Author's posts

The Scoop: Sym•Bowl to open new locations in St. Charles, Creve Coeur

SymBowl_05

Sym•Bowl, which specializes in build-your-own bowls, will open its third location at 1456 Bass Pro Shop Drive in St. Charles in late March or early April, according to co-owner Becky Schoening.

The new St. Charles location, which was formerly a sushi restaurant, will have approximately 30 seats, feature the same menu as its sister restaurants, and will also house a small bottling facility for Sym•Bowl’s line of hot sauces.

But the Sym•Bowl expansion isn’t over. Schoening said she and business partner Gregory Owens will soon open a fourth location in Creve Couer. Schoening said details should be finalized in the next few weeks, and store number five will hopefully follow soon.

“We’re also looking for something in the city, but nothing is on the radar yet,” Schoening said, adding that both upcoming locations will be approximately the same size as the other restaurants and feature the same menu.

Sym•Bowl opened its second location last year in Chesterfield at 137 Chesterfield Town Center. The original Kirkwood restaurant at 11215 Manchester Road, which had initially retained the name The HotPot, changed over to the Sym•Bowl moniker after the first of the year.

Photo by Michelle Volansky

Related Content
First Look: Sym•Bowl in Chesterfield

The Scoop: The HotPot to rebrand, open new location in Chesterfield

 

By Matt Sorrell

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

The Scoop: Good Fortune finds a home in Botanical Heights

020817_goodfortune

{ Rendering of the future home of Good Fortune in Botanical Heights }

Highly anticipated Chinese-American restaurant Good Fortune has finally found a home. Co-owner Corey Smale announced today, Feb. 8, that the restaurant will open this July in the Botanical Heights neighborhood.

Smale, former co-owner of Strange Donuts, purchased a building at 1654 Tower Grove Ave., with attorney James P. Sanders and realtor Chris Hulse. The trio will be the landlords, with Good Fortune as the tenant. The upcoming eatery is also co-owned by Bob Brazell, Ryan McDonald and Hana Chung of Byrd & Barrel.

Good Fortune announced its inception last year and was on the hunt for a location for several months. The team hosted several pop-ups and collaboration dinners around town, introducing people to its takes on Chinese-American fare.

J.P. Burcks will provide arts and graphics for the project, and Gabe McKee and V Three Studios will handle architecture duties. The building, which was constructed in 1954, was most recently a day care facility. Smale said there’s a lot of work to be done before the doors open.

“It’s pretty gnarly right now,” Smale said. “We’re going to keep the bricks and floor and whatever we can. We’ll make it ours.”

While construction is underway, Good Fortune will host some more pop-up events to whet the public’s appetite, including a 12-course collaboration with chef Mike Randolph at Half & Half in Clayton on Friday, Feb. 24, and Saturday, Feb. 25.

By Matt Sorrell

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

The Scoop: Josh Charles leaves Element, heads to Blood & Sand

The Scoop: Josh Charles leaves Element, heads to Blood & Sand

February 6th 02:02pm, 2017

020617_joshcharles

Chef Josh Charles has left his post as executive chef at Element to helm the kitchen at Blood & Sand, as reported by St. Louis Magazine. Charles’ former chef de cuisine Tudor Seserman has stepped up to assume the executive chef role. Charles said the passing of the torch was smooth thanks to their close working relationship.

In his new role, Charles said he’ll work with Blood & Sand’s current chef Chris Krzysik through Valentine’s Day, and then will begin making his mark on the menu.

“The day after, it starts,” he said, adding it should take a month of switching out a couple of dishes at a time before the transition is complete. Charles said diners can expect a bill of fare that reflects his focus on quality ingredients and techniques. While he’ll put his stamp on the food at Blood & Sand, the restaurant’s much-loved tater tots will remain.

“It’s a great platform and a beautiful place,” said Charles. “They’ve always had a reputation for putting out great food and drink. I’m super excited.”

