Hi,

More fantastic news about the Springfield restaurant scene. There is a new downtown restaurant, La Calia, just across the street from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. They are open for lunch and dinner.

Leah Schrenk makes everything from scratch using local sources. The food has a southwestern flair and is always excellent. The restaurant is small, hip and fun.

Here is a link to the menu: http://www.capitalcitymenus.com/pdf/la_calia_0213.pdf

La Calia
115 N 6th St
Springfield, IL 62701
(217) 753-1652

Tim wrote:Hi,

More fantastic news about the Springfield restaurant scene. There is a new downtown restaurant, La Calia, just across the street from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. They are open for lunch and dinner.

Leah Schrenk makes everything from scratch using local sources. The food has a southwestern flair and is always excellent. The restaurant is small, hip and fun.

Here is a link to the menu: http://www.capitalcitymenus.com/pdf/la_calia_0213.pdf

La Calia
115 N 6th St
Springfield, IL 62701
(217) 753-1652

Hadn't reviewed this thread before a quick lunch after an event at the Capitol, and was lucky to land at La Calia. We enjoyed our sandwiches. Hubby and I went halfsies on a Three Cheese & Prosciutto Panini and the Sandwich of the Day, roast beef, bleu cheese and red onions on what was called a ciabbata but seemed more like a hoagie roll. As our sides, I had a kale salad and he chose the posole, with several large chunks of tender pork in a well-balanced broth. All of the ingredients seemed top-notch, and the restaurant was a good choice before hitting the road.

On the way home, we stopped at Bloomington Meats and picked up some brats and steaks for the freezer, eggs for the frig, and jerky for the car ride. So far we have only tasted the bison jerky. It was much thinner and more precisely sliced than I am accustomed from a butcher. It was sealed in plastic and a bit wet nearing slimy on first approach. The spicing and integrity of meat did, however, seemed quite nice. I tend to prefer a heftier, more rustic chew of jerky, but for this style, I believe it to be a solid version. It was certainly much better than the Doritos and Skittles we often eat on the road.

Bloomington Meats
2401 S Bunn St, Bloomington, IL 61704
(309) 828-9731
http://www.bloomington-meats.com

Rene G wrote:Billy's is first and foremost a bar but they take their food seriously.



Billy's makes the best Springfield-style chili I've had by a wide margin. It's the first time all that floating grease made sense to me. Their pork tenderloin sandwich is first rate too.

Billy's Bar & Grill has closed after fifty-some years. The phone has been disconnected and their Facebook page says "permanently closed." That’s a real shame as it was one of my favorite places to eat in Springfield.

Billy's Bar & Grill (closed)
"Best Tenderloin in Town for Over 50 Years"
2790 Fox Bridge Rd
Springfield IL
217-528-2588

In happier Springfield chilli news, Dew Chilli Parlor (established 1909) reopened April 21 after a twenty-year hiatus. I haven't visited yet.

Dew Chilli Parlor
"The Home of Good Chilli Since 1909"
1216 S 5th St
Springfield IL
217-679-1910
http://www.dewchilliparlor.com/
Mon-Sun 10:30-7

Hi,

A new restaurant, Julia's Kitchen and Lounge has opened in Vinegar Hill Mall to nice reviews. She has Low Country food (sadly no gumbo) and some Tapas.

Her ties to Paula Dean really gives me pause. I hope she can live that down.

Tim

ps: The Harvest Cafe in Delavan, IL remains the very best casual restaurant south of I80. It remains and incredible value easily worth the detour.

Julia's Kitchen and Lounge
http://www.juliaskitchenandlounge.com/menu
107 west cook street
Suite 1
springfield il 62704
217-670-1972

Harvest Cafe
317 Locust St
Delavan, IL 61734
(309) 244-7000
http://harvestcafedelavan.com/

How did I miss Carter's on my previous trips through Springfield? I became an instant fan of this family-run fish shack and market on a recent visit. The menu is limited—walleye, buffalo, catfish, shrimp and some sides—but the fish is fresh, expertly fried and reasonably priced. Seating is limited too—a single table (with umbrella) in front of the store.





