Wednesday, July 13th

On Our Menu

Cold Summertime Soups

By Ryan

During the hot summer months, we try and serve items that appeal to those that want to get out of the heat. One of the items we prepare fresh from scratch are cold soups such as gazpacho or vichysoisse. Cold soups were something of an oddity to me when I first learned of them. I thought soup isn't meant to be cold! But as my taste buds have refined, I tend to especially enjoy this item on a hot summer day. But cold soup, where did this idea originate?

 

Gazpacho for example is a Spanish soup that originated in the Andalusia region. It is said that this dish may have arrived in Spain via the Moor's or the Romans during ancient times. The field workers were the ones that particularly enjoyed this dish with stale bread as it helped them to cool down during the warm summer months. There are many variations of gazpacho, but the common ingredient is either tomato or other fresh vegetables, obviously served chilled.

 

Vichysoisse is another cold soup variation that can also be eaten hot. The term vichysoisse means that the soup is pureed with leek, onions, potato, cream and chicken stock. The origin of vichysoisse is up for debate as French chef Jules Gouffee published a hot version of this soup in

Royal Cookery in 1869. However, Loius Diat, a chef from the Ritz-Carlton in New York City, claims that he and his brother would alter the warm potato and leek soup his mother served them by adding milk during the summer months when he was a child. He took that memory with him to New York where he created a cold potato and leek soup and then named it Vichy after a town not far from his home of Montmarault, France.

 

Another variation of cold soup is arranque roteno. This cold soup is similar to a gazpacho, but requires less water and less bread. It requires less water because during times of drought, this is the soup that the people of Rota, a province of Cadiz would make. Because of the lack of water in the dish, this cold soup is almost more of a dip.

On Special

Arugula and Mixed Greens with Radish and Vidalia Onion

By Jim 

The dog days of summer are upon us. It seems every week the temperature and humidity get hotter and higher. After working all day, it makes it hard to decide what to have for dinner. You don't want to heat the house with the oven on and it is almost too hot to stand in front of a grill outside. Make the easy choice. Let us do the cooking for you, whether it be a New York Strip from our grill or a nice light summer salad.

Speaking of light salads, this time of year is the perfect time for the salad we have on special right now. Arugula with mixed greens, radish and vidalia onion. This salad is made with a blend of arugula, oak leaf, red leaf, frisee, parsley and radicchio greens that taste like they are right from your home garden. It is then topped with fresh fennel, radish, vidalia onion, roma tomatoes, button mushrooms, hard boiled egg and hearts of palm. It is all tossed in a garlic scallion vinaigrette, which is a nice light vinaigrette, and topped with toasted pinenuts that tie it all together. After eating this salad, you will feel refreshed. This heat just does not put you in the mood for a whole hearty meal. This nice light meal will do the trick.

Around the Area 

Annual Downtown Lasalle Sidewalk Sale  

By Aly  

Three Things to Try 

By Aly - Farfalline Pasta with Fresh Herbs and Goat Cheese - I love pasta, it must be the Italian in me. Generally I'm skeptical about ordering pasta dishes when dining out because sometimes the noodles are either too soggy or the pasta hasn't been drained enough or it could be that because I've been spoiled with grandma's pasta dishes. Whatever the case, I decided to order our special pasta this week and I don't regret it one bit! Farfalline pasta with fresh herbs and goat cheese. Farfalline are small miniature bow tie shaped pasta. The shape of the pasta is also compared to butterflies and commonly called "little butterflies". The Italian word for "butterfly" is farfella in which this pasta's name is derived from. This pasta has sauteed zucchini, roma tomato, shiitake mushroom, shallot, fresh fennel and herbs tossed with goat cheese, mascarpone and white wine. The sauce in this pasta dish to me really made it stand out. It had the perfect amount of cream and the white wine helped balance the two cheeses creating a rather light flare to cream based sauce. If you're looking for a fresh summer pasta dish then try this one!


By Nikki - Parmesan and Garlic Roasted Cauliflower - This week I'm telling you that you have to try this side! Every so often we change what we offer as a special side dish. This has to be one of my favorites by far. We have had roasted cauliflower before, but the parmesan makes it so unbelieveably tasty. And for the garlic lovers, we also added some garlic to make the taste even more electrifying. Next time you come in for dinner, skip the french fries and add on this delicious side dish! 


By Ryan - Moscow Mule - The summer is time for one of the most refreshing cocktails you could ever have. That cocktail is the moscow mule. Made in a copper mug, which chills the beverage to temperatures the mountains on a coors light bottle would be jealous of, this cold cocktail goes hand in hand with summer. The refreshing just sweet enough lime flavored beverage with a small bite of ginger is an excellent combination. All you need to chill in this heat is to reach out for that now frosted copper mug and enjoy what's inside.

