June Restaurant

We dined at June Restaurant in Peoria Heights recently, a restaurant which has received much praise from both local media and the Wall Street Journal.

We arrived early, about 5:45 on a weeknight and were able to get a table without a wait.

Our dining experience took about two hours, and by the time we left business had picked up quite a bit.

The decor at June was simple and contemporary in style with soothing colors, concrete floors and nature-inspired artwork.

Even the table settings were simple, yet elegant.

Our server was knowledgeable about the wine list, the menu items and the food preparation methods, which include Sous-vide, slow cooking under pressure in a heated water bath.

The ingredients for many of the menu items are from local farms, which I think is great. Not only are local ingredients likely to be fresher, the support of local farms helps them prosper, which in turn can make these items more readily available.

We selected a bottle of Albak Tempranillo wine and sampled that while still pondering our dinner choices.

We were also served some of the breads baked in house daily, a ciabatta bread and a black olive bread.

After hearing from our server about the farm fresh egg on the first course menu, we decided to share that prior to dinner.

He described the egg as being cooked for about an hour and a half, placed on homemade brioche and topped with fresh herbs, hollandaise, bacon and shiitake mushrooms smoked with espresso beans.

The egg was extremely soft and fresh tasting, the brioche nicely crisped and the bacon had a good smoky flavor. The espresso smoke flavor of the shiitakes was a bit strong for our tastes.

We selected our dinner entrées, Branzino (sea bass) for me and a New York strip for my husband, and were not planning on having a second course item until the waiter mentioned a mozzarella salad, which we agreed to share. I don't recall the entire description of the dish, but the description of the cheese was very appealing, especially to us cheese lovers, and the dish had sunchokes, which we had to have a refresher on.

When this dish arrived we found the cheese to be wonderfully creamy and smooth, the plate sprinkled with fresh herbs and balsamic. The dish also included a caramelized onion garnish bursting with flavor. The sunchokes were prepared chip style and scattered throughout.

The kitchen at June is open to the main dining room, and most tables have a clear view of everything going on there. This also allowed us to experience several of the tantalizing scents the food preparation was generating.

Once our entrées arrived, we found that every element of them was notable, and we ended up passing our forks back and forth across the table so each could experience everything.

My Branzino had an amazing meaty yet tender texture, the thinly-sliced chorizo and sauce served with it was wonderful and the chickpea spaetzle was great.

My husband's New York strip (aged 45 days) had such a buttery texture it almost melted in your mouth and could easily be cut with a fork, topped with a smoky au jus and served with a seasoned potato puree, accompanied by carrots and other root vegetables.

Throughout our meal our server would stop by and top off our wine glasses without being intrusive, checking to see how everything was.

The food portions were reasonable enough that we could eat every last morsel and still consider dessert without being miserable.

After hearing the dessert offerings from another member of the team who was taking care of us, I selected the dark chocolate pot de creme which was described as having some heat to it, if I recall correctly it was ancho pepper, and was topped with a smoked cherry mascarpone.

StfRon opted for the peanut butter cake with brown butter paired with homemade caramelcorn ice cream.

He especially enjoyed the caramelcorn ice cream.

My pot de creme started out very good, and first seemed rich and almost fudge like, the cherry mascarpone subtly flavored. By the time I was done, I was loving and raving about the spiciness, and the texture of the creme reminded me of a ganache. I drove home with the heat from the peppers still lingering on my palate, recalling a wonderful meal.

Our bill came to $178 pre-tip.

Would I do it again? Absolutely. We haven't had a dining experience anywhere near this caliber in close to two years, and even before that it was few and far between.

Midway Duck Inn

On our way to Lacon a few months back, we drove past the Midway Duck Inn in Lowpoint. I made a mental note to make plans to dine there, and this month we did.

My husband and I arrived at the cabin-style restaurant about 15 minutes earlier than scheduled to meet my parents, so we took some seats at the bar after being greeted by a lady who was seating people in the dining room. We told her we'd be back for a table in a little bit.

StfRon ordered a beer and I decided to go for a margarita, which turned out to be very good.

The bartender, who was a young lady, and the rest of the bar patrons were friendly. This was not one of those places where everything falls silent and everyone turns to stare when "outsiders" walk in.

We checked out the menu while we waited and noticed duck tenders and frogs legs among some of the notable items, plus tenderloins, catfish and a selection of burgers. We also overheard that one of the day's specials, the hot beef, was sold out.

Most of the dinners were around $7-$9, with catfish priced at $11.95.

My parents arrived a while later and we headed to the dining room, taking a seat by the windows. If we had taken our seat about 15 minutes earlier, we would have had a great view of the sunset.

The tidy dining room was paneled in horizontal car siding-type wood, stained in a nice lodge look, with some hunting decor throughout.

I had heard that one of their specialties was pan fried chicken, so that's what I ordered when our friendly waitress took our order. Actually, everyone at the table ordered the same, some the 1/2 chicken, some 1/4, some all white and some mixed.

For sides we got salads, bread and potato, mine was baked and everyone else sprung for the au gratin version, plus a racquetball-sized corn fritter for each of us.

The breading on the chicken was nicely seasoned and crispy, the au gratins were good and the corn fritter was positively covered in powdered sugar, the outside crispiness giving way to the soft corn goodness inside.

My dad, who probably somewhat grudgingly came along, was appreciative of the decor and enjoyed his meal, eating practically every last morsel. He also commented that he could go for some more fritters, and I pointed out that he could place an order for $3.95.

During our time at the Midway Duck Inn, I had noticed the bartender took the time to say goodbye to each group as they left and thank them for coming in. We were no exception.

Round up

Willett's Winery and Cellar will open their restaurant, The Ironstone Room, 101 East Market Street in Manito, today. There are several items on the menu I would like to try. Check it out here. The hours are also posted on that page.

This weekend catch comedian Danny Storts March 12 and 13 at Mason City Limits in Mason City. Tickets are $12.50.

The Hyacinth in Peoria's Metro Center will hold a spring open house March 12 and 13.

A session on leafless tree identification will be held March 13 at 10 a.m. at Peoria's Forest Park Nature Center. This event is free, but donations are appreciated.

The Bogside Zukes will perform March 14 at Kelleher's Irish Pub & Eatery in Peoria from 2-6 p.m.

Connected

My husband said he was in the mood for something new Saturday night, so I suggested Connected, the restaurant which opened in the former Po-Boys spot in Peoria.

Tucked away next to Wal-Mart and the bingo hall on N. Dries Lane, from the outside we weren't sure they were open, but saw the hours posted (it was close to 5:30 p.m.) so we headed inside.

We were greeted by a young lady smartly dressed in formal black and white, a white cloth draped over her arm, who led us to our table in the elegant dining room accented with strands of white lights. She informed us that she, along with another gentleman, would be taking care of us, then placed cloth napkins on our laps.

She offered us sparkling, still or tap water, then told us about some drink specials which included a pear martini. It sounded great to me, but I asked to see the wine list instead.

We selected a bottle of Mountain View, a Cabernet, I think, which was priced around $25.

We decided instead of salads (which are not included with meals, although some meals include a side of polenta or other accompaniment) to try the mozzarella Caprese appetizer. We placed our order for that and soon our waitresses' partner brought us a basket of crusty bread and a spread which he said was made of pureed eggplant, dill and lemon. It had the consistency of hummus and actually tasted somewhat similar, and was very good.

The mozzarella Caprese complimented our wine, which at first had seemed too light for our taste, nicely. The balsamic on the appetizer was wonderful, and the basil tasted very fresh.

My husband ordered the Pollo Al Quattro Fromaggi, and I ordered an eggplant entree with four cheeses as well.

The combination of the four cheeses on each dish was great, and the tomato sauce was robust and very fresh tasting. Both dishes were also quite large, and we each ended up eating about 1/3 and asking to have the rest packaged to take home. The leftovers were delivered to our table a while later in a convenient brown handle bag.

We noticed the couple next to us ordered creme brulée for dessert, which was doused with liquor tableside and lit afire.

We asked about the desserts, and our waitress also mentioned a tiramisu and canolli. I discounted the tiramisu right off the bat, so used to central Illinois and their frozen institutional desserts. It occurred to me several minutes later that Connected probably makes their own.

