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Thursday, November 1st, 2012 |
Around the Industry
Breads and Circuses
By Ray
There used to be a restaurant reviewer on one of the Chicago television stations that rated a restaurant's "extras" by referring to its "breads and circuses." Breads are an important part of any real restaurant meal. Sometimes as a pre-salad snack, something to do with your hands, keep a toddler busy or as the main building block of your sandwiches.
We have had the same bread basket pretty much since we opened 28 years ago. For years, we served a light rye and dark rye and recently felt it was time to move on. We wanted to add something with some crust and make things a little more contemporary. After all, man does not live by dark rye bread alone.
To make a crusty bread, you need an oven with steam. Lots of it. After several forays into the used equipment market we found an oven that is in the upper crust. My staff jokes about it often. I think this was the fourth used oven I bought... I am very cheap. "Breads and Circuses" can be a circus.
We had a baking expert come and spend a couple days with us making sure we were getting the most out of our oven and our product. After much trial and error, I think we can go public. We have updated our bread basket.
One of the things I wanted more than anything was a nice crusty sourdough. We bake a nice "take home" size one pound loaf and a two pound loaf for our panini sandwiches.
Focaccia is something else I felt should go in a modern bread basket. We brush ours with fresh pesto and top it with asiago cheese.
Have you ever had a fresh-baked hamburger bun on a burger? There is no comparison. Yes, we even top them with sesame seeds.
For the healthier sandwiches, we also bake a 100% whole wheat bun. All of our healthy sandwiches go on these... the black bean veggie burger, tuna burger, portobello and mesquite chicken breast sandwiches.
We bake fresh everyday Monday thru Sunday. At 11am every morning, you can smell (and hopefully purchase) nice, warm fresh-baked bread. The Sourdough and Focaccia are both $5.00 each. And do not forget our cookies homemade from scratch, double chocolate brownies and shortbread cookies, too!
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On Special
Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
By Josh
The holidays are synonymous with some of the best homemade comfort foods that people usually only indulge in a few times a year. Dishes like baked ham, slow roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a big helping of pie start to haunt our stomachs as we anticipate the holidays to arrive.
While people will start looking for those recipe cards of traditional holiday favorites, the Uptown has started the season off early by introducing house made sweet potato pecan pie. Both pecan pie and sweet potato pie are traditional southern favorites that have become synonymous with the holiday season. By combining the two, this pie offers the silky and smooth texture of a traditional sweet potato pie with the sweet and nutty filling of the classic pecan pie.
To ensure that we stick to the southern spirits that these desserts carry, the dessert is finished off with a drizzle of housemade bourbon fudge sauce and a scoop of Sisler's french vanilla ice cream. Our housemade sweet potato pecan pie is the perfect ending to any meal and will help you kick off your holiday season in true fashion and high spirits!
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Around the Area
Canal Connection / Veteran's Day Parade
By Ryan
As someone who occasionally does some running, perhaps my favorite race of the year is coming up this weekend. The Starved Rock Runners Club, Canal Connection. As one of the race's major sponsors, the Uptown is proud to announce that this will be the race's 30th year. The race will begin at L-P High School and head towards the I&M canal towpath where runners will enjoy 4.2 miles on one of the area's most picturesque courses. The race will finish near the elementary school in Utica.
The entire course is either flat or down hill and the wind is usually with you most of the way. You will not be disappointed by the views. I often have to change the courses that I run because I tend to get bored by seeing the same things over and over again. However, this time of year I could run this course every day and never get tired of the views and especially the fall foilage. Just this morning as a matter of fact, three deer joined me for a nice jog along a portion of the course. You just never know what you will see.
The race will be held at 10:30am on Sunday November 4th beginning at L-P High School. Each participant will receive a Canal Connection sweatshirt along with hot chocolate, cider, fruit and other nutritional food at the end of the race in Utica. The Starved Rock Runners Club does a great job putting on the Canal Connection race, thus making it the most enjoyable area race to participate in.
Following the race, runners, friends and family can stick around to show support for their Veterans, as Utica will be host to their annual Veteran's Day parade. The parade is one of the nicest parades that I have seen for our Veterans.
| View the parade from 2010 | Thousands of people line the streets to show their patriotism. The parade usually lasts around an hour and is equipped with an aerial show along with many other events that show these Veterans what they mean to us.
