For most of the past two decades Illinois Times has asked readers what
they like most about Springfield. And each year hundreds of you are more than
eager to tell us.
This year is no different. About 500 of you filled out our ballots and told
us about your favorite places, people, and things to do. You reminded us there’s
a lot about Springfield to like, no matter who you are and what part of town
you’re from.
For many reasons, some of them having to do with exciting changes taking place
at Illinois Times, we’re presenting our Best of Springfield in a different
way this year.
First, we’re printing our Best of Springfield in two parts. In this issue,
you’ll see our winners for Food & Drink and Nights Out categories. These
include all the restaurant and entertainment picks, with a few others thrown
in.
Second, we’re reserving the rest of our Best of Springfield winners–all the
people, shops and services, recreational activities, and others–for our September
19 issue. It will be an issue that will mark a new era for Illinois Times.
What better way to mark it than to praise some of the people who make Springfield
worthwhile for the rest of us? In that issue we will also print a list of the
winners in Part I as well as list our all-time Best of Springfield Hall of Fame
winners.
Best of Springfield writers include Traci Moyer, Janeen Burkholder, Pete Sherman,
Tom Teague, Daymon Kiliman, Job Conger, Dusty Rhodes and Mikel Weisser. Unless
otherwise noted, all photographs are by Nick Steinkamp.
Best place to shoot pool
Starship Billiards
Parlor
2301 Adalai Stevenson Drive, 585-8888
Beam down the Trekkies, this place is a lot more than just a pool hall. Behind
those big bright billiard balls that beckon drivers on Stevenson, Starship stands
for tavern-time fun of all sorts, including an oldies-heavy jukebox, multiple
TVs, some serious dart action, pinball, foosball, and ping-pong. That’s in addition
to the fifteen pool tables that dominate the L-shaped space.
There’s league play, but the place is certainly big enough to accommodate the
casual player as well. With the layout split between the two arms of the “L,”
all the tables have a personal feel, so you never get that “lost in a warehouse”
feeling you get in some larger poolhalls. The sense of spacious public privacy
is even more pleasant when it comes to dining. Because seating is scattered
throughout the building, every table is private. The full-service menu includes
chicken-wing and pizza variations, and tends toward cute meal monikers such
as Vulcan Buffalo Salad and Chekov’s Mushrooms. The cozy corner bar is crammed
with life-size cardboard cutouts of characters from Kirk to Klingons. Pitchers
$5.75, tables $2 per hour per person. (MW)
Best place to bowl
Strike ‘N Spare West
2660 W. Lawrence Avenue, 787-6111
Is there a more satisfying sound than the calamitous crash of a perfectly rolled
strike? Find out by trying your skills at this year’s best place to bowl. Strike
‘N Spare West offers plenty of fun for the recreational and competitive player
alike.
During your game, grab a snack from the grill, serving hamburgers, hot dogs,
pizza, and appetizers. For the kids, ask an attendant to install bumpers in
your lane so gutter balls won’t discourage the little ones from going pro someday.
Adults may order drinks from the in-house bar, Sluggo’s. Visit Sluggo’s after
the game to recount your victories, coyly excuse your lack of luck, or to enjoy
a big screen television and other entertainment.
For the competitive bowler, sign up for one of the many affordable leagues,
and visit the shop for all your bowling needs.
Bowl unlimited games every Sunday this summer for only $7 per person, and get
a discount on snacks and shoe rentals. Evening weekday games are $3 each plus
$2.50 for shoe rental ($1.80 for kids). Before 3:00 p.m., games are $2 each.
Come between 3 and 5 p.m. and bowl for just 99 cents a game.
All this makes Strike ‘N Spare West the perfect place to hear that crash. (DK)
Best downtown event
Old Capitol Art Fair
This was a deliberately broad category. Voters could have gone for a parade,
the Veterans Day ceremonies at the capitol, or even the departure of Denver.
Their winner was middle-of-the-road, but worthy. At forty-one, the Old Capitol
Art Fair is one of downtown’s oldest ongoing cultural events. It’s also probably
the best attended. But since there’s no admission fee, it’s hard to tell. Each
year up to 200 artists from seventeen states–winners of a juried competition–show
their work in booths around the Old State Capitol. Local artist Bill Crook,
who has shown at the fair for twenty-five years, attributes its success to the
volunteers who run it.
“They make the artists feel comfortable,” Crook said. “They work really hard.
They throw a good party.”
Unlike many other events, the Old Capitol Art Fair also has year-around impact.
Part of its profits have gone to build a civic art collection. This is on display
at the county building, Municipal Building West, and Lincoln Library. (TT)
Best festival
Ethnic Festival
State Fairgrounds
Even though the Cajuns, Celts, and Germans dropped out last year, the Ethnic
Festival remains an area favorite. It started in Sherman in 1974 at St. John
Vianney’s Parish, another brainchild of Father Peter Mascari. Popularity drove
it in 1980 to the Ethnic Village on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. There it
remains. For people who attend the State Fair as well, it’s a welcome change
of pace. The crowds are smaller. The temperature is at least ten degrees cooler.
You always see many people you know. It’s more like a neighborhood gathering
than a fair. Festival organizers attribute its decline last year to the aging
out of volunteers who ran the booths. They hope new blood will start flowing
soon. It’s a tasty tradition worth continuing. (TT)
Best beer selection
Brewhaus
617 E. Washington Street, 525-6399
Brewhaus is apparently unbeatable when it comes to beer selection.
Winning acclamations from BOS voters for years, Brewhaus continues to impress
local lovers of this ancient nectar with more than 250 different brews. Three
Belgian beers are very popular–Chimay Ale, Delirium Tremons, and Duvel–along
with USA’s Flying Dog. Don’t stop there, though. Ask for a beer list so you
don’t miss out on beers from Canada, England, the Czech Republic, the Philipines,
and more.
