Yen Ching

          “What’s next?” You ask. Well, now it’s time to take a look at my FAVORITE Chinese restaurant in St. Louis, Yen Ching. With a great atmosphere and even better food, this family-owned restaurant tops them all.

            When you first walk in you’ll immediately feel welcome. There’s no wait for tables, so you will get seated and quickly served. For a starter, I got the sizzling rice soup. On my first sip, I was stunned. It’s perfectly flavored with green onions and an amazing broth that’s too good to put in words. I also had a cup of herbal tea to go with the relaxing atmosphere. It was a great, and not too stuffing appetizer that kept you anxious for the entrée.

            I ordered something that I had never tried before, but really wanted to. Smoked and deep fried duck. My dad went with the Mongolian Beef (Thumbs up!). Our food was served not too long after we ordered. Well, at my first look, I knew it would be different from anything I had ever tasted. My first bite and… Wow! It was almost indescribable. I had a thick, juicy taste that I think related to the taste of turkey. You’d have to try it to get a good idea of what it was like. I recommend trying it next time you go to Yen Ching. Now, of course I had to try the Mongolian Beef. Definitely worth trying! It had a thick and juicy texture, sort of like the duck, but had a distinctive and great teriyaki taste that made your mouth water. As we finished up our one-of-a-kind meals we got to meet the owner of the restaurant, Jay. He told us all about the business, and how it had been running. It was a great way to wrap up our meal.

            In a nutshell, Yen Ching is easily one of the best Chinese restaurants in St. Louis. It’s always welcoming and, of course, serving great food. So next time you’re looking for an awesome meal, lunch or dinner, Yen Ching will always be a wise option.

Spaghetti with Roasted Onions and Clams

Sillyfamily homemade!  Sillybro chopped the olives, oregano and cherry tomatoes.  :)

Exceptional Dining in Cottleville, MO--Stone Soup Cottage

In an unassuming little restored 1850s farm house in the heart of Cottleville is a treasure.  This is a full-on, polished, sparkling jewel of a place that seats under 30 diners a night, only a few nights per week.  The exclusivity is, of course, part of the appeal.  You can't just walk in--you can't even make a reservation this week--or this month.  You generally need to plan three months out for your visit to Stone Soup Cottage.  We made our reservation in April for mid-June--and it was absolutely worth the wait.

The interior is cozy, intimate and candlelit.  Only seven tables were set the night we visited.   It's as if you're visiting a friend's home for a lovely dinner--only your friend happens to be a gifted gourmet chef with a vision.  Chef Carl McConnell's vision includes only the freshest, seasonal ingredients which he composes into a 6-course tasting menu each night.  The concept is genius.  One menu, one seating=no waste.  Every beautiful bite is savored and enjoyed as it should be.

We chose a wine-pairing to compliment our meal, which began with an Amuse Bouche and a flute of champagne--bonus!  The first (official) course was a chilled lemon-basil soup finished with blue crab.  It was the perfect light refreshing summer starter.  The blue crab was rich and delicate.  The soup was paired with a 2009 Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc from South Africa.

Next up: a warmed eggplant and smoked tomato tartlet, featuring locally-grown produce.  It was served with micro-greens and shaved gouda.  The portion size was perfect, just enough to fire up our appetites for the next round.

The third course was pan-seared Digby Bay scallops--oh heaven--served with a champagne sabayon.  Scallops are a weakness of mine and these were perfectly fresh and perfectly prepared.  They were paired with a 2009 Paul Mas Picpoul de Pinet from France.  Chef Carl came out to serve the course and received our rave reviews.  By this time we were absolutely enchanted with Stone Soup Cottage and by the end of the meal, I was planning our next visit.

Our fourth and fifth courses brought potatoes mousseline with shaved black truffles (pure indulgence) and tournedos of beef with bearnaise and summer vegetables, paired with equally wonderful Sonoma valley wines.

