going mad

As another St. Louis-area Restaurant Week rolled around, I knew it could only mean one thing: free dinner with my mom. This year I selected the Mad Tomato at the corner of Carondelet and Meramec in Clayton.  I had been wanting to try the place for quite a while now, particularly since it has the same owners as South City's Onesto.

I arrived around 5:30 (15 minutes earlier than our reservation) and the place was bare.  We of course didn't want to be the only ones eating, so we hunkered on up to the bar.  The bartender (and the nice lady from the Chamber of Commerce who saddled up next to us) made for nice conversation as we sipped our reds.  We, however, experienced a bit of sticker shock as we settled our tab at the bar.  Perhaps it's because we are cheap frugal, but $22 dollars for two glasses of wine was not what we were expecting.

Despite that, we sat down and promptly ordered two more glasses (hey, the 'Restaurant Week' specials were only $7 per glass). We placed our order and were soon  handed house made focaccia.  The bread was excellent - crispy outer edge, with a soft slightly cheesy, slightly saucy inside.  Yum, yum, yum - a perfect start to the meal. 

For my first course, I went with the minestrone.  It was a solid choice - beefy broth, a touch on the thick side and perfectly seasoned.  Nothing to dance around in circles about, but a good first course nonetheless. 

I went with The Other Grandma's Eggplant for my main course.  It was a bit like an eggplant lasagna - a stack of thin sliced eggplant layered with cheese, tomatoes, garlic and basil all broiled in an individual pan.  The basil really shone through the otherwise mild sauce, giving it a great flavor.  The only real downfall was the amount of cheese - it sort of took over the dish and was so thick, there were bites I wasn't sure if it was eggplant or a hunk of cheese.  Perhaps the Original Grandma's eggplant would have less cheese? Either way, still an enjoyable dish. 

And then came the dessert....

Holy cow, the dessert was amazing.  I would have paid $25 alone for it.

Lemon and Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Warm Apple Compote.  The cake itself was airy - and had just a touch of sweetness poking through the tangy flavors. And the apple compote gave it just the right boost of sweetness, along with adding a touch of warmth to a cool plate.  It was simply perfect.  Plus the syrup from the apple compote was done in a swirly pattern - and hey, who doesn't like swirlies?  This was by far the second-best desert I have ever had (shout out to NYC's Lupa and its Lupa Tartufo), and I am really not a dessert person.  DEE. LISH. US.




bottom line: i cannot wait to go back and explore more of the menu.  and eat another five pieces of that cheesecake.

a tale of two birthday pies

There is no better excuse for me to make others pay for me to try new restaurants than my birthday.  This year, my birthday weekend took me to two pizza places: Onesto and PW Pizza.

Since it was such a beautiful day, I took Friday off of work and searched for a eatery where my mom and I could eat outside.  The search took us to a place I've been wanting to try for quite some time, Onesto's Pizza on Macklind in South City.   I never really ventured into the actual restaurant, but the outside set-up was simply gorgeous (the '75 and sunny' weather maaaaaay have helped boost its gorgeous-ness, but very cute and cozy, nonetheless).

We settled in and each ordered a "quartino" of red wine (don't judge. drinking at 11 a.m. is normal, right?), a lunch pizzette (a 10-in. pie) and a small house salad.  The salad was simple - a very light vinagrette, mozzarella, tomatoes and red onion on a bed of mixed greens. The lettuce was the fancy kind that has the type with those little tentacle bunches (that's the technical term, correct?), which I could have done without, but all-in-all very good.

The BEST part about the pre-pizza portion of our meal, however, was one of my ol' NYC favorites: garlic knots.  Pizza dough tied in a knot, brushed with butter/oil, garlic and other seasonings and baked to perfection.  I mean, really, can you get better that that? In NYC, garlic knots were essential whenever I grabbed a slice. And Onesto's lived up to the hype.  So light and airly, but buttery and delicious.  Yum, yum, yum.

My mushroom and roma tomato pizza was equally as delicious.  The crust was the perfect crisp/soft, thin/think blend, while the sauce and seasonings were simply spot on.  (WARNING: the 10-in lunch "pizzette" is huge.  My mom and I would have been perfectly fine splitting one and still have had a slice or two to take home.)

Overall, it was a beautiful day and a great experience at Onesto - there is something to be said about simple, elegant, good food.


______________________

Saturday led us to an equally as amazing, though somewhat different pizza place: PW Pizza on Choteau underneath Vin de Set.

