Napa

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 >>

Eric Heath Destroys a Giant Vase and Bans Death Metal in His Kitchen: A Q&A with the Cleveland-Heath Chef

This is part two of Gut Check's Chef's Choice profile of Eric Heath of Cleveland-Heath. Read part one, a profile of Heath, here. Part three, a recipe from Heath, will be available on Friday. For years Eric Heath and Jenny Cleveland planned to open a restaurant together. But when they found the pe ... More >>

Chef Eric Heath of Cleveland-Heath Calls Edwardsville "An Awesome Place"

This is part one of Gut Check's Chef's Choice profile of Eric Heath of Cleveland-Heath. Part two, a Q & A with Heath, will appear Thursday. Part three, a recipe from Heath, will be available on Friday. "Sometimes, we'll get cooks in here who are like, 'You don't sous-vide? You don't do this? You ... More >>

First Look: Manila Bistro Offers Flavors of the Philippines in Kirkwood

It's hard to imagine that St. Louis' longest standing Filipino restaurant concept, Manila Cafe, started out with just two tables on Cherokee Street in 1978. Its history spans various incarnations at dining destinations such as annual local festivals, Union Station, South Grand and downtown Kirkwood. ... More >>

Missouri's Mount Pleasant Winery Featured in November Issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Mount Pleasant Winery (5634 High Street, Augusta, Missouri; 800-467-9463) based in Augusta, Missouri, recently received some national praise. Wine Enthusiast, the de facto national magazine for wine lovers, has rated ten selections from the winery, which is located less than 50 miles outside St. Lou ... More >>

Busted! Scamwich Artist Unmasked by Local Restaurant Owners

Local chef and restaurateur Mike Johnson didn't just fall off the Sysco truck yesterday. A graduate of the New England Culinary Institute, the man has mapped out a restaurant résumé that begins when he was fifteen and spans two continents; on this one alone he has toiled in kitchens from Napa to L ... More >>

Wine of the Week: The Velvet Devil Merlot at Copia Urban Winery & Market

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where an expert will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you whether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our nos ... More >>

Mathew's Kitchen Opens in South City

​Mathew Unger took his first cooking class at the age of eight, a schoolkid with the sisters of Notre Dame. He studied international business at the University of London. He has been both a stockbroker at Paine Webber and the executive chef of the Missouri Athletic Club-West."I have a weird backgr ... More >>

Mike Johnson of Cyrano's, Boogaloo

This is part one of Chrissy Wilmes' Chef's Choice profile of chef Mike Johnson of Cyrano's and Boogaloo. Part two, a Q&A, will be posted tomorrow, and part three, a recipe from Johnson, will be published on Thursday. Chrissy Wilmes​Within his career as a chef, Mike Johnson of Cyrano's and Boo ... More >>

Gavin DeGraw Comes To Celebrate St. Louis: A Q&A

Brad Barket​Playing at Soldiers Memorial Park this Saturday as a part of Fair St. Louis' Celebrate St. Louis, series, soft-rocker Gavin DeGraw has built a massive base by appealing to a wide variety of music fans. His most financially successful album to date, 2008's self-titled effort, peake ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Alias California Cabernet Sauvignon at Kaya's Import Wine & Spirits

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where an expert will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you wether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our nose ... More >>

Valentine's Dinner Deal at Robust Wine Bar

​The best Valentine's Day dinner deal we've found so far has to be the prix fixe tasting menu offered at Robust Wine Bar & Cafe. Three courses, each with its own three-ounce wine pairing, for $55 per person. Better still, the Webster Groves wine bar will feature this deal all through Valentin ... More >>

From party girl to Oscar winner, Sofia Coppola's journey to Somewhere

Ohio Milk Labeling Law Deemed Unconstitutional

A federal court has ruled Ohio's milk labeling law unconstitutional. Food Safety News reports that the ruling came after a two-year legal battle over the state's ban on labeling milk as "rbGH free," "rbST free," or "artificial hormone free". The case is also the first to state that milk from cows no ... More >>

Christopher Lee of Cafe Ventana, Sanctuaria and Chuy Arzola's, Part 2

This is part two of Robin Wheeler's Chef's Choice interview with Christopher Lee of Cafe Ventana, Sanctuaria, and Chuy Arzola's. To read part one, click here. Part three, a recipe from Chef Lee, will be available soon. Robin Wheeler​Did your family cook when you were a child? If so, what mea ... More >>

