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MY SUN DAY NEWS

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August 28, 2014

A tempura and teriyaki treasure trove

Some people think that a restaurant critic’s life is an easy one; we beg to differ. You have to research new venues, try to find them, eat extraordinary amounts of food, write about it, and then diet the rest of the week. Then along comes the next issue, and it’s “Déjà vu all over again.” Every once in a while, however, our efforts are rewarded.

The Dining Duo Have “Le Menage a Trois”

It is a cool summer evening. You are sitting at an outdoor cafe next to a cobblestone street. Beyond this, there is a tree lined square surrounded by small shops. Are you in southern France? No, you are 20 minutes from Del Webb in Woodstock at the Le Petite Creperie and Bistrot.

Hey Macarena, Ay!

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. Just when you thought it was safe to listen to music or dance at a wedding, “It’s Baaaaack….” I’m referring, of course, to the …

A Bavarian House right under our noses

Nancy and I lived in Hoffman Estates for 34 years and never knew about the Bavaria Hof Restaurant in Schaumburg. She went online and found this restaurant’s Groupon coupon. Being the frugal person that I am, or as Nancy calls it, cheap, I insisted we try it.

The dining duo went to town… riding in a mini

What better way to celebrate the Fourth of July than at a restaurant named “1776” in Crystal Lake. Okay, maybe a Paul Revere and the Raiders concert would be better, but this column is suppose to be about food.

Don’t rock the gondola, baby, enjoy a night in Venice

There is a Venetian style restaurant called Mandile’s in Algonquin, but it’s location is perplexing. You can see it as you pass by, but you can’t figure out how to get into it. At least my husband, aka: “Wrong Way Jim,” couldn’t figure it out. Hint: You should pass it by, then turn around and come in from the east. What’s even harder to find is a gondola!

This little piggy went “wee, wee, wee” to a new home

When the Dining Duo heard that the Crystal Lake Rib House moved to a larger and more modern location, it was our duty to check it out. It’s actually 300 yards closer and on the opposite side of the street. When you walk in, it’s like “Let’s Make A Deal.”

A crustacean celebration for a crabby curmudgeon

“Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 64?” I found out the answer to this question recently when Nancy took me to Shaw’s Crab House in Schaumburg to celebrate my 64th birthday.

Place your bets on the Villagio, no ‘chips‘ allowed

Nancy was driving, and we were trying to find the Villaggio Ristorante in Roselle. Suddenly her bloodhound nose went up in the air, she smelled garlic, and her eyes glazed over. “There it is!” she yelled, and her Mini Cooper reenacted a scene from “The Italian Job.” I hung on for dear life as she made an abrupt turn into a strip mall.

A cute cantina for Cinco de Mayo

A travel agent’s job is never done. Nancy is always on the lookout for a good deal for her clients but why travel when you can have Mexico come to you in the form of Pablo’s Restaurant & Cantina in Crystal Lake?
Inside, no detail is overlooked — from the painted parrots, palapas, and palm trees to the serape upholstered booths, ole!

Saddle up and holler ‘yee-haw!’

There’s a new restaurant in town, pardner, and it’s name is Texas Roadhouse. All you hungry cowpokes better watch out, Crystal Lake will never be the same.

A deep dish on Lou’s menu beyond pizza

When Nancy talked me into moving to the “resort” community of Sun City (or as I called it, “the home”) several years ago, we missed some of the restaurants you normally find closer to the city. While driving around investigating the nearby towns, lo and behold, we were surprised to find a Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria in Lakewood, cleverly disguised as a rustic barn.

On the Bonnie Banks O’ Randall Road

Everyone becomes Irish around St. Patrick’s Day, and the Dining Duo is no exception!

Knishes, kreplachs, and latkes, oy vey!

In our never-ending quest to bring new and exciting culinary venues to our loyal readers, we went in search of a New York-style deli. The closest one for us to review was (this is really fun to say), Schmaltz Delicatessen in Naperville.

