There are plenty of delicious meals to be had in this great city, but some CoMo concoctions show up on everyone’s list of favorites. We went in search of that definitive list, talking to frequent diners, restaurant owners, chefs, college students and Columbia natives to find the foods — and a few drinks — that Columbians can’t miss when they dine out. From tasty to unique to probably impossible, this Top 100 list is a cornucopia of Columbia cuisine your taste buds must try.

Columbia’s Favorite Pizza
Bet you’re not surprised Shakespeare’s pizzas appear on this list. One of our favorites — and a fave with “Good Morning America” — is the Masterpiece Pizza (1). To satiate your carnivorous side, indulge in its Canadian bacon, pepperoni, lean ground beef, lean Italian sausage and lots of veggies including red onions and green peppers. This dish weighs almost 5 pounds, so it’s worth the $32 price tag. If that’s too much food for you, try the pepperoni and pepper cheese (2) combo. Choosing from more than 15 toppings can be difficult, but you can’t go wrong with this pair. Something about Shakespeare’s famous crust, tasty sauce and massive ovens completes the design for a piping hot, mouth-watering meal.
Shakespeare’s Pizza, 225 S. Ninth St., 573-449-2454; 3304 Broadway Business Park Court, 573-447-1202; www.shakespeares.com

Tiger Roll
Osaka’s Tiger Roll (3) has it all. At its core lies a mixture of crabmeat, mussel and shrimp encased in seaweed. The whole roll then spends some time in the deep fryer before being drizzled with spicy mayo and sliced green onions. Dip this in some low-sodium soy
sauce and you’ve got yourself a slice of heaven. The combination results in a salty, spicy, warm hunk of tender seafood. Coming in at $10.95, this roll is enough to fill you up, and you won’t want to share.
Osaka Japanese Restaurant, 120-A Nifong Blvd., 573-875-8588,
www.osakacolumbiamo.com

The Stretch
Don’t let the size of the restaurant fool you. Broadway Diner serves up dishes of epic proportions. The famous Stretch (4) comes in three sizes: half, full and super. A bed of hash browns covers the bottom of the plate topped with a steaming heap of scrambled eggs. A serving of warm, homemade chili smothers the eggs, garnished with diced green peppers, onions and shredded cheddar cheese. It’s a perfect breakfast option, or an after-bars snack.
Broadway Diner, 22 S. Fourth St., 573-875-1173

Booches Burgers And More
To many residents, tradition means the burgers (5) at Booches Billiard Hall. Eat them plain or eat them with cheese, but it’s all about the meat and the grill the cooks have been using since 1976. Another guaranteed pleaser is the Fat Freddie (6). Chili, cheese and sauerkraut piled on top of a hot dog make for one warm and filling comfort food. We also love the grilled pork loin sandwich (7). It’s a simple sandwich with a succulent, pork loin — no breading — served on a gently steamed bun. A former employee recommends adding cheese, grilled onions and mustard to take it to an entirely new level.

And we can’t forget about the restaurant’s breakfast dish. The King Tut (8) captures all the goodness of breakfast food served up hot from the grill. You could say there’s plenty of protein: two eggs, ham, a sausage patty and cheese, to be exact, all served on toasted rye bread.
Booches Billiard Hall, 110 S. Ninth St., 573-874-9519

Tiger Paw
On any given summer night, the familiar Styrofoam cup makes an appearance. Blissful drinkers take to the patios with the red straw from Tropical Liqueurs between their lips. Inside is the key to a good, and perhaps intoxicated, evening. Although Trops rotates some of its flavors, Tiger Paw (9) is always available. Peach Schnapps, Bacardi 151 rum, pineapple juice and orange juice combine to make one strong and delicious frozen drink. It’s best enjoyed in the damp heat of summer, but no one’s judging if you reach for Trops during frigid winter.
Tropical Liqueurs, 515 E. Broadway, 573-442-8098; 3805 S. Providence Road, 573-256-7141; www.2trops.com

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto On Penne
There are endless possibilities for pasta preparations, but Bambino’s has found a delectable combination with the Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto on Penne (10). Set your eyes on the “Custom Pasta” section of the menu, choose the whole-wheat penne, and then select the sun-dried tomato pesto. It’s a simple mix of olive oil, sun-dried and fresh tomatoes, marinara, herbs and garlic, and you get a hefty serving. There are many other options at the Italian eatery, but this one has a soft spot in our hearts.
Bambino’s, 929 E. Broadway, 573-443-4473, www.bambinositaliancafe.com

Phat Thai
The phat Thai (11) is listed as the most popular item on the Bangkok Gardens menu, and with one taste you’ll see why. The local twist on the well-known Thai dish includes rice noodles, cabbage, bean sprouts, onions, peanuts, homemade sweet-and-sour sauce and your choice of protein, topped with fresh lime. Get it for lunch or save room for the larger portion at dinner. Get the biggest bang for your buck with the lunch combo, which includes phat Thai, egg rolls and a drink, all for less than $10.
Bangkok Gardens, 811 Cherry St., 573-874-3284, www.bangkokgardens.com

Avocado Margarita
Aren’t margs supposed to be fruity? La Siesta says no with its avocado margarita (12). And Columbia must agree because it’s one of the most popular beverages on the La Siesta menu. The drink goes down more like a smoothie than a margarita, but it’s a refreshing and yummy spin on the Mexican restaurant go-to.
La Siesta, 33 N. Ninth St., 573-449-8788, www.lasiestamex.com

Snowmonster Concrete
Valentine’s Day is not the only time the love affair between strawberries and chocolate comes to fruition. At Andy’s Frozen Custard, the two make a delicious pairing any time of the year in the Snowmonster Concrete (13). This one-of-a-kind treat combines delicately sweetened fresh strawberries and chocolate flakes, held together by creamy, old-fashioned vanilla custard.
Andy’s Frozen Custard, 610 Cooper Drive N., 573-442-8866, www.eatandys.com

BBQ From Buckingham
Don’t pass up the baby back ribs (14) at Buckingham Smokehouse BBQ just because you think you’ll get covered in sauce. Slowly and carefully smoked over wood, this meal is only as messy as you make it.

“We do not put sauce on anything,” owner Mark Brown says. “Our focus is on the meat. I smoke really good, quality meat, and I think it’s up to the individual if they want sauce.” Fixing up the ribs with Brown’s secret ingredients gives a hint of true sweetness with which no sauce could compete.

Another delish dish is the smoked turkey (15). Brown says there’s “nothing spectacular” about it, but the Columbians beg to differ. Always covered in a homemade dry rub and slow-smoked over real wood, the turkey is one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes. Try it with the spicy barbecue sauce for a bit of a kick. It probably wouldn’t hurt to add some baked beans and sweet potato fries to your plate, either.
Buckingham Smokehouse BBQ, 3804 Buttonwood Drive, 573-499-1490

Nachos Bianco
The Nachos Bianco (16) at Addison’s is one of those dishes you think you can’t finish, but you do. And you love every bite of it. It’s a filling plate of Italian pasta chips, tomatoes, scallions, Kalamata olives, Asiago cheese sauce, mozzarella cheese and your choice of chicken, chorizo sausage or black beans. Split it with friends or eat it yourself. Order it as an appetizer or meal. It always puts chips and salsa to shame.
Addison’s, 709 Cherry St., 573-256-1995, www.addisonssophias.com/addisons

Scrumptious Sandwiches At Billiards on Broadway
Nothing beats a good burger, and the Billiards Burger (17) at Billiards on Broadway captures the true appeal of this American staple. The handmade patties are put together twice daily. It’s nothing fancy, but the restaurant’s old grill provides tons of flavor. Yes, the burgers are seasoned before they hit the hot metal, but the way the juices flow out and then back into the burger as it cooks makes the grill an essential step. French fries are available a la carte, and manager Jesse Lark says the duo is “the perfect balance between potato and meat.”

If burgers aren’t your thing, munch on the grilled chicken sandwich (18) instead. After marinating for 24 hours in a blend of white wine and a hint of spices, the hearty chicken breast cooks on a flattop grill to bring out the Italian blend seasonings. The sandwich, trimmed with lettuce and tomato, tastes great with an added spread of mayo. Served on a Kaiser bun, this no-fuss sandwich is effortlessly delicious.
Billiards on Broadway, 514 E. Broadway, 573-449-0116

$2.39 Pizza By The Slice
If you’ve ever played on a soccer or little league team in Columbia, you’ve most likely been to G&D Pizzaria. The pizza (19) is a post-game favorite with local moms, dads and kids. It tastes even better when it only costs $2.39 per slice at lunchtime. It has a
great cheese-to-sauce ratio atop a thin crust. We recommend the pepperoni.
G&D Pizzaria, 2101 W. Broadway, Suite L, 573-445-8336, www.gdpizzasteak.com

Buddha Bowl
Nearly all the offerings on the Main Squeeze menu have stories behind them, owner Leigh Lockhart says, and it’s no different for the Buddha Bowl (20), a heaping dish of brown rice, seasoned tofu, lots of veggies and a special sesame ginger sauce. The organic, vegan and gluten-free dish was invented by the restaurant’s first chef, Sheila Johnson, a practicing Buddhist and the mastermind behind much of the initial Main Squeeze menu.

