take my order 'cause (filomena's) like a carryout

Thursday night of a long week can only mean one thing: takeout for dinner. I've passed Filomena's Italian Kitchen many times while gallivanting down Manchester, so I figured tonight was as good as any.

After navigating a rather awkward parking lot, I walked in to a very home-y feeling place.  A plethora of well-aged ladies, couples and small families filled up most of the space. Among them, a group was enjoying a bottle of wine - as I do not see wine on the menu, I am assuming it's a BYO type place (Filomena's - 1).

My order was taken right away and came up much faster than I expected (that, or I got lost in the time warp that is my smartphone). Since it was our first trip, we stuck with the basics: red pasta, white pasta, salad and garlic bread.

(Ok. So it was garlic bread with sauce and cheese. Big diff.)

I dug into the Pizza Bread first - an Italian loaf with sesame seeds split into two, then covered with marinara and a "blend" of cheeses and baked until delicious. When I cut into it, the cheese kind of slid off making it a bit if a messy project.  But hey, I'm not that picky.  The bread had been toasted to a nice crisp on the outside, while the amount of sauce perfectly helped to soften up the middle.  The melted cheese was a bit too much for me and was heading in the rubbery direction by the time I got home.  Overall, though, a solid selection.


Our side salads were on the basic side - romaine and iceberg with tomatoes, red onions and a sprinkling of provolone.  Balsamic Vinaigrette was the house dressing and it just didn't do it for me (surprisingly, the hubs loved it though).

I chose one of my favorite dishes like ever for my entree - spaghetti with marinara (that's foodie like... right?).  My ideal spaghetti dish has a mild flavor and lands on the saltier side of the sugary-salty spectrum.  And this hit the nail on the head. Steady flavor, not over powered with garlic, complemented by a sprinkling of cheese and fresh parsley basil something green (I promise, I've been practicing my foodie skills, but the flavor was just so mild, I couldn't pinpoint the herb).  Regardless, just my style.

Per my usual, I stole politely asked the hubs for a bite of his Penne Alfredo with Chicken - purely for research, of course.  His dish was also quite a solid piece.  Garlic definitely hinted through, but it was not overpowering.  The sauce itself had a nice not-too-heavy consistency, but there definitely could have been more.

bottom line: great first takeout experience; left me intrigued enough for another visit sometime soon.

the fountain on locust

For my mom's birthday lunch, we decided to give the Fountain on Locust a try.  She had been there before, but she thought it was a place I'd like.

The place itself was very kitschy and had the retro diner feel.  We took a seat in a homey booth outfitted with curtains.

My mom's favorite part of the restaurant was the retro cocktails (I believe the phrase, "I used to drink that as a kid" came up... hmmmm...?).  So I obligingly tried one: the Sloe Gin Fizz.  Sloe gin (which is actually a red,berry-ish liqueur), gin, lemon, sugar and soda water provided a surprisingly refreshing late-morning cocktail. It was a bit on the tart side, but since I did not drink these as a "kid," I have no frame of reference otherwise.  Either way, delicious.

As an avid pickle lover (yes, I actually once attended the International Pickle Festival in NYC), the Polish Dill Pickle Soup was an obvious choice.  Much to my dismay, I (gasp!) did not like it.  It came out a beautiful mint green color, with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of dill.  The taste really can't be described as anything other than pureed pickle and cream.  For me, while I liked the idea, it just was too much.

With my soup combo, I went for the Roast Beef sandwich.  Served on a soft, floury Vienna roll, it was a solid choice.  The sandwich was smeared with a thin layer of goat cheese/herb combo, though I think it would have been enhanced with more.  Billy Goat chips (my fave!) rounded out the plate.


bottom line: nice place, more for the atmosphere than the food, but the desire to try a "champagne float" will most certainly draw me back.

quickshot: the oakville sports pub

I found myself in Oakville with my mom looking for a quick Sunday lunch.  We ended up heading to the new Sports Pub near Telegraph and Christoper.  Walking in, it was much bigger than I expected, and an overall nice looking pub.

