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New Show Booking
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Marshall Crenshaw
by Ryan
 Last week we updated you on the status of some of our upcoming shows. This week we want to announce the booking of a new show. On Thursday October 28th, Marshall Crenshaw will make his first appearance at the Uptown Playlist Theater. Marshall will be performing solo.
Crenshaw is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist known for his
well-crafted songwriting and eclectic musical career. A precocious rock
'n' roll child, he claims he was but three or four years old when he
first heard the records that set the course for his life and career. He began playing
guitar at age ten and got his first break playing as John Lennon in the
off-Broadway touring company of the musical Beatlemania. Crenshaw also
played Buddy Holly in the 1987 movie about the life story of Ritchie
Valens! His rock and R&B education
continued with help from a very hip dad and a few older and wiser teenage
cousins. Growing up in the Detroit suburb of Berkley he added Motown and
that city's free-swinging garage band scene to his potent mix of
influences. Crenshaw says, "I've been listening to music all my life and
I think one of the things I do better than anything else is listen. My
long background of playing and listening has prepared me for songwriting."
Over 25 years since breaking through to critical and commercial acclaim
with his 1982 self-titled debut and its infectious, era-defining pop hit
"Someday, Someway," Marshall Crenshaw creates an incredible new chapter
in his career with his 429 Records debut Jaggedland. Crenshaw's first
studio recording in more than six years is his most musically dynamic
and lyrically intimate collection yet.
As Crenshaw was developing Jaggedland's mix of poignant
and incisive love songs and musings on mortality, he ventured once again
into the film world, co-penning the title track to the hilarious,
critically acclaimed John C. Reilly film "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox
Story." The track was nominated for a 2008 Golden Globe and a 2008
Grammy Award.
Over the last few years, Crenshaw has played
40 - 50 shows a year on what he dubs "the NPR singer-songwriter
circuit." Crenshaw says that, "this album took a lot of wear and tear on my
emotions, but in the end I think it's one of my best ever and I am so
excited to have worked with so many of my favorite players on it. When
people ask me why I keep making music after all these years, I have a
simple answer: because I have to. For lack of a more colorful term,
there is truly something magical to it and I never take it for granted."
On Sale NOW for $20!!
website - Marshall Crenshaw
"Someday, Someway" - Click Here
Marshall Crenshaw playing Buddy Holly in "La Bamba"
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Current Events
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The Restoring Honor Event
by Ryan
On August 28th, The Special Operations Warrior Foundation, Glenn Beck and others put together a non-political event in the nations capital. The event was held at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial
in Washington D.C. It was called "Restoring Honor." As many Americans
are unhappy with the current course of our nation and policies being set
by the government, American citizens came together to discuss their
ideas and show that by coming together, we can change the course of our
nation.
When trying to find out what The Restoring Honor event
was, I found this: "Through history America has seen many great
leaders and noteworthy citizens change her course. It is through their
personal virtues and by their example that we are able to live as a free
people.......come celebrate America, by honoring our heroes, our
heritage and our
future."
This was brought to our attention
by someone we know who traveled to Washington D.C. for the event. They
put together a log of their trip and their feelings from being there.
Thursday at 6pm, four
concerned Americans load into a car and head towards our nations'
capitol city. The drive is 800 miles, 13 hours, through six states.
The conversation in the vehicle lasts all night as we take our
separate shifts driving and discussing the agenda for the next
several days, no one sleeps.
We arrive at our hotel in
Chevy Chase, MD. At around 7:30 am Friday morning and to our relief
they actually let us check in. Now we sleep hard for 3 hours, eat and
head towards the metro train station. The train takes us to
Washington D.C. and we spend the day meeting people on the street
that have also made the trip from all across our great nation. We all
have a certain purpose for being here and the bond is immediate and
real.
Saturday morning 6am. The
date is 8/28/10. Again, we head towards the metro station, only this
time there are thousands and thousands of people on the street and
packed into the station. Amazingly, people are courteous and patient.
