We have our 12 year old grandson visiting with us this Summer and I find that my computer isn't always available, so I'm a little late in reporting on this charming place in Maplewood.
Here's the kind of small but delightful spot I really like. It's attractive, the food is interesting, the drinks are creative, and the service is friendly.
Gabe Kveton has been in the food industry for 10 years and was ready to try his wings, so he and his sister, Maria, have started Water Street. Maria does the cooking and it's excellent. Gabe is in the front of the house making sure everyone is well taken care of and happy.
They've come up with a simple, light edited menu that can be changed often. Gabe is enchanted with a book named "Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails" and he picks a "new" cocktail from the book every week. Try the Hemingway Daiquiri, with Rum, Maraschino Liqueur, Organic Lime and Grapefruit.
The Kvetons are dedicated to organic fruits and vegetables and it is reflected in their cocktails as well as their food menu. They also have a menu of non-alcoloic drinks that are delicious, like Elderberry Flower Cordial with Seltzer and Lime, or Muddled Organic Raspberries in their House Made Lemonade and Mint, to mention just two. On tap is 1554 New Belgium Dark Ale, 312 Goose Island Wheat Ale, Urban Chestnut' Winged Nut' and Great Divide Titan IPA, as well as bottled beers and an interesting wine list.
The food menu is divided by small and large plates. The night we were there we tried Cucumbers topped with Gorgonzola Mousse and Pancetta and Chicken Liver Pate with Pistachios. Both were delicious.
Chuck had the Mussels and Chorizo in a spicy tomato and white wine sauce, that was much to his liking-he asked for a spoon to get up the last of the liquid, and I had the Sauteed Golden Trout over Spinach with a Chilled Red Beet Salad. It was an interesting combination that worked really well.
For dessert we opted for the Brownie Butter Square with Fresh Fruit and Whipped Cream and the Mixed Berry almond Tart served warm with Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream.
I recommend this very sweet place. Go soon.
Water Street
7268 Manchester Rd
St Louis, MO 63143
314-646-8355
www.waterstreetstl.com
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Ka Ka O/ Chocolates and Confections
If you haven't stopped in at Brian Pelletier's new chocolate and confection shop at 7272 manchester Road, you need to do so immediately.
The shop is extremely attractive and the chocolates are amazing. We were there Friday evening; I could have "bought the store". We were on our way to dinner and the temperature was hovering around 98 degrees, so we bought some yummy chocolate barks and took them with us to the restaurant to keep them from becoming chocolate puddles.
We love dark chocolate bark which is a thin layer of dark chocolate with goodies embedded in them. Friday night we got Dark Chocolate with Toasted Pecans, Fire Roasted Tomato Bark ( when you buy this bark Operation food Search gets $1 of the purchase price), Cracked Whte Pepper and Sea Salt Bark, and a Baies Rose Bar with Pink Peppercorns.
As you can see, it's an adventure to go to ka ka o (pronounced with a short a in the first ka, a long a in the second ka , and a long o). It's a real treat. Yum.
ka ka o
7272 Manchester Road
Maplewood, MO 63143
314-645-4446
2301 South Jefferson Ave
St Louis, MO 63104
314-771-2310
www.kakaochocolate.com
The shop is extremely attractive and the chocolates are amazing. We were there Friday evening; I could have "bought the store". We were on our way to dinner and the temperature was hovering around 98 degrees, so we bought some yummy chocolate barks and took them with us to the restaurant to keep them from becoming chocolate puddles.
We love dark chocolate bark which is a thin layer of dark chocolate with goodies embedded in them. Friday night we got Dark Chocolate with Toasted Pecans, Fire Roasted Tomato Bark ( when you buy this bark Operation food Search gets $1 of the purchase price), Cracked Whte Pepper and Sea Salt Bark, and a Baies Rose Bar with Pink Peppercorns.
