Josh Galliano at the Beard Banquet
Jun 27, 2008 St. Louis, chefs, missouri
In the better late than never file (because I was asking permission to use these pictures and didn’t see I got the okay), here’s Josh Galliano’s spread at the James Beard House when he went a few weeks ago for the James Beard Awards banquet.
His dish was Braised Pork Belly with Pickled Peach Salad, Molasses-Glazed Scarlet turnips, and Peach Butter.
He’s told me a lot about the weekend, and you too can get a glimpse of his experience by reading about the event in Josh’s letter to Joe Bonwich on his blog Off the Menu.
photos courtesy the ulterior epicure.
I Second Barney’s BBQ
May 27, 2008 St. Louis, missouri, restaurants
Growing up in Ballwin, each year the days between Memorial Day and Labor Day were not just a little brighter because of the lack of school, the pool, and Spy Hunter, they were brighter because of the enticing scent of smoking meats wafting out from the shack (I think it’s actually an old garage) that is Barney’s BBQ.
Located just West of Clarkson on Manchester Road in Ellisville, I passed it myself Saturday, and after wrestling with the urge to venture inside (we already had lunch plans) I came home to see Bonwich’s recommendation which I will now second–strongly.
Barney’s is rich with personal nostalgia for many a West Countian and I can personally remember many a night where my parents would drag us over to sit outside on the park benches next to the shack that comprise about 90% of the available seating.
As I understand the story, Barney’s is/was only open during summer because the families children would work there during summer to have money for college. If the flavor is any indication I imagine they can afford some pretty good schools, but whatever the reason, for a few months each year they serve up some of the best vinegar-based barbecue in St. Louis.
Don’t go here looking for pork ribs though. They have only giant beef ribs with protruding bones so large they remind me of something the Flintstones would eat.
And don’t miss the pumpkin cake sprinkled liberally with powdered sugar. It’s just not the same without a slice (or two as I used to do).
Barney’s BBQ, 16011 Manchester Road. Ellisville, MO, (636) 227-2300
EDIT: Joe Bonwich thinks they do have pork ribs. Let me know if you see they do–maybe they were just out when I went last year. Here’s to hoping I am!
Tags: Barney's BBQ, Ellisville, Joe Bonwich
Heads Up: St. Louis Cooking News
Apr 3, 2008 MO, St. Louis, chefs
More national attention for upcoming St. Louis cooks this time by way of another great Joe Bonwich article about Brett Eisen. Eisen a Senior at Parkway Central is traveling to Miami next week where he will be vieing for a Johnson & Wales University National High School Chef of the Year award as one of nine finalists.
Tags: Brett Eisen, Joe Bonwich, Johnson & Wales, Post Dispatch
Tipping
Feb 23, 2008 general food
This is not the first story I’ve seen recently about restaurants suffering due to the economy.
No, no, it was Joe Bonwich’s excellent article in the Post Dispatch earlier this week.
What it was, however, was the first one I’ve seen locally that mentioned some server’s tips declining even when the customers do show.
Customers who used to leave 15 to 20% tips are scaling back five to ten percent.
Regardless of your price point, next time your dining out, consider the following:
$2 is not much more than $1.50?
Is the $2.50 difference between $7.50 and $10 going to break you if you spend $50?
If you can drop $100 on a meal, seriously, what’s another $5?
And if you’re dropping, say, two hundred dollars on dinner, a sum I know some of you spend (and more), is $10 really a big deal at that point?
For those of us who can afford the luxury of dining out (and don’t forget it is a luxury), do the right thing and round those tips up. Those little bits add up for our servers over the course of a night, and they will most certainly return their appreciation on our next visits.
Tags: economy, Joe Bonwich, servers, tipping, tips
Balaban’s Closing and Joe Bonwich
Jan 31, 2008 restaurants
In today’s Post Dispatch there is an article Joe Bonwich wrote about Balaban’s closing. It’s a great piece and there’s some really interesting information about the restaurant’s history.
It’s definitely worth a read if you find yourself with a few minutes to spare.
I also ran across this article recently on thecommonspace.org that Joe Bonwich wrote in 2001 about life as a critic when he worked at the RFT.
If you like negative reviews and wish he’d write more, read it. I agree with him, and he made his case far more eloquently than I did in the “St. Louis Good” forum topic.
And if you’re a person that dislikes the term “St. Louis Good”, he nails it with this one:
…I’m fairly well convinced that our best stack up favorably against the best in all but the very top echelon of American food cities. Yet even the Zagat guides have stopped doing one for our hometown.
Tags: American food, Balaban's, Joe Bonwich, Post Dispatch
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