We selected a cannoli instead and it was wonderful. My husband said he thinks it was the best one he's ever had.

Throughout our meal, we noticed the chef greeting some diners from time to time, but did not have a chance to speak to him.

By the time we were getting ready to leave, sometime after 7 p.m., there were only two tables available, which had not been open very long.

Once we were finished, our bill was brought and placed near my husband while I was presented with a yellow rose.

The bill, with appetizer, wine, two entrées and a shared dessert, came to $68 before tip.

We headed for the exit and passed a couple of servers standing at a podium near the dining room door. Just as we were reaching out to push the door open, our waitress dashed up to open the door for us and thanked us for coming.

A nice finishing touch to a nice evening.

Saving on fresh baked goodness

If you're a fan of Peoria's Apple's Bakery, you should check out the You Gotta Save deal, a $50 gift certificate for only $25 (plus a couple of dollars shipping and handling).

I've been dreaming of trying their chocolate bourbon pecan pie for years, so I hope to get one of those, some lunch, and maybe some goodies for a party.

Furniture shopping

We've been in the market for a new couch for a few months now.

In the past, I bought the majority of my furniture from Cohen's, who closed their stores a few years back.

I've decided that brown leather would be nice, sort of a club sofa, such as the one pictured here.

The other criteria? Made in USA. Oh, and it has to have a tight back. No poufy cushions.

We've been to Lippmann's and Illinois Furniture in Peoria, Baurer Furniture in Washington (before they closed), Faulk's Furniture in El Paso, StfRon stopped somewhere in Pekin and looked, and we've been to Melgreen's.

We have even checked a few chain places to see what's out there. StfRon called American a couple of weeks ago as they have an OK couch and they sent a flyer to our house about a sale. He called to check the price on that couch to see if we wanted to drive all the way out there, and they said "we don't give prices over the phone." Yet another reason to keep trying the locally-owned places.

We've been trying to get to Martin Furniture in East Peoria, but keep forgetting they are closed on Sundays.

And we need to try Sherman's and maybe trek out to Good's in Kewanee.

If you know of a good locally-owned furniture store I haven't thought of, please let me know!

Round up

Last weekend we braved the Swing at CAC dance lessons at the Contemporary Art Center in Peoria and had a good time.

I've been laying low for lunch, but have enjoyed a couple of outings including The Goodness Café, Ming Shee and One World in Peoria.

Last week we attended a dinner meeting at the newest Avanti's in Peoria, 8517 N. Knoxville. I got to try their bruschetta for the first time, which was pretty good, and enjoyed copious amounts of food at a reasonable price.

We bought some grass fed ground beef patties from Eureka Locker via Naturally Yours in Peoria. My husband grilled them up for dinner and they made great burgers. He commented on how it was the first time since he was a kid that he's had ground beef that tasted and smelled like that, and I had to agree. The smell of the patties cooking reminded me of when I was young and Mom was grilling up ground beef for tacos or spaghetti.

We also bought some of the Eureka Locker grass fed steaks which we plan to try tomorrow night.

Noted

The Kaiserhof restaurant in Peoria has closed.

Noted

Moon Dancer in Peoria Heights has closed. I have a feeling they may be moving to a different location in Peoria, but haven't heard the final news yet. They are now located at the Shoppes at Grand Prairie in Peoria.

Apache Junction next door to the former Moon Dancer is also closed.

Sullivan's, also in Peoria Heights, has been sold and is currently closed for some changes by the new owners, who will change the pub's name.

Noted

Fred's Shoe Repair will soon be open at the intersection of Forest Hill and University in Peoria.

Goodness Café in Peoria is now serving breakfast.

Wildlife Prairie Park opens for the season this weekend with a free admission open house February 28 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Ice Cream Shack in Sunnyland will open for the season February 26.

PV II Restaurant

We enjoyed dinner at Ponté Vecchio many times and felt a loss when they closed their location in Peoria's Sheridan Village.

A few months ago I was glad to hear that a chef from Ponté Vecchio was planning to open a restaurant, along with his wife, in the former Chiliworks site on Allen Road in Peoria and feature some of the same recipes.

This week I met my mom at the new PV II Restaurant for lunch.

We arrived at noon and were greeted right away and taken to a table in the busy dining room.

The room was pretty full, and the noises from those visiting and dining were bouncing off the high ceilings, much different than the quiet atmosphere of Ponté Vecchio, yet nice in its own way.

The decor seemed similar to what it was like when Chiliworks occupied the space, but it works for this restaurant also.

The lunch menu included pasta, salads, soups and sandwiches. The salads were also available in half portions, which was nice on the pocketbook and the belly.

I also noticed a table tent advertising Thursdays as half price bottle night, so there are wine bargains to be had as well.

Our waiter brought waters and took our drink order right off the bat.

I decided to try the half portion of chicken pear salad with parmesan dressing and a cup of a spinach egg soup made with parmesan dumplings. This soup and salad combo was priced at $9, or the half salad alone was $4.

The waiter brought us a basket of bread and then stopped by and told us that the food for a party of 20 was just coming up in the kitchen, and that ours would be out right after. He was quite apologetic.

The bread was perfectly warmed, dense and moist inside with a nice crisp crust.

Lunch did take a bit longer than would have been comfortable to arrive, but with all of the communication throughout by our waiter, we were relaxed and aware of what was going on.

The dressing on my salad was subtle but good, the pear crisp and the chicken breast nicely seasoned.

I especially enjoyed the parmesan dumplings in the broth-based soup. Heck, if they offered a plate of those dumplings as an appetizer, I would be all over them.

I heard a couple nearby compliment the waiter on everything, and I would have to agree. Service was great, the food was great and the prices were reasonable.

I look forward to trying dinner at PV II.

Adding another chill to this dreary winter...

is the news that Velvet Freeze has closed their last two locations.

After more than 60 years in the business, this is very depressing.

According to this Journal Star article:

"The restaurant chain opened in 1938, and at its height, there were 90 locations from Chicago to St. Louis, Thomas said. The Peoria-area Velvet Freezes added Wonder dogs to their menus in the 1950s."

I'm glad we visited in December so my husband could have one last Wonder dog fix.

Goodness Café

This is the time of year when I often find myself in a rut.

I am indecisive about what to do for lunch, and most times will just eat something quick, and lame, at my desk.

Today I told myself I was going to venture out and try the Goodness Café on NE Monroe in Peoria.

I found a parking spot right out front of the restaurant, which is attached to Peoria Bread Company.

Once inside I stepped up to the counter and perused the selections posted on the chalk boards. I noticed a menu posted on the counter top which described the sandwiches in more detail.

I selected the Fresh Veggie, which is listed as homemade hummus on whole wheat bread (organic) with lettuce, tomato, onions, sprouts, olives, cucumber and sunflower seeds.

The friendly young lady taking my order told me that there was a wait on hummus, and offered me a cream cheese spread or cheese instead. I opted for the cream cheese, and booked my meal as a combo, adding a cup of a homemade reuben soup.

I ordered a bottle of iced tea, which you pick up from a cooler in the dining room and the total came to $9.35.

I paid and found a seat in the dining room.

While waiting, I admired the soft green painted plank ceiling and fun three-dimensional art in the dining room.

The tables and chairs were a mishmash of style, giving a nice eclectic look to the room, and there were several brightly-colored paintings throughout the room.

Before long a lady delivered my order to my table.

I sampled the soup first and found it brimming with sauerkraut and carrots, flavorful in a rich broth.

My sandwich was piled high with veggie goodness and the sunflower seeds added nice texture to each bite.

Before leaving I figured I should sample the cookies and made a stop back at the cookie counter before heading out.

The menu also features several hot sandwiches, a few cold sandwiches and homemade soups each day. A bowl of soup comes with one free refill.

The Goodness Café was a nice bright spot in the midst of my dreary winter.

February 22, 2010 — The Goodness Café is now offering breakfast.
October, 2010 — The Goodness Café has closed.

Noted

Harms Florist will soon be moving in to the Oberlander building located at the intersection of McClure and University streets in Peoria.

I spent several years living on the second floor of the Oberlander building and remember it fondly. The apartments have high ceilings, tall windows, fireplaces and very thick walls.

I'm glad to see a nice building put to new use.

