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Thursday, October 18th, 2012 |
New Show Announcement: Short Notice
Saturday November 10th
By Ray
You Never Know.........
"...looked like a FEDORA-SPORTING, fiftysomething HIGH-SCHOOL PRINCIPAL who'd SUDDENLY GONE BERSERK and was using his acoustic guitar like it was a weapon. Love this crazy guy, LOVE THIS RECORD." -- Rochester (NY) Democrat & Chronicle
David Olney with Sergio Webb | Saturday, November 10th
Advance Tickets: $15 | Tickets at the Door: $18
First off, I have to start by saying this this was one of my all-time favorite shows. It was also one of the most rocking-est shows we have ever done. David last played here in February of 2008 when he was also accompanied by Sergio Webb. We had found David through a recommendation by Fred Eaglesmith. Fred had seen him somewhere and was raving.
 Also it will be our first ever Saturday night show as he happened to be passing through and our room was open. Because it is Saturday, we will start the show a half hour later at 8pm. So make some music on date night and settle in for a great performance. This will be a seated show, but I am sure you will not be able to stay seated long.
A little bit about David Olney:
DAVID OLNEY is one of the early pioneers of what's known as Americana Music. His songs have been recorded by great artists like Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Del McCoury, Tim O'Brien, Ann Rabson, Kane/Welch/Kaplin and Lonnie Brooks to name a few. He has released more than 20 albums over four decades, including six live recordings. Frequent songwriting collaborator SERGIO WEBB is one of Nashville's long-underrated talents in his own right with three full-length albums to his credit as well as tour history with Pinto Bennett & The Famous Motel Cowboys, Gail Davies, Reckless Kelly and others. However, the two are at their very best on stage in front of a live audience.
Olney and Webb create a live performance that is beyond description and at the same time tremendously memorable. Two men on stage, one looking like a 1950s private eye and the other like he just stepped off a spaghetti western movie set. One a master story teller and the other an ace guitar picker. Their highly theatrical performances have taken them to stages across America and around the world. Olney says, "My idea of a good time is getting in front of an audience and giving them more than they expected."
Click the link above to hear about what happened to him last time he was in LaSalle. If you were the woman that returned "the briefcase full of money" to David Olney, you get in free!  | | Click the link above to view DAVID OLNEY and SERGIO WEBB from a performance this past January. |
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From the Bar
Cream Cherry Noir
By Josh
At the Uptown, our specialty drinks are something that we take pride in. They can help to reflect the change of seasons, holidays, or other special events - all of which allows customers to try out new drinks according to the times. This season we are offering the "Cream Cherry Noir."
 This after dinner drink is a twist on the classic ice cream drinks that the Uptown has always offered. This chilling drink features Meiomi Pinot Noir, which is our house Pinot Noir that has been popular to the point of featuring it for almost five years. On it's own, Meiomi has a silky and smooth body that has notes of blackberry and fig for a soft palatable wine with a finish of clove and vanilla. To accentuate these flavors, we combine this wine with Sisler's french vanilla ice cream and cherry juice to create a creamy and rich after dinner drink that is sure to cleanse the palate of anyone after a night of dining.
For the perfect after dinner drink or a casual gathering at the bar, the "Cream Cherry Noir" is a perfect way to embrace a new and refreshing take on an already much celebrated wine featured here at the Uptown Grill.
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On Special: Comfort Food, Uptown Style
Lobster Mac & Cheese
By Jimmy
When it comes to our industry, the sky is the limit with all the different ingredients that come together to make a fantastic dish. Most of us are not trained chefs, but when we get into our own kitchens, we like to think we can create some amazing meals. However, with all that is out there, there are dishes we have had throughout our lives that we have come to refer to as "comfort foods."
 How many times have you tried a dish and said, "boy thats good, like what mom or grandma used to make?" You find these foods that although anybody can make it, a family recipe is always the best and nobody can tell you any different. You may have recently seen an article featuring our restaurant in the Bureau County Republican that focused on comfort foods and talked about things like meatloaf, spaghetti, or even mashed potatoes. We can recite these recipes better than we can sing our national anthem. They have been etched in our brains and taste buds forever. When we do not have the time to cook, these are quick, easy and always excellent meals. On special this week, we are featuring one of those comfort foods. Macaroni and Cheese! The only difference is of course we had to make it with an Uptown twist. How about Lobster Mac and Cheese? Really, lobster? Yes, something as comforting as cheesy macaroni made with fresh Maine lobster meat. Why not take this simple meal a step further and make it something outstanding? A cheesy blend of Tillamook cheddar and mascarpone cream with a touch of saffron. Add in some fresh Maine lobster claw meat, top it with our bread crumbs and bake it to give it that crust. You will not forget this twist to one of the classics. Stop in this week and try one for yourself. Maybe a glass of wine with your mac and cheese? Sounds odd doesn't it, but trust us, they go great together.
