Raelyn NewtonU City Grill
Titillation Score: Titillating
Move over General Tso, Bibimbop has come to play.
Walking into this Korean diner, we felt like we were actually walking into Grandma Kim’s humble Korean kitchen. Atmosphere doesn’t necessarily take precedence at U. City Grill, but the unique and authentic Korean dishes do.
As you walk in and sit yourself down at the 1950’s style linoleum counter that spans the length of this converted diner, your eyes immediately drifts to the large menus displayed above the grill in front of you. If they don’t drift there right away, they surely will notice the baby strapped onto his grandmother’s back, fast asleep while she prepares your Bulgoki Beef.
As your eyes continue to wander around the restaurant, you will begin to wonder whether their menu displays dishes of food such as Bulgoki and Bibimbop or the names of Teletubbies. But don’t worry; they won’t be grilling up your stuffed lovable friends, just healthy, authentic Korean cuisine.
When we say authentic, we really mean it. This may come as a surprise, but there is a slight language barrier across Delmar. We found that the owners of U-City Grill, which has been open right off the loop for about 16 years, speak very limited English. It was probably better this way though, since we couldn’t really tell exactly what was being thrown on the grill.
Korean food is unlike other mainstream Asian-American cuisine.
“Korean food takes a lot of time to prepare before it is actually cooked because we’re not just making simple stir-fry,” said Julia Sim, the owners’ daughter.
The meat is marinated in homemade sauces, but that is not really what sets it apart from typical Asian-American food.
The signature dish, Bibimbop, has a distinct presentation and taste. Your choice of meat is nestled into a bed of steamed rice and topped with an egg, over-easy. Mix these ingredients with fresh vegetables and enjoy a bowl of a spicy concoction that will leave you content and ready for a nap.
If you’re not in the mood for Korean, and you’re too lazy to cook your own breakfast when you wake up at 2 p.m., U-City Grill has got you covered. They serve American breakfast all day long.
In attempts to attract a younger crowd, U-City Grill will begin to keep their doors open until 10 p.m. starting this month.
U. City Grill is located on Kingsland right behind Cicero’s off the loop. Call them at (314) 721-3073.
Parker’s Table
Titillation Score: Titillating
As Thomas Jefferson once said, “Good wine is a daily necessity.”
If you are ever in the mood to take a step away from reality and out of the Midwestern clutches of Missouri, visit a taste of the countryside in the middle of downtown Clayton. Make sure you unpack your argyle sweater vest from the trunk of daddy’s Beamer before you stop in to visit Parker’s Table, but be prepared to be bombarded with some insightful knowledge of fine wine and classy munchies.
To the staff at Parker’s Table, wining and dining is not just a business, it’s a way of life. This small wine bordello is a breath of fresh air parting the smog of city life. We walked in from the hustle and bustle of the busy St. Louis streets, though we might as well have walked in from frolicking across the hills of Tuscany or the vineyards of Bordeaux.
We began by aimlessly perusing the wine racks as the staff looked on. As much as we tried to make it look like we knew what we were doing or what we were looking for, they obviously knew that we didn’t know our asses from our elbows. They took us under their wing like a mother gorilla nurses her child.
Every Saturday, Parker’s Table offers a free wine tasting all day. We got lucky on this weekday afternoon and were able to taste various wine selections from all over the world. We sampled three bottles of white and three bottles of red. Each time our glass was filled, we looked at each other for a sign of approval before giving our glasses a quasi-twirl and after smelling the succulent aromas of fine wine. We were repeatedly promoted through the ranks of price and quality as we attempted to give our own analysis of the wines that we sampled.
The shelves are stocked with pasta and sauces imported from Italy and the refrigerated display of cheeses in the back completes the country club trifecta of wine, cheese and pasta. To top it all off, they make their own Ciabatta bread daily, which is the same bread that is served at St. Louis’ famous Tony’s Restaurant.
Whenever you stop in and make a purchase at the store, they keep your name and a list of what you bought. They do this so that you will never return for a bottle of wine that you tried and forget its name.
If drinking is as essential to your life as it was to that of our country’s forefathers, Parker’s Table is a great place to enjoy life.
Parker’s Table (314-863-4090) is located at 8137 Maryland Ave. in downtown Clayton.