The first train arrives on time. It is so packed we can't get on
it! We wait for the next train and manage to squeeze on this time.
As the trains converge in
Washington D.C. the sea of people becomes even larger and again we
are amazed at the orderly and thoughtful nature of the crowd. As a
group we flow towards the steps of the Lincoln memorial and as we
crest the hill overlooking the reflecting pool, we are all taken back
by the incredible size of the crowd that has already gathered. The
energy is unmistakable and very positive.
We find a spot on the lawn
about 100 yards from the stage and begin to meet our neighbors and
strike up conversations about our travels, ideas and purpose for
being here. The rally begins with the Pledge of Allegiance and Star
Spangled Banner. To stand there amongst over 500,000 people and feel
no sense of trouble or threat in this day and age, is alone, a
testament to the quality of our people. Now, we listen to the
messages of restoring honor and truth to our nation, government and
ourselves, and pledge to make the changes required. As Americans, we
have the incredible duty to ensure that we remain the most powerful
nation on this Earth, because if we don't, freedom will disappear
for all.
Our purpose for gathering
in Washington on August 28, 2010 was to remind each other and our
leaders that we must remain true to the ideals of our founding
fathers. That government should have a limited role in the lives of
the people. That the people have certain rights, and they shall not
be infringed upon by any person or government. That we must stand
for what is right and fight with all we have to remain free.
God Bless America,
Concerned American
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Upcoming Special
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Oktoberfest
by Ryan |
 We
celebrate Oktoberfest by offering the areas
most authentic German Fare, just like my grandpa did 40 years ago. The
Uptown Oktoberfest begins Tuesday October 5th. We will serve Oktoberfest every Tuesday and Thursday during October after 4pm..............while supplies last!
Our Oktoberfest plate
includes kassler ripschen(smoked pork chop), eisben mit sauerkraut (pork
hocks with sauerkraut),
leberkaese (German veal loaf), knackwurst (German garlic sausage),
bratwurst (mild white veal sausage), sauerkraut, red cabbage, and german
potato
salad. We will also offer a wurtsalat salad.
To
help celebrate the Oktoberfest we also have Bitburger Pilsener (the #1
draft
pilsener in Germany), Hofbrauhaus Munchen Oktoberfest Beer from one of
the six
original oktoberfest breweries in Munchen, Germany. Not a beer drinker?
Well
then try our T.J. Selbach German Reisling from the Mosel River Valley. Only 100
orders
to go around and this authentic Oktoberfest meal is one you don't want
to
miss.
What is Oktoberfest? It is known as the largest beer festival in the world, the event
 originated in Munich, Germany on October 12th, 1810 in the form of a 5 day event
celebrating the marriage of the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess
Therese of Saxony Hildburghausen.
Despite the name Oktoberfest, this annual event
actually takes place in September, two Sundays before the first Sunday of
October. Attached is an article from Yahoo discussing
the origin of Oktoberfest and why it was moved to be held in late September
instead of October 12th. Also included in the article are authentic Oktoberfest
recipes.
