House of Wong

House of Wong is a St. Louis institution, and listed as the RFT's 2008 Best Chinese Restaurant. We're going on Monday, so please join us!

House of Wong
46 N. Central
Clayton, MO 63105
(314)726-6291
http://www.saucemagazine.com/houseofwong/

Tip Top Food & Spirits

You've hopefully had your fill of turkey (and/or vegetable dishes) and now it's time to start eating again. This restaurant was suggested to us by Kimberly, and we're happy to give it a shot. That's right, we take suggestions. Share your favorites with us and we'll gladly put them on the list if they're open on Mondays and we've never been there before.

Tip Top Food & Spirits
2501 S. 9th St.
St. Louis, MO 63104
http://www.tiptopinsoulard.com/

El Palenque

This Mexican restaurant has gotten rave reviews on several food sites, so let's check it out. The only blurb I found about this place was on buildstlouis.org:

Hand-rolled tortillas, "family recipe" caramel sopapilla, and Durango-style specialties are yours to savor at El Palenque. Chef Enedina serves up Mexican fare with an authentic twist, using fresh ingredients prepared in a traditional manner.

Sounds good!

El Palenque
254 S. Florissant Rd.
Ferguson, MO 63135
(314)524-6200
http://www.saucemagazine.com/drill.php?EstID=3315

Triumph Grill

Triumph serves up all sorts of appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, and entrees - really, a huge menu - at Dinner Club prices. They advertise themselves as fine dining with an elegant motorcycle theme. If you have a motorcycle or scooter, you might want to show up in it.

Triumph Grill
3419 Olive Street
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314)446-1801
http://www.triumphgrill.com/

Bobo Noodle House

We will be going out for noodles! Bobo is a new restaurant from St. Louis restaurant veteran Zoe Robinson and it offers Pan-Asian noodles. Zoe's tried to use as many environmentally-friendly building materials and fixtures as possible. Reviews so far have been positive, and we're going to go check it out for ourselves.

Bobo Noodle House
278 N. Skinker
St. Louis, MO 63130
(314)863-7373
http://www.saucemagazine.com/rest/3867

Two Nice Guys Restaurant

Two Nice Guys is an Italian restaurant and has two levels. The upstairs is nicer, and they recommend button-down shirts. We're eating downstairs, where they don't care and offer the same menu - grinders, pizzas, pastas, and higher-priced entrees.

Two Nice Guys Restaurant
10935 Manchester Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63122
(314)821-1800
http://www.saucemagazine.com/drill.php?EstID=3063

Fritanga

Fritanga (St. Louis' only (?) Nicaraguan restaurant) is a somewhat new place with very tasty food. Everything that our small party ordered came out of the kitchen hot and delicious. The manager recommends that we familiarize ourselves with the menu (on their web site, below) to get our food promptly since we're going to be a large party, hopefully.

Fritanga
2208 S. Jefferson Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63104
(314)664-7777
http://www.fritangastl.com/

The Stable

Due to the holiday weekend, we're going to do dinner on Tuesday instead of Monday. I know, it's a radical departure, but it does let us go somewhere that's typically closed on a Monday. I've heard great things about their drink list and a number of varied reports on the food. I've been curious to try it out, and hopefully we'll get a good turnout and come away with some solid food data.

The Stable
1821 Cherokee St.
St. Louis, MO 63119
(314) 771-8500
http://www.amalgamatedbrewing.com/stable/index.html

Amigos Cantina

Chef Roberto Trevino prepares fresh Mexican specialties in his restaurant that resembles a cantina and marketplace. Food includes standard American-Mexican food but also traditional specialties like tortas. Come join us as we try out Kirkwood's only independent Mexican restaurant!

Amigos Cantina
120 West Jefferson
Kirkwood, MO 63122
(314)821-0877
http://www.amigoskirkwood.com/

An American Place

We try to participate in Downtown Restaurant Week every year, and this year it's on a Monday that we wouldn't normally go out. We're going to do it anyway, instead of the regularly scheduled Dinner Club event on 8/4. All participating restaurants are offering a fixed price, three course meal for $25 a person.
We've picked An American Place as our destination on Monday, August 11, 7:30 pm. You can view An American Place's event menu online at http://www.downtownrestaurantweek.net/2008/index.html .
We only have 18 spots available, and even if you have verbally committed to it or don't normally mention that you're coming to dinner, you will have to email us this time or you will not have a spot. Again, you MUST let us know if you plan on joining.
The first 18 reservations we receive are in; if you're too late to reserve a spot, I will write you back and let you know the bad news; otherwise, assume you're having dinner with us.
The restaurant information:

An American Place
822 Washington Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63101
(314)418-5800
http://www.anamericanplacestl.com/

Bici Cafe

Bici's a new Mediterranean place that opened up where La Piazza used to be at Jackson and Pershing. We went to La Piazza back in 2002, and it changed hands after that, and now it's obviously a new concept entirely. I'm looking forward to checking it out!

Bici Cafe
7401 Pershing Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63130
(314)721-8484
http://www.bicicafe.com/

Beso Mexican Grill & Cantina

This is a new place that opened on Wash. Ave. and just one of the many fine Mexican places on the to-dine-at list. Join us and let's see if it's good!

Beso Mexican Grill & Cantina
1130 Washington Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63101
(314)588-7864
http://www.beso-stl.com/

Old Rock House

The food I had here before has been tasty, but I've only been once. Join us and let's see if the food rocks.

