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It’s so hard to say goodbye

January 2, 2009 at 7:06 pm

I think many would agree that 2008 has been a year to remember.

Between the economic downturn and history-making political election and our own Gov. Rod Blagojevich making national headlines, 2008 has been a year the economy can’t help but move on and learn from.

So let us bid farewell to 2008 as I bid farewell to you with my final blog entry. It has been a pleasure writing about the hot spots around Central Illinois for the last several years, but I must say adieu as I move on to new adventures. But I can’t leave without giving you a rundown of my favorite places to eat and treat myself this past year.

I had barbeque fever in 2008, if you notice barbeque dominates much of the list. But I definitely didn’t neglect other restaurants. There were tons of places that met my need for food and entertainment in 2008, making it difficult to pick. In fact, two of my choices ended up being a tie.

10. Witt’s Smokehouse & Deli , 10325 E. State Highway 33, Effingham, 868-5615 – Witt’s is my first barbeque spot on the list. I like the fact that the business of Witt’s Smokehouse & Deli is based on their own barbeque sauce, called Pappy LeDeaux’s “Unique” Country Style BBQ Sauce. That makes them special. You can’t get the delicious sauce just any where; you have to go to Witt’s in Effingham.

9. Lana’s Cakewalk, 3777 N. Woodford St., Suite A, 872-1313 – I enlisted some help with this blog entry. Instead of me trying the many, many delectable desserts Lana’s Cakewalk offers, I got the help of some friends to help me critique such desserts as mini éclairs, chocolate chip and sugar cookies, cupcakes and brownies. My friends had no complaints. I even went back for myself and tried their strawberry cupcakes, and let me just say that was the sweetest taste of bliss.

8. Black Bart’s Pumpkin Patch, 9381 W. Wise Rd., Warrensburg, 672-8287 – Tyler, Ted and I had a blast strolling through the numerous pumpkins of Black Bart’s Pumpkin Patch looking for the perfect one. What I appreciated about the patch was that it was more than pumpkins. There were activities, a haunted house designed for young children, goats to pet and a hay maze and slide. It’s a must do for the Halloween season.

7. (Tie) Royal International Buffet, 2036 Mount Zion Rd., 864-4700 and 864-2450 & Papa’s BBQ Fish and More, 2855 N. Water St., 877-2750 – I still can’t believe I tried and liked peanut butter chicken at Royal International Buffet. But besides the restaurant allowing me to show my bravery, the place was sparkling clean and the price for the variety was great for my budget. Papa’s BBQ Fish and More is one of my favorite places to go for barbeque today. The taste is wonderful, and I love their potato-sliced fries and lemon cake.

6. Rock Springs Nature Center, 3939 Nearing Lane, 423-7708 – Rock Springs Nature Center makes my top 10 list for a second year, but this time for its pancake breakfast. I can still taste the fresh homemade maple syrup now. Rock Springs will have their next Pancake Breakfast from 7 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 7. You can also visit the Sugar Shack and find out how their syrup is made that day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

5. Main Hangar Restaurant , inside of the Decatur Airport, 910 S. Airport Rd., 421-7452 – What a splendid view at the Main Hangar. The wide windows open up the restaurant to the Decatur Airport runway, where you can watch the airplanes roll or fly by from the comfort of indoors … and with a hearty meal right in front of you.

4. Vinnie’s Barbee-Q, inside Hickory Point Mall, 1146 Hickory Point Mall, Forsyth, 875-2214 – Like McDonald’s, one dollar goes a long way at Vinnie’s Barbee-Q, and maybe even farther. The restaurant inside Hickory Point Mall offers Little Vinnie Burgers, similar to the size of White Castle burgers, for only 69 cents. And don’t forget to order the scrumptious baked beans with a hint of cinnamon to go with them.

3. Jupiter’s Pizzeria and Billiards, 39 E. Main St. (at 398-5988) and 251 Village Green Plaza (at 366-8300), Champaign – Jupiter’s Pizzeria and Billiards in Champaign may be rather far, but they have the pizza to keep you traveling back. Plus, they have billiards. It’s a great hang out spot for brews, sports and pizza.

