Edition: Great Outdoors
The Spirit of St. Louis
Author: Cheryl Hughey
Restaurants serve up more than just good food.
St. Louis is made up of many neighborhoods. From the far reaches of West County to the close-knit community of The Hill, each area within our grand territory has its own personality and beauty. Long-time natives of St. Louis are quick to tell you that no two neighborhoods are alike. We take a lot of pride in describing our distinctive high schools and communities. However, one common bond that unites St. Louisans together is good food and a gernerous spririt.
Breaking bread with friends is a common gesture shared among all people of the world. Sitting down to a good meal instills a sense of warmth, comfort, and closeness. Food is one way to bring people together, and the neighborhood restaurant is the gathering ground for a prosperous community. If it takes a village to raise a child, then it takes a whole community to uplift one another. Reaching out to those in need is a natural extension of a partnership between a restaurant and the neighborhood it serves. Several restaurants in St. Louis consistently exceed expectations in reaching out and giving back.
St. Louis is definitely a sports town. Named after the well-loved broadcasting family of Jack, Joe, and Julie Buck, J. Buck's is known for good times, great food, and being a place that has heart. An endless list of charities and donations includes participation in the Dine Out for Life campaign that gives 100% of the proceeds to the St. Louis Effort for Aids. Other activities include the St. Louis Blues Hockey 14 Fund with a celebrity waiter night. Donations in the form of gift certificates and products are also made to the community for a silent auctions and raffles. Events coming up include a fundraiser for the Kidney Foundation, the Joe Buck Celebrity Golf Tournament to benefit Children's Hospital, and the Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital Summerfest.
Another well-respected member of the St. Louis restaurant community is Rich LoRusso of LoRusso's Cucina. In honor of his commitment to the community, LoRusso recieved the National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Neighbor Award in 2003 and 2004. Launched in 1998, LoRusso's Pasta Bowl Fundraiser has donated more than $31,000 to Operation Food Search. The year-long fundraiser is both delicious and fun. Amateur chefs submit their favorite pasta recipes each year to LoRusso for a chance to be judged at a fundraising dinner. The winning recipe is awarded a one-year feature on the LoRusso menu. Each time someone orders the pasta, a portion of the proceeds go to Operation Food Search. Betsy Derringer's Peppernata Lasagna topped with flash fried spinach was the featured item for 2006. Order up a plate of this tantalizing entrée and enjoy. Not only will you satisfy your hunger, you'll be helping those in need as well.
A sportscasting legend, Mike Shannon has endeared himself to the hearts and palates of St. Louisans. His restaurant, Mike Shannon's, has consistently supported charities throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area like Cardinal Care and Mike Shannon's Scholarship Fund at Christian Brothers College High School (CBC) and throwing a celebrity meet and greet for the Tony LaRussa Animal Rescue Foundation. Serving up great steaks and giving back seems to be a great combination for the Shannon family. "Miek Shannon's has always been a big supporter of local and national charities. We feel it is important to give back to our community the support and good will they show to Shannon's," said Pat Shannon, Mike's daughter and co-owner of the restaurant. "St. Louis is a very easy city to become charitably active in. There are many wonderful events that restaurants can be involved in by donating their time and product."
Feeding and supporting the local community is important to Mike and Susan Hobbs from the Melting Pot in University City. "There are many 'grass roots' efforts to raise funds for causes near to someone's heart. We've received requests and honored those requests from parents who've lost children and familes who are battling illnesses and subsequent medical bills. Our gift certificates are a mere drop in the bucket, but we try not to turn anyone away," said Susan Hobbs. Some of the organizations that have benefited from the generosity of the Melting Pot include Habitat for Humanity, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Girl Scouts, Boys Club of America, Food Outreach, Saint Louis Crisis Nursery, and many more. In addition, the Melting Pot restuarants are a corporate partner with St. Jude Children's Hospital and fundraising efforts continue throughout the year.
Sometimes reaching out includes giving others the skills to sustain a better life on their own. McMurphy's Grill in downtown St. Louis not only serves up great food, it provides the mentally ill and homeless a chance for a successful future. Established in 1990 by the St. Patrick Center, its mission is to provide opportunities for self-sufficiency and dignity to persons who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and to effect permanent, positive changes in their lives. Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, this fully-operational and successful eater gives clients the knowledge they need to succeed in the foodservice industry via an on-th-job training program. Under the supervision of trainers from the St. Patrick Center, approximately 8-12 clients work at any given time in the restaurant. House specialties include Irish Stew, Meatloaf, and Lemon Pepper Cod.
Have you ever asked yourself what a bakery does with all that leftover bread? St. Louis Bread Company, owned by Panera Bread, has found a simple solution to this dilemma. The Day-End-Dough-Nations program shares their unsold bread with local food banks, Meals on Wheels programs, soup kitchens, and others. What might be considered by some as mere leftovers becomes a bounty to others. Panera Bread also helps local schools and hospitals by donating fresh bread, pastries, bagels, and gift certificates to their fund drives. The Panera Card program also allows non-profit organizations to purchase gift cards at a discount of 9% and resell them at full price.
J. Buck's
101 S. Hanley Road, St. Louis, MO 63105
Named after a legendary broadcasting family, you can expect great food and a busy stop for a bit of nightlife.
LoRusso's Cucina
3121 Watson Road, St. Louis, MO 63139
LoRusso's Cucina serves up home-cooked traditional Italian food, as well as some special creations from the mind of Restauranteur of the Year 2004, Rich LoRusso.
Mike Shannon's
620 Market St., St. Louis, MO 63101
Named after a legendary broadcaster, Mike Shannon's has a reputation for offering some of the finest steaks in town.
Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center
11715 Cragwold Rd., St. Louis, MO 63122
Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center is a serene section of forest carved from the Greater St. Louis Area, dedicated to unspoiled wildlife and communing the nature.
