Greasy Joints

Avanti's

2011-11-14T18:40:00.003-06:00

After a lovely visit at Tanner's Apple Orchard, we headed to Peoria for a bite to eat. We stopped at a local chain restaurant that was started in 1966 by a Swiss immigrant who was well versed in the cheese-making business. Let's face it, he probably also an excellent chocolatier and fondue whiz.
Well this peaceful Swiss decided to start making pizzas and other Americanized Italian dishes. Luckily, he covered them in his fresh cheese and it all came together for the best.
Avanti's is well known in the Peoria area. If you're looking for "authentic" Italian and good looking waiters, you could blow 50 bucks at the Biaggi's down the street. If you're looking for cheesy goodness and haggard, but polite service, you'll find it at Avanti's.

We visited the location at 4711 N Rockwood, which is a nice looking place, but I miss our old hangout on University and Main and seeing the crazy bike man.

This Avanti's is at least larger and more modern.

We were seated and served quickly, probably to keep the peace. (heh more Swiss jokes) Your meal always begins with a Matterhorn sized bread basket and little golden wrapped nuggets of butter.

The slightly sweet bread is warm, soft, and chewy. There's nothing better than slapping butter on a warm piece of bread and watching it melt into the pores.

Avanti's has a typical menu filled with pizzas, ravioli, spaghetti, and subs. Prices are cheap enough to keep the Bradley students satisfied. They also have a daily special, in which I partook.

An Avanti's favorite is the Gondola, a boatload of layered meats and cheese on a sweetly singing bread roll.

Ham, Salami, American cheese, Lettuce and Mayo..Why is this famous?

Richie likes to double fist his food, so he also ordered the pizza bread.

I went with the special which happened to be chicken cacciatore. A grilled breast of chicken concealed with tomato sauce, in a web of linguine.

My grandpa made some mean cacciatore and this one was pretty surly too. The tomato sauce is chunky and probably too sweet unless, like me, you enjoy eating frosting with a spoon.

Avanti's always ends your meal with a cheap bill and starlight mints. The hills are alive with the smell of garlic and, honestly, the mints do little to mask it, but it's a nice gesture. For a cheap meal that satisfies the American palate, flee through the Alps and check out Avanti's.

Kuma's Corner

2011-10-20T11:30:00.016-05:00

So after a brief baby hiatus, we return with a new joint that was visited earlier this summer. The crew and I took a short trip to the windy city to take in the sites, get some eats, and... oh yeah, pick up one of our lady friends from the airport. Our journey there degraded into food porn conversation and we had decided on our first stop would be Smoque, which we have blogged about previously here. Unfortunately/fortunately for us, the establishment is closed on Mondays, resulting in plan B.

I had never been to Kuma's, but was greatly intrigued by their menu. Not only did they specialize in large, ridiculously adorned burgers, but each of them was named after a prominent metal band. In addition, the bar plays a wide variety of the aforementioned genre. So me being both a burger addict and lover of the metal of heavy, it was a sure thing. We arrived and were greeted by a friend of mine who was working, luckily this seemed to slightly expedite our seating as it was slightly busy. We chatted, were seated in her section outside in the lovely weather, and then got down to business.
After drooling over the list of burgers and eats, we decided that we were too hungry to not get an appetizer. Behold the glory of the BBQ Pork Fries. BBQ pulled pork piled atop a stack of french fries, covered in jack cheese and onions. we didn't even bother using forks as the 3 of us completely and utterly destroyed the massive pile of goodness. the fries were fairly standard bar quality, but the pulled pork, and cheese on top made this incredible

Feast your eyes on that awesomeness.

Next came the main course, which for dan and I, consisted of the Black Oak Arkansas. This behemoth burger consisted of:Red wine BBQ sauce, Bacon, Aged White Cheddar, and Alpha King Battered Fried Shallot Rings. The red wine BBQ sauce was a bit off, but otherwise the burger was great. The beef was cooked perfectly, and the shallots made for some interesting texture.

Ryan went with the Pantera, Roasted Poblano Pepper, Bacon, Chedder and Monterey Jack, House made Ranchero Sauce, Tortilla Strips. He was feeling a bit o' burn with this one.

Bring on the burgers

All in all, Kuma's lives up to the expectations of a sweet burger joint with some awesome tunes, good food, and lots of good people. A must for any burger/metal fiend.

Sloppy Joe's

2011-07-28T17:17:00.001-05:00

Every time we walked by the restaurant in our resort, I got that damn SNL Sloppy Joe song stuck in my head. The original Sloppy Joe's wasn't named after the epic sandwich. It was named after the sloppy floors in the Key West location where Ernest Hemingway like to chillax and bitch about his wives. This earned him a primo spot on their logo.

The Treasure Island Sloppy Joe's is located within the Bilmar resort. They have a nice large deck that reaches out onto the beach.

We sat on the deck for our meal and caught a nice breeze off the ocean...er gulf. I was amused by the gulls that maneuvered their way around the ropes and scooped up bits of food.

Service was slowwww. No one even noticed us until a braced faced dude of at least 30 stopped by and asked if we had been waited on yet. He ended up being our server because apparently, no one else wanted to.

The menu did boast a hearty Sloppy Joe sandwich, which I spied a woman eating at the next table, but we did not partake.

Richie wanted some 'fresh' seafood, so he order the conch fritters and fries. They did have quite a few healthier seafood entrees, but what else would you expect from Richard?

I am loco for pollo so I ordered the pollo taco salad. I despise food from the sea, but they had several other offerings that appealed to me, including chicken wraps, sandwiches, pulled pork, and Angus burgers. The salad was pretty huge and loaded with lettuce, tomatoes, and chicken. Once I dug deep in the bottom, I reached the beans and rice, my favorite layer. They had a slight spiciness to them, it wasn't too much for my wussy tongue. The whole salad was encapsulated in a light, crispy tortilla shell. I'm not a fan of hard shells, but this had a good greasy, salty taste to it. I nibbled the edges.

Richie's conch fritters were essentially hush puppies mixed with a bit of conch. Hush puppies are always pretty great, but if you order conch fritters, you would expect to taste a bit more of the conch. The fries were up to par with most chain restaurants' offerings.

For his meal, Richie ordered a Cuban with a side of beans and rice.

Castro would frown upon this Cuban. None of the meat appeared to be freshly sliced, and the bun was nothing special.

Though we had a nice view and a cool breeze in our faces, I wouldn't necessarily revisit Sloppy Joe's. It was more of a matter of convenience for us to eat there anyway.

Dixie's Little Dog House

2011-06-14T19:04:00.001-05:00

Another stop in Treasure Island was a tiny little place called Dixie's Little Dog House.

They boast Chicago-style dogs and Italian Beef. Obviously the place couldn't compare to the real thing, but we had to try it anyway. The current incarnation of the Dog House has been in place since 2008. Apparently, it has changed owners a few times over.

We walked into the sauna of a store and were greeted by a counter, two tables, and a large ocean mural.

I just wanted a snack, so I ordered a small Chicago-style dog with everything on it except peppers. Richie went for the Italian beef sandwich. We sat outside under an umbrella and waited for our food.

It took awhile to come out even though we were the only customers. I blame the beef.
Though I ordered a small, I wasn't expecting it to be the size of a toe. The server did warn me when I ordered though. At least it was loaded with flavorful toppings and bright green relish. Pretty Chicago-ish.

I wonder where you get buns that tiny? I scarfed the lil chihuahua and tried to calm my growling stomach while Richie nibbled his Mastiff of a sandwich.

Richie's Italian beef was spicy and juicy, dripping down his chin and onto the table.

He wolfed it down, but said it wasn't quite what one could experience in Chicago.

I thought it was a nice change of pace from the seafood restaurants and bars in the area. I just wish I would have ordered a bigger dog. One that could withstand more than 2 bites.

Biff Burger

2011-05-31T19:49:00.003-05:00

While in Florida, we were able to meet up with a cousin and she recommended a place to us called Biff Burger. Not 5 minutes later and Richie had the GPS coordinates plugged into his phone so we could navigate there. Pulling into the lot at Biff was fairly intimidating. Unbeknownst to us, it was Bike Night. And the bikers were out in full force. Luckily, they paid us no mind as we walked in the smoke clouded front doors of the tiny restaurant.

"Hey, McFly. I thought I told you never to come in here."

"Did anybody tell you that this is the private club of the Satan’s Helpers?"

The menu was up on a slotted sign behind the ordering window. They have many special burgers like the Roquefort and Dog-on Burgers, specialty hot dogs, steak sandwiches, chicken, and soft serve ice cream.

The menu was a little hard to read, but really, Richie just wanted a famous Biff Burger anyway.

Biff Burger actually has a long and doleful history. Things started off well in the beginning when Bruce and Earl Brane opened the first restaurant in 1956 in Clearwater FL. They invented a roto-red broiler that simultaneously rotated the beef and toasted the buns beneath, so the drippings from the burger would go into the bun. That's why they serve the burgers in a plastic bag. The restaurant soon expanded to the St. Petersburg location we visited and to hundreds of other locations across the South. The franchises were sold as Port-a-units, with practically the whole restaurant being shipped to the new location.
Sadly, out of all those restaurants, only two remain.

We ordered at the counter and waited near the pick-up side. From our small booth, I could see and hear a band playing from the adjoining bar area .

The food came out quickly, and we dug right in. Richie's Cheese Biff Deluxe burger ($1.70) was small, maybe 2 oz., and he probably could have laid waste to 4 of them if he had known this.

The burgers are slathered with a special sauce that has been analyzed and scrutinized by fans for years. Supposedly it contains 27 spices but here is a small batch recipe. Tastes uncannily like Boozie's sauce.

Fries were fresh out of the fryer. Crispy and tongue singeing.The tater tots were delicious little potato nuggets with a nice crisp bronze shell. The chocolate shake was pretty standard, prepared with vanilla soft serve infused with chocolate syrup.

Though considered a fast food restaurant, the burgers certainly tasted far superior to similar offerings. (Burger King, ahem) Plus, they have a large menu with unique items forged from time-tested recipes. Biff is a cool little joint to enjoy with the family. Just maybe not on Bike Night.

Governor's Pub and Grill

2011-05-30T20:06:00.000-05:00

Governor's Pub and Grill, located in Bettendorf, Iowa (3470 Middle Rd) has been around for many years. They fairly recently remodeled the exterior and now boast a large patio with ample seating.

They do not, however, have a website or any historical information available. So it shall remain a mystery as to why it's called Governor's and why Ben Franklin gets his drink on there.

Governor's seems like a typical bar and grill, dim lighting, high seat tables, TVs tuned to ESPN, and a large bar. However, as well as providing a well-stocked bar, they focus on serving a variety of quality food. My grandpa was particularly fond of their ribs, of which Richie partook.

I have to admit, service is always pretty slow. We were not terribly interested in the NBA playoffs on TV (Oklahoma City has a team?), and neither of us wanted to dip into the public popcorn cesspool. However, it picked up once our waitress noticed us and got our drinks out.

We started with an order of fried pickles, because, you know, veggies are important. The pickles had a crispy seasoned exterior hugging the delicious dill.

I am a creature of habit, and generally always order the pretzel stack. This time was no exception. It's a classy way to eat a giant pretzel, sliced in half, sandwiching a good portion of smoked turkey, melted cheese, lettuce, tomato, and dripping with honey mustard. Much more satisfying than nibbling a Super Pretzel while balancing a small tub of nacho cheese in your lap, in a flip-up seat at the ballpark.

The special that night was their 'famous' ribs, served with a side of onion rings. Governor's uses a "special" barbecue sauce which I assume is an original recipe, but then again, it could be KC Masterpiece dumped into an unlabeled bucket.

Richie thought they were decent for bar ribs, but nothing like slow cooked and falling off the bone. the onion rings were good, but count em- one, two, three. He also noted that the beans were pretty tasty, but sub-par when compared to his own recipe.

Overall, Governor's is always a pleasant experience, but nothing to-die-for. Probably a nice stop for the casual drinker. It seems to be a gathering place for Bettendorf's 'Athletic Booster crowd', so avoid on Sundays during football season.

Waffle House!

2011-05-27T10:07:00.003-05:00

Well, we arrived in Florida in one piece, no thanks to our shuttle car driver and his 2fast2furious skills. A quick search on our phone revealed that a Waffle House was just .3 miles from our lovely (cough) resort. We stayed at the Bilmar Beach Resort in Treasure Island. Sounds like a place full of magic and wonder, streets lined with gold. Really, it's an anemic beach town with hotels designed after the 70's Las Vegas strip. But, it has a Waffle House.

The Waffle House nearest my house is 200 miles south, in St. Charles, Mo. The last time I ate at one was about 10 years ago in Phoenix, AZ. It was a deliciously memorable experience I was more than happy to relive in FL.

The chain began in 1955 in a suburb of Atlanta. A Toddle House manager and his neighbor decided to open a 24-hour restaurant with an emphasis on friendly customer service. They grew to 4 restaurants and in the 60s, saw a lot of growth along highways and interstates. Obviously they are known for their waffles (they serve 145 per minute) and breakfast foods, but their menu includes many lunch staples as well.