As you can see, it's an adventure to go to ka ka o (pronounced with a short a in the first ka, a long a in the second ka , and a long o). It's a real treat. Yum.
ka ka o
7272 Manchester Road
Maplewood, MO 63143
314-645-4446
2301 South Jefferson Ave
St Louis, MO 63104
314-771-2310
www.kakaochocolate.com
Thursday, July 7, 2011
half & half
It's been a while since I've entered anything on this blog. Primarily it was because we were repeating some of our favorites and secondly it was because I was not inspired to recommend some of the new places we tried during this period.
However, I now have a suggestion for a new place in Clayton that deserves your patronage. Today, Chuck and I went to half & half ( yes, all lower case letters) on Maryland Avenue in downtown Clayton that took The Best of Everything space in the colonial strip east of Forsyth.
It's owned by Michael Randolph, the chef who also owns The Good Pie. half & half serves breakfast and lunch from 7AM to 2:30PM Tuesday through Friday, and 8AM to 2:30PM Saturday and Sunday.
We started with the Donuts which were absolutely yummy. Hot, crisp on the outside they reminded me of the beignets in New Orleans. What a way to start the day. They are served in a big coffee cup, and there's about 4-5 in every order.
I chose the Brussels Sprout and Cheddar Omelet, mostly because I was curious to see what it would be like. It was perfectly cooked, with some moisture to the eggs and cheese that was oozing from the first forkful. I opted for the fruit instead of the potatoes that come with the omelet.
Chuck ordered the Fried Chicken Livers. If your heart will take it, that's a real winner! Everyone around us wanted o know what it was as it was placed in front of my Honey. The livers come piled up over roasted potatoes then all of that is piled even higher with French Fried Onions, Caper Aioli Sauce is drizzled over the top, plus a perfectly cooked fried egg. It's a meal and then some, but absolutely delicious.
The breakfast menu has Granola, Oven Baked Oatmeal, Pancakes two different ways, French Toast two different ways, and at least 10 egg dishes, all of which looked fabulous.
The Lunch menu has 4 different Salads, and a bunch of great looking Sandwiches, plus a "rotating coffee menu...offering two seasonal coffees in a variety of hand-crafted styles".
The Brunch Menu on the weekends features fresh, seasonal ingredients and every time I've passed by there on a weekend, the place is jammed, inside and out.
This place is a keeper. Stop by and try your favorites. You won't be sorry.
half & half
8135 Maryland Ave.
63105
twitter.com/halfandhalfstl
halfandhalfstl.com
However, I now have a suggestion for a new place in Clayton that deserves your patronage. Today, Chuck and I went to half & half ( yes, all lower case letters) on Maryland Avenue in downtown Clayton that took The Best of Everything space in the colonial strip east of Forsyth.
It's owned by Michael Randolph, the chef who also owns The Good Pie. half & half serves breakfast and lunch from 7AM to 2:30PM Tuesday through Friday, and 8AM to 2:30PM Saturday and Sunday.
We started with the Donuts which were absolutely yummy. Hot, crisp on the outside they reminded me of the beignets in New Orleans. What a way to start the day. They are served in a big coffee cup, and there's about 4-5 in every order.
I chose the Brussels Sprout and Cheddar Omelet, mostly because I was curious to see what it would be like. It was perfectly cooked, with some moisture to the eggs and cheese that was oozing from the first forkful. I opted for the fruit instead of the potatoes that come with the omelet.
Chuck ordered the Fried Chicken Livers. If your heart will take it, that's a real winner! Everyone around us wanted o know what it was as it was placed in front of my Honey. The livers come piled up over roasted potatoes then all of that is piled even higher with French Fried Onions, Caper Aioli Sauce is drizzled over the top, plus a perfectly cooked fried egg. It's a meal and then some, but absolutely delicious.
The breakfast menu has Granola, Oven Baked Oatmeal, Pancakes two different ways, French Toast two different ways, and at least 10 egg dishes, all of which looked fabulous.
The Lunch menu has 4 different Salads, and a bunch of great looking Sandwiches, plus a "rotating coffee menu...offering two seasonal coffees in a variety of hand-crafted styles".
The Brunch Menu on the weekends features fresh, seasonal ingredients and every time I've passed by there on a weekend, the place is jammed, inside and out.
