Doughnuts, burger challenges and marshmallow Coke worth the Drive (-In) to Olive Hill
Todd Antrobus is a real romantic when it comes to food. He’s the type of diner who has fond memories wrapped up in a tasty first bite or a surprisingly satisfying first sip. He’ll happily rave about the home-cooked country meals of his childhood or out-of-town drives and waiting in line for a sandwich from one of his favorite restaurants.
So it seems fitting that Todd, along with his wife Wanda, opened The Drive-In in Olive Hill to satisfy their soft spot for a simpler and more nostalgic dining experience. Turns out, people in town and well outside of the town think it’s worth the drive.
Originally from Falmouth, Antrobus spent a large portion of his career in the pharmacy field as an account manager before he decided to dip his toes into the restaurant business when he was inspired and encouraged one of his daughters, Naomi, to buy a food trailer. The main menu item was “White Lights,” a simple slider made with fresh beef and onion smashed and formed into a burger patty on the flat top grill, American cheese, a pickle and a dab of mustard. It was inspired by the beloved burger from his youth he ate at the White Light Cafe in Maysville.
“People stood in line for hours waiting on these sliders,” he recalls.
Antrobus and his family eventually gave up running the food trailer. When he remarried and moved to Olive Hill, Antrobus was approached by the man who owned a former doughnut shop at 561 E. Tom T. Hall Boulevard and asked if he would be interested in buying the shop. Even though he mainly was interested in having a restaurant that sold burgers and fries, Antrobus did happen to have experience creating the breakfast staple working at an IGA grocery store.
“The doughnuts was the accident,” he said. “I might as well do doughnuts. I’ve got every piece of equipment I need.”
The Drive-In has given diners a reason or two to swing through for a bite. Selection includes your classic glazed and chocolate to maple bacon, long johns (both filled and unfilled), a cinnamon roll-style doughnut dubbed the “Jenny Lind” and a top-selling glazed croissant you can also get filled or unfilled.
But what has helped build The Drive-In’s reputation locally and beyond Kentucky via social media is its take on diner classics. In addition to bringing back the White Light sliders and including a small two-ounce patty burger called the Baby Henri (named after Antrobus’ youngest son), it’s signature burger is the Big T Burger with three two-ounce beef patties, four slices of cheese, a mayo-based sauce and pickle. Through its social media accounts, Antrobus has managed to make eating the Big T a competitive endeavor by issuing an eating challenge to see who could eat the biggest (the current record stands at a burger with 21 patties).
The restaurant also serves footlong hot dogs and fresh-cut, twice-fried fries made with local potatoes you can get as a side or as a full meal with its Bacon Ranch Fries.
Its morning and evening offerings come together with its Donut Bacon Burger, with a pair of two-ounce patties, cheese, onion, bacon and ranch in-between a fresh-baked and sliced glazed doughnut.
“This is where it throws everybody (off). It’s that sweetness that hits, that savory and saltiness, and when it comes together, it’s a great combination,” Antrobus said.
Another favorite of The Drive-In that throws people off in a good way are its marshmallow Cokes, the popular soft drink with marshmallow fluff that is made extra fluffy to stay afloat. Served with both a straw and a spoon, it was a specialty drink Antrobus had to put on The Drive-In menu after he tried one at Rockin’ Robin’s Soda Shoppe, a ‘50s-style diner in Ripley, Ohio.
“When you take that spoon and you get coke and ice and marshmallow together... Oh my gosh, it’s unbelievable,” Antrobus raves.
In addition to the smaller, drive-up restaurant with a few picnic tables, The Drive-In has also brought its flavors to nearby cities like Ashland, Mt. Sterling and Winchester thanks to several food trucks Antrobus purchased, with business in those trucks sometimes outdoing the original location.
But even though the restaurant is branching out, Antrobus said many of the restaurants offerings are flavors close to home, like his mother’s recipes for roasted pork loin that diners will experience in the pork tenderloin sandwich or the ham baked in-house with a Pepsi and brown sugar baste that is served with some of the restaurant’s breakfast sandwiches.
Antrobus admits that the restaurant is still bouncing back from the restaurant closings during the coronavirus pandemic. Currently, they are only making donuts Friday through Sunday, trimmed down its menu and are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Regardless of the circumstances, Antrobus continues to find a way to turn The Drive-In into a restaurant that turns his fondest food moments into an unforgettable experience for his guests.
“Each sandwich along the way has got a bit of a memory,” he said. “Our commitment is to that. When you bite into it, you go, yeah, there’s something different here.”
The Drive-In
Where: 561 E. Tom T. Hall Blvd., Olive Hill
Open: 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Tues.; 2 a.m.-7 p.m. Wed.-Thur.; 2 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sun.; Closed Mon.
Call: 606-315-2025
Online: olivehilldrivein.com
This story was originally published July 29, 2020 at 6:00 AM.