On Assignment: The Block in Webster Groves

I have been in St. Louis for just over a year now (where did the time go??) and while my navigational skills are getting better, I still have a lot to learn about the various neighborhoods in the area. I have enough trouble getting around these neighborhoods, let alone familiarizing myself with all of the restaurants in each. This is where my recent food photography assignments have come in handy: they force me out of my usual haunts and get me out into neighborhoods that I don’t normally get to, in this case, Webster Groves.

I photographed The Block in Webster Groves for Sauce Magazine on a hot and steamy Tuesday night in early August and despite the fact that it had only been open a matter of weeks, word was definitely out. As I photographed some of their amazing meat and fish dishes at a small table by the door people started to arrive in droves. By 5:30, the dining room was filled to capacity and the bar had standing room only, packed with people. I, for one, would happily wait in a line just for their milk chocolate ice cream with bacon and chocolate syrup. Yep, that’s right, chocolate and bacon. I realize that bacon has become perhaps a little too ubiquitous these days but still, it’s bacon. In this case, bacon on ice cream.

My shoot at The Block was pretty intense – there was another photographer there on an assignment from another magazine and as I mentioned, the place was slammed. I usually try to schedule my restaurant shoots for slow times, but it seems like there are no slow times at the Block. The owners and staff rocked it though, and were super helpful with me and the hungry patrons packing in the doors. I’m looking forward to going back on a night when I’m not working so I can enjoy the food even more! You can read the full review of The Block over at Sauce Magazine’s website.

You can find the latest issue at Sauce at your newstand in St. Louis. If you’re not in the St. Louis area you can also get a subscription on their website, either in hardcopy or electronic.