I've been living in Chicago for a while now but never got around to
visiting St Louis. Recently I had the chance to spend several days
there. Even though I was ostensibly there on business, I managed to cram
in as many food related activities--and as much food--as time allowed.
My gracious and patient hosts helped and guided me throughout the visit
and made the whole thing a real pleasure. I'd like to report some of our
activities and hope to get some comments and suggestions for future
visits.

We began with a visit to Dominic's, one of the better restaurants I've
been to in a while. It's certainly elegant, something that aroused my
suspicions at first, but all that show is backed up by a solid kitchen.
The highlights were a top-notch osso bucco, nearly perfect sauteed
spinach, and excellent espresso. It's clear why this place is popular.

Back to the Hill next day for sandwiches at Amighetti's. All were good
but the Amighetti's Special was the standout (I usually despise
mayonnaise on sandwiches, especially Italian-style ones, but it worked
very well). Cannoli were disappointing: filled too far in advance and
soggy. Still, a good place.

Went to Vitale's Bakery in search of bread but because we were so late
almost everything was gone. Some of the cookies looked awfully good
though.

The Missouri Baking Company had more in stock (still almost no bread)
and almost everything looked good. I liked the croccanti but the big
flat squares of cheesecake were slightly disappointing (crust too thick
and soggy). Judging from appearances, I'll bet some of their stuff is
great. Any favorites there?

Volpi's is a fun little place. I've bought (and enjoyed) their salamis
many times in Chicago so it was interesting to go to the source. A small
but well chosen selection. I brought back some bresaola and a cotechino
(can't wait to boil that baby up and serve it with heaps of lentils).

Then off to Soulard Market. Again, too late but I liked this place a
lot. Looks like a market, feels like a market, smells like a market.
Produce wasn't real exciting but I'd love to see it earlier in the day
and later in the season. I bought some organic sorghum and am kicking
myself for not getting a few pounds of black walnuts.

No visit to St Louis would be complete without a visit to the World's
Only Floating McDonald's, right? The iced tea was exquisite (and the
croccanti from Missouri Baking Company were nice).

Dinner at Bobby's. The Cajun food was respectable and that veggie dish
from Fiji was interesting. But, yikes, that Boulevard Weissbier was
awful (I'm a big fan of Weissbier but not of that stuff).

Wandered around University City and stopped at Fitz's for some snacks
and root beer. The root beer was first-rate (and the free refills were
very nice) but the food could use some work. Mediocre quesadillas, lousy
nachos, and my very first toasted ravioli. The ravioli weren't bad at
all but I suspect there are much better ones to be had. Where? Watching
that ancient bottling line (and the people climbing all over it trying
to fix it) was fun.

I was quite impressed with Jay International, a very nice food store.
One of the more diverse selections I've seen in a single shop.

We tried to have dinner at Yemanja Brasil but didn't have reservations
and were turned away. This looked like an exceedingly interesting spot
and I'm really looking forward to a return visit. Anyone have comments
on this place?

Ended up at India's Rasoi, which I thought was quite good but not
stellar. The breads were nice and I regret not trying some of the
tandoori items.

Much will have to wait until next visit. I never did manage to find time
(or space) for a St Louis pizza. Where should one go? Ditto for snoots.
Guidance in this matter is especially important because I'd imagine a
subpar snoot could be a nasty experience.

Any comments and suggestions would be appreciated. What are some
essential stops for future visits? I'd be especially interested in
hearing about the little dives and holes-in-the-walls off the tourist
track.

Questions about Chicago? Just ask, I'll be happy to help.

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

In article <8e4qc1$p3...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
  Rene G <reneg...@hotmail.com> wrote:
And you barely scratched the surface, too!  Come back again and
eat more! ;-)

The sensible thing to do is to eat the sandwich and go elsewhere for
dessert.

Yes.  THIS is where you should buy your cannoli.

You didn't go to Viviano's?  The smell there alone is worth the visit!

