All-American cooking serves La Plata
Dylan Herx
Issue date: 2/28/08 Section: TruLife
Red Rooster has an identity crisis. I hesitate to use the word crisis, though, because its multiple personalities do not count against it.
If you haven't heard of the Red Rooster restaurant, it might be because you never have left Kirksville, or at least never traveled south. The restaurant is in La Plata, Mo., right off U.S. Highway 63 south of town, next to a Casey's General Store and two doors down from the Depot Inn. Erected in the fashion of a classic log cabin, the Red Rooster fits the relatively nonexistent scenery of La Plata from the highway.
The style of food served at Red Rooster was what I expected based on the impression from the cedar construction: All-American. The restaurant serves steaks, fried okra and fried chicken. I should note that this isn't your mom's fried chicken, batter-dipped and thrown in a deep fryer. Instead Red Rooster, like the Manhattan Café, has opted for pressure-cooking. I harbor no ill-will toward this method or anyone who enjoys it, but I found the skin to be less juicy and ready to fall off the meat. In addition, the chicken seemed devoid of any seasoning. This normally wouldn't bother me, as I understand it is probably better to have no seasoning than one disliked by patrons, but at $11 for a three-piece meal, I had higher expectations.
Red Rooster is by no means a flop, however. Although I didn't enjoy the pressure-fried chicken as much as I thought I would, the barbequed rotisserie chicken sandwich made up for it, and it was $4 cheaper. The 1/3-pound burgers, nicely grilled, fall into a similar category, and overall, sandwiches sell for about half the price of entrées. The restaurant also offers up a bevy of sides. Entrées come with two sides and sandwiches are furnished with one. All the sides I tried were appreciable, but if I had to pick just one, it undoubtedly would be the red-skinned mashed potatoes with gravy. High-quality mashed potatoes are a dying art form, and it's one thing Red Rooster does really well. Each chunky portion eats like it was just made for you.
Red Rooster is one of the few restaurants in the area that serves alcohol, including a decent wine list. Add some low evening lighting and an overlay of smooth piano music sinking down from the rafters, and if you close your eyes, you might imagine for a second that you are dining at a classy, romantic spot far from Kirksville. Open them again, and it's still a log cabin in La Plata.
The checkerboard-fringed uniforms quickly whisk away any resemblance to an establishment that calls for a necktie. But at least Red Rooster makes the attempt and values the details. The only other disappointments were the stationary dessert showcase and rotisserie spits that once revolved near the kitchen. Rotisserie spits always add to a place's character.
Red Rooster is a popular spot, especially for La Plata residents. It's a decent place for a relaxing dinner, and it provides an excuse to travel beyond the city limits of Kirksville for a meal.
If you haven't heard of the Red Rooster restaurant, it might be because you never have left Kirksville, or at least never traveled south. The restaurant is in La Plata, Mo., right off U.S. Highway 63 south of town, next to a Casey's General Store and two doors down from the Depot Inn. Erected in the fashion of a classic log cabin, the Red Rooster fits the relatively nonexistent scenery of La Plata from the highway.
The style of food served at Red Rooster was what I expected based on the impression from the cedar construction: All-American. The restaurant serves steaks, fried okra and fried chicken. I should note that this isn't your mom's fried chicken, batter-dipped and thrown in a deep fryer. Instead Red Rooster, like the Manhattan Café, has opted for pressure-cooking. I harbor no ill-will toward this method or anyone who enjoys it, but I found the skin to be less juicy and ready to fall off the meat. In addition, the chicken seemed devoid of any seasoning. This normally wouldn't bother me, as I understand it is probably better to have no seasoning than one disliked by patrons, but at $11 for a three-piece meal, I had higher expectations.
Red Rooster is by no means a flop, however. Although I didn't enjoy the pressure-fried chicken as much as I thought I would, the barbequed rotisserie chicken sandwich made up for it, and it was $4 cheaper. The 1/3-pound burgers, nicely grilled, fall into a similar category, and overall, sandwiches sell for about half the price of entrées. The restaurant also offers up a bevy of sides. Entrées come with two sides and sandwiches are furnished with one. All the sides I tried were appreciable, but if I had to pick just one, it undoubtedly would be the red-skinned mashed potatoes with gravy. High-quality mashed potatoes are a dying art form, and it's one thing Red Rooster does really well. Each chunky portion eats like it was just made for you.
Red Rooster is one of the few restaurants in the area that serves alcohol, including a decent wine list. Add some low evening lighting and an overlay of smooth piano music sinking down from the rafters, and if you close your eyes, you might imagine for a second that you are dining at a classy, romantic spot far from Kirksville. Open them again, and it's still a log cabin in La Plata.
The checkerboard-fringed uniforms quickly whisk away any resemblance to an establishment that calls for a necktie. But at least Red Rooster makes the attempt and values the details. The only other disappointments were the stationary dessert showcase and rotisserie spits that once revolved near the kitchen. Rotisserie spits always add to a place's character.
Red Rooster is a popular spot, especially for La Plata residents. It's a decent place for a relaxing dinner, and it provides an excuse to travel beyond the city limits of Kirksville for a meal.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Mary Murphy
posted 8/07/08 @ 4:23 PM CST
I thought the article did not fully understand what the Red Rooster is all about. I am a current student of Truman State University and found the article lacking real feed back. (Continued…)
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