Friday Links

This is my 1,000th post. Yee haw.

• 44% of Missourians say they buy artisanal cheese at least once a week.
• Las Margaritas (across from Rock Bridge H.S., on Corporate Lake) is for real, guys. Like, serious pressure on La Terraza in south Columbia real. Highly recommend the cochinita pibil tacos…and the molcajete’s better that La T’s.
• Jose Jalapeno’s Mexican Restaurant is open at the Ice Chalet Galactic Fun Zone Lazer Lanes building.
• In movies, I highly recommend the beautifully animated and scored “A Monster in Paris” for the whole family.
• Even better – though not for the whole family – is “Django Unchained.” Love him or hate him, Tarantino always makes interesting films. Dialogue, music and dark comedy…plus, the bad guys always get theirs in the end. 100% recommend.
• Rodents of Unusual Size are eating Louisiana.
• Karl Welzein has written an ad he wants to run by Anheuser-Busch’s marketing team.

Friday Links

I spent some time this week tasting sides from different bbq joints around town for an upcoming Vox magazine piece. Truth be told, most of them suck as much as their barbecue, which is a disgrace in this town equaled only by our “Italian” options. Recommended: Candied Brussels sprouts at Lonnie Ray’s and Rootin’ Tootin’s collard greens. Okay, Lutz’ potato chips are fine too. Anyway, onto the links and other out-of-context randomness…

• New York City’s Department of Records has released hundreds of thousands of never-before-seen photos from the city’s past, and many of them are awesome.
• The Times ties “Before Midnight” to Truffaut and “Up.”
• Lionel Messi managed to, er, excite a tv announcer.
• Fox News would like you to know that the Age of Enlightenment caused the Holocaust.
• Remember to go to the omelet fundraiser tomorrow at the farmers market – it’s rain or shine. While you’re there, buy a lemongrass plant from Kea International.
• Finally, I think Bamboo Terrace is the best Chinese restaurant in town. And now they have a “secret” menu geared toward the Chinese students they’ve started to draw. Feel free to ask for it. Some is approachable, some of it is a little, um, intimidating. But the front of the house manager, sensing  trepidation but knowing me to be an adventurous sort, brought out – gratis – a tasting portion of the “beef and beef stomach” entree, which is served cold. ”Bluff called,” I said to Mrs. SMEs before cautiously taking one bite. Then another. Tender, contrasting textures and flavors, chilies, chili oil, cilantro. Before long I realized that I’ve never been quite so surprised by a dish. I ate the whole thing – and will actually order it next time. If you can keep an open mind you should do the same.

Have a great weekend.

Omelet fundraiser at the Columbia Farmers Market

Rain or shine, omelets will be your breakfast of choice this Saturday morning. Yes it’s going to be cold. Sure it’s going to be rainy. But grab an umbrella and order up a beef bacon, shiitake and Thai basil omelet. Or pancetta, leeks and fennel. Or andouille, asparagus and mustard greens. Go crazy. Details here.

 

The Robuchon Meal

The kitchen at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, as seen from a diner’s perspective.

L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon in St. Germain, Paris is one of the world’s most highly-rated restaurants. They rated #13 last year and come in at #24 in the 2013 rankings, which came out today. No less than Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert have stopped by recently, in their case to film a segment for AB’s “No Reservations.”

In addition to being highly-regarded, it’s also riotously fun, with seating organized around the open kitchen, a fun, smart staff and whimsical takes on French classics (with, say, gyoza thrown in just for kicks). And yes, it’s dizzyingly expensive as well but hey, you only live once. We went all-in during our time in Paris last June: tasting menu, paired wines, the whole nine yards. And because it was such an unstuffy atmosphere – seriously, there was a stroller in there, and 5 year-olds bellied up to the bar – I felt relatively undouchey about taking pictures of the food. Yeah, the food…

Friday Links:

