j r wrote:I looked at Friday's website [ugh ], and see a vast amount of empty space around this area with nothing close by.

Just be thankful and don't ask why.

j r ~ please help us expand out past Schaumburg, the proverbial end of the world! There really are more contributors from way out here than you initially realize. And lots of great info from them!! LOTS!

From what I understand, Fridays lease was up and they were offered a ten year, but wanted a one year lease. But not sure where they're going , though, sorry. Just down near the tollway.

Randall Road is a chain mess. We happened upon the Asian Cuisine restaurant a few weeks ago, and have been pleasantly surprised a few times. (Right next to Mimi's) I've been meaning to try Diced at Randall and Algonquin, and frankly, never remember it when trying to figure out where to go..And of course, just to jump in on the ever popular debate, Would take Famous Dave's (who isn't particularily good) over the Texan any day!

jleblanc05 wrote:j r ~ please help us expand out past Schaumburg, the proverbial end of the world! There really are more contributors from way out here than you initially realize. And lots of great info from them!! LOTS!

From what I understand, Fridays lease was up and they were offered a ten year, but wanted a one year lease. But not sure where they're going , though, sorry. Just down near the tollway.

Randall Road is a chain mess. We happened upon the Asian Cuisine restaurant a few weeks ago, and have been pleasantly surprised a few times. (Right next to Mimi's) I've been meaning to try Diced at Randall and Algonquin, and frankly, never remember it when trying to figure out where to go..And of course, just to jump in on the ever popular debate, Would take Famous Dave's (who isn't particularily good) over the Texan any day!

Will do.

When I moved out here, Randall Rd was a 2 lane road from St Charles all the way to the north end. I used to be able to go over 5 miles between Elgin and St Charles without a single traffic light. Now there are 12 new ones in that stretch. In a few years it will be one long strip mall form the south edge of Crystal lake all the way to Aurora

Still, we've found a few places worth going to along that stretch. All the following except Diced are in or adjacent to Algonquin Commons.

When we first went to Biaggi's, I didn't know they were a chain. I certainly hadn't seen one before. And everything we've ever had there has been great. Great food, moderate prices. Staff helpful, and they let my daughter special order a kids portion of Gnocci not on the menu. Their home made breads are great. Why go to a mediocre place like Olive Garden (and wait to get seated?) now that these folks are here?

Tea Gschwendner: Great teas and just as great foods. We've had lunch there a handful of times. The first time we sniffed a few teas, and went with the Rooibush Cream Caramel. It's still our favorite. I had the tenderloin special, and my wife had the salmon. The only down side was they were out of the portabella potato side. The meat portions were as big as some dinner entrees we've had. My daughter enjoyed her tuna croissant. Soup was just as good, and the chocolate cake was great.
Then we sniffed a bunch more teas (the metal cans on the shelf are there for sniffing, something we didn't know at first), and bought half a dozen varieties, some accessories, and a gift basket for a tea loving friend. This summer, when my vegetarian brother was in town, we took them here for the full tea service, and they too loved it. The only thing missing is a cozy fireplace in the corner, especially at this time of the year.

Houlihan's is another chain, but seems to have remade themselves from what I remember from years ago. The soups are home made and excellent. All the entrees we've tried have been great. We've had steaks, chicken, fish, fajitas, pot roast, and the enchiladas. I still need to try the ribs and shrimp combo when I'm really hungry. Interesting "artsy" shaped plates for everything instead of the boring round plates and attractive presentations.
Their desserts are what keeps bringing us back. Smaller portions, so you don't feel like a pig for indulging, for $2 each, or a tasting of 3 (we share them) for $5.50.
Staff has always been friendly and helpful. No rush, no wait to be seated, but we've never been there for weekend prime time.

Tried Asian Cuisine this weekend. MUCH better than we expected from a strip mall. Large portions, and the prices were pretty good too. I wonder if it will stay so inexpensive once they are established. We'll definitely be back.

My daughter likes Mimis, but I seem to get the wrong things there, and they have been pretty mediocre in my opinion. Maybe I should try something else.

We weren't impressed at either Bonefish Grill or Red Star Tavern.

My wife also tried Diced, and from her comments it wasn't worth going back.

More later...

