Broadway Bayou has been a favorite of ours for several years but for a variety of reasons we haven't been there in a couple years.  I've been wanting etouffee so we headed up yesterday.  While the menu has changed some the things we liked were still on it.  I was concerned about the etouffee because it said veggie and tomato based.  
We told the waitress we would split a large order of it and she would also include two pieces of cornbread.  As we were waiting we got to discussing some things and found out her family was from Murphysboro and I went to school with her uncle Tom.
When it came she said she had put a lot in the bowl and she wasn't kidding.  It was full to the brim and she brought an extra plate for us.  The bad news was that I didn't care much for the tomato based sauce, it just didn't seem like etouffee to me.
When we go back we'll opt for something else like the fried chicken or gumbo.

After the success of Saturdays Waterloo run we tried to duplicate it with a trip to Perryville and the almost always good Mary Janes Burgers & Brews.  Mike drove so I could sight see some and I really enjoyed it.
The first sign that it wasn't going to be the same type trip was when I tried an amber draft and it wasn't the best so I ordered a Yuengling bottle.  It came and I asked for a glass and it wasn't cold.  We ordered some cheese curds and they were once again outstanding.  Once again me and Lisa shared a korean rice bowl but got chicken in it this time.  It was once again very good but the chicken seemed stringy and I could have done without.  Debbies fish tacos looked real good but she said the sauce had a little too much heat.  Mike got a plain cheeseburger with fries.  He really liked the fries.
When we finished we walked down the street to 1930 Perryville, formally known as Jackson street brewery and J street eats.  It's now a bbq type place with nice comfortable seating.  I got a Yuengling draft and it wasn't very cold.  What is it with warm beer, cold is where it's at. 
We left there and went to Stoneys but it was closed so we started back.  We stopped by Salty Dawg for a drink and I finally got a cold beer, a nice frosty Killians.  Not much going on there either so we were one and done.
On the way home we stopped at the Chinchbug for a quick drink and then headed home.
Moral of the story:  Memorial Day Monday is not the day for a day trip.

Yesterday we made a long anticipated trip to Waterloo.  Mike had been wanting to go there since he saw a picture of a sailor Jerry statue at Hopskeller so that was our first stop.  The statue had been broken a few years ago but they said there was one down the street at the RRR.  We both had the amber beer and neither of us were wild about it.  Mike and Debbie had some pineapple forward drink that was really sweet.  My plan was to have appetizers there but it didn't happen..
We headed down the street to Uncle Johns RRR bar.  It was loud inside but nice once we went outside.  Mike got to see the statue but was somewhat upset they didn't have Sailor Jerrys rum.  I think he settled for Captain Morgans while we had Yuengling drafts.  Very interesting outside with a downstairs that looked like an old pool.  A "interesting" person stopped by and talked with us, it was obvious he had got an early start.
Next up was Stubborn German a couple doors down.  It was nice out so we sat outside.  We both go their octoberfest beer and it was really good.  We also got a bag of kettle popcorn that was made locally and it really hit the spot.
Final stop in Waterloo was Vintage Wine Bar.  We walked in and the place was dead but we went outside on their patio and it was hopping.  Two guys were playing guitars and singing my kind of music.  We had a couple Yuenglings and listen to the music.  The most fun place we stopped.
I didn't want to be out too long with it being Memorial Weekend so we headed down to Red Bud to eat.  I didn't have a plan and didn't get much help so we stopped at Tulaynes, a small bar on the main drag.  I got a burger while Lisa got a chicken sandwich.  No one was wild about the sandwiches plus mine came with cheese that was that looked like a velveeta slice, yuck.  The fries were pretty good but overall nothing great.  They did have the smallest bathroom I've been in, barely wide enough for me to fit.  The pot and sink were so close you didn't have to move to wash you hands after peeing.
The Waterloo portion was awesome.  Every place we went was within two blocks of each other and there were a couple other bars we didn't make it too.  I'm sure we'll head back soon.

