Cork n’ Slice Woodfire Bistro | 4501 Maryland Ave

On Thursday, Cork n’ Slice will open softly with an abbreviated number of appetizers, salads, pizzas, and desserts as it ramps up to its grand opening next month.

Even when fully up to speed, the diminutive kitchen will necessitate a limited menu— six appetizers, four salads, and a dozen pizzas, plus seasonal pizzas of the week and month, rotating items owner Cornell Thirdkill calls “farm-to-pizza pizzas.”   Continue reading “Cork n’ Slice Woodfire Bistro | 4501 Maryland Ave”

St. Louis’ First Rush Bowl Location to Open in Spring 2018

The Denver-based chain, Rush Bowls, will soon have a location in the CWE at 227 N Euclid. The chain offers “meals-in-a-bowl” made up of fresh fruit, granola, honey, protein and vitamins. Clayton and Midtown are also current targets for other St. Louis locations.

“Rush Bowls offers more than 30 signature bowls, as well as smoothies made with fruit, yogurt, or acai. Signature bowls include the Power Bowl, made with blueberries, raspberries, bananas, oats, whey or soy protein, optional fat-free frozen yogurt, vanilla soy or fat-free milk, and topped with organic granola and honey. The Yoga Bowl combines mangos, pineapples, bananas, green tea, optional fat-free frozen yogurt, vanilla soy or fat-free milk, and the granola and honey topping.”

Read more about Rush Bowls here

St. Louis’ First Levant Restaurant Coming Soon

The sea of food knowledge is wide and deep, so when we were asked, “What’s Levantine cuisine?” while shooting the picture above at 386 N. Euclid, in the space formerly occupied by Kopperman’s Deli in the Central West End, we had to admit, “No idea.”

Levantine cuisine, we later learned, is the traditional cuisine of the Levant, an area that encompasses a large part of the Eastern Mediterranean, including Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and parts of Southern Turkey.

We did better with the logo: it’s the hamsa, a depiction of the right hand (frequently seen on jewelry) that some cultures believe offers protection against the evil eye.

The forthcoming restaurant is owned by Ahmad Alhamid, brother of Aboud Alhamid, who owns Syrian restaurant Ranoush on the Delmar Loop and whom SLM once described thusly: “Alhamid whirls through the dining room like he’s the mayor, nodding, smiling, shaking hands. He also balances plates on his head—skillfully—and will often disappear to produce a small, silver kiddush wine fountain to salute new friends. Order a traditional mezza platter and enjoy the show.”

Though Ahmad was not available at press time, Aboud offered a preview of what to expect at his brother’s place. “Ranoush serves the food you’d expect to find in a Middle Eastern restaurant,” he said. “Levant will be more like the home-cooked foods our mom and her mom used to make, like Middle Eastern comfort food.”

Aboud says the restaurant is slated to open in 60 to 90 days. More as we learn it.

Reblogged from here

Throwback Thursday: Garavelli’s

Joe Garavelli first came to the United States from Italy in 1901 when he was 17 years old. He joined his two brothers, Ben and Charlie, in New York, where they had a bar and restaurant. But Garavelli got homesick and returned to Italy. When he came back to the United States a second time in 1903, his brothers had moved to St. Louis, and Garavelli followed.

Ben and Charlie Garavelli opened a cafe at Grand and Olive; their “Garavelli’s” would remain in business until 1979. But Joe Garavelli struck out on his own. He opened a tavern on a vacant lot at the corner of DeBaliviere and DeGiverville in 1914, furnishing it with a splendid old-fashioned bar and mahogany paneled walls. At first, the only company he saw was the motorman on the streetcar which looped at DeBaliviere and went back to town. But as the neighborhood began building up, business picked up and Garavelli became THE place to go. Continue reading “Throwback Thursday: Garavelli’s”

Juniper to Relocate to 4101 Laclede Luxury Condos | April 2018

The Southern eatery will relocate from its space on Boyle Avenue to one at the 4101 Laclede luxury condominium development. It’s slated to make the move to the bigger space in April 2018. Owner John Perkins, who opened Juniper in 2013, says “I saw limitations that, looking into the future, were going to impact us. Where we are at geographically, it’s not suited to long-term viability.”

