Phil's BBQ- Located on Gravois in South County, this popular restaurant is always filled. Maybe it's the pig decorations or the service, but my money is on the food quality. The owners of Phil's are Italian and know how to make a mean spaghetti; my advice: order spaghetti as your side to your rib eye or pulled pork and you will not be disappointed.  They could have a larger selection of beers, but beggars can't be choosers - they practically let you eat a feast fit for a King on a peasant's salary. The one thing I notice about Phil's that makes it stand out is that the barb-b-que seems to be a tad vinegary tasting which adds a nice zing. If you are looking for a tangy bbq and awesome spaghetti, Phil's is your kind of place.

If you were to look up the term "hipster" in a dictionary, the definition might include a map of South Grand, the hipster's primary habitat. Located in South St. Louis City, on Grand south of Arsenal, lies the area locals commonly refer to as "South Grand". Although somewhat fairly stereotyped as an entertainment district teeming with Mopeds, indie/mod/punk kids, kinkiness, cooler than thou clubs, dirty bathrooms, art school drop-outs and extreme liberals, South Grand is so much more than that one-dimensional image.

Mmm..beer....

One of my newer favorite dinner hang outs is Schlafly Bottleworks in South County. I'm not much a beer drinker most nights, but I love the Hefeweizen and the Pilsner. If you are not a huge beer guzzler, try the Hefeweizen; if you are a Miller kind of guy/gal, go for the Pilsner. The drink glasses are large, filling and satisfying. The prices aren't bad either! If you like pizzas, you can order your own style mini pizza - and  bison, goat cheese and bbq are options! I personally like the BLT with olive oil instead of globs of mayo.  The servers are nice, the food comes up quick! Never a complaint from me. If you are looking for more of an intimate setting, go to the Schlafly Tap Room. It has a larger area for pool or darts and has 2 bars as opposed to the Bottlework's single bar. However, the menu at the Tap Room varies from that of Bottleworks. You cannot order the BLT or mini pizza at the Tap Room. My two favorite dinners a the Tap Room are the Corned Beef Sandwich and the Beer Battered Cod & Fries. Again, never a disappointment at this location either. Their food is always fresh and tasty!

Another guilty pleasure of mine - Dickey's Barbeque . It is set up Hardees (Carl's Jr.) style in the sense that once you place your order, you pick your seat and wait for a cook to bring your baskets to you - no tip expected. If it were cheaper, I'd eat here all the time. It has a drive through making it even more attractive. My favorite plate so far is the 2 meat (smoked chicken and turkey), green beans or the onion ring pieces, mashed potatoes and corn bread. They even offer free all you can eat ice cream everyday. I have not yet dinned their with anyone who has been unsatisfied by their meal and I have some pretty picky friends.The cool part about their beverage bar is that all their cups are BIG and plastic (like the cups you get from promotional giveaways such as Maryville, Tan Co, Bank of America, etc.). Its like you get to take home a cool, re-usable gift each time you go. For the record, Dickey's does offer alcohol beverages!

Who has not been to Texas Roadhouse ? You are missing out! To those who have been, chances are you've been more than once - its that good! Its western style set up makes for a pleasant, relaxed and casual evening. My favorite non-menu item are the peanut shells that litter the floor and my favorite menu item is their rolls and butter! If you do not have time to dine in, call ahead and pick it up. This particular menu is a bit on the pricey side, but definitely worth the price. I had a fried chicken plate with mashed potatoes and green beans (and rolls!) and it was the best meal I had experienced while dining out in quite some time. It's a great place for a group of friends or double dates!

Tonight I had dinner at Terrene, and I thought I might as well use it for my first blog post here on HotSpotVibe.com.

Terrene is one of those places that has been around for a bit but I never heard of.  Of course, when mentioning it to friends, it seems that everyone knew about it but me.  My impression before I even stepped foot into the place was that it was vegetarian-friendly, expensive, and that they liked to recycle.  More on that to come.

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Tonight is the Washington Avenue/Garment District tour night!  For those of you who haven't heard, you can register at English Living, which is located at 1520 Washington Avenue.  It basically gives you a map, an information bag and access to a bunch of different lofts, including the Bogen, Ely Walker, Knickerbocker and The Venatana, just to name a few.  This all access pass also buys you a nice discount at a lot of different shops and restaurants on Washington, which are also featured on the tour.  And the best part of all this?  IT'S FREE.  The tour starts at 5 pm tonight and goes until 9 pm.  If you are interested in moving downtown or just nosy in general, you will love this.  It's so much fun!  I'm pretty excited that my building is being featured, so I hope to see you there!

Ok, Saturday night I could not figure out what to do and I was pretty bored.  My friend and I decided to go down to Mosaic on Washington and just sit outside and drink.  As we were sitting there people watching, it made me realize how a lot of people who don't live in the city don't even know about this place.  They honestly have the best food and sangria EVER!  For those of you who have never been there, it's a tapas style restaurant that serves everything from hummus and pot stickers, to tandoori chicken and a pork apple that is to die for.  The service is always excellent, and the food has never let me down.  I can honestly say that it's in my top 5 restaurants in St. Louis.  To make it even more convenient they offer valet (which is a dream in the city) and an outside patio.  It's located at Washington and 10^th, right in the middle of Washington.  Let me know if you decide to give it a try!

Don't judge a book by its cover...er, *ehm*, don't judge a restaurant by its décor. I'm not sure if it was the jungle-esque theme or the enticing prices on their platters, but I can tell you, I will not be eating at the Elephant Bar again. I've had the misfortune to experience this restaurant's disappointments twice now, thinking it might have deserved another chance, but this Elephant of a Bar does not live up to its standards.