Restaurant Review: Nora's in Dogtown

Jessie and I had to run to Dogtown for an errand over lunch one weekday, and we wanted to stop and grab something to eat nearby.  We weren't feeling Seamus McDaniels and wanted to try something new.  Luckily we discovered Nora's, which is on Tamm avenue right across from Seamus on the other side of Clayton Rd.  It's a small intimate sandwich shop with about 10 booths/tables in one single room and a large chalkboard menu on the side wall.  It is super laid back and surprisingly pretty popular for lunchtime and dinnertime.

What really impressed us was their weekday lunch special: any half sandwich, either soup or small house salad, side of chips and a fountain drink, all for $7.29.  When Jessie and I stopped by last week, the soup of the day was a crawfish chowder, which was awesome!  I ate the entire cup of soup before I even touched my sandwich and now I am really excited for crawfish season this Mardi Gras holiday!

Crawfish Chowder

Nora's sandwich selection is also impressive, and somewhat refreshing.  Jessie ordered their "For Pete's Sake" sandwich, which they are best known for.  It consists of apple smoked pork loin, caramelized onions, melted brie, bacon and apple sauce.  It was really good and the melted brie was really fun and flavorful.  I ordered a sandwich called "The Hangover Club" which has smoked turkey, genoa salami, provolone, bacon and country mustard.  It was really good and I would definitely get it again.  Both sandwiches came on wheat bread which was perfectly toasted, but still light and fluffy.  Overall, really enjoyable!

For Pete's Sake Sandwich

P.S. Jessie loved Nora's so much she took Joe there for dinner the next night (Soup of the Day: Beef Stroganoff Soup) and took her boss there for lunch the next week.  Now that's dedication! :-)

Involtini Recipe

When Jessie and I tried Peel Wood Fire Pizza on our staycation in September (see blog post here) we fell in love with their spinach artichoke involtini appetizer.  It was yummy pizza dough wrapped around a spinach artichoke dip.  Delicious!  I wanted to recreate it for a Holiday party appetizer and I couldn't find a single recipe online!  I did some further research on "Involtini" and found out that in Italy, Involtini is a type of dish where you wrap a food layer (typically meat) around a filling and then cook/bake it.  Sounds simple enough to me!  I grabbed a tube of my newest obsession, Pillsbury Thin Crust Pizza Dough (which I now always keep in my fridge for a last minute pizza dinner) and whipped up a traditional spinach artichoke dip.  Unfortunately I am marrying into a family of picky eaters (we're talking meat and cheese only) so I also made an alternate involtini with pepperoni and shredded mozzarella cheese.

Involtini out of the oven

First you roll the pizza dough out on a pan and then spread the filling over the entire piece of dough (spinach artichoke dip or pepperoni and cheese).  I didn't heavily fill the edges of the dough because I didn't want to have trouble rolling the dough and having it ooze out all over me.  After the filling is spread out, roll the dough longways into a spiral.  I usually bunch the ends to completely enclose the filling inside the dough.  I then brushed the top with olive oil mixed with Italian seasoning and sprinkled Parmesan cheese on the top (this turns out great once baked!)  Throw it in the oven at 400 degrees for only 10 minutes (or until it turns golden brown).

Pepperoni and Mozzarella Involtini slice

Once baked, I let it cool a big before cutting it into bite sizes slices.  I reheated when I served it later at Ryan's aunt house, and added marinara sauce and a Parmesan cream sauce for dipping.  They were gone instantly!  Super easy, Super Italian, and Super Good!

Last weekend I also tried a similar quick appetizer when I tore up pieces of pizza dough and made individual stuffed dough balls with pepperoni and cheese.  Those went fast too ;-)

Pasta Plus!

My name isn't JosiePasta for nothing... I love my pasta!  That's why one time during a summer internship at my current law firm I fell in love with a place called Pasta Plus.  We were having one of those LexisNexis tutorials during lunch, so they catered from the local Italian Diner in downtown Clayton.  I'm pretty sure I got back up 3 times for another scoop of their pasta con broccoli.... it was so creamy and decadent, and the shell shaped noodles were perfect to capture the sauce.

