Macaroni Monday @ Square One

Happy Macaroni Monday!

 

What?!  Not an official holiday where you are from?  Well it is at Square One Brewery in Lafayette Square!

That's right, every Monday from 5pm to 9pm, you can build your own Mac N' Cheese!  You start with a bowl of elbow macaroni with one of six sauces (i.e. Buffalo, Cajun, Alfredo, BBQ, etc.) for just $2.25. Then you choose up to 7 different cheeses (including cheddar, smoked cheddar, Swiss and Gorgonzola) and add a variety of veggies and meats for an additional cost.  I think half the fun is choosing the options; however, if you aren't feeling super creative, there are a handful of chef's special combinations already created for you to choose from, for example, the Smokehouse – Smoked pork/bacon/red onion/BBQ Sauce and Cheddar cheese.

 

I decided to go all out and make a Monster Mac meal for myself - Alfredo Sauce, Cheddar Cheese and Smoked Cheddar Cheese (why not?!), Spinach, smoked tomatoes, bacon, and an Egg Over Easy on top.  It was insane!  Super cheesy, yet still plenty of liquid from the sauce (how I like it!)  I highly recommend the egg on top because once you slice it open the yolk runs through rest of the dish and mixes really well with the cheese sauces.  And of course you can't go wrong with bacon in anything!

 

Josie's Monster Mac Creation

The portion was plenty large too!  I probably shouldn't have finished mine, but I did (of course!)  And if you don't entirely get your creative fix, they also have Build a Burger Tuesdays!  Also, it doesn't hurt being at a local brewery to wash down the grub with some craft beer!  My choice... anything hoppy!

The Libertine

Hey friends!

Jessie and I had a twin dinner last night at a new hot spot in Clayton on Forsyth called The Libertine.  We weren't sure what to expect, but we were pleasantly surprised!

We first looked to make a reservation that afternoon, but everything was booked between 6-9pm that night, so we thought we'd try to walk in and get some seats at the bar.  There were plenty of bar seats but all of the spots filled up fast, so get there early (like before 6:30).

Instead of bread, they bring a mini frying pan full of fried garbanzo beans with a pork seasoning.  They were great to munch on and weren't as filling as typical bread.  Very good start!

The menu is divided into three sections: Vegetables, Meat and Fish.  Jessie and I decided to split a vegetable dish and then each get our own entree.  We split the Illinois Asparagus, which was with Black Garlic Romesco, Midwest Caviar, Fried Potato Balls, and Boiled Farm Egg.  It was really really good and the sauce was superb.  Note that is it more of a cold veggie dish, so be prepared.  The people next to us at the bar ordered the Pan Roasted Cauliflower and they said it was really good.  We'd probably try that next time.

Illinois Asparagus

I was in the mood for red meat, so I ordered the Hanger Steak, which came with Bacon Cheddar Gratin and strips of fried potato skins.  The potatoes were awesome and the steak was cooked just the way I like it, Medium Rare/Rare and extremely juicy!  Note that they didn't ask me how I wanted it prepared, and I didn't say anything because I was curious how it would come out.  I was happy with the redness of the meat, but if you like your meat cooked more, definitely speak up.  I was in red meat heaven!

Hanger Steak and Bacon Cheddar Gratin

Jessie ordered the best dish of the night... Three Little Birds, which is a trio of Roasted Game Hen, Chicken & Quail, over Rice Grits with Fried Okra.  Jessie is big on ordering chicken dishes at restaurants (Hello, Brasserie's Roasted Chicken!) so this menu item jumped out at her immediately.  We were expecting three small pieces of bird on the plate, but instead a single piece of meat arrived... it was all combined into one.  It was the best piece of bird I've ever had.  Super juicy and just absolutely mouth watering.  I could've eaten the entire thing in addition to my steak, but unfortunately it was Jessie's dish, and I only got a bite or two.  The rice grits and corn were a great combination too.  Not too gritsy, it has more of a mashed potato texture.  Jessie cleaned her plate.

