road trip ~ one

Oh, we are off to a great start. A fabulous start, indeed!

Last night's first foray into the Triple D of the veggie world far, far exceeded my expectations. I read about this restaurant on the above-mentioned show's website and my interest was definitely peaked. Then my dear friend Si-fou offered it as a place where our families could meet up and it seemed like destiny. So, last night we drove through the rain and a tangled web of streets into an old neighborhood on the south side of St. Louis to find this little gem. Our friend Mike met us at the door and said with a big smile, "definitely a dive."

 

Iron Barley is a crazy, funky, delicious juxtaposition of exquisite gourmet food and black vinyl chairs, the kind you find at a donut shop. A charming musician just inside the door singing gentleman Jim Reeves and elbow-to-elbow happy folks drinkin' cheap beer. A photo of the Soup Nazi is above the bar and the mirror in in the lone bathroom is made from a horse bridle. Crazy and funky and definitely fun.

But, on to delicious. The menu lists just a mere fraction of what's cookin' back in the wildly creative kitchen. Our waitress began to list the specials and after a while, I honestly felt the need to take notes. We couldn't believe the choices available to us. Amidst a multitude of offerings for carnivores, there were unusual veggie girl options and I had fun ordering things I have never eaten before. Such as some type of soft, savory cheese (polano? poblano?) grilled in a HOT skillet with marinated tomatoes, red onions and a savory vinaigrette to be spooned on warm, whole wheat tortillas. OMG.

 

And then a salad made from barley and roasted veggies topped with another type of vinaigrette, this time perfectly tangy and peppery. Ohhhh. Miranda ate all of the above with me plus a bowl of the "best mashed potatoes I've ever had." Happy, happy veggie girls indeed.

 

John reached his own new level of meaty happiness with a special aptly described at the Flintstone Platter. A beef short rib (with the giant bone still grisly present)and a mountain of smashed taters. No chlorophyll present whatsoever. I had to avert my eyes.

Unfortunately, no room left for dessert. And, true to form, there were some wild and crazy offerings, including frozen cheesecake with jalapeno sauce. But, no worries, we're off to a candy mecca today, day two of our adventure.

To our new friends at the Iron Barley, our travelin' hat goes off to you. Thanks for a meal to remember!