Post-Dispatch file photo
Kounter Kulture
On my most recent visit to carryout-only Kounter Kulture, I called ahead with my order. I mention this because doing so deprived me of one of the highlights of the Kounter Kulture experience: watching Christine Meyer and Mike Miller’s team hustle in their cramped quarters to perfect multiple orders simultaneously. The food — steamed buns with slow-roasted pork or fried catfish, khao soi, gyudon and more dishes inspired by various Asian-Pacific cuisines — are meticulously plated in their take-home packaging. And even allowing for the drive back home, they are as gorgeous and brilliantly flavored as many upscale restaurants’ dishes. You can also see the team working its magic at Kitchen Kulture, Kounter Kulture’s twin concept that serves made-to-order food at Tower Grove Farmers Market. And there you can’t call ahead.
Hours: 4:30-9:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday (closed Sunday; hours adjust during farmers-market season, contact restaurant)
Last year's ranking: Rest of the Best
Opened: 2012 (as Kitchen Kulture)