• Upon Further Review: Sorry to play cynic, but between the way-too-good-to-be-true timeline and the creative financing behind the store’s rapid transition to Midwest chain, there are just too many hurdles to think this Lucky’s Farmers Market store is going to open as planned. I’ll wish for the best, but it feels like a project built upon layers of shaky assumptions. It smells funny. Hope I’m wrong.
• The week’s must-read goes to Mike Spies’ piece in The New Yorker, “I Love Winnie Cooper.”
• McSweeney’s would like to welcome you to their nano-brewery.
• The Inside Columbia Shop & Chop event might be fun.
• Michael Pollan has a new book coming out.
• Beyond Meat is ramping up production and I really just don’t know what to think about this. If you’re just philosophically opposed to eating animals, cool. Substitute with alternatives to protein. But there’s little evidence that soy production is better for the planet than, say, the protein from Show Me Farms I turned into pastrami the other day. I guess my first question is not, “Is it tasty?” but rather, “Why are we substituting for meat instead of just buying better meat?”
• The Wine Cellar and Bistro is running a halibut special this weekend. Yum.

Pan Seared Sustainable Halibut, Roasted Spring Onions, Olive Oil Whipped Potatoes, Grapefruit & Mint Vinaigrette   $29

• Oh man. 44 Stone has some killer-looking specials too. Decision time!

Recreating Katz’ pastrami

We don’t even have a butcher shop in town (yet), so it’s not like I can safely expect a Jewish deli. But man, I do love a Jewish deli. Katz’ in New York City is justifiably famous for its pastrami, and I can attest to it being worth a visit if you’re ever in the Big Apple. Unfortunately, my most recent true exposure to the genre is a visit nearly two years ago (sniff, sigh) to Protzel’s Deli in St. Louis (pictured above). It’s a wonderful place tucked away in a neighborhood in Clayton. Nothing even remotely close to it exists in Columbia. But corned beef, pastrami…that’s just well-prepared brisket. Anyone can do that, right? Jury’s out, but here’s how my first attempt went.

Lucky’s II

Okay, now I’m sold. All hail Lucky’s!

In addition to fresh local produce, Lucky’s will have a full-service butcher where “we make our own sausages, cure our own bacon, smoke our own fish,” he said.

4 Quick Notes

A few of items of note from the local world of food:

• New item: The CCAC Culinary Arts students will be putting on a pasta fundraiser for lunch this Friday (and most of the pasta will be of the fresh, handmade variety). Proceeds will go to the Martha A. Rayl Scholarship program, which benefits CCAC students who move on to culinary school.
• I’ve always wondered why grocery stores don’t have bars in them. You know, get a couple of beers or glasses of wine in them and send them out into the store – they’ll buy more, right? Well, Schnucks is calling my bluff. You can now buy glasses of wine and bottles of beer (including Boulevard products, Schlafly APA, etc.) from the Kaldi’s area and take it with you while you shop. They even have “dollar off” happy hours Friday night and Saturday. So money.
• Our long, sordid nightmare involving the former Osco Drug space seems to be coming to a close. Stan Kroenke will try to bankrupt Lucky’s Farmers Market, a small, Colorado-based chain that maybe-sorta-could give many long-suffering Columbians their Trader Joe’s fix. From the Missourian:

Lucky’s President Bo Sharon said the store will employ more than 100 people and sell local produce and meats from farmers and vendors. He said the more time the company spends in Columbia, the better a connection it will create with people living here.

Sharon said the company was looking for a city with a strong sense of community, and Columbia’s “good people and strong values” fit well with his business. He said Lucky’s employees used the grassroots style of getting to know Columbia. They spent a lot of time in town beforehand, shopping at the grocery stores and talking to residents.

• During that one- or two-day spring we had I really enjoyed Chainbreaker White IPA. It may be destined to become my favorite session/lawnmower beer, and the folks behind it, Deschutes Brewery of Portland, Oregon, will be at the Conley Hy-Vee tomorrow:

“Woody” the beer barrel-shaped sample wagon from Deschutes Brewery will be paying us a visit tomorrow, April 24^th!  They will be in our parking lot giving out free samples from 4:00-5:30pm before their big tasting at 44 Stone that evening.