“I love names that are a bit of a brain jog and make people think of something else,” Lockhart says, “like the Buddha, and the peace we hope comes from enjoying healthy, vegetarian foods.”
Main Squeeze Natural Foods Café and Juice Bar, 28 S. Ninth St., 573-817-5616,
www.main-squeeze.com

Biscuits And Gravy
Americans across the country, or at least those with cable TV, were introduced to Midway Family Restaurant’s biscuits and gravy (21) when it made its debut on the Travel Channel’s “Truck Stop Missouri.” One man featured on the show attempted to eat the Big 70 Challenge, which consists of seven biscuits, 70 ounces of gravy and an order of bacon and hash browns. For a more manageable meal, choose the half order with one biscuit or the regular order of two biscuits. Add a cup of coffee and you’ve got a hearty breakfast; or make it a midnight snack, because this place is open 24 hours.
Midway Family Restaurant (Midway Truck Stop), 6401 U.S. 40, 573-445-6542

Spicy Chicken Queso Dip
Sous chef Kyle Lancaster says almost every table orders the Spicy Chicken Queso Dip (22) as an appetizer at Room 38. After dipping a chip into this queso, you’ll understand why. Lancaster says the eatery doesn’t reveal its ingredients, but the dip does include a mix of blended cheeses, fresh grilled chicken and the house-recipe hot sauce. That’s good enough for us.
Room 38, 38 N. Eighth St., 573-449-3838, www.room-38.com

Fried Green Beans
The fried green beans (23) at Smokin’ Chick’s BBQ are lightly breaded with an herb seasoning, then flash-fried to a crispy, crunchy delight. That’s all it takes to make this
appetizer a popular choice at the barbecue spot.

“I think it’s the fact that it’s an unusual appetizer,” co-owner Lissa Gaw-Orscheln says. “When you bite into them, they’re so fresh and crunchy.” Smokin’ Chick’s also has fried dill pickle spears. Who knew eating your vegetables could be so delicious?
Smokin’ Chick’s BBQ, 4603 John Garry Drive, Suite 3, 573-256-6450, www.smokinchicksbbq.com

Tastes From The Gastro Pub
In its signature, gastro-pub style, 44 Stone Public House serves up its interpretation of a popular British snack, deviled eggs (24). This appetizer pairs perfectly with one of the restaurant’s hand-selected beers, and at just $4, it’s a reasonably priced way to start off a meal. Each egg is topped with fresh, wild-caught, house-smoked salmon, and the filling contains lemon, tarragon, chives, dill and capers for a rich, smoky taste.

If you’re still hungry, try the thick bacon (25). The eatery smokes whole pork bellies for almost eight hours to serve it up in quarter-inch-thick slices. The cooks brine the pork bellies for almost five days in apple cider, molasses, brown sugar, thyme and garlic. They then smoke them over apple wood and slice each one thickly to add to dishes and their signature bacon sandwich. The food is a contemporary American interpretation of British cuisine.
44 Stone Public House, 3910 Peachtree Drive, 573-443-2726, www.44stonepub.com

Farmer’s Choice
The Blue Moon Café goes country with its all-in-one breakfast combination, the Farmer’s Choice (26). A bed of homemade hash browns supports sautéed peppers and sausage with a topping of two eggs any way you like them and a side of toast. Ask for onions to make this dish even tastier.
Blue Moon Café, 200 E. Nifong Blvd., 573-449-6325

Anonymous Tacos
Get festive and mix up your breakfast options with Café Berlin’s Anonymous Tacos (27). This dish consists of two scrambled eggs, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, jalapeños, cheddar and sausage all served on three open-faced soft tacos. Topped with cilantro, salsa and sour cream, it’ll have you shouting “Olé!” before you’ve cleaned your plate.
Café Berlin, 220 N. 10th St., 573-441-0400, www.cafeberlincomo.com

Prime Picks From The Steakhouse
CC’s City Broiler is Columbia’s signature steakhouse, so almost everyone has one of its menu items on their must-eat list. Begin your adventure at the bar where CC’s mixologists craft classic mojitos (28) with simple syrup, club soda, Bacardi rum and fresh mint leaves. Next, make your way to the white-clothed table and indulge in the homemade bread and butter (29) while you listen to the specials. Each sourdough loaf is baked in-house, flash fried, topped with Parmesan cheese and baked again for 10 more minutes to seal the cheese flavor into the crispy crust. After you’ve chosen an entrée, your server will bring out CC’s chopped salad (30). Each salad consists of cucumbers sliced thinly lengthwise to make a bowl for the spring mix, romaine and iceberg lettuce. Two halves of Roma tomatoes, diced peppers and onions come next, and then it’s all topped with feta cheese, bleu cheese, french-fried onions, toasted walnuts and your choice of dressing. We suggest sticking with the house balsamic vinaigrette, but the homemade bleu cheese and fresh ranch are also nice complements.

Don’t get full yet, because you’re only halfway through this food marathon. Choose the Shrimp Atascadero (31) for your party’s appetizer. This warm medley of flavors contains four large shrimp stuffed with pickled jalapeños and wrapped in hickory bacon. The concoction is then broiled in a house-made, Buffalo-style sauce to round out the smoky taste. Finally, you’ll arrive at the main course aptly called the Chairman of the Board (32). This center-cut filet mignon is wrapped in double-smoked hickory bacon and grilled to your liking until the juices are simply pouring out. Add a side of lobster mashed potatoes (33) to round out your entrée. Each batch of mashed potatoes contains minced lobster meat topped with a Newburg white wine reduction sauce with more lobster, shallots, capers, butter and cream. Save just enough room for CC’s famous bourbon pecan pie (34) topped with an apricot glaze and served warm with a side of whipped cream.
CC’s City Broiler, 1401 Forum Blvd., 573-445-7772, www.ccscitybroiler.com

Breakfast No. 11
It’s hard to decide what to order off the menu at Ernie’s, so try it all with the Breakfast No. 11 (35). A plate piled high with bacon, ham or sausage comes with your choice of a short stack or French toast. Insider’s tip: If you order before 10 a.m., Ernie’s offers a free drink to wash it all down.
Ernie’s Cafe & Steak House, 1005 E. Walnut St., 573-874-7804

Cajun Picks From Jazz
This dish has earned a spot on Jazz’s House Specialties list as one of the most asked-for menu items. The Chicken a La Mer (36) consists of one fried chicken breast for the “not full” order, or two for the full order, each atop a bed of dirty rice. The sauce is a Parmesan cream sauce with shrimp and crabmeat, paired with a veggie medley.

The restaurant also dishes out pasta with an unusual, Cajun twist. The Shrimp Czarina (37) kicks fettuccine into high gear with shellfish drenched in a Parmesan cream sauce with lemon and cayenne pepper. It is also served with julienned vegetables. For a satisfying meal with a kick, indulge in this fan favorite.
Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen, 217 N. Stadium Blvd., 573-443-5299, www.jazzkitchen.com

Satisfying Sophia’s
Start your southern European meal off right at Sophia’s with the cheese and tapenade appetizer (38). This cheese plate is far from ordinary, although it includes the classic Genoa salami, roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives, roasted garlic and flatbread. The twist lies in the addition of eggplant tapenade, a collection of roasted eggplant, garlic, Parmesan cheese and olive oil that complements the other flavors on the plate. After the appetizer, order the Chicken Mudega (39). The rich flavors seep all the way through the lightly breaded chicken breast to the bed of angel hair pasta beneath it. Atop the chicken lies a stew of tarragon cream sauce with sautéed button mushrooms, prosciutto and provolone cheese. The restaurant staff suggests pairing it with Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz for the perfect meal.
Sophia’s, 3915 S. Providence Road, 573-874-8009, www.addisonssophias.com/sophias

Lavender Honey Ice Cream
Sparky’s lavender honey ice cream (40) is the perfect synergy of smell and taste. Both calming and refreshing, this treat has spa-like effects. The sweetness of the honey balances out the herbal taste of lavender. And although Sparky’s often changes its flavors, this one is always on tap. Leave it to Sparky’s, home of the creative cicada ice cream, to turn a flower into a delicious dessert.
Sparky’s, 21 S. Ninth St., 573-443-7400

Pollo A La Parilla
El Rancho is all about the atmosphere. When the clock reads 1 a.m. and the bars shut their doors, this Mexican spot fills with late-night diners. The line often files out the door. The late hours and convenient downtown location aren’t the only draws; it’s really all about the food. The restaurant’s Pollo a la Parilla (41) is addictive. It’s a full platter with grilled chicken breast marinated according to the restaurant’s secret recipe and served with onions, beans, rice, a guacamole salad, sour cream, pico de gallo and tortillas.
El Rancho, 1014 E. Broadway, 573-875-2121

Spinach Artichoke Dip
Spinach artichoke dip is always good, but The Heidelberg’s spinach artichoke dip (42) turns this appetizer into a meal. The dish is exactly what the name suggests, but with one major addition: melted cheese on top. It’s calcium-filled heaven. Each order is served with tortilla chips and some vegetables for an alternative option. Either way, we are never too full to say “no.”
The Heidelberg, 410 S. Ninth St., 573-449-6927, www.theheidelberg.com

Juicyburger
This isn’t your average burger. The Juicyburger (43) from Lee Street Deli resembles a sloppy joe more than a typical burger patty. There are six different varieties to try, including the Flaming Penguin, which starts with the Juicyburger basic, or beef, and then moves into spicier territory with pepper jack cheese, wing sauce and jalapeños. The best thing about these burgers? The price. It’s $2.75 for one, and on Tuesdays, it’s two for $3.50. Nothing beats a cheap, delicious meal at a time-honored Columbia restaurant.
Lee Street Deli, 603 Lee St., 573-442-4111, www.williesfieldhouse.com/lsd/

Gorgonzola Cheesecake
Maybe your mother wouldn’t approve of eating cheesecake before a meal, but Les Bourgeois provides an exception. Instead of a sugary, cold cake, Les Bourgeois serves up its hot and savory gorgonzola cheesecake (44) as an appetizer. It resembles a cheesecake in form, but it’s more of a cheese spread that comes with toasted bread. It can be served with roasted tomato sauce and walnut pesto, or for a slightly sweeter take, a seasonal fruit compote and gastrique.

