John L.'s Profile

The Roadhouse is located near the gambling boats in Elgin.  When you walk in, you'll notice the decor is rather rustic, with a lodgey feel.  To the left is the main bar; to the right is a game room with video games and pool tables.  When I went last Friday, you can easily spot the waitresses in little plaid skirts with knee high socks...the "schoolgirl look" I suppose.  The wait staff is very polite and deserve good tips.

The music room in the back is very cool.  Like Subterranean, there's a balcony where you can watch the band from above.  The sound system is very good, so if a band you like is playing there, it's worth the trek to Elgin to hear/see them.

Did anything funny happen last Friday?  Oh, there was obligatory "# 1 Fan" thrusting his hands in the air making devil signs with his pinky and pointer finger and playing incessent air guitar.  I bet late at night he dresses in tight white spandex body suits, puts on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack and pretends he was the 4th Bee Gee.

Mama's is a no-frills Italian restaurant on South Harlem.  Mama has been open since 1948, so that's saying something.  I am guessing by looking at the crows that was there that Mama has a lot of repeat customers, old faithfuls.  That's usually a good sign.

For entree, I had the mixed meat & cheese raviolis.  The marinara sauce was pretty darn good, but not the best I've had.  The ravioli?  Ok.  Lots of times you can judge an Italian restaurant based on how their Minestrone Soup is.  I hate to say it, but Mama's soup was average.

The service was excellent.  I think our server's name was Nick.

I may go back, but there are other and better family-owned Italian restaurants closer to home.  Sorry, Mama, the meal wasn't bad by any means, and I hate to cheat, but I may have to go to the neighbor girl's house for Italian next time.

I resisted WF for many years due to hearing about the over-price-ed-ness of the goods they sell, and yes, much of it is overpriced for what you get.  But, there's some really good quality fresh stuff here too.  Were I wealthy, I'd shop here regularly to get fresh fish and to laugh at the gossiping overdressed ("Never know who you'll see at the grocery Dallas, TX mentality) housewives.

Thoughts on goods purchased yesterday:

Salsa:  fresh, delicious, a little kick (probably a lot for the spicily challenged)

Shrimp Egg Roll:  ($1.29)  *John takes a bite*  Where's the shrimp?

Lobster Egg Roll:  ($1.29)  *John takes a bite*  YUM!!!

Carrot Juice:  $4.99 for 52oz.  Deal.  Sold.  Very tasty and now I can finally see in the dark.

8 piece tuna roll from the sushi station:  ($4.69)  Fresh, clean, simple.  I'd get this again.  I ate so much damn wasabi yesterday that I followed Strongbad straight to the moon!

Next time to try:  That damn luscious looking 6oz cut of salmon beckoning me at the frest seafood counter.  Sure, it all seems pricey, but just go take a look at the freshness!  $18/lb for scallops?  Sure, but when is the last time you saw a scallop the size of a baseball?  (Ok, a little exaggerated in size but I'm going to try these bad boys sometime)

Let's see, anything "interesting" happen on yesterday's trip?  Hmmm.... And there was an extremely unhappy woman yelling at the sushi chef about how she can't eat sesame and she's on a gluten-free diet.  Fine, it's not uncommon.  But, do you have to yell at the poor guy?  Not his fault, lady!  He's like...."uhhh...okay...."  Made me realize that my life ain't so bad since I can probably down gallons of sesame and still walk a straight line.

And, I did find myself happily bouncing my head back and forth with each muncha-muncha on my tuna roll.

New Orleans fried chicken brought to Flossmoor, IL?  Who'd have thunk it?  What?  Holy Fried Chicken!!!  The breading is crispingly perfect sealing in some of the juiciest meat I've ever had!  (*drooool*)  The fried potatos with onions were nice 'n hangover-worthy.  Get a side of dry rye toast to soak up the grease as you go.

The gigantic Belgium waffles that accompany the chicken were nice and crispy but not too crispy.  Perfect!  

That poor Catfish knows that I have my eye on him for my next visit!  He's shittin' eggrolls!  Hom nom nom!

The Piggly Wiggly is clean.

The Wiggly sells food.

