Another Dining Experience - Another City

Recently we hit the road again.  This time it was all about visiting family members in St. Louis Missouri and Omaha Nebraska.  Lots of food and family time but no 'back-roading' or historic sites to explore.

On our first day, the goal was to drive from Loudon Tennessee to St. Louis, about an 8.5 hour drive with stops.  No luncheon photos...but as has become our practice, we stopped at the Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers location in Paducah Kentucky.  Excellent as usual but the restaurant was packed so the wait was longer than expected. 

Our journey began on a Saturday.  We normally would have had dinner with Laurie's sister Bonnie and Bonnie's husband Bill but they were out of town at a wedding.  We'd asked them for dining recommendations close to our Hampton Inn which is adjacent to St. Louis' Forest Park and it's famous expansive and free zoo.  Drake's was new to us and it looked like a very casual venue on-line...perfect after a long day of driving.  Located in Maplewood Missouri, it was very convenient for us.  

When we entered Drake's we noted the 'garage door' decor...popular with so many dining destinations these days...as well as the bright lights and multiple TV screens.  I do believe that bar decor designers now consider the backlighting of the booze to be a requirement...just to add color and drama.

Drake's in Richmond Heights Missouri is a big restaurant and it is apparently very popular...although it was Saturday...so a crowd would be expected.  We ordered adult beverages at the bar while we waited but we were seated fairly quickly.  For once being a party of 2 worked to our advantage.  Then problem was that apparently the waitstaff was confused as regards who was responsible for our table.  Once the confusion was solved, our service was very good. 

So what to order?  Drake's menu is fairly large and diverse so study was required... 

For my dinner I ordered the Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich with French fries. ($15.49) The sandwich came with lettuce, tomato and pickles with a Creole mayonnaise on a butter toasted bun.  It was very good and, as you can see it was huge!  The fries were OK but not special.  The only issue with the sandwich was that it was really messy to eat.  I ended up using a knife and fork on part of it.

I'd also been tempted by the Fried Bologna Sandwich but I'm glad I made the choice I did.  Laurie was a bit tempted by the Turkey, Swiss and Avocado Grill. Other options on the menu include a number of starters, dinner salads, chili, smashed burgers (including a vegan version), Steaks and related combos and a number of 'Favorites" including salmon, chicken and fish tacos plus beer battered cod.

The biggest surprise on the menu was the Asian flair portion of the offerings... It includes Sushi, Tempura Shrimp, Dumplings, Nigiri (including eel and flying fish eggs) and a selection of sashimi.  This part of the menu is why I chose Drake's in the first place.  Laurie loves sushi and sashimi and the menu also included a variety of items that I tend to favor...hence my sandwich.  

Laurie ordered a Half Aqua Sushi Platter. ($27.99) I suspected that the platter would be large and the waitress didn't really describe it fully.  With 8 California Rolls, 8 Tempura Shrimp Rolls and 8 Tuna Spring Rolls, Laurie's mind was blown.  At a little more than a dollar each, this would be a good buy for 2 people for dinner or for a group as a starter.  

In any case, given Laurie's current diminished appetite, there was no way she could finish this huge platter of food.  I will give her credit as she did put a good dent in the offering.  I skipped half of my sandwich bun and almost all of my OK French fries to help with this massive platter.  Even with my help, we couldn't consume all of the food that was presented.  FYI, it was very good but I've had enough sushi to last me for a while...

This Drake's location is found at 8135 Dale Avenue in Richmond Heights Missouri.  When I looked up the restaurant I discovered that there is a Drake's location in Knoxville...less than 30 miles from our house.  We'll be checking it out soon.  Website: https://drakescomeplay.com/.  

Drakes is part of the Bluegrass Hospitality Group LLC based in Lexington Kentucky.  Some of the best food we've had in the last couple of years was at this company's OBC Kitchen in Lexington.  

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave