INSIDER TIP
Wintertime sand sculptures…in St. Louis
Besides outstanding cocktails like the Painkiller and Caribbean treats like conch fritters, recently opened Rhone Rum Bar will soon boast the city’s first indoor Wallyball court. In the interim, award-winning sand sculptor Dan Belcher, will be creating two sculptures there this month: The holiday-themed sculpture will be carved on Friday and Saturday night and Sunday afternoon and will be on display through December 23. The Pirate New Year’s Eve Sculpture will be carved Wednesday through Saturday evening, in preparation for Rhone’s New Year’s Eve Pirate Party. That sculpture will be on display until February 23. After that, it’s Wallyball time! 2107 Chouteau, 314-241-7867.
HOT SPOT
Blazing a trail
The Richmond Heights location at 8039 Dale
Blaze Pizza has caught fire in St. Louis. The fast-growing chain checks the requisite fast-casual boxes and then some: high-quality, individual pizzas priced well under $10; a three-minute bake time; beer, wine, and aguas frescas to drink; and killer chocolate-chunk cookies topped with sea salt. An unexpected bonus is a gluten-free crust that’s every bit as tasty as the standard, homemade version. Currently, there are three locations in the metro area (Kirkwood, St. Peters, Richmond Heights), and more are on the horizon. It’s easy to see why LeBron James was an early investor.
MICRORANT
Meh meal deal
While we never wish to appear crass, miserly, or unappreciative, we find ourselves shaking our heads at some of the food/meal discount offers out there. The days of the “$1 off” or “free cup of coffee with purchase” or “10 percent off” offers are yesterday’s news, and we hate to see restaurants wasting advertising dollars promoting a less-than-tempting deal. Deep discounters, such as Groupon, have set the bar at 40 to 50 percent off, and BOGO deals are just as common. Local restaurants need to figure out a way to play in that arena, because luring a fixed customer base is getting harder and harder to do.
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, Twitter, and Instagram.
