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.
We received an email from Nola telling us about a restaurant she stumbled upon and thought it was a gem. Being the ever-vigilant food critics that we are, we searched the website of the restaurant she recommended. The first item on the menu caught Jim’s eye. Putting our own concerns for our health aside (we will explain shortly), we hopped into the Mini-mobile and sped out, leaving Del Webb in the dust, and headed northwest to the Tavern on Clark in Rockford.
Tavern on Clark
755 Clark Drive
Rockford 61107
(815)708-7088
www.tavernonclarkrockford.com
Directions: Take Rte. 47 South to I-90 West, To US20 State Street, West to Bell School Road, North to Clark Drive, Turn right to restaurant.
Estimated Travel Time: 33 minutes
This restaurant is easy to get to, and it’s a local treasure hidden among hotels. When you walk in you are transported to a classic Chicago Steakhouse and Tavern with stone and warm wooden accents. They have a separate banquet room, a huge bar with high top tables, and a large dining area with an assortment of booths and tables to choose from.
Now we will reveal what Jim was so excited about on the menu. The first appetizer listed is Deep Fried Bacon ($8), which was cherrywood smoked bacon, tempura battered, and deep fried. This was served with a chocolate sauce for dipping. The waitress took our order and we asked her to have the EMTs on call just in case…
What arrived was four strips of bacon placed upright in a glass alongside a bowl of chocolate sauce. Holy crap!!! It was not greasy or flubbery like we expected; instead, it was crisp and melted in our mouths. Judging from the moans coming from Nancy’s mouth after her first bite, I asked her if she wanted to be alone, and to let me know when she needed a cigarette. She was the hit of the dining room!!!
As an extra side dish we decided to split one of our favorite soups, namely, Baked French Onion ($6). This was tasty and Jim ate most of it. I like scraping the broiled cheese off the bowl, so I was in heaven.
Nancy spotted their Bistro Salad ($12) with chicken ($4 upcharge). This was fresh mixed greens, candied walnuts, chopped Granny Smith apples, roasted red peppers, crumbled blue cheese, then tossed with a raspberry walnut vinaigrette. Nancy nixed the blue cheese and substituted cheddar and changed the dressing to their homemade ranch. This was a delightful refreshing treat on a hot summer day.
Jim’s eyes bugged out of his head when the waitress told us one of the specials of the day was (3) Lobster Taco’s ($19). This consisted of a whole lobster tail, breaded and deep fried, Queso Fresco cheese, pico de gallo, jalapeno’s, shredded cabbage with an avocado slice and a drizzle of chipotle mayo. This came with a side of tortilla chips and salsa. He said these were awesome and such a deal. The mixtures of flavors and textures were great.
FYI: This restaurant is handicap accessible.
In conclusion, this place is a hidden gem. It has a creative menu at reasonable prices. The lunchtime service was comparable to a fine dining restaurant for dinner. The waitress was considerate enough to not interrupt Nancy when she was “enjoying” the appetizer.
The price for our mad dash for bacon was $60.04, giving Nancy a “When Harry Met Sally” moment, priceless…
Jim’s take: Next appetizer to try is their beer battered fries with bacon, chives, sour cream and cheese sauce.
Nancy’s take: Is he serious??? I will NEVER give up the deep fried bacon and the feeling it gave me. It’s been a long time…
Have comments or restaurant suggestions for the Dining Duo? Send them an email at: thediningduo@gmail.com