All good things…

For the last four-plus years I’ve had a biweekly column (90 in all!) in the Tribune’s food section. It’s been fun – and a great way to reach people who’d never end up here, on the blog. But it’s a bit of a chore. If a blog post kinda sucks, well hey, it didn’t costya nothin’. Going on KFRU to chat about food requires virtually no preparation – and is more fun than writing a column anyway. So my column in today’s paper will be my last. Work is taking up a lot of time, as is a new project I’ll devote an upcoming post to. As for food, I’ll stick with those outlets and promise to post here more often. It’s been sparse, I know. Finally, major appreciation goes to Marcia Vanderlip, the paper’s food editor, for giving me the platform to share my thoughts in the paper since November 2008. It’s been a good ride.

4 Quick Notes:

Panchero’s – The Shoppes at Stadium welcomed new arrival, Panchero’s Mexican Grill last week. Not familiar? Here it is, SAT-style:

Panchero’s :  Chipotle :: Mad Cow : Five Guys

Basically, it’s a blatant knock-off, and based on one (admittedly very early visit), it may not be a very good one. I’ll be interested to hear what others think.

Update: I have been corrected by one sharp-eyed reader. Not that they aren’t  very consciously aping their setup and decor at this point, but apparently Panchero’s predates Chipotle by a year.

The Grand Cafe – Jefferson City has seen several promising places open up since I ceased my daily, southern commute. If The Grand Cafe’s Cubano sandwich is any indication, I’m not missing out. Doughy, undercooked bun sporting a few stray chunks of timid, tough pork. Terrible.

Thip Thai – You gotta be careful with your ordering here, cuz at least a third of what I’ve ordered has been weak. But the items that are on point are really on-freaking-point. A special soup last week – kang pa – was wonderfully flavorful, even if it was spicier than anything I encountered in Thailand. Yowzers. Beef salad, tom yum soup, green curry and “Double Noodles” are all really good. Just remember, a pepper beside a menu item means phet phet, farang*!

* – “Thai spicy for realz, whitey”

Pizza Tree – These guys are making legit pizza, folks. Stop by Mojo’s for lunch and they’ll sell you a slice and a soda for $5. It’s a pretty good-sized slice, btw.

True/False: An Eater’s Guide

Updates/Notes: Pizza Tree is selling slices of their excellent Detroit-style pies for $2 to T/F passholders all weekend.

True/False weekend is about movies. Lots and lots of movies. Potentially, in my case, 25.65 hours of movies over the course of the 3+ days. There is also music, of course; before movies, after movies, during movies, at parties, etc. Lots of music. I was told by one T/F board-member that the quality of this year’s music will rival that of the films themselves, so not only will there be lots of music, it will be excellent music.

Food is very nearly an afterthought. You either need it five minutes ago to make it to your next screening or to soak up the overindulgence of the night before. There are no four-course meals at T/F. But that doesn’t mean we need to dine like jackasses all weekend. Good food (and drink) is out there to be had – and quickly. Some suggestions:

Quinton’s – I’ll give top billing to one establishment that consistently goes out of their way to draw in T/F attendees. This weekend they’ll have Schlafly product “True/False Brown Ale” on tap, and all pints are $2.50 Thursday night. Their food won’t electrify anyone but sandwiches are pretty sound and they’ll be putting together some event-specific specials on the menu as well. And they let us in a few minutes before they were opened to get a drink and a bite to eat last year. That’ll do it.

Sycamore Restaurant – Sycamore has hosted the True/False “Filmaker’s Fete” each year they’ve been open and will do so again in 2013. The menu is meant to be savored and sampled more than it is to be grabbed on the go, but they are looking to highlight those dishes the kitchen can crank out the fastest. Regardless, fest-goers would be remiss without grabbing at least a bite or a quick drink at Columbia’s best restaurant – and longtime T/F supporter.

Kaldi’s – Columbia’s best coffee shop is a small chain based out of St. Louis – and I’m okay with that. They obsess over coffee, offering multiple brewing options, warming your mug and generally caring more than the other guys. The wifi is excellent too. Food isn’t their primary interest but what they do they do pretty well. They’ll be running “grab-and-go” specials for the weekend on yogurt parfaits and Mediterranean, quinoa and farmer’s market salads.