Old Rock House
1200 S. 7th Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63104
(314)588-0505
http://www.oldrockhousestl.com/

Kim Son Vietnamese Bistro

This is another one of those restaurants we haven't dined at before, but buildings that we have. This formerly housed Vietnam Star and we went there on April 7, 2003. Let's return and try out the replacement! Maybe this week I'll even get to eat!

Kim Son Vietnamese Bistro
8080 Olive Blvd.
University City, MO 63130
(314)432-8388

Onesto Pizza and Trattoria

I don't have much to say about this place other than the food is amazing. The chef/owner, Vito Racanelli (of Racanelli's fame), makes some unique and wonderful dishes using local and organic ingredients as much as possible. Bring your appetites.

Onesto Pizza and Trattoria
5401 Finkman
St. Louis, MO 63109
(314)802-8883
http://www.onestopizza.com/

Basil Spice Thai Cuisine

This place is fairly new and has gotten decent reviews. Let's see whether it can dethrone Land of Smile as my personal favorite as it competes in "BATTLE THAI".

Basil Spice Thai Cuisine
3183 South Grand Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63118
(314)776-1530

FIVE in the Grove - Dining Out for Life

We've supported Dining Out for Life in the past, and this year won't be an exception - even though they chose to do the event over Passover so many of us won't be eating bread. We're doing this event instead of the normal Monday dinner that we would do on the 3rd week, and we're going to go to a nicer place (and more expensive) than we would normally go. Jonathan pointed out that Subaru is a major sponsor of this event. How wonderful...thanks, Subaru!
As we have done in years past, there is already a reservation with our name on it. It is for 12 people, and I know that two of those seats are already spoken for. So the next 10 people to respond in the affirmative will have confirmed spots. We may be able to increase our reservation a little, and we will let those of you who are wait-listed know in either event.

FIVE in the Grove
4317 Manchester
St. Louis, MO 63110
(314)535-5553
http://www.fiveinthegrove.com/

Buffalo Brewing Co.

Buffalo Brewing Company is a new restaurant with a menu reminiscent of many brewpubs. They brew their own beer, have a salad bar, and appear to need a new web site and high quality photos (won't you tell them that, please?). They also sounded very happy to have our group in on Monday, so please join us as we dine there together. Oh yeah, and print out this coupon and remember to bring it for 10% off.

Buffalo Brewing Co.
3100 Olive
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314)534-BEER

Katie's Pizzeria

A number of you have requested that we go here, and we listen to our clan (Amie, are you reading this?). This place has gotten great reviews from all over, and we're excited to try it. However, it is not a large place: the first 12 people will get to sit together. Any late people will be sitting at the "fools" table. Be prompt to guarantee a choice seat and to avoid being a fool! We've had a time zone change, so now we're going to dinner at 7:30 pm instead of 7:00. Adjust your calendars!

Katie's Pizzeria
6611 Clayton Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63117
(314)727-8585

Pueblo Nuevo Mexican Restaurant

This looks like a very tasty Mexican restaurant (from the reviews) and we'll be joined by two special guests - Stef's dad Marc and his wife, Hong, all the way here from Queens, NY. Please join us!

Pueblo Nuevo Mexican Restaurant
7401 North Lindbergh Blvd.
Hazelwood, MO 63042
(314)831-6885

Caito's Sicilian Restaurant and Pizzeria

Caito's boasts a new location in Glendale (their only other one is in Chesterfield), and their menu looks extensive and Sicilian. I actually don't know what Sicilian food is like, so I'm taking their word for it. You should, too, and join us on Monday.

Caito's Sicilian Restaurant and Pizzeria
10012 Manchester Rd.
Glendale, MO 63122
(314)966-8900
http://www.caitosrestaurant.com/

Mandarin House Restaurant

Mandarin House has been a St. Louis favorite since 1978 when they started serving "authentic" Chinese cuisine. I've only been there a handful of times, the last being years ago, so I'm eager to go back and see if the meal is truly authentic!

Mandarin House Restaurant
9150 Overland Plaza
St. Louis, MO 63114
(314)427-8070
http://www.themandarinhouse.com/

Three Monkeys

This is a new neighborhood bar/restaurant that has great-sounding food. They also mention bananas on their home page (Menu - more than bananas!), which is what won me over. It doesn't seem that they have bananas on the menu, though, which is a touch disappointing. Regardless, join us for some food and friends.

Three Monkeys
3153 Morganford Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63116
(314)772-9800
http://www.3monkeysstl.com/

French Quarter Cafe

Happy New Year! Eric likes this place, and the owner agreed to open special for us on Monday. So let's bring him a large group and have some great fun, French Quarter style. I don't really know what that means, but it sure sounds appropriate. Eric and a few of our regular dinner-goers pointed out that there are two places called "French Quarter Cafe" on Manchester within 2 miles of each other. The place that we're going is next to a Lee's Fried Chicken. Check out this article on diningstl.com to see some bright pictures. The other is a dive bar. Be sure you get the address right:

French Quarter Cafe
15622 Manchester Rd.
Ellisville, MO 63011
(636)527-6269

In case I didn't make it clear initially, Eric called and made sure that they'd open just for us since they're normally closed on Monday nights. So if you can make it, or if you want to carpool, please let us know.