Ted Drewes - St. Louis, MO

For frozen custard in St. Louis, you must go to Ted Drewes (6726 Chippewa). This location has been serving customers from its location on Historic Route 66 since the early 1940s. Their specialty is "concrete" (shown above). Other dairy chains might name their replica specialty desserts after a winter storm, but Ted Drewes' concrete is an "original". Stop by on a summer (or spring or fall) day and get some refreshments. The adjacent residential neighborhood is the perfect place to stroll while you enjoy your treat. This quiet neighborhood has neat, well-kept brick homes, likely dating from the 1940s.

Companion - Clayton, MO

Companion (8143 Maryland Ave.) is a neat little bakery and cafe tucked into a neighborhood commercial strip in upscale Clayton, MO (Saint Louis metro area). I stopped for breakfast and enjoyed the baked French toast covered with fresh fruit. Patrons are served at the counter and then take their tray to sit in the cramped space or go outdoors to a nice patio area. It seemed like the type of place that was often busy but there also didn't seem to be a good way to organize the space. There was a notice the store was going to be temporarily closing for a remodel so maybe this issue will be addressed in the process. I would return to this pleasant place if I was in the neighborhood but I wouldn't drive out of my way to seek it. The French toast, however, is something I might try to recreate in my own kitchen!

Food: ****
Ambience: ***
Service: **
(out of 5 stars)

Hannibal, MO

Hannibal, Missouri (click for a link to an aerial view photo of Hannibal) is a small town of just under 20,000 residents on the Mississippi River a few miles downstream from Quincy, Illinois. The town is probably best town as the childhood home of Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens). It served as the inspiration for the hometown of Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, Becky Tatcher, and the other characters Twain wrote about in his famous stories.

This is Mark Twain's boyhood home. It is now a museum with a visitor's center.

Buildings along the main street of Hannibal. There are several gift shops, candy shops, galleries, and other shops catering to tourists.

Lynn's Paradise Cafe - Louisville, KY

Lynn's Paradise Cafe (984 Barret Ave.) is a funky restaurant in the Germantown area of Louisville. The cafe has been featured by Oprah Winfrey, the Food Network, the New York Times, and countless others. The kitschy decor is full of surprises. A gift store with tacky items is at the front of the cafe. The food was surprisingly good and the server was helpful in making recommendations from the numerous selections on the menu. We were there later in the day so didn't get breakfast, although that is what they are said to do best. It is a place I would return to for both the food the and the fun environment.

Mom's Meatloaf with Sweet Potato Fries

Food: ****

Ambience: ****

Service: ****

(out of 5 stars)