The Fieldhouse

In the later part of 2009, Peoria's Campustown became home to The Fieldhouse.Located in the former Gorman's spot, The Fieldhouse has an updated, clean sportsbar atmosphere.

I've sampled three of their sandwiches so far: a buffalo burger topped with swiss ($7.95 + 49 cents for cheese), a buffalo chicken sandwich ($6.95) and the UAB, a burger topped with bacon and peanut butter for $6.95. Each sandwich was served with Poore Brothers chips, twice the salt and pepper variety and once plain.

All of the sandwiches were good. The burgers are 1/3 pounders and the peanut butter was almost lost on the big burger, but added a nice touch.

Each time my waitress has been cheerful and efficient, and lunch has been able to be enjoyed with plenty of time to get back to work without rushing.

The Fieldhouse also offers several appetizers, a tuna steak sandwich, pizzas, salads and a couple of vegetarian options, plus a full bar for those after work gatherings or fun before or after the game.

Round up

Recently I've visited Ming Shee and The Fieldhouse in Peoria for lunches.

We had dinner at Palanza's Family Dining in Washington, which we haven't visited in years.

StfRon commented on how good the pizza was, and I was raving about the cheese, both on the pizza and in the shaker. This was none of that tasteless dry powder. I was intrigued by the offerings of fried chicken and steaks, but I don't know if I'll be able to skip the pizza to try them out.

Last Sunday we struck out a couple of times in Peoria: first in trying to call Rosie's BBQ & Grill to see if they were open (no answer) and then in trying to visit Naturally Yours to look at organic, free-range and grass fed meat options.

We ended up trying lunch at Leaves 'N Beans in Peoria Heights. I had a veggie wrap filled with tomato, green pepper, spinach and some mouth-watering hummus. This was no "burrito as big as your head" for which I was thankful.

My husband had a panini with turkey and bacon, also topped with spinach served with a small side of chips.

We paired our meal with a cup of praline coffee and an Americano.

Grab bag

Looking for a laugh this weekend?

Mason City Limits hosts comedian Craig Hawksley January 8 at 8 p.m. and January 9 at 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

The Jukebox Comedy Club features Lord Carrett January 8 and 9 at 8 p.m. or 10:30 p.m.

The Peoria Rivermen take on the Toronto Marlies tonight at 7 p.m. at the Peoria Civic Center.

Forest Park Nature Center hosts Eagles Day, a presentation and tours to view Bald Eagles along the river from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday.

Firehouse Pizza is now open in East Peoria. Starting at 10 a.m. January 12 you can pick up discount gift certificates here.

Brown's Fine Food

Last weekend we set out for points west to visit a restaurant my husband has been wanting to try for about a year. Alas, our food choices were not to be had when we got there, so we hit the road again and kept our eyes peeled for another option.

We drove into Canton and soon a retro sign caught the attention of both of us at almost the same instant: Brown's Snappy Service.

I love spotting old signs, and it's even better when the business still exists and lives up to the legacy.

A lucky break! Brown's Fine Food was open so we walked in and found the place comfortably worn around the edges, with about a dozen stools mounted in front of the white, gold-flecked countertop.

Tables lined the wall behind, stretching back into a narrow back room.

We took seats at the counter to better check out the old equipment and decor, and looked over the menu while our server went to get us some iced teas.

Entrées were reasonable: chicken fried steak for $5.75, two smoked pork chops for $6.75, fried chicken for $6, all served with two sides plus bread a butter. Sandwiches started at $1.70 for the sandwich alone and $3.20 for a platter.

StfRon asked the gent serving us if the hamburgers were frozen, and he said no. Then he asked if they were thin patties, and found out they were. Our server added that they are very good, so that was enough for us.

I ordered a cheeseburger platter and StfRon ordered a bacon cheeseburger platter. Both came with fries and cole slaw.

Our food came out quickly, the burgers tasty as promised, complete with crispy edges, creamy cheese and soft buns.

The fries were a similar cut to McDonald's fries, but I enjoyed their crispness and taste much more than any Mickey D's fries I've had in the last decade.

The slaw was a creamy style, and the portion was pretty generous.

Brown's has been providing snappy service since 1937, and the original building is still intact. There have been some additions over the years, but I had taken notice of the ceiling over the grill area while waiting for my food before I knew about the add ons and you can still

imagine what the little place must have been like in its heyday.

Mounted to a post next to the old host stand area there is a neat photo of the original building.

I'm glad the sign caught our attention.

Say it ain't so, Big O

We drove by today to confirm, and Big O's BBQ in Peoria was closed.

We also struck out on our next BBQ stop, but found some good cheap eats in the end.

Final bells

2009 saw the opening of many independent businesses in central Illinois, yet as the year draws to a close my thoughts always turn to those we lost.

The list includes:

Feldan's Pizza, Pasta & More

Zim's

Café Evergreen

Chiliworks Café

Baurer Furniture

Sizzling India

Ponte Vecchio

Lester's Donuts

Maria's Tea Room (Peoria Heights location)

Vallarta's

Pleasant Hill Antique Mall Tea Room

Monroe Restaurant and Bar

Kep's Place (closed due to fire)

Jammer's Chicago Style Classics

Cracklin' Jakes

Mikey's Pizza & Subs

Angie's Creve Coeur Family Restaurant

Chicago Grill

Stadium Pizza

The Fair Store

Ducky's Formal Wear

Eamon Patrick's Public House

J Pree's

Z-Bar

Nikki's

Club Reign

The Hub (closed due to fire)

Tilley's at the River Station

Downer's Furniture Outlet

Christian Bros. Western Store

Jumer's

Heavenly Delights

I'm sure I missed a few. If you know of some, please let me know.

Here's to a great new year supporting locally-owned businesses!

Noted

Today after having lunch at Thanh Linh in Peoria we noticed this sign in the window of the former Sizzling India location. Pasand Indian Cuisine is slated to open there on January 17.

I also just read that Velvet Freeze in Peoria Heights may be closed. In addition, it appears that the kiosk near Aldi on War Memorial was closed the last time I went by.

Hopefully the Campustown location is still open.

Update: We did find the Campustown Velvet Freeze location open and enjoyed lunch there late in December.

Mel's Cafe

Peoria's Mel's Café is located in a building that has changed hands several times over the last three or four years.

Most recently it was home to Stadium Pizza.

Located at 1420 SW Adams Street, the restaurant is serving breakfast and lunch seven days a week. We stopped by on a Sunday to give it a try.

The clean interior featured several tables in the front and along the wall next to the dining counter, which was topped with wood stained a rich chocolate brown.

They were doing a steady business just before 11 a.m., which was nice to see.

StfRon and I both decided to order a half order of biscuits and gravy accompanied by a side of corned beef hash and a couple of cups of coffee.

Our food arrived shortly.

The gravy was thick and rich, dotted with chunks of sausage. My husband said it tasted homemade. The hash was standard fare, but nicely prepared.

The coffee was good and we were kept well stocked with refills by our friendly server. In fact, at least three of the people working, including the gentleman who was cooking our food, talked to us and were quite friendly, making us feel at home.

One of the boards on display touted their pie selection, and we spoke to the lady who makes the pies. She said the pumpkin was fresh made the day before, complete with home made crust, but to our dismay we were too full to try a piece on this visit.

The prices were reasonable, and paired with the friendly service, I think Mel's Café may have a recipe for success to stop the revolving door of businesses moving in and out of this location.

August, 2010 — Mel's Café has closed. Hope to see them in a new location soon.
February, 2011 — Mel's Café opened in East Peoria at 520 E. Bloomington Road late last year.

Bags & Company

We were out for some shopping this weekend and stopped by Bags & Company in Peoria's Metro Centre.

The shop opened next to Abe's over the summer.

They carry a selection of trendy purses in many different sizes, plus jewelry and accessories.

Noted

St. Pauli's Pub and Eatery is open on Pioneer Parkway in Peoria. If you're thinking about checking it out, you may want to pick up one of the half price dining certificates at http://wzpw.regentdeals.com.

I saw an ad for PV2, the restaurant opened by the former Ponté Vecchio chef, in the Times Newspapers this week. The restaurant is located in the old Chiliworks Café spot on Allen Road in Peoria.