The list also includes convenient check boxes so you can mark your progress
through famous brews from all over the world. It will take months of sipping
devotion to finish the list, but perseverance never tasted so good. (DK)
Best bar decor
11 West
11 W. 4th Street, 527-9911
11 West’s modest exterior belies its classy and comfortable dÂŽcor. A glass
entryway leads to two adjoining rooms with distinct decorating schemes, separated
by large windows.
At the left, the large bar glows with soft, blue light. Similarly blue-tinted
track lights cast a soothing radiance on plush couches and candle-lit coffee
tables. The walls are painted in dark colors to maintain the sedate mood.
At the right, the color scheme is primarily deep reds and white. Two sloped
half-walls, one draped in red and the other white fabric, flow around vinyl
booths that easily sit large parties. Plenty of sturdy wood and metal tables
populate the center of the room without feeling crowded.
You’ll notice that 11 West is refreshingly devoid of mirrored and neon beer
signs, opting instead for colorful art prints. The high, warehouse-style ceilings
further lend to the relaxed, open atmosphere. Lastly, the floor to ceiling windows
at the front of the bar provide a scenic view of the majestic Old State Capitol.
Dress up, casually sip one of its specialized martinis, listen to soft jazz
over the crisp sound system, and entertain friends in a bar intent on eye-catching
details. (DK)
Best beer garden
Boone’s Saloon
301 W. Edwards Street, 544-2748
Tucked behind this popular lunch spot you may not even have noticed the beer
garden at Boone’s, and inside it you will forget you’re in the city. Surrounded
by a wooden privacy fence, there is an open area shaded by several trees, transforming
it into a backyard-like haven. There’s also an area that’s covered by an awning
with overhead fans. Several large tables easily accommodate groups of six or
more, making it a frequent choice for office workers seeking a lunch respite
or an after-work attitude adjustment. There also are a few smaller tables for
more intimate get-togethers. Our visit–around 7 p.m.–on a Saturday found the
garden devoid of other patrons. Fine with us–a quiet moment was what we were
seeking. But we were told the action picks up around 10 p.m. for those seeking
interaction. In the evenings, Boone’s does not serve food, but it was dishing
up karaoke inside, with music from a local radio station in the beer garden.
(JB)
Best place to take an out-of-town guest
Jazz Central Station
Top of the Hilton, 789-1530
If you are looking for someplace to take visiting friends or relatives, Jazz
Central Station is the place to be. Located on the thirtieth floor of the Hilton,
it offers a spectacular view, refreshments, and live entertainment on Friday
and Saturday nights.
Local jazz musicians around Springfield gather at the lounge to create jazz
at its best with instrumental diversity and raw musical talent. (DK)
Best place for adult birthday party and Best bar stool
Top of the
Hilton
The best place to celebrate an adult birthday and the best barstools in town,
IT readers say, is the Hilton. With a nearly thirty-year history in Springfield
(it opened in 1973, was renovated in 1997, and is undergoing another renovation)
the Hilton is locally owned, and delivers the same quality its name is synonymous
for worldwide. Undoubtedly, our Hilton is popular because the thirty-floor rise
offers a panoramic view of the city. The hotel’s two restaurants, Gumbo Ya Ya’s
and The Manhattan Grill Room, and two bars, Jazz Central Station (featuring
thirty variations on the classic martini) and Merkle’s sports bar with twenty
televisions and video games, provide plenty of choices for guests.
Jazz Central Station, particularly on Friday and Saturday when Springfield’s
best jazz and blues artists perform, boasts some of the most unique barstools
we’ve seen. There’s only ten of them, each shaped like Conga drums, upholstored
in a leopard, or is it ocelot skin-patterned fabric. We think IT readers
voted for them more for the view that can be seen perched upon one, rather than
for their comfort.
For birthdays and special celebrations, we found a couple of packages online.
The Gumbo Ya Ya’s Getaway ($199) includes dinner for two at Gumbo Ya Ya’s on
the thirtieth floor and a basket full of goodies (jazz CD, bottle of German
Riesling, assorted relaxation teas, German chocolate mints, truffles, and salsa
with chips and red beans and rice). The Hearts of Fire Package ($149-$175) also
includes a gift basket (a Mozart chocolate heart box, two delightful truffles,
a rose chocolate sucker, Italian cookies, passion drops, Freiferet Brut champagne,
pleasure bath bubbles, and gold leaf bath salts).
Both packages include a room with a view and breakfast the next morning in
the Manhattan Grill Room. There’s also the Magical History tour ($94), which
includes two trolly tickets for a historical sites tour and a two-for-one dinner
at Gumbo Ya Ya’s.
The renovation the Hilton is undergoing right now has been behind the scenes–elevator
upgrades, etc. However, IT has it on “top” authority that the Hilton,
including its bars and restaurants, will be undergoing a much more visual renovation
soon. If you like Ya Ya’s or Merkle’s or the Grill Room, go now before it undergoes
a change. (JB)
Best 3 a.m. bar
Gilligan’s
2690 S. Dirksen Parkway, 528-1977
Not ready for your evening to end at 1 a.m.? Gilligan’s has plenty to keep
you going until the early morning hours on Friday and Saturday.
The dance floor stays hopping as a DJ spins all your favorites on the thunderous
sound system. For brave souls, jump into Gilligan’s dancing cage and fulfill
a fantasy–or call a bet.
When you’re ready to take a break from grooving, swagger over to the bar for
drink specials or a favorite cocktail. Then, enjoy a rousing game of pool or
try some digitized entertainment at one of the video games.
