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
Monday, February 18, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
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)!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
November: Chicago Dough Company
The Chicago Dough Company has been "dishing it out for forty years." Well when it comes to pizza, we definitely can take it, so we rendezvoused at the Chicago Dough Company to get served! Here's what we ate for November and how we liked it:
The Chicago Dough Company is located a hop, skip, and a jump away from Pizza Pan. Unlike Pizza Pan, CDC has cleverly substituted a zen (?) gravel garden for more parking spaces. With innovation like that, we knew we were in for a real treat. The exterior of the building needed a little more landscaping to be really attractive, but it still looked good with its brick facade, columns, and black lanterns. We also enjoyed their tribute to fall outside the main entrance (pumpkins, and hay bales, and flowers - oh my!).
Our readers will be disappointed to learn that CDC is the only pizza place in Bourbonnais (so far) that does not play contemporary Christian music. This is really a sad commentary on our society, demonstrating the extent to which religious syncretism has invaded even our most hallowed of deep-dish eateries. Anywho, the interior of this place is really classy: stained-glass style lights hang over individual wooden booths with checkered tablecloths and knick-knacks scattered about. The feel was somewhere between "let's make romantic googly eyes across the table" and "let's speak in Italian accents and talk about sending Johnny to sleep with the fishes." Bonus: we sat under a street sign that read "N Campbell Ave," which provides a nice segue for our shout-out to Tyler and Rachel Campbell for their gift of a sleek binder for our Pizza Season Blog outings. We'd also really like to thank Ken and Shirley Carr for their generous donation to our project. We're dedicating this one to all of you!
Back to the future, er, pizza. Our server, whose name was Sydney (and not Cindy or Cynthany like Andrew thought), greeted and seated us quickly. She even asked if our booth was to our liking and was great about checking in on us and bringing us our refills. Sydney also brought us Parmesan cheese (which is yummy) and drew a smiley-face on our bill (which is happy). Note: In past posts we have kept our server's name a secret as to protect their identities; but we are making an exception in Sydney's case due to her great service.
The dining area was relatively clean. Nothing fantastic, though, and the mens' bathroom was kinda grody. Get this, though: their vacuum cleaner sucks (in a dis way, not a functional way)! We overheard two of the servers talking about it, so it must be true. We also eavesdropped on a conversation between a server and a woman, the latter of whom was complaining about how cold it was inside. She was close, but cold is not the right word. Frigid would be more apt. Or perhaps Greenland-ic (Greenland is the icy one; Iceland is the green one; Ireland is the lucky one; Graceland is the Elvis one). For those of you who are concerned about the polar ice caps melting, just ship them down to CDC and they'll be fine.
There's not a whole lot to say about the menu at CDC, either good or bad. They have a buffet option for lunch (and Tuesday dinners) and have a few interesting specialty pizzas (like honey mustard chicken). Individual toppings are a bit steep, but specialty pizzas are a good value. We ordered a 10" deep dish pizza with Canadian bacon and pineapple ($12.27) and a Dr. Pepper ($2.19). Our food came in good time. It was delicious! For starters, the cheese was excellent (the menu said it comes from Wisconsin). The sauce was more tomato-y-esque-ish. It was cooked well and was not too greasy. Overall, this was probably the highest quality and freshest of ingredients we have had so far on the Pizza Season Blog. Amber also said it was the best-tasting pizza so far (and Amber is always right).
So how did the Chicago Dough Company fare according to our incredibly accurate and well-thought-out rating system? Here's how:
Atmosphere (location, theme, vibe): 4/5
Cleanliness (bathrooms, table settings, furnishings): 3/5
Menu (variety, dining options, cost): 4/5
Food (taste, quality, value): 5/5
Service (friendliness, efficiency, helpfulness): 5/5
Total: 21/25 - Recommended!
Winner, winner, pizza dinner! CDC is our highest-rated pizza place yet. What really put them over the top was great food and great service. At the same time, we wish they were a lot warmer, a bit cleaner, and more creative with fun ways to spend a dollar. Will CDC reign supreme as we enter winter and survey more locations? Keep checking back each month to find out. Until next time - YOEPOAM!