Scored buffalo, a traditional treatment for this bony fish, really shows off their breading and frying skills. Carter's is now one of my few must-visits in Springfield.

I'm not the biggest fan of Springfield chilli, but felt duty bound to visit Dew Chilli Parlor (established 1909), reopened in April at their old location (1949-1995) after a twenty-year hiatus.





I love the compact room with its small counter and a few tables. Some of the decorations and details are very cool, especially the floor of pennies.

The tamales in the Double Header (these days, it's one to a serving) are now imported from Chicago. Julianne Glatz informed us that Art's Tamales (the pride of Metamora) is currently out of business, a heavy blow to downstate tamale eaters.





I don't feel qualified to discuss the finer points of this local delicacy but thought my bowl was pleasant enough. True to style, it's light on spice and heavy on grease.

Taylor's Mexican Chili Parlor in Carlinville, 40 miles southwest of Springfield, is another ancient dispenser of the spicy stew. Taylor's opened in 1904 but went out of business several times between then and now. I wanted to visit Taylor's for years but was stymied because Carlinville isn't on the way to anywhere I usually want to go and because of their limited hours. Finally I made it happen (sort of). Taylor's now shares a fine old storefront with the Anchor Inn, tucked away in a corner of Carlinville's picturesque town square.





We arrived minutes after the Friday closing time of 7pm (other days they close much earlier) but they were happy to sell me a quart to go, as well as a "kit"—separate cans of chili and beans are sold as a boxed set (a few boxes can be seen to the right of the cash register). If you visit Carlinville, it's worth driving past the old cannery, still in use as far as I know.



Also in Carlinville, Carl's IGA is a good source for Taylor's products. This exemplary small-town supermarket has a deep selection of canned chili (Taylor's, Ray's, Wolf, plus the usual suspects) as well as Taylor's Gourmet Hot Dog Sauce, Taylor's chili-chorizo brats (made in Carl's butcher department, I think) and Taylor's frozen tamales.



Based on only a taste of take-out, I have to say Taylor's is my favorite Springfield-style chili. It's not particularly hot but it has a more complex spicing that appeals to me far more than the others I've tried.

Carter's Fish
1900 S Grand Av E
Springfield IL
217-525-2571

Dew Chilli Parlor
1216 S 5th St
Springfield IL
217-679-1910

Taylor's Mexican Chili Parlor
33 Daley St
(Taylor's factory is at 116 S West St)
Carlinville IL
217-854-7516
http://www.taylorschili.com/

Carl's IGA
251 N Broad St
Carlinville IL
217-854-7121

DANG! You went to Carlinville? Man, I wish I'd known. I would have bribed you to bring me back some Taylor's chilli. Whenever I'm downstate (my parents went to college in Carlinville and are from nearby Litchfield and Gillespie), I buy at least half a dozen boxes, and as soon as they're on my shelf at home, the sibs start dropping by asking if they can have some of them. It is hard to deprive a loved one with a long-standing craving of something they want, which is why I always buy half a dozen boxes so I'll wind up with at least two boxes for myself.

I sent my brother lots of things in care packages when he was in Afghanistan, but I don't think there was anything he wanted more than Taylor's chilli.

Thanks for the post and the photos, Rene G.

Katie wrote:DANG! You went to Carlinville? Man, I wish I'd known. I would have bribed you to bring me back some Taylor's chilli. Whenever I'm downstate (my parents went to college in Carlinville and are from nearby Litchfield and Gillespie), I buy at least half a dozen boxes, and as soon as they're on my shelf at home, the sibs start dropping by asking if they can have some of them. It is hard to deprive a loved one with a long-standing craving of something they want, which is why I always buy half a dozen boxes so I'll wind up with at least two boxes for myself.