Three Little Birds - Game Hen, Chicken, Quail over Rice Grits

Jessie and I were enjoying our meal so much, and our friend, Danielle, was coming to meet us any minute, so we decided to indulge in some dessert.  We were going to try the Libertine Candy Bar, which was salted caramel, hazelnuts, and chocolate ganache, but the waitress scared us off because she said there was coconut oil on it and that it tasted coconutty.  We weren't feeling coconut, so we stuck to a more Josie friendly dessert and got the Coffee-Coffee Cake with Creme Fraiche Ice Cream.  It came out in sort of bread pudding type of crumbles and small chunks of graham cracker sticking out throughout it.  It was yummy, but I think next time we'll be brave and try the candy bar dessert, as it is their specialty.

Coffee-Coffee Cake

Overall, the meal was awesome and we'd definitely go back.  We'd probably try to sit at the bar again, or maybe outside at the sidewalk tables.  I think we lucked out by our amazing menu picking skills, because two people next to us ordered the Terrine Board and they said it was weird.  Definitely go with the meats and split a fun veggie dish (or try the She-Crab Soup because the guy in front of us had it and it looked incredible!).  Hurray for Clayton having a fun night time restaurant!  Hope it is here to stay!

Best Dishes

Last month St. Louis Magazine did a report on the best dish to order at certain St. Louis Restaurants.  Not to be confused with the best restaurants for a category of food, this concept lists restaurants and then picks items off of their menu that are the best.  Jessie and I always try to choose items on the menu that we've either heard the restaurant is known for, or dishes that we think sound the most interesting, so we decided to make our own list based on our experiences.  Feel free to use this as a guide on what to order when trying a new place.

APPETIZERS & SIDES:

LoRusso's Cucina (the Hill/South City): Flash Fried Spinach

Adriana's (the Hill): Special Side of Pasta Salad

Three Kings Public House (the Loop): Winged Nut Ale Fondue

Winged Nut Ale Fondue @ Three Kings Public House

The Shaved Duck: Loaded Smoked Potato Wedges

Remy's Kitchen and Wine Bar (Clayton): Hummus

Sidney Street Cafe: Mashed Potatoes

Salt (Central West End): Duck Fat Frites with Housemade Ketchup and Mayonnaise

Duck Fat Frites @ SALT

Flaco's Cocina (University City): Bottomless Chips and Salsa Medley

Pappy's Smokehouse (Mid Town): Side of Green Beans

The Block (Webster Groves): Jalapeño Corn Bread Muffins

Jalapeño Corn Muffins @ The Block

Sandrina's: Cheese fries

Chava's (Soulard): Fajita Nachos Appetizer (we usually order this as an entree)

Sweetie Pies (the Grove): Mac n' Cheese

The Tavern Kitchen & Bar (West County): "Bacon and Eggs" Appetizer (Pork Belly, Brioche, 1 Hour Egg)

"Bacon and Eggs" @ Tavern Kitchen & Bar

Cafe Napoli 2 (West County): Stacked Salad (stacked layers of tomato, flashed fried eggplant and buffalo mozzarella then topped with roasted bell peppers and a balsamic reduction )

Katie's Pizzeria (Clayton): Baked Zucchini Rolls with Marinara

Peel Wood Fired Pizza (Edwardsville, IL): Spinach Involtini with Dipping Sauces

Spinach Involtini with Dipping Sauces @ Peel Wood Fired Pizza

Lester's (Chesterfield, Clayton & Central West End): Sweet Potato Fries

BREAKFAST:

City Coffeehouse & Creperie (Clayton): Egg, Havarti and Bacon Crepe

Egg Havarti and Bacon Crepe @ City Coffeehouse & Creperie

Winslow's Home (University City): Rolled Omelet

Uncle Bill's (Kingshighway): 4-D (two eggs, two sausages, two strips of bacon, two pancakes)

Mud house (Cherokee Street): Breakfast Burrito add Bacon

Breakfast Burrito @ Mud House

Soulard Coffee House (Soulard): Biscuits and Gravy with Eggs

LUNCH:

Nora's (Dogtown): Weekday lunch special (sandwich, homemade soup of the day, chips and drink)

Lunch Special @ Nora's

Lion's Choice: Roast Beef Combo #1 (roast beef sandwich, fries and drink)

Araka (Clayton): Lobster BLT

Milo's (the Hill): Meatball Sandwich

Fatted Calf (Clayton): Soft Cheddar Burger (duh!)

