St. Boniface online

At last

2011-03-11T19:34:00.001-06:00

The wayward webmaster returns...for Fish Fry season. Many thanks to all the visitors we've been having.

If you've contributed information, please note, I am working on it. Grad school, full-time employment and a grade schooler in addition to a hobby or two has kept me very, very busy.

Karen Campbell

2010-05-25T20:58:00.001-05:00

Saw this in the paper yesterday. If you were at STB in the late 70s-late 80s, you probably knew the Campbells. Not sure if Mrs. Campbell went to STB, but she lived within three blocks growing up. (from stltoday.com 5/24/10)

Karen A. Campbell | (nee Sottoriva) baptized into the hope of Christ's
resurrection, Sunday, May 23, 2010.

Beloved wife of Bob Campbell; loving mother of Ken (Patricia), Tony (Salome), Dan (Kristina) and
David Campbell; proud grandmother of Kimberly, Michael, Matthew, Leah, Laura, Paige, Rosemary, Natalie and Ryan; great-grandmother of Kassie and Kayleigh; our dear sister, sister-in-law, aunt, cousin and friend.

Services: Funeral from KUTIS AFFTON CHAPEL, 10151 Gravois, Wednesday, May 26, 9:30 a.m. to St. Andrew's Catholic Church for a 10 a.m. Mass. Interment Mt. Hope Cemetery. Visitation Tuesday 4-8 p.m.

Fish fry update

2010-03-26T14:36:00.001-05:00

If you're in the Milwaukee, WI area, check out this fish fry site with over 500 listings.

Thanks to Bill Thiel

'Tis the Fish Fry season!

2010-02-21T14:06:00.002-06:00

Yes, it's that time of year again, and I didn't forget. I've just been a tad busy working and going to school.

Don't forget...we will profile a few of St. Louis's fries right here, but we're always looking for reviews, so send them in!

The Ultimate Fish Fry Compendium keeps getting more and more hits every year. People are really looking for good places with good fish to eat.

Here are a few of the items I've gotten in the Fish Fry mailbag. Thank you all for contributing and I will post these to the site as soon as I can.

St. Louis, MO has the latest and greatest in sustainable culture and fish at www.fridaynightfish.com

Thanks to Ed Vielimetti in Ann Arbor, MI check out the best in this part of Michigan at the Ann Arbor Fish Wiki

Help Haiti

2010-01-19T09:57:00.003-06:00

As you may already know, the good people of Massachusetts, from a previous St. Boniface parish, set up the St. Boniface Haiti Foundation, which is mentioned in our Links section at www.stbonifaceonline.com. This charity has a four-star rating at Charity Navigator, which grades charitable organization on things like use of funds, etc.

Please help them if you can, especially in light of the recent earthquake. If you would like to contribute to their organization, check out their website.

Happy New Year

2010-01-04T10:23:00.003-06:00

Yes, 2009 was a busy one for me, personally and professionally. Please excuse the dearth of posts. A few updates are needed.

1. We lost a very important former member of the St. Boniface community in October 2009. Hildegarde Dierker Eiler passed away. Some of you may remember her from church for her interesting hats, or you may have known her when she worked at Southern Commercial Bank for many years.

Hildegarde was from one of the earliest St. Boniface parish families and she was a very generous person. Hildegarde provided me with lots of historical details that are present in the www.stbonifaceonline.com website. She was 99 years old.

2. I posted in early 2009 that Jenni Brandel set up the St. Boniface group on Facebook and we had a whopping 40 members. I'm happy to report that, as of today, there are 211 members. Spread the word, folks, and let all of your friends know about it. You'd be surprised who's out there, all over the country.

3. We are still getting a great response from the Ultimate Fish Fry compendium. To all of the folks throughout the country sending in suggestions and feedback, thank you. Got one? Send it!

I will be updating the site in time for Lent, which this year starts on Ash Wednesday, February 17.

Have a great new year!

Save the date - Saturday, October 4, 2009

2009-08-10T19:39:00.003-05:00

It's the all-class St. Boniface reunion. Head on over to the St. Boniface group on www.facebook.com for more info or contact us via e-mail.

General information:
Location:
Helen Fitzgerald's, 3650 S. Lindbergh Blvd. 63126 (Sunset Hills)
Time:
5PM to 1AM

John C. Kennebeck

2009-07-10T06:59:00.001-05:00

Mr. Kennebeck lived around the corner from me on Hurck Street. I went to school with his grandchildren, Anna and Jack, who, lived on the same street. They moved away after 1993, when this area flooded. Anna was gracious enough to participate in the Oral History project when the parish closed, and her mother Madelynn taught at St. Boniface for many years.

Our condolences go out today to the entire Kennebeck family.

Kennebeck, John C. July 6, 2009.

Fortified with the sacraments of Holy Mother Church. Loving husband of 75 years to Leatha M. Kennebeck (nee Hoskins). Brother of the late Emmett B. (Marie) Kennebeck and the late Veronica (Fred) Lauer.

Beloved father of Richard J. (Jean) Kennebeck, Joan M. McGovern and Daniel G. (Madelynn) Kennebeck.

Loving grandfather to Theresa (Cliff) Cooke, Richard (Ann) Kennebeck, Karen Kennebeck, Michael Kennebeck, Michael (Rosalie) McGovern, Steve (Annette) McGovern, Lynn (Jamie) Parks, Christopher (Ilkay) McGovern, Scott McGovern, Anna L. (David) Oliver and John E. (Traci) Kennebeck. Great-grandfather of 21; loving uncle and friend. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer's Association (in print version this was not omitted) would be appreciated.

Services: Funeral from HOFFMEISTER SOUTH COUNTY Chapel 1515 Lemay Ferry Road on Friday, July 10, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. to Seven Holy Founders Catholic Church for Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow in Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitation at Hoffmeister South County Chapel on Friday from 8:30 am - 9:30 a.m.

The wait is over...

2009-04-21T09:51:00.001-05:00

Finally, 10 months later, St. Louis gets a new archbishop. See the Review article below.

http://stlouisreview.com/article/2009-04-21/archbishop-robert-j-carslon-speaks-about-his-role

The good, the bad and the ugly

2009-04-05T17:05:00.003-05:00

I haven't gone to too many fish fries lately, due to work, but the last one I attended definitely fell into the not so good category.

I'm not going to name it, since they just had two during Lent. The people were nice, but it was just slow and the main dishes just weren't that good. This South County fry had frog legs, but my husband the connoiseur, stated they were just "marginal". The desserts were pretty good and the dine-in area was great, especially all the volunteers bussing the tables.

I'm working again this week, so it's up to you all out there, to pass along your favorites, whether churches, restaurants, VFW or other organizations.

Expect long lines...

2009-03-27T08:33:00.001-05:00

Especially, if you are going to pay a visit the St. Cecelia fish fry in South St. Louis today. According to a parishioner, CNN will be shooting some video there today and throughout the weekend.

No word yet if George Clooney will be visiting any fish fries this weekend.

Catherine Broz

2009-03-26T08:36:00.000-05:00

Our sincere condolences go out to the Broz family today on the recent death of their mother and grandmother.

Catherine Broz

Broz, Catherine E. 82, St. Louis, MO, March 22, 2009, fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church.

Beloved wife of the late Joseph Broz Jr; dear mother of Mary Jo (David) Shoemaker, Marilyn Tootie (Oscar) Gregory, Melva Jean (Richard) Busiek and the later Michelle Ann Broz; dear grandmother of Emily Gregory, Sandy (Michael) Boike, Mary Ellen (Christopher) Nelson, Joseph Busiek, Scott Busiek, Amy Gregory; dear great-grandmother of Anthony, Sabrina, Clayton and Michelle Nelson; dear sister of Margaret Kocurek, Charles Thomas O'Hanlon, Bernard (Barb) O'Hanlon and the late Leonard O'Hanlon and Johnny O'Hanlon; dear sister-in-law; aunt, greataunt, cousin and friend.

She was a member of St. Boniface-St Anne Sodality for over 43 yrs.

