Road Tips

The Flood of 2008

The Mississippi River is out of its banks here in the Quad Cities this week.  Last week there was minor flooding along the river as the Mississippi hit 16.8 feet in the Quad Cities - 1.8 feet above flood stage.  Then the river began to recede.  However, heavy rains in Northern and Northeast Iowa last week drove the river to over 19 feet yesterday.  The river levels will slowly recede this week.  That is, if preliminary predictions of heavy rains for Northern Iowa don't materialize on Friday.

Davenport is the largest city on the Mississippi that doesn't have some sort of a flood wall or levee system in place.  This has caused a major controversy in the past with a number of government officials, including those from FEMA, questioning the rationale of providing Davenport federal funds to help clean up the aftermath of the flood.  Federal officials, for a long time, have wanted Davenport to put up some sort of a flood wall.  But I have to tell you - walking along the river in the summertime without any visual impediment is pretty cool. 

I went down to take pictures when the river hit 18.7 feet on Monday.  Here is a picture of the infamous "Skybridge to Nowhere" in downtown Davenport.  Actually, the Skybridge was built to allow customers of the Rhythm City Casino to get to the boat during floods like this.  However, the Rhythm City shut down on Sunday citing the safety issues of rising flood waters.

(As always, click on the photos for larger images.)

I was able to get up on the Skybridge and take some pictures.  Here's a pic looking east toward the building that was the old Dock Restaurant.  Lock and Dam 15 is in the background and River Drive is on the left.  There's actually a railroad track in between the two fences between River Drive and the parking lot. 

Here's a picture of the Levee Inn along the river just east of LeClaire Park.  The Levee Inn has been closed for a number of years, but for some reason it's still sitting there as some sort of a monument to previous floods.  If you click on the picture and look at the blue marks along the near corner of the building, you'll see the water marks of previous floods.  The Great Flood of 1993 went all the way to just under the awning of the roof.  And that was just over 22.6 feet.   

I tried to get down there to take a closer picture of the Levee Inn, but a security guard from the Rhythm City Casino stopped me.  It was stupid, but he wouldn't let me go down.  Of course, employees from the Rhythm City Casino were going down and coming up the elevator.  I understand they're losing something like $175,000 in income each day they're shut down.  And I shouldn't say this as Rhythm City has sponsored a number of events that I've worked at in the past, but I view that as payback.  The citizens of Davenport got slickered into building a Skybridge that basically stops at the front of the casino so they can keep the place open for floods like this, and they still shut down.

Here's a shot looking west from the Skybridge toward LeClaire Park.  When I work events at LeClaire Park, I always announce, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to beautiful LeClaire Park, right next to and sometimes IN the Mississippi River."  Well, it's certainly in the river now. 

This is looking east along River Drive.  The Government Bridge is in the background.  The building in the foreground is part of the building that houses the Front Street Brewery.  Notice the sandbags around the building allowing the brewpub and other businesses in the building to stay open.

Now, for those of you who grew up learning that the Mississippi River runs north/south, it actually runs east/west in the Quad Cities.  It's the longest stretch of the river where it runs east and west.  It screwed up my wife's directions for the first few years she live in Davenport as she was one who learned the river ran north and south.  She just couldn't fathom the fact that she was driving south into Illinois from Iowa.   

I ended up going down west of the Skybridge to take a few pictures.  Here I'm standing in the middle of River Drive, normally a busy street.  Notice the water in the background which made the street impassible. 

And here's a shot of Modern Woodmen Park, formerly known as John O'Donnell Stadium.  The river has come up enough that it's surrounding the park and encroaching into the main stadium parking lot. 

Here's a picture of the water lapping up at the outfield berm the City of Davenport put in a few years ago to keep water out of the park as part of the major renovation of the stadium.  As far as I know, the stadium field is high and dry.  The Centennial Bridge over to Rock Island is in the background.

I used to have a picture of the ballpark completely under water from the Flood of 93.  I'll have to see if I still have that somewhere and load it into the blog.   

Here's the bandshell at LeClaire Park.  Notice the seats in front of the bandshell and how they're almost under water.  It's kind of spooky seeing the river up that high.

And here's a shot of the Bix Beiderbecke memorial by the bandshell at LeClaire Park.  It's going to take one helluva flood to submerge Bix's head.

I have a good friend who lives along the river who is in Puerto Rico right now.  He has been planning this trip for quite sometime.  Last Friday, just before he left, he got word that the river was going to climb to 19.6 feet.  He already had an inch of water in his garage situated under his house - "Just enough water to piss me off," he said. 

When he found out that the river was going to rise about another three feet, he was resigned to the fact that he was going to lose his riding lawn mower, his beer fridge and a few other things.  See, the water has been up long enough that he hasn't been able to drive back to his house from the road for a few days.  He's been using his boat to go back and forth from his house to where they part their vehicles.  Getting the mower, fridge and other things out at that point would have been impossible.

He told me, "What are you going to do?  I'm basically f***ed.  But I chose to live along the river and I have to face the consequences.  I'm going to Puerto Rico, I'm going to drink a bunch of rum and I'm not going to worry about it until I get home."

God love him. 

I got a text message from him yesterday telling me it was hot in Puerto Rico and asking about river levels back home.  I texted him back, "River went over 19 feet last night.  We had a hard freeze (29 degrees at 6 a.m. yesterday morning)."  I figured the good news that he missed the hard freeze in late April would diminish the bad news about the river level.   

Hopefully, I won't have any more flood updates in the coming days.  We'll have to watch the developing weather coming up this Friday.  All I know is that I wish we could just get a soaking one inch rainfall, once a week, four times a month, rather than getting four inches all at once.  Especially this time of year.

Ristorante DeMarco's - Itasca, IL

I had a very good sales month for the month of March - number one in the whole company, a first for me.  Considering that I usually have middle of the road numbers compared to the other guys in much larger markets, I was pretty happy with how it ended up.  I treated myself to a wonderful dinner at Ristorante DeMarco's in the Chicago suburb of Itasca at the corner of Lake St. and Rohlwing Road (Route 53) just off of Interstate 355 (see map).  It's located at the end of a strip mall and I've long gotten over my aversion to restaurants housed in a strip mall.  And I'm glad I have. 