And I have to mention the perfectly tangy, light and sweet lemon curd with Chantilly creme, that was presented in a dark chocolate shell for dessert.

Nancy and Carl McConnell were the perfect hosts and clearly have a passion for food and take so much pride in what they do--as they should.  By 10 pm, we were fed, relaxed and happy and I was once again struck by the brilliance of this concept.  One seating allows the small staff to know exactly when the dinner service ends--there are no hangers-on, no parties waiting for a table--they've perfectly streamlined the operation.  We were perfectly impressed.

With that said, I suppose it won't surprise you that we have THREE more reservations on the books for Stone Soup Cottage--two in September and one, to celebrate our 15th anniversary, in November.  This is my highest recommendation for your next special occasion, celebration, or when you just want to treat yourself to one of the most exceptional meals in the St. Louis area.  Check out their website right now and pick a date--tables are filling up fast!

www.stonesoupcottage.com

Fried Candy Bars!

Now THAT'S SILLY!
Sillybro requested a fried Snickers bar for his upcoming b-day.  We thought it would be even better on a stick, because...what food ISN'T more fun on a stick??  So, we dipped a Fun-Size Snickers in tempura batter and fried that bad boy up.  We decided it tasted a little like a Snickers in an ice cream cone.  We also dipped some Fun-Size Milky Ways.  They come out with centers like molten lava--delicious. molten. lava.  Mmmmm...

Turkey Club--Satchmo's Bar And Grill

Looked so good in the menu picture, I had to order it!  Happy to say, it did not disappoint!  Sillymom gives Satchmo's the Silly Seal of Approval!

PLACES WE LOVE: Young's Restaurant and Ice Creamery

This review is a long-time coming.
If the Sillyfamily had a Top-10 List, Young's would definitely be on it.  We visit the family-owned Valley Park restaurant about once a month.  Here's why:

*It's family-friendly.  You can bring the kids, bring your friends, bring your friends' kids...you never worry about whether your baby is fussy or the kids want to walk up to the counter and order their own ice cream. The trains that pass by regularly are a bonus--the kids love to hear them, see them and count the cars.

*The chicken is AMAZING.  I challenge you to find better fried chicken in St. Louis.  They were recently voted "Best Fried Chicken" in the Riverfront Times.  The coating is perfectly crispy and the chicken is perfectly juicy.  I'm told that the fried fish is also yummy, but I never stray from my favorite chicken!  The french fries are equally golden-brown and delicious (GB&D in chef Alton Brown-lingo).

*The ice cream is WONDERFUL.  My *personal* favorite is a little treat called a "cherry chip concrete".  I can't find it anywhere else in town.  It's a cherry shell topping (like Magic Shell, but cherry) mixed into their vanilla ice cream and topped with more cherry shell.  Let me say this...during one of their battles with eminent domain, when Young's had to close their doors and eventually move across highway 141 to their current location, I called, several times a year, for 2-3 years, hoping to find they had re-opened so I could get my fix of cherry chip.  No lie.  :)

*The family is WELCOMING.  Grant and Sibyl Young are always behind the counter and behind the fryer.  They're always glad to see you & there's a real sense of small-town familiarity.  It's a nice change, in a chain-restaurant world, to find a family that has kept a legacy going for over 50 years and really seem to love what they do.

Young's also caters--we order fried chicken, pasta salad and a gorgeous fruit platter with chocolate dip every year for our Indy 500 party and it is always a hit!

This is a Sillyfamily favorite indeed--and you should make it one of your own silly family favorites!

Sillymom wants you to know: Whatever you do, DON'T put this in your nightstand! You'll eat it all before bed!

The "Mom's Mix" is a diabolically delicious little snack.  OMG.  You can find it, among other places I'm sure, at Sweet Be's on Manchester in Des Peres.  You're welcome.


http://www.momsoriginals.com/

The Fountain on Locust--a different kind of soda fountain

So this is the World's Smallest Hot Fudge Sundae...check it out next to the sugar packet for scale.  It's about 2-3 bites of heaven.  The vanilla ice cream is truly some of the best vanilla we've ever tasted, brought in from Wisconsin's Cedar Crest Dairy, the only dairy in the country that ages its ice cream.  Yummy!  And minimal guilt!

