You Gotta Eat started in 1996. It was the brainchild of former News 25 photographer Don "Dubbs" Washburn. Dubbs covered Central Illinois news events for almost 40 years. During his tenure, Dubbs learned all the small town hot spots for a good lunch. News 25’s Eric Shangraw and Dubbs decided to turn the "blue-plate" special information into a once a week segment for News 25. It quickly became a popular station franchise. In fact, over the years, guest diners have included Congressman Ray LaHood, Bradley Men’s Basketball coach Jim Les, & ISU Football Coach Denver Johnson. After Dubbs retirement in 2007, other newsroom photographers now jockey to become Eric's eating partner of the week. Eric brings viewers approximately 50 food reviews a year and names the Favorite Of The Year during the last week of December.
You Gotta Eat airs at 6 and 10 pm on Thursdays; and Friday's during News 25 at Noon. And always on week.com.
Do you ever wonder what your favorite radio morning personality looks like? Over the next few weeks, Eric Shangraw is taking local D–J's out for a meal.
He starts with the guys from 1470–WMBD, at Khaki Jack's, in this week's You Gotta Eat.
Khaki Jack's bills itself as the Australian Outback. Morning radio team Greg Batton and Dan Diorio like its' location and laid back Crocodile–Dundee demeanor. If you're a hungry kangaroo, you can eat their peanuts and fling them to the floor.(nat sot)
"This is one of the great neighborhood bars. A lot of people in this area love it. It is under the radar. No one knows about it and that's why being close to here, this is one that is close to our homes," said Diorio.
"I think the Cheers kind of thing/ Everybody knows you when you come in the door. That kind of thing. And when you leave you felt like you were not rubber stamped out of some method of doing a sandwich or a meal," said Batton.
The Khaki Jack's menu features Ostrich. I had the Bonzer, an Ostrich meat bratwurst with grilled onions on a fresh roll. The bird meat is low in fat and surprisingly tasted like a real pork brat.
Greg had the Oz. It is an Ostrich meat burger with some Monterey Jack cheese on top. Tastes like hamburger. But the Ostrich is a bird. I"m calling it "hybrid meat."
"Just like the Oz burger is really more beefy. It is cooked so you can eat it rare or medium rare. So it is not really a bird, it more in the beef range," said owner Deb Moreschi.
Dan stayed away from the flightless bird offerings and went under the sea for a Botany Bay Grilled Yellow Fin Tuna sandwich.
The fish looked like a fine cut of steak.
He washed it down with a couple glasses of red wine.
The bill for our trio, including the booze, salad and iced tea: $45.00 plus tip.
They also offer chicken sandwiches and old fashioned red meat hamburgers at Khaki Jack's. But a trip "down under" should make you a bit more daring.
Khaki Jack's kitchen is open seven days a week.
They're at the corner of Allen Road and Willow Knolls in Peoria. Bring cash, they don't accept credit cards.
A downtown Peoria hot spot for the night crowd serves more than just good beer. Eric Shangraw takes you to Mushrush in this week's You Gotta Eat.
Mushrush is an Irish Pub popular with the young people who like to stay out partying all night long. The kitchen serves char grilled hamburgers until three o'clock in the morning. A truly tasty burger needs few words to define.
"Big. Thick. Plenty of cheese," said customer Tim Curtis.
The French fries are cut fresh to order. They come from a one–pound Idaho potato via a hand cranked "spud–slicer."
"They make pretty much everything from scratch. And it is pretty much cooked to order, any way you want it," said customer Robert Powers.
Owner Jim Murshrush is also the bar mascot. He's known to jump up on the bar and do a jig or the jitterbug.
"There's been things that I've done here that sometimes being a married man you might want to regret. But I got a good understanding wife now and things are just a lot of fun," said Mushrush.
Employee Joe Ulrich is trying to take over the bar. He hopes to secure a liquor license and buy out Mushrush at the end of the year.
"He's like our little leprechaun. So we'll keep him coming back and keep the name the same for a while," said Urlich.
Photographer Josh Simon and I shared an avocado dip as an appetizer. It was okay.
Then came the fresh fries. They're remarkable. And the burgers even better. I had the Ultimate Hickory Burger: minced Jalapenos are mixed into a Black–Angus patty covered with a couple of fried onion rings and barbecue sauce.
Josh, who actually introduced me to Mushrush on a late night a few moons ago, ordered the cheddar cheeseburger. Even though Josh and I come from different religious backgrounds, we were both in hamburger heaven.
With drinks, our bill: $24.50 plus tip.
