INSIDER TIP
Spiedini Fest
Find the best food in St. Louis
Subscribe to the St. Louis Dining In and Dining Out newsletters to stay up-to-date on the local restaurant and culinary scene.
In a season awash in “fests,” we came upon a new one. Walnut Grill—a family-owned mini-chain with metro locations in Chesterfield, Ellisville, O’Fallon, Missouri, and Sunset Hills—has announced its inaugural Spiedini Fest during the month of October. Spiedini (roughly translated to “skewered meat” in Italian) has not only been a popular dish on Italian menus in St. Louis for decades, but it’s also one of the most requested dishes at all four Walnut Grill locations, according to local owner Eric Vogel. The expanded menu for October includes several new spiedini dishes, in addition to Walnut Grill’s top-selling chicken spiedini: chicken spiedini Florentine, chicken spiedini Prosciutto, veal spiedini Prosciutto, along with beef, shrimp, and swordfish spiedini and a trio option, including one of each of the chicken spiedini dishes along with linguini marinara. All of the dishes are priced from $23–$28 and come with a choice of salad.
HOTSPOT
The Brick Bar Cometh
After being postponed due to the pandemic, The Brick Bar—an interactive event involving more than 1 million blocks—has been rescheduled in St. Louis for October 15 and 16. Transported and assembled into what organizers call “the ultimate nostalgia trip” and “the first of its kind,” the pop-up bar features sculptures entirely made of building blocks, as well as an abundance of blocks for people to shape into their own creations. There will also be local D’s on hand, plus building competitions and table tennis tournaments. The chosen venue: 2nd Shift Brewing (1601 Sublette). Tickets include entry for 90 minutes in the bar (ages 21 and older after 6 p.m.), a themed drink, ping-pong play (on a table made from 22,500 bricks), and all of the Instagram photos you can take. Tickets can be reserved here.
MICRORANT
Illogical Upcharges
We’re all for restaurants charging customers a fair price for menu items, but not when it comes to silly upcharges. Sorry, but anchovies on a Caesar salad (a base ingredient) should not cost an additional $4 and the restaurateur who charges extra for pasta sauce (on a side dish of pasta, no less!) ought to have his noodle examined. If the ingredient is part of the dish, then put it on the dish and let the guest ask for it to be removed, but don’t charge for it on the side. We fear such logic might lead to extra charges for sauerkraut on a reuben, tzatziki sauce on a gyro, and sport peppers on a Chicago dog.
Follow George on Twitter and Instagram, or email him at [email protected]. For more from St. Louis Magazine, subscribe or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