Les Bourgeois chef Aaron Wells-Morgan says, “There’s a level of simplicity that helps carry it through every audience.” We say, the simpler, the better.
Les Bourgeois, 14020 W. Highway BB, Rocheport, 573-698-2300,
www.missouriwine.com

Lonnie Ray’s BBQ
Kansas City is known for its barbecue, but we’re not going to drive there every time we get a hankering for some smoky food. Thankfully, Lonnie Ray’s BBQ is located in nearby Harrisburg. Owner Mike Whiteley smokes all the food over hardwood using recipes he developed himself. We love everything he cooks, but two selections stand out: smoked bologna (45) and smoked brisket (46). Just glancing at the brisket will get your mouth watering. The tender meat can either be served on a plate or as a sandwich. One of the restaurant’s entrées, the Brother Love, centers on the brisket but integrates sautéed peppers, onions and cheese as well. The smoked bologna is most famously used in the Gee Willikers sandwich, the epitome of barbecue: smoked bologna topped with pepper jack
cheese, coleslaw, onion rings, pickle slices and a special Gee Willikers sauce. It sure beats driving to Kansas City!
Lonnie Ray’s BBQ, 81 E. Sexton St., Harrisburg, 573-874-0020

Slow-Smoked Ribs
Grilling is typically reserved for the summertime, but not at Shotgun Pete’s BBQ Shack. Here you can satisfy your craving for all things grilled year-round and indulge in the slow-smoked ribs (47). The meat is massaged with a specially blended dry rub and slow-smoked on a handmade grill affectionately called “the magic box,” which was built more than 30 years ago. These spare ribs are deliciously bad to the bone. They’re cooked
on the pit for three to four hours, allowing the flavor to seep into the meat. If you want to add some pizzazz, choose from one of the five barbecue sauces served on the side.
Shotgun Pete’s BBQ Shack, 701 Business Loop 70 W., 573-442-7878

Gooey Butter Cake
If you’re looking for a little morning flattery, this treat is sure to butter you up. The gooey butter cake (48) at Kaldi’s Coffee can pass for a dessert or a breakfast treat, and it tastes good with a latte. It’s a cake that can be eaten with a spoon, since the first layer is a custard-like, ooey-gooey mixture that sits atop yellow cake.
Kaldi’s Coffee, 29 S. Ninth St., 573-874-2566, www.kaldiscoffee.com

Hail Mary Challenge Burger
CNBC recently included Stadium Grill’s Hail Mary Challenge Burger (49) in a recent list of “5 Undefeated Eating Challenges.” Weighing in at 6.1 pounds — 7.1 pounds if you include the side of fries — this meal requires a well-planned strategy for consumption. Priced at $50, it comes with four pounds of meat, four kinds of cheese with three slices per flavor, four fried eggs, eight pieces of bacon and about a quarter pound of pulled pork. That’s topped with onion straws, and it’s all held together, kind of, by a large bun. You get lots of perks if you finish it, including getting the burger named after you. But good luck with this challenge because many have tried and many have failed.
Stadium Grill, 1219 Fellows Place, 573-777-9292, www.stadiumgrillcolumbia.com

Pork Dumplings
Big flavor comes in these small dumplings from Jingo’s, neatly packaged with pork, ginger, honey and garlic. Whether you order the pork dumplings (50) steamed or fried, expect the sweet and savory appetizers to surprise your taste buds.
Jingo’s, 1201 E. Broadway, 573-874-2530, www.newjingos.com

Monkey Goes Nuts
Jina Yoo’s signature Monkey Goes Nuts (51) sushi roll is filled with an unlikely combination of ingredients, but somehow they all work to create a delicious, sweet and salty whole. In one bite, you’ll enjoy smoked salmon, cream cheese and thinly sliced mango. This roll is topped with sautéed cashews and avocado, then drizzled with a mango purée and eel sauce.
Jina Yoo’s, 2200 Forum Blvd., Suite 109, 573-446-5462, www.jinayoos.com

Lemon Drop
Kabuki’s zesty Lemon Drop (52) has all the ingredients that make up a great sushi roll. This popular menu item is wrapped in rice and seaweed and stuffed with imitation crab, cucumber, avocado and cream cheese. But it doesn’t stop there: The finishing touches to the roll are garnishes of salmon and thinly sliced lemon.
Kabuki Japanese Steak House, 1000 I-70 Drive S.W., 573-442-9996, www.columbiakabuki.com

A Day At Sycamore
You can spend your whole day at Sycamore enjoying fresh, seasonal food. With options from lunch to dessert, the restaurant’s offerings can relieve any palate fatigue. For lunch, enjoy a unique spin on an American classic, the BLT (53). Served on homemade focaccia, the bread adds a distinguished taste to the tried-and-true sandwich. When fresh tomatoes are no longer in season, the restaurant opts for a sun-dried tomato mayo that pairs nicely with the bacon that’s smoked and cured in-house. Insider’s tip: Double up on the bacon.

Dinnertime faves are Sycamore’s signature dishes: The “dry-packed” scallops (54) are free of chemical additives, so you’ll get that from-the-seashore taste. The jumbo sea scallops are seared to a golden brown, perfectly cooked on the inside, and served on a bed of sesame shiitake lo mein noodles. If you’re not a seafood fan, try the short ribs (55). Braised in rich and hearty Belgian-style ale with caramelized onions, these ribs are a great pick during cool-weather months.

If your sweet tooth hits next, order the vanilla bean crème brûlée (56). In typical Sycamore fashion, this dessert is simple and fresh. The restaurant uses local eggs and cream to make the delectable dish.
Sycamore, 800 E. Broadway, 573-874-8090, www.sycamorerestaurant.com

Family-Style Meal
There’s nothing like Mama’s home cooking, but Claysville Country Store comes close with the family-style lunch or dinner (57). The folks at the store will spoil you with unlimited fresh cooking while you relax with friends and family. Fried chicken or country ham is served with mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, applesauce, coleslaw and Southern-style biscuits.

“We want people to feel like they’re part of our family,” owner Mark Hooibrink says. “We want them to feel like they’re sitting around their family table enjoying a big meal together.” If you still have room for dessert, try the coconut cream pie (58), which is homemade by Mark’s wife, Laura. And don’t forget, this restaurant requires reservations.
Claysville Country Store, Mile 149.8 along the Katy Trail, Claysville, 573-636-8443

Anti-Vegetarian Sub
Sub Shop’s most popular sandwich isn’t just for meat-lovers or veggie-lovers. It’s for food-lovers in general. Piled high with goodies from across the food pyramid, the Anti-Vegetarian Sub (59) calls all hungry stomachs. Onions, green peppers, mushrooms, black olives, Swiss cheese, mozzarella, American cheese, mayonnaise, tomatoes and, of course, bacon are crammed between two slices of your favorite bread and toasted. The vegetables bring a heartiness to the sandwich, complemented by the depth of the three cheeses and a touch of smoke from the bacon.
Sub Shop, 209 S. Eighth St.; 2105 W. Worley St.; 212 E. Green Meadows Road.; 601 W. Business Loop 70, Suite 203; 573-449-1919, www.subshopinc.com

The Rome’s Italian Cuisine
Sweet Italian sausage and roasted peppers (60) make a star appearance as a succulent appetizer at The Rome. The homemade sausage is unforgettable with spices like garlic, brown sugar and fennel. Paired with red and green peppers fresh from the stone pizza oven and the one-of-a-kind marinara, you’re left with a dish that will delight your palate. Roasting the peppers in the oven “gives them a nice char and sweetness,” says owner Cory Hodapp.

