The Cool Kids Call it CoMo

Spent most of the last week in Columbia, Missouri -- or CoMo, as it's known to the locals. I was there shooting a pilot for a top-rated cable network, but the rest of the details are to remain under wraps for the time being. Rest assured I will be shouting it from the rooftops once I get clearance, Clarence... but I digress...

Two eating experiences I can share with you, amidst 5 days of basically eating to survive, not indulge. Our 12-14 hour days permitted only 1 memorable restaurant endeavor, and we were fortunate to have enough time to sit down for a proper lunch one day, as well...

The Wine Cellar Bistro of Columbia, Missouri, boasts over 1000 bottles in their collection, and the interior promotes exactly that. Wine bottles, crate tops, racks, pictures and more are displayed seemingly everywhere. I enjoyed a glass of Layer Cake Shiraz before my meal. Very enjoyable Australian wine, with dark berries and, aptly, a hint of chocolate on the back end as well. My salad was impressive in portion size and ingredients. Nice chunks of mozzarella, hearty tomatoes, and oranges, which was a first for me with this type of salad. For my main course, I couldn't resist the Chicken and Pancetta Ravioli, which came with a rich and creamy sauce dotted with pine nuts. Nice layers of flavor and certainly tasted freshly made. It was a quality meal to start our production schedule...

The other shout out goes to what is seemingly the unanimous pick for Best Pizza in CoMo: Shakespeare's. This, straight from the web site: "We make fresh dough, on site, several times a day. We start with Stanislaus pizza sauce - it's made from tomatoes, not concentrate - and add some of our own spices. We use high grade provolone that's aged just right, and shredded, not diced... because it makes a difference."
And while I will respectfully resist any over-the-top raves, I will say the whole wheat crust was a nice consistency, and the toppings were plentiful. The best I've eaten? Not close. But I can see why the denizens of Columbia would be proud. This is a distinctly local joint, which is proud to stay just that. A big fish in a small pond, you may say (I just did!). Every college town has one; this is simply where you get your pizza if you are a student at University of Missouri...

So, there ya have it. Two places to hit up if you ever find yourself smack dab in between St. Louis and Kansas City.