2. Pizza Factory, in Southtowne Plaza, 397 W. 1st Drive, 428-4400 – Jupiter’s is followed up by another pizza eatery – one of my absolute favorites in town. Pizza Factory has a flavor that can’t be matched. Their calzone is the best, and I’m not the only one who feels that way. Here’s a comment made by Sue, one of my readers:

“I moved from Decatur a few years ago and this place was one of my favorite places of all times to order from. The calzone is awesome and so are their pizzas. To heck with the same old same old Dominos or Pizza Hut, I ordered from this place at least once a month for a treat if not more. Wish they would franchise to the Southwest LOL”

1. Drive-in movies – I simply had to make attending my first drive-in movie my number one pick of the year. Watching a movie from your car in front of a giant screen was an unforgettable and new experience for me even though it’s nothing new. Drive-in movie theaters have been around for years, and I feel like a late bloomer that I’m just now experiencing it. It’s just too bad they’re hard to come by.

I really do wish I had taken in a movie under the stars a lot sooner. But that’s in the past. All we can do now is look to 2009 and hope for change, new experiences and reasons to celebrate.

Here’s wishing you happy fine dining and a fulfilling New Year!

 

Santa Claus isn’t so scary after all

December 12, 2008 at 7:41 pm

Taking young Tyler to visit Santa Claus in Central Park wasn’t as simple as Ted and I expected it to be.

It turned out that Tyler was afraid of Santa, and regardless of all of the positive things we told him about Jolly Ol’ St. Nick, he wasn’t hearing it.

Ted had assumed his nephew was fully aware of Santa and had been to see him before with his parents, but apparently he had not.

We didn’t want Tyler to miss out on the experience, so we thought maybe if he saw other children sit on Santa’s lap, it would ease his nerves. We walked Tyler up to the large front window of Santa’s little red house in Central Park to see Santa in action. But he started begging to go home. He was really scared.

That’s when I got the idea that maybe he needs to see a child he knows act comfortable with Santa before he can warm up to the man in red and white. So I called in reinforcements.

Timmy was just what we needed. Timmy may have been a little old to sit on Santa’s lap, but it did the trick to get Tyler to do the same. Before we knew it, Tyler was smiling on Santa’s lap, dazzled by the heavily-decorated Christmas tree next to him. He wasn’t afraid, but he was a bit shy when Santa asked him wanted he wanted for Christmas; in which case, he told Santa he wanted one thing: “I want a PSP.”

Ted and I laughed. A big wish, for a small, young boy.

Santa gave them both a candy cane, but just before we left we took photos on our camera phones with both boys on Santa’s lap. Tyler’s mom was suprised we got him to sit with Santa.

The situation didn’t initially turn out the way we intended, but it was worth the extra effort to open Tyler up to something new and to take away his fear.

I just hope he isn’t too disappointed when he doesn’t get a PSP for Christmas.

Santa Claus’ house will be open until Christmas Eve. You can catch him on certain days and times sitting in his house: 4 to 7 p.m., Dec. 12, 18, 19, 22 & 23; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Dec. 13 & 20; noon to 4 p.m., Dec. 21; and 9 to 11 a.m. Dec. 24.

And a word of advice, if you go to Central Park, make sure to take your own camera for pictures. They don’t provide photos, and you really don’t want to miss out.

 

Pizza on those cold nights in

November 28, 2008 at 9:28 am

Follow me.

There’s nothing in your fridge or pantry to satisfy your hunger.

And that chill outside is really not something you want to go out and battle to grab yourself something to eat.

And your tummy’s rumbling. What do you do?

My first thought immediately went to ordering pizza. And I was specifically hankering for Pizza Factory’s calzone.

But can you believe Ted has never had Pizza Factory? I had to school him.

I told him about the sweet, mouthwatering sauce and the load of toppings they put on the calzone and their pizza. I told him about the soft, warm breadsticks, you can’t be without when eating your calzone. It all amounts to a winning combination of Italian goodness delivered to your door.

Luckily, I had coupons for the restaurant. They affix coupons to every order they deliver. I convinced Ted to order the Calzoni Dinner Special with me, which includes two calzonis, with up to five toppings a piece, and two cans of Pepsi for $11.99.

The coupon also came with the option of ordering two individual salads with the meal for $2 more, but we decided against. (We probably deserved a knock in the head like those V8 juice commercials for that.) Instead, we got an order of breadsticks to compliment our meal.