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December Christmas Parties
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Reserve Space for your Christmas Partyby Jimmy
 Summer has ended and fall
is here. Before you know it, the hustle and bustle of the holidays will
be near. Time just seems to fly this time of year. Sounds like a cheesy
holiday jingle, huh? Well, yes it is early but we do want to let you
know there are some prime time dates still available for reserving your
"Christmas Party" with us. We have had a couple of our "high demand"
weekend dates become available this year. Many companies are downsizing and cutting costs so one of the first things to go is the company Christmas party. That is the reason many of our December weekends in the banquet room have opened up. Our private banquet room
is perfect for the company party. Accommodating anywhere from 30 to over
120, depending on your parties needs, you can choose from a full sit
down meal or an appetizer cocktail
party. We have different menu options available and we prepare
every meal and every plate, fresh to order. Our private bar and space allows for
a dj for your entertainment. By getting your reservations in
early, you not only ensure that you have the date you want this year,
but you also have first choice when it comes time to rebook the company party for next
year. Don't hesitate, they will not last long. Click on the link below
for more information on our banquet room. Uptown Banquet Room InformationNot having the full company party this year? Just want to get together
with coworkers? Our "north
dining room" works well for those smaller groups. We love to
have the 3rd floor nurses at IVCH or the teachers from Peru Catholic, for example, in
mid-December for a few drinks and a meal. Although not completely
private, this room does separate you from our main dining area. It
allows for everyone to relax and let loose a bit to have fun with your
friends or coworkers. We allow groups up to 25 to order off of our
regular menu and for these mid-week parties, we will allow separate checks. Get
together and start planning. Call and save your dates! 815-224-4545 |
On Special
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Fusilli Pasta
by Kylene
 This weeks special
is Fusilli pasta tossed with fresh mozzarella, grape tomatoes, shallots, and baby arugula in a lemon basil mascarpone cream sauce. Although we have
served variations of this pasta before, it is rather unique in that, not
only is our particular fusilli imported from the Puglia region of
sunny southern Italy, but the shape is what makes it most appealing. Although the twisted spaghetti
is considered fun to eat by some consumers, it is also great to cook with as well. This is due to the fact that the small crevices of the helix shape can hold on to thin, very light sauces, while the springy shape holds up under heavy meat sauces as well.
Fusilli pasta is a long, thick, spiral shaped pasta. The word fusilli presumably comes from fusile, archaic or dialectal word for "rifle" (fucile in modern Italian), referring to the spiral-grooved barrel of the latter. It can also mean "little spindles" in
standard Italian. Fusilli is also one of the more popular Italian pasta
shapes which has been widely exported to much of the world. It is among
the most common of the more unusually shaped pastas, since fusilli is highly versatile in the kitchen. The best fusilli pasta is made with hard durum wheat which is the particular variation in which we will be using in this week's special.
Not only is this dish absolutely beautiful as it is appealing
to the eye, but it is nothing less than pleasing to the pallet as well
with our hand pulled mozzarella, fresh herbs and vegetables.
Pasta lovers will love their noodles even more after giving this
pasta a try. It would also be nicely complimented with a glass of Lumo
which is our featured wine this month. This is a light, crisp, white
wine made from chardonnay, pinot blanc and sauvignon blanc grapes. It has aroma of citrus fruit and has a balanced finish making for a wonderful late summer white wine.
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Misconceptions About Ordering Wine by the Glass
by Ray
 Every once in a while I read an article that really makes my blood boil
because I think it gives my customers the wrong impression. Many in the
media like to paint business people as greedy and uncaring about about
their product. Maybe I should look at it as a compliment to see how
different we are as a business and a restaurant. The article I am
referring to was in the Wall Street Journal and was entitled "Why I Hate Ordering Wine by the Glass" by Lettie Teague. While what she says in this article may be true of many places it is certainly not true about us. Click Here
As a customer a good glass wine selection is very important. I am a wine
drinker. I would much rather order a bottle but if my party will not
help me finish it I like to order a glass.
Contrary to what the author insinuates, our list is not "left-overs". We conduct 2 major groups of tastings each year. One for the summer
and one for the fall. We do taste bottles for the bottle list but most
of our effort goes into the glass list. We deal only with small, wine
only distributors, and are not interested in the mass produced,
oversold, and over advertised wines you will see in major chains. After
our tasting, as you have seen in our newsletter in the past, we conduct
staff tastings. Almost everything that is on our bottle list is
ordered for that specific purpose.
Our wine by the glass program priorities are based on the following...
1.) Find price and value you can't get anywhere else - Many times a quality wine is looking to be brought to market by
exposure. Where else better to get exposure by offering these selections
by the glass than at a restaurant. Many times we will get a much better
discount if we prove to our distributor their product is being sold in
house by the glass.
2.) Promote experience and experimentation
- Just because it is not a main stream varietal to you does not mean it
is not quality wine. Many times these wines can be a great value also.
We like to expand our customers and employees range of wine experience.