Go early on Saturday and skip the Italians who shop at wholesalers
and resell there.  Look for real farmers.

You were within an easy walk of MUCH better food.  Riddle's Penultimate
Cafe, right across from the Tivoli, has innovative American food
and the hugest wine list you have ever seen.

And their county facility, Global Market is stunning.  They must
have fifty types of sausages in the deli, and they have whole
frozen goats (dressed) and every other food you could imagine.

Yes. Order the feijoada, and be prepared to split it with someone.
It;s HUGE and delicious.

Go to House of India on Delmar.  They have a wonderful Sunday brunch
and an adequate weekday one, plus wonderful food on the menu.  Much
better than Rasoi.

Do NOT try St. Louis pizza if you like sauce or bread at all.
St. Louis pizza (and I'm a native, so I'm entitled to grouse about
it) is like ketchup on a cracker.  The crust is thin to crackling,
the sauce is bland, and the cheese is seldom real.  If you MUST
eat it, go to a bar in South St. Louis.  Imo's is the most famous
proponent, but as far as I'm concerned, it is not pizza.

 Ditto for
snoots.

You need a little barbecue joint, preferably one owned by
African-Americans.  There used to be a good one on Page, but I
cannot recall the name.  Snoots are like giant pork rinds, and
many folks cannot stand 'em.

Actually, you haven't even touched on the wealth of Oriental restaurants
we have here.  I recommend strongly the Royal Chinese Barbecue on
Olive in U. City (real Chinese roast duck and pork on weekends,
fabulous Hong Kong "pots" and stirfries the rest of the time),
the Thai "empire" on Delmar of Thai Cafe, Thai Gai Yong and Thai
Seafood, and the Lemongrass on Grand.  Or the quirky Saigon Cafe
on Olive, where you can get more familiar Vietnamese dishes PLUS
the scarce and authentic Vietnamese sandwich, a relic of French
colonialism.

When the weather is warmer, you will need to visit Ted Drewes' Frozen
Custard.  Start with a SMALL smoothie or custard.  You may find a
large one indigestible, as there is a lot of butter fat in it.

Definitely save time for Riddle's, if you make time for nowhere
else.

--
Kiwi Carlisle
kiwib...@my-deja.com

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Before you buy.

Rene:  I do occassionally visit Chicago and would love to know about unusual
ethnic restaurants.  In other words, not thai, chinese, italian, etc but
something we are likely not to have in St.Louis.  Also, good sea food
restaurants or good neighborhood places that locals frequent.  If there is a
restaurant that isn't in the above categories but you think is exceptional, I'd
love to know about that as well.  Thanks

Ben

You did very well for a first visit. Most locals never get around to so many
good places.

A few candidates for next time:
- Crown Candy for an ice cream soda in the afternoon.
- Malmaison, French food in the boonies. The dessert "basket" is special.
- Big Chief, kind of a wacky place for elk, bison or ostrich, also in the
boonies. Have the sweet potato.

In article <20000427133615.20565.00000...@ng-fb1.aol.com>,
  bensen...@aol.com (Bensenten) wrote:

Okay, here's a list of some of my favorite Chicago places. It's clearly
out of place in this newsgroup; hope nobody minds. Most of these spots
have been discussed by me and many others in chi.eats. If you do a Deja
search you should be able to find lots of additional information.

My list is biased toward the cheaper and "more interesting" places but a
few of the standard tourist spots are also included. All have very good
food or are notable in some way. First, some Chicago classics then some
of the more interesting ethnic places.

Lou Mitchell's (565 W Jackson)
Old luncheonette serving the best breakfasts in Chicago.

Manny's (1141 S Jefferson)
Old Jewish style steam table cafeteria. Excellent corned beef
sandwiches.

Berghoff (17 W Adams)
Classic downtown German restaurant. Food is okay but the standup bar is
great. Have a stein of Berghoff dark or a shot of Berghoff 14 year old
bourbon. Mixed drinks are frowned upon.

