Panko Crusted Swordfish

by Jim Lannen

This week, we will be featuring one of our seafood favorites, panko crusted swordfish. Not only has this dish been a favorite of mine, but it also seems to fly out the door when our customers see it on the seafood menu. 

Swordfish - a firm and succulent, meaty fish - has a mild flavor and a texture that can be compared to that of tuna. We take our 10 ounce steak and lightly crust it with panko bread crumbs and pan fry it in grape seed oil. The entree is then finished with an avocado lime sweet butter with fresh cilantro.

The grape seed oil used in preparing our swordfish has health benefits of its own. Studies show that it aids in anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-histamine, anti-aging, anti-allergic, antimicrobial and adaptogenic activity. Put them together and you have a light, healthy combination. 

Although we bring in a handful of full loins and cut them into 10 ounce steaks, this special does not last long.

So make sure you stop out this week to get your chance at this healthy and flavorful dish!

Annual Lighted Way Spaghetti Dinner

by Jim Lannen

We want to remind everyone that coming Monday, April 4th, we will be hosting the annual Lighted Way Spaghetti Dinner here at the Uptown Grill. This will be the 15th year that we have hosted the event, and it is something that we look forward to every year.

We'll only be open from 11am to 2pm for lunch that day before we switch into full spaghetti mode. Come one, come all!  Enjoy a plate full of spaghetti, fresh baked bread, salad, coffee and cake for an $8.00 donation.

Spaghetti Service from 4:30 - 8:00 pm

Dine in or Carry Out

Monday, April 4

What is amazing about this yearly event is that all of your charitable dollars stay local, right here in LaSalle for the Lighted Way Foundation. Lighted Way is a private day school that has catered to students with developmental disabilities since 1957. This is their major yearly benefit. Please come help support this great cause. The proceeds made from the Spaghetti Dinner will be put into the Lighted Way Foundation and dispersed to meet the needs of its students.

The Lighted Way currently enrolls over 30 students ranging in ages from 3 to 22 years old. Students are taught by certified special education teachers, and additional care is provided by teacher aides. Lighted Way has extensive programs geared towards engaging students both educationally and therapeutically: music, occupational, physical, and speech and language. The Lighted Way teachers also provide their students help to develop skills in the areas of self-help, social, readiness, independent living, motor, perceptual motor, and computer with additional training in physical education, augmentative communication and vocational preparation.

Lighted Way's Symbol is "Light" and they strive to:

• Light the way for students with disabilities
• Instill in each child a sense of self-worth
• Guide students through their educational and therapeutic programs
• Help students be an integral part of their community
• Treat each child with dignity, respecting their individual differences

Over the course of the last 15 years, we have served over 25,000 plates of spaghetti and helped raise over $220,000! Each year, we have a very dedicated staff... from the Uptown Grill employees and volunteers, to the terrific Lighted Way employees and volunteers. We always have a great turnout of help dedicated to serving our community.

It is always a wonderful night with a packed house, serving up plate after plate of pasta with a goal of helping this great cause. Thank you all for your past help and donations. We look forward to seeing you again this year!

Wine and Food Pairings

by Jim Lannen

For many people, the most challenging aspect of drinking wine is knowing how to match it with food. With over 75 different wines on our bottle and glass list, we are confident there will be one that fits your taste. Yet knowing which specific one to choose with your meal can be confusing.

One of the most common questions we receive prior to ordering a glass or bottle is, "What one matches best with a specific dish?"  There is a general rule of thumb when it comes to choosing the right combination. However, more and more, servers and chefs must look at how a dish is prepared in order to make the best suggestion.

When it comes to serving seafood, for example, white wine is not always the only suggestion we can make. Due to new flavor influences and cooking techniques, the old adage of serving white wine with all fish does not necessarily apply.

In other words, to know that you’ll be ordering scallops is not all that’s relevant in choosing a wine. How are the scallops being prepared? Are they raw, poached, boiled, baked, broiled, grilled, roasted, deep fried, or blackened? Is there a cream sauce, fruit chutney, or an herb butter to accompany it? Once we consider how the fish is prepared, how cooking transforms its texture, and what its accompaniments are... only then can we can offer our best suggestion. 

There are six elements to consider in helping to pair food with wine:

Fat
A lot of our favorite foods - both meat and dairy products - have high levels of fat. Wine doesn’t contain fat, so when matching a wine with fatty foods, remember that it has to balance that fat with acid, cut it with tannin, or match its richness with alcohol.

Acid
In wine, it adds freshness and lift. It will do the same with food. When looking for a wine to go with an acidic dish, you should make sure that the perceived acidity of the wine is at least equal to that of the food, or the wine will taste bland and washed out.

