Loneth Soares isn't just the manager of Springfield's only Indian restaurant. She feels somewhat like an ambassador for the country. Since opening Gateway to India in 2001, she has learned that part]]> Cecil's Bar and Grill is, as its name suggests, a neighborhood bar that serves basic food: burgers, appetizers, pizza. Like many similar establishments that serve a dual purpose, it offers cust]]> Is there any better way to enjoy the warm-weather months than to dine in the open air? Food just seems to taste better when it's served outdoors in the sunshine. At one time, the choices for ou]]> Does your typical noontime meal consist of a burger grabbed from a drive-thru window or a boring sandwich eaten at your desk? If so, it's time to try one of the many great places around town. H]]> June is Dairy Month, an annual tradition that promotes the dairy industry and its many contributions to society. OK, besides giving us ice cream, milkshakes, and assorted oth]]> Untitled Document I grew up in the 1970s, also known as the “good old days,” when eating in a restaurant was a special event, like going to the circus. Fancy restaura]]> For many of us, a cup of coffee is the perfect way to start the day. But now, particularly in the summer months, that jolt of java may be poured over ice, mixed with soy milk and hazelnut syrup, and t]]> When the April days grow warmer and trees begin bursting with buds, the phone at the Main Street Tap in Beardstown starts ringing. "Everybody's getting itchy," says Donnie Herter, owner of the bar. No]]> Don't visit Bentoh's expecting the food to fall into a simple category. Bentoh's offers sushi but isn't a sushi bar. It offers Japanese bentos--which consist of meat and vegetables served over rice an]]> Untitled Document Two weeks ago, a few thousand people lined up in a Columbia, S.C., parking garage for dinner. They wanted some of Lucius Moultrie’s fried whiting, despite]]> Springfield offers dozens of places to grab a bite — from hot dogs on a stick to Eurasian bistros. Sure, we have all your favorite chain restaurants, but there are plenty of places t]]> Whether we travel or stay at home, this week is the busiest week of the year — for one meal. We scurry through airports, plow through interstates and push our way through supermarket aisles, jus]]> I embarrassed my husband at a restaurant recently. It wasn’t the first time, and it probably won’t be the last. After the server described the appetizer special, I interrupted hi]]> Untitled Document For many years I considered myself a member of the ranks of the eggplant-challenged. Unlike the rest of the denizens of the summer garden patch, this weird]]> When Christmas came to town, there were a few things I could count on: Santa (I kept the fantasy going until I was 10), Fritos in my stocking, and my father’s private stash of chocolate-chip coo]]> Untitled Document This is a story about mush. As a kid up north, where breakfast was two eggs any style, toast, and hash browns, I knew little about mush (unless you count ]]> Untitled Document I’m always a little slow waking up to the holidays. If it weren’t for Rudolph, Cindy Lou Who, and Winter Warlock, my cartoon friends]]> Untitled Document As a kid from up North, I have long held a romantic notion that if you grew up in the South, you spent your summers sitting under a willowy tree wi]]> From now until Labor Day, there's no better way to enjoy the warm days of summer than an outdoor meal. Firing up the grill for an outdoor barbecue is one of America's favorite pastimes. The aro]]> Sometimes food, like life, should follow this motto: The simpler, the better. And in the summertime, a grilled hamburger, milkshake, and seat at an outdoor picnic table may be all that's requir]]>