The menu can be viewed HERE

Pretty much every Waffle House looks the same. They have the counter with an open kitchen so you can watch the workers sweat into the waffle irons. You can also hear them yell out their diner lingo and bitch at each other. We actually visited twice during our stay due to the lack of clean and inviting dining options in the area. And due to our gluttonous desire for waffles.

The first trip, I ordered the ridiculously large All-Star Special. It featured a waffle, hashbrowns, eggs, toast, and ham. I opted for a strawberry waffle which the waitress dutifully admitted was infused with artificial strawberry flavoring. No matter. It had an essence of Frankenberry that took me back to my childhood.

Hashbrowns were greasy, eggs were greasy, ham was greasy. Not complaining, just stating the facts. I did, however, blot my eggs a little bit before I dug in and punctured the yolk.

On our second visit, I was feeling slighty more health conscious, so I ordered scrambled egg whites and chicken breast. Again, I blotted the chicken which was dewy with griddle oils.

Richie ordered over-easy eggs, toast, a plain waffle, and hashbrowns "all-the-way." they have many different disgustingly rich options for decorating your hash, and all-the-way includes, well, all of them. Don't be deceived by the photo, under the exorbitant amount of breakfast gravy and the crunchy top stratus mingled many mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, ham, and cheeses.

Both of our waffles were cooked impeccably, with nary a burnt crust or undercooked bite.

Round two: Chili cheese omelet and hashbrowns all-the-way. He obviously likes the hashbrowns.

I might not be so enthused on Waffle House's greasy selections if I had easier access to one, but I thoroughly enjoyed my meals. It's a fun change of pace from the Midwest's Village Inns and IHOPs. Plus, the waffles, though made in what looked to be a standard waffle maker, were pretty much perfect.

Oh Waffle House, I hope to rendezvous again. Until then, we shall lust for you from afar.

Happy Joe's Pizza

2011-05-25T13:06:00.000-05:00

Happy Joe's is such an institution in the Q-C, one that I have grown up with, that it seems silly to even write about it. The pizza chain was started in 1972 by "Happy" Joe Whitty. I have enjoyed many birthday parties at various locations and always happily ate my Little Joe and free Birthday sundae.

Through the years, I have grown up with Taco pizza, which is, supposedly, the original. They use their thin, slightly crispy crust and coat it with a layer of refried beans. Taco seasoned beef and sausage is scattered on top, blanketed with cheese, and decorated with a green and red confetti of lettuce and tomatoes. The best part, in my opinion, is the crunchy top layer of broken taco flavored tortilla chips.

Now my true favorite from HJ's is the Happy Joe's Special. The Special is dotted with small chunks of Canadian bacon and camouflaged in a layer of sauerkraut. I don't even like sauerkraut, but it seems to complement the sweet pizza sauce and salty ham.

Crispy, yet chewy crust

However, dear Richie doesn't seem to be a fan of pizza that does not include pepperonis. So last night, I ordered a pepperoni pie to satiate him. Their pepperoni pizza always includes an ample amount of the greasy meat.

I also really enjoy their cheese blend. If you look closely, you can see the beautiful meshing of yellow and white cheeses.

Happy Joe's pizza is slightly addicting. I can be only marginally hungry, yet still inhale 3-4 slices. I think it has something to do with the amount of sugar in their sweet sauce.

I don't think Richie is as big a fan as I. Perhaps the sauce is too sweet for his sour attitude? Irregardless, I will order HJ again. But I recommend a visit to a restaurant for their bountiful buffet or for a low-key birthday party.

Jimmy's Pancake House

2011-05-24T14:56:00.002-05:00

The best meal of the day, by far, is breakfast. The food is rich, heavy, and full of added sugars, but you have the whole day to work it off. Anytime I hear of a place that serves breakfast all day, I begin to salivate and daydream of eggs, crispy bacon, and syrup drenched pancakes. Obviously a place named Jimmy's Pancake House really got my engine running as I envisioned a flapjack heaven run by a friendly, slightly overweight guy in a paper hat.

I finally got to see what it was really like after a late morning doctor's appointment and ultrasound where I discovered that the baby girl in my belly was craving a greasy mess. So we headed into Bettendorf and found the small cafe on 18th street.

Jimmy's is very clean and very green inside. Like, literally, bright green. We found an empty table and received prompt drink service. The waitresses seemed to know all of the other patrons. Pretty soon, they'll be yelling RICHIE! when we walk in and a witty exchange about HT customers will ensue.

The majority of Jimmy's menu is breakfast. That's what I like to see. At a pancake house, you most definitely want to try the pancakes, even if they make your stomach swell and arms itch. So I ordered poached eggs with ham, hashbrowns and blueberry pancakes.

Can't really complain or rave about the eggs. They always taste the same. The ham was thick cut and lightly fried. Hashbrowns were plentiful, light, and fluffy. They were a departure from the usual diner style nests of grease. However, I prefer the crispy greasy potato piles.

Richie went all out with a Mexican skillet. Covered with scrambled eggs, the skillet smuggled in chorizo, onions, peppers, salsa, and hashbrowns. Based on his empty plate,I'm going to guess that he enjoyed the spicy breakfast explosion. But no worries, he left room for the mini mound of pancakes and syrup.

So what about the piece de resistance, pancakes?! I would deem Jimmy's Pancake House to be worthy of their name. The flapjacks were classic beige cushions with a slight sweetness from a dusting of powdered sugar. Mine were delicately dotted with an ample amount of fresh tart blueberries. We both flooded our plates with maple syrup, though they may have offered other flavors, I was too enamored to ask.

The pancakes were the perfect shade of golden brown, and the texture was delicate and spongy. Pretty much what God's pancakes would taste like in heaven.

In a few years, the griddle will be nice and broken in and Jimmy's will get that homey coffee smell ingrained in the walls. Then it will become an official greasy joint. For now, it is a pleasant cafe with hearty breakfasts and fresh lunches.

La Rancherita

2011-04-23T13:46:00.000-05:00

The Quad Cities has a fairly large Hispanic population, and many restaurants claim to serve authentic Mexican food, but who really knows? Well, La Rancherita certainly backs up their claim. The owners hail from San Jose de Gracia, Mexico. They opened their restaurant in Rock Island (4118 14th Ave) in 2004 with a goal of serving families hearty food at a reasonable price.

La Rancherita is open for all 3 meals, but the boys chose to stop by for lunch.

Like most Mexican restaurants, service was prompt and polite. La Rancherita certainly doesn't look like a typical sombrero-on the-wall Mexican restaurant. They really do try to make it a family-friendly experience by providing ample seating.

Of course, each meal begins with a bottomless supply of chips and salsa. Their salsa is actually a chunky, spicy, pico de gallo. Has a nice kick to it that will clear out your sinuses.

Though tempted to order Lengua- tongue, Richie went for a sure to please, gut-busting burrito.

The burrito was stuffed full of chorizo, lettuce tomato, onion, and cheese and wrapped tighter than a tick.

The other guys ordered a torta, similar to our American sandwich, and soft shell tacos. The torta was a rainbow of colors and flavors consisting of carne asada, avocado, sour cream, beans, lettuce, tomato, and cheese.

Dan did double duty on chicken and steak tacos, a mountain of meat with a cheese covered peek of freshly grated cheese.

According to my memories of high school Spanish, La Rancherita means, the little ranch. And this little ranch is well worth visiting. Check out the prices on the menu...

Muy impresionante! Visita La Rancherita, ahora!

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

2011-03-31T14:39:00.000-05:00

Five Guys Burgers and Fries is well-known chain throughout a good portion of the country. The couple who began the restaurant in 1986 had 4 sons and soon added a fifth, hence the name, Five Guys. It began in Virginia and soon expanded to locations around the D.C. area, garnering a cult following. Franchising soon followed, and Five Guys can now be found in 40 states. Of course Iowans are about 5 yrs behind, so we don't have one...yet. It is, however, getting closer.

Being foodies...well more like, 'fast foodies,' both of us had heard of Five Guys a while ago and even ate a similar restaurant called Meatheads in Schaumburg. During a trip to Peoria we discovered an empty store space with signs in the windows proclaiming the impending opening of Five Guys. A couple months later, Richie was able to make the trek to Peoria to try it out, but I could not. :(

There are few unique attributes of Five Guys. The menu is deceptively simple, serving just burgers, fries, hot dogs, and Cokes. However, they claim that their burgers can be served in 250,000 different ways.
Their beef is never frozen- in fact, stores do not have freezers. They do have coolers to keep the meat fresh. Lastly, they use peanut oil, so everything is trans-fat free. I'm sure that was on Richie's mind when he ordered.

The interior of the restaurant is very clean and open. Customers order at a counter and can watch the cooks perform in their open kitchen. When your number is called, bounce up with anticipation and try not to drool on yourself as you pick up your food.

Hungry diners can choose their own unique combination of toppings and sauces.

Fries are fresh cut and can be salted or seasoned cajun-style.

Richie's double burger was overflowing with cheese, bacon, mushrooms, mayo, and bbq sauce. The burger was well done but still juicy and flavorful.

Fries are served in ample amounts and Richie raved about the Cajun seasonings.

Check out these thick potato fingers.

Five Guys does it right, by focusing on making quality food, rather than a variety of food. Of course when you do this, you can't please everyone...no salads or chicken on the menu, so leave your skinny bitches at home.

Blue Cat Brew Pub

2011-03-28T18:19:00.008-05:00

In the mood for a hearty meal, we decided to cross the bridge and roll into the District of Rock Island. Not being an obnoxious alcoholic who rents a party bus for every birthday, I had only been to the District once before, to see Everclear play. No one can fault me for that.

Although we weren't entirely sure of our final destination, I did have the Blue Cat in mind as a possible Greasy Joint. I parked in the first lot I found, and lo and behold, it was right across the street from Blue Cat. The air smelled of seafood, not appealing to me, but still 10x better than it would smell 4 hours later when vomit and smoke would float down the streets.

The restaurant and brewery opened in 1994, just 2 years after the District was conceived. They filled a vacant space in an older two story building on 18th street. There are two levels to the building, we were escorted upstairs to a small dining area with cozy booths. The atmosphere was dark, but not dingy. Candles adorned each table, providing a light glow around the room.

Our waiter served us right away and handed us menus that were surprisingly large and diverse. This isn't typical bar food. It's "fancified." The menu has salads, seafood, barbeque, dinners, sandwiches, burgers, and pasta. It also includes many of their handcrafted ales, some of which rotate throughout the year, or are seasonal only. I'm not going to pretend to know anything about beer, so here's a link to more info.

After much consideration and internal debate, I ordered a Hawaiian-style chicken breast sandwich with a side of beans and rice. Richie went for some 'que, and ordered the beef brisket with mashed potatoes. I couldn't resist adding an order of pub fries fused together with gooey cheese.

Our fries came out quickly, hot and smelling of decadent bacon, which was precariously chopped and sprinkled on top. So we overindulged on our appetizer, leaving little room for our entrees. No bother. Richie made room and I got a box to go.

Both our orders were slathered in barbecue, but mine was a teriyaki flavor, very light and sweet. It was a perfect complement to the grilled pineapple.

His brisket was engulfed in a viscous black sauce with a molasses flavor. The meat was slightly chewy, not quite as melt-in-your-mouth as one would receive from an actual barbeque joint.

The beans and rice had nice kick to them, both of us enjoyed the flavor. Richie's potatoes were a nice texture, but tasted overwhelmingly of butter. Though his plate was left without a crumb, Richie did proclaim that he should have ordered a burger. I was pleased with my picks, particularly the pub fries.

I think we will make a return trip in the future and try something new. Definitely an ideal option for alcohol afficianados looking for a classy place to dine and drink.

Short's Burger and Shine

2011-03-14T20:53:00.010-05:00

Short's Burger and Shine opened in 2008, however, it's history began in 1920. That's when H.D. Short opened his shoe shine in that location. As the menu explains, for over 50 years, Short ran a successful shoe shine business. The current owners of the bar and grill got permission from the family to name the business in his honor.

Though dark and narrow like most other Iowa City bars, Shorty's has a classy feel to it. The booths and bar are dark wood and the bare brick gives it a charming antique-y feel. We came in around 1 p.m. and were able to score a roomy booth.

Short's is all about serving local foods. The beef is bred in Columbus Junction and prepared in Riverside. (For vegetarians- The cows live blissfully ignorant lives in Columbus Junction until they're murdered in Riverside). They don't mention the chickens' origins or where the black beans are cruelly harvested for their veggie burgers. Whole potatoes are slaughtered daily for fries.

The service was fast and friendly. Each item on the menu was named after a county (chicken), city (burgers), or junction (black bean burger) in Iowa. The burger creations were truly spectacular and we spent a good deal of time just reading through the menu like it was a smutty romance novel.

Eventually, we did have to wipe our chins of drool and choose just one. Richie, of course chose a big ass burger, the Dundee, and I chose a chicken sandwich, the Dickinson, hold the mayo.

The Dundee is probably the most indulgent burger on the menu. All burgers are cooked medium well, and this one was saddled with sauteed mushrooms, thick cut bacon, garlic aioli, fried egg, and golden American cheese.

