North Shore Food Options

-Grubbing in Chicagoland
Food (and a beach) along the North Shore 

July is almost over and with it so is the summer. That said you still have all of August to inhale as much warm weather while soaking up as much sun as you can. Chicago in the summer is second to none but sometimes I like to escape the crowds and head up the lake into the North Shore. Riding Sheridan Road up into Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Fort Sheridan, Lake Forest, and Lake Bluff is one of the nicest drives (or bike rides) in Illinois. I head up that way semi regularly in the summer to visit my favorite public beach in the Chicagoland area. A relatively unknown spot where there’s free street parking (limited), soft sand and the water is clear. Elmwood Dunes is an acre of lakefront property that had been fenced off and closed to the public for decades. During that time the dunes had become overgrown with trees and shrubs and then in 2015 they decided to fix up the eyesore and restore the area and with it open a public beach. While it isn’t that big and it does come with a weird swimming rule it just might be the best public (non paying) beach in the Chicagoland area. Sometimes I’ll go as far north as Zion to visit Illinois Beach State Park which can be nice when the crowds aren't large (avoid on holidays) but I digress. Todays post is exclusively a collection of food stops from the North Shore which I’ve always considered to be just the suburbs north of Chicago that touch the lake from Evanston to Lake Bluff. It’s a peaceful place but it’s also vanilla when it comes to options for food and fun. That said there’s still spots worth a stop should you need to eat before or after you beach. Just don’t expect them to be life changing. 

Elmwood Dunes (Wilmette)
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Buck Russell's Sandwich Shop (Wilmette)

We'll start in Wilmette since that's where Elmwood Dunes resides. Having attended Loyola Academy for a couple years I'm familiar with the area and it's old school spots like Chuck Wagon and Dairy Queen and also the place where we'll end this post. But first up is a newish sandwich shop owned by Ballyhoo Hospitality. They run eight places situated in Lincoln Park or Wilmette plus one in Lakeview. Buck Russell's is their daytime sandwich spot that's connected to an ice cream shop and bakery. They fixed up the space to feel like an old school diner and they offer both hot and cold sandwiches. Some of them are more traditional like a meatball melt and others are a little more unique like the "Smilin' Guy" with Turkey, Tavern Ham, Hot Soppressata, Muenster, Lettuce, Tomato, Giardiniera on your choice of white or wheat. I liked the combination of ingredients but the bread is Subway soft. 

The Smilin' Guy at Buck Russell's
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Noon O Kabab (Highwood)

Albany Park's Noon O Kabab recently expanded to the suburbs with the people of Highwood being the winners of a new location. It's already very popular as evidenced by my visit a couple weeks ago. Diners order at the counter and are given a number for the food runner to find you. The menu seems to be pretty much the same as the city location with the prices being a dollar or two more. I always get the Koubideh Kabab with beef which comes with your choice of rice (white or dill), grilled tomatoes, raw onion, pita, hot sauce. All smelled well upon it's arrival and it pretty much was with the rice being as fluffy as it is in the city however only one side of the kabab seemed to be charred properly giving it a bit of an off putting texture in that it was wet as it seemed to be held. It did come out pretty fast.  

Koubideh Kabab at Noon O Kabab
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The Left Bank (Lake Forest)

Our next stop seems a little out of place in the swanky downtown district of Lake Forest but it's been a part of the community going back to 1963. I bet the area was a bit different back then. The Left Bank is known for their hot dogs and Sloppy Joe's and just being an inexpensive option in an expensive area. I'd never been there until just recently so I had to go with their chili cheese dog and the ‘Not So Sloppy Joe’ both of which seem to be among their most popular offerings. They use a non Vienna Beef brand that's skinless and made with pork among other things. I don't mind these as much on a chili cheese dog bc the chili and cheese add as much to the part as the hot dog itself. The chili sauce is a tasty bean free version, as it should be. The not so Sloppy Joe is a hollowed out roll stuffed with a ground beef mixture with the option of onions and cheese to go with it. I liked the idea but the roll was rather cold making the sandwich that too. 

