Homespun Gallery

On top of listening to some tunes by Joe Metzka this weekend, I also squeezed in some shopping, some dining at the Kaiserhof and another local joint I'll blog about later this week.
I did get a chance to check out the new Homespun Gallery in Washington, located at 110 S. Main Street in a newly-renovated building on the square.
The furniture featured in the store is more high-end, reproduction furniture built right here in the US. The furniture is made to order, so if you find a piece you like, you can even choose the color or finish to suit your taste. There are some beautiful wall units in the shop.
There are several gift items in the store, including some neat toys made in the USA.
I found some mittens, which I'm sure I'll need sooner or later this winter, despite the warm temps so far, made from leftover sweater scraps, by some adults with disabilities right here in the USA as well. The mittens are available in several sizes and colors.

Pimiteoui Trail

Looking for a nice place to take a walk on your lunch hour near downtown Peoria?
The Pimiteoui Trail is very popular with the lunchtime walking crowd, and with bikers as well.
I usually pick up the trail at the Riverplex or sometimes over near the River Station and just walk north along the river on the paved path. It's a peaceful walk, and you can see and hear some interesting wildlife once in a while.

Lunch dilemma

Today I had to run some errands at lunch. I was considering what local options were available to me in the area of Peoria I was in, and after running though my options several times, had pretty much settled on Burger King for a cheeseburger and iced tea. It's good, quick, and cheap, but didn't fit as far as local.
When I drove up, there were eight cars ahead of me in the drive thru. Right then I decided to veer through the parking lot and stop at Po-Boys.
I've blogged about Po-Boys before, but rarely go there for lunch.
Today, when I stopped in, I was greeted by my server Byron, who was cheerful and prompt throughout my lunch.
I decided on a muffaletta sandwich. Byron asked if I wanted a full or half, so I went with half. The sandwich also comes with fries.
Boy, am I glad I went with the half sandwich! This thick, white bread loaf sandwiched lots of thinly sliced ham and salami, with provolone and olive spread to top the whole thing off. Sometimes I had to mash the sandwich down in the middle with my fingers to be able to take a bite. The accompanying fries were thin and crispy, kind of like Steak N Shake's fries.
This was a hearty lunch, and I brought half of it home for a second meal. Plus, I was in and out in less than 40 minutes, and got to listen to some nice Blues while I dined. Burger King drive thru can't top that!

Plaza Lanes

Bowling generally brings back bad memories of high school P.E. class for me. The teacher would berate my skinny ass for using a nine pound ball, and even with my light ball, I wasn't very good at it.
We've ventured to Plaza Lanes, 1500 Washington Road in Washington once or twice. The place is cool in a retro sort of way. And the bowling shoes and balls look way better than what I remember from high school in my hometown.
My bowling skills really have not improved with age. But I have mad technical skills.
Plaza Lanes also has something called Rock-n-Glow bowling, which looks to be very popular, with the top 20 videos displayed on large screens overhead.
We've also checked out the bar. The finest vintage to be had was a white zin, which was retro in itself for me. After I graduated from Lambrusco many years ago, I moved on to white zin. I don't think I'd had one in 10 years until I ordered one at the bowling alley. But, I digress.
All in all, Plaza Lanes is a fun break from the old boob tube. We'll be spending a few winter nights at the bowling alley, if there's any room for us.

Live blogging Iowa City

This weekend took us to Iowa City, and right now we are sitting in the Hamburg Inn No. 2, Iowa City's oldest family restaurant, recommended to us by our friend Minney.
The little place was packed when we got here, so we are sitting at the counter, starting at boards listing menu items. The shakes & malts board caught my attention, with the choice of vanilla, chocolate, coffee, butterscotch, strawberry, blueberry, cherry, pineapple, orange, lemon and maple. We placed our order for a butterscotch malt.
The back wall of the Hamburg Inn, established in 1948, is covered with political advertisements and memorabilia.
For lunch, I had to try the sweet potato pancakes, so I ordered just one, and a California burger, topped with cheese, avacado and pico de gallo.
StfRon went with a bacon cheeseburger, fries and chips. The chips are homemade, toasty brown, and pretty good. The burgers served here are 1/2 pounders.
The sweet potato pancake is huge, enough to almost cover a dinner plate. The sweet potato and spice flavor is subtle, at first I thought it was an ordinary pancake, but it's very good.
This butterscotch malt is awesome. I might have to make several more trips here to to get my fill!
OK, gotta finish my meal. Although, a bonus is, blogging while eating means I'm eating more slowly, and will probably get full before I finish my meal. Hmm, live blogging = diet strategy?

Sizzling India

Having peered in the window of Sizzling India on Main Street in Peoria and seen the mustard yellow walls and basket-woven dining chairs topped with cushions, atop which sat many diners during the lunch hour, I wanted to check the place out.
I know next to nothing about Indian food, and was a little concerned the menu would not have descriptions of the items. We stopped in during a weekday lunch hour, and no menu was presented, maybe due to there being a lunch buffet.
I figured a buffet would be a good way to sample many different items, so since someone had given us water and no server had stopped by our table, we headed to the buffet to select some dishes.
The dishes were labeled with Indian names, which didn't help us figure out what they were, so I took a wide array of samples.
After our first trip to the buffet, we noticed that several tables had a basket of some sort of flatbread. The other thing we noticed was that everyone was drinking water. That's when it occurred to us that we were not offered anything else to drink, and wondered if there were other drink options available.
The first thing I chose from the buffet, adai looked like an orangish pancake. It was different.
Next, I tried some fried cauliflower, which was OK. I also tried a tomato rice and a white rice dish, both of which were fine.
Once I got to the butter chicken, I decided this dish was a winner. The tandoori chicken was pretty good, too.
I also sampled a green bean dish in an orange colored sauce. It was a little like having a spicier green bean casserole, minus the fried onion topping.
StfRon tried a few dishes, too, but ended up mostly eating the butter chicken as well.
The dishes all had a variety of Indian spices to them, some much spicier than others. The lunch certainly cleared out my sinuses a bit, which is not a bad thing.
A server brought us by a basket of flatbread, which is called naan. This bread was soft, warm and very good. The servers also kept our water glasses well-filled until almost the end of the meal, however they kept to themselves very much, and didn't really have much interaction with the customers.
For dessert, we each took a small bowl of the rice pudding. I was surprised to find it had a sort of lemony flavor to it, probably from cardamom, but after the initial surprise, I found it to be kind of tasty. There were also nuts mixed in.
We were not presented with a bill, so we went to the register to pay for our buffets, $8.25 each. While at the register, we saw a bar area and the menu, which featured many more Indian dishes, Indian Chinese selections and beverages.

October 2009 — Sizzling India has closed

This weekend's events

I was checking around to see what's going on this weekend in the Peoria area. Here are a few things I came up with:

Dueling Pianos at the Waterhouse in Peoria— Friday, November 2: My mom has wanted to check this out for quite some time, and I think it would be fun. Not sure we'll make it this Friday, but I would like to go soon. You can partake of the buffet and show for $31.95 per person, or just the show for $10.

Will You Still Love Me in the Morning at the Barn II Dinner Theatre in Goodfield — Friday, November 2 and Saturday, November 3: The Barn II is always a good time. Friday shows are $31, Saturdays are $33 which includes the buffet and show. Bring a bottle of wine and you're set.

ITOO Annual Supper — Sunday, November 4: I've not yet been to this, but this is their 80th annual supper featuring American and Lebanese cuisine, and still going strong. I've seen the big red signs around town and it's fun to say ITOOOOOOOO when you drive by. Trust me.
Carryouts are available, with adult dinners at $13.50, children eat for $7. From 11:30-7 at 4909 W. Farmington Road.

Live at the Five Spot — Friday, November 2, Groovatron; Saturday, November 3, Peoria Area Civic Chorale: Held at the Contemporary Art Center, 305 SW Water Street in Peoria, these shows can be a lot of fun. Bring some snacks, or order food from the Rhythm Kitchen and enjoy the show for $10.

Joe Metzka — Friday, November 2: Joe will be playing at the Red Rock Bar & Grille, 332 Detroit Avenue in Morton. Never heard of the place, but I have heard of Joe, and always enjoy his performances.

Jimmy Binkley — Saturday, November 3: Jimmy tickles the ivories Saturday nights starting at 7 p.m. at Sky Harbor Steakhouse, 1321 Park Road, West Peoria.

Holiday Open House — Saturday, November 3: Get a jump start on the holidays at Green View Nursery's open house, from 8-6 at 2700 W. Cedar Hills Drive in Dunlap.