Looking for unique gifts? I always like to check the gift shops at Forest Park Nature Center, Luthy Botanical Garden and Lakeview Museum, in addition to the Art Guild gift shop. You can find great art, jewelry and nature-themed gifts.

$10 gift exchange for the office party? Why not pick up a bag of freshly roasted coffee from Leaves n' Beans in Peoria Heights?

Reflections on Jumer's

The news of the most recent closing of Jumer's of Peoria was delivered to me via a family member on Facebook the evening of December 9.

Since then I've seen TV news blurbs on the closing, an article detailing a nice memory Paul Gordon had of the restaurant in the Journal Star and some postings on Peoria.com from people on the subject.

No, the restaurant and hotel is not being torn down like VOP (at least, not yet), but today during a moment of relaxation on my lunch break, I had a chance to reflect on my memories of Jumer's.

My first memory of Jumer's is from when I was a child of about 12 years old. I could be mashing two outings together, but from what I remember we were out with a friend of my mom's and her daughters for the day to go to "the woodpecker tower" in Peoria Heights, then had lunch at Jumer's. I remember how beautiful the area was near the hostess stand, and the sun was streaming in the windows.

Flash forward about five years and I had a date at Jumer's during high school prior to a formal dance. I remember sitting in the cobblestoned waiting area until we could be shown to our table, all dressed up and feeling semi-adult-like.

After meeting my now husband, in a German bar no less, we had dinner at Jumer's a few times while we were dating to sample some different European cuisine.

One time we were seated upstairs in one of the elegant curved booths. It was such a nice atmosphere and we had a wonderful time.

I also remember we visited the Black Bear Lounge in the basement a few times for drinks.

At the time my husband was working a late shift job so he had to drink Beck's NA. We would visit and enjoy the ambiance of the lounge before he had to go off to work for the night.

On one occasion when we visited the lounge there was live entertainment and we thought it would be great to hear a "band" but it turned out to be one lone gent playing some old elevator music hits on the synthesizer.

Walking down Moss Avenue for an afternoon stroll or during the Moss Avenue sales, approaching Western I have always admired Jumer's and the majestic gate leading to the property.

In the last three years my husband and I had gone to Jumer's a couple of times for lunch, and had met some friends there for lunch, too. It was very quiet in there, but still had so much character.

My most recent memories of the building are going there for banquets.

For my first banquet visit, I was unfamiliar with the location of the assigned banquet room and ended up wandering the halls a bit looking for the site. There was no one to ask at the hotel desk, but eventually I found my way after admiring some of the beauty of the building.

My mom somehow, many years before the Internet, had acquired a Jumer's cinnamon rolls recipe, and she did an excellent job making them over the years, as she does so many things.

Each time I've found myself inside the building, if time and circumstances allowed, I always tried to walk the halls back to the lounge, taking in the big black bear and other treasures along the way.

It's a sad day to see the site closed. I know they've had many years of rough going and I hope that this is not the end of the magical memories in the castle on Western Avenue.

Bamboo Inn

We don't go out to dinner nearly as often as we did three or four years ago, but oddly enough for the past three years we've managed to attempt to go to dinner, in East Peoria no less, on the evening of the Festival of Lights Parade without realizing the event was taking place. We probably eat dinner in East Peoria once or twice a year, but somehow manage to try it on the busiest night of the year.

This time we were quite pleased with ourselves, my husband having come up with a new place for us to try that we'd never been to: the Bamboo Inn.

We came off of 74 in East Peoria only to see several police cars with flashing lights on blocking off East Washington Street where we needed to turn to get to the restaurant and, with a sinking feeling, we realized it was the night of the parade. I suggested we could park at Walgreens and walk, but StfRon declared it too cold, so we abandoned our quest and came back for lunch the following week.

Walking in to the Bamboo Inn, the decor reminded me of Yen Ching in Peoria circa the 1980s with the Asian chandeliers and wall art and booths lining the left and right wall. This is fine by me, since Yen Ching was our special family outing when we were kids, and it brings back good memories.

The booths on the left were big, red and cushy, some of them worn but comfy, and the ones on the right were the newer unpadded style you see in places like Papa John's.

There was a buffet set up near the back of the room, but there was no food there during this lunch hour.

There were a couple of other tables of people dining during the lunch hour.

I joined my husband and checked out the menu, a leather-style bound one with a paper insert in the middle listing lunch specials.

I selected lunch special B, your choice of beef or chicken with pea pods, onions and water chestnuts served with fried rice and an egg roll for $4.25. I chose the chicken.

My husband ordered some beef chow mein after making sure there were no green peppers involved.

Our server was very polite and soon brought us a ceramic teapot filled with tea we ordered to ward off the chill.

Our food came out shortly and the lunch special I had was simply the ingredients described in the menu in an almost clear sauce that reminded me of Mom's homemade chicken and noodles sauce. If I had to guess, I would say there was little to no MSG in the dish, just chicken, vegetables and a light sauce.

The fried rice did not contain chunks of food like some places serve, but was also simple and had a nice flavor.

Soon we were on our way back to work having experienced another local restaurant without making a big dent in our wallets.

Going local for the holidays

This holiday season I have increased my efforts to seek out gifts at local, independently-owned restaurants and shops.

So far my searches have taken me to:

Abe's

Lori's Kitchen Store

The Garlic Press

Re-

Holiday Presence

Willett's Winery

Metro Plantation

I Know You Like a Book

Emerald Tea Room

Cyrus Gifts & Home Accents

...and a few more I won't mention, lest they give too much away!

In many cases, I have also found gifts made in the USA, which was an added bonus.

Windy City Wieners

Due to a tip from yours truly, my husband checked out Windy City Wieners today and here's what he had to say. — Peoria Peepers

Looking for a good Chicago dog in Normal? Look no further than Windy City Wieners at 106 E. Beaufort Street.
This small shop serves up the real deal, complete with neon green relish.
The menu boasts pure beef wieners, (of course), Gyros, chicken sandwiches and burgers as well as some lesser known windy city faves like the Maxwell Street Polish.
I opted for the everyday special, 2 dogs and fries for 5 bucks.
The Red Hot Chicago wiener snapped perfectly with every bite, the relish, onion, and mustard complimented the wiener perfectly.
Purists know that ketchup should never go on a dog, but there are several bottles available on the counter, if you must.
The guys also deliver locally, so give them a call.

Cyrus Gifts and Home Accents, Best of Post & Pillar and Jewelry on Water

Earlier this month, Cyrus Gifts and Home Accents moved from the 401 building on Water Street in Peoria to the Metro Centre, and brought the Best of Post & Pillar and Jewelry on Water with them.

I stopped in last week with Dining Companion to check out the new digs.

The store, next to Jalepeno's restaurant, was decked out for the holidays and filled with lots of great gift options, such as candles, lotions, martini glasses and Tag merchandise, just to name a few.

Someone was busy at work on a piece of jewelry in the room behind the Jewelry on Water counter, and tucked away at the back of the store there is a room that was filled with sale merchandise.

I wish them all well in their new location, and will be back again soon.

Noted

I received a tip from a friend about a restaurant that has opened in the former Po-Boy's location in Peoria.

We drove by last night, and the exterior looks intriguing at Connected, which is described as a Ristorante Italiano. According to the sign outside, they are not currently serving lunch, but open at 5 p.m.

On his way to work this morning, my husband saw evidence of activity in Peoria Heights at the VOP site in Junction City. He said it appears that they might be getting ready to take the train cars away and tear down the restaurant. If so, it will be a sad day for me, since we had our first date there nine years ago, and I used to have "corporate" lunches there every week when I worked in that area.

Holland's Homemade Caramel Corn

Last week on a trip to Lindy's Downtown Market, we spotted the new sign for Holland's Homemade Caramel Corn in the former 4A Deli spot.

My husband was thrilled, being a huge caramel corn fan. He still misses the shop in Northwoods Mall.

Monday when I got home from class I found a bag of Holland's Mix, a caramel corn/cheese corn blend on the kitchen counter, along with a sample bag of a white chocolate popcorn.

I guess I would have to say the mix was my favorite, since I like to have a piece of cheese corn and a piece of caramel corn in the same bite to get that sweet/salty combo, but the white chocolate was good, too.

The prices are pretty reasonable compared to some we've seen.

