In a press release sent out on Sunday, August 22, St. Charles hotspot HOME Nightclub in the Ameristar Casino announced its abrupt closing, shutting its doors for good later that night. According to the press release, Ameristar Sr. Vice President and General Manager Jim Franke said that while HOME had met Ameristar’s standards of quality and excellence in becoming one of St. Louis’ premiere nightclubs, the venue was unable to sustain profitability. The venue will continue to host private events and no word yet on a new project to fill the space.-Cristy Miller
Openings & Closings: HOME Nightclub shuts its doors
Posted in The Dish.
– August 23, 2010
Now Serving: Pizzeria Tivoli
By Cristy Miller
Nestled in the corner of S. Kingshighway and Holly Hills Avenue, Pizzeria Tivoli is a small, charming eatery that serves wood-fired pizza. Like the space, the menu is small (12 slightly thin crust pies, 2 appetizers and 3 salads), but focuses on the flavors in pizzas like the roasted garlic, ricotta, mozzarella and parmigano or the shrimp pesto with sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella. There’s also a “Tivoli” pie with tomato, artichoke hearts, chicken and red peppers and spinach pie with ricotta. Classic pepperoni and margherita pizzas are also offered. With simple, fresh ingredients and classic flavors, Pizzeria Tivoli feels more like a tiny eatery in Rome rather than a South City pizza restaurant. Pies run between $9-$13 and outdoor dining is available.
5861 S. Kingshighway
314.832.3222
Tues.-Thurs., 4pm-9pm; Fri., 11am-10pm; Sat., 4pm-11pm; Sun., 4pm-9pm.
Posted in The Dish, Uncategorized.
– August 17, 2010
I Scream for Gelato
Gelato has it rough. It’s not the classic, cool American treat; it doesn’t have the same appeal for most as a bowl of rocky road and kids don’t hit the ground running when they hear the “gelato” man driving down the block. St. Louis has always been an ice cream or frozen custard town—but if you ask me where I’m going for dessert or where I go for a break from the summer heat, it’s most often Gelateria Tavolini.
I don’t consider myself anti-ice cream—I like a good ole’ milkshake or scoop of chocolate ice cream as much as the next person. I think of myself as pro-gelato. I prefer the dense, creaminess of gelato; it’s made with milk and sugar (like ice cream) but less air is added during the freezing process, unlike traditional ice cream, so you get maximum flavor per bite. Gelateria Tavolini Downtown serves this Italian treat, along with scones, cookies, coffee and espresso. What’s more, they make their own gelato and rotate the flavors weekly, many times daily and announce these via Twitter, @GTavolini. I once dropped what I was doing when I got a “peanut butter” tweet. Other mind-blowing flavors include a throat tingling ginger, creamy blueberry, fresh pineapple and a “London Fog” that tastes similar to a cup of Earl Grey tea—don’t knock it til’ you try it…or ask for a sample. Or stick with something you know you’ll like and try chocolate (also available in Mayan flavor), caramel or mango.  Get any of these silky delights in a cup, cone or shake and enjoy in the charming café (free Wifi!) or sidewalk patio. (1327 Washington Ave., 314.621.8838)
Posted in The Dish.
– June 23, 2010
Baseball & Bites
I’m a baseball fan to the core. Baseball season is my favorite time of the year. For me, it means walking to my gym, laying poolside while reading my latest obsession, and 160-plus days of game watching. And there’s nothing I love to do more during a St. Louis summer—besides actually attending a game—than to enjoy dinner while watching a Cards game.
St. Louis has an endless number of bars and restaurants to game watch, but one I’ve become fond of is The Over/Under Sports Bar on Washington Avenue Downtown. The biggest draw—the 120-inch projector that plays the game on their patio. The Over/Under plays every game during the regular season—with sound—and is visible from anywhere on the patio. If it’s raining, you won’t have a problem inside watching on one of the 37 flat screens and it’s likely you can catch multiple games—last night I watched the Redbirds prevail over the Mariners while the Lakers were battling the Celtics in game 6 of the playoffs.  Except for the cheers every few minutes, I paid no attention to that game.