With a very spacious, exceedingly clean, and fun atmosphere, Gilligan’s gives
you every reason to stay up way past your bedtime. (DK)
Best acoustics
Sangamon Auditorium
University of Illinois at Springfield
Auditorium director John Dale Kennedy credits the architects who designed a
sound enhancement package into Sangamon Auditorium for its popularity with Springfield-area
audiences. He also notes that expectations are a factor. “People bring their
biases to the auditorium. What they consider important may or may not mesh with
what they hear here.”
“Sometimes we have to go outside our own equipment to provide additional capability
required by visiting performers. This allows us to stay on top of the latest
technology without buying it and installing it,” Kennedy said. The fan-shaped
auditorium was designed for multi-purpose use rather than specifically as a
symphony hall–an oblong box–for acoustic music. “The audience is a lot closer
here than at other halls,” according to Kennedy.
Acoustic banners draped in front of a wall at Sangamon Auditorium stop reverberations,
which can muddle performances. “With acoustic sounds you want the reverb. For
spoken word, you want the banners to hold the sound, to avoid reverb,” Kennedy
said.
The balcony and mezzanine floors are not attached to the walls other than
by the cantilever beams that support them. This allows sound to come into those
areas from behind and the sides. Cell phones are not allowed in the auditorium.
Vibrating pagers are loaned to those who require them so that beeps don’t interrupt
the show. That policy in itself may be why so many respondents rated Sangamon
Auditorium a class act. (JC)
Best bar for conversations
George Rank’s
Cocktails
1800 S. 6th Street, 753-1821
Hear that? It’s not loud music or a big-screen television pumping sound all
over. It’s people talking in a hometown bar like they used to.
George Rank’s Cocktails invites you to claim a stool at the bar and converse
with regulars, or catch-up with friends at one of the many cozy tables.
Good drinks, smiling servers, friendly atmosphere, and
pleasantly devoid of distractions, George Rank’s remembers the simple recipe
for a good time. (DK)
Best band that plays its own music
Mugshot
Josh Catalano, lead vocals and rhythm guitar
Pat Miller, drums
Jeff O’Hara, bass
Mike Taft, lead guitar
Since they are working most every night each weekend, you could probably catch
Mugshot at almost any of Springfield’s nighttime venues. If all else fails you
can always find them at Bread Stretchers. Either location. With Josh and Pat
manning the Monroe shop and Jeff and Mike at the Stevenson store, it was perhaps
inevitable that the sandwich shop once famous for live music eventually would
spawn its own band. And what a band! Expect flawless musicianship, solid songwriting,
a knack for invention, and an ear for detail. Expect Southern-fried roots rock
with occasional ballads punctuated by violin solos, dobro, slide guitar, and
a “hook-y” drawl. Think alternative country, think Uncle Tupelo with better
voices and .38 Special with brains. Think WOW. All second-generation local musicians,
in just two years Mugshot has generated a strong following and reputation for
making great music. Their new album, out this fall, produced by Springfield
sound legend Rick Major, promises to take its savvy sound to a wider public.
Meanwhile just look in IT for the band’s next show. Or, if you feel like
grabbing a bite… (MW)
Best cover band
The Last Chance Blues Band
The story of the Last Chance Blues Band really begins when Peter Glatz installed
a walnut bar in the barn of his newly-purchased farmhouse property. Peter hired
a blues band to celebrate the opening of his personal bar with friends and family.
The evening went well, and the space was so perfect for a band that Peter thought
it might be fun to, “start a little, grown-up garage band.”
He culled the first musicians from friends, and then they gained new ones from
word-of-mouth. Now, they’re nine members strong: Peter Glatz on harmonica, Bob
Kane on lead guitar, Sherman Elliott plays keyboards, Eddy Eden on bass, Ed
Selinger behind the drums, Ed Dunn plays saxophone, Gary Halford on rhythm guitar,
and Kevin Hockings sings.
After playing at some outdoor parties, word got around that audiences responded
very enthusiastically to their blues-rock covers, especially renditions of Rolling
Stones songs. Now, fans all over recognize the band’s ability to work the audience
and get people dancing.
If this is their last chance at boyhood fantasies of a successful garage band,
they’ve certainly made the best of it. (DK)
Best blues artist
Reggie Britton of Black
Magic Johnson
Springfield native Reggie Britton has been part of the local blues scene since
1990. He first played with the legendary Eddie Snow and then Oysters Rockefeller.
But until two years ago when he started his own duo, Black Magic Johnson, few
people knew how well he could sing. They just thought he was a talented drummer.
“Ed Snow kept trying to get me to sing when I played with him,” Britton said.
“But singing was never my forte. He said you will grow if you keep doing it.
After I’d been with Oysters awhile, I met Ed on the street one day. He said,
‘I’m getting too old. I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to do this.
You gotta take the torch and keep running.'”
Britton took the counsel to heart. In Black Magic Johnson, he growls out the
Delta blues with newfound power and aggression. The spare arrangements, with
him on percussion and Raoul Everyman on guitar or dobro, only add to this power.
You can hear them every Wednesday at Floyd’s Thirst Parlor, 212 S. 5th.
And yes, although Britton won’t say so directly, there
could be a sexual innuendo in the band’s name. (TT)
Best DJ
Audio Effects by Mike Greer
498-9559
With seventeen years of experience as a full-time DJ, Mike Greer knows how
to get people on the dance floor and keep them there. He’ll gladly honor requests,
but he works hard to “read the crowd” so everyone’s too busy dancing up a storm
to stroll over to the DJ booth. He tailors his mix with the latest tunes and
traditional party favorites.
Mike combines his love for leading parties with a professional attitude. This
makes him not only a great DJ to party with, but also a reliable entertainer
for hire. In 1984, he started a DJ service called Audio Effects. He has the
music, equipment, and eight other professional DJs to cover any event: wedding
receptions, high school proms, large conventions, etc. These parties are memorable
events for his clients, so he performs well and works closely with the event’s
organizers.
