Welcome to The First Course , a weekly newsletter from the Post-Dispatch. Every Thursday, restaurant critic Ian Froeb dishes exclusive insight, news, tips and more from St. Louis' thriving dining scene.

Cottleville’s Cottle Village is wildly ambitious. The restaurant alone is worth a visit.

This week, I visit Cottle Village , a new restaurant, distillery and indoor/outdoor event venue in booming Cottleville from Stephen Savage (co-founder of downtown duo the Wheelhouse and the Midwestern) and his wife, Emily. The restaurant by itself is expansive, with space for some 270 people on two floors.

The menu doesn’t take many risks — steaks, a burger and a fried chicken sandwich, among other dishes — but the kitchen knows what it’s doing, and while the restaurant isn’t inexpensive,

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