HOT SPOT
Dine Thee Well at Shakespeare Fest
For the fourth consecutive year, Butler’s Pantry is offering themed, boxed dinners at one of St. Louis’ premier outdoor events, the annual Shakespeare Festival in Forest Park (nightly performances run June 3–June 26). Choose from a Two Sandwich Box (which includes shared sides, bottled water, and goodies from Piccione Pastry) or a Tapas Boxed Dinner (at right), both $40 for two people. Orders must be placed here, two days before the show date. For an additional fee, diners can reserve a chair with a festival souvenir blanket.
INSIDER TIPS
Getting Sauced
We love Sugarfire Smoke House for many reasons, not the least of which is its half-dozen varieties of barbecue sauce, which happen to be available to-go for $5 a pint. A backyard cheeseburger slathered with St. Louis Sweet or Texas Hot is a summertime treat, to be sure, but it’s the outlier—Sugarfire’s Coffee BBQ sauce—that elicits not just raised eyebrows, but the most compliments.
MICRORANT
Robo Responses
When a customer puts forth the effort to contact a restaurant about a recent issue or incident—regardless of its nature or validity—the establishment should respond in the most personal way possible. A form letter (even if accompanied by a “please come back and see us” gift card) tells the customer that the restaurant really doesn’t care that much after all. If you’re going to send a mea culpa, then write the mea culpa. (Just don't forget the gift card.)
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.