The Pepper Jack Shotz (like mozzeralla sticks, but with pepperjack cheese and in a ball shape) were fantastic: the texture was so much creamier than regular cheese sticks PLUS the spiciness level was just perfect.  I think I would have rather had marinara to dip, but the ranch cup worked instead.

We were also surprised when our Buffalo Chicken sandwich appeared to be cooked on an outside grill.  The char mixing with the buffalo sauce was a nice combination.  The provel cheese could have been left off, and a drizzle of ranch probably would have been more appropriate (damn, I should have save the ranch from the Pepper Jack things... sigh.). But overall, I was impressed.

bottom line: nice atmosphere, solid pub food.

spaghetteria mama mia!

When a Groupon for Spaghetteria Mama Mia popped in my inbox just a few short weeks after my sis-in-law recommended it, I figured "What the heck?"

After a few awkward turns exiting from 40 eastbound, the parking lot appeared full (though the number of patrons did not seem to match).  We were seated right away, and were greeted by a wait staff that all kind of seemed to act like they hadn't really done this before.  Nevertheless, they were extremely down-to-earth and any day would I prefer that than the wait staff that acts like your several notches too far down the 'foodie' chain. 

Definite points in my book when the bread came out soft and oh-so-warm.  The salad was also a nice change of pace from the St .Louis Italian standby.  Garbanzo beans, a roasted red pepper, a rope-y mozzarella and a not-overpoweringly-sweet dressing made for a refreshing surprise (though the red onions on mine stole the show... in a bad way). 

Our entrees came out on what seemed to be the same platters my Grandma would serve the 20lb Thanksgiving turkey on. They were H-U-G-E. Like fed me for three meals huge. The strong waft of garlic exploded as soon as our dishes were served (though most could be attributed to my guest's butter-garlic-pasta side dish, both plates overall could have used a garlic intervention).  Luckily, I love garlic, so I could stomach my Spaghetti Bolognese with ease.  The flavors of the dish mixed well, and a small kick of heat really upped the dish for me.  My only complaint is that I'm pretty sure bolognese is ground meats stewed in sauce (though I am only a wannabe foodie, so you never know).  The meat in this dish seemed more like that the kitchen ran out of bolognese sauce so the improvised by giving a meatball a few rough chops and throwing it in.  Either way it was good, just not what I expected.

bottom line: nice little italian joint (with a few different kicks than your typical STL italian), if you're in the area

square one brewery @ brunch

Let me start off by saying that I love Square One Brewery in Lafayette Square.  I've always had fantastic and delicious experiences there.  But (MAN ALIVE!) my latest escapade left me wondering if this was the same place. Had I not been before, I would likely not go back. 

We walked in and popped on up to the bar while we awaited the arrival of our other guest.  Apparently, this annoyed the bartender.

However, much to the bartender's dismay, my guest asked about brunch-time drinks, and she begrudgingly rattled off a few basics.  Luckily for us, soon after our mimosas came our third guest arrived and we headed for the dining room.

The main dining area was bustling and the late morning sun poured in through the gigantic windows.  We were seated and opened the menu to find a much larger selection of drinks than 'Bailey's and Mimosas' (I'm talking to you, bartender). One in particular caught our eyes. 

As noted on the menu, Square One's 'Beermosa' is recognized as one of the best drinks in St. Louis. With half Square One Spicy Blonde and half orange juice, sure, I guess it's a cute idea, but hardly the best drink (ahem, go to Aya Sofia and get a fresh-apricot-bellini. Now we're talking.).  To me, it tasted of nothing more than a Blue Moon. Want to try one? Pull yourself a draft of Blue Moon, pop an orange slice in it and BLAM! Welcome to Beermosa.

For my meal, I ordered one of my favorites: corned beef hash.....