We went to Southpaw for lunch yesterday.  We'd been there for a beer before and Lisa had gone there with friends but I hadn't been there to eat.  Lisa had brought home a sandwich for me when she went there but by the time it got home it was hard to tell how good it really was. 
Our waitress wasn't the most attentive especially with how many people were in there.  There were a few tables finishing up but hope they get a better crowd soon.  I ordered dry rubbed chicken wings while Lisa got the bbq sandwich with chips. 
The wings were nice big wings and were cooked really well, smoked then fried.  They were different than others I've had in the area and I really liked them.  Lisa's bbq was different then most around and I thought it was good.  I really liked the crisp pickles on it.  The chips were really crisp but needed seasoning, I added some salt that helped. 
Really nice to have a place that is a bar and has food.  Murphysboro hasn't had that in a while.

Yesterdays excursion took us to the Eagles Nest in Addieville.  When we arrived there were a lot of cars so needless to say they had a big crowd but we were able to get a table just inside the door.  It was very busy and I think our waitress was new not only to the place but to being a waitress in general. 
Lisa and I had Blue Moon drafts while Mike had captain and diet and Debbie was a good girl with water.  We ordered a half chicken all white with slaw and subbed out fries for onion rings.  The got chicken also but with fries and subbed out chips for the slaw.  Mike got his usual chips for the table also.
We didn't have to wait as long as I expected but Mike's chips for the table came out about the same time as the rest of our food.  We didn't get our slaw and Mike only got one fry so something got messed up.  I wasn't real worried about the slaw because the chicken was so good.  Very moist and well cooked.  The onion rings were also very good but the breading fell off easily.  The chips were crisp but didn't seem to have much seasoning on them.  Overall an awesome stop, best chicken I've had in a while.
On our way home we stopped at Coon Dogs outside of Coulterville.  Not a lot of people but a good time and a nice place.  One guy had beef jerky that was really good so I bought a bad.  The also had a claw machine with ducks in it so we played it some, guess who got a duck on their first try, me!

We went to Aces & Eights yesterday.  It's a very small place with a small menu close to the Pyramid State Park.  I'd been wanting to go there for a while.
I was torn between a BLT and a burger so when Lisa went with a BLT I opted for a cheeseburger.  Both of us got fries and a Yuengling.  There were a few other people in the place eating and a couple more came in when those left.  Not crowded but it could be with a few more people.
The burger was handpattyed and really big but was missing something, maybe seasoning.  The BLT was very good.  The fries were your standard crinkle cut frozen fries but were cooked very well.  If and when we go back I'll probably go with  BLT.
They've open a place in Oakdale and a gaming place in Nashville.

Our Spring 2025 season wrapped up last night with the towel tournament.  The weather was warm and muggy but not too bad.
We drew Dark Side of the Pallino on the center court for our first game.  We scored a series of one point frames along with a two point frame and all of a sudden we were up 7-0.  We closed it out with a two point frame and a 9-0 win.  We did a great job of staying ahead in the ball count and making them using multiple balls each frame.  We also didn't give up a big frame and took advantage of opportunities when they were there.  By far our best game of the year.
In the second game we played Mission: Imbocceball on the first court.  We had some trouble with the court change and fell behind 3-0 but a three point frame tied it up.  It was all downhill from there.  With the score 5-4 I made a coaching mistake that caused them to get a three spot and they finished it up from there.
So ends a disappointing spring season but in spite of only winning 5 games we were only outscored by 6 points on the season.

We got a late start yesterday because of Greysons little league game.  Carbondale and Marion were out because of SIU graduation so we decided on Split Decisions, a relatively new place that has been Ten Pin Alley and Backwater Pub and most likely others in the past.
We parked in front which seems to be the entrance to the bowling alley, the entrance to the restaurant part is on the north side of the building.  The don't have draft beer yet but they did have Yuengling so we got that.  Mike got his captain and diet while Debbie was good and had soda.  We got a an appetizer of onion rings which was the main reason I wanted to go there and also a plate of pretzel bites and beer cheese.  Mike and I got burgers while the girls both got BLT. 
The onion rings were very hot by the time they got to the table like they'd been sitting for a while but they were still awesome.  They were hand breaded using red onions, I don't think I've ever had and onion rings with red onions.  I thought the pretzel bites weren't all that great, I'm not sure why but something was missing.  The burger was excellent, it was also hand pattied and cook really well.  Mike had gotten fries and they were nicely done too.  I didn't try any of the BLT's but did have a strip of bacon and it was really good. 
I hope they continue making the food by hand, it really adds something.
We finished the day with  stops at River Rats and the Elks.

