A Balkan Experience Without Leaving My City

Yesterday I told you about Foster Cat Pimento's medication regimen. His need for medication actually led to a great adventure today.

Pimento has to take antibiotics for 30 days, and he had emptied the first bottle. The animal hospital that partners with the cat shelter is in South St. Louis, a thirty minute drive from the condo. Hubby Tony had volunteered to handle the errand, but when I saw it was going to be the last beautiful day of the season I asked if I could tag along.

We've been to this vet a couple of times and don't even need Google to tell us how to get there any more. After picking up the medicine we got ready to walk.

Wikipedia

We were right in the middle of the Bevo neighborhood, which is known for a windmill-shaped restaurant and beer hall built by the Busch brewing family in the early 1900s as a rest stop between the brewery and their country estate. In the 1990s the neighborhood became a hub for Bosnians fleeing from war in their country. Many of the Bosnians have now moved out to the suburbs, but there are still a several commercial places that cater to the group.

Tony and I ended up strolling for about 45 minutes. The area was a mixture of commercial and residential, with pockets of industrial thrown in. Halfway through the walk the sun was warm enough that my long sleeved fleece shirt was too hot and I was glad that there was a bottle of water waiting for me in the car.

After we started heading towards home I realized that if we killed a little extra time Tony and I would be able to have lunch at the Balkan Treat Box, a restaurant that has been on our bucket list for quite a while. It is known for its authentic Balkan street food, and has won numerous national awards. Tony pulled into a parking spot in front of the restaurant a half hour before they opened. We walked around the area, and when we arrived back at the restaurant they had just opened.

I got the vegetarian pide (Turkish flat bread) of the day, a tasty combination of roasted kabocha squash, kale, and caramelized onions topped with date glaze, kajmak (clotted cream made from milk), and parsley. Tony ordered cevapi (grilled beef sausages), which were nestled into Bosnian flatbread. Next to it were spoonfuls of kajmak and chopped onion to add to the sandwich. Both dishes came with a side of kupus (a pickled red cabbage salad) and a pepper that tasted like a pepperoncini. When the food came we split the entrees in half and shared.

Pide

It would have been nice to continue the adventure after lunch but Tony had a commitment so we headed home. When we came in the front door of the condo Pimento was waiting for us-it was time for his lunch.