Experience, expertise, professionalism, and fun make Mike Greer this year’s
best DJ. You can catch him performing at Gilligan’s on Friday and Saturday nights.
(DK)
Best male singer
Tom Irwin
IT readers love Tom Irwin, both for his weekly column in Illinois
Times giving us the skinny on the local music scene and for his contribution
to it. He’s been performing all over Central Illinois and touring the United
States, including gigs with his hero Willie Nelson. Tom’s and melodious voice
and fine fingerwork blend with folk, blues, rock ‘n’ roll, and you name it.
When Tom adds other guitarists, drummers, and whomever, he calls them the
Hired Hands and make a band out of ’em. IT readers have been finding
him and the “Hands” every Sunday at the Brewhaus for coming up on eight years
now, making him the longest-running act in Springfield. Buy him a drink, buy
his dad a drink, and while you’re at it, buy his numerous CDs. (JB)
Best female vocalist
Trina Madonia (of elevator
shoe)
At first sight, you might not expect a strong, soulful blues sound to come
out of such an unassuming young woman. But as Trina Madonia stands with her
hands humbly shoved in her back jeans pockets, keeping the beat with her heels
and shoulders, you’ll swear you’ve discovered the best blues vocalist in the
Midwest.
Trina grew up listening to her mother sing Connie Francis and traditional
Italian songs around the house. As a kid, she sang for relatives and realized
singing was a passion she wished to pursue.
Her break came when she made a tape for Frank Trompeter, keyboardist and saxophonist
for elevator shoe. Frank especially liked the song “Another World” by Poe, and
wanted to work on a rendition. Trina strongly suggested that a female should
sing the vocals, and she offered her voice. Soon after, Trina became an integral
member of the band, composing lyrics for originals and working on melody ideas.
Indeed, elevator shoe’s groove-based, improvisational jazz and funk, infused
with the beats of trip-hop and the drive of modern rock, beautifully complement
Trina’s soulful vocals.
Catch Trina Madonia with elevator shoe regularly at local bars and clubs, and
see the band in Decatur in August. (DK)
Best female bartender
Jeanie Boren
Bob’s Butternut Hut
215 N. Second Street, 241-0402
We found Jeanie Boren tending bar at Bob’s Butternut Hut on a recent Saturday
night–but we just got lucky. Ordinarily she’s to be found at George Ranks,
and in her career as a bartender, she has worked at about a dozen of Springfield’s
finer watering holes, some of which already have faded into history. It’s easy
to see why some IT readers selected her as best bartender. With long
blond hair pulled up and a, er, voluptuous figure, she’s every middle-age guy’s
dream gal. But with a quick wit, she’s a woman’s woman who befriends her lady
friends instead of making them jealous.
For her regulars she’s always got a smile, a greeting using their name, and
their favorite adult beverage at the ready. However, make no mistake, Jeannie,
a single mom, draws a clear line between her work and her home life: There is
no drinking at home. (JB)
Best male bartender
Mike Parkes, Brewhaus
617 E. Washington Street, 525-6399
Mike Parkes got into bartending because, as an aspiring novelist, he was looking
for stories. That was ten to fifteen years ago, bartender time. Then he discovered
he was good at his new job. For the past eight years, the Pleasant Plains native
has been chief bartender and co-owner of the Brewhaus.
“I remember people’s drinks well,” Parkes said. “I’m good at problem solving.
Nothing shocks me. Even if it’s wrong, I make a decision.” And although he’s
heard enough stories to fill several novels, he’s discreet. But what’s most
remarkable, he worked more than 2,000 nights in a row at the Brewhaus before
taking any time off. TT
Best karaoke
Cynthia Cubbage
585-8127
IT voters once again selected Cynthia for best karaoke, no doubt because of
her great Dolly Parton imitation. She gets around, too. Recently, her itinerary
took her to Gary’s Lake Springfield Tavern, George Ranks, and Gilligan’s, along
with several private weddings and family reunions, making her one of the busiest
of Springfield’s karaoke jockeys. In the business more than three years now,
she says she loves to hear people sing. She recalls her first time was the “scariest
experience in my life,” but she saw how people would relax and have fun, so
she did too. She tries to help virgins get over their first-time public exposure
by singing along, and, with some technical adjustments, she claims, “I can make
these people really sound good.” (JB)
Best place to rent DVDs
Family Video
210 N. Main Chatham Road, 483-6580
924 W. North Grand Avenue, 744-2090
1614 S. Macarthur Boulevard, 789-4815
1802 E. North Grand Avenue, 744-2050
2701 W. Lawrence Avenue, 793-7716
2919 S. 6th Street in Southern View, 528-0955
Whether you’ve leapt into DVD technology for the superior sound, crisp video
quality, or expansive special features, Family Video is the place to rent DVDs
that turn any living room into a personal theater, according to BOS voters.
Family Video now carries many DVD copies of new releases, competitively priced
at $3 for one night. For only $1, it offers DVDs of older favorites re-released
in the new format, or movies that simply must be experienced with the superior
technology.
Family Video won a place in last year’s BOS for “best video store.” Now the
stores have expanded on their success by embracing new technology to bring you
the best in home entertainment. (DK)
Best soul food and best BBQ
Clay’s Popeye’s Bar-B-Q
1121 E South Grand Avenue, 522-0386
The recipe is more than 100 years old, but Springfieldians still call it the
best. In 2001 Clay’s Popeye’s won “Best Entree” at Taste of Springfield and
the 1999 Best of Springfield BBQ. Vincent “Popeye” Jones’ BBQ is such a landmark
in Springfield cuisine the walls are adorned with celebs such as Dick Durbin
and Roland Burris. Wednesday is Soul Food Day: fried chicken, dressing, ham
hocks, chitterlings, turnip greens, black-eyed peas, cornbread, and even chicken
neckbone. The rest of the week Popeye’s runs fast and furious, especially during
the lunch rush, on a menu that features chicken, ribs, pork, and beef (plates
or sandwiches), along with all the sides. The BBQ sauce comes in three different
temperatures: medium, hot, and “oh my golly!”
