Since the return flight to BWI was late in the afternoon, there was time allowed for the group to take a tour of Budweiser (a wholly owned subsidiary of….), and the Missouri Botanical Garden. We had not been to either in quite a while, so it was almost new to us The brewery tour turned out to be mostly a promo for product (we take pride in our “Green” process for brewing the world’s best beer), although seeing the Clydesdales and the architecture of the brewery are worth it. Plus (as the guides pointed out several times) we get free beer at the end. We were surprised at the “visitor” center, it was much more ornate than we remembered
I was also surprised at the amount of beers that AB produces, not in quantity, but in numbers of labels. Heard of Shock Top? Chelada? Stone Mill Pale ale? It goes on
We were ushered by our guide
And taken through the brewery,mostly the bottling line with a lot of bud light, although I didn’t see any 10 ouncers…
and the architecture. Recognize/remember Bevo?
After the (free) beer tasting experience (did you know Stella Artois is a product?) we re-boarded the coach and headed off to the Botanical Garden. Again, we had not been there in a while, and we were reminded what a great spot it is. There is a calm peacefulness about the place with nature and man made treats for the eye
They’ve sort of adopted Dale Chihuly, but I’m not sure it integrates very well. A certain amount of clashing..
After that, we bid the tour folk adieu, and retired to the airport suites, wherein we had our wonderful pizza dinner.
Thursday
We awoke to more rain (rain is the new sun!), and spent part of the day driving around our hometown Clayton, seeing what’s new. And, there are changes. Around noon time we met a friend for a little business, and then accepted an invitation to lunch (Happy Birthday) at the nearby (what used to be) Il Bellagio in Creve Coeur. However (after some unpleasantness with the Las Vegas contingent), now is called Il Bel Lago, I think roughly translated to “nice lake”. Whatever its name is, it provides a great spot for lunch. Although sort of “store fronty” in appearance, once you’re inside the dining area is secluded from the outside (and miserable weather) and is nicely decorated with muted draperies on the ceiling, and (in this case) blue covered tables, nicely set. There are booths along one wall that are partially obscured if you have a need for more privacy. And yes, the feeder has pulled in his horns about those white paper squares. There they were, I guess it must be a custom, and I have to learn about that sometime. Anyway, one wall is devoted to the wine rack and they have some nice wines on display. Silver Oak, Mt. Veeder, Chimney Rock, and Robert Craig (new to me) among the Cabs. The wine list is pretty impressive, with many reasonable to show off selections.
Of course as you might have guessed the cuisine is Italian. The (luncheon) menu features appetizers, soups, salads, and some Pizzas as you might expect, but also a nice selection of pastas, and heartier entrees. Most every category includes (selection) del Giorno, thus allowing the kitchen some flexibility. Service was immediate and kind – no Hi, I’m…. just an explanation of the “Giornos” and asking if we would like a drink. The wine list was brought, and we finally settled on a bottle of ’06 Taz Pinot (Santa Barbara County) which I had not had (La Crema was our next choice), and got down to ordering.
MFO chose the seafood del Giorno which was a tilapia with a lemon butter sauce, I chose the risotto (I’m a sucker every time), and our friend got the pasta del Giorno which was (as memory serves) a wide pasta in red sauce with maybe some veal. We had the house salad and our friend chose the soup of the day (which is how it’s described on the menu!), a rich soup for a cold rainy day.
The wine was poured, some fresh bread and olive oil supplied (let it be noted that for once I did NOT wear any on the shirt when I left), and we had some great conversation. Water glasses were kept full, and service continued to be attentive. Every time I leave the Park, I am amazed to find how often “service” means just that. Anyway, the salads and soup arrived and were very much enjoyed. More wine, more conversation and then the main courses were served. My risotto was cooked just right (although I have to admit it was right on the edge of (IMHO) being too tight) but the rice was al dente as it should be, and the roasted garlic and pungent shitakes made a great dish. Quantities were large, so some resides in our little fridge. The fish was also nicely done with a great sauce of nice consistency, and the pasta was enjoyed. A great lunch. I like lunch.
So, if you’re ever in Creve Coeur and want a nice quiet Italian lunch (or dinner) I would recommend stopping in at “the Lake”. In fact, I’d put it on the “drive to” list.
Since the rain appeared to be continuing for the rest of the day, clever planning our part included a stop at Straub’s in Clayton and we purchased a pound of the legendary Chicken Salad along with more bread, another bottle of wine (’07 Domaine Chandon Unoaked Chardonnay), and a brownie. Year after year, that chicken salad is to die for.
Oh, before consuming the above (and the to die for chicken salad), I met another friend at Trailhead Brewery in St. Charles for a post work beer and catch up session. Reasonably priced beers, nice selection, but they allow smoking!!!! C’mon St. Charles/Missouri, get into the twenty first century! Good grief.
Tonight is the highlight of the culinary side of the trip, and you can bet we’ll be
DFD
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