Jim Fiala

Acero's Red Wattle Pork Loin: What to Eat This Weekend and Where to Eat It

Gut Check tells you what's new and tasty at our favorite restaurants. "Springtime," says Adam Gnau, the executive chef of Jim Fiala's Acero (7266 Manchester Road, Maplewood; 314-644-1790), when I ask him what's he most excited about this weekend. "Hopefully this weather will hold out and we can ge ... More >>

Tasting Menus in St. Louis Might Stretch Your Budget, But They Won't Beach a Whale

Our friends at Eater are celebrating "Whale Week," a tribute to high-spending diners -- or whales, as they're known in industry-speak. As part of the festivities, Eater ranked the fourteen most expensive tasting menus in America. The cheapest ("cheapest") tasting menu on the list is at Daniel in New ... More >>

The Five Most Promising Menus from Clayton Restaurant Week 2013

As we told you last week, the fourth annual Clayton Restaurant Week will run Monday, January 21, through Sunday, January 27. Seventeen Clayton restaurants will offer three-course meals for $25 per person, tax and tip not included. In what has become a Gut Check tradition for the higher-profile resta ... More >>

December 2012 Openings & Closings

I'll begin this accounting of last year's final month with a restaurant that technically closed this month -- yesterday, in fact: La Dolce Via. The Forest Park Southeast bakery, winner of multiple Best of St. Louis awards from this here publication, announced this summer that it would close after a ... More >>

Liluma in Central West End Closes Saturday, December 22

In November Gut Check reported that Jim Fiala's restaurant Liluma (236 North Euclid Avenue; 314-361-7771) in the Central West End was scheduled to close in late December. Today the restaurant confirms that its last day of business will be Saturday, December 22. Liluma will permanently shut its doo ... More >>

Chili Reception: Is Joe's Chili Bowl upstaged by Citygarden's excellence?

Slideshow: Inside Joe's Chili Bowl

Acero Hosting Benefit Dinner for Italian Earthquake Relief on Saturday, June 2

Earthquakes on Sunday, May 20, and Tuesday, May 29, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy have killed at least 24. That region is close to the hearts of Jim Fiala and Adam Gnau, owner and chef, respectively, of Acero (7266 Manchester Road, Maplewood; 314-644-1790), and this Saturday, June 2, the res ... More >>

First Look: Joe's Chili Bowl

Unlike Jim Fiala's Terrace View, which previously occupied the restaurant space in Citygarden, Joe's Chili Bowl (808 Chestnut Street; 314-241-7070) is a complete departure from upscale dining. The surroundings remain exquisite, featuring views of Market Street and Busch Stadium, but the vibe is much ... More >>

The Crossing Introduces New Wine Bar

Last year, Jim Fiala transformed the back dining room of his Central West End spot Liluma (236 North Euclid Avenue; 314-361-7771) into Liluma Side Door, a more casual, small plates-focused restaurant-within-a-restaurant. Now, Fiala is introducing something similar at The Crossing (7823 Forsyth Boule ... More >>

The Five Most Promising Menus From Clayton Restaurant Week

As we told you yesterday, Clayton Restaurant Week runs from Monday, January 23, through Sunday, January 29. Participating restaurants have three-course prix-fixe menus for $25, tax and tip excluded. You can see the full list of those restaurants and their menus on the official Clayton Restaurant Wee ... More >>

Review Preview: Liluma's Side Door

Ian Froeb​This week, I visit Liluma's Side Door (236 North Euclid Avenue; 314-361-7771), the restaurant-inside-a-restaurant concept from Jim Fiala. A sneak preview of my review is after the jump.

The Terrace View to Close at End of Year [Updated]

Jennifer SilverbergTime is almost up for the Terrace View in Citygarden​The Terrace View (808 Chestnut Street; 314-436-8855) will close at the end of the year, Feast reports this afternoon. Beginning October 1, the restaurant in downtown's Citygarden sculpture park will open only for lunch Monday ... More >>

Lunch and People-Watching at Liluma

Robin WheelerSalmon BLT and frites at Liluma​ The Place: Liluma (236 North Euclid Avenue; 314-361-7771), Jim Fiala's Central West End outpost featuring one of the best patios for people-watching in the St. Louis area. The Lunch: A salmon BLT with frites, $12 The Verdict: After the brutality ... More >>

Jim Fiala to Open Liluma Side Door

Ian Froeb​Jim Fiala has announced plans to transform the back room of his Central West End restaurant Liluma (238 North Euclid Avenue; 314-361-7771) into a new, casual space called Liluma Side Door. The restaurant will debut on Thursday, August 18.Fiala traces the inspiration for Liluma Side Door ... More >>

Family Food: A brother and sister team up to open Water Street Café in Maplewood

Jim Fiala Goes Smaller to Reap Bigger Rewards

Jennifer SilverbergThe Terrace View, one of Jim Fiala's four restaurants in St. Louis​Jim Fiala recently came to a conclusion about his four restaurants: "Life's too short to worry about feeding so many people."Fret not, Fiala fans. The chef isn't closing the Crossing (7823 Forsyth Boulevard, Clay ... More >>

The Terrace View, Jonathan Olson Part Ways

Robin WheelerChef Jonathan Olson​Jonathan Olson is no longer running the kitchen at The Terrace View (808 Chestnut Street; 314-436-8855), the Jim Fiala restaurant inside the grounds of Citygarden.Neither Olson nor Fiala, in separate phone interviews, wished to delve into the details of the split." ... More >>

Restaurant Tidbits from Jim Fiala, Pi

Jennifer SilverbergThe Terrace View, a Jim Fiala restaurant, at Citygarden downtown​I'm nursing a high ankle sprain -- imagine me making a puppy-dog sad face, asking for your pity -- which means I'm currently housebound and just a skosh behind the curve. At any rate, lots of chef shuffling over th ... More >>

