Eddie L.'s Profile

The microbrewery/restaurant experience usually goes one of two ways: either you enjoy the beer and hate the food; or you hate the beer and enjoy the food.  At Little Apple Brewing Company, they manage to do both.  

Since I'm new in town (and didn't bother with the flight of brews) I haven't tasted all the beers but I really enjoyed what I've had so far.  Whether it's the IPA, the Wheat, or the Red you can't go wrong (so yeah, I've got a few more to try)

As for the food, their steaks are accurately prepared and I have yet to meet a steak I deem inferior.  They keep the salad bar pretty fresh, and specials depend on the evening.  Service is efficient as it seems they shoot for high turnover, but that's not to say you feel rushed out at the end.  It is a brewery and as long as the beer is flowing, good times are had.

Upon my first visit, I perused the board of specials and noticed that they had the Filipino classic Adobo and Pancit on special.  I tried to order it and they were out...so the when I eventually did get it during a subsequent visit, I enjoyed the hell out of it.  

The rest of the menu pales in comparison, but that's the dig.  Y'see, the folks at the Chinese Chef have their own spin on Chinese fare, but no matter what others may say about the quality of food (that which I thoroughly enjoy), you get top notch service, a most friendly and caring staff, and the prices can't be beat.  The atmosphere is very casual and the facilities are clean.  I would recommend this to anybody looking for a quick and tasty bite.

I'm not sure what it is, but the Village Tap's appearance has a knack for lulling you into thinking that you can a good meal and tasty buzz without paying an arm and leg...but when you step back onto Roscoe you'll fall onto the sidewalk, have a good laugh, then wonder "wait, I'm missing an arm and a leg."  Thank you, thank you...i'll be here all review.

The food is decent but that's about it.  I've had a bunch of burgers, hills of falafel, piles of hummus, and their fish fry many times.  I walk away feeling full but never wowed.  I guess that means the Village tap is a place to get a full meal.  They have plenty of beers and offer many of them in pitcher volume so you'll have yourself a good time before it's time to leave.

When not crowded, the Village Tap is a pleasant place to spend an evening.  There's futbol games on the screens and a decent balance of douchebags and uber-hipsters.  I mean,  you'll run into the occasional uberdouche or hipster-bag, but don't worry about them...they're not the ones fleecing you.  After you leave and realize that dinner for two and two beers somehow adds up to a $70 check in a faux-divey bar, don't say I didn't warn you.

Though nestled between the Chinese Buffet and Dollar Tree (two of the happier places on earth), this particular post office feels like the place where dreams die.  Just kidding (not really).

The only positives of this location are that it's open for business on Sundays (which means you can get mailing supplies if you need them on a Sunday - and you can get what you need into the mail system as soon as Monday hits) and the self-service machine sits mere steps from the entrance.  

However, if you have to head inside for actual face to face communication, you'd better be prepared.  Never before have I seen other customers consistently belittled and rudely corrected if they aren't 110% prepared with their parcels and letters.  While it may not seem much to ask for assistance in knowing which form to fill out, or which method is best for shipping, the staff at Graceland USPS feel you might as well be begging for their kidneys.  

I recently mailed a parcel with an international destination and there was hell to pay; it appeared that I didn't have a customs declaration filled out.  Lucky for me, the form was completed so the employee quickly extinguished the flames of hate and she was pleasant.  The point is..make sure you know what you're doing and the visit will be as painless as possible...that is, after twenty minutes of watching other customers get faulted for their USPS ignorance.

The constant threat of severe weather kept us near our campsite, so we didn't get a chance to explore the various recreational opportunities offered...but you're probably looking for information on camping at this park.  It's...great!

When my fiancee and I arrived at Kankakee River State Park we stopped by the Chippewa campground to see what it was about.  The price seems right at the state-mandated $8 per night, but there is no access to showers and most of all, no privacy.  The campground was flat, didn't have many trees and each site lies within other campers' sightlines.  It's like going to Alpine Valley without the vans.

So we made our way southeast to the Potawotami Campground and we were sold right away.  This campground is nestled in a more forested environment with gentle slopes throughout.  Each campsite offers privacy; the pit toilets and wells are easy to find.  The $25 per night rate includes shower access and the gentle breezes are free.  Alcohol is prohibited, in case you were wondering, but that shouldn't stop you from having a great time.

I would have to rank the three choices of atmosphere that one would enjoy food from Andies: (1) Patio; (2) Your home; (3) Inside. Heading to your dinner table, you'll be confused about having to navigate around the open basement; and as you dine, you'll wonder if somebody will come upstairs and ask you keep it down so they can sleep.  Seems like they threw a restaurant into the floor plan and hoped for the best.  All that notwithstanding, the food was tasty and the service was very friendly.  While the manager seemed very engaged in helping maximize my dining experience, the waitstaff could have been more attentive.  Seems like my dinner would have been equally enjoyable at home.  I will give the patio a try next time I dine, for it seems like whenever I drive by people appear to be having a good time.

The recent ad campaign from Aldi convinced us that we'd be treated to clean, spacious aisles, everything we need, and great prices.

This particular Aldi location delivered on just one of those three.  We came in with our standard shopping list (produce and meat) and left with nothing more than a sack of potatoes and weird tasting pickles.  Not finding much of what we needed did nothing to soften the awkward silence blasting through the store.  However, it did appear that this is the right place if  you like your meals with far off expiration dates.

I'll go back for the sack of potatoes, but nothing else.

Like many fast food chinese restaurants, China Night Cafe definitely takes the 'three sauces for everything' approach.  Whether it's the orange chicken, mongolian beef, or the shrimp in lobster sauce you'll notice that everything tastes similar.  However, their three sauces taste great and they do just enough to differentiate each dish.  The staff is friendly, and the atmosphere is welcoming enough to dine-in.  A full serving of dish, rice, and an egg roll for $6ish makes it a great value.

Conveniently located near Western and Elston, PetSmart contains supplies which I purchase to take care of my pets.  Purchasing fish is always a crapshoot, but you'll never feel cheated by their wide selection of both fish and pet supplies.

I don't have much to say about Banfield, but the Petshotel didn't leave my dog traumatized after a week-long stay.   After a few weeks, we brought the dog back with us and one of the Petshotel staffers recognized him.  That's what I call a personal touch!

Despite personally owning the google search term for 'deep fried slider' (check it out, it's a moving picture) I hadn't stepped into a White Castle for a proper meal since 1995.  The 2009 visit was everything I expected it to be: it wasn't amazing, it wasn't awful and I felt no ill effects hours later.  Win-win, right?

My White Castle lunch at Addison and Elston featured a short line, a very friendly staff, and an accurate order.  The hamburger sandwiches were tasty enough to make me forget that I'm supposed to loathe the boiled beef.  Throw in an order of fries and bonus chicken-rings means I walked away feeling like I had a satisfactory meal.  

The restaurant was mostly clean (my table could have used a wipedown) and the white tables walls give it a bright, sterile feel.  The place didn't make me feel as if I was in some sort of shady place like Hardees (oh snap).  

I would definitely go back, but I'm in no hurry.