The Eggers dock at Egg Harbor

One Saturday, after talking about food for 27 minutes on our Huntley Community Radio Show, Jim and I were starving. Since Jim loves breakfast and I’m more of a lunch person, we compromised and visited Egg Harbor Cafe in Geneva which specializes in both.

Boiling oil and a flaming turtle

You watched all of those football games this winter. Now, doesn’t your sweetie deserve a night out at a romantic restaurant for Valentine’s Day? And, no, you’re not too old for romance. An ideal spot is the Melting Pot Restaurant in Schaumburg.

Meals for a Paul Bunyan-sized appetite

Paul Bunyan had a Blue Ox named Babe but what exactly is a Red Ox, you ask? Turns out, it’s a restaurant in Hampshire. Many years ago, the owner’s father had an establishment in Elgin called the Blue Ox Restaurant, so the Red Ox is actually the son of the Blue Ox. Got it? I’m glad you do…

Down by the old Mill Rose…

The holiday time is now upon us.
It’s a time for awkward family dinners where verbal jabs are passed around like a bad green-bean casserole.

Rokbonki rocks the hibachi grill

A long time ago (1989) in a suburb far, far away (Arlington Heights) there began a Rokbonki Japanese Steak, Seafood and Sushi House.

They’re gonna serve you food you can’t refuse

Jim grew up on the northwest side of Chicago and went to St. John Bosco Church. In case you didn’t know, this is the patron saint of chocolate syrup (Bosco syrup can still be purchased at Woodman’s grocers).

Eggers’ special occasion calls for a truly special steak

Nancy and I have a few “go-to” restaurants for special occasions or when we just want to splurge a little. Such an occasion was when we recently celebrated our 39th anniversary.

Crab legs are dancing at Niko’s Red Mill Tavern

Who, in this duo, would order crab legs in a country tavern? If you guessed Jim, you were absolutely…
…wrong! Try again. Jim and I miss the Dungeness crab legs at Niko’s Restaurant that was just outside of Sun City, so we decided to venture out to Woodstock and try Niko’s Red Mill Tavern.

State basketball champs in 1952, chicken champs in 2013

One Sunday morning, Nancy and I decided to take her new Mini Cooper on a road trip to Lake Geneva. She actually let me drive it. Little did we know that they were celebrating Venetian Days, and the entire town was wall to wall people.

Benedict’s Eggs & More – not a traitor to breakfast

Anyone can cook bacon, eggs and toast – even Jim – that is why we are constantly scouting the area for a restaurant that serves “egg-citing” breakfast creations. It is for this reason that one Sunday morning we decided to visit Benedict’s Eggs and More in East Dundee.

The Dining Duo meet the Tyrolean Duo

On the recommendation of our friends Charles and Di (no, not those two), we headed out to the Schnitzel Platz Restaurant in Glendale Heights for an authentic German evening. Jim and Diane were really looking forward to it, since they are both of German descent.

A restaurant by any other name…

One Saturday while Jim and I were doing our usual “Randall Road errands,” we noticed a storefront named Rice Fusion Sushi. Not having a clue as to what it was, we decided to investigate.

Turn the other Chinn for a cozier seafood experience

Every so often a girl just has to have some crab or lobster. One of my favorite places when I get such a notion is Bob Chinn’s Crab House in Wheeling. However, Jim doesn’t like to be shuffled from one line to another, as if he was in Disney World, just to get a table.

Walked into Kiku for copies, stayed for dinner

Kiku Sushi and Hibachi is a small Japanese restaurant located in a strip mall. To our surprise, it was actually three restaurants in one! It has hibachi grill tables (where they cook in front of you), a sushi bar (with adjoining booths), and a section for “kitchen entrees” (with tables and chairs).

Caution…fire in the hole!

There are a lot of Mexican restaurants around, but sadly, too few of them have both excellent food and authentic atmosphere. El Meson in Schaumburg is an exception to the rule.

Yippee-ki-oh-ki-steak!

Nothing says Father’s Day like cowboys and steak. We visited Donley’s Old West Steakhouse in Union with our own Wild West expert, Dr. Jim and his wife. He provided us with interesting historical snippets throughout the evening.