What I liked about PW so much was the variety of sauces, cheeses and toppings that allowed you to get as creative (or as boring, ahem hubs) as you would like.  From chimichurri sauce and tuna to gruyere and roasted eggplant, the combinations can take you to places pizza has only dreamed of.

Since we had already stopped in on the patio upstairs for a drink and an appetizer (yum, frog legs), we jumped right into 'Build-Your-Own-Pie" mode.  For my birthday dish I went with some of my favs: marinara sauce and goat cheese topped with artichokes and sweet pickled peppers.

Ok, ok. so I may have went a little overboard on the tangy items.  But that's the beauty of it.  You can make it anything you want.

The base of the pizza was excellent, however.  Again, an in-between type crust, though PW was a bit more on the chewy and airier side of things. 

Regardless, I cannot wait to go back and see what other combos I can come up with... aaaaand to try an appetizer or calzone or two.  Everything at PW Pizza is handmade (thanks for the info, STLPD), including the oh-so-delicious fennel sausage that made its way to the hubs pizza, so I am imagining good things.




bottom line: both awesome, in different ways.  both intriguing enough for a return trip.

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.

pho grand friday

I convinced the hubs to head over to Grand for our Friday dinner. Pho Grand, that is.  I've heard nothing but great things, so I was excited to give it a try.

We drove around a bit to find a meter, and parked just a few block down (6:05. Only :55 of meter fare to pay - score!). Walking in, the decor and atmosphere let much to be desired.  But hey, we were here for the food.

We skipped out on appetizers and went right for the main course: me, the Vegetarian Special (without curry);
him, the Ga Nuong (chicken in a garlic sauce).

My dish was simply excellent.  Fresh cilantro, mushrooms, baby corn, tomatoes, peanuts and garlic (along with a plethora of unidentifiable veggies) all set atop thin rice noodles.  To me, it was hearty enough to be filling, but light enough to not weigh me down.  Yum, yum, yum.

As is customary, I stole politely asked for a bite of the hubs dish. His chicken was smothered in garlic sauce and accompanied by peppers and onions.  My, oh my, was that sauce sweet.  Delicious, but sweet.

Besides being delicious, this meal was cheapy, cheapy cheap. $17 for dinner out? I'll take it.

(For the record, the clock read 6:41 when we jumped back in the car. 36 minutes from car to car.

holy. cow.)

bottom line: fast, cheap and good. definitely a go to.

bartalino's (near) the hill

Since I was out of town this mother's day, I decided to use a Groupon to treat my mom to dinner at Bartalino's Osteria hear Hampton and 44.  We've been there before, but both agreed it was repeat worthy.

Before we headed into the main dining room, we wandered over to the bar to grab a glass a wine (as is customary when dining with my mother).  Having just returned two days prior from a trip to the California Wine Country, I had to go for the good stuff - the house red.   Surprisingly, Bartalino's namesake wine was nice (and a bargain). Waaahoooo.

Making our way to the dining room, I never felt like I was in a hotel restaurant.  Elegant and simple.

Based on the waiter's recommendation, I went with the Bartalino's Special Salad with house dressing.  Once he said artichokes and bacon, I had heard enough.  It turned out to be just the type of salad I love: more toppings, less lettuce.  It was packed with salami, bacon, artichokes, green onions and pepporcinis - so much of the good stuff that I even left a small pile of salami (Gasp!).  A very light, creamy Italian tied it all together. Yum, yum, yum.

For my entree, I went with the Filetto di Sogliola alla Ragni (aka fillet of sole topped with crab and parmesan). It was an okay experience - a bit on the salty side, but a nice combination of flavors otherwise.  On the downside, the fish seemed a bit slimy for me (the wannabe foodie in me thought maybe it could have been cooked a bit longer) and I caught a tiny piece of shell in the crab mixture.

On to the appetizer.  Wait, back-up. What?  Yep, somehow our appetizer took so long in preparation that it took as long as our entrees to come up.  I'm not sure if it's foodie etiquette or not, but I hate that.  Oh it will actually be a nice addition to your dinner said the waiter.  No. I want my appetizer first. If I make it through the salad without it, take it off my bill. But instead, I smile nicely and let him set it in-between our dinner plates. 

