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Illinois Wines
Illinois Sparkling Co and August Hill Winery
By Ryan
In an effort to further broaden our wine selection, we have added some wine from August Hill and some sparkling wine from Illinois Sparkling Company, the new venture of August Hill Winery. Most people would not refer to Illinois as a state that is known for producing grapes to create wine. Our climate and soil do not allow for the common varietals of Merlot, Cabernet, Pinot Grigio or even Chardonnay. This makes choosing which varietals of August Hill to put on our list a difficult task. There is a distinct difference between having a tasting that can allow for you to decide which varietals you prefer and sitting down at a restaurant and ordering a full bottle of an unfamiliar varietal.
We recently met with Jyll Joyce of August Hill winery and we came away feeling that they are really onto something with not only their winery, but with Illinois Sparkling company as well. We hope to have created a new partnership with one of the area's neatest attractions. From our meeting, we came away with three August Hill / ISC products that we feel our customers may really enjoy. We chose 1 sparkling wine from the Illinois Sparkling Company and 2 from August Hill, one red and one white, that we felt were most similar to some of the more common wine varietals our customers might be used to.
The red wine we chose is their Ginocchio. This is a full bodied red that is aged 10 months in French and American Oak barrels. Probably most comparable to a Merlot, this wine has a hint of raspberries with white pepper on the finish. This was my personal favorite because you really could get hints of the oak barrel aging.
The white wine we chose is their Vignoles. This is a light bodied white wine that is a French-American hybrid grape. It is probably most similar to a reisling.
The sparkling wine we chose, Dollface, was really the gem of the tasting. These grapes are actually grown in Peru. ISC began after winemakers Mark and Teri Wenzel discovered that Champagne, France and Utica, Illinois actually shared similar grape producing climates that allow for grapes high in acid and low in tannins. Technically the wine can not be called Champagne because it is not grown in that French region, but nonetheless this really is a legitimate sparkling wine that you should have no reservations about ordering during your next celebration here. It will not disappoint.
Click here for the spec sheet on Dollface Rose
Click here to see a short video featuring Illinois Sparkling Co. on 190 North
Click here for an article on Illinois Sparkling Co from FM News Chicago
Illinois Sparkling Co.
August Hill Winery
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On Special
Clams Casino
By Jim
This week on special clams casino is  one of our featured appetizers. Clams casino are topneck clams, on the half shell, that are baked with bread crumbs, bacon, lemon, fresh herbs and seasonings. The origin of this dish is said to be the Little Casino hotel/restaurant in Narransett, Rhode Island in 1917 by Paran Stevens and Julius Keller as a new dish for their guests. The dish was so grand, word quickly spread across the country and has become an American classic. They have become a staple in New England cooking and appear on almost every menu in the Northeast. Although there are variations across the country, with the South even substituting oysters for clams, the one staple of the dish is the bacon. Other than the clam itself, it is the key component to make this dish. Smoked bacon with its salty flavor makes it even better. Back in the early 20th century, if a restaurant wanted to be remembered, it had a baked shellfish on the menu and clams casino was often the featured item. Along with the oyster rockefeller, it is one of the few surviving dishes of that shellfish fad. Come taste Chef Chris' Uptown version of this American classic. Six topneck clams baked with applewood smoked bacon, lemon, thyme, parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.
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Behind The Wheel
Comte Cheese
By Andrew
 With our most recent delivery of European goods, we received a giant wheel of Comte cheese from the Jura Mountains of France. Comte is a pressed cooked cheese made with the raw milk from two types of cows, Montbeliarde and French Simmental. These are the only types of cow authorized for the production of Comte milk. The cheese is then aged on spruce boards for a minimum of four months, however that time is often extended to eight months or even more. This results in a cheese with surprisingly rich flavor. There are about 170 small-scale dairies producing Comte, that are known as "fruitieres". It is not a cheese that always tastes the same. Each round of Comte has a slightly different flavor depending on the micro region where it was produced, the technique of the cheese maker, and the cellar where it was matured. Production of this cheese is very closely regulated. It is made without additives or coloring agents, making it a very natural, healthy food. Comte is often compared to an aged gruyere as it has a nutty, slightly sweet taste. We have not yet cracked into our 70 pound wheel of Comte, but we will be using it here very soon. |
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Administrative Professionals Week / Day
Acknowledge The People That Keep Your Business Going
By Andrew
Administrative Professional's Week is celebrated  April 22-28 this year and Wednesday, April 25th is Administrative Professional's Day. Remember to celebrate and acknowledge the skills, loyalty and efficiency of your administrative professionals.
We're here to help you with that. Gift cards are available for purchase in house or online, in any amount. We have fresh baked cookies and brownies, fresh baked breads, made from scratch dressings and sauces, and several other items that your administrative professional would love to have. Your office would love a box of fresh baked sweets from The Uptown.
This may be the only phone call that you have to make foryour administrative professionalsthis entire year. If you can't bring them in for lunch, nearly everything we offer can be prepared as a carry-out. For those who cannot make it in for lunch, I'll remind you again that our gift cards are available for purchase online. It's a simple click of a button. So easy, a boss could do it. Remember, administrative professionals are celebrated for the whole week. If we don't fit into your schedule on April 25th, you do have six other days to choose from.
Click here to purchase gift cards or concert tickets
Click here to make reservations
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Uptown Playlist Theater
Do Not Miss These Shows!
