By request, here is my post on The Bottoms Up in Nuenert, IL. What? You have never heard of Nuenert? Neither had I until a close friend of mine told me about The Bottoms Up. So, If you are ever driving on Route 3 and you see a road sign that says Gorham (however many miles), Nuenert (a few more miles) and Jacob (even further out in B.F.E) then make that turn towards the west and follow the road til you reach Nuenert. You will know your there when you come up on what can easily be confused for a town. There is literally a church and a bar and just a handful of houses.
Its especially easy to find on Wednesday nights. Chicken Wednesdays as my friends, family, and I have come to call it. Thats when you can get a whole fried chicken for about 6 bucks!!! Be sure to get there early though. They start serving dinner at 5 and if you are even a few minutes late you will be waiting for a seat.
Now, don't be afraid to bring the kids with you to this so-called bar. It is a family friendly place. Its a full service bar, complete with juke box that also dishes up some top notch cuisine. One of these days I may even drive down there to sample some of there other items.
My opinion on their fried chicken is simple. Its among the best I've ever had. And believe me, when there is a place known for their fried chicken, thats what I order. The fried chicken is always tender, juicy, and flavorful. You will find yourself ordering the whole frier even though you know you can't eat it all in one sitting. This way you can take it home and savor the yummy goodness later. Maybe a midnight snack. Sides are also available with your order. I highly recommend the Mac-n-cheese. Its a homeade concoction that incorporates creamy cheese with bacon in a mac-n-cheese heaven!
Don't expect any fancy bells and whistles with this place. You will be served with paper plates and plastic utensils. The rear dining room consists of folding tables and chairs. I have learned that its places like this that tend to worry less with the decor of their place and focus more on what they are good at.
So, if your not sure you can find this place on your own, try plugging this address into your GPS--3683 Nuenert Rd, Jacob, IL 62950.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Cummares Italian Restaurant Murphysboro
www.cummares.com
If you've never been there, then you probably have no idea where its at. Cummares Italian Restaurant sits just behind the court house in Murphysboro. It sets in one of those old buildings that remind you that Main Street America just isn't what it used to be. I am glad to see one of those old buildings put to good use.
At Cummares your reminded of how great the architecture was for the time period the building was built. I'm going to take a wild guess that it was built sometime in the 20's or 30's. The restaurant is small, with a high, copper tile ceiling. Be sure to get there early or call to make a reservation. Tables fill up fast and they only have 10 or 15 as it is. They do offer outside dining when the weather is nice.
Cummares offers traditional Italian fare hand made by real Italians. The pasta that is used to make the ravioli and tortellini is obviously made fresh. The dough is bright yellow in color which is typical in egg based pasta. You can taste the freshness and richness of the pasta with each bite.
I have had the pleasure of dining on their Ravioli Toscana, Tortelacci, and their pizza. The Ravioli Toscana is a cheese filled ravioli covered in their rich and creamy Alfredo sauce and topped with fresh sauteed mushrooms. The Alfredo sauce bursts with rich flavor as do the sauteed mushrooms they put on top. The Tortelacci is also made with the same homeade pasta dough and Alfredo sauce as the ravioli. What sets this dish apart from other tortellini type dishes I've had is that its stuffed with veal. Most of the time when I order tortellini in a restaurant the filling is pretty bland and you rely on the sauce for the flavor of the dish. Not at Cummares. The veal filling is just as flavorful as the sauce. Each bite is an exotic adventure through Italy. Its been a while since I last ordered their pizza. While I can't remember the details of what it tasted like I do remember that it was delicious. The crust was handmade and I'm pretty sure the sauce is too. They offer all the traditional toppings along with some others. I don't want to forget the delicious homeade vinegarrette they put on their salads. Be sure to try it on your salad.
Tiramisu...that's all I'm going to say...YUMMO!!!
So, if your looking for pizza, pasta, or a delicious sandwich, Cummares is the place for you. Believe me when I say that you won't regret going there. I was always a big fan of The Olive Garden, and didn't think there could possibly be anything better than that. I was wrong! I will choose Cummares over The Olive Garden ANY day!!!!
My rating for Cummares--10 out of 10! A perfect score!!! I have to say this is probably my favorite restaurant in Southern Illinois and probably well beyond that.