Services:
Funeral Mass Fri., March 27 at 10a.m. St. Mary's Catholic Church, Hawk. Point, MO. Visitation Thurs. from 4-9 p.m. at the MCCOY-BLOSSOM FUNERAL HOME, 1304 Boone St., Troy,MO 63379. Interment St. Mary's Cemetery, Hk. Pt.

Memorials may be made to cemetery.

Friends may sign the on-line guest registry at: www.mccoyblossomfh.com

Fish fry review 2009 - From the mailbag

2009-03-11T16:40:00.004-05:00

Yes, we asked, and we received. One of our regular readers, Leanne weighs in on some of the fish fries she's attended recently.

Again, if you're so inclined, send them in to fishfry at (add the at sign here) stbonifaceonline.com

St. Cecelia, St. Louis (South City)

I went to the fish fry at St. Cecilia (http://stceciliaparish.com) on 3/6/09.

They had a wide variety of things to eat. Cod, Shrimp, Chile Rellano, Quesadilla, Flautas, Tacos. We tried the Cod, Shrimp, Chille Rellano, Quesadilla and Flautas. The cod wasn't good. It was one of those square pieces that was unremarkable. Everything else was top notch. The side selection was pretty good and all tasted pretty good.

The desserts we tried were fair - we had an oatmeal cookie and a piece of cake.

You could buy beer and chips and salsa. The chips and salsa was good.

The service was a little bit slow. You order and they give you a number. Then someone comes out with your food and looks for your number. We ordered and paid within 5 minutes of being there, but it took more than 30 minutes for our food to arrive to our table.

They have a fish fry every Friday of Lent except for Good Friday.

NOTE: St. Cecelia's fish fry was featured in the eat-drink-live section of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch today.

Holy Redeemer, Webster Groves

I also went to a Fish Fry at Holy Redeemer (http://www.holyr.org/) in Webster on 2/27/09. It was quite delicious. They have really good cod. Big pieces of fish, hand battered. Very good. They also have smoked salmon (but I don't like salmon). Their side selection is good. Desserts are delicious. This is a two thumbs up fish fry for me!! I don't have as much to say on this one - it's more of a typical fish fry, but it's very good.

KHITS fish fry world tour, etc.

2009-03-08T17:01:00.000-05:00

See the tour at one of three fish fries this season.

March 20 - St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis

April 10 - Our Lady of the Pillar, Creve Coeur

Joe Bonwich's Eat at Joe's forum at www.stltoday.com has a whole section dedicated to fish fries.

Fish fry review 2009 - St. Luke's United Methodist, South County

2009-03-06T20:33:00.003-06:00

We went down Telegraph Road in South County and found this fish fry at St. Luke's United Methodist, right next to the Royale Orleans banquet hall. You can't miss the blue and white fish sign outside.

The parking lot is below grade, so it's hard to tell that there's much there right away, but once you park, you know they're frying fish in the neighborhood as you smell the ubiquitous frying oil. We headed in (use the only door on the parking lot) and got in line.

At 5PM, there was a line with a menu posted outside the gym where the fish fry is held. There's a good selection of fish choices, including baked fish, catfish, jack salmon, hand-breaded cod and shrimp. Dinners range from $7 for any fish with two sides, $8 for a combo of two fish and two sides and $5 for a fish sandwich and one side. Sides are pretty standard--spaghetti, mac and cheese, slaw, French fries, applesauce, and hush puppies (which looked like they were homemade). Kids meals are $3 and they have lots of kid-friendly choices, such as mac and cheese, spaghetti and even a hot dog if Junior demands it. (Ours settled for three shrimp and spaghetti).

Desserts are $1 and there was quite a selection. We chose the homemade apple pie, which was outstanding. Other choices included brownies and some things you don't normally see at fish fries, including banana split pie. Drinks, such as iced tea, lemonade and coffee are included in your price.

Pros:

Very large portions of fish, some of it hand-battered (we had the catfish and it was great) before you as you wait in line. Our catfish was very, very hot!

When things ran low, they substitute liberally!

Cons:

The line was a little slow. The cooking (almost) as you wait works great if you have a place to sit down.

There were plenty of chairs set out, but not nearly enough tables to accommodate a really large crowd.

They ran out of baked fish before 5PM.

Overall, St. Luke's is a delicious buy in this neck of the woods. Don't miss it.

Atmosphere: A-
Food: B+
Price: B+

You've gotta go...

2009-02-26T10:32:00.002-06:00

...to join the St. Boniface in Carondelet group at Facebook if you haven't already. It's cooking along and since my last post about it, there are now 75 members.

Don't forget to send in your fish fry reviews!

Fish fry review index

2009-02-26T10:30:00.005-06:00

Lent 2009 begins...

2009-02-25T09:51:00.004-06:00

Today is Ash Wednesday, and already, the Fish Fry page of http://www.stbonifaceonline.com/ is humming along.

I found this tidbit from KETC Channel 9's Living St. Louis show on http://www.youtube.com/ about the fish fry at St. Peter Parish, St. Charles today. Enjoy!

Fish fry update--don't forget!

2009-02-22T09:13:00.002-06:00

If you're out and about eating at fish fries this Lenten season (yes, it's coming up Wednesday!), head on over to the Fish Fry section of www.stbonifaceonline.com and let our readers know which ones you like best.

NOTE: we predominately review fish fries in the St. Louis, MO metropolitan area, but if you're out of town, particularly in WI, MN or AZ, send them in. We get folks from all over checking out our pages all year long, particularly in these areas.

Tony Kunz

2009-02-20T09:14:00.000-06:00

Tony was just 39 and a classmate of mine at St. Boniface. Tony grew up in Saints Mary and Joseph parish. Our condolences go out to his widow, children, parents, brother and relatives. The text below was listed at www.stltoday.com this past week.

Kunz, Anthony L. 'Tony' Sr. at peace on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009.

Beloved husband of Jennifer C. Kunz (nee Terry); dear dad of Anthony L. Kunz, Jr., and Adam C. Kunz, dear step-dad of Jayme Bodi; dear son of Richard and Diane Kunz; dear brother of Richard (Cherie) Kunz; dear grandson of the late Lawrence and Olga Garcia and Edward and Charlotte Kunz; dear nephew of Nancy (late Stanley) Ulrich, De Dee (late Jack) Mathews, Kenneth Kunz and the late Sharon Bartley; dear uncle of Kassie Stoops, Anna McNamara, Danielle & Alex Kunz,Tony, Jr., Austin and Abbi Terry; dear son-in-law of Henry and Mary Hoffmann and Ron Terry, our dear cousin, brother-in-law, great-uncle and friend.

Special thanks to the de Greeff Hospice House, for their loving care of Tony and his family.

Srevices: Funeral 10:00 a.m. Thursday, at JOHN L. ZIEGENHEIN & SONS 7027 Gravois; service concludes at funeral home.

In lieu of flowers contributions to Anthony L. Kunz, Jr., and Adam C. Kunz trust fund will be accepted at the funeral home. Visitation Wed. 3 - 9 p.m.

Pat Tresch

2009-02-05T16:46:00.005-06:00

Many thanks today to Anna Kennebeck Oliver to pointing me to this notice on http://www.stltoday.com/.

Pat Tresch was a secretary at St. Boniface in the 1980s and 1990s. Pat and her husband, Deacon Earl Tresch were very active in the parish, even into retirement. Our condolences go out today to the Tresch children and grandchildren and the rest of the family.

Patricia A. Tresch
Tresch, Patricia A. Feb.1, 2009.
Visitation, Thur. 4-8 pm, Hoffmeister South County Chapel.
Mass Fri. 10am, St. Stephen Catholic Church.

Donations in Pat's name may be made to the St. Agatha Food Pantry, run by the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood (CPPS of O'Fallon), 930 Withnell St., St. Louis, MO 63118.

Whew! Happy New Year!

2009-02-01T14:05:00.003-06:00

Yes, time flies when you're busy (or having fun).

2008 was a busy year for this webmaster, and I have to tell you, we're missing a lot of the folks who were around when St. Boniface closed, and that's a bit sad.

It is promising, however, that the St. Boniface group on Facebook (see this previous post) keeps growing and growing. Jenni Brandel Owens started this group last March and there are already over 40 members. If you are on Facebook, join this group. It's free and you'll run into a lot of people from St. Boniface from near and far. If you're not, go on over to http://www.facebook.com/ and join the St. Boniface in Carondelet group, and you won't miss a thing!