Ask a Mexican! Special Regional Anti-Mexican Slur Edition

Wine Buy the Bottle - Great Values in St. Louis: 33 Wine Shop & Tasting Bar

Given Gut Check's never-ending quest for obsession with great wine values, we figured it'd be a good idea to check in from time to time with local merchants. They pick three wines they consider to be excellent values, and Gut Check buys and tries one of them. Price is important, but value is really ... More >>

Chef's Choice, Part 2: Eliott Harris of Miso on Meramec

This is part two of Robin Wheeler's Chef's Choice interview with Eliott Harris of Miso on Meramec. To read part one, click here. Stay tuned for part three tomorrow. Robin Wheeler​Did your family cook when you were a child? If so, what meals stand out? My mom is an awesome cook. I'd hang out i ... More >>

FoodWire: Free Napa Cabernet Tasting at Wine & Cheese Place

[Updated 3/2/10 with tasting notes; click through to read...] ​Never had the disposable income to buy into the north-of-$50 world of Napa Valley cabernets? Here's your chance. Paul Hayden, manager of the Clayton location of the Wine & Cheese Place (7435 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-727-8 ... More >>

The Noble Writ's New Year's Resolutions

Unlike several of my fellow Gut Check contributors, I'm not much for reminiscing about, dissecting or ranking the past year. Instead, I enjoy the challenge of looking forward and setting goals. So here are my plans for both my personal wine consumption and The Noble Writ in 2010.Aaron Logan, Wikime ... More >>

FoodWire: New Tasting, Lunch Menus at Araka

Jennifer Silverberg​Clayton restaurant Araka (131 Carondelet Plaza; website) has announced a revised lunch menu and a new seven-course tasting menu. The lunch menu (link PDF) includes several new dishes, including spinach-ricotta raviolo, a beef short-rib sandwich and an adobo-rubbed skirt steak. ... More >>

Accounting for Taste: Niche gets a new next-door neighbor — think of it as mini-Niche

FoodWire: Veritas Hosting Pahlmeyer Wine Dinner August 19

Veritas Gateway to Food and Wine (1722 Clarkson Road) is hosting a five-course dinner featuring Pahlmeyer Wines on Wednesday, August 19, at 6:30 p.m. Pahlmeyer Winery sales manager Dave Landis will be a guest. Pahlmeyer Wines include the "Jayson" line, named after founder Jayson Pahlmeyer, which eve ... More >>

The Noble Writ: Wine Faults - Cork Taint

Dave Nelson is the author of the blog Beer, Wine and Whisky. He writes about wine for Gut Check every Tuesday.I recently attended a relatively large wine tasting. This wasn't a formal affair. Just a group of good friends, tasty food and a whole lot of great wine over the course of two days. I broug ... More >>

Gerard Craft Featured (Again!) in Food & Wine Magazine [Updated]

Gerard Craft (alone, right) cooks for Napa Valley winemakers. Gerard Craft of Niche (1831 Sidney Street; Web site) is featured in the April issue of Food & Wine. In the article "Napa Cabernet Now," the magazine had Craft, one of its reigning Best New Chefs, cook lunch for seven of Napa Valley's ... More >>

Drink of the Week: 2006 Green & Red Chiles Mill Vineyard Estate Zinfandel

Juniper Grill
1928 S. 12th Street
314-621-9195

No Matter How U Slice It: The U provides much-needed sandwich sustenance to midtown — even in the wee hours

The Pla Song Kruang Remains the Same: Basil Spice puts the newest Thai twist on South Grand

Frank Bruni Names 10 Best New (Not New York City) Restaurants

Just Ducky

Clayton's newest restaurant has style to burn — and the substance to back it up.

Oh, What a Night

Bounty by the County

The state’s winemakers and food producers aren’t exactly key playersin the global economy. A Mizzou professor aims to change all that.

Meat the Family

Rose explains her beef with Ruth's Chris

Under the Hampton Sun

Find a foodie paradise in south St. Louis

Smiles to Go

Felicity Huffman is desperately engaging in an off-kilter road movie

Copia Runneth Over

The food's delish, but Copia still needs to prove a thing or two to oenephiles

The Grapes of Mirth

Jonathan Nossiter's wine documentary is subversive, funny and humane

Outta Sight

Juniper Grill triumphs even as a small, unassuming storefront bistro in Soulard

Urbane Living

St. Louis designer Rocio Romero's prefab homes are generating a buzz across the nation

Family Affair

Wow your tastebuds at the upscale-yet-comfy Café Bellagio

Best Sommelier

I Fratellini Caffe and Rosticceria

The Prince

At long last, the Godfather's son makes his first film, and it was not easy