Uprise Bakery – Located in True/False’s ground zero, Uprise knows what they’re doing. Sandwiches, soups and pizzas are almost always excellent but they speed things up for T/F weekend with a few quick sandwiches selections. The ham and cheese was a lifesaver last year when I have five minutes to grab something before heading into the “Big Ragtag” theater.

Trey Bistro – Earnest new kid on the block Trey Bistro will be busy this weekend. They’re running their regular menu while also pushing pizza by the slice and salads to festival-goers. If that wasn’t enough, Trey will also be handling concessions at The Blue Note next door, which is again serving as a T/F venue. Look for pizza by the slice, popcorn and mixed nuts.

Bleu Restaurant and Wine Bar – Bleu will be featuring a “sip and nosh” menu aimed at time-starved True/False attendees. They’ll be sending details shortly and I’ll add details as they come in.  Bleu reports an uptick of not only diners looking to eat quickly but also seeking out vegetarian options – their sip and nosh menu reflects this – and looks really tasty to boot.

Also consider: Jimmy John’s, El Rancho and Main Squeeze. I’d mention Booche’s, home of the best burgers in town, but they can be sloooooow. The burgers are worth it, but don’t put in an order if you don’t have 30 mins minimum to spare.

Seasoned True/False veterans know that just stepping a block off the main drag will yield substantially smaller crowds (and potentially, wait times). Billiards on Broadway has some of the best sandwiches in town, easily the best fries and one of the better beer selections – all just a three minute walk down Broadway. As far as I know there is only one thing on the menu at CJ’s, and for True/Falsers the good news is that that one thing is fast: chicken wings. Finally, head north. One block above Broadway is local institution Ernie’s Cafe and Steak House. Personally, I think we love the idea of Ernie’s better than the food itself, but nevermind, the biscuits and gravy and “chopped cow” burgers have been beloved by generations. Yet a couple more blocks north is where the best breakfast in town may be found at Cafe Berlin. The offbeat vibe compliments True/False’s perfectly and while they won’t normally win any sprints, this will be the place filmakers go to nurse hangovers with fresh squeezed mimosas and the best biscuits in town.

I’m sure I missed plenty – let me know about it.

Update/Overlooked:

Pizza Tree! Mojo’s will host a two-band concert Friday night, but they’re also home to the very new Pizza Tree. I’ve not been in myself, but discerning friends tell me their pizza is legit – even the best in town. Reports from discerning friends have been proven correct – Pizza Tree makes pizzas with strength. Crunchy-tender crust, perfectly blistered and they use some real-deal olive oil too. The “Chardachoke” was a bit strong on sour elements for both the wife and I – feta, kalamata, sourdough, etc. – but still good. Margherita was legit, and features homemade mozzarella. Also on the pizza front is Shakespeare’s Pizza, a tradition for generations of students. Offbeat, solid pizza and great beer selection. Worth checking out at least for a slice.

Teller’s – It has been brought to my attention that Teller’s should get a plug here too, if not for their longstanding support for the fest, then maybe for the pint specials Friday night, Bloody Mary specials Saturday and mimosas and bellinis on Sunday. I’m told app specials and other quick items are in the works as well.

Newbie of Note: ABC Chinese Cuisine

Few things are more fun than what gets lost in translation from Korean or Chinese to English. You end up with nonsense like restaurants called “Red Thread” and “ABC Chinese Cuisine.” Nobody with a firm grasp on the English language (or their senses) would name a restaurant these things, but I bet they make great sense in their native tongues.

Regardless, ABC Chinese Cuisine is a real restaurant in Columbia and, judging by an early visit and some corroborating input, a serious player.

Exhibit A is their menu, which is chock full of things like “Stewed Intestines,” “Spicy Fish Head” and “Pork Liver Soup.” I don’t know that I’m going to actually order one of those dishes, but putting them on the menu tells me your kitchen is not foolin’ around. What I ordered – and now we’re back to the lost in translation bit – was called “Water Boiled Fish.” Sounds lame, right? It is pictured above, and definitely not lame.