I sent my brother lots of things in care packages when he was in Afghanistan, but I don't think there was anything he wanted more than Taylor's chilli.

Thanks for the post and the photos, Rene G.

HI,

I will keep this in mind for the future.

Regards,

Thank you, Cathy! I will gladly reimburse you for any Taylor's chilli you ever bring back here. Demand in my family far exceeds supply.

Rene G wrote:How did I miss Carter's on my previous trips through Springfield? I became an instant fan of this family-run fish shack and market on a recent visit. The menu is limited—walleye, buffalo, catfish, shrimp and some sides—but the fish is fresh, expertly fried and reasonably priced. Seating is limited too—a single table (with umbrella) in front of the store.


Scored buffalo, a traditional treatment for this bony fish, really shows off their breading and frying skills. Carter's is now one of my few must-visits in Springfield.


Carter's Fish
1900 S Grand Av E
Springfield IL
217-525-2571

saw your post on Carters and started putting together a short list of places to go on a trip to Springfield. Saturday was the day - rolled the quick 2 hour each way drive to Springfield for lunch and drinks. Carters was one of the spots on the list.



walleye:



buffalo:



spot was hopping, steady stream of customers, waited for my fish to be cooked to order. Liked em both - my first try of buffalo fish and Im hooked. walleye was a tad dry but I liked the breading on both.

I was looking in the area for another fish spot & couldnt find them - Gonna have to try again(Walleye Stop,)

Also hit a Hawaiian BBQ spot - K & S Hawaiian BBQ:



nice folks running this place - good sized menu offering some Hawaiian style plate lunches, thani food, Pho, etc.

We went with some dumplings xia long bao - not bad -

Spam fried rice - I was thinking this would be a salt bomb, but it was excellent - some crunchy texture to some of the rice, and a little heat - this dish is a must for my next trip down:



Got a bbq sampler plate as well - short ribs, beef and chicken - like the macaroni salad - sweet. Other items were solid:



K & S Hawaiian BBQ
2355 W. Monroe
Springfield, IL.

http://hawaiianbbqspringfield.com/

In need of a drink I rolled over to Sportsmans Lounge - typical neighborhood - corner tavern. They do what I have head was a monster sized pork tenderloin sandwich here - saw it on the menu but was just in for drinks. Maybe tackle it some other time - Cheap drinks, friendly bartender.

Sportsmans Lounge
229 W. Mason St.
Springfield, IL.

I had one last stop left, Dews Chili profiled upthread. Cool spot. Dropped in for a chili dog and a beer. Both hit the spot. Their chili has a little more beans than I like, but I thought it was a good topping for a good hot doq.

Of course I pulled over when I spotted this:

South Town Theater


Now a stained glass store. Opened as the Empress Theater in 1915 - renamed the South Town in 1938 - stopped being used as a movie house 1959

South Town Theater
1106 S. Grand AVe East
Springfield, IL.


I'm into the history of route 66 and the roadhouses/speakeasies in and around Springfield. Looking to explore more this fall.

I read up on a nightclub/dancehall/roadhouse/speakeasy/honky-tonk called the Maple Club - located in Lincoln, IL. Originally Called the Old Milwaukee Tavern - The building still stands though no longer in use. Back in its day the 1920's - 1940's this club hosted big bands, acts like Ray Charles, etc.

Undergoing some work on the day I was there:

Maple Club:





Maple Club
1458 Illinois 121
Lincoln, IL.

Jim,

The next time down that way, try Westwoods Lodge. It strikes me as your type of place. Great burgers and some fish from local lakes fried very well. I keep meaning to post on it but haven't gotten the chance.

glennpan wrote:Jim,

The next time down that way, try Westwoods Lodge. It strikes me as your type of place. Great burgers and some fish from local lakes fried very well. I keep meaning to post on it but haven't gotten the chance.