If you've never been there, then you probably have no idea where its at. Cummares Italian Restaurant sits just behind the court house in Murphysboro. It sets in one of those old buildings that remind you that Main Street America just isn't what it used to be. I am glad to see one of those old buildings put to good use.
At Cummares your reminded of how great the architecture was for the time period the building was built. I'm going to take a wild guess that it was built sometime in the 20's or 30's. The restaurant is small, with a high, copper tile ceiling. Be sure to get there early or call to make a reservation. Tables fill up fast and they only have 10 or 15 as it is. They do offer outside dining when the weather is nice.
Cummares offers traditional Italian fare hand made by real Italians. The pasta that is used to make the ravioli and tortellini is obviously made fresh. The dough is bright yellow in color which is typical in egg based pasta. You can taste the freshness and richness of the pasta with each bite.
I have had the pleasure of dining on their Ravioli Toscana, Tortelacci, and their pizza. The Ravioli Toscana is a cheese filled ravioli covered in their rich and creamy Alfredo sauce and topped with fresh sauteed mushrooms. The Alfredo sauce bursts with rich flavor as do the sauteed mushrooms they put on top. The Tortelacci is also made with the same homeade pasta dough and Alfredo sauce as the ravioli. What sets this dish apart from other tortellini type dishes I've had is that its stuffed with veal. Most of the time when I order tortellini in a restaurant the filling is pretty bland and you rely on the sauce for the flavor of the dish. Not at Cummares. The veal filling is just as flavorful as the sauce. Each bite is an exotic adventure through Italy. Its been a while since I last ordered their pizza. While I can't remember the details of what it tasted like I do remember that it was delicious. The crust was handmade and I'm pretty sure the sauce is too. They offer all the traditional toppings along with some others. I don't want to forget the delicious homeade vinegarrette they put on their salads. Be sure to try it on your salad.
Tiramisu...that's all I'm going to say...YUMMO!!!
So, if your looking for pizza, pasta, or a delicious sandwich, Cummares is the place for you. Believe me when I say that you won't regret going there. I was always a big fan of The Olive Garden, and didn't think there could possibly be anything better than that. I was wrong! I will choose Cummares over The Olive Garden ANY day!!!!
My rating for Cummares--10 out of 10! A perfect score!!! I have to say this is probably my favorite restaurant in Southern Illinois and probably well beyond that.
Giant City Lodge
Hey folks!!! Thanks for taking the time to read my blog once again. I think I'm going to change things up a bit. Instead of rating the restaurants I go to in three different categories, I think I am just going to rate each one on a scale of 1 to 10. Lets face it, I am certainly not a good writer and trying to be creative in how I describe things just doesn't work for me. I will continue to write as accurately as I can so each of you can gauge an accurate perspective of the places I eat. I would also like to appologize for the lack of blogs I have been posting. So tonight I will be posting two separate reviews.
The first blog of the night will be on Giant City Lodge. www.giantcitylodge.com
Giant City lodge offers homestyle cuisine at very reasonable prices. They offer everything from traditional steaks, seafood, and fried chicken to bison. Thats right, bison. They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their breakfast prices start at 2.99 for an order of biscuits and gravy and go up. And they offer everything in between--French Toast, Pancakes, Omelettes and even Steak and Eggs. I haven't had the pleasure of trying their breakfast yet...maybe one of these days I will wake up early enough to get down there for breakfast.
For lunch they offer wraps, burgers, and specialty sandwiches. I recommend trying the Giant City Horseshoe. Its a Springfield original with a Southern Illinois flare. Lets face it, anything covered and smothered in cheese sauce has got to be delicious. You can even get their Bison Burger on the lunch menu and save about $3 versus ordering off the dinner menu.
For dinner, my favorite thing to order is there All-You-Can-Eat Family Style Chicken Dinner. Their fried chicken is always served hot, fresh, and juicy. It is well seasoned without being over seasoned. It is served with mashed potatoes and gravy, dumplings, corn, green beans, coleslaw, and homeade biscuits. Be sure to put some of the delicious apple butter on your biscuits.
Several of my family members have ordered the County Fried Steak and talked very highly of it. Also, Prime Rib is something that my family and I tend to stay away from unless we are at a certain restaurant in O'Fallon (blog to come soon). However, my dad ordered the Prime Rib from Giant City and said that it was probably one of the better Prime Ribs he's had outside of the other place. He said he would definitely order it again.