If you would like more information about the Chicago Dough Company or want to write your own review, here's some helpful stuff:
Chicago Dough Company
545 S Main St
Bourbonnais, IL 60914
815-935-0300
Website: Chicago Dough Company
Extra Cheese: Last month we asked you what states have Aurelio's (Is Pizza) in them. The answer? Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Minnesota, and Nevada (and we think maybe Georgia now, too...hmm, peach pizza?). This month we'd like to thank our special student correspondent, Caleb Carr, for getting us a slice of the college pizza scene. Next time you're hard up for cash, try digging in the dumpster outside Little Caesar's just after midnight. If you manage to beat the grouchy hobos and the diseased rats there, you can enjoy yourself a delicious, lightly-used hot-n-ready!
The Chicago Dough Company is located a hop, skip, and a jump away from Pizza Pan. Unlike Pizza Pan, CDC has cleverly substituted a zen (?) gravel garden for more parking spaces. With innovation like that, we knew we were in for a real treat. The exterior of the building needed a little more landscaping to be really attractive, but it still looked good with its brick facade, columns, and black lanterns. We also enjoyed their tribute to fall outside the main entrance (pumpkins, and hay bales, and flowers - oh my!).
Our readers will be disappointed to learn that CDC is the only pizza place in Bourbonnais (so far) that does not play contemporary Christian music. This is really a sad commentary on our society, demonstrating the extent to which religious syncretism has invaded even our most hallowed of deep-dish eateries. Anywho, the interior of this place is really classy: stained-glass style lights hang over individual wooden booths with checkered tablecloths and knick-knacks scattered about. The feel was somewhere between "let's make romantic googly eyes across the table" and "let's speak in Italian accents and talk about sending Johnny to sleep with the fishes." Bonus: we sat under a street sign that read "N Campbell Ave," which provides a nice segue for our shout-out to Tyler and Rachel Campbell for their gift of a sleek binder for our Pizza Season Blog outings. We'd also really like to thank Ken and Shirley Carr for their generous donation to our project. We're dedicating this one to all of you!
Back to the future, er, pizza. Our server, whose name was Sydney (and not Cindy or Cynthany like Andrew thought), greeted and seated us quickly. She even asked if our booth was to our liking and was great about checking in on us and bringing us our refills. Sydney also brought us Parmesan cheese (which is yummy) and drew a smiley-face on our bill (which is happy). Note: In past posts we have kept our server's name a secret as to protect their identities; but we are making an exception in Sydney's case due to her great service.
The dining area was relatively clean. Nothing fantastic, though, and the mens' bathroom was kinda grody. Get this, though: their vacuum cleaner sucks (in a dis way, not a functional way)! We overheard two of the servers talking about it, so it must be true. We also eavesdropped on a conversation between a server and a woman, the latter of whom was complaining about how cold it was inside. She was close, but cold is not the right word. Frigid would be more apt. Or perhaps Greenland-ic (Greenland is the icy one; Iceland is the green one; Ireland is the lucky one; Graceland is the Elvis one). For those of you who are concerned about the polar ice caps melting, just ship them down to CDC and they'll be fine.
There's not a whole lot to say about the menu at CDC, either good or bad. They have a buffet option for lunch (and Tuesday dinners) and have a few interesting specialty pizzas (like honey mustard chicken). Individual toppings are a bit steep, but specialty pizzas are a good value. We ordered a 10" deep dish pizza with Canadian bacon and pineapple ($12.27) and a Dr. Pepper ($2.19). Our food came in good time. It was delicious! For starters, the cheese was excellent (the menu said it comes from Wisconsin). The sauce was more tomato-y-esque-ish. It was cooked well and was not too greasy. Overall, this was probably the highest quality and freshest of ingredients we have had so far on the Pizza Season Blog. Amber also said it was the best-tasting pizza so far (and Amber is always right).
So how did the Chicago Dough Company fare according to our incredibly accurate and well-thought-out rating system? Here's how:
Atmosphere (location, theme, vibe): 4/5
Cleanliness (bathrooms, table settings, furnishings): 3/5
Menu (variety, dining options, cost): 4/5
Food (taste, quality, value): 5/5
Service (friendliness, efficiency, helpfulness): 5/5
Total: 21/25 - Recommended!
Winner, winner, pizza dinner! CDC is our highest-rated pizza place yet. What really put them over the top was great food and great service. At the same time, we wish they were a lot warmer, a bit cleaner, and more creative with fun ways to spend a dollar. Will CDC reign supreme as we enter winter and survey more locations? Keep checking back each month to find out. Until next time - YOEPOAM!