Captain Ron's

We did some boating this summer, and a couple of times ended up grabbing some grub at Captain Ron's, 579 Wesley Road in Creve Coeur.
I had never been to Captain Ron's prior to this. The river access makes it a great place to stop, and deck dining can't be beat on a nice day.
This riverside restaurant has a distinctly nautical decor, befitting the beachy location.
I sampled a burger on one visit, and a spicy pulled pork sandwich on another visit, the latter of which I topped with my side of cole slaw, Memphis style. Both were good, but what also kicked things up a notch was the side dish I chose, the sweet potato fries, served with a whipped cinnamon butter-type substance. Pretty tasty.
Our service was good both times.
The prices are reasonable, and it's easy to wile away part of the afternoon on the deck, enjoying the breeze and river views.

In August 2012, Captain Ron's became Kuchie's on the Water.

Expo Gardens

Sunday we were out running errands, and decided to check out the Giant Flea Market at Expo Gardens.
Admission is $1.50 each. Once you get inside, it's really almost a big garage sale, with some collectors' items and antiques thrown in for good measure.
We did score on this visit, finding a couple of knick-knacks for our home bar we are in the process of setting up.
If you find yourself hungry at the flea market, you can visit the concession stand for things like nachos and hot dogs. Sunday, there was also a grill going right outside the entry doors, which smelled really good each time we walked by.
If the Giant Flea Market is not your speed, you can check out events like the reptile show, the haunted house, and the Heart of Illinois Fair, all also hosted at Expo Gardens, 1601 Northmoor Road in Peoria.

The rest of our weekend was good. Saturday night we dined at Jonah's in East Peoria. It was a red letter date: StfRon ordered fish, marlin, no less. It was prepared with andouille sausage. I tasted it, and it was very flavorful. I thought I tasted a good amount of garlic, which is always good in my book. I splurged on the Thai chai tuna, coconut crusted. It was good as well, although I didn't catch the chai flavor. The tuna came with two sauces, a Thai peanut and one that tasted like soy and ginger. The ginger sauce was a little too sweet for my taste.
For my side I chose island rice, which was good, but quite sweet, too. StfRon had the au gratin potatoes, which were very tasty.
To accompany our meal, we each had the Ravenswood zinfandel, one of our favorites. And to finish, we shared the bananas foster. Delish!

Sunday our Peoria errands took us to Northwoods Mall, so we took advantage of the visit to stop in at the Smo-King Pit. We had a delicious lunch, each ordering the four bone rib dinner, StfRon's with fries and potato salad, mine with green beans and potato salad. Everything was great, as usual. We also got to meet and talk with Mike, the owner, about smokers and smoking meats. Here is a guy who really loves his work, and it shows. Kudos to Mike!

On his way home, StfRon picked up a pork belly he ordered from Lindy's Downtown Market. The belly is cut and basking in bags of cure, and will soon be turned into his first bacon experiment in our new smoker. Mmm...bacon!!

'Burbs dining round up

This week we had the opportunity for a little travel to the suburbs, so we sampled some local fare in the Chicago area.
On the evening we arrived, we headed for the Fondue Stube, 2717 W. Peterson Avenue in Chicago. We had dined there almost 7 years ago when we first started dating.
I remembered the decor being a little different, kind of 1980s living room with silk plants, sponge paint and the addition of red and green lights lining archways in the room. The theme is also classical, including the music, some of the artwork and the names of the menu selections, like Sinfonia Eroica.
The last time we were in, I think we went with the Sinfonia Eroica, a three-part meal including a cheese fondue served with bread cubes and apple chunks; beef fondue with vegetables and dipping sauces; and a fudge fondue for dessert, served with fruit and cake. The thing I remember from that visit was that we were not overly impressed with the fudge fondue, but we had a nice time.
Several years later finds us more the fondue aficionados (we have swiss fondue about once a month at home), so this time we went straight for the cheese: one order of cheddar fondue and one order of swiss, with the promise of a dessert fondue as well. Each pot of cheese fondue was $17, with dessert priced at $9 each. The cheese fondues are also available in half orders.
We were surprised when salads were served to us, as we didn't realize we would get them. The salads were well above most garden salads served to us at home, filled with dark leafy greens, a large carrot slice, a tomato wedge and a cucumber wedge and some red cabbage, accompanied by garlic bread and a dressing caddy at the table with Bleu cheese, creamy Italian and white French dressing.
Next came our pots of cheese fondue, set on their own flame in front of us, and each of us received our own basket of bread cubes and a nicely-arranged set of apple chunks. The fondue was a little mild for our cheesy palates, and also seemed a bit oily. Both had a nice garlic flavor. I was surprised to find that I preferred the cheddar to the swiss, so much so that I finished the whole pot, with a little help from StfRon.
After all of that, and after waiting a few minutes for our server to have a chance to come back, we decided to pass on trying the caramel dessert fondue.
Our server was pleasant and the other gentleman working was johnny on the spot with the water pitcher.
The Fondue Stube is a small, local restaurant, a bit off the beaten path. It's not the best food we've ever had, but we have enjoyed our visit each time we've been in.
Tuesdays and Thursdays they feature scallops, fish and chicken for your fondue enjoyment.
The also seem to believe in advertising and coupons, so be sure to check online if you decide to go. We've saved money with coupons and offers each time.

The next morning, we were in search of a local place to have some breakfast near Elk Grove Village. We settled on the Rose Garden Café, 111 E. Higgins Road in Elk Grove Village. There were several cars in the parking lot, even at almost 9 a.m. on a weekday, so we thought it might be a good choice.
There were some nice plants and rose bushes landscaping the front of the restaurant.
Stepping inside, I was pleased to see that the decor was not outdated, like many local family restaurants can tend to be. This restaurant had some nice wall treatments and a pleasant atmosphere. Which was broken shortly by some moron who had a missed call ringtone bleating out of his phone every two minutes. Everyone in the dining room, including the hostess, who was busily rolling silverware in cloth napkins, kept looking around each time this blast would go off, but no one seemed to be acting responsible for the noise. Finally, after about six instances of this missed call sounder, our hostess seemed to have narrowed the culprit down and walked over to a booth. She said something the man sitting there about his phone, and he said "Oh, yeah," and turned the phone off. Thank goodness for her boldness. Now we could enjoy our dining experience!
I perused the breakfast menu, hoping for something like granola or some similarly healthy dish, but nothing jumped out at me. I was pleased to see they offered crepes, and what a selection they had! There must have been eight types of crepes available, along with specialties like cinnamon roll French toast, pancakes and other goodies.
I decided to have a cafe latte, a bowl of oatmeal and a side of corned beef hash. I love a good plate of corned beef hash, with the edges cooked until they are nice and crispy. Plus, the meaty dish has a little more staying power than a sugary breakfast.
StfRon likes breakfast with eggs over medium and toast to dip them in, plus potatoes and corned beef hash, so he found a special that included all of this for one price.
Our food came out very quickly. The oatmeal was served with little containers of milk, cinnamon, raisins and brown sugar, which was great. We both loved the corned beef hash.
Our waitress was friendly and efficient, and the hostess was also very nice when we cashed out.
I noticed while we were paying that the Rose Garden Cafe also does banquets and catering.

After this filling meal, which tided me over 'til after 2 p.m., I did some shopping, and ended up at Oakbrook Center. I struck out on early Christmas gifts, but I was surprised to see the Christkindlmarket setting up in the mall courtyard. These German Christmas market booths will be at Oakbrook Center from October 26-November 11. November 23 the market will open in Daley Plaza. StfRon and I have begun a tradition of trying to go every year or two, and we always have a good time.

We didn't make it to any local shops, unfortunately, but before we made it all the way home, we did hit another local restaurant for a late lunch.
This place was dubbed the Doggie Diner, 457 N. Weber Road in Romeoville, chosen because StfRon was in da mood for some dawgs. And also because our GPS said it was called Peepers dogs, so we thought it would be funny to take a picture of a Peepers sign for my blog. Alas, there was no sign of Peepers once we got there.
The restaurant had a large selection of specials on the board. I was a little overwhelmed by the choices. What was a chicken wrap? Did they have Chicago dogs? Rather than stand and grill the guy all day, I asked what a pizza puff was. He said it was like a hot pocket, so I went with the two pizza puff special, served with fries. StfRon ordered chili dogs and onion rings.
The chili dogs were OK, but the chili was not as meaty as he would have liked.
The pizza puffs were almost exactly like a toaster strudel filled with pizza sauce and sausage, with some cheese thrown in. They were actually quite tasty. One of them even made it home and survived being in the car with our dog. It should make a nice lunch.