My husband said they also were selling cotton candy in the shop, located at the back of 110 S. Main Street.

December, 2009 — Holland's is now making their flavored popcorn on site.

In 2011, Holland's moved their caramel corn operation to the north side of the square.

Spirit of Peoria

I've always thought it would be fun to attend a murder mystery, so when I saw that the Spirit of Peoria was hosting one this fall, I called and bought tickets.

Some history from their web site reveals: "The Spirit of Peoria was built in Paducah, Kentucky in 1988 by Walker Boat Yard. It is solely propelled by its stern driven paddle wheel. The wheel, composed only of fiberglass and wood, has 68 bucket boards and is 22 feet in diameter. The paddle wheel is powered by two Caterpillar 3412 diesel engines that turn 350kw generator sets."

We boarded, were shown to our seats and learned that we were guests at the Sheridan family anniversary party, and were seated with none other than Mr. and Mrs. Sheridan, the guests of honor.

After being greeted by our captain, we learned that nine paddle boats shut down this year and that the Spirit of Peoria is the only one currently offering overnight cruises.

Our seating location made for an interesting evening as throughout our prime rib buffet dinner we were able to chat with and pick up clues from the Sheridans and their guests who stopped by the table.

Soon, the dastardly deed was committed and we had to take our best guess at who the culprit was.

The show was put on by the Champaign Urbana Theater Company, and all involved did a great job.

Only seven people on board guessed the murderer correctly, and my husband and I were not among them.

We especially enjoyed the atmosphere of the boat, and look forward to boarding again sometime soon in the warmer months so we can enjoy being out on deck.

The Spirit offers many cruises and excursions throughout the year, as well as some upcoming holiday events.

Give a Gift to Our Economy: Shop Locally Owned this Holiday Season

I enjoyed this post I saw on Peoria.com.

Trinkets & Treasures

Trinkets & Treasures is a quaint shop located on Washington's historic square, 120 N. Main Street.

Inside you will find primitives, hair bows, scrapbooking supplies and hand dyed wool items among all of the, well, trinkets and treasures.

I noticed they carry some costume jewelry, including lots of Scrabble game piece charms which I recently saw for the first time on etsy.com.

I also saw some fun holiday pottery, small square trays propped up on stands, one of which had a beautiful poinsettia design.

As we left on this last visit, I noticed that their front window box was filled with all sorts of colorful edible plants, including some kale. What a fun fall display!

The Pizza Peel

My mom had been talking up The Pizza Peel in Lacon for weeks and weeks, so we made plans to meet my parents there for dinner.

The restaurant is located in an old brick building, formerly the American Legion.

The basement location adds to the atmosphere.

Inside, the building has been completely remodeled, although my husband did mention seeing some cool old battleship looking stairs near the restroom.

Our waitress was upbeat and friendly, and brought us some menus before heading off to get our drinks.

My parents decided to split a salad and a pizza, and StfRon and I just ordered a pepperoni pie.

We noticed bottles of honey on the tables, and learned that some people like to put honey on the pizza crust.

We also noticed lots of paper plates of cheesecake being served to customers, and when we asked our waitress about it, she said it was turtle cheesecake, and that the owner was sampling it to see if it should be added to the menu.

Our pizzas arrived, thin crust, ours tasty and nicely covered in pepperoni. My husband had pulled the switcheroo when ordering, from the 12-inch we discussed to a 14-inch, so we ended up taking about half of it home.

We all ended up making the sacrifice of sampling the turtle cheesecake, and it was one of the best I've had in recent times.

If you find yourself within a short drive of Lacon and are looking for a nice thin crust pizza, The Pizza Peel has your pie.

Noted

The Fieldhouse in Peoria's Campustown is open as of at least yesterday, and is serving lunch.

PV II, a new restaurant run by the chef of the recently closed Ponté Vecchio along with his wife, will open this month in the former Chiliworks location in Peoria.

Relics

What first caught my eye about Relics was their blue circle logo...I absolutely loved the look of it, the turquoise with the simple name displayed in a flowing typeface. I also loved the bird silhouette on the same blue circle background on the sign I would often see in front of the store. I would glance over each time we headed in or out of Peoria to see if the open sign was displayed.

I knew I had to go in.

We stopped by the shop, 3402 N.E. Adams, Peoria, on a recent Saturday.

The quaint shop was filled with lots of great items, from stationery to fun Blue Q merchandise to vintage items, all artfully displayed.

Relics is just the kind of place to visit often because you don't want to miss out on anything that might come through there.

Mr. G's Chicago Style

I was first introduced to Mr. G's Chicago Style about 10 years ago. At the time, I didn't fully appreciate it.Mr. G's caught my attention this summer when I heard they had been the 49th inductee into the Vienna Beef Hot Dog Hall of Fame.

From the Vienna Beef web site: "Hot dog and delicatessen operators become eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame based on a variety of criteria including how long they have been representing Vienna Beef products. The youngest of the bunch having been around for about 20 years, and the oldest almost 50."

I enjoy a good Vienna beef Chicago dog as much as the next guy, so my husband and I stopped in for lunch.

We ordered the special, two Chicago dogs, and my husband added some sort of chili-topped dog as well, along with an order of fries.

I had one of the Chicago dogs and some of their hand cut fries. The dog was good, complete with the appropriate shocking green relish and the fries, wrapped in foil with one of the hot dogs, were some of the best I can remember in years, thin cut, greasy-tasting fries with bits of skin still on.

We made another stop several weeks later and I decided to try the Italian beef. StfRon ordered two Chicago dogs and fries. With two small drinks, the total was $16.99.

The Italian beef was good as well, but I'm going back to the Chicago dog next time, with the tasty fries, of course.

They also serve several other items, like Polish sausage, salads, gyros and even a few carnival-type desserts like chocolate-dipped cheesecake on a stick and funnel cake fries.

Mr. G's has a limited amount of seating inside at their Main Street, Peoria spot, and several tables outside. If you do choose to dine in, be warned you will probably smell like french fry oil for quite some time after you leave.

Maybe that lingering aroma is their way of sucking you back in.

October, 2011 — Mr. G's has closed.

On the town

Wondering what to do this weekend? Here are some upcoming events planned in the Peoria area:

Wine Flight Fridays October 23 — Two25 4:30-11:30 p.m.

Wildlife Scary Park October 23, 24 and 25 — Wildlife Prairie State Park from 5-9 p.m. $6.50 per person, $4.50 for park members, free for ages 1 and under.

You've Been Boo'd Haunted House October 23 — 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Proctor Recreation Center. $2/Peoria Park District members, $3/nonmembers.

Resurrect the Elms in El Paso October 24 — 301 W. Main Street, El Paso. Day tours 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $10 via PayPal. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the restoration of the Elms. Originally The Wathen House Italianate Home dating back to 1856 and Elms Restaurant opened in 1937 by Zilpha Morgan. Call 309-846-4306 or email info@spiritsoftours.com.

Zombie Crawl at the Bowen Building October 24 — Groups of zombies will be set up at different locations to start from and then will converge on the Bowen (old state hospital).

Afterwards, enjoy a bonfire outside of the Bowen. Check in will begin at 3:30 p.m. with the walk officially kicking off at 4:30 p.m. Pre‐register online for $10 at www.peoria‐asylum.com or at the event for $15.

The Peoria Rivermen take on the Rockford IceHogs October 24 — 7 p.m. at the Peoria Civic Center Arena. Tickets are $15 and $20.

"Crooks and Characters" October 24 — presented by Peoria Prairie Tellers Storytelling Guild, 7-9 p.m. at the Peoria Contemporary Arts Center. $5 in advance, $7 at the door. Call 309-691-0508.

Tim Slagle October 23 and 24 — Mason City Limits. Call 217-482-5233 or visit McLimits.com.

Mike Armstrong October 23 and 24 — Jukebox Comedy Club. Call 309-673-5853 or visit JukeboxComedy.com.

Rumors October 23, 24 and 25 — Conklin's Barn II. For Reservations call 309-965-2545.

These guys are on fire!

Just got word today that the former Godfather's Pizza on Camp Street in East Peoria will become a Firehouse Pizza.

Metro Plantation

One of my favorite things to do during the holidays was to stop by Village Plantation in Peoria's Sheridan Village to look at all the great furniture and holiday decor, so when I heard they were closing, I was disappointed.

