Penny Zimmerman-Wills

One step inside Café Brio and you’ll quickly get an idea of what kind of food is served there. The bold colors of gold, green, and orange-red are used on everything from the walls to the menus. Even the complimentary tortilla chips made daily come in shades of orange and purple. So it’s evident this […]

Since I began writing this column a year ago, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and talking with many restaurant owners, cooks, and food professionals. What I have noticed more than anything is that these people have one thing in common — unrelenting passion. To be a success in the food industry, like many other […]

Two local restaurants are blending food and art to creative an appetizing atmosphere for the senses. “I just love the arts,” says chef Augie Mrozowski, owner of Augie’s Front Burner. Evidence of his appreciation for art can be seen throughout his downtown restaurant — from the life-size portraits of nude woman by the front door, […]

Cinco de Mayo is the Mexican holiday celebrating Mexico’s victory over an invading French army in 1862. It’s also the name of a new Mexican restaurant that does an honorable job of celebrating authentic Mexican cuisine. The restaurant opened in August in space formerly occupied by Reflections at the Travelodge on the city’s south side. […]

A tip before you order at Mariah’s: Try something served with the homemade red sauce, a house specialty. The flavorful tomato sauce, which is rich with herbs, spices and onion, is light in texture and tastes like it just came off your stove at home after simmering for several hours. Mariah’s restaurant opened this fall […]

No matter the season, the soup’s always on at the Feed Store. For nearly three decades, the restaurant has been serving up bowls of mushroom bisque and Wisconsin cheese soup for lunchtime crowds. The restaurant keeps it simple: soup, sandwiches, and desserts. Many of the sandwich options are standard fare, such as turkey, ham, and […]

Chef and caterer Dave Linn won’t be eating traditional turkey and trimmings this Thanksgiving. It’s not because he dislikes the bird. It’s just that after preparing approximately 50 complete turkey dinners for customers — each featuring a 12-pound roasted bird with all the trimmings, he’s looking forward to a nice pot roast prepared by his […]

The New England Lobster House may be a long way from the East Coast, but it’s been proving for more than 20 years that tasty seafood does exist in central Illinois. Owner Cathy Sims Norgaard says customers, especially out-of-towners, are always surprised at the quality of the restaurant’s seafood selections. “I’ve had people from Maryland, […]

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 of her job is educating new customers about Indian food and answering their many questions. And if they order something they’re not pleased […]

When Capisce? Ristorante Italiano opened its doors in May, it already enjoyed a built-in advantage: a panoramic view of Springfield no area restaurant could match. Even its manager acknowledges the restaurant’s prime location on the 30th floor on the Hilton Springfield draws customers who may be unfamiliar with its eclectic, authentic Italian menu. “The view […]

Sometimes life just isn’t fair. It’s ironic, for example, that the best coconut cream pie I’ve ever tasted happens to be located at the end of a four-mile exercise trail in Rochester. I first discovered the Lost Bridge Café because of its location on Route 29 near the Lost Bridge Trail, connecting Springfield to Rochester. […]

Becoming a chef changed Sean Keeley’s perception of the pumpkin. Most people think of the orange, round member of the gourd family as something to carve as a Halloween decoration. Its meaty interior is usually only considered as a main ingredient for pumpkin pie. Even then, the pumpkin filling is usually purchased in cans. Who […]