Great Memorial Day Weekend Trifecta, Part Two

Second stop on the GMDWT - Gaslight Studio

Why so dark? We stayed out way past our bedtime.

Who knew that a bar would be included in the GMDWT? Oh, happy day! Our food was delivered from Cha Cha Chow just a few minutes after we ordered.

We had a dozen local beers to choose from, plus fully-stocked shelves of distilled liquor. We enjoyed our dinner with great brews and tunes.

The photos provided some décor to the unassuming room. They harkened back to the namesake of Gaslight Studio. Gaslight Square was a thriving entertainment district in the mid-1950s. It fell out of fashion for several decades. Thankfully, many of the buildings have been restored. The Hill and Gaslight Square have something in common: Restaurants.

Some of the gaslights of Gaslight Square, in its heyday.

We knew that Gaslight Studio actually has a recording studio. However, we didn’t know we would hear an “Unplugged by Jack” recording session. Jack recorded three acoustic guitar-strumming guys. While they sounded fine, I don’t think we’ll be hearing them on the radio any time soon.

For a mere $50, Bob and I can finally record our unique version of Sonny and Cher's, "I Got You, Babe.".

When I retrieved our final round, I joked with the barkeep that Bob and I didn’t really fit the cliental.  He chuckled when he handed me a Maker’s Mark and an Urban Chestnut Brewing Company Schnickelfritz. If you want a drink and some music, it doesn’t matter if you fit the demographic. Just remember to order some pupuas.

www.gaslightstl.com

Great Memorial Day Weekend Trifecta, Part One

Because Bob and I don’t have a traditional Memorial Day weekend, we decided to embark on our Great Memorial Day Weekend Trifecta. (GMDWT)

First Stop - Cha Cha Chow

Cha Cha Chow began as a food truck offering a fusion of Latin Americas to the North Americas inspired cuisine. “But Mel,” you plead. “Food truck season is over, and I want a taco now.” Luckily for you, a walk up restaurant opened on the Hill.

The menu reflects the requisite minimal selections of food trucks, which was fine with me. C’mon, how many food choices do we really need?

I ordered a two taco platter - curried sweet potato and fish. I had plate envy over Bob’s pork and cheese-stuffed grilled tortillas or pupuas.Both came with salsa. I had corn salad as a side and Bob had slaw.

Cha Cha Chow offered a few outdoor picnic tables and a couple of stools near the counter that weren’t really conducive to eating. Where shall we go? What shall we do?

http://www.chachachow.com/menu

Wandering and lost...

"Not all those who wander are lost;"  

is an oft quoted line from the poem, All That is Gold Does Not Glitter by J. R. R. Tolkien.  

Full disclosure:  THIS DESCRIPTION DOES NOT APPLY TO ME.

I wander....and I get lost a lot.

In fact, so much so, it is a running joke with friends, family and coworkers that are with me when I drive.  If an anticipated turn, exit or entry to a highway is impending, everyone gets quiet.  Conversations stop mid sentence, so I can pay attention and realize that a maneuver is imminent. Otherwise I just keep driving straight.

To my defense, I will say that this had led to some amazing discoveries. Unplanned activities.  Unexpected destinations. Mel and I once stumbled upon some castle ruins that we had completely to ourselves, because they were so far off of the beaten path.  It's a memory that both of us will cherish.

To be fair, it has also led to some very frustrated passengers and some slight and unnecessary delays.

So, why all this about my deficient sense of direction? Because on Friday we set out to eat lunch at Milo's on the Hill, and I got turned around.  We were talking...I kept going straight, and by the time I realized it, Mona's restaurant was directly in front of us.  

So we ate there instead. 

Mel, completely thrilled by the unexpected change of plans.

Mona's - An American-Italian Joint is in a space that was formerly a tapas restaurant called Modesto.  I had eaten there a few years back. But going even further back, the Fair Mercantile building housed the Paull family business that sold furniture and appliances at the corner of Edwards and Shaw for 80 years.  That business shuttered in 1995. 

Mel unsuccessfully attempts to crack the old Fair Mercantile Co. safe.  

The building was renovated into a mixed use office space in 2000. Mona's is located on the first floor and is a very open, cleanly decorated space.  Very comfortable.

They had a nice selection of lunch specials.  I ordered the Meatball Sandwich.  This had melted provolone, marinara and garlic bechamel on toasted Italian bread.  Very, very tasty.  I got the garlic parmesan fries for the side. 

Mel got the Grilled Vegetables Sandwich with a side salad. She enjoyed hers as well.  They also have a good selection of beers.  While this is a sit down restaurant, the prices were in line with most of the delis that we've eaten at and the food was good.

So, in the end...my wandering paid off this week.  Because, no matter where you end up....you are somewhere!

Look! At the signpost ahead....

We are Even-Steven!
Midway through! 
Smack dab in the middle!
50/50!
Seventeen crossed off and seventeen remaining!



