I’m in love with St Louis. It’s grandeur and industry, its musical melding of north, south, east and west, the people who wear their city like a pair of handmade, well-worn wingtips, the indigenous sandwiches – St Paul! Fried Brain! The Mississippi river, as big and brown and muscular as a python sleeping off an antelope lunch, lolls alongside the Gateway Arch, the most beautiful building in the world.
Photo by Heidi Leech
Twangfest brung us to St Lou, a nighttime affair hosted by KDHX, featuring the Bottle Rockets and wailing on the Duck Room stage at Blueberry Hill. Days were free for an extended sandwich safari. An enduring St Lou nooner.
After dropping our bags at the Moonrise Hotel in the Delmar Loop, Along-for-the-Ride Heidi and I hightailed it to Nora’s in Dogtown.
Crowned by the Riverfront Times as one of St Louis’ five best sandwich spots, Nora’s!.
5. Nora’s (1136 Tamm Avenue; 314-645-2706)
Meats smoked in-house help distinguish this small Dogtown establishment: The “For Pete’s Sake” features smoked pork loin with bacon, brie, caramelized onions and applesauce, while smoked turkey serves as the centerpiece for several sandwiches, including the “Hangover Club” (with Genoa salami, provolone and bacon). The vegetarian crowd isn’t left out, as smoked portobello mushrooms are the basis for a couple of sandwiches.
The steamer was down. And out for repairs. Nothing hot available and that left slim pickins’. We soldiered on, lantering our jaws while warming our hearts and appetites to cold things.
In the Handi-Wacks-paper-lined tin, smoked chicken salad, appropriately pulled not cubed, and light on celery which delighted Along-for-the-Ride Heidi.
To be frank, I very much wanted one of the hot sandwiches, possibly because they were unavailable. I even considered making a few calls to rent a steamer for Nora’s.
Twangfest was the one who brung us and dance with him we did. Four nights and one afternoon to every dang rhythm what was played.
The Lunch Encounter 
What a great photo tour, what a fun looking trip!