Also of note, we're getting closer to Lent and everyone knows what that means--the fish fries are back in abundance. If you haven't checked it out already, see the Ultimate Fish Fry Compendium on http://www.stbonifaceonline.com/.

If you like to go and eat at various fish fries around town, send your reviews in and we'll post them right here! Surprisingly, the fish fry page on the St. Boniface web site is the most popular--over 7000 unique visitors paid a visit in the last year. Lent is our most popular season, but we get hits year-round.

I wish all of you a great 2009. Share your memories (and fish fry reviews) because, on the internet, we never close!

Leo Krull

2008-12-30T18:19:00.002-06:00

Our condolences go out to the Krull family today.

Leo P. Krull, Sr.

Krull, Leo P. Sr. fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church on Sunday, December 28, 2008.

Beloved husband of 56 years to the late Doris M. Krull (nee Braun); dearest father of Karen Trigg, Leo P. (Becky) Krull Jr., Patricia (Michael) Hines, Jane (Russ) Maddock, Charles (Darlyn) Krull and Diane (Ron) Catalano; dear brother of Robert J. (Dottie) Krull; our dear grandfather, great-grandfather, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and friend. A member of Griesedieck-Fournier American Legion Post #3.

Services:
Funeral from HOFFMEISTER SOUTH COUNTY Chapel, 1515 Lemay Ferry Rd. on Wednesday, December 31 at 9:30 a.m. to St. Andrew Church for 10 a.m. Mass.

Interment J.B. National Cemetery.

Donations to the Multiple Sclerosis Society would be appreciated.

Visitation 3-9 p.m. Tuesday.

John Moynihan

2008-12-07T10:14:00.004-06:00

I first knew John Moynihan as Molly's dad, since she was in my friend's sister's class. Later, I knew John as the floral designer at Southern Floral.

As I got older, I knew John as one of the good folks who worked with the St. Boniface St. Vincent de Paul Society. He was always a cheerful spirit hauling back all the items that people placed in the boxes in the back of church to the food pantry. He always let us know what we donated was appreciated, and my husband and I (and a few other regulars) always liked to stop and help him get his donations carried wherever he needed them after church.

Our condolences go out to the Moynihan family today. If you want to remember John and help the folks in Carondelet who need it, donate to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at the address listed below.

John P. Moynihan

Moynihan, John P. fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church, Fri., Dec. 5, 2008.

Beloved husband of the late Rita J. Moynihan (nee Miller); dear father of Susan Ciluffo, Veronica (Joe) Kunkemueller, Lucy (Dale) Walling, Rita (John) Altmann, Mary Pat (Dan) O'Neill, John F. (Gayle) Moynihan, Joe (Jeannette) Moynihan and Molly (Tim) Smith; dear grandfather of 22 and great-grandfather of 6; dear friend of Mary McCarthy; our dear brother-in-law, uncle, great-uncle, cousin and friend.

Services: Funeral from KUTIS SOUTH COUNTY Chapel, 5255 Lemay Ferry Rd. (at Butler Hill), Tues., Dec. 9, 9:15 a.m. to St. Stephen Protomartyr Church for 10 a.m. Mass.

Interment National Cemetery. Flowers appreciated.

Contributions to St. Stephen Protomartyr-St. Vincent DePaul Society Food Pan try, 3949 Wilmington Ave., (63116) appreciated.

Visitation Monday, 3:30-9 p.m.

Anna Markus

2008-10-04T13:33:00.002-05:00

Our condolences go to the Markus family today.

Anna C. (Harter) Markus

Markus, Anna C. (nee Harter) Fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church on Tuesday, September 30, 2008.

Beloved wife of the late Michael Markus. Dear mother of Michele Bruss, Regina Markus, Carol (Darrell) Barker, Denise Zona and Phillip (Patti) Markus. Dear grandmother of Melissa (Richard) Stocking, Brian Bruss, Kimberly Bruss, Jeffrey Zona, Benjamin Zona, Samantha Markus and Abigail Markus-Longland. Dear great-grandmother of Jacob Stocking and Brody Stocking. Dear sister of Marie Eldridge, Francis Harter, Irene Pochlhofer, Charles Harter, Rose Reynolds, Anthony Harter and the late Rev. Benedict, Andrew, Edward and Wilfred Harter. Our dear sister-in-law, aunt, cousin and friend to many and loved by all.

Services:
Funeral from HOFFMEISTER SOUTH COUNTY CHAPEL, 1515 Lemay Ferry Road on Monday, October 6th at 10:30 a.m. to St. Martin Of Tours Church for 11:00 a.m. Mass.

Interment J.B. National Cemetery. Donations to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet Development Office, 6400 Minnesota Ave., 63111, St. Vincent de Paul Society or Annie Malone Children & Family Service Center, 2612 Annie Malone Dr., 63113. VISITATION 2 TILL 9 P.M. SUNDAY.

Congratulations!

2008-09-30T13:43:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Monsignor Leach. Monsignor served as an associate pastor at St. Boniface in the 1970s. He also celebrated his 50th anniversary as a priest this year.

Monsignor Leach is currently in residence at St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in South County.

Eleanor Marcum

2008-07-21T14:50:00.001-05:00

I found this in the paper the other day. Our condolences go out to the Marcum family today.

Marcum, Eleanor (nee Buese), fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church, on Fri., July 18, 2008. Beloved wife of the late Wayne Marcum; dear mother of Marilyn (Bill) Looney, Barbara (David) Jansen, Pauline (Clint) Potter, Fred (Brenda) Marcum, Jean (Leon) Harris and Charlie (Colleen) Marcum; dear sister of Edward Buese and the late Charlotte Ray, Alfred Buese and Mary Frances 'Babe' Buese, our dear grandmother, great-grandmother, sister-in-law, aunt, cousin and friend. Former member of St. Boniface Church.

Services: Funeral from HOFFMEISTER SOUTH COUNTY CHAPEL, 1515 Lemay Ferry Rd. on Tues., July 22 at 8:30 a.m. to St. John's Catholic Church, Imperial for 9 a.m. Mass. Interment J.B. National Cemetery. Visitation 3-9 p.m. Mon.

A Review article of note

2008-06-14T17:23:00.004-05:00

As many folks who frequented St. Boniface in the last few years know, Fr. Jim Gray works as a full-time hospital chaplain at BJC, in addition to his duties in his parish assignments.

Father Jim's work at the hospital is one of the featured articles this week in the St. Louis Review.
Ministers needed to bring Eucharist to the hospitalized.

If you'd like to help with this worthwhile ministry at BJC, contact spiritual care services, at (314) 362-5200.

Reuse in New York

2008-03-27T21:47:00.002-05:00

More information in this article about the reuse of items from closed churches, particularly stained glass and statues, in New York City. (from the www.nytimes.com).

Last but not least...another fish fry review

2008-03-24T08:54:00.004-05:00

Lent flew by quickly this year. I was fortunate to add more places to the review list this year. I didn't get the audience participation I had last year, but that's one more thing to work on for next year's Lenten season.

Bubba and I trekked around looking for a couple of new fish fries, but, alas, they weren't serving since it was Good Friday. One place, Zion United Methodist on Union Road in South County, has its last fish fry of the year this week (March 28 4-630PM).

We headed north on Union and went to Morganford. We took a right at a sure thing--St. Mark's parish. (NOTE: St. Mark's was also reviewed in 2007.) The signs were out, and the parking lot was full, so we went in to get our fish. Even though, we expected an overflow crowd from the parking lot, it was not bad at all. The lines moved smoothly and in the carryout section, there was no wait at all. Bubba cried because he wanted to stay, but because Hubby was feeling under the weather, we got our meals to go.

The menu at St. Mark's includes baked fish, cod squares, catfish, shrimp, and crab cakes. Desserts are a la carte for to go orders, and all that was in the carryout room was cookies by the time we got there. We got two adult dinners with two sides, a kids dinner with two sides and one extra crab cake for $20. There's also cheese pizzas for the kids. The sides were the usual suspects--pasta, slaw, applesauce and green beans. The coleslaw does still taste like homemade.

