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Tuesday, September 27th  

Upcoming Specials  

Oktoberfest

By Ryan 

 

We celebrate Oktoberfest by offering the areas most authentic German Fare, just like my grandpa did 40 years ago. For being part of our weekly newsletter, we are giving all of you the first chance at getting a taste of this years Oktoberfest meal. For our newsletter subscribers, we will offer Oktoberfest tomorrow and Thursday evening after 4pm. From there, we will serve Oktoberfest Sunday through Thursday after 4pm, while supplies last, starting Sunday October 2nd! There's only so much so be sure to get an order before it's all gone.

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 wurstsalat salad. To help celebrate the Oktoberfest, we also have Bitburger Pilsener (the #1 draft pilsener in Germany), and Hofbrauhaus Hefeweizen Beer. 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.


The Origin of the Oktoberfest 

 

Around the Uptown

We've Changed Our Look! 

By Ryan

 
Over the course of the last year, we have been working towards changing our look from the inside out. The change was started 2 years ago with our new Uptown logo. The color scheme has helped to evolve new highway signs, new awnings, new cafe dining, new marketing material and now.......our new website. Along with the changes to our marketing and ad design we have a few plans yet to come in the near future. We plan on changing the buildings Uptown signs, there is a layout in place for a brand new menu and there have also been discussions of a remodel to the inside decor. Let us walk before we run!

With that said, we are proud to unveil our new crisper and cleaner look. During the transition stage we have had too many materials that portray our original look. We needed to unify everything that we do, and our new website has become the first step in finalizing this transition. Our new website illustrates our evolution and helps communicate what we've become.

We would like to thank MCS Advertising and Chris Brown for helping to create and lead the design change. We changed our minds many times and there were many directions we pulled her in. 

On our new site you will find and have links to our social media, the ability to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter, daily specials, links to many area activities and directories. We will post our menu and specials each day along with martini, beverage, wine and banquet menu's. There are links that allow you the ability to completely plan parties and other large events online. Customers also have the ability to make reservations online with the click of a button. Shortly after sending a reservation request, you will receive a reply from our staff letting you know that your reservation has been received and confirmed. The one thing our customers can not do on our new site is purchase gift cards. It is something you might say is "under construction," but we hope to have a solution for you soon. For now, just give us a call any time and we can help you over the phone. We will take care of mailing the gift card to wherever you want!

So take a moment and check out our new website, and bookmark it for our daily specials or for making reservations. We hope you enjoy our new look as much as we do.

Check out our new website!

Behind the Bar   

Wine Organics 101

By Jim

 

Just recently, we sat down with our wine salesman for our annual fall tasting to bring new and interesting wines to our bottle list. As always, we tasted some amazing wines and you can find them on our current wine list. I will highlight a few of them in an upcoming newsletter to give you a glimpse of what to look for. Today though, I wanted to share some interesting facts about our current wine list that I learned while attending this past tasting.    

 
In the ever changing world of diet and the consumer, organic farming has become a major player in what people are choosing in their diets. More and more Americans are becoming conscious of their health and the term organic can be seen all over the supermarkets and restaurants. Organic food has grown into a multi-billion dollar market, representing the fastest growing segment of the grocer industry. As defined by the USDA, "Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation."

When digging a little deeper into our current wines that we have, I have found that we actually have quite a few that can be listed as organic. But what has to happen for a wine to be termed organic? The same complex guidelines for a food to be classified as organic, also refer to wine. The most widely accepted definition is that it is made from grapes grown from principles of organic farming. This typically deals without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides or additional sulfites. These added sulfites keep the bugs away from the plants and on a side note, are the common cause of the "morning after" headache in wine. The chemicals are absorbed through the roots, passed through the stems and into the fruit. They thus end up in the finished wine. Chemical farming is said to destroy the uniqueness of the land along with the unique flavor of the particular wine. However, as in food, there are different classifications of the term organic used from grape growing to the actual wine making process.

