Fried ravioli

CCM
St Louis.



And I wake to the Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! of a construction site just meters or in the USA-feet away from our, wrong side of the tracks- Econo Lodge. Though wrong side of the tracks is all about context since we are actually situated right beside the tracks( the chug, chug, chug of the train was another very excellent alarm clock, making damn sure we were up at the crack of 6:30- central). East St. Louis is officially the wrong side of the tracks where the tracks, in this case, end up being the mighty Mississippi and you have to cross over via a big old bridge. Something we happened to do at 10pm last night as we took a wrong turn on our way to our Hotel/Motel which sits down on 3rd. Rather than jumping off the highway and turning around right in the midst of East St Louis (I mean I saw the disaster that was Tom Hank’s Bonfire of the Vanities) we drove way out-a-town and turned around at some wee roundabout far away and safe from what was sure to be uzi touting car jacking cracked up thieves. All our Lets Go USA guide said about East St Louis was,” …not a good place to be at night”. One result of this side step was an opportunity for master camera operator Jack to shoot some spectacular night shots of the St. Louis Arch from the bridge on our way back into town.



Our Econo-Lodge is also right across the street from the massive Edward Jones Dome and the price, $59 for a double room- sweet!


Before our wrong turn we had just finished up a massive USA style pile up of a meal at Zia’s. This Italian restaurant came recommended- “try the deep fried Ravioli a St Louis specialty” St Louis’ Little Italy is a ramble of tiny brown brick houses all in little rows, some with matching Lilliputian porches some not, all up and down one way streets. The fire hydrants are painted a romantic green, white and red, accomplished with what looks like Tom Sawyer’s attention to detail. The restaurant was good and low key, bar up front and tables set up in a back room, where I could imagine old men playing cards and dominos during the day or back in the day- the upfront bar had a wall of faded and cracked black and white photos depicting the early years of St Louis’ Italian community—all dapper. The Ravioli were not a main course but an appetizer, stuffed with spinach and a mix of soft cheeses, no stringy action here. They were very good. What looked like crappy ass finger foods ended up easily being a meal all on its own. Light and crispy fried home made pasta wrapped around said filling, accompanied with a little bowl of very fresh tasting tomato dipping sauce sprinkled with parmesan. Then the main course, oh, only after two romaine salads drowned in grated Mozzarella. Jack and I each took on one of the two specials, his was chicken and ham in a tasty brown sauce, delicious, accompanied by a bowl of garlic brushed pasta. Mine was a full on pasta dish: a tomato and mushroom sauce covering tasty fresh pasta and huge chunks of cut up chicken breast. Both Jack and I had about five bites and asked for doggy bags, way too much food. Zia’s gets a thumbs up.
Today will involve some frozen custard delight found only in St Louis, museum and brewery tours and possibly some rock by Wilco Alumni.