The Dickinson is a spiced blackened chicken breast with rich provolone cheese and crispy slabs of bacon. It's normally served with a slather of chipotle mayo.

The fries were abundant piles of pretty dark golden sticks. They were well seasoned and slightly soggy from grease. Though I'm not fond of fried foods, I found myself slathering these in ketchup and shoving fistfuls in my mouth.

Richie used the famous Short's Sauce on his fries. The sauce is a vinegar base mixed with pepper and tomato paste. Definitely kicks those fries up a notch.

Both of us left quite content and full to the brim. Even the buns were tasty, very soft and filling. It feels good supporting a local business that, in turn, supports local farmers and grocers. Even better when the food is best we've had all year.

Country Fix'ns

2011-02-24T08:30:00.015-06:00

Welcome to the Appalachia of the Q.C., Colona, Illinois. There is a bright spot among the trailers, barefoot children, and fishin' boats, and it's called Country Fix'ns.

Country Fix'ns is a home-style diner that fills daily with regulars. It was a small spectacle when two 20-something city boys walked through the front doors.

The interior is quite plain and unadorned, decorated only by the smell of coffee and bacon, a warm welcome for hungry men.

Being a model greasy joint, Country Fix'ns serves breakfast all day, so Richie ordered the Country Fix'ns Skillet. He may have found a match for Ross' famous Magic Mountain.

He dug right into the giant hashbrown haystack permeated with mushrooms, bacon, eggs and onions. Of course, it was generously shrouded with both breakfast gravy and melted cheese. Ridiculous. As if that wasn't gut-busting enough, Richie poured on the Sriracha!

Bateman had eyes for another greasy classic, a cheeseburger and fries. The sirloin burger was served on buttered and grilled Texas Toast.

Fries were thick cut and made from real potatoes.

The food appeared to be thoroughly greasy and made from scratch. They didn't skimp on portion sizes, so the meals were well worth the small amount of cash they charged.

If you're willing to travel through the trailer trash boonies, Country Fix'ns is a neat little place to try. Bring an empty stomach... and maybe some art for the walls.

Portillo's

2011-02-22T11:33:00.011-06:00

Portillo's is a chain of fast food restaurants in the Chicago area. It's birth in 1963 occurred in an $1100 trailer known as "The Dog House," a small hot dog stand in Villa Park. Over the many years, it has expanded into a a small chain of Chicago-style fast food restaurants. More history can be found in a video here. There are 31 locations in Illinois, clustered mostly in the Chicagoland area. We made a pit stop at the Schaumburg location during the lively Saturday lunch hour.

Each Portillo's has a different motif, Schaumburg's is the 1950s. The large retro mess hall also includes an ordering station for one of the owner's other concept restaurants, Barnelli's Pasta Bowl.

The place was humming with patrons, so I questioned their ability to promptly feed us. As soon as we stepped into line, a worker penciled our order on a a to-go bag. It was a lot of pressure to order so quickly, and I panicked a bit. If I had more time to pore over the menu, I would have noticed the enchanting Chocolate Cake Shake, but that's something to look forward to for next time.

At the counter, we gave our bag to the cashier and paid.
Then we hustled down the long assembly line of surprisingly cheerful workers to the food pick-up area.

Despite the massive wall of people waiting, we had our hot chow in about 5 minutes. Seating was not hard to find, as most of the restaurant is crammed full of booths and tables. No foot of floor was spared a table or chair.

Richie ordered the combo sandwich. A combo sandwich is comprised of a spicy Italian sausage gently swaddled in a juicy blanket of Italian beef. Customers can choose hot or sweet peppers; Richie chose HOT. I noted that he actually savored it, opting not to hoover it down as usual.

I ordered a charbroiled chicken breast on a croissant, with a side of cheese fries. Though my sandwich looks a bit bland, blame the lighting, it was actually the best I've had at any fast food or sit down restaurant. The chicken is very nicely seasoned and has a bit of kick to it, almost to the point of inducing nose running. The lettuce was crispy and the tomatoes were bright red and juicy. Portillo's is certainly no McDonald's.

The cheese fries were crinkle cut, to which I am partial. They provide crispy edges with a good filling of potato. The cheddar was served in a small container so I had full control over the amount of golden goodness I wanted to ooze off of each fry.

Richie also felt his sandwich was spiced well and very flavorful. The bread was a good chewy consistency and a nice bedrock for the moist beef and sausage.

The atmosphere was energetic and loud, but it was fun to people and food watch.
Next time I am within range of a suburb lucky enough to host a Portillo's, I will be visiting and finally sucking down that Chocolate Cake Shake I've been dreaming of.

The Brothers Family Restaurant

2011-02-06T21:10:00.009-06:00

I couldn't find any history online about Brothers Family Restaurant (1718 2nd Ave Rapids City, IL), but I know it has been around for quite some time.

We stopped at Brothers after a short excursion to Cordova IL. It's located just off the first I-80 exit in Illinois.

It's a charming diner that is retro, not in a kitschy way, but more like they haven't fussed over decor since the 70s. Walking in, I got an immediate whiff of fried chicken, lo and behold, it was the daily special.

Richie was happy to try out the all-you-can devour fried chicken, but why anyone would order anything other than breakfast is beyond me. and Ron Swanson. I mulled over the omelet selection and ultimately selected a Denver Omelet.

Our waitress was very sweet and asked about Richie's shark tattoo because apparently her husband has one too. And she has a dolphin.

Our food was ready in good time, probably because they had a massive bundle of fried chicken already prepared. It was all-you-can-eat, so our neighbors at the next table were unbuttoning and taking full advantage. Richie stopped after a leg, breast, and thigh.

Apparently that was pleasing enough. Though the chicken was moist and the skin was crunchy, he felt it lacked enough spice and flavor. I think he's been tainted by Colonel Sanders and his 11 herbs and spices.

On the other hand, the broccoli cheese soup was quite flavorful for a food that looks suspiciously like snot. Mashed potatoes were served school lunch style, one ice cream scoop drowning with gravy.

I had no problem devouring my giant yellow pocket, chock full of goodies- green peppers, ham, and onions. The hash browns had a nice golden canopy of crunch.

Though Richie wasn't terribly pleased with the chicken, everything else, including the service, was very good. Prices were reasonable as well. Overall, it's a nice cozy place to stop on an I-80 expedition.

Bare Bones BBQ

2011-01-28T10:19:00.010-06:00

Ain't nothin like some good barbeque.

Bare Bones BBQ is located in the old Waffle House restaurant near the airport in Moline (2401 69th Ave). I can't even tell you the last time I had good barbeque. Probably when we visited North Carolina in 2009. Good BBQ in the QC is scarce as a hens teeth, but I spotted this place during an airport pick-up and immediately notified Richie of the grand discovery.

Once again, he took his new partner in crime, Bateman, to the restaurant to check it out, but luckily I scored some takeout.

Richie was fixin to put some brisket and beans in his bread basket.

So tender and rich, the brisket was *almost* melt-in-your-mouth.

Beans were sweet and adorned with small pieces of brisket. Because who doesn't want meat with your meat? Sauce is sweet and spicy, but not too hot. It's always served on the side.

I reckon he inhaled this feast in nearabout 2 shakes of a lamb's tail.

Bean porn

Cornbread...the bane of my existence, the reason for his. Richie declared it hunky dorey fluffy.

Bateman inspecting his cornbread specimen

Ain't bringin a doggy bag home tonight.
Luckily, my pork sandwich takeout arrived unscathed, and though I wasn't fixin on eating it all, it was gone in a snap. Pork was juicy and the perfect complement to the sweet sauce. Their buns ain't no Wonder Bread, they were very soft and flavorful.

I can't find much of a web presence for Bare Bones, but be sure y'all skedaddle over to Moline for some quality Southern barbeque.

Hall of Fame Pizza & Wings

2011-01-19T10:12:00.013-06:00

We are all quite familiar with the almighty Buffalo Wild Wings who dominate the wing market here in the Quad-Cities. They offer a great variety of sauces and a large menu. However, service can be slow, especially during those crucial game days, so we found somewhere new and decided to give it a shot.

On December 1st, Hall of Fame Pizza and Wings opened a carryout/delivery location in Park View, IA. They also have a full service restaurant with buffet in DeWitt.

It was a Tuesday like any other Tuesday when Richie and Bateman decided to play through all 3 Halo games. Their marathon of gaming called for some sustenance, so they went to Park View to fuel up with wings. (Much better than GU)

Like every other restaurant that exists in a small town, the menu is filled with items with campy names based on a sports theme. I was so disappointed that I missed out on the "Game of Pickle" appetizer, 6 deep fried pickle wedges served with honey mustard sauce, that I made Richie order one a couple days later. I'd put honey mustard on ice cream if it were socially acceptable.
So the pizza menu is pretty much on par with what you'd get just about anywhere else. The specialty pizzas aren't all that special, but they do have one with bratwurst and sauerkraut. They also make calzones, salads, and wraps.

The boys needed fuel for about 8 hours of non-stop nerding out, so they were all about the wings that day. Taking a cue from BWWs, Hall of Fame offers varying flavors and levels of heat for their wings. Richie chose 4 different types, The Heater, Asian Sensation, Hot Barbecue, and Kickin' Honey Mustard.

The wings were bigger and juicier than BWWs, as they are obviously not cranked out in mass production and plunked under a heat lamp. "They were crispy on the outside with a good amount of flavor and heat," says Richie Young, wing connoisseur.

I can't speak of the wings because of my aversion to anything slightly spicy, but I can pronounce the pickles to be perfectly pleasing. One large pickle was sliced into six wedges, breaded, spiced, and fried. The honey mustard was a suitable sweet complement.

While the marathon of gaming lasted well into the wee hours of night, the wings did not. All that was left of the carnage was a full buffalo skeleton, a heap of napkins and 5 empty Dew cans.

Though we have yet to try the pizza, I would say that a visit to the Hall of Fame is in order for all wing nuts.

Van's Pizza

2011-01-05T12:39:00.011-06:00

Van's Pizza, Pub, and Grill is a relatively new place in town. It's located in the old Pat McGuire's at 3333 Harrison Street. McGuire's was a well loved Irish bar and grill that had been operating since 1986. The business was sold in 2009, but the offer to keep the name was available to the new owners. Because they already owned an Irish pub across town, they didn't want to open a second in Davenport. So they chose to open a pizza place. Just what Davenport needs, more pizza. This begs the question, can you have too many pizzerias in one town? Well, yes, you can.

However, Van's isn't JUST a pizza place. They kept the bar and have quite a selection of beers for the party boys from Palmer. They also tacked on the 'grill' so they can still serve burgers, appetizers, and other typically blah bar staples.

Suffice it to say, I'd really like a new concept to come to the Quad-Cities.

Exterior was slightly remodeled. Inside, the Irish paraphernalia is gone and replaced with generic bar shit. The menu looks suspiciously similar to the Jersey Grille.

Though I was pessimistic about the quality of pizza coming from this run-of-the-mill pub, it was surprisingly delicious.

The garlic cheese bread was properly garlic-y, blanketed with stringy cheese and spices. They serve it with ranch, marinara, and that green thing. It'll set you back 4.99.

Not wanting a traditional pie, we split a personal sized Iowa Farmhand's pizza.

I was most pleased that the sauce was actually ketchup and mustard mixed together. Makes for a burger-like taste and satiates my sweet tooth. The toppings were loaded on, a bit precariously, I might add. Some pieces were loaded with onion, others with pickles. Also sprinkled on were big chunks of pork tenderloin- this is an Iowa pizza after all. The crust was a good consistency, thin and slightly chewy.
The price wasn't as nice, $8.99, but if you're eating out, I suppose that's on par. A plain cheese is only $4.99 and a one-topping is $5.99.

I would probably make a return visit to try another specialty pizza. However, until the rest of the menu gets some originality, I'll pass on that.

P.S. The cold leftovers were fantastic.

Earl of Sandwich

2010-12-10T19:22:00.023-06:00

Recently, I traveled to Disney World to run the Wine & Dine Half marathon, because any thing that combines my two favorite activities- eating and running- I am there. After a day of generic park food and a seemingly never-ending bus ride full of grouchy children, we disembarked in Downtown Disney with rumbling tummies.

At this point, anything would be satiating, so we decided to stop at the first fast food place. Luckily, we ended up in front of The Earl of Sandwich. The line was nearly out the door, but Disney is nothing if not a great place to practice patience, so we waited...

We had plenty of time to peruse the menu, which was fairly large and tantalizing.

The hot sandwich menu is their pride and joy, because the sandwiches are assembled and then placed in a warm oven, so the flavors can mix and mingle in all kinds of naughty ways.

As we plodded through the line, we paraded by the large offering of exclusive side salads, chips, and desserts. I grabbed a bag of sea salt and vinegar chips for the long journey to sandwichdom.

The restaurant was seriously PACKED, so we awkwardly stood aside and attempted to avoid the chaos at the counter. It was too much, so when our number was up, we grabbed the sandwiches and galloped to a table outside.

I unwrapped my Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken and immediately shoved the warm 'wich into my mouth. Everything about this sandwich was sweet, including the bbq sauce, sweet ham, and pineapple. The bread was pretty incredible- soft, sweetened, and warm.