Adam Gnau of Acero Restaurant, Part 2

This is part two of Holly Fann's Chef's Choice profile of Adam Gnau of Acero restaurant in Maplewood. Part one can be found here. Look for part three, a recipe from Gnau, tomorrow. Holly FannAdam Gnau of Acero​Did your family cook when you were a child? Yes, but not well. I'm not doggin' my m ... More >>

Adam Gnau of Acero Restaurant

This is part one of Holly Fann's Chef's Choice profile of Adam Gnau of Acero restaurant in Maplewood. Part two, a Q&A with Gnau, will be posted tomorrow. Look for part three, a recipe, on Friday. Holly FannAcero chef Adam Gnau says love makes the restaurant go 'round.​Adam Gnau is in love. Wi ... More >>

Sidney Street Café Hosts "Operation Charcuterie!" Dinner to Benefit Operation Food Search

​Sidney Street Café (2000 Sidney Street, 314-771-5777) will host "Operation Charcuterie!", a six-course dinner to benefit Operation Food Search, on Tuesday, September 28. This dinner is the culmination of an event organized by Kevin Nashan, owner and executive chef of Sidney Street Café, to incr ... More >>

Enjoy Four Courses for $25 This Month at Jim Fiala's Restaurants

Nick LucchesiJim Fiala at work during the construction of The Terrace View last year​OK, the bad news is that Gut Check is a week late with this news. (Our inbox is overstuffed. Mea culpa.)The good news is that you still have just over three weeks to enjoy one of the best dining deals in town, a f ... More >>

Justin and Danielle Leszcz chucked the 9-to-5 in favor of a 3,700-square-foot farm in Affton

Chef's Choice: Cary McDowell, Winslow's Home

Cary McDowell has been doing some reminiscing. "Maybe it's a function of turning 40," he says. "I feel very circular. I started my love of professional cooking at a very young age with a group in Little Rock, Arkansas, and they encouraged me to go off and do great things and work with the best peop ... More >>

FoodWire: The Terrace View Adds Brunch

The Terrace View (808 Chestnut Street; website) will offer brunch beginning this Sunday, January 10. Brunch will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and feature both breakfast and lunch items. The Terrace View opened this summer in the new Citygarden sculpture park. Jim Fiala of the Crossing, Liluma and Acer ... More >>

(City)Garden Spot: Downtown's new cultural gem gets a restaurant to match

Review Preview: The Terrace View

This week I visit the Terrace View, Jim Fiala's new restaurant within the Citygarden sculpture park. After the jump, check out a preview of my review.Jennifer Silverberg​

Gut Check: Citygarden sprouts an eatery

FoodWire: Terrace View Café Update

Quick update to Friday's post about the opening of Terrace View Café at Citygarden: Jim Fiala sent me a Tweet to clarify that the restaurant is opening for lunch today, dinner on Wednesday.

FoodWire: Terrace View Café Opening Next Week

Nick LucchesiJim Fiala working on Terrace View​My Post-Dispatch counterpart Joe Bonwich reports that Terrace View Café, the restaurant in Citygarden from Jim Fiala (the Crossing, Liluma and Acero) will open next week. According to Citygarden's website, Terrace View will be open for breakfast, lun ... More >>

Around the Horn: Ian covers all the bases to find you the best All-Star Game chow

Lots More Info on Citygarden

Only tangentially food-related, but worth your time: My colleague Annie Zaleski has written an extensive look behind the scenes of the new Citygarden sculpture park downtown, which will include the Terrace View, a new restaurant from Jim Fiala (Acero, the Crossing, Liluma).

This Week's Tip of the Tongue Newsletter

Sign up for Tip of the Tongue here.Gut Check not providing enough dining tidbits for you? Consider subscribing to Tip of the Tongue, the Riverfront Times' weekly e-mail dining newsletter.In this week's edition: a celebration of the blue-cheese souflée at Jim Fiala's the Crossing; details on the Hea ... More >>

FoodWire: Jim Fiala Opening Citygarden Restaurant

From the Press Releases We Apparently Weren't Sent Dep't.: George Mahe of St. Louis Magazine and Joe Bonwich of the Post-Dispatch both report that restaurateur Jim Fiala (The Crossing, Liluma and Acero) will be running the Terrace View, the indoor/outdoor restaurant opening in Citygarden, the new sc ... More >>

Yes We Can...Eat Beets

Received a fantastic press release from Jim Fiala's Clayton restaurant the Crossing (7823 Forsyth Boulevard). I can't capture the brilliance, so I'll just reproduce it here:Chef Jim Fiala of The Crossing Declares Today "Stand Up for Beets!" Day(The Beet Goes On as St. Louis Beet Lovers Proclaim "Ha ... More >>

Gut Check:
Acero in Bon Appétit; Sassafras goes green at MoBot

Acero in Bon Appetit Magazine

Your Weekly St. Louis Food Blog Digest

Dinner Is Served

Ian takes one for the team and counts down the ten best restaurant dishes of 2007.

The Top Ten Dishes of 2007: #4

Liluma

Paradise Lust

Ian takes little bites of Heaven in Maplewood.

Small Plates: Thursday, 3/8

To Serve Man

"St. Louis Cooks and Entertains" -- and you get to sample the results

Crossing to Safety

You're in no danger of getting a bad meal at The Crossing, one of the Midwest's finest restaurants

Side Dish

These are salad days for local chefs

Side Dish

Local chefs share memories of childhood comfort foods

Best Signature Dish

Soufflés, Fio's La Fourchette

Best Chef Tandem

Jim Fiala and Cary McDowell, The Crossing

1998: The Year in Dining