This place is a keeper. Stop by and try your favorites. You won't be sorry.
half & half
8135 Maryland Ave.
63105
twitter.com/halfandhalfstl
halfandhalfstl.com
Friday, May 6, 2011
Oak Barrel Bistro and Artisan Bakery
We finally got a beautiful day. The weather in St Louis has been cold and rainy this May and I was despairing; May is usually my favorite month. So when the temperature reached 70 degrees today, it being Friday, when my husband and I have our weekly date for lunch, we decided to drive to O'Fallon to the Oak Barrel Bistro and Artisan Bakery and check it out.
It's really easy to find. Just go West on I-64 to Exit 9, Rte K, take a right and look for Waterbury Falls Drive, which is about 1/2 mile from I-64 on your right. It's about 20 minutes from Clayton when traffic is light.
We were met by Louise, who's a charming woman, an implant from England. The breakfast and lunch menus are on a blackboard above the cases of beautiful desserts that greet you as you walk in the door.
We both chose sandwiches. I had a pulled pork on delicious french bread, with a garlicky mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato and a side of broccoli salad. Chuck had a ham and cheese on artisan white bread and potato salad, which he really liked. The breads are baked there daily and are fabulous. We shared their famous bread pudding with Creme Anglais for dessert. All in all a delightful lunch.
We had read some pretty impressive reviews of the Oak Barrel Bistro and asked to see the dinner menu. It is obvious that they have some real talent in the kitchen. We can hardly wait to go back and try it. Be sure to make a reservation when you want to see what all the excitement is about. This is a special establishment with farm fresh foods and some great ideas.
Oak Barrel Bistro and Artisan Bakery
957 Waterbury Falls Drive
636-329-8250
It's really easy to find. Just go West on I-64 to Exit 9, Rte K, take a right and look for Waterbury Falls Drive, which is about 1/2 mile from I-64 on your right. It's about 20 minutes from Clayton when traffic is light.
We were met by Louise, who's a charming woman, an implant from England. The breakfast and lunch menus are on a blackboard above the cases of beautiful desserts that greet you as you walk in the door.
We both chose sandwiches. I had a pulled pork on delicious french bread, with a garlicky mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato and a side of broccoli salad. Chuck had a ham and cheese on artisan white bread and potato salad, which he really liked. The breads are baked there daily and are fabulous. We shared their famous bread pudding with Creme Anglais for dessert. All in all a delightful lunch.
We had read some pretty impressive reviews of the Oak Barrel Bistro and asked to see the dinner menu. It is obvious that they have some real talent in the kitchen. We can hardly wait to go back and try it. Be sure to make a reservation when you want to see what all the excitement is about. This is a special establishment with farm fresh foods and some great ideas.
Oak Barrel Bistro and Artisan Bakery
957 Waterbury Falls Drive
636-329-8250
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Farmhaus Restaurant
Back again. We can't seem to get enough of a good thing and that is what the Farmhaus Restaurant is. Kevin Willmann has been voted one of the NEW BEST CHEFS 2011 by Food and Wine Magazine. This is a very prestigious honor and well deserved.
We were lucky to be able to sit at the bar tonight so I could watch Kevin and his crew at work in the kitchen.
It's Spring and the menu reflects the beginnings of this glorious season. Tonight I started with the Grilled Asparagus Salad. Hurry over to the Farmhaus before the asparagus season is over! This salad is a winner.
It's described on the menu as" Hearty Terra Bella Farms greens,Baetje Farms Goat Cheese, Crispy Shallots, Grilled Ramps (baby wild leeks), Caesar Dressin'". It is the perfect melange of the fresh tastes of Spring plus the texture of the crispy shallots with the smoky grilled asparagus and the creamy goat cheese is perfect.
For my main course I had Pensacola Cobia, Grilled, with Spoonbread( and no one makes spoonbread like Kevin!) Grilled Ramps (I love them, and they really have a short season) Savory Creme Anglaise, with a Radish and Herb Salad. It was superb. Flaky and perfectly grilled, cobia is a fish that has a slightly sweet finish and with the swiss chard and sorrel that made up the herb salad, it gave it just a hint of bitterness that made it even more interesting, and then this incredible sauce gave you the feeling of pure luxury in your mouth. Wow.