All in all, St. Mark's is a nice stop to get your fish during Lent, even if you're just passing through.

Atmosphere: B (only because we couldn't stay to review it!)
Food: A
Price: A

Fish fry review - St. Pius V, South City

2008-03-14T21:16:00.005-05:00

Hubby and I had no child in tow tonight, so we headed to one of our favorite areas of town to check out a local fish fry. St. Pius V parish is located at Grand and Utah Avenues in south city on the southern edge of the Grand South Grand business district of shops and restaurants.

We headed in following the crowd from the parking lot. You can enter the parish hall (beneath the church) from Utah St. The crowd just before 5PM was quite manageable with lots of families, young and old, as well as regular folks like us just magically appearing. You'll pass in a short narrow hallway and on the right you can get your tickets. Carryout meals are available in a separate line. We chose to eat in for this review.

Meals run $7 for adults with your choice of baked or fried cod and catfish, along with your choice of 2-3 sides (you get to pick). Half order plates with two sides are also available for $3, which is one of the best price deals we've seen. The usual suspect sides are available and they're not too bad. I liked the homemade cole slaw (vinegar and oil) with celery seed and my husband was quite taken with homemade red potato salad with a mayonnaise dressing. I chose the green beans and macaroni and cheese for my other two sides. Applesauce is also available as a side. Drinks (iced tea and coffee) and dessert are also included in the price of the meal. The desserts were varied, with most homemade, and the coffee, while decaf, was some of the best this reviewer has had at any fish fry here in St. Louis. In addition, you can get a Bud Light or one of two microbrews available at the bar for $1.50 or $2.

Besides the food, you get some entertainment with your meal. The Clan Jameson provided the music, including the sheets for the sing along, which included a fish fry song. The Cod Squad, famous for visiting fish fries, started showing up as we were leaving.

All in all, it was a pleasant evening on South Grand.

Atmosphere: B
Food: A-
Price: A

Reviewed March 14, 2008

STB hits Facebook

2008-03-13T20:30:00.002-05:00

Check out the St. Boniface group on Facebook, started by Jenni Owens.

A tale of two fish fries

2008-03-07T19:20:00.007-06:00

I decided to visit two fish fries tonight. After I checked the St. Louis Review's fish fry listings, I hopped in the car and headed to southwest St. Louis City.

The first fish fry I visited was at Epiphany of our Lord parish at Ivanhoe and Smiley Streets. Epiphany is very, very close to Highway 44 at Arsenal St. I arrived about 5:15PM and the streets around the church and the parking lot was very packed.

The problem was, not a lot of people were walking in when I was, so due to lack of signage, I walked around for a bit before I figured out that you do have to go in by the bowling alley (something you can do when you're done eating). I finally made it in and heard the news that the dine-in line was long. The carryout line was much shorter, so I headed there.

Epiphany had lots of stuff going on in the parish center. Besides the bowling alley on the way into the building, the Girl Scouts were selling cookies, the Men's Club was selling raffle tickets, and another organization was selling candles around the periphery of the center. One family had won a primo spot at the fish fry, including reserved parking places on the lot, and a table decorated with roses, glasses and chairs with chair covers from the parish auction.

I noticed a different trend at Epiphany that I saw later at my second fish fry. Epiphany sells sides by the half pint, pint and by the quart. Epiphany does not sell any dinners (fish + 2 sides). Everything, including the bread, is sold a la carte and fish is sold by the piece. I didn't particularly like this, but since I was doing carryout, it was not a big deal. I got the cod filet sandwich, a piece of catfish, and macaroni and cheese and three bean salad as my sides (1/2 pint each). This cost $8.10.

The cod sandwich ($2.35) was okay and the catfish, outside of having too much breading, actually had a good taste and was a huge piece for $3.25 (approximately 9-10 inches long and 3 inches wide.) Jack salmon and shrimp (2 for $1.80) are also available. The mac and cheese was decent, and the three bean salad was sweet with just a little tart and was pretty darned good. It was nice to see a little something different in the sides category. Epiphany had nice spots to eat in the center, even going all out with purple Lenten tablecloths. Drinks and desserts are a la carte. Pie will cost you $1, with other desserts 50 cents.

A couple of criticisms: get friendlier servers on the carryout side. The folks who served my fish looked as if they were forced into it, and the girl who set me up did not even offer sauces to go with my fish. Another gripe: no utensils or napkins are available for carryout customers.

Next, I headed over to Hampton and Pernod to the fish fry at St. Joan of Arc parish. They were busy as well, but I quickly found a spot on the street not far from the parish center entrance. Signage was plentiful at SJA, so I quickly found my way to the fish fry. The Girl Scouts were out here, too, right at the front door, selling their cookies. The fish fry is in the basement of the school.

There are two lines here, too. and they moved reasonably quickly. I was in and out of line within 10 minutes. St. Joan of Arc has one of the most diverse menus I've seen lately. They have both baked (lemon pepper) and fried fish--cod, jack salmon and shrimp. In addition, they also cheese toasted ravioli, mozzarella sticks, and cheese pizzas. They also have a variety of items on their kids' menu.

SJA, like Epiphany, also sells sides by 8oz, 16oz, and 32oz cartons, and they have a wide variety, including Irish potatoes and their own homemade vinegar and oil cole slaw that is really delightful--not too sweet and not too sour. SJA also has homemade bread. I chose the Italian, and it was fresh and good. (I just wish they would have given me two pieces instead of just one!). Drinks and desserts are a la carte, but note that senior citizens get coffee and dessert free.

My dinner with baked fish, Irish potatoes, cole slaw and bread was $7.00.

Ratings:

Epiphany parish
Atmosphere: B
Food: B
Price: B

St. Joan of Arc
Atmosphere: A-
Food: A
Price: A

Reviewed March 7, 2008

Fish fry review - St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, South County

2008-03-01T07:14:00.003-06:00

Hubby and I hit the road again with Bubba, our son to visit St. Margaret Mary Alacoque's fish fry last night. SMMA was pretty busy, so we had to park near the church to get into the fish fry. As we walked around to the fish fry entrance, we noticed the sign that SMMA has a drive-thru lane for fish fry pickup, which explains why we saw people hanging in the left lane as we drove back to more parking.

We arrived just after 5PM, so there was a crowd, but the lines moved quickly enough. SMMA segregates the lines for dine-in and carryout, so this should get you moving reasonably quickly if you're in a hurry. Just remember, crowds vary, so take this into account. Lots and lots of kids in attendance, with parents and grandparents. It's a good family crowd if you're thinking of bringing yours.

SMMA offers cod squares, cod loins, shrimp and baked tilapia. Dinners for adults eating in are approximately $7.50 or more and include drinks (lemonade, coffee or iced tea) and dessert. Kids are $5.50-$6. Our baked tilapia included one hot side (green beans, spaghetti or fries) and our choice of cold sides, which included two types of cole slaw, beets, applesauce, or tossed salad. Note: you can pretty much mix and match your cold sides on your plate, since these are self serve items. Beer is also available from concession stand at the entrance.

After we paid, we got our order sheet with our family's order and headed to the line. We found a seat, with Dave, one of the SMMA Fryers folks (you can't miss them in their navy shirts) and he told us about his prep work for the fish fry. He and his wife, Norma, let us in on a few of the amenities at the parish center, including the 1/16 mile indoor track over the gym. We ate, talked some more, and thanked him for the info.

SMMA was also hosting a girls basketball game, so Hubby and Bubba watched that for a while. After that, we let Bubba loose on the track to do a couple of laps. It's a great way to get kids to burn off that excess energy.

Atmosphere, amenities: A+
Food: A
Price: A

Reviewed February 29, 2008

Fish Fry review - St. Matthias, Mehlville

2008-02-23T07:11:00.004-06:00

My family and I went down the street to the fish fry after I got home from work. The parking lot was only about half full, but once we stepped inside, there was a large crowd.

The lines moved quickly and you could get eat-in or carry-out wherever you wanted, so there was no line too long. We got carry-out, just in case someone decided (my son) he wanted to take his meal home. No chance of that! There were a few kids playing and he decided we would stay and eat.

