Spent an hour last evening exploring the new MegaStraub’s at Clayton and Clarkson Road in Ellisville. At 40,000 square feet, it’s three times as big as any other Straub’s, and that’s certainly the first thing I noticed — ceilings are high, aisles are wide and there’s none of the claustrophobia of the other Straub’s.

Aromas were everywhere, but especially in the back middle, where the arm of a large coffee roaster slowly rotated and sent coffee scents rising. The long meat display cases showed off Straub’s signature prime steaks — and you could really get an idea of the marbling on the specialty Kobe beef that’s also unique to Straub’s. (I’m not sure how many people buy Kobe strip steaks at $55 a pound, but they’re sure gorgeous.)

Over among the smoked meats were stuff like smoked duck and smoked pheasant, and the cold cut counter had both San Daniele prosciutto and speck, among many other things.

There’s also a sizeable cookbook and kitchenware display, and a guy in chef’s whites was working it yesterday.

As noted in this recent article by my colleague Gail Appleson, Straub’s hopes to do lots of sit-down and carryout food business from the new store. As such, there’s a $7.99/pound hot food bar as well as a cafe. There’s also a second-floor sit-down space complete with fireplace, although this was set up with tables for a raffle yesterday afternoon.

Cooking classes are held in a glassed-in room on that mezzanine level.

Photos by Katherine Bish

For me last night, however, going the new Straub’s was like my first visit to Six Flags as a teenager. There was a new thrill around every corner.