This also goes along with our desire to be trendy. If you check out my
links later in this newsletter many of the
"2010 Top Beverage Trends" we were working on a couple of years ago
 3.) Serve a quality glass of wine -I hate it when I go into a place and there are 20 wines by the glass and
7 customers. They simply can not all be fresh. It is impossible. We
will rotate 4 white, 4 reds and a special wine by season. We order it
only for our list but, every once in awhile one is such a hit, we will
save a few bottles by request for the bottle list. We date every bottle
when it is opened. They are never left at room temperature. We serve and
store whites at 45 degrees and reds at 56 degrees. We also use a
vinturi (a wine aerating devise) to breathe a little life into our
glass pours. We have also tried the machines and the gas and do not
think they are all they are cracked up to be. In many cases they can
give you a false sense of security.
4.) Selling a glass is just the same as selling a bottle to us
- Contrary to what this author says our bottle program is not a "profit
engine". It might be part of the locomotive, but not the engine. We sell
4 glasses, 6.42 ounces to a bottle, and measure every pour. If you look
at our bottle pricing, 4 glasses will equal the price of the bottle. We
will not take advantage of you for ordering a glass.
She does
make some good points and has some good ideas. I would love to offer
something really special, more expensive, maybe on the weekends. Sell
one bottle and be done.
Bottom line is we take great pride in our
bottle list. We are not wine snobs and just want to offer a good quality
and innovative product. Our wines by the glass are not the worst deal in
our house.
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Around the Industry
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Food Lover Links by Ray
 Bug eaters aim to add
to their ranks - Care for some cricket sticks?
A small but dedicated band of
foodies aims to raise the profile of dishes that include ingredients
such as crickets, ants and other insects, The Wall Street Journal
reports. The practice of eating bugs is slowly attracting new fans in
the U.S., as a few Mexican restaurants add roasted grasshoppers to the
menu and a new Brooklyn yogurt shop sees success with its topping of
chocolate-covered crickets. Read more ; wsj.com
Top Ten Beverage Trend - An interesting list
Traditional is meeting contemporary, as beverages are revamped for a
changing palate, pocketbook and generation of consumers. Benchmark Hospitality International's "Top 10 Beverage Trends for 2010"
shows how the beverage industry is embracing change and satisfying
consumers-whether it's rediscovering retro cocktails or welcoming new
wine varieta Read more ; monkeydish.com
Wisconsin eatery acts
to protect signature roof goats - Can you really trademark rooftop goats?
Restaurateur Lars Johnson's
Wisconsin eatery has been known for raising goats on the roof since
1973. Recently, the owner of Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant sued a
Georgia grocery and gift shop alleging trademark infringement after the
shop began boasting of its own rooftop goats. The Southeastern shop
owner agreed to pay Johnson a fee to keep using the marketing tactic,
after deciding that switching to pigs would add more weight than the
roof could bear. Read more ; wsj.com
Chefs become the next
generation of local butchers - Rock star butchers and meat tendersA growing number of Seattle
chefs are using their skills to create new local butcher businesses, The
Seattle Times reports. Former Serafina chef John Neumark's new career
as "meat tender" at one of five Bill the Butcher shops offers an
opportunity to reconnect consumers with a larger and more diverse set of
meats than they typically find in the grocery aisle, he says. Read more ; seattletimes.com
Is customer service on the decline? - I agree whole heartedly! I can only hope you you do not agree this is true of the Uptown Findings from Empathica's latest Consumer Insights Panel show that
Americans feel customer service is getting worse. Based on feedback from
a survey of 11,000 consumers, the findings reveal that things have
deteriorated compared to the first quarter of 2010. Read More ; monkeydish.comQuirky bars and odd watering
holes - The 7 Weirdest Places to Have a Drink!
