside for us.”

Recovered ingredients often include chicken, salad, potatoes and raw vegetables. Donated sushi is discarded, while students offer other hard-to-repurpose foods to different agencies around town. “If we get two pallets of leeks, there’s only so much we can do with them,” Bird said.

In an average week, SLU volunteers use their bounty to make 400 meals ranging from stuffed peppers to shish kebabs to stir-fries.

Bird said casseroles are surprisingly popular.

“We make what they like. Especially for elderly clients, the softer foods are more welcome.”

On delivery days, homebound clients may ask students to help with small chores like taking out the trash, trimming branches and rebooting their computers. Many older recipients welcome conversation as much as meals.

“It’s more than food,” Bird explained.

“Students form relationships with the people they deliver to.”

April 2019

Millions of personal daily decisions compound to form a landfill. No matter how many organizations invest in reclaiming food waste, success ultimately depends on individuals.

That is, on you and me.

Changing our behavior is a challenge.

When Total Organics Recycling marketing coordinator Sara Koziatek teaches about proper practices, she encounters some outdated ideas and “a little bit of laziness.

“Some people don’t care,” she said. “Most people want to do the right thing, but they don’t know how.”

In February 2018, Nestle Purina asked workers to start disposing their lunch leftovers in food waste bins. “It was a total shock to people,” said environmental manager Tom Wagner. “A lot of people didn’t really understand what compost was.”

He couldn’t train all 2,500 workers personally, so he appointed one or two recycling marshals per department to teach coworkers and answer their questions.

Representatives from Total Organics Recycling came to look in the company cupboards and identify compostable products, and Wagner posted signs explaining how to discard different items.

The company has a website detailing its waste-stream systems, and tips frequently go out to employees in staff newsletters.

Ten months after the compost program launch, most employees are supportive, Wagner reported. Some grumble about having to walk farther to the new centralized waste bin locations, and trashcans initially still got plenty of use. But as people adapted, the company’s garbage volume decreased substantially. And its compost hauls are growing.

“We’re getting there,” Wagner said. “We’re not perfect yet, but we’re getting there.”

WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Perennial City will pick up food scraps from your house on a weekly or biweekly basis. The scraps are utilized to grow food on urban farms on vacant land purchased from the St. Louis Land Reutilization Authority. Subscriptions come with a 4-gallon collection bucket meant to fit under your kitchen sink and cost as little as $20 per month. This all comes full circle, as the food grown is available for delivery to members when their bucket is swapped. compost.perennial.city St. Louis Composting, the parent company to Total Organics, allows both city and county residents to drop off yard waste for a nominal fee. The company is also running a pilot program in Maryland Heights for curbside food waste collection, which it hopes to expand in the future. stlcompost.com a campus kitchen volunteer delivers a meal.

April 2019

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April 2019

M A R V E LO U S PHOTO BY JONATHAN GAYMAN

Captivating merchandise requires more than a restaurant logo and two sleeves these days. In a market increasingly crowded with sharp design sense and stylish branding, it takes something special to stand out. Here is the gear from St. Louis breweries, bakeries, restaurants and coffee shops that has our full attention. – James Boeckmann

MERCH April 2019

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April 2019

M A R V E LO U S MERCH

LOA F E R S S N A P BAC K H AT $25. Union Loafers Café and Bread Bakery, 1629 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, 314.833.6111, unionloafers.com

GR AC E TR UC K E R H AT $20. Grace Meat + Three, 4270 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.533.2700, stlgrace.com

B UDW E IS E R SW E ATE R $75. Anheuser-Busch Brewery, 1200 Lynch St., St. Louis, 314.577.2297, anheuserbusch.com

PHOTOS BY JONATHAN GAYMAN

BU DWE IS E R C AN KO OZ IE $20. Anheuser-Busch Brewery, 1200 Lynch St., St. Louis, 314.577.2297, anheuserbusch.com

BLUE P R INT COF F E E MUG S $9. Blueprint Coffee, 6225 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.266.6808, blueprintcoffee.com

April 2019

WA F F LE S S HI RT $20. The Shack, various locations, eatatshack.com

HOP SHOP SW E AT S H I RT $30. Saint Louis Hop Shop, 2600 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.261.4011, saintlouishopshop.com

EA RTHBO UN D ASTRO N AUT G L ASS $5. Earthbound Beer, 2724 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.769.9576, earthboundbeer.com KALDI’S JOEY MUG $26. Kaldi’s Coffee, multiple locations, 314.727.9991, kaldiscoffee.com