My mum went for the Full Montagu which exposed it's innards of roast beef, turkey, lettuce, tomato, two cheeses, and mustard sauce.

I quickly disgusted my mom by dissecting and inhaling my dinner in 3 minutes and we skipped off with blissful bellies into the bewitching World of Disney.

After riding Tower of Terror five times, running 13.1 miles,
eating the best spanikopita ever, and throwing up in the Detroit airport, we finally arrived home to Iowa. I decided to investigate this Earl of Sandwich and found out that it is, in fact, owned partially by the 11th Earl of Sandwich, Lord John Montagu. There are a dozen or so locations around the U.S. and you can link to a weird TLDR story of their origins here.

I guess if everyone in the world eats your namesake, you might as well 'make it rain' in your wallet. I would venture that The Earl of Sandwich would make it's inventor proud, by offering fresh fast sandwiches to the hungry masses.

Freight House Farmers' Market

2010-12-01T15:50:00.006-06:00

A quick update on the Freight House Farmers' Market...

The entire building that previously housed the Freight House Restaurant, then Penguin's, Nan's, and Balls n Pucks, is now open for the year round Farmer's market. Though some of the rooms are sparse, other vendors are sure to fill up the vacant spots.

Antonella's is a pizza place in downtown Dport that also sells pizza by-the-slice at the Market. They traditionally make a Sicilian thin crust with traditional toppings including breakfast-style and the ever popular pepperoni.

Here's Richie munching away...

A nice, light, flavorful pizza

Just because it's winter doesn't mean you can't get delicious food and produce at the Market. Be sure to check it out Tuesdays from 3-6pm and Saturdays from 8am-1pm.

Bubble Tea

2010-11-29T21:52:00.000-06:00

Bubble Tea is located in NorthPark Mall in Davenport. It opened about 7 yrs ago across from the Sam Goody-turned crap store-turned sports memorabilia store. It was opened by a South Vietnamese native who moved to the area when he was 9. According to Yelp, It's now owned by "Jeremiah is The King of smoothie, bubble tea, and coffee making."

I've passed over it since it opened and still have no desire to try the Taiwanese tea laced with tapioca bubbles. Ever since my unfortunate experience with burping Orbitz,

I just can't consume bubbles. However, when I saw this picture of the colorful, delicate club sandwich Richie devoured during a lunch break, I've decided I must try it out. Or at least try a sandwich, hold the bubbles.

Though the sandwich was delicious and the ingredients fresh, Richie commented that it took a while to prepare. It seemed as though the workers weren't sandwich artists or enthusiasts. Clearly they are better accustomed to creating teas and fresh fruit smoothies, about which he also raves. Fresh fruit, sandwiches, and tea...by far the healthiest place Richie has ever eaten and also the healthiest choice in the mall. I'll report back after my sophisticated palate has given it a try.

Meatheads

2010-11-10T21:55:00.010-06:00

Trekking outside of our normal eating zone, Richie and I headed to Schaumburg Illinois to purchase unassembled hip Swedish furniture and cheap but trendy Swedish clothes.

Just a block from the massive mall was a smaller strip mall populated with boring overpriced stores and an epic Dick's. (teehee.) Within the parking lot of this plaza stands a small burger joint called Meatheads.

Meatheads is run by the mastermind behind Potbelly's and Einstein Bros. Bagels, so I would expect rapid growth over the next few years. They started in 2007 and now have 5 locations in Bloomington and a few Chicago suburbs. They seem to be an aspiring Five Guys-type joint, except they offer a few more options.

Considering the Merriam-Webster definition of meathead as a "stupid or bungling person," it may not seem like a smart moniker. Or if you are old or lame enough to remember Meathead as Archie Bunker's annoying liberal son-in-law, the name may not scream appeal. Then again, Potbelly's hasn't seemed to deter anyone from eating their hefty sandwiches.

Meatheads is all about the meat...and fries...and atmosphere. The meat is never frozen angus, fries are fresh cut from whole potatoes!, and the restaurant decor is very sleek, modern, and clean.

We walked in and gazed up at the giant menu above the counter. It seemed a little daunting and confusing at first, but then I realized they just offer a lot of people pleasing build-your-own burger options.

Richie opted out of choosing his own toppings and went with a Meatheads Signature Burger, the Texas Ranch with a side of Cajun fries. However, he still had the choice of a fried or grilled burger. Pretty neat eh? (He went with grilled.)

I built my own chicken burger with mustard, tomato, and pickles. In hindsight, a pineapple would have been really good on it. Then I went big and requested a side of chili cheese fries as well.

Richie enjoyed his burger. Said it was cooked and seasoned well. However, the fries stole the prize. Medium-cut, perfectly fried, and dusted with Cajun spices. Laissez le Bon temp rouler!

My chicken sandwich was also spot-on and the toppings were crisp and fresh. The chili-cheese fries were fan-freaking-tastic, as evidenced by this photo of me gorging myself.

Prices were fair, slightly more than fast food, but with much better quality of food, it is definitely worth it. If you find yourself in the mood to PIMP MY BURGER

give Meatheads a try. Don't forget the fries! Peep the menu HERE

Mr. B's Cafe

2010-11-10T09:28:00.009-06:00

Mr. B's in Hoopeston Illinois is the latest conception of L & M's old lunch counter. We decided to assay it to see how the new proprietors are managing.

On this blustery morning, we blew in for a breakfast binge. The interior has changed only a little. They now have a shiny fluted sheet metal wall with handy coat hooks behind each stool. The long lunch counter and stools remain intact.

The menu is up on the wall with the grooved slots and individual letters that was probably painstaking to piece together.
Fox News...what else?

I ordered an egg sandwich with ham and a side of hash browns. I don't know why I ordered a sandwich, considering I can't eat bread, but it seemed more substantial than just requesting an egg.

Richie wanted to order a Haystack, which rivals Ross' Magic Mountain as a giant mound of breakfast foods erupting with cheese and gravy. Apparently, we arrived after the gravy robbers and the sausage gravy pot was depleted. So 2 eggs and bacon would suffice.

Our meals came out as they were finished. I dissected my sandwich and was pleased to find that the ham wasn't some limp slice of Buddig. It was a thick seasoned cut from a ham steak. A true Iowan favorite.

The hash browns were also pleasing, a nice golden crust enveloped the mid-layer of potatoes. They were crispy and light rather than greasy.

Richie devoured his scrambled eggs and bacon, but apparently a couple corners of his stomach were still empty.

How can anyone resist homemade pie? They had 5 or 6 flavors to choose. Richie ordered a slice of apple and was easily talked into making it a la mode. It was very sweet and they warmed the pie before plopping the scoop of ice cream on top, so the ice cream and apples coalesced into a sinful cinnamon soup.

I am a cake stan, but the Crunch bar pie was calling me, so I got a slice to go. And go it did, right into my mouth on the car ride home. It was creamy with a light cocoa flavor and chunks of Crunch bar. Scrumptious.

We were all impressed with the food and service, and I would opine that it has improved since the new owners took over. Bravo Mr. B

Goodbye long shiny checkered diner!

Return to The Buzz

2010-10-27T07:51:00.017-05:00

We returned to the local coffee shop The Buzz because they have once again expanded, remodeled, and revamped the menu.
The entire cafe moved down into the building just east of its former location. They now have a long counter, bigger kitchen and much more seating space.

What first enticed my return to the Buzz was the banner announcing that they now sold Donuts & More donuts. As luck would have it, they also serve hot breakfasts. The menu offers a good variety of breakfast choices including pancakes, french toast, and eggs. Donuts be damned, I wanted eggs instead.

We arrived around 9:30 and found a few other casual diners hanging out. The owner, Rob, is a very friendly guy and he chit-chatted us up after we ordered.

The food took awhile, but it was worth the wait. There really is no where else in Eldridge where you can sit down to a nice hot breakfast. I ordered Eggs Benedict and they came with these beautiful golden hashbrowns with a nice crispy top layer. Perfect hashbrowns are a work of art.

The eggs were cooked perfectly and the hollandaise was very rich. Even though it tasted great, I restrained myself and used just a dab.

Richie ordered a 3 egg omelet with toast. You can choose fillings and he opted for bacon, mushrooms, and cheese. Naturally, he enhanced it with hot sauce.

I have 2 complaints. To the loud woman yakking obnoxiously about your husband and huge house: NO ONE CARES. Secondly, they don't serve breakfast all day. All Breakfast All Day is my motto.

The Buzz is quickly becoming a charming full service restaurant, something this town is seriously lacking. For burgers and bikers, go to Del's. For homemade sandwiches and breakfasts, Buzz on over to the BUZZ.

THUG LYFE

Crabby's

2010-10-10T11:32:00.001-05:00

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Richard Squarepants?!

Richie and Bateman hopped in their boatmobile and bubbled their way to Crabby’s in Coal Valley, located somewhere between Bikini Bottom and the Rock River.

Crabby’s is owned by a distant relative of Mr. Krabs, proprietor of Krusty Krab. Crabby’s is also apparently terrorized by Sheldon Plankton, who burned down the original Crabby’s in 2006. That little green bastard.

Always consistent, Richie ordered a flaming krabby patty layered with jalapenos, an obscene amount of onions, bbq sauce, and cheese. He was somewhat baffled at the lack of crab in the menu. Crab legs were the only option.

Richie’s chum, Bateman, who is not pink and does not live under a rock, ordered a Chicken Philly. He had never before eaten a Philly Cheese Steak. Maybe he does live under a rock.

Both were quite Squidward about the food, finding nothing special about it. The atmosphere was nice and cozy, like a big log cabin, hopefully Plankton doesn’t burn this one down. Though not highly recommended, if you’re a drinker or pool connoisseur, it might be worth a trip down to sponge up some alcohol and fair bar food.

Wise Guys

2010-09-26T11:27:00.010-05:00

"As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster. To me, being a gangster was better than being President of the United States"

When you want a good pie, you gotta go some place where they know pizza. Italians are supposed to know pizza. And the Italian mafia are "goodfellas, wiseguys." So a pizza place named WiseGuys (2408 E 53rd) better have some good pizza, or they risk getting whacked.

WiseGuys is another one of the Quad-Cities' style pizzerias that has been around for awhile. Not as long as Frank's or Harris, WiseGuys opened in 96, around the time the 53rd and Elmore corridor was being heavily developed.

As far as I can tell, Wiseguys differs from the others in their crust. It's a little thicker and doesn't have the cornmeal bottom. They do, however, tend to stick to mozzarella and other white cheeses, and they load on the toppings. Not very Italian, but very Quad Cities.

He better be whacking people with that stick

I fully expected a guy name Paulie to take my order in a rude manner and give me the dick eye while I waited. But instead, it was a gangly white teenager surrounded by pretty blonde waitresses picking up their orders. Bummer.

Also sort of a bummer, the lack of creativity in naming the pizzas. I thought maybe I could order the Bugsy Big Boss Bacon or Machine Gun Mushroom. They did have one pizza named the Big Marv which sounds like a pizzafied Big Mac, with 1000 Island dressing, beef, pickles, and cheese. However, I ordered the Inferno- a gut burning pie topped with Italian sausage, pepperoncinis, onions, jalapenos, and hot pepper jack cheese.

The restaurant is no hideout, featuring a salad bar, ample seating and a sports bar-ish atmosphere, but I took our pizza to go, with a side of garlic bread.

Unwrapped it and BAM! My medium pizza looked more like a sidekick than a boss. Richie was expecting an assault on his taste buds, but he didn't seem to find it hot enough. The pizza he uses as his reference point is the Volcano from Poor Boys and I guess this one didn't compare. I have very low tolerance for heat, so I picked my pieces apart to avoid the jalapenos, but I could feel a bit of a burn in my sinuses. Nothing I couldn't handle though.

The garlic bread wasn't nearly garlicky or flavorful enough for either of us.

I liked it. I mean, it's pizza, who wouldn't? It's not the capo di tutti capo, but it's a decent associate. Richie, being the pistol he is, is not from the old country and once again complained that QC-style pizza is overwhelmed with toppings and cheese. I would like to rat Wisguys out for their prices. It felt a little like we were being extorted... more than 30 bucks for a pizza and bread?

If anyone has any suggestions for a good New York style pizza place in the area, give me holler.

The Airliner

2010-09-03T11:18:00.000-05:00

Dropping in on Iowa City once again, we flew to the Airliner (22 S. Clinton) for lunch.

The Airliner has been around since 1944 when the Rinellas decided to open up a place similar to their favorite Midway restaurant, also called the Airliner.

Since then, it has been the site of many Hawkeye hangovers and hookups. I would liked to have visited when Tom Brokaw was a handsome young co-ed and frequent guest.

This particular lazy Sunday was quite slow, so we boarded the Airliner without a wait and sat in a comfy booth near the kitchen. The lunch special was 1.75 per slice of pizza, which is "famous." The original owners were Sicilians who learned the pizza trade in NY.

They had five ready made pizzas for people who ordered slices. It's hard to judge a pizza by a slice that's been sitting around for awhile. My sister thought it was decent but nothing special. However, I hear their deep dish really takes flight.

