After seeing all 3 grandkids run, jump, throw, slide, swing and everything else at Ultimate Gymnastics for their combined birthday parties we went to T Street for the first time in a few years.  It's not that we don't like the place it doesn't open until 4 and we prefer going earlier.
The main reason for going was that I was pasta night there with a pasta bar where your food is cooked to order in front of everyone.  I ordered the pasta bar with fettuccine, marinara, steak and mushrooms while Lisa got bowtie and Debbie got the garlic butter sauce.  The three of us got the house dressing on our salads.  Mike was the oddball and went with chicken parm with double chips.  We'd also ordered pub chips as an appetizer.
T Street has an excellent side salad that keeps it simple with white shredded cheese and pepperoni making it different than most salads.  The pub chips were surprisingly good.  I don't normally like cheese on chips but these were nicely done and also had bacon sprinkles on it.  Who  doesn't like bacon.
The pasta was great, well cooked and delicious.  The three salad bar people were really happy with our choice and there was a lot left over.  Me and Lisa combined our salad and took it home too.  Mike really like his chicken parm which is one of his favorites but he hasn't had in a while.
We can't let it be as long before we get back.

We had a little free time yesterday so after I finished some yard work we decided to go some place and grab lunch.  We'd had a big weekend so it came down to Game On or New Kahala.  She said it was my choice and after changing my mind several time decided on New Kahala.  
We've usually been going to China Buffett so it's been a while since we've been there.  I opted for beef rice noodle and Lisa got chicken in garlic sauce.  It was ready when we got there but was still hot when we got home.
My beef and noodle seemed lacking but some soy sauce made it a lot better.  Lisa's chicken in garlic sauce was good and you always get a two mounds of rice, in this case she'd ordered fried rice.  There was plenty left for a couple more meals.

With no grandkids yesterday and Lisa feeling much better we finally managed a little day trip down to Metropolis.  Not being a fan of interstates we kept to the back roads on the way down and then a different way on the way back.
It's been a while since we've been to Fat Edds and Mike picked it since the rest of us have been there and he wanted to give it a try.  The visit got of to an inauspicious start when Mike didn't like the logos design and couldn't find a menu since he was sitting with his back to it but it turned around in a hurry. 
It didn't help when I ordered mushrooms and hushpuppies as appetizers and they didn't get the hushpuppies part.  We then ordered their shrimp and awesome cocktail sauce.  Lisa got chili, Debbie got a smash burger, Mike got pulled pork and I got chicken kabobs.
The mushrooms were excellent, I'd rate them as good as anywhere in the area.  Of course the peel and eat shrimp is great and the sauce is too but had a little more horseradish taste than I remember.  My chicken kabob was okay, nothing special.  Everyone liked what they got and I'd say the smash burger looked very good.  It was nice to get back down there.
We stopped at a p[ace in AJ that we hadn't seen before called Brodies.  It had a really nice interior and also a beer garden that looked good. No drafts there though but a decent selection of bottles and cans.  Mike ordered captain and diet then found out they had his favorite Sailor Jerrys, it might be the first time he didn't ask if they had it.
We then stopped at Havisham for a quick drink.  It's not really my type of place but it's okay for every once in a while. Then off to home.

Yesterday we took advantage of no grandkids and beautiful weather to go to Herrin and eat at Joes Pizza.  We had to go a little earlier than our normal time but Lisa had to pick the twins up from school.
We had decided on a salad and pizza but didn't totally decide until we got there.  We opted for an italian salad and thin pepperoni and mushroom pizza.  We also got a pitcher of Blue Moon.  I'd forgot they still have glass pictures.
The salad was excellent and they split it into two bowls for us.  More than enough for each of us.  This will probably be a must each time we got there.  The pizza was very good and it's different than any of the pizzas locally.
Slowly we are getting back to normal and hopefully it will continue.

With Lisa feeling a lot better we finally got out for a late lunch early dinner whatever you want to call it.  On Saturday I took her for a ride around Murphy Lake and Kinkaid marina and of course Riverside Park.
I went down thinking fish bites and mushrooms or fried chicken.  Lisa ended up getting fried chicken with hushpuppies and slaw while I got the aforementioned fish bites and in house mushrooms.  Debbie got the Italian beef and fries while Mike  also got fried chicken with hushpuppies and fries.
Wow, the fried chicken was great.  I probably liked it better than long time favorite Bottoms Up.  The hushpuppies were very good and I don't eat a lot of them.  The slaw was on point and of course the mushrooms are great.  The fish bites were once again on point but I had a little too much fried food.  Everyone was very pleased with what they got and had a great time.
After we were both stuffed my old friend Ronnie stopped by and brought some chicken for us.  I pinched off a little piece and it was really good with a little bit of kick.  After he left I finished off the rest of the thigh because it was so good and I normally eat white meat in chicken.