O LD BAKERY LO NG-SLEEVED SH IRT $20. The Old Bakery Beer Co., 400 Landmarks Blvd., Alton, 618.463.1470, oldbakerybeer.com

TWISTED ROOTS C USTOM BEANIE $25. Twisted Roots Brewing Co., 3690 Forest Park Ave., St. Louis, 314.449.6363, twistedrootsbrewing.com

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AIR BYR D S H I RT $20. Byrd & Barrel, 3422 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314.875.9998, byrdandbarrel.com

ROC KW E L L L LAMA GL AS S $8. Rockwell Beer Co., 1320 S. Vandeventer Ave., St. Louis, 314.256.1657, rockwellbeer.com

RO CKWEL L CH I LD REN ’S S H I RT S A N D O N S I ES $15. Rockwell Beer Co., 1320 S. Vandeventer Ave., St. Louis, 314.256.1657, rockwellbeer.com

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F I LTER CO F F EE SHI RT $35. Rise Coffee, 4176 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.405.8171, risecoffeestl.com

SUMP APPAREL Prices vary. Sump Coffee, 3700 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 917.412.5670, sumpcoffee.com

URBAN UNDERDOG COLLAR AND LEASH Collar: $15. Leash: $17. Urban Chestnut Brewing Co., 4465 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.222.0143, urbanchestnut.com

April 2019

PHOTOS BY JONATHAN GAYMAN

M A R V E LO U S MERCH

April 2019

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CLUB LABNEH WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES AND ZHOUG recipe on p. 43

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April 2019

MED

PRESERVED LEMON recipe on p. 44

fresh, easy mediterranean recipes B Y D E E R Y A N // P H O T O S B Y C A R M E N T R O E S S E R

April 2019

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EGGPLANT BRUSCHETTA recipe on p. 43

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April 2019

R E C I P E S SPICED CARROTS ON GARLICKY LENTILS

This is a great vegan dish to take to a potluck or a great base for any protein.

4 SERVINGS

¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 5 Tbsp. olive oil, divided 2 Tbsp. chopped mint 1 Tbsp. harissa 1 tsp. honey or agave 3 to 4 large carrots, peeled and shredded (about 2 cups) 3 cups water 1 cup green or French lentils 6 to 8 garlic cloves, minced (about ¼ cup) 1 tsp. cumin ½ tsp. allspice Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 Tbsp. chopped preserved lemon (or 1 Tbsp. lemon zest and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice) • In a medium bowl, whisk together the parsley, 3 tablespoons oil, mint, harissa and honey. Toss with the shredded carrots and set aside.

• In a medium pot, combine the water and lentils and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to mediumlow and simmer 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.

• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, allspice, salt and pepper, then add the lentils into the skillet and toss. Stir in the preserved lemon.

• Place the lentils on a serving plate and top with the carrot salad. Serve warm or at room temperature.

EGGPLANT BRUSCHETTA

Serve this as an appetizer or simple dinner.

4 SERVINGS

1 eggplant, sliced into 1-inch rounds Olive oil, for brushing and drizzling April 2019

1 Tbsp. za’atar, plus more to taste 1 baguette, halved lengthwise 1 cup arugula, torn into small pieces ½ cup chopped hothouse cucumber 4 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced 2 Tbsp. chopped mint 2 Tbsp. thinly sliced preserved lemon (or 1 Tbsp. lemon zest and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice) 1 tsp. cumin Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 cup hummus • Prepare a grill for high, direct heat, or preheat the broiler.

• Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil and sprinkle with the za’atar. Grill the eggplant over direct heat 2 to 3 minutes per side, or broil 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and set aside.

• Brush the cut side of the baguette with oil and grill or broil until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cut into 4-inch pieces.

• Dice the reserved eggplant into ½-inch pieces. In a large bowl, combine the eggplant with the arugula, cucumber, sun-dried tomatoes, mint, preserved lemon and cumin. Drizzle with additional olive oil and toss well.

Season to taste with salt, pepper and additional za’atar.

• Divide the hummus evenly over the baguette pieces and spoon the eggplant mixture on top. Serve at room temperature.

MOROCCAN MEATBALLS

Rehydrated dried apricots add sweetness and texture to these meatballs.

