Ethnic and Regional Cuisines

Ask a Mexican: Muy Caliente Summer Edition

Craving a sublime taqueria experience? Go to Mi Tierra in Fairmont City. ¡Órale!

Slideshow: See photos from Mi Terra in Fairmont City

J. Gumbo's Opens New Location Downtown

Not quite one year after a fire destroyed the apartment building in which J. Gumbo's had opened its first St. Louis-area location, the fast-casual Cajun-Creole restaurant has returned with a new home downtown. J. Gumbo's debuted yesterday at 312 North Tenth Street. The restaurant's regular hours are ... More >>

First Look: Sushi Bistro Rolls Sushi and Hibachi Into a Single Concept in Downtown Kirkwood [Photos]

In late February, Kirkwood welcomed a new seafood-centric restaurant to town: Sushi Bistro (343 South Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood; 314-966-5545). The sushi bar and hibachi grill is run by owners Jimmy Li and Zhenkun Lin with chef Andy Chi, whose experience comes from rolling sushi on the East Coast for ... More >>

The 7 Best Indian Restaurants in St. Louis

Gut Check has been looking back on the Riverfront Times Best of St. Louis 2012, but we're also keeping an eye on the Best of St. Louis 2013 by nominating finalists for our awards this fall. To see hundreds more winners and finalists, suggest your own contenders and download the Riverfront Times Best ... More >>

First Look: Gringo Offers Taco Options Like Al Pastor, Octopus and Grasshopper in the Central West End [Photos]

From the formidable forces behind the successful pizza empire that is St. Louis chain Pi Pizzeria comes a new concept called Gringo (398 North Euclid; 314-449-1212), which opened its doors in the Central West End last week with a full menu of tacos, margaritas and more. See also: - Pi Pizzeria Te ... More >>

Milagro Modern Mexican's Craig Bielke: Featured Bartender of the Week

The agave has been juiced, the limes have been purchased and the tequila has been stocked. Milagro Modern Mexican (20 Allen Avenue, Webster Groves; 314-962-4300) is ready to make hundreds of margaritas in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. Milagro isn't hosting a garish Cinco party, but as the winner of ... More >>

Gut Check's Guide to Drinko Cinco de Mayo in St. Louis: 26 Food and Drink Specials

Whether you observe Drinko de Mayo, or its less quippy counterpart Cinco de Drinko, we all unite this Sunday, May 5, to drink fishbowl margaritas in the streets of St. Louis. It might not be a real national holiday in Mexico or America, but that doesn't halt our revelry, and in the spirit of al past ... More >>

Cinco de Cherokee: An Updated Guide to Restaurants on Cherokee Street

St. Louis' neighborhoods are gems in their own right: full of history, great people and, as far as Gut Check is concerned, fantastic food. Each week we'll take you into a specific neighborhood and point you in the direction of the best places to grab some bites. Cherokee Street is the epicenter of ... More >>

Broadway Oyster Bar Invites You to Suck It at Crawfish Fest This Weekend

The mighty mud bug is the star of this month's food festival at Broadway Oyster Bar (736 South Broadway; 314-621-8811), and chef Brad Hagen is pulling out all the stops (and all the crawfish) to make this a feast worthy of the Big Easy. Gut Check spoke with Broadway Oyster Bar's Mary Moramarco to ... More >>

St. Louis Pho to Become Kim Ngan, from Former Owner of Phuc Loi

So here is a classic bad news-good news scenario. First, the bad: We told you last week that St. Louis Pho (3863 South Grand Boulevard; 314-664-4041) had closed temporarily and would reopen under new management. Today, I can confirm that the restaurant will not reopen as St. Louis Pho. This is a s ... More >>

South Grand Tidbits: St. Louis Pho Temporarily Closed, Hong An Coming Soon

St. Louis Pho (3863 South Grand Boulevard; 314-664-4041) is closed temporarily, according to a sign on its front door. The sign indicates that the Vietnamese restaurant will reopen on Monday, April 15, under new management. St. Louis Pho's phone number remains connected but went unanswered when I ca ... More >>

Takaya or Leave Ya: Didn't New Asian get old, like, ten years ago?

