In one corner stands Kitaro, strong, massive and as well known as Godzilla. In the other stands Fujiyama, a smaller, less well known underdog. The two of them dominate the sushi scene in O’Fallon like giant rubber monsters dominate downtown Tokyo. Your humble restaurant reviewer battled them both to learn their secret weaknesses and discover which contender was the strongest. Read more here.
I was deliriously happy when OK Go’s media representative approved my interview request. This is the kind of treat I don’t get often enough. The band is performing at the Heritage Freedom Festival in O’Fallon on the 4th of July. You can bet I’ll be there – and not just because I’m reviewing their performance for a companion piece. Read the complete interview here.
The waitress started off by asking if my lunch companion and I would like to try their home infused saki. I could see a batch of ginseng soaking on the sushi bar, so we tried one rather experimental shot with ginseng and a pineapple infused saki to follow it up. The pineapple was delightful. It made me want to try every fruit flavor on the menu. The ginsing, on the other hand, was interesting. I hesitate to say good, because as we sipped it, we kept staring into the glass thinking this tasted too medicinal, yet we kept coming back…
Nothing says light summer fare like sushi. We’ve let O’Fallon’s barbecue and Indian restaurants battle it out for best cuisine, now it’s time to sample our Japanese offerings. We started this month’s sushi battle at Fujiyama. Strip mall restaurants get a bad reputation as generic pits of bland anonymity. However, a lot of the best hole in the walls are located right next to a dry cleaner or a Radio Shack. Sometimes, a small family restaurant just wants to save a little on rent while being close enough to existing businesses to bring in customers. Fujiyama may not look like…
Gather round, food fans! It’s time for our barbecue battle roundup! In one corner, we have Piggy’s Bar BQ, with its wood-fired smoker proudly stationed in front of the restaurant. In the other, we have Ethyl’s, where you can sing karaoke or play sand volleyball. In the spirit of fairness, I stopped by during lunch on Wednesdays and placed the same order for a barbecue brisket sandwich with corn on the cob and a dessert. After leveling the playing field, let’s see how our combatants fared. Read more here.
In honor of summer’s return, I decided it was time to break out of crowded dining rooms and enjoy some fresh air with outdoor patio dining. Due to the 10 a.m.-4 p.m. hours, I’d never eaten at the Garden Café Ala Fleur on Main Street. If you work nearby and are in search of a quick, affordable lunch, the Garden Café Ala Fleur belongs on your rotation. Read more here.
I was a little excited when I saw the gigantic wood smoker outside Piggy’s Bar B Q. I adore slow smoked barbecue, and the split wood piled next to it promised a world of flavor. The street facing window was painted with prices for meat by the pound, so obviously they were pretty proud of their product. Read more here.
After last month’s Indian battle, I’m switching continents for something completely different. In May, I’m on a quest to find the best barbecue in O’Fallon. In the spirit of fairness, I plan to order similar meals at both. My favorite slow cooked barbeque is brisket, so I’ll be looking for a pink smoke ring, buttery soft meat and addictive sauces. I started my quest at Ethyl’s. Read more here.
We’ve met the contenders. In one corner, Anis, in the other Tandoori King. Both have good reasons to be a contender, but as they say in Highlander, there can be only one. In the spirit of fairness, I tried both buffets on a Friday at noon so there would be no issues of one having a slow business day while the other was jammed to the gills. Let’s see them duke it out. Read more here.
You know you’re in for something good when the homemade iced tea is poured from a pitcher kept in the fridge and the cashier leans over to ask one of the other employees what she put in the peanut butter balls this morning. The aptly named 2nd Street Bike Stop Café was founded by cycling enthusiasts. While I ate, two regulars parked their bikes in front of the café, proving this really is somewhere cyclists stop for a healthy lunch, although you certainly don’t have to be a cyclist to enjoy the mix of vegetarian and lean meat sandwiches and…
