Merry Christmas, everyone!

Christmas Card 2010

When a reader told me this week that she couldn’t buy cannoli shells locally, I suggested she go to Frankie’s Pizzeria (25921 Governors Highway) in Monee.

I admit that I’m not a cannoli connoisseur, but I’ve had a few and never been very impressed. Then I had one from Frankie’s, and it was one of the best desserts I’ve ever had.

If you want to order several and bring them home, I would call in advance. Also, when transporting them it’s best to keep them cold to preserve their texture and flavor. At this time of the year a trunk would likely be a safe place, otherwise I would bring a cooler or insulated tote with a few ice packs.

If you go, stay for dinner or pick up a pizza to go. A menu and coupons are at i57life.com/letseatout. For more information, call them at (708) 534-2050.

I’m compiling a list of restaurants that will be open on Christmas Day. Here’s what I have so far. Please leave a comment if you know of any others. The final list will appear in my newspaper column on Dec. 17.

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Gold Bowl in Kankakee will be open.

The Herscher Restaurant & Pub will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. serving from their regular menu.

The Hilton Garden Inn will be serving a traditional Christmas meal including ham, turkey and beef roast with all of the trimmings from 11-3. The cost is $16.95 for adults and 11.95 for children. Reservations are apppreciated at (815) 932-4444.

The Homestead will be open from 12:45 p.m. to 7 p.m. Prime rib will be offered, as well as everything from regular menu and children’s menu. Call (815) 933-6214 for reservations.

The Food Network program “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” proves what most foodies already know: that you can’t judge a restaurant by its exterior, and that some of the best food is found where you least expect it. When I watch the show, I sometimes think about where I would take host Guy Fieri if he asked me for a tour of the best local “dives” — and I use that term lovingly. Here are several gems that come to mind, in no particular order:

* Marcotte’s (118 E. River St.) in Momence. I’ve told lots of folks, including some surprised Momence residents, where this place is and what they’re missing — excellent, made-from-scratch food prepared and attractively presented by chef and owner Pat Marcotte. Even the French fries are made from real potatoes, which Pat cuts each morning. I don’t know of any other area restaurant that does that.

* Mimi’s Maxwell Street (178 E. North St.) in Bradley. Housed in a small “shack” on the south side of North Street, just east of the railroad tracks, this place serves up some amazing Maxwell Street Polish. Service is fast, so it’s a great stop for a quick lunch. Just be sure to bring cash, and don’t go on the weekend. They’re only open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

* Isidro’s Tamales and Taqueria (430 W Station St.) in Kankakee. The single maroon awning on the south side of Station Street, across from St. Rose of Lima Church, is easy to miss but worth looking for. Everything I’ve tried — including tamales, tacos and burritos — has been very good, and you could probably order one of everything for less than $15.

* China Chef (331 S. Kennedy Drive) in Bradley. I lived here for more than three years before I ever went in, simply because the exterior left me (a) wondering if it was indeed open for business, unlike several of its strip mall neighbors, and (b) nervous about what I would find behind the dark, mini-blind covered windows. I now know, as do the restaurant’s many regulars, that inside is a shockingly large, well-lit dining room, with wonderful food and service.

* El Mexicano (503 Riverstone Parkway, Suite 201) in Kankakee. Its generic storefront in a generic strip mall located next to the mother of all generic stores (Walmart) certainly doesn’t attract any attention. In fact, most people don’t even realize it’s there. But if you walk through the doors you’ll discover a beautifully decorated and spacious restaurant with a full bar in the back and some of the best Mexican food in town.

This is certainly a subjective list, and by no means an exhaustive list, of great hole-in-the-wall dining spots. If you have a favorite that I didn’t include, please call or e-mail me and I’ll include more in my column next week. Also, Marcotte’s and Isidro’s are featured on The Daily Journal’s Let’s Eat Out Web site. You can find their hours, menus, coupon offers and more at i57life.com/letseatout.

I’ve heard that a new restaurant, El Toro, has opened in Onarga. However, Internet searches and phone calls to Onarga Village Hall and the Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department, among other places, didn’t turn up a phone number.

If you know how I can reach the restaurant to get more information, please let me know.

Coyote Canyon (1359 Locke Dr.) in Bourbonnais will be used to shoot a scene for the upcoming movie “Mariachi Gringo,” according to co-owner Jim Johanek.

“A crew of 50 to 60 will be filming the scene sometime in late September/early October, and Director Tom Gustafson will be looking for some extras to be a part of the movie,” Johanek said.

I’ll share more details when they’re available.

In mid-July, ABC 7 reporter Steve Dolinsky visited One Sixty Four North restaurant in Kankakee. The Chicago restaurant reporter, know to viewers as The Hungry Hound, was highlighting One Sixty Four North as a good place to eat if you were in town for Bears camp.

I knew about the planned visit in advance and made plans to eat there with a colleague the afternoon they would be filming. The segment aired July 31, the first day of camp. I didn’t see it, but I heard last week that I was in it, and I am! It’s only 7 seconds (from 2:05 to 2:12), but hey.

It’s possible I also influenced the content of the story. I exchanged emails with Dolinsky the day before his visit and recommended the Seafood Newburg as one of my favorite dishes. That dish (which IS awesome) gets a prominent mention in the story.

If you would like to see the video, click here.

A new bar, The Looney Bin, is now open in Bradley. It’s 201 S. Schuyler Ave., which is the old Dr. Judy’s.

Click here to follow them on Facebook.

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Here’s more from Nick Huffman, one of the owners:

“There’s a few of us involved. … The new name is “The Looney Bin”. It officially opened last Tuesday (Aug. 23, 2010). Our plans are to provide new and fresh entertainment. We just booked a band called “Iron Horse” who made it all the way to Hollywood in this season’s “America’s Got Talent” for September 24th. … Aside from DJing Beatles music, we have the Beatles “Rock Band” game hooked up through a full PA system and light show, so anyone who wants to sing or play along can. We had a Buffett Night already with a Buffett concert streaming on satellite radio. We do theme nights, where people can dress up with that era’s music. We’ve already had 80’s Night and 70’s Night. More or less, it’s a place to have fun. And, we’re told every day it’s the best smelling bar in town. (And it is.)

I’m a huge fan of Mexican food, especially tacos. I like mine the traditional way, with meat (pork is my favorite) wrapped in corn tortillas and topped with diced onions and cilantro.

Last week I discovered two new tacos that I recommend trying. The first was at Jimmy Jo’s BBQ (665 N. Convent St.) in Bourbonnais. I wasn’t expecting to see tacos on the menu when I walked in, but they’ve been offering pulled pork and beef briskett tacos for more than a month. I tried one of each and both were excellent. They come topped with tomato and lettuce, and either pico de gallo, red sauce or green sauce. Also available are sour cream and guacamole, which is particularly good on the pork taco.

The other tacos I enjoyed were the new Cantina tacos at Taco Bell. They’re served the traditional way that I like and even come with a fresh lime wedge. Choose from chicken, steak or carnitas (shredded pork). In addition to tasting good, these tacos are also waistline friendly. The steak Cantina taco is 160 calories, the chicken taco is 170 calories and the carnitas taco is 200 calories.

Steve Dolinsky, aka the “Hungry Hound” restaurant reporter from ABC 7 in Chicago, was in town last week filming at One Sixty Four North in Kankakee. The episode is scheduled to air at 10:30 p.m. on July 30.