Mushrush is a Peoria staple for burger lovers and a last stop for late night munchies.
Mushrush's kitchen is open from 10:30am-3:30am Monday through Friday.
This cool weather has some of us on the hunt for comfort food.
Eric Shangraw finds it fairly easy to fill his girth at Donnelly's in this week's You Gotta Eat.
Donnelly's Shamrock Pub promotes itself as Peoria's oldest Irish eatery. Established in 1970, the dark atmosphere teams with green island memorabilia.
The owners, Terry and Molly Donnelly, keep it a family atmosphere. They do that by concentrating in the kitchen, where almost everything is made from scratch.
At the bar, beer from Ireland.
"We have Guinness. Harp and Smithwick's," said Molly.
"They have the best chef's salad. It is so good. I would like to come here everyday, but I can't afford to eat here everyday," said customer Stella Carson.
Pat Cusack is from Peoria. He now lives in Phoenix. -Comes here every time he visits the river city.
"I landed at 11:30 and came here for lunch. I have a hell of a time with my decision on what to have. Today I had the fried fish," said Cusack.
Photographer Larry Foulk and I started with some homemade potato chips. They call them Fried Chippers when they come out of the fryer. We also sampled the Spinach Artichoke Dip. It was like a culinary preview of a good holiday dip.
Larry had the White Bean–Smoked Ham and Bacon soup. Savory. I ordered the Irish Sausage, which is made special for Donnelly's with their own spices. This beast is about a foot long. It hangs over the plate on arrival smothered in pepper jack cheese and onions on a fresh roll. It is not for the faint of heart or anyone concerned about heartburn.
Larry had their Reuben. It comes with a cargo–load of corned–beef and sour kraut.
They even have eye–popping dessert. But our capacity for more grub was gone.
Our bill with drinks $31.97, plus tip.
Larry and I agreed, there is no need to wait for Saint Patrick's Day to enjoy a real Irish fair.
Donnelly's Shamrock Pub is near the corner of War Memorial and Glen. They're open seven days a week.
The kitchen starts serving at 10:30 in the morning Monday through Saturday. –A little later on Sundays, after church.
It was 25 years ago today a Pekin restaurant first opened its doors. Eric Shangraw is enjoying breakfast at Ernie's Family Restaurant in this week's You Gotta Eat.
It was October 1, 1984 when Ernest Eugene Melton opened Ernie's. Ernest died 15 year ago, but his namesake business carries on with a very loyal following of senior citizens. Adolph and Etta Nehmelman make the 20–minute drive from Green Valley daily for their first meal of the day.
"We come for breakfast. And sometimes we come in the evening we come for our evening meal, too," said Etta.
Some folks come for every meal!
"They come two and three times a day. They say it is more feasible to come here and eat than buy groceries and cook. And they say they're too old to do dishes," said manager Althea Melton.
"And Wednesday, they have chicken night. Friday's is catfish night," said Jerry Pemberton.
On Thursday morning, Ernie's always offers creamed chip beef on toast. In the Army they call it S–O–S... or something on a shingle. In this report, "something" is a synonym for something else.
I ordered one of the four–dollar breakfast deals. Two pancakes, two eggs over easy, sausage links and coffee. My side order of toast was extra. The pancakes are humongous, and the sausage links sumptuous. Photographer Dave Janssen had the Ham Skillet with sausage gravy. Dave likes to mix all his breakfast items into one. Our bill; 15–dollars plus tip. There is nothing extravagant in the décor at Ernie's. –Doesn't' matter. Everything that counts is right in the kitchen and on a plate.
Ernie's is open six days a week starting a six each morning; they open the doors at five thirty for anyone waiting out side for coffee. They are closed on Monday's. 613 Derby Street Pekin (309)353-8109
You can get steak, pasta or pizza on the first floor of the Mark Twain Hotel. Eric Shangraw is having lunch at Two–25 in this week's You Gotta Eat.
Two–25 manages to be fortuitous and fancy all at the same time. It has taken over the spot that housed Pizzeria Uno.
"We came in for pizza with our kids and found it was not pizza anymore but it was this nice fine–dining in a casual atmosphere restaurant," said customer Amy Kinsinger.
"I had the pear salad. It was very good. Light dressing. –Very nice. And then the broccoli cheese soup. It is very affordable. Very light," said customer Kathy Bruch.
–Two–25 has a contemporary feel. Lots of modern art work and exposed brick.
"I worked in Chicago and Las Vegas for top restaurants and the chef's here definitely can compete up there with them and the pricing is definitely affordable down here," said manager Jill DeBeau.