Regardless of the timing hoopla, the bruschetta was delicious.  Six hand-prepared individual pieces of "grilled crisp on the outside, but still soft and warm on the inside" bread topped with three different combinations:  fresh pesto with large hunks of pinenuts, a bit too salty  olive tapenade and fresh tomato with shaved parmesean.  Loved the idea of it, just wish I hadn't of been so full (ahem, waiter).

bottom line: love the feel of this place and the nice deviation from typical St. Louis Italian. though spotty service this time, definitely a regular place for me.

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.

a westport lunch

The big boss was in town, so you know what that means - free lunch. yum.

As a frequent walker-arounder of the lake near my Westport office, we noticed that Dierdorf & Hart's had recently re-opened after months of renovation. Obviously, that's where we went.

Lunch was surprisingly reasonable - most sandwiches between $7-$12 (including a side). I went with the Crabcake Reuben sandwich (minus the bread) and Napa slaw. Holy amazing. The crabcake itself was a bit on the bready side, but was moist and tender. But the star for me and my tangy-loving palate were the toppings: braised red cabbage, shallot marmalade and chili aioli. The tang meshed with sweet and meshed with the smooth and meshed with the crab. I could literally eat a popcorn bowl full of the toppings. There was also a nicely melted slice of cheese on top of the crab cake, but it was not necessary in my book (I, in fact, ended up sliding most of it right off).

The slaw was just so-so. Nice tangy dressing, but had (a bit too) large carrot slices and what seemed like iceberg lettuce.  But regardless, I walked away so excited about the new lunch place. Yum, yum, yum.

bottom line:  fantastic lunch for a fantastic value.  i will be back. soon.

quick shot: nadoz cafe

After an unsuccessful attempt to use my 30% off Ann Taylor loft coupon, an iced coffee was in order.  I popped into Nadoz Cafe in the Brentwood Boulevard area.

Cannot tell you how impressed I was.

I ended up ordering the Whole Wheat English Muffin sandwich.  With a perfectly balanced soft/crispy muffin, an egg, fresh spinach, a tomato slice and an herbed cream, it was Saturday morning bliss.  Yum, yum, yum.

The wall of a menu with crepes, paninis and sandwiches galore simply made my mouth water.  I will be back and soon.

bottom line:  awesome breath-of-fresh-air little cafe. already on the list for the next lunch spot for my mom and me.

station pizzeria

Saturday night the hubs headed to the hockey game, so that left me blissfully home alone for the night.  What's a girl who has seemingly tried every eatery within a few mile radius of her house to do for dinner? Find one she hasn't.

That search landed me at Station Pizzeria on the Hill.  Called in for a takeout order of a small veggie pizza and house salad.  Upon arrival, I was relieved to see that their payment options included "debit" since cash somehow never has a comfortable home in my wallet. However, besides the fact that the "debit" machine involved me retrieving a rounded cash amount more than my total and a $1.65 fee, my bill seemed expensive (my 12inch pizza for $13 and small salad for $4 somehow ended up totaling $19.50ish).

Regardless, the piping hot box was placed in my hands and the aroma was simply wonderful. Oh boy, this will be good.  As I excitedly opened the box on my counter, the sight matched the smells.  Piled high with veggies and draped in oregano, I couldn't wait to dive in. 

.....aaaaaaaaand letdown.

Now, I wouldn't say it was bad (for the record, I have only disliked ONE pizza ever. ahem, Rigazzi's).  But the feast just didn't live up to the hype.  And by "hype" I mean the one I built up in my head driving home. The crust was a nice somewhere-in-between thickness.  Thin, but still with some muscle. However, not enough muscle to support the enormous amount of toppings.  Remember when you were little making your own pizza first time and think 'the more toppings, the better'?  And then remember how disappointed you were when the pizza came out kind of soupy and not at all crispy in the middle? (What? was it just me?).  That's what it seemed like to me. And despite the beautiful sprinklings of oregano, it tasted a bit on the dull side.  Nothing a little dose of garlic powder from my cabinet couldn't fix, but still...

I experienced a similar phenomenom with the salad.  A beautiful mesclun mix was dotted with St. Louis' own pimento-provel-housedressing 1-2-3 punch.   In theory, I loved it.  On the reality of my tounge... it just didn't work. 

However, in spite of my so-so experience, I feel drawn to go back.  Perhaps it's the cute picnic tables with the parmesan cheese and red pepper flake shakers (LOVE. IT.).  Perhaps I just want to love the local pizza place.  Regardless, I think I need another try...

bottom line: the jury's still out.

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).