All Entries Tagged With: "Hispanic NoCo"
International Food Market opens in Hazelwood
With the opening of Worldwide International Food Market in Hazelwood, North County's dining choices just went global.
For quite some time, the 1970s strip mall at Dunn & Lindbergh sat mostly empty, a shadow of its former self. I remember when the old-timey K-Mart was there, the kind with a cafeteria in the back. I also remember the Walgreen’s, in the days when Walgreen’s had a Wag’s restaurant inside.
It’s not like this was some awesome mall where I couldn’t wait to go. Hardly. But still, I hated seeing it vacant all those years, nearly forgotten when Lindbergh was revamped. That’s why I was excited recently when several NOCO fans told me that a new international grocery store had moved in!
Housed in the former Walgreen’s location, Worldwide International Food Market is a full-service grocer with products from all around the globe. And WOW, is it a fun place to shop!
I went there today and was delighted to find neat little rows organized by country. There were sauces from Japan, cookies from Sweden, lavash bread from the Middle East, even whole frozen goats, ready for a Bosnian-style barbeque. There’s also produce, frozen food, a full line of bakery & dairy, and freshly made deli items, like hummus and falafel.
It’s kind of like our very own Trader Joe’s. Except that soon, this gourmet grocery store will also have an international restaurant inside!
Worldwide is open for business now and will host an official grand opening on April 2, but the manager told me that the restaurant is still a couple months down the road. He also said that if you can’t find a specific product in the store, let him know and he’ll special order it.
It’s a friendly family business here, and they truly aim to please. So when you get a chance, be sure to stop by and welcome them to NoCo….
Worldwide International Food Market, located at 7238 N. Lindbergh, 63042, is open Monday through Saturday, 8am to 10pm, and Sunday, 9am to 7pm. For more info, call (314) 731-3500.
Taqueria El Morelia: a perfect North County lunch
When I lived in Los Angeles, there was no food more glorious than the delicious Mexican fare sold at my neighborhood taco stand. Cheap and filling, often reflecting many generations of cherished family recipes, it was always my favorite go-to lunch. That’s why I was totally psyched today to stumble upon a wonderful L.A.-style taco stand right here in North County.
My husband had to run into the El Morelia Hispanic Supermarket on the Rock Road to buy some tortillas, and was surprised to find there was a line winding out the front door. Turns out, just inside was a small makeshift cafe churning out plate after plate of fresh-made tacos, with dozens of people waiting to eat.
At least four kinds of meat were sizzling on the grill, and just in front of the cooking area was a table covered with large ceramic bowls, each generously filled with fresh toppings like cilantro, salsa and radishes. We ordered two chicken soft tacos for $1.79 each, and they arrived just a few minutes later, wrapped in steaming hot corn tortillas. Yum!
Apparently, this delightful little stand is called Taqueria El Morelia and it’s only open on the weekends, 9am to 5pm. It’s also tacos-only and cash-only, but the flavors and the atmosphere are well worth it. You can even eat there if you’d like. They have a few tables set up just inside the front door, not far from the large and beautiful Our Lady of Guadalupe shrine. Check it out…
El Morelia Super Mercado, 12005 Saint Charles Rock Road, 63044, (314) 209-0014
Ole! Fiesta in Florissant returns this weekend!
If you ask me, one of the most positive things happening in North County is the influx of Hispanic residents. Their rich culture and fabulous food can only enhance our community, and that’s why I’m excited to have TWO local Hispanic events on my calendar this weekend.
First up, we’re getting a new Mexican restaurant….or at least a new version of an existing one. Taqueria los Tarascos at 4444 Woodson Road in Woodson Terrace recently revamped its menu and changed its name to El Porton. Tomorrow at 11am is the restaurant’s official ribbon cutting.
Then on Saturday, the fun really gets going when Hispanic Festival, Inc. returns with its awesome annual event, Fiesta in Florissant. This two-day celebration featuring live music, folk arts and crafts, and Latin & South American food also has plenty to offer the kids, including piñatas, inflatable rides and an exotic petting zoo.
The event kicks off on Saturday with the Los Latinos Salsa Band and A & M Latin Pop Group. On Sunday, the Los Aires del Sur Mexican Band will perform. Admission is free.
Fiesta in Florissant is scheduled for June 25 from 10am-10pm and June 26 from 11am-9pm at the Knights of Columbus Park, near the corner of Lindbergh and Washington, next to the Old St. Ferdinand Shrine. Hope to see you there!
Ruiz celebrates 45 years in Florissant on June 4
Florissant's Ruiz Mexican Restaurant will be hosting an anniversary party this Saturday, complete with a 7-piece mariachi band.
In 1966, long before most people in Florissant had even heard of Mexican food, much less tried it, Jose and Hortensia Ruiz took a big gamble by opening “La Cocina Mexicana.” It was just a small lunch counter in a tavern called Roy’s Place, and Jose initially kept his day job as an insurance salesman. But within six weeks, word got out to the new wave of Californian employees working at nearby McDonnell-Douglas and pretty soon the little restaurant had lines out the door.
Within six months, the La Cocina Mexicana name was scrapped for something easier to pronounce: Jose Ruiz (roo-ees), which was later shortened to just Ruiz. Around the same time, the restaurant also moved up the street to a new location, occupying one storefront in the same building where it now occupies six.
For the past 45 years, the Ruiz family has been serving up authentic Mexican dishes in a fun, festive atmosphere, welcoming scores of locals and even celebrities like Eric Clapton, Sean Connery and the Apollo astronauts. Now, the only fourth-generation Mexican restaurant in St. Louis is celebrating its success by hosting a huge anniversary party….and everyone is invited!
Scheduled for this Saturday, June 4, the event features a seven-piece mariachi band, the Dos Luna Tequila Girls and a handful of “revived” original recipes, including Chile con Queso and Tacos al Pastor.
In this 1970 photo, one of Ruiz' first waitresses, Gussie Maddox, wears a smart little gaucho vest sewed by Hortensia Ruiz.
And if 45 years in business is not impressive enough, according to Marissa Marshall, Jose and Hortensia’s daughter, Ruiz is not only one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in the metro area. It’s also responsible for bringing avocado and canned jalapeno to the St. Louis market.
“Really, it’s true,” she says. “In 1966, you could not find canned or fresh jalapenos or an avocado anywhere in St. Louis. My parents went to Chicago every few weeks to get this and all the other Mexican groceries, like corn tortillas, corn husks for tamales, menudo, banana peppers, masa harina…the list goes on. But I have to say, I really admire the dedication my folks had to sustain that kind of schedule for years.”
Amen to that. And a huge thank you to all the members of the trailblazing Ruiz family, who truly deserve to be honored this Saturday! Why not swing by and help them celebrate a genuine North County classic….
The Ruiz 45th Anniversary Party is June 4, 6:30 to 9:30pm, at 901 N. Lindbergh, 63031. For more info, visit the Ruiz website or Facebook page.
Are you getting ready for the big day? NOCO is a proud sponsor of the 3rd annual Live Well Ferguson 5K