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Thursday, July 26th, 2012 |
"A Summertime Thing" @ Uptown Playlist Theater
Chuck Prophet this Wednesday
By Ray
 This past week, our emcee Tom Ptak was on his way up to Chicago. While listening to WXRT, Chuck Prophet's "Summertime Thing" came on. After the song was over, the DJs reveled in the song's beauty and seasonality and made a call out to "LaSalle, are you out there? Chuck is coming to the Uptown." To my knowledge, this is the first mention we have gotten on Chicago's premier fine rock radio station.
Speaking of summertime, we do not host many shows during the summer months, and we have never had a show where most of the seating has been eliminated. Last time Chuck was here, he was very apprehensive about how close the audience was, so this time around he requested that we don't have any seating immediately in front of the stage. He feels this seating arrangement is important because he needs to have a lot of special amps onstage to get his unique sound. So, we agreed to his request... that is how special this artist is to us. Whatever he asks for, he gets. (Please click the link below to "Summertime Thing" and you will see why.)
 Many of you have been asking me how we are going to set this up, as this is our first mostly standing show. To sway anyone that might be "standing" on the fence, we will have about 60 seats and maybe a few more on the sides of the stage. The center of the room in front of the stage will be standing. We will have plenty of tall cocktail tables scattered about for setting down drinks, leaning and swaying. We are only selling the exact amount of tickets as we always do for our seated shows, no extras. Plus, you will also have our comfortable dining room and bar for lounging before and after the show.
There are only a few tickets left for this show featuring Chuck and his full, 5-piece band. I know I speak for Bernie and Tom when I say that he is in all of our "top 5 all-time list," so don't miss out!
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Another Summertime Thing on Special
Heirloom Tomato Salad
By Jimmy
 It's nearing the time of year where we start to reap the benefits of our home gardens... or at least we hope to with the kind of summer we've had. Many gardens may not be as bountiful as we had hoped for when we planted back in the spring, but one thing that I look forward to most each year is a fresh, garden tomato. Nothing beats taking a bite out of a red, juicy fruit that has never seen a refrigerator. We wait all year long just to savor these fresh, warm watery bites. When these tomatoes become available, there are many delicious foods that come to mind: a fresh mozzarella caprese salad, a BLT sandwich, garden tomato bruschetta or something as simple as a tomato salad. When you have ingredients this good, the best thing to do is keep it simple. I am sure you all have many ideas of your own as well.  Late last year, we were introduced to an organic farmer located in Sandwich, Illinois that had some great fresh vegetables. Anything that could grow in a garden, he grew - and they were all wonderful! Just this past week, he stopped in with some heirloom tomatoes. Heirloom tomatoes can be found in a wide variety of colors, shapes, flavors and sizes. They also generally have a shorter life span than other tomatoes. These rather odd looking fruits have a ton of flavor. This week and through the rest of the summer (if we can keep getting these "goodies"), we will be featuring an heirloom tomato salad. Anyagous, yellow plum, azoychka and black prince tomatoes are topped with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, a splash of balsamic cream and garnished with some fresh basil and roasted garlic cloves. Very simple, yet very delicious. 
Nyagous are Russian black tomatoes that have a dark, mahogany color with a sweet, meat and rich flavor. They have been described as sweet. Yellow Plum are a little larger than grape tomatoes but also have a rich flavor. Azoychka are meaty yellow tomato that has a sweet, citrus flavor. Black Prince are juicy, rich and fruity with a purple color to them. The flavors of this dish together are amazing and something you sure would not want to miss before the end of summer... because before you know it, they will be gone.
Also, be on the lookout for our Caprese Salad made with fresh mozzarella that is pulled from the curd, right here at the Uptown. If you notice, this salad special is only put on when these fresh tomatoes are in season. The dish is just not the same with commercial-bought tomatoes. Throughout the next few months, we will constantly be looking for them... so if you think you have too many for yourselves, we would gladly take them! We will make sure they get put to good use, and I think you would agree - we just ask that you don't put them in the fridge!
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From the Bar
Sazerac
By Kim
Having worked in the restaurant industry since the age of 13, and being mainly behind the bar for the last eight years, it's rare that I come across a drink that I have never heard of. Sure, some customers order drinks that might require me to look up the recipe, but I could probably count on one hand the number of times I have been completely stumped by a drink request. Well, it happened to me this past Saturday. I had a couple sit down at the bar that had just returned from a vacation to New Orleans. The gentleman asked for a drink by the name of Sazerac, and wasn't surprised when I looked at him clearly puzzled. Thanks to modern technology, he pulled out his iPhone and looked up the recipe...there's an app for everything these days! After checking to make sure I had everything I needed, we began to experiment. As I mixed the drink - which is a show in itself - my customer gave me a general idea of the background behind this elaborate cocktail.  The Sazerac became the official drink of New Orleans in 2008. The drink is believed to be invented by Antoine Amadie Peychaud, an apothecary who had left the West Indies to settle into the French Quarter of New Orleans in the early part of the 19th Century. The original recipe called for French brandy mixed with his secret blend of bitters, a splash of water and a bit of sugar. It is said that Peychaud served his drink in the large end of an egg cup that was called a "coquetier" in French, translating to "cocktail."