Delivery time was on the mark, plus the food was hot and the canned pops were cold. Excellent service by the pizza place.

The calzones come cut in half, which easily allows me to save the other half for another meal. Good thing too because it actually kept me from eating the whole calzone in one sitting. I get greedy when the food tastes good.

I wasn’t worried about Ted liking Pizza Factory. But he actually thanked me for introducing him to the place. He really enjoyed it.

In fact, we ended up ordering the same meal a week later.

The Pizza Factory of Macon County Inc. delivers everywhere in Decatur, Mount Zion, Forsyth and Macon.

They are located in Southtowne Plaza at 397 W. 1st Drive in Decatur. And business hours are 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. They can be reached at 428-4400.

They’re even open on holidays, all except Labor Day anyways. So skip the traditional ham Christmas dinner this year. Just order ham on your pizza.

 

Junz Asian Grill & Bar

November 14, 2008 at 9:15 am

It took a while for me to realize there were actually two new restaurants in Forsyth.

It’s a breeze to see Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant along U.S. 51, with their bold sign directly on the front lawn.

But until I went to Buffalo Wild Wings with some friends, I had no idea Junz Asian Grill and Bar was sitting right next door.

On the outside looking in, Junz was lit up and looked stylish and modern. I knew I wanted to see it from the inside and try it at another date. And I did … with my counterparts Ted and his young nephew Tyler right behind me.

A hostess meets you at the door to seat you. We got a nice booth that kept Tyler occupied with a lovely three-dimensional display in between the glass panes. The display was pretty neat because of the detail.

We caught wind from the buffet when we walked in, but we refrained and instead ordered from the menu.

It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with the buffet, which wins a gold star for cleanliness and organization, but Ted and I really wanted to splurge on one food item in particular — sweet and sour chicken.

We each ordered the sweet and sour chicken lunch special that was served with fried rice and an egg roll for $4.95.

Sweet and sour chicken is one of my favorite meals, but the sauce has to taste right for me to eat it.

I’ve been to restaurants where the sauce did not taste well, and so far, I haven’t come across a store-bought sauce I like. So, the only way I can really get delicious sweet and sour sauce is at particular restaurants. Junz sauce, fortunately for me, was scrumptious.

We ordered Tyler vegetable fried rice ($3.25 for small, $5.10 for large) and fried chicken wings (6 for $3.65). He was satisfied for a while, but he was curious about what we were eating.

Ted let him try a piece from his plate and Tyler said he liked it, but he didn’t ask for any more. He must’ve been getting full.

I reckon I’ll be visiting the restaurant again, and maybe next time I’ll try the buffet.

The buffet runs from $6.99 to $11.59 for adults, $3.50 to $8.99 for children and $6.29 to $10.35 for senior citizens. They also conveniently have a take-out buffet.

And their menu is filled with a variety of Asian cuisine, including sushi rolls, to order.

Junz Asian Grill & Bar is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Dinner is from 4 to 9:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 4 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Brunch is from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

They serve dinner all day on Sundays and holidays from 11 a.m. to 9:45 p.m.

Junz is located at 849 S. Route 51 in Forsyth and can be reached at 875-9888.

 

Black Bart’s Pumpkin Patch

October 17, 2008 at 1:36 pm

Tyler was a bit confused when Ted and I took him to Black Bart’s Pumpkin Patch recently. And we tried straightening things out the best we could.

While he understands pumpkins are edible, Tyler had a hard time grasping the idea of actually getting the chance to play with his food.

“Let’s eat this one,” he said picking up a small pumpkin at the pumpkin patch in Warrensburg.

“Oh no, we’re not here to pick out a pumpkin to eat. We’re picking out a pumpkin to decorate,” Ted said to Tyler.

It was difficult to explain, especially since Tyler continued to have a puzzled look on his face. But I think he’s got it now. Pumpkins are for eating and decorating, with Halloween just around the corner.

The three of us had a marvelous time at the pumpkin patch. Tyler was flabbergasted at all of the pumpkins and the different sizes they come in. We took a picture of him sitting on a pumpkin half his size.

What I enjoyed most was that Black Bart’s isn’t a place you just go and choose a pumpkin and pay for it. They have activities set up for children to participate in, like a maze, a slide, a big blue tractor for show and a haunted house that isn’t too scary for a 3 year old.

