Liz Miller

Chef Clara Moore at Local Harvest Grocery in Kirkwood.

Update: Moore and Sorrell launched their Kickstarter campaign last evening. As of this writing, the project has $1,175 in pledges and 29 days to go. Our original post follows.
----------------------------------------------
In recent months chef Clara Moore moved from St. Louis to Seattle, Washington, leaving her position as executive chef and regional manager of local grocery and restaurant chain Local Harvest Cafe & Catering. She now divides time between her hometown, St. Louis, and Seattle, and she's still a business partner at Local Harvest.

Now comes news that Moore is writing a cookbook and St. Louis grocery-store guide titled Shop Like a Chef: A Food Lover's Guide to St. Louis Neighborhoods, with plans to fund the project through a Kickstarter campaign slated to launch Wednesday, April 24.

Curious to learn more about the book, we gave Moore a call.

See also:
-Chef Clara Moore Leaving Local Harvest Cafe & Catering
-Chef's Choice: Clara Moore of Local Harvest Cafe and Catering

More »

Image via

Though food trucks abound in St. Louis, since Wanderlust Pizza trucked out of town in 2011 and Pi Pizzeria retired its food truck last summer, the city hasn't had a go-to pizza truck.

Thanks to new food truck Slice of the Hill (@SliceoftheHill; 314-791-2557), that's about to change.

According to owner Mike May, Slice of the Hill hits St. Louis streets next week.

Gut Check is always hungry for more restaurant news. Feed us your tips.

More »

Katie Moulton

Saint Louis Cellars is closing.

Update: Gut Check spoke with Saint Louis Cellars (2640 South Big Bend Boulevard, Maplewood; 314-880-9000) co-owner Matt Williams this afternoon, who says the store's closure is purely to make room for TKO DJs (7434 Manchester Road; 314-647-3000).

"It's always been our passion, but we need to make room for the bigger business," he says.

Williams spoke positively of the wine shop's closure, noting that it's a needed move for his group of businesses, and expressing gratitude for the loyal customers and community that's supported Saint Louis Cellars in its five-year run.

"We want to make sure we take care of everybody...We're running a sale that's 20 percent off to wine club members now -- they're our most loyal customers and we wanted to give them first access -- and open to the public Friday and Saturday. All inventory is 20 percent off. We've always had a huge following from our customers and the community. People have been good to us, we want to be good to them."

Visit Saint Louis Cellars to peruse the breadth of its discounted inventory Friday, April 5, and Saturday, April 6.

Update: (04/04/13, 1:47 p.m.) Matt Williams gave us a ring this afternoon to clarify that the newsletter message printed after the jump in this post was addressed and sent to former wine club members who are not currently active, and separate messages were addressed and sent to current wine club members and Saint Louis Cellars' general mailing list. These tailored greetings to different audiences aren't related to the shop's closure.
----

Saint Louis Cellars in Maplewood is closing its doors.

The wine shop, which opened in 2008, announced plans to close today in a newsletter to its wine-club members. Owners Matt and Jennifer Williams also own neighboring business Saint Louis Closet Co. (2626 South Big Bend Boulevard; Maplewood, 314-781-9000) and nearby TKO DJs. In their message today the Williams say Saint Louis Cellars is closing to make room for TKO DJs, which will relocate to that space immediately following the wine shop's closure. No official final day of business has been announced.

We have a call in to Saint Louis Cellars for comment. Read the full newsletter announcing the closing after the jump.

More »

RFT Photo

Joy Christensen, owner of the Fountain On Locust.

Update 11:59 a.m. Because of weather concerns, the Fountain's Burlesque Birthday Party will be postponed until Wednesday, February 27.

Think back to the last birthday party for a five-year-old you attended. Maybe there was a bounce house, a unicorn-shaped cake or a slightly creepy-looking clown. But for the Fountain on Locust, celebrating its fifth birthday means burlesque performances, a drag show and birthday-cake martinis.

Gut Check caught up with Fountain owner Joy Christensen, who reflects on the past five years and looks forward to what's ahead.

"It's been a blink. I'm an accidental restauranteur, I have no experience in restaurants. I just did this because I thought St. Louis needed something like this."