Salt
Salty foods seem to limit wine choices. Salt can do strange things to your palate with wine. But with a bit of imagination, you can introduce your taste buds to some remarkable combinations of salty foods and sweet wines. Bleu cheese and Sauternes is another one of the world’s classic food and wine combos.

Sweetness
With desserts, you must be certain that the wine tastes sweeter than the dessert; otherwise the dessert will strip the wine of its sweetness and render it bitter or tart.

Bitterness
Anything more than just a hint is likely to be perceived as unpleasant. When bitterness in wine meets bitterness in food, it acts the opposite of sugar. One does not cancel out the other; they merely combine, so be careful.

Texture
As for matching textures, think light and heavy. Light foods are best with light wines; heavy foods with heavy wines. That’s the safest way to go about it. Try to match a wine's body to the power of the strongest ingredient in the food. Serve delicate-flavored foods such as simple white fish or poached chicken with lighter bodied wines and stronger, more robust foods such as grilled tuna with spiced lentils or osso buco with full-bodied wines. Many white wines will do jobs which are conventionally regarded as red wine jobs, and vice versa.

For more tips, click here to view 15 examples of what works well with what.

And remember that for every rule of wine pairing there is, you will often find just as many conflicting opinions. The most important rule of all is to trust your own palate and enjoy! With over 75 bottles to choose from, you have to start somewhere!

And we do have wine doggy bags to take home your leftover wine.  Cheers!

Greenbush Anger Black IPA

by Jim Lannen

The India Pale Ale style of beer has been (and still is) quite popular. It seems like every few years a new craft brewery is opening and producing these heavy hopped West Coast IPAs. Of course, with every trend, there comes time for some change...

An emerging new beer style is offering a darker twist to the traditional flavor profile of these hop heavy brews. The American black ale, otherwise known as a black IPA (or the India Dark Ale, India Black Ale or dark IPA), is starting to gain some interest.

The Black IPA is not necessarily a new style of beer.  In fact, there is some debate whether it's a style all together. Many believe it is only a variation of an American style IPA that is brewed with darker malts, such as those used in porters and stouts.

These black IPAs fit the palate of the "in-between" winter and spring month beer drinkers. It offers the heavy hop and a high ABV that a typical IPA offers. However it also offers a distinct toasty dark malt character with a roast of a strong stout and porter. Black IPAs are a hard style for breweries to dial in, as dark malt sharpness often combines with hop bitterness for an overwhelmingly dry, astringent finish. To each their own when it comes to different styles of beer, but we brought one in for you to try.

Greenbush Brewery out of Sawyer, Michigan started back in 2011. The "good ideas often start over a beer" thought process is where this brewery began. Craft beer is their specialty, and no beer in the place is less than 6% ABV. The names of their beers are quite interesting as well, with names like Broken Promises, Closure, Pain, Distorter, Retribution or Pain. 

Their black IPA is called Anger and starts with a neatly balanced chocolate and roasted malt flavors with piney, citrusy hops.  The bitterness does not tip the scale, and an added fruity thread from Belgian dark malts lends more complexity.

Here is one review from Ratebeer.com "This is the best Black IPA I've ever had. Black beer with a beige head. Smells of roast pine, and chocolate. Huge flavor of chocolate roastiness. Great hop bitterness. I was overall very impressed with this beer."

Discover whether you agree. Try out a glass of this non-traditional brew next time you stop in!

Hochstadter's Straight Vatted Rye

by Jim Lannen

When the bourbon trend began years ago, I too, found myself enjoying a glass or 2 of all the different ones out there. Remember: in order to sell it, I have to try it first... the fun part of the job!  (But I will admit, the bourbon burn is a little much for my palate.)

So as the bourbon craze continues, it's high time we introduce you to its lesser known cousin rye whiskey, a spirit that's slowly gaining in popularity. I recently experienced a glass of Hochstadter's Straight Vatted Rye. With its milder, yet spicier tones, rye whiskey has now become my preferred drink of the two. If you are a whiskey drinker, I suggest you also give it a try.

Although we currently have a nice selection of rye whiskeys already on our menu - i.e. Bulleit, Cody Road, Templeton and High West Double Rye - this week, we bring something new to our list. Hochstadter's Straight Vatted Rye is the first rye to use a "vatted" designation. This means it is as a blend of 5 straight rye whiskies from different distilleries throughout North America. They are from Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Alberta, Canada and have been aged anywhere from 4 to 15 years. This blend is created at the Cooper Spirits distillery in Philadelphia that was created back in 1884. Hochstadter’s has an aroma of nutmeg, clove and toasted rye bread. The palate is rich, filled with notes of molasses and vanilla, and leads to a delicious finish accented by notes of sour cherry, orange zest and candied nuts.

