Blogs

Big changes in store for your restaurant options at Lambert thanks to a $16-million contract extension between the airport and its contractor HMSHost. From the press release:

The new agreement lays out an ambitious plan to build or renovate about two dozen food and beverage locations at Lambert with the majority of work complete by 2011. HMSHost will introduce eight new food concepts with an emphasis on adding popular St. Louis food brands including Mosaic, Fitz’s and Imo’s Pizza. It also includes a new concept called, Missouri Vineyards, which will emphasize local wines and food. The plan will also bring Lambert popular brands now at other airports including Brioche Doree, a French bakery and café, Freshens, Baja Fresh and an enhanced Budweiser themed restaurant/bar.

What? That one Chili's express isn't enough?

The full press release after the jump.

-Ian Froeb

Illustration courtesy Lambert-St. Louis International Airport

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Friday is the last day you can get pizza by the slice in the Loop. That's when Racanelli's location in the Market Building (6655 Delmar Boulevard) closes down for good. The other stores in the Market Building have all since closed, and Racanelli's is the last holdover.

Don't bother ordering any garlic bread, they're out.

The building will be transformed into a big Racanelli's pizza joint in the coming months with far more seating than the cafeteria-style tables that have been a presence in the main hallway for the past few months currently offer.

Hopefully, they will still yell out your order when it's finished, several times in some cases, in the time it takes you to walk to the counter.

- Nick Lucchesi

My review of Basil Spice is now available online. Click here to read. Also in this week's issue: Malcolm wonders whether pork pattie loaf is a pattie or a loaf, while Kristie chases the hair of the dog with SmartWater.

-Ian Froeb

Photo: Jennifer Silverberg

The aforementioned June 2008 issue of Food & Wine, featuring a recipe from Mathew Rice of Niche and Veruca.

-Ian Froeb

As I ate lunch at Basil Spice, a slow, bittersweet melody played over the restaurant’s speakers. I hummed along with the climactic passage: hum HUM hum hum hum hum. It was my fourth visit to the two-month-old Thai restaurant, and I had heard this particular tune during each of my previous meals. More precisely, I had heard nothing but this particular tune during each of my previous visits. The song, five minutes long, give or take, plays on a seemingly endless loop.

This week I visit Basil Spice, the new Thai restaurant on South Grand. Check back tomorrow to see what I think. (FYI: As of now, the restaurant's Web site is only a placeholder.)

-Ian Froeb

Photo: Jennifer Silverberg

An update on last week's post on Fu Manchu, Mike Johnson's new pan-Asian joint in Maplewood: A commenter reports that the restaurant is, in fact, open. Still haven't found a Web site.

Update: Thanks to commenter Jimmy Z., who read the Google search results more closely than I did, here is the bare-bones Web site.

-Ian Froeb

In keeping with the Cinco de Mayo theme: Now open at 1130 Washington Avenue (the former location of Red) is Beso Mexican Grill & Cantina. Open daily for lunch and dinner. No Web site yet -- at least, not that I've found. Call 314-588-7864 for more information.

After the jump, another photo and more news from the neighborhood...

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The June issue of Food & Wine magazine hasn't arrived in my mailbox yet, but it's now online, and that's big news for Mathew Rice, pastry chef at Niche and its bakeshop, Veruca: His recipe for semifreddo s'mores is featured in the issue.

-Ian Froeb

Gut Check recommends three ways you won't go hungry this weekend.

1. Cinco de Mayo is Monday, but the big party takes place tomorrow on one of Gut Check's favorite streets, Cherokee: food, music, arts and crafts and maybe -- just maybe -- a drink or two. Visit the party's official Web site for all the details.

Even more Cinco de Mayo-related fun after the jump...

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News on ~scape, the Central West End's betilda-ed bistro: Both Sauce and St. Louis Magazine report that Levy Restaurants and the Koplars have parted ways, with the Koplars retaining control of both ~scape and Crêpes: Etc. The head chef is now Eric Kelly. St. Louis Magazine has an interview with him, and ~scape's site has his new dinner menu (PDF).

Those who remember my review of ~scape will be glad to know the infamous "Manwich nipples" are gone.

-Ian Froeb

A look at what’s happening at our favorite St. Louis food blogs…

The Cheesemonger's Wife reports on the opening night at the Shaved Duck.

At STL Hops, Mike visits Three Floyds Brewery in Indiana for Dark Lord Day.

The Cupcake Project is all about ice cream cupcakes this week.

Oodles more after the jump.

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The Shaved Duck (2900 Virginia Avenue) opened for business last night. Mike from STL Hops was there and took pictures of the menu. Go see what's cooking!

-Ian Froeb

The Shaved Duck, the new restaurant from Scottish Arms duo Alistair Nisbet and Brendan Noonan, opens for dinner today at 5 p.m. The Shaved Duck is located at 2900 Virginia Avenue (the former Pestalozzi Place) and is open Tue.-Sat. from 5-10 p.m. Call 314-776-1407 for reservations and more information.

-Ian Froeb

As I mentioned when I teased last week's review of Katie's Pizzeria Café, St. Louis is experiencing a glut of new, non-St. Louis-style pizza joints: Katie's, Pi, Bridge & Tunnel Pizza and Onesto.

My colleague Nick Lucchesi has put together a very cool slideshow with behind-the-scenes looks at all four restaurants. Check it out right here.

-Ian Froeb

Photo: Nick Lucchesi

Fu Manchu, the new pan-Asian restaurant from local chef-restaurateur Mike Johnson, looks like it's almost ready to go. It's taking over the former Grateful Inn space at 7336 Manchester Road. More details on the restaurant as I learn them (or when the restaurant sets up a Web site!). As you might remember, Johnson opened the Tex-Mex joint El Scorcho just down the block last year.

-Ian Froeb