Table 33 at Lake of the Ozarks proves that casual dining can be high-quality. From the Tuna Poke Bowl to the Jamaican Melt to the PB&G—and no, it’s not what you think—the menu reflects creativity and commitment to bringing a little something different.
Owning a restaurant is the ultimate dream for many chefs. Table 33 at Osage Beach at the Lake of the Ozarks is such a dream accomplished. A short time ago, while I was on a trip to judge a high school culinary competition at the Lake, I decided to visit the restaurant that had been recommended to me by two chef friends.
Because Table 33 is a counter casual restaurant, my expectations were limited. However, once there and after trying out the food, my experience turned out to surpass what I had anticipated. While at the restaurant, I had a good chef-to-chef talk with the owner Tom Robinett, who operates the restaurant along with his wife and the help of their daughters.
Chef Tom spoke of his early training as an apprentice at Johnson County Community College in Kansas City under the legendary André Torres, a master French chef who owned the former restaurant Andre’s at the Lake. He also spoke of his experience as executive chef at three different restaurants at the Lake.
Chef Tom says he offers comfort food at Table 33, or in his words, the food is “aimed at bringing up nostalgic memories.” He recalled fond childhood memories of going with his grandmother to local Greek restaurants in Chicago and enjoying the gyros. That type of experience is what he tries to recreate with Table 33. His gyros, one of his most popular dishes, along with other American regional favorites help accomplish this. One example is the Tuna Poke Bowl made with ahi tuna, pickled red cabbage, and miso on sushi rice and the Jamaican Melt prepared with brined grilled chicken, jerk sauce, onions, peppers, stone-ground mustard, and mayo on naan bread.
The dish that I ordered and thoroughly enjoyed was a whimsical play on words—the PB&G. This was not a variation of the PB&J, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but instead was a dish of braised pork belly on grits with a slightly sweet and tangy Carolina mustard-based barbecue sauce. The dish was topped with a bacon onion compote—not your typical casual restaurant dish for sure. The flavors were well-balanced and the pork was nicely braised until fork-tender, having been dusted in cornmeal before being fried and served on a creamy bed of stone-ground grits.
Chef Tom told me how he strives to find local beverages to serve with his food, such as Shortleaf beers from Camdenton, boba tea, and special artisan sodas made with cane sugar.
So, why did he name his restaurant Table 33? Tom explained that when he worked at JB Hooks, there was a small two-top table numbered 33 on their seating chart that was close to the kitchen entrance. Diners would only be seated there when the dining room became overloaded. He frequently told his previous staff that if he were to create his own restaurant with an open kitchen, he would name it Table 33 after that small two-top table.
The Lake of the Ozarks is a popular summer vacation spot for many families and couples in Missouri, but it can be a somewhat difficult place to find quality food. Table 33 is a welcome exception that I highly recommend after a fun-filled day of frolicking or boating at the Lake.
Check out the latest news on their Facebook page or visit them at 3797 A, 1 Osage Beach Parkway, Osage Beach.
All photos courtesy of Daniel Pliska
Article originally published in the July/August 2024 issue of Missouri Life.