Several preschool classes were out there when we were, and you could tell the children were enjoying them selves. Tyler was having fun too.

He was initially scared to go into the haunted house, simply because it was dark. But Ted and I showed him there was nothing to worry about and there wasn’t. In fact, he was probably more afraid of the caged goats at the patch than the haunted house.

Black Bart’s also has a gift shop of already-decorated pumpkins and other Halloween decorations. Plus, you can purchase concessions.

As we left, we paid for our pumpkins, some on a fixed-price and others that are based on their weight. Our big pumpkin came to $6, our smaller one was $1 and we also bought several super-small pumpkins and gourds for 40 cents a piece that I was planning to use for a table piece.

Black Bart’s Pumpkin Patch is located at 9381 W. Wise Rd. in Warrensburg and can be reached at 672-8287. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

We have yet to decorate our pumpkins, and Tyler can’t wait until we do.

Spending time at the pumpkin patch was enjoyable, not just for Tyler. There’s something satisfying about watching a child learn and experience something new, and like it.

If you go, make sure to take a camera. There are tons of candid moments at the pumpkin patch.

 

Two trips to Vinnie's and still within means

October 3, 2008 at 3:16 pm

Ten dollars is getting more difficult to spread when eating out in these trying times of economic troubles.

Sometimes I wonder if it would be cheaper to eat my $10. It would certainly add some greenery to my plate.

But I found a flicker of hope. And I found it inside Hickory Point Mall in Forsyth.

Vinnie’s Barbee-Q provided me with two separate meals, both totaling less than $10 — an ideal situation for me.

At the mall, I chose Vinnie’s Barbee-Q mainly because it was right there and smelled really good when I came out of Kohl’s Department Store. I chose to eat there a second time because of the service and great-tasting food.

Immediately, I caught sight of the sign that read their slogan: “You need no teeth to eat Vinnie’s meat” — catchy and fun.

Something about the Little Vinnie Burgers (think of the size of White Castle burgers) appealed to me, so I ordered two (69 cents each) and a side order of fries ($1.29) to go. The combo was a good deal (3 Little Vinnie’s, fries and a medium drink for $4.30), but I already had a drink with me and I’m sure I didn’t have room for a third burger.

It was my first time eating Vinnie’s Barbee-Q. Even though I’d see their tent at the Decatur Celebration, I’m often quick to stand in line for river chips and a funnel cake.

The servers were courteous and made certain my order was correct while they prepared it.

They showed this same display on my second visit to Vinnie’s, when the owner convinced me to try a pork sandwich meal (including a side dish, for $4.80), plus a drink.

The sandwich was good, but I couldn’t stop munching away at my baked beans. They were delicious. There was a little extra taste to it. Nutmeg possibly? Ginger? Uh-uh. Cinnamon, it was definitely a hint of cinnamon I tasted in the baked beans. Yummy!

Besides burgers, Vinnie’s offers ribs, chicken, hot dogs and dessert options.

After my two trips, I still had money left over for dessert. But that doesn’t mean I have to overfeed my appetite. I’ll save my extra loot for another trip.

Vinnie’s Barbee-Q is located in the Kohl’s wing of Hickory Point Mall.

Restaurant hours are 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. They can be reached at 875-2214.

The second location of Vinnie’s Barbee-Q is at 1250 Southside Dr. in Decatur, in Phillips 66 Station across from Farm and Fleet. They can be reached at 423-PORK (7675).

Hours for the second location are 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Orders must be called in ahead for the drive-thru window. Vinnie’s caters too.

 

Before the movie…

September 19, 2008 at 9:15 am

The showing of the movie at the drive-in was to play fairly late. So before the movie, Ted and I searched for a spot to eat close by to the theater.

We traveled North Avenue, which seemed like this never-ending road. But we didn’t see many places to eat, let alone restaurants open that late to eat at.

And we were being picky that night.

Ted didn’t want Mexican, I didn’t want seafood and neither one of us was in the mood for Chinese. Our best bet was good ol’ American Food.

We stopped at a sports bar and grill named Play Offs in Carol Stream. It was a great way to start off our evening.

Not a lot of people were there, but those who were there was either watching sports on TV or playing billiards. It was a comfortable setting, and the waiter/bartender was right there to take our orders.