...and I couldn't even finish it.  Now, as a girl who was taught to always clear your plate, this is a big feat.  But this was one of the most over-salted dishes I ever eaten.  Plain and simple. Bleck.

On the good side of things, however, the waitress was excellent.  On a hectic morning/afternoon, she was flawless.  But for me on this morning, not enough for a saving grace. I promise that Square One is one of my St. Louis favorites but just not this day.

bottom line: i will most certainly go back, but not based on this.

drunken fish, cwe style

Sometimes you walk into the Drunken Fish in the Central West End and no matter what you're wearing, you feel underdressed.  Sometimes it's the place to see and be seen. 

Luckily for me, this time it wasn't like that.  Other than a few Mardi Gras stragglers and a spattering of 'girls' night out' tables, it was a tame - not too fancy - crowd. 

Since it was Saturday night at 7, we made reservations and were quickly seated.  Servers were zipping around us in that frantic dinner-time-rush mode, but we were attended to right away.  On our servers suggestion, I had an off-the-menu martini - of which the name is escaping me - that involved vodka, sake, a peach and some type of peach juice/puree.  It was a solid concoction.  (If you ever find yourself here, just ask the server for the martini that was recently removed from the menu that involves a giant peach slice floating at the bottom.  That should - at the very least - point you in the right direction).

We started off with the basic: edamame.  Now it's hard to mess up steamed, salted beans, but when the salt only lands on the top layer of soy-bean-goodness and several of the beans looked liked a shriveled mess, I would say it was below par.   But of course we still ate it because, hey, who doesn't love edamame?

For my main sushi course, I tried out the Mango roll (one of their new ones): crab, mango and avocado topped with tuna and salmon, as well as a combo of sauces.  One of the reasons I love DF is their crazy selection and variety of rolls, so I was very excited to try this one.  Now I'm a huge fan of having mango in a roll - it's a nice burst of sweet in the sea of salt, spice and meatiness.  But this slice of mango was huge.  Like star-of-the-roll huge.  It hit the upper limit of the correct amount of mango in sushi.  Not to mention, the roll itself was large.  And while I've come to expect having to shove a baseball size amount of sushi in my mouth when I order from the fancy side of the sushi menu at DF, this one was particularly large and messy.  In spite of this, however, the roll was very good.  The flavor meshed well and had the right combination of textures. Though it may not become a regular for me, I wouldn't be opposed if it showed up on my plate again. 

bottom line: as usual, a solid experience with good service and a nice selection. 

tokyo sushi

As one of South County's only sushi options, my friend and I decided to give Tokyo Sushi a whirl.  I have stopped in for takeout now and again, but have never dined in. 

Turns out that I wasn't missing much.

The place itself was cute, yet unimpressive.  Modern Asian decorations surrounded a few booths and tables.  And while we we're warmly greeted by the hostess, the waitress was cold and short with us - almost to the point we felt as if we were annoying her by ordering. 

We started off with the shumai - very elegantly presented on a fan-shaped plate and garnished with greens and shredded carrots.  Beyond the plating, however, there wasn't much to write home about.  Cooked to varying degrees, some pieces were crispy and browned, while others remained softer and white.  The accompanying dipping sauce didn't enhance the dish either.  What I expected to be a slightly sweet soy treat, was on the salty side and appeared to be no more than plain 'ole soy sauce. 

 The Miso soup was on par, with the addition of mushrooms kicking it up a notch.

Then the main course: the sushi rolls.  Their sushi selection was not huge, really just sticking to the basics. So of course, I went with my old standby, the Philly Roll.  It did the trick, satisfying but not a standout.  My dining pal seemed to have made the better choice with Shrimp Tempura, which had a nice drizzling of sauce (granted based on the shumai dipping sauce, it could have been a dagger that killed the dish).

bottom line: good basic sushi to fill your craving in south county, but far from st. louis' finest (sushi or service).