3 TO 4 SERVINGS (16 MEATBALLS)

4 to 5 dried apricots ½ lb. ground chuck ½ lb. ground lamb ¼ cup chopped cilantro ¼ cup minced onion 1 egg, lightly beaten

3 Tbsp. chopped preserved lemon 1 Tbsp. ras el hanout 1 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 cup herbed yogurt, for serving (recipe follows) • In a small bowl, cover the apricots with boiling water. Let sit at least 10 minutes to rehydrate, then drain and coarsely chop.

• In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, ground lamb, cilantro, onion, egg, preserved lemon, ras el hanout, salt, pepper and reserved apricots.

Using your hands, mix just until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Be careful not to overwork the mixture or the meatballs will be tough.

• Form into 16 1-ounce balls, place on a lined baking sheet and refrigerate 1 hour.

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

• Bake the meatballs until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with foil to keep warm before serving.

• To serve, spread the herbed yogurt on a platter and place the meatballs on top.

HERBED YOGURT

The perfect complement to Moroccan meatballs, this also makes a great dip for pita or fresh vegetables.

ABOUT 1 CUP

1 cup Greek yogurt or labneh ½ cup cilantro ½ cup parsley ¼ cup mint 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 2 to 4 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more as needed Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

LABNEH WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES AND ZHOUG 3 TO 4 SERVINGS

Labneh is like a mix between cream cheese and yogurt you can use in lieu of either. Pomegranate molasses makes an interesting substitution for lemon juice in salad dressings or cocktails. Together with spicy, herbal zhoug, they are a perfect snack that’s so simple it doesn’t need a recipe.

• Spread about 1 cup labneh in a shallow dish, drizzle with about 1 tablespoon each high-quality olive oil, pomegranate molasses and zhoug (recipe follows). Serve with warm pita bread or pita chips.

ZHOUG

I discovered zhoug at Trader Joe’s and use it to add aromatic, herbal heat to just about anything. It’s no more difficult to prepare than a basic pesto.

1½ TO 2 CUPS

¼ to ¹∕³ cup olive oil 2 sliced jalapenos 2 garlic cloves 1 bunch cilantro (about ¾ cup) 1 bunch parsley (about ¾ cup) ½ tsp. chili flakes ½ tsp. cumin ¼ tsp. cardamom Pinch of kosher salt Pinch of sugar • Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the mixture reaches the texture of pesto. Add additional olive oil until the desired consistency is reached.

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined.

Add additional oil until it reaches the desired consistency. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 43

DIY or buy International grocery stores like Jay’s International, Global Foods Market or United Provisions carry these pantry staples, but making your own is easy.

ZA’ATAR ABOUT ¾ CUP

4 Tbsp. sumac 3 Tbsp. dried marjoram 3 Tbsp. dried thyme 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds ½ Tbsp. kosher salt • Combine all ingredients and store in a sealed container up to 6 months.

RAS EL HANOUT ABOUT 1∕8 CUP

1 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp. ground ginger 1 tsp. kosher salt ½ tsp. allspice ½ tsp. cayenne ½ tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. coriander

PRESERVED LEMON

This is a recipe with a very high return on investment. Ridiculously simple to prepare, preserved lemon is the perfect combination of sharp citrus and salt to complement pasta, cheese and soups.

4 to 5 lemons ½ cup kosher salt, divided 5 whole peppercorns 1 bay leaf • Sterilize a 1-quart canning jar or glass container with a tight-fitting lid by washing thoroughly and rinsing with boiling water.

• Wash the lemons thoroughly and cut ¼ inch off each end. Place the lemons upright on a board and cut so they are almost quartered, but are still connected at one end.

• Gently spread open the wedges, and sprinkle the lemons inside and out with the salt.

• One at a time, place the lemons cut side down into the jar, pressing to

release the juice. The lemons should be submerged. If there isn’t enough liquid, remove the last lemon and add all its juice to the jar.

• Add the peppercorns, bay leaf and the remaining salt to the jar, and close the lid.

• Let the jar sit at room temperature 3 days, turning the jar upside down a couple times each day, then refrigerate 3 weeks, turning the jar upside down on occasion.

• Preserved lemon can be stored, refrigerated, up to 6 months. They will be a slightly firm to a jelly-like texture. To use, rinse under cold water, remove any pulp or seeds, and slice or chop as directed.

SPICED CARROTS ON GARLICKY LENTILS recipe on p. 43

• Combine all ingredients and store in a sealed container up to 6 months.