See also:
-Interview: Joy Christensen Talks About The Fountain On Locust's New Menu
-Best Public Restroom - 2010: The Fountain on Locust
-The Fountain on Locust to Host First Annual Scooperbowl

More »

Image via

Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos are coming for us all.

When Taco Bell partnered with Frito-Lay last year to create nacho cheese Doritos-flavored Doritos Locos Tacos, the Internet all but collapsed in on itself like a dying star. While we've already forgotten the name of the 2012 Republican Party presidential candidate, we might never forget the first time we heard tell of Doritos Locos Tacos.

Welp, time to gird your e-loins once again, world wide web: Cool Ranch-flavored Doritos Locos Tacos arrive at Taco Bell restaurants across the country on Thursday, March 7.

See also:
-Taco Bell's Latest Innovation: The Doritos Locos Regular and Supreme Tacos
-Taco Bell Tests Dorito-Flavored Taco Shells: Five Repurposed Junk Foods
-[VIDEO] Cardinals Lose, So Today is Free Doritos Locos Tacos Day

More »

RFT Photo

Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar

Gut Check loves us some wine. Yesterday was National Wine Day, and let's just say we did the holiday proud. Aside from guzzling glasses of grape, we, on occasion, like to read about wine, too. Imagine our delight, then, upon learning that four St. Louis wine bars are featured in the March 2013 issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

Even more delightful, three of the four wine bars featured made Gut Check's 2012 list of the nine best wine bars in St. Louis.

Not too shabby.

See also:
-The Nine Best Wine Bars in St. Louis
-The Veggielante Relishes Robust's New Downtown Wine Bar in the MX Building

More »

Jennifer Silverberg

Dad's Green Chile Cheeseburger

Congrats to Steve Gontram and St. Louis' own Five Star Burgers (8125 Maryland Avenue; 314-720-4350) for serving one of the "25 Hottest Hamburgers in America Right Now," according to Eater National. Five Star's "Dad's Green Chile Cheeseburger" was singled out as a must-eat item, joining stellar burgers from San Francisco, New York and Chicago.

"It's pretty sweet," Gontram tells Gut Check. "It's pretty incredible. We're very honored."

More »

image via

Four Loko: It's a binge in a can.

If you're one of the few poor souls who have no taste buds and therefore love Four Loko, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission is worried about you.

On February 12, the FTC reached an agreement with Phusion Projects, LLC, makers of Four Loko, a carbonated, fruity malt beverage. Phusion is now required to re-label its infamous booze in an effort to make drinkers more aware of what they're consuming. Because, you know, Four Loko drinkers are a discerning bunch.

More »

Image via

Eau de Pizza Hut

In December Gut Check wrote an unrequited love letter to Pizza Hut Canada after hearing it had given away 110 bottles of a very rare perfume called Eau de Pizza Hut. The 'za chain described the scent as featuring "top notes of freshly baked, hand-tossed dough." But alas, Gut Check wasn't one of the lucky 110 fans sent a bottle.

Avast! All is not lost!

This week we learned via an official Pizza Hut press release that Eau de Pizza Hut is being gifted to a select group of its fans for the first time in the U.S. through a company Valentine's Day Twitter giveaway dubbed "Last Minute Lovers."

See also:
-Pizza Hut Canada Gifts 110 Bottles of Eau de Pizza Hut Perfume To Fans (But Not Gut Check)
-Pizza Hut's Super Bowl-Hyped Innovation Is...Sliders?

More »

Image via

Why yes, that is RFT Music Editor Daniel Hill front and center in Friedlander's photo.

On Friday, February 8, comedian Judah Friedlander visited the Firebird (2706 Olive Street; 314-535-0353) to make St. Louis laugh. The self-described "World Champion" did just that for nearly 90 minutes, including an interlude about St. Louis and his love-hate relationship with Imo's Pizza (multiple locations). He described Provel cheese as melted plastic and Imo's crust as a cracker, summarizing it as: "The best and worst pizza at the same time."

Update: Imo's responds to Jimmy Kimmel's reply after the jump.

See also:
-Judah Friedlander Talks About Life After 30 Rock and Being the World Champion: Interview Outtakes
-Life After 30 Rock: Judah Friedlander on being World Champion
-Jenna Fischer Talks Favorite St. Louis Foods With Jimmy Kimmel, He Calls Imo's The Worst Pizza Ever

More »