Homer's Deli and Sweetheart Bakery

Who wants to take a road trip to Clinton, Iowa?!  No one.  No one wants to take a road trip to Clinton, Iowa.  Too bad- here we go!

Though largely thought of as an industrial town that stinks to high heaven, Clinton is a hidden gem with some cool spots.  Paul's for example.  Paul's is a discount general store that has just about everything you could ever think you need. I needed chocolate covered bacon soda pop.  Head downtown and you'll find a lot of small businesses, secondhand stores, and thrift shops.  After visiting a few of these places, we headed to the Lyons district for a bite to eat.

Homer's Deli, connected to Sweetheart Bakery, looks and smells like a Hungry Hobo.
                                        

It was established in 1984 and named after local grocer Homer Kopp. Unlike HH, they offer an array of bread and you can customize your sandwich with over 20 different condiments, including pickles!  I can't find their menu online, but it's a deli, you can figure it out.

I ordered their barbecue pulled pork sandwich with mustard and pickles.

My mom ordered the Russian Reuben which is turkey crowned in Swiss cheese buried under Russian coleslaw. Several nationalities under one rye roof.

A slight twist on the traditional.  She also ordered a side of pasta salad which seemed to be of the mayonnaise persuasion, so I passed.

I'm going to have to use the most despised word in the English language to describe the pulled pork...moist.  It really was.  Probably because it was steeped in a sweet barbecue sauce that complemented the yellow mustard and pickles nicely.

 My mom enjoyed her hearty Russian Reuben, claiming the flavors meshed well together.

The bakery side was a hoppin with activity, it seems to be THE PLACE to go for graduation cakes.  Almost too pretty to eat...almost. The bakery has been going strong since 1950, and original recipes are still used today.

Sorry for the bum shots ladies

 After several customers cut in front of me...(wtf Clintonians?)  I ordered a filled long john and three iced sugar cookies.  The bewitching cookies were on the crisp side, and the icing was very sweet.

 Red did not eat much of her doughnut, but I took a bite and it reminded me of the gems at Old Towne Bakery in Moline (whoops didn't review them yet).  Apparently Sweetheart is known for their blarnies, but I did not partake because putting nuts on a cake is a surefire way to desecrate a delicious cake.
If you find yourself in Clinton, be sure to check out this deli/bakery combo. A sandwich and a sugar cookie...what more could you need for lunch? Vegetables? pfft.

Quinton's Bar and Deli

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.

Bread Garden Market

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

Waterfront Deli

On a sunny Friday afternoon I decided to venture out to Bettendorf to visit my sister and two nephews. Downtown Bettendorf is a hotbed of dive bars frequented by biker babes, so we opted for the more kid-friendly Waterfront Deli at 1020 State Street. Don't be fooled by the name, it's not reallllly on the water front. It's close and you can kinda see water from the front, so I'll let it slide for now.



























There was a bit of a line at the counter, but it moved quickly and I felt overwhelmed trying to make a decision based off the menu board. They have special sandwiches or you can build your own. Of course, they also serve soups and salads. If you've never been there before, you might want to grab a to-go menu and peruse your choices before braving the line.









































My sister ordered a roast beef, plain, on sourdough. very exciting. I ordered one of the specials, a ham and dill. It was ham with pickles and dill cream cheese on sourdough. My nephew Noah decided on the fear monger's latest victim- the perilous hot dog. Terrorist of the food world.
They had some potato and pasta salads but, being the mayo-phobes we are, we opted for a side salad and Lay's potato chips.













I also bought a sugar cookie for Brody to gnaw on.














The sandwiches came out quickly, and honestly, they looked good, but the hot dog looked amazing. It also tasted amazing. Noah was nice enough to share, his eating technique seemed to indicate he was mostly after the ketchup anyway. Or maybe he was scared of choking?



























The skin had a nice snap to it and the bun was so soft with a nice flavor from the celery seeds.













The sourdough sandwich bread was also palatable, very soft and fresh. Roast beef and ham were both flavorful and spiced well. Pickles were nice and crisp, but I think they were Vlasic. Not that I'm complaining..a pickle is a pickle. The dill cream cheese on my sandwich was a nice creamy addition. Better than the usual plain ol' slice of Swiss.














The decor was somewhat whimsical/historical. They had photographs and art of historic buildings in the Quad-Cities. Much to the delight of Noah, they also had toy fire truck and tractors hanging from the ceiling. I heard "look firetruck!" about a dozen times.
My sister lives maybe a mile away and she kept saying how pissed she was that she had never before eaten there. The bread alone makes the trip worth it.













The Waterfront Deli has been a great lunch destination since 1981, but for how much longer? The new I-74 bridge is set to displace dozens of businesses in downtown Bettendorf including our beloved Ross'. Let's hope they find new homes.

Arthurs' Garden Delicatessen

I was cruisin the internets lookin for our next greasy joint, when I was reminded of Arthur's Garden Deli (3727 Blackhawk Road Rock Island). I had never before been, but always heard good things. When I found out they had frozen yogurt, it sealed the deal for me.














I believe Arthur's actually has 4 locations- Rock Island, Rock Falls, Sterling, and Dixon. I can't find much historical information on it because qconline archives are for subscribers only. But what I can gleam from the snippets is that they opened in Sterling in 1977, the Rock Island location opened around 1989, they are and have been a hot spot for Augustana College students, and they started closing on Sundays in 2005. Nothing about who the mysterious Arthur is and why he opened a deli.



















As you can see, it looks a lot like Hungry Hobo or any other sub place in the area. They offer sandwiches, baked potatoes, lots of soups, a salad bar, cheesecakes, a few other sides, and the aforementioned fro-yo.














When we walked up to order, a couple teenage workers were being berated for not stirring the soups enough... but you know how boys are. they probably deserved it.

Richie ordered a roast beef and aged swiss sandwich. I ordered the salad bar and a #24 potato- chili n cheddar.




Check out the 70s style dining room...and this place opened in 89?




Here's Richie's sandwich. They only toast the side with meat and cheese, so you get the melty warmth on one side and the cool crisp lettuce and veggies on the other.














A lovely view of Blackhawk Road. Quite different from what chief BlackHawk must've seen.














And here is my glorious meal. Yes that cheesy blanket actually hides a yummy baked potato. And I ordered dessert with my meal...strawberry fro-yo doused with gummy bears.














Everything in the salad bar was fresh and green.














A closeup of the warm gooey cheesy mess that sat atop a surprisingly crisp potato.


















and insert food into mouth. yes that is a tomato. my first veggie/fruit in days. It must've awakened something inside of me because suddenly i was full of energy. The frozen yogurt was THE BEST i have ever had...dare I say, better than Whitey's. I immediately rushed back to the counter to order two quarts.


Flavors:
Vanilla
Strawberry
Dutch Chocolate
Zebra Twist
Chocolate Cookie
Fruit Twist
Chocolate Caramel



Though I opted for gummy bears, they do offer other toppings and mix-ins as seen here...














and here is Richie expressing his disapproval ... 9 dollars on fro-yo...really?














This girl really had to work it to fill up those two quarts. Here she is serving up my chocolate cookie yogurt.














Overall, we both really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. Service was fast and friendly, everything tasted great, especially the frozen yogurt I devoured.











If you like Hungry Hobo, you'll love Arthur's