Moser's Austrian Cafe & German Cuisine

When some friends told my parents about a restaurant in New Carlisle serving Austrian and German Cuisine, they never would have guessed that the owner used to work at a shoppe they frequented in my mom's hometown in Germany. Moser's Austrian Cafe & German Cuisine is a great place for those who want to try Austrian and German cuisine for the first time or for those who, like me, just miss the food from this region. We began our meal with the "Hot Wurst Platte," a sampling of sausages including bratwurst; weisswurst, a Bavarian sausage made with minced veal and fresh bacon; thueringer, who's ingredients vary, but must come from the state of Thueringia in Germany; and debreziner, a finely minced pork sausage seasoned with paprika that has a kick. I really like the bratwurst and weisswurst, and while the debreziner and thueringer were good, they were too spicy for my palate (have I mentioned I am a wimp?). We also shared the "Bavarian Meat and Cheese Platter," which included sandwich meats such as Speck (German prosciutto), Landjaeger (a dried sausage), and several other cuts similar to bologna with add ins like mushrooms, served alongside cubes of cheese, and swirled rye bread; and I encourage you to try the bread, because I don't usually care for rye, but thought swirling it with white bread mellowed it out. And this is what our platters looked like AFTER we had our way with them!

The menu is extensive and includes choices such as Austrian Gulasch (Beef and pork tips in a brown sauce over drop noodles called spaetzle), Paprika Chicken, and bratwurst with saurkraut, but I went straight to the section with schnitzel, which is a pork or chicken cutlet that is breaded and fried. Moser's offers many varieties such as the Jaegerschnitzel that is covered with a mushroom sauce and the Schwaebisches (the region in Germany my family is from) schnitzel which is covered in anchovies and a white wine sauce. I ordered the plain, traditional pork schnitzel because that is how we have always eaten it in our family, which was a little under seasoned, but cooked perfectly with a crisp crust and juicy inside. My meal came with a side of spaetzle, which my little man ate, and I opted to sub my red cabbage (yech!!) with a side of the biggest, crispiest homemade chips I have ever eaten.

Wiener Schnitzel

 

Homemade Chips

While it was almost an hour drive, I still highly recommend Moser's in New Carlisle, Indiana for a delicious German meal, not to mention a completely unique dining experience, because the only place you will get a better German meal is at my mom's house!!

Culinary Mill Market & Deli

As early as the 1880's construction began on the factory building that today make up Coppes Commons in Nappanee, and while there is no longer furniture being made in this factory, it offers plenty of other treasures in it's many shoppes ( Remember Rocket Science Ice Cream? http://albertassessment.blogspot.com/2012/11/rocket-science-ice-cream.html ). One of the shoppes located in the former Coppes factory is Culinary Mill Market & Deli, which is part small town grocery store, part deli, and entirely delicious! We entered the shoppe to find lots of bulk snacks, and moved through the aisles to find locally made pickles, jams, and sauces, cheese from the Guggisburg Cheese Factory, lots of candy, even sugar free, and a gluten free section (including bulk bags of GF flour); I haven't even made a dent in what the market side of Culinary Mill Market & Deli offers, but I can assure you that there is something for everyone. When you find yourself at the deli there is much more to offer than just sliced meat and cheese, between 11am and 2pm, be sure to check out what is being smoked for lunch, we were lucky to find that the lunch specials were pulled pork and spareribs, plus there is a list of sides for a dollar each including chips, macaroni salad, coleslaw, and several other options that go great with barbecue. My Hubby chose the pulled pork sandwich with a side of cole slaw, the sandwich was ample and smothered in barbecue sauce, my husband isn't always the biggest fan of barbecue sauce, but he did like this sandwich and got his money's worth at just over $4.00 for the sandwich.

I am a sucker for ribs and couldn't resist a half rack for just $8.00, the ribs are served dry rubbed, and while the seasoning had a little kick, I still thought they were delicious, and were VERY well smoked...there is just something I love about seeing that beautiful pink ring on smoked meat. Culinary Mill also offer's three different BBQ sauces, I truthfully couldn't pick one favorite because they were all scrumptious and complimented my already delicious ribs nicely.

Not only did we have a delicious lunch at Culinary Mill, but we also picked up one of their take and bake pizzas for our stay at home date night, I couldn't tell you the exact size, but it was huge and well worth the $10.00 we paid for it. We chose the 4 meat pizza, which we were pleasantly surprised to find had real meat on it; actual salty ham, big chunks of bacon, rich pepperoni, and tasty hunks of sausage and lots and lots of cheese. We baked the pizza straight on our oven rack and were incredibly happy with how crisp and tasty the crust came out, truthfully my only complaint about this pizza is that it was so chocked full of toppings that it became a little rich, which ultimately meant I could only eat one slice, so I suppose in the end that turns out to be a plus (at least for my waist line, anyway!). So next time your family is begging for pizza, head to the cooler at Culinary meal, because you won't find a better deal on delicious pizza, with gobs of real toppings anywhere else.

Culinary Meal Market & Deli might be a small shoppe, but they have a lot to offer so do what we did, browse for groceries, sit down for a hot lunch of delicious barbecue, take home a pizza for dinner, and embrace the pace of Nappanee.

Rocket Science Ice Cream

With traditional places like Dairy Queen, local places like Flavor Freeze, handmade places like The Chief, and buffet's like Honey's  it's easy to think that we have seen it all on the ice cream front, but today I had an experience that disproved that notion. Rocket Science Ice Cream in Coppes Commons in Nappanee, is serving up a unique ice cream experience that you can only find a handful of places in the U.S.; Steve Helmuth is serving up delicious ice cream that is flash frozen using liquid nitrogen, an idea born from hearing about the use of this super cooled element in science classes.

He starts with an ice cream base and adds syrups, fruit, nuts, candy, and other goodies; you can choose one of the special recipes like Almond Joy, Key Lime Pie, or Peanut Butter Bash or you can dream up your own creation with their extensive list of ingredients. The list consists of 16 syrups including caramel, hazelnut, maple, and orange;  a dozen fruits and nuts like almonds, raspberries, peaches, and pecans; and lots of candy and sweets such as cheesecake, gummy worms, peanut butter, cookie dough, and M&M's. After your ingredients are all mixed up they go through the magic of the liquid nitrogen that turns them into a smooth, frozen treat.

Very few people get the opportunity to try ice cream frozen by liquid nitrogen, but if you are reading this in the Michiana area, you can have this unique experience! A late morning excursion to Nappanee has reiterated the importance of exploring your community, because you might just get lucky enough to find an out of this world experience like Rocket Science Ice Cream!

