There Are Too Many Possibilities For Me To Pick The Perfect Corny Headline

We drove across South Dakota and got a little depressed knowing we're wrapping up this fabulous trip.

John said, "We're coming up to a town named Mitchell, let's stop there for the night. Google it and see if there are any good restaurants."

So I googled Mitchell and found Chef Louie's Steakhouse in Mitchell, South Dakota. Of the 29 or so reviews I read, 28 were outstanding. I'm pretty sure a competitor wrote the bad one. 

Like all great steakhouses [see previous post from Omaha] there's a giant cow outside the restaurant. We knew we were in the right place to eat our blues away.

The owner met us at the door and we had a funny conversation while she seated us. She was a Kim Kardashian lookalike--only about my age. Can you imagine? She told us she owns the restaurant and her husband owns the funeral home. Together she said they come in contact with everyone in Mitchell.

Turns out Mitchell is a nice little town. In fact, it was the home of George McGovern and his wife and where he retired post-politics.

The next day we decided to just take it easy and stay another day in Mitchell. We needed a day for r&r…hahaha…this traveling can get tiring.

We went into town and had lunch at a local bar and grill. Did you know South Dakota has an indigenous food like the Philly Cheesesteak or the New Orleans beignets? Well, it does. It's called Chislic. Chislic is cubed meat (usually mutton), marinated, dipped in batter, then deep fried and served on a stick with a generous side of garlic salt for dipping or shaking. Saltine crackers and hot sauce are also part of the presentation. Om nom nom. We split an order and weren't disappointed. When in Rome…

Across from our lunch spot is the famous Corn Palace. The outside of the Corn Palace is brick, glass windows and doors, and everything else is decorated with parts of the corn plant. There are intricate murals on every side of the palace. The exterior is completely redone every year. The murals on the inside, also made of corn, are redone every ten years. The Corn Palace is where the local university and Mitchell high schools play basketball, where they have concerts, graduations, plays, and other community events. It was built in 1892.

The Corn Palace mascot is a giant corn on the cob, named Cornelius (of course). Half a million people visit Mitchell every year to see the Corn Palace and have their pictures taken next to Cornelius.

The only controversy for the corn palace was in 2004 when it received money from Homeland Security.

My favorite part of the CP was walking around the gallery and looking at the pictures taken each year of the exterior. It was fun to see all the different designs.

There's a lot of corn memorabilia you can buy. During the summer months there are exhibits and hands-on displays. You can grind your own corn and take the meal home with you. We bought some popcorn and you know what? It really was the best popcorn I've ever eaten.

I like that Mitchell recognizes and pays tribute to the commodity that's kept its city vibrant.

Mitchell was a nice little oasis and cheered us up.

Kathryn