Two years had passed and I never had the chance to eat it again.  All I knew was that catered tub of pasta, I wasn't quite sure how the restaurant would be and I was too chicken to go by myself.  Finally, Jessie called me one day and asked to meet me for lunch in Clayton and pasta was on my mind (when is it not?!) so I suggested Pasta Plus.  We went at the perfect time and there was no line.  It was a walk up counter and the menu was full of every standard pasta dish you could think of: spaghetti and meatballs, fettuccine alfredo, mostaccioli, toasted ravioli... the list goes on and on.  It also has classic Italian sub sandwiches as well.  Very casual, with classic Italian checkered table clothes and framed posters of The Sopranos on the wall.  I already knew what I was getting before I walked in... Pasta Con Broccoli!!!  Jessie had the same.  They brought out our food to us, and just in time, because only 5 minutes after we ordered, the line got really long.

Pasta Con Broccoli

The pasta con broccoli was so good and just as creamy as I remembered; however, maybe I've grown up since being a summer associate, because I could almost taste the unhealthiness of each greasy bite.  Oh well, it was amazing, and was a great treat!  It also came with two slices of the softest Italian bread I've ever eaten.  I saved it for the end and used it to sop up the leftover sauce.

Pasta Plus is a great idea for a fun catered event, and I really enjoyed stopping in for a quick, casual bite to eat.  Whenever I can't resist my pasta craving, I'm definitely heading up there again!

Restaurant Review: La Vallesana

Want good authentic Mexican food in St. Louis?  Head down to Cherokee Street (during the daytime, of course!) and there are plenty of great options!  Our favorite pick... La Vallesana!  Their menu is full of yummy and authentic dishes, and they are super cheap!

Mexican Coke!

This place is the real deal.  I walked in and felt like I should be speaking Spanish to our waitress.  They even have authentic Mexican Coca-Cola (in the glass bottle!)

Torta

A go-to menu item is their Torta, which is like big Mexican, hoagie sandwich.  So good and HUGE!  You won't leave hungry.  Their chicken quesedillas are ginormous too, and I would recommend splitting.  I ended up getting a chicken taco and it was a toasted corn tortilla full of shredded chicken, grilled onions and heavily seasoned with cilantro.  Overall, very good.  It also comes with tortilla chips on the side.

Chicken Taco

I would definitely start off with some tortilla chips and quacamole for the table too.  They also came out with a trio of different "salsas" (more like toppings) to try which were things I've never seen before.  Beware before trying them!  They tend to be very spicy!

Spicy Toppings

It was a quick and cheap meal and definitely a break from the Tex-Mex we are used to having here in the Midwest.  Definitely check it out!

Restaurant Review: Bocci Bar

I am always excited when a new restaurant comes to Clayton, so last year when I heard the owners of Barcelona and Coastal Bistro (aka Mosaic) were adding another restaurant along Central Avenue called Bocci Bar, I knew I had to check it out.  Jessie and I first checked it out one random Thursday night early last summer.  Like most of the restaurants on Central, Bocci Bar is long and skinny, and in the warmer months they open the entire front wall of the restaurant to have patio seating.  Jessie and I got a table for two right where the wall would have been if it were a colder night.  The weather was perfect, and Thursday nights at Bocci are booming.  Luckily the service didn't suffer that night, we got a good red wine recommendation and ordered a meatball appetizer (Delicious!).  For an entree we ordered one of their specialties, Lobster Spaghetti (light, and lick your bowl clean, good!).  It was a really enjoyable experience.

Unfortunately, I had the opportunity to go back a few weeks ago for lunch with a co-worker.  In an 7 month span, things weren't looking good.  First, we walk in and there is no hostess to seat us.  I look around and notice the restaurant is over half empty and I can't even find a waiter to grab his attention.  My co-worker points out a man in a red sweater and light-washed jeans and tells me he is a waiter... um... doesn't look like one!  In fact, none of them are dressed in uniform! They are all dressed casual!  Strange...