The Tamale Place

A few years ago my husband and I found ourselves amongst a group of friends who was anxiously awaiting a hot batch of homemade tamales that a neighbor was making, it was an all day process, but by evening time we were sampling the tasty morsels, and we have been hooked ever since! Since that fateful day we searched for a restaurant version to rival these, and while nothing will ever beat homemade we have landed on a local joint in Indy that has become our favorite, and we never drive past the city without a stop at The Tamale Place. It is true that Goshen and Elkhart do have several Mexican restaurants with good tamales, but none can rival the variety and uniqueness of The Tamale Place. The owners Angela and Vladimir met while Angela was backpacking in Mexico in 1999 and  in 2003 along with Angela's mom they opened a tortilla business in Indianapolis, that was not as popular as anticipated, but when locals began asking about good tamales, Vladimir called his Mexican family for recipes, and while Angela loved cooking and had lots of experience, she had never rolled a tamale, which luckily for their customers means half-pound tamales! Though The Tamale Place is home to the half-pound tamale, my personal favorite is the $0.99 cigar sized Cuban stuffed with chorizo, shredded pork, and corn; but I also love the beef with red sauce, which is their most popular tamale, as well as the pork with green sauce. My husband is also a big fan of the poblano with cheese, which he loosely likens to one of his childhood favorites, the chili relleno. The tamales are $3.25 a piece or $38.00 for a dozen and trust me after the first one, you might just find yourself buying the entire dozen! The tamales don't stop at the main dish, The Tamale Place is also serving up delicious dessert tamales, including my favorite apple with pecans that is like eating apple pie in a corn husk, and the chocolate tamale that is somewhere between a brownie, chocolate cake, and mind blowing! While you will find that The Tamale Place makes a great variety of tamales, they are a labor intensive, handmade dish therefore they do not make all of them everyday; next to the cash register you will find a marker board with the day's choices and a number indicating how many are left, so I suggest getting there early in the day before they run out! If you aren't a fan of tamales, but still love good Mexican food, there IS still something here for you; we also love the tacos, they make their own tortilla's with the same masa they use for the tamales and have several different delicious protein options like my personal favorites carne asada and fish (they also have chicken, pork, beans, and veggies), I like mine the traditional way with cilantro and onions, but my hubby loves the addition of melted cheese. They heat the tortillas on the flat top which melts the cheese into the other toppings, and as my hubby says, makes them similar to a quesadilla. He also has an ongoing love affair with their nachos and has to get a half order any time he is there, and by half order we are talking about at least a pound to a pound and a half of homemade tortilla chips (made from their homemade tortillas), chicken verde, black beans, sour cream, white cheese dip, lettuce, guacamole, and jalapenos. There are many other options to customize your nacho order, but no matter how you top it, you can be sure it will be delicious. I cannot promise to have tried a lot of the Mexican restaurants in Indianapolis, but I have tried a great deal of authentic Mexican food, and this restaurant is a must try, especially if you are a tamale fanatic like we are!

The Golden Monkey Cafe

On the south side of Goshen there is an Asian restaurant that has something different to offer than all of the others around town; The Golden Monkey on Lincolnway is serving up Vietnamese food and proving that not all Asian food is the same. I started out with ordering a water ( I try not to drink my carbs or calories!), but The Golden Monkey has a large variety of bubble teas and bubble tea smoothies to offer. We had an appetizer of egg rolls, we still aren't sure how these tasty morsels ended up at our table, because we didn't order them, or at least not intentionally, but I like to chalk it up to divine intervention. These egg rolls were Delicious, they were smaller than a traditional egg roll, but packed a lot of flavor, the wrapper was thinner than I have ever had which made them incredibly crispy, and the filling was not overstuffed with cabbage, but had a nice balance of carrots, pork, and rice noodles as well. These egg rolls immediately shot to the top of my list and are my new favorites!

As I looked over the menu, the sweet and sour chicken was yelling my name, but I decided that since this was my first time in a Vietnamese restaurant and eating Vietnamese cuisine, I should go with something I hadn't tried before. I chose the Vietnamese sub, that had a wonderful picture of marinated pork with pickled carrots, cucumbers, and mangoes, all topped with cilantro, but was sadly informed that they were out of pickles, a shame, but I wanted to try the sub just the same. My sandwich came out with two different kinds of meat, one of which I knew was pork, the other I wasn't sure about, and mayo, which I have NEVER in my life eaten before and was hesitant about; but I ate it anyway. The sandwich was good, but the sauce on the pork was very sweet and could have used the pickles to cut through it. While I was in the bathroom my husband asked our waitress what the second kind of meat was on my sandwich, and it was bologna, fried bologna, something else I have NEVER eaten in my life, so this sandwich was a new experience for me in many, many ways, and it was a good one! I will warn, though, that this sandwich has an unreal amount of garlic, as in I am still tasting it and my mom could smell it on me when we picked up our little man three hours later. And yes, those are more egg rolls on my plate, I got them instead of fries!

I was a little disappointed that my husband ordered a burger, the Unique Burger to be exact, but it had cheese and jalapenos and that is all he needed to know. He said the burger was good, but a little spicy, which means something coming from him. He got french fries on the side of his sandwich which he was delighted to find were hand cut and seasoned with something more than regular salt (I'm thinking Lawry's). With hot tea, egg rolls, two sandwich combos (one with fries and one with egg rolls), and a tip our bill was still under $25, so definitely affordable. If you have some family members who are hesitant to try Vietnamese food, or anything new, you will be delighted to find that The Golden Monkey has many American options and also serves breakfast. My hubby also found out from our waitress that they are working towards changing into more of an Asian fusion restaurant, so there are definitely exciting things to come from this already delicious restaurant.

