Fork & Stix recently opened its doors on the eastern edge of the U. City Loop just off Delmar Boulevard, and local foodies have been talking and blogging about the place ever since. On our recent visit, we learned first-hand what all the hype was about.

The pseudo-Alpine facade of Schneithorst's has been a landmark at the corner of Lindbergh Boulevard and Clayton Road for almost 60 years. In recent times, the lot has been altered somewhat. Now the restaurant is part of The Village at Schneithorst’s, a development that includes several retail establishments that cluster outside the restaurant like a feudal village. While the building and the surroundings may have changed, the food at Schneithorst’s remains—in many ways—unchanged.

Farotto's Italian Restaurant has long provided a little bit of The Hill in the county. A recent trip back after a long absence was a reminder of just why we used to keep their number at the ready.

We recently made a return trip to the newly reconfigured Cheshire Inn to try out another of its eateries: Basso.

When we first heard about chef/owner Ben Poremba's innovative vision of turning an old South City house into a fine-dining restaurant (Elaia), and the retired service station next door to it into a wine bar (Olio), we were a bit unsure of just how it would work out. Since the dual concepts have been up and running for a while now, we finally stopped in for dinner at Elaia and are pleased to report the project is quite the success.

It's so small that if you blink, you might miss it—but that would be a shame because restaurateur Zoe Pidgeon's newest eatery, Bar Les Freres, definitely is a stop you want to make.

In recent months, Home Wine Kitchen in Maplewood has found its way onto a slew of best-of lists and chef/co-owner Cassy Vires has been getting national attention for her skills in the kitchen.

It's springtime, and that means area restaurants are starting to unveil their new seasonal menus. U. City fave Blueberry Hill has announced four new specialty sandwiches, a Western Wagyu Burger, and a Blueberry White Chocolate Cheesecake to its menu; and also has re-introduced its popular Gazpacho. Modesto Tapas Bar & Restaurant has debuted some new items for spring, as well. The menu now has four new small bites, including the Fritada (a fried shrimp and scallop skewer) and the Banderilla (an anchovy, artichoke and olive skewer), as well as the return of the Judias Verdes, sauteed green beans with onions and sherry.

Chef Gerard Craft is a constant fixture in the local—and now, national—food scene with his frequent culinary accolades; and maybe most notably with the recent opening of his latest eatery, Pastaria, in Clayton, and the relocation of his flagship restaurant Niche right next door, which we visited recently. To say it was an over-the-top culinary experience would be a gross understatement.

Thank you for the great spread in LN for our Change Begins with Me exhibition opening. You have been wonderfully supportive and we couldn’t be more pleased with the impact. You are the best. (2/8/13 issue, p. 7)

John Mineo's Italian Restaurant has been a fixture in Town & Country for 40-plus years, emphasizing traditional Italian dishes and upscale service. Tucked away in a small shopping area on Clayton Road, the eatery had escaped our attention for far too long, and we were happy to remedy that oversight recently.

Eau Bistro could easily be overlooked by prospective diners, but that would be a shame because the atmosphere and food are well worth a look--and a taste.

Much attention has been focused on the multi-million-dollar ‘rebirth’ of The Cheshire, which, in addition to the renovated inn, is now home to four separate restaurant concepts. The vanguard eatery of the four is The Restaurant, which seemed as good a place as any for us to begin to rediscover the local landmark.

The restaurant takes its name from the house-made olive bread used for bread service, which came to the table warm and fresh, with plenty of accompanying olive oil on the side. The Pan D'Olive website describes the overall cuisine as "Mediterranean with a California twist," with an emphasis on Greek and Turkish flavors.

Olive Boulevard between 1-70 and Skinker Boulevard is home to an array of noteworthy (and authentic) Asian restaurants and markets. Lu Lu Seafood Restaurant, a fixture in the area for some 20 years, has been on our short list of must-trys for a while.

Edgewild Restaurant & Winery opened in the fall of 2011 in Chesterfield, and soon developed quite a following in West County and beyond.

Established in 1979, Tachibana, the oldest Japanese restaurant in the St. Louis area, is making a major change: Effective immediately, the eatery is changing its name to Ocha and is under new management. 

A couple of years ago, we reviewed The Tavern Kitchen & Bar, which at the time had just opened in Valley Park, and came away suitably impressed. We'd heard talk of some menu revisions of late, so it was decided a return trip was in order.

The Tenderloin Room was the latest stop on our tour of local steakhouses. Ensconced in the elegance of The Chase Park Plaza, the restaurant has long been a destination for visiting celebrities like Frank Sinatra and George Clooney, as well as dignitaries of all types. Though it's been around a good long while, this classy eatery has lost none of its luster.

Gerard Craft's restaurants have been all over the local and national press of late, what with the opening of Pastaria in Clayton, the relocation of flagship Niche, the impending departure of Ted Kilgore from Taste, and multiple appearances on all manner of 'Best Of' lists. While all of this has been going on, Brasserie by Niche has been rolling along under the radar a bit, steadily putting out its signature quality, affordable rustic French fare with very little fanfare. We made a return trip to this CWE favorite recently to refresh our memory of this gem.

In the past year or two, several places have popped up around town featuring gourmet takes on that most American of delicacies, the hamburger. One of the most anticipated was Five Star Burgers, which opened in Clayton last fall. The latest project from Steve Gontram, former chef/owner of Harvest, Five Star attempts to marry high-end culinary creativity, quality ingredients and green practices, with delicious and affordable results.

The Baldwin Report

There are plenty of restaurants around town that make one wonder just how they've been able to stick around on the dining scene so long. Pomme Restaurant is definitely not a part of this group. The Clayton mainstay just turned 10 this year, and our recent visit drove home just why they've succeeded for a decade in one of the most competitive dining neighborhoods in town.

SOCIETY

Chef Noboru Kidera has been creating superior sushi and other Japanese delicacies for years. Since 1991, he's been plying his trade at the current location of his restaurant, Nobu's Japanese Restaurant.