About three years ago the restaurant moved from its original location on Martin
Luther King Drive to the South Town eatery that used to house the legendary
Chili Den Chili Parlor. The business is now run by Dee Clay, daughter of the
woman who’d worked at Popeye’s side for many long years, Mary Clay. But don’t
worry, Mary’s still there. “I’m the one who knows all the secrets,” she laughs.
(MW)
Best Take out
Imo’s
751 Durkin Drive, 726-7750
Since arriving on Springfield’s west side almost two years ago, St. Louis-based
Imo’s has captured the hearts of take-out customers. Brad Hammond is owner;
Kelly Zucksworth manages. We wanted to know: does Imo’s do something with take
out that’s different from other restaurants? “I don’t think so,” Zucksworth
replied. “Being close to Veterans Parkway helps.”
Hands down, pizza is its most popular take out item. The most popular pizza
is its extra large, sixteen-inch Deluxe, with sausage, mushrooms, onions, green
peppers, and bacon. “We serve the original St. Louis-style pizza–a thin crust
with provolone cheese on top. We also have a thick-crust pizza,” she said. Mixed
cheese pizzas are gaining in popularity. Imo’s rush hour starts about 6 p.m.
and there is seldom more than fifteen-minute wait. Customers also can call well
in advance and order a pizza to be ready at a specific time. (JC)
Best breakfast menu
Sunrise Cafe
1201 S. 2nd, 753-1311
Just off of South Grand, at the tourist end of 2nd Street, nestled between
two huge state buildings, Hamburger Dan piles his trade–and year after year
people rave. Just who is Hamburger Dan? Longtime local short-order tech extraordinaire,
Danny Johnston, that’s who. After years of apprenticing around town, Johnston
established Sunrise in 1989. “I wanted to work on my own. I know what people
want,” Johnston explains. “I like to pile the potatoes on. You know, I want
people to come back. A lot of restaurants just want your business the one time
and don’t care if you came back or not.” And people keep coming back to the
Sunrise in droves–Sunrise breaks its way through more than 350 eggs each morning
and state-worker lunches fuel a feeding frenzy each noonday. “But people think
we’re busier than we are,” Johnston laughs. “We can always serve a few more
people.” Breakfast favorites include Dan’s two-egg breakfast shoe and the smoked
breakfast pork chop.
Johnston’s favorite dish is “Dan’s Choice.” “Two eggs any style, choice of
potatoes, ham, bacon, or sausage and toast. That’s the way I like to eat it,”
Johnston said, “with gravy on the potatoes.” (MW)
Best salsa and chips
Cafe Brio
524 E. Monroe Street, 544-0547
Some may argue that you can judge a restaurant by the quality of its chips
and salsa. If that’s true, Springfield has some of the best south-of-the-border
food right in downtown.
BOS voters say Cafe Brio is the best place to enjoy fresh baskets of chips
and brimming bowls of salsa–and fresh they are. Cafe Brio cooks its chips daily
in pure vegetable oil. Every warm basket comes with hearty corn and delicate
flour chips. Both pack an amazing, flavorful crunch deserving of a gourmet restaurant.
The salsa, also made daily, is the perfect companion to these crunchy delights.
Large chunks of tomato and onion, blended beautifully with herbs, spices, and
seasonings create a salsa filled with distinct textures and tastes.
Try not to fill up on this free appetizer, though. Cafe Brio offers a large
menu of unique dishes and daily specials. And as the chips and salsa act as
an indicator, you have a wonderful meal forthcoming. (DK)
Best Mexican restaurant
Xochimilco
2941 W. Iles Avenue, 546-3116
If what you crave is full of salsa and spices Xochimilco is the place to be
in Springfield. For the second year in a row, Illinois Times readers
voted this Mexican restaurant the best. With plates piled high with authentic
fair it’s a hot spot.
Xochi’s excellent service, great margaritas, and Mexican beer, in addition
to a colorful dÂŽcor, have proven so successful the owners plan to open another
Xochimilco (pronounced zo-she-mil-co) in August at Northfield Shopping Center
on Dirksen Parkway.
New dishes are also being added to the menu, said co-owner Raul Pastrana.
Catering to the younger customers, Pastrana said more American food, including
hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken strips will be available.
The restaurant, now operating in its fourth year, offers a variety of dishes,
including best sellers such as fajitas, chimichangas, and taco salads. Bring
the kids and grab a seat at one of Springfield’s finest Mexican restaurants.
(TM)
Best Italian
Saputo’s
801 E. Monroe Street, 544-2523
Saputo’s began in 1948 at 801 E. Monroe when Sangamo Dairy was located across
the street. Fifty-four years later, the dairy is gone but Saputo’s remains.
Mike Coffey Jr’s grandparents founded it. “My grandfather originally owned it,
but the recipes were from his parents. I’m fourth generation here.” The cuisine
from the start has been Southern Italian. “We’re known for our red sauce and
our salad dressing, which we make ourselves,” he said. The Sicilian breaded
steak uses an original recipe for the breading. Also popular are the Italian
fries with garlic juice, which they put on their steaks as well. “There’s nothing
real sophisticated about it,” Coffey said, “but in this day of unpredictability,
it’s good to know the sauce you enjoy today is the same you or your parents
enjoyed when we started.” Being downtown between the Lincoln Home and the convention
hotels works for Saputo’s. “I don’t think Springfield has any idea of the business
that Lincoln tourism and the conventions bring in.”