Krzysik said he is currently in talks to take a position at another restaurant, but couldn’t share more information at this time. Element co-owner Carol Hastie did not return requests for comment.

Photo courtesy of Christina Lane 

Related Content
The Scoop: New owner discusses vision for Blood & Sand

• The Scoop: Josh Charles is named executive chef at Element

• Ones to Watch 2014: Josh Charles and John Fauz

By Matt Sorrell

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

The Scoop: The Fifth Wheel exits 4 Hands tasting room

The Scoop: The Fifth Wheel exits 4 Hands tasting room

February 6th 12:02pm, 2017

020617_fifthwheel

The Fifth Wheel Catering at 4 Hands Brewing Co. has closed. Its last day of service was Sunday, Feb. 5.

Fifth Wheel is under the umbrella of Baileys’ Restaurants, which includes Rooster, Small Batch, Bridge, Baileys’ Range, Baileys’ Chocolate Bar and Shift: Test Kitchen. The small kitchen at 4 Hands turned out tacos, burritos and other tasting room fare for the last five years.

Owner Dave Bailey said the company is refocusing its catering efforts on its two downtown event spaces, Willow and Slate. “It’s been great sharing space with 4 Hands,” he said. “We want to retool our catering business and focus on those two locations.”

4 Hands owner Kevin Lemp said the brewery will continue to offer food, and he is currently working on a new concept, which will be announced soon. “Dave was a pleasure to work with, and we’ll continue to be tight with the Baileys’ crew,” he said.

By Matt Sorrell

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

The Scoop: St. Louis-area breweries clean up at RateBeer Best Awards

020317_ratebeer

Once again, St. Louis-area breweries, taprooms, bars and retailers were well represented at the annual RateBeer Best Awards. Side Project Brewing, Perennial Artisan Ales and Saint Louis Brewery were all named among the Top 100 Best Brewers in the world.

This is the third time both Side Project and Perennial have made the Top 100 list. “In the U.S. there are more than 4,000 breweries, and this is worldwide,” said Perennial co-owner Phil Wymore. “This is pretty exclusive company and we’re honored to be a part of it.”

The RateBeer awards are based on user reviews of beer and breweries around the world.

“It’s always an honor,” said brewer and co-owner Cory King. “We try really hard to make great beer, and it’s good to know that as small as we are, we can still make waves.”

This is the first year the Saint Louis Brewery, which brews Schlafly Beer, has made the list. “We’re absolutely flattered and grateful to all those who made it happen,” said Schlafly founding brewer Stephen Hale. “It’s a really special thing to get this kind of recognition.”

Side Project took home an armload of awards in the regional and style. In the statewide categories, it took home Top Beer in Missouri for Anabasis, as well as Top Brewery and Best Brewery Tap Room in the state.

Three Side Project beers were named among the Best New Beers out of more than 60,000 worldwide: Pulling Nails No. 4, Bleuet du Fermier and Saison du Fermier from Pinot Noir Puncheons.

The Pulling Nails was also named one of the 100 Best Beers in the World and earned a bronze medal for Best Belgian Style Sour Ale, while the Saison du Fermier won a silver for Best Belgian Style Ale and Side Project’s Biere du Pays earned a bronze for Best Belgian Session.

New brewery Narrow Gauge Brewing Co. also received recognition, earning Best New Brewer in Missouri. Owner-brewer Jeff Hardesty said he found out about the honor when someone tweeted him congratulations.

“Anytime something like that comes up, it’s surreal,” Hardesty said. “The amount of recognition we’ve received in the community, it kind of blows my mind every day.”

Other statewide RateBeer awards include Best Brewpub for Schlafly Tap Room, Best Restaurant for Baileys Range, Best Grocery for Wine & Cheese Place and Best Bar for Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar.

Editor’s note: This piece was updated at 4:35 p.m. Feb. 3 to include an additional from Phil Wymore.  

