Flower Child

As soon as I saw advertising for this new restaurant, I had to go. It looked super healthy and I knew it'd be perfect for our monthly Ladies dinner!

The Avocado Hummus was so smooth and creamy and the floor staff was kind enough to bring us more pita. 

Avocado Hummus

I studied ahead of time, which I recommend due to all the choices, and I picked the Mediterranean Chicken Kabob bowl. So many good things mixed together! Summer squash, Portobello mushroom, bell pepper, harissa, quinoa rice, yogurt sauce, and Greek salad.

Mediterranean Chicken Kabob Bowl

I was not too surprised Patience picked the Chicken Yakisoba Noodle bowl since that dish had an Asian flare to it. Luckily, she didn't quite finish so I got to taste! SO good...this was another winner. This bowl had grilled chicken thigh, wok seared vegetables, sesame garlic sauce, and roasted cashews.

Chicken Yakisoba Noodle Bowl

Another friend just wanted something light, so she ordered the Turkey  & Avocado Cobb salad, which included romaine, arugula, red cabbage, avocado, tomato, cucumber, crunchy corn, pickled onion, smoked almond, gorgonzola vinaigrette. I love salads that have a lot going on!

Turkey & Avocado Cobb Salad

The place was packed for a Thursday night, so I probably should have waited a couple of months before trying out a new restaurant, but I really think it'd be a great lunch spot too. 

They have a limited amount of alcoholic drinks though so it still works for dinner, but you should probably pick another spot for dessert.

Resources:

Flower Child = https://www.iamaflowerchild.com/

Frazer's

I probably shouldn't be posting this just because I didn't have my personal photographer with me. I forgot to take pictures of the cocktails and the dessert, which were some of the highlights.

You should DEFINITELY order the "Who Goes There" cocktail.

And you should DEFINITELY order a dessert. I really wanted something chocolatey, but it was the hottest day of the year and the Peach Crumble with Vanilla icing sounded so much more refreshing. (I was DEFINITELY regretting not having my chocolate squeeze bottle on hand.)

The cocktails and ordering ANY dessert came well recommended by my wine friends, and they were spot on. None of them could tell me an entrée to order because they all preferred to make room for cocktails and dessert.

Yet, the entrées were amazing and I cannot wait to go back for more of the menu. I even struggled on what to order, but these were all winners.

I think the Chicken Scallopini was the best dish, but my Halibut special was delicious as well. 

Chicken Scallopini

Halibut special

The Pork Schnitzel is one of their most popular dishes too.

Pork Schnitzel

Even though it's deep in Benton Park by 55, it is worth the trip! It was even busy on a Monday night! DEFINITELY a place to be.

Resources:

Frazer's = https://www.frazersgoodeats.com/

Fuzzy Udder Creamery - Part 1

My friends bought...not a zoo, but a creamery! In Maine!

I swear I'm not making it up.

Honestly, I was really sad to see my friends move away, but if they have to pick a business, I'm not sad they picked cheese.

Anyway, the first volunteer went up and brought me back a TON of goodies so I could finally get a taste of what they make. 

This is what we call in the industry: A lot of cheese!

While they no longer keep the animals on their land, they make both cow and goat cheeses. I was actually blown away by just HOW MANY cheeses they make overall when you look at their product list, and this was just the first round of tasting that I've done.

The first bunch I tried are the firm cheeses...

Frost Heave, Earthfall, and Small Craft Advisory

The Frost Heave, in the upper, left-hand corner of the picture above is an aged goat cheese, gouda style. There are not that many firm goat cheese out there, and I was surprised at how mild it was... only a slight barnyard flavor. 

The Earthfall, a cow's milk firm cheese, was my favorite because the flavor was very sharp and I think it can stand up to red wines.

The Small Craft Advisory, also a goat cheese, is actually soft-ripened and has a spongy texture. It is a bit tangy, but still mild enough to be well paired with a white wine or even a light red wine.

The second bunch I tried are all the spreadable cheeses...

Fresh Chevre, Garlic and Herb Chevre, and Fresh Vache

The Fresh Chevre and Fresh Vache are both mild, spreadable cheeses that come in small 4 ounce jars. The Chevre is made from goat's milk, while the Vache, which literally means "cow" in French, is made from cow's milk. You would want to pair them a light white wine, or bubbles, however Patience found them to be an incredibly delicious addition to eggs and sandwiches instead of just slathering on toast or crackers. 

The Garlic and Herb Chevre really stands apart from the others with it's strong garlic flavor. You will want to eat this one directly with a spoon, and this one definitely stands up to a red wine!

Along with the spreadable cheese is a Chevre in Oil, which I'd never had before. I had to taste this one separately because it's best if you let it sit out on the counter for 45 minutes to an hour so that the oil can come to room temperature.

Chevre in Oil

I could not believe the amount herbaceous flavors in this Chevre, and since it had warmed to room temperature, it easily spread on a cracker. roasted garlic, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, and salt! Wow!

