Diversions

FRIDAY, FEB. 3

Cameron Biedscheid will put you on a poster. He’ll rise up and dunk on your head. He’s done it before, he’ll do it again. Biedscheid will drop a three-pointer in your grill. He’ll jab step in your direction, step back, pull up and knock down that triple. If he’s done it once, he’s done it a thousand times.

Bailey’s Range, restaurateur David Bailey’s foray into the world of gourmet burgers, opened downtown last fall and quickly gained a reputation as the place for burgerphiles to indulge their meaty cravings.

• This month, St. Louis Bread Co. is launching a new program called Warm-Up Wednesday, giving away free soup to customers who donate to benefit area charities. St. Louisans can nominate deserving nonprofits to the company via Twitter and Facebook, and Bread Co. will select winners from the recommendations. On the final Wednesday of the month, Feb. 29, customers can bring in three non-perishable food items and receive a free bowl of soup. The donated items will go to Operation Food Search.
• STEVE and JAMIE KOMOREK, who own South City favorite Trattoria Marcella, have announced plans for a second restaurant. The name of the new eatery hasn’t been revealed, but it will be another homage to their mother, Marcella. The restaurant will be located on Clayton Road, just west of 141, and construction has already begun. Look for an opening sometime this summer. We’re told the bar area will be a central focus of the restaurant and will feature small-production wines from high-quality vineyards.
• The latest food truck to hit the scene in St. Louis is Hot Aztec. The truck features gourmet Mexican street cuisine, and fans can follow it on Facebook and on Twitter @hotaztec. In other food truck news, the owners of popular mobile cake shop Sweet Divine have announced they’re looking for a permanent storefront to augment their rolling operation.
• Gourmet to Go recently opened its second location in Clayton at 7710 Carondelet Ave. The new cafe features breakfast, lunch and coffee and is open from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, and seats approximately 20.
• The St. Louis Chapter of the Missouri Restaurant Association has named PAUL and WENDY HAMILTON, co-owners of Eleven Eleven Mississippi, Vin de Set, PW Pizza and Moulin, as its Restaurateurs of the Year. Paul Hamilton also is president of the Saint Louis Originals, a consortium of more than 30 or the area’s finest locally owned and operated restaurants.
• For those looking for a day-time option to celebrate Valentine’s Day, The Presentation Room at L’ Ecole Culinaire is offering a Lunch of Love, beginning at noon on the 14th and featuring a choice of one appetizer, two entrees, one shared dessert and two non-alcoholic beverages. Cost is $30 per couple and reservations are required. Call 587-2433 to secure a spot. For more of a hands-on V-Day experience, Kitchen Conservatory in Clayton is offering a series of culinary classes for couples in the weeks leading up to the big day. More info at kitchenconservatory.com.