Photograph by Katherine Bish
One word will spell success for restaurants in 2009. It has little to do with prix fixe or coupons or 2-for-1s. Or early bird specials or kids-eat-free. The word is value. If a customer feels he is getting value—perceived or otherwise—chances are he will return. But can a steakhouse provide value? In the case of the new Andria’s Steak House (the original is in O’Fallon, Ill.), the answer is a thick, juicy yes. A hand-selected, aged 8-ounce filet, salad and potato is $26.95 (several dollars below the competition), and considering that every steak is marinated in Andria’s justifiably famous steak sauce, it’s a unique value. The menu, broader than the original, still reads like many steakhouse menus: very basic, very old-school, very, uh, meat-and-potatoes. Although the three dining rooms are dimly lit, earthy and luxurious, the big draw will be the sprawling, bermed-for-privacy, flower- and waterfall-bedecked patio. Surprisingly, the most-asked question at Andria’s has nothing to do with the food. Instead, diners gaze wistfully outside and ask, “When does that patio open?”
16125 Chesterfield Parkway West,
636-530-9800
Kitchen hours: Mon–Sat 4–10 p.m., Sun 4–9 p.m.