The selection is not huge (cod and shrimp) but the portions are. Four pieces of battered cod (not the squares), two sides of your choice and hush puppies are included for $7 for adults and $4.50 for kids. Coffee is free, but other drinks are 50 cents, and so are the desserts. For a little over $20, you get the whole meal, with leftovers if you're not completely starved (like me) when you get there.

As one anonymous person put it here in our comments, St. Matthias is definitely in the running for the best fish fry in South County.

Atmosphere: B+
Food: A-
Price: A

Reviewed February 22, 2008

Whoops! Etc.

2008-02-19T05:29:00.002-06:00

Sorry, but your webmaster missed a fish fry this past Friday. We'll be back this week with another review.

The only guaranteed fish fry in St. Louis at St. Matthias parish sold 571 dinners at their first fry with 0 complaints and no remaining fish when complete.

If you want to check out St. Matthias's fish fry for yourself, mark your calendars for the following dates:

February 22 (this Friday)
March 7

The fish fries run from 4-7PM in the parish center. Prices are $7 for adults, $6.50 for seniors and $4.50 for kids. Sides include spaghetti, green beans, slaw, applesauce and hush puppies. Eat in or carryout. Satisfaction guaranteed.

If you have a review of a fish fry, send it on over. We'd love to have it!

Fish fry review 2008 - Immaculate Conception

2008-02-09T16:58:00.000-06:00

I stopped by this fry on my way home from work. Immaculate Conception parish is in Maplewood at Marshall and Anna Avenues. Fish fries are held every Friday in Lent from 4-7PM.

IC is still a reasonable deal, but like everythng, the prices have gone up, and the selections have widened. There's the standard cod, catfish and jack salmon, along with shrimp dinners. IC also has half orders this year to make the selection even more affordable. Cod, catfish and jack salmon run $6 for a two pieces, two sides dinner, and shrimp dinners are $8 for eight decent sized shrimp. The sides are your usual suspects: green beans, slaw, macaroni, spaghetti and even side salads.

There are no kids meals, so I bought a half shrimp dinner for my five year old, which was $5. The cat and cod half dinners run about $5. Desserts and drinks (including beer) are a la carte. The dessert selection was very good this time, as evidenced by the multiple kinds of cakes and cookies available.

Crowds were pretty good and the line moves fast, so I got my meals to go pretty quickly. Everything was still very hot by the time I made it home. IC still has some of the hottest food around.

Atmosphere: B
Prices: B+
Food: A-

Reviewed February 9, 2008

More Ash Wednesday happenings

2008-02-06T19:13:00.000-06:00

I was not able to check out any fish fries today, but I did come across the following items.

Fish fries in St. Louis
According to the signboard outside St. Dominic Savio parish on Mackenzie Road which I drive past every day, St. George parish, St. Louis County (Gardenville--near Gravois and Heege Rd. just blocks from the St. Louis city limits) will be having fish fries every Friday in Lent from 430-7PM. Proceeds benefit youth athletics programs in the parishes.

Thank you, thank you very much...
This blog was was listed recently in a thread on the stlwed forum and on the http://mom22kids.wordpress.com blog in Cincinnati, OH.

Remember...
We're always looking for your fish fry reviews. Check the Ultimate Fish Fry Compendium for more details.

Let the fries begin...

2008-02-06T05:22:00.000-06:00

The season of fish fries officially starts today with Ash Wednesday. Check out your favorite parish for more details.

I'll start my reviews again this Friday. My home parish, St. Matthias, is offering a new twist--guaranteed satisfaction on their fish fry. If you don't like it, you'll get your money back.

Check them out this Friday from 4-7PM.

Gone fishin' lately? Tell us about it

2008-01-25T09:14:00.001-06:00

NOTE: Fishin' as in visiting your favorite fish fry.

Yes, it's that time of year again, as Lent 2008 is right around the corner. We'll be adding fish fry reviews to this blog, and we're looking for the best of the bunch.

Here's what we want:

Tell us about a really good fish fry that you have gone to, what you liked about it, the menu and the ambiance. Details on location, times, dates and prices are also handy, too.

We've been Waymarked!

2008-01-15T05:19:00.000-06:00

It's not much but here's the information I've found recently. Due to some connection issues with Internet Explorer, I was not able to contact the person who set up this waymark to get more details on how he ended up there. (If you're reading this, I'd be interested in hearing your story!)

Waymarking is another form of geocaching, which spotlights interesting places in the world through the use of GPS locators.

Check out the St. Boniface entry here.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-23T21:23:00.000-06:00

I want to thank all of our regular and visiting readers for all of your visits this year. It's been a pretty busy one for me, especially in my personal life.

Thank you all for your support and visits. My Christmas gift to you is a new Oral History interview. Yes, Father, I finally got it done! The October interview of Father Dennis Port is now available at www.stbonifaceonline.com in the Oral History section.

A blessed, happy, healthy Christmas and holiday season to all! Don't forget to tell your St. Boniface story in 2008! It's never too late.

A little maintenance

2007-11-24T08:01:00.000-06:00

In case you were looking for a couple of items on our web site www.stbonifaceonline.com and not finding them, we have fixed the problem.

The oral history files and Do you remember section are now available again for your enjoyment.

In the news, etc.

2007-11-21T05:20:00.000-06:00

Do you know where your religious item was made? This article discusses crucifixes made in China. (from www.cnn.com)

An early Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers. I'm thankful to be healthy and hope to discover more interesting stories in the coming year. I'll be working, but my family will get the turkey started for me.

Thanks for all your support. Stay tuned for more updates or send in your own to webmaster at stbonifaceonline dot come (please add punctuation where needed as this blog tries not to feed spambots!)

More on the Ivory Theatre

2007-10-07T20:28:00.000-05:00

This piece ran in the Sunday Post-Dispatch and discusses the renovation of St. Boniface to the Ivory Theatre from a theatrical production perspective.

More oral histories on the way...

2007-10-04T15:25:00.000-05:00

I sat down with Father Dennis Port at St. Matthias parish in South County yesterday. Father was at St. Boniface for two years as associate pastor in the 1970s with Father Gerald Sommer.

Father had some entertaining stories and these will be updated to the web site soon. Father Port is currently the pastor of St. Matthias parish in South County.

Kelley Diaz

2007-10-03T15:22:00.000-05:00

Kelley Diaz was a longtime usher at St. Boniface on Sunday mornings.

Diaz, Kelley A. on October 1, 2007.
Dear uncle of John (Dimmy) Diaz, Frank Diaz and David Diaz; dear great-uncle of Tim, Tony, Jamie, Derek and Christina; and dear friend.
Services: Funeral service at HOFFMEISTER SOUTH COUNTY CHAPEL, 1515 Lemay Ferry Rd. (63125) on Thursday, Oct. 4 at 11 a.m. Interment Mt. Hope Cemetery. Visitation on Wed. from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

(posted in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at www.stltoday.com)

The show will go on...

2007-09-28T17:35:00.000-05:00

The temporary injunction was lifted so the show will go on. See this article on stltoday.com.

More on the Ivory injunction

2007-09-28T05:31:00.000-05:00

See this page at stltoday.com for today's news.

A note from today's article:

In addition to barring "live performances directed to an adult audience rather than the general public," the special warranty deed signed by Allen, Rothschild and a representative of the St. Louis City Catholic Church Real Estate Corporation restricted the new owners from using the St. Boniface name and spells out other conditions.

Note: I am not a lawyer, but I did find this legal definitions site for more information on types of deeds. Not enough info? Ask your friendly, neighborhood Missouri lawyer to explain.

St. Boniface, as well as other St. Louis area churches, open or closed, exist as corporate entities formed by the Archdiocese. To see the St. Boniface corporate documents, check the Missouri Secretary of State's office.

Will the show go on tonight? Stay tuned as Judge Philip Heagney decides today if the curtain rises.

Ivory theatre opening photos

2007-09-27T21:37:00.000-05:00

See this http://www.stbonifaceonline.com/siteindex.htm page for photos. More will be available later when my professional photographer can visit.

Ivory theatre opening night...not exactly

2007-09-27T20:21:00.000-05:00

The doors were polished, and so was the gleaming wood concession stand that greets you when you walk into the Ivory Theatre formerly St. Boniface Church. However, when I went to purchase a ticket to see the initial performance, Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll, there weren't any available. The show had been shut down around 5:30PM, according to a reporter from the Post-Dispatch as a result of an injunction by the St. Louis Archdiocese. Details should of the exact nature of the shutdown available here.

I had the pleasure of being escorted through the theatre this evening by Mr. Mike Allen who showed me the work that was done and the amenities added, renovated and prepared. It truly has turned out to be an amazing stage venue.

Photos will be available shortly at http://www.stbonifaceonline.com/siteindex.htm.

Ivory Theatre opens tonight

2007-09-27T06:58:00.000-05:00

See this story in today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch with photo.

One more day

2007-09-26T19:10:00.000-05:00

St. Boniface becomes the Ivory Theatre tomorrow with its first show. I don't have tickets to the first presentation, but I may go to see if any are available that day.

More photos and details will be here when they are available.

Fr. Rico Garavaglia

2007-09-24T05:34:00.000-05:00

This obituary was posted today. Fr. Rico was pastor of St. Boniface from 1986-1989. Father was a bright and demonstrative fellow from the Hill who brought his family along with him, and his father and his uncle did a great many chores around St. Boniface.

According to a separate note in the Post-Dispatch, Father Rico apparently died of a heart attack.

Our condolences to Robert and Rosemary, his siblings and his niece Mary and nephew Robert.

============================================================

Garavaglia, Fr. Rico 'Henry J.' baptized into the hope of Christ's Resurrection, Friday, September 21, 2007 in his 44th year of Priesthood.

Dear son of the late Charles J. and Lena (nee Pisani) Garavaglia;dear brother of Robert Garavaglia and Rosemary (Leo) Sandhofer;dear uncle of Robert Paul (Cathy) and Mary A. Sandhofer; dear loving great-uncle of Maya and Simon; dear nephew, cousin, and friend, especially to the Sisters of Mercy. Masses Preferred.

Services: The Visitation will be held at St. Ambrose Catholic Church on Tuesday, September 25 from 4-8 P.M., and then on Wednesday from 9:00 A.M. with the celebration of Mass at 10:00 A.M.

Interment will follow in Resurrection Cemetery.

Visit.www.mem.com for listing with photo.

A service of CALCATERRA FUNERAL HOME (771-3383)

Ed Gray

2007-09-24T05:25:00.000-05:00

Fr. Jim Gray, the last pastor of St. Boniface, lost his father this past weekend. The online obituary with photo is located at the Toledo Blade web site. Our condolences to Father Jim and his family today.

Text is below.

==========================================================

GRAY Edward W.
Fortified by the sacraments of Holy Mother Church, Edward W. Gray of Maumee passed quietly at the age of 82.

He was born September 14, 1925, in University City, MO, the third child of James F. Gray and Mary Ann (Boyle). Ed was known throughout his life for his generosity of spirit, his sense of humor and his deep faith. Ed was a graduate of McBride High School ('43) and Saint Louis University Law School ('49). He was also a WWII veteran serving as a radioman in the U.S. Army Air Force. He worked for 45 years as a sales representative for Brown Shoe Co. of Clayton, MO.

Aside from sending plays to Notre Dame football coaches, his favorite pastime was telling adventure stories to his grandchildren, Liz and Reilly Gray; Patricia, Katherine, Ginny and Michael Varraveto; Hannah and Caroline Gray; Ellen, Abby, Jack, Bridget and James Napoli; Frances, Margot and Audrey Barrera. He also took great pride in the accomplishments of his many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his oldest brother, Bro. James F. Gray, S.M. and infant daughter, Mary Immaculate Gray.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mary Virginia (Reilly); his brother, John B. (Theresa) Gray of Florissant, MO and his eight children, Ed (Jane) Gray of Grand Rapids, MI, Fr. James C. Gray of St. Louis, MO, Mary Virginia Gray of Toledo, OH, Steven (Nancy Grant) Gray of Winnetka, IL, Tish (Dominic) Varraveto of Leawood, KS, Jean (Chaz) Napoli of Shaker Heights, OH, Margaret Ellen Gray of Shaker Heights, OH, Kate (Patricio) Barrera of Manhattan Beach, CA and close family friend, Mary Galvin of Toledo, OH. Ed is also survived by his special friend, John Dowling of Maumee, OH.

Visitation will be held at the Coyle Funeral Home, 1770 S. Reynolds Rd., on Tuesday from 2-9 p.m. where a Rosary will be recited at 7:45 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the mortuary followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Joan of Arc Church at 10 a.m. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in Ed's name to Hospice of Northwest Ohio, St. Joan of Arc Parish, Toledo or any charity of the donor's choice. The family also asks that if you have an Ed Gray story be sure to tell it to a friend. Please view and sign the "online guest registry" at http://www.coylefuneralhome.com/

Doris Krull

2007-09-18T05:48:00.000-05:00

To some folks, Doris Krull was a friendly face at an early Mass. To others, a wonderful neighbor, mother and volunteer, and to some of us who were at St. Boniface School in the 1970s and 1980s, she was one of the ladies who made sure we got lunch and stayed out of trouble. Through everything, she was a woman for her family and others who was ever present in her parish.

Our sincere condolences to the Krull family today.

Doris May (Braun) Krull

Krull, Doris May (nee Braun), fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church, on Sun., Sept. 16, 2007. Beloved wife of Leo P. Krull, Sr.; dearest mother of Karen Trigg, Leo P. (Becky) Krull, Jr., Patricia (Michael Hines) Delisle, Jane (Russ) Maddock, Charles (Darlyn) Krull and Diane (Ron) Catalano; dear sister of Judy and Aaron McKenzie; our dear grandmother, great-grandmother, sister-in-law, aunt, cousin and friend.Services:

Funeral from HOFFMEISTER SOUTH COUNTY CHAPEL, 1515 Lemay Ferry Rd. on Wed., Sept. 19 at 9:30 a.m. to St. Andrew Church for 10 a.m., Mass.

Interment J.B. National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer's Assn. appreciated. Visitation 3-9 p.m., Tues.

Prayers, reuse

2007-09-17T17:03:00.000-05:00

Please pray for Fr. Jim Gray and his family. His father, Ed is gravely ill.

St. Boniface church becomes the Ivory Theatre in 10 days.

Countdown to reuse -from church to theatre

2007-09-11T19:13:00.000-05:00

At the end of this month, St. Boniface will become the Ivory Theatre with its first performance. New Line Theatre will be running the productions there.

To see photos of the construction going on, see this page at www.stbonifaceonline.com.

In the news, etc.

2007-09-07T13:01:00.000-05:00

It's been news for about a month, but it was in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch today:
CCBF's Sr. Marie Charles Buford to retire

Sister is a great asset to Carondelet and will continue to work behind the scenes doing grant writing. Best wishes on your retirement!

Most of the St. Boniface folks who meet on Fridays after the 8AM Mass at Immaculate Conception in Maplewood are doing well. They requested prayers today for Doris and Leo Krull (who are neighbors of a couple of folks) as they are both sick.

Also, Immaculate Conception will be hosting their annual fund raiser, the Country Fair, on Sunday, October 7. Check out IC's weekly bulletin for more details (this PDF is updated weekly).

August 19 - St. John Eudes, where is it now

2007-08-19T08:28:00.000-05:00

For more information on today's 17th century saint from Normandy, France, see Saint-a-day.

Alas, the drought is over, for the moment anyway. I have been having a busy summer and thankfully, through lots of prayers from my STB friends and many new and old friends, I passed my state boards and am now working as an RN here in St. Louis. Unfortunately, the new schedule (and my other blogs) often leaves little time for blogging in this blog and keeping up with the various STB sundries I run into in my off time.

But I have uncovered the following items.

1. Yes, St. Boniface is becoming a theatre (see the previous link) and will open in October.

2. The Infant of Prague statue from St. Boniface has been donated to Cor Jesu Academy on Gravois. This statue was located on the south wall of the church, near the St. Joseph altar. This was donated by an anonymous donor.

