This week Meera and Michelle discuss a visit to CITYPARK, where the vegan kebab at Balkan Treat Box and the bacos at Saucy Porka stood out. Also in the conversation was a visit to Blues City Deli where their take on the tuna melt, the fiesty tuna sandwich, was a knockout. A recent trip to Tucker's Place solidifies that this steak house is serving up one of the most affordable steaks in town. CITYPARK 2100 Market St., St. Louis Balkan Treat Box Saucy Porka Blues City Deli 2438 McNair Ave., St. Louis, 314-773-8225 Tucker's Place 4 Hands + Peacemaker Kirkwood 150 W. Argonne Dr., Kirkwood First Look: 4 Hands + Peacemaker Kirkwood

This week Michelle and Meera chat about a recent visit to Old Bakery Beer where they got to try new dishes from their menu including a pulled pork sandwich and a tofu parmesan sandwich. Also in the conversation is Daile’s Smokehouse where the barbecue is delicious but the sides here are equally as good. Also in the talk is a recent visit to Niche Food Group’s resurrected Porano, which was in the form of a pop-up at Wild Carrot as they gear up for their summer opening in Des Peres. Finally, they discuss the Saucy Soiree, Sauce’s annual grand tasting party where some of the city’s best restaurants and bars come out with creative and delicious tastings. Old Bakery Beer 400 Landmarks Blvd., Alton, Illinois, 618-463-1470 Daile’s Smokehouse 2951 Dougherty Ferry Road, St. Louis, 636-529-1898 Porano Pop-Up Saucy Soiree, June 23 at Union Station Jalea 323 N. Main St., St. Charles, 314-303-0144 Levels Nigerian Cuisine 1405 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314-571-9990 Planter’s House 1000 Mississippi Ave., St. Louis, 314-696-2603 Lazy Tiger Idol Wolf 1528 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-325-0360

This week Meera and Michelle discuss revisiting some personal favorite spots like Picadilly at Manhattan where the NOLA BBQ shrimp in spiced butter and their famous chicken pot pie both fall under the "must order" category. Also in the chat is a pop-in to Mai Lee where their St. Paul sandwich ranks among the best of the best in St. Louis as well as Thai Nivas Cafe, where their pad eggplant with tofu is a light yet satisfying dish. They also talk about new spots mentioned on saucemagazine.com including Damn Fine Hand Pies, Ichiro Ramen, Bud's Pizza and Beer as well as two new concepts from Chef Ben Welch. Piccadilly at Manhattan 7201 Piccadilly Ave., St. Louis, 314-646-0016 Mai Lee 8396 Musick Memorial Dr, Brentwood, 314-645-2835 Thai Nivas Cafe 11054 Olive Blvd., St. Louis, 314-567-8989 Damn fine hand pies 4000 Shaw Blvd. Instagram: Damnfinehandpies Ichiro Ramen 5638 Telegraph Road, Oakville Ichiro Ramen now open in Oakville offering array of Asian cuisine Chef Ben Welch is opening 2 new restaurants in the Grove later this year Bud’s Pizza and Beer 3805 S. Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis First Look: Bud’s Pizza & Beer in the Northampton neighborhood of St. Louis Andrew Cisneros will open Brasas in the Delmar Loop in spring 2024 Food Truck Friday Saucy Soirée, June 23, at Union Station

This week Michelle and Meera talk about a few spots where you can dine outside, cicada free. Also in the chat this week is a first look at Florentin, the new breakfast and lunch spot from Ben Poremba in the Delmar Maker District. Adrianna's on The Hill 5101 Shaw Ave., St. Louis, 314-773-3833 Le Meridien St. Louis Clayton 7730 Bonhomme Ave., Clayton, 888.861.1483 Art Bar 3550 Samuel Shepard Drive, St. Louis, 314.561.0033 Moonrise 6177 Delmar Blvd. St. Louis, 314.721.1111 Panorama Restaurant Saint Louis Art Museum, One Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park, St. Louis, 314.655.5490 Blueberry Hill 6504 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.727.4444 Crow's Nest 7336 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.781.0989 First Look: Florentin in the Delmar Maker District in St. Louis Florentine 5090 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis

This week Meera and Michelle discuss a recent trip to Madrina in Webster Groves followed by a quick jaunt to Olive + Oak for a post-dinner drink. Also in the conversation is the interesting burger menu from The Crow's Nest in Maplewood especially their green chile burger. They talk about a few new spots from the website at SauceMagazine.com including the newly opened Black Lab Coffee, Ramsay's Kitchen as well as five local dessert shops to check out right now. Madrina 101 W. Lockwood Ave., Webster Groves, 314-963-1976 First Look: Madrina in Webster Groves The Crow's Nest 7336 Manchester Rd., Maplewood, 314-781-0989 Black Lab Coffee now open in University City inside Washington University's Lewis Collaborative building A Spoonful of Sugar 2800 McNair Ave., St. Louis, 314-328-1048 Cafe Ganadara 6413 Hampton Ave., St. Louis, 314-802-7044 Clementine’s Naughty & Nice Ice Cream Multiple locations Spoonful Desserts 12943 Olive Blvd., St. Louis, 314-485-1757; 1063 IL-157, Suite 11-12, Edwardsville, Illinois, 618-514-8020 Sylvie Dee’s 8721 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-918-5472 Sauce 75 digital edition Levels Nigerian Cuisine 1405 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314-571-9990 2023 Best New Restaurants // No. 9 Levels Nigerian Cuisine Mayo Ketchup 2001 Park Ave., St. Louis, 314-696-2699 We're obsessed with the mini cheese empanadas from Mayo Ketchup 3 appetizer platters from St. Louis restaurants you need to try ASAP Nathaniel Reid 11243 Manchester Rd., Kirkwood, 314-858-1019 Peacemaker Lobster & Crab 1831 Sidney St., St. Louis, 314-772-8858 The Ultimate Clam Chowder Recipe

This week Meera and Michelle discuss a recent trip to Dressel's where the pretzel is still playing a starring role on the menu. From SauceMagazine.com, new spots including Well Met Cafe in Shaw; No Ordinary Rabbit in Botanical Heights and Fattened Caf off Cherokee Street have announced their concepts that have either just opened or are coming soon. Finally, the Sauce Team has put together a guide: Sauce 75: Your guide to the essential St. Louis restaurants right now, and they discuss a few spots from the list that consistently exceed expectations. Dressel's 419 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314.361.1060 Dressel’s in the Central West End is a St. Louis landmark Well Met Cafe 4100 Shenandoah Ave., St. Louis, 314-282-8016 First Look: Well Met Cafe in the Shaw neighborhood of St. Louis No Ordinary Rabbit 1621 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis No Ordinary Rabbit opening in former Nixta space in Botanical Heights in late summer 2024 Recipe: Harvest's Warmed Brioche Bread Pudding The Fattened Caf is opening a brick-and-mortar just off Cherokee Street later this year Kasama The 75 Most Exciting Restaurants in St. Louis Right Now, According to Sauce Sauce 75 Tiger Soup Dumplings 98D Gravois Bluffs Circle Drive, Fenton Tiger Soup Dumplings is opening a location in Des Peres in spring 2024 Blues City Deli 2438 McNair Ave., St. Louis, 314-773-8225 Bulrush 3307 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314-449-1208 Rob Connoley of Bulrush nominated in James Beard Awards finalist round for Best Chef: Midwest Pepe's Apt. 2 800 S Geyer Rd., Kirkwood, 314-909-1375 Lona's Lil' Eats 2199 California Ave., St. Louis, 314-925-8938 The Tenacity of Lona's Lil Eats' Lona Luo Ben Poremba to open two new concepts, Esca and Florentin, in the Delmar Maker District in early 2024

After years of working for other restaurateurs Loryn Nalic, together with her husband Edo Nalic, opened Balkan Treat Box in 2016 as a food truck. The inspiration for the concept came from falling in love with her husband and falling in love with his native Bosnian cuisine; but the development of the menu came from a deeply personal visit she took to Bosnia, which brought the entire Balkan Treat Box menu into focus starting with her favorite -- the cevapi. In this episode Loryn discusses with Meera and Michelle her experience in restaurants; her flagship restaurant and her new restaurant Telva at The Ridge; and the local restaurants that have captured her heart. Balkan Treat Box 8103 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-733-5700 Telva at The Ridge 60 N Gore Ave., Webster Groves, 314-395-2760 Yemanja Brasil 2900 Missouri Ave., St. Louis, 314-771-7457 Farmhaus Restaurant 3257 Ivanhoe Ave., St. Louis, 314-647-3800 Frazer's Restaurant & Lounge 1811 Pestalozzi St., St. Louis, 314-773-8646 Pappy's Smokehouse 3106 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-4340 Julia Usher Ones to Watch 2021 // Madeline Hissong Damn Fine Hand Pies Afghan Kabob House 3500 Watson Road, St. Louis, 314-449-1110 Curry Club 1635 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield, 636-778-7778 MeYou 8162 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-961-5999 Webster Garden Vietnamese & Chinese Restaurant 5 S. Old Orchard Ave., St. Louis, 314-961-2131 Mai Lee 8396 Musick Memorial Dr., Brentwood, 314-645-2835 Saucy Soirée tickets available here