What it is is lightly fried sole in a delicately-flavored broth/sauce; something between a stew and a soup. True to the pepper to the right of its listing on the menu, it was hot. Not incendiary, but definitely not for the Scoville-phobic.

ABC also offers dim sum during all hours of operation, so you can come in with a few friends and order what amount to Chinese tapas for all to share.

The location just east of the hellhole that is the I-70/63 interchange presents some challenges, but if you find yourself on Keene Street as often as I do (pediatrician, pediatrician, ENT. ENT, ENT, pediatrician), I think you’ll find it a worthy lunch. Bonus: When you’re done with your meal you can stock up on Asian foodstuffs (and, sometimes, live tilapia) at Hong Kong Market, which is next door.

ABC Chinese Cuisine
3510 I-70 Drive SE Suite A
Columbia, MO.
(573) 443-3535

In With the New

The Columbia restaurant scene is unusually active these days and my column Tuesday covered the topic. I did leave one new arrival off the list. Las Margaritas has stepped into the revolving-door-space out at Corporate Lake, just south of Rock Bridge High School. I’ve only been once, but the molcajete was impressive. Give them a shot.

Also, give KFRU a listen tomorrow morning at about 9:15am, when we’ll be talking restaurant news and, if Simon’s afternoon teaser today is any indication, squirrel and cream of mushroom soup recipes. Anyway, onto the column.

 

Approximately three restaurants open their doors in New York City each and every day. Thankfully, Columbia’s growing community of food enthusiasts doesn’t have to keep up with a thousand or more new restaurants each year, but that doesn’t mean nothing is going on. What’s going on in early 2013? More than usual.

CoMo restaurant roundup: A whole lotta shakin’ going on

The big news today in the #CoMo restaurant world is Les Bourgeois announcing Josh Smith as their new executive chef (in a jpg file, for some reason). My initial reaction is that this is a very, very good move, both for him and for Les Bourgeois. Josh has proven his charcuterie and pasta chops in his time at Sycamore Restaurant. Look for him to build on that out at Rocheport now. My fingers are crossed for an honest-to-goodness Italian-focused destination.

The challenge facing Josh, as one local chef has told me, is that the Les B gig is one of the toughest in town. Not only do you have to back up your niche as a destination restaurant for the locals night in and night out, you also “have to keep the tour bus crowd happy too.” That would be a tough row to hoe for anyone, but Josh may well be up to it.

No word yet on where departing chef Aaron Wells-Morgan may end up.

Cafe Poland is open as of last week. The menu looks fantastic. Though small, it’s brimming with eastern European classics available nowhere else in town. You might want to get in there quick, however, as the owners told me they basically went broke just opening the place. Not a good position to be in, but if the coffee’s any indicator, it’s going to be good however long it lasts.

Thip Thai has replaced confusing, underwhelming Crazy Noodle at 904 E. Broadway. Based admittedly on just one visit Thip seems like the real deal, with a solid larb appetizer and a potent, balanced green curry. I’m eager to return. (Pronunciation note: Until informed otherwise, assume “Thip” is pronounced with a hard “t.” Thai is funky like that.)

I am told that The Oak Room has been long-delayed by the Tiger Hotel owners’ focus on renovating their hotel rooms first before moving onto the restaurant itself (as well as neighboring businesses objecting to trash-chute-to-dumpster demolition). However, with the finishing touches being put on the bottom floors of the hotel – crews worked top to bottom – they’re ready to hit the future steak-and-seafood spot. Chef Patrick Wilson will slide over from the catering/Vault foodservice and run the kitchen. There are talks of opening late spring or early summer (yes, haha, of this year).

The Foods of 2013

I was on KFRU last week discussing food trends for 2013. You’re welcome for the advance notice. Anyway, a few things I’ve noticed popping up around town, in my travels and in reading some predictions from others include:

The Asian-ification of American comfort food continues. Korean, Vietnamese and Thai flavors popping up everwhere, even in traditionally American fare like chicken sandwiches with sriracha mayo, Korean-glazed pork ribs. The Sterling-Rice Group, which studies industry trends, also points to the increasing presence of sour flavors in our food and drink. One of (restaurant trade group) Baum-Whiteman’s buzzwords for 2013 is “fermented everything.” I’m down.

