World Gourmet Foods

World Gourmet Foods comes up almost every time I talk to one of my friends about shopping in Bloomington. She and her boyfriend love to stop in and sample cheese each time they are in town.
I visited World Gourmet in November and perused their wide selection of coffees, teas and ethnic and gourmet items. Eventually I made my way to the cheese sampling and tried six cheeses they had available for tasting. Knowing my husband's taste, instead of going with one of those I selected a half pound of a six year aged cheddar from Wisconsin.
I tossed in two pieces of Baklava for myself and a bag of ginger chews (something I don't have to worry about the husband bogarting) and I was set.
After trying the cheese melted on burgers and breakfast sandwiches, I think I may become a cheddar snob. The flavor was incredible.
My Dining Companion, who was my partner in crime for this shopping event, also made off with a few hunks of cheese.
Before leaving we wandered past the buffet area in the restaurant and saw that it was not a run-of-the-mill selection. Several people were enjoying lunch in the dining area.
World Gourmet will be on my list of stops the next time I am shopping in Bloomington.

Noted

Peoria has a new breakfast and lunch spot at 201 E. Lake, Over Easy Café. We've tried lunch and I am looking forward to going back to check out the breakfast fare.

Amber and Marty's Fillin' Station restaurant is open at 2400 Washington Road in Sunnyland.

Mickie's Pizzeria has opened a new location in Dunlap.

If you haven't heard the good news, Emo's of Peoria was purchased by the owners of the Ice Cream Shack of Peoria, so the tradition will carry on at the corner of War Memorial and Prospect.

I've also heard from a reader that a hair salon and spa called Pure Bliss will be opening soon in Glen Plaza.

Mediterranean Mart

Mediterranean Mart, located at Glen Avenue and University Street in Peoria, carries a plethora of Mediterranean goods.
The compact store stocks some produce, dried fruits, pita bread (small and large), baklava, tahini, coffee and much more.
On my first visit they had fresh eggplant and citrus fruits, in addition to some other produce, plus a wide array of other items.

Noted

There are signs posted at Water Street Wines, Café and Coffee in Peoria stating that the location is opening soon under new ownership.

Recently I've enjoyed lunches at Rizzi's on State and Avanti's in Peoria and Ming's in East Peoria.

On Small Business Saturday last weekend we shopped the Metro Centre in Peoria, and visited many of the merchants there where I found some nice gift items.

Noir Tapas & Rendezvous Lounge

This month for date night I chose a movie followed by dinner at Noir Tapas & Rendezvous Lounge in Peoria Heights.
We arrived at Noir shortly before 7 p.m. on a weeknight and were able to get a seat right away, but within less than an hour of our arrival there would have been a wait for a table.
There were chocolate leather couch style booths, bench booths and tables plus tall tables available for seating and some fun vintage horror flicks were being broadcast against the back wall.
We chose a bottle of wine from the list of many and decided to start with two tapas (appetizers meant to share) selections: sauteed mushrooms with garlic and the bruschetta.
Our order arrived quickly.
The mushrooms, in this case Crimini mushrooms sauteed with garlic, parsley and applewood bacon, were incredibly rich and flavorful. The bruschetta, toasted crostini topped with tomatoes, feta cheese and a balsamic reduction was great.
Next we ordered the spicy Chorizo skewers, which were presented like upside down meatball lollypops. The Chorizo was paired with Gruyere cheese and the balls were coated in a breadcrumb-type crust. Not being a huge fan of Chorizo, I was surprised at how good they were.
After enjoying some more of our wine and allowing our food to settle, I couldn't get the gelato I had noticed on the menu out of my mind so we ordered it to share.
The gelato, vanilla bean and roasted banana served with fried plantains topped with rich whipped cream was a nice finish to the meal.
Our server was helpful and attentive, and with our wine selection (about $30), our bill with tip came to about $80.

Apollo Theatre

October 30 we caught a show at Peoria's Apollo Theatre, which I've wanted to do for ages.
The main feature was Vincent Price's "The Tingler", a black and white film from 1959.
Admission was just $5 each and we received some candy and popcorn and sodas were also available. I see now on their site that $5 is a suggested donation, and had I known that, I would have gladly paid more.
We were treated to an old Red Riding Hood cartoon, an episode of "Thriller" (a 1960s TV series), and then we got to enjoy "The Tingler".
The Apollo opened in 1914 and showed movies for more than 40 years. For several years now the theater has been used to show classic, foreign and independent films.
Once inside you can see much of the Art Nouveau grace the theater shared with so many entertainment fans over the decades.
We have also heard a couple of people talk about private parties they have attended at the Apollo, which sounds like a blast.
I thoroughly enjoyed our evening and will be keeping an eye on their future events.

Noted

Dane's Bar & Grill in the former Feldan's location off Brandywine in Peoria is hosting a grand opening Saturday, November 13. Find a coupon for a buy one get one 50% off sandwich in today's Washington Times-Reporter.