These two events on this first Sunday of November make for a very enjoyable afternoon!
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Playlist Theater
Musical Update
By Ray
>>Ray Wylie Hubbard
Show Recap
What a great performance! I think most of the sold out room walked away understanding why Ray Wylie has such a following and reputation. We had people drive from Minneapolis and Ohio - one couple even took their vacation to follow him around the Midwest.
Ray is revered by many of the musicians we have had here. Most of them are from the Austin music scene. We were standing in back before the show started. I asked them about one of our alumni that played here a few years ago. Sam Baker & Gurf Morlix. It was my favorite show ever and my favorite people that I have met since doing this. I actually had no idea if they even knew who he was. Kayla Welch, Ray's road manager, just started laughing. She went on to tell us that this summer she got married and Sam Baker got "ordained" just so he could perform the wedding vows. What a small world!
They next day, I received an email from Ray's team saying the next time through the Midwest they would like to come back.......for two nights! Which we will gladly do so watch the schedule.
The 2 Ray's ~ Ray Wylie Hubbard and Ray Anderes
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>>David Olney commits robbery and murder
Saturday, November 10th
We are a little over a week away from this show, and we still have many tickets available. This is our very first Saturday show, so order your tickets and make a night of it. Dinner and a show! These two great guitar slingers, David and Sergio, were here a few years back and it was rocking! Only $15.
David does an intimate and interesting webcast every week from his home, where he picks one of his songs and talks about it from the songwriter's prospective.
>>Miles Nielson & The Rusted Hearts Thanksgiving Eve - Wednesday, November 21st
This is an ovation of the show we had last April. Same group of musicians. One of our best ever. And it's Thankgiving Eve... what could be better? Only $20. The ticket supply is starting to get limited so if you are interested, please act.
>>Loudon Wainwright III
Friday, February 1st
Tickets go on sale, in theater only, at the David Olney show. $30.
For more information on our upcoming shows, or to purchase tickets, visit our Uptown Playlist Theater section below.
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From the Bar
New Changes to our Wine by the Glass Program
By Ray
We recently conducted our fall season wine tasting with our wine salespeople and you will see some autumn changes to our list coming soon. Starting last spring, we had changed our wine by the glass program. Overall, we have been quite happy with what we have to offer. However, we will admit we still have those that do come in looking for say a pinot grigio, reisling or other well know varietals. There are always some that have not seemed to adapt to our change but we do want you to know that we will always offer a sample to help you select a wine style you are looking for. We feel the quality of wines we have been able to pour by the glass has greatly improved and have heard several comments from customers that have found new favorites and now love.
Here is a recap of the guidelines we put forth for our by the glass program back in the spring.......
......"When we conduct our bi-annual wine tastings to select new wines for our bottle list, and most importantly for our wines by the glass list, we are always in a quandary. If a wine does not fit neatly in some predetermined slot we have just been passing on it. By this I mean, unless it is a popular varietal like a Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio, it does not make the list. This is a shame because most of the time the best wines we taste do not fit in a specific category. At our most recent tasting a couple of weeks ago this was the case more so than ever. So much in fact that I have decided we are finished pounding square pegs into round holes. We are breaking the mold of our "by the glass" wine list.
This tasting consisted of mostly lesser recognized (by U.S. standards) varietals with very high quality at an extreme value. We have decided, for both red and white wines, to arrange our glass list with one light, one medium and one full body selection along with one super value selection. On our wine by the glass list starting in the next week you will see things like a Bonarda, a Cotes du Rhone Blanc, and a GSM. Sometimes when we do a tasting we will taste 6 different Chardonnays. Two of them could be a #1, one of them could be a #2 and three of them could be a #3. This will also help to balance our list better to style.
When we look at the basic structure of our glass list here are a few rules I want to follow:
Keep it Simple - Many times I go to a place that has twice as many wines by the glass as we do and half the business. What you might get is a wine that has been open for weeks. We feel we must limit our selection to 4 whites and 4 reds so we can keep them fresh.