And then there is Waldo Smog, a cheese unlike the others due to its pungent nature. Patience thought it tasted a lot like a soft, blue cheese because it was so intense. I really love a cheese with so much attitude and flavor, and you could easily pair this with a tannic, red wine.

Waldo Smog

I believe there are quite a few more cheeses on their list of products, so I'll add more parts when I can get my hands on them. 

Hopefully at some point I can have a big cheese tasting for all! 

Resources:

Fuzzy Udder Creamery = https://www.fuzzyudder.com/

Jinzen

For our monthly ladies dinner, Patience picked Jinzen, since she loves Asian foods so much, and they recently opened in the old Craft Beer Cellars (moment of silence).

Jinzen

Ramen is one of Patience's most favorite things to eat and I knew that's what she would order, but they actually have so much more! This was a good thing since I'm usually not in the mood for ramen when it's warm outside.

Between six of us, we were able to order a lot of items from the menu.

I played it somewhat safe as I just wanted a variety of appetizers. Spring rolls and chicken gyoza (not pork!) were my starters, and the chicken skewers ended up as my main course.

Gyoza and Spring Rolls

Dining out in a large group means you get to try a lot of things, so we ordered a few other appetizers such as the Tempura vegetables and Tonkatsu, which is a deep-fried pork cutlet. I think it could have been a meal on its own since it came with a salad on the other half of the plate! Patience knew she was going to have leftovers for sure.

Tampura

Tonkatsu

Julia was wild and ordered the Deconstructed Crab Rangoon Dip. Very creamy!

Deconstructed Crab Rangoon Dip

Here are our main dishes and everyone really enjoyed what they chose!

Bibimbap

Bulgogi

Naengmyeon - Cold Noodle Soup

Signature Tonkotsu Ramen

I hope everyone visits so that it'll stick around for a while!

Chopstick holder

Salt and Pepper shakers

Resources:

Jinzen = https://jinzenstl.com/

Photos by Patience Scanlon

Timothy's The Restaurant

I finally made it here! 

I feel like I'm one of the last one's to make it there, and even Patience beat me to it! It all worked out that my parents LOVE to go there, so it was an easy choice for Father's Day dinner. They have not stopped talking about the hamburger, so I had to get it!

Timothy's Burger

I admit the Timothy's Burger did stand out thanks to the gooey pimento cheese oozing out the side, and the roasted garlic fries are so tasty.

I have been in the biggest deviled egg kick lately...damn you Dierbergs for having them always so easily accessible near the "grab and go" case. I could not resist the Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs as my starter, instead of a healthy salad. The deviled eggs had a kick to them and they were extra creamy from the pimento cheese in them too!

Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs

Patience had ordered one of her favorite dishes, the Rack of Lamb, during her previous visit, so this night she chose the special, a Pork Steak slathered in BBQ sauce. The mac and cheese on the side was super creamy, and she devoured the collard greens.

Pork Steak special entrée

Since three of us got the burger there are not many photos to share, and I'm definitely curious about the rest of their menu. 

In the meantime, I'll just mention that they have excellent cocktails as well. My Blue Sangria was very refreshing to cut through all that pimento cheese!

Blue Sangria

Looking for something upscale, but not overpriced, I would certainly recommend it, and now I know what everyone is talking about!

Resources:

Timothy's The Restaurant = https://timothysstl.com/

Photos by Patience Scanlon

Taqueria Morita

The best part of going to wine classes over and over again is that you start to see the same people over and over again, and eventually you become friends!

My new wine friend, Shannon Behnen, invited me to try the new brick and mortar for Taqueria Morita, right across the parking lot from Vicia, by the same owners in case you hadn't heard.

Instead of wine, I ordered the smallest beer ever! A Modelito! Isn't it cute! (Had a hard time getting the lime in though.)

Modelito

I made the mistake of ordering something hearty, the Quesadilla Gringa, right out of the gate, which was delicious, don't get me wrong, but then I didn't have room for much else.

Quesadilla Gringa

My friends were much smarter and tried several smaller dishes:

Fish, Carne Asada, and Pork Carnitas tacos...

Carne Asada Taco

Fish Tempura Taco

Pork Carnitas Tacos

My favorite small plate was the Tuna Crudo. I probably could have ordered two of these and been set for the night, but really the best thing is to share in order to try all the small plates.

Tuna Crudo

I also "helped" to finish off the guac, hence no picture. 

This is a great addition to the Cortex!

Resources:

Taqueria Morita = https://www.taqueriamorita.com/

STL VegGirl Vines & Veggies

It has been a long time since I have attended a STL VegGirl  event, but a five-course wine paired dinner party is right up my alley. This was also a great excuse to see an old friend, Caryn Dugan, and make a new wine friend, who orchestrated all the wine pairings, Wanda Cole-Nicholson.

I love to see the creativity that comes from Caryn, and I learned about a new vegetable, Celeriac, also known as Celery Root, which was used to make the "steak" main course for the evening. While not attempting to mimic the texture of a steak, and definitely not the same flavors, it was sturdy enough to hold the mushroom sauce on top. 

