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Thursday, December 20th, 2012 |
Celebrate with Uptown Christmas & New Year's Just Around the Corner! By Brianne
 First things first, have you got your shopping done? If not, the Uptown has got the ticket... literally! Last week, we announced some new shows for the new year. Check them out in the Playlist Theater listing below. Just make sure that you're quick about it.
 Many of you heeded our advice and must be loading up on gifts for your loved ones. The Greg Brown and Bo Ramsey show is nearly 2/3 sold out! If you've got your eye on that one, act fast! The same goes for Chris Knight. And certainly, you can't rule out the Iguanas. Any of these would make a great holiday gift!
Speaking of which, you can still order gift cards online for a limited time. We will mail out any orders by Saturday at 12 noon. That should put locals in good shape for delivery on Christmas Eve. If you miss the USPS deadline or would rather stop in, we're here! Though we don't serve this early, someone usually has the doors unlocked daily at 8 am. And we're here till 11 pm. Plenty of time to stop in, cash in hand, so you can head home with that special gift!
Once you put all of your holiday shopping to rest, feel free to treat yourself to a nice meal this holiday season (surf and turf anyone?). Please note our hours through the end of 2012:
Christmas Eve: 11am - 2pm
Christmas Day: CLOSED
New Year's Eve: 4pm - 12midnight
New Year's Day: CLOSED
 One final note: We do not accept online reservations for New Year's Eve. It's a big night, so we'd much prefer to confirm you over the phone so you don't get overlooked (and we don't get overbooked). We welcome you to stop out and celebrate the New Year with us! Unlike many others, we don't raise our prices for the evening, and you can order from our full menu (excluding sandwiches).
Now that's call for celebration! |
On Special
Surf and Turf
By Josh
 Every New Year's Eve, we like to offer a different selection of specials that we typically do not offer during the rest of the year. This year, we're starting the celebration early by having our classic American surf and turf on the menu two weeks early.
Our surf and turf is a char grilled 6oz filet mignon grilled to your liking paired with a 6oz grilled South African lobster tail. This naturally red-tailed lobster is typically prized more than other lobster tails due to the fact that they are found in deeper depth cold water rather than the usual warm bodies of water. Due to this low depth and cold, the South African Lobster tail develops much more slowly and compact which generally creates a more sweet and tender lobster meat than it's warm water counter-part.
This dish is served with freshly steamed baby carrots and fingerling potatoes plus warm drawn butter. While we start the party early, treat yourself to an early gift that is sure to help ring in a cheerful new year! |
Planning a Party? We Have the Food Trays You Need By Ryan
The holiday season brings a lot of joy to just about everyone. It also brings a lot of running around for presents, wrapping the gifts and making food to bring to parties. Every year, there is more and more to do, more and more people to buy for, or parties to go to. This holiday season you can check one thing off your list of "To-Do's" with our catering trays.
 All of our appetizers, sandwiches, pastas or salads are available in large trays to be picked up at the time you'd like. Most of our appetizers are available in attractive trays of 30-40 pieces. Here are a few examples: crab rangoon, bacon and cheddar potato skins, grilled chicken quesadillas, hot wings with blue cheese sauce, rumaki, shrimp cocktail, or even a fresh veggie tray. We can also create trays of bulk sandwiches, salads or even pastas. Just let us know what you'd like, when you want to pick it up, and we'll have it ready for you. Save yourself some time this holiday season!
 One selection particularly good for the holiday season is our Artisanal Cheese Sampler. We serve 5 artisanal cheeses with pears, apples, dried figs, apricots, Mediterranean olives, sugared walnuts, quince paste, bread and Uptown flatbread crackers. All for $22.75. Try and beat that deal at a local grocery store!
Why not take a look at both our dining room menu and our banquet menu for choices and options for your holiday party? Go ahead, serve up a little "ho-ho-ho" and avoid the "ho-hum!" |
A Look at the Year Ahead
2013 Food & Beverage Trends
By Jimmy
As we wind down the last few weeks of the year 2012, we take a look at the top trends in both food and drink that are predicted for the next year. In every industry, it is always important to keep up with the latest trends. When it comes time for menu trends, restaurant professionals and chefs through the National Restaurant Association conduct surveys each year to identify key trends for the upcoming year on nationwide food and drink menus.
 2013 food menu trends include:
1. Locally sourced meats and seafood.
2. Locally grown produce.
3. Healthful kids' meals.
4. Environmental sustainability as a culinary theme.
5. Children's nutrition as a culinary theme.
6. New cuts of meat (e.g. Denver steak, pork flat iron, teres major).
7. Hyper-local sourcing (e.g. restaurant gardens).
8. Gluten-free cuisine.
9. Sustainable seafood.
10. Whole grain items in kids' meals.
As you can see, the most identifiable trends seem to be locally sourced meat, produce, seafood and kids' nutrition. This has remained unchanged since the 2012 predictions. People continue to focus on the nutrition for their children and knowing where and what was involved with the food they consume. A lot of times that means the freshest ingredients possible.
One of the new trends that I find quite interesting is reintroducing new cuts of meat. A lot of these I have probably never heard of so I am excited to see and learn. I am sure Chef Chris has several new ideas up his sleeve to bring forth this year.
While food and drink go hand in hand, the photo below shows a list of the upcoming 2013 drink trends you may see.
As you can see, beer seems to have become one of the next big things. From small microbrews with limited supplies to food pairings, beer is showing up all over the place. Another interesting trend is culinary cocktails. Vegetables are not just for bloody marys anymore. You will see spirits distilled with all kinds of fruits and veggies to put out many new interesting cocktails. Keeping up with trends is very important in what makes your business grow and not be left behind. Whether it be food or drink, just like the fashion industry, these change from year to year. There is always that desire to be the "next big thing." As a business, you simply have to keep up with what people are looking for... but keep in mind the core values in what you believe you want to put forth in your products.
