What’s a Blind Tiger?

It’s about time we write a blog about one of our new favorite places in downtown Maplewood: The Blind Tiger. It’s been open for only a few months and is already creating quite a presence in the local St. Louis editorial scene (see below for links). Good food and good drinks, with an emphasis on top shelf whiskey, sounds likes a recipe for success!

A quick Google search for “Blind Tiger” will tell you the technical definition is an “illegal bar” or “speak easy”. While The Blind Tiger is neither of these, its owners have done a good job of transforming the former Jive and Wail (and later Jumping Jupiter) space to incorporate a speak easy theme without coming off as “douchey”. The lights are dim with a combination of small low level over head fixtures and a vast array of candles and oil lamps. The space is spacious with a sizable seating area as well as a full stage for shows/events (remember this space used to be a piano bar). The bar is sophisticated, with a wide assortment of whiskeys, craft beer, and wine. No vodka or gin though as this is a whiskey bar.

Since it opened, I’ve been fortunate to visit twice: one time with friends for a casual night out and the other with friends and co-workers for a birthday get-together. While the whiskey selection is vast, the other highlight to this establishment is the menu. The Blind Tiger advertises itself as “pizza, ribs, and whiskey.” I have yet to try the ribs, but if they’re even half as good as the pizza, I’ll be satisfied. Four different pizzas are available on either New York- or STL- style crust. Denise and I have tried two of the four, the cheese and “hog mess,” a mixture of vegetables and numerous meat toppings, and both were outstanding. I wish I could speak for other menu items, but the pizza is so good that I’m afraid to switch things up!

Now on to the whiskey. If I had to guess, the bar is home to at least 30 or 40 top shelf whiskey varieties. If I remember correctly Maker’s Mark is the “cheapest” whiskey on the menu… the selection is that good. Drinks can be ordered to your liking, and the bar manager has recently rolled out a few high end cocktails. However, if whiskey isn’t your thing there is always beer and red and white wine available. While one may wish for spirits, this is a whiskey bar, so no clear options. You may be surprised what a good Kentucky bourbon or blended scotch can offer!

The Blind Tiger gets an A in my book. Not because it filled the prime spot on Manchester and Sutton in Maplewood, but because they really have a winning combination: Delicious food, inviting environment, and sophisticated bar. Stop in sometime and try it out! I know Denise and I will be back again soon.

Links to third party reviews:

http://www.alivemag.com/blog/index.php/2014/02/destination-the-blind-tiger-at-sutton-place/

http://www.feaststl.com/dine-out/where-we-are-dining/article_755360a2-886c-11e3-a3a2-001a4bcf6878.html

Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/blindtigersuttonplace

Thanks for reading!

Dan

STL Irish Pub #2

So I guess you could say we are getting prepared for St. Patty’s Day! This weekend following one of our marriage prep classes, Denise and I ventured over to the Central West End (CWE) for lunch at Llywelyn’s Pub. The CWE location marks the original of six Llywelyn’s locations throughout St. Louis. Having been in business for over 35 years, the owners of certainly understand how to run a successful Irish pub.

After parking on a nearby street, we walked in and seated ourselves at a high-top table in the bar area. As always, I began looking around, observing the architecture, utilities, decorations, etc. (hey it’s practically second nature when you’re in the architectural engineering industry). To sum it up, the environment is exactly what one would expect from an Irish bar. The bartender quickly came to our table, dropped off a couple menus, and took our drink order. After scanning the menu for a few minutes, I chose the Ploughman’s Melt, a shredded pork, ham, and swiss cheese deli sandwich, and Denise had the Seasonal Salad, a roasted pear, walnut, bleu cheese, and grilled chicken spinach salad.

After 15 minutes or so, we received our food. Some may say this was a bit of a long wait for lunch; however, given the relaxing, casual environment, I actually didn’t mind the wait since it gave Denise and I a chance to just hang out. After the first bite, we were both sold. The food was very good. The combination of the pulled pork, ham, and “whiskey mustard” sauce was delicious. Plus, the side order of “skinny fries” (which, were reminiscent Steak ‘N Shake fries) were a plus considering my love of fried potatoes. Denise loved her salad and repeated mentioned how refreshing it was. The grilled chicken combined with the pears, walnuts, and bleu cheese provided a great crunch and appealed to her taste buds, especially since she was sick with a head cold. All in all, the food was great, especially for a pub.

Given our appetite and the tasty food, it wasn’t long before our plates were empty. Before the bartender came to clear our table, Denise mentioned that she saw that this Llywelyn’s location bought a personalize barrel of Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve bourbon whiskey. To my surprise, the bartender gave me a free sample. I thought this was a nice little bonus to an already great meal. Being a fan of the regular Knob Creek, this special edition batch was very good. As much as we wanted to stay and hang out, we paid the bill and continued on with our day. I should mention that the prices were average with other restaurants in the CWE, but may seem a bit high for customers not accustomed to the CWE scene. We will certainly come back again to try both dinner and the private loft dining area.

For locations, menu, and additional photos, please visit http://llywelynspub.com/

Thanks for reading,

Dan