The Vault

On my way home from Bloomington recently, I took the scenic route via some country roads. My drive took me through the town of Danvers.
My attention was drawn by a neat old brick bank building with a glossy black door decorated like a vault door. The script over the door proclaimed the place The Vault. I'm not sure of the address, but it's on the main drag, and you probably can't miss it.
StfRon and I went to check out this bar/grill Saturday night. When we arrived, there were a handful people sitting at the bar, a family of four sitting at a table, and a couple of other guys having some food at a table.
The walls were lined with brick paneling, pretty well installed, but I was sad that the walls weren't original exposed brick inside. The tin ceiling was neat, though, as was the dark wood bar back with it's curved glass sides.
The woman behind the bar was running the place by herself. She took our drink order and we took a look at the menu.
The menu was larger than some small town bar and grills, with an array of appetizers, burgers, sandwiches and the local bar stalwart, Butch's pizzas.
StfRon went with a burger, and I decided to try the spicy chicken sandwich, a fried, non-breaded bird. When I asked if the sandwiches came with fries, she said they come with chips, but you can substitute fries, "which I make myself". The burger was on special, served some pre-made potato wedges. I decided to try the fries with my chicken.
Our cook/waitress/bartender was hopping, but keeping up with the small crowd pretty well. She brought our food over before too long. StfRon enjoyed his burger, and my chicken sandwich was very good, with just a bit of spice to it. The fries were were also quite tasty. Similar to Khaki Jack's fries, but not as dark.
We were finishing up our drinks around 7:15, when the door opened and a few people trickled in. 7:16, door opened again and a few more trickled in. 7:17, same thing. 7:18, again. This went on and on for several minutes. It was almost like a bell had gone off in town, and everyone decided it was time to hit The Vault. The poor gal behind the bar had her hands full by this time.
We decided it was time to hit the road after some tasty bar food and drinks, so we paid the tab and made our way through the newly-arrived crowd.

Chicago Hut

The weekends many times send us to Pekin for some shopping. This last time we went during the lunch hour, and when thinking of a local place to grab some grub, I thought of Chicago Hut.
Chicago Hut, introduced to us by some friends who live in Pekin, is located at 2111 Court Street, near County Market.
The menu is huge, featuring things like Chicago dogs, paninis, Greek chicken, gyros, burgers, wraps and even something called a Maxwell Street polish sausage, which I learned from my friend J, is famous because of Chicago's Maxwell Street marketplace.
This time I went with the BBQ half chicken, but it was a hard decision. There were a few other items I really wanted to try, too. I ordered my chicken with rice and it also comes with a Greek salad and some pita bread. Everything was wonderful. The BBQ sauce was very flavorful and citrusy, the cube o'cheese atop my Greek salad was delicious and the pita bread was irresistible. This set me back only $6.75, not including my drink.
StfRon had a chili dog and a gryo.
Since they strategically placed the baklava near the checkout counter, I had to order a piece of that as well. They offered to warm it up for me, which was a nice touch. It was almost as good as Mom's homemade.
The small dining room has a few casual booths and tables, most of which were full while we were in for a late lunch on a Sunday. The restaurant is decorated with some Chicago posters.
Chicago Hut also does a good carryout business, with great prices on Greek chicken dinners, said to feed four, but you will probably end up with leftovers.

Garden Gate Floral

I love to see historic buildings preserved and used for local businesses. I'm especially fond of train depots.
I was surprised to see a photo of a depot in Washington where Khoury's Cuisine now sits, and was sad to realize it was torn down. Actually, I have grand dreams of living in an old depot one day.
One town that has preserved their depot is Mackinaw. Last used as a depot in 1953, this is a beautiful brick Spanish-style building with a terra cotta tiled roof.
Located at 310 N. Main Street, the depot now hosts Garden Gate Floral, among other businesses.
Stopping in the Garden Gate recently, I found the shop filled with Christmas decor galore. Even if you are a petite person, you will probably feel a bit like a bull in a china shop in this cozy shop.
Garden Gate Floral does custom floral arrangements in addition to the decor and gifts carried in the shop. The prices on their Christmas ornaments actually seemed quite reasonable, compared to some shops I've visited.
There is also a tea room on site. I tried dining there one time, but was turned away because we did not have reservations, so if you want to check it out, be sure to call ahead.

River Station

This week we made our second visit to the River Station on the Peoria riverfront since it re-opened this year.
It's so nice to see this beautiful, historic landmark building in use and the restaurant back in business.
We were given a great table, right next to a large bay window looking out onto the river.
There were a few empty tables near us in the dining room, so they were not packed.

Our waitress was cheerful and joked with us, running to the bar several times to check on drink possibilities for the table.

Our guest of honor and his wife ordered some calamari, and were kind enough to share. The calamari was thick, chewy and good, served with a creamy red pepper sauce for dipping.

We started with salads. Since the last time we were in, they have changed the standard practice of bringing the salad bar caddy to the table. The menu stated "tableside salad bar available upon request", so we went with the pre-made salads. They were good, and included a cucumber slice, tomato wedge, shredded carrots, some cheddar cheese and croutons. StfRon had bleu cheese dressing with bleu cheese crumbles, and said it was very good. I went with the balsamic dressing, which was also quite tasty.
I did miss the tableside salad bar, though, and wished we had asked for it.
Some of our friends had the seafood bisque instead of salads, which they were pleased with. I tried the bisque last time, and enjoyed it.

Between soups, salads and breads, there was a noticeable delay before our dinners arrived. It wasn't a shocking delay, but there was a point when most of the conversation had stopped at the table and everyone was wondering where dinner was. The waitress brought by some more bread and said the food would be out in a few minutes.

For dinner I chose the chicken Oscar, a chicken breast topped with crab meat, hollandaise sauce and asparagus spears, served with mashed red skinned potatoes. The plate presentation was very nice and the chicken had a good flavor, but it was surprisingly salty, like it might have been brined. It was also a little brown and dry in a couple of spots, as if it had been under a warmer for a while, and the hollandaise was a little thickened, too, in spots. The chicken might have been plated and waiting for some of the other meals to be prepared. It was a tasty entree, nonetheless. The red skinned mashed potatoes were very good, seasoned nicely and topped with some shoestring potatoes.
StfRon gave the prime rib a second try, since he's a prime rib junkie. He ordered the medium-sized prime rib prepared medium rare. It came out more rare than medium, and he was disappointed that there was no "crust" to the outside that comes from slow roasting. However, the medium prime rib, which all of the men ordered, was quite a large cut. We all wondered how big the large cut would be after looking at these hunks of meat. The steaks, not the guys!
The prime rib was served with a horseradish sauce, and accompanied by the Bleu cheese potatoes he chose. The cubed potatoes were great with the Bleu cheese, says he.
My friend M had the pork tenderloin medallions topped with a balsamic reduction, and she said it was wonderful.
C had the salmon, and also said it was great.
My friend Minney had the asiago chicken, which I had considered getting. I didn't get a chance to holler down the table to see how it was.

Once we all finished eating, some time went by and our waitress came back to see if anyone wanted dessert. One couple went for the pumpkin creme brulee to share, which sounded very good. After taking the dessert order, no one took our plates away. Between 7 dinner plates, 7 bread plates and various glasses of wine, beer and water, our table was getting a bit cramped. Some of us also could have used some refills.
When the dessert arrived, the waitress took several of the plates away, which gave us some breathing room.

We did have a nice time at the River Station and enjoyed the view and the ambiance, and, of course, the company. There were a few kinks that you can find at any restaurant, and it would not keep me from coming back.
In fact, I hope to be back soon because I see that the Wine Room is now open, and I must partake of that!
I also would like to try their brunch, after reading Floyd's report.

July 3, 2008 — The River Station has closed.