You may be thinking that this family is a little obsessed with sweets--and we are.  In fact, Sillymom and Sillydad met in a candy store over 15 years ago.  But, just because we love desserts doesn't mean we can't appreciate the rest of the menu...

The whole family visited The Fountain right before Sillyman left for a month at camp.  We were thinking it would be fun to introduce the kids to an old-fashioned soda fountain and figured there would be traditional soda fountain fare on the menu--grilled cheese, burgers, sandwiches, malts and shakes--and we were right, but these menu items are definitely a bit more gourmet.

One of our favorite parts of our lunch was the "Signature Polish Dill Pickle Soup".  It is a potato-based soup with the unmistakable salty tang of crushed dill pickles.  It was totally unique and absolutely delicious!  If you go, don't miss it.

Another favorite of Sillymom's was the "High Hat" sandwich--a classic egg salad, made with large chunks of hard-boiled egg, dijon mustard, capers, celery and onion, and topped with fresh spinach on whole grain bread.  I would definitely order it again--if--I didn't try the "Royal Grille"--an "adult grilled cheese" sandwich made with white cheddar, mozzarella and fuji apple slices.

Now, Sillybro ordered a Hot Roast Beef Melt--without the rosemary-grilled onions and horseradish--and enjoyed that quite a bit.

We also tried a chocolate egg cream (a soda-fountain classic drink made with milk, seltzer and flavored syrup) which was interesting--a little bit like a YooHoo soda--and best when we first received it ice-cold.  As it sat on the table, we liked it less and less, though, and we probably wouldn't order it again.

The Fountain on Locust is one of the most photographed restaurants in St. Louis and when you check out the vivid murals on the walls and ceiling and the cool light fixtures, you'll know why.  It also has a bathroom which was rated one of the "world's best" and you know we had to check that out!  Verdict: the bathrooms were clean and charming, but world's best?  We don't know about that....

We made a reservation at 11:30 on a Friday and were pretty glad we did, because the place filled up quickly starting at about noon.  Unfortunately, after we were quickly seated, the service went downhill.  The lunch was about two hours long, with extended waits between visits from the waiter.  By the time we got to our dessert, we mostly just wanted to leave.  It's also quite loud, due to the popularity and the tall ceilings and lack of soft, sound-absorbing surfaces.

Even so, I would be willing to go back, especially for dinner or late-night drinks with friends.  The Fountain has an extensive retro drink menu as well as a long list of "adult" ice cream martinis.  Overall,  I think it may be a better option for a date-night than it is for a family lunch, as the kids were unimpressed with the  "fancy" ingredients on traditional sandwiches, but it's definitely worth checking out!

Made By Sillymom! Happy 4th of July!

Always a Favorite--1111 Mississippi

Can't you just taste it?
This sweet mountain of apples, ice cream, pastry and caramel is the "Warm Apple Carmellate" at 1111 Mississippi, one of Sillymom and Sillydad's go-to restaurants for wonderful California-style cuisine.  It starts with an almond puff pastry and is piled high with fresh apples, cinnamon ice cream and drenched in caramel sauce--pretty much all the good stuff.  It's finished with a dusting of powdered sugar and a few dried cranberries for color.  Yes, it's as good as it looks!  The dessert menu at 1111 also includes a St. Louis standard--Gooey Butter Cake.  To know it is to love it.  The best part is, you get a tall, cold glass of milk with your gooey butter fix....mmmm....