Mad Anthony Brewing Company

Perhaps most Elkhart eaters weren't as fond of Mad Anthony Brew House as my husband and I were, but we were bummed when they shut down the Main Street location here in town, sure we aren't beer drinkers, but their food was always delicious! Fortunately for me the Warsaw location is pretty much halfway between myself and a dear friend, so I get my fix several times a year, because they happen to have some great Gluten Free choices for her (they aren't outlined specifically in the menu, but they do have some options). This visit I was good and did not start dinner with an appetizer, but two of the apps I have had in the past and have loved are the brewery basket and the Bavarian pretzels. The brewery basket is deep fried heaven including pickles, zucchini, portabella mushrooms, and breaded ravioli. Frankly it is hard to screw up fried food, but I still recommend this appetizer as it has some pretty unique deep fried treats, and come on, you have to be getting some sort of nutrients from the zucchini and mushrooms, right? And as for the Bavarian pretzels, well, they don't taste like the pretzels in Germany, but they are still a delicious way to start your meal when dipped in Mad Anthony's pale ale mustard. I can assure you that once you get past the many appetizers on the menu at Mad Anthony's, you might feel pretty overwhelmed by the sheer number of entrees that they offer, so I hope that my suggestions can in some way narrow down your choices and make your dining experience a little easier. The first thing that I ever tried at Mad Anthony's was an unwrap, which is basically pizza on a wafer thin, crispy crust, if you are a lover of thin crust pizza there about a dozen different topping options for you including Greek, Jambalaya, Margherita, and a traditional sausage and pepperoni. Another favorite dish of mine, that I actually tend to crave is the Korean BBQ plate; it is basically a build your own lettuce wrap plate that includes romaine hearts, Bulgogi (Korean BBQ beef), cilantro rice, and several condiments such as fresh garlic, roasted jalapenos, and a delicious pear dipping sauce. This visit, as much as I wanted the Korean BBQ, I have also been dying to try the pizza at Mad Anthony Brew House, and I was NOT disappointed!! I tend to be pretty snobby when it comes to pizza, the crust has to wow me because I am a love of good bread, the sauce has to be well seasoned, and the toppings have to be quality and delicious, and did this pizza ever deliver! The crust was awesome, nice and crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle, the sausage and pepperoni were delicious (although I suspect my husband would complain that the toppings were too salty), and the sauce and cheese were perfect. All I have to say is that it is a good thing that this pizza is an hour away, because if it were any closer my checking account would be substantially smaller, and my waistline vastly larger, because it is very high up on my list of pies that I love!

If you find yourself in the lake town of Warsaw and are a lover of locally brewed beer, or maybe just want a menu that gives you options from every corner of this country, from the cajun fair of the bayou to the sophisticated cuisine of the West Coast, stop in to Mad Anthony Brew House on Center Street, right in the heart of downtown.

Constant Spring

As a general rule we are not bar people, neither of us cares for alcohol, so we don't really see the point, unless of course that bar serves all locally grown and purchased produce, cheese, meat, and desserts; then the bar isn't just a bar, it's a link to the community and a means of supporting it. While, I did feel a little funny going into a bar and just getting a water, I have heard enough good things about the food that I was excited to be there! The menu had MANY great choices that I mulled over; a Pad Thai Salad, Pesto Burger, Fish Sandwich, but what I ultimately decided on were a pound of naked chicken wings for $7.00 with Tangy Carolina BBQ Sauce on the side for dipping; you can also have them tossed in Frank's Red Hot sauce, or get any of their sauces for dipping. I am not a huge lover of wings, however, when our local Buffalo Wild Wings closed down for renovations, it about drove me crazy to hear everyone so upset about not having anyplace to go for wings, and to hear their elation at it's reopening, so I decided that I wanted, make that needed, to find good local places for wings, and so my search began at Constant Spring. The first thing that you will think when you see these wings is that they are small, but what that means to me is that these chickens have not been pumped full of growth hormones, since they are from a local supplier with a great reputation (Miller Country Poultry) you can rest assured that you are getting wholesome chicken. Even though the wings are small, you are paying by the pound not the wing, so you are definitely getting your moneys worth, I had 12 wings in my one pound order. The wings weren't breaded or battered, but had an awesome crispy skin and the meat was moist and juicy; and as for the "Tangy Carolina Sauce" it was delicious and lived up to it's name, I was pleased to find that it wasn't spicy, but also wasn't sweet, it definitely was a nice, tangy sauce. Every Wednesday, Constant Spring offers an "Oval Plate Special," for $12.00, which features ethnic and international food, and this week the special was Ethiopian food which my husband didn't even have to think for a second about ordering. His meal included an Ethiopian beef stew over a flat bread called injera, alongside a root vegetable curry, what a unique meal to get to experience in such a small town! So next time you have a hankering for wings, or you want to take your bar experience to the next level, or you just want some delicious food head to Constant Spring on Main Street in downtown Goshen; where a bar isn't just a bar, it is a means of stimulating your local economy.


 

Siam Thai

Admittedly, we haven't spent much time in downtown South Bend, and after spending date night there, I am asking myself "why?" The area has really been built up and from the looks of it, has many delicious restaurants to offer, one of those restaurants has been around for 17 years, Siam Thai on Main Street. My hubby found a Living Social deal offering $20 worth of food for $10, and fortunately he snatched this one up, we had never tried Thai food before, but were anxious for this new experience. The minute we walked in the door the owner (or the man we suspect was the owner) hailed us to a table, and was practically giddy to tell us about the special offerings they had including several appetizers, fusion dishes, desserts, and a tea of the month. Normally I am a water drinker, but the tea of the month was hot apple cider tea and with fall in the air I couldn't resist, it was more aromatic than flavorful, but it was a nice warm up. I had barely laid eyes on the appetizer section of the menu when "Thai Mushrooms" jumped off the page at me; mushrooms stuffed with marinated ground pork, tempura battered, fried, and served with Thai sweet and sour sauce, they were delicious and might make it near impossible to ever eat traditional fried mushrooms again.

Our waitress was very helpful in pointing us in the direction of very traditional, must try Thai dishes and my hubby was smart to take her suggestion to try the Pad Thai, it was delicious! He received a heaping plate full of stir fried rice noodles with shrimp, tofu, eggs, bean sprouts, onions, covered in peanuts and cilantro. The dish came with something like 10 tiger prawns so of course I took it upon myself to try one, the shrimp was cooked perfectly and the sauce was delicious, pair that with the crunch of the peanuts and I could have eaten a whole plate of just the shrimp! Despite the fact that this dish had tofu and onions, my husband loved it, and the heaping portion was just around $11.

  

I was very indecisive when it came to my dinner, they put stars next to the dishes to indicate heat and since I am a wimp when it comes to spicy food, I narrowed down my choices to the items with no stars. I chose one of the specials that the owner had told us about Neau Nam Man Hoi, which was thinly sliced beef with green onions, mushrooms, and broccoli in a wine sauce served with a side of Jasmine rice. Many times when you get thinly sliced beef it can be tough and hard to chew, but this was tender and easy to eat, not to mention the sauce was delicious. The dish cost around $12, but was delicious and a large enough portion to be worth the cost.

