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Eclipse Restaurant is located inside the Moonrise Hotel at 6177 Delmar.
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Michelle Jarvis
Chef Liz Schuster of Tenacious Eats cooking by headlamp in the cinematic darkness.
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Michelle Jarvis
Invaluable piece of kitchen equipment #1: portable stoves.
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Michelle Jarvis
Fancy foodstuffs
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Michelle Jarvis
Presentation: they has it.
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Michelle Jarvis
Blowtorchin' sweets in the dark
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Michelle Jarvis
Crackin' up: cute creme brulees.
Last time we checked in with Chef Liz Schuster of Tenacious Eats, she was over-the-moon about her forthcoming brick-and-mortar restaurant. The restaurant, to have been located on the Hampton Avenue peninsula of the Hill, would have been the fulfillment of a dream: Schuster imagined an extremely open kitchen, along with a permanent home for her weekly Movies for Foodies integrated dinner/movie experiences.
Then, the pudding hit the fan. “Major and expensive problems with bringing the building up to code,” in Schuster's words, presented a hurdle that proved insurmountable.
But, the chef has announced, she will be moving to a new home this fall. In September, Movies for Foodies will be staged every Friday night in the main dining room at Eclipse, on the ground floor of the Moonrise Hotel in the Delmar Loop. Schuster will begin the newest incarnation of the series with a screening of Spaceballs on Sept. 19, followed by Mars Attacks on Sept. 26.
For those who have no idea what all this means, Movies for Foodies screens films, stopping the show at key points to distribute high-end snacks that pair with the scene in question. For instance, during a screening of the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, the chef served “fizzy lifting drinks” (house-made kombucha with mango puree and house-made ginger beer), Augustus Gloop’s sausage and kraut, and Mike Teevee’s mini TV dinners with Salisbury steak, green bean almondine, and apple turnovers on “teeny tiny trays.” The movies are paused and the lights go up for service during relevant points in the film.
Tenacious Eats also serves a series of cocktails that pair with various scenes in the movie. At the series' former home, Meyer's Grove, owner-barkeep Dan Stoner served as mixologist. At the new location, Schuster will tap various Eclipse bartenders for their expertise.
Another change the chef is excited about is that the menu for both food and drinks will be released before each screening, so people can get excited about the one-night-only, weird culinary deliciousness and scope out the events before they buy tickets.
Eclipse will have plenty of tables outside the main dining room available for those who happen to be dining there on Friday nights and choose not to partake in Movies for Foodies, said Schuster. “People who want to can even watch the movie from the bar and eat off Eclipse's regular menu,” she said, “and still try the themed cocktails that go with the movie if they want. We plan to offer that option.”
Schuster and St. Louis Prime Minister of Fun / Moonrise Hotel owner Joe Edwards are mutual admirers.
“I've been a fan from a distance for so long of Joe Edwards and what he's done with the Delmar Loop and our whole community,” said Schuster. “I'm excited to be in his circle, which is outside-the-box, if you will. It'll be a great collaboration.”
“I am very excited to have Tenacious Eats at Eclipse,” said Edwards, in turn. “It's a perfect pairing – and Spaceballs is the perfect film to kick off the series.”
(Of course we have our eye on Edwards’ next funplex: The Peacock Loop Diner, coming to the Loop. The neon sign, already erected, is as un-miss-able as the bird in question.)
Tenacious will continue hosting live-music performances by area groups before the show. Look for the return of bands like Letter to Memphis, Coco Rico, and Psych Squared, which features the musical inclinations of Dr. Dan the Pancake Man.
Schuster says she also plans to invite some cosplayers, like, for instance, the locals who enjoy dressing up as Star Wars Stormtroopers, who may make an appearance at Spaceballs.
October Movies for Foodies will tentatively include “spooky” faves like Beetlejuice, Labyrinth and Young Frankenstein. October 9 will be a benefit for Stray Rescue of St. Louis that will feature a screening of Best in Show.
Schuster is encouraging visitors to her Facebook page to vote on which films they'd like to see paired with her haute-but-not-haughty cuisine.
Tickets for Movies for Foodies will be available at Brown Paper Tickets soon.
Tenacious Eats presents Movies for Foodies
Debuting September 19
Eclipse Restaurant
6177 Delmar
Call 314-605-3684 for more info