Dessert was Strawberry Rhubarb Tart. This consisted of a small fluted fried empanada tart filled with the strawberries and rhubarb in an orange confit, and strawberry semi-freddo with orange marmalade on top.
My Honey had his perennial favorite, Kevin's famous Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf with Sweet and Yukon Smashed Potatoes, Pearl Onions and Tomato-Merlot Reduction. He started with Conch Fritters. There were three of them served with a Roasted Corn, Jalapeno, Sriracha Mayonnaise. I forgot to ask about the Srirach, so the next time you're there be sure to find out what it is and let me know. All I do know is that we loved them.
Farmhaus Restaurant
3257 Ivanhoe Avenue
63139
314-647-3800
www.farmhausrestarant.com
We were lucky to be able to sit at the bar tonight so I could watch Kevin and his crew at work in the kitchen.
It's Spring and the menu reflects the beginnings of this glorious season. Tonight I started with the Grilled Asparagus Salad. Hurry over to the Farmhaus before the asparagus season is over! This salad is a winner.
It's described on the menu as" Hearty Terra Bella Farms greens,Baetje Farms Goat Cheese, Crispy Shallots, Grilled Ramps (baby wild leeks), Caesar Dressin'". It is the perfect melange of the fresh tastes of Spring plus the texture of the crispy shallots with the smoky grilled asparagus and the creamy goat cheese is perfect.
For my main course I had Pensacola Cobia, Grilled, with Spoonbread( and no one makes spoonbread like Kevin!) Grilled Ramps (I love them, and they really have a short season) Savory Creme Anglaise, with a Radish and Herb Salad. It was superb. Flaky and perfectly grilled, cobia is a fish that has a slightly sweet finish and with the swiss chard and sorrel that made up the herb salad, it gave it just a hint of bitterness that made it even more interesting, and then this incredible sauce gave you the feeling of pure luxury in your mouth. Wow.
Dessert was Strawberry Rhubarb Tart. This consisted of a small fluted fried empanada tart filled with the strawberries and rhubarb in an orange confit, and strawberry semi-freddo with orange marmalade on top.
My Honey had his perennial favorite, Kevin's famous Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf with Sweet and Yukon Smashed Potatoes, Pearl Onions and Tomato-Merlot Reduction. He started with Conch Fritters. There were three of them served with a Roasted Corn, Jalapeno, Sriracha Mayonnaise. I forgot to ask about the Srirach, so the next time you're there be sure to find out what it is and let me know. All I do know is that we loved them.
Farmhaus Restaurant
3257 Ivanhoe Avenue
63139
314-647-3800
www.farmhausrestarant.com
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Bocci Bar
Last night we decided to try out the "new kid in the block" Bocci Bar at 16 North Central Avenue in downtown Clayton. It's always exciting when a restaurant opens and this one promises to be a welcome addition. Frank Schmitz, the owner of the highly popular tapas bar Barcelona, has created an informal northern Italian dining experience that gives a modern spin to Italian comfort food.
I particularly liked the way the floor to ceiling glass doors open to the sidewalk. It was a beautiful, warm night, and the excitement of finally having some decent weather was reflected in the number of people eating outside as well as those seated inside the open doors inside the restaurant.
We were seated at the banquet that runs most of the length of the north wall. It was extremely comfortable and even though we were seated next to a larger party, the acoustics were fine; my Honey and I did not need to shout at one another in order to have a conversation.
I started my meal with a Caprese Salad. The tomatoes were enormous! Even though they were winter tomatoes the creaminess of the house made mozzarella and the balsamic dressing made it a very good choice. I followed that with Veal Scalloppini with Sweet Peas, Spring Onions and Ramps. Ramps are actually wild leeks and are only available in the very early Spring, so this was a real treat. The veal was thicker than the usual scaloppini, but it was tender and had the most delicious gravy that I had to use a slice of the ciabatta, that is served in a cone cylinder at every table, to sop it up.