We having been straying very far from Murphysboro lately but here are a few places we've done (mainly me).
El Paisano - Lisa got the chicken soup and I got the steak ti patio.  The soup was real good but I ordered it without any rice in it and when we got it there was a lot of rice in it.  The steak wasn't very good but the shrimp and corn were excellent plus they let me sub an extra ear of corn instead of rice.
17th Street - I was in the mood for a good ribeye on my way back from Carbondale.  I tried Pats but they didn't have any so I ordered one from 17th St..  We used to get them occasionally some time ago and remembered them being good.  I ordered medium and this one came out well done which made it tough.  Greyson liked it when he got off the buss.  The baked potato was good.
Pats - I went by Pats to pick up some corned beef and cabbage.  It was okay but was soupy and that's not how I like it.
Game On - I tried the italian beef and apple salad and thought both were very good.  I also stopped by on a Sunday morning and got biscuits and gravy.  The gravy was real good but they broke up the biscuits and I prefer mine cut in half plus the biscuits tasted like they been sitting for a while.  Mike and Debbie brought me fish and mushrooms from there but misunderstood what I wanted and brought me a fish sandwich and portabella mushrooms.  The fish bites are much better and the in house mushroom are also a lot better.
Hopefully we can get back on track in a couple weeks.

Sad indeed,  Due to some unforeseen circumstances The Grumpy Shillelaghs will not be able to play in the St Patricks day tournament ending a long string of participation.
Furthermore Roll'em If Ya Got'em will not be playing in the spring season this year due to the same circumstances.  This is the first spring or fall season we haven't played since the team was formed in 2013.  We did take a couple summers off due to other commitments.
Hopefully we can get back on track next season.

Lisa is getting her appetite back but still not ready to go anywhere so yesterday she said an italian beef sounded good.  After mentioning a few places she said Dale's have good ones so off I went.  I got a large and Lisa got a medium and both of us got a large cup of au jus.  I also got some peppers which turned out to be giardiniera.  
Both sandwiches were really good, one of the best italian beefs around and the au jus really complements it well.  The giardiniera was hot but Lisa ended up liking it.  Only downsize is that it was very expensive for two sandwiches and we'll both get a smaller sandwich next time.
Saturday I went to Game On by myself to try the fish.  I sat at the bar to eat for the first time in many years since Lisa doesn't like to eat at the bar.  The fish was good but not as good as the fish bites.  Both the baked beans and slaw were solid, not great but good.
Last week I went to China Buffet again since Lisa really liked to rice noodle.  I got chicken and broccoli which didn't have much flavor, I didn't try the chicken rice noodle this time in case Lisa wanted it left over.

Catching up a bit with some places we go a lot.
With Lisa not feeling good yesterday and it being valentines day we chose to stay at home, not unusual for us to avoid crowds.  Soup sounded good to her so I picked up China Buffet.
I ordered shrimp mei fun and spring rolls and got her egg drop soup.  I googled Mei fun and it's just rice noodles. So why not.  Lisa said the soup was good and it was hot this time, several places lately haven't been.  Their spring rolls are good and only cost $2.  The shrimp mei fun was very very good, Lisa said she may have found her new go to there.  All in all it really hit the spot.
Earlier this week we went to Game On for what seems the 100th time, it's close and good so there.  We got the in house mushrooms and they were spectacular.  We both got smash burgers but I got a double and she got a single.  Both were really good, true smash burgers.  I had the apple salad and I really liked it, nice to have a side option that's not fried.  Lisa had the chili and liked it in spite of the beans.
We went to Quatros and Bottoms Up last week.  At Quatros we got a veggie chef and a meateaters pizza.  The pizza was like old times, wonderful.  The veggie chef was a lot better than the dinner salad we'd been getting and not much more.
At Bottoms Up we got the usual two side salads and half chicken all white.  Lisa said hers seemed dry and the first two or three bites of mine were dry but then okay.  A rare miss there.