I started with a French onion soup. Nicely balanced flavors of cheese and onion.
Photographer Larry Faulk had the steak sandwich. They cut their own slabs of grade–A meat. He also had some fresh cut fries, which reminded him of Mr. G's, a fast food comparison that should be taken as a compliment.
I had the pasta of the day. It featured a spicy Italian sausage with Tiger shrimp, penne pasta and a light tomato basil sauce. It was not extraordinary. But it was still good. Next time I'm getting a steak
"They had the perfect saying. It is polished casual dining. And I think that is the best way to describe this place. Very moderately priced," said customer Vin Glover.
Our bill with drinks; $34.40 plus tip. Two–25 serves lunch from 11 until 2 Monday through Friday. Dinner starts at 4:30 six days a week.
A little restaurant in Bloomington is offering big flavors from Europe.
Eric Shangraw is having pasta at Caffe Italia in this week's You Gotta Eat.
Caffe Italia is serving authentic Sicilian flavors. The two guys who run it were born in Sicily. Marcello Marotta and Frank Composto (sounds like pasta) designed the restaurant after the Italian Bars you find overseas, minus the liquor.
"This restaurant is very unique in its' own way. We try to make everything the way it is in Sicily. We get all our stuff from Chicago. We don't buy nothing here in Bloomington," said Marotta.
"The lemon cake is similar to the lemon cake that you would find in Naples. In Naples, they are known for their lemons. And they use they're lemons in their cooking. (And that's what you'll find here?) Yes, it is what we have here," said Composto.
The ingredients for all menu items are brought in from Chicago. Even the Gelato, the Italian ice cream is made from scratch.
"I'm trying the Amaretto Gelato. Marcello makes it. It is fabulous. There is peach and kiwi. Green apple. I think he has 9 flavors. Strawberry. It is the best you will ever find. The best you will ever find," said customer Bobbi Hynes.
Photographer Doug Smith went with the Ham and Swiss Panini. He liked he large portion of meat and fresh bread.
I had Marcello's pasta of the day. It changes daily. Today; a creamy basil pesto sauce with shrimp. –Very green and very rich. A side of seasoned garlic bread helped calm the basil bite.
We followed up Cannoli. It holds perfectly sweetened ricotta cheese and is garnished with a candied orange rind. My espresso was made with Lavazza coffee beans. Those beans are the Starbucks of Italy.
Our bill with drinks; $25.10.
We left after Doug grabbed a chocolate Gelato for the road. Caffe Italia is at 1804 S. Hershey Road in Bloomington.
A Peoria caterer is now in the full–fledged retail bakery business. Eric Shangraw is having lunch at Cracked Pepper in this week's You Gotta Eat.
There is more than what initially meets the eye at Cracked Pepper Catering and Bakery. The front door puts you in direct contact with fresh baked goods. Back in the kitchen icing is going on to the 12 once cinnamon rolls. This is Herb–onion Focaccia bread with Parmesan cheese going in the oven. Here is fresh basil being grown in a hydroponics herb garden Nichole Martin uses Cracked Pepper's products as an automatic free pass to get into a Doctor's office. She's a pharmaceutical rep.
"I love Cracked Pepper. I think they have some of the freshest ingredients. They offer a nice variety with what they are doing everyday," said Martin before placing another order.
Every morning at 3:00 AM a baker is in the kitchen to start creating the days offerings. I didn't make it past the parking lot before ordering an Italian Beef. It was a first place winner at the Taste of Peoria. A boxed lunch also comes with baked beans. The beans and seasoning commingle nicely with ground beef. Photographer Doug Smith had a pork chop, which he said wasn't thick enough for the bun. He also said the cole slaw was a bit tangy for his taste. My Italian beef on the other hand was a competitive creation worthy its award winning history. With drinks our bill: $19.25. Now the bad news:
"The lunch menu is going to be changed. I'm not going to make my guy cook outside in December," said Travis Mohlenbrink, Cracked Pepper President.
The good news; the winter menu includes fresh Pannini sandwiches and home made soups. The grill is going until the first of October.
" stopped to get a nice chicken sandwich and some Danishes. –And a root beer. Good place to eat!" said customer Floyd McGhee with a big grin.
Cracked Pepper Catering and Bakery is open six days a week. They serve lunch from 11-2 Monday through Friday. Closed on Sunday's. 3406 NE Adams St. Peoria Caterping 309-219-1717 Bakery: 309-687-0039
A Bloomington restaurant is serving meat on a spear.