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...And a Look at the Year Past 2012 "Food Arts" Hot List By Ray
The most artistic trade magazine we read, aptly named Food Arts, puts together a list of the most trendy ingredients of the year. Our business is all about ingredients. We go to great lengths to keep our specials fresh and interesting. Every year when this list comes out, I feel it is important to look at what we have used in the last year. Going forward it also makes me figure out where I can find some of the items we have not used. Some of them, even I have no idea what they are.....check out this week's Foodie Fight and see if you can answer them for me!
 HOT LIST - items that we have used in the last year are italicized below:
* baba au rum * bacon in desserts, candied bacon
* black cod * black garlic
* bourbon-infused/glazed * brioche desserts
* broccoli raab * buckwheat
* burrata * capers
* caramelized onions * cheese curds
* cipollini onions * cobia
* crab cakes * cranberries
* crepes suzettes * crumbles or crumbs
* crustless chocolate "tartes" * custards
* dulce de leche * egg creams
* fermented everything * figs
* fish faces-fish cheeks, cod throats * gnudi
* golden raisins * green garlic
* grilled corn * grilled octopus
* head cheese, pig's head ect, * ice cream sandwiches
* ice creams with too little sugar * lardo
* lemon tartes * lime
* lingonberries * Little Gem lettuce
* lobster pasta * mussels
* nettles * Nutella
* octopus on purees * olive oil in ice cream, cake
* olive oil poaching * parsnip
* pea soups (split & not) * petrale sole
* pigeon * poached "farm" eggs in soup, etc.
* polenta with mushrooms * pork jowl, shoulder
* potato rolls * puntarelle
* rabbit * red cabbage
* rhubarb * root vegetables
* salads of Brussels sprout leaves * salsify
* salted caramel * sausage pastas
* savory granolas * Scotch eggs
* sea vegetables * seared lettuces
* smoked anything * stuffed eggs
* sunchokes, roasted to oblivion * tortellini with soft boiled egg
* trout * turnip
* uni * whey
* wild mushrooms * yogurt as a sauce
* yuzu kosho
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Uptown Playlist Theater
We now have tickets available for sale on our website.
Friday, December 28th
Tickets $15
SOLD OUT!!!
_____________________ Tickets $30 Friday, March 1st Tickets $35
____________________  Friday, April 12th Tickets $30 _____________________ The Iguanas
Wednesday, May 15th
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, December 27th will feature our Ultimate Bacon Burger. This beef patty gets the distinction of "ultimate" because it pairs the KING of bacon (pan-fried pork belly) with a smearing of comte cheese (similar to aged swiss). Delish!
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. MontChevre Le Cabri (Wisconsin) 2. Reny Picot Gouda
(Michigan) 3. Caragaline Beechsmoke (Ireland) 4. Cahill's
Whiskey (Ireland) 5. Ludwig Farms Vermillion River Blue Triple
Creme (Illinois) 6. Sap Sago (Switzerland) serves 2 to 4 people 19.75
oysters on the half shell
wellfleete oysters from the northeast cost of long island
sound. medium in size with a high salinity and a clean sharp
flavor. served with a mignonette 10.75
steamed mussels in a lemongrass broth
one pound of fresh steamed mussels in a white wine,
lemongrass and shallot broth. served with toasted
foccaccia 10.50
salad and sandwich
mesculyn salad & panini sandwich combo
raisin river ham, comte cheese and an apricot dijon glaze.
served with a mesculyn, walnut and gorgonzola salad.
balsamic vinaigrette dressing 11.50 with cup of soup of the day 13.50
shrimp cobb salad
baby shrimp, gorgonzola cheese, avocado, roasted red
tomato, roasted red peppers, egg, tomato, baby corn,
beets, and applewood smoked bacon served over romaine
lettuce. buttermilk dill dressing 14.75
entrees
surf and turf
6oz filet and 6oz south african lobster with drawn butter.
served with steamed baby carrots and fingerling potatoes 49.75
shrimp dejonghe
classic circa 1960's dish made with gulf shrimp baked in
white wine, garlic, herbs and bread crumb. served with
toasted crostini and a vegetable trio of squash, carrot and
zucchini 18.50
braised pork shank
pork shank braised and slow roasted in a celery, carrot,
onion and sweet vermouth pork demi glaze. served over
fresh spinach and flageolet beans with steamed fingerling
potatoes and baby carrots 21.75
portobello and stuffed spinach ravioli
portobello and spinach stuffed ravioli served with a porcini
mushroom cream sauce and topped with a fresh grilled
portobello 16.50
walleye oscar
10 oz. broiled walleye filet topped with fresh lump crab
meat, roasted asparagus and bernaise sauce. served over
wild rice blend 23.75
dessert
turtle cheesecake
layers of caramel cheesecake and chocolate fudge layered on
a chocolate fudge brownie. topped with pecans 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 is gnudi?
2. What is puntarelle?
3. What is Yuzu Koshu?
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 citrus fruit carries the trademarked tag line "The affliction is only skin deep, so the beauty is in the eating"? ..............ugli fruit 2. Which are you most likely to find at an Iowa farmers' market in June - raspberries, strawberries, or grapes? ..............strawberries
3. What TV channel broadcasts the weekly cooking show "The Grill Sergeants," with a live audience and a kitchen band? ..............The Pentagon Channel
Last Week's Winner: ...................Jimmie Aranda
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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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