Lunch at The Left Bank 
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Tacos El Norte (Lake Bluff)

Lake Bluff is another suburb with a very nice beach except it cost money to enter and that just doesn't feel right so I don't go there. But I do like to stop at Tacos El Norte if I'm in the area. They seem to have a few locations in Lake County though the menu seems to vary by location. This one shares a building with a Panera Bread which seems to be busy during lunch while Tacos El Norte brings in the crowds for dinner. I've stopped here a few times for the Taco de Julio which is a seared piece of ribeye with a cheese skirt served with sautéed jalapeno and onion. An excellent specialty taco. 

Julios Taco at Tacos El Norte 
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Homer's Ice Cream (Wilmette)

For our last stop we head back to Wilmette to hit up the institution that is Homer's Ice Cream. They've been serving the area since the 1930's so if you grew up in Wilmette you've been to Homer's. You can find their excellent ice cream at other spots in the Chicagoland area but their old school cafeteria like feel is a big part part of the charm. They also serve food like burgers and gyros and fries but none of that is homemade like the ice cream is. Homer's has the best cookie and cream I've ever come across. It's loaded with fully intact Oreos and it’s extra thick and creamy. I also love their peach which is a summertime special. Usually I'll get them in hand packed pints as they supply dry ice for free allowing me to bring them home without them melting. They're a pretty good deal too at under $12 for two. One of the North Shore’s most iconic businesses, it’s always busy in the summer.

Peach Ice cream at Homer's 
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See ya next time @chibbqking 

5 More Indiana Drive-Ins

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- The Drive-Ins of Indiana

Happy National Hot Dog Day! Today's post is a collection of Indiana drive-ins I've visited in the last few years. A couple of which are known for the hyper regional Spanish dog. You can check this previous report for a history on this Northern Indiana favorite that was made popular in the area by BK Root Beer. The now defunct drive-in chain was founded in Wabash in 1941 and at one time had more than 200 locations in Indiana and Ohio. The chain is long gone but plenty of independently owned BK’s still exist in Indiana. But why the name “Spanish Dog?” Well I’ve done some digging since that last post and some say the name was coined by one of the BK founders but then you can find recipes for Spanish Hamburgers predating BK as does a 1935 article traced back to The Morning Spotlight in Hastings Nebraska that mentions Spanish hot dogs being served following a Red Cross meeting. A year later an advertisement in the Kokomo Tribune announces their arrival in Indiana. So while it’s tough to say exactly how hot dogs topped with a Sloppy Joe like sauce became known as Spanish Dogs it’s easy to trace their popularity to parts of Indiana and Ohio too. Let’s check them out.

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Dick's Drive-In (Rochester)

Even though I'd been to Rochester many times growing up, as my aunt and uncle have a lakehouse there, I didn't make my first visit to Dick's Drive-In until adulthood. They're known for the previously discussed Spanish Dog. Dick’s was originally a BK Root Beer stand when it opened in 1957. They make the best Spanish Dog I’ve come across which is all about the tomato forward sauce that’s basically the same stuff used to make a Sloppy Joe (you can find recipes for Spanish dogs online). Just don't call these chili dogs or coneys bc they’re not the same according to those that love them. The tacos are actually the most popular item on the menu. They were introduced in 1958 when the owner switched it’s name to Dicks and put his wife’s tacos on the menu. They’re made with the same sauce used on the hot dogs which in my opinion works better with lettuce, cheese and the house hot sauce on a tortilla than it does on a hot dog. It’s possible this is the oldest spot serving tacos in Indiana. So while not “authentic” by most measures they’re most certainly iconic. Not just bc of the age of the place but also bc tacos like these are now are found at other drive-ins in the area.