If you would like more information about the Chicago Dough Company or want to write your own review, here's some helpful stuff:
Chicago Dough Company
545 S Main St
Bourbonnais, IL 60914
815-935-0300
Website: Chicago Dough Company
Extra Cheese: Last month we asked you what states have Aurelio's (Is Pizza) in them. The answer? Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Minnesota, and Nevada (and we think maybe Georgia now, too...hmm, peach pizza?). This month we'd like to thank our special student correspondent, Caleb Carr, for getting us a slice of the college pizza scene. Next time you're hard up for cash, try digging in the dumpster outside Little Caesar's just after midnight. If you manage to beat the grouchy hobos and the diseased rats there, you can enjoy yourself a delicious, lightly-used hot-n-ready!
Friday, October 26, 2012
October: Aurelio's is Pizza
October is National Pizza Month, and Aurelio's is Pizza!
Seriously, that's what it says on all their signage. We would like to ask,
“Compared to what?” Does this mean that Aurelio's is ontologically, at
its very essence, pizza? Or is it that it represents the definitive word on
what a pizza place ought to be? Inquiring minds and hungry tummies wanted to
know, so we found out!
It was raining outside, so we didn't waste any time enjoying
the exterior and landscaping. We will say, though, that Aurelio's is something
of a landmark in Bourbonnais, is easy to locate, and offers ample parking. Once
indoors, we were delighted to find that we had stepped out of Illinois and into
Tuscany, Italy. The restaurant is very well themed, featuring floor to ceiling
décor, including brickwork, an arched entryway, pleasant greenery, and other
little Italian touches. We were particularly impressed with the creative, open
floor plan. Aurelio's has spaces for dinner for two or for large parties. If
crowded, it could become a loud room quickly, but we sat next to a girl's
junior high soccer team and didn't feel overwhelmed. One additional note: we
have discovered that every, and by every we mean all, Bourbonnais
pizza joints play contemporary Christian music! “Why is this?” you may ask. We
did. But only in our heads, because we didn't think our server would know the
answer. More on that later...
Atmosphere aside, the restaurant was very clean and
accommodating. Bathrooms were fantastic: spacious, decorated, and well-lit.
There were arcade machines near the restroom for youngsters (although not so
close or so loud to the dining area that they were off-putting). There was also
a very nice take-out area with its own separate entrance, seating, and cashier.
The service at Aurelio's was a little—how shall we put it,
hmm—absent. There was no hostess when we arrived, and her podium remained empty
during the course of our meal. Honestly, we could have walked away with a dozen
menus under our arm and no one would have been the wiser. We thought about
it... Our server, who's name will be kept confidential, was patient with us
while we looked over the menu but was caught off guard when we asked for a
recommendation. Our food came quickly, but our bill did not. In fact, we were
finished for a good ten minutes before somebody stopped by to ask us about a
refill or dessert. When someone did come, she wasn't even our server, who, in
her defense, was probably busy being abducted by the soccer hooligans.
Speaking of dessert, on with the menu! This blog is about
pizza, but we have found cute dessert items at some locations. Last month it
was Pizza Pan's gelato. This month, Aurelio's impressed us with a DEEP DISH
COOKIE! How good is that?! We didn't have one, but we want you to. The menu
offered good variety with the exception that there were no real signature
pizzas, which we were expecting. We had a little crust confusion, so let us
help you out... Aurelio's pizzas are all what they call “thin crust.” “Thick
crust” and “stuffed” exist, but they are a different category and a different
price range. We really liked that we could order five different sizes of
pizzas, ranging from “Lil” (a.k.a. 6”) to “Fiesta” (a.k.a. Spanish...er, 18”).
Additional toppings match the size of your pizza; you pay more for extra
anchovies and meatballs on your large than you do on your small (and don't lie,
you know you want more of those toppings).
Our food arrived on this fun little black tray thingy with
bumps. It was a pleasant medium ground between our raised silver platter at
Mancino's (of Bradley) and our cardboard box at Pizza (of Pan). We ordered a
10” pizza with Canadian bacon (it's not just ham!) and green peppers for $11.95
and two waters for cheap as free (just a reminder: at Aurelio's you have a
server, so be prepared to tip). This is a pretty good value considering
Aurelio's reputation as a top-notch eatery. We want to say to college students,
“Don't be afraid to try it. You might like it! Then you can go back to your
Little Caesar's that has been sitting in a box under your couch for a week.”