Grecian Gardens

Having spent about 2/3 of my life living in Chillicothe, two blocks from Grecian Gardens restaurant no less, I didn't really have a high opinion of the place. And not due to anything I had heard or experienced, I guess it was just because it was always there and Peoria was so much cooler.
Occasionally meeting people from Chicago and the suburbs, if I said I was from Chillicothe, they would say, "Oh, have you been to Grecian Gardens?" Walking away, I would chuckle to myself, Grecian Gardens??
My mom heard Grecian Gardens, 304 Plaza Park Drive, served a good prime rib, so she felt she must pass this information on to StfRon and I. Friday night we ventured in to check it out.
Walking in to the place was surreal. I had been in the dinette-type room a couple of times over the years, for lunch when I worked in Chillicothe during high school, and once for a disastrous blind date. It looked vaguely familiar and comforting.
The door marked "Lounge" and the dining room, however, were a complete surprise to me. It was like I had always come in and entered the dinette section to the left and never knew the rooms to the right existed.
The hallway between the two dining rooms was lined with long, retro sofas.
The decor in the lounge was delightfully old, either late 1960s or early 1970s with an awesome red velvet wallpaper and lots of dark wood. The carpet was decidedly 1960-ish, too. I felt like I somehow remembered this carpet, too, from when I was a wee lass.
We went into the lounge to wait for our table, but ended up just eating there amongst the video games and jukebox. Some guy kept playing the same two songs, one of them by CCR and the other from the Blues Brothers, I think, over and over. Finally StfRon snuck some money in the jukebox to spare us another repetition.
We all ordered the prime rib, me with mashed potatoes and white gravy, StfRon went for brown gravy, and we all had the salad bar. The salad bar was not too exciting, but sufficient.
Our prime rib was well-prepared, the au jus not too salty, and the meat was very tender. The smaller portion runs about $14.99, and they also offer a king prime rib.
I had started with a non-descript Cabernet, but worked up the nerve to try a Greek red wine, which was much better.
There are also some Greek entrees on the menu, and baklava, which I wanted to try, but forgot to order.
Our bartender/server was pleasant. Although, the bar became rather busy while we were there due to a wedding party arriving, and a manager-type lady started helping out behind the bar. She had a bad attitude or was having a bad day or something, but eventually she mellowed a bit.
If you're looking for decent food and a blast from the past, give Grecian Gardens a try.

The Blend

For weeks we've been driving by the banner that said "The Blend Opening Soon" in Washington at 1128 Peoria Street.
This week we saw The Blend was open, and stopped in to check it out.
The decor is upscale coffeehouse, with orange and yellow walls, pendent lights, eclectically upholstered booths and glossy cement floors.
The Blend roasts their own coffee, and on the day we were in, the bags were marked "fresh roasted on 10-4". There are several varieties of coffee to choose from. Next time we need some, we'll go buy some so it's fresh and we'll brew it up at home and see what we think. I also have my eye on some flavored varieties for Christmas presents.
The Blend serves bagels, muffins, scones and something called Wally Biscotti, which look awesome with flavors like Ginger Binge-ers, The Lemon Sisters and Pistachi-o-wie. They also have huge cinnamon rolls. We opted for the bagels, covered with poppy seeds. I had mine with garden veggie cream cheese, which was very savory. StfRon's been raving about the softness of the bagels. Our only complaint: they should see about a faster toaster, maybe one of those chain dealies where you put the bagel it and a few minutes later it pops out on the conveyor belt ready to go.
To quench your thirst, The Blend has espresso drinks, hot chocolate, chai, teas, smoothies and juices. I opted for some Minute Maid orange juice, having already caffeined up at home that morning.
If you decide to hang out at The Blend, they have some magazines and books to read and WiFi access, and so far are open in the evenings as well as mornings.

August, 2008 — We rode our bikes to the Blend before a weekend road trip. We were disappointed to find that they had seemingly changed both their bagels and cream cheese. The bagels were not as soft, and the cream cheese was not as savory. They are still roasting their own coffee on a regular basis, though, which will make for great gifts for coffee lovers.

Penguin Tap

I was introduced to the Penguin Tap several years ago by a friend from work who often lunched at the restaurant located at 4913 N. Prospect Rd. in Peoria Heights. She was a regular, and was always happily greeted by the waitresses.
Actually, prior to going there with her and some other friends from work, I had no idea what the place was called. There was no sign for the longest time, just a large wooden penguin cutout on the side of the gray building.
This building has been there for about 15 years. The previous one was destroyed by fire.
Each time we went in for lunch, there were comforting lunch specials like chicken noodle soup, cheeseburger chowder and grilled cheese. But once I tried the pizza, it was hard to stray to other menu items.
The Penguin's pizza is served on a very thin, crispy crust. You can even order a personal pizza, which is typically my choice, topped with pepperoni and onion.
The dining room is decorated with plenty of penguin memorabilia, in honor of the place's namesake.

Visiting after work, instead of sitting in the dining room, I like to sit in the bar area. While here you can enjoy a large schooner of beer.
The last time we were in, a bonus was the baskets of popcorn our waitress set out for us. Definitely addictive.

The Penguin reminds me of my friend, who died a few years ago. Actually, her birthday would have been this month. A good time for me to visit one of her favorite establishments and have a drink in her honor.

March 24, 2008 — The Penguin Tap has closed.

Bark in the Park

The weather forecast for Sunday, October 14 looks great so far, so I think we are on track to hit Bark in the Park for Peoria's Humane Society at the Peoria Riverfront.
Our dog has $270 worth of professionally polished pearly whites to show off. Who knows, it may have been a rip off, but the vet recommended it, she doesn't have dog breath anymore, and her teeth are very white. She's a pretty girl, yes she is!
The event will start at 11 a.m. this year, and dog lovers and dogs are welcome to join in the fun. Activities include a walk ($25 registration per dog), paw painting, obedience demos, photos, raffles, food vendors, a mutt show and more.
This year, you can raise pledges and receive prices for each fundraising level attained, like collars, leashes, shirts and even iPods. Several people have posted pledge pages on the Humane Society's web site.
Visit http://www.peoriahs.org for more info.

Sterling Family Restaurant

Saturday we stopped at Po-Boys for some dinner and music. I knew they had changed chefs in the past couple of months, so I was wondering how the food would be. They have expanded their menu, and I had the crab cakes with a side of corn bread muffins. It was all excellent, and the muffins were served with butter that had a hint of cinnamon to it. Prior to the crab cakes, we ordered some toasted ravioli with marinara sauce. The sauce was excellent, with a nice touch of sweetness to it. I couldn't put my finger on the flavor, but it was great.

Sunday we decided to check out the Spoon River Drive. On the way, we wanted to get some breakfast.
Our first stop, Gebby's, found several groups of people waiting for tables. Heading further west, we came to Sterling Family Restaurant, 4513 N. Sterling in Peoria.
President Bush dined here in January, and I wasn't sure if this claim to fame would mean we wouldn't be able to get a table, but we were greeted cheerily and escorted to one of the last handful of tables in the non-smoking room.
The restaurant is older, with dark wood paneling, however the tables and booths have been updated in recent years.
Our waitress was very friendly and efficient, quickly bringing us some iced tea and orange juice. The orange juice was pretty good, not the watered down stuff served at some places.
We both went for Louie's Special Breakfast, your choice of two eggs, meat, potato and bread. What sold me was that one of the meat choices is corned beef hash, and one of the potato choices is grits. I also chose an English muffin and scrambled eggs with my meal.
StfRon went with the hash as well, hashed browns and wheat toast, with eggs over medium.
This breakfast bonanza comes in at under $6.
Our food came out pretty quickly, which was good because we were hungry. Everything was good, and the meal proved to be too much for me to handle.
Sterling Family Restaurant has also made the top three in the Peoria Journal Star's Reader's Choice Awards.

Spoon River Drive continues next weekend, October 13 and 14, with crafts and food vendors and plenty of garage sales along the route. Oh, and if you see Uncle Bud's apple booth in London Mills or anywhere else, check out the cider slush. It's DEEEELICIOUS. Especially on a 90 degree day in October.

We finished our afternoon with a trip to Maurie's for some caramel apples. StfRon was swayed by the case of candies, and added some toffee, turtle-type candies and cashews to our order.
I love the caramel on these apples, and it was just as good as I remember. The toffee was terrific, a nice blend of salty and sweet; a new treat to add to our list, and I know someone who just might appreciate some for Christmas.

Chef Leo's Bistro 320

I've tried going to Bistro 320, 240 SW Jefferson in Peoria, off and on for a few months, and they've been closed each time.
This week we did a drive by, and found them to be open, so we decided to check it out for an early dinner.
The bistro is under new ownership since September 1, and is now called Chef Leo's Bistro 320.
Chef Leo was in the dining room when we arrived, and asked to make sure the music was not too loud for us.
Our waitress came to take our drink orders, and we ordered some wine. I tried a Pinot and StfRon had a Cabernet blend. Each were $7.
Our waitress brought a basket of warm hearty rolls served with butter. The basket was accompanied by two petite butter knives tucked inside.
We tried the soup of the day, a beef stew, which was not thick like most stews, but was hearty and full of herbs. This soup was great.
The menu features a lot of great options like crab cakes, baked brie, creative salads, steaks, pasta, lamb, chicken and seafood.
We tried the filet served with a brandied onion compote, and a side of garlic mashed potatoes. The sides are extra, but the meals come served with the vegetable of the day. The steak was tender and well-prepared, the garlic mashed potatoes were savory and the plate presentation was great.
We finished our meal with some dessert, some sort of chocolate overload for StfRon and a bourbon pecan pie for me. Both were drizzled with light fruit sauces, which added a nice touch of color.

