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Table Talk
Table Talk
Read all about what's happening with the food scene in Springfield in this week's Table Talk.
by Tessa Cooper
Jul 23 2024 at 8 a.m.
Wine and Dine
A little trek to Branson always makes for a memorable date night, but this is especially true when your destination is a 5-course wine pairing dinner at Level 2 Steakhouse (200 E. Main St., Branson). On August 14, Level 2 Steakhouse is teaming up with Booker Vineyards to wow your taste buds. The first course will awaken your palate with an arugula and spinach salad tossed in a citrus and apple vinaigrette paired with a white blend. For the main course, they’ll be dishing out pork osso buco topped with roasted red plum vanilla sauce (okay, yum) atop a goat cheese polenta paired with a red blend. Last but not least, the meal will round off with some dark chocolate cheesecake with a blackberry and cherry compote paired with a traditional Rhone blend. Tickets cost $150 a person, and you can snag your reservation by calling 417-243-3433.
Eat Your Veggies
In our opinion, getting to buy fresh vegetables from summer produce stands is one of the best parts of living in the Midwest. That’s why we were so excited to learn that Stewart Farms Co-Op is now setting up shop right in front of Box Turtle Creamery (1458 E. Cherry St., Springfield) on Thursdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. On our most recent visit, farmer Lacy Stewart was slinging out cherry tomatoes that practically tasted like candy, tomatillos perfect for making salsa verde, bunches of fragrant herbs and snacking peppers galore. We highly recommend paying them a visit. And, if you need some inspiration on figuring out what to make with your lot, you can always attend one of their monthly Supper Club dinners, where they whip up the most delicious farm-to-table meal using ingredients produced right at their farm in Pleasant Hope.
Itty Bitty News Bites
• It looks like the new location of Corner 21 Chinese Cuisine at 1730 E. Republic Rd. is getting super close. They just posted a picture of a nearly-completed interior, and it looks sleek and spacious. We’ll meet you there for some Szechuan spicy chicken real soon.
• Back in April, we reported on a new business sign that reads “Shabu Hotpot” that popped up at 4560 S. Campbell Ave., Ste. 136. At the time, we weren’t able to locate any business info online, but we finally tracked down some. If you’re a hotpot lover, be sure to follow Shabu Hotpot’s Facebook page so you can be the first to know about their opening date. They aren’t able to confirm exactly when that will be yet, but they tell us it's “soon!”
• Casper’s just announced a fun new menu addition. They’re now slinging spaghetti, but in true Casper’s fashion, it’s with a twist. The dish is Spaghetti 3-Way, which is cooked spaghetti topped with their classic chili and cheddar cheese.
• If you, like us, are super-sad that you didn’t score tickets to Finley Farms' first Farm to Creek Dinner for this Saturday, they are accepting waitlist reservations.
Table Talk: July 23–29
Award-Winning Brews
Piney River Brewing Co. (15194 Walnut Grove Dr., Bucyrus)
represented southwest Missouri well and took home five medals from the
2024 U.S. Open Beer Championship. Their Float Trip Ale and Andy’s Root
Beer earned gold medals, Missouri Waltz and Raise A Ruckus earned silver
and Black Walnut Wheat earned bronze. We think this calls for a visit
to their taproom for some sips paired with pizza and soft pretzels.
Congrats, Piney River. 🍻
Orange You Glad?
Andy's Frozen Custard
is rolling out a new treat with the freshest, most nostalgic summer
flavor: An creamsicle-esque Orange Freeze. It's a blend of Sprecher
Orange Dream soda and and Andy's vanilla frozen custard. And you get to
slurp it up with a straw for a sippable treat. The Orange Freeze stays
on the menu until September 10. If you’re craving a different kind of
citrus, we have some more exciting news for you. Andy’s just brought
back the Key Lime Pie concrete, so it looks like you’ve got some serious
decisions to make. 🍊
Let’s Do Brunch
Rebar Kitchen & Taproom (2902 S. Campbell, Ste. B., Springfield)
recently started offering brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m., so we know what we’re doing this weekend. The breakfast
pizza, which includes toppings like gravy, scrambled eggs and cheddar
cheese, sounds like it would pair well with good company and a
bottomless mimosa. Or, depending on how your Friday night went, the
Hangover Helper might be in your best interest to order. This hearty
breakfast sandwich features a biscuit piled high with potatoes, crumbled
sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs and gravy. In terms of drinks, they’re
also serving all the other brunch beverage classics like espresso
martinis, bloody marys and margs. Sign us up! 🙋♀️