 Places we have eaten:

• 2nd Shift Brewery
• Adrianna's
• Amaghetti's
• Anthonino's Taverna
• Favazza's
• Gioia's
• Joe Fassi's
• Joey B's
• Leo Oldani Sausage (Eovaldi's Deli)
• Mama Toscano
• Mama's on the Hill
• Missouri Baking
• Shaw’s Coffee
• Steve's Hot Dogs
• Vitale's Bakery
• Zia's
• Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate

Places we have left to eat at:

• Charlie Gitto's 
• Cha,Cha,Chow
• Dominic's
• Five Bistro
• Gaslight
• Gelato di Riso
• GianTony's
• Giovanni's
• Guido's Pizza
• Leonardo's Kitchen and Wine Bar
• Lorenzo's
• Marconi Bakery
• Milo's
• Mona's
• Pop's Blue Moon
• Rigazzi's
• Viviano's 

Back To Work...

We recently took a little vacation for a few weeks, but we were back at it this weekend to give our voracious regular followers what they want....more accounts of Bob and Mel eating on the Hill.

So, we went to Adriana's on The Hill this Friday.  This marked the first time that either of us had visited this pleasant sandwich shop that is only open for lunch.

The decor is sparse but nice, with little knick knacks to add a personal touch.  There were plenty of tables.  Roughly 20 total, and there were seats available the entire time we waited.  But since the inside was busy and a little noisy, we opted to eat outside on such a lovely day.  They have several tables available outside as well.

To say the place was "bustling" is an understatement.  We arrived about 15 or so minutes prior to noon, and the line was just out the door.  It snaked around the perimeter of the restaurant.  However, the entire time we were there...the line remained about the same length.  It took about 15 - 20 minutes from the time we arrived to the time we were seated with our food.  So the line kept moving.

Note the fire hydrant in the background with the colors of the Italian flag.  All the hydrants on "The Hill" are painted like this.

I ordered a "Grace" sandwich, which is Salsiccia and Pepperoni topped with a red sauce and Provel Cheese.  It was delicious.  Mel ordered the "Charlie's Special"...one of three prominent veggie options.   She said it was "delicious."  You can look up her sandwich along with others at the menu here.

Mel was particularly pleased with the fact that those "dining in" were encouraged to use reusable cups for their soft drinks.  They had styrofoam cups for "take aways," but at least there was some attempt to be green.

Like most of the establishments on "The Hill," this is a family owned and operated.  They really seem to take pride in personal service.  They seemed to know many of the regulars and even encourage folks to recommend daily specials.

This blog is not in business of recommending places (or even reviewing the restaurants for that matter), but I would say that if you haven't been here yet, to give it a try.  We both really liked it.

A Little Help From Our Friends

Mel and I decided to take the week off.....not from eating, but from blogging.  

So, we've turned our "A Hill of Year" blog over to our first ever "Guest Blogger."  It's in the capable hands of our good friend, Laura.  Take it away, Laura...

_______________________________________________________________________

I’ve had many a memorable meal at Favazza’s, a Hill favorite for decades. From bachelorette dinners, to post-theater noshes, to birthday celebrations, it’s been the home to countless delectable dining experiences surrounded by good friends and family.

Last week was no different. My “Hill of  Year” friends Bob and Mel invited me and several of our friends to join them on their journey around the Hill restaurants. I was thrilled to hear Favazza’s was the destination of choice.

We were a large group, and the staff was very accommodating, finding a second table for us to we had a bit more elbow room.

"The Gang"

The bread basket arrived early, much to my delight. In the evenings, Favazza’s serves toasted garlic bread along with the traditional Italian bread. It’s delicious — a special touch I haven’t found at other restaurants.

We all ordered, and though I didn’t record everyone’s selections, I know that I ordered the chicken prosciutto, which was delicious. It came with a house salad, which featured Favazza’s homemade Italian house dressing. The hearty portion of chicken arrived lightly breaded and sautéed, topped with provel cheese and served in white wine sauce with prosciutto (sans the fresh mushrooms that usually accompany it). On the side I had pasta with red sauce.

It was all very tasty, and my dining companions were equally pleased with their meals, leaving us to wonder why we don’t dine there even more often.  Click here to see menus.

In the end, the evening made me quite jealous of Bob and Mel. If all their dining experiences are this good, it’s sure to be a “Hill of a Year.”

Eovaldi's has a lot going on

The nice thing about Delis on the Hill that don't sell beer....you can always get it to go and take it home.

So, I picked up lunch at Eovaldi's Deli today.  I got a Daddy Sandwich....which is Salsiccia and their special meatball recipe combined. It had melted cheese and red sauce.  Very, very tasty.  Mel got the turkey sandwich and said it was "exactly as she expected."

Take a look at their menu.  They have a lot more than just sandwiches. Salads, pastas, toasted ravioli... even Gnocchi! I also noticed frozen versions of many of these items and jugs of their own barbeque sauce for sale. I was tempted to buy a frozen pizza to take home for a later date.  I decided against this to see what the sandwiches were like, and now I regret not buying one.