Organic Wine
  • Is made with grapes that have been grown in accordance to the USDA's National Organic Program standards.
  • No toxic synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, or fungicides are used
  • No sulfites have been added during the wine making process and the wine must contain fewer than 20 ppm (parts per million) sulfites.    
Made With Organic Grapes
  • Same conditions as the classification of Organic except these 
  • The wine has been produced and bottled in a certified organic facility.
    The added sulfite content must not exceed 100 ppm.
What exactly are sulfites? Sulfites are a naturally occurring by-product of fermentation, and they are also added to wine after fermentation to prevent the growth of bacteria. This makes the wine stable so the taste will not change during transportation and storage, and the wine will be ageable. Conventional wines may contain sulfite levels up to 350 ppm while wines made with certified organic grapes are required to contain less than 100 ppm.

Biodynamic wines are similar to organic wines in that no toxic synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, or fungicides are used. Biodynamic, however, goes one step further and grows, nourishes, and harvests the grapes in accordance with the earth's natural rhythms, such as the cycles of the moon for example. This seems like the most interesting. My salesman is looking to get me the moon/wine calendar and maybe we can feature a few in their best seasons.  

We have recently had customers looking for more organic wines to enjoy here at the Uptown. As we perused through our list, we found that quite a bit have these organic certifications. So we do have organic options if you are interested, here is a list below. Cheers!  
  
Whites:
Hendry (Unoaked) Chardonnay
Domaine Touzot Chardonnay
Colterenzio Pinot Grigio
Cristom Pinot Gris
Chateau Graville-LaCoste
Champalou Vouvray
Rainer Wess Gruner Veltliner
Buty Semillon
LaSpinetta Bricco Quaglia Moscato
Colterenzio Pfefferer

Reds:
Hendry Cabernet Sauvignon
Hahn Merlot
Westrey "Oracle Vineyard" Pinot Noir
Hendry Red
Sheridan Vineyards Mystique
Clos La Coutale Cahors
Sheridan Vineyards Kamiakin
Hendry Zinfandel
Duckhorn Merlot
Villa Cafaggio Chianti
Dauvergne-Ranvier Luberon
 

 

"Burger Me" Thursday 

Burger and a Beer for only 10 Bucks!  

 

"Sausage Burger"  

Available all day every Thursday, we will be offering an enticing and different gourmet burger along with any beer for just $10. This is correct, any beer, including our selection of 10 microbrews! 

This week, we are putting a little twist on our burger by offering a sausage burger topped with provolone cheese, sauteed onion and red pepper.


Available all day Thursday, September 29th

Three Things to Try



By Nikki
- Spinach and Chicken Radiatore - This week our specials menu all looks delicious! Radiatore pasta is similar to rotini in shape, but is usually shorter and thicker. The grilled butter garlic marinated chicken breast is probably my favorite chicken by far. It also has sundried tomato, sauteed spinach, toasted almonds, and shallot. The almonds give a delicious crunch to this one of a kind pasta. Served in a delicious white wine cream sauce, I'm telling you to be sure to try this one before it's gone.
 
By Andrew -
Blackened Amberjack -  Amberjacks are voracious predators that forage over reefs and wrecks in small groups and can weigh more than 150 pounds, but the smaller amberjacks, weighing 15 pounds or less, are considered the best to eat. (Ours are less than 15 pounds!) When I tried this dish, the fish had a milder taste but it had a somewhat sweet flavor. The fact that this fish is blackened gives it an even greater taste. It is served with drawn butter, wild rice pilaf and steamed mixed vegetables.  


By Aly
- Asian Chicken Chop Salad - On special for a limited time only, Chef Chris has dished out his version of Asian chicken chop salad. I have been hounding him for a while to put this special on because it's one of my favorites. This salad has grilled teriyaki chicken breast, pineapple, snow peas, water chestnuts, and red bell peppers. It is then tossed with the following fresh herbs chives, basil, and cilantro followed by napa cabbage and romaine.  Lastly to top it off, it has sesame and freshly fried wontons and served with a plum vinaigrette. I love Asian cuisine and this salad hits the mark straight on. I don't know what it is about teriyaki and pineapple combination but it is sensational with the sweetness of the plum vinaigrette. If you're like me and love Asian cuisine or want to try something new, this salad is perfect!

"Not Your Everyday Specials"

 

steak diane 

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.