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April 2019

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L A S T B I T E // S T U F F T O D O

APRIL

BY JAMES BOECK M ANN AND TAY L OR COU TAIN SAUCE SPONSORED EVENTS

St. Louis’ Taste of the Nation April 10 – 7 to 9 p.m., St. Louis Union Station Hotel, 1820 Market St., St. Louis, nokidhungry.org Taste up to 28 local restaurants at a night of unlimited sips and bites to help the No Kid Hungry campaign end childhood hunger.

This event includes some of St. Louis’ top restaurants, bars, breweries and distilleries like Nathaniel Reid Bakery, Ferguson Brewing Co., Still 630, Yolklore, Baileys’ Range and more.

Tickets available online.

STLAF Beer Dinner

The Wooden Nickel Crawfish Boil

April 16 – 6:30 to 9 p.m., Third Wheel Brewing, 4008 N. Service Road, St. Peters, 636.323.9810, thirdwheelbrewing.com Fill up on four courses of St. Louis culinary classics like Mayfair salad, smoked pork steak with Vess root beer barbecue sauce and gooey butter cake at Third Wheel Brewing. Third Wheel pours, including an event-exclusive Sarsaparilla Stout, are paired with each course.

Tickets available online or at the brewery.

April 27 – 11 a.m., The Wooden Nickel Pub & Grill, 171 S. Main St., Glen Carbon, 618.288.2141, Facebook: 6th Annual Crawfish Boil Dive into crawfish boil season in Glen Carbon at this all-you-can-eat feast. Fill your plate with fresh Lousiana crawfish boiled with plump Gulf shrimp, corn, andouille, mushrooms and potatoes. Proceeds support Painting the Town Gold, which supports pediatric cancer research.

Progressive Taste

WashMo BBQ, Bikes & Blues

April 13 – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Edwardsville High School, 6161 Center Grove Road, Edwardsville, 618.514.5588, progressivetaste.com Edwardsville and Glen Carbon join forces to support area nonprofits during this progressive restaurant tour. Pick up your ballot and wristband at Edwardsville High School, then start your journey around the communities to sample food and drink from 23 establishments like Bann Thai, Catrina’s and Glazy Square Donuts. Tickets available online.

April 26 – 5 to 10 p.m.; April 27 – 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; April 28 – 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Washington Farmers Market, 317 W. Main St., Washington, 636.239.1743, downtownwashmo.org Washington welcomes around 50 competitive barbecue teams for this three-day competition.

Attendees can vote for their favorite in the People’s Choice competition Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. Area restaurants offer additional food for sale, and live blues music takes place all weekend. Tickets to the People’s Choice competition available online.

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Cookie Bouquet Class April 27 – 1 to 3 p.m., Eckert’s Country Store & Farms, 951 S. Green Mount Road, Belleville, 618.233.0513, eckerts.com Learn how to create cookie flowers during this adults-only, hands-on class at Eckert’s.

Instructor Betty Parks teaches attendees how to use a variety of buttercream icing techniques to create a six-cookie bouquet, which they can take home to enjoy. Tickets available online.

Chefs’ Night Out April 1 – 6 to 9 p.m., Sunset Country Club, 9555 S. Geyer Road, Sunset Hills, 314.919.4785, greatcircle.org/CNO2019 Help a great cause and try creations from more than 20 of St. Louis’ best private club and restaurant chefs at the 23rd annual Chefs’ Night Out. Each chef will donate the food to create a signature small bite, from appetizers and entrees to desserts. Tickets available online.

St. Louis Earth Day Festival April 27 and 28 – 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., The Muny Grounds in Forest Park, 1 Theatre Drive, St. Louis, 314.282.7533, earthday-365.org Learn how to make St. Louis more sustainable at this free two-day festival. Eighteen food vendor members of the Green Dining Alliance, including The Dam, Clementine’s Creamery and HandleBar, offer a wide variety of fare for purchase, and breweries like 4 Hands Brewing Co., Schlafly, Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. and Perennial Artisan Ales are also on hand.

Dining Out For Life May 2 – participating St. Louis restaurants, 314.754.0114, diningoutforlife.com/city/stl Go out for coffee, a quick bite, family dinner or a nightcap and help the St. Louis community. Around 100 local restaurants participate in Dining Out For Life St. Louis, including Vin de Set, Juniper, Copper Pig, Baiku and Yellowbelly.

Twenty-five percent of every bill that night is donated to St. Louis Effort for AIDS. A list of all participating restaurants is available online.

