Courtesy City Coffee House & Creperie
Brittany crepe - honey ham, asparagus, Havarti cheese, spinach, Hollandaise sauce
INSIDER TIP
STL’s Sleeper Restaurants
Photo by George Mahe
In a never-ending search for the buzziest new place in town, patrons will sometimes pass by the tried-and-true spots and lesser-known options. Don’t forget, though, about J. Gilbert’s, home of the comfiest barstools in town; John Mineo’s, where guests experience the art (and rewards) of gueridon service; the fantastic J. Devoti Trattoria on The Hill, arguably the biggest sleeper restaurant in town; Retreat Gastropub, which does both those words justice; Sushi Station in Webster is unobtrusive and worth discovering; O+O Pizza, a place known for its namesake dish also happens to serve superior pasta; Malinche, where you’ll find some of the most beautifully plated Mexican dishes in town; and, last but not least, decades-old City Coffee House & Creperie, where the indefatigable Ann Gallardo greets guests, expedites orders, runs food, and clears tables faster than a new hire bucking for a raise.
HOT SPOT
The Brass Rail to Feed Thousands On Thanksgiving—Again
For the past seven years, Scott Ellinger has organized and executed one of the region’s largest outpourings of generosity on Thanksgiving Day. In 2019, the owner of the The Brass Rail Steakhouse donated and delivered more than 10,000 Thanksgiving dinners to metro area families in need. In 2020 and 2021, the pandemic limited what could be cooked and delivered. This year, rather than repackaging complete dinners, the turkeys will be freshly cooked, but the sides will be delivered in cans, so items that don’t get used on Thanksgiving can be consumed later. Ellinger is asking for donations of small banker boxes, canned veggies, canned potatoes, and canned yams. Volunteers are also needed to assemble and deliver orders. The goal this year: to feed 3,000 people in St. Charles County. This year’s T-shirt is also now available online. Further details about food and cash donations, as well as volunteer sign-up info will be posted soon on The Brass Rail’s website. 4601 Highway K, O’Fallon, Missouri, 636-329-1349.
MICRORANT
Excessive Third-party Fees
Nuthawut Somsuk / iStock / Getty Images Plus
While we appreciate the convenience and marketing services that third-party restaurant-ordering platforms provide, we take exception to the fees charged. Case in point: A sandwich that is priced at $11.75 in a local restaurant might cost $14.75–$15.25 if ordered through a third-party company (a 25–30 percent increase) when the order is picked up. Call the restaurant directly, and the charge is $11.75. In a “compete or die” sense, restaurants feel obligated to use such services, but some are now including a flyer in the food bag alerting customers to “save some money and order from us direct next time.” But as long as customers continue to pay the higher prices, the above practice is likely to continue.
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