Big O Ginger Liqueur, created by husband and wife Kathy Kuper and Bill Foster , has earned some serious street cred at two prestigious competitions: the Denver International Spirits Competition (gold, Herbal Liqueur category) and Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition (silver, Herbal Liqueur category). You can find the award winner at shops around town, on local menus, or at drinkthebigo.com.
grass roots effort
Early fall is when we are due to see a new restaurant by impressively credentialed Michael Gallina and his wife Tara Gallina. The former chef de cuisine at acclaimed Blue Hill at Stone Barns (Pocantico Hills, N.Y.), Gallina is prepping a spot in the CWE’s Cortex district at Duncan and Boyle avenues for a new farm-to-table eatery, Vicia. Expect “vegetable-forward cuisine driven by local farmers, with an emphasis on wood-fired cooking.”
drewes in the news
Our very own Ted Drewes Frozen Custard got a great, big shoutout from none other than Food & Wine magazine, which named the South City gem to its Bucket List of Best Summer Restaurants. It’s quite the coup, considering the gazillion eateries all across America. The local treat was aptly described as “creamy, mouth-coating vanilla custard.”
a new moon
The Moonrise Hotel in the Loop has launched new menus and a main-level redo that includes a fabulous new bar area, smaller dining room and a new event space for up to 175 (125 seated). New executive chef Mark Peralta has added a Filipino touch to his all-new, smaller plate menus, including one for the rooftop lounge, which now has its own kitchen.
Area favorite Brio Tuscan Grille, on the Plaza Frontenac grounds, is getting a menu makeover; its 13 new entrees include many small plates for sharing and low-calorie and gluten-free items. Vincent Van Doughnut has announced plans for a second location at 1072 Tower Grove Ave., complete with liquorlaced (and/or wine or beer) doughnuts and extended weekend hours. Curtain Call Lounge at the Fabulous Fox has added wine-tasting events (July 28 and Aug. 4, 18 & 25). Visit curtaincallstl.com for details. Randolfi’s Italian Kitchen in the Loop has launched a new Aperitivo Happy Hour Tuesdays through Fridays, with selected small bites and $5 cocktails at the bar from 5 to 7 p.m.