We had a hard time deciding where to go yesterday.  I wanted to stay close but finally Lisa said Kretzers mainly to spite me since I wasn't suggesting anyplace which is usually what I get stuck with.  The bar area was full so we had to sit in dining area.
Anyway I went up thinking of alternatives to the fish but in the end I went with it and had a salad and baked potato as sides.  Lisa went with the salad bar and Mike got chicken and Debbie also got the fish.
As I've mentioned before the salad bar is impressive, lots of options but I went with a standard salad and french dressing.  The fish was as good as always, maybe the best around and I like that it's in smaller pieces.  The baked potato was a good alternative to fried stuff and was good.  Lisa like the stuffed pepper soup on the salad bar.  The small taste I had of Mike's chicken was very good and will be what I get there next time we're there, unless  I back out once again and get fish.
On the way back we stopped at the Blue Room for a quick drink, it was packed and is becoming too popular for me.  Way too noisy.
We stopped in a Game On for a drink but as always there we ran into someone we know and ended up drinking more than one.  This time it was Scott and Angie who we hadn't seen in a very long time so it was nice catching up with them.

We went to Game On again yesterday, really wasn't my choice since we've been there a lot lately but Jeff wanted to try it.  Not a big deal since we really like the place but don't want to get burned out.
Mike ordered two orders of the buffalo rangoons and Jeff ordered jalapeno poppers.  Me and Jeff ordered wings, Mike and Debbie ordered burgers and Lisa ordered nachos.
I didn't eat any appetizers, trying to cut down fried food some plus not really in my wheelhouse.  Mike really likes the rangoons, some would say he's a rangoonian (sorry).  My wings were different but good.  I ordered roasted pepper garlic sauce on the side and it was okay but I asked for bbq sauce and I liked it better.  Lisa wasn't real wild about the nachos but I thought they were okay.  The burger eaters seemed to like burgers and the fries.
After leaving there we went to Big Muddy for a Red Devil Red and they had a decent crowd.  Next we went to Brews Brothers and it was dead, only one person who was talking to the bartender.  Lastly we went to the Elks and there wasn't anyone there until a couple walked in just before we left.

I finally managed to get Lisa out of the house yesterday for the first time since it snowed.  For once we didn't have a big discussion on where to go, I said it's a new business and with the weather they need support so we went to Game On.
We ran into several friends and it took a while to get around to actually ordering, I did manage to order an appetizer of their "in house" mushrooms.  I thought they were very good and so did the other people that tried them.  They have another kind of mushrooms that Mike and Pam said weren't near as good as the ones we got.  Thanks to the owner Tracy for telling us this on our first visit.
Once we got around to ordering I ordered the fish bites appetizer and Lisa got slider sandwiches and a cup of chili.  The fish bites were really good but were a bit too salty for Pam but I really liked them.  Lisa like her slider but wished they had a burger sliders instead of chicken strips.  Unsurprisingly she liked her chili but it needed to be warmer.  She's had chili she doesn't like but it's rare.
Game On is rapidly becoming our go to place.
We stopped in River Rats for a beer just because some of the people from Game On were going there but as we walked in my old friend KB was at the bar so I mainly talked to him and my former english teacher while Lisa sat at table and talked to Pam.  Nice finish to the day.

I'd been wanting to try the fish sandwich at Southpaw since it was put on the menu so Wednesday we finally made it out there.  It's battered not breaded like most of the fish around here.  Tammy had warned me to get the sauce on the side since they loaded hers up so I did that and also got the slaw on the side along with no tomatoes.  The sandwich was good but it's cod and I really prefer catfish.  I did like that it was battered but didn't care much at all about the remoulade sauce, I ended up dipping it in catsup.  The chips were once again good and Lisa liked her burger.
Yesterday we had to go to St Louis for an early appointment, when we were done we decided to go to Perryville to try Mary Jane's mardi gras menu.  Of course Lisa had to go to Stonies for beef jerky so we went there first.  The last couple times there I haven't been impressed with their beer menu, nothing really in my wheelhouse.  
We split an order of gumbo and an order of etouffee.  Both were a lot better than expected but I probably liked the gumbo better.  We should have got gumbo and alligator tacos.  

After going to Game On Saturday I couldn't wait to get back down and give the food a try so we went there yesterday.  We saw several people we knew and the place was about half full.
After considering most of the menu I finally decided on a smash burger and fries.  Lisa opted for italian beef with dill pasta salad.  While we were sitting there Johnny then Bruce came stopped by our table and Johnny decided to order a fish appetizer while he waited for Carolyn to get off work,.
My burger was good but could have been warmer and I probably should have got a double.  The fries were also really good.  Lisa really like her italian beef but neither of us cared for the pasta salad.  I tried a piece of Johnnys fish and it was very good, probably the next thing I'll get there.
Good time talking with everyone and we stayed a lot longer than we intended.

