Duncan Hines’ restaurant trail is a ‘bucket lister’s dream’

In 2008, Todd Coleman was serving as SAVEUR magazine’s food editor. He convinced Editor-in-Chief James Oseland that they should take a road trip from Chicago to New York City. 

The purpose was to visit the same “dining establishments” that were recommended by the legendary Duncan Hines. His “Adventures in Good Eating” guidebooks were published annually from 1936-62.

 

Duncan Hines

The journey of Coleman and Oseland is a trip down memory lane. We pick up the story in Indiana on Day 3. 

North of Indianapolis, they found Hollyhock Hill, a family-style chicken dinner restaurant that had been around for 80 years. 

“Tom Sheron has been frying the chicken here for 15 years,” Coleman wrote, “and James (Oseland) declares it some of the best he’s had. He asks what the secret is. ‘Lard,’ says Sheron. ‘That’s the only way to fry chicken.’ The dinner comes with a relish tray, mashed potatoes with cream gravy, biscuits, cottage cheese, pickled beets, apple butter, green beans and corn.”

 

Hollyhock Hill

On Day 5, the food explorers arrived in Berea, Ohio, home to the old Boone Tavern on the campus of Berea College (a tuition-free Christian school). “The tavern and hotel earned some degree of national fame under the management of Richard T. Hougen, who managed the establishment from 1940 to 1976,” Coleman said. 

“During his tenure, Hougen perfected such dishes as Pork Chops the Tricky Way, Chicken Flakes in a Bird’s Nest, Kentucky Chess Pie and Yeasty Dinner Rolls. The cavernous kitchen is bright and airy and straight out of the 1940s.”

 

Boone Tavern

On Day 6, Coleman and Oseland roll into the Pine Club in Dayton, Ohio, a cool, windowless supper club. “Dan Nooe, the general manager, greets us, and says: ‘Sorry, every booth is full.’”

Coleman described the action: “Tables are loaded with classic steak house food – plump strip steaks and rib eyes, sweet-and-sour stewed tomatoes with a topping of buttered croutons, herring slathered in sour cream, creamed spinach and shredded iceberg lettuce topped with thick blue cheese dressing.”

 Pine Club

On Day 7 “we are sitting at the bar of Figaretti’s, a spaghetti house in the West Virginia town of Wheeling. Tony Figaretti Sr., the owner, is greeting customers at the door; he’s clad in loafers and wearing a loose gold bracelet.” 

“We dig into the ‘Godfather II,’ a delicious dish of linguine tossed with shrimp, mussels, peppers, onions and tomatoes in a white wine and garlic sauce, sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese.”

 

Godfather II

“We decide to drive several miles south, to Moundsville, W.Va. Halfway into town, in front of an abandoned bowling alley beneath a darkening early-evening sky, we spot the Reilley’s Arms Motel. We pull over and check in to our rooms.” 

“We seem to be the only guests,” Coleman said. “James settled down in front of a Charlton Heston movie. I popped a quarter into the coin slot affixed to his bed’s headboard, but the magic fingers don’t work. He fell asleep anyway.”