I would like to close this by adding a little bit on the lodging options that are also offered at Giant City Lodge. Yes, its more than just a name, they do offer cabin rentals as well. They are perfect for a weekend getaway or if you are looking for any accommodations for family and friends that are coming to visit. They offer three different types of cabins--Historic, Prairie, and Bluff cabins.
Few people realize the true beauty that Southern Illinois has to offer. All too often when people think of Illinois, they think of corn fields and flat lands. They don't realize that the southern most part of Illinois is the most beautiful part of the entire state.
So, my rating overall for Giant City Lodge--I give them an 8 out of 10!!!
The first blog of the night will be on Giant City Lodge. www.giantcitylodge.com
Giant City lodge offers homestyle cuisine at very reasonable prices. They offer everything from traditional steaks, seafood, and fried chicken to bison. Thats right, bison. They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their breakfast prices start at 2.99 for an order of biscuits and gravy and go up. And they offer everything in between--French Toast, Pancakes, Omelettes and even Steak and Eggs. I haven't had the pleasure of trying their breakfast yet...maybe one of these days I will wake up early enough to get down there for breakfast.
For lunch they offer wraps, burgers, and specialty sandwiches. I recommend trying the Giant City Horseshoe. Its a Springfield original with a Southern Illinois flare. Lets face it, anything covered and smothered in cheese sauce has got to be delicious. You can even get their Bison Burger on the lunch menu and save about $3 versus ordering off the dinner menu.
For dinner, my favorite thing to order is there All-You-Can-Eat Family Style Chicken Dinner. Their fried chicken is always served hot, fresh, and juicy. It is well seasoned without being over seasoned. It is served with mashed potatoes and gravy, dumplings, corn, green beans, coleslaw, and homeade biscuits. Be sure to put some of the delicious apple butter on your biscuits.
Several of my family members have ordered the County Fried Steak and talked very highly of it. Also, Prime Rib is something that my family and I tend to stay away from unless we are at a certain restaurant in O'Fallon (blog to come soon). However, my dad ordered the Prime Rib from Giant City and said that it was probably one of the better Prime Ribs he's had outside of the other place. He said he would definitely order it again.
I would like to close this by adding a little bit on the lodging options that are also offered at Giant City Lodge. Yes, its more than just a name, they do offer cabin rentals as well. They are perfect for a weekend getaway or if you are looking for any accommodations for family and friends that are coming to visit. They offer three different types of cabins--Historic, Prairie, and Bluff cabins.
Few people realize the true beauty that Southern Illinois has to offer. All too often when people think of Illinois, they think of corn fields and flat lands. They don't realize that the southern most part of Illinois is the most beautiful part of the entire state.
So, my rating overall for Giant City Lodge--I give them an 8 out of 10!!!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Midland Inn, Carbondale
The Midland Inn in Carbondale, Il is a hidden treasure that sits on Old Route 13 just south/southwest of Carbondale. It offers a variety of delicious food at a fair price. If you are willing to make that short drive to this beacon of light that is kind of in the middle of no where, you won't be disappointed. As I have said before, I rate the places I visit in three categories: Atmosphere, Service, and Food.
Atmosphere: I would consider the Midland Inn as a tavern. They offer a full service bar, a pool table, and an outdoor patio. There are no fancy bells and whistles. The decor will not knock your socks off. It is exactly what you would expect from a tavern type restaurant. They also offer entertainment on the weekends and/or holidays.
Service: 99 percent of the time I have had excellent service at the Midland Inn. The servers are always fast, friendly, and efficient. Now, with every restaurant you will have the occaisional server that either lacks experince or willingness to do a good job. This unfortunately was the experience that I had there tonite. She greeted and waited on us quickly in the beginning, but as soon as our food was delivered, we no longer existed. But, as I said, this was the first and so far only time this has happened there. I will not elaborate any further, because I don't think that it is fair to the business when 99 percent of my visits have been positive.