Celeriac Steak Diane

The coolest looking "new creation" was the appetizer course: vegan caviar made from jellied vinegars and agar. The mixture of vinegar flavors were heated, then dropped into cold oil to create the spheres, looking exactly like roe.

Vegan Caviar over crème fraiche

Then we moved to a salad course, followed by a vegetable and miso infused soup, which had to be one of the best veggie soups I have ever had.

Crisp Mint & Spring Greens Salad

Hearty Spring Vegetable and Bean Soup with a Miso Infusion

We finished the night with a Carrot Cake Cookie topped with Vanilla Frosting.

Carrot Cake Cookie with Vanilla Frosting

Unfortunately, I missed a picture of the wine lineup, probably because I stayed after to help finish off some of the bottles! 

I have included Sommelier Wanda's contact information below as I hope to take more classes from her in the future.

Resources:

STL Veg Girl = http://www.stlveggirl.com/

Center for Plant-Based Living = https://www.cpbl-stl.com/

Wanda Cole-Nicholson = https://www.vinbev.net/

Dinner at Larysa's

I know a lot of people in this town thanks to the STLwinegirl, and I ended up at an incredible wine dinner thanks to her as well.

I had seen the STLwinegirl, Angela Ortmann, tagged as the sommelier for a wine dinner for an elegant wine dinner, and I knew I had to sign up for one. When Larysa decided to host a dinner in her home for International Women's Day, for women only, I thought this would be the perfect one to go to. 

Check out her kitchen!

Larysa's Kitchen

In honor of the women, the dinner was much lighter, with seafood highlighted throughout the menu instead of heavy meats. When you have a multi-course dinner, this is the best way to make it through. (Note: I was still stuffed!) 

The menu

In between dinners, I saw that Larysa was selling her French desserts on social media, so I thought it'd be the perfect gift to share with family. I admit that I cheated and met her before the dinner at her house to pick up the desserts. The desserts were amazing and I could not wait to get to a full night's dinner.

When we arrived, waiting for us at the table were a couple of tiered trays full of charcuterie and cheese along with a glass of Cremant sparkling wine!

Table setting

The first course also included bubbles, but this time real Champagne to go along with a Cheese Soufflé with  a red wine sauce poured into the middle after we poked the hole with a spoon.

Cheese Soufflé with Red Wine Sauce, Spring Greens

For the next course, I had razor clams for the first time, paired with a Chablis. I wasn't quite sure how to eat them, but I figured it's like any other shelled seafood. There is a lot more meat in these larger clams!

Razor Clams in White Wine Sauce

I feel like there were two main courses for this dinner since we were served Halibut in a Citrus Beurre Blanc sauce. (I also love the plate!)

Halibut in Citrus Beurre Blanc

And then a deboned Quail Stuffed with Chicken Mousse!

Deboned Quail Stuffed with Chicken Mousse

The Halibut was smartly paired with another white wine, a Sancerre, while the quail was paired with the only red wine of the evening.

Here is the lineup of the wines! All from France to perfectly match up with the French-style courses.

French lineup of wines for the evening

We finished the meal with an amazing dessert, an Exotic Pressed Sable. I really wished we could have started with dessert, because it was incredible. (And there wasn't any chocolate on it!) 

I forgot to take a picture at first, so feel free to google the name so you can see just how beautiful they are in full size.

Exotic Pressed Sable

If you like fine dining and unique experiences, be sure to follow Larysa on social media so you can sign up for one as well!

Resources:

Larysa Enk = https://www.larysaenk.com/

STLwinegirl = https://stlwinegirl.com/

Cafe La Vie

I was lucky to be invited to a birthday party inside Le Meridien hotel in downtown Clayton.

I was surprised to find a quiet and upscale hotel restaurant, with cushy seating no less, and immediately thought this would be the perfect place to take my parents who long for quiet dining. Not to mention that I knew a bartender who loved their job. (Be sure to check out the cocktail list, but all your favorites are there.)

The restaurant actually has its own name so you can look it up directly and make a reservation, although probably not necessary most nights as it is still mostly hidden. You can also take advantage of the hotel's parking garage too.

Patience started with the Lobster Bisque, a generous and filling portion, while I'm always a sucker for a Mayfair Salad.

Lobster Bisque

Mayfair Salad

Speaking of weaknesses, we all pretty much got our favorites...

I ordered the Feta Risotto that came with huge chunks of roasted butternut squash.

Feta Risotto

Patience had the pasta dish, Campanelle A La Vodka, which was cute trumpet-shaped noodles with pancetta and prosciutto on top.

Campanelle A La Vodka

While my Dad chose the Beef Short Rib that came with a generous amount of goat cheese polenta!

Beef Short Rib

Patience couldn't resist the Creme Brulee either as we were celebrating birthdays!

Creme Brulee

All around winners and I'm recommending this place to everyone who keeps asking me for upscale Clayton restaurant ideas!

Resources:

Cafe La Vie = https://cafelaviestlouis.com/

Photos by Patience Scanlon