3. The St. Boniface statue, gracing the front of the building, now stands in a renovated area of St. Boniface Church in Germantown, IL.

4. Fr. Dennis Port, a former STB associate is now pastor of St. Matthias parish in South County. Look for more details on St. Matthias's web site (coming soon according to Father Port).

Many, many thanks to the folks who passed this information along. Your contributions of information go to our web site for others to find via the internet and enjoy the heritage of St. Boniface wherever they may be, as many pieces of liturgical art are often sold and distributed around the country.

Theatre at St. Boniface

2007-05-25T16:10:00.001-05:00

See this article below for more information:
http://southsidejournal.stltoday.com/articles/2007/05/22/news/sj2tn20070522-0523ssj_theater1.ii1.txt

The latest news from cb

2007-04-26T06:56:00.000-05:00

Hello all!

I've not given up on this blog. I'm just finishing up a busy year of school. I will return to regular blogging sometime in May. I have content to be added to the website as well, so your patience is greatly appreciated.

If you have any other questions, comments, etc., feel free to post them or e-mail me via www.stbonifaceonline.com.

cb

Fish fry reviews - Good Friday

2007-04-07T14:32:00.000-05:00

Since this was the last big day for the seasonal fish fries and I was able to do it, I made sure I visited more than one, since some of my reviewers were busy this week.

Immaculate Conception, Maplewood
I made my first visit of the year to Immaculate Conception in Maplewood's fish fry. I arrived early and to my surprise, there was already a line forming of about 20 people who were waiting for the servers to start.

IC has one of the best priced fish fries in town. For $5.50, you get your choice of two pieces of cod, catfish, or jack salmon and two sides. Baked cod is also available at an additional charge. The sides are the usuals suspects--macaroni, spaghetti, slaw, etc., but also include side salads, too.

Desserts and drinks are a la carte, but there was a wide selection of both, including beer for the grownups. Kids meals are also available, as well as just fish sandwiches, if you don't want an entire meal. The portions are good and the food is really hot!

For a quick , cheap Lenten meal, you can't go wrong at IC in Maplewood!

Grades for Immaculate Conception:
Price : A
Food, atmosphere: B+

After my trip to IC, I stopped on Morganford near the St. Louis City/St. Louis County southwestern border almost to Affton at St. Mark's Parish.. This parish, founded in 2003, is an agglomeration of the Union Road parishes of St. Timothy, Mary, Queen of the Universe and Most Precious Blood parishes, which were closed in 2001.

From the outside, St. Mark's has a very big parking lot and the parish center is pretty big. They actually have a separate serving area for carryout and dine-in. Be prepared to wait in line a bit if you get there early. The line was long before I got there, but moved very quickly. They have a very extensive menu, including cheese pizzas for $2 for the kids. St. Mark's also has a wide variety of fish, including the standbys of cod, catfish and shrimp, and also crab cakes for $7 for a two piece dinner with two sides on any of these items. They have kids fish dinners called "for kids or the young at heart" with one piece of fish for $4, if you don't want the big portions.

The sides at St. Mark's are your standard fish fry sides, but the cole slaw they make (on premise from the produce cartons in the hallway) is wonderful! I highly recommend this sweet and sour combo of cabbage, carrots, onions, and red sweet pepper.

My four year old loved his crab cake and the slaw. He would not eat the green beans though, so I saved them for me.

Grades for St. Mark's, South County
Price: B
Food, atmosphere: A

Don't miss the cole slaw! Yum!

Look for more fish fry reviews later! Thanks for all your support, especially to our guest reviewers, Charlie Brennan of KMOX and CathedralDad.

Send in your reviews anytime! We'd appreciate the information.

Fish fry review - St. Andrew, Lemay

2007-03-30T21:36:00.000-05:00

Well, due to a death in the family, I was pretty busy all day today. I managed to get down to St. Andrew's at 6PM. Their fish fry runs from 4-7PM at least from what I remember on the signs!

The parking lot had a lot of cars in it, but plenty of spaces. The fish fry is held in the cafeteria near the back of the church. The door's obscured a little, so follow the smell of the food wafting out the door, down a couple of steps and you're there.

St. Andrew's charges $6 for an adult dinner which includes a large piece of fried fish of your choice (cod, catfish, or jack salmon) with two sides and includes dessert and coffee. I took home two dinners --one catfish and one cod. The cod is the atypical squares, but both meals were hot when they should be, and cold when they should be. The sides were mac & cheese, spaghetti, green beans, cole slaw and applesauce.

The only minus was that I got there late so the dessert selection was slim. I chose a lemon Bundt cake and coconut toast (apparently homemade, so my kid scarfed it up!).

An old St. Boniface regular, Bernadette Vassalli and her family, along with her parents and sister were there, too, working. It was nice to see them again. Almost reminded me of a St. Boniface fish fry way back when!

Grade B+. Stop by early for better dessert selection.

March 30 - St. John Climacus

2007-03-30T06:38:00.000-05:00

For more information on today's seventh century Palestine saint, see Saint-a-day.

Don't forget to visit your favorite fish fry today!

March 29 - Sts. Jonas and Barachisus

2007-03-29T07:06:00.000-05:00

See Saint-a-day for more information on today's Persian saints.

Happy Birthday Dave Shekleton!

March 28 - St. Tutilo

2007-03-28T07:04:00.000-05:00

See Saint-a-day for more information on today's artistic 10th century saint.

Out and about

2007-03-27T20:13:00.000-05:00

On my clinicals today, I was roaming the halls of SSM St. Mary's after I dropped a sample off at the lab, and I saw Fr. Tom Begley.

Father reports that he is living in downtown and is doing well since his recent stroke.

March 27 - St. John of Egypt

2007-03-27T06:22:00.000-05:00

For more information on today's saint, see Saint-a-day.

Other fish fry information in the blogosphere.

2007-03-26T10:09:00.000-05:00

Debbie Monterrey posts her thoughts on fish fries in her blog at www.kmox.com.

March 26 - St. Ludger

2007-03-26T06:31:00.000-05:00

See Saint-a-day for more information on today's saint.

Fish Fry review - Cathedral parish St. Louis, MO

2007-03-25T07:58:00.000-05:00

Here's a review from CathedralDad on the fish fry March 23 at St. Louis Cathedral Parish.

Yummy, yummy, yummy! Cathedral's fish fry was my first. There were
several fish options available. Jack salmon, catfish fillet's, catfish
nuggets, and a couple of others including spaghetti. I hate to admit
it, but the side orders were a little average. Mac & cheese, green
beans and cole slaw. Maybe the selection changes each Friday, but I
don't know. I sampled three of the fish options and thought all three
were outstanding. The atmosphere was nice. There were several children
enjoying themselves which added to the atmosphere (by my standards!).
Overall, I rate it as quite enjoyable! The cost was about $8 for the
entree, .50 cents a soda, and $1.00 per donated dessert item. Also, I
believe it runs from around 3pm-7pm. Happy eating!

Reviews, K-HITS fish fry tour information

2007-03-24T08:24:00.000-05:00

Sorry I missed any new fish fries this week. I was at St. John's Mercy visiting a relative. I did eat their cod nuggets, which were pretty good. I did not see any signs around West County as I was going there pointing out any nearby fries or I might have stopped (must be those sign regulations!)

If you're wondering where the K-HITS radio folks will appear next, check out their K-HITS Fish Fry tour Schedule. Next week's stop: St. James the Greater in Dogtown.

March 23 - St. Turibius of Mongrovejo

2007-03-23T05:47:00.000-05:00

For more information on today's 16th century bishop of Peru, see Saint-a-day.

Another fish fry review is on the way...stay tuned!

Fish fry update - Catch this!

2007-03-23T04:57:00.000-05:00

In case you missed it last week, check out the Cod Squad article at the St. Louis Review site. This group of university students is forming their own Fish Fry world tour in St. Louis.

The Cod Squad will appear tonight at the fish fry at St. Pius V parish on South Grand at Utah in South St. Louis.

March 22 - St. Deogratias

2007-03-22T05:45:00.000-05:00

See Saint-a-day for more information on today's fifth century bishop of Carthage.