I was glad to see Metro Plantation open in Peoria's Metro Centre.

I recently stopped in to have a peek.

The shop is smaller than the Sheridan Village location was, but is still filled with gifts, lamps, candles, home decor and a few furniture pieces.

I'll be back next month to look for some holiday gift ideas.

The Cupcake Camper

When I heard there was an Airstream trailer topped with a cupcake selling the petite pastries at the Shoppes at Grand Prairie in Peoria, I said I must visit. I am a big fan of cupcakes. Heck, one of the first things I became a fan of on Facebook is cupcakes!

We served cupcakes at our wedding, but they were not all I dreamed of.

Sunday we were walking through the mall when I spotted it, The Cupcake Camper.

After finding out my husband would buy me one, we walked up the wooden steps and I selected an orange and chocolate one, noticing they were out of both the pink and spiced cupcakes.

My cupcake was delivered in a mug-sized cardboard box with a folded pink napkin and plastic fork slid into the gap.

Having had lots of treats over the weekend during Spoon River Drive, I decided to save the orange-iced cupcake dusted with black sprinkles for later, so I put it in the fridge.

Monday I ate the last of my Maurie's carmel apples, since they'd been around for a few days.

Tuesday after dinner I pulled the cupcake box out of the fridge so it could warm up a bit.

I opened it later and poked at the icing, saddened to find it a bit hard. I had the fleeting thought that I may have to throw it out, but decided to turn the oven on for a minute, then back off, and put the treat in there to sit a bit.

A few minutes later I pulled the cupcake out and tested the icing again. Soft and fresh as new.

I cut the cake neatly in half, noting the thick layer of orange icing. Sampling it, I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was.

The icing was soft, thick and buttery tasting, with a hint of almond flavor.

The cake itself was made of a fine, almost silky chocolate flour mixture.

Considering this cake had been neglected far long enough, I went ahead and ate the other half in the same sitting, enjoying every last morsel.

Part way through I informed my husband I may need to try some more of their cupcakes. Right after I take that long bike ride.

Noted

China Garden in Washington celebrated their grand opening October 7.

Bone Appitit will soon be open in Washington.

Peoria's Chicago Grills have closed.

The Underground is now open for lunch and dinner in the Cornerstone building in Peoria, operated by Mary Ann Fahey.

Jane Dough Bakery & Café

I was driving through downtown Peoria trying to decide where to have lunch when I came upon an open parking space right in front of Jane Dough Bakery & Café.

I'd been wanting to try the place out since they replaced the City News Café, so I pulled into the space.

Digging into my purse for some change for the meter, I was pleased to find over an hour of time left on the timer.

I noticed a help wanted sign in the window of the café.

A sidewalk sign in front proclaimed the special to be turkey meatloaf with bistro fries for $7.50. Glancing at a few of the sandwich options, I decided a warm meal sounded good, so I ordered the special at the counter, paid and then took a seat.

The owner, Anne, soon brought my meal artfully arranged on a tin pie plate topped with waxed paper. She mentioned she had forgotten to bring me a fork and stepped back behind the counter.

I waited a bit, but she didn't return, so I went to the counter to ask for a fork.

Fork in hand, I dug into the moist meatloaf, finding it hearty, warm and full of great seasoning. I have to say it is one of the best meatloaves I have ever tried.

The bistro fries turned out to be baked potatoes sliced into wedges, fanned on my plate and sprinkled with herbs.

While dining, I checked out some of the other offerings listed, which included gazpacho, breakfast wraps, sandwiches and home made granola, plus the café offers organic breads and uses some local farm ingredients.

Box lunches are available as well.

Located at 311 SW Main Street in Peoria, Jane Dough has some great breakfast and lunch options, and it's great to see them supporting local farms as well.

April 2010 — Jane Dough has closed.

Noted

Tavern On Prospect will celebrate their grand opening at Junction City in Peoria October 9.

October 5 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., everyone receives free admission to the Peoria Zoo.

Noted

The 4A Deli in Washington has closed.
I'm excited about the prospect of a Tapas restaurant, Noir, on Prospect in Peoria Heights, which I read about in this morning's Journal Star.
Lee's Family Restaurant has been open for a week or so in the former Steak 'n Shake on NE Adams in Peoria. We checked it out and will post a review soon.

Oscar's Family Restaurant

Last week we were looking for someplace inexpensive to have lunch.

My husband mentioned a family restaurant on Farmington Road, and I was game to check it out.

Oscar's Family Restaurant is located at 3118 W. Farmington Road in Peoria.

The dining room is a bit rough around the edges and decorated with pictures of John Wayne and likenesses of what I assume is Oscar the hound dog, based on the dog on the sign on top of the building. There were poker machines lining the front wall.

Our friendly waitress told us to have a seat anywhere.

I noticed the specials board listed a pork fritter with mashed potatoes and gravy plus green beans, which I think was $6. Sounded great to me, so I ordered that, while StfRon ordered a cheeseburger and fries.

My meal arrived piping hot, complete with a dinner roll. The pork fritter, reminding me of a Schnitzel, was topped with a brown gravy that had a bit of hickory smoke flavor to it. It was a great comfort food meal, and despite liking his cheeseburger, my husband sampled my meal several times and said he should have ordered the same thing.

Oscar's does not accept credit cards, but will take checks.

I love a good special that includes veggies, and it seems to be getting harder to come by. Oscar's delivered.

Main Street Mercantile

Ever since I saw ads for the Main Street Mercantile in Congerville, I've wanted to stop by for a visit.

Earlier this month we parked alongside 112 Main Street, walked past a couple of rockers on the porch and went inside.

The store was filled with some primitive and country gift and decor items, a selection of toys along the back, and in the next corner was an intriguing array of bulk food items. We looked through baking products, spices, snack mixes, candies, soup and dip mixes and more, selecting a horseradish bacon dip mix and a cream of asparagus soup mix.

Just past the row of food items, a group of people was enjoying a meal at a cozy table in the center of a small dining area.

We made our way to the counter to pay and passed a case of homemade fudge.

While I was paying I noticed a sign for Eduardo's pizza, which can be eaten on site or taken home to bake. I remember a friend of ours said she knows someone who raves about the pizza.

Last night we mixed our horseradish bacon dip mix with some sour cream and sampled our find. The horseradish had a nice bite, and the smoky bacon bits plumped up nicely after sitting for the recommended 30 minutes. I know we'll be heading back to Main Street Mercantile to get some more of that!

Noted

In Peoria's Campustown, Monroe Restaurant & Bar is closed and has a business for sale sign in the window. I believe they opened on August 1. The Fieldhouse bar in the former Gorman's looks well on it's way to opening day.

The Ice Cream Shack in Sunnyland has added a drive through lane that's been open for several weeks now.

Emo's and the Ice Cream Shack in Peoria are both closing for the season in the next week or so, so get your fill before it's too late!

Noted

Firehouse Pizza in Washington has been open for a few weeks now, and it looks like many people are taking advantage of it.

Cherry Garden is shaping up in Washington's Cherry Tree Shopping Center. It does look like it will be mainly carryout.

I noticed a sign in Haddad's Restaurant's (Peoria) window announcing that they will be moving to a new building a couple of doors down.

Simply Everything Boutique, a newer addition to the Shoppes at Grand Prairie in Peoria, showcases art from more than 35 local artists.

This weekend is Peoria Oktoberfest at the riverfront.

Morton's Pumpkin Festival begins tomorrow and continues through Saturday.

Uncle Bob's Homemade Ice Cream

Ice cream season may be winding to a close for the year, but we managed to make it to Uncle Bob's Homemade Ice Cream in Eureka on their last night of the season at their Eureka spot, 111 S. Main Street.

Uncle Bob's has taken some prizes for their ice cream, including the Best Dessert category at Taste of Peoria this year. Its chocolate raspberry cheesecake earned first place, while its fudge brownie sundae won second.

I ordered their cookie batter ice cream on a regular cone instead of the waffle cone offering, while StfRon tried the turtle sundae.

The cookie batter ice cream had a buttery base that reminded me of butter pecan with a few chunks of cookie dough and plenty of tiny chocolate chips. It was very good.