Value Value Value - We are going to pick the best value wines we taste and keep the price in the 5 dollar range (this is for a generous 4 to 1 pour). It will not matter what varietal it is. One each, a red and a white, the best wine for your money."
Here are some changes you will see on our autumn list. Our new W1 (lightest body) white is H.M.S. Victorious Chenin Blanc. If you like sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio or reisling, this is the white for you. This South African wine is actually made by the producers of Graham Beck. It is light bodied with tangy, fruity green apple and lemon zest finish.
Our new W3 (fullest body) white is the Ministry of the Vinterior Chardonnay. This is also a classic chardonnay that is full bodied with a ton of oak flavor to it. With this wine you will find a guava flavor to it, consisting of sweet and sour stone fruits. Minestry of the Vinterior or MOV sets out to produce some great wines. It is a simple chardonnay with a buttery toast and vanilla tones to it.
Our value white will now be Hacienda Chardonnay. Hacienda is a winery located in Sonoma County, California that was founded in 1974. The wines from the Hacienda Wine Cellars are hard to find because annual production is only about 20,000 total cases of all wines produced. Besides looking for a value glass of white wine by the glass, this tastes like a true traditional chardonnay. Very buttery, full bodied white wine. This wine has won a Gold medal in the California State Fair wine competition. You will enjoy this if you are looking for a nutty, buttery white that has the fruit flavors of apple and pears.
Our new R2 (medium body) red is H.M.S Rattlesnake. If you like merlot, syrah, shiraz or barbera, this is your red. This is made by Graham Beck. Medium bodied blend that is made up of merlot and shiraz grapes.
Our R3 (fullest body) is Trig Point Merlot from the Alexander Valley of California. This area is known for growing merlot grapes. This wine shows fresh blackberry, cedar and toasty vanilla aromas with cherry, currant and spice flavors.
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Uptown Playlist Theater
We now have tickets available for sale on our website.
Wednesday, November 21st
Tickets $20
Friday, February 1st Tickets $30 Tickets On Sale November 10! |
"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, November 8th will feature our Swiss Mac & Cheese Burger. Topped with a family recipe of elbow macaroni and swiss cheese with caramelized onions, this one is sure to delight!
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
stone crab claw cocktail
a half pound of stone crab claws served with mustard and
cocktail sauce 18.75
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
tomatillo chicken nachos
fresh fried tor tilla chips on a bed of shredded lettuce and
topped with grilled marinated tomatillo chicken, del caribe
cheese and pico de gallo 9.75
salad and sandwich
mesculyn salad & panini sandwich combo
oven roasted turkey 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 12.75
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
stuffed chicken breast
breaded boneless chicken breast stuffed with ham and
tillamook cheddar. served with uptown rice blend 13.75
broiled great lakes whitefish
10 oz. great lakes whitefish broiled and topped with a lemon
tarragon cream sauce. served with swiss chard sauteed with
toasted pine nuts, asiago, plugra butter and white wine 19.75
alaskan king crab legs
20 oz. of steamed split alaskan king crab legs served with
corn on the cob 39.75
dessert
pumpkin cheesecake
cheesecake with delicious spiced pumpkin filling over a
graham cracker crust. finished with whipped cream and
chopped pecans 7.75
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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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 ancient "mother grain" of the Inca's is pronounced unlike it's spelling and is touted as a complete protein?
2. What Hollywood chef is the voice actor for the character Chef Smurf in the 2011 film The Smurfs?
3. What accompanied the 1953 launch of frozen TV dinners to help families move dinner closer to the TV?
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 recently resurrected WWI initiative calls eaters to action on Mondays for the health of people and the planet? .........MEATLESS MONDAY
2. What allium is a star ingredient in the classic cold French soup vichyssoise?
........LEEK
3. What food industry had a 320-acre Chicago hub and employed more than 25000 workers in the early 1900's? ...........MEATPACKING INDUSTRY
Last Week's Winner: ....................Pua Borges
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Uptown Grill
601 First Street | LaSalle, IL 61301 | 815.224.4545
Monday - Thursday: 11am -10pm
Friday - Saturday: 11am - 11pm
Sunday: 12noon - 10pm
uptowngrill.com
Uptown respects your privacy and will not sell or distribute your personal information. |
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