Soft Cheddar Burger @ Fatted Calf

Adriana's (the Hill): 1/2 Sandwich (either Mary's or Theresa)

Gioia's Deli (the Hill): Hot Salami Sandwich

Mom's Deli (South City): Mom's Special

Nachomama's: Nachos Supreme with Chicken

Pappy's Smokehouse (Mid Town): Pulled Pork Sandwich

La Vallesana (Cherokee Street): Chicken Torta

Chicken Torta @ La Vallesana

Pasta Plus (Clayton): Pasta con Broccoli

Cafe Manhattan (Clayton): Meatball Sub

Papa Tom's Gateway Doghouse (Food Truck): The Bavarian Brat (Beer Braised sour kraut, spicy brown mustard, and dill pickle spear on a warm pretzel bun)

Bavarian Dog (Top) form Papa Tom's Gateway Doghouse

The Royale (St. Louis): Grilled cheese

Flaco's Cocina (University City): Fish tacos (Talapia)

Lester's (Chesterfield, Clayton & Central West End): Reuben the Great (with corned beef)

Rueben with Sweet Potato Fries @ Lester's

DINNER:

LoRusso's Cucina (the Hill/South City): Any of the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 Pasta Bowl Winners

Riverbend (Soulard): Combination (shrimp & crawfish) Étouffée

Combination Étouffée @ Riverbend

Farmhaus (South City): Escolar

Acero (Maplewood): Egg Raviolo

Egg Raviolo @ Acero's

Braisserie (Central West End): Roasted chicken with Mushrooms, Bread, Jus in a cast iron skillet

Picadilly's: Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans and Gravy

Sugo's/ Babbo's (Frontenac/Chesterfield Valley): Lasagna

Lasagna @ Sugo's

Mai Lee (Brentwood): #24 - Hoanh Thanh Mi (Egg Noodles w/ BBQ Pork and Shrimp Wontons Soup)

Bocci Bar (Clayton): Lobster Spaghetti or Lobster Pizza

Lobster Pizza @ Bocci Bar

Cunetto's House of Pasta (the Hill): Tortellini alla Bolognese

Peel Wood Fired Pizza (Edwardsville, IL): Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Francos (Soulard): Seafood Stew



DESSERT:

Harvest (Richmond Heights): Bread pudding

Ted Drewes Frozen Custard (South City): Mini Oreo Concrete

Lions's Choice: Ice cream Mini-Cone

Cafe Manhattan (Clayton): Chocolate Shake

LATE NIGHT:

Broadway Oyster Bar (Downtown): Broadway Shooters (oyster shots)

Uncle Bill's (Kingshighway): 4-D (Two eggs, two sausages, two strips of bacon, two pancakes)

Courtesy Diner (Hampton): The Slinger

DRINKS:

La Vallesana (Cherokee Street): Mexican coke

Mexican Coke @ La Vallesana

BARcelona (Clayton): Sangria

Boogaloo (Maplewood): Mojito

Robust (Webster Groves): Wine flights

Red Wine Flight @ Robust

Sub Zero Vodka Bar (Central West End): Frozen Blueberry (Smirnoff Blueberry Vodka, white grape juice and champagne garnished with frozen blueberries)

Chava's (Soulard): Margarita with salt

Farmhaus (South City): House made infused vodka cocktail

Riverbend (Soulard): Abita Beer

Abita Beer @ Riverbend

GROCERY:

Di Gregorios Market (the Hill): Frozen ravioli and frozen "Mom's" pasta sauce

Dierbergs: Dill dip and Rye bread bowl

Dill Dip in Rye Bread Bowl from Dierbergs

Schnucks: Companion pretzel bread bites




Do you have any favorite dishes that you keep going back for?