News 25's Eric Shangraw is having a meal
at Skewers Steak House in this week's You Gotta Eat.
Skewers has taken over the former Ned Kelly's location in the twin cities. Ned's Jeep and all the outback junk on the walls is gone. The mood is lighter. –The menu smaller. One of the owners, Hani Sager, has run the Garden of Paradise, Bloomington's premier Greek restaurant, for almost twenty years.
"It is not your typical steakhouse. But yet it is a steakhouse. –With just a flare to it. Like I said, we just wanted to do something unique," said Hani.
"Looking at the special today I kept thinking I wanted a sandwich. I ended up with this awesome salad. Get the salad. It is the Medallion salad. It melts in your mouth," said customer Tami McGowan.
Photographer Doug Smith and I started with a carefully diced salad, which came with fresh baked bread. No loafing with this cooked dough, it features an herb butter glaze. We also split a Mango Shrimp Martini. The prongs are not shaken or stirred, just deep fried with a sweet chili sauce. Doug created his own surf and turf skewer from the menu. He combined steak, scallops and shrimp. –The red meat top of the line Chicago stockyard beef. My meat on a spear consisted of two four–ounce pieces of tender steak surrounding a display of flawlessly seasoned Baby Yukon potatoes. –A spectacular roasted spud. The skewers and knives look like weapons at the dinner table. But the only crime I committed was not having enough room to finish every bite. Our bill: with drinks, 36–dollars plus tip. Skewers is a new culinary bulls eye in Bloomington.
Skewers Steak house is at 1603 Morrissey Avenue, Bloomington
They are open seven days a week. Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm
Call ahead for reservations on the weekend. (309)662-6900
An old–fashioned Drive–Inn on the outskirts of Farmington hasn't changed much in the last 50 years.
And as News 25's Eric Shangraw explains in this week's You Gotta Eat, that just how the customers like it.
B's Drive–Inn opened around 1957. Newlyweds Cody and Sarah Kellogg bought the joint last year and have made an effort not to update any décor. –Same 1950's memorabilia on the walls, same custard coming out of the ice cream machine.
"We've had people coming in for forty years and say that not much has changed. We've been adding new things to the menu but we want to hold true to the way it has always been," said Cody.
"I worked here for about three years before we bought it and I just absolutely loved it. It was my first job and I just loved coming to work," said Sarah.
"Everything is good. The tenderloins are to die for. They are huge," said customer Margaret Wells.
The Kellogg's figure they've made by hand more than 10–thousand tenderloins. It is their number one seller. That's what photographer Larry Faulk and I ordered. It comes coated in a nice batter and in the shape of a UFO between a bun. You'll need to be a gigantic alien to eat this beast. I would suggest most humans split one between the two. I'm not sure what planet Larry is from, but he ate the entire Tenderloin. And then he must have a second or third stomach, because he also had a peanut butter cup flurry for the space ride back to Peoria. The tenderloin from another galaxy with fries and a drink cost us $17.91. Larry's flurry ran another $2.66.
If you want an out of this world old school meal, make a break for B's. . B's Drive Inn is on Route 116 on the west side of Farmington. They are open seven days a week from 11am until nine at night. (309)245-2958
A second place winner at the Taste of Peoria last week is getting some added attention by one of the judges. That would be News 25's Eric Shangraw, who highlights his favorite appetizer–entry from last week's contest, in this Week's You Gotta Eat.
The Twin Towers Café is on the first floor of Peoria's Twin Towers. Inside the café, simmers a supreme soup. Owner Arthur Kovach takes pride in his Roasted Pablano Chile with roasted corn concoction; and freely admits it's a recipe rip–off.
"It is a soup I learned in school actually. I studied under Chef Charles at ICC Culinary and the first time I made it for the café it was an instant success," said Kovach.
Kovach transferred the sales success into a second place finish at the Taste of Peoria this year. And as a judge at the Taste, I needed more. The Poblano pepper gives it a unique deep flavor. Photographer and fellow eating enthusiast Josh Simon and I ordered the soup with a steak sandwich. Josh almost giddy as the slab of red meat is cut fresh before grilled. The steak comes garnished with fresh onions and seasoning. With drinks, our bill $24.16.
"It is convenient for me because I work in the Becker Building downtown. So I can just come down and grab a bite, on my lunch hour," said customer Sarah Austin.
If you like intricate flavors, sample the award winning Roasted Poblano Chili for soup satisfaction. The Twin Towers Café is open Monday through Friday from 7am until 2 pm. Closed on the weekends except during special events.
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled.
Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.