Local example: Wine Cellar’s pan-seared scallops with sesame crusted lemongrass rice cake…comes with chili oil and sweet and sour ginger and coconut curry rainbow trout.

New Years Eve dinner

This has become an annual favorite: black eyed pea soup with fried leeks.

Columbia restaurant round-up

Since my latest sojourn from active blogging began, much has been afoot in the Columbia dining scene:

• Our beloved Chinese Wok Express is under new ownership. The (friendly) new owners claim the menu and recipes will remain the same. A bowl of pho yesterday was so satisfying and wholesome that I’m inclined to excuse the #17, which while not terrible, seems to have lost a step or two. One blog reader reports being disappointed in several items on a recent visit. I’m still hopeful.
• If you’ve always thought Applebee’s was maybe just a “Baked Spasagna” short of a good dining experience, Cheddar’s is open. So there’s that.
• Cafe Poland (pictured above) – apparently specializing in espresso and pirogies – will be opening “soon” in the former Carpe Diem space on Locust Street (think “Tiger Cleaners”). No word on how soon “soon” is, or what else they’ll be serving.
• Crazy Noodle is closed for remodeling until January. You’re crestfallen, I know.
• 18-time “How Does That Place Even Stay Open? Award” winner The Bread Basket Cafe is leaving the Crossroads Shopping Center. They say their lease ran out; I wonder if they ran out of storage room for the phonebook-size slices of bread that accompany the whispers of meat on their sandwiches.
• The Oak Room is not open.

Baby it’s cold outside

This weekend may be a good time to revisit a certain French classic. Boeuf, it’s what’s for dinner.

Columbia coffee roundup

We had a good chat this morning on KFRU on Columbia’s coffee scene. It largely followed my Tribune column from this week, so if you missed the radio show you can get my take below. Essentially, I’ve come around to really respect what Kaldi’s is doing. The people care, the coffee is both high quality and interesting – a combination I always dig. It’s worthy of discussion, something we don’t normally associate with coffee. Anyway, read on and let me know what you think.

Couple of questions:

• What do people think of Dunn Brothers? I wasn’t impressed with their espresso, but can’t say I’ve tried much else.
• How do you brew at home? We’re almost exclusively French press nowadays, but I have been experimenting with the Clever coffee dripper. So far it’s been turning out bold, press-esque coffee instead of the soft, lighter brew I was expecting. I have, however, been using Lakota’s October Blend, which is fairly dark…and where the Panama beans I bought this morning come in. More to come on this.
• Mark Farnen asked a couple of good questions on air this morning. Are there any non-downtown coffee destinations? Or diners serving quality Joe? I came up blank on both fronts.

Anyway, onto the column.

Learning to savor a good cup of Joe

I’ll always remember my first “cappuccino.” It was 1993 and I was 16. The movie “Singles” had opened my eyes to the burgeoning coffee shop scene, albeit in Seattle. With impeccable timing, Lakota Coffee Company had opened on Ninth Street in downtown Columbia the year before and offered an accessible place for a newbie to dip a toe into the water. I walked in that first time confident with my movie-fueled coolness and, truth be told, typical teenage arrogance. In retrospect I know I envisioned sipping something drinkable, an entry-level coffee. Maybe a cappuccino or latte. But I didn’t know those words, so what arrived was a tot-sized cup of hydrochloric acid. I was horrified. Confusion and shame ensued. I had, of course, ordered an espresso. It was years before I tried it again, and years more before I began to enjoy espresso — but when I did, I was hooked.

Coffee Talk on KFRU

I’ll be on KFRU with Simon and Renee this morning at 9:15am. Unlike most of the time, we’ll actually be discussing a beverage appropriate for the hour: coffee. Coffee shops, new brewing methods popping up at local shops and the beans themselves.