"Not Your Everyday Specials"

Monday Nights, Steak Diane

Every Monday after 4 pm, we will be serving Steak Diane for $14.75. This will be just like the Red Door Inn. With Victor's stamp of approval.

Wienerschnitzel Wednesday

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.

Friday Nights, Seafood Mixed Grill

4 oz broiled lobster tail with drawn butter, 4 oz cod filet

with basil cream, and 4 oz whitefish parmesan with lemon caper butter. All for only $19.75

Prime Rib, Friday and Saturday Evening

Available 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 alto shaam. It is served with au jus, mushrooms and your choice of side dish. Available in 12oz $19.75 or 16oz $22.75

Sunday, All Day, Sizzling Fajita and Margaritas

You get a chicken fajita with a 64 ounce pitcher of margaritas, perfect for a relaxing Sunday! Serves 2 for $20!

On Special This Week

appetizers

all american artisanal cheese sampler

1. Crave Les Freres Farmstead Cheese(USA) 2. Reny Picot Mantoro Michigan Manchego(USA)
3. Satori Bellavitano Gold (USA) 4. Widmer Cheddar(USA) 5. Roth Buttermilk Blue Affinee(USA) 6. Sap Sago, Switzerland. serves 2 to 4 people 19.75

jalapeno poppers

four lightly battered jalapeno peppers stuffed with crab meat and cream cheese.  

served with uptown salsa 7.75

blackened duck breast

7oz cajun blackened duck breast prepared medium.  

served with a bbq hollandaise. 13.50

oysters on the half shell

lady chatterley oysters from nova scotia, canada. very deep-cupped.

medium size salty and rich. this season runs from late may thru the winter months.  

served with a mignonette   10.75

grilled and chilled asparagus

grilled and chilled. served with gorgonzola, glazed walnuts  

and balsamic vinaigrette. 5.75

salad

arugula with mixed greens, radish and vidalia onion

arugula and a blend of oak leaf lettuce, frisee, red leaf lettuce, parsley,  

and radicchio with fresh fennel, radish, vidalia onion, roma tomato,  

button mushroom, hard boiled egg, palm heart, and toasted pinenuts

tossed with garlic scallion vinaigrette. served with a toasted mini olive baguette 13.50

sandwich

mesculyn salad & panini sandwich combo

raisin river ham, tillamook cheddar cheese, and stone ground mustard.  

served with a mesculyn, walnut and gorgonzola salad. balsamic  

vinaigrette dressing 10.75 with cup of soup of the day 12.25

meat

osso bucco

braised veal shank simmered in a sweet vermouth, tomato and herb sauce.  

served over flageolet beans with roasted baby carrots. 23.50

infused chicken

two six ounce butter garlic infused chicken breasts served with a  

white wine cream sauce and our seasoned rice blend 13.75

seafood

lemon pepper red snapper

broiled lemon pepper red snapper filet. served with sauteed  

spinach and roasted red pepper butter 17.25

pasta

farfalline pasta with fresh herbs and goat cheese

sauteed zucchini, roma tomato, shiitake mushrooms, shallot,  

fresh fennel and herbs tossed with goat cheese, mascarpone,  

and white wine. 13.50 add grilled chicken 15.75

side

parmesan and garlic roasted cauliflower

oven roasted cauliflower topped with roasted garlic and parmesan cheese 5.75

dessert 

housemade cheesecake with sour cream topping

served with whipped cream 5.75

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Foodie Fight

Each week in the newsletter, we will ask three questions from the foodie fight cards. The first person to email us (see link below) the correct answers to all three questions will receive a complimentary lunch. The winner has to have the exact answer for all three 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 food is sometimes called a health food due to studies suggesting that it may help regulate blood sugar and its fragrance may enhance brain activity? 

2.  What plant, once considered poisonous, is Sir Walter Raleigh thought to have first brought to Ireland? 

3.  What is exposed on a "frenched" rack of lamb? 

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 weeks questions and answers...

1. What is the name of the best-selling weight-control and recipe book by Mireille Guiliano, a French Champagne executive?     French Women Don't Get Fat (2005) 

2. What creamy sauce was created in 1654 by a fishery investor to make dried cod taste better to a snubbing French palate?     Bechamel

3. What kind of beverage bar and gathering place was born from the sale of carbonated medicated waters in the early 1800s?      The Soda Fountain 

Last weeks winner of the free lunch ....... Barb Cooper

Uptown Grill

601 First St.

La Salle, IL 61301

815-224-4545

Monday - Thursday

11AM -10PM

Friday - Saturday

11 AM - 11PM

Sunday

12PM - 10PM

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