Related Content
The Scoop: Local breweries take top RateBeer awards

Drink This Weekend Edition: 3 GABF-worthy beers

The Scoop: Kakao wins third Good Food Award

By Matt Sorrell

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Grilled: Smoked Whiskey Wings

Grilled: Smoked Whiskey Wings

February 3rd 01:02pm, 2017

020317_grilled

Rich wood smoke and serious heat from a homemade dry rub send these chicken wings into another stratosphere – and soaking them in whiskey certainly doesn’t hurt either. An extended bath in a boozy marinade helps keep the wings plump and moist throughout the smoking process. Simple enough to pull off in an afternoon, these gorgeously charred babies make for a wonderful alternative to traditional deep fried or grilled wings.

Smoked Whiskey Wings
4 to 6 servings

4 cups water
¼ cup bourbon or mild American whiskey
4 lbs. chicken wings, drumettes and flats separated
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. sugar

• In very large bowl, stir together the water and whiskey. Add the wings, cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove the wings from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the marinade.
• In a small bowl, make a dry rub by combining the remaining ingredients. Liberally coat the wings in the dry rub.
• Prepare a charcoal grill or smoker for medium-low indirect heat, around 300 degrees. When the coals are gray, add 1 cup hickory or apple wood chips. Place the wings over indirect heat, arranging the larger pieces closest to the fire. Cover the grill and smoke 40 minutes. Add another 1 cup wood chips, cover and smoke another 40 minutes, adding fresh charcoal as needed.
• Remove the wings and cover with foil until ready to serve.

Related Content
• Eat This: Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings from Diner’s Delight

Recipe: Lemon-Pepper Chicken Wings

Recipe: Honey Sriracha Wings

By Matt Berkley

Tags: , , , , ,

The Scoop: Diablitos Cantina to close doors in Midtown

The Scoop: Diablitos Cantina to close doors in Midtown

February 3rd 10:02am, 2017

062915_diablitos_AshleyGieseking

Midtown’s Diablitos Cantina will shut its doors for good after service on Feb. 14. The closing was announced on the restaurant’s Facebook page on yesterday, Feb. 2, as reported by Feast. The Mexican cantina opened in late 2011.

Gurpreet Padda is a principal at In Good Company, which owns Diablitos, Sanctuaria Wild Tapas in The Grove and Hendricks BBQ in St. Charles. He said the Diablitos’ lease with Saint Louis University is up this month, and the university intends to tear down the building at 3761 Laclede Ave., to build additional dorms.

Padda said most of the food and drinks from Diablitos will be available at sister restaurant Sanctuaria, and there is no plan currently to reopen.

“We don’t have the capacity to reopen Diablitos at this point,” he said. Diablitos’ employees will be relocated to Sanctuaria or two other projects the company has in the works – though Padda declined to share details on those projects.

Photo by Ashley Gieseking 

Related Content
The Scoop: Marc Rollins to take the reins at In Good Company

• Drink This Weekend Edition: Where to drink by the fire

 Drink This Weekend Edition: Where to toast the departed

By Matt Sorrell

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Sneak Peek: Boardwalk Waffles & Ice Cream in Maplewood

Sneak Peek: Boardwalk Waffles & Ice Cream in Maplewood

February 2nd 03:02pm, 2017

BoardwalkWaffles_04

The scent of fresh-made waffles will soon waft down Manchester Road in Maplewood when Boardwalk Waffles & Ice Cream opens doors this Saturday, Feb. 4. As The Scoop reported in October 2015, owners Eric and Laurie Moore sought to bring a taste of Eric Moore’s childhood summers on the Jersey shore to Maplewood.

The narrow space briefly housed a second location of I Scream Cakes, but doors closed just a few months after that establishment opened. Since it was already designed to function as a scoop shop, the Moores made mostly cosmetic changes to the shop, including a fresh coat of paint and resurfaced floors.