Spanish Dog and a Taco at Dick's Drive-In
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Jamie's B&K Drive-In (Knox)

Here's an old B&K that kept the name, now called Jamie's B&K Drive-In, located in Starke County. Spanish dogs and root beer are the big draws here and they do a pretty zippy sauce that I found to be better than most others. That's the thing with these now independent BK's across Indiana, each spot has their own Spanish sauce recipe and so just like with chili sauce it differs from place to place. 

Spanish Dog at Jamie's B&K Drive-In
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The Original Root Beer Stand (Culver)

The town of Culver is located in Marshall County about two hours from Chicago. It sits on Lake Maxinkuckee and is home to Culver Academy which is a private boarding school that's been around for a long time. The Original Root Beer Stand is their other popular venue and it's got all the looks of a classic drive-in as it sits on the lake in a postcard setting. But the good things about this place kind of end there. I had a chili dog and a double cheeseburger and neither was worth finishing. 

Hot Dog and Hamburger from The Original Root Beer Drive-In
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Tastee Top Grill (Cedar Lake)

You can find this locally loved year round stand on the outskirts of Northwest Indiana. My visit was more than five years ago but recent reviews show it's still going strong. Judging by the name it's possible this was once a Tastee Freeze but there's not much info online about the Tastee Top. They offer most all of the usual stuff you'll find at a place like this including hot dogs and burgers. The Big Tastee is their signature offering and it's a double decker served up with mustard, onion, pickles. 

Big Tastee at Tastee Freeze
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The Port Drive-In (Chesterton)

The Port is a place I've visited a few times over the years. Another aunt and uncle of mine have a place in Dune Acres and Chesterton is the closest town to their spot so I've pulled into The Port a few times over the years while visiting them. It was an old B&K Root Beer like so many other Indiana drive-ins. While the name has changed the location has been serving hot dogs and root beer since 1953. The chili cheese dogs aren't bad but what I really like from here every few years is one of their namesake 'Port Dogs' which is a Chicago style hot dog plus lettuce, peppers, and cucumbers. It's a style that was once more prevalent in Chicago than it is these days but places like Byron's still put a similar set of toppings on their hot dogs. To me they bring back memories of my childhood. Even though I never went to The Port until later in life I ate hot dogs like this as a kid so I still enjoy one now and then. Bonus points for serving up their homemade root beer in a frosted glass mug.

Hot Dogs and Root Beer at The Port Drive-In
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Previous Post: The Drive-Ins of Indiana

See ya next time @chibbqking

Eating BIG in Peoria

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- Exploring P-Town and the Surrounding Area

I've taken a handful of roadtrips over to the Peoria area the last decade or so. It's an interesting place. River towns always are. I've always felt a certain mystique with them and Peoria definitely brings that to the table. The Illinois river town is only about a 2 hour and 40 minute drive from Chicago. I think it falls in right around number eight for most populated places in the state however it has more history than most of the spots ranked ahead of it. A good place to learn of the city's history is at the Riverfront Museum which we visited a couple years back during the IHSA Basketball playoffs. Exhibits switch up but on our visit there was some truly interesting stuff including a hall totally dedicated to the IHSA and it's history as well as one dedicated to both Peoria's past and also the life of a River Rat which there were once plenty of with the Illinois river cutting right through town.

Sights from the Peoria Riverfront Museum 

(DYK that before prohibition Peoria was the country's top producer of whiskey?)

Unless you have family or some sort of outdoor weekend planned you really only need one day to get a good feel of Peoria. If you're a stand up comedy fan you probably already know that it was the childhood home of Richard Pryor who's one of the best to ever tell jokes on a stage. He has a statue in town so that's really cool and worth stopping for a snap if you're a fan. If you're into otherworldly activities the nearby Peoria State Hospital in Bartonville has a haunted past and you can feel that if you visit the area. Over in, or should I say up in, Hopewell Illinois rests a cool view of the entire area. There's all sorts of old school stuff from buildings to old relics and such found around town. So if you're a photographer you may enjoy taking the day to snap photos of this always interesting place.