So what is rye whiskey? First of all, unlike bourbon, rye does not need to be made in the United States. However, in order to be called an American rye, the mash bill (blend of grains) must contain at least 51% rye, where bourbon is made from at least 51% corn. This gives rye more peppery flavors making it less sweet than bourbon. This is the signature flavor difference between the two.

Now that you know what it's made of, what about proof and age? These are important when it comes to all spirits. Age - although rye must be aged in new oak barrels, there are no rules for how long it should be stored. However, when you get a bottle with no age specified, it is at least 4 years. Proof - American rye must be at least 80 proof and no more than 160.

Now remember, we have all kinds of whiskey... Scotch, Irish, Canadian or American bourbon to name a few. Each of these whiskeys are native to respective countries. So what does a spirit need to be made of to be called an American rye whiskey? The origins of rye whiskey in the United States date back hundreds of years.

Early European settlers brought with them the tradition of distilling excess grains from their farms into whiskey. For over a century, the production of rye whiskey centered around Pennsylvania and Maryland, where large numbers of Scottish and Irish immigrants had settled. Did you know that George Washington was one our nation's leaders in distilling rye whiskey? By the time he died, he was producing over 11,000 gallons of whiskey a year. As bakers began to use rye in breads, distillers began to use it in whiskey. Over time, that distinct spiciness makes it a great match in creating modern cocktails. 

We think you'll agree once you have a taste of Hochstadter's.

Wine Country Climate Check

by Jim Lannen

Climate is a "hot" topic all the time. There is so much that is affected by its change. The drought that has gone on in California the last few years has been impacting the state's biggest exports and tourist attractions: wine and vineyards. Last year alone was one of the most severe droughts in its history.

Climate change and water conservation are issues that wineries must often manage. When it comes to wine, you do not necessarily see the effect until the following year in both supply and flavor. 

What do these wineries need to do in order to produce their products in spite of the changing climate? I recently read an article on different ways to look at the issue. 

Different wineries deal with this differently. Normally when you think of less water for a plant, it affects it negatively. A lot of times they simply do not even grow. Which then means less fruit, in turn meaning less product to sell. However, some drought-stricken vines are producing some of the best wines California has seen in decades.

Due to lack of rain, the vines are forced to find water on their own and deeply penetrate the soils. Normally vines grow about 10 feet deep. With the low soil moisture, they must dig a little deeper in search of water. This results in a smaller, riper grape which actually produces a more concentrated sugar and complex fruit flavor into the wine.

On the flip side, in a wet year (2011 was a wet one for California), you can really taste the difference in the wines. Grapes grown in years like this do not get as ripe, which then affects the flavor of the wine.  However, more of it is produced and available to the average consumer.

As you can see, for wine lovers looking for flavor and complexity of wine, dry years are good years. Especially if money is no object. The result of a dry year is that not as many bottles are produced, and wine is more expensive.

Wine Enthusiast (a wine trade group that rates all wine) has been seeing dry years with greater scores. "We've looked at our scores over the last three years, and they are increasingly going up. So obviously our tasters are liking what they're tasting; they're liking the concentration; they're liking the intensity of the wines," a WE spokeswoman said.

In fact, in 2011 - a wet year - 47 percent of the red wines in Napa were rated 90 points or more. In 2012 - a dry year - that jumped to 53 percent.

Of course, vines cannot withstand a drought for multiple years, but conserving water and letting the roots dig deeper has had some positive effect on their end product. 

Either way, you can look at it as the wine glass being half full OR half empty.

Introducing Beer Bombers

by Jim Lannen

One thing I've always loved about the restaurant industry is experiencing something new almost every day. A major part of the business is trying to keep up with the ever-changing trends of consumers... and I've seen all kinds throughout the years.

Right now, beer and bourbon are what's hot. And this trend only continues to climb. The craft beer market has seen substantial growth over the last 5 years.  Each craft brewery puts a lot of time, effort and money into creating their products, and it shows. You can go into any liquor store these days and find yourself staring at endless rows of all different styles of craft beer.

A few weeks back, I found myself in this exact scenario. My in-laws were coming over, and I was looking to expand my father-in-law's Bud Light palate. Whatever I chose, however, I'd be committed to 6 beers... with a price tag similar to what a 24 pack of Bud Light costs. I decided to go a different route and started looking at the bigger bottles that are becoming more popular... the 22 ounce (750ml) "bomber" bottles. A few of these to share would be perfect to get to know different beers. 

Although the larger bottle size has been around since the pre-prohibition era, the origin of the term "bomber" is not clear. One possibility is from the "bumper" bottle terminology borrowed from England, where it was used more generally to refer to any beer bottle larger than a normal serving.