Originally, Peychaud served this drink to his friends in small, intimate gatherings. After word of the cocktail spread, there was a demand for them to be served in bars, or "coffee houses" as they were called back then. The Merchants Exchange Coffeehouse, owned by Sewell Taylor is believed to be where the Sazerac really took off. Around 1850, Taylor sold his bar to begin a new business venture as a liquor importer, in which he became the sole importer for a certain Cognac called Sazerac-du-Forge et fils. Before long, The Merchants Exchange Coffeehouse was the bar that was notorious for mixing the perfect Sazerac; so much so that the new owner, Aaron Bird changed the name to The Sazerac House. Using Taylor's cognac and Peychaud's special blend of bitters, The Sazerac had become the perfect cocktail loved by the natives of New Orleans.
After several years and owners, Thomas Handy took over The Sazerac House in 1870. Around that time, the main ingredient was changed from cognac to rye whiskey due to an epidemic that had severely damaged the wine grape crops in France. The first official recipe for this drink was published in William T. "Cocktail Bill" Boothby's book, The World's Drinks and How to Mix Them, in 1908. Although there are a few variations of this drink, here at the Uptown we have come close to recreating the original.  Like I said earlier, the mixing of this cocktail is a show in itself. You start with two old-fashioned glasses, chilling one of them with ice and setting it aside. You then mix simple syrup and bitters in the empty glass and pour the ice from the chilled glass on top of the sugary mixture. Next, two ounces of rye whiskey are added to the glass with the sugar and ice, and you swirl Absinthe, just enough to coat, around the previously chilled glass. Lastly, you strain the whisky mixture into the Absinthe coated glass and garnish with a lemon twist. This is an absolutely wonderful cocktail. As you sip it, you come across layers of flavor, starting with the warmth and subtle burn of the whiskey, mixed with the bite of the bitters, which is nicely balanced with the sweetness of the sugar and the light aftertaste of the anise. This drink explodes with flavor in your mouth! It's definitely a sipping drink, though, so come in on a lazy afternoon or after a crazy day at work to enjoy a taste of New Orleans...Uptown style. |
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On Special
Baked Cod Filet & Rock Shrimp
By Jeannie
When Chef Chris told me about the new fish special, I was intrigued... baked cod topped with rock shrimp and tarragon cream sauce served with grilled asparagus and brussel sprouts sautéed with a balsamic bacon glaze.
 Rock shrimp? What in the world are rock shrimp? They are a cousin to the shrimp we know and love that are easy to peel. Rock shrimp, on the other hand, are a deep water Atlantic shrimp that were so hard to break the shell that people called them peanuts... until someone invented a machine to break the rock-hard shell on these tasty little lobster taste-a-likes! Now they are commercially available for us all to enjoy, and Chef Chris has incorporated these delicious delicacies into a mouth-watering treat! Visit the Uptown Grill to enjoy one of your favorite fish topped with a unique variety of shrimp!
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Industry Trends
In Pursuit of Burger Perfection
By Ray
 I am amazed with the staying power of the gourmet burger trend. It shows no signs of letting up. In many ways, I feel I should have seen this coming. With the downturn in the economy the last several years, a well-prepared burger of any kind is an affordable luxury. It only makes sense. Over the last few months, we have been working very hard on burger perfection.
In the past, we always concentrated on what's between the buns. We offer many center of the bun options, from our homemade freshly ground sushimi grade tuna burger to our 100% Angus beef char-broiled half pound burger. We make what I consider to be one of the best pork tenderloins I've ever had. It gets cut, pounded, and breaded in-house. We offer a great chicken tenderloin made with a six-ounce, single lobe fresh chicken breast that has never been frozen. We also have a fried grouper sandwich that makes gulf coast restaurants jealous. For the veggies in the crowd, we have a portobello mushroom tenderloin. It is a whole 5 to 6 inch portobello mushroom breaded and fried like a pork tenderloin. Don't forget about about our black bean burger, too - just a few of our many options.
