On Friday night David, Luke and I helped celebrate Karen’s birthday. What fun we had!!! Karen and I started by getting manicures. Mine, of course, was destroyed after one night of work. We then went to Niche, a gourmet restaurant we’ve all been eying for awhile. It was fabulous!!! In fact, it was the first fabulous restaurant we’ve been to in St Louis. It’s nice to know that one exists.
My starter (spring garlic and potato soup) and main course (green nettle risotto) were beyond delicious. Each bite was pure, rich heaven. My dessert was a liquid chocolate cake accompanied by Orange Julius ice cream topped with orange infused pop rocks. Yes, pop rocks. Do I even need to mention that Niche was voted Best Desserts on the RFT’s Best of St Louis list? I’m already counting down until our anniversary– the next time we will have an excuse to splurge on a delicious meal.
David said the restaurant was too nice for me to bring my camera so we had to document the night with our cellphone. Real classy. Once again, no food pictures. I always devour it before even considering taking a picture. And sorry for the poor quality…but at least you get an idea of what our fun night looked like.
Filed under: Best Of's
It’s been a while since I posted on my adventures with the RFT’s Best of St Louis list. Ever since reading the list there has been one that I have been dying to try out. Best Month to Leave St Louis….(can you guess)… FEBRUARY!! Cold, snowy, cloudy, and therefore many many crabby people. Like I mentioned before, David and I took the chance to try out this suggestion. I am now home from my vacation to San Francisco and David returns from Seattle (with our computer hence the lack of picture posts) on Monday. You will have to wait a little longer to hear about our trips and the rest of our life. Even though our blog has been boring, our life has been pretty exciting and we look forward to sharing it with you.
When I moved to St Louis, my dear friend Mikki moved to Chicago, five hours away. Yeah for me! I’ve been able to spend many weekends away visiting her and enjoying the delights of that fabulous city. One of the delights??? Pizza!!! So with Mikki in town this weekend, I decided to take her to try out Pi, rated Best Pizza-Thick Crust by the Riverfront Times .It was DELICIOUS!!! They have an amazing cornmeal crust that is unlike anything I have tasted before. The only downfall is it is a little expensive for what you get ($18 for a pizza that just serves two).
Looking for cheaper pizza that is also delicious? David and I have recently been getting pizza from Whole Foods Market. It is so good, all natural, and only $8.99 on Wednesdays and Fridays for a ready to eat 16″ pizza! We are sold. Our other favorite pizza places in St Louis include Il Vicino (RFT’s Best Restaurant for a First Date) and Dewey’s Pizza (RFT’s Best Pizza-Thin Crust)
Tonight we had a wonderful time with our dear friends Luke and Karen Morton at Modesto, rated Best Tapas/Small Plates I was first exposed to tapas a few years ago in San Francisco and fell in love for one simple reason: I can never decide what to order at a restaurant because I’m always concerned I will be missing out on something else that is great, but with tapas, you can order one of everything!! With a pitcher of Sangria, small plates galore, and a flourless chocolate cake to top it off…we were happy campers. After a night like this, maybe David and I should add Spain onto our Europe itinerary.
What we ordered:
Trucha Ahumada de la Casa – house-smoked trout with Serrano bacon, membrillo, and lemon vinaigrette
Filete de Ternera con Samfaina – roasted veal slices with creamy roasted vegetable sauce and fried capers
Coliflor Refrita – fried cauliflower with paprika, garlic and white truffle oil
Queso Frito – fried Manchego cheese with shallot vinaigrette
Arroz Negro – creamy black rice with lobster and citrus aioli
Mejillones en Salsa de Sidra – mussels steamed in hard cider with chorizo and peppers
Pinchos Morunos – grilled lamb skewers with herb picada and yogurt
Dátiles Rellenos – bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with Cabrales cheese
Pinchitos de Puerco – marinated pork tenderloin skewers with preserved lemon
Torte de Chocolate– flourless chocolate and hazelnut cake with Pedro Ximinez
whipped cream
Ok…I know you are thinking that we must be total pigs. But really, it was just enough to feed the four of us. Sorry for the lack of food pictures, we were so busy eating that I didn’t even think about my camera until after the last dish came. Instead you get pictures of my big Sangria smile and rosy Sangria cheeks!
This morning David and I visited the Missouri Botanical Gardens, rated RFT’s Best Stroll. We agree. Even though it was freezing cold it was still a wonderful place to walk around and admire the local beauty. We insisted on eating at the restaurant there for two reasons: it is the first Certified Green Restaurant in Missouri, and it’s name is Sassafras. Many of you do not know that Sassafras is one of my many creative nicknames. Why? Because David says it’s short for sassy ass. Try to figure that one out. Here are pictures from the Best Stroll in St Louis. (Notice the beautiful Chihuly glass.)
On most trips, once check out comes the vacation is over. You reluctantly return home and enter back into the blahs of everyday life. Not for us! After another delicious breakfast at The Captain Wohlt Inn (featuring a century old french toast recipe and award winning sausage from a near by town), we said goodbye to our little attic room that we had called home for the past two nights.
