A surprisingly busy Tuesday on the local restaurant front. First, Sauce Magazine scores a major scoop: Mixologist extraordinaire Ted Kilgore is leaving Monarch for the soon-to-open Niche Taste Bar, which replaces Veruca in the space adjacent to Gerard Craft's Niche.At Feast, George Mahe reports that the second location of Caito's Pizzeria at 10012 Manchester Road has closed. The original Caito's in Chesterfield -- which I liked when I reviewed it way back in 2006 -- remains open.
One of the more anticipated restaurant debuts of the year occurs tomorrow as Niche Taste Bar officially opens its doors. (The restaurant had a soft opening this past weekend.)Niche Taste Bar is located at 1831 Sidney Street in Benton Park, the same address as its namesake restaurant, Niche (Web site), where Gerard Craft has won national recognition for his cooking.Niche Taste Bar takes over the space to the immediate east of Niche's entrance, which was previously occupied by Veruca Bakeshop &
Bombay Sapphire has tapped mixologist Ted Kilgore of Niche Taste Bar (1831 Sidney Street) as the "Most Inspired St. Louis Bartender" in its contest to determine -- quoting from the press release here -- the "most exciting, creative libations using Bombay Sapphire" gin.Kilgore's drink, "Gem of a Punch," mixes gin, tea-infused vermouth, champagne, lime and pineapple juices and simple syrup. Kilgore will compete against 39 other bartenders in Las Vegas next month, with the winner scoring a GQ profi
Gut Check dishes on our favorite St. Louis food blogs.Off the Menu: Joe reported changes afoot at Kitchen K. Stl Bites: Bill's friend Mike Sweeney will be consulting on beer menus for Gerard Craft's expanding empire. Sounding My Barbaric Gulp: Kelly celebrated her birthday with lots of good chow.Cupcake Project: Stef's making cupcakes for another wedding. Pumpkin graham crackers are delicious, but not wedding-appropriate.
Jennifer SilverbergThe crew, starting in front, going clockwise: Gerard Craft, chef de cuisine Adam Altnether, mixologist Ted Kilgore, cook Nick Blue, pastry chef Matthew Rice and sous chef James Peisker.This week I visit Taste by Niche, the new offering from acclaimed chef Gerard Craft. Of course, once you're seated in Taste's close quarters, at the bar or the communal table, you'll find it difficult not to order more than you'd planned. The dishes being set down in front of diners mere inch
Photo: Jennifer SilverbergThe crew, starting in front, going clockwise, owner/chef Gerard Craft, chef de cuisine Adam Altnether, mixologist Ted Kilgore, cook Nick Blue, pastry chef Mathew Rice and sous chef James Peisker. See a slideshow of photos from Taste by Niche.My review of Taste by Niche (1831 Sidney Street; website) is now available online. After the jump, pictures from Jennifer Silverberg of the interior, the food and the cocktails.
This Monday, November 9, 33 Wine Shop & Tasting Bar (1913 Park Avenue; website) will host a special cocktail event. Blood & Sand will bring together some of the area's leading mixologists, including Ted Kilgore and T.J. Vytlacil, to kick off the new local chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild. There will also be a wine tasting -- this is 33, after all -- as well as a beer tasting hosted by STL Hops beer guru Mike Sweeney. The event begins at 6 p.m. Admission is free. Call 314-231
Last night, bartenders and mixologists from various St. Louis restaurants and bars met at 33 Wine Shop & Tasting Bar (1913 Park Avenue; website) for "Blood & Sand," an event to signal St. Louis establishing its own local chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild.Photo: Stew SmithMixologist Ted Kilgore of Taste by Niche, who presides over St. Louis' "Best Drink Menu," according to the '09 RFT Best Of St. Louis issue.View a slideshow from "Blood & Sand."Photographer Stew Smith w
User "Chriusha," Wikimedia CommonsSupposedly the world is running out of bitters. Not bitter people, mind you, but the cocktail mixer. Specifically, Angostura bitters, those that come in the ubiquitous paper-wrapped bottle with the yellow plastic cap. Just a few years ago, such news wouldn't have attracted much notice. After all, cocktails rarely call for more than a few dashes of bitters, so a bottle would last most bars quite a while. But now that classic cocktails are all the rage, bar pa