Slideshow: Inside Takaya New Asian

Farmhaus Hosts Second Crawfish Boil This Sunday, March 24

Last spring Farmhaus (3257 Ivanhoe Avenue; 314-647-3800) threw its first crawfish boil, and this Sunday, March 24, it's spicing things up with another one. From Noon to 6 p.m. the restaurant will serve a selection of Cajun eats, including boiled crawfish, andouille sausage and several other menu op ... More >>

Olive Boulevard Asian Eateries & Much More: An Updated Guide to Restaurants Along Olive, Westward From University City

St. Louis' neighborhoods are gems in their own right: full of history, great people and, as far as Gut Check is concerned, fantastic food. Each week we'll take you into a specific neighborhood and point you in the direction of the best places to grab some bites. View Olive Boulevard Asian Eateries ... More >>

The Ten Best Food Events in St. Louis This Weekend: March 15 to 18

Let someone else do the cooking for you over the next few days. Enjoy a special dinner prepared by a competent chef at spots like the Kitchen Conservatory, or get the full package of food plus entertainment over murder mysteries, variety shows and even glassblowing. Don't forget to enjoy Irish fare ... More >>

Thaidentity Crisis: At Ocha Thai & Japanese, it's too easy to lose your culinary bearings

Slideshow: Inside Ocha Thai & Japanese

Kaslik Restaurant Offers Real-Deal Shawarma and More in Florissant

Since 1998, Wasem Hamed has wanted to open a Middle Eastern restaurant in Florissant. He saw a lack of the food he enjoyed growing up and learned to cook at culinary school in Jerusalem, and also the demand, from a strong Middle Eastern population in north St. Louis County. It has taken fifteen yea ... More >>

Neighborhood Bites: The Hill

St. Louis' neighborhoods are gems in their own right: full of history, great people and, as far as Gut Check is concerned, fantastic food. Each week we'll take you into a specific neighborhood and point you in the direction of the best places to grab some bites. The Hill is the classic St. Louis ... More >>

Ask a Mexican: Are burritos supposed to explode?

Noodle House on South Grand Already Closed

Looks like a very short life for Noodle House (3924 South Grand Boulevard; 314-771-5197). The Vietnamese restaurant opened in late June of last year in a former Arby's restaurant along South Grand in Dutchtown. Driving past it this week, I spotted a For Lease sign posted outside the restaurant. Peer ... More >>

Vaya Con Dos: Two new Mexican-ish restaurants in less-than-likely locales

Slideshow: Photos of Vida Mexican Kitchen y Cantina

Review Preview: Vida Mexican Kitchen y Cantina and Arcelia's

After six years, this gig still manages to surprise me. This week might seem like a no-brainer. On the one hand, you have the return of a beloved St. Louis restaurant: Arcelia's (1928 South 12th Street; 314-241-1378). On the other hand, you have a chain Mexican restaurant in a shopping mall: Vida ... More >>

Family Tie: Trattoria Marcella gets a big Mia Sorella in Ballwin

Slideshow: See photos inside Marcella's Mia Sorella

Small and unassuming, Fork & Stix is unlike any other Thai restaurant in St. Louis

Slideshow: Photo tour of Fork & Stix

Hokkaido Steak & Sushi Buffet Opening Second Location In South County

A second location of Florissant Asian buffet restaurant Hokkaido Steak & Sushi Buffet (660 North US Highway 67, Florissant; 314-921-6666) is currently under construction in Concord Plaza Shopping Center at South Lindbergh Boulevard and Baptist Church Road in south county. Currently butcher paper co ... More >>

Feed Me Banh Mi Truck Calls It Quits

Feed Me Banh Mi (@FeedMeTruck), the food truck that specialized in Vietnamese-style sandwiches, announced via Twitter last week that it is quitting the business.

At Pastaria in Clayton, Gerard Craft and crew use their noodles

Slideshow: Pastaria in Clayton Photos

El Toro Mexican Restaurant Now Open in North Hampton

We learned just last week that a new Mexican restaurant was soon to open in the shopping center at the northeast corner of South Kingshway Boulevard and Chippewa Street: El Toro Mexican Restaurant (3710 South Kingshighway Boulevard; 314-772-2888). El Toro is now open. I ducked inside this morning t ... More >>

First Look: Sultan Palace Bakery and Cafe Serves Shawarma and More on South Grand

On a Sunday afternoon during its first week in business, Sultan Palace Bakery and Cafe (4144 South Grand Boulevard; 314-875-9653) has but two employees staffing the 60-seat restaurant -- which isn't a problem, of course, until a group of ten or so followed by a table of four arrive to sample the Mid ... More >>

First Look: Vida Mexican Kitchen y Cantina Opens in the St. Louis Galleria

Vida Mexican Kitchen y Cantina (South Brentwood Boulevard & Clayton Road, Richmond Heights; 314-863-1150) opened its doors this week at the St. Louis Galleria. Gut Check spoke with head chef Chris Swinyard to get the low-down on everything from the restaurant's "traditional guacamole" to its margari ... More >>

The Treats of Laredo: Tex-Mex returns at last to the corner of Park & Mississippi

Slideshow: Laredo on Lafayette Square

South of the (St. Peters) Border: Craving Tex-Mex in a sleek contemporary setting? ¡Vamos a Chesterfield!

