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The following modules appear on the "Food & Drink" home page of stlmag.com and are updated weekly.
Parker's Table: 'Tis the peak sales season at Parker's Table, and the bins--and aisles--are stacked with options. Owner Jonathan Parker's taste and personal wine recs are second to none, so it's no surprise he puts just as much care into his non-wine selections as well, like artisanal pastas, cheeses, and gourmet foodstuffs. Plus, you get to deal one-on-one with one of the nicest and most passionate guys in the business. 7118 Oakland ("behind the Tip-Top"), 314-645-2050, parkerstable.com
Fewer Restaurant Customers in 2014? According to a recent survey, diners are planning fewer visits to restaurants next year, which in the past has been primarily due to the need to limit spending. The #1 reason for staying away this year, a first: the desire to eat healthier. Expect restaurants to react with more healthy menu options, smaller portions, and plates showing less protein and more vegetables.
Drive-By Table Touches Having a manager stop by a table and ask "How's everything tonight?" without even breaking stride is ineffective, usually robotic, and a waste of his/her time and ours. At least sync the fly-by to a break in the conversation..."well, pal, everything would be better had you timed your visit after the punch line of that joke..."