The Bistro is open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. through the week and also has a lunch menu full of salads (including a broiled salmon salad) sandwiches, quiche and wraps.

August, 2008 — The bistro has made way for Andre's restaurant, featuring Cajun fare.

Fired Up

One business I have inadvertently overlooked blogging about for a while now is Fired Up, 4532 N. Prospect Rd. in Peoria Heights.
My first visit to Fired Up was with "the girls" in June. I took a walk around the studio looking at the selection of bisque items available for hand painting. There are coffee mugs, bread pans, bowls and even pet food and water dishes. I ended up selecting a small square dish that I figured I could use to keep my rings in after I take them off for the day.
Fired Up charges a flat studio fee, and you also pay for the cost of your chosen bisque piece(s). The pieces start at under $8 and go up from there.
After selecting my paint colors, I sat down to enjoy wine, hummus, veggies, pita chips, tortilla chips and wedding ring cookies brought by my friends.
It was fun to see everyone else's creations at the table. H chose an egg plate and painted it with accents of purple and pink, then spattered with black paint over all. Minney made a very cool switch plate cover.
A week later, our pieces were finished being fired by the studio and ready to be picked up.
My little ring tray now has a place of honor in the bathroom at home, and gets used every day.

Last month, we convinced some of our guys to go along for another trip to Fired Up. The promise of being able to bring booze might have had something to do with it.
The outing seemed to bring out the creativity in everyone. I was very impressed with my friend J's plate design. StfRon used chalkboard paint for his creation, and my friend M used a chili pepper stamp on one of her tiles.
There were comments about how Zen the whole thing seems, and also reminiscing about kindergarten and preschool art projects.
This time I chose a rectangle tray with handles at each end, and painted it a salsa red and vibrant yellow. I plan to use it to carry glasses of wine or snacks about.
Fired Up is definitely something different to do. It would make a great Mother's Day outing, too. Just be sure to make reservations during any holiday seasons, and it's worth checking their web site for any coupons or specials. And for those of you on the east side of the river, there is now a Bloomington location.

Global Village

When I first heard about Global Village opening at 1308 E. Seiberling in Peoria Heights, I was interested to check it out.
Global Village carries fair trade merchandise from around the world, including toys, clothing, food, jewelry and gifts. The shop is staffed by volunteers.
I've stopped by twice now, only to find them closed both times. I guess it's just a matter of bad timing. They are closed on Mondays, and Saturdays are open from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. This last time I stopped by around 9:30 Saturday after picking up some locally-grown yams at the last Peoria Riverfront Market of the year. Served up with our Creekstone Farms steak from Lindy's Downtown Market Saturday night, those were terribly tasty tubers.
I'll stop by Global Village again soon now that I know the hours. I'll bet I could find a gift for my mom that I could squirrel away for Christmas.

Katie's Café shuttered

We heard some rumors last night, and walking by Katie's Café today, we saw they were closed.
There is a sticker on the window about the business being revoked, and a hand written sign on the door apologizing for being closed.
It would be sad to lose this quaint business. I loved the decor and antique tables, and the cheese muffins were the bomb. Where will I get my cheese muffins now? Lindy's seems to have the same muffin, but for all I know they were buying them from Katie's.
Katie's was the place in Washington for great cookies, muffins and pastries.
I hope things will get sorted out and they will be back in business soon.

Duryea Days

Driving down Prospect Ave. in Peoria Heights after my eye exam earlier this week, I saw a banner for something dubbed Duryea Days, to be held October 19 and 20.
Upon investigation, I see that Duryea Days will feature antique appraisals in conjunction with WTVP on October 20 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in Heritage Square. The appraisals are $20 per item, with proceeds going to WTVP and the Peoria Heights Area Business Association.
If you think you have something valuable and would like it appraised at this event, you must pre-register by October 1. Hey, you may end up on TV!

On Friday, Duryea Days will feature wine, food and live jazz music, plus a silent auction benefiting WTVP. All this will take place from 5-8 p.m. at Heritage Square, 4400 N. Prospect Ave.
Tickets for Friday are priced at $50 and are available from the Peoria Heights Area Business Association.

Cool Beans Café

After some geocaching a couple of Sundays ago, we decided to see if anything interesting was open in Morton so we could have a bite to eat.
Driving by the Cool Beans Café at 730 W. Jackson, we saw some action and decided to stop in.
Walking through the parking lot, I was looking at their drive-through menu and saw steamed cider listed, which sounded just right for a fall-like day.
Stepping inside the cement block building, we saw bright orange walls and some couches and chairs in addition to the dining tables.
Upon stepping up to the order counter, we were seemingly ignored for about four minutes by the three people behind the counter (two of them were semi-busy), until a middle-aged lady asked the young girl to wait on us.
Since I had some time to peruse the menu, I knew I had to try the peanut butter and jelly panini, accompanied by steamed cider. StfRon went with the chili dogs. Both sandwiches came with chips, the ridged variety. The panini was something different, and I liked it.
The young girl who took our order and brought the food out was pleasant.
In addition to lunch choices and standard coffee fare, Cool Beans has frisbee golf discs, Spudnuts donuts, free WiFi, and accepts fax and phone orders.

Cool Beans Café  has closed.

Busy Corner

On our way to the Third Sunday Market last month, we decided to check out the new Busy Corner location in Goodfield on Route 117. Busy Corner has been serving homestyle food and fresh-baked pies for over 60 years.
I had been to the previous Busy Corner building some eight or nine years ago with friends for dinner. One of my friends worked nights in Bloomington/Normal, and Goodfield was a good place to stop and meet. All I remember from that visit is pie (as in, "Y'all want pahhhhh?").
The building is nice and updated, and outside has some of the same elements as chain restaurant buildings. One thing those chains can't boast, though, is a large Statue of Liberty replica on the front porch.
Inside, the restaurant layout very much reminded me of a Bob Evans.
On this Sunday, a steady stream of tired-looking people filed in, some carrying newspapers to enjoy with their breakfast.
Being we wanted to get on the road, we decided to take a seat at the counter rather than wait a few minutes for a table or booth.
Our server was friendly and prompt. I went for the breakfast sandwich. I figured a little meat, egg and cheese would stick with me longer than some French toast or something along those lines.
The sandwich was good and hit the spot, and after a longing glance at the pie selection, we were on our way.
I'm sure we'll be back many times as we head east for road trips.

Apple Blossom Farm

With the arrival of the crisp fall air (at night, anyway) my thoughts turn to the changing leaves, bonfires, and caramel apples and cider donuts!
If you don't have time to drive to Speer to go to Tanner's Orchard, there is a closer alternative, the Apple Blossom Farm.
Located on Route 91 just north of the Grand Prairie Mall, the Apple Blossom Farm is full of fall fun like apples and pumpkins, a petting zoo, hayrack rides and the corn maze.
In the Harvest Barn you'll find gifts galore.
The bakery features sandwiches, hot dogs, pork chops, pies, candy apples and one of my favorites, cider donuts. I haven't tried the Apple Blossom Farm version yet, but I might just have to dart over there after work and snarf some down.
Visit their web site (above) for some coupons and more information.

White Buffalo

One of my mom's favorite stores is White Buffalo, located at 100 Harrison Street in Peoria, right across from the 401 Water Street building.
Operating in Peoria for several years now, White Buffalo carries a nice selection of handcrafted jewelry, pottery and art crafted by the Navajo, Pueblo, Plains and Hopi Indians, to name a few.

January, 2008 — White Buffalo is now open in the 401 Water Street building (no longer open at the Harrison Street location. Stop by and check it out!

June, 2008 — Another Central Illinois blogger informed me that White Buffalo is closed.

The Ugly Mug

We noticed activity in a recently vacated shop on the square in Washington. Eventually, a sign went up for The Ugly Mug, Your Coffee Escape. It was an unusual sign, but my interest was piqued.
I've long said Washington needs a true coffee shop on the square.
Saturday, we dragged our butts out early and went to check it out.
Outside, there are bistro-style tables and chairs with bright cushions for those who want to enjoy their brew outside while watching cars jockey for space on the square.
We stepped inside to find very bright yellow walls and laminate flooring. If the coffee alone can't wake you up, these cheery walls will. The light fixtures are very contemporary. Along the wall behind the ordering counter are shelves filled with "ugly" mugs. They're very interesting to look at, but are not for sale, so don't get your hopes up.
In the offering were several daily brews including a fair trade selection, espresso drinks and chai teas, and various muffins and turnovers, cookies, just to name a few.
I had a chai tea, which was good and not too sweet, like some I've been served, and a muffin which was supposed to be cheese, but had a cinnamony flavor to it more than cheese. It was still very good. The muffins are made by a baker in Peoria. StfRon had the same muffin, and some coffee.
Another bonus to this location on the square is the addition of WiFi.
The Ugly Mug also offers the ever-popular punch card, so you can earn a free cup as reward for all that hard drinking.