March 21 - St. Serapion

2007-03-21T05:44:00.000-05:00

See Saint-a-day for more information on this fourth century bishop.

March 20- St. Cuthbert

2007-03-20T05:41:00.000-05:00

For more information on today's seventh century saint, see Saint-a-day.

March 19- St. Joseph

2007-03-19T05:30:00.000-05:00

See Saint-a-day for more information on today's feast day.

In many parishes of Italian or Sicilian extraction, today is also the day of the St. Joseph's altar, which honors the saint. Many of these are elaborately decorated and include food.

This link talks about the origins of the St. Joseph altar in Sicily and includes photos.

St. Ambrose on the Hill celebrated their St. Joseph's altar yesterday according to this St. Louis Review note.
:
St. Ambrose Parish on the Hill will have its 35th annual St. Joseph altar on Sunday, March 18, in the parish cafeteria, 5130 Wilson Ave. Blessed bread and Italian specialties will be available. After 7 a.m. Mass pastor Father Vincent Bommarito will bless the side altar in the cafeteria and St. Joseph bread. The cafeteria’s main altar will be blessed after 11 a.m. Mass. Italian specialties will be available from noon to 3 p.m. A Mass in Italian will be celebrated at 3 p.m. in the cafeteria. Then all items on the St. Joseph Altar will be sold. The custom dates back several centuries, when Sicilian farmers prayed to St. Joseph during a severe famine. Their prayers were answered, and in gratitude the families held an open house with food on a St. Joseph Table.

Fish fry review - St. Mary Magdalen, Brentwood

2007-03-17T12:41:00.000-05:00

This review is courtesy of Charlie Brennan. Check out Charlie's regularly scheduled radio show on Monday through Friday on KMOX radio at www.kmox.com.

Remember, you don't have to be a talk show host to put in your review of your local fish fry. Simply e-mail us and get the ball rolling. If your fish fry has good food, we want to know!

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The Saint Mary Magdalen (Brentwood and Manchester) fish fry may be the only one I've attended that does NOT offer mac and cheese, french fries or tater tots. No worries, though, because green beans almondine, macaroni shells with red sauce, and sweet and sour cole slaw are the three side orders made available to Saint MM's customers. Both the green beans and shells were tasty and served hot.

St. MM serves baked and fried cod. Both are very good, and again, served hot---not to be taken for granted at these local fish fries. The hot food is carried to tables in styrofoam carry-out containers with lids, not on plates. While perhaps not eco-friendly, this method does result in a hot meal.

Pizza, juice and Mass cards are given to the kids. The dessert table included just about every type of cookie and cake ever created. My kids opted for donuts!

Beer and wine are $2.

Parking is plentiful in the church lot. At 7 p.m., guests are invited to leave so the restaurant can morph into a gym for a basketball game.

Fish fry review - St. Francis of Assisi South County

2007-03-16T20:12:00.000-05:00

My husband and I arrived at just about 5PM and the parking lot was already at 75% capacity. Expect a crowd if you get here anytime after 5PM.

We waited a bit in line to get our tickets for a catfish dinner with two sides. Cost $7 for adults, with coffee included in the price of the meal. Kids meals are available for $4. They also had jack salmon, shrimp and cod filets. No baked fish was available.

Portions are generous and the sides include spaghetti in red sauce, applesauce, cole slaw and green beans.

Desserts are a la carte and prices vary from 25-60 cents, depending on the dessert of your choice. Portions and variety (cookies, cakes, pies, etc.) are also good on desserts. Cons: you have to know what desserts you want, because you have to pay at the cashier before you go inside the serving and seating area where the desserts are.

My grade - A-

Fish fry update

2007-03-16T10:53:00.000-05:00

Expect another review later tonight.

Check out KMOX radio personality Charlie Brennan at the fish fry at St. Mary Magdalen in Brentwood today.

March 16 - Blessed Torello

2007-03-16T07:04:00.000-05:00

See Saint-a-day for more information on this 13th century Italian hermit and holy man.

Enjoy your St. Patrick's Day weekend! There are lots of parades here in St. Louis. Check out www.irishparade.org for more information.

March 15 - St. Zachary

2007-03-15T07:02:00.000-05:00

See Saint-a-day for more information on today's Greek saint.

March 14- St. Mathilda

2007-03-14T07:01:00.000-05:00

For more information on today's 9th century German saint, see Saint-a-day.

I'm still here....

2007-03-13T09:13:00.000-05:00

Although, I am a bit busy.

Never fear...more posts will be added this week. It's been a crazy week for me with school and those pesky exams. This week is spring break, so I'll be posting a few more things and getting ready to finish out the rest of the semester.

I was going to have a fish fry review from the Chicago area, but we were unable to make it to Our Lady of Peace parish in Darien, IL, on Friday, which was in our neighborhood this past weekend.

I was very impressed with the number of Catholic parishes in Lemont, IL (just down the road from Darien, IL). We went to Sunday Mass at St. Patrick's (one of the town's original two Irish parishes) after we arrived too early at Sts. Cyril and Methodius (the Polish parish of Lemont) for the English Mass.

March 2 - Blessed Charles the Good, fish fry link

2007-03-02T06:14:00.000-06:00

For more information on this Danish saint, see Saint-a-day.

No fish fry reviews this week...I got caught up in some work and missed my stop! This article from cnn.com talks about more parishes going to lighter fare for fish fries. They even mentioned a St. Louis parish, St. Ferdinand's of Florissant, in this article.

March 1 - St. Felix II

2007-03-01T06:12:00.000-06:00

For more information on today's saint, see Saint-a-day.

March is coming in like a lion here in St. Louis. Be careful out there!

February 28 - St. Romanus and St. Lupicinus

2007-02-28T06:10:00.000-06:00

See Saint-a-day for more information on today's saints.

February 27 - St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows

2007-02-27T06:08:00.000-06:00

See Saint-a-day for more information on this 19th century Passionist priest.

February 26 - St. Porphyry

2007-02-26T06:54:00.000-06:00

For more information on today's fifth century bishop, see Saint-a-day.

Fish fry review - St. Matthias, South County

2007-02-25T12:58:00.000-06:00

Well, I went to my first fish fry this week, and I'll try to hit different ones each week.

St. Matthias is located at 796 Buckley Rd in South County and their fish fry is held each Friday during Lent.

Details:
$6.50 for an adult dinner, $6 for seniors, kids meals, more for crab cakes. Desserts and sodas are a la carte.

The menu this year includes baked fish and crab cakes (I didn't try those). St. Matthias always has their fryers outside in a special area, which you can see when you come into the school. I had the fried fish, which was lightly breaded and crisp, almost a beer batter, which was really good. The cole slaw, with red and green cabbage, left a little to be desired. Green beans were okay, but nothing extravagant. Not a lot of side choices, but a nice dining environment.

My grade: B+

Closed parishes update - St. Louis Review 2/23/07

2007-02-25T12:54:00.002-06:00

The latest edition of the St. Louis Review has a front page story about what's happened to many of the closed parishes of 2005.

St. Boniface is only listed as being owned by Rothchild Properties, and no mention of turning it into a theater was in this article.

February 23 - St. Polycarp

2007-02-23T07:25:00.000-06:00

See Saint-a-day for more information on this second century martyr.

February 22 - Chair of St. Peter

2007-02-22T07:23:00.000-06:00

For more information on today's feast day, see Saint-a-day.

February 21 - St. Peter Damian

2007-02-21T07:21:00.000-06:00

See Saint-a-day for more information on today's 11th century saint.

February 20 - St. Eucherius

2007-02-20T07:19:00.000-06:00

See Saint-a-day for more information on today's 7th century saint from Orleans, France.

February 19 - St. Barbatus

2007-02-19T07:17:00.000-06:00

For more information on today's 7th century Italian saint, see Saint-a-day.

Enjoy your Presidents' Day holiday, if you have it!

February 16 - St. Onesimus

2007-02-16T05:31:00.000-06:00

For more information on today's slave who become a bishop in the early church, see Saint-a-day.

February 15- Sts. Faustinus and Jovita

2007-02-15T05:29:00.000-06:00

See Saint-a-day for more information on today's early Christian martyrs from Brescia, Italy.