You May Hear an Announcement for 3 New Upcoming Shows!!!
Willie Nile
Opening Act- Nicholas Tremulis Wednesday, April 25th.
$22 in advance/$25 at door
Doors open at 6:30
Show begins at 7:30
Doors open at 6:30
Show begins at 7:30
We now have tickets available for sale on our website at uptowngrill.com
Please purchase tickets in person or online only.
click here to purchase tickets online
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Burger Me Thursday
Burger and a Beer for ONLY 10 Bucks!
 THE LATIN BURGER
This Thursday, April 19th
our gourmet half pound burger is
topped with caramelized
onion jalapeno relish and
red pepper mayonnaise
All day every Thursday,
we serve an obscene and original
burger creation along with any
micro brew of your choice for only $10!
Next Thursday, April 26th
we will be serving The Caprese Burger
topped with fresh mozzarella and
tomato basil relish
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"Not Your Everyday Specials"
Monday Nights, Steak Diane
Every Monday after 4 pm, we will be serving Steak Diane for $15.75. 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 pineapple black bean 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
Every week we have a new burger creation that we serve all day with any beer in house for only $10.00!
Friday Nights, Seafood Mixed Grill
4 oz. grilled lobster tail with drawn butter, 4 oz. grilled tuna with tomato caper relish, and 4 oz. whitefish parmesan with lemon caper butter. All for only $19.75
Friday Nights, Surf Your Turf
Friday nights we offer a 4oz lobster tail that you can add to any steak on our menu for only $5.18! This means that you will pay what we pay for the lobster and not a penny more!
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.
 Slow Roasted Boneless Pork Loin,
Saturday Evenings
Available after 4pm every Saturday night we have slow roasted boneless pork loin with a bourbon demi glaze. 10oz sliced pork loin served with our daily mashed potato and vegetable side
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!
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Specials This Week
appetizer
oysters on the half shell
blue point oysters, long island, new york. medium choice oyster with
a bright brine and firm meat. served with mignonette 11.75
artisanal cheese sampler
1. Port Salut (France) 2. Capriko (USA)
3. Widmer's 1 Year Aged Cheddar (USA) 4. Queso a La Sidra (Spain)
5. Saga Blue Brie (Denmark) 6. Sap Sago, Switzerland
serves 2 to 4 people 19.75
clams casino
top neck clams on the half shell baked with bacon,
lemon, thyme, bread crumb, and parmesan 10.75
smoked salmon quesadillas
two 6 inch tortillas filled with black beans, queso blanco, fresh chives,
lettuce and tomato. served with salsa and sour cream 9.75
salad
ciliegine mozzarella and orecchiette salad
fresh ciliegine mozzarella, orecchiette pasta, molinari
salami, fire roasted red and yellow tomatoes, artichoke
hearts, and grape tomatoes tossed with romaine lettuce
and italian vinaigrette. served with cracked black pepper
sandwich
mesculyn salad & panini sandwich combo
cuban marinated pork, smoked gouda cheese,
and black bean aioli. served with a mesculyn, walnut
and gorgonzola salad. balsamic vinaigrette dressing 10.75
with cup of soup of the day 12.25
soft shell crab sandwich
soft shell crab served on a bed of shredded red cabbage
with garlic aioli. served with shoestring potatoes 10.75
shaved prime rib and portobello mushroom sandwich
shaved prime rib sauteed with portobello mushrooms and topped with
swiss cheese on an italian roll. served with shoestring potatoes 11.75
wagyu burger
half pound of wagyu beef chargrilled and topped with caramelized red
onion and gorgonzola cheese. served with shoestring potatoes 11.75
meat
top sirloin and sauteed shiitake mushrooms
10oz top sirloin with sauteed shiitake mushrooms. served with mashed potatoes and swiss chard sauteed with asparagus, white wine, and plugra butter 19.75 infused chicken two six ounce butter garlic infused chicken breasts served with
white wine cream sauce and our seasoned rice blend 13.75 seafood
soft shell crabs
three hotel sized sauteed soft shell crabs with lemon
garlic butter. served with shoestring potatoes 19.75
broiled fresh great lakes whitefish
fresh great lakes whitefish broiled and topped with a lemon
tarragon bonne femme. served with swiss chard sauteed with
asparagus, white wine and plugra butter 19.75
pasta
roasted vegetable and smoked sausage penne
smoked sausage, roasted green peppers, garlic, artichokes,
zucchini, kalamata olives, green onion and button mushrooms
in a hearty tomato sauce tossed with penne pasta.
topped with reggiano parmesan 15.75
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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 plant are Bull's Blood, Burpee's Golden, and Detroit Dark Red? 2. What citrus fruit carries the trademarked tag line "The affliction is only skin deep, so the beauty is in the eating"? 3. What kind of icing is made with egg whites and also goes by the name decorator's icing? E-mail your answers to foodiefight@uptowngrill.comFine 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 up to 3 times a year. Last weeks questions and answers...
1. What prep technique uses a 5-percent salt-water solution plus sugar to add moisture and flavor to meats? Brining
2. What is the word for a vegetarian who eats fish? Pescatarian
3. What hard-to-crack nut grows on a giant tree in the Amazon rain forest and has a fat content high enough to burn like a candle? Brazil nutLast week's winner..................... Jamie Casolari |
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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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