February: Beggars Pizza

Happy February, and welcome to the special Valentine's Day edition of the Pizza Season Blog! Love is in the air. So is pizza! Well, not really. Actually, not at all. But wouldn't that be cool? Cloudy with a chance of pizza! Anyway. We celebrated all that is red, white, and romantic with a date to Beggars Pizza. Did we fall in love? Or were our hearts broken? And was there chocolate heart-shaped pizza involved? Read on to find out:

Beggars Pizza is located right across from the campus of Olivet Nazarene University, on the corner of the busiest intersection in Kankakee County. For real, Holmes, if you don't get lost finding the parking lot (it's around back) or hit by a car while crossing the street (it's in front) on your way there, then...good job. The layout of the restaurant itself is a bit confusing. To begin with, the building has something like eight doors, but only two of them are actual entrances (insert Scooby Doo chase scene here). Further, there are two floors, each with multiple dining spaces. On the one hand, this is kind of cool; on the other hand, it made us feel like Rebecca Black: which seat should I take? If you want our advice, sit upstairs. We didn't. We didn't know we could. We found out later. Then we went and checked it out. It was better. Much better. And upstairs. One last thing: the theme of the dining areas seems to be having an identity crisis. It thinks that it's an Italian Village AND a train station in Chicago. We think it wants to be both, as symbolized by the eatery's mascot, a proud but terrifying Italian-American hobo (we actually think we might have a hobo curse, because this has been by far the hardest blogging we've ever encountered - never fear, though, for WE SHALL PREVAIL!).

There are a lot of entertainment options at Beggars Pizza (ya know, in case you didn't come to eat), including an arcade by the stairs and a television in each of the dining areas. There are cozier options upstairs, but on the main floor, we felt very exposed, like everyone in the restaurant was up in our business. We ate next to another party that arrived drunk, ordered more beer, and made us feel uncomfortable with their loud conversation. There was really no place in the restaurant to not overhear everything they said. In addition, we scouted out only one potential booth where patrons could escape the distraction of the televisions.

The decorations are nice (we have been through Beggars around Christmastime and really enjoyed their yuletide spirit). The chairs, tables, silverware, etc. are standard fare. The floor and dining areas are all clean. Andrew said that the men's bathroom was small, smelled good, and golf-themed (there's even a little touch of Disney in there). Amber said that the woman's bathroom was bigger, clean, coldish, and that she could hear everything happening in the kitchen (so can they hear you flush, too?).

Beggars has a pretty sweet menu. They do not offer a large variety of toppings or specialty pizzas, but in addition to pizza they have appetizers, soup/salads, pasta dishes, sandwiches, a kids menu, and desserts. We especially liked the dino nuggets (RAWR) and the deep dish cookie with a scoop of ice cream on top (the table next to us ordered one, and we could smell the delicious). Pricing is on the pricier side of standard, but we did find some good weekly specials you might want to take advantage of. Catering prices are on the menu as well.

We seated ourselves (per the sign ordering we do so, please) but were attended to quickly by our server. In fact, our own mascot, the Blogship Enterprise, attracted the attention of three servers beside our own all at once. It was quite the crowd. After they paid appropriate tribute to Bloggy's awesomeness, Andrew explained to them our mission (YAY). The servers were helpful and very capable, but there did not seem to be enough for them to do. Some were just chatting in the main dining hall while we waited for refills and the check to be taken.

The food is the best part. Wait for it ... ... ... okay, here it goes. We ordered a small gourmet (?) stuffed pizza for $13.50 ($12 for the base cost and $1.50 for pep pep pepperoni) and two drinks for $2.29 each. We also used a $1 off coupon from Pizza Season Blog enthusiasts Kyle Shaughnessy and Nicole Montalbano (thanks, guys!). Our server informed us that our meal would take about 50 minutes to bake (so you know it's fresh), which was perfect, because it gave us time to exchange Valentine's gifts to one another (lots of other people in the restaurant were doing this, too). The food actually came in 45 minutes (still fresh), so we were happy. Beggars claims to lay it on thick. We held them to it. And they really came through for us. This was the only pizza joint we've been to thus far where we haven't been able to finish our ten inch pizza in one sitting. The stuffed pizzas go like this: layer of cornmeal crust, layer of SUPER CHEESY cheese, layer of topping (really, a full layer), layer of cornmeal crust, layer of sauce. How great is that? It was the right amount of spicy, tasted fresh, used good ingredients, and was baked to perfection. We loved it!

So how did Beggars Pizza rank on our incredibly-accurate and well-thought-out rating system? I guess you could say we fell in love:

Atmosphere (location, theme, vibe): 3/5
Cleanliness (bathrooms, table settings, furnishings): 4/5
Menu (variety, dining options, cost): 5/5
Food (taste, quality, value): 5/5
Service (friendliness, efficiency, helpfulness): 4/5

Total: 21/25 - Recommended!

Beggars Pizza was a lovely Valentine's Day date. The food, especially, is some of the best we've had. We can't say enough good things about the cheese (have I mentioned we like cheese on pizza?) and the crust. We were quite pleasantly stuffed by the end of the evening. That having been said, the establishment needs to re-imagine their floor plan so that it is less confusing and distracting. Perhaps designate areas without tvs or reorganize tables into a more comfortable pattern? Just a thought. All in all, go to Beggars. Eat the food. And live happily ever after. Until next month: YOEPOAM!

