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Unkle Munkey's Coin Club will not function in the manner of a certain other national chain of arcade-restaurants, explained Ryan O'Day.
“Can you come in with your kids and let them run around like idiots while you drink your beer? The answer is hell no!” he proclaimed.
The outspoken proprietor of the soon-to-be-opened Edwardsville, Ill., “barcade” (bar + arcade = barcade) wants to make it clear that he will have Space Invaders, craft beer, and pastrami sandwiches, but video games do not imply this is a spot for kids.
In fact, he said, the games target a demographic of which he's a member, the 35-and-over set.
“We'll have 15 to 20 arcade games,” he said, “including Galaga, Mortal Kombat, Ms. Pac-Man, Frogger, Space Invaders, Asteroids, Dig Dug, Centipede, Defender, Buck Hunter, and the four-player Simpsons game – and 15 to 20 pinball machines, and Skee ball machines.”
These games fairly scream “’80s”; you may be required to wear Vuarnet sunglasses and/or legwarmers to be allowed in the door.
What's more, said O'Day, Unkle Munkey's will prohibit entry to minors after 5 p.m.
O'Day owns Edwardsville's Wang Gang Asian fusion restaurant. Unkle Munkey's will be right next door, he said, so he can “piggyback” the marketing of the two businesses. For instance, you might play video games at Unkle Munkey's while waiting for your to-go order of BBQ Braised Ginger Pork Ribs to be ready at Wang Gang. The restaurant can text you when your food is done, he said.
Or, you might chow down at Unkle Munkey's, selecting from a menu of sandwiches, pizzas, and desserts. Highlights include:
-A pastrami Reuben panini intended to feed two
-A grilled cheese starring sharp cheddar, Parmesan, fresh mozzarella, and Volpi prosciutto
-The “T & A” turkey & avocado sandwich
-A panini with prosciutto, Provel or mozzarella, signature mustard, and tomato
-The “Barcade Binge” dessert, a jumbo scoop of cookie dough served with pretzels for dipping (O'Day is currently sourcing an eggless cookie dough)
O'Day said his signature spicy mustard and other sandwich tweaks are being ruminated upon by his sister-in-law Jenny Cleveland, she of Edwardsville's farm-to-table superstars Cleveland-Heath.
On the booze front, the Munkey will offer craft beers on tap, in cans and bottles, he said, plus a cocktail menu featuring “six or seven high-octane cocktails,” meaning potent elixirs to keep the fun going. Soft drinks will include Wang Gang's “Black Chery,” “8 Ball Ornge,” and “Nearly Famous Root Beer” (bottled versions at left) available on tap.
Stay tuned for a Kickstarter campaign, said O'Day, to purchase select arcade games that will then permanently operate for free at Unkle Munkey's.
If you have older stand-up arcade games to sell, he added, he might be interestedin buying them. Contact him via the info below.
“This place was developed and designed for the ten percent of the population that loves arcades and the nerd life,” said O'Day. “The other 90 percent will follow.”
Unkle Munkey's Coin Club
Opening summer 2014
1027 Century Dr.
Edwardsville, Ill.
Sun -Thurs, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Fri - Sat 11 a.m. -0 midnight
314-655-0888
