Breakfast

Foundation Grounds

by Stephanie on September 14, 2012

in American, Breakfast, Lunch

Whenever I go grocery shopping, I rarely buy bread. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I had a loaf of bread in my house! It’s been months.

Why, you ask? Well, it’s definitely not because I’m avoiding carbs. Me? On a diet? Hah – never! In fact, if I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life, chances are good that bread would be near the top of my list.

So why don’t I buy bread? Well…what do people usually make with bread? Sandwiches.

I’m terrible at making sandwiches.

I don’t know why I struggle with this; it can’t be that hard to slap a few ingredients between two slices of bread, can it? Can it?!

Yes. It is. Aside from peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (or biscoff and jelly…or cookie butter and jelly!), I’m useless when it comes to this. Believe it or not, there is definitely an art to making a sandwich. It’s all about getting the right proportion of ingredients and layering them in the perfect way to get a great meal. And I Just. Can’t. Do it.

So I leave it to the experts. Winking smile

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(source)

Welcome to Foundation Grounds!

This Maplewood coffee shop is known for much more than…well…coffee. It also has a great variety of pastries, smoothies, and sandwiches! Jackpot.

Foundation Grounds (or FoGro, as I like to call it) has a wide selection of sandwiches to choose from. I decided to go with The Lacy.

 

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This grilled sandwich consists of organic tomatoes, organic spinach, brie, basil pesto, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. Yum-O! It’s served with your choice of side. You can choose from fresh fruit, a side salad, chips, or soup. I went with fruit. Who doesn’t love apples?

This sandwich was heavenly! It was obvious that the ingredients were super fresh. The tomato was super flavorful and tasted like it had just been picked from the garden. The spinach was crisp and tasty. And the brie and parmesan cheese? Creamy and amazing! I fell in love. This, my friends, is a sandwich. How does FoGro manage to make something so simple taste so decadent? I will never figure this out.

Prices at FoGro are super reasonable; my meal was less than $10. And the service? Fantastic. The people who work at this neighborhood spot love their jobs, and you can tell. It’s impossible to leave here without a smile on your face.

I highly recommend Foundation Grounds. Two huge thumbs up!

Oh, one more thing! You’re probably wondering who won the $100 giveaway. Well…I picked a winner! You’ll have to pay me a visit on Facebook to find out who it was. Winking smile

See you next week!

{ 1 comment }

Southwest Diner!

by Stephanie on August 3, 2012

in American, Breakfast

Good morning, friends! Happy Friday! I’m so happy this week is over. Bring on the weekend!

Anyway, I recently visited a place I’ve been looking forward to trying for ages. For months, I drove by the location, only to see that it was still closed.

Well…it finally opened.

Southwest Diner! I love a good diner, and I heard amazing things about this place.

I went with a friend for breakfast. We were super hungry, so we started with some sopapillas:

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These fried pieces of dough were pretty tasty, especially when I dipped them in honey! Yum.

On to the real food! I went with Jonathan’s Famous Fiery Scramble: Spicy, cheesy scrambled eggs, bacon, home fries, and toast.

 

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I loved this! The eggs were perfectly cooked; they were fluffy and flavorful – they certainly had a deliciously spicy kick! The home fries were crispy on the outside with a pillowy soft potato center. And the bacon? Well…can you really ever go wrong with bacon?!

My friend went with the cornmeal pancakes:

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They look pretty plain, but the cornmeal definitely added something special to these babies. It gave them a nice texture that I really enjoyed.

Service at Southwest Diner was speedy and friendly. Prices were very reasonable. I absolutely give this place two thumbs up, and I can’t wait to go back! Heck, maybe I’ll visit for breakfast tomorrow. Winking smile

See you next week!

{ 6 comments }

Bread Pudding Challenge, Week 5: Cyrano’s!

by Stephanie on February 8, 2012

in American, Bread Pudding, Breakfast, Dessert, Lunch

Good morning, bread pudding lovers! Well, I certainly hope you’re a bread pudding lover by now. It’s Week 5! We’re almost halfway through the BP Challenge. The weeks are just zooming by, let me tell you. I’m loving every minute, and I think Jess is too!

Anyway, this week brought me to Cyrano’s, in Webster Groves. This cute little spot serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, but they’re most well known for their desserts.

