Top 10 foods/places to try for Fall 2011

1. The Crave Truck

Thursday afternoons at Research Park on the East parking lot in front of the Enterprise Works Building (corner of Hazelwood and First), Friday mornings on the corner of Hessel Blvd. and Neil (behind the Circle K) in Champaign and Saturdays from 7 a.m.-noon at the Urbana Farmers Market

One of the newest additions to the Champaign-Urbana area, The Crave Truck serves breakfast (or any meal for that matter) on wheels. This isn’t just any breakfast. This is Belgian street waffles.

Not sure what the difference is between the standard American “Belgian” waffle and a Belgian street waffle? You’re just going to have to try it and find out.

Must Try: The Classic Street Waffle, an amazingly sweet, doughy and chewy waffle with a crunchy, warm, finger-lickin’ good crust. Grab one with powdered sugar before class with a cup of coffee, or maybe add a little drizzle of chocolate syrup (or Nutella) for an afternoon snack. They’re great on the go and best when eaten quickly. For more info on The Crave Truck, check out their website, cravetruck.com, and follow them on Twitter @thecravetruck.

2. Black Dog Smoke & Ale House

201 N Broadway Ave. in Urbana

The wafting smell of smoke lets you know you’re close. An even better indicator is the semi-permanent line that forms outside of the restaurant, rain or shine. It might be one of the only meals you’d actually wait 45 minutes to be seated for in Champaign-Urbana.

Meat-eater or not, Black Dog has something for you. Offering a full bar with a large craft beer selection, barbecued, smoked, rubbed and seasoned meats, the best sweet potato fries, vegetarian options and much more, it might be difficult to not eat here daily (it’s okay if you do).

Must Try: Burnt Ends Sandwich (while supplies last). Made from a double smoked (12 hours per smoke) and rubbed brisket point, this sandwich is almost too good. The meat is seasoned perfectly and carries that smoke without being overpowering. It’s juicy, tender, mouthwatering and so good it will almost make you cry. Served Carolina-style with the house sauce (Carolina Red) and slaw on top, plus one side (we recommend the sweet potato fries), the Burnt Ends Sandwich is the closest thing to barbecued ambrosia.

For their full menu of tasty goodness and more information, find Black Dog Smoke & Ale House on Facebook here.

3. El Charro Mexican Grocery and Taqueria

55 E Green St. in Champaign, IL

When Chipotle no longer satisfies your craving for Mexican food, El Charro should be your next stop. Hell, you should just skip Chipotle altogether (and the lines. A “quick” lunch at Chipotle is no more) and come here instead. Doubling as a restaurant and a grocery store, El Charro is a diamond in the rough.

A hole-in-the-wall location, the menu is fairly large and comprised entirely of delicious, authentic Mexican food. Everything is cooked to order and never disappoints.

Must Try: the Carnitas Tacos. They’re wonderfully seasoned with just enough salt — a touch crunchy, but tender and soft. It’s served in two small corn tortillas and finished with the traditional toppings of onions, cilantro and a lime on the side. The green (tomatillo) and red (tomato-chili) sauces are already set out on the tables, ready to add that kick. Check out El Charro ASAP, especially on Wednesdays when they serve $1 tacos!

4. B-Won

2006 S Neil St. in Champaign

This place could be the cleanest restaurant in town to eat at. There is no greasy smell in the air that is so often the case in other restaurants. What‘s even better is that their restrooms are superbly spotless.

Their foods are slightly more expensive than what the other restaurants being introduced here have. However, no matter what you order, seven side dishes, which are refilled automatically, are always brought to the table.

At B-Won, you can get standard Korean foods, such as bulgogi, jjigae and bibimbap. You can also get a variety of noodles, soups and casseroles that are hard to find in other Korean restaurants in town. You can substitute your white rice, free of charge, to mixed rice (different types and colors of rice all mixed together). As for their service, it is appropriate to assume there might be cultural differences. Some of their waiters do not know how to speak English that well, but all are generous enough to explain everything you would want to know the best they can.

Must Try: Dolsot Bibimbap. A bowl of rice, vegetables, meat and an egg make this a hearty, comforting dish. The bowl itself is made of stone and is heated in the oven, so when the ingredients go in and everything is mixed, a great, crackly, crunchy rice crust gets formed. Served with gochujang — the Korean red pepper paste — for a kick, the dolsot bibimbap is a great traditional dish for those who are trying Korean food for the first time and veterans alike.

5. Zorba’s

627 E Green St. in Champaign

Burned down on March 24, 2011 by a fire, Zorba’s is still a legendary place in many people’s minds. Nevertheless, there seems to be some promising sights of Zorba’s re-opening with their sign back nice and sparkly and the visible remodeling inside.

What makes this place so special? First of all, Zorba’s is a family-owned Greek fast food restaurant. It means that their foods are fresh in comparison with other chain gyros places. Most of their foods are made-to-order, except their spinach pie, spanakopita, which is forgivable.

Must Try: Their classic lamb or chicken gyros. It’s simply delicious, especially with their cucumber sauce (tzatziki). One bite and you know you won’t be able to stop. In addition, they also have a variety of pita sandwiches and salads. For vegetarians, they offer a veggie pita and vegetarian chili. On Groovy Tuesdays, you can get $1 off of their Classic Gyros or Vegee Sandwiches, plus half off any size of their fries. And they have Jazz nights and beers!