But our adventures were not over. We started our day hiking on the Katy Trail, a 225 mile railroad turned recreational trail. Our last hiking experience in Missouri, as some of you may remember, ended abruptly with a tick attack that needless to say ruined our hiking spirit. By some stroke of God or luck or coincidence, the first time that David needed antibiotics in over a decade, happened to be the weekend they were free! Take that ticks. Anyways, with great reluctance we attempted to rebuild our faith in hiking in Missouri. We were off to a great start. The trail was very wide and well kept and was lined by corn fields and beautiful farms. We even saw a local resident enjoying a walk on the trail. It seemed that hiking had been redeemed…for a brief moment.
After passing us while we were off taking pictures, the resident, a young women, turned around and started walking back towards us. She informed us that just ahead, blocking the path, was a snake. And yes, it was poisonous. And yes, there are many of them in the area. And yes, she had to warn us to be careful. My Fight or Flight was on full alert and let me tell you, it was ALL flight and NO fight. So we flighted ourselves right back to the safety of our car. I decided I would save my love for hiking for when I returned to the West Coast, but then my sister informed me that she, just last week, had to flight herself back to the car because a mountain lion made itself known on her hike. Maybe I don’t like hiking so much. I take that back…I love hiking. I don’t like animals. Yes, I said it and I don’t care if you think I’m cruel or unloving. I don’t like animals…or at least not the ones that want to hurt me.
The rest of the day panned out perfectly. We went to another winery, had a wonderful picnic of cheese, bread, salami and fruit, returned to the brewery for one last sample, and visited a pie shop I had been dying to try out.
I haven’t talked much about the food we have eaten (which is very out of character) for one important reason…it wasn’t that spectacular. But there were a few highlights:
Homemade apple pie with vanilla ice cream at Time for Pie. Nuff said.
Amazing potato salad at Montague’s (which accompanied a so-so pulled pork sandwich). Think cold mustard-potato-salad-flavored mashed potatoes. Mmmmmm….. If you remember my BBQ post, this definitely ranks up there with the other best pulled pork sides.
Our picnic meal was fabulous. We got a loaf of multigrain bread, regular and dill Havarti cheese, homemade sausage, an apple and a knife and cutting board all in a neat little basket for a very reasonable price. For those unprepared for a picnic, it was perfect and the most delicious meal we ate there.
Ricky’s Chocolate Box- we found a shop that had amazing chocolates. I had such a hard time choosing but eventually I decided on a S’More (graham crackers with marshmallow all covered in thick, rich chocolate) and a German turtle (chocolate filled with carmel, coconut and pecans.) David chose a simple carmel turtle. The grand total…$9.00. For three chocolates!!! I was shocked. Now, they were amazing…and huge…but think of all the S’Mores I could have made with $9.00!!!
Day 3 was a wonderful end to a wonderful weekend. We returned home refreshed, inspired, and oh so in love!
Click here for all our pictures from Hermann.
Apparently I’ve been tapped to give a brief rundown of the wineries we visited while in Hermann this past weekend. Each winery had their benefits and drawbacks. For example, Oak Glen had the most scenic view, but their wine was awful. We had to do our best to choke down the samples, just to feel like we put in enough time to take pictures. So go to Oak Glen for the view, not the wine. More promising, however, was the Adam Puchta winery, as well as the wine from Bommarito Estate. Both had good Norton’s–the Missouri state grape–as well as several other varietals that were easy to drink. We learned that the key to Missouri wine is that almost everything is sweet and most of the reds are heavily oaked. Consequently, it took some time just to get used to a different wine making process. In the end, we found that some of the red blends resemble what we were most used to–Adam Putcha was helpful here. But there were a couple of surprises worth noting. Brenna (and even I) liked one of the Dry Roses’ that we tried. Kinda girly, I know, but what can I say, it was pretty tasty. My favorite surprise was not the Rose, however, but a Cream Sherry from Stone Hill. Typically, I do not like Sherrys, but this had a really unique Butterscotch finish. Brenna didn’t try it.
You can view all of our pictures here.
This weekend we had a fabulous trip to Hermann, MO, awarded Best Weekend Getaway by the Riverfront Times. Hermann is a beautiful town in the heart of Missouri wine country. German settlers decided on the area of Hermann because it reminded them of their home land. Due to its origin, the town is full of German culture…from the names of the buildings to the menus at the restaurants. When the town was first settled, 66 wineries sprung up around the area. With prohibition, the vines were burned to the ground and the wine was poured into the Missouri river, leaving the people and the economy of Hermann in despair. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that the wineries were restored. Throughout the weekend, we had the pleasure of touring five wineries all within 5-15 minutes of the historic downtown where we stayed.
