West Central Illinois

We went downstate over the weekend under the pretext of visiting relatives, but what I really wanted was morels. Tramping up and down the hills near towns like Littleton, Camden, Browning and Rushville bring back good childhood memories. I got more ticks than morels, but my cousin had stashed away a couple of pounds, so we still got my fill.

Quick restaurant review, should anyone want to wander into an area once known as Forgotonia.

Deb & Di's - Rushville
Great diner level breakfast. The test for me is knowing how to do sunny side up. And they did it just right, runny yoke, semi solid white with crispy edges. And the bacon was crispy and lean. I was surprised that the coffee was actually quite good. My relatives complained because they charge .95 for coffee. They also have fried mush, grits, and bubba fries which are like the garbage fries at Al's.

River's Edge Boat Club - Browning
I didn't make here because the road was flooded, but I bring it up because it's a unique river restaurant. The place is on the river and up on stilts. I could see it was open but only 4 wheelers made it through. Great whole fried catfish if the cook is sober.

Riverview Restaurant - Beardstown
Second choice after River's Edge. The whole catfish has a crispy corn meal crust with moist white meat that isn't greasy. They make sweet potatoes like I'd get for Thanksgiving, mashed up with brown sugar and covered with marshmallows. If you ask what's on tap, they laugh and tell you they have bottles or cans, Bud or Miller. It has some local color, above a bowling alley, with an elevator (only one in town) that will take you all the way from the first floor to the second. My relatives got mad when I pushed the button "you city folks get to push buttons all the time".
It's right on the river, you can watch the barges go by and walk along the promenade after dinner.

It's funny, I don't visit there often, but when I go back it feels more remote than some of my trips to central america. And I'd forgotten some of the vocabulary; dinner is lunch, supper is dinner. But man those morels are good.