I’ve actually had the bread pudding at Cyrano’s a few years ago, but this was way before I started this little blog, so there’s no photo evidence. And in my world, if there are no pictures, it didn’t happen. So that, along with the fact that a few readers strongly recommended Cyrano’s, meant that I had to return!

Let’s talk about BP, shall we? Cyrano’s offers Caramel Brioche Bread Pudding, which is topped with a cherry bourbon sauce.

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Let’s take a closer look, shall we?

 

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My first impression? While Cyrano’s tried to spice up the presentation a bit (the whipped cream helps!), this certainly isn’t the prettiest bread pudding on the block. What’s that saying about ‘eating with your eyes first’? I’d say that applies.

However, I’m not one to be deterred by looks. I dove right in. The bread pudding was served warm, although the bourbon sauce had sort of a ‘I’ve been sitting under the heat lamp for too long’ sort of thing going on. It was starting to form a weird film on top.

Taste-wise, this bread pudding was average. It’s funny how my expectations of bread pudding have gone up. After trying the delicious BP at Remy’s and Bridge, this bread pudding sort of paled in comparison. It was good, don’t get me wrong. But was it the Best I’ve Ever Had? Hardly. Like I said, the bourbon glaze had started to solidify. And while the outside of this bread pudding was perfect, texture-wise, the inside was approaching that custard-like sogginess that I loathe. I call that built in portion control – I simply stuck to eating the outer edges.

Again, this wasn’t bad. It was decent. But if I had to pick my Top 3 bread puddings in St. Louis, this unfortunately wouldn’t make my list.

Time to update the standings! Remember, 1 is my favorite (so far). There’s so much bread pudding left to consume. This list could change!

1. Remy’s

2. Bridge Tap House

3. Harvest

4. Cyrano’s

5. Café Eau

Note that while Cyrano’s isn’t my favorite, it’s still not as bad as the stuff at dreaded Café Eau. Blech!

See you next week. Winking smile

{ 5 comments }

Brasserie

by Stephanie on January 20, 2012

in American, Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Good morning! I don’t have much to say this morning, so let’s just hop right into the review! That’s what you’re here for, right?

I went to Brasserie a few weeks ago for a delicious brunch. Brasserie is owned by the same people behind Niche and Taste Bar. While I haven’t visited Niche (yet), it gets rave reviews, and Taste Bar is one of my favorite restaurants ever. I promise I’ll review it soon.

But today – Brasserie! It’s located in the Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis.

While I looked over the menu, I ordered a St. Germaine cocktail. I don’t remember exactly what was in it, but it tasted very grapefruit-y.

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I loved it.

Now it’s time for food! I was super hungry, so I started with eggs benedict.

 

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Can you believe I’ve never had eggs benedict before? Poached eggs were topped with dijon hollandaise and served on top of toasted brioche. It came with a side of breakfast potatoes.

This. Was. AMAZING. I loved the creaminess of the hollandaise, and since the bread was toasted, it didn’t get soggy. The eggs were cooked to perfection. The flavors were fantastic. The breakfast potatoes were also delicious – they were crispy on the outside, but had a hot, almost creamy middle. Fantastic.

I also ordered a grapefruit brulee and a side of bacon. I said I was hungry, right?

 

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The grapefruit brulee was delicious. The crispy caramelized sugar topping was amazing. And holy bacon – that “side of bacon” could have been a meal in and of itself? You better believe I dominated that pile. Smile

Service at Brasserie was attentive and speedy. And prices were reasonable. For my drink, meal, and sides, I paid less than $20. That’s a winner in my book!

I highly recommend Brasserie for brunch. I will definitely be back soon; I hear they serve dinner as well. My stomach is growling just thinking about it!

See you next week!

{ 6 comments }

Neiman Marcus Zodiac Restaurant

by Stephanie on January 13, 2012

in American, Bread Pudding, Breakfast, Dessert, Lunch

So I went to Plaza Frontenac a few weeks ago.

Just let that sink in for a bit.

