HOT SPOT
Celeb Chef Dinner
On Thursday, September 12, Long Island native and three-time Chopped champion Marc Anthony Bynum will host a five-course dinner at the Boathouse at Forest Park. Known for his modern interpretation of American soul food, the chef will feature dishes that include a “Brewer’s Craft” double pork chop and sweet potato ravioli with candied pecans and wild mushrooms. The Boathouse will also donate 50 percent of the evening’s proceeds to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri. Dinner is $60 per person, and reservations are required. 314-366-1555.

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INSIDER TIP
More Ancient Grains
Now that we’ve all been introduced to quinoa, other ancient grains have been rising in popularity. Farro, spelt, Kamut, and einkorn are in the wheat family, but expect to see more interest in gluten-free grains, such as fonio, amaranth, millet, and teff (a dietary staple for Ethiopia’s long-distance runners from which the flatbread injera is made). Expect the so-called “supergrains” to gradually find their way onto more restaurant menus and into more grain bowls. Fonio is now available directly from several companies (Terra Ingredients, Yolélé Foods)—and, yes, Teff Chips are now a thing.
MICRORANT
Un-wise Cracks
Today, we speak of an issue that’s both unappetizing and unhealthful: those cracks in wooden restaurant tabletops that have grown so large they become magnets for crumbs and stray bits of food. Keeping them clean is difficult and time-consuming, so it’s often overlooked, much to the dismay of the customer who can’t help but look at them. Might we suggest taking the tables out of service for a few days, long enough to clean and fill with a little wood filler or epoxy resin? We’re tired of staring into that abyss.
Follow George on Twitter @stlmag_dining and feel free to send him Tidbits at gmahe@stlmag.com. For more from St. Louis Magazine, subscribe or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.