Brains in St. Louis?

[Dulcie Mainwaring]

Can you still get fried brains sandwiches in St. Louis? Or in Missouri for that matter?

Thanks,
Dulcie Mainwaring

[srvfan]

I know that growing up, my grandparents lived near Gravois right by Federhofer's Bakery. I remember if you turned onto Gravois going towards the direction of Grant's Farm, there was a place on the right (possibly near Kentucky Fried Chicken, that was either an old tavern or an old restaurant. I remember when I was old enough to read, I was totally grossed out and remember talking to my grandpa and mother about this and they would both tell me how they used to love brains and eggs or a brain sandwich. This disgusted me greatly. It does bring back memories though of the 1970's and early 1980's. I wished I could go back and visit those times for a while now and bring our kids. It's funny because my father was from Texas and growing up here, people thought I was crazy talking about eating brains, although they would eat calf fries! If anyone remembers the place I am talking about, please write in and tell me the name of the place. I think it even had a business sign stating they sold brains! Thanks for the memories!

[par38lamp]

As of about 3 months ago, Schottzie's @ 11428 Concord Village Avenue still had brain sandwiches, and their menu still lists them as of 5-Nov. www.schottzies.com

[KansasTravel]

I did a serious serch a few years ago. Every place that used to have them said they had all dstopped due to Mad Cow.

[maria lorraine]

St. Louis dining establishments stopped serving brains long before Mad Cow. I'd say it was mid-80s when you could no longer get them in St. Louis. They were simply considered declassé, not dangerous or illness-causing.

I recall -- from long ago --scrambled eggs and brains and fried brain sandwiches.
The brains that were served with the scrambled eggs tasted like mild chicken sausage. Never had a brains sandwich, though. As kids and even as adults
we would joke about getting 'brains" all the time.

Is the giant Brains 25¢ billboard/mural still somewhere on the south side?
It's on the side of a building somewhere, or it used to be.

Update: Here are images of that and what's there now:
http://bitsandpieces.us/2008/10/28/brains-then-and-now/

Here's a link that talks about brain sandwiches. Alton Brown found them
in Evansville.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/midwes...

[Davydd]

Rick Sebak's 2002 PBS show "Sandwiches That You Will Like" re-aired just last night in the Twin Cities on public television so it has been more recent than the 80s.. It featured a St. Louis restaurant's brain sandwich along with snoots, ears and rib tips. The website does not specifically name the restaurant and I wasn't paying that close attention. :(

http://www.wqed.org/tv/sebak/sandwich...

The show is airing again Saturday in Minneapolis/St. Paul at 3:00 PM.

[maria lorraine]

From your link above, Davydd, I found that the snoots, ears and rib tips resto was C&K Barbecue in St. Louis. But no mention of brain sandwiches anywhere in the write-ups of C&K.

But then...then...Success!
I googled Rick Sebak "Sandwiches That You Will Like"
and Wikipedia lists the sandwiches.
Voila -- there it is -- a fried brain sandwich at Ferguson's Pub!

Here's a writeup:
"Ferguson’s – Fried Brain Sandwich
"But what’s a little different from the average place down the block is the menu of this Mt. Pleasant neighborhood tavern, which features...yes, a brain sandwich ($4.75). The kitchen’s open seven days a week, shutting down at 9 p.m. The bar, obviously, stays open for a later last-call.'
http://midnightsnack.wordpress.com/sandwich-joints/united-states/midwest-central/missouri/st-louis/fergusons-fried-brain-sandwich/

Photos here:
http://sand.wich.es/2007/12/17/brain-sandwich/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bk/230523180/

Dulcie, your answer was actually here on Chowhound all along
in a previous thread on this very thing:
"fried-brain sandwiches - a St. Louis thing?'
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/121552

Ferguson’s Pub
2925 Mt. Pleasant
St. Louis, MO
314-351-1466

So, you're all set now, Dulcie. Try a fried brain sandwich and report back.

And, by the way, scrambled eggs and brains dish that I had? Well, the brains looked exactly like scrambled eggs too, but gray ones! Perfectly mild, just fine.
After I ate them, I felt really smart.

[Davydd]

So few brains served. So many cows slaughtered for steaks and burgers. Makes you wonder where all those cow brains go.

[hill food]

ya don't want to know - really.

I'm fairly sure the Brains 25 sign was near South Grand and the Pevely Dairy plant or Chouteau (and also fairly sure it's long gone)

[maria lorraine]

See post above on the Brains 25 cents sign and what's there now.

Edited to add:
Here's the link again. I just checked it.
http://bitsandpieces.us/2008/10/28/br...

[hill food]

wow

[maria lorraine]

But get the postcard. Brains 25¢. it's a classic.

[lemons]

Difficult after the mad cow scare. Most of the old taverns in South City that used to serve them have given it up. But seems like I heard about a year ago that someone had them, at least intermittently.

For the unfamiliar: The brains are breaded and deep-fried. Bland flavor, usually quite tender.