And the B.E.L.C.H. Awards go to…

Hollywood has the Academy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards. Broadway has their Tony Awards and music has the Grammy Awards. The food industry has the James Beard Awards and the Michelin Stars. All of these pale in comparison to the most prestigious, most sought after, and coveted award ever. Of course, we are referring to the annual Dining Duo’s B.E.L.C.H. Award (Best Eating Location Close to Huntley).

Giacomo’s favorite restaurant

If you are a regular reader of this column, you know that we sometimes have a habit of overdoing things. Since we live on a corner lot, we feel it’s our duty to honor Chevy Chase in the movie “Christmas Vacation” by filling up our yard with every imaginable blinking, flashing, and twinkling light decorations. They can take the shape of snowmen, Santa Claus, or elf figures. This is a four-day process which includes taking anti-inflammatory medications, drinking a half bottle of Fireball Whiskey, and smoking several Cuban cigars by our fireplace.

Cooked sushi

Old habits and recipes die hard, especially with Nancy. Truth be told, she is actually an excellent cook. This was evident when we were younger and had a houseful of people over for holiday dining. Now our family is dwindling and the kids and grandkids have all moved away, but the recipes stayed the same. As a result, Nancy always cooks for the holidays a meal that would easily feed 12 people even though it is just the two of us. I made the mistake of mentioning that maybe she could cut down the recipes, but to her, change is evil. The recipes have been handed down from generation to generation, and must not be tampered with. Such was the case during the recent Thanksgiving holiday.

Maple, no hash

Anytime a new restaurant opens up in our area, it causes quite a stir, especially when it’s not the usual fast food. We have been receiving a lot of questions and comments concerning a new breakfast/lunch venue that recently opened in Pingree Grove. To see what all the fuss was about, we headed out one morning to get the lowdown.

A friend of Nancy’s recommended an establishment in Crystal Lake for breakfast/brunch, and since we are always looking for new places to eat, we decided to try it out.

Now is where the fun begins.

Gators and mudbugs

One dull rainy day we were sitting around the Dining Duo palatial estate bored out of our minds. Our lives are so hectic that we cannot stay at home for a couple of hours and do nothing but relax. How screwed up are we?

Under new management

Bocce ball is one of the most strenuous sports in the world. You have to pick up a little white ball, roll it about 15 feet making sure it goes over a designated line. After this, you then have to pick up an even bigger and heavier ball and roll it as close to the little white ball as possible. It is a very complicated game.

Even though Jim and I are trained athletes, after three rounds of this exhausting activity, we work up quite an appetite. Because of this, every Friday we go out with a group of our fellow bocce athletes to refuel at a designated restaurant. The latest post game oasis was Pub 47 in Huntley, which is under new management.

A Trio-course dinner

A friend of ours, Mike, was performing a blues show one Wednesday evening and invited us to come and listen to some blues trivia and music. Truth be told, it was also his birthday and the audience was to be peppered with a lot of his friends. This was all happening at the Trio Grille in Marengo.

When we arrived, we were looking for an entrance to the restaurant and discovered the restaurant was inside the Glo-Bowl bowling alley. We didn’t bring our bowling shirts or shoes, but we went in anyway and were escorted to our table.

Winging it

Whenever Nancy and I have a day dedicated to running errands, we always like to plan out our itinerary in the morning while sucking down coffee and watching cartoons. Our travels that day would take us to Schaumburg where Nancy had to get the obligatory COVID test before having a medical procedure in a few days. As a reward for Nancy having to bear the horrific ordeal of having a cotton swab jammed up her nose, she requested to have lunch at Heng Wing Restaurant in Palatine.

The BIG chicken

As you go north on Route 47 things seem to get bigger. You approach the town of Hebron, and immediately you see a giant basketball cleverly disguised as a water tower. This undoubtedly was the game ball when the Hebron High School won the IHSA championship in 1952. Drive past the downtown area, look on your left, and there stands as Henery Hawk, the cartoon character would say, “that is the biggest chicken ever I see.” It must be a monument to Foghorn Leghorn. He is standing guard in front of Crandall’s Restaurant in Hebron.

40 Years and counting…

People use a lot of adjectives to describe Nancy and I, some are even complimentary. The adjective smart is not one of them, let me explain why. We headed out at 5 p.m. one Friday night to review a restaurant. We said to ourselves, it’s pretty early, we don’t need no “stinking reservations.” We proudly walked in and were asked if we had reservations. Since we had none, we were informed that the next open table was at 8:30. Of course this was my fault judging from the explicit phrases coming from the mouth of my loving bride. We returned to our car and started searching our restaurant “hit list” for something nearby. We picked a restaurant and called for a reservation at Al’s Café in Elgin. I told you we were smart.

Jur-’in’, Jur-’out’

We had a very enjoyable New Year’s Eve celebration partying with new friends Rich and Melody. At that time, we agreed to go out to dinner in the new year. Five short months later, we finally got together and met them at Jurin Sushi-Teppan in South Elgin.

Sweet and savory

Normal people celebrate holidays on their appointed day and for one day only. Not so in the Dining Duo’s household. Any holiday that is in tribute to Nancy, such as, Grandparent’s Day, her birthday, Mother-in-Law’s Day, Groundhog Day, April Fool’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year, and especially Mother’s Day, always turns into a weeklong gala celebration extravaganza.

In the ‘tiki, tiki, tiki, room’

Isn’t it true that everyone is a kid at heart? It’s safe to say that at one time or another, most people have been to Disney World, either by themselves, with their children, or possibly with their grandchildren. There are a few classic attractions that everyone remembers, either good or bad. One is that boat ride with those cute little dolls from all over the world incessantly singing, “It’s a Small World.” It took us several years to get that nauseating song out of our heads. Another is the Haunted Mansion where a holographic ghost suddenly appears sitting next to you. Our grandson is now in therapy.

