Hi Folks

Am planning to be in STL with the potential Mrs db for the MPM Squash Open 2005 at The Galleria mid-Sept, and staying at the tournament base Residence Inn Galleria.

Any suggestions please as to dining recommendations - either suburban or Laclede's.

Nothing too upscale, just nice places to eat with some atmosphere for a couple of contemporary 50-somethings with a liking for blues & Americana music.

Thanks in advance.

Welcome to St Louis! You're coming at a great time of year.

If you are iDine people, I recommend:

Corwin's, sports bar, right down Brentwood Blvd from where you're staying. Great food for a sports bar, with good homemade soups, decent pastas and salads, and a small ribeye that I really like.

Felix's, in Dogtown, Wednesday night is filet night, with a decent filet, potato(try the blue cheese au gratin, very yummy), veggies and GOOD salad for $10.99. The giant pork chop is also very good and quite filling.

Momo's, Greek tapas place in U City, also close, fabulous hummus and a dessert called milk chocolate baked in phyllo dough that is outstanding. They also serve a good mojito. Belly dancers in the evenings (Never on Sunday).

Blueberry Hill (not iDine): On Delmar in University City, 5 minutes from where you are staying. Best hamburgers ever, this is what the Hard Rock Cafe wants to be when it grows up. Check the schedule, Chuck Berry plays there often in the Duck Room (named after his distinctive walk). Owner Joe Edwards has filled the place with memorabilia including Howdy Doody and other icons of Baby Boomer youth. The jukebox is filled with great music of every type, cutting edge punk (or whatever cutting edge now is) to old classic rock n roll. Down the street is the Pin Up Bowl, a retro bowling alley also owned by Joe, where you can find Nelly when he is in the Lou.

http://www.blueberryhill.com/

That whole area where Blueberry Hill is, called the Loop, is great with lots of eclectic shops and restaurants, an alternative theatre called The Tivoli, record shops, galleries, etc.

Everyone in St Louis has a favorite restaurant on 'the Hill' .. the Italian Hill.

I personally love Cunetto's http://www.cunetto.com/ while others think it touristy.

I cannot recall the others I have been taken to on the Hill nor how to return .. other than this one!

Turtle Soup is also a specialty of many of the restaurants in the area . with sherry .. worth a try!

I have been soooo hungry for Italian at times .. I have gone to STL for a weekend pasta fix.

Be warned the popular restaurants on weekends are VERY busy .. most do not take reservations. Cunetto's will line up 30 minutes before opening on Satuday night to get a table... I call it my 'late pasta lunch'!

ENJOY!

There are two blues bars near Laclede's Landing: BB's and Broadway Oyster Bar. They are both on the 700-block of Broadway.

As for suburban eats, Clayton offers a wide variety of restaurants (and price ranges), and it's only a few minutes north of The Galleria.

I'll second the recommendation for Blueberry Hill. It's always one of the first places I go when I visit St. Louis.

there is this ongoing thread on St Louis restaurants from the Midwest Forum: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=309108

Folks - thanks to you all for responding to my query.

For sure I'll continure to monitor - and will enjoy my stay in STL - moreso should Mrs db son progress well in the Squash Open !!

Thanks again.