Checking Out the City

Hubby and I have lived in St. Louis county all of our lives. We're just 30 minutes from the city, but rarely spend any time there. We used to go to the zoo several times a year, but now it's maybe once a year. And it's been a long time since we've visited the Saint Louis Art Museum, Missouri History Museum, or Saint Louis Science Center. Hubby has been to a few ballgames this season. And we both saw performances at the Peabody Opera House and the Fox Theatre last year. But, for the most part, we do not take advantage of what the city has to offer.

And that includes the diverse eating establishments in St. Louis City. Which is odd because, when we travel, the highlights of our trips are the great meals we had. So I've decided to remedy that failing and start checking out St. Louis City restaurants, beginning today.

For lunch we ate at Pappy's Smokehouse after shopping at the Soulard Farmers Market. It was two firsts for hubby, but I had been to the Market once or twice many years ago. The produce was bountiful, beautiful, and reasonably priced. Plus we got two huge mums for just $5 each!

I found Pappy's when I did a Google search for St. Louis barbecue. It was the first listing. When I saw the name and remembered they were recently featured in a Food Network show, I was even more eager to check them out.

Just as I had read, even at 11:30 A.M. there was already a line. And it seemed as if we were the only two in it who had never been to Pappy's before. But the line moved relatively quickly and it wasn't long before we were able to judge Pappy's famous barbecue ribs and turkey for ourselves. We weren't impressed. The servings were fair and the food was good, but I don't see us returning. For our tastes, there's better barbecue closer to home.

Nevertheless, today's experience won't keep us from trying other St. Louis City restaurants, and becoming more familiar with our own backyard. It's adventure with no need for a plane ticket!