While we don't question where it came from, we do know this trend has some staying power. These larger bottles have been making their way into more and more restaurants around the country. In fact, ordering a bottle of beer is almost like ordering a wine. From drink menu presentations to the way it is served is now part of the whole experience.

Click here to discover five reasons why you should consider buying these larger bottles of beer. From better tasting beer to sharing with friends, ordering these bottle bombers has its advantages.

This week, we have brought in our first "bomber" bottle, Goose Island Sofie Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale. Belgian beer is one of the most popular styles of beer served in these bigger bottles. It is what they have served them in for centuries.

Come down and enjoy a glass of this tart, dry, sparkling ale with spicy white pepper. Then keep an eye out for more of these style of bottles to enjoy the full experience!

Grammy Nominee Kim Richey

by Jim Lannen

If you didn't get your hands on tickets for Andy Frasco and the United Nations last week, might we recommend Kim Richey?

Kim Richey

Friday, February 26  |  7:30 pm

$20 general admission
Purchase your tickets here

Kim is a two-time Grammy-nominated artist, and she will be here on Friday, February 26.

Kim is described as a storyteller... a weaver of emotions and a tugger of heartstrings. Tender, poetic and aching with life’s truths, Kim’s songs transport you to her world: where words paint pictures, and melodies touch the soul.

And then there’s her voice. Pure, arresting and honest, it makes you take notice.  Kim has the kind of voice where if emotions were ribbons, they’d be streaming in rainbow colors from your iPod.

Her style of music can be described as Americana, and her songs have been hits on both the country and pop charts.  View the video above to sample her song "Thorn in My Heart."

George T. Stagg Jr. Bourbon

by Jim Lannen

George T. Stagg bourbon from the famous Buffalo Trace distillery was first introduced back in 2002 and has earned the reputation of being a very complex, yet balanced bourbon. It has often ranked in the Top 5 among bourbon connoisseurs since then.

Fast forward to 2013, and Buffalo Trace introduced George's younger version: Jr. Ever since, the distillery releases two batches of this George T. Stagg Jr. per year. Each batch is a blend from bourbons that are 8+ years old and distilled to a unique proof. This week, we get our bottle of this allocated bourbon whiskey.

George Jr. is unfiltered, uncut and packs a punch of a whopping 134.4 proof. (Most other bourbons weigh in at a 90 proof or 45% alcohol). The difference between the two is obviously age. George Sr. sits for 15 years whereas Jr. is bottled around 8 or 9.

Made from the same mashbill as dear ole dad, each batch is released when it meets the desired taste the distillery is looking for... rich and complex flavors right from the barrel. Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley describes that taste as, “rich, sweet, chocolate and brown sugar flavors mingled in perfect balance with a bold, rye spiciness. The boundless finish lingers with hints of cherries, cloves and smokiness.”

With high expectations and the George T. Stagg name, many bourbon drinkers originally raised an eyebrow at this new bourbon, expecting the same profile as its predecessor. This quickly changed as each limited batch sells out very quickly. The original has won numerous awards, and Jr. is sure to follow.

Come down this week and give this bourbon a try. Or choose from one of the many other medal winners that we offer:

• baker's 7 yo 
• blanton's single barrel
• buffalo trace 
• bulleit 
• bulleit rye 
• cody road
• eagle rare 10 yo single barrel 
• high west american prairie
• knob creek 9 yo 
• old charter 10 yo old 
• fitzgerald 12 yo 
• woodford reserve
• jim beam 
• jim beam black
• wild turkey 
• wild turkey russell's reserve

Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale

by Jim Lannen

Join us this week as we tap a keg of Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale, a full bodied brew that goes down easy during these cold winter days. Although this beer is new to us, it has been around for many years and has won medals in the Brown Ale category.

In fact, Old Brown Dog has become a defining example of an American Brown Ale. This brown smells quite bold (nearly porter-like). Expect a rather malty, nutty aroma, with lightly peppery hop notes atop a blend of chocolate and roasted malt.

The brown ale style of beer was born back in 17th century England. Made from brown malts (giving it a darker amber or brown color), they are slightly hopped and can range from very low to moderate levels of alcohol content. The darker style with roasted malts are what make this style preferred during the colder months of the year. While similar to a typical English brown ale, Old Brown Dog is fuller bodied and contains more hop flavor. 

A product of Smuttynose Brewing Company in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Old Brown Dog is one of their original craft brew creations. The brewery, named after the Smuttynose Island within the Isle of Shoals off Maine's east coast, was founded in 1994 by Peter Eglelston. 

Every bottle of Old Brown Dog Ale features a photo of Peter's best friend Olive, a chocolate lab who serves as the company mascot and an icon for this specific brew

Take a look at Peter himself describing this American classic.  Then stop down and try a pint for yourself!

