Putting the 'Carne' in Carnival



Cotton candy. Funnel cake. Award-winning barbecue. Have an unusual appetite that can't be satisfied by those Thanksgiving leftovers? Then stop by Mr. Harry's Carnival Foods Restaurant this weekend during an open house celebrating their partnership with ASAP Championship BBQ (which stands for 'Always Smoked Absolutely Perfect'), which recently earned second place at the Wildwood BBQ bash, beating out almost 115 other entries.

Offering ribs, pulled pork, and different varieties of beef, Mr. Harry's now has what he describes as "the perfect mix of warm BBQ and cool shaved ices," Mr. Harry said. "We keep the hot-side hot and the  cold-side cold."

This weekend features balloons, tattoos, free hot chocolate, cake, kettle corn and popcorn for the kids. The Billy Barnett Band will play from Noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, and there will be drawings throughout the weekend for t-shirts and other prizes. Sunday night also will feature a grand drawing for a lifetime supply of shaved ice.

Creating the perfect shaved ice, in fact, was the inspiration for opening his restaurant, Mr. Harry said. "I truly have a passion for shaved ice. The difference between a good shaved ice and a great one is the right amount of flavor. We build ours right from the bottom up!"

Harry and co-owner Linda Freund have been long time residents of the Ballwin area. Previously, they ran the "Love n Laughter Christian Academy" preschool in Manchester, where Mr. Harry first became, well, "Mr. Harry."

Linda previously worked as a substitute teacher for Parkway School District, while Mr. Harry's background also includes 25 years as a financial adviser. Their children, Carly and Jenna, help run this family-friendly restaurant, "Where the summer never ends."

Following their store's May 1 opening, Mr. Harry said the biggest surprise for most customers is the large variety of food, which also includes chili dogs, beef brisket and a homemade chicken salad recipe. But food isn't the only thing that colors Mr. Harry's Carnival Foods Restaurant with its character.

Walking in the door, customers instantly are surrounded by carnival knick-knacks and memorabilia, along with video games, table games and the distinct smell of funnel cake.

So even people without a stomach for some nostalgic sweets or tasty barbecue can find something to enjoy at Mr. Harry's this weekend.