On top of delicious, well cooked food, the staff at Siam Thai were incredibly friendly and helpful, in fact we chatted with the owner for a bit who told us to let him know when we come back so he can suggest other dishes to us and give us a good taste of the menu. I am happy to report that our first experience of Thai cuisine will most certainly not be our last!

Christiana Creek Country Club

Until October 6th (2012) there is an event called Elkhart Dining Days that is to benefit Church Community Services, it showcases local chefs and restaurants with part of the cost of dinner going to the aforementioned charity; because of this event Christiana Creek Country Club has opened it's dining room to non-members for the two week event. Chef Brian Steinway proved to be a master of his trade, not just with the creativity of his special three course menu for the dining days, but also with the quality and taste of the food. I was torn on which appetizer to choose, the California chicken salad looked delicious, and much lower in calories than the walleye bites I had my eyes on, but my husband talked me into the fish, and I was so glad he did! My small plate came out with three walleye bites atop a dollop of Cajun tarter sauce; I cringed a little because I have never cared for tarter sauce, but this was delicious, it had a nice sweetness and was perfectly paired with delicious, crispy strips of fried fish

To start his meal, my hubby ordered the lobster pizza, which has earned raves, not just from him, but many others I have talked to. The flat bread crust was crispy, which the man LOVES, it was topped with a nice Alfredo and diced tomatoes that he said added a nice brightness, I was surprised when he described the lobster as tender, I truly expected it to be overcooked, and all of this was covered with cheese; now I am skeptical that seafood and cheese can ever be paired well together, but my husband tells me that the lobster pizza was delicious.

The choices for our entree all looked delicious, but I settled on the filet with a side of couscous; my steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare, really wasn't seasoned much (I'm okay with that, I hate when people over do a good cut of meat), but was tender and covered in a delicious demi glace. I will admit that I didn't care for the couscous, but that is a taste and texture issue, because my husband really liked it and what I really liked were the onion strings that covered our meal, those I could have eaten as a side in itself. My husband ordered the pan seared duck breast with port cherry reduction, and oh my! The duck breast was more tender than my filet, was perfectly seasoned, and the sauce was fantastic as well, it was my husband's first time trying duck and he was thoroughly impressed.

While my husband quickly chose "death by chocolate' or as he called it, suicide by chocolate, for dessert, I had to think a while before I chose the carrot lava cake. The death by chocolate turned out to be a gluten free chocolate cake, talk about rich, but was it ever chocolatey and delicious! The only thing we would have changed would have been a tart berry sauce to cut the richness. The carrot cake was delicious as well, warm, with cream cheese frosting oozing out of it, and while I would have never paired them, it was made even better with a side of butter pecan ice cream.

This meal was such a great deal, we paid $25 for each 3 course meal, it was high quality and delicious, not to mention part of the cost went to charity. Normally you do have to be a member to have dinner at Christiana Creek Country Club, but now through October 6th you can enjoy the Elkhart Dining Days menu regardless of membership status. If you don't get in for Elkhart Dining Days, you can still experience Christiana Creek during their lunch hour (11a-2p) when anyone is welcome to dine; we looked over the lunch menu and it looks great, lots of creative dishes at a reasonable price, every sandwich, salad, and entree was under $10 each. And if the thought of eating at  a country club makes you nervous (like I was), we felt totally at ease, our waitress, Jessica, was sweet and made us feel comfortable from the moment we stepped in. Oh, and did I mention that Christiana Creek is available for weddings, meetings, or other parties?

Bill's Bar-B-Que

Elkhart may not be an area known for good barbeque, in fact it can be hard to find, but it is not impossible, and Bill's on West Franklin in Elkhart proves that true! One of my favorite memories as a child was when my mom had dentist's appointments because I knew that after she went to the dentist, Bill's Bar-B-Que was her next stop, and rib tips would be on the menu for dinner. Bill's is the kind of restaurant you probably wouldn't take a second look at, because it doesn't look like much, it is tiny and only offers carry out, in fact the waiting area is probably smaller than your bathroom at home, maybe even your closet, but what goes on inside is a bit of magic. Bill's cooks their meat (chicken, ribs, rib tips, pork, sausage) for hours over a wood fed open flame with a recipe that is 4 generations old and then covers it in their delicious housemade sauce. Last night we opted to stay in for date night, which included take out from Bill's, and let me tell you, Hubby and I tore up half a rack of ribs and a half pound of tips. It is evident in the taste and appearance that this meat is slow smoked, and was done so perfectly, not over or underdone by any means. The great thing about the ribs is that they keep the tips on, which means extra meat!!

And yes, for $10.99 you do get about three times this many ribs, I just forgot to take the picture until we were halfway through!! And for the rib tips, well, they can be a pain to eat, but these are tasty enough to be worth it, and have enough meat on them to make it worth your while. At $6.99 for a half pound order, they are definitely worth their weight! And, did I mention the BBQ sauce? I love it because it isn't spicy, it isn't sweet, it has a nice tang which is something I like...if it's too sweet, I just start feeling sick, and as for spicy, well, like I have said before I am a huge wimp.

 So next time you have a hankering for good barbeque, think outside of the box, outside of your normal restaurants, heck even outside of your own neighborhood, and get some take out from Bill's Bar-B-Que.

GIanetto's Pizza & Pasta

When I saw an Italian restaurant attached to a gas station on 331 in Granger, I was skeptical to say the least, but one step into Gianetto's and you will forget that you are anywhere near a convenience store. The restaurant was tastefully decorated with Italian movie posters ranging from Il Padrino to Via col Vento to Fantasma Ill'Opera to Il Mago del Oz; frankly it was refreshing to be in an Italian restaurant whose decor didn't revolve around the overused, and ever stereotypical little fat man in a chef's hat with a mustache. Along with movie posters in Italian, you will travel back in time through pictures of Italian Americans that look to be from the turn of last century; Gianetto's has been around for over thirty years, and truly pays homage to the immigrants of the late 1800's who gave their food it's roots by mixing traditional Italian food from home, with new American ingredients. We started our meal with comfort food taken to a whole new level; french fries smothered in meat sauce and mozzarella cheese! I am not a big tomato eater, and generally only eat tomato sauce on pizza, but this meat sauce was tasty and the "meatzarella fries" is such a great concept for an appetizer. We split the appetizer between 4 kiddos and 4 adults and at $6.99 we each got enough to whet our appetites. I also enjoyed a pre-meal salad, and while it was just your typical iceberg lettuce with shredded carrots, the homemade croutons and Italian Vinaigrette were some of the best I have ever had, and took this salad to the next level! My sister in law was pleased to find that Gianetto's offers a personal Chicago style stuffed pizza, and tells me that it is reminiscent of Giordano's and Gino's East. 