For another meat-and-veggies combo, ask for the steak tip salad (61). A shoulder cut known as a terrace major is marinated in an olive oil-balsamic base with garlic, then custom-grilled to the customer’s request. A bed of green leaf and romaine lettuce holds up a mixture of Roma tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, carrots, roasted peppers and steak. Crumbled gorgonzola cheese tops off the dish. Try bleu cheese dressing to bring all the flavors together.
The Rome, 114 S. Ninth St., 573-876-2703, www.dinerome.com

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
It doesn’t get much better than a fresh cookie still warm from the oven. Whether you’re looking for a quick snack, or you want to surprise a friend with a batch of tasty treats, oatmeal raisin cookies (62) from Hot Box Cookies are just the right choice. The perfect amount of thick oatmeal gives the cookies texture, with raisins delicately scattered throughout for a touch of sweetness. It’s a cookie classic, but Hot Box bakes it right.
Hot Box Cookies, 808-B E. Broadway, 573-777-8777, www.hotboxcookies.com

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
On Valentine’s Day, the go-to spot in Columbia is The Candy Factory for one special item: chocolate-covered strawberries (63). The sweet shop won’t release how many they sell each year — it’s a “proprietary secret,” owner Amy Atkinson says — but the staff works around the clock from Feb. 9 to Feb. 14 to make the fresh strawberry treat. You can choose from white, milk or dark chocolate, or a combination. Is there really a better gift for your sweetie?
The Candy Factory, 701 E. Cherry St., 573-443-8222, thecandyfactory.biz

Feasting At Flat Branch
Flat Branch Pub & Brewing is a Columbia mainstay thanks to its tasty beers and variety of dishes. One beer that’s always on tap is the Green Chili Beer (64), which gets its kick from Anaheim and Serrano peppers. It has an earthy taste with a hint of chili. Locals call it a must-try. Another popular beer, the Great Pumpkin Ale (65), only comes out once a year. The brewery staff makes a special batch for release on Halloween. More than 275 pounds of pumpkin are combined with five spices to create the beloved autumn brew.

The large food menu is also popular with locals and visitors alike. For starters, try the restaurant’s appetizer staple Chokes ‘N Cheese (66), which has been on the menu since the brewery opened, general manager Lance Wood says. The warm and creamy artichoke concoction is served in a bread bowl with veggies for dipping. For salad fans, the Charbroiled Romaine Salad (67) is the brewery’s variation of the Caesar. It consists of romaine lettuce that’s marinated and charbroiled, then topped with a grilled chicken breast,
shredded Parmesan cheese and homemade croutons. If you need more than a salad, the Catfish Po’ Boy (68) is one of the many sandwiches the brewery offers. Paul Huesgen, a manager at Flat Branch, describes the sandwich as unique. “Everything about it is made
from scratch,” he says. The fried filet sits on a made-that-day baguette, topped with Tabasco, coleslaw and Monterey Jack cheese.

For dessert, there’s the Wild Tiger Float (69), a combination of the Oil Change Stout and Arbuckle’s Ice Cream made on the Mizzou campus. A restaurant that mixes beer and ice cream? No wonder Flat Branch is so popular.
Flat Branch Pub & Brewing, 115 S. Fifth St., 573-499-0400, www.flatbranch.com

Magnificent Meals At Murry’s
This eatery is one of Columbia’s favorite gathering places, as you can see on any Friday night around 6:30. The great food is the main draw. For a night at Murry’s, it’s essential to start with an appetizer, as most of our top picks here come from that part of the menu. Brock’s Green Pepper Rings (70) feature a combination of fried veggies and unexpected powdered sugar, creating a melt-in-your-mouth flavor with some necessary crunch. The fried eggplant (71) and calamari (72) have a light breading so you can taste the good stuff. The generous servings are good choices for the whole table. Other popular items include the Hot ‘n Spicy Shrimp (73) — you’re going to need napkins — and Bob’s Bobs (74), named after a buddy of the owners who always wished he’d had a steak dish on his menu when he owned his own restaurant. The frog legs (75) and Mom’s Onion Rings (76) are trusty crowd-pleasers as well.

Once you’ve finished your appetizer, try Deb’s Garlic Salad (77), also named after a friend and great salad-maker. Afterward, sink your teeth into the steak sandwich (78). Murry’s co-owner Bill Sheals says the meat comes from a special part of the sirloin, which makes more work than usual for the chefs, but a tasty sandwich for you. Another good choice for an entrée is the salmon (79). The charbroiled North Atlantic salmon is a high-quality product that leads to a high-quality meal.

If you’re not full after all this food, you’ll need a side item, and for that we
recommend the french fries (80). Sheals says there’s nothing special about these, either, except they come straight from a potato instead of a bag. It’s an example of the fresh and delicious food you’ll find at Murry’s.
Murry’s, 3107 Green Meadows Way, 573-442-4969, www.murrysrestaurant.net

First-Rate Bar Food At Shiloh
Shiloh Bar & Grill’s menu is better than the same old bar food. One of our favorite choices is the Abby Pizza (81). The pie is a meat-lover’s fantasy with pepperoni, Canadian
bacon and Italian sausage, plus bell peppers and mozzarella cheese. If you can’t eat a whole pizza, sip the homemade chili (82) instead. It’s on the menu as a side, but you can also order a bowl for a whole meal.

If sandwiches are more your thing, chow down on the Buffalo chicken wrap (83). This sandwich has all the usual suspects — chicken, lettuce, tomato and shredded cheese — but Shiloh’s own spicy Buffalo sauce gives it a local touch.
Shiloh Bar & Grill, 402 E. Broadway, 573-875-1800, www.shilohbar.com

Good Eats At Olive Café
Olive Café provides Columbians with a taste of the Middle East, and it does it exceptionally well with the chicken shawarma sandwich (84) and the hummus (85). Both items are customer favorites. “Everything here is from scratch,” restaurant chef Haitham Alramahi says. That includes the shawarma sauce spread on the chicken and the pita bread it comes in. And it takes two days to perfect the hummus. We think all that time
pays off.
Olive Café, 21 N. Providence Road, 573-442-9004

Dolma
You don’t have to travel to Greece to try some Mediterranean cuisine. Instead, head for Casablanca on Elm Street and try the dolma (86). The appetizer, or meal if you want, consists of grape leaves filled with rice, beef, tomatoes and parsley on a bed of more rice. One local fan suggests dipping the dolma in the restaurant’s tzatziki sauce.
Casablanca Mediterranean Grill, 501 Elm St., 573-442-4883, www.casablanca-grill.com

Crab Rangoon and Pork At Peking
Peking has perfected the art of the Asian standard, crab Rangoon (87). Cream cheese, crab, onion, salt and pepper are held together by a fancy wonton skin. Each piece is cooked crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth good on the inside. The Peking Style Pork (88) is a great way to follow up the crab rangoon. Shredded pork smothered in soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, onion and cooking wine give a sweet flavor to the meat, served with carrots, bamboo shoots and black mushrooms.
Peking, 212 E. Green Meadows Road, 573-256-6060

Biscuits And Gravy
On a cold winter morning, there’s nothing like biscuits and gravy (89) from Lucy’s Corner Café to warm you up. Buttermilk brings life to special dry ingredients in the fluffy, golden biscuits, topped with a generous portion of thick, sausage-milk gravy with special seasoning. Deemed the “blue-ribbon breakfast” because of its victory at the Boone County Fair, Lucy’s biscuits and gravy has won over mid-Missourians.
Lucy’s Corner Café, 522 E. Broadway, 573-875-1700

Thin-Crust, Greek-Style Pizza
There’s lots of pizza in this college town, but Arris’ Pizza sets itself apart with its Greek flair. Customers can’t get enough of the Hercules (90). The pie includes seasoned ground beef, Canadian and breakfast bacon, pepperoni and Greek sausage. It may not be the dream choice for vegetarians, but it’s a delicious pick for everyone else.
Arris’ Pizza, 1020 E. Green Meadows Road, 573-441-1199, www.arrispizzaonline.com

All-American Fare At Mugs Up
You’ll feel extra-American when you stop for a burger (91) and root beer (92) at Mugs Up. The Columbia staple makes its own secret-recipe root beer, a cool, frothy drink that’s great for a summer day. For a change from the usual burger, try the cheese zip (93). If a cheeseburger and a sloppy joe got married and had a baby, this is what they would have.
Mugs Up, 603 Orange St., 573-443-7238

BLT
This sandwich is yummy, but it tastes even better when you know the ingredients didn’t travel too far to get to your plate. Everything that goes into Uprise Bakery’s BLT (94) comes from local farms. The molasses-cured bacon hails from Patchwork Family Farms, and the tomatoes come from The Root Cellar. Add some aioli and you’ve got the
Uprise BLT on a house-made baguette.
Uprise Bakery, 10 Hitt St., 573-256-2265

Carne Asada Tacos
Keep it simple with the carne asada tacos (95) from Taquería El Rodeo. The tender meat is grilled and coated in a homemade steak seasoning and served in a warm corn
tortilla shell. Topped with fresh cilantro and a hint of lime, it’s the authentic way to devour a taco.
Taquería El Rodeo, 805 E. Nifong Blvd., 573-875-8048

Smoked Salmon
After you taste Chris McD’s Smoked Salmon (96), you won’t want to try the other fish in the sea. The chefs cold-smoke the 4-ounce Atlantic salmon over apple wood. They serve it with red chili mayonnaise, mango salsa, crostinis and California greens. Build your own bite-sized crostini creation with any or all of the items served alongside the fresh fish. This appetizer is enough to share, and the freshness pairs well with any of the restaurant’s fine wines.
Chris McD’s, 1400 Forum Blvd., Suite 6, 573-446-6237, www.chrismcds.com

