111658 Fri Oct 25 07:19:07 -0700 2002 10 7 Chicago Area 0 605061 Okay, I am going to see the Bears repeatedly in November and December (seemed like a good idea at the time) and I would like some chow suggestions. thanks in advance, d Fri Oct 25 07:19:07 -0700 2002 0 dickson d 1 605070 After living in Champaign-Urbana for 10 (!!!) years, here's some of my recs: Apple Dumpling (2014 High Cross Road in Urbana): Homey country cooking, it's one of those places that make only 3 things for dinner like chicken fried steak, beef and noodles, swiss steak, or fried chicken. I don't know what they serve on Saturdays, since I only went on Thursdays (chicken fried steak night). On Sunday they have a buffet from 11-3, I remember there was a big pile of liver on it. Esquire (106 N. Walnut) bar in downtown Champaign, throw peanut shells on the floor, good bar food Jupiters (39 E. Main) also in downtown Champaign, suprisingly good thin crust pizza Embassy Lounge (114 S. Race) Bar in downtown Urbana, best burgers I've had there. Good grilled wings, good chicken teriyaki sandwich. The Sea Boat (1114 N. Market) This borders on one of the few "bad" neighborhoods in Champaign, but they serve a big yummy fried fish sandwich. I don't remember if you can eat there. I bet this one won't be crowded on game day, either. Fri Oct 25 10:50:31 -0700 2002 605061 0 grace 2 605089 courier cafe: imo, one of the BEST salad bars in town. located down the street from the esquire in downtown urbana, this is a great little gem that many of the students never venture far enough off campus to discover. thankfully, i discovered it towards the end of my freshman year & went repeatedly when the p's would visit. also worked as a hostess, and then a server, for a brief period of time towards the end of my college career. all around american fare: burgers, sandwiches, hand-dipped milkshakes, phosphates and ny egg creme sodas; incredibly homemade soups (cream of potato still ranks as my fave) and bakery items, to name a few specialties. the "fine dining", sister restaurant down the street, silvercreek, houses the bakery that makes all the breads & things fresh daily. alan would be proud ;) oh yes, and the skinny dippers - their take on the potato skin - are GREAT! Fri Oct 25 15:15:37 -0700 2002 605070 0 miss ellen 3 605094 Is Courier Cafe what used to be known many years ago as "The Champaign Food & Beverage COmpany"? I lived down there in '77 - 78, and this place was relatively new. It was across from the now - closed Robeson's Department Store (which had it's own little lunch counter IIRC....). Fri Oct 25 15:42:28 -0700 2002 605089 0 GEM 4 605102 No, the Courier is in Urbana. The place you're thinking of is a Thai place last time I was in Champaign. Fri Oct 25 18:11:01 -0700 2002 605094 0 gmonigold 1 605074 There's some recs on the Midwest Board, you might do a find for Champaign and finds something. I remember one on a Thai place that seemed interesting. Fri Oct 25 11:47:51 -0700 2002 605061 0 Jim S. 2 605077 one poster who I remember posting on champaign is Adam Stephanides you could also look for that name. Fri Oct 25 12:42:14 -0700 2002 605074 0 zim 3 605144 Yeah, I've posted a bunch of recommendations on the Midwest board, but here's a short list: Bo Bo China, on Green St. between Fourth and Fifth in Urbana. Inconsistent, but at its best serves food worthy of Chicago or New York's Chinatowns. Go with individual dishes rather than the buffet; I've posted specific recs on the Midwest board (it used to be called Yen Jing, and some of the recs are under that name). Really, this is about the only place I regularly go to when I eat out in C-U these days; but if you want something with more ambience, try Bacaro, at 113 N. Walnut St. in downtown Champaign. It's Italian; stick to simple things like bruschettas and crostinis (I think that's what they call them). Non-restaurant chow stuff: Ruben's Chocolates, on Church St. between Neil and Randolph in downtown Champaign. I've raved about this before; it seems to be somewhat inconsistent nowadays, but at its best it can still stand comparison to nearly all the premium chocolates I've tried. On the subject of chocolate, stop by the Walnut Street Tea Co. (115 S. Walnut in downtown Champaign) and pick up a few bars of Chocolove chocolate. Yeah, the name is stupid, but these are the best "mass-marketed" chocolate bars I've had (including Valrhona, Cote d'Or, etc.). Sun Oct 27 11:25:54 -0800 2002 605077 0 Adam Stephanides 2 605090 i can think of a couple thai places of interest: - the thai eatery at the campus ymca (wright street). it's open for lunch only, and has a very limited number of dishes, but i've never had a bad meal there. cafeteria-style. - nataya (i think that's how it's spelled) in downtown champaign, i had my graduation dinner there. good noodles. continuing on the asian tip, peking garden, also in downtown champaign, has an exhausting menu and a drink list to die for. non-thai things i love down there: - radio maria has a wonderful brunch, some good fusion dishes, and an evolving menu. - jarling's custard cup, in south champaign near memorial stadium, makes "blizzards" out of great, rich custard. they offer a huge selection of stuff to mix in, including some unusual treats. - the only deep dish pizza in town is at papa del's, they do half priced slices after 3pm. for a midnight snack, gumby's makes some good pokey sticks, seasoned breadsticks with cheese (be warned: their pizza's pretty bad). - ellen mentioned courier cafe, i love their tofu marinade at the salad bar. they also do phosphates. i have a more extensive list of places to check out that i sent to a friend who recently started grad school down there, if anyone is interested (or wants directions to any of the above places), email me. Fri Oct 25 15:29:23 -0700 2002 605074 0 j3s 1 605107 My favorite place down there is "Po Boys", a classic BBQ place. However, when I was down there it was only open on Fri and sat nights, but that may have changed. It is a bit off the beaten track, but well worth the effort. They serve BBQ beef (my favorite, but it is all good); bbq pork; ribs and links. In a word, the "q" is incredible and better then anything I have had in Chicago (although I just tried Fat Willie's and it is pretty good, but no Po Boys). A meal there is probably worth the drive in its own right (a comforting thought given the Bears dissapointing prospects this season). Fri Oct 25 20:48:15 -0700 2002 605061 0 Doug 2 607215 Fat Willie's is mediocre and the people that run it are completely disorganized. They seem to think that opening on time is optional, and both times I have tried to go there after they supposedly open at 11:00 (I go about 11:30) they have been closed although the door is open and their answering machine says they open at 11:00. They are rude about it too, like I have some nerve coming in their restaurant when they aren't ready for me. There are so many places to eat in Chicago that there is just no point in eating somewhere where there is a lack of customer service. I thought I'd give it a couple of tries because they are in my neighborhood, but it's not worth it. Does anyone have a recommendation for where I can go to get some good barbecue? Mon Dec 23 13:20:52 -0800 2002 605107 0 allegra