Parthenon (314 S Halsted)
Greek Islands (200 S Halsted)
Two old standbys on the Greektown Halsted strip. Noisy and fun, some
dishes very good, others not. Nearby Santorini specializes in seafood.
Lots of other Greek places nearby.

Pizzeria Uno (29 E Ohio; original one only, avoid the franchise
locations!)
Lou Malnatti's (439 N Wells)
Pretty much the definitive deep dish Chicago style pies. Uno's can get
ridiculously crowded.

Fluky's (6821 N Western)
Superdawg (6963 N Milwaukee)
Two of the better places for a Chicago style hot dog (with everything,
of course). Don't embarrass yourself by asking for ketchup. SD is a
drive-in with car service. For late night amusement, after the bars
close, it's tough to beat the Wiener's Circle (2622 N Clark). Those dogs
aren't bad either (char dogs too, even though it offends the purists).

Al's Beef (1079 W Taylor)
Johnnie's (7500 W North, Elmwood Park)
My favorites for Italian beef, Chicago's other sandwich. Get 'em hot and
dipped. Al's has my favorite hot giardiniera of any beef stand. And
Mario's Lemonade is right across the street.

Lem's (311 E 79th)
Probably the best of the old-time southside BBQ joints. The Lemons
brothers have been at it since the early '50s. Ribs, tips, links,
chicken, and that's about it. No seating.

Chuck's (5557 W 79th, Burbank)
The best of the sit-down BBQ places. Nothing fancy but excellent food
and more variety than most Chicago BBQ places. Great sauces (Chuck used
to work at Topolobampo and knows his chiles).

Noon O Kabab (4661 N Kedzie)
Crowded little neighborhood Persian place that does the best grilled
kababs around. Interesting neighborhood (middle eastern/Korean/Mexican).
Pick up dessert at nearby Salam Sweets (4638) or Jaafer (4825).

Lutz (2458 W Montrose)
Elaborate Austrian cakes and pastries. Very pleasant spot for coffee and
pastry (nice garden in summer).

Tiffin (2536 W Devon)
Udupi Palace (2543 W Devon)
Dasaprakash (2511 W Devon)
Of the dozens of Indian places on this stretch of Devon, Tiffin is
probably the best all around. Udupi and Dasaprakash are veg only. Very
interesting neighborhood (Jewish/Russian/Indian). I would avoid the 5 or
so Indian restaurants on the near north side. Overpriced and bland.

Georgian Bakery (2812 W Devon)
Nice chewy flat breads baked on the walls of an igloo like oven. Fun to
watch them bake. Interesting neighborhood (Jewish/Russian/Indian).

New Maxwell Street Market (Canal St centered around Roosevelt; most of
the food is around 14th St)
Sunday morning open air flea market. Great selection of Mexican street
food, some of which is outstanding. Last year, G Wiv did an excellent
review in chi.eats (do Deja search).

Topolobampo/Frontera Grill (445 N Clark)
Ixcapuzalco (2919 N Milwaukee)
Upscale but authentic Mexican. Not your usual Mexican restaurants, some
unusual dishes. Topolobampo, in particular, is pricey.

Tropic Island (1922 E 79th)
Basically a shack serving wonderful spicy, smoky jerk chicken. Get a
side of steam cabbage. Take out only.

Bobak's (5275 S Archer)
Old Warsaw (4750 N Harlem)
Two of the better Polish smorgasbords. Eat til you burst for about ten
bucks.

Nhu Hoa (1028 W Argyle)
One of the few Laotian menus (also Vietnamese). These few blocks of
Argyle are crammed with Vietnamese restaurants and shops. Very
interesting street. Try Pasteur (a few blocks north at 5525 Broadway)
for upscale Vietnamese.

L'Olive (Halsted??)
Morroccan. Haven't been to the new location but I liked the atmosphere
of the now closed original.