Food: The Midland Inn offers a nice variety of food. They have wonderful appetizers, salads, sandwiches, steaks, pizza, and Mexican. I would have to say that my favorite thing on their menu by far is their Fajitas!!! They offer chicken or steak fajitas. No matter which one you order, the meat is always flavorful, tender, and juicy. It is sauteed with a mix of onions and green peppers. The fajitas are served with a side of rice and refried beans. The rice and beans are also among my favorites. They are always fresh and packed full of flavor, not to mention topped with melted cheese! Yummo! You can't forget the fixins for the fajitas either...you get a side plate with lettuce, shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, and queso that you can pile full on the hot and fresh tortillas they give you.
The Midland Inn also offers nightly dinner specials. You won't be disappointed in their prices or their food.
Atmosphere: I would consider the Midland Inn as a tavern. They offer a full service bar, a pool table, and an outdoor patio. There are no fancy bells and whistles. The decor will not knock your socks off. It is exactly what you would expect from a tavern type restaurant. They also offer entertainment on the weekends and/or holidays.
Service: 99 percent of the time I have had excellent service at the Midland Inn. The servers are always fast, friendly, and efficient. Now, with every restaurant you will have the occaisional server that either lacks experince or willingness to do a good job. This unfortunately was the experience that I had there tonite. She greeted and waited on us quickly in the beginning, but as soon as our food was delivered, we no longer existed. But, as I said, this was the first and so far only time this has happened there. I will not elaborate any further, because I don't think that it is fair to the business when 99 percent of my visits have been positive.
Food: The Midland Inn offers a nice variety of food. They have wonderful appetizers, salads, sandwiches, steaks, pizza, and Mexican. I would have to say that my favorite thing on their menu by far is their Fajitas!!! They offer chicken or steak fajitas. No matter which one you order, the meat is always flavorful, tender, and juicy. It is sauteed with a mix of onions and green peppers. The fajitas are served with a side of rice and refried beans. The rice and beans are also among my favorites. They are always fresh and packed full of flavor, not to mention topped with melted cheese! Yummo! You can't forget the fixins for the fajitas either...you get a side plate with lettuce, shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, and queso that you can pile full on the hot and fresh tortillas they give you.
The Midland Inn also offers nightly dinner specials. You won't be disappointed in their prices or their food.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
My first blog
This is my first time blogging. I will start with a restaurant that I ate at today. Mackie's Pizza in Marion, Il. First off I would like to say that everything I post is just my opinion. I will base that opinion on several things.
The first being the atmosphere of the restaurant. The atmosphere plays a vital role in how the restaurant is perceived. You don't expect to walk into a place with a "diner" or "cafe" atmosphere and find a five-star, super expensive menu with Peking Duck and Kobe Beef.
Second, is the service. You can have the best food in the world, but if the service sucks...people will likely not come back.
Last, but certainly not least, the food. I will rate the food in several ways. Quality, quantity, and presentation. You can also have the best service in the world, but if the food sucks people definitely won't come back.
So, on to Mackie's Pizza.
Atmosphere: Both on the outside and on the inside, Mackie's is a very beautiful restaurant. It definitely gives you the feel of an upscale restaurant. The dining room and the restroom (ladies) were very clean. While I couldn't see inside their kitchen, the entrances to the kitchen/prep/service areas appeared to be clean and well kept. The dining room has a unique circle design to it that I found to be very comfortable and inviting.
Service. When my fiance and I first walked in (this was our first visit) we waited at the front desk which I assumed to be the host/hostess station. It took several minutes for us to get acknowledged and seated. I was almost tempted to leave just as we were greeted. We probably waited a good five minutes. This may not sound like long, but when you are waiting for service it certainly feels like a long time.
Once we were seated, our order was taken very quickly and we didn't have to wait long for our food. The waiter kept our drinks full and made sure we had what we needed. My only suggestion to him would be to be a little more personable. He offered little conversation and didn't appear to be very friendly. While he wasn't rude, he also wasn't very friendly either. However, thats not enough to keep me from coming back.
On to the food!!! I ordered the lunch special that came with a personal sized pizza, salad, and a drink. I can't remember the exact price, but I think it was somewhere around 7 or 8 dollars. Very reasonable for what I got. I received a chilled salad which consisted of shredded iceburg lettuce, diced green peppers, and diced tomatoes with my dressing of choice, ranch. I have to admit that I was expecting something a little different from such a nice looking place. Maybe add some cheese, croutons, and even a meat of some sort to the salad. A couple slices of pepperoni would have been a nice touch. My pizza was a thin crust which I added pepperoni, onions, and mushrooms to. The pizza was pretty tastey. The crust was crispy like I would expect from a thin crust. Most people might prefer fresh mushrooms on their pizza, but I actually like canned mushrooms better on mine, so I didn't mind that they used canned mushrooms.