The menu is a little more upscale than your typical sports bar grub—white bean hummus with pita bread, mac n’ cheese and truffle scented fingerling potatoes are just a taste of the appetizers menu. My go-to sandwich is the turkey Reuben; the turkey is light and smoked and layered with Swiss, apple chutney and sauerkraut on rye. And the chicken BLT is a tasty twist on the classic with pepper bacon that’s slightly spicy and stacked on ciabatta with avocado ranch. The Parmesan waffle fries are thick and crispy—just what fries should be—and I always order a side of mayonnaise. No ketchup, just mayo—oui. The mushroom risotto has always been prepared perfectly when I’ve ordered it and is full of that smoky, musty flavor of shitake and crimini mushrooms, and made with goat cheese and balsamic reduction. And because I rarely say no to dessert, I recommend the ice cream trio—a playful take on an ice cream cone, with three flavors and upside-down mini waffle cones, served with a spoon. Last night’s cotton candy and chocolate  really hit the spot—of course, anything pretty much will with me when the Cardinals win.
The patio at The Over/Under
Posted in The Dish.
– June 17, 2010
Happy Endings
When it comes to desserts, I have two very important rules; keep it simple and satisfy me. For me, dessert isn’t a guilty pleasure or indulgence—it’s an innate component of any meal. It’s the best part, maybe that’s why it’s saved for last. A foodie’s happy ending. Dessert should tease you with just the right amount of taste to leave you fulfilled. It should satisfy with flavor, not size. A gargantuan piece of chocolate cake may look like it’s going to be good but won’t make you swoon if the chocolate isn’t sweet enough and the cake is dry and bland.
I’m not won over by an indulgent masterpiece no matter how enticing and desirable it looks. I don’t care how gourmet it may be. When I want dessert, I want to be satisfied. I want to be consumed by so much deliciousness that it washes over me in a wave of pure pleasure. A moist vanilla cupcake with buttercream chocolate icing so smooth it melts in your mouth; a luscious and creamy chocolate shake with peanut butter; a plate of warm doughy brioche donuts dusted with sugar and served with decadent dark chocolate dipping sauce. I want my dessert to be so good my mouth waters with the memory of it.
To say that I have an insatiable sweet tooth is an understatement. I’ve been known to order it before an appetizer or entrĂ©e. And with my discerning tastes, I’m often asked for a recommendation by friends and coworkers when their own craving kicks in. Of course, I’m always happy to help. There’s nothing worse than a bad dessert experience that leaves you hungry, unhappy and well, totally unsatisfied. Here’s a quick list of a few of my favorite St. Louis meal-enders.
400 N. Euclid @ McPherson
Central West End
314.367.4300
What To Order: The Apple Pi—warm apples and sugar baked over their famous cornmeal crust. Order it with a side of the salty caramel ice cream.
522 N. Grand Blvd.
Midtown
314.535.5577
What To Order: The Elvis in the House milkshake made with chocolate and banana ice cream and lots of peanut butter cups.
28 South Maryland Plaza Rear
Central West End
314.367.6111
What To Order: The Confetti cupcake with French vanilla cake, topped with vanilla buttercream icing and sprinkles.
1831 Sidney St.
Benton Park
314.773.7755
What To Order: The Liquid chocolate cake, a molten of chocolate inside a moist cake and served with house-made coconut cream cheese ice cream.
1535 S. Eighth
Soulard
314.436.2500.
What To Order: The truffle flight with ganache with fig, white chocolate with lemon custard and dark chocolate with peanut butter bacon.
Posted in The Dish.
– May 4, 2010
Where Are You Dining?
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.
Posted in The Dish.
– April 29, 2010
Bitter Sweet
The ALIVE office now shares an address with a charming local bakery. Needless to say; I’m in heaven. Today marks the first day in our new office space in Benton Park, in the same building that houses Shock City Studios and Bittersweet Bakery. And while the ALIVE crew is excited and energized in our new locale, the move has been somewhat bittersweet.
We called the Central West End our home for the last two years and loved/appreciated every second of it. We loved the fact that we could walk to the Cupcakery for a mid-day, Double chocolate pick-me-up or to the former Companion for a petite sack lunch. The editors and designers would take dail
y trips to Straub’s for Diet Mountain Dew and Hot Tamales (wait, that was just my personal shopping list!). We would stroll down Maryland Plaza and say hello to the boys at Moris Fashions. But the one thing I miss the most is Crepes; etc, Scape American Bistro and Chef Eric Kelly. ALIVE spent hours upon hours at Crepes; etc, in meetings, refilling on coffee (our daily fuel) and enjoying Chef Eric and his team’s amazing menu of French-inspired eats, from savory and sweet crepes (the nutella crepe is a must-order) to waffles, gelato and sweet treats (try the cheesecake lollipops). And while we love that we have moved from one stellar spot to another, our CWE family (and especially Chef Eric and Crepes; etc) will always hold a special place in our hearts.
Crepes; etc
48 Maryland Plaza
314.367.2200
scapestl.com
Posted in The Dish.
– April 15, 2010