Penne alla Puttanesca with Garlic Infused Chicken

by Jim Lannen

Brrrrr... it sure is cold out there! Come in this week for a hearty Italian pasta dish that is sure to warm your bones. On special, we are featuring a pasta that has a ton of flavor and has become one of my favorites this time of year: penne alla puttanesca with garlic infused chicken.

We take a butter garlic-infused chicken breast, grill it and serve it with a sauce consisting of tomato, garlic, onion, kalamata olives, anchovies, capers and green peppers. It is then topped over penne pasta before we smother it with reggiano parmesan cheese.

This sauce is a traditional dish that was created more than 50 years ago in southern Italy. The origin of this dish is a bit... different. To put it bluntly, puttanesca translates as "in the style of the whore." Now I’ll bet you're wondering how this tasty dish became associated with such sordid content. There are many explanations of how this dish came about.

One story claims that at the end of the evening, the prostitutes would come begging at local restaurants for leftovers. This sauce was made of all leftover ingredients. If there was sauce on the stove, anything that may be going bad was put into the simmering sauce. Another version claims the origin of the sauce was created when the prostitutes needed to make something speedy and nutritious between appointments.

Others believe that it was a sauce created by a restaurant owner who had many guests come to his restaurant to eat late one night as he was about to close. He didn't have enough of any one ingredient to make a meal for them all so he took everything out of his kitchen and put it together. And because Italians are so frugal, they would not throw away any food. They would just make it into this amazing tomato sauce recipe.

Let's just stick to that interpretation.......

The robust flavors are what make this dish so good. Its spicy, tangy, and somewhat salty flavors all come together so well. And who doesn't like garlic? The trick to creating this sauce is the simmering process to marry all of the flavors together.

Although the sauce is traditionally served over spaghetti, Chef Chris serves ours over penne pasta and tops it with freshly grated reggiano parmesan cheese.

Eagle Watch Weekend at Starved Rock

by Ryan Anderes

For us living in the Illinois Valley, we are blessed to have one of the seven wonders of Illinois right here in our own backyard, Starved Rock State Park. Every season provides enjoyment to tens of thousands of tourists each year.

I must say, we do get quite a bit of business from this area attraction, and it is always nice to hear the families that dine here talk about their trips throughout the park. Although the winter season may not offer ideal conditions for hiking the many park trails along the Illinois River, it is the perfect time of year to view the many American bald eagles that call this area home.

Every year, the park hosts its Eagle Watch Weekend, which falls on this coming Saturday and Sunday, January 30-31. Thousands of bird lovers and photographers (both amateur and professional) will flock to the rock during this time to catch a glimpse of our nation's bird. It has become one of the park's most popular events, and both the number of eagles and the people that watch them seem to grow every year.

Photo courtesy of Ron Misjack

This bird was once on the endangered species list from 1967 to 1995, but they seem to love to call our area home during the winter. More and more of these birds seem to find their way to our area to build nests in the trees and prey on fish in the Illinois River near Starved Rock. Guests are invited to view from the Veranda, the riverfront, Eagle Cliff and The Illinois Waterway Visitor's Center to best catch a glimpse. This yearly event will run from 9 am to 5 pm and will also include lectures and exhibits at the lodge.

Your visit to the Illinois Valley would not be complete without a lunch or dinner at the Uptown Grill. We will be serving all day, as always, for you to stop in and break from the cold for a warm meal. Share stories and photos in our warm dining room and choose from our amazing food and drink menu to bring your eagle watching weekend to a perfect end. It is amazing we have something so wonderful right here close by. 

For more Eagle Watch information and tips for viewing, visit the following link.

Artisanal Cheese Sampler

by Jim Lannen

Our artisanal cheese sampler has always been one of my favorite appetizers... one I think many people forget about. Over the years, we have enjoyed some amazing cheeses from all over the world.

Then once every few months, we bring in several new cheeses. The day they come in is almost like Christmas for us. We all get to watch as Chef Chris opens the boxes... then comes all of the ooo's and ahhh's as we check them out!  Of course, we all get to sample and discuss each cheese.

This week we bring a few new additions to the sampler:

#1 Saint Rocco Triple Cream Brie: This is a very rich, triple cream cheese with 70% butterfat. This spreadable cheese has a creamy and slightly earthy taste.

Type of Milk: Cow's Milk
Origin: Michigan

#2 Queso de Murcia al Vino: This fatty goat's milk cheese is from the province of Murcia in Spain. The cheese has an agreeable creamy flavor, a slight saltiness and a mild aroma. Murcian wine cheese is colored white to light cream and has a compact and elastic texture. This cheese enjoys a red wine bath that coats the rind, however, not permeating into the cheese. 