Although the move will only span about three blocks, Perkins says its a big change for the restaurant—more visibility, a greater density area, easier access to the Cortex Innovation Community. “Five to 10 years from now, it’s only going to get busier and more dense in that area,” he says, adding he’s happy to be in company with Retreat Gastropub, The Block, and The Scottish Arms. “With our arrival, that just solidifies itself even more as a dining destination for folks.”

The relocation has also spurred a menu update. Perkins says he wants to be able to dive further into the kind of cuisine that Juniper started doing and has been known for: Southern fare with a bent toward the low country. Diners can except fresh and grilled oysters over a live-wood fire, weekend brunch, and a late-night menu Thursday through Saturday. “I also just want to make it a fun environment,” Perkins says. To that end, he mentions “old-school” soft-serve ice cream, complete with sprinkles and hard shell.

After Juniper makes the move, Perkins says the Boyle space will be used for catering and private events. He mentions the possibility of transforming it into a breakfast concept, Little Bird. “I have wanted to do a breakfast thing for a long time,” Perkins says. “I think it does make a lot of sense, just to take what we already invested in that space and keep it going.” But, he adds, plans for that aren’t finalized. Juniper on Boyle Avenue will be open until March 2018.

Read more here

Shake Shack Opening in Central West End | December 11

It’s finally happening…Shake Shack, the nationally beloved burger and frozen custard joint created by St. Louis native Danny Meyer, has officially announced Monday, December 11 as the opening day of its first-ever St. Louis location.

St. Louis’ Shake Shack will be located at 32 North Euclid Avenue in the Central West End. Doors will open at 11 a.m. that day.

“I learned the meaning and feeling of genuine hospitality while growing up in St. Louis, a lesson that has shaped my life and guided my career,” Meyer states in a press release. “When I jotted down the first Shake Shack menu, it was my favorite childhood food memories that most inspired me, and I’m thrilled that Shake Shack has at last found a home in my hometown.”

On top of the regular menu, the Central West End location will be serving special menu items made with ingredients from local purveyors, including the “Central West BLEND” (Park Avenue Coffee gooey butter cake with vanilla custard and salted caramel sauce), the Chocolate Chip cookie (a Winslow’s Home chocolate chip cookie with Askinosie dark chocolate chunks, salted carmel sauce and chocolate custard), the Mound City Double (a double provel cheeseburger with Niman Ranch bacon and “STL sauce”) and the Pie Oh My (Vanilla custard with a slice of seasonal pie from Pie Oh My!). A bonus: five percent of sales from the Pie Oh My concrete will be donated to Forest Park Forever.

The St. Louis location will include other local touches as well, such as Urban Chestnut, 4 Hands Brewing Co. and Schlafly beers being on the menu. In addition, two permanent art pieces created by local artists Noah MacMillan and Adam Koon will be on the exterior windows, while three vintage photos from the St. Louis Cardinals Archive will be on the walls. St. Louis woodworker David Stine also made two communal tables with local sustainably harvested walnut lumber as well for the Central West End Shake Shack.

Reblogged from here

First Friday Happy Hour | Handcrafted by Bissingers | 11/3/17

Local catering company, 23 City Blocks Catering, and national gourmet confectioner, Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier, brings a unique take on a café, chocolate and wine bar to Saint Louis’ Central West End.

The café serves dishes featuring traditional favorites combined with unique ingredients with vegan, gluten-free, and loaded options. Handcrafted by Bissinger’s is the perfect destination for the wine lover, chocolate enthusiast and trendsetter of the St. Louis area.

Free for CWEA members  |  $5 per non-member
RSVP only 13 tickets remain!