By Candice Coleman
School is back in session, and we found yummy back-to-school eats and treats you wouldn’t want to miss!
Let’s start with with Nathaniel Reid Bakery, whose “Lunches for Learning” campaign deserves an A+ in our book! The renowned bakery is offering limited-time-only back-to-school lunch combos, with some of the proceeds to go toward Kirkwood schools.
Each lunch combo includes a Nathaniel Reid’s sandwich (smoked turkey, roast beef or chicken salad), a cookie or brownie, and a bottled beverage. Twenty percent of all proceeds will be donated to the Kirkwood School District Foundation, which raises private funds to enrich the educational experiences for students in the Kirkwood School District.
“Lunches for Learning” combos are $13.25 each and will be available Aug. 24 to 28.
Looking for a fun after-school treat? Serendipity Homemade Ice Cream’s Dipity Dough for the month of August is “Back to School.” Inspired by the classic school sandwich, this decadent take on the traditional ice-cream sammie (at $5.50 each) has strawberry ice cream stuffed between two peanut butter cookies! You can even add strawberry or peanut butter topping for an additional $1.
If you love Vietnamese food, you’ll love this pho sho: The second location of local Vietnamese eatery DD Mau is now open in Webster Groves. DD fans will be able to enjoy the full menu from the original Maryland Heights location, including those famous Bao Sliders, Grilled Shrimp Spring Rolls and Vegan Pho. The new location also has bigger square footage, with a larger indoor dining area and outdoor patio seating.
There is nothing common about Commonwealth, Angad Art Hotel’s soon-to-open restaurant.
The Midtown eatery will focus on worldly flavors and heirloom ingredients, with every dish telling the history of the British Commonwealth, which includes cuisine from more than 54 countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific.
Guests can expect to see chef de cuisine Scottie Corrigan’s modern take on traditional fare, such as curried mussels, fennel pork belly, tikka masala, rack of lamb with candied Brussels sprouts and cast-iron scallops. The cocktails will complement the spices and flavors of the menu, while the beer and wine lists will be curated from Commonwealth countries.
Commonwealth at the Angad Arts Hotel is expected to open later this month.
The City of Wildwood just got a little more wild and wonderful!
Nuevo Italian restaurant Botanica is expected to open in September, with acclaimed chef Ben Welch overseeing the kitchen as executive chef. The 13,000-square-foot space (the former Llywelyn’s Pub) has an outside bar and patio, in addition to the main dining room and event spaces, to provide seating for more than 300 diners.
The menu will focus on Italian dishes prepared with a touch of the American South using ingredients such as Cajun spice, candied pecans and sweet potato. Guests can expect to see unconventional spins, such as sourdough with whipped lardo, crab zeppoles, tagliatelle with pork-neck ragu and sweet potato pizza.
Botanica will be open Tuesday through Sunday, with brunch service expected to launch sometime after opening.
¿Cómo se dice jamón en Italiano?
Volpi Foods, the St. Louis-based fourth-generation family-owned and -operated producer of specialty cured meats, has added Jamón Serrano to its selection of mouth-watering products. The Spanish-inspired Jamón Serrano, the counterpart to the brand’s highly acclaimed Traditional Prosciutto, is aged a minimum of 12 months to impart a distinct depth of flavor. The new product will be available in pre-sliced, 3-ounce packages at local grocers and at select retailers across the country.
Founded on The Hill in 1902 by John Volpi, whose family migrated from Milan in 1898, the company will mark its 120th anniversary in 2022.
Can’t get enough gooey butter cake? Russell’s, the local, family-owned restaurant and bakery, will begin selling its popular version of the St. Louis dessert favorite at area Schnucks stores beginning next week.
Beginning Aug. 24, shoppers at Schnucks can pick up Russell’s Original or Chocolate Chip Gooey Butter in the frozen section of more than 90 stores across the Metro area. The move comes less than a year after chef and owner Russell Ping announced Gooey Butter available for nationwide shipping. The expanded reach beyond Russell’s two restaurant locations resulted in more than 1,000 holiday orders alone from St. Louis to New York to Florida.
More people, more plants, more often: That’s the idea behind Rootberry, a new plant-based meal service that delivers straight to your home or office. The St. Louis-based company focuses on “delicious food that just happens to be healthy” using no animal or animal by-products. Rootberry offers a large selection of meals, salads, sharables and sweets, ranging in price from $6.99 to $14.99. Options include peanut Buddha bowls, sweet potato planks, chili mac. Even the desserts, like fudge brownies, are plant-based!
The newly founded company makes its food locally, delivers fresh and avoids the waste of packaging boxes, insulation and ice packs that competitive meal delivery services often use. Rootberry, which does not require a subscription, delivers across the St. Louis metro for a flat $5 delivery fee (minimum order of $20).
Attention, coed families!
Lion’s Choice is on the hunt for college students for its Fall 2021 PRIDE Ambassador Program. The program provides students with a digital media internship to represent the St. Louis-based nationally recognized fast-casual brand by engaging with Lion’s Choice followers on social media and on campus. PRIDE Ambassador applications are available now, with selections to be chosen after Labor Day. The program will continue through the semester and will end just before finals in early December. To apply, visit the official Lion’s Choice website.
“Meat” me in St. Louie, Louie! College scholarships are up for grabs at the inaugural Jewish Student Union of St. Louis (JSU) Meat Up. Come enjoy a fun and relaxing evening from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 29, at the World’s Fair Pavilion in Forest Park.
Sample high-quality smoked and barbecue meats and sushi, while raising scholarship funds for JSU. We’re told much of the meat will come from the well-known Romanian Meats of Chicago, as well as imported meat and cuts from Simon Kohn’s. Jon Rubin of 613 Catering will serve as pit master, and chef Aaron Edelstein will prepare the sushi. Vegetarian options are available by requesting in advance. Craft beer, spirits, wine and freshly rolled cigars will also be available.
The event is open to adults 21 and older. Tickets are $100 per person and can be obtained through the JSU website.
Do we have you at “World Food Championships?”
If so, then you’ll be tickled to know St. Louis’ Golden Ticket qualifier for the World Food Championships’ Show Me Series is back on Tuesday, Aug. 24, at the iconic Boathouse at Forest Park. Local chefs will compete in the burger or bacon category, displaying their culinary skills for a chance to advance to the 2021 World Food Championships.
The Show Me Series’ Burger and Bacon Blitz will feature five talented cooks: Adam Pritchett (Hi-Pointe Drive-In), Jack Mac Murray (Old Hickory Golf Club), Jonathan Lorentzen (Izakaya Club), Jwan Rice (JR’s Gourmet) and Tina Manisisaket (2LOADCrew: Eats from the Southeast), with each one showcasing signature burger and bacon dishes for a chance to win a Golden Ticket to the highest-stakes food competition in the world.
Attendees will have a chance to taste each competitors’ creations and cast their vote for the “Bite of the Nite,” while celebrity judges determine the Golden Ticket winner.
The Burger and Bacon Blitz is a ticketed, 21+ event. Admission is $25 each and includes complimentary tasting and live entertainment. Tickets are available via Eventbrite.
Trish Set: Food is Served at the Foundry, Plus Fun Fundraisers!