 I love Italian beef as well as Italian sausage, so seeing them both on one sandwich sounded like a dream come true! The sausage was delicious, and I am sure they made it in house, the beef was a bit on the dry side, which would have been remedied by the au jus, however it was too spicy for me to even eat, which was a bummer, because dipping an Italian beef is my favorite part of the sandwich!  At just under $9 you definitely get enough meat for this sandwich to be worth the cost.

My hubby is a HUGE cheese lover, so the cheesy baked spaghetti caught his eye, and it definitely had enough cheese to suit this man who can never have too much cheese. His biggest complaint with this dish is that the marinara sauce did not stick to the pasta and ended up just being soupy in the bottom of the dish. He also said that he preferred the meat sauce we got on the fries to the marinara on his pasta, so if you order pasta, go with the meat sauce! His portion was huge, and at around $10, he got enough food for at least one more meal, if not two.

Gianetto's Pizza and Pasta is serving food that has stood the test of time, they have a rich history in the South Bend/Mishawaka area, and are definitely worth a try. I know that I am anxious to get back and try some of their pizza!

Iechyd Da

As you drive North on Main in Elkhart you will see a sign with a dragon that says Iechyd Da, and you will no doubt ask yourself, "how do you say that?" Well, you say "yacky da," but you drink Iechyd Da; it is an old Welsh toast which means "good health!" Owners Chip and Summer Lewis have been brewing their beer at home, and just this last year decided to share their goods with the community, and in came Iechyd Da Brewery. First thing you will notice, is that parking isn't great, but I presume, for the location, there wasn't much parking space to work with, therefore, you will probably end up parking behind the restaurant in an open lot. Past the parking lot and in the door, you will find a wonderfully decorated bar that put me in mind of a modern Pub, with some large rustic tables, and walls covered with pictures of old England. You will find a simple chalk board menu of pub snacks, pizza, and sandwiches, you'll order at the bar where they have 8 beer taps, and two hand pulls, and have a seat in their unique dining room while your food is made fresh. As two people who don't drink beer we ordered the house brewed ginger beer and root beer, neither of us loved the ginger beer, but I have to say if I should ever be pregnant again, this brew will be my best friend if battling morning sickness, because it is definitely teeming with ginger! Now, on the other hand, the on tap root beer was delicious, not made with sarsaparilla, but still delicious none the less, and for a couple bucks, you will never drink root beer from any other tap again; I mean, how can you go back to commercially manufactured after you have had homemade?

What you may or may not know about me, is that I love pizza, well, I love GOOD pizza, and Iechyd Da definitely delivered. The crust was the thinnest, crispest I have ever had which is exactly how I like it, the red sauce was fairly simple, but I like that it wasn't overpowering or over seasoned,  the toppings were great quality; the bacon was smokey, ham was salty, sausage a little spicy, and the pepperoni perfectly seasoned (yes, I love a little cholesterol on my pizza!), and the mozzarella was just delicious. For $9-10 this was definitely well worth the price!

Iechyd Da is perfect for my Hubby and I, because while I hold a deep fondness for pizza, he is a lover of sandwiches, and that is precisely what he got tonight; salty ham, sweet honey roasted turkey, crispy bacon, mild cheddar cheese, juicy tomatoes, fresh lettuce and creamy mayo on a crusty toasted roll, paired with salt and pepper kettle chips, and my husband's true love, a pickle. Despite the fact that husband is not a fan of honey smoked meats, he still loved the Conway Club, and at around $8 it was a good deal.

We may not be fans of beer, but we are fans of Iechyd Da; the dining room and atmosphere are fantastic and unique, the food is delicious, and the brews are fresh. Next time you think Elkhart has nothing to offer on the big cities, get yourself down to main street, and try one of the Lewis Family's house made brews.

Mod Mex

Elkhart County is certainly not in short stock of traditional Mexican restaurants, but tonight we had a Mexican dining experience with a modern twist that definitely sets it apart. Mod Mex on Old US 20 in Elkhart doesn't serve your ordinary tacos and burritos, they are taking the old favorites, fuzing them with modern cuisine, and serving you a fresh meal that is made to order. Since my husband's family hails from California, he cannot pass up an opportunity to eat some good guacamole, and Mod Mex did not disappoint with their smooth, subtly seasoned, skimpy on the onions version; since this was our first time try we opted for the traditional, but I am anxious to try their bacon guacamole next time. And if bacon isn't your thing, you can always add mango, pineapple, crab, goat cheese, or bleu cheese and if these unusual takes on guac don't get you excited the in house cut and fried tortillas that you will use for dipping will!

Mod Mex has a substantial list of taquitos, that you build on your own. I was tempted with fillings such as guacamole, pork tenderloin, beef brisket, honey chipotle mojo, but opted for a combination of shrimp (camarones) in garlic and cooking wine, sauteed corn, and cilantro lime rice. This was a fun meal, I love that I got to build my own tacos, it had a good flavor, not a strong Mexican flavor, but still good, unfortunately the cilantro lime rice was overcooked and mushy, but it wasn't bad enough to ruin the meal for me.

My Hubby ordered the chicken chancla from the "specialties" menu, and was presented with a heaping salad covered in queso fresco, tomatoes, sour cream, honey chipotle sauce, spicy sweet grilled chicken that my husband describes as "near perfect" with a charred outside and moist inside. All of this sits atop a tortilla and black beans, and earns a rating of "fresh and delicious."

On our way out the door, we noticed a chalk board with the lunch menu, which is reminiscent of the build your own burrito fast food restaurants. Start with your choice of tacos, a burrito, a torta, or "shell-less burrito;" add meat or a vegetarian option, and finish it up with your choice of beans, salsa, sauces, rice, veggies, and many other unique options.  Mod Mex is not your typical Mexican dining experience, it is modern, it is creative, it is fresh, and it is delicious; so if you are looking for something different, a meal like no other, this is the place for you!