The food looked very appetizing, was not greasy at all, and had plenty of
toppings. That having been said, it was only average in taste and we thought the
crust was stale. Also, DO NOT EAT THE PARMESAN CHEESE! It is not extra good. It
may not even be cheese. We're guessing...ground nothing with a sprig of mint.
Yum!
So how did Aurelio's (Is Pizza) measure up to our incredibly
accurate and well-thought-out rating system? Take a gander:
Atmosphere (location, theme, vibe): 5/5
Cleanliness (bathrooms, table settings, furnishings): 5/5
Menu (variety, dining options, cost): 4/5
Food (taste, quality, value): 3/5
Service (friendliness, efficiency, helpfulness): 3/5
Total: 20/25 – Recommended!
Aurelio's offers an enjoyable dining experience with great
atmosphere and good pizza. Its reputation precedes it, but it is neither as
costly nor delicious as you may have heard. Maybe we just caught them on an off
day, but with a little more effort put forward by the wait staff and a little
more care on preparation of quality ingredients, we think Aurelio's could go
from good to great! If you want to find out more about Aurelio's or check it
out for yourself, check out the information below. Thanks for reading our blog! Feel free to post comments and
check in again in November. Until then – YOEPOAM!
Aurelio's is Pizza
1600 North Convent Street
Bourbonnais, IL 60914
815-935-1212
Website: Aurelio's is Pizza
1600 North Convent Street
Bourbonnais, IL 60914
815-935-1212
Website: Aurelio's is Pizza
The Extra Cheese: Aurelio's is a small chain with restaurants in five different states. See if you can guess the five out of the following options and post your answer on the blog: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
September: Pizza Pan
When you think about fall, you probably think about playing football with friends, jumping in a big pile of leaves, and carving pumpkins. Not us. We think about pizza. Mmm, pizza. It makes sense, though. Pizza is the color of fall! The red pepperonis, the yellow mozzarella, the delicious brown crust. It's like taking a big bite out of a tree, for Pete's sake! Sorry, Pete, but it's true. So for the month of September, we dawned our thermal underpants and finest flannel and visited Pizza Pan. Here's what we found out:
Pizza Pan is is located a comfortable walk's distance from Olivet Nazarene University near the campus' intramural fields. Initially, we were skeptical of our chosen eatery. There was little space available in a somewhat confusing parking lot, and the owner's idea of landscaping was to pile together a bunch of rocks in the front lawn...ironically where more parking could have been. Inside, however, we found a clean and friendly environment in which to dine.
We were immediately greeted by, not one, not two, but three of the kitchen staff, who just happen to be family. Aww! Cute points. Our cashier was quick to offer us a menu and help make recommendations for our first visit. She was even kind enough to tell us about ways that we could save money by using our ONU connection. Go tigers! After some serious deliberating and furrowing of brows, we decided to order Amber's favorite: barbecue sauce. More specifically, we chose a 12" grilled barbecue chicken pizza with bacon ($11.99) and two cans of pop ($1.29 each).
We put on our white gloves and inspected cleanliness next. The dining area, which seats up to twenty-two guests at a time, was nice but not amazing. There was little attempt at decorating and the furnishings were simple. Honorable mention ought to be given to Mrs. Pizza Pan Lady, who put together an appetizing-looking gelato display. What were particularly impressive were the bathrooms. The word we have chosen for them is "accommodating." Why accommodating you ask? We will tell you. First, they were clean. Second, there was more space and design-thought put into these small rectangles than the rest of the building. Third, they went that extra mile: fun mirrors, real soap, plants, a state-of-the-art urinal, and air fresheners. Another word might be "pleasant," but let's not get carried away.
Where Pizza Pan really shines is its menu. We're talking deep dish. We're talking large pizza with three toppings for $10. We're talking ten or more specialty items. Three features especially stand out. To begin with, Pizza Pan really seems to be trying to cater to college students. With your ONU ID you can pick up a medium-sized one-topping pizza for $3.99 - a better deal than even Little Caesars if you're willing to wait. Next, Pizza Pan offers second and third pizzas at a discount price. True, it's not really getting a "free pizza," like their advertisements claim, but the cost is nearly equivalent when buying multiples. Lastly, the menu is well organized. It is easy to find what you want, and that's a plus when you're starving to death because you haven't eaten in an hour.