Yesterday we went to Smoking Ks to get some cajun food.  They've remodeled since we last went there and it's a lot nicer.  There were a lot more people there than I've seen before and we just beat a big group.
We ordered gumbo with fried okra and etouffee with a side of dirty rice.  The food got there a lot faster than I expected with the amount of people there.  Oh and both dishes came with cornbread .
The okra was excellent as it has been every time we've been there.  The gumbo was also excellent and both are quite possibly the best I've had.  The etouffee was good but some of the rice were crunchy as if they weren't cooked long enough.  This really took away from the dish.  The dirty rice was really good too.  We didn't eat any of the cornbread.  There was plenty left to bring home too.
On the way home we stopped at the new bar and grill, game on, to check it out.  We only had beer but the food looked good and the people we talked said it was.  We had a great time sitting at the bar talking, it's been a long time since we've really done that.  I can't wait to try the food.

Yesterday we decided to go to the recently reopened Bandanas, had we known Game On was open and serving food we probably would have gone there.  Anyway the first thing we noticed was they have streamlined the menu and of course raised prices but so has everyone else.
We decided to go with a three meat combo with turkey, ribs and brisket, I changed to brisket from chicken as we were ordering.  We chose fried okra and slaw as our sides. As we were sitting there Robyn and Dan came in who were a couple years ahead of me and D comes to cards on Monday.
The turkey was really good but not much of a bbq flavor which is okay by me.  The ribs were a nice bite through rib instead of the normal overcooked fall of the bone however they didn't have a lot of flavor but were decent.  The brisket was also okay, not bad but nothing special.  The slaw solid and the okra was good but not as good as some other places in the area.
Overall it's much better than the previous incarnation there.   We'll add it into our local rotation of places to go.

Catching up a little.  A few days ago we ordered Martels for the first time in a long time, in fact we weren't aware they didn't have chicago style pizza anymore.  We decided to go with a medium meat deep pan.  The pizza arrived relatively fast and was really good.  
On Wednesday we had some free time before having to be home for the twins to get off the bus so we went to Frenchmans Widow.  Both me and Debbie got cubans and Lisa got a chili and an order of pretzels, Mike got a burger.
My cuban was good but not as good as it was before.  The fries were once again really good.  Lisa liked both her chili and pretzel.  Mike and Debbie both liked their food.  
On the way home we stopped at the American Legion and Elks so I could pay my dues at both places.  For the first time in a long time I wasn't late with them.

We had a few free hours yesterday so we decided to try out the Tomahawk bar and grill in DuQuoin.  It was previously the Salty Boar and we were not impressed with it so it took awhile before we finally went to the new place.
Same basic inside but a much better menu than previously, at least what I can remember.  We both ordered Yuengling drafts and then found out they were a $1 off, woohoo.  After much perusing of the menu we finally ordered an appetizer of mushrooms.  I ordered a breaded pork loin sandwich with slaw while Lisa ordered a gyro and house chips
The barmaid didn't think the mushrooms were handmade but when they got there they sure seemed like they were.  Really good but not quite as good as what we had at brunzeez.  The breaded pork loin was also really good, the pickles, onions and mustard complemented the sandwich really well.  My slaw was vinegar based but different from other that I've had, having said that I really enjoyed it.   Lisa's gyro was burned but the inside was very good.  The chips were cooked well but didn't have any seasoning.
Good stop that we'll have to try again.

On New Years eve day we went down to Bottoms Up for a quick meal.  The twins were at a movie so we had Dooter with us.  As usual we got 1/2 fried chicken all white and two salads.  We also got fries for Dax and the staff was kind enough to bring out cherry tomatoes for Dax who loves them.
My chicken breast was a little drier than usual but still good and the salads are real solid.  We also had a variety of fried food, chips, okra, onion rings and two kinds of fries.  As always we had a great time there.
Yesterday we went to Emily's for a late lunch.  After much contemplation I got a shrimp po boy and onion rings.  Lisa went with a salad and soup while Mike and Debbie both got smash burgers.  
The shrimp on my sandwich were overdone, just short of being burned which was also the case with my onion rings, they were much darker than Debbies.  Disappointing.  Lisa's salad was real big and there was a lot of soup too.  The soup needed to be hotter but she said it was good as was the salad.  Both Mike and Debbie said they liked the smash burgers.
Overall a disappointing stop for me. 
We stopped in a the Vet for a beer and then stopped at Da-Nite for a couple.

I've been wanting fried chicken lately but didn't want to drive very far for it so with Botoms Up closed I decided on Gabbys.  Lisa mentioned Brunzeez mushrooms on the way up and that's all it took to change my mind.  As I've mentioned before we rarely go someplace that doesn't have beer but we went anyway.
We ordered a 4 piece all white and finally decided on two sides of mushrooms.  It's a bit of a wait for fried chicken but they say that beforehand so you're aware.  The chicken was very good but the mushrooms were even better plus there's a lot of them.
Overall a great choice.

