Christmas in St. Louis

We just got back from St. Louis where we spent my birthday and Christmas with Will's family. It was a great time spent with friends and family, and of course food. It was like a marathon of food consumption. There was a mixture of delicious homemade meals filled with desserts brought from neighbors. We visited restaurants and I did a little research to find a few that I wanted to try while we were in St. Louis. We were staying in Webster Groves, a small town just outside of the city of St. Louis. We were lucky to have so many great places that had recently moved into the neighborhood.

For lunch one day we tried Milagro, a modern Mexican restaurant that served street tacos and some of the most delicious enchiladas I have ever eaten. They were the Pork Enchiladas Verdes. The salsa verde served on top of these enchiladas had an amazing tangy flavor which reminded me of some of the spicy, acidic sauces I've had at Indian restaurants. Amazing! The street tacos are delicious soft corn tortillas filled to the brim with slow cooked pork and beef. Delicious. Also, the salsa that comes with the chips and salsa is pretty awesome. A must try if you're in St. Louis.

http://www.milagromodernmexican.com/

For my birthday dinner I had to try one of St. Louis' newest restaurants, and voted one of their best: The Block. They are a restaurant/butcher shop known for their house-butchered meats and seasonal menu. We showed up early to sample what their bar had to offer. The drinks are fun and fresh. Will had to try the house made Eggnog infused with Bacon, served with a slice of candied bacon. Seriously delicious. They also give you a little popcorn to enjoy with your drink while you wait. Yum. I started my meal with a Roasted Beet Salad. If beet salad is on the menu you better bet that I'm going to order it. It came with a slice of toast topped off with goat cheese and my only complaint was that I wanted a whole loaf of that bread and goat cheese. Will had the special pear salad, that would have been my other choice. If only they had combined the two and I would have been in heaven. And then the main meal arrived. I ordered the White Wine Braised Pork. Delicious, tender shoulder of pork served atop mashed potatoes with a rich gravy and roasted turnip and apples. Oh yeah. Talk about a perfect winter meal. Will had the Pork Chop with sweet potato and bacon hash and braised greens. It was smokey and a bite full of every component was a delicious bite. I can't wait to go back.

http://theblockrestaurant.com/