Our food came in about 25 minutes. It came in a box. It came with a fox. It came wearing socks. Minus the fox part. And the socks. But the box part is for real. Really real. So real, it's box real. We're guessing they mostly serve takeout. As our server walked away, he turned around, cocked his head inquisitively, and queried, "Plates?" He subsequently brought us two Styrofoam plates. Our server then walked as far as the counter before he turned around again. "Forks?" We decided to help the guy out and got up to get ourselves some plastic forks and knives and some napkins. To their credit, one of the servers brought us two kinds of cheeses: regular and EXTRA GOOD! (extra good! - adjective, pertaining to a profane helping of garlic). Anyway, the pizza. We liked it :) It was a little on the greasy side and the crust a little crunchy, but that didn't stop us from polishing off the whole thing. There was a healthy heaping of both chicken and bacon, and we really enjoyed the barbecue sauce. Definitely delicious and smile-inducing. We finished our meal with a free sample of gelato, courtesy of our hosts.
So how did Pizza Pan hold up to our incredibly accurate and well-thought-out rating system?
Atmosphere (location, theme, vibe): 2/5
Cleanliness (bathrooms, table settings, furnishings): 3/5
Menu (variety, dining options, cost): 5/5
Food (taste, quality, value): 4/5
Service (friendliness, efficiency, helpfulness): 4/5
Total: 18/25 - Recommended!
Pizza Pan is a family-owned, family-friendly restaurant that you can tell is the product of a lot of pride and love. Although we're not sure that dining-in is your best option here, the variety and value offered by the menu makes this a great place from which to pick up dinner. If you want to find out more or give Pizza Pan your own review, check out their information and website below. Thanks for reading! Until next month - YOEPOAM!
Pizza Pan
481 South Main
Bourbonnais, IL 60914
815-939-1234
Website: Pizza Pan
Pizza Pan is is located a comfortable walk's distance from Olivet Nazarene University near the campus' intramural fields. Initially, we were skeptical of our chosen eatery. There was little space available in a somewhat confusing parking lot, and the owner's idea of landscaping was to pile together a bunch of rocks in the front lawn...ironically where more parking could have been. Inside, however, we found a clean and friendly environment in which to dine.
We were immediately greeted by, not one, not two, but three of the kitchen staff, who just happen to be family. Aww! Cute points. Our cashier was quick to offer us a menu and help make recommendations for our first visit. She was even kind enough to tell us about ways that we could save money by using our ONU connection. Go tigers! After some serious deliberating and furrowing of brows, we decided to order Amber's favorite: barbecue sauce. More specifically, we chose a 12" grilled barbecue chicken pizza with bacon ($11.99) and two cans of pop ($1.29 each).
We put on our white gloves and inspected cleanliness next. The dining area, which seats up to twenty-two guests at a time, was nice but not amazing. There was little attempt at decorating and the furnishings were simple. Honorable mention ought to be given to Mrs. Pizza Pan Lady, who put together an appetizing-looking gelato display. What were particularly impressive were the bathrooms. The word we have chosen for them is "accommodating." Why accommodating you ask? We will tell you. First, they were clean. Second, there was more space and design-thought put into these small rectangles than the rest of the building. Third, they went that extra mile: fun mirrors, real soap, plants, a state-of-the-art urinal, and air fresheners. Another word might be "pleasant," but let's not get carried away.
Where Pizza Pan really shines is its menu. We're talking deep dish. We're talking large pizza with three toppings for $10. We're talking ten or more specialty items. Three features especially stand out. To begin with, Pizza Pan really seems to be trying to cater to college students. With your ONU ID you can pick up a medium-sized one-topping pizza for $3.99 - a better deal than even Little Caesars if you're willing to wait. Next, Pizza Pan offers second and third pizzas at a discount price. True, it's not really getting a "free pizza," like their advertisements claim, but the cost is nearly equivalent when buying multiples. Lastly, the menu is well organized. It is easy to find what you want, and that's a plus when you're starving to death because you haven't eaten in an hour.