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Costs of Doing Business
Cyber Security
By Ryan
 At one point or another, most of us will (or have already been) contacted by our credit card company because of fraud. Hacking is no longer just a habit for a few, it has become a job for the many. In this era of online shopping and online banking, the Internet has been a haven for hackers. Places of business that are not current with the most up-to-date methods of protection are tiny prey for the experts. You would be absolutely shocked if I told you that amongst all industry in 2011, restaurants were hit in over 50% of all credit card security breaches.
Just this summer, I personally was contacted by my credit card company informing me that a restaurant I had recently dined at was hacked and that my credit card information may have been compromised. In the end, my card was not used for any transactions, but my company did cancel my card & re-issued me a new card a few weeks later. It was a hassle. We also had an employee, that while on a group trip to Texas, had their credit card information hacked from a restaurant. Many of the parents that were also on this trip ate at the same restaurant and had their information stolen as well. And yes, their cards were used for purchases. Again, quite a hassle.
This subject is not one I bring up to scare you. In 97% of those 2011 instances, security breaches were avoidable. There are many things a restaurant owner can do to prevent security breaches, most of which are way over our heads. But, simply complying with regulations, updating security software, not storing a customers data, and using systems which encrypt a customers data on the day in which it is taken (all of which we do), can protect a place of business from a breach. No longer are the large credit card corporations responsible for a breach of security. In year's past, when a consumer has had their information stolen, the credit card company has been liable for those purchases that the thief had made. Today, despite the lobbying efforts of The National Restaurant Association, the merchant is now held accountable. There are many stories of restaurants closing because the cost of federal fines and fees just became too much for a business to incur. I can not imagine many independent restaurants that could survive such a thing. Just another cost of doing business...
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Uptown Playlist Theater
We now have tickets available for sale on our website.
Thursday, October 25th
Tickets $25
Wednesday, November 21st
Tickets $20
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"Not Your Everyday Specials"
Monday Nights, Steak Diane
Every Monday after 4 pm, we will be serving Steak Diane for $17.75. 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 $7.75 or $2.75 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 $12.75.
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, October 25th will feature our Poutine Burger topped with a delicious combination of fries, cheese curds and flavorful gravy.
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
artisanal cheese sampler
1. Belletoile Triple Creme (France) 2. Chimay a la Biere
(Belgium) 3. Marieke Gouda (Wisconsin) 4. Cypress
Humboldt Fog (California) 5. Cashel Bleu (Ireland) 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 11.75
bruschetta la quercia
la quercia prosciutto, roasted red and yellow tomatoes,
roasted tomato pesto, olive oil and reggiano cheese on
toasted focaccia bread 9.75
salad and sandwich
mesculyn salad & panini sandwich combo
turkey galantine and comte cheese with garlic aioli. served
with a mesculyn, walnut and gorgonzola salad. balsamic
vinaigrette dressing 11.25 with cup of soup of the day 12.25
cinnamon apple and brie with almond crusted chicken salad
mesculyn and raddichio lettuce topped with grape tomato,
dried cherries, chive, cinnamon honey crisp apples and brie
cheese. served with almond crusted chicken breast and
sherry vinaigrette dressing 13.50
entrees
apricot glazed pork porterhouse
14 oz. apricot glazed pork porterhouse prepared medium
well. served with roasted new potatoes and pattypan
squash 19.50
stuffed chicken breast
breaded boneless chicken breast stuffed with ham and
tillamook cheddar. served with uptown rice blend 13.75
lobster mac n cheese
maine lobster meat and fusilli pasta baked with tillamook
cheddar and mascarpone saffron cream sauce. crusted with
parmesan cheese 21.75
pappardelle and mushrooms in a porcini cream sauce
pappardelle pasta with grilled portobello, oyster, and
shiitake mushrooms, in a porcini mushroom cream
sauce 15.75
grilled marlin
10 oz. grilled marlin topped with a tequila lime butter.
served with cous cous and roasted paddy pan squash 18.75
alaskan king crab legs
20 oz. of steamed split alaskan king crab legs served with
corn on the cob 39.75
dessert
custard pie with caramel sauce
housemade custard pie and caramel sauce. topped with
crushed walnuts 5.75
salted caramel vanilla crunch cake
buttery vanilla-flecked pudding cake layered with salted
caramel and creamy custard with a graham cracker crust 7.75 |
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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 U.S. president, an ahead of his time gardener, said "When earth is rich it bids defiance to droughts, yields in abundance and of the best quality"?
2. What ingredient makes Cajun dirty rice look dirty?
3. What is the name of the dish consisting of grape leaves stuffed with ground lamb, rice, onion, currants and pine nuts?
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 is the not-part-of-the-recipe purpose of keeping a bowl of ice water nearby when cooking caramel? ............IN CASE OF BURNS
2. What conventionally grown vegetable is likely to be lowest in pesticide contamination: bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, kale, celery or carrots? ..............ONIONS
3. What foundation of many recipes requires skimming, a slow simmer, and fat removal to keep it clear? ..............COOKING STOCK
Last Week's Winner: ....................REAGAN GEARHART
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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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