Richie and I didn't fly all the way in from the QC for a coach class lunch. There are many other 1st class options on the menu. Many are Italian dishes, but there is also bar food like burgers and buffalo chicken.

Is anyone surprised that my co pilot ordered a burger? He didn't want to utilize the barf bag and try the AirBus challenge which includes eating a 2 LB burger with fixings and fries. So he flew an F-16, a 1/3 lb burger with cheddar cheese, bbq sauce, and two onion rings.

Our stewardess served our food on schedule and we took off for full belly land.
The burgers approach into Richie's stomach was a smooth one. The fries were a bit turbulent and lacking in crunch and flavor.

I got out my passport to try a Greek chicken salad- spinach, Feta cheese, olives, tomatoes, and chicken breast. Came with a carry-on bread stick.

I jetted right through this salad, everything was fresh and tasty.

The atmosphere was pretty LAX for a bar, several games were on the 12 flat screens, but we could hold a convo without shouting. I imagine nights and game days are quite a departure from this, especially with their dirt cheap drink specials.

With so many dining options in the downtown terminal, I'm not sure we would return on our next layover in the I.C. Be that as it may, we left happy, with our bellies full of baggage.

Bent River Brewery

2010-08-27T15:40:00.019-05:00

Yes I will attempt to review Bent River Brewery without having tried a beer. Obviously, the appeal of going to such a place is the locally brewed ale, but bars often offer a promise of deliciously greasy food and over-the-top hamburgers at rock bottom prices.

Bent River Brewery is located in Moline on 5th Avenue. They opened in 1997 and started brewing in 1999. They look to have some interesting flavored beers, but again, that is nothing I would know about, so take a gander...

Click here for their handcrafted beers

The brewery is located in a historical building from 1922 that once housed Henry Rehman Restaurant, Moore's Hardware, and Roger's Maytag.

On Tuesdays, people often gather at Bent River for their burger baskets. For the entire day, the baskets are just $3 and pints of brew are just 2.50. But wait, there's more good burger news-- the special is also available daily from 11am-2pm. You can't get a more filling lunch at such a reasonable price. Unless, God help you, you eat 3 double cheeseburgers from McDonald's.

Richie and Bateman were about 15 minutes late for the burger basket special. That's the price you pay for eating at odd hours. Nonetheless, they forked out the additional 4 bucks for a burger and accompanying fries.

To spice things up, Bent River has concocted some flavorful condiments. The Wasabi ketchup will appeal to those who like things hot and sweet. If you're one of those people that eats ranch with everything (weirdo), try the Cajun ranch dip.

Richie ordered the Stackhouse burger, 1/3 pound of beef obscured by a pile of fried onions and cheese and flooded with the River's Beer-B-Que sauce.

Bateman elected to give his tongue a zing with the Big Sky Burger, 1/3 lb of beef peppered with pickled jalapenos, red onions, pepperjack cheese, and doused Cajun ranch sauce.

The burgers packed an appealing punch of flavors and filled their bellies with sustenance for grappling with Dracula and gathering magical items.

The menu was revamped for 2010 and includes some atypical pub fare such as fancy schmancy salads, fried green beans, Shepherd's Pie and a half dozen entrees featuring portabella mushrooms.

You can GET BENT daily from 11am-3am. A must stop for beer and burger buffs.

Firehouse Pizza and Pub

2010-08-25T15:32:00.029-05:00

Richie recently played a show in Normal IL at a pub/pizza place called Firehouse Pizza and Pub. (107 East Beaufort)

It is a small chain is native to central Illinois. According to their Facebook page, the chain was started 5 yrs ago by a fireman who wanted to replicate his favorite college pizza.

Do not be alarmed by the leering fireman. He is there to save your taste buds from the fires of eternal damnation.

If you're selling pizza in a college town, you have to have some sort of unique selling point. I'd suggest shirtless firemen waiters, but this particular Firehouse went with buying a million TVs. The booths have little flat screens and the walls have gigantic projection TVs. Diners will not miss whatever pitiful Illini/Bears/Cubs game they want to watch.

In addition to the sports filled environment, they also occasionally have live music in the pub area, as they did the night Richie was there.

Behind the mic

The pizza boasts a unique flavor. Firehouse has concocted a very sweet tasting sauce. What's the secret behind this? Probably massive amounts of sugar. If you are a pizza purist, you can order traditional style sauce instead. You are also probably overly picky and opinionated.

I told Richie to bring home pizza or don't bother coming home. I did not specify what kind. So... the best thing in the world besides chocolate is pickles. I think 99% of the human race can agree on this. Knowing this important fact, Richie ordered the Cheeseburger Supreme pizza because it is topped with pickles! It also features hamburger, bacon, onion, cheddar, mozzarella, and mustard.

The sauce was, indeed, very sweet and reminiscent of ketchup. Therefore, it was suited for this type of pizza. The crust is thin and crispy, though you can get NY hand tossed as well. The toppings were loaded on, covered with cheese, and each slice had it's own pickle chip. Though I ate it cold at 5:45 in the morning, pre-run, I thought it was delicious.

Their other specialty pizzas include BBQ chicken, Hawaiian, Garlic, Ranch, Taco, BLT, and Margarita. They also have typical appetizers like wings, onion rings, and garlic bread. I was stoked when I viewed the menu online and saw that they have pigs in a blanket. Such refined tastes I have.

The pizza is great and I think Richie enjoyed the atmosphere. You can forgo the pub side and just sit in the restaurant to avoid aggressive drunks/tipsy business majors from ISU.

Live music YaY

Quinton's Bar and Deli

2010-08-10T13:23:00.013-05:00

Quinton's is a somewhat unique concept for a restaurant. It's a bar and deli. Yes you can drink beer here, but you won't find buffalo wings or potato skins on the menu. The inside looks like a typical college bar, dark and dingy with pop art on the walls and 'clean enough' restrooms.

We stopped in around noon on a Sunday. College students had not yet begun to move in, so there were only a few groups of bros crammed into booths.

The menu is loaded with delectable deli sandwiches. You can choose from healthy fare such as smoked turkey with alfalfa sprouts or you can go heavy with a Philly cheese steak.

My mum and Kait both ordered the T.A.C., your choice of bread with turkey, avocado, cream cheese, and mayo. It came with a bag of Rachel's kettle chips for 6.50. I don't know who Rachel is or how she got into the chip business, but I'm glad she did.

The half sandwich with soup combo also costs $6.50. Here's a pic of Wisconsin Cheese soup sprinkled with bacon bits and served in a bread bowl. Midwesterners demand warm liquefied cheese and we require it served in an edible vessel, dammit.

I ordered the Cobb salad which is really like a plate of bacon garnished with some greens. It also came with a huge dollop of smooshed avocado in the center. I'm not into big green smooshed things, so I ate around it and the cucumber slices.

Kurt ordered the Beef and Brie, smoke beef with tomatoes, sprouts, Russian mustard, and brie. In Soviet Russia, mustard garnishes you!

They of course had a few vegetarian options as well. With their large menu, Quinton's does a smart job of catering to the college crowd.

I don't usually have a lazy eye.

Our plates were clean in about 7 minutes. You know a meal is good when everyone is eating off each others' plates. All-in-all Quinton's is nice place to stop for a hearty sandwich. It's located at 215 E. Washington in Iowa City, and they have locations in 3 other Midwest college towns.

Mississippi Valley Fair

2010-08-09T09:24:00.018-05:00

Break out your cowboy hats and Lipitor, it's time for the Mississippi Valley Fair!
The fair is held every year during the first week of August. For 4Hers and country music fans, it's quite an occasion. For the rest of us... not so much. However, there is always the promise of an array of completely unhealthy cuisine. We trekked down the aisle of vendors to begin collecting foods for our cornucopia of empty calories.

The first stop was this Grater Tater stand. But it wasn't taters we were after. Notice the sign in the window? That's right, deep-fried candy bars. I had the choice of either Snickers or Milky Way, so I chose Milky Way. They pierced it with a stick, baptized it in batter, and submerged it in the deep fryer. Three minutes later, I had my cruci-fried candy in hand.

First bite and all I could taste was the batter, which was a basic corn dog batter. A dusting of powdered sugar would have enhanced the crispy shell.

Once I broke through the crust, my tongue was greeted by melted chocolate and nougat, which took on the consistency a toasted marshmallow. The overall taste was similar to that of a s'more, but something was off. It seems as though the chocolate had lost some of its sweetness beneath the batter. It was wholly unsatisfying and not worth the $4 I paid.

We continued on and stopped at a barbecue stand so Richie could satisfying his 'cue craving. Of course, it was BBQ on a stick, but they also dressed it in a warm flour tortilla. They had a nice variety of sauces to add to it as well. For $5, it was obviously overpriced, but flavorful.

My love for pickles compelled me to squander $2 for this giant gherkin.

Unfortunately, I found that pickles are only appealing when they are cold and crisp. This was warm and the skin was soft. I should have just thrown $2 in to the trash can.

Richie has a thing for food on a stick, so he ordered a Teriyaki chicken skewer. The woman in front of us in line said she returns to this stand every year for their food. This kabob was also enveloped in a tortilla and cost $5. Richie liked it, but not as much as the kabobs at the Farmer's market.

Our final stop in white trash hell was for an elephant ear and lemon shake-up. The lemonade was fresh, and I guess you could say natural, as the only ingredients were ice, lemon, sugar, and probably residue from the various insects buzzing around inside.

The elephant ear dough was kneaded, stretched, and lightly placed in the oil. They let each side crisp for about 3 minutes. Then she stuck a brush in a tub of butter and stroked it onto the warm ear. Finally, it was dusted with a mix of powdered sugar and cinnamon. Richie kept commenting on the considerable amount of butter, but I'm not sure he meant that as a bad thing.

I fed him about half of it as we drove home, probably a lobe's worth. It's definitely the best deal for your money ($4) if you can stomach an entire earful.

Although the sights and smells of fair food can be very appealing, much like Tom Hanks in Bosom Buddies, looks can be deceiving. Stay at home, save your money and your mouth.

Dr. Gyros

2010-08-05T13:12:00.008-05:00

Got a pain in your side? A crick in your neck? Have no fear, Dr Gyros is here.

Dr Gyros will serve you authentic Greek gyros prescribed by owners John and Mary Beth Stopoulos. According to their website they have PhDs in Gyrology. They've been in practice for a few years now in an old Dunkin Donuts at 2519 18th Ave, Rock Island.

Richie needed a cure for incessant hunger pangs, and Swank needed some under the table performance enhancement for drills, so they swung by the good doctor's to get juiced up.

They checked in at the counter then took a seat in the waiting area. In no time at all, they were fixed up and holdin authentic gyros. The gyro meat is cut from a rotating spit of seasoned lamb and placed on a warm pillowy pita. Then they add the traditional tomatoes, onions, feta, and Tzatiki sauce.

Richie thoroughly enjoyed his authentic Gyro. The meat was juicy and spiced well.

Their situations were dire, so the Dr. also prescribed a side of fries. But not just any fries, oh no, they needed the Doctor's Nightmare. Fries topped with tomatoes, onions, feta, salsa, and Tzatiki.

For those who need just a dose of the Dr's drugs, you can try their Americanized elixirs such as chicken pitas, wraps, hamburgers, chili, onion rings, or fried cheese.

Be sure to take your daily dosage with Baklava! If you're in very bad shape, you may want to try the Mt Olympus Challenge.

The Belgian Village Inn Drive-Thru

2010-08-02T16:59:00.001-05:00

Faithful readers (mom? no?) may recall that we previously sojourned to the olde town district of Moline to visit the Belgian Village Inn restaurant and pub. We learned about the Belgian neighborhood and how the place came to be known for Loretta Ceurvorst's giant loaves of bread and, later for her famous VanDeRueben sandwiches. As demand for their sandwiches grew, the family decided to open another location to serve carry-out and drive-through orders. The Belgian Village drive-through restaurant with carry out and seating inside is located at 532 19th Ave., Moline.

Before posting, I thought I should attain some background information on Belgium, so I snatched a children's library book aptly titled, Belgium. I was instantly smitten when I read, "it takes 3 Belgians to make a party." I continued to read and, in my mind, likened Belgium to the fat guy at the frat, drinking too much, munching overly sweetened waffles, and claiming to have invented french fries. The one that, when sober, recounts improbable stories about extinguishing massive fires with piss, like Belgian folk hero Mannekin Pis . As we all know, it's easy to seduce such characters, and Germany took advantage of that not once, but twice.

But apparently, Belgium's got balls now...

and delicious foods.

Bateman and Richie took their bromance to the next level with a lunch date at the Belgium drive-through location.

If Belgians like their food savory and sweet, then Richie must be part Flemish. He ordered the gigantic VanDeRueben on raisin bread. The sweet bread is blanketed with thousand island dressing, then draped with thin slices of corned beef, swiss cheese, and sauerkraut.

Bateman took the more conservative route with light rye bread. n00b.

Impressive bite!

The lunch culminated with a (Belgian?) chocolate chip cookie. Fun Fact: Brussels Airport sells more chocolate than anywhere else in the world. I'd love to have a layover there!

So check out either location of the Belgian Village Inn for a hearty sandwich and sweet treat! They'll make just about any reuben variation that you could dream of. Alstublieft!