Chuck opted for the Italian Fish Stew. It was a generous serving of halibut, mussels, calamari and shrimp in a tomato saffron broth. He loved it. The broth was heavenly ( I got a taste ) and it was loaded with seafood.
For dessert we shared Citrus Tiramisu. It's listed as a "modern spring twist on the Italian classic", and it was. It is light and quite refreshing. It was served with two delicious cookies that were made by Frank's sister, Ellen Schmitz, who runs Mosaic Bistro and Market next door to Bocci. They are made with white chocolate and orange and they're really good, plus there was a chocolate dipped biscotti.
The coffee at Bocci is really wonderful. Each cup is made individually on a wonderful European espresso machine that dispenses a shot ( or two for a double ) of either regular or decaffeinated espresso.
The flavor is fantastic. I hadn't had coffee like that since my last trip to Italy.
Chuck and I decided to have full dinners, but you can choose from crostini, antipastos, salads, soups, pizzas, flatbreads, pastas, and full entrees and just mix, match and share from all of these items.
So do come and try out our new neighbor and see what all the excitement is about.
Bocci Bar
16 North Central Avenue
63105
314-932-1040
www.boccibar.com
I particularly liked the way the floor to ceiling glass doors open to the sidewalk. It was a beautiful, warm night, and the excitement of finally having some decent weather was reflected in the number of people eating outside as well as those seated inside the open doors inside the restaurant.
We were seated at the banquet that runs most of the length of the north wall. It was extremely comfortable and even though we were seated next to a larger party, the acoustics were fine; my Honey and I did not need to shout at one another in order to have a conversation.
I started my meal with a Caprese Salad. The tomatoes were enormous! Even though they were winter tomatoes the creaminess of the house made mozzarella and the balsamic dressing made it a very good choice. I followed that with Veal Scalloppini with Sweet Peas, Spring Onions and Ramps. Ramps are actually wild leeks and are only available in the very early Spring, so this was a real treat. The veal was thicker than the usual scaloppini, but it was tender and had the most delicious gravy that I had to use a slice of the ciabatta, that is served in a cone cylinder at every table, to sop it up.
Chuck opted for the Italian Fish Stew. It was a generous serving of halibut, mussels, calamari and shrimp in a tomato saffron broth. He loved it. The broth was heavenly ( I got a taste ) and it was loaded with seafood.
For dessert we shared Citrus Tiramisu. It's listed as a "modern spring twist on the Italian classic", and it was. It is light and quite refreshing. It was served with two delicious cookies that were made by Frank's sister, Ellen Schmitz, who runs Mosaic Bistro and Market next door to Bocci. They are made with white chocolate and orange and they're really good, plus there was a chocolate dipped biscotti.
The coffee at Bocci is really wonderful. Each cup is made individually on a wonderful European espresso machine that dispenses a shot ( or two for a double ) of either regular or decaffeinated espresso.
The flavor is fantastic. I hadn't had coffee like that since my last trip to Italy.
Chuck and I decided to have full dinners, but you can choose from crostini, antipastos, salads, soups, pizzas, flatbreads, pastas, and full entrees and just mix, match and share from all of these items.
So do come and try out our new neighbor and see what all the excitement is about.
Bocci Bar
16 North Central Avenue
63105
314-932-1040
www.boccibar.com
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Salume Beddu
For our regular Friday date, Chuck and I went to Salume Beddu, which had just announced that they will be serving lunch this week.
I had been buying their products at the Clayton Farmers' Market for a couple of years and was delighted that they had found a permanent location. These two young men, Mark Sanfilippo and Ben Poremba, are immensely talented.
I was so happy to find them. Mark makes these unbelievably wonderful homemade crackers that I hoard during the winter months when I had not been able to get them. Now all I have to do is to drive to their new place of business and voila' there they are.
Ben is dedicated to curing and creating delicious salame, coppa, speck ( a kind of proscuitto), salsiccia, soppressatas, roasted pork belly, whatever. All the meats at Salume Beddu are made in house. In fact, right on the sign over their establishment it says, Salume Beddu, Artisan Cured Meats, Established 2007.
