Jim and Nancy do not disclose the fact that they will review a restaurant before they attend, ensuring their reviews are unbiased and uninfluenced by their position with the Sun Day.
Nancy is scheduled to go “under the saw” and have her knee replaced, and as a result, things are very busy around the Dining Duo household. I am stocking up on leftovers and trying to bulk up to survive her recuperation period. After all, it’s all about me…
Old Republic Kitchen & Bar
155 S. Randall Road
Elgin 60123
(224)535-9544
oldrepublicbar.com
Directions: Take Rte. 47 South to Lake Street, East to Randall Road then South to restaurant.
Estimated Travel Time: 20 minutes
Jim is such a loving husband. I feel like I’m a magician’s assistant. They are going to lay me down on a table, a magical orthopedic surgeon saws me in half, inserts a gadget built by the lowest bidder, and hopefully puts me back together again. Magic! The only thing my loving husband is worried about, is where his next meal will come from. Can you feel the love? Now do you see why I call him a moron???
We have to get several restaurant reviews in que so that not to disappoint our loyal readers. This is why we dropped in at the Old Republic Kitchen and Bar in Elgin.
This restaurant is difficult to find since you can’t see it from Randall Road. It occupies the old Lone Star Steakhouse building.
Walking in, the decor puzzled us. You see white subway tile on the walls and the bar, street signs over the booths, old license plates bent to hold the condiments, and the crowning touch was the chandelier hanging over the corner booth. Different…
We started off our meal with the Cheesy Beef Egg Rolls ($10.99) for an appetizer today. These were (4) egg rolls which contained sliced top sirloin, sharp cheddar, giardiniera, and served with a side of horseradish cream. We’ve had this type of appetizer before in other local restaurants, and we have to admit, the cheddar cheese was a little off putting. Mozzarella would have been a better choice.
Nancy had a taste for something spicy today, so she went with the Cheesy Beef ($12.99). This was sliced roast beef with melted mozzarella cheese on garlic (of course) French bread. It came with a side of giardiniera and au jus. You get to pick your choice of sides and she chose the French fries. The sandwich was yummy and the portion was large.
Jim out did himself today. He was in a cheesy mood and ordered the Wisconsin Slammer ($11.99). Buckle up, wait ‘til you hear what’s on this burger. It consisted of double quarter pound patties, deep fried cheese curds, Velveeta cheese, smoked bacon, and a special sauce. If you like cheese, this is the burger for you. This is the type of burger you eat with a knife and fork since it’s so ooey gooey! He chose the homemade potato chips for his side. He said the sandwich was good, but not as good as its description.
The waitstaff was very accommodating and we came home with a huge doggie bag today. We still don’t get the theme and decor of the restaurant. Another thing that puzzled us, in our opinion, they put some sort of seasoning on most of their items which we didn’t care for. The seasoning wrecked Nancy’s fries and my chips.
The price for our “pre-op” stock up was $45.73.
FYI: This restaurant is handicap accessible.
Jim’s take: My burger was greasy and messy, just the way a burger should be.
Nancy’s take: I honestly couldn’t taste the garlic on the French bread, bummer.
Have comments or restaurant suggestions for the Dining Duo? Send them an email at thediningduo@gmail.com
