International restaurant tour

Packing the passport for some culinary culture

By Josh Gilbert, Special to Metromix

St. Louis is a melting pot city, no doubt about it. With a French name, rich German heritage, and the Hill, it’s a wonder the Gateway to the West wasn’t originally named “Little Ellis Island”. With so many different cultures and ethnic groups located right here in the city, finding a new place to eat is one of the simplest and most interesting things to do on any given night. But why settle for the tried and true Italian, Chinese or Mexican choices? Why not load up the backpack and do some real exploring? Here’s a list of ethnic restaurants with tastes off the beaten path, where ordering off the menu requires a bit of translation.