If you're looking to up the
ante and start out in a place that's half-nightmare (drinks served in
medical equipment, anyone?) or half-hallucination (ie, none of the
waiters here are over 4 feet tall), try these bizarre -- or simply
unexpected -- watering holes from around the globe. Included are
Gallagher's Pub in Antarctica, Chuck E. Cheese (have you been in there
on a Saturday afternoon?) and Clinic in Singapore. Read More ; thespir.it |
| Not Your "Everyday" Specials |
 Friday Nights, Seafood Mixed Grill
It includes a 4 oz lobster tail with drawn butter, 4 oz salmon filet with basil cream, and 4 oz whitefish parmesan with lemon caper butter. All for only $19.75
Monday Nights, Steak Diane
Every Monday after 4 pm, we will be serving Steak Diane for $13.75. This will be just like the Red Door Inn. With Victor's stamp of approval.
 Wienerschnitzel
Every Wednesday after 4pm, we will be serving authentic German Wienerschnitzel. Served with roasted asparagus, spaetzel and veal demi glaze it is only $11.75.
 Sunday, All Day,
Sizzling Sunday Fajita and Margaritas
You get a chicken fajita for two with a 64 ounce pitcher of margaritas for only $20! Imagine this on a Sunday afternoon on the patio or at a sidewalk table with the sunshine and a nice breeze! No, your not in Cabo, but it sure feels like it!
 A Lamb Lovers DelightEvery Saturday night after 4pm we will be serving slow roasted herb crusted leg of lamb with mint demi glaze. It will be served with our mashed potato of the day and roasted cauliflower topped with parmesan cheese. $19.50 Prime RibAvailable after 4pm every Friday and Saturday night is our herb crusted prime rib of beef. Our prime rib is slow roasted for several hours in our 1980's alto shaam. It is served with au jus, mushrooms and your choice of side dish.
Available in 12oz $18.75 or 16oz $21.75 |
| On Special This Week | |
White Sicilian Anchovies
Tuna Poke
Curry Dusted Calamari
Blackberry Point Oysters on the Half Shell
Panini Sandwich with Sopressata, Roasted Red Peppers and Provolone
BBQ Meatloaf Sandwich
24oz Black Garlic New York Strip with a Green Peppercorn Brandy Sauce
Beef, Lamb, and Pork Tenderloin Trio with Parmesan Crusted Cauliflower and Mashed Potatoes
Pan Fried Ruby Trout with Swiss Chard
Lemon almond crusted Mahi-Mahi
Fussili Pasta with fresh mozzarella and lemon basil mascarpone
Stone ground mustard steak and arugula salad
Sauteed Swiss Chard
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Win a Free Lunch
| Foodie Fight Free Lunch Contest
 Each week in the newsletter we will ask 3 questions from the foodie fight cards. The first person to email us (see link below) the correct answers to all 3 questions will receive a complimentary lunch. The winner has to have the correct answer for all 3 questions, no exceptions! The following week we will publish the correct answers and the winner of the previous week. So come in and have a drink, study the cards, test each other and have fun. Good Luck!
1. What Jewish dish was originally prepared by making a mixture from fish flesh and stuffing it back into the fish skin before cooking?
2. What Latin American appetizer consists of raw fish "cooked" in citrus juice?
3. What stadium food of today did Julius Caesar introduce to Rome in 48 B.C.?
email your answers to foodiefight@uptowngrill.com
Fine Print...
You must be the first person to respond with all three correct answers.
The response must go to the email address in the above link.
You must reply within 24 hours from the time the newsletter is published.
Participants are eligible to win a limit of 3 times a year.
Last Week questions and answers....
1. What kind of flour is used to make the thin East Indian bread called pappadam? LENTIL
2. What is the name of the root vegetable that is also known as the "oyster plant" due to its oysterlike flavor? SALSIFY
3. What method of cooking is featured in Brazillian restaurants called churrascarias? BARBECUE
Last weeks winner of the free lunch ... Rick Mason
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Uptown Grill
601 First St.
La Salle, Il 61301
815-224-4545
Mon - Thur 11 am to 10pm - Fri & Sat 11 am to 11 pm
Sun Noon to 10 pm
Uptowngrill.com
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