Best Bites print column (Oct. 15, 2009)
Here’s the Best Bites column that appears in today’s edition of The Daily Journal:
The owners of Liquor World in Kankakee will be opening a second location in the next month or two. Liquor Zone will be at 963 N. Convent St. in Bourbonnais. It will occupy space at the east end of the north-facing building, which is also home to Studio Fitness Elite.
The new retail complex sits just south of Culver’s. Peter and Lucky Vachhani, who opened Liquor World 11 years ago, hope to have Liquor Zone open for the holiday season. The new location will be approximately 600 square feet larger than the Meadowview store, which is staying open. According to Peter, Liquor Zone will have the largest wine selection in the area. He hopes to offer wine tastings if they are able to secure the necessary permits. As at Liquor World, special orders will be welcome.
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Hawg Dawg’s Eateries (16 S. Locust St.) in Manteno reopened on Saturday under new ownership. The menu still features “dawgs”, burgers, sandwiches and sides, and “they still have the best fries,” a happy customer told me when I stopped in on Monday. The restaurant had been closed for about two months. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. They are closed on Sundays. They can be reached at (815) 468-3400. (Thanks to a reader named Steve for that tip.)
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A reader named Kelly sent me this recently via e-mail: “Were you aware that Niro’s Gyros on Kennedy Drive in Bradley has been serving falafel for a month or two? It is delicious! Possibly the best I have ever had.” I’m a big fan of falafel, which are kind of like hush puppies, but made with ground chickpeas (or sometimes fava beans) instead of ground corn. Herbs and spices are added to the batter, which is formed into balls and deep-fried. A reader named Andrew also raved about Niro’s version. “The falafel … is soooo good there,” he wrote. “They use the Arabic bread, not pita. The bomb-shizzle for sure … Vegetarians need to know about this alternative.”
Niro’s is at 545 S. Kennedy Dr. They’re open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. To order, call (815) 935-1790.
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Stage Door Sweet Shoppe (110 E. Washington) in Momence is now selling coffee in the mornings. New hours for the store are 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, and 4 to 9 p.m. on Sunday. Their phone is (815) 472-4280.
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The annual Zonta International Taste will be held Nov. 6 at the Quality Inn & Suites in Bradley. Hours are 5 to 7 p.m. and tickets are $15 at the door. The event features numerous wines and gourmet food items to sample and purchase.
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I received a phone call a few weeks ago from a reader who was hoping I could help him track down the recipe for the cream of chicken noodle soup that was served at the old Little Corporal restaurant. I asked for help on my blog and soon received a response. It apparently was a well-liked soup, as I heard from several people who shared Kevin’s fondness for it, so I thought I would share the recipe here, too.
Thanks to Gary (aka Chef Garibaldi) for sharing the recipe, and thanks to Kevin for making the request.
Little Corporal Cream of Chicken Noodle Soup
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons margarine
- 2-4 cups coarsely chopped, cooked chicken
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/2 pound frozen thick egg noodles (Reames brand is good)
- 2 tablespoons diced red pepper (use canned), drained
In a heavy pot, blend margarine and flour over medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Be careful not to burn this mixture. Add the stock gradually, stirring continuously, until all is incorporated, and allow to come nearly to a boil, stirring often, until thick. Add the cooked, chopped chicken. Let simmer for about 20 minutes, and adjust seasoning. (Be careful to avoid saltiness.) Add cooked noodles and bring soup nearly to a boil once more. Just prior to serving, stir in the red pepper.
Denise is general manager of online operations for SNG Internet Innovations. Best Bites appears Thursdays in The Daily Journal.
If you would like your restaurant news daily instead of weekly, check out the Best Bites blog. It’s now at blogs.i57life.com/dining. (For those readers who have it bookmarked, please note that this is a new address.) The blog is also good for finding information I published weeks, months or even a year ago. If you ever forget the link, you can get to it from The Daily Journal home page, too. Click on “Entertainment” to expand that menu, then “Best Bites.”
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If you have trouble remembering to look at Web sites, you can also e-mail me. I’ll put you on my Best Bites e-mail list and send you a note when I post something exciting. My e-mail is drenckens@daily-journal.com.