Something To Celebrate At The Upper Crust
For a sweetly refreshing lunch, you can’t go wrong with the chicken salad sandwich (97) from The Upper Crust. Bits of chicken dance with grapes, celery, onion
and almonds in this delectable, mayonnaise-based mixture. A butter croissant hugs a generous helping of the salad. When you’re done enjoying every last crumb of the sandwich, celebrate yourself with an adorable and delicious mini cake (98). Hand-decorated at the restaurant and just larger than a cupcake, the mini cakes are one-of-a-kind desserts. Flavors are constantly rotated and range from white wedding cake and raspberry-laced vanilla to chocolate and Kahlua velvet. Carrot cake may be our favorite, but ask your server what’s best today.
The Upper Crust, 3107 Green Meadows Way, 573-874-4044; 904 Elm St., Suite 108, 573-874-3033; www.theuppercrust.biz

Get Gourmet At Grand Cru
Missouri is a landlocked state, but that doesn’t keep Columbia’s restaurants from offering tasty seafood. At Grand Cru, start your meal off with a helping of oysters (99). Try it prepared Rockefeller style, which includes a topping of bacon, spinach, onion and a blend of cheeses. When it’s time to choose your entrée, go with the old faithful: the 20-ounce bone-in ribeye (100) is topped with a mushroom ragout that’s popular with Grand Cru customers.
Grand Cru, 2600 S. Providence Road, 573-443-2600,
www.grandcrusteaksandseafood.com

There was a day in November when NASCAR driver Carl Edwards found himself in one of the major sports stories of the year. He was in Miami for the Ford 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, the final race of the Sprint Cup Series. The series is the most elite league in NASCAR, and Columbia’s hometown hero was favored to win the championship. With Edwards as the points leader, it seemed as if the championship title was just around the Homestead corner. Edwards had 2,359 points on the board, 3 points ahead of Tony Stewart, a seasoned racer with three series championships under his helmet.

Edwards led the most laps of the race, but Stewart pulled ahead and crossed the finish line first, followed closely by Edwards. Edwards and Stewart both finished with 2,403 points, the first tie in Sprint Cup Series history. Stewart ended up winning the tiebreaker since he won more races in the season than Edwards.

It was one of the top racing stories, maybe one of the top sports stories, in a year when sports headlines seemed to be more about scandals than sports. There were lockouts in the NFL, lockouts in the NBA and child molestation allegations at Penn State and Syracuse University. It seemed as if athletes and coaches in 2011 spent more time defending themselves than playing their sports.

So, yes, Edwards lost the tiebreaker, but the way he handled it seemed refreshing. He congratulated Stewart, he congratulated his team and he seemed genuinely grateful for the support he received throughout the whole season. “This night is all about Tony Stewart,” he said in his post-race interview.

In a year when athletes often came across as selfish and spoiled, Edwards conducted himself like a gentleman. The native Columbian hasn’t always had the best public image, but on that day in November, he was the sports role model people have been looking for. He said he was going to be the best loser NASCAR had ever seen, and after such a tough loss, many would say he was.

Weeks after the season finish, Edwards reflected on the 2011 season, saying it showed what he’s learned over the years.

“NASCAR has a way of really making you understand that if you give your effort and do everything right, sometimes you just don’t win,” he says.

The One Who Was Picked First
With the Daytona 500 coming up on Feb. 26, kicking off the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, winning is what Edwards plans to do in 2012. Analysts are projecting Edwards as the favorite, and his fans in Columbia and across the world are crossing their fingers once again. So can he do it? And what will this mean for Columbia if he does?

Columbia is no stranger to success stories. Moguls and superstars from Sam Walton to Sheryl Crow have called Columbia home for a time. Local kids have gone on to Ivy League schools, the Great White Way and top jobs in business and politics.

But no hometown kid has made Columbia prouder than Carl Edwards has. He was born here, went through the public schools here and he spends quite a bit of time here at his Columbia home. In the NASCAR world, he’s a superstar, but in Columbia, he’s more accessible. Almost everyone has a Carl Edwards story. Some people went to school with him. Some have worked out with him at Key Largo. Others remember him as the kid doing backflips at Capital Speedway in Holts Summit.

But to the people who knew him well as a kid growing up in Columbia, they remember moments that show why Edwards has risen to the top and why he’s done it gracefully.

One of these people is Nancy Russell, a family friend and mother of one of Edwards’ good friends, Sam Russell. She says it was evident that Edwards had an aptitude for athletics at a young age, plus a charisma his peers could sense.

“He was the one who was picked first, every time, in any sport, in any game, in anything,” Russell says. “He could do something on the monkey bars that nobody else could do.”

And even though Edwards was picked first, he also tried to include others. “He was the kind of person that if there were some boys that didn’t get picked, he would try to influence the pick,” Russell says.

When Edwards wasn’t with his friends, he was racing. His dad, Carl Edwards Sr., who has raced for years, put his son in a go-cart at the age of 4. Edwards started racing competitively when he was 13, on tracks around mid-Missouri and the Midwest.

Russell says Edwards had the perseverance and ambition at a young age and she would often ask him what he wanted in life. “His answer was always ‘I’m going to be a racecar driver,’ ” Russell says. “Then he was a racecar driver and it was ‘I’m going to be a champion.’ ”

Edwards’ perseverance paid off because now he is one of the most talked about drivers in NASCAR. He remains the 2012 favorite, despite a widely known “curse” that the guy who comes in second in a championship race often doesn’t do too well the next year.

Joe Menzer, a writer with NASCAR.com, believes Edwards is the one who can overcome the superstition because he’s already been in this situation. In 2008, Edwards won nine races. NASCAR followers picked him to be the one to beat Jimmie Johnson, a driver who went on to win five consecutive titles.

“He’s already been through it, he’s been in this position,” Menzer says. “He’s already been the next guy.”

Menzer also thinks Edwards’ performance in 2011 shows he is a promising driver. “It wasn’t like he lost the championship; he made Tony Stewart win it,” Menzer says.
“He did everything he could to make Tony Stewart have to win that championship down the stretch.”

Edwards Sr. says as much as he wishes his son could have won the Sprint Cup Championship, he believes Carl Jr. is now a part of history. “I was really disappointed for Carl,” he says, “but mostly, I was proud that he played such a big part in the closest, and maybe the best, title fight in NASCAR history.”

Paying It Forward
Edwards wants, and plans, to win in 2012, but he says he’s learned over the years that winning isn’t everything. And while it seems cliché, he’s shown through his actions that there’s more to life than championships.

He likes to help others from far away to close by. He works with many organizations, including the Speedway Children’s Charities and the Dream Factory, and he was appointed to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition in 2010. Last December, Edwards and his Roush Fenway teammate, Trevor Bayne, traveled to Monterey, Mexico, to visit an orphanage.

“It was an eye opener,” he says. “It reminded me what was important.”

In Columbia, the example most used to illustrate Edwards’s generosity is how he helped raise money for his friend Sam Russell. When Sam got into a bike accident that left him paralyzed from the mid-abdomen down, Nancy Russell asked Edwards if he would be interested in helping with a fundraiser that was being put together to help with Sam’s huge medical bills. And, of course, he did.

Even with the accolades Edwards receives, NASCAR fans know he’s not perfect. When he was an up-and-comer, other drivers were skeptical. “I think when Carl first burst onto the scene, it was almost like this guy’s too good to be true,” Menzer says.

Some thought he had a phony side. Stewart once called Edwards the “Eddie Haskell” of NASCAR, alluding to the “Leave It To Beaver” character who was overly polite to parents, but a bully to kids. The reputation got a boost when Edwards shoved fellow driver Matt Kenseth, then acted like he was going to punch him before Kenseth was to be interviewed by a reporter. The altercation made its way onto YouTube.

Menzer still thinks Edwards is a good guy even with the mistakes he’s made. “Yes, he can lose his temper as anyone can,” Menzer says. “We all have a side to us that we’re not proud of.”

Menzer adds that he thinks Edwards has matured and he believes fatherhood — Edwards is a father of two with his wife, Kate — has mellowed him a bit.

Edwards says he does think about being a role model, although he says he doesn’t think about it enough. “I’ve made some mistakes and done some dumb stuff,” Edwards says. “then you realize afterwards, ‘Oh, people are watching.’”

Menzer says Edwards is obviously aware of his public perception, but he thinks that’s the way it should be. “I think more athletes would be better off if they thought about that.”

Does Columbia Care?
While the public knows who Edwards is and what he’s done, many think the magnitude of Edwards’ accomplishments has not caught on in Columbia — at least not as much as they should. Many think there should be a billboard or a sign noting Columbia as the “Hometown of Carl Edwards.”

Some have tried. For a short time in 2008, after Edwards won the Nationwide Championship Series, then known as the Busch Series, there was a billboard on Interstate 70. There was also talk of naming a part of Route WW after Edwards, and a bill was proposed, but politics kept it from going through. It seemed like Carl Edwards Drive was going to be a harder sell than anyone thought.

Renaming a street isn’t as easy as putting up a yard sale sign, but it’s nothing new to the NASCAR world. You’ll find Jeff Gordon Boulevard in the town of Pittsboro, Ind., where that NASCAR driver was raised. In Kannapolis, N.C., there’s Dale Earnhardt Boulevard and Earnhardt Road, plus Dale Earnhardt Plaza, a park dedicated to the racing legend who tragically died at the Daytona 500 in 2001.

So is Carl Edwards Drive, or an I-70 billboard something this city really needs? Columbian and NASCAR fan Jim Marberry thinks acknowledging Edwards’ accomplishments in a public way would not only be a tribute to Edwards, but also a benefit to the city.