Many of Saputo’s customers are regulars. “I can name the names of about thirty
customers who will be here this Sunday,” he said. “We’re the kind of restaurant
where being a regular customer pays dividends. If we know who you are, there
are different things we do.” A banquet room for private parties is available.
(JC)
Best pizza
Gabatoni’s
300 E. Laurel Street, 528-9629
Gabatoni’s has stayed in the same family since it was founded in 1952. Rosalie
Beck is the daughter of founders Rosemary and Johnny Lynn, originally from Tovey.
After returning from WWII and service as a Marine cook for “brass” in the
Phillipines, John and Danny Managlia went to work at Danny’s uncle’s restaurant
at Third and Washington streets serving stew, chili, and poor boys. “My dad
introduced pizza to the menu and eventually bought out the Managlias, and a
few years later changed the name from Danny’s to Gabatoni’s. People back in
Tovey used to call Dad ‘Gabby.’ When my parents decided to rename the restaurant,
they chose the Italian-sounding name ‘Tony’ and combined it with dad’s nickname.”
Thin crust pizza and poor boys are still the specialty, but Beck has added
a grill and fryer since she became owner about ten years ago. “With all the
new restaurants coming in out west, I knew we had to move with the times. Hence
the modernized menu.” But the recipe for Gabatoni’s pizza is the same as it
was fifty-two years ago. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and ours ain’t broke,”
she said. A chicken with barbecue sauce–if people ask for it–and a taco pizza
are recent additions. (JC)
Best Indian restaurant
Gateway to India
3115 Chatham Road, 726-6890
Gateway to India is Springfield’s culinary passage to authentic, gourmet Indian
cuisine. The 100-item menu presents a veritable catalogue of dishes from Northern,
Southern, and Western India. More than fifty herbs and spices infuse meals with
an incredible range of flavors: from sweet to spicy, tart to smooth, and many
more.
Non-vegetarian meals consist of meat and a combination of vegetables covered
in a creamy gravy or light broth and served with flatbreads baked in a tandoor,
a clay oven. For instance, Lamb Madras is selected lamb pieces cooked in a mixture
of coconut, tomato, and onion sauces. If you prefer a vegetarian dish, try Dal
Makhani, which is black lentils and kidney beans simmered on a slow fire until
tender and tempered with ginger, garlic, and tomatoes.
For those not sure which dishes might be their favorites, Gateway to India
offers vegetarian and non-vegetarian sampler platters, served during dinner
hours from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Or stop in for the daily lunch buffet on weekdays
from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. An extended buffet is available during weekend brunch,
from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and includes unlimited drinks. (DK)
Best Thai restaurant
Magic Kitchen
4112 Peoria Road, 525-2230
The once-again, long-time Thai favorite Magic Kitchen outpolls all others in
a wide field. Though Springfield currently enjoys four thriving Thai restaurants,
Magic Kitchen has remained the clear favorite since it first opened its doors
more than twenty years ago. Is it Magic Kitchen’s “Bring Your Own Booze” policy
that people love? Or is it the heady excitement of the dining and waiting rooms
where in the course of an hour you’re virtually guaranteed to meet at least
one person you know? Try its finger-sized egg rolls and heavenly peanut sauce,
move on to its signature soups, have a noodle dish, such as Pad See Ewe or Pad
Thai, or a rice dish, the basil, the ginger, the curries–red and green, and
don’t forget the coconut milk. Top it off with a slice of Magic Kitchen’s justifiably
famous pies, or the sticky rice with peanuts. Then, take a second to appreciate
the exquisite fullness only a Thai banquet can accommodate. (MW)
Best Asian restaurant
Tai Pan
2636 Adlai Stevenson Drive, 529-8089
Capturing the senses with exotic and colorful dishes is this year’s Best Asian
restaurant–Tai Pan. Tai Pan features Chinese cuisine that satisfies not only
the appetite, but also the eyes, nose, and imagination.
The bright colors of freshly cooked ingredients in addition to the mouthwatering
aromas of ginger, garlic, and sesame oil add richness without losing the natural
flavor of Tai Pan’s dishes.
Tai Pan offers lunch specials Tuesday through Saturday and a lunch buffet on
Sunday. A bright red roof captures the exotic spirit of the restaurant; customers
are greeted by two large Foo-dogs at its entrance. The animals have their paw
resting on a sphere as they guard the entrance, discouraging evil spirits from
entering. The restaurant is closed on Monday.
Best wine list
Sebastian’s
221 S. 5th Street, 789-8988
Probably also the winner for the coolest basement, Sebastian’s has long been
a Springfield leader in fine dining and wining. Manager Scott Eilers is probably
the reason. With Sebastian’s resuming their lunch menu in August after a four-year
hiatus, Eilers expects even more Springfieldians to come to appreciate the finest
quality wines. “For me the trick is to look for wines where the energy is spent
on the wine, not on the advertising,” Eilers explains. “There is a whole world
of different wines beyond what the general public gets exposed to.”
Originally hired for his wine skills, Eilers has made wine a lifelong hobby,
regularly meets with wine reps, and makes trips to California’s wine-rich Napa
Valley in addition to catching a seminar when he can. Currently Sebastian’s
is offering seventy to eighty wines, plus about fifteen different ports. Eilers
is particularly proud of Sebastian’s wine maintenance: updating the vintages
once a week, serving half bottles, and using a pressure system to keep the wines
at their best: “I hate it when you pay for a high-end wine and it’s deteriorated
to the point it tastes like just any other red wine.” (MW)
Best Classic horseshoe
D’Arcy’s Pint
2413 S. MacArthur Boulevard, 726-9800
The battle of the cholesterol titans was tied this year when D’Arcy’s Pint
proved the equal of the perennially popular but recently defunct Red Coach Inn.
