Every April, there’s one day when this question is asked almost as much as “where you went to high school?” And it’s a question that you’re more likely to get a smile and response than a roll of the eyes. Where are you dining…as in, where are you Dining Out for Life?, an international “event” that raises money to help the fight against AIDS and locally, Saint Louis Effort for AIDS, an organization that provides education on the prevention of HIV/AIDS and comprehensive support services for those affected by the disease. There’s no tickets to buy or auction items to bid on, the fundraising is as simple as having dinner at one of the 140 St. Louis restaurants participating; you enjoy good food, pay the bill and the restaurant donates 25% of their sales to the cause.
As a restaurant reviewer and frequent dining “outer”, I am asked this question several weeks up until the day. But then again, most ask this because people typically organize a big group or “host” at a specific eatery and the more people that dine out, the bigger the bill. In years past, I’ve dined at Terrene, Atomic Cowboy and the now closed, Agave. This year, I’ve been invited to join groups of friends at Scape, Pi, Pomme and Aya Sofia. I have yet to commit. The reason? St. Louis restaurants and eateries are amazing and generous; there are so many top spots here that are supporting Dining out for Life, it’s likely wherever I end up, it will be a participating place.