“NASCAR fans are very loyal,” Marberry says. “There will be a few people going down I-70 who stop to eat lunch in Columbia and ride downtown to say ‘I was in the hometown of Carl Edwards.’ ”

Russell says there is more awareness about Carl’s accomplishments in recent years, but she still thinks some people feel uncomfortable with the sport. “There is way more understanding of ‘This is an athlete, this is a person of interest,’ ” Russell says, “but he’s not going to be, ever, like an NBA star or some other sport in Columbia because there is a snooty angle to avoiding NASCAR.”

Critics of NASCAR think of it as a redneck sport and Menzer says the perception problem is something NASCAR has been battling “almost its entire existence.” But he encourages anyone who is skeptical of the sport to go to a race and experience it. “Carl’s kind of like the sport,” Menzer says. “You’ve got to scratch under the surface a little bit. There’s a treasure trove of sport, personality and passion.”

A Winning Attitude
Regardless of how Columbians feel about Edwards, the driver knows he’ll bring the championship trophy home to Columbia eventually. “My biggest goals in auto racing are, if I can perform as a driver the way that I did this year, if we could do that for the next few years, we could win a couple of championships,” Edwards says.

Edwards Sr. says the same thing about his son. His hope for his son in the next five years, he says, is “that he wins five championships.”

While being a champion has been his dream ever since Edwards was a young child, he’s learned along the way that championships aren’t everything.

“I feel that I’ve learned over the last 10 years or so to place my feeling of accomplishment and the way I see myself and the way I see my performances more on my effort and how I perform than my results,” Edwards says.

Edwards reiterates how much he loves Columbia and how much he appreciates everyone’s support.

“I’m proud to be from Columbia. I’m proud of my roots,” Edwards says. “The people here are just amazing. I cannot thank everyone enough for their support.”

He may not have won the championship last year, and there may not be a sign along the highway, but Edwards has shown Columbia and the nation that sometimes tangible things aren’t what’s important. Sometimes the road to the finish line is what matters.

“You grow up thinking you’ve got to win and winning’s everything,” Edwards says, “but the performance is what it’s about.”

Follow Carl Edwards’ progress this racing season at www.nascar.com.

Anticipation is building in Columbia for the city’s ninth True/False Film Festival, which takes place this year from Thursday, March 1, through Sunday, March 4.

This annual event fills downtown Columbia with crowds eager to view the world’s newest, most captivating nonfiction films in a full festival environment, complete with a parade, live music, parties, panel discussions and assorted madcap entertainment.

The festival is the Mardi Gras of the nonfiction film community, says filmmaker Robert Greene, director of “Fake It So Real” (True/False 2011) and “Kati with an I” (True/False 2010).

“The movies are all packed, the beer is flowing, the conversations are engaging, and the music is nice,” he says. “As a filmmaker, it’s completely exhilarating … a festival environment with a serious interest in expanding the conversation about movies.”

Festival fans are anxious to learn the titles in the 2012 lineup — and just a couple of months before the festival, organizers were anxious, too.

“That’s the nerve-wracking part of our job,” says festival co-director David Wilson. “But if we want to have the best and freshest films, we have to wait. Things happen last minute.”

So last minute, in fact, that in mid-January, not even one film choice was certain.

But several other pieces of the planning puzzle had fallen into place. Here is a tentative schedule:

Jubilee: 6 p.m., March 1, Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts, 203 S. Ninth St. A costume gala offering plentiful libations from some of Columbia’s finest bartenders, food, live music, and then a screening of one of the festival’s big films to launch the weekend. Admission is discounted with a Lux Pass, and free with a Silver or Super Circle Pass; $35 at the door.

March March Parade: 5:15 p.m., March 2, beginning at Boone County Courthouse Square and heading down Ninth Street. The festival’s delightfully eccentric kickoff parade is free and open to the public — not just to view but also to join. This year’s theme is robots, and participants are encouraged to dress the part.

True Life Run: 8 a.m., March 3, beginning at Flat Branch Park. This 5-kilometer run/walk is a mad dash through the streets of downtown Columbia, with several zany challenges thrown in for fun. Winners will be determined by a combination of course time, craziness and successful participation in the challenges. Entry fee is $30 and includes the run, official T-shirt and a quick breakfast at the end. A portion of the proceeds go to the True Life Fund.

Gimme Truth! 9:30 p.m., March 3, The Blue Note. Fact or fiction? It will be up to the Gimme Truth! game show audience, comprised of pass-holders, to decide whether Missouri filmmakers have created a profile of a Missourian that is 100 percent true or 100 percent false. Included (or discounted) with passes. Tickets $8 at box office; $10 at door.

Saturday Night Comedy Show. 11:15 p.m., March 3, The Blue Note. Following Gimme Truth! will be a comedy show featuring Johnny St. John, the hilarious Gimme Truth! host (and star of American Shopper), and a handful of other up-and-coming comedians. Free and open to the public.

New This Year
The 2012 True/False Film Festival is adding two new venues, Jesse Hall on the University of Missouri campus and the Community Room of the Missouri United Methodist Church, 204 S. Ninth St. The Methodist church will be the site of Picture House, an exhibition of giant, larger-than-life video portraits of people from all over Columbia.

True/False Gives Back With The True Life Fund
Something happens when people watch films documenting other people doing heroic work: Those watching get inspired.

True/False organizers decided in 2007 to celebrate the power documentaries have to create change with the establishment of the True Life Fund. Each year, organizers choose one film to be the True Life Film and then invite festival-goers to raise funds to support and honor those who appear in front of the camera.

“Documentary film subjects don’t get paid,” says David Wilson, festival co-director. “A lot of times, they find themselves in really tough circumstances; they’re struggling, and often, they’re doing really heroic things even though they’re struggling, and so we created this fund as a way for audiences, and for ourselves, to give back to these subjects — individually, in a small way, but together, in a big way.”

In 2011, the True Life Fund raised $15,000 for “three real-life Midwestern superheroes” whose work with the anti-violence group CeaseFire was featured in “The Interrupters.” Steve James, the film’s director, calls the fund an “incredible” effort.

“It’s great to see people who do important, significantly underpaid work rewarded in this ways,” he says.

Since 2009, The Crossing church has served as the sponsor of the True Life Fund.

In addition to allowing the church to show concern for the good of Columbia and to express an appreciation for good art, the sponsorship helps the church broaden its connections, says Nathan Tiemeyer, a pastor at The Crossing.

“A sponsorship like this gives us an opportunity to interact with and build relationships with people we might not otherwise rub shoulders with a great deal,” he says.

That opportunity is also something filmmaker James admires about the True Life Fund. He expresses gratitude for how members of The Crossing supported the film and the people it featured; the church even invited him and one of the film’s principle figures to speak at a service and then took contributions for the True Life Fund.

Says James: “That [collaboration] is unique given the political climate we live in today where people from one end of the cultural and political spectrum have very little contact with those who don’t share their same worldview.”

For the 2012 True Life Fund, The Bertha Foundation, a United Kingdom-based philanthropic organization that “works with inspiring leaders who are catalysts for social and economic change,” has provided a $15,000 matching grant, so every dollar donated up to $15,000 will bring in another dollar.

Anyone can donate to the fund using the online donation form at www.truefalse.org.

As of press time, the 2012 True Life Film had yet to be selected.

The True/False Impact on Columbia
Drawing somewhere around 12,000 attendees, the True/False festival has an economic impact of more than $1 million on Columbia.

“It’s good for our hotels, it’s good for our restaurants, it’s good for retail, it’s good for Columbia as a whole,” says Amy Schneider, director of the Columbia Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

A 2011 survey showed that almost half, 48.2 percent, of festival attendees were from outside Boone County.

“This festival establishes Columbia’s identity as a cultural destination and raises our profile on a national level,” Schneider says.

The 12,000 attendance figure is an estimate derived from taking the number of tickets sold in 2011 — 30,650 — and dividing it by the average number of films attendees report seeing, 2.5.

What Musical Acts Are Coming?
Live music has been a major part of the festival since its beginning. “Buskers” — musical acts performing for donations — entertain audiences before films and also appear at downtown venues.

“Every night during the fest, you can wander down to Café Berlin and for nothing — a few bucks’ donation — you can see some outstanding bands from all over the country,” Wilson says.

Some of the national acts appearing at True/False this year are Dark Dark Dark; Pearl and the Beard; Why Are We Building Such a Big Ship?; Nick Jaina; and Run On Sentence. Also planned is a Thursday night showcase at Mojo’s with Jerusalem and the Starbaskets, and Bass Drum of Death.

Passes and Tickets
True/False offers a few pass levels for attendees, from a $500 Super Circle Pass to a $60 Simple Pass. Passes are on sale now and sold exclusively through the True/False website at www.truefalse.org. Different pass levels include different perks, but all pass-holders gain access to advance online ticket reservations. For non-pass-holders, tickets to individual screenings are sold at the box office (location to be determined), opening at noon on Thursday, March 1. During the fest, the box office phone number is 573-442-TRUE.

Who’s Behind This Festival?
The founders and co-directors of True/False Film Fest are Paul Sturtz and David Wilson. Jeremy Brown, the managing director and volunteer coordinator, also serves the festival full time. Tracy Lane is the executive director of Ragtag, the parent organization of True/False. The festival also has part-time workers and seasonal workers.

