Our ‘Date Night’

Jim and Nancy do not disclose the fact that they will review a restaurant before they attend, ensuring their reviews are unbiased and uninfluenced by their position with the Sun Day.

Every week for 46 years, Jim and I have done our best to take one night off from our busy schedule and have a “date night.” Honestly, this practice has evolved over the years. When we were first married and struggling, we treated ourselves every Tuesday night to the $1.29 special at Ponderosa Steakhouse while waiting for our laundry to finish up at the laundromat. Later in our marriage, “date night” progressed to romantic dinners where our bar bill exceeded our food bill. Now, during our “golden years” and because of COVID, we actually look forward to going to the store to buy groceries, and then catching a restaurant’s early bird special.

On one of our recent trips we threw caution to the wind and went to the new Jewel to see what all the excitement was about. After walking down aisle after aisle looking at food, I must admit, my stomach was verbally expressing its feelings. While going past the liquor aisle, I told Nancy we should get some Jameson’s. She agreed and said we could spend some of our stimulus check on a bottle of the 17-year-old good stuff. I immediately said I was talking about going to a Jameson’s Restaurant for lunch. Nancy gave me the “you’re a moron” look and begrudgingly agreed.

Restaurants are doing all that they can in these crazy times, but Jim and I believe certain entrees do not fare well with takeout. Burgers, chicken, pizza, and Chinese do well. Steak, not so much. Believe it or not, there are quite a few restaurants nearby that are open for dining in. Feel free to call the restaurant and ask if they offer this service; you’ll be surprised at how many do. Such was the case with Jameson’s Charhouse in Crystal Lake.

Walking in, we saw that all the COVID-19 restrictions were adhered to. Masks were required, tables were six feet apart, and disposable menus were provided. In keeping with our “date night,” we were seated by a cozy fireplace with a romantic fire burning brightly. The waiter brought over a loaf of warm pull-apart bread while we perused the menu. Since we believe COVID-19 stands for the 19 pounds we all gain during the pandemic, we decided to skip appetizers and go straight to the entrée.

Nancy is turning into quite a carnivore and decided to order the (six ounce) Filet Mignon ($23) with a Parmesan crust ($1.25 upcharge). She had a choice of soup or salad, and of course she chose the salad with creamy garlic dressing. Since she was famished, she also ordered a bowl of chicken noodle soup ($3.50). Her entrée came with broccoli and her choice of a side. She went with the rice pilaf. The steak was charred on the outside, just the way she likes it.

Jim ordered an entrée he has not had in over a year. He chose the London Broil ($19) with mashed potatoes and chicken noodle soup for his side. It was just as delicious as he remembered it during the good old days when it was served at Del Webb banquets.

It made our day to have a “date night” with a delicious meal at a nice dine-in restaurant. We were in our jammies by 6:30 p.m.!!! Try dining out, it will give you a refreshing new outlook. Be sure to wear a mask and use common sense. In our case, this brief outing prevented our home from becoming a crime scene. This quarantine is starting to get really ugly.

NOTE: This restaurant is handicap accessible.

The price for our new style “date night” was $56.30, new attitude, priceless…

Jim’s take: The chicken noodle soup with the al dente shell noodles was awesome. My steak was like butter.

Nancy’s take: Rather than just steamed broccoli, they went the extra mile and grilled it, which made it awesome. Jim even ate all of his veggies today!!!

Have comments or restaurant suggestions for the Dining Duo? Send them an email at: thediningduo@gmail.com

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