April, 2008 — The Ugly Mug has closed.

Step Back in Time

Sunday was such a nice day, we walked to the square in Washington to do a little browsing.
Generally, not much is open on the square on Sundays, but Step Back in Time is, and it's one of the best shops on the square.
Step Back in Time is a three-story shop filled with antiques. On this visit, we were checking out tables for our home bar that's in the works. We saw several tables with great potential, and even some nice coat hooks. They also had some benches and pews, but they were not quite what I was looking for. I recently bought a "bench" but wish now I had waited to find a nicer one.
If you're looking for a Halloween costume, you might want to check out some of the vintage clothing and hats scattered around the booths here.
Step Back in Time also carries a nice selection of milk paint in various colors.
It's a fun place to poke around in on a lazy afternoon.

Rhythm Kitchen Music Café

The Rhythm Kitchen Music Café, located at 305 SW Water Street in Peoria, is a great place to sample some creative cuisine or live music.
The menu features items like hummus and veggies, fruit and brie, salads and pizzas, sandwiches like the salmon BLT and even homestyle favorites like meatloaf and casseroles. If the tuna chop salad is on the board when I stop in, I generally order that. It's filled with chunks of grilled tuna and lots of chopped veggies, all mixed in with pasta.
The Rhythm Kitchen also features CHIP menu items, breakfast items, gourmet coffees, a nice dessert selection and a full bar.
On Wednesdays it's open stage and on Fridays and Saturdays there is live music, all in this eclectic café with it's retro mismatched furniture and tableware.

Ponte Vecchio

One of my parents' favorite restaurants to visit is Ponte Vecchio in Sheridan Village.
Yes, this restaurant is in a strip mall, but once inside it's pretty easy to forget that.
Ponte Vecchio is under new ownership, for about the past year or so. The gentleman who owns it now has a passion for wine, and we have had some good discussions about wine with him, and have tried some great wines in the restaurant.
I was on a kick for a while and every time I went in, if they had butternut squash ravioli, that's what I ordered. It's very good and has a hint of nutmeg. It's also very rich.
StfRon of course likes to have the lasagna. And we always start our meal with some bread, olive oil and Parmesan.
There are several seafood and pasta dishes to choose from, plus chicken and steak. Sandwiches have recently been added to the lunch menu.
Each time we have visited, lunch or dinner, the service has always been good, and the food delightful as well.

August, 2009 — Ponte Vecchio has closed.

Oktoberfests!

Fall is my favorite time of year, and Oktoberfests are a fun way to get out and enjoy the fall weather.

One of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations in the U.S. is held in Peoria on the riverfront, the Peoria Oktoberfest. This year set for Septeber 21-23, the festival will bring bands from across the United States, the Peoria area and Bavaria, while celebrating great German food, beer and culture. There is also non-German entertainment planned for the CEFCU stage for those who are not big fans of schlager music.

September 23 brings the Kickapoo Creek Winery's Oktoberfest and art fair. Fall fun at this fest will include hayrack rides, blues music, food, wine, arts and crafts.

Bradford, IL will host another Oktoberfest September 28-30, bringing bands from Wisconsin, Peoria and Switzerland for your listening pleasure, and will be serving one of my festival favorites, pork chops on a stick. There will also be roast pig, hot dogs, heidelbergers, brats, beer and soda.

Furrow Vineyard and Winery in El Paso will host an Oktoberfest September 29-30. This fest will include brats and Oktoberfest wine combined with tunes by Sally Weisenburg and Illinois Brass Works.

So dust off your lederhosen and get ready to raise your stein, or soda, or wine to fall!

Lester's Tasty Donuts

Let's see...my Monday started out with waiting an extra 25 or so minutes to cross the McCluggage Bridge. Yes, I knew work was starting on the bridge today, but I also heard over a half dozen times on News 25 how they were waiting until after the 8:30 morning rush. Wrong.
While waiting in traffic, it dawned on me that I had forgotten to eat breakfast, which I never do. Oh, and forgot to return a DVD rental that's due today.
Though late, I continued my plan of going to Lester's Tasty Donuts on Glen in Peoria, because I wanted to try the donuts and knew they had a pretty nice looking outlet there. Lester's has been delighting donut lovers since 1953 at several Central Illinois locations.
For some reason I spaced out and went down Knoxville. I got near Proctor and realized my mistake. I jogged over on Northmoor and headed back the other way on University to 1401 W. Glen.
The lady who waited on me at Lester's was very pleasant even though her day seemed to be shaping up about like mine. I asked for an assortment of donuts, and she gave me a decent selection from what was in the case. I also noticed other pastries, cookies and coffee cakes.
I headed to the office a bit flustered and proceeded to spill hot tea on myself AND screw up a meeting time.
The best part of my day so far (other than the cheery lady who waited on me) was the donut I selected when I opened the boxes. At first I headed for a glazed twist, but part way there I saw what looked to be an almost bagel-like blueberry donut covered in glaze. I went with it instead, and it was wonderful. Light and cakey, with little blueberries mixed throughout, staining the donut batter purple, covered with just the right amount of glaze. This, my friends, was donut divinity, and my only true pleasure of the morning. Let's hope the afternoon holds more positives.

Ing's Chinese Express

After conducting some financial business a couple of weeks ago at the Sheridan Village CEFCU in Peoria, we decided to go to Ing's Chinese Express in said shopping center for lunch.
Ing's used to be known as Happiness Chinese restaurant in Pekin on Route 29. I had been to Happiness, and recall it as a cute little restaurant with good food.
The Sheridan Village location looks nice and clean, with a more updated decor and art than many Chinese restaurants in the area sport. It also seems kind of roomy, as they have left the center of the room open for a wide aisle leading to the counter where you place your lunch order. There is a row of chairs near the cash register to sit in while you wait for carryout orders.
I ordered the Mongolian beef, as did StfRon. I'm not sure why I did, because I grew up on Yen Ching's Mongolian beef, and none can ever measure up to that for me. However, this was good, with lots of onion slices, served accompanied by a huge egg roll and fried rice.
The food is served in Styrofoam containers, so if you can't eat it all, it's easy to take away.
Did the Mongolian beef beat Yen Ching's in my book? No, but I would certainly have this one again, or try one of the many, many other selections.

The Garlic Press (and Market Café)

A couple weeks ago I made a long overdue trip to the Garlic Press in downtown Normal. Anything with garlic in the name is bound to be a favorite of mine!
I have probably been there years ago, as the place has been around for 30 years, but I just don't remember for sure.
Located at 108 North Street, the Garlic Press not only carries pottery, gifts, kitchen gadgets, spices, sauces and more, but offers cooking classes and a great little café right next door.
Monday, September 10, the cooking class will be autumn comfort foods, including baked pork chops with Parmesan sage crust. Sounds divine! The class may be full by this time, but there are others upcoming.
Browsing through the store, I could hardly take it all in: stationery, toys, bath products, clothing, coffee, chocolate...I saw a beautiful lamp I would love to have, and some Frank Lloyd Wright styled house numbers, which I am in the market for, too.
I also found jackets, vests and shirts made in the USA, which is a hard thing to find locally.
My only regret on this visit was that I was not hungry, so I didn't visit the Market Café. I did peek in and see a nice selection of soups and sandwiches. Choose from things like sushi rolls, Thai chicken salad, chilled sesame asparagus and soups like sweet potato and ginger, smoky lentil chili, the list goes on and on. I plan to make it back soon for some of these great-sounding dishes!

Labor Day weekend road trip

Over Labor Day weekend, we decided to head to Michigan City, IN. One of the big draws to the area is the Lighthouse Place outlets, and the other is lovely Lake Michigan, with Michigan City being home to a couple of lighthouses.

As far as businesses local to Michigan City, we hit the quaint, wooden shotgun house area of 4th-7th streets near the outlet mall for the Golden Leaf Cigar Shop and Lange's Old Fashion Meat Market.
The cigar shop has a room in back where three men were sitting on leather couches smoking and watching TV. Made me wonder if Peoria would soon have establishments of the same sort.
The brothers at Lange's meat market were quite the characters...one of them actually claims to have dated a girl from Chillicothe and spent time in Chillicothe, but never Peoria. The shop has sawdust on the floor, and great smoked-on-site meats sitting uncovered in dishes along the top of the meat case. Ahh...Indiana knows how to do things the old fashioned way! There is even a side of bacon hanging on the back wall that one of the brothers claims is three years old.
Alas, when we were in, they were out of bacon to sell, so we ended up with a couple of smoked pork chops. They made an excellent dinner Monday night, with some white acorn squash we picked up from the Third Sunday Market in Bloomington.
We also stopped into the Banyan Tree boutique, which was filled with brightly-colored clothing and some gift items. The lady working in the shop was chatting with us and asking how our summer was and what we had done, so I told her we had gotten married. She nicely insisted on giving me a packet of bubble bath from Germany to celebrate the wedding. It was a nice surprise! She also said this shop closes in September, and reopens in May and that the proprietor buys a lot of merchandise from Italy, in small numbers, so that you won't likely see someone with the same shirt or bag as you walking around.