And, of course, the festival uses volunteers — some 700 in 2012 — who altogether will give an estimated 10,000 hours of service.

Helpful Hint
On Sat., Feb. 4, from noon to 1:30, True/False and BXR will host the “How-to-True/False Session” in the Friends Room of the Columbia Public Library, 100 W. Broadway. This free “guided tour” of all things T/F will cover how to buy a pass, reserve tickets, buy individual tickets, offers descriptions of events and sneak peeks of a few films.

Visit truefalse.org for details and updates to the 2012 True/False Film Festival.

Jorgovan/Shull
JoAnn Jorgovan and Kyle Shull plan to wed April 28 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. JoAnn is the daughter of Joan and Jeff Jorgovan of St. Louis. She graduated from Truman State University with a bachelor’s degree in communication in 2007. She expects to receive her master’s degree in theological studies from Quincy University in 2012. She is assistant director of campus directory at St. Thomas More Newman Center. Kyle is the son of Terie and Gary Starke of Higginsville, and Vic and Sue Shull of Fort Worth, Texas. He received a bachelor’s degree in biology in 2005 and a master’s degree in biology in 2006, both from Missouri State University. He graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry in 2007. He is a dentist at Katy Trail Community Health in Sedalia. The couple met in 2005 at a Catholic conference, and reconnected at Tuesdays at the Boulevard in Kansas City, a Catholic young adult ministry event last July. The couple plans on honeymooning in Rome.

By Haley Adams  •  Photo by L.G. Patterson

When Columbians are hunting for the atmosphere and taste of a local bakery, The Upper Crust is usually the answer. But calling The Upper Crust a bakery only covers one department of the growing business, owned by Columbia wunderkind Adam Guy and his wife, Caroline.

A native Columbian known for business ventures including The Magic of Adam Guy and Direct Wristbands, Guy bought The Upper Crust franchise at 904 Elm St. in 2005, then purchased the 3107 Green Meadows Way location in 2009. In addition to the two locations, The Upper Crust umbrella also includes The Upper Crust Catering, Encore Dessert and Wine Bar, the Elm Street Ballroom and a wholesale department.

“The cool part about our business is everybody works together,” says Guy, who also owns Cold Stone Creamery. “It’s really amazing the amount of products that come out of our kitchens, so everybody really has to work together to make that happen.”

In 2012, The Upper Crust plans to add another facet to the brand: a full-service dinner. The current style of both locations is what Guy calls “fast casual” because customers order at the register and the staff brings out the food. Guy plans to provide a new dinner menu and incorporate the bakery’s famous desserts from Encore, which offers a gourmet dessert menu at the Elm Street location on Friday and Saturday nights.

“Right now, at Encore, there aren’t a lot of food choices, so we have a lot of people who want to come eat dinner and dessert,” Guy says. “They’ll be able to do that.”

Even with the upcoming menu expansion this year, the staff at The Upper Crust will continue to provide Columbia with fresh baked goods. In addition to the pastries and breads that customers see at the counter, bakers also make products delivered to businesses around town every day. Lakota Coffee Co., 24 S. Ninth St., for instance, sells Upper Crust products, and the house bread at Sophia’s, 3915 S. Providence Road, comes from the bakery. Wedding and specialty cakes are also a favorite, so to keep up with demands, employees are baking 24 hours a day.

For the other food offerings, General Manager Michelle Bass says the bakery and café is happy to satisfy the wishes of their customers. “We custom make any order that anybody asks,” Bass says.

There are many menu items that draw customers to The Upper Crust. Bass says the Apple and Brie Salad, and the Chicken Salad Sandwich, are two of the most popular items on the menu. For the desserts, the Mini Cakes are a favorite. The menu is updated seasonally.The Upper Crust has been in Columbia for more than 20 years with its changing menu and ability to please customers’ requests, but Guy thinks there’s another reason for the longevity. “Part of our draw to the public is not only the quality of our product, but also the rich history that we have here in town with being a local bakery,” Guy says. “Columbia people tend to do a good job of rallying around local brands, so I think that’s part of our success.”

Visit The Upper Crust online at www.theuppercrust.biz.

When rocker Dave Matthews teamed up with Sonoma winemaker Steve Reeder, the two set out to make wine so good that people would want to drink it right away rather than stash it in the cellar. It’s a quality vintners call “approachable.”

Well, they can scratch that little chore off their to-do list.

For their first release under The Dreaming Tree label, Matthews and Reeder have created Crush, a tasty red blend that is bursting with fruit flavor and aroma. Aptly named, the wine smells like crushed fresh berries with a hint of vanilla, guaranteed to take you back to high summer in the blackberry patch. The taste is smooth and plummy with dark cherry undertones and a trace of smoky spice. Fruity yet dry, it is nicely balanced, finishing with mild-to-medium tannins that offer heft without bite.

This blend of 67 percent Merlot and 33 percent Zinfandel is a 2009 vintage from grapes grown in the Sonoma County appellation of California’s North Coast. The varietals were aged separately in oak barrels for 19 months before blending in the Geyserville winery. Food pairings are easy with Crush — it goes with just about anything from burgers to pasta to pot roast and steak. Try it with ribs and a salad with citrus components.

Winemaker Reeder, who also runs Healdsburg’s storied Simi Winery, brings 34 years’ experience to The Dreaming Tree project. His partner Matthews is no stranger to the wine business; Matthews founded Blenheim Vineyards near Charlottesville, Va., 11 years ago. The Dreaming Tree has incorporated sustainability practices such as using recycled paper for labels, natural cork and bottles that are 50 percent lighter than traditional wine bottles.

The Dreaming Tree name comes from a song on Matthews’ 1998 album, “Before These Crowded Streets.” Two other wines complete the inaugural release of The Dreaming Tree line, a 2010 Central Coast Chardonnay and a 2009 North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon.

U.S. wines are labeled as blends if they contain less than 75 percent of the dominant varietal.

Dear Fancy Bar Chef,
My wife and our friends all have different cures for the hiccups. It seems no one’s technique ever works for someone else. We debate this all the time and we couldn’t find anything conclusive on our smartphones, so I decided to write to you. Do you have a magical hiccup cure?
John S., Columbia, Mo.
———————-
Dear John,
I think this is something that can help a lot of good people who get those nasty hiccups. I often administer my cure to suffering patrons who usually say something like, “Oh, (hic) it’s fine. They will go away soon.” Many times, these very same customers will come back to the bar saying, “Give me the cure! (hic) I got them again tonight!”
Over the course of my years of bartending, this cure has not worked for everyone. I would estimate I have dispensed it about 400 or so times and about 10 of those people still had hiccups. I am pretty sure they were just stubborn and wanted the hiccups anyway.
The cure is simple and almost any bar should have these ingredients: a lemon wedge, bitters and sugar. You smother the lemon wedge in bitters and top it all off with sugar, then bite down and swallow. Your hiccups are generally gone immediately.
What is great is those same ingredients make a fine Champagne cocktail with all that leftover Champagne you might have!
Love,
The Fancy Bar Chef

Recipe

The Champagne Cocktail
1 packet of sugar
3–5 dashes of bitters (to your taste)
½ ounce vodka

Place ingredients into a Champagne flute and fill with Champagne. Top with lemon.

The Hiccup Cure

Take a lemon wedge and smother it with Angostura Bitters.
Cover that with sugar.
Bite down and swallow. And hooray! They are gone.

I was meeting a chef friend of mine in New York in early 2005, and he asked if I wanted to “get ramen for lunch.”

I looked at him as if he were crazy and said, “You mean ramen noodles?” I think I had enough of those when I lived in the dorm in college. He explained that this was not that kind of ramen. Ramen was not always instant; it came from somewhere. He assured me I would like it and we were on our way.

Momofuku Noodle Bar was hardly larger than a bodega (a small neighborhood grocery store in New York). It was packed. There was a bar that could seat about 12 people and a few other tables scattered around the front. My friend ordered for us. I am always up for anything; he had been there several times, so I trusted his judgment. Two huge white bowls of noodles — perhaps half the size of an extra-large popcorn bucket at the movies — arrived with about five or six types of garnishes. Each bowl was topped with two types of pork, a poached egg, scallions, rice cakes, nori seaweed sheets, and mushrooms.

My friend explained the process of breaking the poached egg, mixing everything together and then diving in. It was breathtaking, unlike anything I had ever had and far, far from instant ramen. He explained the evolution of the owner, Chef David Chang, who developed the Momofuku Noodle Bar. When the restaurant initially opened, it did not have the expected success. But when Chang started cooking in his own style, and stopped trying to adapt to a business style, Momofuku became extremely popular. The Chang Empire now has nine restaurants; the top restaurant Ko (12 seats and only a tasting menu) received two Michelin Stars in 2009.

Broth
Each region, or even each noodle shop in Japan, has its own twist on ramen broth. This recipe is a variation on a ramen broth with bacon. Ramen has become a common lunch for my advanced culinary students who have their lunch built into class each day. It is a great way for us to use up vegetables as well as meat scraps. We add just about everything from turkey bones to bacon scraps when making the broth. I have created a basic recipe, but feel free to use any other scraps you may have lurking around in your refrigerator or freezer.