Anyway, the restaurant is half empty yet we get sat in the very back "private room" where they keep four square tables.  We sit there forever before we have to beg someone to bring us some bread.  It finally arrives at the same time our salads arrive.  The bread is pretty good, it reminds me of Pizza Hut bread sticks (think long and skinny and coated with Parmesan cheese) but nicer.  The Bocci salad to start was good,  light and lemony, but I was saving up for the main course... Lobster BLT Pizza!  Bocci Bar's menu really has some fun lobster dishes (hence the lobster spaghetti I ordered last time) so I knew it had to be good.  The lobster pizza came with applewood bacon, tomato, crème fraiche & arugula and I could taste lobster in every bite.  Delicious but really rich; I could only take down 2 pieces.  Lobster is definitely the way to go here!

Lobster BLT Pizza

Overall, Bocci Bar's menu is really impressive, however, they lack in service (at least they do during lunch time).  What should have been a 45 minute lunch, turned into a 2 hour waiting fest with good food.  I probably wouldn't go back for lunch (since I'm never really in the mood for long lunches during the work week anyway) but I would go back for drinks and dinner on a Thursday or Friday night.  I'll probably wait until summer so I can sit out on the front patio and not get stuck in the back of that long skinny room and be forgotten about.

Recipe: Pesto Spread

Here is a fun dip/spread that Jessie whipped up for an ugly sweater Christmas party last month.  It was super easy to make and its pretty green color really makes it really stand out.  Serve with a sliced, crispy, french baguette and enjoy!

Pesto Spread

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces of parmesan cheese in 1 inch chunks
• 8 ounces of asiago cheese in 1 inch chunks
• 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped scallions
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients all together in food processor and VOILA!  Ready to serve!

told you it was easy ;-)

Bracket Challenge: St. Louis Breakfast Spots

The polls are in!  The Winner of the St. Louis Magazine online Bracket Challenge for best breakfast spot in St. Louis is Jilly's Cupcake Bar and Cafe, beating out 31 other local eateries.  In a shocking final round upset over St. Louis favorite Uncle Bill's Pancake and Dinner House, Jilly's win has proven that the cupcake craze is still going strong.  Jilly's cupcakes aren't just any cupcakes, this past summer, Jilly's also won the top prize in an episode of Food Network's "Cupcake Wars."  Click the picture below to see a close up of the winners and runner-ups.



Click to Enlarge

 Here are Jessie and my thoughts: 

• Uncle Bills should have won overall, Jilly's cupcakes are good, but way too sugary for a satisfying breakfast. 
• Where is the City Coffeehouse & Creperie on this list?!?!  That is our favorite!!!
• What is up with Rooster?!  It should have in no way beaten Brasserie (their brunch is fabulous...salty, but fabulous!)  At least Local Harvest beat it in the next round.  We love Local Harvest!
• Mud House should have at least won the first round, nobody can beat their breakfast burritos...see our previous review.
• We are glad Half & Half lost first round... see our previous review.
• I really want to try Vin De Set for breakfast now!

So what do you think...Does Jilly's deserve the crown?  Are you upset one of your go-to spots lost out?  Or is there an obvious restaurant place that you think St. Louis Magazine overlooked in their bracket challenge?

Mac N' Cheese with Pancetta

Jessie and I love Mac N' Cheese.  We are not Mac N' Cheese snobs, Kraft Mac N' Cheese is right there on the top of our list;  however, there is something special about Mac N' Cheese made from scratch.  Add pancetta to it and you've just stepped it up a notch!

Here is the homemade Mac N' Cheese with Pancetta Jessie and I made for a holiday party this month. 