Spring 2025 regular season wrapped up last night with 6&7 o'clock games or so we thought.   
In the first game we played Rolling Thunder on the first court.  We started out down 1-0 but came back with a three point frame.  For a good portion of the game I thought we were going to get biotched with them making one great throw in each frame but we managed to get another three point frame and walked away with a 9-4 win.
In the second game we moved to the middle court and we all struggled with the faster speed.  The game was a back and forth game with us moving ahead 8-6 but they came back with a two point frame.  We used all out balls to get in on a easy throw on the wall but they missed and were down to their last ball.  For the second week in a row we were beat by a ping pong ball that barely hit a front ball and took our ball out of the point and them in for a 9-8 loss.
Not one of our better seasons with a 5-11 finish.

We went to Sergios for Cinco de Mayo yesterday.  The chips and salsa were good but I really like the gauc that Mike got for the table.  I ordered the Delmar seafood platter.  I'd had it before but it seemed even better this time with a lot more cauliflower and broccoli.  I didn't eat much of the rice or salad since there was so much of the seafood and aforementioned cauliflower and broccoli.  Very very good dish.

Yesterdays adventure took us to Lisas Market Street bar in Prairie du Rocher.  I took an interesting wrong turn and we ended up going by Pierre Menards home.  We didn't stop but it looked interesting.
Once we finally got to Lisa's we weren't sure it was open.  It was just not much happening there.  We split a half fried chicken all white with beer battered fried and cucumber salad.  The fried chicken was great, probably right there with Bottoms Up.  The cucumber salad was really good but I like a thicker cut on the cucumbers.  The beer battered fries weren't that great, Mikes regular fries were much better.  I think the beer battered would have been better if they cooked longer.
We walked down the street to the Rocher Pub and there were several people in there having drinks on a rainy crappy day.  Me and Lisa had been there before but Mike and Debbie hadn't.  After a beer it was time to move on.
We stopped in Evansville and the street was blocked off.  We went in the Sand Box but it was way too crowded and loud.  We walked out and talked to the owner.  They were supposed to have a street party but the weather moved it inside.  He said there was another bar named Billy Bobs about a block a way so we went there.  It was an old place but had a small but interesting menu.  While we were there the barmaid told us of a bbq place called Wallys in Ellis Grove.  We finished our drinks and had a nice cold walk back to the car.  But wait, there was a small town market that we stopped in.  It reminded me of the markets we had in Murphysboro years ago.
Last stop was at Wallys.  I'm always very skeptical of bbq places, too much competition bbq.  We decided to get the sampler with brisket, ribs and pulled pork.  For sides we had mac and cheese and baked beans.  Color me impressed.  The ribs were bite through and very good.  Best we've had since Hicks closed down.  The brisket was also on point and possibly the best around.  Pulled pork was okay but if you can't make pulled pork don't open a bbq place.  Everyone said the mac and cheese was good but it's not really my thing.  The beans needed work, not really that much flavor.  Overall a great place.

Last night was a nice warm night but with a threat of thunderstorms as we played our week 7 games.  We played the 7:30 and 8:30 games and it's well known how much I dislike late games and I'm not the only one.
In the first game we played Usual Suspects on the middle court.  We started out with a point but game up three before scoring a couple to tie it at 3.  We traded a couple points before they moved ahead 5-4.  We got our last ball in but they had two left.  The first one missed.  I'm still not sure what happened but on their last ball they managed to knock our ball out and move the pallino into a cluster of their balls and we walked away with a 9-5 loss.
In the second game we played Ball Busters, once again on the middle court.  We got an early 3 point frame and cruised to a 9-0 win.
Once again a big frame and getting behind in the ball count killed us but overall we played decent.