If you haven't had a chance to try their ice cream yet, don't despair. We spotted Uncle Bob's mobile truck at the El Paso Corn Festival this weekend, and I'm sure they will be making rounds at other fall events.

Morton joins 3/50 project

An article in today's Journal Star reports that Morton has joined the 3/50 Project, yet another project touting support for local businesses.
According to the project's Web site: Consumers are asked to select three locally owned, brick-and-mortar retailers in their hometown that they would hate to see go out of business. Once those businesses are chosen, spend $50 there monthly. Not $50 each, a total of $50. Using U.S. Department of Labor/Bureau of Labor Statistics figures, if half the employed population in the country spent $50 at three independent businesses each month, it would generate $42.6 billion in revenue.

Round up

I was sad to learn that Ponte Vecchio in Peoria's Sheridan Village has closed. We celebrated many occasions there.

It appears that Firehouse Pizza in Washington is now open, however we have not made it in yet.

As far as my recent dining escapades, I've enjoyed meals at Café 401, Ming Shee, Avanti's and One World in Peoria; The Butcher Block in Peoria Heights; Captain Ron's in Creve Coeur; Bernardi's in Washington and had some great tuna at Reality Bites in Bloomington.

This week I won't have as much time to dine out, but I'm looking forward to trying a few new places in the next couple of weeks.

Gebby's Family Restaurant

Last week we were on our way out of town and looking for some place to have breakfast.

I hadn't been to Gebby's Family Restaurant in years, so I suggested it.

We arrived at 726 E. War Memorial Drive in Peoria Heights just before 9 a.m., and were seated quickly. But from the time we sat down, I noticed a constant stream of people coming in, and many times people had, and were willing, to wait for a table to empty up. All this on a weekday, too.

The restaurant was tidy and nondescript, with light wood and light paint colors throughout. Wagon wheels were mounted inside window openings next to the booths.

The coffee was hot but not bold, and I enjoyed a glass of grapefruit juice, which they offer in three sizes.

The service was efficient and the food was good.

I ordered eggs Benedict and my eggs were covered in Hollandaise, perched atop nicely crisped English muffins, appropriately accompanied by a steak knife to cut through said crispy muffins.

My husband had biscuits topped with a thick, creamy gravy and a side of corned beef hash.

I noticed several homestyle lunch specials posted on the wall, such as meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy, which would hit just the right spot during the lunch hour.

Gebby's is only open for breakfast and lunch.

More dining savings

There was a discussion going on recently in the comments section of my blog about Dining Tour books.
The $30 books are sold as fundraisers for various organizations in the area.
My husband and I have bought these several times in the past, and recoup our costs quickly with the offers inside.
This year's book includes restaurants like Aachi's Indian Cuisine (which we've been planning to try); The Chateau; Kaiserhof Restaurant; Maid Rite; Peoria Pizza Works; and Water Street Café, just to name a few.
Find out more about how you can purchase a book on Peoria Secret Server's blog.

Noted

We've been vacationing over the last few weeks, and have been catching up on changes around the Peoria area.

Feldan's Pizza Pasta & More in Peoria has closed.

Apostrophe bar in Peoria's Junction City has closed, and soon will reopen as another bar.

Café Evergreen in Peoria's Metro Centre is closed.

Monroe Restaurant and Bar in Peoria's Campustown is now open in the Zim's location.

Double D Diner is in the works in Washington.

I'll post more as a remember or see them.

Savings galore

If you're looking to stretch your dollars and support local businesses, here are a few good finds.

Frugal Fridays is offering half price gift certificates such as:

$50 for $25 for Specs Around Town in Bloomington

$50 for $25 for Sticks and Stones in Peoria (as seen on Oprah, of course)

$51 for $26 for Wee Tee in Peoria

$50 for $25 for Kartville in West Peoria

Discount Dining is offering:

$30 for $15 for Stadium Pizza in Peoria

$30 for $15 for Firehouse Pizza in Pekin

$30 for $15 for Los Jimadores in Peoria

If interested in the above offers, there are only a few left in some cases, so don't wait.

This weeks 3B Freebies in the Journal Star include a free coin purse from Unique Teak in Peoria (Wednesday) and a free soft drink from the Kaiserhof in Peoria (Thursday).

Kaiserhof Restaurant

You may remember the Kaiserhof from Bradford. We do miss that location.

Since last winter, the Kaiserhof Restaurant has been much closer for Peorians, at the Shoppes at Grand Prairie.

We stopped by Sunday and I enjoyed the $3 Bloody Marys, my husband had a great tenderloin sandwich and I had a nice Caesar salad.

A couple of months ago I enjoyed an excellent bowl of clam chowder there as well.

There are sandwiches under $5 on the lunch menu, daily specials, plus a lunch card so you can earn a free lunch.

There are pitcher specials several days a week (I know a few people who are taking advantage of this), various drink specials, plus kids eat free on Mondays and Wednesdays.

There is a newly added beer garden, and also a German deli for your take home needs.

Hodel's Chanticleer

Recently on a Friday night we were bored and looking for something different to do, and the Chanticleer, or Chantilly, as StfRon's uncle would say, popped into my mind.

We made the short drive to Eureka and pulled up in front of the low, nondescript building at 744 N. Main Street.

We decided to sit on the bar side of the building, and were the only people sitting at a table instead of at the bar.

Our server was also doing bar duty, and was very cheerful and helpful, as was the manager or perhaps the owner who greeted us as soon as we stepped inside.

We placed our order for white meat fried chicken and potato salad for me, and prime rib for my husband, along with a salad. She explained that their bleu cheese dressing is homemade, with a Thousand Island type base, and said it is a favorite among customers. He decided to try it, and by the end of the salad, I was scraping the bottom of the container for every last drop for the crackers from our table cracker basket. It was not very bleu tasting, as I don't really care for bleu cheese, but it was very good.

As the menu stated, the fried chicken did take a bit of time to prepare, and we passed the time enjoying a pitcher of beer until it arrived.

I also noticed as an older gent stopped by to compliment the staff on the catfish he had enjoyed on his way out.

My chicken was not overly salty or seasoned, but had a nice, greasy, crisp crust covering the juicy bird.

StfRon said the prime rib was not as rare as he wanted and was not as slow roasted as some, but it was good, and the horseradish sauce the waitress mixed up for him carried a real kick.

The meal was very reasonably priced, service was good, and with the atmosphere and cracker basket, Hodel's Chanticleer brought back memories of places we went for family outings when we were kids.

Free ride

The Journal Star publishes a coupon for something free each day, dubbed the 3B freebie.
The coupon, believe it or not, is always located on page B3.
I noticed a good one in Thursday's paper for a free 12 ounce coffee from Cracked Pepper Catering & Bakery, Inc., valid through July 31.
Tuesday's issue featured an offer for a free Wonder Dog from Velvet Freeze, also expiring July 31.
So dig those papers out of the recycle bin, and watch for new great offers every day!

Round up

I spent a lunch hour recently in front of the court house near the Zen garden eating some chicken lo mein from the Thanh Linh cart, and noticed that Ponte Vecchio has a cart open downtown now. Next time I plan to order something from them.

I had a fun lunch this week at Ming Shee in Peoria with my friend and her daughter.

Tuesday night we checked out the Taste of Washington on the square. I had a spinach dip from Denhart Baking Co. and we shared a pig wing with honey bourbon sauce from Gracie's Chicago Style Grille. It was pretty crazy with everyone packed in the middle of the square. Hopefully next year they can expand out a bit.

We've been keeping our eyes on the activity at the former Gracie's location in Cherry Tree Shopping Center in Washington, and there is now a sign displayed in the window for Cherry Garden, serving Chinese and Japanese food. We're excited to give it a try!

Time article: Tough Times Lead to Local Currencies

I ran across this article in Time magazine this week:

By Judith D. Schwartz

With local economies flailing, communities across the U.S. are trying to drum up more action on Main Street. "Buy Local" campaigns are one way to go. But many towns--from Ojai, Calif., to Greensboro, N.C.--are considering going a step further and printing money that can only be spent locally.

