Local affairs - restaurant-wise - Part 2

So we were on the subject of searing and browning. How a lack of that can make or break a dish. And tasting for salt and pepper. Giving it a little more time and effort will make so much of  difference, especially when there are not many or even no spices in the dish. Love my garlic. Crushed red pepper. And ginger. And cinnamon, and cardamom, star anise, coriander and .... . Well, pardon my Malayali/ Indian palate. We are on browning though.  For instance, that is what I loved about Niro's Gyros on Springfield. The lamb slices in their gyro used to be browned. And their fries are still great. But these days, that dreaded boiled and bland effect .Sadly, had to give that up.Tried Supergyro once, and that was enough. Not going back. Now, Penn Station on Town Center Blvd, serves a great Philly and fries. The meat is browned and is flavorful. Unfortunately they use peanut oil, so sadly cannot eat their food.

Now my favorite Mexican place to eat is Dos Reales on Prospect Ave. I like that place more for the ambience too. The buzz. The life. The laughter and the sound of people talking and enjoying their respective company. And the food. Large portions. With their homemade hot sauce. Especially the fajitas, and the shrimp diablo. Now sometimes they forget to sear the meat and the shrimp and the taste does suffer. But on the whole, a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I haven't  tried El Toro yet, which gets the popular vote on that People Choice list. Will see. Also have to try the Maize.

Baxter's on Neil has quite a variety of items on their menu. I like their burger, their jambalaya is good, a nice place to have a cocktail and a bite to eat. Another nice place to go to is Houlihan's.
I like to walk to Guido's in downtown Champaign for a cocktail and burger too. Sometimes we get lucky with a great nicely mixed cocktail. At other times, not that much. But still the location is great to sit and drink and just relax. Big Grove was the first place we went to when we came to Champaign. It was around 3 on a week day and the place was kind of quiet. We had tea and snacks at the counter. It was nice and we decided to go back there for a drink later. And we did. It was nice. But then a couple of times, on our walks, we stopped by and were told we needed reservation. Guess it was our very informal attire that put the elegant reception people off. Or some other more legitimate reason. Anyway that was how we switched our allegiance to Guido's. We were all right there. Kofusion has good sushi and drinks too. When we don't want to feel full we go there. And I am not a big sushi fan.

It was by chance we stepped into Watson's Shack and Rail in downtown Champaign. I was surprised at the hot chicken I got there! Not bad! Happy me. Loved their decor too. Very country. Southern style, I am told. On the other end, Hamilton Walker's is  an impressive place in a different way. I got that old movie New York vibe there. One of those places with live jazz. Cool and dark and with those plush leather booths and chairs and mural on the wall, it is good to be in there. Food was okay too, should go there again and remind myself.

More later.

local affairs, restaurant-wise - Part 1

We have been living here for a few years now, and have eaten at quite a few of the area's restaurants. And have enjoyed the food at most of them. It is my sadness at the closing of some of my favorites that made me write this piece. Well, not surprising since these days what I seem to be passionate about is eating and more eating.

Anyway, if you ask me which my most favorite Chinese restaurant is, I would say South China restaurant on Springfield,  during 2015 - 2017 period. After that, I think they changed  hands, or changed their chef, the taste started deteriorating. For instance, one of my favorite item the sauteed green pepper and beef became boiled beef and peppers. That seared flavor was gone. Towards the end, everything got sweeter and sweeter. And sadly, now they are closed - permanently. I know they were hit by a few violation notices too. Now, the other Chinese restaurant that got all the votes on news-gazette people choice, the Rainbow Garden, we tried them. They are okay. But again the sweetness is not to my liking. Szechwan China on First Street has a pretty good hotpot, but I preferred the old South China's flavors. Golden Harbor is ok, the one great thing about them being that they consider those with allergies.

My favorite Thai restaurant is Thara Thai on Bloomington Rd. Their spicy beef red curry and rice is done to my liking. Nice portions too.  And I have been to Sticky Rice and My Thai.

Minecci's was my favorite Italian restaurant. I loved their desserts, especially the creme brulee , cream puffs and cannoli. Now creme brulee is something by which I assess the standard of a restaurant, same as French macarons in cafes. Because not all get it right, even though you may expect it to be easy for the experts. I remember having one at a McCormick restaurant in Boston. It was disappointingly runny, really watery with no sugar crust, of course. Minecci's got it right, texture wise, flavor wise. The pudding was set anyway, even if it wasn't made of all yolks and cream,and the sweetness was not overpowering. But then they are closed too - permanently.