If you would like to find out more information about Beggars Pizza or write a review of your own, check out the following details:

Beggars Pizza
165 South Main Street
Bourbonnais, IL 60914
815-937-9999

Website: Beggars Pizza

January: Monical's Pizza Restaurant

Pizza . . . The tasty frontier . . .
These are the voyages of the Blogship Enterprise.
Its continuing mission:
To explore delicious new restaurants . . .
To seek out new crusts; new toppings . . .
To boldly go where no Pizza Season Blog has gone before! (cue theme music)

After a brief holiday hiatus, we are back - and hungry for more pizza! We decided to kick off the new year right with a January visit to Monical's Pizza Restaurant in Bourbonnais. Here's the dish:

Monical's has two locations in the area: one in Bourbonnais and another in Kankakee. The Bourbonnais store, which we visited, was the first pizza place of the Pizza Season Blog that was off the main 45/52 drag. This means that it is not as visible but also that there is ample parking for once. The exterior of the building (brick facade with vines) is decorated with a giant tomato and the restaurant's color scheme of red, purple, and green (and yellow??).

As we entered, we were greeted by the hostess and sat at a booth in the main dining area (the same booth, btw, that Amber has sat in three of the four times she's visited). The restaurant has an eclectic style, much like a TGIF or a Red Robin, with framed posters and French horns and other random objects scattered about. It's a fun place to play a game of Eye Spy (or is it I Spy?). Note, though, that the feel is less busy and brighter than in Chicago Dough. The ceiling is fun - black with large fan light thingies - and the crown molding around the room matches the outside with red and purple accents.

The atmosphere is warm, comfortable, and VERY family-friendly. We felt relaxed (relaxed enough to spend two and a half hours there without noticing). The trade-off for the family vibe, though, is that Monical's is lacking in cleanliness and class. As in, take your kids out for lunch, not your girlfriend for your anniversary. There are minuses and pluses here. Table settings were average/whatever: plastic yellow plates, Pizza Hut-esque plastic red glasses, and cheap forks. But we were delighted by the activity placemats that everyone gets - even adults! Andrew beat the word search in two and a half minutes. Amber won at tic-tac-toe. There was also a geometric mushroom (as opposed to an algebraic one). The floor needed swept, and the bathroom needed some cleaning. But even the men's bathroom had a baby changing table and really thick, quality paper towels.

The menu at Monical's is varied, much more varied than at other pizza places we have visited. Among their offerings are specialty pizzas, family deals, take-home oven-ready meals, gluten-free crusts, and The Point! (see website for details). The menu was also well-organized with labeled tabs and a handy price chart. The costs are pretty standard compared to other eateries. Monical's also delivers . . . in stylin', road-ready pizza-powered vehicles of fun that always make our mouths water whenever we see one cruising around the Bourb!

We ordered a ten-inch stuffed pizza with steak, green peppers, and onions ($11.99), an iced tea, and a Mountain Dew ($1.69 each). Stuffed pizza is a specialty pizza with two crusts, sweet sauce, and up to three toppings. That's right - three lip-smacking toppings included in the cost. Toppings are the real value at Monical's. We have eaten at pizza joints where one or even no toppings cost $12; but at Monical's, we got three toppings for that price. Even if ordering a standard pizza, you can increase the number of toppings from none to four (OR MORE!) for as little as $1.25. That's impressive. We even got a good deal on our beverages, considering we are camels and downed a combined total of seven full glasses by the time we left.

The pizza came pretty quickly and was pretty good! Pretty. We particularly liked the crust and the green peppers. Yeah, get the green peppers. They are fresh and crisp and tasty. And pretty. Our biggest disappointment was that the pizza did not have a lot of cheese. And we like cheese. Also, the steak and onions, though good, were a little sparse and just blended in with the flavor of the dough. One more thing: if you go to Monical's, chances are your server will offer you French dressing. Whoa, what? Yeah, you heard us! Part of the Monical's experience is eating your pizza with their special French dressing. Neither of us especially enjoy French dressing, but Amber was willing to take a risk for the sake of our readers. Her advice: "Don't be deceived by its bright red color. It looks scary, but a few drops of it on the crust adds a nice tangy flavor..if you like that sort of thing."

A special shout-out goes to our main Nard-Dog Andy B., who was our server at Monical's. Nothing was a problem for Andy B. We know because he told us. Many times. With a smile. Andy B. and the rest of the Monical's gang gets high marks for friendliness, efficiency, and helpfulness. We even saw the manager getting in on the act. He walked around the restaurant a couple of times to check on customers and once helped his coworkers set up for a large party. Good job, team!

And now, the question you've all been asking: how did Monical's Pizza Restaurant hold up to our incredibly accurate and well-thought-out rating system? Kind of like this:

Atmosphere (location, theme, vibe): 5/5
Cleanliness (bathrooms, table settings, furnishings): 3/5
Menu (variety, dining options, cost): 5/5
Food (taste, quality, value): 4/5
Service (friendliness, efficiency, helpfulness): 5/5

Total: 22/25 - Recommended!

We had a really enjoyable meal at Monical's. Clearly, a lot of thought has gone into making the dining experience here comfortable and truly family friendly. Again, there are tradeoffs, such as cleanliness and class, and the food is just short of exceptional. But, from the placemats to the helpful wait staff, from spacious booths to casual decor, you can expect this restaurant to serve quality and fun for you and your pizza party. That's all for this month. Remember: YOEPOAM!

If you'd like more information about Monical's Pizza Restaurant in Bourbonnais or want to write your own review, check out the following details:

Monical's Pizza Restaurant
597 William R Latham Drive
Bourbonnais, IL 60914
815-932-9100

Website: Monica's Pizza Restaurant

Extra Cheese: We want to share with our readers the following mind-fathoming query our Monical's activity placemat posed: If today were a pizza, what toppings would it have? Post your insights in the comment section! And thanks to pizza enthusiast and rabid blog-follower Caleb Carr for funding our in-space blog mascot: the Blogship Enterprise (see pic above)!