The biggest road trip obstacle: food

Over the past few months, Marc and I have lost over 20 pounds combined. No seriously, we really have. There was no gimmick to what we did. We simply ate like everyone knows how they should eat. And we worked out, too. And it worked.

 

And it was on the drive down to St. Louis last weekend when I realized the biggest obstacle we are going to face on our trip: finding good food to eat. If you stop at any rest stop, you’ll quickly see that there are very few healthy selections. True, McDonald’s has changed its menu over the past several years and it’s much easier to eat salads and lower calorie meals at fast food restaurants these days.

 

But how many chicken salads can you eat on a 4,000 mile road trip?

 

Plus, I have a habit. A Snickers habit. And Doritos. And peanut M&Ms. I could add many other indulgences to the list, but the fact remains: when I walk into a convenience store, I’m overwhelmed with the feeling of magic. Just think of all the possibilities that are right there for you, tempting you. 

 

“C’mon, road trips are supposed to be fun!” I will undoubtedly hear a voice say.  “You deserve that bag of Combos. Just think of how great it’ll feel to celebrate your vacation!”

 

Stopping in restaurants will help, somewhat, I’m sure. But most likely we’ll be faced with the same inner-demon, pushing his wares on me. All it takes is the slightly hint of a ham and cheese omelet and I’m hooked.

Culinary guide to St. Louis

St. Louis translated out of French means “great barbecue.” Okay, that’s dumb and not true, but if you like good barbecue, St. Louis is a great place to go.  

We found two place that satisfied our needs for a good barbecue:

• Smoki O’s -1545 N Broadway - (314) 621-8180
• Pappy’s Barbecue – 3106 Olive St – (314) 535-4340

If you go to either of these, you’ll be very happy.  We thought the ribs were slightly better at Pappy’s, but the friendly service at Smoki O’s was tough to beat.  The atmosphere at Pappy’s is also a little better, but the fact that Smoki O’s is in the middle of an industrial part of town makes it seem much cooler. You kind of feel like you discovered something when you’re driving by factory after factory with broken windows and see the front of Smoki O’s and you’re not quite sure they’re in business. But walk inside and you’ll be welcomed to a great meal. 

As far as local beer goes, check out Schlafly’s Tap Room (2100 Locust St. – (314) 241-2337). They’re a local brewery with a lot of different varieties: the pilsner, pale ale, and hefeweizen were all great beers.

It’s also tough to ignore the 800 lbs. gorilla in town: Anheuser-Busch (1 Busch Place – (314) 577-0654). I know, it’s kind of cheesy, but they have a free tour of the brewery and the sheer size of one of the world’s largest brewers is a sight in and of itself to see.  Plus, as is repeated repeatedly by repetitive representatives when you get there: there’s free beer at the end of the tour.

We also checked out Companion (4651 Maryland Ave) for breakfast which was a perfectly ok experience. 

If you want a dining experience that’s really cool, check out the Blueberry Hill Restaurant & Bar (6504 Delmar Blvd). The complex is very large and you kind of feel like it is so large you could run into a Morman polygamist family who had been living there since the 70’s.  The burgers there are great and they serve Schlafly beer.  They also have big name bands and artists play concerts, but we only made our way there for lunch. 

But if you really want a unique dining, check out Venice Cafe (1903 Pestalozzi St). Every square inch of this place is decorated with… something. Be it the heads of baby dolls, sea shells, or tile. It’s more creative than it may sound and lends on the side of artistry as opposed to all-out kitch.  Call ahead to make sure the kitchen is serving food – sometimes it’s open, sometimes it ain’t.

But finally definitely check out Ted Drewes while you’re in St. Louis (two locations: 4224 S Grand Blvd and6726 Chippewa Street). It’s the best softserve we’ve had since Carvel out on the East Coast. It wouldn’t be fair to try to decide who would win in a taste-off (Carevel or Ted Drewes), but let’s just say they’re both very close to each other. Definitely get the Hawaiian concrete: vanilla custard mixed with macademia nuts, pineapple, and coconut.  Damn, it’s good.