Elmar The Loop News Today

Who's up for corned beef and bibimbap? When you just can't decide whether you want bacon and eggs or steamed veggies and rice, satisfy both cravings at what just might be the world's only combination Korean restaurant/greasy spoon. Mr. and Mrs. Sim, the elderly couple who own the joint, stick to a bare-bones menu: Breakfast is eggs, potatoes and meat (bacon, sausage, ham or corned beef); lunch is grilled cheese or a BLT; and the Korean fare includes the aforementioned bibimbap (vegg...

Salt + Smoke infuses the Loop air with the unmistakable smell of barbecue. The scent may draw diners in, but the delectable barbecue taste will keep the crowds coming back for more. The latest venture from restaurateur Tom Schmidt, best known for Franco in Soulard, Salt + Smoke features Texas-style barbecue, a huge bourbon selection and comprehensive craft-beer offerings. Fried pickles and hush puppies dipped in honey butter are standout appetizers, and the falafel sandwich -- though a surprise ...

Perhaps the friendliest coffeeshop in town, Meshuggah reflects that mishmash that is the U. City Loop. Wash. U. students, local yuppies, countyfolk on a shopping stroll and all demographics in between flock to Patrick Liberto's warm-hued house of joe, where the coffee is prepared a cup at a time, to order, by mixing two shots of espresso with steamed water. Some compare the caffeinated punch this process delivers to cocaine. A small menu of baked goods from Companion Bakehouse, plus inventiv...

This Delmar Loop restaurant looks like the prototypical sushi joint, and the sushi portion of the menu is a big ’un, from the requisite roster of nigiri sushi and rolls (Philadelphia, California, etc.) to “special” rolls of the elaborate modern ilk (“Golden Child,” with escolar and mango, for instance, and “Crunchy Pig,” with bacon and pork belly). But here’s where it gets truly interesting: Hiro also offers izakaya — Japanese bar snacks that...

This funky Delmar Loop joint proves that a great crust can elevate a simple pizza above the ordinary. Pi adds cornmeal, which imbues the texture of the crust with a faint granular quality. The exterior is crisp and a lovely, summery golden brown, while the interior keeps a spongy softness that absorbs the flavors of the various toppings while retaining its own individual qualities. The deep-dish pizzas are excellent. You can build your own from the list of toppings or try one of the specialty pi...

Pinkberry, the frozen-yogurt craze that swept New York and Los Angeles a few years ago, has yet to reach St. Louis, but Fro-Yo is a reasonable substitute. You are charged by the ounce for however much frozen yogurt and toppings you can fit into a cup. Yogurt flavors range from plain to fruit and chocolate varieties. Toppings include fresh fruit, nuts and crumbled candy. Be careful: Those all-you-can-eat ounces add up at the cash register.

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