The Piggy boycots the bacon section, but the partnership must be worth the financial gain to endure the stocking of bacon.

I bought a bottle of Rumpleminz here one night before a night at the Raddison hotel on the lake.  

I bought lunch meat here with which to make sandwiches.  It was eventful.  It was cold out that night.

You can buy beef and fish/seafood at the Piggly Wiggly.  Both approve of these products.  Theres no rift there.

Theres a parking lot in which you can park your buggy.

Their logo is very cool.  I performed at Summerfest several years back at the Piggly Wiggly stage and being on stage right, the giant Pig logo was staring at me the whole time.  I was scared I would be on the shelf for sale the next day!

Scores is a simple sports bar in Racine.  It's a good place to get a cold (and cheap) draft beer and some appetizers while watching the game.  $4.25 for a pint of Lite and pint of Lienie's Berry Weiss.  HELLO WISCONSIN!!!!

Decor:  simple WI bar in a strip mall.
Bartender:  friendly
Pool Table:  there
Booger Sandwiches:  non-existent (phew!)

I'd go back should the moment arise.

Ok, Chicago beach-goers. For those of you who dint know where it is or what Racine, WI has to offer, I'm sharing a bit of a secret for the Chicago peeps who are wiling to leave their 4-block radius of neighborhood familiarity.

North Beach is super clean, huge, somewhat like Foster Beach, but bigger, cleaner and not as busy. Its worth the 70 or so minute drive to get a cheap hotel room, spend an afternoon at the beach and hit up Wells Bros. Pizza or for the Prime Rib affectionate, Corner House after a day at the beach.

At the southwest end of North Beach is the North Beach Oasis, a little hut on the water that serves up snacks, sanniches, pizza, pop and last but NOT least, BEER! Right on the lakefront!

So, you can enjoy a beer on the beach with a brat, beer nuts, Berry Weiss, babe and did I mention beer? Its an easy going Saturday afternoon getaway.

Zero stars for not salting the thick layer of ice this morning on Xmas eve at neither the Harlem nor North Glenview platforms when it was warm enough for said salt to do the job it does. J O B.....job! Two stars for almost always being on time, and you were, even after the ice storm we experienced here.

If I slipped and fell and broke my coccyx, what would you have done? Buy me a trinket? Give me a $3.27 gift card to Taco Bell? Kick my cat when I'm out of town? I dint kick the cat I dint own, but Metra might since they dint believe that salt melts ice and at least Cameron has a car. John Lennon was the walrus according to Ferris Bueller (tho we who know the White Album know it was Paul). Doesn't change the fact that I dint have a car and have to ice skate to the fucking train on the Metra platform.

Thanks, Metra. But I'm still alive to say THANKS, RIBS tonight at Xmas eve dinner! Thanks, Dave Chappelle for making me laugh...

Ever eat puke?

I was driving back from Northeast Wisconsin and was sooo freakin' hungry and my stomach was yelling at me in some strange language that I stooped to stop at this Taco Bell to get a couple of tacos to get by until I got to Milwaukee for a real dinner.  Yep, my stomach was saying things like "ja4;gfk;jgjarfggf" and "wrta3ij9-jjkj9".  I couldn't understand a word my tummy was saying!  So, I got scared and decided to try to placate it since its incomprehensible ramblings sounded desparate.

So I got two ground beef soft tacos, or better termed "puke in a blanket."  I did not vomit, despite eating puke.

I did not die and made it successfully to Milwaukee for a nice Prime Rib dinner that night.  Phew!!!!  Great success!!!

Sure, Wisconsin is known for its cheese.  Packers fans embrace their stereotype by wearing cheesehead hats.  Stereotyping had also been embraced around the country that Chicago and New York are the places to head to if you want good pizza.  Not Wisconsin.

Holy shit!  Wells Brothers serves up an amazing thin crust pizza!  It's comparable to Benny's in Berwyn, Marie's at Lawrence/Keeler, Peaquod's on Clybourn...  These Racine natives aren't lying nor if they are biased, it doesn't matter because Wells Bros. is GOOD!  

I got Wells Bros for the first time this past summer after sitting, sleeping and reading at North Beach for about 3 hours on a Saturday.