Dave & Buster's is more than fun and games

Chef Richard Persky is kitchen manager at the new Dave & Buster's. Formerly of The Cheesecake Factory, Persky oversees the kind of menu that will appeal to the masses. It's a mix of American classics, ranging from burgers to spare ribs.

“We make everything in-house,” Persky said. “Nothing out of a box.”

This was refreshing to hear as large chain operations are notorious for shortcuts. When colleague Matt Clayton and I went, we tried out grilled chicken macaroni and cheese, which had the breadcrumb topping. The ribs were tender enough to practically drip off the bone. The Philly Steak Roll is a play on the egg roll served with melted cheese.

The two salmon dishes I tried stood out. The fish was fresh and succulent, the seasoning bold but not overdone. The Fire Grilled Salmon was seasoned with Cajun spices; the Chargrilled Atlantic Salmon was a mild Asian play. Both were good and worthy of ordering before a long night of gaming.

We also tried the Double Stacked Chicken Parm Sandwich, which included lightly breaded chicken breast, marinara and Parmesan and provolone cheeses. Between the chicken breasts was a hearty slice of tomato that gave the sandwich just enough perk to make it work.

Before visiting Dave & Buster's, I knew I would be required by my children to visit, but I wouldn't have thought I would choose to eat there. After my sampling, that's changed. They also offer discounted gaming with various entrees called Eat & Play Combos. These start at $15.99 and include $10 in game tokens. This, I imagine, is the most common option people choose.

Dave & Buster's also has a large circular bar between the games and the dining room. It offers cocktails and a variety of beers and wines..

As for the games, I needed some help. Despite growing up during the dawn of the video game age, I've never been of much use with a joystick, controller, Wii wand or skeeball. While friends were dropping smart bombs in the Defenderverse or gobbling ghosts in Pacmandia, I stood by quietly — my roll of quarters long since ingested by Centipede, Tailgunner 2, Frogger and Joust. While my best friend Ben was unlocking the final screen on Pacman, I was trying to graduate Space Cadet status on Galaxian. On Mike Tyson Punch-Out, I was slightly less a tomato can than Glass Joe.