With weather like this, who knows, it may just rain on your winter wedding day! Bremer Jewelry (Peoria and Bloomington) offers a full refund of the purchase price of your wedding bands if the National Weather Service at Peoria Regional Airport measures an inch or more of precipitation between 12:01 AM and 11:59 PM (Central Standard Time) on your wedding day.

Jones Bros. Jewelers in Peoria is giving away an Everlon diamond knot pendant and chain valued at $600. Visit their web site or Facebook page for details.


As a brief round up...

We met a group at the newly re-opened Kep's Place in Washington recently. Things were hopping, but we did manage to snag an order of their soft pretzels. They may be deep fried (I'm not entirely sure), but were very good, and I will be keeping them in mind for future bar snackage.

We had dinner at Noir in Peoria Heights tonight. I should be posting about our experience soon!

Noted

I got the scoop from a reader: the former Cummins drive through location at War Memorial and Route 91 in Peoria is now called Meat-n-Place. I will have to check it out.
Meanwhile, if you were jonesing for some of Cummins corn fritters, I did see them on the specials board at their Washington family restaurant last weekend.

Noted

Just heard via Peoria.com that Water Street Wines, Café and Coffee in Peoria is closing their restaurant this Saturday. I will miss their cheese fondue and black bean burgers!

309

This month I visited 309 in Peoria's Junction City twice, once for drinks and once for dinner.

On my first outing my husband and I sat at the bar. He enjoyed an Oktoberfest beer and I had a glass of the Cigar Zin for $8.
We selected two of their artisan cheeses to accompany our drinks, the Fromager dʼAffinois, described as a rich French double cream made from cowsʼ milk, and the Gruyere de comte, a semi-soft unpasteurized cowsʼ milk cheese from France. The bartender said that the Gruyere is their most popular cheese.
Two artisan cheeses were $10 and came served with wild flower honeycomb, quince membrillo, and crackers. We also had some of their wonderful warm crusty bread with butter.
My husband preferred the Gruyere but I liked both cheeses, perhaps even enjoying the d'Affinois better, and the honeycomb and quince fruit spread were a great accompaniment.

On my second visit, I met some friends for dinner.
The dining room, like the bar area, featured a contemporary flair and the soft tunes piped in reminded me of nightclub music.
A fellow olive lover at the table ordered the fried olives stuffed with goat cheese and herbs de provence ($3) for a starter and was kind enough to offer me a bite. The whole dish came with three or four olives and I sampled a half of one, but wow, what a taste explosion!
With a backup meal choice of the half roasted chicken served with olive oil mashed potatoes and a lemon-rosemary pan sauce ($16) in mind for me, we asked about the days' grilled market fish selections and there were quite a few. I selected the rich Hawaiian butterfish served with spicy aioli and had asparagus as my side. Both were wonderfully prepared.
Another friend ordered the Caprese Burrata with heirloom tomatoes, basil, and aged balsamic ($8) and I tried a bite of the cheese which was rich, creamy and delicious.
Our server was professional, and recognized when my fish arrived with the wrong sauce without me having to point it out.
309 is also open for lunch and has private party rooms available.

August 2012 — 309 has closed.

Noted

Kep's sports bar has opened in their new building in Washington. If you've been waiting to get back in there, you can also enjoy $30 worth of food for $15 by purchasing the Seize the Deal offer today.

Richard's On Main

I last visited Richard's On Main many years ago, and one thing I remembered was that they had Framboise, a raspberry lambic Belgian style beer, on draft.
Fast forward about 9 years and we decided to make a stop at the downstairs pub in Peoria once again. Much to my surprise, they still had a raspberry lambic on draft!
There's something appealing to me about a basement pub, especially one with exposed brick walls, ancient tile floors and great historic photographs of downtown Peoria from eras past.
An added bonus on this visit was finding out how many of Richard's menu items are home made. The hand battered mushrooms are not poured frozen from a bag. The pizza crust and sauces are made from scratch. The list of items the bartender identified as being made on site was impressive.
They also feature hand cut steaks, a long list of sandwiches, some salads and burgers.
On this visit, we tried their white garlic pizza and an order of the battered mushrooms. Both hit the spot, especially for me when washed down with a chilled St. Louis Framboise.
Taking note of all of the sandwiches (ranging in price from $4.29 all the way to $29.95 for the "Clydsdale Horseshoe") available and the large juicy steak a lady at the bar was enjoying, we discussed coming back soon for both lunch and a steak dinner.
And if we were night owls (rather than losers who rarely leave the house after 8 p.m.), it would be good to know that Richard's serves food until 4 a.m.

Noted

The Goodness Café in Peoria has announced they will close the business at the end of their lunch on Saturday. Lunches there were tops in my book.
They will continue making breads and sweets through Peoria Bread Company, which is next door to the café.

Noted

Michael's Italian Feast, which has locations in Washington and Germantown Hills, plans to open an additional location on Riverside Drive in East Peoria in the strip mall next to Office Max.

