Every city in America should have a guide like this.

Thinking about taking the family out to breakfast this weekend?  Looking for a new and distinctive venue to bring a client to for lunch?  Are you tired of traipsing to the same tired old places week in and week out?   Robert Rubright resides in the St. Louis area and he had the idea that a great many people in his community would benefit from a guide to local breakfast and lunch restaurants.  Over the last 15 years Bob and his buddies have made it a point to sample a new restaurant each and every week.  In 2008 Bob Rubright decided to compile many of his most interesting dining experiences in a book he calls "Breakfast, Lunch & Diners".   Even for someone like me who is not from St. Louis it was a lot of fun reading about some of the unique breakfast joints and watering holes in that city.  And I must confess that on more than one occasion I got very hungry!

My wife and I love going out to breakfast so I was most interested in the first part of the book that featured breakfast restaurants.  Bob makes some very fascinating observations about the "regulars" at some of these establishments.  Many restaurant owners make special provisions for these folks and reward their loyalty in very interesting ways.  But of course what matters most to patrons is the food.  I was surprised to learn that biscuits and gravy is a huge breakfast item in the St. Louis area.  You rarely see it on the menu in my neck of the woods.  I am sure that many a mouth will water at the thought of the french toast dipped in frozen custard that is served at a place called Bevo Mill.   Meanwhile, the folks at Chris' Pancake and Dining serve up an infinite variety of omelettes to their customers.  You can essentially create your own unique omelette there.   
Should my wife and I ever make it to St. Louis then a visit to Connelly's Goody Goody Diner would certainly be high on our list.  This old fashioned diner has been in business for more than six decades and offers breakfast specials like "Good Morning Breakfast Plate",  "Great Adventure Platter" and something called a "Fried Chicken-Belgian Waffle Platter".  How different is that?

Further along in "Breakfast, Lunch & Diners" you will discover some great places to grab some lunch.  Among the most appealing to me are Joe Fassi Sausage and Sandwich Factory and Beffa's which are both located in St. Louis.  Meanwhile, I would be remiss if I failed to make mention of another St. Louis icon Ted Drewe's Frozen Custard.  I am quite certain that I have seen a feature on this place on either Food Network or  the Travel Channel.  Would love to sample the super thick milkshake they call "Concrete"!   Sounds positively decadent!

So whether you live in the St. Louis area or plan to travel there in the near future it would be wise to own a copy of "Breakfast, Lunch and Diners".  This is a great way for people from out of town to get to see the real St. Louis and meet the real people.   Robert Rubright proves to be a very talented writer who easily combines his considerable knowledge of his subject matter with wit and boundless enthusiasm.  "Breakfast, Lunch and Diners" would also be a great model for writers in other cities who are considering such a book.     Very highly recommended!