After the outlet mall and downtown area, we headed to Washington Park in Michigan City to check out the lighthouse. The place was packed with their Labor Dayz Festival. We paid our $6 to get in to the park, then walked the long, sandy walk to the beach. Once we hit the shore, we rolled up our pants and took off our shoes and walked in the surf along the shore toward the lighthouse.
After cleaning the sand from our feet and putting our shoes back on, we headed into the arts and crafts/carnival area of the festival. Nothing too exciting there.

On our way out of town, we took US 20 so we could pass by a BBQ joint we had seen on our way into town, Smokey's Southern Barbecue. The neon pig in the window beckoned us in.
The place is small, holding only about six retro formica tables, but the decor is quaint and cozy. I actually loved the way this place was decorated. For a wainscoting, they had used corrugated metal, and had touches of wood throughout, including wood floors. The bathroom was sort of half an outhouse built against one wall of the restaurant. StfRon didn't believe it was real, and had to pull the door open and check it out.
We both ordered pulled pork sandwiches and cole slaw. The slaw wasn't the best I've ever had. The pork was good and juicy, but probably not as good as some we've tried in Memphis. After staring at the dessert board and pie stand while we ate, we tried the desserts, peach cobbler and chocolate pecan pie. Again, not the best we've ever had, but the place was neat, service was good and we were glad we made the stop.
After we went outside, we got out the camera for some pictures, and an older couple came out of Smokey's with their carryout. The wife said, incredulously, "You're taking pictures of SMOKEY'S???" Hey, lady, this place is coooool.

This trip made us want to spend more time in Michigan City, since we only had the day. We want to check out more of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, the zoo, and much more. We hope to make it back soon.

Fall festivals

In honor of my favorite season, here are a few fall events to check out this week in the area:

• Elmwood Fall Festival - Free admission, carnival, food tent at Central Park in Elmwood September 6-8.
• Pekin Marigold Festival - Free admission, arts and crafts, food, carnival. Mineral Springs Park in Pekin September 7-9.
• Fire on the Water, Firefighters Street Festival, Peoria - $5 donation to enter, concert, car & bike cruise, food and beer. All proceeds donated to local charities. September 8 CEFCU Center Stage and The Landing, Peoria.

Doggone dandy!

This post is going to the dogs, literally!
Give some extra love to your canine companion this holiday weekend. Take Pete to one of the dog parks in the area:

• Morton - Morton Dog Park, free, small and large enclosure, wooded and shaded. Take 74 to the southbound Morton exit. Turn right in front of Wal-Mart (Courtland). Continue straight until the stop sign. At the stop sign, turn left on to Main St. Cross the railroad tracks. The dog park and ample parking is located on the left just before the curve.

• Peoria - Kickapoo Creek Dog Run - Large field with a creek. Farmington Road to Kickapoo Creek Road.

• Macomb - Macomb Dog Park. Fenced. Located in Patton Park on the corner of Ward and Grant.
After the dog park, how about some fancy treats for Trixie:

• Peoria - My Dog's Bakery at the Metro Centre, toys and homemade treats

Cookie Shack

When I lived at the corner of McClure and University in Peoria, my travels sent me past the Cookie Shack at 3034 N. Wisconsin many times, but I never ventured in.
A few months ago, StfRon stopped by to see me at work with a box of cookie delights from the Cookie Shack! In this box of goodies were chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, double chocolate cookies, snickerdoodle cookies, and thumbprint cookies. The snickerdoodles were awesome, as were all the rest.
On Wednesdays, the Cookie Shack will give a free cookie to seniors. Not a cookie connoisseur? They also have cakes, pies and more and will deliver any order over $50.
Stop by and spread some cookie love, or catch them at the Peoria Riverfront Market.

The Butcher Block

In the newly-renovated Junction City shopping center, there is a great market/cafe, The Butcher Block.
You will still find great cuts of meat, sausages, pork, chicken and more you expect from The Butcher Block with the added bonus of cheeses, sodas, beer, wine, breads and specialty items.
The café is a great addition, with nice deli sandwiches featuring Boar's Head brand meats, subs, wraps and salads. You can even enjoy a beer or glass of wine while you're visiting.
StfRon tried a BBQ brisket sandwich, which was very good. I've had the Reuben, which is good as well. I think next time I need to try the smoked pulled pork and coleslaw wrap.
Check out their web site at http://thebutcherblockpeoria.com/.

June, 2009 — The Butcher Block has removed much of their market items and is now focusing on meats and the deli, which now offers breakfast.
September, 2010 — The Butcher Block is under new ownership, and no longer offers deli items. They do offer dinner with a focus on steaks.

Artistic endeavors

For over 125 years, Central Illinois has been graced with the Peoria Art Guild, showcasing local artistic talent, of which I have zilch.
It's great to stop by the shop (203 Harrison St., Peoria), open Monday-Thursday 10-6; Friday and Saturday 10-5; and look at the creative works from local artists. You can find stunning jewelry and ornaments, photographs, paintings, ceramics, glassware and more. You can even rent pieces for your office or home from the Peoria Art Guild.
The art guild will hold their 45th annual fine art fair September 29 & 30 from 10-5 on the Peoria Riverfront, featuring artists' works, live music and food vendors.
On Sunday, September 9, visit Mackinaw Valley Vineyard and Winery for Art, Wine and Music at the Vineyard, from 1-4 p.m. You'll be able to view art guild artists' works while quaffing free tastes of wine and appetizers and listening to the tunes of Joe Metzka and the Sally Weisenberg Trio.

Washington Greenhouse

Washington Greenhouse, 2679 Centennial Drive in Washington, is a great resource for your gardening needs. They carry a wide selection of plants, trees, shrubs and seeds, fertilizers, plus landscaping rock and blocks and even a pet and bird food department.

Spotted Cow

I remember the Spotted Cow from my high school days. It was a small store on Prospect in Peoria Heights, and when it would rain hard, water would leak in from the ceiling into buckets on the floor. We're talking probably close to 18 years ago now.
My friends and I would stop in often for a homemade ice cream treat, either mint chocolate chip, chocolate chip cookie dough, or Oreo cookie for me. At some point they expanded and got a nice, newer location on Prospect with lots of cow decorations throughout, including cow spots on the tile floor. I would stop in for lunch over the last 8 years, as it was close to work. I wouldn't have ice cream with lunch, but a chocolate Coke would be my treat to myself.
In 2006, the Spotted Cow built a free-standing building complete with outdoor seating at 718 W. Glen and moved out of Peoria Heights. I made it in last week to pick up some carryout, and check out the new digs.
I like the funky Formica they used in the new building, and the shiny tin ceiling tiles. The place is bright, fresh and new. Lots of cow decor still graces the walls and chairs throughout.
I ordered a homemade Italian beef sandwich with cheese and peppers, and two chili dogs for StfRon. I also threw in a chocolate malt for good measure. The menu still features selections from the Heights location, like the tuna melt and cakes, plus new additions like burgers and fries.
You can also catch the Spotted Cow at their hospital café, or with their mobile ice cream cart at events like the free CILCO concerts at Lakeview Museum.
As for this visit, my Italian beef was juicy and well-seasoned, and StfRon pronounced the chili dogs a hit. The chocolate malt was so thick I couldn't get it through the straw at first, but once I did, all was good.

Random

While shopping at the newly updated Junction City shopping center in Peoria Heights a few weeks ago, we noticed a new store, Random. We went in to see what it was like.
Random, Coffee • Clothier • Vintage, is a family-owned shop with a large selection of trendy men's clothing including T-shirts and vintage apparel. There were some really hip guys' duds in there when we stopped in. They also have womens' clothing and coffee. Heck, you can even drink coffee while you shop.
KISS FM is currently featuring a Random T-shirt of the week. You can view the selection on their web site and save on the T-shirt of the week.
Random also has a Myrtle Beach location.
It's nice to see the guys getting some unique clothing options in town, too.