Type of Milk: Goat's Milk
Origin: Spain 

#3 Queso Mahon-Menorca: This is a soft to hard white cheese made from cow's milk. Mahón has some characteristics specific to it, despite aging. In general, the cheese is buttery sharp, slightly salty and lightly aromatic (sweet and nutty aromas) in taste. Mahón's sweet and fruity, yet slightly salty taste is due in part to the sea salt content in the grasses the cows eat. The rind is generally an orange color due to the rind being rubbed with butter or oil, and paprika.

Type of Milk: Cow's Milk 

Origin: Spain  

#4 Milton Creamery Prairie Breeze: A well-aged dry white Cheddar style cheese, aged for a minimum of 9 months, made with vegetarian rennet and no added color. Sweeter than your typical cheddar with lots of flavor, crumbly yet creamy with a little crunch from the calcium crystals developed during the aging process. Made in Milton, Iowa, this award-winning cheddar uses pastured, hand-milked cow's milk from local Amish farms, all within 15-miles of the creamery. The cheese is a unique hybrid-style - an Alpine cheddar - that combines sweetness and nuttiness in equal parts. It's balanced, medium sharp and you'll find some subtle grassy tones as well. This cheese has won numerous cheese awards over the last few years.

Type of Milk: Cow's Milk
Origin: Iowa

#5 Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue: This blue is a classic Roquefort style cheese and is the worlds' first smoked blue cheese. The smoking process releases a sweet, creamy smokey flavor that balances both the sharp flavor and sweet creamy taste. The wheels are cold smoked for 16 hours over local hazelnut shells and then cave aged at least 6 months. Sweet cream flavors and caramel notes balance earthy flavors of smoke and hints of roasted nuts. This is a very interesting cheese and a must try to experience these two flavors.

Type of Milk: Cow's Milk
Origin: Oregon

Be sure to check out our artisanal sampler or simply choose any one of these new cheeses we have brought in the next time you stop in. It is quite interesting and fun experiencing all of the different flavors and textures of cheeses from around the world.

Excellent with a glass of wine and a few friends to discuss all of the different pairings we offer on the sampler!

Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout

by Jim Lannen

With 12 beers on draft, we are constantly rotating in different styles to coordinate with the seasons.  And in January, a nice winter stout is in order.

Traditionally used as a generic term to describe the strongest porters produced by a brewery, a stout is a dark beer made using roasted malt or barley.  Brewed for over 300 years, stout beers are one of those styles that continues to grow right along with the craft beer industry.  And they're a flavor people typically either love or hate.

So for those lovers out there, we introduce Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout.

From Longmont, Colorado, this full bodied, 6% beer is dark and delicious. Left Hand serves a classic milk stout and a NITRO version using nitrogen instead of CO2. We'll be serving up the Nitro.  Here is what Left Hand has to say about the difference between the two. 

"All of our Nitro beers both contain the same ingredients as their classic CO2 equivalents and are meant to be highly similar. The main difference is mouthfeel. Traditional CO2 beers have a much greater carbonic bite compared to the much smoother Nitro series. The addition of Nitrogen to a beer gives way to much smaller bubbles, creating a smoother, creamier experience. Beyond mouthfeel, there are variances in appearance and smell as well.

Take Classic Milk Stout and Milk Stout Nitro. Visually, you will notice that as you pour Classic Milk Stout, it behaves like a normal beer with an instantaneous mahogany body and receding taupe head. As you hard pour Milk Stout Nitro, the beer will immediately begin to cascade, settling to reveal the body and developing a thick, billowy, off white head on top. In regards to smell and taste, Classic Milk Stout overall has a greater nose, as well as a more roasty character and a very slight hop bitterness. Milk Stout Nitro has a more creamy mocha essence throughout the beer, with no noticeable hop element." 

Aside from milk stouts, there are a number of stout variations including dry and imperial stouts. Guinness Draught falls into the dry stout category and is one of the most common and best selling stouts in today's market.

In fact, Guinness has been on our draft tower for over 20 years. (While I think perhaps it has overstayed its welcome, Ray's favorite beer has always managed to stay on our list). And although it is deservedly a classic, today's craft beer drinking crowd is likely to pass it by in favor of something more unique.

The world of fresh tasting breakfast stouts, milk stouts, oatmeal stouts, chocolate stouts, etc. are becoming more and more popular. So why not shy away from the mainstream and stop in this week to warm up with a glass of Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout?

A Look Ahead: 2016 Food Trends

by Jim Lannen

Sure, it's fun to reminisce about the year that's passed.  But why not say good riddance to 2015 and take a look at the top food and drink trends predicted for 2016?

Keeping up with the latest trends is important in every industry. And each year, the National Restaurant Association - with the help of industry professionals and chefs - conducts a survey to identify menu trends for the upcoming year.

