Is Maplewood's Boom Slowing Down?

A line in St. Louis Magazine's November issue drew a response from Maplewood's community development director, who called the sentence a "pointless and off-putting message."

In a St. Louis Magazine article highlighting downtown Maplewood's retail options, one sentence didn't sit very well with Rachelle L'Ecuyer, the city's community development director.  The article, which ran in the magazine's November issue, included the line, "With Mezzanine and Monarch Restaurant closing in the past year, Maplewood’s boom seems to have slowed."  L'Ecuyer responded by submitting a letter for the magazine's February issue. In it, she wrote about the city's evolution into a "walkable historic downtown" over the past decade. She noted that the city contains only two vacant storefronts in downtown Maplewood, compared to more than 10 about seven years ago. She also wrote that Home Wine Kitchen was named "2012 Restaurant of the …

•  6 Comments
• Photos (1)

Maplewood Restaurateurs to Open #2 in 2013

Home Wine Kitchen's couple plan on opening a bigger location in the coming year.

Cassy Vires and Josh Renbarger opened Home Wine Kitchen in 2011. It's tough to get a table there, expecially on No Menu Monday. Now they're planning their second venture, in South St. Louis City, STLmag.com reports. When Cassy Vires and Josh Renbarger opened Home Wine Kitchen last summer, the 50-seater achieved "tough table" status almost immediately. This year, Home was selected by SLM as Restaurant of the Year (which made those tables even tougher to get). Read the complete article on STLmag.com. Also in Patch:

• Photos (1)

Home Wine Kitchen's Cassy Vires Interviewed on National Public Radio

Vires talked with Scott Simon about tomatoes on Saturday morning.

When a local chef (Cassy Vires of Home Wine Kitchen) chats it up with Scott Simon on National Public Radio, that's absolutely worth a shoutout. Simon, host of Weekend Edition Saturday, called Vires to talk about tomatoes Saturday morning. From the NPR interview: "We use baby heirloom tomatoes, set them in a basil aspic and then slice them, and it creates a really beautiful, fresh bite of summer," Vires says. "My brother actually called it the 'savory tomato jello.' " Vires' tomato terrine is a feast for the eyes as well as the tastebuds. "There's so many different colors of those heirloom tomatoes," she says. "It's a really striking dish." During the month July, a portion of the proceeds from the tomato terrine is going to Operation Food …

• Photos (1)

Home Wine Kitchen Chef May Open Second Restaurant

To mark the first year of Home Wine Kitchen, Chef Cassy Vires listed accomplishments and goals.

Cassy Vires, chef of Maplewood restaurant Home Wine Kitchen, celebrated the one year mark of her restaurant by reflecting on some accomplishments and looking to the future. She lists for her first year: She lists her goals, and the most exciting among them is the possibility of opening a second restaurant in the upcoming year. She said she promises to give details when she can. Read Vires' entire post.

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Molly M. Collier

9:37 am on Thursday, July 19, 2012

STOKED!!! We LOVE their brunch and are there nearly every Sunday. The staff is top notch. In fact we always choose to sit at the bar, so we can engage in light convo with Josh, the servers, and occasionally even the cooks / chefs. Fine dining with a laid back atmosphere ... I can't wait to see what they cook up for joint #2!   more ›

Support AIDS Education by Dining Out for Life

Five Maplewood restaurants will donate a portion of their proceeds to the work of Saint Louis Effort for AIDS on Thursday.

When is eating out a charitable event? When you participate in Dine Out for Life. The annual AIDS education event is Thursday. Dining Out for Life is an international event that has raised more than $4.3 million since 1990 to help Saint Louis Effort for AIDS provide education on the prevention of HIV/AIDS and comprehensive support services for those affected by the disease. This incredibly important event not only helps nourish the community but also the soul. To take part, all you have to do is dine out at one of the participating restaurants on April 26 and least 25 percent of your check will be donated to support the work of Saint Louis Effort for AIDS. Maplewood participating restaurants are: Airedale Antics calls itself a woofaurant–…

• Videos (1)

Editor's Notebook

We Made an Error on Patch

A misunderstanding led to plagiarism on Patch.

I plagiarized a story in March by accident and I am sorry for the mistake. Let me explain what happened. Early that month, I received an email from a friend who works in the St. Louis media industry. The email contained several paragraphs about Maplewood's Home Wine Kitchen making and selling its own jams, sauces, etc. The author of the article was not included. I assumed it was generated from Home Wine Kitchen, and was something akin to what we'd post in our announcements or Local Voices sections. So I went to the restaurant, took my own photo of some of the products, then put it all on Patch as an article. I credited the story to Home Wine Kitchen at the bottom. The text in the email was actually copied from Feast Magazine's website. …

Valentine's Day Dinner Plans in Maplewood Brentwood

Some restaurants will feature specialty menus for the upcoming romantic holiday.

Have you planned your Valentine's Day dinner date yet? Maplewood and Brentwood offer some of the best destinations for sharing a romantic evening with your loved one. Lucky for you, Patch did some Valentine's Day homework so you don't have to. Check out what the restaurant hot spots are doing to celebrate the romantic holiday. Chef Josh Galliano knows it can be hard to get a dinner reservation last minute for Valentine's Day, and is accommodating customers to make sure everyone gets a bite. Galliano's special Valentine's Day menu will be available from Feb. 10 through Feb. 18. Who said you had to celebrate on the 14th? Not to be missed: Smoked fois gras torchon with pecan gastrique, sassafras meringue and maple syrup mustard. If you and …

• Photos (2)

What's Your Favorite Foodie Spot? St. Louis Magazine Opens Voting

The magazine's annual poll seeks reader votes, and Maplewood and Brentwood have a few foodie destinations on the poll.

Maplewood and Brentwood are well-represented in the first round of "A-List" voting on St. Louis Magazine's website. The "A-List" is a compilation of St. Louis' best, as judged by the St. Louis Magazine staff and readers. The first round, which accepts user voting until Feb. 17, features "Food and Night Life" destinations in the St. Louis area. These Maplewood and Brentwood businesses are competing for the following titles on the list: To vote for your favorites, visit the St. Louis Magazine website.

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Kirkwood Des Peres Area Chamber of Commerce

10:23 am on Thursday, January 26, 2012

Twin Oak, Yum!   more ›

Home Wine Kitchen Named a 2011 Favorite in the Post-Dispatch

The Maplewood restaurant was one of eight area establishments featured on the list.

What's your favorite new restaurant of 2011? Joe Bonwich of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch compiled a list of favorites from 2011, and Maplewood's Home Wine Kitchen made the cut. The restaurant's No Menu Monday was highlighted as a "clever and enjoyable food adventure." Have you dined at Home Wine Kitchen yet? Let us know in the comments and rate the restaurant in our business directory. A full list of favorite restaurants is available on STLToday.com.

• Photos (1)

Five Autumn Treats to Enjoy in Maplewood Brentwood

Keep ramping up for fall with these delicious picks.

There's not much that can keep you warm and happy as temperature drops besides festive food and drink. Whether it's hot chocolate or a seasonal cocktail, toasted pumpkin seeds or caramel corn, there's a fair amount to enjoy this fall. This week's Patch Picks brings you opportunities to try said seasonal food and drink selections from both Maplewood and Brentwood to keep you warm and happy. Patch Picks: Five Autumn Treats to Enjoy

• Photos (1)