I've eaten at Ristorante DeMarco's a couple times prior.  Once, when I was an area rep for Marantz, their headquarters were located just up the road and a few of us went there for dinner one evening.  It was very good.  And after Cindy got back from Europe last summer we stopped in for a meal before we drove back home.  Both times the food was very good.  Expensive, but good.

I was staying in Elmhurst just down the road from Ristorante DeMarco's and I walked in about 8:30.  The owner's son, Mike DeMarco, greeted me at the door and I asked him if I could eat at the bar.  He said, "You bet, as long as you don't mind that I'll be the one waiting on you." 

Ristorante DeMarco's began in 1992 when Jerry and Nancy DeMarco first opened their doors.  The menu is fully traditional Italian fare with a number of very fresh ingredients.  In the summer time, large barrels of fresh basil grow outside the front of the restaurant.

The dining room is very elegant with linen table cloths and soft lighting.  The tables are a little close to one another, but it's still comfortable to dine. 

The bar area is pretty large and a number of people were seated there having drinks and dinner.  There was a large table of men seated having a good time and being kind of loud.  But they weren't bothering me all that much.

I ordered up a glass of wine - a 2002 Sterling Reserve Cabernet - that Mike (who introduced himself to me) highly recommended.  I've had it before and it was certainly tasty and robust. 

I've had the pasta during both of my previous visits.  The white cream sauce they have is excellent.  But since it was later in the evening, I decided to get veal that night.  I ordered up the Veal Marsala and also got a caprese salad as a starter.  Mike had a guy bring out a basket of bread and their wonderful garlic whipped butter.  I could just devour the butter, it's so good. 

The kitchen has a window by the bar and Mike quickly brought over my caprese salad.  The tomatoes were wonderful, as was the buffalo mozzarella.  The basil was fresh as were the black olives with the pits still in them.  It was great.

About 15 minutes after I finished my salad, I got another glass of wine just in time for the Veal Marsala to be brought out to me.  From the first bite, I didn't want the meal to end.  The Marsala wine sauce was so full of body and so sweet that it reminded me of maple syrup.  God, it was absolutely wonderful!  It was topped with fresh cut mushrooms and a small amount of capers.  Oh, my God!  I have to say it was the best Veal Marsala I've ever had in my life.  I'd go back there again and again and again just to get the Veal Marsala.

In fact, it was such a great meal that I actually had an espresso for an after dinner treat.  I should know better than that.  Espresso or cappucino after 9 p.m. and after a big meal is not a good combination for me.  I don't drink coffee and I drink minimal amounts of pop, so the caffiene kicks my butt.  I couldn't get to sleep until about 1:30 a.m.     

It wasn't a cheap meal by any means - it came to $75 bucks with the two glasses of wine, espresso and tip.  (The Veal Marsala was $26.95 and the caprese salad was $11.95.)  But it was damn worth it.  I certainly wasn't feeling guilty with the company picking up the hefty tab that evening, and my boss didn't mind either.

Now I need to have more months like I had in March so I can go back to Ristorante DeMarcos and have the Veal Marsala again.  If I could make that at home, I'd never go out and eat any longer.  Ristorante DeMarcos is one of the hidden gems in the western suburbs of Chicago.   

Driving Across Iowa on I-80

Thanx to my friend, Dave Grimm, who sent this little ditty along to me recently.  It's a You Tube video of comedian Heywood Banks' song about driving across Iowa on Interstate 80.  I've heard this song before, but someone put pictures to the words and it makes the song even better. 

Jim's Hamburger Heaven - Elmhurst, IL

I'd first heard about Hamburger Heaven in Elmhurst, IL last fall from a Road Tips reader (whose name escapes me at this time) who wrote and told me, "This place has the best burgers in all of Chicago.  Believe me.  You've got to go there and give it a try sometime."

The only problem is that when I finally got around to trying the place out, it was closed for the winter months.  You see, Hamburger Heaven is a little ice cream shack at the corner of York Road and North Avenue in Elmhurst (see map).  They just happen to be well known around the western suburbs of Chicago as having some of the best burgers around. 

I was driving on North Ave. through Elmhurst in late March and I happened to notice that Hamburger Heaven was open for the season.  I was on my way downtown and couldn't stop in at that time, but the next day I went back for a quick burger before I left town. 

Actually, the official name of the place is "Jim's Hamburger Heaven".  It's been in business for 60 years, first opening in 1948.  Since 1977, Angelo Kouretas has been running the business.  I haven't been able to find out who the original "Jim" was, but I read that it may have been the nephew of the original owner who took over the business sometime in the 60's.  Rumor also has it that Hamburger Heaven's Double Decker burger was the influence behind McDonald's Big Mac.  McDonald's will dispute this, but a lot of McDonald's employees from their nearby corporate offices would eat at Hamburger Heaven.     

I pulled into the parking lot on a sunny early spring day around 11:45.  There were a couple people standing at the order window ordering food.  There's a single menu on the board outside the restaurant.  I just wanted to get a double cheeseburger and a root beer, which I understand they make in house.

Everything is made to order, so there's going to be a wait for a burger.  I waited outside watching the traffic going by for about 10 minutes before the girl opened the pick up window and called my number.  I took my double cheese and root beer to my car and dug in.

I'll have to say that while the burger is good, I don't know if it's the best I've ever had in Chicago.  It was juicy and the condiments were fresh.  I really did like the root beer, though.  It was a good compliment to the burger. 

Hamburger Heaven is definitely a throwback to the 50's and the fact that it's kept its unique nature over the years is a testament to the good food they serve.  I may have to come back for a root beer float sometime this summer.  And I'll probably get a hamburger again.  Only I'll try a Double Decker next time.    

