Fresh Idea

Had brunch at the Benton Park Cafe on Monday with my in-laws. The best surprise was a slice of cucumber on my glass of water instead of the traditional lemon wedge. Tasted so refreshing on a hot and humid St. Louis day. A nice unexpected twist to a late breakfast/early lunch.

(image from here)

Brunch: Hodak's

Somehow, I managed to make it out on a Friday night. I was very reluctant to go, but sometimes you end up making the best of a bad situation and end up with a fun night. And sometimes you end up compensating for your lack of expectations for the night with beer.

Luckily, our brunch plan for the next day was Hodak's for fried chicken. Nothing helps a hang over like fried chicken, crinkle fries and a giant pepsi. I really thought I might throw up on our way there, but I knew what awaited me was sweet releif. So, I just gripped the door handle and took really deep breaths until we drove far enough down Gravois to get there. After two drumsticks encased in a crispy shell fried to perfection and about five pepsis, I was cured. I was a new woman and the house was spotless by the time my in-laws arrived later that afternoon.

Brunch: Rooster

My friends and I have been on a brunch streak lately. When Friday night plans kept collapsing on themselves over and over again due to our inability to stay awake past 10 anymore, we resorted to a mid-Saturday gathering. And sometimes Saturday afternoon begins to look a lot like Friday night.

A few weeks ago we decided on Rooster in downtown St. Louis for crepes. I will eat just about anything, and I eat fast, so I can't really critique food. Mine was delicious, but I will say that about a lot of things. Probably the stand-out at Rooster was their extensive list of Bloody Marys and mimossas. Also, it was a really cute and cozy place with exposed brick and several sketches of roosters and chickens everywhere that looked like they were done by school kids.

After round one of drinks we were feeling pretty wonderful, so we decided to head up the street to an irish pub for more drinks. Things probably would have escalated to a full-blown bar crawl had some of us not had other engagements that day. The point is, Saturday day can be just as fun as Friday night. Besides, who doesn't love a little day drinking?

1111 Mississippi

So, one of my good friends suggested we go to 1111 Mississippi for dinner last weekend. I love to eat and will try pretty much anything. I also enjoy having a cocktail or glass of wine every once in a while. And I have a great group of friends. So to combine those things is always a recipe for a great time - which 1111 Mississippi was. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, our server was knowledeable and attentive without being annoying, and the bacon wrapped pork tenderloin melted in your mouth.