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When a King Louie’s sign first appeared in the window of the recently shuttered 12th St Diner at 1137 Washington, the fooderati began banging their knives and spoons, all hoping for the second coming of Matt McGuire and Kirk Warner’s now legendary haunt at Chouteau and 39th.*
But, alas, it was not to be…this King Louie’s was not that King Louie’s.
But this King’s story’s just as interesting...and it's a two-parter.
For years, Lou Rook, Jr owned and operated King Louie’s Drive-In, located in Wood River, Ill. Rook, Jr, who now cuts all the meat at Annie Gunn’s while working alongside his son (Lou III), sold the place 28 years ago, to a relative. And we’re happy to say it's still there and still specializing in homemade root beer and flat-grilled hamburgers.
The King Louie’s on Wash Av will be owned and operated by Rook’s other sons, Mike and Dave Rook (right). The enticement of reopening the family business was enough to get Mike to leave the insurance business and his brother to leave his Exec Chef position at Copia restaurant, almost directly across the street. King Louie’s will reunite the brothers Rook, who haven’t worked together since the days of Grappa in the CWE.
The new King Louie’s will be a citified homage to the old, with “griddle” burgers, shakes--and (we hope) their signature potato “planks”--but also a full bar featuring local beers. An open-grill will allow Chef Rook some of the creativity and flexibility found in modern diners, like the ability to cook steaks, chops, and gourmet “Royal” burgers made from prime beef cuts. We’ve been told the legendary Chef Dave's Gumbo (the one we’ve called the best in town) will indeed have a place on the menu.
Those familiar with the 12th St Diner (below left) will recall a lot of its business occurred in the wee hours. King Louie’s plans to say open all night on Friday and Saturday nights as well.
One of our favorite designers, Mark Pitliangas, is designing both Louie's bar and neon signage. Pitliangas’ signs always come with some pow. Familiar with the Rosalita's sign, or the monster neons bookending The Grove? Both his. The mural at Angelo’s and the interior of the Thaxton? His designs, both.
And there’s more action on this corner, also directed by the brothers Rook.
The Empire Deli & Pizza will open in the former B&T Pizza (above right), just to the east of King Louie’s. “A real East Coast deli,” according to Mike Rook, with right-coast sourced meats cut to order on big wheel slicers. Traditional NY-style pizza and hot dogs will round out that menu, sure to be popular with late-nighters as well.
King Louie’s is slated to open around March 1, the Empire Deli & Pizza by February 15.
*History lesson for geeks like us who follow restaurant lineage: King Louie’s closed in mid-2007 and begat Revival in 2008, which begat Chouteau’s at 39th t the next year. That installation lasted 90 days, closing in mid-2009. Mark Erker of Catering St. Louis bought the place soon thereafter, eventually converting it into City Cottage, a charming, Country French-themed event space.