I liked Za's too, for their soups, pizzas and tiramisu and limoncello cakes. Again, to me they had got it right. If they had a more beautiful surrounding, they could have really had a great sidewalk cafe thing going. It was a nice place to go have a coffee and a bite, (better than Pekara or Aroma).  Sadly, they are closed too.

Dublin O'Neils pub downtown was a great idea, and I liked to eat there, for that idea -- the Irish British thing. They could have made it  look more Irish, and taste more like it too. It was with great anticipation that I ordered their sausage and mash. In my mind, I had those heavenly sausages of ye old England resting on a mound of mashed potatoes, smothered in that brown onion gravy. like the ones I had the chance to gobble down in London one day. Sadly, there was no gravy at all, and the sausages were nowhere near the originals in taste or appearance. That restaurant is gone too. Now if you are wondering how I knew about these English food items, no, we did not eat these in India. At first,  I learned of these from books, as  a student. Movies came later. And while we are on the topic, the other English staples that I have seen here -- scones, strawberry shortcake, custard, -- let’s say, I prefer the English flavor and look. Just like I cannot forget the taste of the croissants in Paris. And that trip was not even good, it was a chance detour by Air India on our way from India to Chicago via Frankfurt. After a whole day of neglect and starvation, we were put up in hotels for the night. But a small group were brave enough to go out to see the Eiffel Tower and I tagged along. That is all. But the memory of those flaky, buttery, crisp on the outside, layered croissants they had served for breakfast at the hotel still stays fresh.

Speaking of sausages, one of my favorite kinds is the bratwurst. In fact, I think in a pinch, they can be used in our mash. I like them beer-poached and pan-seared to that golden brown. And with a topping of caramelized onions, they are irresistible. Again, we would think it would be easy for the experts to do it. Alas, no. I tried it at the local Octoberfest, and I wanted to cry. Didn’t  know we could make them that dry and that bland! And then came October at Wienerschnitzel. And they had this wonderfully done brats with caramelized onions to boot! Happy, happy, happy. But the next October, they took the short cut -- they stopped searing it, and the onions were too meagre to taste. So that's that. Portillo's has a brat that again, to me has that bland and boiled aura. But a little better than that Octoberfest one.

Lesson: the importance of searing and browning in the realm of taste. And of caramelized onions. That is why I love a simple onion tart, as long the onions are you know what.

Fall again, and a paean to Champaign

Did I say I love fall? Sure, I did! what's not to love about this enchanting drama queen! No tantrums, just a dazzling display from a colorful diva! Her flying, flitting shining leaves shake as she twirls in her jewel toned sequin-layered skirt, not caring if some frills and sequins fall, at times with a dramatic sigh. There are the heaps of fallen leaves, like multi-colored candy wrappers, like crunchy pappadams, or crab rangoons.  and in between there are a few green leaved trees - stubbornly resisting- to- turn old timers -- and then  those wall flower types who wish they would turn like the others,( I am sure!) Every year, fall, to me, is a carnival.

This year's fall is extra special. I am in a new city. So it's a city Fall. And neither the city nor the season have disappointed me yet. Champaign is made for this season! Its paved streets dotted with old world lamps  are a good setting for these painted ladies and gents to make a spectacle of themselves! This city has parks ( I haven't seen this many squirrels anywhere!) on most streets, sidewalks in all parts, it has little lakes that soothe you, and old homes that evoke old memories. The little town is eminently walkable and the little shops and cafes, endearing. I loved its little Oktoberfest, with its Apple Saison beer that tasted like Fall, as much as like apple pie. And the farmer's market that introduced me to Autumn Berry jams and relishes that reminded me of those good old days back home, back when I was a child.

 And then there is the University with its libraries and stadiums and theaters. I feel I have come off my (self-imposed, I guess) exile into a new world!
As I walk beneath these trees flamboyant in their drool-worthy candy leaves, as usual, I long to absorb it all. As the cozy cool wind and the equally cozy but warm sun hit the leaves, and then touch me, I am so happy that I can almost taste the sensual feast!