 

 

 

Fish Taco Tuesdays

 

Every Tuesday, we will be serving fish tacos. The taco includes panko breaded tilapia, red cabbage, chipotle mayonnaise, and a mango salsa. They will be served with corn chips and adobo sauce. Available for dine in and carryout. 3 for $6.75 or 2.50 each

 

 

 

 

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.

  

 

  

 

Burger Me Thursday- "Sausage Burger"

 

Each week we change our bizarre burger and serve it all day with any beer in house for only $10.00! This week we are doing the "Sausage Burger". This Thursday, September 29th, we will be putting a little twist on our burger by offering a sausage burger topped with provolone cheese, sauteed onion and green red peppers.    

 

 

seafood trio 

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 or 16oz   

 

 

 

Boneless Pork Loin, Saturday Nights

Saturday night after 4pm we will be serving a slow roasted boneless pork loin. It will be served with our mashed potato of the day, our special vegetable of the week and a bourbon demi glaze. All for $16.75  

 

 

 

 

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

 

artisanal cheese sampler 

1. Life Prov St. Paulin (France) 2. Garrotxa Muntanyola De
Cabra (Spain) 3. Amber Valley Wendlseydale Cranberry
(England) 4. Pinna Brigante (Italy) 5. Bleu D'Auvergne
(France) 6. Sap Sago, Switzerland. serves 2 to 4 people 19.75

 

oysters on the half shell
blackberry point oysters from northwest coast of prince
edward island, canada. clean, crisp medium to large size.
initial mild sweetness with medium to high salty finish. served
with a mignonette 10.75 

 

wurstsalat
one of our oktoberfest favorites. knackwurst (german garlic
sausage) tossed in a mustard vinaigrette and served with hard
boiled eggs, roasted fresh beets, grape tomatoes and red
onion over boston bibb lettuce 7.25 

 

salad 

 

asian chicken chop salad
grilled teryiaki chicken breast, pineapple, snow peas, water
chestnut and red bell peppers tossed with fresh chives, basil,
cilantro, napa cabbage, romaine, sesame seed and fried
wontons. plum vinaigrette 12.50 

 

sandwich 

 

mesculyn salad & panini sandwich combo
raisin river ham, aged gruyere 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 

 

entrees 

 

spinach and chicken radiatore
grilled butter garlic marinated chicken breast with sundried
tomato, sauteed spinach, toasted almonds, and shallot.
served in white wine cream sauce. 15.75 

 

top sirloin with oyster mushrooms
applewood bacon wrapped top sirloin with sauteed oyster
mushrooms. served with red potato and balsamic glazed
brussel sprouts with bacon and shallot 19.75 

 

blackened amberjack
blackened amberjack filet served with drawn butter, wild rice
pilaf and steamed mixed vegetables 18.75 

 

infused chicken
two six ounce butter garlic infused chicken breasts served with
a dijon cream sauce and our seasoned rice blend 13.75 

 

dessert

 

housemade pumpkin pie
housemade pumpkin pie, served with caramel sauce and
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 is the Japanese name for immature green soy beans? 

 

2.   What processed corn was a staple of the Native American diet and, when ground, is called grits? 

 

3.   What cow's-milk blue cheese is named for a town outside Milan, Italy? 

  

  

Email your answers to [email protected] 

  

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 beloved baking oven was inspired by New York City pretzel vendors and debuted in 1963 in the colors of turquoise and yellow?  EASY-BAKE OVEN 

 

2.  What did pharmacist John Pemberton sell to fellow pharmacist Asa Chandler in 1887 for $2,300?   THE FORMULA FOR COCA-COLA 

   

3.  In which Asian cuisine is it not customary to hold a rice bowl close to your mouth?   KOREAN

 

Last weeks winner of the free lunch .......  Sandy Falco 

Uptown Grill

601 First St.

La Salle, IL 61301

815-224-4545

 

Monday - Thursday

11AM -10PM

Friday - Saturday

11 AM - 11PM

Sunday

12PM - 10PM

 

uptowngrill.com 

 

Uptown respects your privacy and will not sell or distribute your personal information.

 

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