Jalea

I have been reading about Jalea in the local foodie magazines for some time and then a friend went out there and vouched for it. I finally got the opportunity to go when I realized I had a friend that work out that way, so I used her as an excuse to meet up after work.

I admit that I don't know much about Peruvian food, but I was told the Ceviche was excellent. I may have made the mistake of telling my friends what I had heard since we all ordered the same thing! 

Ceviche with battered shrimp on top

Sorry there aren't too many varied pictures to show off their menu, but this would definitely be my recommendation as well.

I also read this month about their yucca fries so I ordered that as an appetizer. Way less greasy than usual French fries! 

Yucca Fries with dip

My Pisco Sour was also delicious.

Cocktail Menu

I am a big fan of simple menus so your choices are not overwhelming. I was very curious about the rest of the menu.

Menu

Definitely a reason to drive out to St. Charles Main Street!

Note: You must make a reservation as this place fills up fast and they only have one large table. 

Resources:

Jalea = https://www.jaleaperuvianbistro.com/

Seoul Garden

Babsy wanted Korean. I am still not sure why, but Patience was immediately on the case. 

I knew Korean BBQ was a thing, but I hadn't tried a place like Seoul Garden before, where you cook your own food in a grill in the middle of the table! (I still need to tip my friend who did all the work for us.)

I'm hoping they don't let customers mess it up, but I guess you're on your own to decide if the meat is done? It's a lot of money to spend if you end up burning it too. Although I'm hoping that is why the servers walked around and seemed to keep an eye on things.

Starting out...

Anyway, it reminded me of a Brazilian churrascaria, where there is a large amount of meat that just kept coming. Since there were four of us, we each picked a meat, although we would have been better off stopping at two or three meats. (The bill was much easier to split this way though.)

I enjoyed quite a few of the sides, which are lined up in the small white bowls. My favorites were the broccoli, pickled cucumbers, and potatoes, but you got to be careful because they fill you up when you should be eating the meat! 

By selecting the Classic order, it came with two soups, and these were amazing. (In the black bowls in the picture below.) My favorite was the beef, which was perfect on a chilly night. The kimchi was super spicy if you are into that.

Just about done cooking! Also, delicious soup in the black bowls

Warning! You WILL overeat! Make sure you stretch properly and do not order more until you have finished the earlier rounds as you cannot take the rest home. Your stomach will thank you for this.

For a taste of Korean, this was a winner.

Resources:

Seoul Garden = https://koreanbbqstl.com/

Press

Press had been on my list for some time as I was curious about it and well, I love pizza. We were ready for a new food adventure!

This place is small and filled up quick after 6pm, so be sure to get there early on the weekends or be prepared to sit at the bar. We were lucky to get a table for four.

Honestly, we all were blown away by the draft cocktails so even if you don't like pizza, or their version of it, go to the bar!! Look how beautiful my Lavender is!

Lavender

And Patience ordered two Wisconsin Old Fashioneds.

Wisconsin OF

I was relieved that the pizzas were individually sized, but plenty of food, so that we could each try our own.

I chose the Mushroom pizza, since I'm not a big fan of meat pizzas, and it was quite simple. The mushrooms were big and filling, which I loved, although I was so afraid the kale would get stuck in my teeth. 

Mushroom Pizza

Yet, I have to admit that the actual meat pizzas are the real stars here as Patience's BBQ Kimchi and Duck pizza had so many flavors going on. To take it to another level, she added a chunk of Burrata on top. (Becoming not such a cheap pizza in the end.)

BBQ Kimchi and Duck

Looking back, I almost don't recognize the pizzas since they're cooked more like a quesadilla and the toppings are in the middle. I do like how they do top each pizza with some kind of vegetable and sauce. 

But this is such a fun concept, I hope to go back a few more times. The cocktails alone are worth the visit.

Resources:

Press = https://www.press-stl.com/