Review Preview: Fiesta! Modern Mexican Cuisine

This week I visit Fiesta! Modern Mexican Cuisine (185 Hilltown Village Center, Chesterfield; 636-536-0002). It's not your typical Mexican restaurant -- though maybe not for the reasons its name might lead you to believe.

First Look: Pastaria

"Sorta close to Italy" is the legend on the back of the the staff shirts at Pastaria (7734 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-862-6603). Indeed, the newest addition to chef Gerard Craft's portfolio is a far cry from the Italian countryside. Modern touches such as floor-to-ceiling glass cover the entire ... More >>

Fork & Stix to Bring Northern Thai Cuisine to Delmar Loop

As Sauce was first to report, a Thai restaurant called Fork & Stix will open this fall at 549 Rosedale Avenue, the east Delmar Loop storefront vacated earlier this year by the Ethiopian restaurant Selam. Opening a Thai restaurant in the Delmar Loop might seem foolish, as the neighborhood already bo ... More >>

Tokyo Seafood Buffet's Conveyor-Belt Sushi Is Mesmerizingly Disappointing

Avocado. Avocado. Avocado. Spicy tuna? Avocado. Avocado. Avocado? I'm standing along the perimeter of the rectangular sushi station -- I'd call it the sushi bar but there's nowhere to sit -- at Tokyo Seafood Buffet (8004 Olive Boulevard, University City; 314-991-1188), watching as plates of sushi, ... More >>

First Look: Thai 202 Offers Sweet and Spicy Take-out in the Central West End

Restauranteur Art Lee keeps it all in the family when it comes to food. Growing up in Thailand, his family ran an open market grocery store. He says the skills he gained then come in handy even now for the new business, Thai 202 (235 North Euclid Avenue; 314-367-2002), which he runs with his wife an ... More >>

Drive-Thru Sushi Comes to Brentwood

A colleague noticed yesterday that the drive-thru hut at 8950 Manchester Road in Brentwood, which was the original home of Famous Szechuan Pavilion (8615 Olive Boulevard, Olivette; 314-685-0888), has new signage up advertising "To Go Sushi." Turns out that's not just what the new venture offers. Th ... More >>

The Veggielante Gulps Gokul Indian Restaurant

The Veggielante has had it up to here with people bitching that St. Louis restaurants are vegetarian unfriendly. Sure, we'd like to see more restaurants offering more meatless dishes, but there are excellent choices out there if you take the trouble to look for them. We're not here to proselytize ab ... More >>

St. Louis Pho transforms former Burger King into a deliciously noisy affair

Review Preview: St. Louis Pho

This week I visit St. Louis Pho (3863 South Grand Boulevard; 314-664-4041), a Vietnamese restaurant that opened in the Dutchtown neighborhood at the very end of last year. (Hence the leafless tree in the background of the photo I shot then.) Page through for a sneak preview of my review.

New Mexican: La Cantina seeks to carve a unique niche in Webster Groves

Food Truck Fever, Part 3: Gyro worship with a side(car) of bánh mì

Tidbits from J. Gumbo's, Land of Smile, Spaghetteria Mamma Mia

- The fast-casual chain J. Gumbo's will open its first St. Louis location this Wednesday, June 27, at 3949 Lindell Boulevard. As Gut Check reported when we first learned of J. Gumbo's arrival, the chain has locations in six other states. Its menu offers Creole and Cajun fare (gumbo, po' boys, jamb ... More >>

Layla Lebanese Restaurant's makdous inspires an eggplant epiphany: The apotheosis of aubergine!

Mexican Metamorphosis: If you thought Half & Half's name refers to breakfast and lunch, you don't know the half of it

Tidbits from J. Gumbo's, Pumpernickels

- Looks like another fast-casual chain is setting up shop in St. Louis: A trusted operative tells Gut Check that J. Gumbo's will open in the Central West End. (We have an exact address, but we're working to confirm it.) J. Gumbo's, which as its name might suggest specializes in Creole and Cajun far ... More >>

Gut Check's Guide to Cinco de Mayo

Tomorrow, Saturday, May 5, is Cinco de Drinko Mayo. Though at best a regional holiday in Mexico, we here in the U.S. of A. can't get enough reveling on Sabado 5 de Mayo. Don't get us wrong, we at Gut Check also enjoy indulging in margaritas on the rocks and Mexican food, and thus have compiled a lis ... More >>

The Five Best (Not Cheap) Italian Restaurants in St. Louis

Selecting Riverfront Times' Best of St. Louis 2011 was no picnic. Choosing the winner meant several worthy candidates would go unmentioned -- until now. In this Gut Check series, we are chewing our way through notable runners up in a number of categories. To see hundreds more winners and finalists a ... More >>