On Thursday Lisa wasn't feeling good and said that soup sounded good so after going through several options decided on El Jalisco to get the caldo de pollo that my cousin Joey turned us on to.  After checking out several options I saw steak tapatio which comes with a skewer of shrimp, street corn, grilled veggies and rice plus a sauce to put over the steak.
I called it in and they said 10 minutes and it was almost ready when I got there.  First for the bad, the steak tasted about what you would expect from a mexican restaurant.  Tough and not much flavor.  Not for the good.  The shrimp and corn were great and the veggies were also good.  With all the other food I only had a bite of the rice and it seemed okay.  Lisa's soup was real good but had way too much rice in it.  Next time we order it I'll see if we can get it with no rice and extra broth.  I doubt I order the steak again unless I could sub a couple more shrimp skewers instead of the steak.

We had to go to Menards yesterday and had some time before we grabbed something to eat so naturally we went to 618 Taphouse.  We'd originally planned on going to Sam's but just didn't feel like it so Taphouse won out.
While we were there we decided to get Popeyes and bring it home.  Popeyes used to be one of our favorite places but Carbondales shut down and wasn't very good before that plus they always seemed to be out of things we liked.  I looked online and saw they had a 5 piece chicken all white for less than $10 so we got that and two large red beans and rice and a large coleslaw.  When we went through the drive through I didn't see the five piece so I parked and ordered online.
When I went in the lady started working on our order and it was a good thing I was there because the chicken and red beans and rice would have been wrong.  Once we got home it was still warm enough to eat.  The chicken was good however the slaw wasn't.  I didn't think the red beans and rice were all that good but Lisa did and she's the main reason we got two orders.

Yesterday morning was a lazy kind of morning but we finally got motivated and went to Moonshine Run for a late lunch.  It has become one of my favorite places due to it's menu and quality of food.
I went over thinking ribeye but I changed to a cheeseburger and onion rings.  Lisa hasn't been feeling well but she got an italian beef and side salad.  Mike got a burger and Debbie got a steak sandwich both got fries.
It took an inordinate amount of time for our food to arrive.  With the temp dropping this wasn't a good thing.  When the food arrived mine and Mike's burgers were mixed up, I'd ordered medium and him well done.  We couldn't change because I'd ordered grilled onions on mine and he doesn't like onions.  I didn't care much for the burger, it was dry and the cheese wasn't real great.  My onion rings were great though.  Lisa's italian beef was okay but different from when she got it last time and I didn't think as good.  Debbie said her steak sandwich was okay but I don't think she loved it.  Mike liked his burger and the fries were real good.
Overall my first subpar experience there, hopefully it will be better next time.
On the way home I was worried about black ice and my windshield kept freezing making the long wait for food worse.

Since we were on the other side of Carbondale yesterday we decided to go to Frenchmans Widow only to change our minds on the way over and go to Champs.  We hadn't been there in a while and it seems like they've gone through a lot of new management changes.
When we walked in the place has undergone some renovation with new booths and new floor being the most noticeable.  The booths were not real comfortable so we moved to a table that had a bench on one side and chairs on the other.  I finally decided on fish and chips while Lisa went for the italian beef and onion rings.
When the food came to the table mine was a fish sandwich not the cutups.  I didn't want to wait so I said it was okay but it was mediocre and the fries were what appeared to be frozen crinkle cut.  Once again the fries were just okay and the sandwich was very sloppy, falling apart as I ate it.  Lisa's italian beef was really good as were the onion rings.  The italian beef could have used more au jus though.
In retrospect I should have gone with one of the burgers.

Yesterday we went to long time favorite Quatros which is something we've done quite often on the day before Thanksgiving.  I've been going there since shortly after it open 50 years ago.  
We've been getting a large dinner salad and a small deep pan meateaters lately.  After the waitress took our order she said we had to get a medium to get a $5 picture, that's a long way from the 99 cent pitchers we used to get.  We'd had a couple pizzas from there lately that just didn't seem the same, this one did and it was very good.
The waitress I mentioned, we only saw her to get our order, bring our food and bring the check except the one time I flagged her down to bring us a couple napkins.  The place wasn't busy and the downstairs was closed off.  She used the downstairs to be on her phone most of the time we were eating,  Very disappointing service, not the worst we've had there but it wasn't good.
Oh well.  I'd rather have good pizza and poor service that bad pizza and good service.