What they have created is a place where you can get not only delicious house cured meats and fabulous crackers, but very special, interesting cheeses, antipasto ingredients, imported pastas, Zursun heirloom beans grown in Idaho, Mediterranean inspired side dishes, and amazing bread from Red Guitar, by the baker, Alex Carlson. The crust is incredible.
Mark and Ben have put up a communal table at one end of their establishment, so while you're enjoying your delicious meal, you can visit with the other diners. There were some very serious foodies there when we were there and every one of them was delighted with his or her choices.
Chuck and I tried a bunch of the offerings. He had Coppa and Fresh Mozzarella with Pears and I had Speck with Ricotta Salata, Preserved Lemons and Toasted Hazelnuts. If you're not familiar with Ricotta Salata, you should get acquainted. It's nothing like the ricotta you get in a carton at the grocery store. It's a white solid cheese with a slightly salty finish that goes beautifully with fruity flavors. I adore it.
Both our plates were absolutely yummy and wonderful looking. Chuck's pears were thinly sliced lengthwise so you could enjoy the entire silhouette of the pear. My preserved lemons were also thinly sliced and looked elegant on the plate plus they added a special note to the speck and ricotta salata that was just the right note. The toasted hazelnuts added crunch and flavor that enhanced the entire dish.
Next we had Bruschetta that today was a Lamb Sausage with amazing secret sauce and herbs. It was served hot on Alex Carlson's terrific bread.
For dessert we had a Creamy Sheep Milk Cheese with Honeyed Preserved Figs. Lovely.
Do yourself a favor check this place out. You won't be disappointed.
Salume Beddu
3467 Hampton Avenue
63139
314-353-3100
www.salumebeddu.com
I had been buying their products at the Clayton Farmers' Market for a couple of years and was delighted that they had found a permanent location. These two young men, Mark Sanfilippo and Ben Poremba, are immensely talented.
I was so happy to find them. Mark makes these unbelievably wonderful homemade crackers that I hoard during the winter months when I had not been able to get them. Now all I have to do is to drive to their new place of business and voila' there they are.
Ben is dedicated to curing and creating delicious salame, coppa, speck ( a kind of proscuitto), salsiccia, soppressatas, roasted pork belly, whatever. All the meats at Salume Beddu are made in house. In fact, right on the sign over their establishment it says, Salume Beddu, Artisan Cured Meats, Established 2007.
What they have created is a place where you can get not only delicious house cured meats and fabulous crackers, but very special, interesting cheeses, antipasto ingredients, imported pastas, Zursun heirloom beans grown in Idaho, Mediterranean inspired side dishes, and amazing bread from Red Guitar, by the baker, Alex Carlson. The crust is incredible.
Mark and Ben have put up a communal table at one end of their establishment, so while you're enjoying your delicious meal, you can visit with the other diners. There were some very serious foodies there when we were there and every one of them was delighted with his or her choices.
Chuck and I tried a bunch of the offerings. He had Coppa and Fresh Mozzarella with Pears and I had Speck with Ricotta Salata, Preserved Lemons and Toasted Hazelnuts. If you're not familiar with Ricotta Salata, you should get acquainted. It's nothing like the ricotta you get in a carton at the grocery store. It's a white solid cheese with a slightly salty finish that goes beautifully with fruity flavors. I adore it.
Both our plates were absolutely yummy and wonderful looking. Chuck's pears were thinly sliced lengthwise so you could enjoy the entire silhouette of the pear. My preserved lemons were also thinly sliced and looked elegant on the plate plus they added a special note to the speck and ricotta salata that was just the right note. The toasted hazelnuts added crunch and flavor that enhanced the entire dish.
Next we had Bruschetta that today was a Lamb Sausage with amazing secret sauce and herbs. It was served hot on Alex Carlson's terrific bread.
For dessert we had a Creamy Sheep Milk Cheese with Honeyed Preserved Figs. Lovely.
Do yourself a favor check this place out. You won't be disappointed.
Salume Beddu
3467 Hampton Avenue
63139
314-353-3100
www.salumebeddu.com
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