D’Arcy’s also took sole honors for Best Horseshoe Variation. Hallie Pierceall
is co-owner. “The horseshoe was on our menu from the get-go because I knew the
popularity of it Springfield. People are always looking for it on a menu.” (JC)
Best horseshoe variation
D’Arcy’s Pint
2413 S. MacArthur, 726-9800
Veggies? Loose meat, white cheese sauce?! Sacrilege or sublimity? Springfield
says the latter as D’Arcy’s turns the concept of yellow sludge on dry fries
on its ear to finds some amazingly tasty variations on the classic Springfield
shoe. Priding themselves on its signature sandwich, the Buffalo Chicken Ponyshoe
($5.50), owners Hallie Pierceall and Glenn Merriman offer ten additional taste-tempting
shoe variations including the D’Arcy’s Deluxe with grilled onions and the Veggie
with portabellas, tomatoes, peppers, and onions. (MW)
Best new restaurant
Smokey Bones BBQ &
Sports Bar
2660 S. Dirksen Parkway, 528-6410
Dardin Restaurants, the parent corporation that also owns Red Lobster and
The Olive Garden, launched Smokey Bones after market research indicated there
wasn’t a national barbecue restaurant.
Springfield Smokey Bones, number thirteen, opened last December. As the name
suggests, the focus is on ribs: St. Louis-style and baby back. Ribs are smoked
on site until they’re tender and reach minimum temperature. Harsha Gurujal is
a manager. “Baby backs come from the back part of the pig. The meat tends to
be leaner and bones smaller, similar to spare ribs you buy at the grocery store,”
he said. “We lightly glaze them when they come out of the smoker. St Louis-style
ribs come from the front part of the pig. The meat tends to cover the whole
rib. They are sauced when we put them on the grill.”
Aficionados say “the sauce is the secret.” It seals in the flavor of the meat
and adds a sweet element. At Smokey Bones, it’s a secret worth sharing. Also
available are barbecued chicken, grilled chicken, grilled salmon, catfish, burgers,
and a children’s menu. (JC)
Best seafood
Red Lobster
2696 S. Dirksen Pkwy, 529-6900
“It’s consistent.” That’s how Red Lobster beverage hospitality manager Sylvia
Walker explains how Red Lobster took top seafood honors this year. “We’re all
held accountable to the same standard. We use the same suppliers and the same
recipes.” Change also is a factor. Compared with the Red Lobster of a few years
ago, today’s menu offers more pasta dishes. “Cajun became very popular at a
point and we picked up Cajun items,” Walker said. “Our Cajun shrimp with a white
sauce is a popular pasta item.”
There are more than 400 Red Lobsters nationally. Menu changes are based on
national sales. Promotions such as the all-you-can-eat specials–currently crab
legs–contribute to the restaurant’s success. Shrimp consistently is popular.
Service also is a plus at Red Lobster. This is a college town, so there is some
turnover from the students, but some of our people have been with us for twenty-three
years.” (JC)
Best coffee
SunsUp Koffee Kafe
1001 N. 1st Street, 522-5348
Voted Best kept secret on the North End in our 2001 Best of, Julie Kluge’s
SunsUp Koffee Kafe returns this year for top honors in the coffee category.
Before coming to Springfield, Kluge lived in St. Louis and provided catering
at the St. Louis Zoo and Botanical Gardens while working in accounting for Anheuser-Busch.
Though north First Street is not a major thoroughfare, the address appealed
to her because it was close to Memorial Medical Center.
“I get more from the SIU School of Medicine, state workers, CWLP, and people
on their way downtown,” Kluge said. Five fresh-brewed coffees, lattes, espressos,
and mochas are the mainstay of the menu. “I have a dark roast and Columbian
that I serve every day. I rotate the other flavors. Baked goods and sandwiches
round out the menu. The former pharmacy with hardwood floors imparts a homey
ambiance, complete with a couch, ten tables, and outside seating in an Old Springfield
setting. (JC)
Best food deal
SunsUp Koffee Kafe
1001 North First Street, 522-5348
A bright sun flag waves lazily on a warm summer breeze outside of SunsUp Koffee
Kafe. Illinois Times readers voted the small sandwich shop as the Best
Deal for food as well as for Best Coffee. Nestled on the corner of Calhoun and
First streets the menu offers a variety of delicacies all priced for less than
five dollars. Customers can grab a cappuccino, latte, or bakery item for breakfast
or a tasty sandwich or salad for lunch. On the second Saturday of each month
the restaurant opens from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. to host acoustic music from local
artists (refreshments also are served from the menu). (TM)
Best buffet
Ryan’s Family Steak House
3150 Chatham Road, 787-4300
“Buffet” is technically what we mean when we talk about restaurants at which
customers feed themselves. However, the word “buffet” has come to mean, at least
in America, a place where you can also get a lot of food. South Carolina-based
Ryan’s is no exception.
With more than 150 items available at six food bars, Ryan’s customers have
an impressive array of buffet options throughout the week. From Monday to Friday
from 10:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., Ryan’s has a lunch buffet for $5.39 plus $1.19 for
a drink with unlimited refills. After 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Friday, dinner
buffets cost $7.99–steak is included as a choice of meat. On Sundays from 10:45
a.m. to 9 p.m., buffets–with steak and shrimp–cost $8.12. On Mondays, an assortment
of seafood shows up on the buffet. Tuesdays after 4 p.m., horseshoes become
part of the buffet lineup and the cost is $6.89. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays,
catfish is available. On Thursdays, barbecue ribs. And every day after 4 p.m.
there are carving tables where roast beef and ham are served.
