Business Spotlight: Mikayla's Grille

Samuel Hudgins looks like any other executive when he's in his office. However, once this gourmet chef dons his cooking attire and goes to work at Mikayla's Grille at Millwood Golf and Racquet Club, a different man emerges.

Hudgins, who is a certified executive chef and the director of food and beverage at Mikayla's, truly enjoys cooking and it shows. On any given evening, diners can gaze through several large windows in the restaurant that separate the dining room from the kitchen and see him hard at work.

"Giving diners a bird's-eye view of what's going in the kitchen forces everybody to truly perform when they're back there," said Hudgins.

Mikayla's new display kitchen and expanded food-preparation area were added in January as part of an $18,000 renovation at the restaurant. A new outside seating section called Sophie's Bistro, which can accommodate up to 24 people, also was added behind Mikayla's.

Keith and Wanda Keltner own both Millwood and Mikayla's Grille.

"Mr. Keltner has always been in developing, and he wanted to have a neighborhood that had all the amenities of the golf course, the clubhouse and the fine-dining restaurant," Hudgins said. The restaurant opened in 1997 and Hudgins was brought on during the planning stages in November 1996.

The renovations inside have given the restaurant a new look and feel. When Mikayla's first opened, it was primarily known for its seafood and steak, and the dining area had a bright and airy atmosphere.

Today, earth-tone walls and darker, richer colors throughout the restaurant convey a more intimate atmosphere, and reflect Mikayla's evolution into an old-style chop house.

Indeed, Mikayla's has developed quite a following during the past six years. Scores of church-goers and other patrons come to enjoy the restaurant's gourmet Sunday brunch.

Others come for the prime rib, which is regarded by many as being the best in the Springfield area. The prime rib is hand-rubbed with a mixture of garlic, rosemary, paprika and other spices. This mixture forms an herb crust that draws out the meat's natural flavor as it's slow roasted.

Each piece of steak served at Mikayla's is hand-cut from the center of the loin and is cooked over an open wood grill. Hudgins said he only serves top-quality, premium-aged beef, which allowed Mikayla's to earn the Missouri Beef Industry Council's 2002 "Beef Backer" award. This commitment to quality also helped make the restaurant a winner in the 1998 and 1999 "Taste of Springfield."

Although Mikayla's is now known as a chop house, the menu still contains many seafood entrees, including broiled lobster, Key West fried shrimp and a variety of wood-grilled favorites such Norwegian salmon, mahi-mahi and shrimp alfredo. Rounding out the menu are wood-grilled pork chops and Long Island duckling, which is topped with an orange barbecue glaze.

Hungry diners can expect to get a good-size portion for their money, with dinner entrees averaging $17 to $26 and lunch entrees averaging $7 to $11. Appetizers include grilled portabella mushroom with roasted peppers and the Caesar salad that's made tableside.

Desserts include Key lime mousse torte, brulee cheesecake and chocolate bundt cake. Hudgins said he's placed quite a few engagement rings in desserts he's served over the years.

"That's one of the best feelings in the world, to know that somebody trusts you enough to come here to get engaged because they know that everything about their meal will be perfect," he said.

Indeed, it's the little touches from the elegant place settings to the carefully timed arrival of each dish that make Mikayla's stand out. This attention to detail reflects the formal training Hudgins received while attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. Hudgins' wife, Kerri, who works days at the restaurant, also is a Culinary Institute of America graduate, making Mikayla's one of the only restaurants in the area to employ two CIA chefs.

Although Mikayla's enjoys a good reputation, Hudgins has had to work hard to attract a wide variety of patrons because many people believe the restaurant, only serves country club members. Mikayla's, however, always has been open to the public.

"We're not a country-club restaurant," said Hudgins. "We're more of a restaurant in a country club. We receive strong support from the members and homeowners at Millwood, but we also have a loyal following of diners who enjoy the food and the atmosphere."

Being located at a country club adds an element of elegance to Mikayla's. Diners seated by the windows or at a handful of tables on the restaurant's veranda can overlook the golf course's lush green fairways and a spectacular water fountain.

Those seeking a more casual atmosphere can dine outside on the covered patio that overlooks Millwood's pool and a small waterfall. This new dining area, Sophie's Bistro, shares a menu with Mikalya's and serves several lighter dishes, including soups, salads and a wide variety of sandwiches.

Hudgins said Mikayla's will continue to evolve, with new and exciting entrees being added to the menu to keep things interesting. One thing that won't change, however, is the restaurant's consistency.

"We've been open six years, and we still have the same management, the same chef and the same commitment to quality that we did the day we opened," he said.