a>
Staff/Contact Info Advertise Classified Ads Submission Guidelines

 

MY SUN DAY NEWS

Proudly Serving the Community of
Sun City in Huntley
 
News & Features Columnists Editorials Hang Your Hat Obituaries My Huntley News

April 19, 2018

Dining Duo

Ya-hooey for Chuy’s

If any of you have seen Jim walking around Del Webb lately, he looks like Chester from the old Gunsmoke TV show. He’s been limping along for the past year, but his time is running out. Today is his last visit when the doctor can use his knee like a Voo Doo doll and sticks needles in it with various drugs to stop the pain.

Frog vs. Gator

Jim’s arms were getting too short for him to read anything, and the adhesive tape wasn’t holding his broken glasses anymore, so off we went to Spring Hill Mall to remedy the situation. His vision was impaired with his old prescription eyeglasses, but isn’t it funny how he could spot a restaurant from a mile away??? The name piqued our interest, so we decided to try the Chubby Bullfrog Bar & Grill (next to Sears) in West Dundee.

Elvis has left the restaurant

It was a cold, dreary, Sunday morning. Cabin fever was rearing its ugly rear. Nancy was staring blindly at the computer screen when she noticed a Groupon coupon for a new brunch restaurant. I was staring at the TV screen sucking down my first cup of coffee when she yelled, “Breakfast is ready!” We bundled ourselves up, jumped into the Dining Duo Mini-Mobile, which now resembles a block of salt, and headed for Southern Belles Pancake House in Carpentersville.

It’s Miller time

T’was the week before Christmas and all the presents were wrapped, the cookies were baked, and the tension within our family was running rampant. As they say in the movie Christmas Vacation, “It’s the holidays, and we’re all in misery.” Since we had the time, and Nancy needed a beer, we put ourselves in harms way, and ventured out near Woodfield Mall. We went to review the newest restaurant in Schaumburg called Miller’s Ale House.

The Dining Duo’s Best of 2017

“Father Time” for the year 2017 is getting old and wrinkled, just like most of us here in Del Webb, with the exception of Nancy. I better say that because my back can’t take sleeping on the couch anymore at my age. Another 23 restaurants, and several inches added on to our waistline, brings us to our annual “Best Of” article. So sit back, relax, get your reading glasses and antacids ready, ’cause here we go… All restaurants are handicap accessible.

Just wing it

Today’s restaurant was closed for vacation the first time we attempted to review it. Because we received so many letters recommending this restaurant, we decided to give it another try.  Nancy, aka “Debbie Downer”, said we should call first to avoid spending half a day scouring the countryside for another restaurant if this one was closed again. Me with my “devil may care” attitude said, “let’s just wing it.” So off we went to Heng Wing Restaurant in Palatine.

“Famiglia” style … not

A long, long time ago, on a Del Webb day trip far, far away, as we were passing by a restaurant, our friendly escorts Jan and Jerry suggested we review it. We put them on the “fast track” and only three short years later, we finally found the time to do it.

A Polska Tradycja

Over the Labor Day weekend, we were invited to an “end of the summer” party. Jim must be slipping in his old age, since it took him a while to nonchalantly drop the fact that we are the Dining Duo into the casual conversation with other guests. As a result, we did receive a lot of good recommendations and were asked several questions. One inquiry was about a new Polish restaurant in Hoffman Estates called Tradycja (Tradition).

No holds barred at Bar Louie

Nancy and her bowling babes were bummed out when they realized one of their favorite lunchtime haunts, Uno’s Pizzeria in Schaumburg, was closing. They were un-bummed out when they found realized “Bar Louie” was taking over that location. Her bowling babes said, “You’re the trained professional, go check it out.” So Nancy took off her bowling shirt. I put on my loose fitting work pants. We both hopped in the Dining Duo Mini-Mobile, and off we went to Bar Louie in Schaumburg.

@ Bangkok Thai & Sushi is where it’s @

A time-honored tradition in most neighborhoods in Sun City is the monthly or bi-monthly ladies luncheon. One person is chosen as a scout to scour the countryside for a restaurant to descend upon. They make their choice, they send out the invitations, wait for the responses, and then let the games begin.

