Get in your car and drive over to Kentucky. What? Too far? Well, those reasonable people of the Far-Off Land of Henderson, they drive to Evansville to eat all the time! Comrades, we must help level this dining disparity, and let’s start with dinner at Rookie's Sports Bar and Restaurant, located in downtown Henderson.
If you've ever made it to the W.C. Handy Blues Festival over the bridge, you've already walked right past the place, just at the river and 2nd Street, the length of three facades. Many years ago, the original building housed Doc Holliday's Saloon. When taken over by the Thomas family, it expanded to become Rookie's Sports Bar, and in 1995, the restaurant was added. Yet despite Rookie's longevity, says Rodney Thomas (manager and co-owner with wife Liz and parents, Fred and Ginny), "We're still a great secret for people in Evansville."
And so, let the secret be revealed!
We came for an early Wednesday night dinner, between the workday’s end and the task of applying polyurethane to some hardwood floors. Needing some daylight for the latter, we - while not in a rush, exactly – enjoyed this meal with less leisure than typical date nights, considering dinner required a trip to a neighboring state. However, getting across the bridge, into downtown Henderson, out of the car, and into the Rookie’s entrance took, all told, just at 12 minutes, which is, as you know, the average time spent sitting at any one stoplight on the Lloyd Expressway. We saved ourselves hours of driving hassle - by leaving Indiana!
We chose the restaurant side, rather than the bar, for lack of smoking more than anything, but it had a nice, subdued, moody ambience, despite floor-to-ceiling sports memorabilia, posters, and portraits – and, as one might expect, seven large screen televisions. With the sound at a very considerate level, however, and the room expansive, we weren’t forced to watch sports, and that was thoughtful.
The atmosphere was conducive to chatting amongst ourselves – and our service was just as casual and comfortable. Turns out, our capable server Dana is part of the Rookie’s family – daughter to co-owners Fred and Ginny, and sister to Rodney. Her welcoming, easy manner and insider tips truly made our meal: When in doubt, go with items noted by a small football icon – house specialties or favorites – and ask for the Secret Strawberry Butter! Rookie’s serves only certified Angus beef, and many of the steaks are hand cut, which, as Thomas said, not only assures fresh portions, but also keeps costs down. Another fine insider tidbit: Most sauces, marinades, and dressings are hand-mixed in the Rookie’s kitchen.
In both the interest of time and curiosity, we took Rookie’s (and Dana’s) recommendations, starting with a monumental appetizer called Stufferinos – jumbo mushrooms (the size of tennis balls!) stuffed with a house-made, herb-flavored cream cheese, hand battered, then deep fried. Gigantic, with golden, light breading, rich, savory innards and a divinely spiced house horseradish dipping sauce, the four Stufferinos could be a meal... I was tempted to make it so, yet, we pushed on… for research, and for you!
I’ll keep this brief, because (I hear) it doesn’t pay to overanalyze a good play: the food was very good. Though an otherwise typical house salad, the ranch dressing was notable for its lack of pastiness and its just-salty-enough richness. The Arabian Salad, for those not familiar, consists of crisp greens, tomatoes, and green pepper in a balanced lemon mint dressing.
My steak, the “most popular” Flat Iron Steak, a fresh 10 oz of exquisitely cooked, tender beef, required absolutely nothing to improve its taste. A vast mound of home-cooked, bacon-intensive green beans framed the steak like a salty, juicy halo. Looked good, tasted even better! The Husband was equally impressed with the Honey Citrus Chicken and the potent bite of red pepper in its marinade. On a fluffy bed of rice, nestled alongside steamed-just-right cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots, the chicken, like the steak, was really asking for it. We devoured both meals justlikethat, pausing only to cut and butter more fresh baked bread. (Here’s where the Strawberry Butter comes in: A special recipe, only served to those who know to ask – and that’s now you! It’s divine! I’ll not ruin its appeal with mere words. Ask for it.)
Between dinner and dessert, I took a quick excursion to the bar side and found a bright (blue), open arrangement of booth and table seating around the large central bar area - a more lively feel than the restaurant, but the same attention to décor, theme, and sports-on-TV availability (albeit with sound turned up for those, literally, keeping score).
But on to dessert: Joyce’s Bread Pudding! If you’ve never tried bread pudding, I ask you: WHAT? Rookie’s recipe was created by Joyce, a longtime employee, who is no longer with us; yet her marvelous recipe for this French toast-like bread pudding lives on! Served swimming in a bowl of buttery rum sauce, it was love at first sniff. This stuff went right home in my belly.
Really, Henderson isn’t far away, and even for sports-indifferent diners, Rookie’s Sports Bar and Restaurant is worth visiting. Need more? They offer a full bar, live music and dancing on weekends, and every Tuesday night eight ounce Prime Ribs are on special with magical bacon-ey green beans and a baked potato, all for only $10.99. From start to finish, we never felt rushed, and we made it back to Evansville in even less time than the trip over, proving it is only our own small Hoosier dining-rut assumptions, comrades, that we must always resist!
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Credit Jesika Sanders- Ellis