Top 20 food trends for 2016:

1. Locally sourced meats and seafood
2. Chef-driven fast-casual concepts
3. Locally grown produce
4. Hyper-local sourcing 
5. Natural ingredients/minimally processed food
6. Environmental sustainability
7. Healthful kids' meals
8. New cuts of meat 
9. Sustainable seafood
10. House-made/artisan ice cream
11. Ethnic condiments/spices
12. Authentic ethnic cuisine
13. Farm/estate branded items
14. Artisan butchery
15. Ancient grains 
16. Ethnic-inspired breakfast items
17. Fresh/house-made sausage
18. House-made/artisan pickles
19. Food waste reduction/management
20. Street food/food trucks

If you've followed this list in years past, trends like locally sourced meat, produce, seafood and kids' nutrition continue to make the list. In fact, this has remained unchanged since the 2012 predictions. People are focused on 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 trend that interests me in particular involves new cuts of meat. A lot of these I have probably never heard of, so I am excited to see and learn. And I'm sure Chef Chris has several new ideas up his sleeve to bring forth this year.

Menu items that gained momentum since last year’s survey include African flavors, authentic ethnic cuisine, ethnic condiments/spices, house-made/artisan soft drinks, Middle Eastern flavors and non-traditional liquors. Items that fell off trend include underutilized fish, kale salads, fresh beans/peas, gluten-free cuisine, quinoa and flower essence in cocktails.

Keeping up with trends is important to growing and sustaining a business... whether it involves food, drink or even fashion. So here's to keeping up with the Joneses in 2016!

Lingering Liqueurs

by Jim Lannen

Webster defines lingering as, "to remain or stay on in a place longer than is usual or expected, as if from reluctance to leave."

The most recent addition of our bar lounge is a great place to linger, hang out, and enjoy the company of family or friends.  And this is definitely the perfect time of year for it!

Enjoy a nice warm meal in the comfort of our cozy dining room, complete with a festive holiday atmosphere. Then finish it off with one of our amazing desserts or after dinner drinks. (Yes, we encourage after dinner lingering, an art that's often forgotten.)

Many of us view the evening as over once the meal is finished. From our perspective, that's when the fun begins. It's the time to relax and enjoy yourself with family and friends. With all the holiday hustle and bustle, let the conversation continue well after the meal while kicking back in our comfortable lounge setting.

Choose from an array of after dinner liqueurs, port wine or cognacs. For the whiskey drinkers, choose from a Macallan Rare cask scotch or a Blanton's Single Barrel bourbon over an ice ball to serve as your night cap.  Or if a warm beverage is your choice to finish off a meal... a Peppermint Patty or Hot Toddy will certainly do the trick!

With the area's most extensive liquor selection, we are confident we've got something for you. Not sure what you're in the mood for? One of our friendly bartenders will be glad to offer a suggestion.

So next time you are in, go ahead and take your time. We encourage you to linger with us and make a night of it!

Fistmas Holiday Ale

by Jim Lannen

As winter moves in, our beer list moves on. Just like our wine list, our beer selection continues to grow... so much so that we almost need to evaluate our selection the same as we do our wines.

With each season, we need to address the different styles on our list. We like to have the variety along with the styles are hot right now.  We may not have 30 different tap handles (but at least we can turn them over), but we do have a pretty nice bottle and draft selection... one that's better than ever before. 

This week, we are bringing in a draft beer from a brewery we have yet to feature. Revolution Brewing is Illinois' largest craft brewery that began in early 2010. Their seasonal Fistmas Holiday Ale is one you will surely want to try. Tis this season?

Fistmas is Revolution's red ale, and it's brewed specifically for the holiday season. Normally, when you think of a seasonal beer like this, you will expect to get notes of pie spices or brown sugar. This one is much different, featuring sweet and toasty malts with hints of ginger root and orange peel. The orange is subtle, yet it balances the bitterness where the hops might otherwise overpower the finish. (Might I add, it's got a phenomenal lingering finish.)  It has a deep reddish amber color and aromas of baked bread, caramel and stone fruits. This is a different take on the traditional holiday beers you may be used to, so come experience the Revolution. At 6.1% ABV, this beer has a bit of bite as well.

Located on the northwest side of Chicago, the Kedzie Avenue brewery is a 60 barrel brew house. Revolution produces about 50 different beer styles each year. Founder Josh Deth started by cleaning kegs at the Golden Prairie Brewing company. As he became more interested in the beer-making business and moved to the infamous Goose Island, his interest evolved into creating Revolution. Although it took a few years to collect the funds and put together the ground work, by February 2010 they were up and running. Today, Revolution Brewing has received local and national recognition with awards from the Great American Beer Festival. 