It’s a beautiful day in “The Neighborhood”

It was a beautiful day in our neighborhood, and we decided to pay a visit to the new Niko’s Tavern & Neighborhood Grill in Pingree Grove.

Imported from Sicily

Today’s restaurant that we will be reviewing was brought to our attention by several of our loyal readers. Hopefully now they will stop nagging us, just kidding…This review is on Dominick’s Italian Ristorante in West Dundee.

‘Tip toe’ to Vickie’s Place

Herbert Buckingham Khaury wrote us from the great beyond with a tip about his favorite eatery. You may remember him as Tiny Tim who “Tip Toed Through the Tulips” and married his Miss Vicki in 1969 on the Johnny Carson Show. He told us about Vickie’s Place in McHenry. Now do you get it? We know it’s a stretch, but it’s the best we could come up with.

Is it Ruth’s Restaurant or Chris’s???

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. Is it Ruth’s Chris Restaurant or Chris’s Ruth Restaurant? Believe it or not, Nancy always seems to get tongue tied when she tries to …

A tasty Texas treat

One Saturday afternoon, Nancy and I jumped into the Dining Duo mini-mobile with the plan to review a Chinese restaurant in Palatine that was recommended by one of our readers. Upon arrival, the parking lot was completely empty and we discovered they were closed for vacation. Time to switch to Plan B: a Mexican restaurant in Elk Grove Village also recommended by one of our loyal readers. Once again, we pulled into an empty parking lot and realized they don’t open their doors until 3 p.m. on Saturdays. Time to switch to Plan C.

Riverview… no, not that one

When you pass by a place called “Riverview,” you expect to see either “The Bobs” or a view of a river. Not so with this establishment; it is a restaurant and tavern that was established in 1936 called the Riverview Restaurant and Tavern in Algonquin.

Drop anchor at Boston Fish Market

While having dinner with some friends before seeing “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” we received a hot tip about an out of the way restaurant. Our friend Mary told us about a different type of place that is both a fish market and a restaurant all “wrapped up” in one. The name of it is Boston Fish Market in Des Plaines.

All fired up for a wild celebration

From the Sun Day News “Believe It or Not!” category. An old married couple living in Del Webb Sun City, Huntley, Illinois miraculously reviewed 100 different restaurants in the last four years. This can easily be confirmed by their expanding waistlines.

A real hidden hideaway

There’s an expression that has been around forever, namely, “You can run, but you can’t hide.” For the last 20 years, Galati’s Hideaway has moved from three different locations in Cary. They ran, but they couldn’t hide from the Dining Duo!

Score: Bulldogs – 1, Marzanos – 0

Another one bites the dust! Restaurants seem to come and go. We come to a restaurant, review it, and a year or so later, they go. Was it something we said?

Uno, dos, tres, quatro, Cinco … de Mayo

If you’ve been a loyal reader of the Sun Day News, you may remember Mason Souza, a previous Assistant Editor. In the beginning of our tenure here, he recommended Los Fernandez Restaurant in Hoffman Estates. Since he was affiliated with the paper, we put his recommendation on top of our “To Do” list, and after only four short years, his turn finally arrived.

“Ping” scores a hole in one

After “puttering” around in the garage, Jim’s thoughts turned to springtime. He decided to dust off his old Ping golf clubs and noticed they needed new grips. He Googled “Ping” and found Chef Ping’s in Rolling Meadows. With him it always seems to go back to food…

Around the clock … almost

It’s that time of year again when Americans have to “pay the piper.” We’re referring, of course, to income tax time.

Fill ‘er up…

One weekend we were out and about doing all of our mundane, required errands when we noticed the Dining Duo Mini-mobile’s gas tank was running low. We also noticed that the Dining Duo’s tummy tanks were running low. As luck would have it, we were passing by what seemed to be an old service station in St. Charles called the Filling Station Pub and Grill.

False advertising! But that’s just fine

When you go to a Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant you expect chicken. When you go to a Burger King Restaurant you expect burgers. When you go to a Hooter’s Restaurant you expect … er, maybe that’s not a good example, never mind.

Size does matter

Cosmetic companies have very clever ways of enticing customers to buy their products. Several times a year they offer a “Bag O’ Free Stuff” if you purchase a certain amount from their make-up technicians that look like nurses. One Saturday during their “Bonus Time,” Nancy decided to stock up on her war paint.