Coyote's Mexican Grill - Villa Park, IL

Staying at the Courtyard by Marriott in Elmhurst, IL recently, I asked the night desk clerk where she thought some really good Mexican food was in the area.  She didn't even flinch when she said, "Oh!  Coyote's Mexican Grill down on Roosevelt Rd." (see map)  She told me they had good food and great margaritas.  And in the summertime, it's one of the best places to eat as they have a pretty nice courtyard. 

She had me sold when she said they had great margaritas.

It was about a 10 minute drive from the hotel down to the restaurant.  I actually passed it and had to double back to the strip mall where Coyote's Mexican Grill sits back in a corner.  I walked up to the place and I thought, "Man, where would you have an outdoor courtyard around here?" 

Then I spotted a gated in area in the clear corner of the mall that was an open air area with tables, chairs and a nice little fire pit.  I'll bet it would be nice to sit out there in the summertime, I thought. 

I went in and it was getting late - it was 8:30 and they close at 9:00.  I'm always worried that I pissed the cooks off when I show up in the final minutes of the work day when they're trying to clean up and get out of there.  In fact, other than a couple people watching television in the bar area, I was the only one in the dining room.

The owner told me I could sit anywhere, gave me a menu, and he asked what I wanted to drink.  I told him a margarita on the rocks, no salt.  He said, "What size?"

He told me they have four sizes including a liter-sized margarita. I said, "What the hell.  I'll go for the liter."  When he brought it out, I thought, "Now, how in the hell am I gonna drink THAT!?"  The glass was filled with over a quart of margarita!

One of the bus boys brought out chips and salsa.  The chips I couldn't tell if they were made in house or not and the salsa was OK, nothing outstanding, but it wasn't bad.

There were lots of interesting things on the menu, but I got sort of interested in what was called the Burrito Especial - a burrito filled with chunks of steak that was cooked over mesquite.  It came with a side of rice and refried beans.  Man, it sounded great, so I went with that.

I nursed my margarita passing the time until my food came out.  It didn't come out quickly which told me one of two things - the cooks were making it from scratch; or they had turned everything off in the kitchen and were pissed they had to make one last meal for a gringo coming in late in the evening.  I was hoping for the former and not the latter. 

When the plate came out, it was filled with a large burrito and the sides.  I eagerly dug into the burrito and I was not disappointed.  It was wonderful.  The taste of the mesquite on the steak chunks wasn't overpowering, yet it was strong enough to give the burrito a smoky flavor.  It was a good meal to finish out the day.

But, as I was finishing up my meal, I reached across the table to move the basket of chips out of the way.  As I did that, I tipped over the margarita glass - which, thankfully, was mostly ice and water at this point.  I apologized profusely to the owner, but he was very helpful in coming over and wiping up the spilled ice and water.  I felt like a complete idiot. 

He invited me to come back in the summertime when they got their patio reopened.  He said, "It's been voted as one of the nicest outdoor dining spots in the Chicago suburbs." 

I told him I would come back sometime.  But the next morning, Coyote's Revenge got me.  Either there was something exotic in the food, or the cooks really did get back at me for coming in so late.  Still, the food was very good and I would like to go back.  Coyote's Mexican Grill is sort of tough to find, but it's well worth looking for when you're in the western suburbs of Chicago.

(Update - I was in the mood for Mexican food one night in the summer of 2009 when I was in the western suburbs of Chicago and I went by Coyote's hoping to give another shot in giving me "Coyote's Revenge".  Unfortunately, I found their doors were closed.  Oh well...)

Titletown Brewing Company - Green Bay, WI

Before I left Green Bay to make my way down to Milwaukee, I stopped off and had lunch at the Titletown Brewing Company in downtown Green Bay (see map).  I was hankering for a Reuben and I thought I'd give it a try. 

Titletown Brewing Company is housed in the historic Chicago and Northwestern railway depot that was originally built in 1898-99.  It was in use until 1971 as a passenger depot, then was eventually made into a freight depot.  In 1994, the building was basically abandoned and sat idle for a couple of years.

In the summer of 1996, a group of investors bought the building and transformed it into a brewpub which opened in December of that year.  Titletown Brewing Company is named after the nickname locals call Green Bay after the Packers won so many NFL championships before and during the Super Bowl years. 

Titletown Brewing has a large parking lot stretching along the north side of the building.  I was able to get a parking spot and a seat at the bar around 12:15 with no problem.  The bartender gave me a food menu and I checked out the beer menu they had on a chalk board above the bar.  Unfortunately, they didn't have descriptions of the various beers they were pouring, so I was at a loss as what to get.

I asked the bartender about the Hopasaurus Ale.  She said it was their most hopped beer.  I said, "Do you have a pale ale?"

She said, "Hopasaurus IS our pale ale." 

Oh!  OK!  I'll take that, then.  I felt sort of stupid. 

While they did have a full menu of appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches and entrees, like I said in a post a couple weeks ago, I had been having a hankering for a good ol' Reuben lately.  So that was a no-brainer.  I also got an order of their french fries on the side when I ordered the sandwich.

The Hopasaurus Beer did have a good forward taste to it.  Definitely more hoppy than an American Pale Ale, the bitterness in the taste didn't linger like you find with some India Pale Ales.  It was very good and I wish I'd picked up a "growler" of the stuff.  But, like I say, I'll be back to Green Bay sometime soon.

My sandwich came and it was lightly grilled with a lot of nice thick chunks of corned beef.  (Turkey Reuben's are also available at Titletown.)  It was a serious spot hitter.  I don't know if it is as good as the one I've had at The Stein in downtown Green Bay, but it was damn good.

Lunch with the sandwich, beer and a tip came to about $13 bucks.  Before I left, I walked around the bar and dining area of Titletown Brewing to check out some of the historic old pictures and memorabilia from when the trains ran to town. 

Good beer, good food - Titletown Brewing Company is a very good brewpub.  It's definitely worth another visit when I get back to Green Bay.

The Earthquake

A 5.2 magnitude earthquake hit the Midwest at 4:37 a.m. CDT yesterday morning.  The quake was centered near West Salem, IL near the Illinois/Indiana border.  I was in Indianapolis - about 160 miles from the epicenter - but I didn't feel it. 

