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Community Corner

New Restaurant to Move Into Former Riddles Space

The former bar manager of Riddles is part of a team opening up a new establishment in Riddles former space.

The great mystery that has perplexed University City residents since last October has been solved, Riddles Penultimate Café & Wine Bar is no more and a new restaurant, Three Kings will inhabit the venerable space at 6307 Delmar beginning March 15.

Derek Flieg, the former bar manager at Riddles, along with Ryan Pinkston and Derek Deaver, (owners of Deaver's Bar & Grill) have always wanted to own their own restaurant. So when Flieg’s former employer folded last fall the trio negotiated a lease and Three Kings Public House was born.

 University City Patch Contributor Rob Levy interviewed restaurant entrepreneur Derek Flieg about the exciting new venture he has opened with his partners in the Loop. 

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What made you decide to take the bold step of opening a new restaurant? Riddles was closing, and the opportunity was right there.  Ryan Pinkston, Derek Deaver and I have been friends since our Mizzou days. We've all been in the restaurant business for years, and we've always wanted to work together.  It was perfect.  Andy, Paula and KT Ayers (of Riddles) worked with us, which helped things move along.

Can you describe the transition process from Riddles to Three Kings? There wasn't really a transition; we bought the contents and secured the lease to the building.  Now we're working hard.

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What can you tell us About Three Kings Public House? We will be open 7 days a week. The menu looks outstanding. The first time I read it, I was surprised and excited. The plan is seasonal high-end pub fare, all made in house, with as much locally sourced foodstuffs, as we are able to use. All with the caveat that we're determined to keep the menu affordable. We want different sorts of people to be able to walk in off the street, look at the menu, and want to stay.

What went into deciding the menu? Ryan Pinkston had been waiting for this opportunity for years, so the menu is going to be mainly his creation. There's a lot of love put into it. Also, it was always hard to see people walk into Riddles, look at the menu, and walk out. I think a lot of that had to do with the downturn in the economy.  Above all, we want to make sure that our menu is affordable, accessible, family friendly and offers the best food in the Loop.

Will you still have the beer and wine selection that Riddles had? For the last four or five years, I was the bar manager at Riddles.  I chose the beer, wine, and liquor selection.  I'll be doing the same thing at Three Kings, so the same emphasis on craft beers, special releases and trends in wine will be well represented.  We'll see how it plays out, but the wine list will definitely be more moderate at first.  In the last few years, the interest from the customer just wasn't there.  Our wine list will be thoughtful; a smaller representation of the bulky Riddles lists. If the interest is there, it can always expand.

Will Riddles' diehards be disappointed with the new restaurant? Well, we really hope not. We're not trying to be a new version of Riddles, or replace Riddles.  We hope to keep the same sort of soul Riddles had- great food and good music in a relaxed atmosphere. But we've been waiting a long time for a chance to do our own thing.  I always talked about what changes I would make if the restaurant was mine; now I have the chance to make them. Change can be a great and refreshing thing. I hope Riddles diehards give us a shot.  Hopefully they'll be our biggest fans. At least the bartender hasn't changed, right?

Is Three Kings planning to continue Riddles excellent reputation as a live music venue? At Three Kings, that's one thing that won't skip a beat. Those passing by the Riddles site shouldn’t be surprised by the banging, clanging and general cacophony of construction going on inside. Three Kings is currently finalizing their renovations and are also working on the necessary paperwork for a liquor license. Once finished, University City residents can again take delight in knowing that there is neighborhood pub for them to get great food, have plenty of spirits and make themselves at home hearing some of the best live music in the city.

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