Sights from Peoria

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Castle's Patio Inn

This little dive bar has been dishing out drinks in one form or the other since the end of prohibition. The current owner has had it for more than 25 years but it's the previous owner before her that made what was then known as Ray's Patio Inn to be the cheesiest place in town. It was then owner Ray who introduced free cheese spread (with crackers) back in the 60's. No one knows the origin but it's been a part of the bar ever since. These day's Castle's Patio Inn is owned by a widower who continues her husbands legacy. The cheese is so popular they make more than 4000 lbs during the holiday season. Much of it shipped out as Xmas gifts across the country to people from Peoria who miss it. I cant remember if it's still free but I don't believe it to be. But nothing is expensive in these parts. We actually visited here a handful of years ago but it's the type of spot that hasn't changed much since the Castle's took over. Thus it makes for a cool spot to stop for a beer. The cheese spread is your reward. Next time I'm in the area I plan on stopping by for some to take home.

Pub Cheese at Castle's Patio Inn 

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Kabab G

The Metro Peoria area is home to more than 8000 Lebanese-Americans. They've become a primary anchor of local business success. One form of this is in the local restaurant scene. Peoria has a handful of Lebanese options and if online reviews are to be believed they're all pretty good. I can vouch for Kabab-G which we went to a couple years ago and enjoyed both fresh fried falafel and beef shawarma cut directly from a spit. The same trip I'd seen a couple signs for local businesses and communities that were holding Kebab fundraisers and such. Like they do with brats in Wisconsin.

Falafel and Beef Shawarma at Kabab-G

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Emo's Dairy Mart

Peoria has a nice little drive-in / dairy culture. Emo's Dairy Mart is just one of a few popular Peoria summertime destinations. These places signify the start of spring for locals. Each spot has a menu item or two that people line up for while they all serve ice cream which people line up for all summer. Emo's is one we happened to be driving by. Look at this place. How could I not stop? The most popular food items at these Peoria dairy shacks seems to be hot dogs, tamales, and loose meat sandwiches. I got a loose meat from Emo's bc I wanted to see how it compared to another spot. I liked the other place better but I'll never not stop for a spot like this. We don't have them in Chicago.

Loose Meat Sandwich at Emo's Dairy Mart

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Twistee Treat

Here's an interesting piece of Fast Food Americana located in East Peoria. Twistee Treat is a corporate chain from Florida that has changed hands a few times following bankruptcy etc. The original was found in 1983 with it's signature buildings shaped in the form of an ice cream cone. The story of how one of those buildings got to East Peoria can be traced back to the original owners who opened an ice cream shop in a vacant Dairy Queen. That land was eventually sold to the state and the couple went on vacation to Florida. It was there they saw the Twistee Treat building. Since the company had gone bankrupt they purchased it for $25,000 and had it shipped to East Peoria. It came in 19 pieces according to a story I read online. They eventually sold to the current owner who has added her own touch. I tried a house special chili dog which comes with a bright tomato forward chili and relish and onions. Not my favorite chili dog ever but I loved everything else about this place.

Chili Dog at Twistee Treat

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Ernie's Dairy Dream

Here's yet another old school dairy / sandwich shack. Ernie's Dairy Dream sits in a residential part of town. I actually wrote about it in another Illinois Roadfood special I did a couple years back but I'll include it in this list too since it's in Peoria. From August of 2018. "According to an article in the PJ Star Ernie's reopened last year after a three year hiatus. Ernie's was born in South Peoria in 1959 in what was a bustling area. They had as many as 20 employees. As times changed and other businesses shut down so did Ernie's. But with it's recent rebirth I got to try one of their famous Castle Burgers which is really just a loose meat sandwich. Loose meat being exactly what it sounds like. Crumbled up ground beef served on a bun. A Sloppy Joe without the slop. Ernie's makes a good one that reminded me a bit of White Castle. It had that smooth slider taste. Dare I say it was great."