Now 1111 doesn't just serve desserts, of course--the rest of the menu is equally delicious.  Before I dove into the caramel apple delight, I enjoyed one of the chef's daily specials, the yellowfin tuna on a bed of coconut risotto.  The risotto was rich and light all at once and the tuna was perfectly prepared.  The secret to the menu is seasonal, fresh ingredients.  But the appeal of 1111 is not only the menu--the location, a charming, restored brick warehouse in the heart of Lafayette Square--is just minutes from downtown St. Louis.  It has a huge open floor plan inside and a lovely little covered courtyard outside.  It's the perfect pre-show dinner if you're headed to the Fox Theater or Sheldon Concert Hall--or just linger all evening and enjoy their terrific wine list.  We have never been disappointed with our meal or our experience at 1111 Mississippi.  It is Always a Favorite.

SILLYMOM Takes Over!!

Sillyman is away at Camp Thunderbird and we don't want you silly food-loving people to go uninformed for two more weeks, so I'm taking over!  Stay tuned for reviews of some of my favorite meals and old-and-new-favorite places in St. Louis, including:

Stone Soup Cottage
1111 Mississippi
The Fountain on Locust

--and more!

Bring your appetite and stay silly!

I'm here at the awesome and yummy Culpeppers eating beer cheese soup! It's like nothing I've ever tasted before! 

Right now I'm at Seamus McDaniel's in Dogtown, MO. I'm on a field trip and we stopped by to get some burgers and potato bacon soup! YUM!

The Barrel Bar

What better place to go after a wedding than to the Barrel Bar in Hermann, MO! After my aunt's wedding we all had a craving for burgers, fries, and more. We went down to the Barrel Bar and satisfied our growling stomachs. The COOLEST part about this, was eating FROG LEGS and ALLIGATOR TAILS! I just had to try them...! So, first came the alligator tails. My first bite was definitely NOT my last. They tasted great, were amazingly juicy, and had a texture just like steak. While I was stuffing myself, the frog legs came. Most people say they taste like chicken... I don't! They didn't have much of a taste to them and had a chicken-like texture, but they are definitely worth a try. Come on over to the Barrel Bar in Hermann, MO and have yourself a yummy, unique, and satisfying meal!

My Live Streaming

A very interesting menu here at the Barrel Bar in Hermann, MO... frog legs, crawfish, and alligator tails

It's a lasagna THROWDOWN! Ugh... I'm having a hard time deciding.

Schnapper's Hots

            If you ever go to Sanibel Island, Florida, you have to come here! Schnapper’s Hots is an awesome and scrumptious hot dog joint. Coming right off the grill, you won’t be able to stop your mouth from watering when you see one of these beauties. The first bite is more like a first mouthful! Delicious, meaty goodness explodes in your mouth and when you’re done, you wish you had ordered more. You take a sip of Coke and that’s when the refreshing “ah…” sound comes. With quick and easy service and fun decorations around the restaurant, you can’t go wrong by going here. Go ahead and buy yourself a souvenir because this is food that you WILL NOT forget. 

Mmmmmm... PASTA

Meet Simon!

By the way, my mom made meatloaf tonight and it was GOOD!!!!!

:)

Dewey's Pizza, U. City, MO

I’m back with another edition of FOOD GONE SILLY! This time, I’m going to take you on an imaginary journey to a one of a kind pizza joint called Dewey’s. Let’s walk into that magical portal that probably just appeared in front of you and take a trip to Dewey’s.

            Magic! You find yourself in a stylish and casual restaurant that smells of Italy. When you get to your table a waiter/waitress greets you and hands out menus. As he/she leaves, you notice windows that reveal chefs delicately tossing pizza dough in the air, while others are topping soon-to-be pizzas. You’re looking at the televisions on the wall but you get too distracted by the modern atmosphere. You barely notice that your waiter/waitress has returned and has been there for 30 seconds. That’s okay, because he/she gives you more time to decide what to order.

