'Amusement Park' Food, Subs Featured at New Restaurant on Noble Road

Dana Clark’s friends always raved about his sandwiches. They said they were so good he should sell them for profit.

So he took their advice.

Clark recently opened a new business with his family on Noble Road near Monticello Boulevard called KooKoo’s Café.

He knew what he was going to sell. Obviously his beloved sub sandwiches, and some comfort food like ice cream and wings.

But he didn’t know what to call it. He said it was driving him crazy.

Then he got a call from his mother.

“(She) called me from Florida. I was still trying to figure out the name. And she said, ‘You know, this is going to drive you coo coo,’ and there it was, this light popped in my head,” Clark said.

Clark, who majored in business, said he wants KooKoo’s to be a fun place for families to go.

“Originally I wanted to do a circus-theme in my store for kids, but I was voted out of that, so as close as I can get to that was things you normally get when you go to amusement parks,” he said. “These are fun foods —ice cream, people like it all year round. It’s not just pleasure food, it’s fun food, it’s comfort food. The wings, mozzarella sticks, cupcakes, stuff like that.”

Clark, who opened his establishment at the end of August, said some of the signature items are the Big Kahuna sub, which is topped with salami, ham, roast beef and “loaded up with anything you want,” and the homemade strawberry shortcake.

“There isn’t an ice cream store around in that area no where. There’s no sub shop no where around in that area. There’s no bakery no where around in that area. Kids in the neighborhood, when they come home from school, can stop by and get a hot dog and some ice cream,” he said.

His wife, Karen, echoed his sentiment.

"It's a warm, friendly, family-oriented environment."

KooKoo’s Café. 2579 Noble Road, 216-297-9771. kookooscafe@att.net. Open Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Sunday. Prices: subs $4 to $8, salads $3.99 to $5.99, mozzarella sticks $3 to $4.50, hotdogs $1.25 to $3.50. Weekend delivery, catering available.