Come down this week and enjoy a glass of Revolution's Fistmas Holiday Ale. It will not last long.

Stone Enjoy By 12.25.15

by Jim Lannen

We're adding a new, yet familiar beer to our list just in time for the holidays. At the beginning of 2015, we took advantage of an opportunity to offer Stone Enjoy By beers as part of our draft selection.

The freshest IPA available on the market comes from one of the greats in the craft beer industry, Stone Brewing Company. Located in Escondido, California and dating back to 1996, Stone comes out with their Enjoy By series just a few times a year. And just to be clear, this hoppy West Coast beer is brewed and intended to be consumed within 30 days (hence the date).

Earlier this year, we were given one of only a handful of barrels in the state of Illinois outside the city of Chicago. Enjoy By is one of Stone's signatures brews, and we've been fortunate for the chance to continue offering it. 

So the latest and last segment of their Enjoy By series for 2015 comes our way this week. Stone Enjoy By 12.25.15 is the perfect gift to yourself during your holiday visits to the Uptown. But with the "enjoy by" date right around the corner (just like Christmas!), do not miss your chance at enjoying this brew!

A 9.4% ABV golden colored brew with a creamy white head, Enjoy By is smooth up front... but then comes the power of the hops. It contains more than a dozen hops and is a powerful, fresh double IPA. You will get hints of peaches and other tropical fruit, both on the nose and the palate.I must say, I've been nervous that we would not sell out by the date this brew is set to "expire." However, our area loves craft beer and we've gone through our previous Enjoy By brews fairly quickly. Any place with Stone on tap shows how important a good beer selection should be.

Enjoy it while you can while visiting our recently renovated bar and lounge this holiday season!

New Winter Warmers

by Jim Lannen

November has been quite an odd month for the weather, has it not? From above average temperatures one week, to record breaking snow the next!

That first snow finally signals that fall is over and winter is right behind. So why not layer up, then hunker down with a delicious new hot beverage at the Uptown!

When you dine with us, there are all sorts of winter warmers to choose from. From a traditional cappuccino or Ghirardelli hot chocolate, to a hot nutty Irishman or dreamy winter delight, you will find a nice selection to try here.

This week we have added a few new winter drinks to help you warm up this season:

Eskimo Kiss
Maybe not exactly what they serve up in the Arctic, but this kiss will definitely warm you up. Made with a Stolichnaya Karmel vodka and bourbon cream liqueur mixed with hot chocolate, it's topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of housemade caramel sauce.

Blizzard Coffee
This whirlwind of a coffee drink is delicious. We take our house blend coffee and add a touch of Nutella, Irish cream liqueur and Jameson Irish whiskey.

Warm Hazelnut Toddy
We take a classic and add a little twist. Frangelico hazelnut liqueur and hot water are topped with whipped cream and ground nutmeg.

Nutty Vanilla Cafe Latte
We have added a little warm kick to your traditional frothed milk latte. Our baristas make a fresh latte and add a touch of vanilla vodka and hazelnut.

Come down within the next few weeks and enjoy one of several new drink selections. Let our bartenders warm you up!

Host Your Holiday Party Here:All New Banquet Room

by Jim Lannen

My, oh my, how the time flies. It seems like just yesterday, we were wrapping up the 2014 Christmas holiday season. Well now we're wrapping up a major remodel, just in time for... you guessed it, the holidays!

While some of the more obvious changes include decor and swapping the bar from one side of the room to the other, the banquet room is what truly kicked our remodel project into high gear back in June.

Many people ask us if we've done anything back there with all the attention the main dining room has received. The answer is yes, absolutely!  We're excited to get the holiday season started and give everyone a chance to experience the elegant, updated event space first hand.

The room has been nicely designed with new wall coverings and carpet plus much-deserved upgrades to our tables and chairs. And of course it will all be decked out for the season with plenty of holiday cheer to go around!

There are still some prime dates available for those last-minute holiday gatherings. Our banquet room is perfect for any size party or budget. With a private room, a private bar and dedicated staff, it is easy to set up any group function. Better yet, there is no charge to use the room!

Our menu ranges from a wide variety of appetizers to a full array of popular menu selections like seafood, chicken, pasta or steak. And what night is complete without one of our many delicious desserts? Any of these menu options can be tailored to your specific budget.

Not every business or individual can afford to break the bank and throw one large party for all of their employees or friends... especially in today's economic conditions. So for those looking to host a smaller gathering, look no further. Whether it's for two people or 150, our facility and staff are more than capable of handling your holiday get together.

Think Uptown Grill this season. Feel free to stop by, call us at 815-224-4545 or email us at banquets@uptowngrill.com to start planning your event today!