I also ordered their breadsticks which come covered in melted mozzerella cheese. This was my least favorite part of the meal. The breadsticks were more like a thin layer of dough covered in cheese. The sauce that I was given to dip them in was a cold marinara that I found a little too sweet. I would have also expected the sauce to come in a little dish instead of just being scooped onto the plate with the bread sticks.
All in all, I was served a fair portion for the price. Both my fiance and I ate for about $20. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the worse and 10 being the best, I would rate Mackies a 6. While the atmosphere was fitting for the type of restaurant we were at, the food and service lacked a little. However, I will definitely give Mackies a second chance. A restaurant has to rate way lower than a 6 to keep me from coming back.
Please feel free to leave me any feedback about my blogs or if there are any restaurants in the area that you would like to see a blog on. Thanks again!!! Hope this was helpful!
The first being the atmosphere of the restaurant. The atmosphere plays a vital role in how the restaurant is perceived. You don't expect to walk into a place with a "diner" or "cafe" atmosphere and find a five-star, super expensive menu with Peking Duck and Kobe Beef.
Second, is the service. You can have the best food in the world, but if the service sucks...people will likely not come back.
Last, but certainly not least, the food. I will rate the food in several ways. Quality, quantity, and presentation. You can also have the best service in the world, but if the food sucks people definitely won't come back.
So, on to Mackie's Pizza.
Atmosphere: Both on the outside and on the inside, Mackie's is a very beautiful restaurant. It definitely gives you the feel of an upscale restaurant. The dining room and the restroom (ladies) were very clean. While I couldn't see inside their kitchen, the entrances to the kitchen/prep/service areas appeared to be clean and well kept. The dining room has a unique circle design to it that I found to be very comfortable and inviting.
Service. When my fiance and I first walked in (this was our first visit) we waited at the front desk which I assumed to be the host/hostess station. It took several minutes for us to get acknowledged and seated. I was almost tempted to leave just as we were greeted. We probably waited a good five minutes. This may not sound like long, but when you are waiting for service it certainly feels like a long time.
Once we were seated, our order was taken very quickly and we didn't have to wait long for our food. The waiter kept our drinks full and made sure we had what we needed. My only suggestion to him would be to be a little more personable. He offered little conversation and didn't appear to be very friendly. While he wasn't rude, he also wasn't very friendly either. However, thats not enough to keep me from coming back.
On to the food!!! I ordered the lunch special that came with a personal sized pizza, salad, and a drink. I can't remember the exact price, but I think it was somewhere around 7 or 8 dollars. Very reasonable for what I got. I received a chilled salad which consisted of shredded iceburg lettuce, diced green peppers, and diced tomatoes with my dressing of choice, ranch. I have to admit that I was expecting something a little different from such a nice looking place. Maybe add some cheese, croutons, and even a meat of some sort to the salad. A couple slices of pepperoni would have been a nice touch. My pizza was a thin crust which I added pepperoni, onions, and mushrooms to. The pizza was pretty tastey. The crust was crispy like I would expect from a thin crust. Most people might prefer fresh mushrooms on their pizza, but I actually like canned mushrooms better on mine, so I didn't mind that they used canned mushrooms.
I also ordered their breadsticks which come covered in melted mozzerella cheese. This was my least favorite part of the meal. The breadsticks were more like a thin layer of dough covered in cheese. The sauce that I was given to dip them in was a cold marinara that I found a little too sweet. I would have also expected the sauce to come in a little dish instead of just being scooped onto the plate with the bread sticks.
All in all, I was served a fair portion for the price. Both my fiance and I ate for about $20. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the worse and 10 being the best, I would rate Mackies a 6. While the atmosphere was fitting for the type of restaurant we were at, the food and service lacked a little. However, I will definitely give Mackies a second chance. A restaurant has to rate way lower than a 6 to keep me from coming back.
Please feel free to leave me any feedback about my blogs or if there are any restaurants in the area that you would like to see a blog on. Thanks again!!! Hope this was helpful!
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