MAC N' CHEESE WITH PANCETTA
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
- 4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta
- 1 finely chopped medium yellow onion
- 3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 (2) garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 8 ounce container mascarpone cheese
- 1 1/2 cup italian panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 pound cooked macaroni noodles

Directions:
1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large deep skillet over medium-high heat. 
2. Add pancetta; saute until crisp, about 6 minutes. 
3. Add onion; saute until tender, about 5 minutes. 
4. Add crushed red pepper and garlic; stir 1 minute. 
5. Stir in 3 tablespoons butter; allow to melt, then add flour and stir 1 minute. 
6. Gradually whisk in 3 1/2 cups milk; simmer until thick enough to coat spoon thickly, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat. 
7. Whisk in cheeses. 
8. Whisk in more milk by 1/4 cupfuls until sauce is thick but pourable. 
9. Season with salt and pepper. 
10. Preheat oven to 350
11. Mix cheese sauce with cooked pasta in pasta pot; transfer mixture to prepared baking dish
12. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over
13. Bake Mac N' Cheese about 30 minutes (until golden brown on top)
14. Garnish with parsley

It really helped having the two of us cooking because one person has to constantly stir while the other is free to prepare the other ingredients.  It turned out awesome!  And the leftovers were just as good!

Park Avenue Gooey Butter Cake

Want to impress out of town guests with St. Louis' most famous original dessert?  Treat them to a gooey butter cake made by Park Avenue Coffee in Lafayette Square.  Not only did they win Food Network's "Food Feuds" for best gooey butter cake, but they have over 76 different flavors to choose from!

You truly aren't a St. Louisan until you've tried Gooey Butter Cake, which for all of you out of towners, is a dense yellow cake-like base (the crust) filled with a mixture of powered sugar, butter and cream cheese.  There is nothing like it.

If you haven't tried it before, I'd recommend getting the original, otherwise I would choose a medley of 3 or 4 to try because choosing just one flavor is impossible!!!  For a recent dinner party I got their chocolate chip cookie dough flavor (I just couldn't pass it up!).  It was amazing!!!  And for Jessie's wedding she and Joe gave out different flavors as wedding favors: Pumpkin, Original, and Triple Chocolate.  People were stealing them off the table!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Gooey Butter Cake

Here is a list of the top 10 flavors at Park Avenue:

#1 Mom's Traditional
#2 Triple Chocolate
#3 Turtle
#4 Red Velvet
#5 Pumpkin
#6 White Chocolate Raspberry
#7 White Chocolate Blueberry
#8 Caramel Apple
#9 Keylime
#10 Lemon

Click Here for a slideshow of all 76 flavors.

Tucci and Fresta's

Pasta House owners have opened a new Italian restaurant called Tucci and Fresa's, now located in the old Portabello's in downtown Clayton.

After hearing good reviews from a couple of people, I forced some co-workers to go try it out for lunch one day.  (yes... I had to force them since hearing the words "Pasta House" made it sound less appealing)

The lunch menu looked really good, with everything from salads, soups, to flatbreads and sandwiches, to pasta and meat entrees, and all at a pretty good price.  The dinner menu looked very similar to the lunch menu, with a few additions, but the prices were about twice as much as the lunch!  I hope they get twice as big portions then!

I started out with their house salad, which to my disappointment, wasn't at all like the famous Pasta House salad!  It was good, but I kinda expected the salad to be drenched in that yummy Pasta House dressing! (pretty much the only good thing about Pasta House).

For my entree I tried their Tortellini con Salsiccia, their trattoria specialty.  The portion was very generous, but nothing I couldn't take down.  Very good overall, especially the meaty sauce.  I definitely recommend it!

Tortellini con Salsiccia

The sandwiches looked good too!  The top choice, the Chicken Portobello Sandwich, which is a grilled chicken breast with sauteed mushrooms and fresh mozzarella.  Yum Yum!

Chicken Portobello Sandwich

The service was really nice too.  The waiters were very friendly and since the restaurant was new, were very attentive and asking our opinions about what we thought.  The only mishap was they messed up some of the prices on our check, but they cleared it up no problem.  Overall, no need to avoid Tucci and Fresta's if you are afraid of the Pasta House, because there are no similarities between the two.  It truly is a great Italian addition to Clayton for all of us who have become sick of eating at Cafe Napoli.