This deli has been located on the corner of Bischoff and Edwards, in the Leo Oldani Salami building, since 2002, and they sell Oldani meats and sausages there as well.

The dining area has about four, four-top tables and a small counter to dine in.  They offer catering as well.  If you haven't ever been...I would recommend giving it a try.

So much in common...

What do Sammy Sosa, Michel Briere, Tiki Barber, Bob Lemon, Peter Forsberg, Roberto Clemente and A Hill of Year Blog have in common?

The number 21!

Twenty one establishments remaining.  Below is the list of our progress so far.


2nd Shift Brewery
Adrianna's
Amaghetti's
Anthonino's Taverna
Charlie Gitto's 
Cha,Cha,Chow
Dominic's
Favazza's
Five Bistro
Gaslight
Gelato di Riso
GianTony's
Gioia's
Giovanni's
Guido's Pizza
Joe Fassi's
Joey B's
Leo Oldani Sausage (Eovaldi's Deli)
Leonardo's Kitchen and Wine Bar
Lorenzo's
Mama Toscano
Mama's on the Hill
Marconi Bakery
Milo's
Missouri Baking
Mona's
Pop's Blue Moon
Rigazzi's
Shaw’s Coffee
Steve's Hot Dogs
Vitale's Bakery
Viviano's 
Zia's
Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate

Joey B's with some Homies...

“It ain't no fun if the homies can't have none. ” 
― Snoop Dogg

Possibly the worst album cover ever....

Snoop has a good point here.  So, Mel and I took the opportunity of having a colleague and friend in town, to share our Hill Of A Year Experience with others.Our friend Lou hails from New England and may possibly have a few Italian ancestors in his family tree, so this seemed like a good excuse to share this experience with others.  Another mutual friend, Mark and his wife Hasmik joined us for a lovely evening. Thus was the composition of our "Posse of Homies," that we took to the very corner of the Southwest boundary of The Hill neighborhood.

Joey B's On the Hill, was hopping on a Wednesday night.  Really hoppin!  In spite of this, we got a table relatively quickly.  The first thing that Mel noticed was the extensive cocktail menu. I guess, for some people, certain choices are more difficult than others....  They have signature classics and a pretty darn good beer selection.

Drink menuFull disclosure: Mel and I have been here before.  Several times.  And we like it.  A good description of the restaurant is bar food, but slightly upscale.  In fact, their slogan is "Redefining Casual Dining On the Hill."  This is one of the storied Gianino family restaurants.Joey B's On the Hill HistoryThe menu consists of the standard sandwiches, burgers, pizza, etc.  To my delight, they offer a good selection of fried foods!  We have gone for lunch, and they have lunch specials.But they have pastas, chicken plates, even seafood.  Lou, who lives pretty much on "the coast" of the East Coast, and can almost literally walk outside to catch the freshest seafood available, made a calculated choice - after careful consideration -to avoid the Mahi-Mahi in the Midwest.However, I had a ravioli special, with mushrooms and a cream sauce that was very tasty.  Mel had the Chicken Spedini sandwich, and said it was as expected.  Link to the MenuMel was disappointed at the lack of vegetarian options.  They had some, in the typical form of salads, pastas and pizza, but my girl loves her Vegetarian sandwiches.My girl loves her veggie sandwiches
It is also worthwhile to note that there are a lot T.V.s around the place.  So, if there is a sporting event, this might be a nice place to watch the game, but for a romantic evening out...maybe not your first choice.

I got those Dago Hill Blues...

We've all had them at one time or another...those "Dago Hill Blues."  Luella Miller, sang about them in 1926 on her popular recording of the same name.  Luella Miller had a roughly 2 year career and then vanished into obscurity after her 1928 recording session in Chicago.

She is a mystery in so many ways.  While it is known that she lived in St. Louis and most likely in the vicinity of, what was routinely called "Dago Hill" - well into my teens, it is not known where she came from.  Some say Texas, others say that she was born and raised in St. Louis until she made a splash in the entertainment industry with "Dago Hill Blues," "Black Snake Wiggle," and Carrier Pigeon Blues."

These songs were big enough to get her photos on the album sleeves and marquee posters, as well as recording sessions in Chicago and New York City accompanied by the likes of fiddler, Lonnie Johnson and Charlie Creath's Jazz-O-Maniacs.

Have a listen to her moaning those Dago Hill Blues here.

The term "Dago" is said to come from the what English  sailors called their Spanish co-workers.  They referred to them as "Diego."  Diego, aka James is the Patron Saint of Spain.  But the Brits had a hard time (or didn't care) telling the difference between Spanish and Portuguese sailors, so it gradually applied to both nationalities.  After some time, it then became a common phrase on English and American vessels to refer to any "European" of swarthy complexion as this...and eventually became pronounced "Dago."  Then because of the large wave of Italian immigrants in the U.S.A., the term eventually came to be used almost specifically with this ethnicity.  Although it is still used in Europe to refer to Portuguese and Spanish.

So there you have it...