Once in a blue moon

Once in a blue moon, Nancy and I get a taste for some good old fashioned tangy, smoky barbeque. Luckily, we did get a recommendation from someone, but because we’re old, we can’t remember who it was from or the name of the restaurant. We knew it was “Moon” something.

Mix it up at Mixteca

Our friends Ken and Karen are Mexican food aficionados. For some time now, they have been telling us about a small unassuming storefront restaurant on Route 47 near Woodstock. Our schedules finally aligned and we made a date for lunch at Mixteca Tequila Bar in Woodstock.

Out of hibernation

Spring has sprung, tra-la, tra-la!!! The daffodils are poking their heads out of the ground, and we are all poking our heads out from behind our masks (hopefully for good this time). We felt like Mamma and Papa Bear coming out of hibernation as we left our cave one sunny day with bear sized appetites. First thing on our list, go to the bank to get a loan so we can fill up the gas tank of the Mini-Mobile. Second is getting Mamma Bear, who has been cooking all winter long, out of the kitchen, and last but not least, to satisfy my Papa Bear appetite.

Fire! Fire! Fire!

There is not a woman in the world who will tolerate her husband sitting around the house with nothing to do. Whenever I turn on the TV to see how Arnold (the pig) Ziffel is fairing on Green Acres, Nancy starts cleaning something. Because I am tall, I am immediately drafted to help her Spring clean the unreachable places. After two days of this activity, I pulled out the husband trump card and said, “let’s go to a casino.” She immediately put down her Swiffer, grabbed her Diamond Jo’s reward card, and counted her money as she ran for the car.

Roll out the barrel

We have been writing this column for over ten years. In that time, we have received our share of letters, both good and bad. These range from very complimentary letters, restaurant recommendations, and letters telling us, in rather unflattering terms, what we can do with our column. These letters are often peppered with comments about our taste and intelligence. We must admit we were apprehensive when we received a letter in the U.S. Mail. We nervously opened it up and were relieved when we discovered the contents were handwritten and didn’t have words pasted from a newspaper like you see on detective shows on TV.

Chillin at Chilo’s

The hustle and bustle of the holidays is done, and we are left with nothing to do. The Midwest has now plunged into the dull, gray, deep freeze of winter. On the plus side, we don’t have to see our relatives for another year. On the minus side, Jim and I are together in a 1,200 square foot home with nothing to do, and it’s getting ugly.

A hair-raising ‘egg’sperience

There are several skills that all seniors must master in their “Golden” years. The first one is arriving at a restaurant five minutes before the senior’s early bird special ends. The second is collecting and managing coupons and gift cards, so along with your senior discount, the restaurant ends up owing you money when the bill arrives.

Best eateries near Huntley 2021

EVERYBODY SING ALONG… “It’s the most wonderful time of the year. With the restaurants open, and appetizers flowing, and drinks of good cheer, it’s the most wonderful time of the year…”

This is the column that we know you all have been waiting for with baited garlic breath and grumbling tummies. We are referring to the semi-finalists in our Top 10 list of “BURPS” (Best Unknown Restaurant Picks) culminating in the big “BELCH” (Best Eating Location Close to Huntley) of 2021.

A coal-fired SLYCE

Jim and I were sitting around watching cartoons one morning. Suddenly, Jim’s cell phone went crazy asking us to confirm our online purchase of a very expensive entertainment system. He promptly replied “no” and then proceeded to call the credit card company. This turned out not to be a big problem since the card was immediately cancelled and a new one was on its way the next day.

Dinner with a ‘foxy’ lady

There has been a restaurant that Nancy has been wanting to go to for some time now, but we never got around to it. What can be more romantic than a nice dinner with a moonlit view of the Fox River? I decided to step up and have a date night with my “foxy” lady. Reservations were made, and off we went to Salerno’s on the Fox in St. Charles.

While driving to our romantic repast, Jim noticed the clouds were thickening, and it started to rain. There goes the moonlight ambiance. Luckily, the restaurant had a covered area to drive up and drop me off so as not to ruin my coiffure.

Dining Duo finds Big Foot

Breaking News: The Dining Duo finds Big Foot! Everyone was searching in the wilderness, but Big Foot was found just outside the city limits of Harvard. This is proudly proclaimed on a roadside sign on Northwest Highway. More evidence can be found as you drive past the Big Foot Cemetery. Venturing further on we discovered the place where all the Big Foot (Big Foots??? Big Feet???) dine and socialize. We are ecstatic to announce the discovery of the Big Foot Inn Supper Club and Restaurant in Harvard.

Clowning around

Wedding anniversary celebrations have a tendency to change over a married couple’s life. Gone are the days of a romantic weekend getaway, followed by a candlelit dinner, and dancing till dawn. After 47 years of marital bliss, anniversaries consist of a trip to Wisconsin Dells to contribute to the Ho-Chunk Indian tribe, and seeing a matinee performance of Bello Nok at the Palace Theater.

Belly up to the bar

Nancy heard through the grapevine about a place that had excellent pizza. As it turned out, we’ve all passed by this establishment at one time or another. As you drive east on Route 20, in the middle of nowhere there’s a curve in the road. As you round the bend you will see a crooked post with a sign on it for the Outpost Tavern and Grill in Pingree Grove.

Honestly, the outside of this tavern was not very inviting. It resembled a place that could have been featured on Guy Fieri’s “Diner’s, Drive-Ins, and Dives” TV show. We parked Jim’s Mercedes amongst the pick-up trucks, looked at each other, mustarded up our courage, and sauntered in.

Proudly Serving the Community of Sun City in Huntley

Proudly Serving the Community of
Sun City in Huntley