Thanks boss, thinkin of heading back down tomorrow.

jimswside wrote:

glennpan wrote:Jim,

The next time down that way, try Westwoods Lodge. It strikes me as your type of place. Great burgers and some fish from local lakes fried very well. I keep meaning to post on it but haven't gotten the chance.

Thanks boss, thinkin of heading back down tomorrow.

Page 2.

Da Beef wrote:After picking up my boy he asked what we were doing for food? Oh man I just ate everything pictured above and was pretty damn full but he wanted to take up on the offer the chef at the mansion made to us. When we talked to him of the Buffalo carp he said that we could get it from a local fish supplier which he gave us the address too and bring it to the mansion and he'd cook some up for us. It was an offer we couldn't refuse but since the house is in session he had a last second thing he had to do and was super sorry to cancel but did leave us with this bit of info "seek out the West Woods Lodge, they may have it" and so we did.


a locals favorite


Everywhere you look...

A lady who works with my buddy said her husband loves the pizza here and since we got the tip above about Buffalo Carp we headed over to see whats up. Picture a place owned by a big time hunter. A place where the walls are decked out in stuffed animals (not the ones kids like) that were shot by him on trips around the world. This Northwoods type lodge/bar is exactly what you have pictured in your head. It was our lucky day as we spotted on the menu Treadway Lake Buffalo Carp. So I had to order it. They also have horseshoes with buffalo, elk or crawfish here. Oh and we also got a pizza, why not right? at this point I might as well eat all night into the morning.


Buffalo Carp Dinner

I was so full I didn't think I would eat much of this sandwich and then this massive plate pictured above comes popping out. Well I manned up and started digging in. Before I knew it I had eaten a sandwich of it and pretty much every piece of flesh off the skin. It was different as far as the looks and handle but the super flaky flesh was perfectly breaded and pulled off really easy like you see in this video below. I hope this video I took below gives people a picture of what this Central Illinois delicacy is all about. I would love some right now, very much enjoyed it.


Buffalo Sandwich


Video from my plate


I loved it, really flaky

What about the pizza? Not bad at all, pretty damn good. It did me real well at 3 in da morning. I wish I could go on and remember more but I'm in a haze. I ended up watching the Blackhawks at a locals bar called the Curve Inn while my buddy schleped with _____. I ended up doing shots with some biker gangs and some CPD in town for a memorial until 3a. Why was the bike gang drinking Jager and the popo drinking rumpleminze? that shat aint tough. You better believe I called them out on it as I threw down my Jameson and celebratory (cinco de mayo) tequila shots. Quite the evening at the old Curve Inn, like you get in the movies when the characters walk into a random bikers bar. Except I guess they all liked me.


Tavern Style Pizza in Springfield.

Westwoods Lodge Pub & Grill
2406 West Jefferson Street
Springfield, IL 62702-3403
(217) 698-9256

Westwoods Lodge requires a few caveats.

1. The front room is a wonderful feast for the eyes with notty pine, a stone wall with fireplace and wonderful taxidermy and sinage everywhere. The other rooms don't measure up.

2. There can be long waits for seating on weekends evenings. Reservations are a must when they are busy.

3. There menu has a very limited selection of food that is not fried.

The Dr. of BBQ took me and my daughter, abe_froeman, to Westwoods Lodge on a recent visit to Springfield. I had the Elk Burger. It had just the right amount of gaminess to let you know you weren't eating cow, but wasn't overbearing.

As for their menu, I'll agree most of the apps are fried (whose aren't?), but their dinner menu has a good selection of grilled items and interesting salads.

I'd pay them another visit without hesitation.

Buddy

Had a good time last weekend down in Lincoln/Springfield, decided to roll down as I had some free time Sat. afternoon. Food was scarce to come by on this trip, still a good time exploring.