This week Michelle and Meera discuss the newly opened Good Company in The Grove, where they are making delicious cocktails with their premium ice. They also discuss the star of the menu: The Good Burger, which is made from ground brisket and chuck, topped with gooey American cheese and thick-cut bacon. Also in the conversation was a recent visit to Revel Kitchen, where the salad actually keeps you full; a jaunt to Wright’s Tavern in Clayton where the crab cake, wine and sundae make for a perfect night out and a birthday brunch at Southwest Diner in Maplewood where the cornmeal pancakes still reign supreme. From the May issue they chat about Apéro Hour a feature that highlights six new spots that are aiming to serve small plates, wine and cocktails and also in the conversation are the many genius riffs on the spicy margarita at local bars in St. Louis. Good Company 4317 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-405-8333 First Look: Good Company in the Grove Revel Kitchen  8388 Musick Memorial Dr., St. Louis, 314-647-2222 Wright’s Tavern 7624 Wydown Blvd, Clayton, 314-390-1466 Bowood By Niche 4605 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-454-6868 Southwest Diner  6803 Southwest Ave., Maplewood, 314-260-7244 Bacaro 5105 Westwood Drive, St. Peters Parker’s Table 7118 Oakland Ave., Richmond Heights, 314-645-2050 Parker's Table is opening a wine bar in Richmond Heights in spring 2024 Vicia is transforming its patio into Vicia Wine Garden, adding a la carte items back to menu 33 Wine Shop and Bar 1913 Park Ave., St. Louis, 314-231-9463 Vino STL  4701 McPherson Ave., St. Louis, 314-932-5665 Clover (Clover and the Bee) 100 W Lockwood Ave., Webster Groves, 314-942-1216 8 creative takes on the spicy margarita at St. Louis bars right now Fortune Teller Bar 2635 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314-776-2337 Frazer’s Restaurant & Lounge 1811 Pestalozzi St., St. Louis, 314-773-8646,  Lazy Tiger 210 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, 314-925-8888 Retreat Gastropub 6 N. Sarah St., St. Louis, 314-261-4497 Ivy Cafe 14 N Meramec Ave., Clayton, 314-776-9377

This week Meera and Michelle discuss dining at Casa Don Alfonso inside The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis where they tried a pasta tossed with deep-fried zucchini and for dessert their dazzling pistachio profiteroles with pistachio cream. Also in the conversation was an epic office lunch with spring salads from Knead Bakehouse + Provisions and several pizzas from Fordo's Killer Pizza including their ramp spring special, wild mushroom and four cheese with honey drizzle. From saucemagazine.com they discuss several restaurant openings like Off Elm in Webster Groves, Sunday Best reopening a take-out concept in South City and Sugar Shack Cafe in Granite City, Illinois. Finally they discuss 3 gas station dining destinations serving barbecue and also Indian food that are hidden gems throughout St. Louis. Casa Don Alfonso 100 Carondelet Plaza, Clayton, 314-719-1496 Knead Bakehouse + Provisions 3467 Hampton Ave, St. Louis, 314-376-4361 Fordo's Killer Pizza 3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis City Foundry 3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis Sunday Best, formerly Juniper, has reopened at the Hill Food Co. in south St. Louis Sugar Shack Cafe now open in Granite City offering Southern flavors and retro vibes Poke One is now open on South Grand in former Tower Grove Creamery space Cube Tea Studio 8041 Olive Blvd., University City, 314-942-1289 3 St. Louis spots making boba that will blow your mind The Vandy, STL Barkeep team will open Off Elm in Webster Groves this fall Khanna’s Desi Vibes in Chesterfield is closing 3 awesome under-the-radar restaurants inside gas stations around St. Louis Olivette Station is serving delicious Pakistani food in an unassuming gas station in St. Louis County 3 Bay BBQ & Bakery 14195 Clayton Road, Town & Country, 636.227.1208, O’B. Que’s 158 Long Road, Chesterfield, 636.778.9675, obques.com Olivette Station 9680 Olive Blvd., Olivette, 314.991.3082

Rick Lewis of Grace Meat + Three cooks from the heart. This week, Meera and Michelle are joined by Rick to discuss his journey from fine-dining chef to chef and owner of his own restaurant in The Grove. His restaurant, which he co-owns with his wife Elisa Lewis, is centered around community and cultivating relationships through food. He shares his stories of launching his restaurant and in the spirit of community, also discusses some of his favorite restaurants in St. Louis. Grace Meat + Three 4270 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, Best New Restaurants: No. 3 – Grace Meat & Three Grace Meat + Three Chef Rick Lewis' 12 Favorite St. Louis Restaurants Mai Lee 8396 Musick Memorial Dr., Brentwood, 314-645-2835 Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions 2733 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, 314-647-2567 Pint Size Bakery & Coffee 3133 Watson Rd., St. Louis, 314-645-7142 Sultan Mediterranean 4200 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314-390-2020 Review: Sultan Mediterranean Restaurant in The Grove