My friend, Charlie Sampson, who lives in Carmel, IN just north of Indy, felt it.  My sister, Nancy, who lives in Louisville, felt it.  And my wife, sound asleep in our bed in the Quad Cities, felt it. 

Cindy told me when I called to tell her "Good Morning" yesterday that she had an "out of body experience this morning".  I asked her what she was talking about.  She said, "Well, it felt like someone was shaking the bed.  Then all the sudden the brass handles on your dresser started to rattle.  I wondered what the hell was going on." 

My sister called while I was talking to Cindy and she said pretty much the same thing.  She said, "It felt like someone was at the end of the bed shaking it."  She immediately turned on the TV and the news people in Louisville were a little shook, as well. 

She was telling me that a building in downtown Louisville lost some bricks from atop a facade.  According to news reports, that seems to be the only substantial damage in the region from the quake.  Here's a picture of the damage courtesy of the Louisville Courier-Journal.

Charlie told me that it was the first time he felt an Indiana earthquake.  Many people on radio shows in Indianapolis later in the day said pretty much the same thing. 

For years, scientists have been warning about "the big one" emanating from the New Madrid Seismic Zone, also known as "The New Madrid Fault".  However, officials from the United States Geological Survey gave the reason for the earthquake as a plate movement in the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone.  The Central United States Earthquake Consortium says that recent studies have found that "the big one" could also come at any time from the Wabash Valley fault in southeastern Illinois and southwestern Indiana.

A 5.0 quake centered near Evansville, IN hit in June of 2008.  That, too, was found to be from the Wabash Valley Fault.  It was felt over 250 miles away in a number of states.   That was the largest quake recorded in the Wabash Valley zone until the one yesterday.

I don't know if I can feel earthquakes.  I certainly slept through it yesterday morning.  And I was in Los Angeles a few days after the Northridge earthquake in 1994 and I had colleagues who felt a 4.4 aftershock.  But I sure didn't.  Some people are like that.  Others are more sensitive to the movement.  All I know is that if it takes a big one to finally get me to feel an earthquake, I don't want to think of how big it would have to be.      

The Arrow in FedEx's Logo

A few months ago, I was talking with a friend of mine, James "Vinnie" Harned, who drives for National Van Lines. He was stuck in traffic in Chicago and I was driving back from Indianapolis. "Vinnie" said, "Hey, you travel all the time. You ever notice the arrow in the FedEx logo?"

I said, "What?"

He said, "Yeah, there's an arrow in the FedEx logo. Once someone pointed it out to me a few weeks ago, I don't see anything other than the arrow in the logo."

Our company uses FedEx exclusively for our shipping and I have been getting FedEx freight and overnight packages delivered to our house for the last five plus years. So, I was sort of incredulous that I'd never seen an "arrow" in the FedEx logo before.

As we continued to talk on the phone, I suddenly came up on a FedEx Ground semi. I slowed down and pulled in behind the truck. I said, "OK, I'm right behind a FedEx trailer. I'm looking for the arrow."

Now, it took me a long time to be able to see the arrow in the FedEx logo, but suddenly I found it. Ever since then, when I see the FedEx logo, the first thing I notice is the arrow.

See it yet?

Now, it's sort of like one of those things that is right in front of your nose the whole time, but you never noticed it before. I was sitting around with some colleagues soon after that and I said, "You guys ever see the arrow in the FedEx logo?"

Everyone said, "There's no arrow in the FedEx logo." I had to find a FedEx overnight envelope and show them. Each of them were amazed they'd never noticed it before.

I worked a dealer show in Kansas City recently and some people from the dealership and some reps went out for drinks and appetizers afterward. We got to talking about things and I said, "You guys ever see the arrow in the FedEx logo?"

Once again, they were all incredulous. I said, "It's there. Just look at the logo the next time and see if you see it. If you don't see it at first, it's because you're lookin' too hard."

I got a call from one of my rep buddies the next day as I was driving home and he said, "I looked at a FedEx logo this morning and I finally realized where it was. You're right, if you look too hard, you won't see it."

It's sort of like these 3D illusion pictures they used to have in the comics section of the Sunday papers a few years ago. You sit and stare at it long enough and suddenly a hidden three-dimensional image pops out. Some people - like Cindy's son Eric - see if right away. Others, it takes a long time to see it. Sometimes they don't see it at all. Click on the above picture and see if you can spot the rose popping out at you. You have to get close to the screen and sort of "unfocus" your eyes, but you should eventually see a multi-colored rose coming out of the background.

See the arrow in the FedEx logo yet? I'm sure by now most of you have. But for those of you who haven't seen it, here it is. Feel sort of stupid? I certainly did at first. But like I say, I see a FedEx logo on trucks, envelopes, commercials, whatever and all I focus on is the arrow.

The logo was designed in 1994 by Lindon Leader, who was then a senior design artist with the San Francisco company of Landor and Associates. The design has won over 40 design awards worldwide and is one of the most recognizable logos in the world.

A company spokesman for FedEx said the arrow design was intentional as a secondary logo design element. FedEx said that if a person sees it, "it's a neat interesting visual bonus. If the viewer doesn't see it, that's OK. It's still a powerful logo."

FedEx said the arrow is intended to "communicate movement, speed and the dynamic nature of our company."

So, the next time you see a FedEx truck driving along, I'll bet you that you spot the arrow right off the bat. And like me, it will just jump out each time you see it.

Put Out Those Butts!

On Tuesday, Iowa Governor Chet Culver signed a tough no-smoking bill that will prohibit smoking in all public places including bars and restaurants.  Exempt from the ban are the state's Veterans care facilities and casinos.  Iowa is the 22nd state in the nation to ban smoking in most public places.  There are 10 other states who have some sort of limited public smoking ban.  I was rather surprised when I saw that number.  Surprised in that I didn't know that many states had passed legislation before Iowa. 

