By Ashley Patey
You can almost hear the throaty chuckle: “Laissez le bons temps rouler!” Located in what was previously Ellie’s, across the street from Big Sky Café in Webster Groves, Hwy 61 Roadhouse and Kitchen has good times rollin’ all over the place. Murals on the walls depict the journey of American music along the historic highway from N’awlins to Memphis to St. Louie, and a steady soundtrack of zydeco, jazz and blues keeps the tables vibrating. An open fireplace in the middle of the main dining room inspires a feeling that’s more than homey relaxation—it’s downright lethargy, leaving you wanting nothing more than to sample one of the many beers on tap and sit with your feet up for hours.
You should eat, too. On my first scan of the menu, the BBQ spaghetti caught my eye, and after one taste I was hooked. Sweetly tangy, with a hint of spice, the spaghetti was smothered with Hwy 61’s own barbecue sauce, and the pulled pork hidden beneath it was smoked to perfection. My Black N Bleu Steak “samp-wich,” a sample-size sandwich, came out looking like a St. Louis slider—but then I bit into the thick chunks of tenderloin, deliciously grilled to medium-rare perfection and covered in a layer of Gorgonzola sauce and fried onions, and conceded that this was indeed an improvement.
Finally, the pieces de résistance: The gooey butter cake is presented here in St. Louis Classic form and Hwy 61’s own Rajun’ Cajun Chocolate version. Both are outstanding. This is the way Mom made gooey butter cake: thick and solid, with hints of vanilla and just enough cakeyness to hold the goo and powdered sugar together.
Offering St. Louisans great home-style food, a warm atmosphere and live blues by such local favorites as Kim Massie, Bob Case and the Bottoms Up Blues Gang, Hwy 61 Roadhouse and Kitchen won’t be stopping anybody’s good time.
34 S. Old Orchard, 314-968-0061, hwy61roadhouse.com. Hours: 4:30 p.m.–1:30 a.m. Mon–Sat.