I told Ted he was ordering too much, but you know men. He ordered chicken fingers with a basket of fries (they didn’t come as a meal) and popcorn shrimp. I was simple and ordered a cheeseburger that came with fries ($6.95).

His meal so obviously trumped mines with three plates laid out in front of him compared to my one. I was at least able to finish mines - barely - and I didn’t need a doggy bag. Ted, on the other hand, used his leftovers as his midnight snack.

That’s something I appreciate about bars and grills. They serve tremendous portions at reasonable prices. Maybe not all bars and grills, but at least the ones I’ve been to. And the food is delicious.

Ted seems to believe bars and grills make their big money off of liquor, which allows them to serve large food portions. I don’t know if that is the case, but I continually leave bars and grills, and diners too, feeling satisfied — with the food and the price I paid.

Can anyone else attest to the large servings of food bars and grills offer? I hope I’m not the only one. Maybe you have a favorite bar and grill you would suggest? Good eatin’ should be shared.

 

A movie under the stars

September 5, 2008 at 1:53 pm

Whoever says drive-in movie theaters are dead is wrong.

They’re a rare find, yes. But I assure you they’re alive and kicking and well worth tracking down.

A drive-in theater Ted and I visited while vacationing in Chicago was a first for me. It was an interesting experience that honestly, I never considered doing.

Society, including myself, is more familiar today with going to a sit-down movie theater than a drive-in, obviously because the sit-downs are more easily accessible compared to the drive-ins. It was a bit of a trip for us in going to the Chicago movie theater, Cascade Drive-In.

But I found out drive-in movie theaters has its perks.

1. You don’t have to get out of your car to see the movie (unless you get concessions).
2. You get to let your seat back and really get comfortable.
3. You don’t have to worry about sitting next to anyone who talks through the whole movie. Plus, you can be that talker and talk freely in your car.
4. And it’s a lot easier to sneak in … I mean, bring in your own snacks. (Like you’ve never snuck candy into a movie theater because you didn’t want to pay the ridiculously high price they ask for.)

The price at the drive-in is what sold me. Cascade Drive-In offers customers to watch two recently released movies for one price of $8.50 per adult and $4.50 per child ages 5-11. That’s usually what I pay to see one movie.

Ted came up with the idea to go to Cascade Drive-In after reminiscing on his days as a youngster in the backseat of mom and pop’s car watching movies.

It was just how he remembered it. Parking on the lawn in front of a huge screen, where there isn’t a bad seat in the house. Speakers that hook onto the windowsill of your car, only at Cascade they also have a stereo sound system, so the in-car speakers are merely an option. And the sound is superb, crystal clear.

Cascade also has a concession stand and a picnic area for people to barbeque. The movies play back to back and change from week to week.

Cascade in West Chicago is far to travel for a movie, but there are some drive-in movie theaters at a closer distance.

The Route 66 Drive-In in Springfield is open, and so is the Stardust Drive-In, a theater in Charleston that recently opened for business.

No matter where you’re from, Drive-Ins.com is a useful Web site with a database of drive-in movie theaters nationwide. It’s an efficient way to track down these one-of-a-kind theaters. And make sure to watch for the time of season the theater is open.

Cascade was something new for me, and I enjoyed myself. I wouldn’t mind going again and this time taking a carload of friends to laugh with.

The whole evening came out a learning experience for me. I learned what the term “pineapple express” really is.

 

Jupiter's Pizzeria and Billiards

August 8, 2008 at 9:02 am

Funny story. (Ok, the story’s not so much funny-ha ha, as it is funny-ironic.)

A week ago, Ted and I were making plans to hang out in Champaign for some shopping and relaxing. And me, being the planner that I am, decided to scope out some places we could go, places to eat and what times we could catch a movie.

The Web site of this spot called Jupiter’s Pizzeria and Billiards came up in my search. I shot the idea to Ted about going to the place. (Ted can be picky about pizza.) I didn’t receive a “yes,” and I didn’t get a “no” either.

When we got to Champaign, we arrived later than we intended. We were hoping to get there by lunch time, but made it there late afternoon, so we were hungry.

Ted and I ventured to downtown Champaign with our GPS system set to Jim Gould’s Restaurant. By this time, I had forgotten about wanting to go to Jupiter’s and didn’t even know where to find it. We drove around to find a parking space, and low and behold, we happened to park right in front of Jupiter’s.

I turned to Ted and said, “That’s the place I told you about that I saw on the internet that I wanted to go to.” He must have known what my next comment was going to be because he said, “Let’s go there.” (I finally got a direct answer out of him.)

Because we went late in the afternoon, not many people were there, which was fine by us.

The place was composed of mostly booths, as well as bar and patio seating. Six pool tables were lined up, and a flat-screen TV could be viewable in any area of the pizza joint. It could easily be a man’s haven. And did I mention the 13 kinds of on-tap beer, plus the more than 35 kinds of domestic and premium beer available.

We ordered a medium pizza with half sausage and half pepperoni ($13.99). You get up to four toppings, but watch out because some of the toppings count as two, like sausage, barbeque chicken, and smoked salmon.

Jupiter’s only sells thin-crust pizza, which made Ted squirm in his seat. He prefers thick crust. But I saw him warm up to thin-crust pizza eating Jupiter’s because they piled the sausage on for him. I couldn’t get enough of my half of the pizza. It was delicious, and on top of that, it didn’t taste like pizza I’ve had before. It had a different taste. We ate the full thing in one sitting.

Pool was calling our name when we were done, telling us we needed to work off some of that pizza. Ted and I battled it out in billiards a few rounds. Our concentration was split between the game and the baseball game on TV at the time, but we were really just playing for fun.

Billiards is regularly $6 an hour. Unless you go on a weekday and order a pizza and then it’s free with the meal.

Ironic? You bet it is. Fate? I think so. Or maybe the planets were aligned just right to lead us to Jupiter’s? Whatever it was, Ted and I had an awesome time of food and games at Jupiter’s.

Jupiter’s Pizzeria and Billiards is open 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 2 a.m. Sunday. The kitchen closes at 1 a.m. daily.

Searching on the internet, there appears to be two Jupiter’s in Champaign: one is located at 39 E. Main St. (the one we went to) and can be reached at 398-5988; and the other is at 2511 Village Green Plaza and at 366-8300.

Apparently, Jupiter’s Web site is down, even though it was working a week ago for me. But just in case it’s up and running again, here’s the URL: www.jupiterspizza.com.

 

Zb's Hotdogs

July 25, 2008 at 12:47 pm

Zb’s Hotdogs isn’t the easiest of places to find.

It’s tucked away along South Main Street between a law office and a coin collectable shop, but its there.

Zb’s serves 9-inch New York-style hotdogs made of 100 percent beef.

Now I don’t know the difference between New York- versus Chicago-style hotdogs, but put some ketchup and some mustard on it, and I’m good all the same. But for those people who do know the difference, its efficient that we now have both styles available in Decatur to suit both needs.

Ordering a combo meal over the countertop laced with black and yellow tiling, Zb’s currently only sells potato chips as a side to the hotdog, but the cashier explained to me that next week they will begin offering homemade potato salad and baked beans too.

He also told me that they will have a tent set up outside to sell their New York-style hotdogs and promote the business during the Decatur Celebration weekend. He handed me a flier showing where their tent would be set up (which wasn’t far from their eatery), and it had a MySpace link listed.

Inside, Zb’s had a few tables set up to eat there, but I could tell it was more of a place for a hurried meal. I found an open seat and ate there because I was on my way to do something else afterwards.

My hotdog was longer than the bun, which is something I’m not used to. It hit the spot nicely.

They offered a lot of hot dog toppings to choose from — with onion relish, raw onion, sweet sauerkraut, chili, cheese onions in sauce, Texas sauce and onion and pepper sauce — but I was content on keeping it simple, no matter how good a chili hotdog sounded.

Prices are $1.99 for a regular hotdog, and combo meals (which includes a hotdog or two; choice of chips, baked beans or potato salad; and a pop) range in price from $3.99 to $6.49. Hotdog toppings are 50 cents each.

All in all, Zb’s did what it was supposed to do, and that was to tame my growling tummy. I’m hoping the menu will evolve into more over time because the restaurant has potential in Decatur.

We may not be New York, but people are in a rush in Decatur too.

Zb’s Hotdogs is at 134 S. Main St. in downtown Decatur. Business hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and they can be reached at 421-6010.