Sweet and savory

Normal people celebrate holidays on their appointed day and for one day only. Not so in the Dining Duo’s household. Any holiday that is in tribute to Nancy, such as, Grandparent’s Day, her birthday, Mother-in-Law’s Day, Groundhog Day, April Fool’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year, and especially Mother’s Day, always turns into a weeklong gala celebration extravaganza.

In the ‘tiki, tiki, tiki, room’

Isn’t it true that everyone is a kid at heart? It’s safe to say that at one time or another, most people have been to Disney World, either by themselves, with their children, or possibly with their grandchildren. There are a few classic attractions that everyone remembers, either good or bad. One is that boat ride with those cute little dolls from all over the world incessantly singing, “It’s a Small World.” It took us several years to get that nauseating song out of our heads. Another is the Haunted Mansion where a holographic ghost suddenly appears sitting next to you. Our grandson is now in therapy.

Once in a blue moon

Once in a blue moon, Nancy and I get a taste for some good old fashioned tangy, smoky barbeque. Luckily, we did get a recommendation from someone, but because we’re old, we can’t remember who it was from or the name of the restaurant. We knew it was “Moon” something.

Mix it up at Mixteca

Our friends Ken and Karen are Mexican food aficionados. For some time now, they have been telling us about a small unassuming storefront restaurant on Route 47 near Woodstock. Our schedules finally aligned and we made a date for lunch at Mixteca Tequila Bar in Woodstock.

This is the column that we know you all have been waiting for with baited garlic breath and grumbling tummies. We are referring to the semi-finalists in our Top 10 list of “BURPS” (Best Unknown Restaurant Picks) culminating in the big “BELCH” (Best Eating Location Close to Huntley) of 2021.

A coal-fired SLYCE

Jim and I were sitting around watching cartoons one morning. Suddenly, Jim’s cell phone went crazy asking us to confirm our online purchase of a very expensive entertainment system. He promptly replied “no” and then proceeded to call the credit card company. This turned out not to be a big problem since the card was immediately cancelled and a new one was on its way the next day.

Dinner with a ‘foxy’ lady

There has been a restaurant that Nancy has been wanting to go to for some time now, but we never got around to it. What can be more romantic than a nice dinner with a moonlit view of the Fox River? I decided to step up and have a date night with my “foxy” lady. Reservations were made, and off we went to Salerno’s on the Fox in St. Charles.

While driving to our romantic repast, Jim noticed the clouds were thickening, and it started to rain. There goes the moonlight ambiance. Luckily, the restaurant had a covered area to drive up and drop me off so as not to ruin my coiffure.

Dining Duo finds Big Foot

Breaking News: The Dining Duo finds Big Foot! Everyone was searching in the wilderness, but Big Foot was found just outside the city limits of Harvard. This is proudly proclaimed on a roadside sign on Northwest Highway. More evidence can be found as you drive past the Big Foot Cemetery. Venturing further on we discovered the place where all the Big Foot (Big Foots??? Big Feet???) dine and socialize. We are ecstatic to announce the discovery of the Big Foot Inn Supper Club and Restaurant in Harvard.

Clowning around

Wedding anniversary celebrations have a tendency to change over a married couple’s life. Gone are the days of a romantic weekend getaway, followed by a candlelit dinner, and dancing till dawn. After 47 years of marital bliss, anniversaries consist of a trip to Wisconsin Dells to contribute to the Ho-Chunk Indian tribe, and seeing a matinee performance of Bello Nok at the Palace Theater.

Belly up to the bar

Nancy heard through the grapevine about a place that had excellent pizza. As it turned out, we’ve all passed by this establishment at one time or another. As you drive east on Route 20, in the middle of nowhere there’s a curve in the road. As you round the bend you will see a crooked post with a sign on it for the Outpost Tavern and Grill in Pingree Grove.

Honestly, the outside of this tavern was not very inviting. It resembled a place that could have been featured on Guy Fieri’s “Diner’s, Drive-Ins, and Dives” TV show. We parked Jim’s Mercedes amongst the pick-up trucks, looked at each other, mustarded up our courage, and sauntered in.