Wordless Wednesday- Grinders take out

2010-07-14T20:37:00.002-05:00

Italian Beef

Wide Open Bar and Grill

2010-07-10T07:49:00.017-05:00

Wide Open Bar and Grill is a greasy yet classy joint, located on 15th St and 4th Ave. in Moline. If you're like me, this means nothing to you until someone says, 'oh that is near Lagomarcino's.' It used to be known as Jack's Place until late 2008 when it was sold to the new owner. Now it's a biker bar and grill with two-wheel Tuesdays.

Downtown Moline apparently got hit with a bomb, as the whole street is torn up, but don't let that disuade you from visiting the businesses in the area.

The architecture of the building is very cool because it is located in the historic district. The building was constructed in 1897. In 1911 it became a bank and was covered with the white tiles seen above.

We got a behind the scenes tour with one of the cooks, Swank.

Typical for a bar, burgers are their specialty, so Swank whipped up a doozy for Richie. They offer a variety of sauces that really add a punch to their burgers. They decided on the Treadburner burger. It's a scorcher. It's a half pound patty, pepperjack and provolone cheeses, pickled jalapenos, fresh jalapenos, banana peppers, fried onions, and chipotle mayo. I imagine it leaves tread marks from your tongue to your intestines.

Nice buns Swank

And the artist puts his finishing touches on the masterpiece.

If the old saying, "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach" is true, then Swank and Richie will soon be a happily married couple.

It looks like a deadly weapon.. and apparently it almost was. But both boys survived with minor stomach injuries.

If you're in a hurry and don't have an hour to kill in the restroom, you might want to try a Hog Burger with grilled ham and sauteed mushrooms, or maybe the Red Eye- with a fried egg and bacon. Biker or not, check it out sometime for deliciously greasy bar food.

DP Dough

2010-06-30T07:03:00.001-05:00

Believe it or not, this nondescript red awning serves as the gates to cheese heaven.

DP Dough: The Pizza Alternative is the cheesiest joint ever. They don't serve pious pizza in heaven, but they do serve some consecrated calzones.

Place your order with St. Bartholomew, patron Saint of cheese merchants.

DP Dough has 2 Locations in Illinois located in the pre-obesity student-filled college towns of Champaign and Bloomington. It's good to hook em before they realize their eating habits will leave them with diabetes and stretchy pants.

You can customize a calzone in the Construction Zone. But this may be difficult when you're wandering the streets after a bar crawl. So you can just choose one from their menu which includes the following categories of zones- Breakfast, Steak, Beef, Veggie, Chicken, Premium, and Classic. Within each category are around half a dozen calzones such as School Zone with steak, mushrooms, and mozzarella, the Speed Zone with chicken, spinach, garlic, and mozz and the Titan Zone with pepperoni, pineapple, spinach, and mozz.

Beatify the sacred special for lunch. $7.99 for a huge 'zone, cookie, and pop. For the devoted, try the faithful 420 special- 4 calzones for $20 on Thursdays.

Righteous Richard entered the Gates of Cheesedom and reunited himself with his beloved Mozzarella in the form of a Roni Zoni.

A calzone stuffed with Pepperonis, mozzarella, and ricotta cheese.

As you can see, the cheese could not be entombed by the cavernous dough. It resurrected itself to the box in one gelatinous heap.

Yes those are thick cut fries on the side, because a monstrous satchel of cheese was not enough to satisfy reverent Richard

It is quite evident that these calzones are meant for two very hungry cheese zealots.
They DO NOT have pizza, but their stix are pretty close to being pizza. The dessert ones are filled with apple and come with a caramel dipping sauce. Praise the lord! The price is reasonable and it's a fun and tasty alternative to impious pizza.

Hungry Hobo & Capriotti's

2010-06-25T21:09:00.024-05:00

For 37 years, Quad-Citians have been graced by the presence of a hobo, The Hungry Hobo. Unlike most hobos, this one is delicious. He is also quite dapper in his top hat and bow tie.

The Hungry Hobo is a local chain of sandwich shops that began in the Quad-Cities 37 yrs ago and has since expanded into 11 Q-C locations with additional stores in Galesburg and IA City. They refer to their sub sandwiches as 'Hobos' and they are available in 2 sizes, Regular and King. I think a regular is slightly bigger than 6 inches. Though they don't offer the variety of breads that Subway does, their buns are fresh and much softer.The bread has a taste that can easily be distinguished from other restaurants'.

All Hungry Hobo stores look the same. They are adorned with train depot signs and furnished with park bench booths.

The hungry masses walk up to the counter and order a sandwich by number. It's a long walk and sometimes a long line, so if you're lazy, just forget it and drive-thru BK again... you heifer.

Deli meats and cheeses are sliced to order and added to your sub which are, by default, garnished with lettuce, tomatoes, oil, vinegar, and oregano. Of course, you can special order and remove some of those or add onions and the ever popular banana pepper rings.

H.H. is also known for their baked potatoes loaded with a medley of toppings. I favor the Taco Tato with Chili, lettuce, cheddar, tomatoes, and taco chips. Other side offerings are chips, potato salad, or waffle fries.

The desserts are baked from scratch in the Hobo Bakery, located in Rock Island. The moniker 'hobo bakery' has me picturing a conveyor belt filled with dirty hobos emptying into a giant oven. Twenty minutes at 350 and boom...the best carrot cake you'll find in the QC.

Normally I'd never recommend eating 'pudding' from a hobo, but their vanilla is seriously creamy and tasty.

My parents and I ordered hobos to-go-gos. My dad ordered what I believe is the most popular- #11- Ham, salami, cappicola, pepperoni, and provolone. Just what a man who has had 2 strokes should be eating. (ok to be fair, they were cause by head trauma, not cholesterol)

I ordered my usual #5- Smoked Turkey Breast with pickles and mustard. Unlike Subway, the turkey actually tastes like turkey!

Because Richie wasn't able to enjoy the hobo meat, we stopped at Capriotti's Sandwich Shop in Davenport. It just recently opened on 53rd. I poked around their website to find out that it is a chain, but most of the restaurants are located out west. This is one of three in the Midwest, and the only one in Iowa.

They are famous for a sandwich called the Bobbie, so a Richie ate a Bobbie.

What exactly is a Bobbie? Homemade turkey (shredded, off-the-bone), cranberry sauce, stuffing, and mayo on a bun. He ordered a medium, which is a foot-long, for $8.25. Seems a little steep, but the sandwich packs a mighty punch of Thanksgiving leftovers. You can view their menu of other hearty sandwiches here.

Looks like a lot of cranberry sauce, but he said it wasn't overpowering.

I had a bite- the stuffing escorted me right back to November. Tasted exactly like my mum's. (Must be Stove Top)
Cue my craving for pumpkin pie.

He ended up eating all of it last night and just texted to me to say that he regretted it, for he wishes he had some today.

Call on either of these sandwich shops for an ample meal or quick lunch.

Southside Drive-In

2010-06-21T08:41:00.022-05:00

Between Hoopeston and Watseka Illinois sits 0.6 square miles of land, the small township of Milford. Milford got it's name from a grist mill that was located on the forde at Sugar Creek. Why does this matter? It doesn't really, because most people will never set foot in Milford. But if you are looking for a good burger and happen to stumble into Iroquois County, you may want to make a stop at Southside Drive In.

He doesn't exactly scream 'delicious food' as much as 'food poisoning.'

According to my sources, the Southside Drive-In (500 S. Chicago St.) took over what used to be a Dairy Queen, some years ago when DQ moved to N. Chicago St. Already set up for cooking and serving ice cream, it made sense to open up a similar establishment with local flair.

All the beef they use is fresh from local farmers. The seafood on the other hand...

Can you taste a difference between fresh and frozen beef? Richie thinks so, as his burger was better than what you'd get at a similar joint. Thick and juicy.

The french fries, on the other hand, were like a disabled stepchild. Uninteresting and a tad on the limp side. You just bring them along so the burger has someone to talk to.

The toppings were fresh and crisp. Check out that beautiful onion.

Before

During

After

The ice cream is typical soft serve, but they offer tons of different flavors. However, they use flavored syrups rather than actual ingredients. That's a bit of a turn-off, but then again, you get to try some unique flavors. Where else can you try "carmel" "ameretto" or "marshmellow?"

The flavor variety helps set them apart from the ol' Queen. That and the "cyclone" shakes they offer rather than "blizzards." Don't call them "tornadoes"- remember, that moniker is reserved for the shakes at Tastee Freeze. If I ever open an ice cream stand, I think I would buck the trend and have my customers asking for Snickers' Seizure or a Pink Parkinson's

When life gives you lemon flavored syrup,

Make subpar lemon flavored ice cream

Blueberry shake

Needs more Blue.

Richie was not a big fan of the ice cream. He said his blueberry shake was more like a blewberry shake, but the joke didn't quite translate when said out loud. However, he and his parents are and were fans of the burgers and steaks, and they like that the meat comes from local farmers.
Give their burger a try if you ever end up in Milford. Then skip up the road to DQ for dessert. Because, honestly, what other options do you have?

Harris Pizza

2010-06-02T19:47:00.014-05:00

Unless you're from here, you probably don't really understand the phenomena that is Quad-Cities pizza. It's a unique pie that isn't for "pizza purists." It's described by Roadfood authors, the Sterns, as a "bready crust that is somewhat thin but substantial enough to have a perfectly balanced crunch-chew yin-yang." Though they were describing the pizza at Frank's in Silvis, this also applies to Harris Pizza and many others.

W. 3rd st. Davenport

Harris Pizza opened in Rock Island in 1960. Len and Mary Harris owned a struggling liquor store. To try something different, they decided to start making pizza, a relatively new food to the Midwest. They drove to Chicago and procured a pizza oven, learned how to hand stretch dough, and formulated their own recipes.

Harris Pizza does not deliver, so we ordered carryout from the downtown location on W. 3rd st. (You can pay a delivery service business to pick it up for you)

Growing up, my family always ordered sausage or the Deluxe- a sausage pizza with green peppers, mushrooms, and mozzarella. Their sausage is spicy and layered on thick! They also sprinkle it with fennel (or, as I used to call it, tiny watermelons). I love it. They never use any sort of yellow cheese on their traditional pies.

Richie fancies spicy foods, so I decided to order the 3 Alarm Pizza. It's a thin crust spread with a tangy barbecue sauce, heaps of spicy sausage, onions, jalapenos, and pepper jack cheese. However, we special ordered it with mozz.

The first Harris launched in 1960 in Rock Island. The downtown Davenport location opened in 1969. They later opened locations on Locust in Davenport and on 18th in Bettendorf. The Rock Island and Bettendorf locations offer lunch buffets and expanded menus.

Harris Pizza is always cut into rectangles. For some reason I find this more enticing than a triangle. They use a scant amount of sauce and load it with toppings & cheese. One piece can make a stomach full and happy. That is why it's not for pizza purists.

The 3 Alarm pizza was definitely zesty but not excessively so. I picked off the jalapenos and was able to stomach a piece resulting in just a mild case of heartburn. My stomach is a total wimp. I think Richie would have liked it much hotter.

All-in-all, I loved it. Harris Pizza always reminds me of late night pizza noshing with my parents and sisters. Usually they would order after our bedtime, but we would inevitably wake up and demand to be fed.

Being a Q.C. transplant, I asked Richie what he thought about Q.C. style pizza. He described it as a thin crust pizza with thick crust toppings. He liked it, but said next time he would have to try a traditional pizza, like pepperoni, in order to truly gauge his opinion.

Harris Pizza and Whitey's Ice Cream are both places that people must visit when they return to the Q.C. That's why Harris sees a huge bump in sales before Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Its success has inspired many Harris employees to leave and beget doppelganger pizzerias, but none of them have the recipe for spices quite right. A closely guarded secret, only two Harris family members know the formula.

I concur with Harris Pizza's self declaration as, 'the Finest Pizza in the World.' In fact, I used to have many t-shirts with their logo and tag line on it. I'd kill to find one in a thrift store.

Stacker's Mexican Grill

2010-05-27T21:41:00.000-05:00

There is a hidden gem in the deep recess of NorthPark Mall in Davenport. Stacker's Mexican Grill is in the midst of Sears, the random junk Dollar store, and the old Sam Goody that now houses a sports souvenir shop. Not an ideal location, but they make do.

Stacker's opened just over a year ago in what used to be a shady Chinese take out restaurant errr window? Stacker's is basically what you see here. A rainbow Lucido font sign, counter, and menu board. In the middle of the mall hallway are a bunch of tables for your dining pleasure.

The menu includes typical Mexican takeout staples. And then there's a bottle of ketchup just hanging out. Enjoying the view.

Apparently "Big-ass Burrito" is their specialty.

All that styrofoam makes me cringe. Not because of it's inability to biodegrade, but because of the terrible squeak it produces.

I think they stuffed everything they could find into the flour tortilla. Rice, salsa, beef, beans, and veggies. Congrats burrito! That makes this is the healthiest food he ate all week.

Richie very much enjoyed this burrito and it kept him full the rest of the day. He said the ingredients were fresh and tasty. At only $4, I'd say that is quite the bargain. Also, the restaurant is very clean and service is fast.

