We've got two under-the-radar openings for you this week: Pairings Wine & Dessert Bar (1131 Colonnade Center, Des Peres; 314-821-5455) is now open as well as Zoup! (810 North New Ballas Road, 314-792-6060) in Creve Coeur. We spoke to both owners a few months ago to get the scoop.
See also: Pairings Wine & Dessert Bar Bringing Fine Dining to Des Peres
Pairings offers more than 50 wines that owner Dave Pollman told us you won't find on a typical wine list around town. "We've come up with the concept so that we can feature a lot of these wines paired with entrees and seasonal menu items," he told us. "We're really gonna focus on the wine and food and let people experience new wines and have some finer dining options in Des Peres, which they really don't have. It's a lot of bar food around here."
Check out the lunch menu, including a croque-monsieur panini, a lamb burger and a cranberry chicken club, below.
Zoup!, a chain based in Detroit, already has one location at West County Center. It offers over 100 fresh soups, which are rotated daily. Owner Thaer Abdulkarim told us St. Louis could use something more unique and -- gasp! -- healthy. "I don't see anything like that here," he says. "When I hear of a new place that opens, I want go try it right away. I'm always interested to see something new open up in St. Louis."
If his first Zoup! venture is successful, Abdulkarim plans to expand to places such as Chesterfield and O'Fallon. "St. Louis is like a second home to me. I don't see myself going anywhere else," he says. As for Zoup! "Come on and try it," he urges. "I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy it!"
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