If you’re not from St. Louis, Plaza Frontenac is a super ritzy mall in Frontenac. Stores such as Louis Vuitton, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Tiffany & Co. dot this mall. In other words, this high-end mall is a little too rich for my blood. My favorite clothing store is Kohl’s, okay? Don’t judge. Smile

Anyway, Plaza Frontenac also has a Neiman Marcus store with a restaurant inside: Zodiac. Admittedly, I never even knew about this restaurant. Apparently, it’s been around for years! Whoops…did I just have a bad food blogger moment?

When I was on the set of Great Day St. Louis in November, I met Ellen Soule, one of the public relations managers for Neiman Marcus. I told her about my food blog, and she invited me to check out Zodiac.

And the rest is history, my friends.

I came to Zodiac on a quiet Saturday afternoon for lunch. The restaurant is located on the second floor of Neiman Marcus. It was so tucked away, you wouldn’t know it was there! But inside, it was beautiful.

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Oh, hi there! Smile

I was quickly handed a menu, along with some water to sip on while I made my choice.

 

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While I scanned the menu, a small cup of chicken broth was brought to the table.

 

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It was simple, yet absolutely delicious. It was hot, rich, and so flavorful. I loved this! It was perfect for a cold winter day.

Instead of starting you with bread and butter, Zodiac passes around fresh popovers with strawberry butter.

 

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Oh my. This was hot, fluffy, and so light! Can you believe this was my first time trying a popover? With the strawberry butter, it was heaven in my mouth. I may have eaten two or three of these. Smile

While the menu had a few tasty sounding offerings, I went with the special of the day: Chicken Pot Pie.

 

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Does this look amazing, or what? It was chicken pot pie with a twist. The base was similar to what you’d expect, but there were shaved black truffles in this baby! And the phyllo dough – amazing. This was so rich and filling I could barely finish half! I highly recommend this if it’s on the menu.

I was so stuffed after this I didn’t think I could fit another bite into my mouth. But then the dessert menu came out. And…well…they had bread pudding…

 

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Hello there, beautiful! This bread pudding contained nuts and cranberries, and was topped with vanilla ice cream, and surrounded by a light raspberry sauce. It was almost too pretty to eat!

While the ice cream and raspberry sauce were amazing, the bread pudding wasn’t my favorite. Texture-wise, it was ideal: it was firm without being too soggy. But the addition of cranberries and nuts (I think they were walnuts?) made this taste too much like fruitcake. Festive? Sure. But not what I was looking for or expecting.

Overall, my meal at Zodiac was fantastic. I loved the popovers, and my chicken pot pie was delicious. But I’d skip the bread pudding next time. And there will be a next time, trust me!

See you next week!

Disclaimer: My meal at Zodiac was comped; however, all opinions (as always) are 100% honest!

{ 5 comments }

Home Wine Kitchen: Brunch!

December 23, 2011

Good morning! How’s this Friday treating you? I honestly can’t believe that Christmas is in two days. TWO DAYS! And guess who hasn’t started Christmas shopping yet? I know. I knowwwww. Way to wait until the last minute, Stephanie! Every single year I do my Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve. And every single year I [...]

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Fat & Nasty Night at Denny’s!

November 25, 2011

Happy Day After Thanksgiving! I hope everyone’s holiday was amazing. As for me? Well…either I ate way too much, or I’m in my first trimester. Food baby, anyone? Anyway, instead of a normal blog post, I figured I’d step outside the box today. Yes, friends. Today is the day I tell you about a little [...]

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Half & Half!

October 28, 2011

When I visit restaurants, one thing I try to do is figure out the origin of the restaurant name. Last week’s visit to Farmhaus was easy; they specialize in farm-to-table cuisine, so it’s easy to see where that name originates. Same goes for Truffles. It’s in Ladue, which is a ritzy part of St. Louis. [...]

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Time for Brunch!

October 7, 2011

It’s obvious that I love to eat. Why else would I have a food blog? But what you probably don’t know is that my favorite meal is brunch. I love having the choice between sweeter breakfast food or savory lunch food – or a little bit of both! Needless to say, I was very excited [...]

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Home Wine Kitchen!

September 9, 2011

Good morning, friends! It’s Friday – who’s excited?! I am – this week has been a long one! This post will be short and sweet, I promise Anyway, I went to Home Wine Kitchen last month with these lovely ladies – Say hello to Sarah, Leah, April, and Caryn! Angela (unpictured) was also with us [...]

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