Ryan’s uses fresh steaks and beef–never frozen and always cut or ground on
location. Sugar-free desserts are also available as are a dazzling choice of
pies and cakes. Children ten and under are charged discount rates. On one Tuesday
a month, a clown shows up to delight the kids–on any given month call to find
out which Tuesday the clown will be there. (PS)
Best sub sandwiches & Best diet menu
Subway
Sandwich Shops
With more than seventeen locations in the area, it comes as no surprise Subway
easily took these categories. What began in 1965 as seventeen-year-old Fred
De Luca’s plan to earn enough money to go to college is now a lunchmeat behemoth
with more than 16,000 stores in seventy-three countries. It is now the largest
fast-food restaurant chain in both the United States and Canada. Ever since
1998, when a certain Jared S. Fogle dropped from 425 pounds to a lithe 190 and
became a role model TV commercial star by gnoshing on De Luca’s grinders, Americans,
and now Springfieldians, have looked to Subway for its diet menu. The menu does
indeed feature seven sandwiches with less than six grams of fat in them that
can help you sweat off more weight than two supermodels. Just ask Jared. (MW)
Best Desserts
Bakers Square
3434 Freedom Drive,787-5555
When it comes to dessert, Illinois Times readers evidently take no chances
and prefer proven, national success stories. Bakers Square, as most people know,
sells many pies and some cakes. And that’s about all the dessert you’ll find
when you go there. Bakers Square does carry ice cream, according to restaurant
manager Diana Kurtz, but only vanilla–and they really only mean to use it a
la mode.
Bakers Square offers about twenty-eight kinds of pie that sell whole or by
the slice. Costs range from $6.49 for the standards such as apple to $10.99
for pies that are a little more complex, such as the restaurant’s fresh Strawberry
Cream Cheese pie. Their top sellers include French Silk and Caramel Pecan Silk
Supreme. Bakers Square also offers a special pie of the month. In July, it’s
Key Lime pie. Beware, the pie of the month is only available during that month.
Bakers Square also sells cheese cake and a “fantastic” carrot cake.
Kurtz recommends calling ahead of time to reserve a pie. You better take her
seriously, especially when it’s the day before Thanksgiving. Kurtz said it’s
not unusual for the restaurant to sell about 1,200 pies on that day alone. (PS)
Best shakes
Steak & Shake
3186 Dirksen Parkway
2100 S. 6th Street
1580 W. Wabash Avenue
4211 Conestoga Drive
“There are faster ways to make a shake these days. But there’s no better way,”
reads part of a menu from Steak & Shake. Illlinois Times’ readers
evidently agree. The words refer to the way the restaurant makes its milk shakes:
hand-dipped and hand-mixed with a dab of whipped cream and a cherry on top.
Made with 2-percent milk and ice cream from Prairie Farm, vanilla, chocolate,
and strawberry Steak & Shake shakes cost $2.46. For an extra 32 cents, you
can choose between double-chocolate chip, cookies and cream, and “very very
strawberry,” plus it is served in an old-fashioned glass with lots of whipped
cream and a chocolate wafer on top. (PS)
Best waiting area
Olive Garden
2991 South Veterans Parkway, 793-0318
Olive Garden’s recently-renovated restaurant reflects how the chain nearly
has elevated the management of waiting time to an art form. There are actually
three waiting areas. Outside the front there are four benches surrounded by
quaint landscaping that somewhat buffers the traffic that zooms past on Veterans
Parkway. Inside, a series of benches and chairs line the walls, which are decorated
by timeless black and white photos of Italian settings. The floor is faux-stone
and adds to the elegant yet relaxed atmosphere. Beyond the station where you
go and put your name on a list, there’s another waiting area, a kind of courtyard
with tables for four where you can order appetizers and drinks. It’s all meant
to give off the look and feel of an upscale Italian establishment, which the
Olive Garden has done an admirable job marketing itself as. Once you settle
into the waiting area, you almost don’t want to leave, which, we suppose, means
that it does what it’s suppose to–it makes waiting easier. To make things more
convenient, waiting customers receive a hand-held pager that buzzes when their
table is ready.
Darden Restaurants, owners of Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Smokey Bones, and
Bahama Breeze, is an expert of the “upscale” chain phenomenon. While some flee
from the sameness of it all, many BOS voters let it be known that the food is
worth waiting for. (PS)
Best pastries
Jubelt’s Bakery
2343 West Monroe Street, 793-5161
201 North 5th, 522-9204
Flaky crusts, cakes, cookies, and pies baked with a family recipe can be purchased
for those special occasions or just for enjoyment at this local bakery. Special
orders can be available in two business days and the variety of items offered
is substantial.
From any fruit pie to a special cream pie, if it can be baked, Jubelt’s is
prepared to fill your order. Lunch and dinner items are offered at the bakery
on West Monroe in the Walgreens shopping complex. It is open from 6 a.m. to
6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and select hours on weekends.
While the bakery has been operating in the Springfield area for more than ten
years, Jubelt’s will be closing its downtown location at the end of this month.
(TM)
Best place to buy fresh bread
Panera Bread
3101 West White Oaks Drive, 726-5070
The smell of freshly-baked bread is irresistible at this restaurant. It also
has done well with its Danish pastries, coffeecakes, bagels, soups, salads,
sandwiches, and coffees. Known for its award-winning sourdough bread and steam-injected
bagles, Panera is a non-smoking, casual atmosphere where people are encouraged
to hang out and enjoy their coffee.
Jack Stremmel, a general manager for one of its restaurants in Peoria, said
unlike other facilities in the Springfield area the bagels at Panera are not
boiled, but prepared in a European-style oven that rotates and steam-injects
the bread, giving it a delicious crust and chewy center.
“We are an everyday oasis and believe every one should have a loaf of bread
under each arm,” Stremmel said.
All bakery items are prepared fresh daily and leftovers are donated to local
charities. So if you are in the mood for a casual place to enjoy your coffee,
peruse paper work, and, of course, buy some bread, Panera offers every convenience.
(TM)
This article appears in May 1-7, 2003.
