INSIDER TIP
M. Barry’s Cocktail Class
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Just in time for the holidays, here’s a chance to learn how to whip up a drink like the pros. On December 9, Grand Tavern beverage director Meredith Barry (named to SLM’s most recent A-List Dining Dream Team) will host Mixology Monday, in which attendees can step behind the bar and learn how to make three impressive holiday cocktails. Guests will discover how to properly mix, shake, and stir the concoctions while enjoying light bites, such as oysters, truffle arancini, savory tarts, and house-made cheesecake pops. The $40 ticket (available through Eventbrite) includes three cocktails and appetizers, plus tax and gratuity. 634 N. Grand, 314-405-3399.
HOT SPOTS
Sister Cities Cajun Boils Over
Growing up in Dulac, Louisiana, “seafood boils were our barbecue,” says Travis Parfait, who owns Sister Cities Cajun with his wife, Pam. “Basically any get-together was an excuse for a boil, especially during the holidays.” So it’s only fitting that the Parfaits are introducing two Midwest-style versions as the holiday season kicks off: shrimp ($14 with corn, potatoes, G&W jalapeno cheddar brats in place of andouille, with optional cold-water lobster, mussels, or snow crab) and a vegetarian or vegan boil ($16 with Brussels sprouts, green beans, and cauliflower, as well as potatoes and corn). “No Old Bay [seasoning] either,” Travis says. “Down the Bayou, Zatarain’s is king.” With a little help from his signature rub (available at Mac’s Local Buys, G&W, and in the restaurant), the boils are a complement to Sister Cities’ country Cajun menu. Boils available after 5 p.m. daily beginning November 22. 3550 S. Broadway, 314-405-0447.
MICRORANT
Asking Names…And For What?
This happens at quick-service places all over the city: You place your order at a counter and are asked your name, which is typed onto the order. But when the food comes up, the order number or actual items are called out, rather than the customer’s name. Why bother then? We’re fine with any of the three options; just be consistent. We’ve been sooo close to simply giving a number as our name (“my name is Seven”) or just going with “roast beef and fries.”
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