 

Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse

Everyone loves a good Japanese Teppanyaki meal, cooked on a flat top grill, surrounded by strangers, flying utensils, and fires; but if you are anything like me, you have seen the show enough times that, dare I say, it has lost it's thrill, not to mention the inflated meal prices just don't seem worth it anymore. No worries, Goshen has your solution, Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse off of State Road 15 in the old Gordy's Sub Pub. As you walk into the restaurant you will see the sushi chef busy rolling fresh ingredients into edible art and another chef flipping meat, veggies, and rice on the flat top grill (okay, so I may have fibbed, you CAN get dinner and a show, just not right at your table.), and will find yourself surrounded by Japanese decor, that is,thankfully, not tacky and over the top. We started our meal with the standard soup and salad with ginger dressing, and oh how I love that ginger salad dressing, can you buy that somewhere? Not far behind our soup and salad were our sushi rolls; I love a good tempura shrimp roll and this did not disappoint, and for those of you who are convinced you will never eat sushi, you can't tell me that tempura battered shrimp paired with avocado wrapped in rice doesn't make your mouth water even a tiny bit. If you are still thinking, "great, there's no raw fish, but there is still seaweed," well, to you I say, if you get sushi and can taste the seaweed, stop eating it, because the nori (seaweed paper) is probably past it's prime. My husband couldn't decide between two of the rolls, so when he asked the waiter which he preferred, the waiter promptly touted one of the rolls as his favorite, and so Michael enjoyed the Christmas roll; nori and rice stuffed with tempura shrimp, crab stick, and avocado wrapped in spicy salmon (yes, it was raw!), covered in eel sauce and spicy mayo. For the price you pay, you really won't find sushi this good and of this quality in the area. Before we even finished our sushi, our meal was on the table; we opted for the Teppanyaki dinner for two which came out in a small boat (no, really, it was a boat), filled with a bed of sauteed zucchini, onions, mushrooms, and broccoli, and huge portions of shrimp, steak, and chicken. The shrimp was cooked well, seasoned well, and delicious dipped in the yum yum sauce, the chicken had a teriyaki glaze which stood on it's own, and the steak was cooked perfectly. We each got a bowl of rice, that was nowhere near the giant portion one usually gets at a Japanese steak house, but truthfully, it was a normal serving of rice, was so good, and just enough; my hubby overheard that the secret to this delicious rice is Saki.  Wasabi Steakhouse offered delicious sushi and a great Japanese dinner that cost us, literally 52% of what we would have paid for the exact same meal at another well loved Japanese bistro in Granger. I know that someday, when our son is older, we will have to introduce him to the entertainment that is Teppanyaki cooking, but for now we will save our money while enjoying food that is just as good, if not better. Oh, did I mention that our waiter was fantastic? Well, he was, and when you visit Wasabi, you should ask for Sean!


 

Simonton Lake Drive In

I HAVE to tell you about the best mug of root beer I have ever had! In Northern Elkhart on Cassopolis street/SR 19 near Simonton Lake sits a drive in that is wrought with nostalgia and history, and for so many, childhood memories. Simonton Lake Drive In has been serving up their house made root beer in giant frosted mugs for decades, and believe me when I say you don't want to go to your grave without trying a mug. I truthfully didn't think a thing about the "frosted mug" when I ordered my large root beer, but it made all of the difference; the root beer got this icy, partially frozen layer on top that I can only describe as slushy perfection, and then you get down to the cold root beer, and you will wish that your mug was bottomless! The only thing that would have made this root beer better would have been a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream, but with my extensive family history of diabetes, I decided a root beer AND a root beer float might just be pushing my luck! So next time you find yourself in Elkhart wanting something different, just follow 19 North, pull into Simonton Lake Drive In, order a delicious burger or tenderloin, get a basket of fried pickles, and a super frosted mug of root beer...aw, heck, make it a root beer float, and let your mind wander to a much simpler time of car hops and root beer mugs!

Pizzeria Venturi

I have put off reviewing Pizzeria Venturi on Lincoln Avenue in downtown Goshen until we have dinner there again, but after having some of their "street food" at First Fridays last night, I have to talk about them! On the first Friday of every month you can find a tent outside of their restaurant or on the courthouse lawn where they sell street food; for several months it was falafel, but the last couple months they have been serving Italian sausage sandwiches that are out of this world! The sausage is imported, the pocket bread is fresh made that day, and the tomato sauce is their own recipe, not only is it delicious, but it is the perfect food to carry around while you are checking out the shops and displays during First Fridays! I will warn that that the sausage has a kick to it, but if I can handle the spice, really anyone can (I'm a HUGE wimp!). Maybe sandwiches and street fare aren't your thing or maybe you liked the sandwiches and just need more Venturi in your life (and stomach), then get inside Pizzeria Venturi's intimate, cozy dining room and enjoy a certified  Napoletana (Neapolotan), as well as their delicious appetizers, salads, and desserts. I recommend that you start your dinner out with The garlic herb flatbread with Italian herbs; it is their delicious chewy crust drizzled with olive oil and topped with slivers of garlic and Italian herbs. The first time I ate at Venturi, I felt so overwhelmed by the Italian wordage on the menu that I played it safe and ordered the pepperoni pizza, which truthfully was delicious, but as I looked across the table at my mom's Margherita topped with tomatoes, basil, and handmade mozzarella (on the menu you will see this called fior de latte) she could see the longing in my eyes, so we cut our pizzas in half and shared. Now, I mentioned the pizza is certified Napoletana (Neapolitan), this means the restaurant has standards set for the type of ingredients they use and the style they cook there pizza, which is in a wood fired oven at 900+ degrees; your pizza will come out hot, and the crust will have this unique taste and chewy texture that is unlike any other, of course it might also be a little charred, but trust me, that will not ruin the pizza! With time and a few more visits, the menu became less foreign, and I became more adventurous, ordering different pizzas and loving every one. I was dying to try their pesto, but only saw it on a pizza with ricotta cheese, which I'm not a huge fan of, but they were more than happy to sub the fior de latte for me, this pizza by far is my favorite, as good as their red sauce is, their pesto knocks it out of the park. Occasionally I will add prosciutto (Italian dry cured ham) to my pesto and mozzarella pizza and all I can say is wow! One of my taste adventures was the Pizzicato, which is topped with soppresata (Italian dry salami), garlic, pancetta (salt cured pork belly<Italian bacon>), tomato sauce, and Grana Padano, the toppings were delicious, but Grana Padano is a hard cheese and I am not personally a fan. The pizza doesn't stop at dinner, they also have dessert pizza that will forever change your idea of dessert pizza. Imagine Venturi's chewy crust, topped with warm, gooey nutella, and fresh strawberries; now I have eaten a lot of nutella in my day, the Europeans have had the stuff decades before it became a craze here in the US, and Venturi's nutella berry pizza is by far my favorite way to eat this chocolaty treat. So if you are like me, and tired of eating pizza from a chain, get to Pizzeria Venturi where you can have a totally unique pizza experience complete with quality toppings, handmade cheese, house made sauces, and a delicious crust from fresh dough. My parents claim they have only had pizza like this in Italy, do you really want to miss out on that?


