Tasty tour of St. Louis

Remember the 1944 film, "Meet Me in St. Louis"? Who could forget Judy Garland as a blonde, much as we try? The opening scene takes place in the kitchen of the Smiths' upper-class home; the servants are busy cooking homemade ketchup, that most American of condiments, while the youngsters of the family are in a tizzy over the upcoming 1904 World's Fair.

Popularized for the first time at the fair, and still among American favorites 100 years later, are ice cream cones, hamburgers, hot dogs, and iced tea.

A recent whirlwind trip to St. Louis with several food writers revealed dozens of new culinary specialties.

We started modestly at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups on South Broadway. The three-story brick establishment has a history as colorful as a bag of M&Ms. Since the mid-1800s, it has served as everything from boarding house to brothel. Breakfast was all I was looking for, and I ordered a pair of fresh, light beignets topped with a blizzard of powdered sugar.

The other end of the spectrum includes the tony Tony's, certainly the finest upscale restaurant in town and possibly the most famous one, as well. Under subdued lighting, and surrounded by museum-quality fine art, a blissful serving of carpaccio - the finest, thinnest slices of beef tenderloin, anointed with truffle- flavored olive oil and capers - was most memorable.

A tasting at the Ritz-Carlton dining room included sea scallops as large as marshmallows napping in a silky beurre-blanc sauce sprinkled with caviar.

For chocolate lovers, nothing beats Bissinger's French Confections. The company began in 17th-century France, where the "Candymaker of the Empire" served the sweet teeth of the likes of Napoleon and Josephine and the Rothschilds. Even mad King Ludwig of Bavaria went crazy over the creamy delights. Now you can, too, at their elegant store on Gratiot Street. Try the raspberry or blackberry cremes, if they're in season. You'll never look at another Hershey's Kiss again.

Ask any kid about the coolest place in town, and he'll direct you to Ted Drewes Frozen Custard on Old Route 66. Since 1929, it's been an oasis for parched families.

For decades, Joe and Ann Lemons Pollack have been grazing on and writing about the cuisine of St. Louis. They are the authors of "Beyond Toasted Ravioli" and "Beyond Gooey Butter Cake" (Virginia Publishing Co., $14.95 and $16.95, respectively).

Of the food scene in St. Louis today, Ms. Pollack says: "It is continuing to expand," "There's more ethnic, more spiciness, more contemporary styling. Eaters travel and become exposed, they see what's going on in other places, and adventurous chefs - both young and old - want to challenge themselves and their customers."

At the same time, she adds, traditions such as brunch remain strong. "St. Louis has always been a good brunch town because it comes after church. It's a familial meal - Mom's day off."

One type of food that hasn't really taken off in St. Louis is German cuisine. This is surprising, Mr. Pollack explains, because many of the city's residents are of German descent, and local German restaurants have become more sophisticated and more appealing. Still, he says, there are no outstanding German restaurants here.

Despite all of the cosmopolitan influences, a local creation, Toasted Ravioli, is still the city's best-loved dish. But the question of who invented it remains a mystery.

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