At least they didn't waste money on sombreros and ugly burro statues

A Return to Burger Barge and Fat Sandwich

2010-05-25T21:46:00.016-05:00

Richie was lucky enough to be able to return to a couple of greasy joints we have featured in the past, Burger Barge in Peoria, IL and Fat Sandwich Company in Champaign, IL.

It was a nice day, so the front deck at Burger Barge was open and they had a nice view of the Illinois River.

Not one to deviate from positive past performance, Richie once again ordered the Tavern Burger.

As you probably don't remember, the half pound Tavern burger is topped with ham, onions, cheese, bacon, and a fried egg. A true carnivore's delight. $7 bucks for just the burger...but saying just the burger doesn't really do it justice. That's a combo breakfast and lunch.

Burger from our first visit to the Barge.

And his 2nd visit...

Gotta love those crispy onion rings. looks like a whole onion was used. These will put you back another $5.

And back to good ol' Fat. Fat Sandwich Co. is the place with insanely filled and ridiculously named sandwiches. Last time, Richard got the Fat Magnum. This time he got to know a 'Fat Lush.' The lovely Lush is an 8 inch roll filled with cheesesteak, chicken fingers, Mozzarella cheese sticks, fries, and BBQ sauce.

You can pretend to act disgusted like I do, but you and I both know how delicious that looks.

All of their Fat sandwiches come with the fries in it. If you a true glutton for grease, you can order some on the side as well.

So both these places delivered once again and are highly recommended by Fat Richard with two fat thumbs up.

Sneaky Pete's

2010-05-22T14:57:00.002-05:00

LeClaire, Iowa: A quaint river town with it's claim to fame being the birthplace of Buffalo Bill Cody. Of course the town must honor the gunslinging showman with a down and dirty saloon. I suppose Sneaky Pete's (est. 1975) fits "the Bill."

Who is Pete and what is he so sneaky about?

Sneaky Pete's is located on Cody Road, the main street right on the river. It's housed in an old strip mall of sorts with history dating back to 1866. The building housed various businesses through the years including hotels and general stores. The area has seen it's fair share of fires, but now if you smell something burning, chances are that it's Sneaky Pete's wood fire grill.

They only fire up the grill for dinner.

Though the food is top-notch, the atmosphere is casual. However, their rules about remaining casual are strictly enforced. When they say 'No ties allowed' they mean 'NO TIES ALLOWED'

The dining room is comprised of picnic tables draped with tablecloths and one wall papered with business cards.

I had been itching to sample buffalo meat for awhile now and, of course, Buffalo Bill's hometown was just the place to try it. I ordered a 1/4 lb buffalo burger with a side salad. It was light and lean and *majestic*, much like the buffalo that still roam Bill's homestead. Not Richie's cup of... meat, but definitely mine.

In a surprise move, Richie chose the steak sandwich and slaw. The steak was rare and he cleaned his plate, leaving only a small pool of bloody juices.

Our guests elected to try the barbeque pork and Sneaky burger. Pork was flavorful but could have used some sauce.

hope that burger didnt sneak up on him later

Head down to Sneaky Pete's for a root tootin good time and delicious food. Bring a business card. Just be sure to leave your tie at home.

Bier stube- LeClaire

2010-05-18T11:04:00.028-05:00

Strap on your lederhosen! It's time to visit the Bier Stube, a German restaurant. Oh vhat fun!
Vhat does Bier Stube mean, I vonder? Bier= beer. Stube= room. This particular beer room is one of three located in the QCA. The first opened in the historic Boyler's Iron building in the Village of East Davenport. The second, which features a biergarten, is in Moline. We were uber excited to visit the new LeClaire location.

The Bier Stube is located in a new strip mall on Canal Shore Drive. It shares a building with SNAP 24 hour Fitness. After stuffing yourself with sausage you can waddle over and attempt to elliptical your guilt away.
Speaking of sausage, the restaurant gets their meat from Haun's, a German butcher in Dubuque that the Bier Stube's proprieter, Dieter Rebitzer, also owns. They have a handy little guide to all things wiener.

Not only are they wienermeisters, but they also have uber amounts of ale.

IN his quest to transform into Mayor McCheese, Richie found the perfect menu item, the Hindenburger. But a burger named after a doomed zeppelin wasn't enough. Oh no, he had to get a double order of onion rings to complete the disaster about to explode in his stomach.

An all beef airship fueled by two half pound patties, 3 slices of bacon, one fried egg, and cheese, crashed onto browned and buttered Texas toast.

"OH THE HUMANITY!"

"All the folks agree that this is terrible. This is one of the worst catastrophes in the world!"

After witnessing the terrible destruction of the Hindenburger, I quickly recovered and lifted the tables' spirits with my wit.

On the Eastern side of the iron curtain sat our guests, the Youngs. Here's a glimpse at how the bourgeoisie eat.. Ein Paar Frankfurters with a potato pancake, potato salad, and spatzle.

Portabella veggie melt. An ubersandwich of fungi adorned with cucumbers and sauteed onions and peppers.

As you can see, the menu is loaded with German food, but there are also some choices for democratic stomachs. Try an old west burger or an ultimate grilled cheese. Desserts are also German fare... strudel, nutella pretzels, and black forest cake.

O'Leary's

2010-05-11T21:34:00.000-05:00

Giorraíonn beirt bóthar

DeKalb is located about 2 hours from Davenport, just off the tollway to Chicago. Why go to DeKalb? Richie met up with a friend to see the band Clutch play at the club Otto's. After aimlessly wandering through the downtown area, they arrived at 5 to pick up their tickets, but apparently DeKalb is in a Twilight Time zone, as 5 p.m. will-call turned into 8 p.m. With some free time on their hands, they pulled a Toucan Sam and followed their noses to O'Leary's Irish Pub and Grill (260 E Lincoln Hwy).

Supposedly the smell of the grill lured them in, but I think Richie's Irish ginger compass lead them to this mildly Irish restaurant.

Upon entering, he experienced some trepidation, as it looked like a typical 'shit on the wall' restaurant like your local Applebee's or Friday's. *Note to Applebee's- Muggsy Bogues posters are no longer relevant to your dining crowd.*

The brick building that houses O'Leary's used to be a JC Penney store in it's heyday. Nonetheless, as they say in Ireland, "A cabin with plenty of food is better than a hungry castle."

The menu includes traditional Celtic fare such as Baja Chicken Quesadillas and Jamaican Jerk Salad. Just like the leprechauns eat! You'll find typical bar food here, but with a few spicy twists.

Copper Top Young ordered the BBQ Ranch Burger with sweet potato fries...that look like bars of gooooold.

Enough and no waste is as good as a feast.

Well, he was pleasantly surprised by the burger, as it was tastier than your local Bennigan's offerings-- slightly more original in it's construction and made from superior meat. The burger was adorned with cheddar cheese, bbq sauce, chipotle mayo, onion strings, smoked bacon, lettuce, and tomato. No pot o' gold, but more of a pot o' fat.

The innards of the blessed burger.

The sweet potato fries were crispy, salty, and sweet, all adjectives that describe only the finer things in life.

Do not be deterred by the generic look and feel of the place and menu. Irish jig your arse on down to O'Leary's for some good bar food and drink.

And then see a sweet band like Clutch...

Bread Garden Market

2010-05-08T22:25:00.000-05:00

Begot from the Bread Garden Bakery and Cafe, the Market opened in Iowa City on South Linn st. in 2008. It's conveniently located right next to the City Library. The Bakery/Cafe expanded it's concept of selling fresh homemade food into offering gourmet and specialty groceries.

Walking in, it has sort of a mod warehouse feel. Kind of like an IKEA for food. There are tables and registers right up front for diners. To the left is the bakery section with goodies and breads. Walking further back will take you into the produce, meat, and groceries.

Adjacent to the dining section is the salad bar and deli. The freshness of the offerings in the salad bar was enticing, so we paused there for a quickie.

An empty plate...patina rasa... oh the things I will do to you.

Step one: Prepare a lovely bed of greens.

Step two: Create a romantic atmosphere. Scatter fragrant blossoms across the bed.

Step three: Tease with cheese and bring the meat

Step four: You know what to doooo.

Step five: Fresh, fast, and cheap... Leave satisfied.

In all seriousness, I would've made sweet music with that salad if I could have. I give myself partial credit for creating the masterpiece with spinach, tortellini, chickpeas, green olives, beans, and feta. You can also get various sides as part of the salad bar, so I snagged some of my sister's mac n cheese. It was the best I've ever had. Like it was made by Paula Deen, goddess of butter and cheese. Unfortunately, it was not all-you-can eat, so I couldn't go back for more. It was, however, very cheap at 6.50/lb. My salad weighed in at almost 1/2 lb, so I got a filling lunch for 3.25.

For more on their bakery and deli menus click here

Yummy's

2010-05-06T21:46:00.007-05:00

My stomach and teeth are screaming at me today. This is why...

When I was in Iowa City, I did a bit of a cakewalk, visiting some local bakeries and grocery stores. Pictured above is one that I actually had to drive to, as it is located in Coralville near the Oakdale campus (2180 Norcor Ave). Yummy's is a bakery that specializes in cakes. The previous location on the Coralville strip flooded in 2008, but luckily the owner decided to rebuild. It's now in a new strip mall in the midst of a eerie neighborhood where every house looks exactly the same. Sort of Edward Scissorhand-ish minus the pastels.

We walked in and were greeted by beguiling scent of fresh baked cake. The store is small, but very clean and shiny, with display cases filled with individual portions of baked goods. The walls had photos of wedding and occasion cakes which you can also view on their Facebook page.

Instead of cupcakes, Yummy's has squares of their cakes in just about every flavor conceivable. It was almost too much to choose from, but I was able to narrow it down to a simple marble cake with chocolate buttercream. My sister chose milk chocolate- chocolate cake filled with chocolate sauce, chocolate mousse, and topped with chocolate whipped cream. Oy Vey. Next time I will go with something more exotic like the Mango Mousse or Almond Marzipan.

They also offer cookies and pastries. The cinnamon rolls are, dare I say, cinn-full...nope better not. That would be lame.

So here is my cute container o' cake. The yellow and chocolate flavors integrated nicely in my mouth.

The frosting was just the right amount, but could have been a bit sweeter. Then again, I would prefer a spoonful of sugar be 'a bit sweeter.'

Getchyour swirl on girl. I rode those curves right on into Cakeville.

While traipsing through the ped mall, we made sure to stop in at Revival. Revival is a store with a good mix of vintage and contemporary clothing with cute handmade accessories sold on consignment. They also have this adorable cake stand filled with cupcakes from Sugarplum.

A business since 2008, Sugarplum bakes cupcakes in an at-home bakery and sells them at Revival and the Iowa City Farmer's Market. Flavors are limited to what is baked that particular day, but here is a full menu of flavors that she can make for events and parties.

On that particular Thursday, I had a choice of chocolate chip or vanilla. The lady at Revival struggled to smoosh it into a pink takeout carton. Frosting got everywhere, but no matter. I just used a spoon to excavate it. The frosting was very light and airy, obviously whipped cream based. I prefer buttercream, but this was good too. The cake was actually my favorite part. That may be the first time I have ever said that. My tongue was joyfully greeted by big chunks of gourmet chocolate in a moist yellow cake. If I had to choose one of the two businesses to cater an event, I would hire Sugarplum based on taste and presentation... I put too much thought into that.

Finally, I stopped at the local co-op to fraternize with the dirty hippies and impeccably dressed upper crust of Iowa City.

New Pioneer Co-op (22 S. Van Buren) is a very cool place. Produce is locally or regionally grown, other food products are organic, natural, vegan, gluten-free, etc. The co-op is owned by 20,000 local residents. You can become a member for a one time investment fee, or pay a 5% non-member charge every time you shop.

We visited their bakery section where they offer a potpourri of vegan and gluten-free treats, but I chose a cranberry orange bar. Sometimes the stomachache is worth it.

This little bar was surprisingly tart and imbued with flavor. The orange zest was robust, but not too strong. The cranberries were ample and juicy. Got my Vitamin C on. It was probably the healthiest thing I ate all day.

Tastee Freez Aledo

2010-05-06T21:29:00.013-05:00

Drive thirty miles south of the Quad-Cities and you will find the small town of Aledo, Illinois. Aledo is known for their rhubarb festival a "a big time festival in a small town," during which they sell over 2000 homemade rhubarb pies. Like many small towns, they have an ice cream stand, a franchise of Tastee Freez (300 SE 3rd St). While there are some standards, each TF has unique menu items as well. Unfortunately, no rhubarb milk shake yet.

Tastee Freez serves delicious soft serve ice cream, as reviewed in this post. I noticed a few differences in the ice cream menu. Davenport refers to candy shakes as 'Deluxe' while in Aledo they are 'Tornadoes.' The lack in creativity of ice cream shops never ceases to amaze me. Shakes named after weather phenomena is a prolific practice among them. If only real blizzards were made of crushed Butterfingers...

Small town eateries tend to cover all the bases. As you can see, regional specialties at this Tastee include tacos and enchiladas. Rumor has it the tacos are realllly good(?) It's nice to know I could wash down my M&M Tornado with a beef enchilada. Or I could get a side of pizza with my turtle sundae.