            Well, you’ve decided you want the original cheese pizza with a salad. Oh, and not just any salad, the peppercorn ranch salad. The name says it all. A simple, fresh salad topped with THE BEST peppercorn ranch dressing that you can get. It’s love at first bite. The perfect amount of taste and the mild, tongue-tingling spice makes it outstanding. The pizza appears in front of you and you can’t resist yourself from taking the first taste. In an instant you’re in pizza wonderland. Cheesy, tasty, perfectly cooked goodness explodes in your mouth. 1, 2, 3 pieces have already landed in your stomach. You think there couldn’t be anything better until…the crust! Okay, this has to be the best part. No cheese in the middle, no surprises, just carefully seasoned crust cooked to perfection. Now you’re full. You’re satisfied. You want to stay, but it’s time to leave pizza wonderland and get back to the real world. Sorry, but it’s time to leave.

Overall, if you are having a hard time deciding where to go for dinner, this would be a good decision for everyone, no matter what age. It’s casual, modern and is a family favorite. There’s no doubt that you are going to have a good time. Oh yeah, feel free to try different toppings because I have noticed, and I’m sure that you will notice that everything at Dewey’s is good.

Spring Break!

Spring break is almost here and I'll be in Sanibel Island, Florida! You can probably guess that I'll be eating a lot of seafood and you're right. I'm taking my camera, my computer, and my taste buds for an awesome seafood experience. I'm also going on a deep sea fishing trip so maybe (I'm crossing my fingers!) I'll catch dinner. I wonder what shark tastes like?

Fabulous Food on the Fourteenth Floor

The St. Louis Club***

   Located in St. Louis, MO

It was my parents’ anniversary dinner and they decided to take my whole family to the St. Louis Club. They got married here 14 years ago so they wanted to make it extra silly. When I first walked in to the restaurant, I thought it was just another fancy restaurant (I was proved wrong in so many different ways…). Oh yeah, and since this is my first review, I’ll explain how I’m going to evaluate this restaurant. It will be based on service, atmosphere, and food. I’ll start off with the service.

            It was OUTSTANDING (I can evaluate very quickly!) They served us very well and did not make any mistakes when it came to manners or serving us food. They were polite and patient and about every other thing to make a good waiter or waitress. If you’re looking for a filling restaurant with great service, this is a “must go”.

            Okay, let’s say you’re fine dining in a peaceful room, with the faint scent of the best food you’ve had in months still lingering at your table. You’re on the 14^th floor and windows with a great view of the St. Louis skyline surround you. You’re full, but ready for a dessert to really make this a great dinner. There is soft music playing at just the right volume and you feel that you should leave, but you just don’t want to. I think that’s a good atmosphere and I’m guessing that you probably think the same way. Now, you might be itching to get to the St. Louis Club right now, but I have to explain how the food was.

            Finally, we get to the most exciting part of all, the food. The food at the St. Louis Club is like a puzzle--the right seasoning and ingredients put together in the perfect places to make one, big and yummy entrée. They also have all of the elements to make a great dinner, an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert. The appetizers were a great way to start off your meal they were good, but not too filling (For example, I had a shrimp cocktail which was served with JUMBO shrimp in a glass filled with delightful cocktail sauce… a magnificent choice). Although the shrimp cocktail is great, any appetizer would be a good choice. The main course is what really spoke out to me. They had seafood, steak, meat and salads. I decided that I hadn’t had seafood in a while so I decided I would try seafood. I tried the grilled arctic char, which was seasoned very well, served with a lemon and french fries, and tasted flamboyant! Oh, and I also had nibbles of scrumptious steak and chicken that you would crave. Now, as I moved on to dessert, I was full, but not enough to stop me from having dessert. What I ate was one of the greatest inventions of mankind, the hot fudge sundae. Steaming hot fudge on top of delicious ice cream, simple, but amazing.

            If you’re looking to fine dine at a great restaurant, this is a great family-friendly restaurant. You’ll have a great time while looking formal in an awesome atmosphere. If you don’t live anywhere near St. Louis, MO then whenever you’re nearby, you should take your time and eat here. Overall, the St. Louis Club is a great place for a family who wants to be treated like kings and queens.

***You have to have a membership or know somebody who has one to eat here***