Make sure to keep an eye out for Zorba’s!

6. Golden Harbor

505 S Neil St. in Champaign

THE must-visit place for authentic Chinese, particularly Taiwanese, cuisine. They have a few typical American-style Chinese food dishes available, but only those with the true desire to enjoy an authentic Chinese dining experience can appreciate their bits and pieces.

It’s true that their ordering process and extensive menu can be quite overwhelming. They require customers to do what waiters or waitresses do, like picking their own table and writing their own orders. The fact is that in Taiwan or China, that IS often how the ordering process goes. Their menu contains mostly Chinese symbols with little explanations.

Totally lost? Consider consulting with the nice ladies near the register. They are always generous enough to explain everything you need to know, from how and what to order to how their business came to be. Also, think about it this way. A menu filled with Chinese symbols? Great opportunity to sharpen your Chinese or to let your Chinese friends give you their short intro of the foods they miss the most (that’s if they’ll stop with just an intro and not brag about their country of origin).

Must Try: Crispy Tofu and tons of delicious items you simply cannot get easily anywhere else!

7. Bombay Indian Grill

403 E Green St. in Champaign

Everyone says college is the time to try new things. Well, here’s your chance. If you’ve never had Indian food before, a four-year-plus stint at Illinois should be plenty of time to check that off the to-do list.

It’s a little spicy, very aromatic, uses about half of the spice cabinet in each dish and is more comforting than you would think at first glance, sort of the meat and potatoes of the East. Especially great on a chilly day, Indian food keeps you full and going all afternoon/evening, perfect for the mid-semester crunch.

Must Try: Chicken Makhani (also known as butter chicken). Clay-roasted chicken is served in a rich, lightly spiced, creamy tomato sauce with basmati rice. It’s unbelievably addicting, especially with a side order of naan, an oven-baked flatbread common in South and Central Asia. Once you’ve eaten your chicken (it’s difficult; don’t let size fool you. They serve it in what looks like a small container, but it’s actually quite filling), dip your naan into the leftover sauce, mix the sauce with the rice, eat the sauce, rice and naan together, or maybe, if you’re bold, just pick up the bowl and drink it. It is that good.

For more info on locations or their menu, visit their website.

8. Murphy’s

604 E Green St. in Champaign

Imagine medieval times (not the jousting restaurant), when groups of gruff men or ladies sat on dark wood chairs and tables, drinking gallons of fermented grain beverages and eating greasy but delicious foods with their bare hands.

Well, it will not be as out there as that at Murphy’s pub, but Murphy’s does provide the atmosphere needed for proper social interactions and intellectual stimulation. Some even argue that Murphy’s is the best place to study with a laptop and a gin and tonic, which could prove that this place has something for everyone. The drinks and food are inexpensive compared to a lot of places in town.

Must Try: Irish Nachos. Suitable for a group of 5+, or just one if you’re REALLY hungry, the Irish Nachos pack a whole oval tray filled with cheesy waffle fries and assorted toppings (tons of bacon and veggies) with salsa and sour cream dips, all for under $8. Nothing like one of those to celebrate Fridays, huh?

9. One World Pizza

508 E Green St. in Champaign

In college, pizza will either become exhaustingly banal or a student’s sole food source (especially post-dorm life). Or both. A great late night snack or leftover breakfast, it always has your back, morning, noon and night. But the lackluster combinations of cheese, cheese and pepperoni, cheese and sausage and maybe the rare light dusting of vegetables can easily become monotonous.

One World Pizza puts a new spin on an old classic with their specialty pizzas, whose toppings range from various ethnicities, which they offer in addition to the “normal” flavors.

Must Try: The Korean Seoul. It replaces the pizza sauce with gochujang, a slightly spicy and savory Korean red pepper paste, then tops it with bulgogi beef and kimchi.

If Asian isn’t your speed, they offer the Taj Mahal for an Indian-inspired ‘za with Tikka Sauce and Tandoori chicken, the El Mejicano and Taco Gringo for a little Mexican flair, a Breakfast Pizza for when you really want pizza for breakfast, and many others.

Open late (until 2:30 AM Monday – Saturday nights) and offering delivery, One World is a pizza-loving college student’s dream (yes, they deliver to the dorms. Don’t let mass housing ruin those midnight munchies). So call ‘em up, or even more conveniently, order online!

10. Courier Café

111 N Race St. in Urbana

For a semi-fancy night out, the Courier Café is a great place to go.

They serve an amazing breakfast (such as Almond French Toast), lunch and dinner, and they’re open as late as midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. They have a variety of burgers and entrees. Their salad bar is amazing. Most of their entrees come with the salad bar, which is dangerous since you can get as much salad as you want and however you want it.

Must Try: Peanut Butter and Chocolate hand-dipped shakes (or whatever flavor you prefer!). You get a great milkshake, including the leftovers in the metal cup -— that’s enough to feed two and made with real ingredients, not powder or artificial favors. While at Courier, be sure to check out their decorations, as well. Think old school with wooden booths, copper ceiling, an old fashioned menu, stained glass windows salvaged from a church in Danville and a vintage register!