Finding Lincoln, Il. has been a great site in looking up Route 66 spots as well as Springfield and the area. Stumbled upon it when i was looking up the Maple Room upthread.

link:

http://findinglincolnillinois.com/wateringholes.html

I wanted to get some pictures of some Route 66 era attractions. Been posted about before on lth but it was a nice sunny day to get it on film again... The first was The Mill - opened as the Blue Mill in 1929 - Painted red and renamed the Mill in 1945. CLosed in 1996 -





Must have been a cool spot - specialty Schnitzel. - Gotta try that Hallies on the Square mentioned on the Route 66 thread here on lth..

The Mill
738 S. Washington
Lincoln, IL.

Hallies on the Square
111 S. Kickapoo
Lincoln, IL.

http://www.halliesonthesquare.com/

Had to stop:

The Lincoln:



Built 1922 - Opened 1923 - Had live stage shows in the 1930's now a 1st run movie house

The Lincoln
215 S. Kickapoo St.
Lincoln, IL.

Allright I dig spots with history.. - I read about a roadhouse a little north of Lincoln, the main building was a Louisiana hunting lodge from back in the 1920's - disassembled and moved up north for a wealthy Chicago "doctor" to be used by him and his buddies as a retreat. Been open since then. First as Hutton's Lodge, then Lonnie and Mays now Toms Lodge - open 365 days a year. Located right off Old Route 121 on the way to Peoria it was a popular spot. Rumors in this area abound of post prison Al Capone sightings with a local bootlegger named Coonhound Johnny. This lodge was an alleged hangout.

Toms Lodge - For Sale as I type.


Besides the history of this spot - alleged or not I had to stop in for a drink. It is said there was/is a small wooden door - bar level where when the place was Lonnie and May's a monkey would come out of the door, walk down the bar and pick-up customers tips... monkey is long gone but the door remains. Nice folks running the bar - cheap stop to wet my whistle on the way to Peoria. - This spot had weird vibe energy to it. - worth checking out and Ill return.

Tom's Lodge
2265 900th Ave.
Harstburg, IL.

Basically at the corner of old Route 121 and 900th ave on the edge of Hartsburg - 15 mins from Lincoln.

Tim wrote:Mekong serves Laotian and Thai food that is excellent.

Mekong Cafe
1308 S 2nd st
217 391 2511

We tried to go to Mekong Cafe but it was closed this past Saturday night, very odd we thought being closed on a Sat night, is Mekong Café still open? Instead we ended up going to the following:

Ursiform wrote:If you find yourself in Springfield overnight, there is finally a decent Vietnamese place in town, Little Saigon. It bills itself as Thai, but the bulk of the enormous menu is Vietnamese and that is where it really shines, very fresh, well balanced flavors, and so inexpensive you almost feel guilty when you get the bill.

Little Saigon
1531 Wabash Ave
Springfield, IL 62704
(217) 726-9633

Little Saigon has a website: http://www.littlesaigon100.com/

We really enjoyed our meal at Little Saigon
Beef salad was very good, would have been great if the beef had been slices rather than pieces.

Tom Yum soup w/shrimp & pineapple was a huge portion (8 bowls), we found it a bit too sweet but deep flavors were still there.

Mrs Willie had Mongolian beef which was good. I had the Catfish w/chilies & lemongrass, this dish would have been outstanding had the fish not been overly fried.

Darren72 wrote:My favorite pizza in Springfield is Joe Gallina's. They do an excellent thin crust pizza and also have a great roast beef sandwich.

really wanted to get to Joe Gallina's but just couldn't fit it in, same with a visit to Maid-Rite.

We had breakfast at Ritz’s Lil’ Fryer. There are two locations. They serve breakfast horseshoe’s as well as pony size. I had biscuits and gravy, biscuits were delicious, gravy was very creamy/white/floury and lacked a good amount of sausage. Mrs ordered ham & eggs, ham was simply slices off of a deli ham, not ham off the bone. We really loved Ritz’s as it was a hopping locals breakfast joint but the food just didn’t deliver.