Our food came in about 25 minutes. It came in a box. It came with a fox. It came wearing socks. Minus the fox part. And the socks. But the box part is for real. Really real. So real, it's box real. We're guessing they mostly serve takeout. As our server walked away, he turned around, cocked his head inquisitively, and queried, "Plates?" He subsequently brought us two Styrofoam plates. Our server then walked as far as the counter before he turned around again. "Forks?" We decided to help the guy out and got up to get ourselves some plastic forks and knives and some napkins. To their credit, one of the servers brought us two kinds of cheeses: regular and EXTRA GOOD! (extra good! - adjective, pertaining to a profane helping of garlic). Anyway, the pizza. We liked it :) It was a little on the greasy side and the crust a little crunchy, but that didn't stop us from polishing off the whole thing. There was a healthy heaping of both chicken and bacon, and we really enjoyed the barbecue sauce. Definitely delicious and smile-inducing. We finished our meal with a free sample of gelato, courtesy of our hosts.
So how did Pizza Pan hold up to our incredibly accurate and well-thought-out rating system?
Atmosphere (location, theme, vibe): 2/5
Cleanliness (bathrooms, table settings, furnishings): 3/5
Menu (variety, dining options, cost): 5/5
Food (taste, quality, value): 4/5
Service (friendliness, efficiency, helpfulness): 4/5
Total: 18/25 - Recommended!
Pizza Pan is a family-owned, family-friendly restaurant that you can tell is the product of a lot of pride and love. Although we're not sure that dining-in is your best option here, the variety and value offered by the menu makes this a great place from which to pick up dinner. If you want to find out more or give Pizza Pan your own review, check out their information and website below. Thanks for reading! Until next month - YOEPOAM!
Pizza Pan
481 South Main
Bourbonnais, IL 60914
815-939-1234
Website: Pizza Pan
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
August: Mancino's of Bradley
For our first foray into the delicious plethora of Kankakee pizza places we decided to venture off the beaten path and visit Mancino's of Bradley. Or is it Mancino's Pizza and Grinders? We're not sure. But here's what we found out!
Mancino's of Bradley is conveniently located a short walk's distance from Olivet Nazarene University, across from Perry Farm. Right away, we were pleased to find plenty of parking and a good attempt at landscaping. The building seemed clean from the outside and showed off nice Italian red, white, and green.
Inside we were greeted immediately by the cashier and picked up a menu. Mancino's offers an impressive variety of sandwiches called grinders (the history of the term "grinder" is even printed on their cups), but unfortunately does not have very many pizza options, despite "pizza" being in their name (maybe?). We chose a 12" Hawaiian pizza ($10.99) and two fountain drinks ($1.79 each).
While we waited for our food, we cased the joint. Amber immediately noticed that we were being spied on. That's right, the kitchen had one of those one-way mirror-window dooflippies like you see in Scooby Doo haunted houses. On the plus side, even though the kitchen was very large and very close to our seats, we weren't disturbed by a lot of noise. Quite the opposite: there was a Christian music station playing.
The decor was simple. There were about fifteen tables, covered with table cloths, some lighting and fans, and lots of windows (the windows were really great). Oddly enough, the chairs wobbled. I don't mean the chairs we sat in rocked. I mean Every Single Chair we checked was old and tilted a good 145 degrees (hyperbole) when you leaned forward to take a bite. Signs hung on the wall, telling you what kind of food you could order (salads, pastas, and cappuccinos (wait, what?)), and there were pictures of the food underneath each sign in case you didn't pass second grade. But seriously - SERIOUSLY - there was no picture of pizza under the sign that said "pizza." Instead there was a thermostat. So...I hope you like your pizza hot. Or cold. Or room temperature. I guess it depends on the thermostat.
One aspect of Mancino's really wowed us. One word: clean. I mean, immaculately clean. The floors were clean. The tables were clean. The bathrooms were clean. Servers walked around cleaning. Even the drink station was clean - and that never happens! We're talking sterile here, people. But in the good way. Not the hospital kind of way. A word of caution, though. Men, I'm sorry, but you can't use the bathroom. There is a women's restroom and a family restroom. That's it. You should have gone before you left.
Speaking of servers, ours came in about ten minutes with our food (not a bad wait at all). And get this: the pizza was presented to us on a silver platter!!! A raised silver platter. That spun. Awesome? We think so, yes. Time to eat. Those of you who use a napkin to soak up the grease on your pizza before eating it will be pleased to hear that it is unnecessary to do so at Mancino's. There was ample cheese, and the ham and pineapple were of a decent quality. We did not, however, particularly care for the crust (btw, no crust options). On the whole, we were happy with our meal but not really impressed with it, and the value was slightly underwhelming (especially if you want to add toppings).