Garden Buffet (5347 N Lincoln)
Crash course in Korean food (all you can eat--$17). Cook your own
bulgogi etc over coals brought to your table. Big selection but no
labels and not much English spoken (you'll probably enjoy those
intestines or that raw skate if you don't know what it is). Dozens of
other Korean places in the 3000s on W Lawrence.

Addis Abeba (3521 N Clark)
The best of the 3 Ethiopian restaurants in the neighborhood. Good veggie
choices.

Healthy Food (3236 S Halsted)
Not really healthy, just Lithuanian home cooking.

Tibet Cafe (3913 N Sheridan)
Some interesting flavors, kind of like a cross between Chinese and
Indian. Vegetarian friendly.

Penang (2201 S Wentworth)
Chicago's only Malaysian restaurant. In the main Chinatown.

Iberico Cafe (737 N LaSalle)
The best of the tapas places. Some like Cafe Baba-Reeba or Emilio's.

Map Room (1949 N Hoyne)
A great beer bar with hundreds of selections including some Belgians on
tap. Ask to see their vintage beer list. Overcrowded on weekends.

Sam's Liquor (1720 N Marcey)
Huge wine store with an amazing selection and pretty good prices. Vast
selection of whiskeys and almost everything else.

Chicago is not really known for seafood restaurants. One reliable place
is Shaw's Crab House (21 E Hubbard). Not cheap but very good quality.
They serve a more limited menu in the lounge which is a bit less
expensive. I've heard some good things about the new place, Atlantique
(5101 N Clark), but still haven't been.

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Before you buy.

Nice report!  I love the Soulard Market; we have nothing in Chicago
like it.  It's nice around Christmas; I also get a kick out of the live
poultry and I like the pet shop.  In season, you can even buy dressed
oppossum, beaver, squirrel etc. ;-).

I also like the South City Diner, The King And I (Thai), and some of
the Vietnamese joints on that main street (forget the name - Grand?)
over by Tower Grove Park.

Best
Greg in Chicago

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There are lots of burrito joints that have Chicago Style burritos.  I
eat burritos at least once/day every time I visit Chicago.

--
Bryan

"don't put yourself down,
but don't take that as an invite to get mr poky out"
       --Laura, in alt.fan.calista-flockhart, 5-5-00

http://www.thebonobos.com/music/mp3/
Experience my photogenicity at:
http://altpunk.com/alt.punk/gallery/current/bobo_bonobo.html

For your safety and protection, this sig. file has
been thoroughly tested on laboratory animals

Next time you are in St. Louis you must try Lagniappe's (2501 S.
Ninth Street)in Soulard area. The owners, Bill & Brenda go out
of thier way to make you feel welcome and the food is great.
Bill worked at Rigazzi's for many years & now opened his own
place.

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In article <04bafef6.425ab...@usw-ex0102-016.remarq.com>,
  Ruth <eleitzNOelS...@worldnet.att.net.invalid> wrote:

What's this next to?  I went to a small restaurant in that area
last winter, just about next to the St. Louis Bread Company,
and can't recall if it was Lagniappe.  I hope not.  The day I
was there, a waitress assured me that their gumbo was "really
spicy".  When it arrived, it was so bland I had to fish out my
"emergency" mini-bottle of Tabasco.  I've had spicier gumbo
from a can!

--
Kiwi Carlisle
kiwib...@my-deja.com

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Before you buy.

Another good place in Soulard is called, of all things, Soulard's, 1731 S 7th.
Been there a long time, run by son of the founder.

Had a great lunch there last week while visiting my sister. Soulard's
has a web site:
http://www.soulardrestaurant.com/

They are also selling a recipe book and have two recipes on their web
site: one for Pork Tenderloin with Raspberry Sauce and the other for a
Cream Of Garlic Soup. It starts: "...45-50 cloves of garlic, peeled..."

Now THAT'S a good recipe :-).

Leo Boberschmidt