The Best of KC Food... Look it over and start bitching

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Provel isn't "prevalent" in STL food outside of pizza. And even then, there are only a handful of (shitty) places that use it.

It seems like everyone I've ever known to visit St. Louis mentions the provel cheese. Is it because those restaurants are well known?

I've only been to St. Louis twice in my life and the first time was when I was four years. The second time I visited, I don't think I saw anything other than the inside of strip clubs, so I'm completely clueless when it comes to St. Louis cuisine.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

It seems like everyone I've ever known to visit St. Louis mentions the provel cheese. Is it because those restaurants are well known?

I've only been to St. Louis twice in my life and the first time was when I was four years. The second time I visited, I don't think I saw anything other than the inside of strip clubs, so I'm completely clueless when it comes to St. Louis cuisine.

IMOs is everywhere, and it's the basis for 'St. Louis style' pizza.

I seriously can't think of a widely known provel entree outside pizza and salads.

Otherwise, St. Louis isn't so much about a distinctive 'only here' cuisine. Probably the biggest thing is formal Italian, but it's just well done traditional dishes.

They've recently made inroads with Farm to Table stuff, but it's really recent, last 3-4 years at most.

St. Louis is more about doing traditional stuff very well than innovating.

For instance, there is a place down in Kimmswick that makes a broccoli cheese casserole that is a transcendent experience. You would put casserole and transcendent in the same sentence, . . . unless you'd been there.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

IMOs is everywhere, and it's the basis for 'St. Louis style' pizza.

Otherwise, St. Louis isn't so much about a distinctive 'only here' cuisine. Probably the biggest thing is formal Italian, but it's just well done traditional dishes.

They've recently made inroads with Farm to Table stuff, but it's really recent, last 3-4 years at most.

St. Louis is more about doing traditional stuff very well than innovating.

For instance, there is a place down in Kimmswick that makes a broccoli cheese casserole that is a transcendent experience. You would put casserole and transcendent in the same sentence, . . . unless you'd been there.

This.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

St. Louis is more about doing traditional stuff very well than innovating.

For instance, there is a place down in Kimmswick that makes a broccoli cheese casserole that is a transcendent experience. You would put casserole and transcendent in the same sentence, . . . unless you'd been there.

I'm not sure if KC has the same "moguls" that St. Louis does as far as restaurants. Between David Bailey, Ben Poremba, the OG hospitality group, Kevin Nashan and Gerard Craft, there are some quality concepts there. But yeah, every time we go there, my foodie friend is always like, "So... BBQ is now a big thing in St. Louis." or "Chicken is now a big thing in St. Louis" or "Southern is now a big thing."

I've been really impressed with the St. Louis food/drink scene over the last 5 years or so. It seems to be experiencing quite a Renaissance.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by NewChief

I'm not sure if KC has the same "moguls" that St. Louis does as far as restaurants. Between David Bailey, Ben Poremba, the OG hospitality group, Kevin Nashan and Gerard Craft, there are some quality concepts there. But yeah, every time we go there, my foodie friend is always like, "So... BBQ is now a big thing in St. Louis." or "Chicken is now a big thing in St. Louis" or "Southern is now a big thing."

I've been really impressed with the St. Louis food/drink scene over the last 5 years or so. It seems to be experiencing quite a Renaissance.

Have you ever been to Blue Owl [the Kimmswick place I referred to]?

Would be interested in your take, given your previous stated tastes.

Their quiches and egg salad are religious experiences as well. Open-face roast beef, and fried chicken salad too.
Wish I had a bigger sweet tooth, to better judge their baked goods.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Have you ever been to Blue Owl [the Kimmswick place I referred to]?

Would be interested in your take, given your previous stated tastes.

Their quiches and egg salad are religious experiences as well. Open-face roast beef, and fried chicken salad too.
Wish I had a bigger sweet tooth, to better judge their baked goods.

I've never been, but it looks pretty interesting. I'll have to run it by our crew next time we're up there (probably New Year's).

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by NewChief

I'm not sure if KC has the same "moguls" that St. Louis does as far as restaurants. Between David Bailey, Ben Poremba, the OG hospitality group, Kevin Nashan and Gerard Craft, there are some quality concepts there. But yeah, every time we go there, my foodie friend is always like, "So... BBQ is now a big thing in St. Louis." or "Chicken is now a big thing in St. Louis" or "Southern is now a big thing."

I've been really impressed with the St. Louis food/drink scene over the last 5 years or so. It seems to be experiencing quite a Renaissance.

Yeah, KC doesn't have anyone who is like Gerard Craft in terms of the combination of skill & concept ambition. Colby & Megan Garrelts, Howard Hanna, and Celina Tio have the skill, and they each have multiple concepts, but not on Craft's scale of ambition. There's no hotshit restaurateur in KC pushing a good chef to head up a combination of high-end and more casual concepts like other major cities have.