 Recently we started to concentrate on the "breads and circuses" that accompany our burgers. Last month, we started using fresh, cut from scratch, golden russet french-fried potatoes. They are as good as I've ever had anywhere. To top it off, just this last week we started making our own homemade hamburger buns. The picture below is as they are coming out of the oven, as they do every morning around 10:30. You also can choose a fresh, homemade 100% whole wheat bun. With every burger we throw in fresh leaf lettuce, tomato, freshly sliced red onions, a kosher dill pickle slice and a whole list of condiments. It becomes complete perfection. At $7.75 it becomes affordable perfection. Please compare us to fast food and chains anytime. It is amazing what you can get for real close to the same price... here or for carryout!
 Oh, and don't forget about "Burger Me Thursdays," our daily special which features a different, outrageous burger each week combined with a micro brew of your choice for a cool $10.
I think this is as close as you're going to get to burger perfection!
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Uptown Playlist Theater
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Click here to see a music video for
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 Ray Wylie Hubbard
Thursday, October 25th
Tickets $25
Miles Nielsen & The Rusted Hearts
Wednesday, November 21st
Tickets $20
Please purchase tickets in person or online only.
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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! Thursday, August 2nd will feature our Black Bean Crab Burger. This week, we offer one of our vegetarian favorites served with a unique blend of crab meat.
Friday Nights, Seafood Mixed Grill
4 oz. grilled lobster tail with drawn butter, 4 oz. tilapia filet with crab meat stuffing, 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 $5.38! 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
midwest artisanal cheese sampler
1. Shepherd's Way (Minnesota) 2. Reny Picot Saint Rocco
Triple Creme (Michigan) 3. Ludwig Kickapoo (Illinois)
4. Prairie Breeze Cheddar (Iowa) 5. Carr Valley Billy Blue Goat
(Wisconsin) 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
pork belly with port wine quince glaze
braised pork belly served with arugula, dried figs, pinenuts, salemville bleu cheese and port wine quince glaze 8.25
belgian beer battered fresh garden zucchini
belgian beer battered fresh locally grown garden zucchini
sticks, served with a roaster garlic aioli 7.75
traditional poutine
hand-cut french fries, white cheddar cheese curds and
gravy 5.75
salad and sandwich
mesculyn salad & panini sandwich combo
rosmarino ham, comte cheese, arugula and tomato. served with a mesculyn, walnut and gorgonzola salad. balsamic vinaigrette dressing. 11.25 with soup of the day 12.75
stuffed pear and salemville bleu cheese salad
roasted bosc pears stuffed with dried cherries, walnuts, figs,
apricots, grape tomato and salemville blue cheese. served
over a bed of mixed greens. with cherry vinaigrette 13.75
heirloom tomato salad
nyagous, yellow plum, azoychka and black prince tomatoes
topped with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and splash of
balsamic cream. these heirloom tomatoes are organically
grown in sandwich, illinois 7.75
entrees
boneless pork new york strip steak
14 oz. grilled boneless pork strip steak with brandy peppercorn cream sauce.
served with roasted fingerling potatoes and fresh brussel sprouts
sauteed with applewood smoked bacon, finished with a balsamic glaze 19.75
fresh mozzarella, arugula and shiitake mushrooms over fusilli pasta shallot, arugula, grape tomato, zucchini, shiitake mushroom,
and fresh mozzarella pearls. served over fussili pasta 15.50
mustard and fennel crusted great lakes whitefish broiled fresh great lakes mustard and fennel crusted whitefish with fresh
brussel sprouts sauteed with applewood smoked bacon,
finished with a balsamic glaze 20.75
vegetable lasagna with zucchini and goat cheese portobello mushroom, yellow squash, asparagus and zucchini baked lasagna
with goat, cottage, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
topped with an artichoke tomato pesto sauce 12.75
side
balsamic glazed brussel sprouts with bacon fresh brussel sprouts sauteed with applewood smoked bacon and finished with a balsamic glaze 5.75
dessert
chocolate lovin' spooncake
deep rich double chocolate fudge topped with shaved
chocolate and ganache 6.75
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food specials, drinks, and MORE!
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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 Japanese soup is made from a dashi stock?
2. What farm animal can be called a doe, buck, kid, wether, billy or nanny?
3. What sun exposure is recommended for a food garden?
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 up to 3 times a year.
Last Week's Questions & Answers:
1. What baking mold is used to make pate? ................terrine
2. What kind of farming is USDA certified, avoids synthetic persticides and fertilizers, and bans the use of animal by-products, antibiotics, and sewage sludge? ................organic
3. What can occur when a dairy ingredient is exposed to prolonged or high heat or is combined with acidic ingredient? ....................... curdling
Last Week's Winner: .....................Heather Francis
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Uptown Grill
601 First Street | LaSalle, IL 61301 | 815.224.4545
Monday - Thursday: 11am -10pm
Friday - Saturday: 11am - 11pm
Sunday: 12pm - 10pm
uptowngrill.com
Uptown respects your privacy and will not sell or distribute your personal information. |
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