We picked the perfect weekend to visit…beautiful foliage, warm weather and bright blue skies. Our experience was wonderful. We arrived Friday afternoon and settled into our little Bed and Breakfast, The Captain Wohlt Inn. The owners, husband and wife Mat and Kent Wilkins, were true models of hospitality. Their advice, which was plentiful, was always spot on which made navigating the town a delight. They genuinely care for their guests which made us feel as welcome as family. This was the best B&B experience I have ever had, and I have been blessed with many B&B experiences in my short life. The breakfasts were wonderful and there was always a plate of cookies waiting to be devoured. We called the room our little hobbit hole. It was an attic room with vaulted ceilings which we gladly accepted as we were able to pay much less for it. Except for the slightly claustrophobic shower, the ceilings and size of the room didn’t become an issue at all.
Our first day in town we toured the Tin Mill Brewing Company. Even in wine country a Richmon vacation can not be complete without beer. Considering it was a block away from our B&B and served $1 samples, we were frequent visitors. Our first day in town we also visited the Kunstlerhaus, one of Mat’s wonderful recommendations. The name translates to “house of artists” which is very appropriate as it is a gallery/store featuring work from 30 local artists. We were awed and inspired by the local talent, the appreciation of art, and the sense of community that this place had to offer. We walked away with a beautiful serving bowl and some little Christmas presents which must not be named. Below are some pictures from our first day in Hermann.
View all of our Hermann pictures here
Soulard is one of our favorite neighborhoods in St Louis. It also happens to be filled with many Best Of’s. The farmers market is Best Place to People Watch, the mini donut stand within the market is Best Donuts, and a little park nearby was honored Best Public Park. Today was the perfect fall day to enjoy grocery shopping with our new camera.
At the end of the day, we came home with 8 apples, 7 bananas, 2 cantelopes, 7 green bell peppers, 3 bunches of asparagus, 4 lbs of red potatoes, 2 bouquets of flowers and 2 whole farm fresh chickens for a grand total of $20. Yes, we will miss this place.
As I was reading the Best Of list, there was one that made my tummy rumble…Best BBQ: Pappy’s Smokehouse. Now the thing is, this restaurant also got voted Best New Restaurant which gave me even more of a reason to visit. Since moving to St Louis, David and I have developed a passion (obsession/addiction…whatever) for pulled pork sandwiches. We consider ourselves quite the experts these days. Now the real reason we visited Pappy’s (as if the other reason’s weren’t enough) is that we had to compare it to our favorite BBQ restaurant, Plush Pig BBQ. It’s a really hard job, but someone has to do the dirty work to make sure that the readers of the Riverfront Times and this blog have the most accurate information on where to find the best pulled pork sandwich in St Louis. We have decided on certain criteria to rate our experiences at these two restaurants: sandwich, sauce, sides and service.
Sandwich: Pappy’s has better buns, but Plush Pig might have slightly more tender meat. Both are DELICIOUS!
Sauce: Pappy’s has a better selection (Holly’s Hotsauce, Sweet Baby Jane’s and Pappy’s Original). You can choose one or slop on all three like I did. However, we both agreed that Plush Pig’s sauce tasted better and is therefore the winner, even though there aren’t as many choices. Also, they come on the table in huge glass bottles instead of the traditional plastic ones…very classy.
Sides: This was very difficult. Pappy’s lets you choose two sides. The choices include green beans, slaw, potato salad, sweet potato fries, fried corn on the cob, baked beans, and applesauce. I had the beans and potato salad. I regret passing up the sweet potato french fries…what was I thinking? David had the slaw and fried corn which he immediately said was the best corn he has ever tasted. Next time I will get the sweet potatoes and baked beans. Or maybe the corn and sweet potatoes. Or the applesauce and baked beans. Or the applesauce and corn. Yes, I will get the applesauce and corn. But what about the sweet potato french fries?? Ahhhh!!. Plush Pig allows you one side and they have a mean potato salad and great french fries. They also have a macaroni and cheese that blows all the other sides (from either place) away. So the real question: One great side or two really good sides? We both voted and the winner is….Pappy’s. With the amazing fried corn and another side thrown in, you really can’t go wrong.
Service, etc: Plush Pig is closer to home but has crazy and unpredictable hours. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve been there and they’ve been closed even though it’s during their business hours. We’ve learned to always call first. On the other hand, Pappy’s had our food on our table by the time we had chosen a table…now that is service!! Also, the man who took our order was one of the starters of the restaurant instead of some teenager needing an after school job. Both restaurants have the prerequisites of paying first when your hands are still clean and rolls of paper towels waiting for you on the table. As far as price… who cares! A good pulled pork is priceless.
So, as far as the best pulled pork in St Louis, the winner is …………….NEITHER!! The best sandwich we ever got was from two guys and a grill. Best sauce, best meat, best buns, best experience. And there were no sides to even speak of. We ate it at 9:15 in the morning some Saturday at a farmer’s market. We waited in line with many others, coffee in hand, drooling over that pork butt one fine St Louis morning! We still love both Pappy’s and Plush Pig and are willing and ready to sample any other pulled pork sandwich put before us. For now, enjoy the pictures of our day at Pappy’s.