How did Mancino's of Bradley hold up to our incredibly accurate and well-thought-out rating system?
Atmosphere (location, theme, vibe): 4/5
Cleanliness (bathrooms, table setting, furnishings): 5/5
Menu (variety, dining options, cost): 2/5
Food (taste, quality, value): 3/5
Service (friendliness, efficiency, helpfulness): 4/5
Total: 18/25 - Recommended!
If a friend asked us where to get pizza in Kankakee County, Mancino's of Bradley would not be our first recommendation. If, however, we were asked about this restaurant specifically, we would have a lot of positive things to say about its atmosphere, service, and non-pizza-y options. If you want to find out more or give Mancino's your own review, check out their information and website below. Thanks for reading! Until next month - YOEPOAM!
Mancino's of Bradley
Website: Mancino's of Bradley
Mancino's of Bradley is conveniently located a short walk's distance from Olivet Nazarene University, across from Perry Farm. Right away, we were pleased to find plenty of parking and a good attempt at landscaping. The building seemed clean from the outside and showed off nice Italian red, white, and green.
Inside we were greeted immediately by the cashier and picked up a menu. Mancino's offers an impressive variety of sandwiches called grinders (the history of the term "grinder" is even printed on their cups), but unfortunately does not have very many pizza options, despite "pizza" being in their name (maybe?). We chose a 12" Hawaiian pizza ($10.99) and two fountain drinks ($1.79 each).
While we waited for our food, we cased the joint. Amber immediately noticed that we were being spied on. That's right, the kitchen had one of those one-way mirror-window dooflippies like you see in Scooby Doo haunted houses. On the plus side, even though the kitchen was very large and very close to our seats, we weren't disturbed by a lot of noise. Quite the opposite: there was a Christian music station playing.
The decor was simple. There were about fifteen tables, covered with table cloths, some lighting and fans, and lots of windows (the windows were really great). Oddly enough, the chairs wobbled. I don't mean the chairs we sat in rocked. I mean Every Single Chair we checked was old and tilted a good 145 degrees (hyperbole) when you leaned forward to take a bite. Signs hung on the wall, telling you what kind of food you could order (salads, pastas, and cappuccinos (wait, what?)), and there were pictures of the food underneath each sign in case you didn't pass second grade. But seriously - SERIOUSLY - there was no picture of pizza under the sign that said "pizza." Instead there was a thermostat. So...I hope you like your pizza hot. Or cold. Or room temperature. I guess it depends on the thermostat.
One aspect of Mancino's really wowed us. One word: clean. I mean, immaculately clean. The floors were clean. The tables were clean. The bathrooms were clean. Servers walked around cleaning. Even the drink station was clean - and that never happens! We're talking sterile here, people. But in the good way. Not the hospital kind of way. A word of caution, though. Men, I'm sorry, but you can't use the bathroom. There is a women's restroom and a family restroom. That's it. You should have gone before you left.
Speaking of servers, ours came in about ten minutes with our food (not a bad wait at all). And get this: the pizza was presented to us on a silver platter!!! A raised silver platter. That spun. Awesome? We think so, yes. Time to eat. Those of you who use a napkin to soak up the grease on your pizza before eating it will be pleased to hear that it is unnecessary to do so at Mancino's. There was ample cheese, and the ham and pineapple were of a decent quality. We did not, however, particularly care for the crust (btw, no crust options). On the whole, we were happy with our meal but not really impressed with it, and the value was slightly underwhelming (especially if you want to add toppings).
How did Mancino's of Bradley hold up to our incredibly accurate and well-thought-out rating system?
Atmosphere (location, theme, vibe): 4/5
Cleanliness (bathrooms, table setting, furnishings): 5/5
Menu (variety, dining options, cost): 2/5
Food (taste, quality, value): 3/5
Service (friendliness, efficiency, helpfulness): 4/5
Total: 18/25 - Recommended!
If a friend asked us where to get pizza in Kankakee County, Mancino's of Bradley would not be our first recommendation. If, however, we were asked about this restaurant specifically, we would have a lot of positive things to say about its atmosphere, service, and non-pizza-y options. If you want to find out more or give Mancino's your own review, check out their information and website below. Thanks for reading! Until next month - YOEPOAM!
Mancino's of Bradley
200 North Kennedy Drive,
Bradley, IL 60915
815-935-7200
Website: Mancino's of Bradley
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