Lexington, KY - Pulling up to a drive-in restaurant is, now, one of the kitschiest dining experiences on the American culinary landscape, just a few steps down from medieval-themed dinner theatre. It's also one of those remnants from the past that certain people will cling to even after it has gone out of fashion, and which everybody will remorse when another goes under to make room for a fast-food chain.
In a time when so many relics from the times of yore are vanishing, the rebirth and renaissance of the Parkette Drive-In on New Circle is a bit of an anomaly. Spearheaded by two brothers, Jeff and Randy Kaplan, who reworked the entire dining area after purchasing the restaurant when it closed back in December of 2007, this Lexington landmark reopened in early March. And this eater couldn't be more ecstatic.
After spending the better part of my teenage years in an infamous, and recently boarded up, drive-in grill house back in Boyd County, smoking cigarettes with friends in the corner without fear of being seen by anybody we knew, the return of a local diner setting was a welcome surprise.
As expected, the menu was a no-frills affair: you've got your burgers (including the Famous Poor Boy, a double decker burger), chicken and seafood platters, assorted sandwiches (BLTs, pork tenderloin, chicken) and a small section for soups and salads. There are also the quirky hallmarks that make each drive-in unique: The Smiley Boy (with a breaded beef patty) and the chicken liver or gizzard platter box.
All sandwiches are available with fries, tater tots or onion rings - or alone. Prices range from $3 for a sandwich, to $5 with onion rings. The chicken platters, which the new owners claim to be of the same recipe used by Joe Smiley when the restaurant first opened in 1951, cost between $6 - $7, depending on which side items you choose. There are also Chicago-style hot dogs, with a variety of fixings, available.
Having read about the popularity of the Smiley Boy prior to the visit to the Parkette, I already knew what I would order before sitting down in the vintage red booths beneath classic Pepsi light fixtures. My guest ordered the Fisherman's Special - white fish filets with tartar sauce and cole slaw on a bun (a small bun, with the ends of the filets protruding out from beneath the bread). For sides, I had onion rings and my guest had tater tots. We enjoyed our food and soft drinks (mine with vanilla flavoring) while Roy Orbison and Chubby Checker played on the Wurlitzer.
To a refined palette, the diner fare will not impress, but for those that truly appreciate a greasy burger and hot fries served in a paper craft with a dash of nostalgia, the reworked Parkette Drive-In will not disappoint. For effect, after dinner we pulled up to a parking space and ordered dessert in the car. I can't relay to you my disappointment when the carhop told me the restaurant hadn't received their malts yet, but the banana split and chocolate milkshake were adequate alternatives. Other dessert items include floats, sundaes and hot fudge brownies - all priced between $2 and $4.
The total, which included two sandwich platters, two soft drinks (one with flavoring), an extra order of tater tots, a chocolate milkshake and a banana split, came to $21.50 - definitely a fair price to pay for a walk down memory lane. A quick note - when you eat inside, you're expected to pay for your meal before the food arrives, so if you plan on ordering dessert, do it at the beginning or be prepared to make a second order.