April 2019

April 2019

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L A S T B I T E // W H AT I D O

DAV I D K I R K L A N D It’s only natural that chef David Kirkland opened his first restaurant in the heart of St. Louis’ arts scene. He has always created and appreciated art, from his early days as a professional DJ in San Francisco to 10 years serving farm-to-table brunch fare at Cafe Osage. He opened Turn at the intersection of Grand Center and Midtown Alley in 2017, where he showcases his spin on healthfocused comfort food and his extensive record collection on a rotating wall display. Here, Kirkland talks turntables, small-business success and his favorite after-work indulgence.

– Catherine Klene

“A LOT O F R E A L LY G O O D C U STO M E R BA S E has been built just being a black-owned business.

The black community has completely come in to support me. Then we started thinking about other minority-owned businesses like women-owned businesses and started putting that into our algorithms on Facebook. We get a lot of women in here and womenowned business [owners]. We support each other all the time on Instagram. It’s a really nice community we have.” “ I T ’ S T H E SA M E M U S C L E M E M O RY [when cooking and DJing]. … You

listen to one track on one side, and you have a mixer so you can go back and forth, and you listen to another track. You take one part from that and another part from that to make a whole. It’s the same. It’s even the same motions when I’m stirring and when I’m DJing.” “ I H AV E AT L E A ST 70 0 TO 8 0 0 R EC O R D S . The rest of my collection, which is another 600, is with a former roommate in San Francisco.

Every time I go visit him, I come back with with 50, 60 records. ... And I keep buying records. That’s why it’s a problem. When the record store was in the [.ZACK] building, it was bad.” “ I B O U G H T 4 5 s [growing up]. I bought Kenny Rogers’ ‘Lady.’ I bought Queen’s ‘Another One Bites the Dust.’

And then I saw this other record, and I didn’t know who it was, but I figured if it was close enough to Queen, then I should buy it, and it was ‘Controversy’ by Prince.

That started me listening to Prince and being a collector of all his music. My parents

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Turn, 3224 Locust St., St. Louis, 314.240.5157, davidkirklandcatering.com/turn

always had music. I’ve always had records in my life, but the first ones I purchased with my own money at Streetside Records – those were the ones.” “ N O R M A L LY, W H E N W E C U R AT E T H E WA L L , we try to represent our family and

what music we like, so there’s a wide variety of things. This wall, this is all the music I wanted to play last Friday. ...

It’s pretty eclectic.” “ I WATC H R E A L LY BA D T V – ‘Judge Judy’ – I’ll admit it. I’ll say it out loud. I get it from my mom. My wife makes

fun of me all the time, but it’s like an homage to my mom. My mom used to cook and watch soap operas, and you can’t get any more soap opera than judge TV. … True to my mother’s form, and if I’m watching it and I’m intrigued, I will burn something because I’m not paying attention.”

April 2019

PHOTO BY R.J. HARTBECK

“ O U R F I R ST C L I E N T E L E we were trying to get in was the ladies who lunch because that’s who came to Cafe Osage. … We started using algorithms on Facebook and Yelp and Google and paying attention to who was actually walking through the door and started catering to those people. My demographic has changed from 25- to 60-yearold women to 25- to 55-yearold men who bring in dates.”

April 2019

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L A S T B I T E // L A N D M A R K

CUNETTO HOUSE OF PASTA

BY A DA M R OTH BA R TH

With its mountains of red sauce pasta, endless small glasses of table wine, big tables of families and bustling service, Cunetto House of Pasta is like an avatar of The Hill itself. It’s been in the same space ever since brothers Vince and Joe Cunetto opened the Italian restaurant in 1974.

Their crab, clam and shrimpbased linguini tutto mare has been a best-selling dish since the early days, while the newer, meat-filled tortellini bianco has also proved to be a massive hit.

Vince’s son, Frank Cunetto, was quick to specify that by “new,” he meant it’s only been on the menu for “20 or 25 years.”

5453 Magnolia Ave., St. Louis, 314.781.1135, cunetto.com

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April 2019

PHOTOS BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

Frank now owns and operates the place, and attributes its success to the stability of The Hill – its vast network of closeknit residents and small business.

Cunetto has been around for almost half a century, but it never gets boring. “Every day is something different,” Frank said.

“You run into characters. Every day it’s a whole new experience.

We’ve had celebrities over the years; we’ve had scammers. It’s kind of fun.”

April 2019

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