Ritz’s Lil’ Fryer (two locations)
2148 N Grand Ave E
Springfield, IL
&
700 W Jefferson St
Springfield, IL

We had lunch at the micro brewery Obed & Isaac’s. I was drawn to this place not because of the brews but the fact that they served two types of lamb sandwiches, a lamb burger & a sliced leg of lamb sandwich.

The leg of lamb sandwich is thinly-sliced marinated leg of lamb with grilled onions and a creamy tzatziki sauce, served on a ciabatta roll. This was a very good sandwich however the lamb burger seasoned, chargrilled ground lamb topped with feta cheese and aioli mayo on a ciabatta roll. I had this cooked to a medium rare. This is one of the best things I’ve eaten in the past 6 months. From the charcoal grilling, to the feta cheese, then the full flavored lamb. Outstanding.
Oh yeah, the beers & ciders weren’t too bad either.

Obed & Isaac’s
500 S. 6th Street
Springfield, IL
http://www.connshospitalitygroup.com/di ... menus.aspx

I thought I'd bump this thread. I'm going to Springfield for the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's funeral. Is there anything new on the scene (food wise). I know they have some little bistro type places right in the historic district. Has anyone tried them? Good hotel food? Whatever comes to mind!

We discovered on our visit last fall that Norb Andy's is open again. They're not the inventors of the Horseshoe sandwich, but they were one of the early practitioners. Based on what we were served, the new owners have shown a commitment to quality.

We opted for a Sliced Turkey Horseshoe which included bird off the bone, a better grade of French Fry than what is typically used (as in, NOT the crinkle cut Sysco version), and a cheese sauce that was a legitimate Welsh Rarebit as opposed to the processed junk that's plopped down on most Horsehoes in Springfield. Mrs. Roadhouse and I had multiple food visits to make that day, so we split a "Ponyshoe" (half sized Horseshoe) and were very happy with what we got.

Add to that the walk down from street level, speak-easy charm of Norb Andy's and it adds up to a very pleasant experience.

Buddy

Norb Andy's Tabarin
518 E Capitol Ave.
Springfield, IL 62701
(217) 679-3449

razbry wrote:I thought I'd bump this thread. I'm going to Springfield for the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's funeral. Is there anything new on the scene (food wise). I know they have some little bistro type places right in the historic district. Has anyone tried them? Good hotel food? Whatever comes to mind!

Here are a few places to put on your list:

Maldaner's Restaurant
http://www.maldaners.com/
222 S 6th St, Springfield, IL 62701
Phone:(217) 522-4313
Probably the best restaurant in town, and among the oldest. Very old-school setting, but food is excellent. In season, they use a lot of local produce.

Upthread Sweet Willie mentioned Obed and Issac, which is pretty good too.

Incredibly Delicious
http://www.incrediblydelicious.com/
925 S. 7th St
Springfield, IL 62703
Phone: (217) 528-8548
This is a French-inspired breakfast, lunch, and pastry shop in a beautiful old house downtown. Definitely worth a visit.

Another breakfast/lunch spot downtown is Cafe Moxo:
411 E Adams St
Springfield, IL 62701
(217) 788-8084
cafemoxo.com

I like Julia's Kitchen and Lounge quite a bit (which Tim mentioned upthread). I've only had brunch there (a few times), but I've been impressed. Southern-inspired food with live music.
107 W Cook St
Springfield, IL 62704
juliaskitchenandlounge.com
(217) 670-1972

Springfield has a lot of good pizza. See my post upthread.

Dublin Pub and D'Arcy's Pint are two reliable places for beer and horseshoes.

