The Full Bull opened recently in Watseka. The bar and grill serves burgers, sandwiches, wraps, wings and more.

On Tuesdays, get two items for just $2. Choose from a small burger, pork burger, chicken breast sandwich, fries or onion rings. On Taco Thursdays, chicken or beef flour tacos are $3. They also have wing specials on Wednesdays and a $4 fish sandwich special on Fridays.

The kitchen is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Lunch hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner hours are 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The phone number is (815) 432-2855 (BULL). The address is 117-119 E. Walnut St., aka Route 24.

(Thanks to a reader named Mary Lou, who not only gave me this tip, but also tracked down much of the information for me!)

Construction is complete at Family House Restaurant & Sports Bar (as it’s now called) in Bradley. You will now find a sports bar and patio, in addition to the traditional diner atmosphere. The remodeling carved unique spaces for the sports bar and dining room out of the existing space. The patio took over part of the parking lot on the south end of the building. When you walk through the doors, turn to your right for the sports bar and patio, or continue straight ahead for the traditional diner setting.

The new bar officially opens at 5 p.m. tonight. It features a full selection of spirits, 10 draft handles and 17 TVs, including a 110″ big-screen.

Family House Restaurant and Sports Bar is at 312 S. Kennedy Drive. They have not established firm hours yet but expect to be open until 11 p.m. or midnight seven days a week.

My in-box is overflowing with recommendations from readers! Here’s a rundown of comments I’ve received recently via email, Facebook and the Best Bites blog:

From a reader named Nick: “I just wanted to recommend Paul’s Place on Washington Avenue in Kankakee for breakfast.  I went there last Sunday and it was great!  They also have $5.50 breakfast specials, so it’s a great deal.  The biscuits and gravy are particularly good.”

From Rosemary: “I went to Fran’s on 17 (in Kankakee) on Friday, and yes, the garlic wrap was great!  The other person in the party had the walleye and was very pleased.”

Two readers shared their opinions on MiMi’s Maxwell Street (178 E. North St.) in Bradley. Stephen wrote, “Just wanted to recommend them to all of the readers of The Daily-Journal and whoever is in the mood for great food at a very cheap price. Total cost for two polish sausages, one hot dog, three bags of chips and two bottled waters was $8! The food is outstanding! To top it all off, they have two of the nicest owners I have ever met!” A reader named Rosie wrote, “I stopped by and had a Maxwell polish and a burger and I must say, they are the closest to the “real” Maxwell as you can get around here. I was surprised because I have visited other places in the area that have the polish, but they don’t come close to the taste. The burger was darn good, too. I would recommend this place in a heartbeat.”

Several readers agreed with last week’s recommendation of Rondinella’s Italian Deli and Imports (189 N. Kinzie) in Bradley. “Love it there,” wrote a reader named Rob. From Mary: “I’m a cookie lover and their kitchen sink cookie is to die for; absolutely scrumptious and big enough to share.” From Gary: “”BEST Italian beef ever! We LOVE their real Prosciutto di Parma and Parmaggiano Reggiano. Rondinella’s is a real treasure!” From Cheryl: “Rondinella’s is a wonderful place with all kinds of good things, including the sandwiches.  The owners are so friendly & helpful. It is one of my favorite stores.  I love seeing them at the Kankakee Farmer’s Market as well.”

From a reader named John: “Mi Ranchito in Lowell, Ind., has a shrimp dish (Camarones Cancun) that is simply great. The shrimp is prepared on the grill and is spiced perfectly. … Nice people there as well.”

Every few months I check to see if we’re any closer to getting an Arby’s on Route 45/52 in Bourbonnais. I spoke with the franchise owner on Tuesday and he assured me they still plan to build there but are waiting for the economy to improve before they move forward.

Here’s the Best Bites column that appears in today’s edition of The Daily Journal.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tucci’s (1560 N. state Route 50) in Bourbonnais has a new summer menu.

The seasonal offerings include a fruit plate and chicken or salmon salad over flatbread. They’ve also added grilled paninis to their regular menu and are now offering express lunches. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, a slice of pepperoni, sausage or cheese pizza is $3.99 and endless soup, salad and breadsticks is $5.99.

Go to www.i57life.com/letseatout for the full menu.

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One Sixty Four North (164 N. Schuyler Ave.) in Kankakee also has a new menu. Lunches now start at $6.95 and dinners start at $15.95.

Go to www.i57life.com/letseatout for the full menu.

Mark your calendar for the Taste of Kankakee County on Friday, Sept. 3. It will be part of the festivities surrounding the Power Boat Nationals that will once again be held again Labor Day weekend on the Kankakee River. I’ll share more details closer to the event.

Also, the Bradley Bourbonnais Chamber of Commerce will be holding a Taste of the Region event on Saturday, July 31, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Hidden Cove Sports Plex in Bradley. There will be food, drinks, music and shopping.

A reader named Frank emailed me to recommend Rondinella’s Italian Imports & Deli (189 N. Kinzie) in Bradley. “Hope you get a chance to try one of (their) sandwiches,” he wrote. “They are awesome!”

What makes them so good is that they’re made with specialty meats and cheeses and served on fresh bread or rolls.  The menu features both cold and hot sandwiches, including paninis and Italian beef. In addition to deli meats, cheeses and bread, Rondinella’s also sells specialty salads, olives, lasagna, tiramisu, pizza kits, and imported pasta, sauces, cookies and other pantry items.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Call (815) 933-0080 for more information.

The Daily Journal recently published a local restaurant directory that featured ads for nearly two dozen area eateries, including Fran’s on 17. On Friday, I received this note via email:

“We took Fran’s on 17 at their word in their ad, which says “best ribs in Illinois” (that’s quite a comment to make, I think) and went there for ribs for lunch yesterday. They were delicious! If you like tender, fall-off-the-bone, don’t have to pick them up and chew them, you will like these ribs.  It was our first time there and we definitely will go back.”

I can also recommend the garlic beef wrap at Fran’s. They stuff a tortilla with super-tender slices of beef, add a special garlic-mayonnaise sauce and some mozzarella cheese, and then grill it. The result is a warm, delicious sandwich that’s juicy and a little gooey on the inside and perfectly crisp on the outside.

Fran’s is at 7096 W. State Route 17 in Kankakee. The kitchen is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and the bar is open until 2 a.m. There are daily lunch specials, and every Thursday is Mexican food day. For more information, call (815) 932-6986.

Here’s the Best Bites column that appears in today’s edition of The Daily Journal.

Read the rest of this entry »