My wife is a big supporter of no smoking in bars and restaurants.  If we've been out to a bar with friends, we have to peel our clothes off in the bathroom and send 'em down the laundry chute so the cigarette smell doesn't contaminate the bedroom before we go to bed.    

Now, I don't smoke and I never have.  I don't mind if my friends do, but I also implore them to stop from time to time.  I use my mother as the prime example - a long-time smoker, she died of cancer at the age of 62.  That's 10 years away from where I'm at right now.  That's too young. 

I just lost a good friend yesterday - an audio/video manufacturer's representative - at the age of 56 from cancer.  He told me he smoked since he was 13.  He was diagnosed over a year ago, the doctor gave him three to six months.  He lasted thirteen. 

This morning, my buddy Randy Adams told me that a friend in his 50's had a heart attack and had massive blockage in his main arteries.  He'd already HAD procedures to get rid of the blockage before.  And, yes, he's a smoker. 

My sister just had an operation to open the arteries in her leg.  The doctor told her to quit smoking.  We were back in Kellogg for the funeral of an uncle last weekend and we went over to the bar for a beer after the service.  She was smoking.  I know it's tough to quit, but when the doctor says to quit to help save your life, then do something to help you quit. 

With all that said, the public outcry regarding the ban - as you can imagine - is hot and heavy across the state.  The owners of many small bars and restaurants say they'll go out of business if their patrons aren't able to smoke.  But the most vocal are the smokers, while the non-smokers - a large majority of people in the state of Iowa - are silently applauding the ban. 

When Madison, WI proposed a smoking ban in all public places, my friend, Paul Zach, who owns the Avenue Bar in Madison, was one of the leaders of the faction to oppose the ban.  He was worried that he'd lose business as many of his patrons were smokers who would come in for drinks and dinner.  It turned out that his business actually GREW after the ban went into effect. 

Locally, Tappa's Steakhouse on the lower west side of Davenport went smoke free on January 1 of this year - voluntarily.  In the March 24th edition of The Quad City Times, co-owner Jan Tappa said she was "worried to death that if we banned smoking, our business would suffer big-time."

However, in January business at Tappa's was up 25 percent and in February it was up 30 percent.  She said that should show some people that the ban can help business. 

Tappa did say at the time that she was on the side of restaurant and bar owners who were lobbying against the ban.  "Make it voluntary," she said.  "If they want to allow smoking, let 'em smoke.  Don't legislate it." 

And I'm kind of the same way - let the owners decide.  I know some bar owners - especially those selling food - would have loved to kick smokers out of their places long ago.  But they were afraid to alienate a small core of their patrons.  Instead, they decided to let the Iowa legislature be the bad guy in all of this.

Still, there's a number of small bars that don't serve food.  I can see where those places may have a problem with the ban.  There are a number of those places in the Quad Cities - including a little bar called the Dam View Inn where friends of mine congregate after work.  It's a little hole in the wall place - a real dive.  But they have good beer prices and it's a good little place to unwind and cut loose after work.  But it doesn't serve food.

Places like the Dam View - that don't serve food - should be exempted from the smoking ban.  Now, not everyone who goes into those places are smokers.  In fact, one day I took notice of the 17 or so people in the Dam View and counted the smokers.  At that time there were just two people who were smokers.  A couple more showed up later, but the vast majority in the place were non-smokers.  Non-smokers who didn't seem to care there were others in there smoking. 

I'll appreciate the ban when it comes to Iowa.  I will say that we've been going over to Illinois for food and drinks a little more lately because of the statewide smoking ban that went into effect there earlier this year.  But I'm hoping the smoking ban doesn't hurt the little places in Iowa or Illinois.  I think, however, in the long run it will do nothing but help their overall business.   

Don and Millie's - Omaha

In Omaha recently, I stopped in to have a burger at Don and Millie's in Southwest Omaha (see map).  There are five Don and Millie's locations in Omaha, one in Lincoln and one in Fremont, Nebraska.  They're very similar to the old King's Food Host that used to be around the Midwest in the 60's and 70's. 

Before Don and Millie's there was King's Food Host, and then there was Grandmother's.  King's was started in 1955 in Lincoln by Jim King and Larry Price.  They were famous for this thing called the Cheese Frenchee - a grilled cheese sandwich dipped in eggs and covered with corn flakes.  I never cared for them growing up, but some people still crave those things.  I have the recipe for them here that was given to me by my buddy, Dave Haack, whose grandmother involved in a couple of King's Food Hosts.

I did like the burgers at King's, though.  They had kind of a peppery taste to them.  It was very unique to me considering most of the burgers I'd had in my life to that point were pretty bland. 

Another interesting touch at King's Food Host was that each table had a phone that you'd order from.  The wait staff would only bring out the food and drinks.  You had a menu on the wall above the phone and you called your orders into the switchboard back in the kitchen.  Now, that was really cool back in the mid-60's. 

In the 60's, Dean Rasmussen started Grandmother's in Omaha, which was sort of an upscale King's Food Host.  In 1973, along with his brother-in-law Bob Kerrey (yes, THAT Bob Kerrey), they opened their first Don and Millie's.  The menu was similar to King's with typical burgers and shakes. 

As King's began to fade on the landscape across the Midwest, Don and Millie's eventually added new restaurants in eastern Nebraska.  The last King's Food Host was on Cornhusker Highway in Lincoln.  I don't know if it's still there or not.  I'll have to check one of these days. 

Kerrey eventually left the day-to-day operation of Don and Millie's to run for governor of Nebraska.  He won and eventually became an influential senator from Nebraska for 12 years before retiring in 2001.  Kerrey is now the president of The New School, a long time progressive college in New York City.

I stopped in for a quick burger and a drink at Millie's before I was heading out of town to go to Lincoln.  It was about 1:30 in the afternoon and the lunch crowd was dwindling down.  I placed my order at the counter and waited for my burger to come up.  About five to seven minutes later, they call my number and I grabbed my order and grabbed a booth. 