Engrained Brewing Company
1120 Lincolnshire Blvd
Springfield, IL 62711
engrainedbrewing.com
(217) 546-3054

2016 Springfield IL Restaurant Scene:

Happy Sushi: 846 S Grand Ave East (at 9th street): The very best food in Springfield. Wonderful Japanese and Korean food. Very small, intimate, friendly and inexpensive. The menu is about to be expanded to include more Korean food. Hiro is your host. Daily specials including Salmon five ways. (http://www.capitalcitymenus.com/pdf/happysushi1111.pdf

Mekong Cafe1308 S 2nd st 217 391 2511 continues to serve excellent food at modest prices. http://www.capitalcitymenus.com/pdf/mekongcafe.pdf

Mimosa: Upscale Asian at moderate prices. Wonderful decor and excellent food. Huge selection. http://www.capitalcitymenus.com/pdf/mimosa_1212.pdf

Frankies on the Boulevard: 2425 S. MacArthur Blvd. (At Outer Park Ave.-Town & Country Center) Very nice bar food, if Darcy's Pint is crowded.http://www.capitalcitymenus.com/pdf/fra ... 160329.pdf

Public House 29: 312 Sattley. Rochester, IL (217) 576-7024
About five miles east of Springfield on Route 29.
The remarkable draft micro-brewed beer selection, Wood Fired Wings and wood fired white garlic pizza (request exra crispy) are worth the trip. http://www.pubhouse29.com/menu.html

Julia's Kitchen is closed. Too much salt.
Tim

Rene G wrote:Taylor's Mexican Chili Parlor in Carlinville, 40 miles southwest of Springfield, is another ancient dispenser of the spicy stew. Taylor's opened in 1904 but went out of business several times between then and now. I wanted to visit Taylor's for years but was stymied because Carlinville isn't on the way to anywhere I usually want to go and because of their limited hours. Finally I made it happen (sort of).

At last I had a chance to eat some chili in the Parlor itself. Taylor's sits next to the Anchor Inn (they share an internal door) at the northeast corner of Carlinville’s pretty town square.



The room is dim and cool, a perfect place to refresh with a glass of cold buttermilk on a hot August day.







Taylor’s chili is clearly in the local style, but I prefer it to most I’ve eaten in Springfield. It’s far better than the canned version of Taylor’s chili (I tried my first “kit” a couple months ago).



As elsewhere, I think you can specify how you like your chili. For some Springfieldians, it’s simply not a bowl of chilli without an inch of floating red grease (or without the superfluous L). Since I didn’t specify, I think I got the newbie “fat free” version, which was fine by me.

I might have enjoyed the butterbean soup even more. Nothing fancy here, just a simple well-seasoned cup of bean soup.



Next time I need to try their vegetable soup.



Taylor's Mexican Chili Parlor
33 Daley St
Carlinville IL
http://www.taylorschili.com/ (website of cannery, not restaurant)

When I was about 12 years old, dad took my brother and me to Springfield to do the Lincoln circuit -- monument, tomb, Lincoln's New Salem, etc. Dad, being the explorer, always looked into where to eat when he planned a trip, and all those years ago (we're talking 56 years) the name that popped up was Gabatoni's. I was young, but was still old enough to recognize this as better than the usual pizzas I'd had up until then. Six years later, when I was 18, a friend and I went down to Springfield for the Illinois State Fair. I told her we had to go to Gabatoni's if it was still open. It was. And it was still memorable.

This weekend, I had a speaking engagement just outside of Springfield -- at Lincoln's New Salem. Since I had read on LTH that, at least as of a few years ago, Gabatoni's was still open, I figured I'd have to try to get there for dinner while I was in the area. It was a Friday night, so the place was heaving. But one stray individual can usually find a chair at the bar, and so, 50 years since my last visit, I got to have Gabatoni's pizza again. It did not disappoint. I now know that there are other good pizzas in the world, but they are still not common. And Gabatoni's cracker-thin, crisp crust and abundant, fresh ingredients make it a worthy destination. You might not want to drive that far just for the pizza, but if you are in Springfield and you are hungry, it's mighty tasty.