NEW DRAKE’S TAKES FRANKLIN BY STORM

Bluegrass Hospitality Group Opens Franklin Property,

Bringing One of the Most Popular Lexington, Kentucky Restaurant/Bars to Cool Springs

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (July 13, 2011) – The Franklin restaurant and bar scene is about get a whole lot tastier when Drake’s opens tomorrow. Owned by Lexington, Kentucky-based Bluegrass Hospitality Group, Drake’s is a hybrid restaurant and bar that offers excellent food and a wide variety of craft beers. The new 5,000-square-foot Drake’s is located at 553 Cool Springs Boulevard.

Whether grabbing lunch with coworkers, taking the family out for dinner, blowing off steam at happy hour or dancing into the wee hours of the morning, entertainment is a major focus of the new Drake’s. Its tag line, in fact, is “Come Play.” The lively restaurant and bar features games like darts, pool and mini shuffleboard, plus 28 flat screen TVs, and a DJ spins tunes on Thursdays through Saturdays from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. The exterior walls are all retractable garage-type doors that remain open in nice weather, giving the bar an even more festive atmosphere.

“Drake’s is a unique restaurant brand that can’t be easily compared to other restaurants or bars. There’s really nothing like it,” said Bruce Drake, one of two operating owners of Bluegrass Hospitality Group (BHG), which also owns the popular Malone’s steakhouse and Harry’s Bar and Grill in Lexington. “It’s really two different places – a laid back venue for lunch or dinner, and a hopping, high-energy club for dancing and socializing after 9 p.m. What binds these two very different atmospheres together is the exceptional food and our unwavering commitment to hospitality.”

Not Your Typical Bar Food

Conscious of today’s still-tough economy, Drake’s will offer more than 55 menu items for under $15. A few of the house favorites:

• Grilled Shrimp and Cheese -- A new take on the traditional grilled cheese sandwich, the Drake’s version includes grilled shrimp, tomato, chopped crispy bacon and smoked cheddar cheese. ($8.99)
• Minis – Choose from cheeseburgers, Hot Ham ‘n Swiss, Chicken Cordon Bluegrass, BLT, DRAKE’S Ale-battered Fried Fish, and Buffalo Chicken. Platters include three minis with fries or tots. ($7.49-$8.99)
• Soft Tacos – Choose from Chicken Asada, Seared Filet tenderloin, Crispy Fish, Buffalo Chicken and Cajun Shrimp. Each platter of four tacos is served with sautéed onions and peppers, homemade salsa, refried beans, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cheddar cheese, sour cream and fresh guacamole upon request. ($10.99-$12.99)

But it’s Drake’s sushi menu that will really set the restaurant apart. All of Drake’s sushi is hand-rolled by skilled Asian sushi chefs, and each order is prepared individually using superior sushi-grade fish. The sushi menu includes nigiri and sashimi; pork, chicken, shrimp and spicy beef Japanese dumplings; and a variety of rolls including Tempura Shrimp, Crab Rangoon Roll, Volcano Roll (crab, cucumber, avocado, spicy tuna and flying fish roe), and the popular Spicy Roll (avocado, cucumber, sesame seeds, and a choice of tuna, salmon, shrimp, yellow tail or white tuna). Prices for sushi are very reasonable, ranging from $5.95 to $8.75.

An unusual twist for the area is that the full menu – including the sushi -- will be available until close on Sunday through Wednesday and until 1 a.m. on Thursday through Saturday nights.

“We serve alcoholic beverages, so it’s important that we also offer our patrons food at the same time,” said Brian McCarty, operating owner. “But it’s not the pre-packaged, frozen wings, poppers and burgers that other bars try to push as late-night fare. This is really good food!”

The two bars in Drake’s will serve up 24 craft beers on tap, plus bottled mainstream brands, wine, mixed drinks, and several specialty cocktails.  One of Drake’s signatures is the huge beer taps that can be brought to the table, which are filled with a choice of beers on tap and come in three sizes: 60 oz., 90 oz. and 120 oz. An ice float keeps the beer cold so patrons can enjoy their favorite beer at their leisure without having to frequently reorder.

About Bluegrass Hospitality Group

Bluegrass Hospitality Group owns and operates four original restaurant concepts in Lexington: Malone’s Prime Beef steakhouse and Sal’s Chophouse, both casual and sophisticated; Harry’s Bar and Grill, a favorite haunt of Lexington’s horse crowd; and Drake’s. The group’s portfolio also includes a Texas Roadhouse franchise and a Regatta Seafood Grille. Until recently, all of BHG’s restaurants have been located in Lexington.

Owned by Brian McCarty and Bruce Drake along with a handful of minority investment partners, BHG is undergoing a massive expansion with plans to open several new Drake’s restaurants throughout the region over the next three years. Drake’s opened a location in St. Matthews, a suburb of Louisville, in April and plans to open another in the east end of Louisville in the fall.

BHG has been actively recruiting servers, cooks and other staff for the Franklin restaurant, with plans to hire at least 60 new employees this summer.

Drake’s will be open Sunday through Wednesday from 11:15 a.m. until midnight or later, and Thursday through Saturday from 11:15 a.m. until 2 a.m.For more information, please visit drakescomeplay.com. To apply for a position at the Drake’s Franklin, please visit drakeswantsyou.com.