Love it or hate it, the parklet has returned to Clayton. (For the record, SLM scribes were split on the installation.) Last summer, the city of Clayton parked the parklet in front of BARcelona Tapas Restaurant on Central Avenue and removed it in the fall, before it would impede any snow-removal efforts. Last week, the wood-and-steel structure reappeared, this time on Meramec Avenue, in front of Bryan and Diane Carr’s avenue restaurant.
The Carrs wasted no time in festooning the addition with planters and pots filled with garden herbs, which they plan to put to good use. While the parklet is technically a public park, its tables are also available to avenue, which is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And to the it-takes-up-valuable-parking naysayers, the net loss is exactly one space.
This summer, Hot Box Cookies will open its second metro store, at 9 N. Central in Clayton. (The first St. Louis store opened last February, at 3 N. Euclid in the Central West End.) Founder Corey Rimmel, who conceived the idea in 2008 while attending the University of Missouri–Columbia, said the Clayton store "will have the same target market, but focus more on delivering to Wash. U. and the surrounding businesses, including the suburbs of Ladue, Creve Coeur, Brentwood, Webster Groves, Olivette, and other surrounding areas." Co-owner Ryan Rich added that Clayton has a high concentration of businesses that will benefit from the cookie-delivery service and a goal is to supplement daytime business with gift deliveries and catering orders.
The Libertine is adding Sunday brunch for the first time, beginning Sunday, May 8—Mother's Day—and Feast reports the restaurant plans to roll it out full-time in early June. The inaugural menu features some interesting takes on brunch classics: Country Fried Dry-Aged “Santa Maria” Steak (a.k.a. tri-tip), as well as a Parisian Benedict with thick-cut brioche, a smear of black pepper Gruyere, Jambon de Paris, spring spinach, poached farm egg, and Hollandaise sauce. The coup de grâce has to be the “Double Down” Homage (a Libertine salute to the KFC Double Down): Thick-cut bacon, a schmear of white cheddar cheese "Whiz," and more are layered between two slices of country-fried foie gras. Sandwich or knife-and-fork food? You make the call. Find the complete brunch menu here; it's well worth the read.
The new menu at Half & Half debuted two weeks ago with flourishes of creativity that we’ve come to expect from owner Mike Randolph and executive chef Dale Beauchamp. Salmon Hash, Clara Cakes, and the Sausage Biscuit are brunch mainstays, but several “Dinner for Breakfast” items have been added, including fried rice and breakfast sushi. (Before you turn up your nose, check out SLM's recent article here.)
Tess’ Toast — with lemon curd, fresh berries, whipped butter, powdered sugar
Follow George on Twitter @stlmag_dining or send him an email at gmahe@stlmag.com. For more from St. Louis Magazine, subscribe or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