Boardwalk’s menu features scoops of Serendipity ice cream sandwiched between fluffy made-to-order Belgian waffles. Customers can choose from a full order – two waffles and four scoops – or a modest single-scoop pressed between a waffle half. They can also forgo the waffle all together and simply enjoy a scoop or two in a cup, or indulge in breakfast for dessert with a plain waffle drizzled with syrup and butter.

Boardwalk Waffles & Ice Cream will be open Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Here’s a sneak peek at what to expect when the waffle irons heat up on Saturday:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Photos by Michelle Volansky

Related Content
The Scoop: Boardwalk Waffles & Ice Cream headed to Maplewood

The Scoop: Serendipity owner, business partner purchase The Fire & Ice Cream Truck

10 to Try: The best house-made scoops of summer

By Catherine Klene

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Summer Internship Opportunity: Special Events Internship

Summer Internship Opportunity: Special Events Internship

February 1st 11:02am, 2017

050116_foodtrucks

Do you love the STL food scene? Can’t get enough Food Truck Friday? Be a part of bringing it all together as a Sauce Special Events Intern.

As a Special Events Intern, you will:

-Assist Sauce Events Coordinator in preparing for, setting up, operating and breaking down all Food Truck Friday events beginning May 12
-Assist in preparation and execution of the annual Saucy Soiree on June 4
-Learn how to plan and execute large-scale food-driven events
-Learn how to promote and market events on a variety of print and online platforms
-Other duties as assigned

The Special Events Intern must be:

-At least 18 years old with a reliable form of transportation
-Outgoing, reliable and flexible with experience working events
-Personable and professional on the phone, in written communication and in person
– Have a proven track record for taking initiative and working harmoniously on a team project
-Proficient in Microsoft Office
-Able to work outdoor events during St. Louis summers
-Comfortably lift up to 30 pounds
-Willing to occasionally get his or her hands dirty

This internship is unpaid; interested applicants may submit a cover letter and resume to Special Events Coordinator Amy Hyde at ahyde@saucemagazine.com. Resumes must be submitted no later than Friday, April 1. No calls please.

Photo by Greg Rannells

By admin

Tags: , , ,

Extra Sauce: In case you missed it…

From national recognition of a hometown staple to the opening of new St. Peters chop house, here’s what went down last week, ICYMI…

011216_gioias

1. The James Beard Foundation has announced the five recipients of its 2017 America’s Classics award, and one of St. Louis’ longtime favorites has landed on the list. Gioia’s Deli is the first St. Louis restaurant to receive the honor since the award’s inception in 1998.

2. The annual Good Food Awards were announced Jan. 20, and area chocolatier Kakao Chocolate has earned top honors in the confections category with its Norton Pâtés du Vin, a fruit gel made with Augusta Winery’s Norton.

CorkAndBarrel_02

3. Cork & Barrel Chop House and Spirits opened doors with brunch service this Sunday, Jan. 29. As The Scoop reported in June, the 7,000-square-foot restaurant is located at 7337 Mexico Road.

4. White Rooster Farmhouse Brewery is set to start brewing in Sparta, Illinois, in the near future. Co-owner Mike Deutschmann said the brewery should be up and running at 113 W. Jackson St., this spring.

NewDay_01

5. New Day Gluten Free has a new home in Clayton. After closing their Ellisville location three months ago, co-owners Garrett and Kelly Beck have reopened their gluten-free, peanut-free restaurant and bakery at 7807 Clayton Road on Monday, Jan. 16.

6. Arlene Maminta Browne and Stanley Browne have announced their first non-Robust Wine Bar concept: Snax Gastrobar, set to open in early March.

012617_giovannis

7. Giovanni’s On The Hill at 5201 Shaw Ave., was damaged by fire on Wednesday, Jan. 26. Co-owner Carmelo Gabriele said no one was hurt, but the building did suffer substantial damage.

The Smokin’ Monkey food truck, which specialized in “barbecue with a tropical twist,” is officially off the road.

By Catherine Klene

Tags: ,