A true American knows just what to order at a greasy stand. Cheeseburger, fries, and coleslaw. The cheeseburger was no frills, just fried beef with cheese and lettuce. A good satisfying burger without the fancy packaging. Unlike the crinkle fries at the Davenport store, the fries at this TF were shoestring cut. He enjoyed these more, but i prefer the crinkles. The portions are pretty small, but with cheap prices, you don't really mind.

With plenty of outside seating, you can enjoy the sunshine while you munch, or relax in the air-conditioned indoor area. Remember it's an old school ice cream stand, therefore, Cash Only is their policy. If you find yourself in Aledo for...lord knows what... this is a good quick option. Suck on a chili dog...or a stalk of rhubarb.

Nickelberry's Pizza & Dewmocracy

2010-04-30T08:45:00.008-05:00

Many native Eldridge-ians are surprised by the sudden change of name of Paul Revere Pizza. It is now Nickelberry's Pizza. Instead of the handsome horse rider, we now are welcomed to the restaurant by a giant Gerber baby wanna-be. What does a baby have to do with pizza? And I'm just gonna say it, no sense beating around the bush... Nickelberry's sounds a little too similar to Dingleberries, which does not excite my palate in the least.

To see if the pizza had changed at all, I gave Nickelberry's a call and ordered a medium pepperoni, our usual Paul Revere order. I was able to add a side of breadsticks for a nickel (ahh it all makes sense now). Well the old pizza patriot box has been replaced by the generic map of Italy or, as they call it, 'Italia.'

The bread sticks are coming! The bread sticks are coming! They arrived as usual, wrapped like an oversized baked potato.

I opened the pizza box and, lo and behold, it looked and smelled the same as Revere's pepperoni.

The bread sticks also looked the same, slightly browned and positioned around a reservoir of buttery garlic sauce.

The final test: Taste. Yep, Nickelberry's Pizza tastes exactly the same as P.R.'s. So what's the deal? I couldn't dig up any info, but it looks like Paul Revere is still a legit pizza chain, so the local owner must have parted ways with the franchise.

You have to have pop (some call it soda, they are backwards and weird) to wash down the grease and allow for maximum pizza burpage. Purpose: to combat the heart burn and allow you to once again enjoy the pepperoni goodness you just consumed.

I found the three new Mountain Dew flavors at Target, so I bought them for a side by side comparison. In the least surprising move ever, Richie drank all three.

The first flavor is White Out- a grapefruit and lemon lime soda. He describes it as 'Squirty.'

Not bad.

The second flavor is Typhoon. It blew him away.

Actually, it just blew and ended up half full in the garbage atop my massive collection of kettle corn bags and skinny cow wrappers. He said it was too fruity. I took a sip and agreed. It tastes like a very sweet fruit punch with overwhelming pineapple flavor.

The third flavor is Distortion, which is essentially Mountain Dew with an extra kick of lime. Hee-yah

Our connoisseur swishes the green liquid to allow for maximum taste bud action.

It vaguely reminded him of the limey green rivers served at our favorite ice cream parlor, Lagomarcino's. But really, it's just Dew with more fake lime flavor.

Congratulations White-Out! A 12-pack of you is now stowed in our refrigerator to be consumed over the next...oh 5 hrs or so during non-stop Modern Warfare matches. You can vote for your favorite flavor HERE.

Pizza and pop- a classic American pairing, much like Jim and Pam, they are meant to be together.

If you liked Paul Revere's simple and greasy pizza, go ahead and try dingle..i mean Nickelberry's Pizza. Tell them the giant baby sent you.

Hamburg Inn 2

2010-04-18T20:55:00.015-05:00

A recent excursion to Iowa City brought us to the most well known restaurant in the IC, if not the state. Hamburg Inn #2 on Linn Street first opened in 1948 as the second in a chain of restaurants owned by the Panther family. It is the only one still open, yet retains the #2 in its moniker.

Hamburg Inn is partly famous for its food, but mostly famous for its diners. Politicians flock here to meet their constituents and support a family owned business. However, being a small college town, there's no shortage of locally owned joints. Why does Hamburg stand out among them? The FOOD.

The diners are a mix of college age bros and hipsters, wealthy senior citizens, and jaded corgi owners like this guy.

The place is ridiculously small. The first time we were in there last summer, I wanted to scream and run away from all the noise and people. Unfortunately, we ran to Lou Henri's which was a nightmare in its own right. I actually expected the Hamburg to have some crazy corners around which more booths were hidden, but nope. It was just one room. We sat at a counter with stools in the middle of the room.

It was around 4:30 when we visited, and I would highly recommend going around this time or even earlier for dinner/late lunch. We didn't have to wait at all, and it was relatively quiet.

Here's where Ronnie ate in 92! Luckily they didn't 'Tear down this booth!'
Obamer and Clinton ate there too, but I didn't see their booths. During elections, Hamburg actually holds a coffee bean caucus in which diners vote for the candidate of their choice by dropping a coffee bean in a jar. (Excuse their misuse of the word caucus.) Iowa City is obviously a pretty liberal town with their co-ops and DIY stores, so of course Obama won the last one. It's like living in a giant happy bubble of hipsters, starving authors, and football fanatics... and even a few hipster football fans working on their first novel.

I digress
To start things off, I ordered a maple shake. Hamburg is actually known for their shakes in which they shove a whole piece of pie or red velvet cake into a cup with ice cream. I wanted to try maple because I had never before even heard of a maple shake.

It was like sucking a pancake through a straw. I loved it.

Back to the breakfasts! It's served all day, which is always a good sign. Unless you're at Sonic. Here is Richard's Hawkeye Hog omelet. A two egg omelet rolled up with sausage, hashbrowns, and American cheese, smothered in sausage gravy. He is a true Iowan at last! Also note the french toast you can choose as a side dish. Hurrah!

I went for a classier dish, the Eggs Florentine- poached eggs and spinach on an English muffin with hollandaise. It was supposed to come with pico de gallo too, but they were out. I must've looked like a total bee-yotch because when the waiter told me, he apologized profusely and flinched like I was going to throw hollandaise in his eyes.

After we ate and paid, the nervous waiter once again came running over and stammered about, asking me why I didn't like the milkshake. I replied that I did like it a lot, I just couldn't finish it all. I mean, who wants to eat that much dairy before an hour car ride home? He offered me a to-go cup, but I refused and I think it devastated him. Seriously, I think his day was ruined, maybe even his week. I imagine he is so downtrodden that he asks other servers to make his shakes for him.

The food was delicious, but I left a little hungry. The atmosphere wasn't quite as homey as I hoped, but it's still a cool place to go for a bite of better than average diner food and superb milkshakes. Also of note, the 'burg offers many vegetarian dishes including veggie 'bacon' and 'sausage'.

Ganson's Neighborhood Bakery and Cafe

2010-04-13T21:25:00.015-05:00

Open for just over a year, Ganson's in Rock Island has become quite the busy little place. Ganson's is located on 38th street, right next to Saukie Golf Course in a little farmhouse that has been beautifully renovated into the cafe. The name comes from combining the last names of the two owners, Thompson and Ganzer. Both were nurses, one was known as a good cook and the other has a home based bakery, so they combined forces to create the ultimate food cafe. My words, not theirs.

The place was hoppin when we got there. Getting there is a whole other story because of some Avenue vs. Street confusion. It's somewhat embarrassing to get lost in this day and age. Luckily Richie's phone GPS saved the day.

We walked into the small lobby and it was pretty crammed with people. Some were waiting for a table, some paying, and some just perusing the baked goods. The diners in the other rooms seemed to be taking their sweet time, completely oblivious to the grumbling emanating from the old people in the lobby.

We really didn't have to wait very long, maybe 10 minutes before a small table opened up. The interior is still very much a farmhouse, with small rooms and wood floors. I felt like we were attending a tea party in someone's fancy schmancy house and I was under-dressed. Then again, the server and I had on the same Nike shoes

The lunch menu includes a lot of very fresh and fancy sounding sandwiches. I went with a cheddar, ham, and apple panini with mango chutney spread. I chose cranberry sauce for my side, not sure why. Richie chose the spicy beef and avocado with yellow peppers, swiss, and chipotle mayo and a side of coleslaw.

It took awhile for the meals to come out and then CRASH BANG BOOM. Our server dropped half of Richie's sandwich and his coleslaw on the floor.

I didn't wait for it to be replaced, just dug into my delicious panini. The mango chutney spread was really great with the ham and apples. But I like anything sweet...except cranberry sauce. Not a fan.

Richie also enjoyed his sandwich, but he got a stomachache soon after and did not finish it. Odd.
Not to worry, as I soon found out, it was the stomach flu. He spent the next three days sick and then I spent the subsequent three days sick. OOF

Sup

Now that we know it was the flu and not the food, I'm sure we will be back to try their breakfast and hopefully eat on the deck outside. Breakfast is served all day on the weekends. This is not a greasy place, so I would recommend it to sandwich connoisseurs and healthy eaters. They had very pretty looking desserts and pastries as well. Ganson's has a great cozy old-fashioned atmosphere, but they also have a terrific website that is updated with daily specials. You can even forgo the wait and order ahead online. How 21st century of them.
Check it out here.

Boston Mass part 2

2010-04-05T18:11:00.015-05:00

On the only morning that it didn't rain in sheets, we walked up to Beacon Hill for breakfast and stopped in a cafe called The Paramount. The guidebook I found in our hotel room claims it has been a Boston favorite for breakfasts since 1937.

Walking in, I was surprised at how tiny it is. It's very narrow and a half dozen or so small tables were crammed against the left side of the wall. They have specific instructions on going to the counter and ordering, paying, and then finding a seat. The rules explain that this helps keep people moving in and out and minimizes wait. Though the restaurant was full when we walked in, by the time we had ordered and were ready to sit, a table had opened up.

We both ordered spinach, feta, and tomato omelets. They were 8.50 and came with toast and potatoes. Just a couple minutes later the food was ready and were eating.

This definitely beat the Rice Krispy treat I had for breakfast the day before. The ingredients were fresh and the food was prepared in open view of patrons, so I know he didn't sneeze in it.

After visiting Paul Revere's sad little house, we were in need of a sugar rush and luckily we were in Little Italy. We passed by a few pastry shops but I was drawn to this one because of the funky marquee.

Modern Pastry was opened over 70 yrs ago by Italian immigrants. They claim that the recipes are originals passed down from 'the old country.'
I drooled over the pastry case, while my mom picked up some pasta for my sister.

My mom got a slice of carrot cake, while I got a whoopie pie. Here's the cute little box they came in.

I took that baby back to the hotel room and had my way with it. The next picture includes content of pleasurable nature. Look away if you are easily offended.

Best whoopie pie ever. then again, I've only had grocery store versions and Wicked Whoopies
Much like Lindsay Lohan's nostrils, my lips were covered with a sinful layer of white powder. My mom quickly scarfed the carrot cake before I could poke a finger in it. Bummer.

If we ever return to Boston, I'm definitely stopping by Modern again to try a cannoli, just so I can exclaim, Holy cannoli!

Boston Mass

2010-04-05T16:59:00.018-05:00

I happened to be in Boston the week of the worst raining and flooding the region has seen in like 100 yrs. I was also "blessed" with the stomach flu. Luckily I was still able to suck it up and eat at a few historical 'greasy joints.' I'll just highlight a couple.

Jacob Wirth Company on Stuart Street is a German restaurant that was established by Jacob, a Prussian immigrant, in Boston during the reconstruction era. I imagined they suffered a bit during prohibition... and World War 2... with the whole Hitler thing...and a logo that looks like him...

As you can imagine, the building smelled like an old museum or barn, or your grandmother's house, but the interior was clean and the mahogany interior was restored and well maintained.

The menu had many traditional German foods, so of course we thought we would try some... sort of. Though they offered wiener-schnitzel and sauerbraten, we both ordered Americanized German food. I opted for the grilled chicken Reuben with sweet potato fries and my mom ordered a bratwurst with onion rings.

I wasn't a fan of their sauerkraut, but the sweet potato fries were pretty awesome

Bratwurst and rings

The food was alright, but I think the main attraction at Jacob Wirth's must be their beer. Check out their beer board...

This guy was attempting to draw an Easter bunny

We also walked the Freedom Trail to the oldest restaurant in the U.S., a National Historic Landmark- The Union Oyster House.

The building is over 250 yrs old but the restaurant was established in 1826 as Atwood and Bacon Oyster house. The Kennedy family frequented the restaurant and a booth upstairs is dedicated in memory to JFK, who liked to dine there. And probably fornicate in the restroom.

The actual Oyster bar-

Of course we were given oyster crackers to snack on...

Not being a fan of seafood, I knew I would probably be eating some mediocre chicken plate.

It was good and bland which happened to be just what my stomach needed.

Neither of us had the cajones to try oysters, but my mom did get a lobster salad roll. Turns out she doesn't like lobster. eh, who knew?

Being in such an old building with a lot of history was fun, but once again, the food was just okay. Probably would fare better for seafood lovers instead of landlubbers.