Every day is like a day at the circus at the recently opened Mr. Harry’s Carnival Foods in Ballwin. It’s got funnel cakes, cotton candy, shaved ice, hot pretzels, ice cream, chili pie, classic animal crackers in the circus box – all those sugar-laden and salty treats you looked forward to as a kid when a big-top tent was pitched.
While carnival food is the primary spectacle at Mr. Harry’s, the restaurant located at 15581 Manchester Road in Farber Center does offer a full menu. “There’s something for everyone,” said owner Harry Freund, who runs the eatery with his wife and two daughters. A kid-friendly line-up includes hot dogs, grilled cheese, chicken strips, corn dogs and nachos with cheese. For grown-ups, there are numerous hot and cold sandwiches, salads and soups.
Freund hatched the idea for Mr. Harry’s some years ago. “I wanted to sell snow cones,” said the financial advisor-turned-restaurant owner. Freund’s shaved ice looks to be a promising side show at Mr. Harry’s, which makes its own block ice and uses a top-of-the-line ice shaver plus specialty syrups, including sugar-free flavors. Freund is even experimenting with a concept he calls “Sno to Go” – takeout frozen shaved ice that won’t melt before it gets home.
Mr. Harry’s Carnival Foods is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. On Sunday, the restaurant is open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., but the menu is limited to snow cones and ice cream. Look for expanded weekend hours come summer.
– Ligaya Figueras
This article appears in May 1-31, 2010.