MICRORANT
86 the Shrimp Tails
Artistic chefs, food stylists, Instagram fanatics, and lovers of beautiful food everywhere will surely disagree, but we’d be happy as clams if shrimp were presented in restaurants sans tails, for two reasons. One, there’s rarely a place to deposit said tails (except back into the dish), and two, we have a whale of a time extracting that tasty morsel of meat in the first place. Benihana's chefs flick shrimp tails onto their hats; ours end up sailing across the room.
INSIDER TIPS
More Twisted RAnCh to Love
Twisted RAnCh in Soulard is the country’s first restaurant with Ranch dressing incorporated into virtually every menu item. After three months of serving only lunch, the restaurant will open for dinner beginning Tuesday, October 13. New entrées include cornmeal-battered Fried Green Beans, Big Kid Mac and Cheese (with smoked brisket and bacon, topped with tater tots), and a Grilled Cheese Burger (with tomatoes, bacon, cheddar, Provel, muenster, and cheesy bacon Ranch). Just remember that at twisted RAnCh, ketchup is a four-letter word. New Hours: Lunch: 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Tue–Sun; dinner: 4–9 p.m. Tue–Thu; 4–10 p.m. Fri–Sat; happy hour: 3–6 p.m. Tue–Fri. 1730 S. 8th, 314-833-3450.
HOT SPOT
Red October at Scape
After watching Thursday Night Football at Scape’s Back Bar, it occurred to us that the hidden CWE courtyard would also be an ideal place to take in some playoff baseball. Alas, the folks at Scape were way ahead of us: The Back Bar is open during playoff season “from 5 p.m. till game over,” serving a menu of half-price small plates, a half-pound filet burger, $4 specialty cocktails, $3 drafts/domestic beer, and $5 glasses of wine and sangria. It’ll be hard to miss a play with a large TV behind the bar and three giant flat-screens (an 80-incher flanked by two 70-inchers) along the ivy-covered wall. 48 Maryland Plaza, 314-361-7227.
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.