It had been a while since I'd been in a Don and Millie's and I sort of wondered why with the first bite of the burger.  Oh, it was fresh, cooked perfectly, and had a great taste to it.  It reminded me of the old King's burgers with the peppery aftertaste to it.  (Runza burgers are very similar.)  It didn't take me long to devour the burger and head out the door to my next appointment. 

Don and Millie's are also famous for their tenderloins.  But I like the burgers more.  I don't get out to Omaha as much as I used to, but Don and Millie's was always a favorite stop to get a quick and good burger.  I still won't get a Cheese Frenchee, however.

Arthur Bryant's - Kansas City

It had been years since I'd been to Arthur Bryant's barbecue joint in Kansas City (see map) that I wanted to try it again.  I still think Jack Stack Barbecue is the best in Kansas City, but something was just calling me the day I stopped in Arthur Bryant's original location recently.   I had to work a dealer event that evening and wanted to have a big lunch as I knew I probably wouldn't be eating again that day. 

Arthur Bryant's is world renown in that heads of state, celebrities and average "Joe's" have been eating there since 1930.  Arthur Bryant (right) took barbecue out of the dingy back room place in Kansas City and helped transform the town into one of the select cities for barbecue in the world. 

Henry Perry was known as the "Father of Barbecue" in Kansas City.  His barbecue place was one of many that sprang up during the Depression.  One of his workers was a guy by the name of Charlie Bryant.  Charlie's brother, Arthur, came to visit him one time and fell in love with Perry's place.  After Henry died, Charlie took over the running of the business with Arthur at his side.  When Charlie died, Arthur took over.   Tons of barbecue places have come and gone in Kansas City over the years, but Bryant's was really the first one that made it available to the masses.

Arthur Bryant died in his restaurant in 1982 at the age of 80, doing what he loved doing the most.  Bryant's closed down after that, but was revitalized two months later by two investors - Gary Berbiglia and Bill Rauschelbach.  Both continue to run the original one at 18th and Brooklyn, as well as two other locations around Kansas City - all of which hold the same traditions of smoked foods, tangy sauces and large portions that Arthur held so dear. 

It was around 2 p.m. when I got into Arthur Bryant's.  It had been - oh, God - about 18 years since I was last in the place.  And it was exactly the same as it was before.   You have a serving line where you take a tray and order directly with the guy who serves up your food.  The menu is posted on a board above the serving area. 

I remember the beef brisket sandwich being not only very good but very big.  I ordered up a brisket sandwich with fries for $9.35.  For fun, I decided to try some of their baked beans for an additional $2.25.  The guy behind the counter grabbed a handful of succulent, thin shaved beef brisket and formed kind of a ball of meat on top of a piece of white bread.  Then he topped it off with another slice of white bread and a shit load of fries. 

I grabbed a couple of beers and the bill came to about $18.00.  Expensive, but what the hell.  It was Arthur Bryant's and it was good barbecue. 

First of all, there's no way you can eat a beef brisket sandwich with your hands at Arthur Bryant's.  You pour a little sauce on the top and dig in with a knife and fork.  The sauces at Arthur Bryant's are OK - nothing special.  The Original Sauce has a vinegar base to it and it pretty runny.  The Rich and Spicy sauce is more thick, but I didn't think it was all that spicy.  Still, I liked it better than the Original.

And the amount of food - oh, shit!  There's a good pound of beef brisket and a like amount of fries.  The bowl of beans wasn't all that big, but it was enough.  I poured some of the two different sauces in with the beans and tried it that way.  They were good, but not outstanding.

But the brisket was great.  I'm a sucker for a good brisket.  It was tender and juicy with the right amount of smoky flavor.  Even though I never came close to finishing half the fries and beans, I made damn sure there wasn't an morsel of beef left on my plate. 

Actually, I think of Arthur Bryant's as more of a tourist trap these days than a top notch barbecue joint.  The beef brisket sandwich was very good, however.  I would go back there in a heartbeat just for that alone.  And I'll probably do just that.  Jesus, my stomach is doing back flips as I write this!    

InPlay - Des Moines

InPlay Sports Bar is located just south of the nearly new Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines (see map).  For years, concert goers, sports fans and conventioneers had to either trapse all the way from Veterans Memorial Auditorium to the downtown area of Des Moines to get a drink.  Not any longer - InPlay is a three minute walk from the main doors of the Wells Fargo Arena.

InPlay is a franchise based out of Urbandale, IA (a suburb of Des Moines).  There is also an InPlay in Omaha, and there was an InPlay in Peoria, IL that recently closed up.  It's very similar to a Dave & Buster's or a Jillian's where they mix food, sports, and games geared toward adults.  They market themselves to corporations or groups, and they have a family theme to the place, as well. 

Michael Stessman is the managing partner and you can usually see him around InPlay most of the time.  This InPlay opened in June of 2007.  The one in Omaha opened later in the year. 

I stopped into the InPlay one evening around 5:00 p.m. for a sandwich and a beer.  The place was nearly full with people who were waiting for the evening session of the Iowa Boys State Basketball Tournament.  I got a seat at the bar and ordered up a beer.  They had a special price on 16 oz. draft beers from 3 to 7 p.m., so I took a Bud Light. 

Actually, the bar area is called The Stadium Bar and Grill.  They have a lot of flat panel televisions playing sports in high definition.  That's where they serve the food, as well.  I got a menu and it had the usual sports bar food such as appetizers, burgers and sandwiches.  There were a few main entrees, but I wouldn't trust a place like this for steak or pork chop. 

The gentleman seated next to me had what appeared to be an Italian Grinder - Des Moines style (similar to the Gizmo's that I love so much).  I asked him if that what it was and he said, "Yes, and it's very good."

I told the waitress I'd get that with some fries. 

I looked around the place and it's a two-story establishment with some area downstairs that I didn't go into.  But it featured arcade games, a rock climbing wall, pool tables and other things to keep people busy while taking more of their money.  It wasn't as large or roomy as a Dave and Buster's or a Jillian's, but for Des Moines it was probably OK. 