Peoria Pizza Works

With Leonardo's closing, we were looking for a good local pizza joint to hit over the weekend. We thought of Peoria Pizza Works and headed to 3921 N. Prospect in Peoria Heights.
Peoria Pizza Works has been around about as long as I have. I used to hang out there in the 90s and listen to Ready, Steady, Go play while drinking firewater. Ah, those were the crazy days of youth.
The Pizza Works is still cozy and dark, with old wood floors, faux stained glass panels over the light fixtures, and checkered vinyl tablecloths.
A basket of popcorn was delivered to our table when our drink order was taken. Nice to have something to much on.
The menu features Chicago style pizza, both thin and pan, calzones, pasta, salads, sandwiches, chicken and a slew of appetizers. They also serve mini pizzas, so you can have your very own favorite, without offending those you are dining with.
I was sure StfRon was going to order a tuna pizza with eggplant and zucchini, but no, he stuck with the sausage and onion. I had pepperoni, onion, green peppers and black olives on my half of our medium thin crust. This pizza crust was very cracker-crispy, and the cheese was excellent.
The Works has open mic every Thursday night and jazz bands on Wednesdays. They also serve a pizza buffet for lunch during the week. There are also some video games to pass the time with while you wait for your pie.
Service was decent during our visit. We will certainly be back, and hope this place makes it for another 35 years.

Ozark House Restaurant

A 50% off certificate and the temptation of some good hickory smoked ribs sent us to the Ozark House Restaurant in Bloomington a few weeks ago. The restaurant is located at 704 McGregor in a mostly residential area, and we were glad we had our new Magellan GPS on board to get us right to the door.
The restaurant is casual, 1970s-era, with several large fish aquariums throughout, which captured the attention of the children who were dining that night.
I ordered the smoked 1/2 chicken with BBQ sauce, accompanied by a sweet potato and a salad with creamy garlic dressing. The dressing was sweet and very good, and the salad was filled with lots of red cabbage and carrots. There was a cracker basket on our table, so we munched on those, but we saw several tables eating bread and butter. Ours ended up being delivered with our meal, which seemed a little odd, but maybe the kitchen was backed up.
StfRon had what is dubbed the "famous baby back ribs" with shredded au gratin potatoes and finished his meal with a very good coconut cream pie that seemed to be home made. Everything we ordered was good.
Our service was prompt and friendly, and when we got low on drinks, another server took the time to top them off for us.
Our only complaint was regarding the music, some slightly too loud almost elevator music. I think if it had been a little quieter, it would have blended nicely into the background. This would not keep us away, though. We had a nice meal, and it was a change from our typical Tazewell/Peoria County haunts.
The Ozark House also offers carryouts, nightly specials and banquet services.

Ming's Buffet

Admittedly, I am not a fan of buffet restaurants.
A few years ago, I was with a group and visited Ming's Buffet in East Peoria, at 1000 Riverside Drive. I didn't have high hopes.
The decor was a surprise. The place looks bright and clean, with sheets of cracked glass topping the tables, and glass panels on the walls with pictures carved into them.
The food is plentiful, of course, but also has been hot and seemed fresh each time I have visited, which sets Ming's apart from buffets I have visited in the past.
I especially like the green beans and the lo mein noodles from the buffet, and the large variety of cold fruit and veggies. They also have a decent sesame chicken.
Ming's also offers a selection of sushi, a salad bar, prime rib during dinner, crab legs, crab rangoon and plenty more.
Lunch runs about $8 and dinner about $12. It's still a buffet, but as far as I'm concerned, it's the best buffet I've been to.
Ming's has also opened a Bloomington location.

The Landing

Tonight on the CEFCU Center Stage at The Landing on Peoria's Riverfront, the Dave Hoffman Quartet will play from 7:30-9:30 p.m. The concert is free.
Dave Hoffman played and worked with the Ray Charles Orchestra for many years.
We have yet to hear him, but hope to tonight and we have heard nothing but good things.

Other upcoming events at The Landing include:

Jazz: Steve Heineman Quartet
Thursday, August 23, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Jazz: Billy Cook Quartet Plus
Thursday, August 30, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Fiesta En El Rio
Friday, September 7, 5:30-11:30 p.m.

Kep's Place

We recently stopped at Kep's Place in Washington for an after work drink.
Kep's was opened in 2002 in an old racquetball club. One thing Kep's is known for around Washington is wings. Someone we know in Washington buys pounds of the wings for a Superbowl party each year.
We saw the wings on this visit, and they looked very saucy and tasty, however we had dinner waiting for us at home, so we resisted the urge to order some.
Kep's Place has a sports bar theme, with big screen and flat screen TVs, darts and pool tables.
Tuesdays and Wednesdays you can play pool for free.
Looking for some grub instead? Kep's has good pizza, the BBQ one is one of my top choices, but one of my favorites here are the frips, kind of a cross between chips and fries.
There is a beer garden on premises, and a decent selection of bottled beers. Weekends feature DJs and live bands.
Oh, and looking to own a bar? I've heard Kep's is for sale.

Java Jolt

I remember the little coffee hut going up in the parking lot of the old Eagle grocery store on N. Knoxville Ave. in Peoria, later to be the Leath furniture store; now the large building is probably vacant again.
This Java Jolt coffee shop in the parking lot is so cute, just a little stop to drive up and zip away with one of your favorite beverages.
Later, I heard tales of an extreme toffee coffee concoction that StfRon would partake in from the Java Jolt located in the bank building at 230 SW Adams in Peoria. By the way he talked about this coffee, it sounded like crack or something.
Just last week, I mentioned the extreme toffee coffee to my friend Minney, and she also went into fits about how good it is.
I have heard that the bank Java Jolt location also has flat-screen TVs.
Personally, I have never been to the Java Jolt, only due to the locations not being convenient to where I am, but it sounds like the place is right up my alley. It's on my list to check out.

Interstate Center

Finally, this coming weekend on August 19, I think I will make it to the Third Sunday Market at the Interstate Center in Bloomington.
This event features antiques and collectibles from 400+ dealers in air-conditioned comfort. A good entertainment alternative on a hot, August day.
The Mennonite relief sale is also hosted here, plus livestock shows, poker tournaments and much more. The site is also available for rentals for your event.
The Interstate Center is off I-55 at exit 160B, on Route 9.

Harp & Thistle Imports

If you're in the market for Irish and Celtic merchandise in the Peoria area, Harp & Thistle Imports should be at the top of your list.
Located in Peoria Heights at 4605 Prospect Road, Harp & Thistle carries clothing, jewelry, gifts, china and more, including food such as cookies and tea. Looking for Guinness merchandise? They've got it!
Harp & Thistle will also have a booth at the upcoming Erin Feis on the Peoria Riverfront August 24-26.

Gil's Supper Club

A couple of friends I used to work with always raved about chicken from Gil's Supper Club, located on Main Street in Hanna City. Leaving Wildlife Prairie Park one time last fall, I convinced StfRon to swing by to check out the place for dinner.
Gil's is a family restaurant, operating since 1962.
We lucked out by stopping in on a Wednesday, when fried chicken is the dinner special. There were several people waiting, but when we went up to the podium and were asked "smoking or non" we said it didn't matter, and were seated right away. We hang out in bars where smoking is common, so we figured no big deal. WRONG. Next time we will wait for non smoking. It seemed like everyone in the dining room was smoking, and you could really tell.
We both tried the fried chicken dinners, and the chicken was very good. We also saw people eating fritters, which perked me up.
Growing up in Chillicothe, every once in a while my parents would get us Weaver's chicken for dinner, complete with corn fritters, deep fried balls of dough with corn mixed in, topped with powdered sugar. Excellent! My mom would also break out the Fry Daddy from time-to-time and whip up her own corn fritters, which were great.
Seeing the fritters at Gil's, I had to try them. We ordered a small batch, and were told the fritters were pumpkin, in honor of fall. Interesting. Then we tasted them. Oh, baby! They were wonderful. So great, in fact, that we ordered one dozen to go and ate about three more each on the drive home.
Now that fall is nearing, I find myself thinking of Gil's and their pumpkin fritters. It won't be long before we can partake of them again!

Festa, anyone?

This Sunday brings us the 78th annual Italian Festa at Hickory Grove Park, set for Sunday, August 12 from noon-7 p.m.
The festa features food by Basta Mangiare (such as Italian beef, sausages and spaghetti with meatballs plus desserts), Italian beer and wine and live music. There will even be a spaghetti eating contest for kids and bocce ball tournaments.
It looks like Sunday will be a hot one. If there is a breeze, it will be helpful, because there is a decent amount of shade at Hickory Grove from the old trees. If there's no breeze and you're still up for it, at least you can cool down with an Italian ice! Hey, what else are you gonna do? Sit in the house and watch TV?