Castle Burger at Ernie's Dairy Dream 

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"The Original" Wonderdog

The "Original" Wonderdog is the premiere spot for chili dogs and tamales in East Peoria. The latter of which have a rich history in the area. There was a time when downtown Peoria would be flooded with Tamale Men. Not the Mexican kind but the Mississippi Delta variety that kind of morphed into a Chicago style hot dog stand tamale. In fact a while back I did a feature on a wonderful spot in Sparland, IL (outside Peoria) ran by a man named Willie Smith (RIP). Before him there was a guy Art Knutsen who started selling tamales from a cart back in 1932. His tamales went onto to become a local treat found at grocery stores all over town but the state shut it down. Somebody new bought the licensing and recipes and brought them back last year. They're similar to Tom-Tom and such. Now back to Wonderdog which also closed down for a while when it was known as the Velvet Freeze. The owners who supplied the Freeze with the meat for their chili dogs took over the space and switched it up by adding some menu items. But the chili dogs and the tamales are staples of the spaces past.

Chili Dog and Tamale and The Original Wonderdog 

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B's Drive-Inn (Farmington, IL)

About 30 minutes west of Peoria lies the small farm town of Farmington, IL. This spot is one of 100+ places I have listed on a Google Maps of Roadfood in Illinois. So we made our way over a couple summers ago. B's Drive-Inn is the most Central Illinois dining destination I've ever been. I'm not even exactly sure what I mean by that but if you ever need to shoot some film in the most Midwest of farm town looking places possible this is it. Not just the restaurant itself but the surrounding area too. There's very little on the history of B's but it's an old school spot housed in what feels like the middle of nowhere or maybe the middle of a corn field. That said I'm sure B's is the place to be for Farmington teens and such. Online reviews rave about the breaded pork tenderloin which is very popular in these parts. The BPT is often mentioned with Iowa and Indiana but it's also very big in Central Illinois and parts of Missouri. B's serves a real homemade tenderloin and not a fritter. So I was interested in trying it even though the peak for one of these can only go so high. Everything about B's was looking good but the seasoning was lacking. As you can see below this one pops way out of the bun but it's more so a big rectangle than a big circle. There's mustard, onion, pickles on there but bc the breading wasn't seasoned it was pretty damn plain. Very good lemon soft serve though.

BPT at B's Drive-Inn

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Susie's Hot Dogs (Morton, IL)

Some biz down in Delavan last year allowed me to hunt down an elusive white whale on the Illinois roadfood trail. Susie’s is a small little shack that’s been slanging chili dogs for the last 32 years in Morton - pumpkin capitol of the world here in Central Illinois. The Peoria area has quite a few old time chili dog vendors but Susie’s keeps very limited hours (Mon-Sat 11-2) so I’d never had a chance to check them out until now. Everything includes chili, mustard, onion and they’re small enough to where people eat a few. Of course I had to have a taco too which is made with the chili. Fun little stop, literally. There’s enough room for maybe 8 customers inside. Line was out the door as we left.

Menu, Taco, Hot Dog at Susie's Hot Dogs 

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Burger Barge 

Peoria is a river town which means there's more than a few spots to enjoy food and booze down by the river. Burger Barge is one of the most popular spots to do so. They have a nice setup and it has the feels of some random bar on the Floribama Coast or somewhere. So if that's your scene you will feel at home over here. I wish I could say something good about the burgers but they weren't anything special by any means. No idea why they have a reputation for such but I'd stick with the High Lifes.

Cheeseburger at Burger Barge 

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 Pottstown Meat and Deli 

I've always enjoyed checking out mom and pop type butcher shops across the Midwest. Pottstown Meat and Deli is a good one. It's been a local family meat business for more than 100 years. Much of their beef comes from Kilgus Farms in Fairbury, IL and all the chicken is locally raised. Both of those are worth grabbing as is some of their sausage. They must have over 50 varieties on offer. One that I really like is their breakfast sausage links. Bring a cooler bc you can stock up the entire fridge here.

Sights from Pottstown Meats and Deli

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See ya next time @chibbqking