Issuing an alternative currency is perfectly legal, as long as it is treated as taxable income and consists of paper bills rather than coins. In the U.S., where local currencies were popular during the Depression, the biggest alterna-cash system is in Massachusetts' Berkshire County. Go to one of several banks there, hand a teller $95 and get back $100 worth of BerkShares, a nice little discount designed to reel in users. BerkShares are printed on special paper (by a local business, naturally--a subsidiary of Crane Paper Co., which has been printing U.S. greenbacks since 1879). And since the program's inception in 2006, more than $2.5 million in BerkShares have circulated through bakeries, vets' offices and some 400 other businesses that choose to accept the colorful bills, which feature famous former Berkshire residents, including W.E.B. Du Bois and Norman Rockwell.

What's the point of all this pretty, community-printed currency? Money spent at locally owned companies tends to create more business for local suppliers, accountants, etc. The New Economics Foundation (NEF), a London think tank, compared the effects of purchasing produce at a supermarket and at a farmer's market and found that twice the money stayed in a community when folks bought locally. A study of Grand Rapids, Mich., released last fall by consulting firm Civic Economics, concluded that a 10% shift in market share from chain stores to independents would yield 1,600 new jobs and pump $137 million into the area. "Money is like blood," says NEF researcher David Boyle. Local purchases recirculate it, but patronize mega-chains or online retailers, he says, and "it flows out like a wound."

Read the whole story... http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1908421,00.html

Cracklin' Jakes

I've been meaning to make it to Cracklin' Jakes for well over a year now.A couple of weeks ago we were actually on our way to another restaurant near Canton, but due to hunger and boredom with the drive, we decided to hit Cracklin' Jakes instead.

Located at 111 E. Valley View Drive in Banner, the restaurant had a cozy log cabin style that I love.

After being greeted warmly and taken to a booth, we took inventory of the menu and decor.

The floors were a neutral tile, which did cause conversation and laughter from a group near the fireplace to echo throughout the dining room off and on through the evening.

There were various animals mounted on the walls and dried flowers here and there, and I really liked the shade of green they chose for their wainscoting.

I ordered a glass of Gnarly Head Zinfandel, which, at $6 a glass, was a nice find. My husband had an iced tea.

For my entrée, I chose the stroganoff, accompanied by the lobster bisque, which was a stretch for me. I've never been a big fan of lobster, even vacationing in Maine, but for some reason the soup sounded good.

I did notice that the stroganoff did not say it was made with bison, which was one of the things I had noted when I wanted to visit the restaurant.

StfRon selected the prime rib, accompanied by salad.

Our first course arrived with bread, and trying the bisque I found it to be excellent. Slightly sweet, creamy and flavorful with tiny flakes of seafood.

StfRon's salad was pretty much standard.

The stroganoff was not the sour cream and sauteed onion and mushroom fare like my mom used to make, but the meat was tender and falling apart and reminded me of a home made pot roast, piled on a bed of boiled noodles.

When we arrived, I was happy to see they had a bread pudding selection on the menu, but we decided to skip dessert and head home.

The waitstaff we encountered, although they appeared young (late teens to early 20s), were very attentive and professional, and made our visit more enjoyable.

If you find yourself near Banner and are looking for a nice sit down dinner, keep Cracklin' Jakes in mind.

November 2009 — Cracklin' Jakes has closed.

May 2010 — Cracklin' Jakes has reopened.
October 2011 — Cracklin' Jakes now houses Boss Hogs

Noted

Zim's Diner in Peoria's Campustown has closed, but according to signs in the area, will reopen as Monroe Restaurant & Bar August 1.
I also heard through the grapevine that the Gorman's location, also at Campustown, will reopen soon with a new, fitting name for the area.
I also saw the news that Eamon Patrick's in Peoria has closed. Just a while back I found out that they apparently served a great Sunday brunch, but just about as soon as I heard it, it was no more. Sad, because we are often looking for a good Sunday breakfast and the downtown area is a bit lacking.

Vintages Tasting Room & Wine Garden

A couple of weeks ago we visited Galesburg's Seminary Street, and wandered into Vintages Tasting Room & Wine Garden.
There were a couple of people at the tasting bar sampling wines, and as I looked past them, I remembered the quaint back room complete with bistro tables and chairs from the last time I had been in.
The tasters soon moved aside, so my friend C and I stepped up to sample the wares.
She is more of a sweet wine drinker, and even told our hostess she wanted something "syrupy sweet", which made the lady chuckle. I went straight for the reds.
First I sampled the 2005 Castillo De Fuendejalon Crianza. It was not the oaky wine I normally prefer, but it was nice.
The wine samples were poured through an aerator, which we had never seen used before, and there were crispy cracker bites on the counter to cleanse the palate between samples.
The hostess suggested I try the 2008 Dornfelder sweet red wine. I hesitated, not being a huge fan of German reds, but went for it, and was pleasantly surprised. I figured I needed to grab a bottle of that to put away for our annual fall German party. Plus, I need to get in the German mode for our upcoming trip.
C decided to try it too and liked it.
I gave my husband a ring, who was down the street at the pub with C's man and told him about the samplings. They popped over and he agreed about the Dornfelder, but also wanted a bottle of the Castillo, so I took both to the counter. Taking notice of the sign that asked for payment via check or cash if possible vs. credit cards, I broke out the rusty checkbook to help a local biz.
The wines were both in the $12.99-$14.99 price range.

Round up

Over Father's Day weekend, I finally had a chance to check out the brunch at Wildlife Prairie State Park. With the crowds, the dessert table seemed to have been hit pretty hard by the time we meandered over there, but no matter because I filled up on prime rib and other goodies, including chocolate covered strawberries and pound cake from the chocolate fountain.

I think it was the most humid day on record (sure felt that way), and the rain had just finished as we were getting ready to leave the restaurant, so we did get a chance to visit the park with our niece and my brother and his wife.

It was a good day at the park, too, because we saw the wolves and bears up close, and got to see the otter take a swim.

Last week we made plans to visit The Butcher Block in Junction City in Peoria to check out their new (to us, since we hadn't made it out yet) breakfast offerings.

The shop has changed a lot since my last visit, and it is good to see them adapting, hopefully to fill a great niche in the neighborhood.

The gourmet market selections are gone, replaced with much more seating in the middle of the room, surrounded by glass cases of meat and deli items. The open feel surrounded by the cases and the high ceilings with exposed ductwork reminded me of the Milwaukee Public Market, a place we love to visit.

We were greeted by a waitress when we walked in and were told to choose a table. The menus were waiting on the table, so we took a look.

As soon as I saw this: Hash Benedict — 2 soft poached eggs, corned beef hash, English muffin and Hollandaise sauce ($7.50), I knew I could look no more. Even the Independence Day special of French toast topped with red and blue berries and ice cream could not deter me from my selection.

StfRon chose a half order of biscuits and gravy ($3.25) and a side of hash.

I sipped a cup of coffee while I waited, and was pleased to find it to be a quality brew.

Our food soon arrived and the portions were huge!

My English muffins were topped with tons of hash, nicely prepared eggs and a thick bright yellow/orange Hollandaise. The whole meal was very good.

The sausage gravy was made with a nice quality sausage with some seasoning to it, maybe caraway, and the biscuits were soft. StfRon said if he had known it would be that good, he just would have gotten a full order and skipped the hash, although the hash was cooked to a crisp perfection.

Our waitress kept the refills coming whenever needed, and soon we were on our way, our bellies full.

The Butcher Block is currently serving breakfast from 5:30 a.m.-2 p.m., so whether you are a morning person or not, the hours should work out well.

They also offer Hagen Dazs ice cream, one thing I've missed at Junction City for years.

Jim Kightlinger Antiques

The first time we stopped at Jim Kightlinger Antiques, 8320 N. Jackson Street in Edwards, was a couple of years ago.

We had a fun time poking around looking at antiques and collectibles, and we made our first purchase together for our soon-to-be-a-reality home bar: a bear's head bottle opener.

Recently we stopped in again, going through the side building first, where we saw lots of neat signs and trinkets.

We then made our way inside the house and checked out the couple of rooms there, where I found another fun item to add to my collection.

The shop is right across from Ludy's and the old Edwards bar next door, so the next time you're out that way, pop on over.

Noted

Last night on my way home from work, I noticed that Velvet Freeze has taken over the kiosk on War Memorial in Peoria at Central Avenue. I think the location will be a hit for them, although I will miss the quick $2 slices of Geo's pizza.