 

Heinnies Backbarn

On West Lusher avenue in Elkhart sits a building that is more tradition, than restaurant; Heinnies back barn has been an Elkhart staple since 1951, and is currently being run by the original owners' grandsons. Not only has Heinnies won acclaim as the best steak and the best prime rib in our area, but they have also earned themselves a spot on the United States' Top Cheeseburger Stops (By author George Motz), so if that isn't enough to convince you to drop by for dinner, I will personally tell you how wonderful the food is! As you walk through the restaurant you might just feel like you are walking through a cattle barn as each table is in it's own stall, and every table cloth is cow print, a little cheesy? Yeah, sure, but they have the food to back it up! We started our meal with an appetizer platter, that included onion rings, zucchini, mozzarella sticks, and jalapeño poppers, it was good, but nothing out of the ordinary, but enough to be worth $9.99. We were barely done with our apps when our salads came out, they were ample, but I will warn that when your waitress asks if you want cheese, bacon, and croutons, saying yes will add a whopping $2.67 to your tab, that is $.89 for each of these savory additions. Now, when you visit Heinnies, you HAVE to go on a Monday, Friday, or Saturday because these are the only days they serve their prime rib, and you have to try the prime rib, you also have to pay the extra dollar to have it charbroiled; this thick cut of prime rib comes out perfectly seasoned on a hot plate swimming in it's own delicious juices, and every single bite will melt in your mouth. I was shocked as I looked over at my husband's famous Claybaugh; it's a double burger with mozzarella, swiss, cheddar, and American cheeses, bacon, mushrooms, onions, and of course the standard tomato, lettuce, mustard, and catsup. The only complaint about this giant burger is that it was too big! Looking across the table, my parents were sharing a sirloin that would have fed the entire table, and still left enough for a doggy bag, and to quote my dad "this is a well aged steak, it is so tender." So, next time you are hungry for a steak or burger, keep the tradition alive and try Elkhart's best, Heinnies Backbarn!

Terry's Pizza & Sub

When you think of dining in Amish country, visions of chicken, potatoes, noodles, and pie often dance in your head, but what if I told you that Middlebury has some of the best subs and hot sandwiches in the area? Surprised? So was I! If you head North on State road 13 from US 20, before you hit the vast expanse of corn fields, you will see a worn down sign that says Terry's Pizza & Subs, don't let that sign fool you, because the food will not let you down! The building is humble and very clean, and as I looked around I saw the customers were mostly business, which gave me a hint as to the quality of food (admit it, business men will rarely pay for crappy food!). The choices of subs is immense, and trust me when I say there is a little something for everyone, because if you aren't into sandwiches there are pizzas, including Chicago deep dish, as well as salads. I truly wish I could give you some examples of the subs on the menu, but I literally ordered the first one I saw, which happened to be a French dip...my new favorite hot sandwich, but I will say that there were two columns worth of sandwich choices. I won't say that my sandwich was piled high with roast beef, but there was enough there to satisfy, and the fact that my sub was served on homemade bread...well, all I can say to that is, wow! The combination of hot roast beef and crusty homemade bread dipped in salty, warm au jus was an experience my tongue won't soon forget! As I looked across the table at my hubby's plate, I saw a foot's worth of the same crusty, homemade bread piled with roast beef, ham, turkey, tomato, lettuce and mayo, and as he got halfway through his sub I heard him utter "I would love to dig into the rest of it, but I'm just too full!" Did I mention, we also had an order of crusty, garlicky, buttery bread sticks? Yes, I know, carbs and carbs, but hey, they were delicious! The whole family will agree! So next time you find yourself in the land of horse and buggies, forget the chicken and pie, and head North of town for a delicious, hot sub on delicious homemade bread!


 

BIG & little's

If you happen to be in Chicago, driving down North Orleans Avenue and you notice a yellow awning that says "BIG & little's," you should stop; the building may not look like much, but the food will blow you away! As you walk in and see the picnic tables lined end to end, you may think you have walked into a BBQ joint, but as you read the chalkboard menu, I can assure you, you WILL be surprised. They claim to serve fast food, but don't let that fool you, with a menu that includes Mahi Mahi tacos, soft shell crab po' boys, poutine, and foie gras over fries, they are anything but your average fast food restaurant. With the wonderful variety and unique nature of their menu, it can be tough to choose just one dish, so allow us to offer a few suggestions to make your dining experience a bit easier. I, personally, am a sucker for fish and chips, and am always looking for an order that will blow the rest away, well, BIG & little's fish and chips has done just that! You may shake your head at $15 for fish and chips, but I can promise it will be well worth the price, you will get an entire filet of cod atop a bed of twice fried French fries that will easily feed you and two of your closest friends. And now a word from my culinary comrade;

One of the many things that Big & Little's is popular for is Po' Boys, so pretty much any Po' Boy you order is going to be amazing; I decided to go to the sea shore, and try a fried oyster po' boy. The Oysters were perfectly battered, crisp, and wonderfully cooked. Afterwords my tongue was screaming for more, we only eat here a couple times a year so why not? As I perused the menu again, I saw a tuna Poke taco that piqued my interest, I asked the guy at the counter about this and he explained it as a Sushi grade tuna that is poached in buttermilk and then seasoned very lightly with salt and pepper. When this came out the shell was crunchy like a potato chip and it was filled to the top with the tuna, and boy was it wonderful. It was creamy and light tasting, definitely something that I would order again!

 Fish not your thing? More of a turf lover, than surf? Then allow us to recommend the pork belly po' boy. If you know anything about pigs, then you know the belly is where the bacon comes from, so imagine if you will, cubes of marbled meaty goodness, deep fried, topped with a maple sauce, and overflowing from a crusty roll...your taste buds won't know what hit them. We won't promise that the food at BIG & little's will be friendly to your arteries, heart, or waist line, but we can promise that your belly and taste buds will fall in love!