Happy Mardi Gras! Riverbend Bar Restaurant Review

Happy Mardi Gras, St. Louisans!!!  One of my favorite things about St. Louis is our amazing Mardi Gras celebrations, and there is no better place to celebrate in St. Louis than in Soulard.  But if big crowds and cold weather isn't your thing, no worry, because Riverbend Bar down in South Soulard brings New Orleans cuisine to St. Louis year round.  Riverbend is almost a year old, and was started by a true New Orleanian.  It was recently listed in St. Louis Magazine, naming their shrimp and crawfish etoufee as their best dish.  Jessie, Joe and I love good, authentic, Cajun food and we knew we had to try it!

When we first got there, we noticed a neon sign in the bar window advertising Abita beer.  Jessie and Joe had just gone on a trip to New Orleans last year and they got really excited because they drank Abita when they were down there.  Nothing better than authentic New Orleans beer!

Abita Amber

The atmosphere in Riverbend is pretty much like any dive bar/restaurant, with dark wood paneling, pretty low lighting, and with seating in the front and up on a platform in the back.  They don't take reservations, but I heard the waits aren't usually long, and you can always sit at the bar while you wait.  We went on a Wednesday night (they are closed on Tuesdays) and we immediately seated ourselves up on the platform area.  Note that the single room can get really noisy and Jessie and I were literally screaming to each other just to have a conversation.  Once a couple group of people at the tables around us left it got a lot quieter though.

For an appetizer we ordered crabmeat stuffed shrimb.  It was six jumbo shrimp (tails already off!) with a dollop of toasted crabmeat in the curve of the shrimp, all sitting in a buttered sauce and lemons in a hot casserole dish.  It was delicious!!!  I definitely recommend it.  And if crab isn't your thing, I would at least get an order of the jumbo shrimp, because they were really flavorful.

Crabmeat stuffed shrimp

For our entree we ordered the dish that we came there for... shrimp and crawfish etoufee!  I would normally get crawfish etoufee, but the shrimp one sounded good too.  I just couldn't decide, but luckily I didn't have to, because you can get a combination of the two!  It was an easy decision, and a good one!  Jessie and I came to the restaurant planning to split and entree, but we took one look at the etoufee at the table behind ours and we knew we had to have our own.  It was amazing!  Tons of crawfish in each bite, the perfect amount of seasoning, but without being too spicy, and a good amount of rice packed in a small mound in the center of the plate.  I was in heaven.  It brought back really good memories of my trips to New Orleans.  Riverbend definitely does Cajun food right!

Shrimp and Crawfish Etoufee

We were so happy with our meal, we decided to split their House-made Creole Bread Pudding with Whisky Sauce for dessert (for $4, it was hard to pass up!).  It was pretty good and the whisky sauce was really sweet.  It had some hidden white raisins in it, which I didn't even notice until I looked closer.  It was interesting.

House-made Creole Bread Pudding with Whisky Sauce

Overall, I highly recommend Riverbend Bar in Soulard!  It was such a great experience, and the food was amazing!  I'm always wanting to have some authentic Cajun food and I can't wait to go back and perhaps try one of their Po-Boy Sandwiches (that is...if I have the strength to not order their etoufee again).

Bar Review: Boogaloo

This past weekend, I was out with friends and we decided to end our night somewhere different.  We ended up at Boogaloo in Maplewood.  Now you may be asking, what's different about a bar called Boogaloo except it's weirdo name... Answer: SWINGS!  Yup, instead of bar stools at the main bar, there are swings suspended from the ceiling where you can sit, swing and enjoy a drink.  And the drink of choice at Boogaloo is definitely their Mojito.  So if you want something different, or you just want a really good Mojito, I'd swing by Boogaloo for a nightcap and a flashback to grade school recess time ;-)

The Josies on the swings at Boogaloo

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.