Components
Pork is always a main theme, in the broth and in the components; braised pork shoulder or pork belly is always good. Vegetables such as sautéed mushroom, fresh sliced scallions, shredded carrot or bamboo shoots work well, or use any other vegetable on hand. The best method is to let the season tell you what to use. Just take a walk through the produce department, or farmers market and make up your components as you go. Soft or leafy vegetables such as green onions and arugula can be added raw to the bowl. Hardier vegetables such as turnips and carrots should be cooked slightly, or at least cut into fine shreds.

140 Degree Egg

For slow-poached eggs in the shell, place as many whole eggs as needed in a sauce pan and cover with hot water. Attach an instant-read thermometer to the side of the pan using a paper clip or a twisted piece of aluminum foil. Make sure the bottom half of the thermometer is in the water.
Place the pot on the stove on the lowest possible heat. Slowly adjust the heat every few minutes until the heat is just above 140 degrees. Let the eggs cook for 45 minutes to an hour. Keep an eye on the temperature and make temperature adjustments if needed.

When cooked, you can use these eggs immediately or cool them in ice and keep them refrigerated for up to a day. If reheating the eggs, just place the eggs in 140-degree water for a few minutes and you are ready to go!

Recipe

Beginners Nontraditional Ramen Broth
1 pound smoked bacon or scraps
2–2½ pounds chicken wings or chicken thighs
2–2 ½ pounds beef bones, beef shanks or knuckles
1 ounce kombu (dried kelp) broken into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch scallions or green onions
2–3 ounces shiitake mushroom stems (utilize tops in soup)
Soy sauce, fish sauce and Sriracha hot sauce to taste

Place bacon, chicken, beef and any other meat or bones into a 3- to 4-gallon stockpot. Fill with water to about 2 inches above the meat and bones and simmer for 2 to 3 hours. As the impurities come to the top, skim off and discard. Add the kombu, scallions, shiitake stems and any other vegetable scraps; simmer for another hour, then strain. This process can be done beforehand. The best way to remove the fat (if desired) is to cool the broth completely. The fat will congeal once cooled and it can easily be removed from the top. If you have a large enough pot, double or triple the recipe and freeze the excess for a later date.

Toppings
Sliced scallions, poached eggs, braised pork, roasted pork belly, sautéed shiitakes, Nori seaweed sheets, slices of rice cakes, bamboo shoots, other seasonal vegetables

Serving
Everything needs to be done, not necessarily at the last moment, but it should be prepared and ready. The broth should be hot, the components should be cut, and your water should be ready to cook the noodles. You can use alkaline noodles or Lo Mein noodles, but honestly, we end up using spaghetti most of the time because we have it on hand. When you are ready, cook the noodles, portion them into your bowls, add all your components, adjust the broth with soy sauce, fish sauce, hot sauce and any other seasoning you like. Top off each bowl with the broth and enjoy. n

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Mizzou’s planned move to the Southeastern Conference creates confusion among this state’s population. After all, the argument over whether Missouri is a compatible “fit” with the rest of what we call the American South has been going on since settlers first made inroads into this area around the beginning of the 19th century.

Notwithstanding early explorers and French fur traders who created trade outposts such as St. Louis along our major waterways, most of Missouri’s original settlers, especially those around mid-Missouri and west of here, came from the “Upcountry” river regions of the South around Virginia and Kentucky. They became residents here because they were attracted by our climate, soil and waterway access. All these were necessary for growing hemp and tobacco, labor-intensive crops that also required slave power to remain profitable in this new environment.

So here is the elephant in the room, what everyone talks around, but not about: There is no ignoring the fact that our original cultural connection to the South was as a slave state — an important one. Later, the growth of industry in St. Louis and traffic from westward expansion operated on a different business model so that by the time the Civil War came along, this state as a whole had some trouble identifying exactly where its political and cultural sympathies lay.

What followed in the late 1800s was a little Armageddon: half a century of genocide and some lasting, festering cultural wounds. Although more than 10 percent of combat in the Civil War took place in Missouri — not counting the decades of violence before and after — and we had more available white males of fighting age than any other state in the South, few left the state to fight for either side because of the nasty, internecine nature of the war within the boundaries of Missouri.

So here we are 150 years on, still afraid to declare any allegiances, no matter how longstanding or heartfelt. The real, bloody conflicts that took place here and west of here have been trivialized into a football rivalry between Missouri and Kansas, callously and successfully branded in the ‘70s as “The Border War.” As we get ready to join the SEC, I think the people who feel that we “don’t fit in,” forget that we were only a few votes and a skirmish or two away from leading the Confederate charge. And with Missouri’s dominance of the inland waterways, who knows that the South would not have prevailed in its efforts to secede. Remember, also, there would be no Ulysses S. Grant or W. Tecumseh Sherman had they not been able to cut their very inexperienced teeth at strategic Union garrisons here in Missouri.

If you look, as I have, at any maps depicting diet or dialect in the United States, large parts of Missouri (especially in the south) are always included with its neighbors to the Southeast, and any demarcation of the South’s infamous “Bible Belt” is sure to include at least this half of Missouri. Crick/creek, cornbread and grits, and the real decider: “y’all” — almost all of our cultural markers point South.

At best, I think, Interstate 70 represents the new Mason-Dixon line and by most measures (guns, God and the death penalty), the bottom half of Missouri dominates culturally.

So like it or not, practically everything worthwhile and lasting that comes out of Missouri culture came up the rivers from south of here. We are listed in the Encyclopedia of Southern Literature (thanks, most recently, to University of Missouri professor Anand Prahlad), our beloved vernacular was immortalized by native son Mark Twain, and we possess an innate musicality that was capable of inventing syncopation — the keystone of Southern American idioms like jazz and blues.

I say, supposing that we are a little more evolved than the rest of the South, and since the rest of the country hasn’t been showing much brilliance lately, why not take our place in the very top tier of Southern life. This is our chance, for once, to be the brains of the operation. And come on, really, Southern Comfort, Southern charm … whoever heard of Northern hospitality?

A State Divided: Missouri and the Civil War

If you’re interested in a step-by-step walkthrough of how Missouri became a brutal microcosm of the divisions that tore the United States apart during the Civil War, the State Historical Society of Missouri has an excellent recap on exhibit, complete with period artifacts, documents and artwork. The exhibition will run through February.
Images and objects in this exhibition chronicle the conflict, revealing the complexity of the period. Among the works on display are pieces by George Caleb Bingham and wood engravings from Harper’s Weekly and Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper.
Joan Stack will lead a guided tour through the exhibit in a Curator’s Walk Through at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 28 in the society’s Main Gallery at 1020 Lowry St.

At present, the university system’s most pressing issues tied to the reduced level of funding from the state. It’s not likely that the state is going to increase its support for higher education and, to the contrary, some speculate that Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon will follow through on his threat to cut university funding by another 15 percent. Given the weak support from the state, Wolfe will have to rely on his business acumen to develop alternative sources of funding. To do this, he’ll have to identify and exploit the university’s strengths in a competitive marketplace.

Fortunately, Wolfe’s professional background gives him the resources to forge critical relationships with industries that share a mutual interest in the university’s core competencies of agriculture, medicine, communications, energy and transformational technologies. Leveraging academic research into real world business opportunities may be the university’s only hope for generating the type of financial resources it needs to be a world-class institution. Based on early impressions, Wolfe will be an excellent bridge to the “outside world.”

Insurmountable Challenges

If you rely on his track record, Jay Nixon’s actions have clearly demonstrated that the University of Missouri does not have an ally in the Governor’s Mansion. His previous broken promise to maintain state support for its flagship university in exchange for tuition freezes was more than disappointing to officials who assumed they were negotiating in good faith with the governor.

The governor’s most recent scheme to borrow more than $100 million from five state universities to cover shortfalls in Missouri’s budget adds insult to injury. The move might be considered comical if not for the sad, pathetic nature of Nixon’s heavy-handed threat to further cut funding if the loans are not made.

In addition to assuming a defensive posture for state funding, Wolfe will have to convince Missourians that a college education is something that should still be important to our core offerings. Several widely publicized studies recently have questioned the value of a college education in our new economy. A scarcity of opportunity for new college graduates has called into question the value proposition of the college diploma. It will be up to Wolfe to convince state lawmakers and others that a college degree is something the citizens of the Show-Me State can still bank on today.

Hometown Roots

In addition to all of the other attributes and qualifications that Wolfe brings to University Hall, I am excited about his connections to Columbia. A former paperboy for the Columbia Daily Tribune, a 1973 state champion quarterback at Rock Bridge High School, and the son of a Mizzou professor, Wolfe is a true son of our community. I think that bodes well for our city and its largest employer — the principal driver in our economic engine. Because Columbia is his hometown, I have high hopes that Wolfe will invest himself in relationships in the local community that will enhance the overall economic impact of the university. I also hope that good old-fashioned nostalgia will in some way help Wolfe resist the temptations from powerful interests in St. Louis and Kansas City to lure pieces of the university to the major metropolitan areas of the state.

In the final analysis, we should all feel hopeful in anticipating Tim Wolfe’s arrival at the University of Missouri. Columbians could not have asked for a better fit when looking for someone who will protect our community’s most valuable asset.

Let us give him a warm welcome and wish him well.

Fred Parry, Publisher

fred@insidecolumbia.net