 

Ricky's Taqueria

I often ask why places like Hacienda and Taco Bell are so popular when this area has great, authentic Mexican restaurants like Ricky's Taqueria. Ricky's is a small building in Elkhart located on Prairie Street (County Road 9), between Hively Avenue and Mishawaka Road, and is just close enough to my house to get me into trouble! They only have about three tables and a handful of counter seats inside, but for this warm weather, they have ample outdoor seating. Our lunch started with a basket of chips and some not too spicy, definitely not bland, delicious salsa. My hubby had the huge, jam packed torta with pastor (pork) for $4.99 sans onions, and while it was hard to eat, he reports that it was good, and since I tried his pastor, I have to agree, it was good! At $1.50 each, I ordered three tacos, one with asada (steak), one with chorizo (sausage), and one with barbacoa (shredded beef); the asada and chorizo tasted fantastic, and while the barbacoa had a great flavor, it was too spicy for my taste. I was disappointed to find they were out of pork tamales, but I guess that just gives me an excuse to go back so I can try them. We washed our lunch down with a couple of bottles of international coke, which blows the American stuff out of the water, and agreed we had found our new Mexican restaurant (we love Los Primo's in Goshen, but it just isn't as close). So next time you are craving a taco, pass by taco bell, and drive straight to Ricky's Taqueria, you won't be sorry! Oh, did I mention they were voted best burrito in the area?



 

Honey's Frozen Yogurt

Are you looking to take your ice cream experience to the next level? Then Honey's Frozen Yogurt is the place for you! Located in Linway Plaza in Goshen, Honey's is the perfect spot to get dessert after you have enjoyed dinner at one of the nearby restaurants, or makes a great pre-movie treat! You begin your ice cream adventure, by deciding if you want a "bottom" in your cup baked within walking distance at the Dutch Maid Bakery, this can mean cake, brownie, or whoopie pie. Next fill your cup with delicious frozen yogurt, choose from unique flavors such as Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Bun, Old Fashioned Peanut Butter, Sea Salt Caramel Pretzel, Dreamy Dark Chocolate, Pomegranate Energy; don't be afraid to mix a couple flavors like I did with the California Tart and Mango Sorbet. Finally your journey will take you to the glorious topping bar; you get a sense of whimsy as you turn the knobs on the old fashioned gum ball machines and are delivered morsels of candy and cereal to top off your icy treat, but if you're not in the mood for sweets step over to the buffet of fruit for a fresh summer treat, I piled on the strawberries and blackberries...okay, okay, I may have added a few cheesecake bites as well! The beauty of the self serve frozen yogurt bar is that you control your cost, your cool creation will be weighed at the check out, and you pay $0.45 an ounce. If frozen yogurt isn't your thing, maybe tea is, Honey's has 22 varieties of loose leaf tea for your sipping pleasure. Now,If the tasty yogurt, myriad of toppings, and fine tea aren't enough to lure you in, the late hours are sure to do the trick; when the rest of the county has shut down at 9:00pm Honey's will still be open for three more hours offering you tasty treats and a charming little room with couches and cafe tables to catch up with friends or add a sweet ending to date night.

DC's Burgers and more

Please know that it is a bit painful for me to write this review, when Michael picked up a midnight snack for us the other night, we had such high hopes, and they were completely dashed. We love DC's pizza, they have amazing, quality ingredients, and a unique menu, so we expected the same for DC's Burgers and more, we had seen promises of "local, quality ingredients," but after a few bites, we weren't convinced that is what we received. I'm a sucker for fish and chips, so when I saw "beer battered," I knew what I wanted Michael to bring home for me. I can forgive the soggy fries, after all, they did have a seven minute drive to cool off; what I cannot forgive is fish "filets" that are all the same size and shape. I told Michael I was sure the fish was pre-made and frozen, although he informed me that the uniformity of shape and size was not enough proof, I think I convinced him when I told him, they tasted exactly like the fish the hospital cafeteria serves (which, admittedly, isn't terrible, but I certainly am not paying $7.99 for three measly pieces of it). As I am griping about my late night "treat," I catch a glimpse of my husband's Ulti-meat burger, which is described as two hamburger patties, with a chicken breast in between, onion ring, bacon, cheese, fry sauce and pickles, and can't help, but notice that his chicken breast is, a chicken patty; I'm talking Tyson, elementary school cafeteria, formed meat, chicken patty, and for $11.99, you better believe we expected more than processed, and shaped chicken. As we were discussing DC's advertisements of quality, local products versus what we received, Michael said "this is almost too bad to be true, I feel like we got punked." We didn't feel this way because the food tasted terrible, or was undercooked, or even overcooked, but because the food was low quality and overpriced.

Sauk Trail on 17

Last night was date night, so we chose a restaurant that is quite literally two miles from our house, and completely new to us. We walked in to a beautifully decorated restaurant, and were greeted by a hostess who looked like she was ready to hit the gym (think black stretch capris, black t shirt, and tennis shoes), as we saw more staff members it became clear that each was told they had to wear black, but were given no other regulations. I understand black is thought to be sleek, and almost professional looking, but not when it is shorts or tank tops (by the way...tank tops in the kitchen, big health code violation!). I will say that despite the dress code, or lack thereof, the staff was all very friendly. We were seated at a table that had bench seating on one side, chairs on the other, and as we waited for our appetizer I examined the bench seating and was thankful Michael chose that side to sit on, I doubt the upholstery has ever been cleaned. Imagine one of those crime scenes where they turn on the black light and you can see all of the traces of blood, this is exactly how the bench looked. Our fried pickle chip appetizer came out quickly, and it was delicious, we loved the addition of fresh dill in the breading of the pickles. As we waited on our meal, I can honestly say that our water glasses were never empty, and it wasn't just our waitress, but all of the staff who would fill our glasses; as someone who drinks water like it's going out of style, I appreciated this! When we got our meal, the first thing Michael saw was onions on his pulled pork nachos, which he asked to be left off...the food runner was very accommodating, and took the nachos back and fixed them for him. I do have to say that for $9, the full size pulled pork nacho appetizer was well worth the money, although they would be even better with tortillas fried in the restaurant, rather than store bought. I ordered the Smoker combo with hesitation as it was $17, but I wanted to be able to sample their smoked meats. My plate came with 4-5 smoking hot ribs, a warm pulled pork slider, and a slice of smoked sausage that probably cost fifty cents at the grocery store; I also got a salad, and a side of macaroni and cheese that Michael told me was really good and cheesy.  The ribs were blackened on the outside and perfectly moist on the inside, some of the best I have ever had; despite not being very warm, the pulled pork slider was delicious as well; and as for the smoked sausage, well it was more like a piece of Oscar Meyer kielbasa cooked on a grill, I had really hoped for a fresh sausage link that they smoked in house themselves. All in all, it was not enough meat to be worth $17, it was good, but not enough to warrant the price. My conclusion, Sauk Trail on 17 has great food, good service, and a poor ambiance, next time we might just have to try take out, so we know that the stains we are sitting on belong to us!