I noticed there was a large meeting room near the bar area that was being used for some hospitality room.  It looked kind of nice in there with televisions on the wall and some nice wood paneling. 

I went back to bar after about five minutes and began to talk to the man next to me.  He was in town to see the basketball tournament and he said to me, "Man, this is great.  Before, you'd have to walk all the way down to the Marriott to get a drink between sessions.  Now, it's a one block walk and I can be back in my seat in 10 minutes after I leave here." 

My sandwich showed up and it was good.  Not outstanding like the Carl's Gizmo's are at the Iowa State Fair, but still very good.  It had a good flavor to it, it was nicely proportioned with the right amount of mozzarella over the seasoned ground sausage and beef.  It could have used a little more taste kick to it, but I was happy with it. 

I don't know if a place like InPlay will make it.  Given its close proximity to the Wells Fargo Arena and Vet's Auditorium, I'd say it's got a good chance of doing so.  Even if it's just for a quick drink before or after a show or event, InPlay has a pretty captive crowd.

(Update February 2012 - Somewhere along the way, InPlay became All Play.  But now it's become the new home for the Des Moines branch of Buzzard Billy's.  Buzzard Billy's original location on Court Street was closed after flooding there last year.  They're still working on the changeover and I've heard that they were going to keep some of the arcade games in the place, but I'm not certain if that's correct.)

Mamma Mia Pizza Beer

I'd read about Mamma Mia pizza flavored beer a few months ago in an article in the Chicago Tribune.  I really thought it was more of a novelty than a beer that I'd really like to try.  I was in Chicago recently and my buddy, Randy Adams, asked me to pick some up to bring back.  I found the beer at Famous Liquors and brought 8 bottles home with me.  I gave half to Randy and kept the other half for me.

First of all, Mamma Mia Pizza Beer is not that bad.  It's a brown ale, so it doesn't have a bite to it.  But the beer boasts ingredients of crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano and garlic, all of which can be discerned when tasting.  I wouldn't say it's something that I'd slam back on a hot summer day, but I could see myself drinking this when I'm eating, say, pizza.

The story behind Mamma Mia starts out with Tom Seefurth, a real estate broker from the far west Chicago suburb of St. Charles.  Seefurth decided to start brewing his own beer at home in 1998.  He quickly graduated to a bigger and better brewing apparatus and began to play with ingredients along the way. 

Seefurth, along with his wife, Athena (pictured right), came up with the  pizza flavored concoction in 2006.  Relying upon a large supply of tomatoes, garlic and herbs they grew in their own garden, Seefurth began to play around with the ingredients before he finally got what he thought was the proper taste he was looking for.  The second batch was just as good and they made meticulous notes as to how much of what ingredient they added to the brewing process.

Word spread about this "Pizza Beer" that even included a mention by Jay Leno on The Tonight Show last June.  Soon, the Seefurth's were looking for a brewery to brew and bottle the beer on a larger scale.  They contracted with Sprecher Brewery in Milwaukee to make their pizza beer in bigger batches than what he was able to do in his garage.  That's why when you see a bottle of Mamma Mia Pizza Beer it comes in a Sprecher brewery bottle.  At first glance, I thought he possibly used Sprecher bottles during his brewing process.  But then I saw that it was, indeed, brewed by Sprecher. 

I met up with Randy and his girlfriend, Lorrie, at a bar in downtown Davenport.  Along with a mutual friend, Connor, we all wanted to give the beer a try.  I poured four small glasses of the pizza beer out of the 16 oz. Sprecher bottle.  We were all a little apprehensive at first.  After the usual smelling of the beer - which did smell like fresh herbs - we all took a drink. 

As I said before, it wasn't bad.  It definitely did have a pizza taste to it.  Since it's brewed as a brown ale, it's not very heavy and is very smooth to drink.  We all remarked that it would be good to drink with pizza, but Connor said, "I don't know if I'd be able to taste the beer if I had it with pizza." 

I thought it was like taking a bite of pizza and washing it down with a quick drink of a beer.  Randy said, "Oh, man.  That's a lot better than I expected." 

I said that I'd like to take a bottle over to Stashu's and Sons Pizza in Moline since they don't serve beer at the restaurant.  I said, "Those guys would get a kick out of this stuff." 

I have four bottles left of the beer and I can get more when I go into Chicago.  It's only sold by the bottle and not in six-packs.  ($1.99 a bottle at Famous Liquors.)  Even though Seefurth calls it "The World's First Culinary Beer", I still view Mamma Mia Pizza Beer as a novelty.  But it's an interesting beer, to say the least.  I'd drink it before I'd have any of the fruit beers that seem to be such the rage.  Yuck!       

Zaffiro's - Milwaukee

Zaffiro's Pizza in Milwaukee is a local institution and arguably the finest thin crust pizza in town.  Upon a tip from one of my dealers, I stopped into Zaffiro's one evening for a pizza.  I'll tell you upfront, I certainly wasn't disappointed.

I pulled into the side parking lot, accessible via an alley behind Zaffiro's around 7:30 one evening (see map).  It was a cool night and with all the snow they'd had in Milwaukee, it was best to be in the parking lot than on the street with all the snow piled up on the curbs. 

I walked into Zaffiro's and it was like walking into a 50's pizza joint.  In fact, Zaffiro's has been around for over 50 years.  In the early 50's, "Bobby" Zaffiro opened a bar/restaurant in the historic and mainly Italian Third Ward of Milwaukee.  The "Rock-a-Bye Tap" served pizza from its inception. 

Faced with mounting competition from other pizza places starting up around the area, Zaffiro moved to the present day location in 1956 and simply called it "Zaffiro's Pizza".  For 14 years, Bobby and his wife, Rose, ran the business in a small location.  In 1970, Bobby bought the barber shop next door and expanded the restaurant, putting in a full bar and nearly tripling the amount of tables they had in the place.

Bobby and Rose's sons, Mike and Joe, eventually were brought into the business.  When Bobby died in 1989, Rose and her sons continued to run the business.  Mike Zaffiro was working there the night I was there.