Main Street BBQ

I frequently pass through the small northwestern village of Wyanet for work. Usually, I am too early to enjoy the treat of lunch at Main Street BBQ, 115 East Main Street. However, last week I made the time.

The menu at Main Street boasts standard BBQ choices like a brisket platter (2 sides, $9.95) and Memphis-style pork ribs (6 bones, 2 sides $9.95- 12 bones for $18.95). However, this time I enjoyed my BBQ mainstay, the pulled pork sandwich.
The sandwich was a large helping of tender pulled pork with a very distinct hickory smoked flavor. The home made dry rub created a very tasty mahogany colored bark. The bark has a slightly sweet flavor and not too much spice.
For my sides I chose creamy cole slaw (Memphis style, on top of the sammie) and BBQ beans. The beans have a nice spicy-sweet flavor without being overly spicy. Chunks of smoked pork are also found lingering in the sauce.
The menu is varied including garden salads ( dinner salad and Smokehouse salad), a kids menu, and "Award Winning BBQ Nachos".
My only complaint is that the smoker of choice is a Smokin' Tex Smoker, which puts out good, consistent food, but does not produce a noticeable smoke ring. The smoke ring is a pink ring which is created when smoke cures the outside of the meat during the cooking process. However the flavor is not affected by the lack of the ring, as far as I can tell.

The owner seems to be doing well in this small railroad town and plans a remodel this winter.

Noted

There is a sign posted at the strip mall in the 600 block of N. Cummings Lane in Washington that says Aunt Dena's Bakery coming soon.

Noted

The Bean coffee shop in East Peoria is now closed.

Keith Cotton Photography has made nice use of a former service station on Prospect Avenue in Peoria.

Hick'ry Stick Catering, Carry Out & Café

We visited Hick'ry Stick Catering, Carry Out & Café for lunch about a month after they opened their new place on East McClure in Peoria.
We made our selections at the front counter, paid and took a seat at one of three tables in the cozy dining area.
My husband and I both chose pulled pork sandwiches, his the deluxe which comes topped with cole slaw. For my sides I ordered slaw and baked macaroni and cheese and StfRon ordered baked beans and fries.
I also ordered a home made bread pudding with vanilla rum sauce.
My husband's sister and brother-in-law were along, and she selected the porky fries (skin on fries topped with pulled pork, bbq sauce and cheese sauce) while her husband went with the pulled pork as well.
I made note of one of their drink offerings, a pineapple lemonade, which sounded interesting, but I passed this time in favor of the bread pudding being my sugar intake for the meal.
Our food was brought out shortly by the friendly gal who had taken our order. She also checked back with us later to see how everything was, and we had nothing but good things to say.
The pork was succulent, juicy and smoky, topped with a tangy sauce. The bread the sandwiches were served on was a soft homemade white bread.
The baked mac and cheese had a good cheese twang to it and the slaw was a creamy variety.
The executive chef Ryan came by our table to see how everything was and we learned that they were using a small Southern Pride smoker on site and their big daddy trailer smoker was at Oktoberfest for the weekend.
The restaurant kept up a steady stream of customers almost the whole time we were there.
Our meal with two sandwiches, two sides each and one dessert came to about $21 with tax.
The menu at Hick'ry Stick also includes panini and other sandwiches including an avocado vegetarian offering and several homemade desserts.
I didn't try the porky fries at the restaurant, however I did get a sampling of them at the Oktoberfest later, and now I see why my sister-in-law had to go for round two. Yum!

Noted

Hey all you ice cream fans, the Ice Cream Shack in Peoria is set to close for the season September 26. I would like one more order of tamales and a butterscotch sundae while I still have the chance.

Sleepy Creek Vineyards

On our way to Indiana last weekend, our friend noticed a sign for Sleepy Creek Vineyards in Fairmount, Illinois. We made note of the exit (exit 206 off I-74) and she looked up their web site to make sure the were open Sundays.
We also read with interest about their wine called Little Woody, billed as a semi-dry red wine with lots of oak flavor, but were dismayed to see it was marked as sold out for the time being.
On Sunday afternoon we stopped at the winery for a tasting.
The wine tasting building was a tall, rustic-looking wood sided building with a wood shingled roof, yet the interior was light and bright with an open, airy feel.
We stepped up to the bar and went through the whole gamut with the engaging gentleman who co-owns the winery. We sampled whites, reds, even their secret recipe Sangria and both a white and red wine slush, which were deliciously refreshing summer drinks.
The only wine that really wasn't tops with us was the Three Amigos, which the owner mentioned was made by customer request, probably requested by those such as my mother-in-law who remembers uncle so-and-so's homemade Concord grape wine. Too sweet for us, but a fan favorite!
We purchased a couple bottles of wine and each selected a glass to enjoy outside next to the pond on the property.
Sleepy Creek Vineyards hosts several events, bands and were even planning a film festival. We'll have to stop back this fall to sample Little Woody.