Chappy’s opens for burgers and fried chicken in Edwardsville

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Courtesy Chappy's

Courtesy Chappy's

Owner Ryan O'Day

With his original So’Pasta concept now in the rearview mirror, owner Ryan O’Day (a.k.a. Chappy) is driving ahead with a new concept: Chappy’s (1031 Century, Edwardsville), a car-themed fried chicken and burger joint that's especially kid-friendly. (A Hot Wheels car comes with every kids meal.)

“When you make a decision to go out to eat with your kids, your options are limited for different reasons,” says O’Day, who has two children himself. “I said, 'Listen, I’m gonna crack the code on this one.'

“[So’Pasta] was almost like a perfectly fine-tuned race car, but you were missing a few things,” says O'Day, an auto enthusiast who grew up in Detroit. “You’re looking at it, thinking, OK, I need to tweak this, tweak that, and then we should be good. But then we looked at the drawing board and said, 'You know what? We’re just going to scrap this engineering and build something completely different.'”

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Courtesy Chappy's

Customers can expect a car- and service station-themed burger joint serving fried chicken, beer, burgers, shakes, and a few pasta dishes. The menu is broken into seven sections:

• Starters: jalapeño mac and cheese bites, toasted ravioli, fries, fried green beans
• Burgers: made from a steak and brisket burger blend from Creekstone Farms
• Shakes: the classic vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry milkshakes, as well as a range of add-ins
• Salads: buffalo chicken salad, house salad, and strawberry salad

Courtesy Chappy's

• Fried Chicken: a dish that was well-received in the past and where the restaurant's chicken logo originated
• Pastas: from the former So’Pasta menu, including the Fettuccine Alfredo, four-cheese ravioli, and spaghetti
• Kids Meals: chicken tenders, toasted ravioli, cheese ravioli, and buttered spaghetti noodles—and, again, a Hot Wheels car with every kids meal

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Courtesy Chappy's

The STL 66 burger at Chappy's

Among the favorites so far: the loaded fries (with cheese, bacon, and ranch), the STL 66 burger (a quarter-pound beef patty topped with Provel, bacon, pickle, and a “Super Secret Sauce”), and the So’ Bianco (a three-meat tortellini dish made with Alfredo sauce, peas, bacon, and mushrooms).

“When you pair a fun culture with great food," says O'Day, "I think you’ll do OK.”