Now, there's something about a place that has an old juke box that plays Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Jerry Vale and Dean Martin.  And that's what was playing when I walked in.  I wanted to eat at the bar, but I was told by the waitress/hostess that I could only order pizza at the bar.  No problem there.

There was only one seat left at the bar.  It wasn't a big bar - it only seated 10 people.  To the right of me were two older couples waiting for a pizza.  To the left of me were three older guys working on a pizza, with two more older guys sitting there waiting to order.

I ordered a beer and got a menu from the bartender.  Mike Zaffiro was the one who eventually took my pizza order and I ordered a small (10") sausage, pepperoni and mushroom.  I sat and waited for my pizza. 

Now, Zaffiro's is an old neighborhood joint.  This is the type of place where not only do they have great old music playing on the jukebox, but the one TV was tuned to American Idol.  With the sound down.  And people were watching it.  It was just priceless and timeless at once.  Thank God I had a Chicago Tribune to read.

After about 20 minutes, Mike Zaffiro brought out my pizza.  Oh, boy!  Thin crust, nice and flaky, great texture and taste.  The sausage were the big chunks like sausage on a pizza is meant to be.  The pepperoni was fresh and flavorful.  The only downer was that the mushrooms were the canned variety and not fresh.  But it didn't detract from the overall taste of the pizza which was outstanding. 

And it was cheap, too!  A small three topping with cheese was just under $10 bucks!  My bar tab was higher than my food bill, but that's hardly surprising. 

I was able to eat the whole thing in one sitting - and I was STILL hungry!  It was a great pizza.  It didn't fill me up and I still wanted more. 

Zaffiro's is also famous for their lunch specials, but their pizza is what makes the place.  It has a great homey, old time feel to the place and I just fell in love with it that night.  Oh, yes - I'll be back to Zaffiro's.    

Cheeseburger in Paradise - Middleton, WI

I finally got around to trying Cheeseburger in Paradise on my last visit to Madison (see map).  I've noticed that some of these have begun to pop up around the Midwest over the past couple of years.  Cindy ate at one in the Chicago area last year and said it was OK.  I thought I'd give it a try for lunch.

Cheeseburger in Paradise is a 39 location bar/restaurant chain owned by troubadour/rock star Jimmy Buffett.  Named after his famous song, Cheeseburger in Paradise has a Caribbean motif and design inside the place.  And, of course, Jimmy Buffett songs play on the sound system alternating with other contemporary and classic rock songs.

It was about 2 p.m. when I got to Cheeseburger in Paradise.  I sat at the bar and got a menu from the bartender.  There was one other guy at the bar having lunch and a couple three people scattered at other tables in the place. 

In addition to burgers, they also feature sandwiches like a Jamaican jerk chicken sandwich, a fish sandwich with Mexican seasonings, and a Cuban Sandwich.  Here's a guideline I always follow when it comes to Cuban Sandwiches - don't order Cuban Sandwiches in places other than Cuba or Little Havana in Miami.  Once you've had a true Cuban sandwich, the ones that other places try to make are nowhere as good or as close to the real things. 

They also had fish tacos on the menu.  I'm a sucker for good fish tacos with fresh grilled fish on them.  But I was there for the burger.

They had about 10 different burgers to choose from including a Baja Burger with sour cream, lettuce and jalapenos; a Blue Cheese Blast burger with melted blue cheese, grilled onions and topped with a pungent Asian mayonnaise; and the good ol' Bacon Cheeseburger.

I went with the very basic cheeseburger - the "Cheeseburger in Paradise" -  a half pound burger topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and a red onion.  Pickles were served on the side.  I also got an order of their french fries, but I almost got the sweet potato chips. 

After about 15 minutes, my burger and fries came out.  The burger was good, but nothing that set me off or would put it in my top 10.  It was a typical chain restaurant burger, cooked with little emotion and sort of the "cookie-cutter" approach. 

If I was in a town where I didn't know that there were better burger places around, then Cheeseburger in Paradise is a good choice for a burger.  But with Dotty's and Blue Moon in the area, the burger at Cheeseburger in Paradise doesn't even come close to stacking up with those two. 

(Update - Luby's, the parent company for Cheeseburger in Paradise, has been closing a number of these locations around the nation looking to put a new concept restaurant into those sites.  The Madison-area location closed in the summer of 2014 and no announcement was forthcoming as to what would be taking its place.)  

 

Kopp's - Revisted

Last December, I wrote about going to a Kopp's burger and custard place in Milwaukee one time last fall (see post here).  While I was told I would just love the Kopp's cheeseburger by people who had had them before, I found the melted cheddar cheese they put on the top of the burger to be somewhat overpowering.  I said that I'd check out Kopp's again when I got back up to Milwaukee.

Well, it had been awhile since I was in Milwaukee.  But it turned out that just down the street from the hotel I like to stay at in Milwaukee, the Hilton Milwaukee River, there's a Kopp's.  I had to see a dealer in nearby Glendale, and after I got out of there it was around 11:15.  Not quite ready for lunch, but since I didn't have breakfast, I suppose I was ready to eat.

The Kopp's on Port Washington Road (see map) is similar to the other Kopp's I was at in suburban Greenfield.  It has a very modernistic design to the place.  There's a few stand-up tables to eat at, but most everyone gets their food to go. 

This time, I just wanted to try a good ol' burger without cheese.  I ordered the double hamburger for $4.75 and a small drink.  Like everything at Kopp's, the order is made from scratch and never pre-made and sitting in a bin.  That's a plus, but it also translates into a 10 to 15 minute wait.  I noticed that a lot of people were coming in just before noon to pick up orders that had been called in.  That's the way to do it, I thought.

After a bit, my order came up and I went out to the car to eat my burger.  Without the cheese, well, the burger was just OK.  It wasn't great, it wasn't bad.  It was a very average burger.  Solly's, right down the street, would blow this burger out of the water. 

OK, so I tried a Kopp's burger without cheese and I came away less than impressed.  It would be fine in a pinch, but I think I'd probably end up liking their custard more than their burgers.