Cousin Hugo's Bar & Grill, Maplewood - Visited March 2017

Sometimes you drive by the same commercial establishment a million times and never try them out until you realize it is about time to give them a chance. Years ago there was La Pizza on Delmar which we have now visited so many times I no longer write about them. Today we visited Cousin Hugo's on Laclede Station in Maplewood, near the Missouri DMV in the Deer Creek shopping center which we often still refer to as the old Venture shopping plaza. The Venture store may be gone, and they may have replaced the old space rocket slide in the playground in Deer Creek Park with a different one, but Cousin Hugo's remains.

Current rocket slide at Deer Creek Park

We arrived shortly after the place opened at 11:00 and it was empty after a busy St. Patrick's Day the night before. The WVU vs. Notre Dame basketball game was playing on two HDTV's in the bar area where we were seated and West Virginia was winning so we knew that was a good sign (Go Mountaineers!) The very upbeat server allowed us to sit where we wanted, so we picked a large comfy booth near the bar. There is a much larger dining area further back, but the booth was probably more comfortable than the tables. They were playing a playlist of a bunch of old soft rock hits from the 1970's where I recognized every single hit.

The server took our drink orders and we looked over the menu for our selections. The menu consists of a variety of standard bar and grill staples. I considered having a Reuben, but after having some of the best corned beef ever for the past week from our St. Patrick's dinner at church, I decided to select their shrimp po' boy sandwich instead. Others at the table ordered the Hugo's burger, the Hugo's club sandwich and a grilled cheese. It did not take too long for the food to arrive, and it was all hot and very appetizing. I ordered my po'boy with their homemade chips, and they were very thick and hearty. The others ordered their meals with fries, and their fries are thinner and "McDonald's"-like and crisp and very flavorsome. The server brought extra tea and sodas in a carafe to sit on the table which was a thoughtful way to make sure we had enough to drink.

The sandwiches were all a bit messy but were well prepared and quite delicious, but nothing super special. My po'boy, for example, was not as big and flavorful as the one at Riverbend, but it was also less expensive. Their Cajun mayo had a good kick to it, the shrimp were well cooked but not overdone, and it all went together nicely. The burgers were similarly rated as good and well prepared, but not as good as Five Star, and the club sandwich was very greasy but still very good. Cousin Hugo's is definitely not a gourmet experience, but they prepare quality food at very reasonable prices and with a cheerful, friendly atmosphere. For your typical neighborhood bar and grill, it is better than many comparable establishments.

Food quality, value and service