Diced and Asian Food

Today I tried Diced. Nice little place. Tons of selection in the salad area. They have about 8 'signature' salads, or you can choose your own. Romaine, iceberg, mix of greens and spinach as a base to choose from. At least 20 dressings. Tried the garlic, pretty standard, and a vidalia onion- very good. They also have your stanard wraps. There were about 8 soups to choose from, the selection seems to change daily. The salad portion size was large--she filled a container about 9 x 5 inches or so full with a ton of stuff I picked out. Comes with 2 rolls of your choice. Not bad. I would return. Carry out (which I did) and delivery on Fridays.

Yesterday husband and I ventured out in the snow to the Asian Food place near Mimi's. It was 530 or so and snowing like crazy, but we were the only people there the whole time.

A large but not crazy big selection of asian foods. Not really Japanese, no sushi. There was almost half and half Thai and Chinese choices, with some Korean mixed in. I had the seafood stone bowl. Shrimp, scallops and crab with bok choy over a big bowl of creamy fried rice ( is that an oxymoron?). Fried egg on top. Quite good. Came in a large super heated ---stone bowl. Lots of leftovers.

Hubby had the pad thai. Another very large portion. It was good--he said reminded him of the Noodles pad thai. We would definitely return. They do carry out but not delivery yet.

My wife and carried out from Asian Cuisine a few weeks ago. Maybe we have been spoiled by frequent trips into the city for Asian food but this place didn't do it for us. Mind you there was nothing wrong with the food but it seemed "dumbed down" to us. The flavor just wasn't there.

I was excited when I first read of this place. The menu lists many items listed that you cannot readily find in this area such as Korean Spicy Seafood soup, Vietnamese Spicy Head-on Shrimps & Duck Feet with Black Pepper sauce.

We weren't too daring so we tried an order of Pad Thai and Red Curry and neither one was outstanding. The flavors didn't pop. The curry was listed as spicy but it didn't deliver. I found the Pad Thai to be a bit on the greasy side. Also, the order of curry was very large but they only gave us one small pint container of rice.

Maybe it was an off night or the food had been reconfigured for the white suburban palate. In either case I am willing to give it another try. This time I will eat in, plead my case and ask that they treat me as a native and bring on the heat.

AVIVA - thanks for the post on Diced. We just never seem to think of it until we're someplace else. We had lunch today at Asian Cuisine for I think the 4th time. Always delivers for us, today we tried the buffet (6.99), and it was very well done. The food isn't put out in mass quantities, so they are always refilling with hot food. There's also a Hibachi station in the rear with load your plate full of raw food, put it in the window. They stir fry either Chinese or Japanese style and deliver it to your table. Lots of vegies, proteins were chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, and scallops. Nicely done. The spice factor is sometimes not as hot as we like, but you can ask for it, and they deliver! The spicy Korean seafood soup is my favorite, hands down. The service has always been impeccable. And nicely, for them, it's always very crowded at lunch anyway (vast majority of clientale is asian..)

jleblanc05 wrote:we tried the buffet (6.99), and it was very well done.

For that price, I'm going to have to give them a try some time over the holiday break.

I didnt even realize they have a buffet. Is that lunch only? The snowy night we were there it seemed like sit down only. I like the sound of the hibachi cooking. Fortunately, I'm about 1 mile due east and can hop over to check it out. Most of my days off are during the week, so can avoid a crowd.

I was talking to a fellow foodie at Paradise Pup last Friday who mentioned that his favorite place to eat in Chicagoland is a submarine sammich spot not too far from the Texan BBQ.

I believe he said it was called Algonquin Sub Shop. . or something like that. Anyone have any details and opinions on the spot?

Ghazi wrote:I believe he said it was called Algonquin Sub Shop. . or something like that. Anyone have any details and opinions on the spot?

My comments on the Algonquin Sub Shop are on page 1 of this thread...

One word summary: GREAT!

Aviva - the buffet is Monday - Saturday in a separate room in the back. . .

We revisited the Asian Cuisine in the vast Randall Rd strip mall over the holidays for the lunch buffet. It very much lived up to the expectations of our previous visit. The steam table items were fresh and high quality, plus there is the cook to order grill (sort of like the Mongolian BBQ place we used to go to), plus the hot soups that felt good on a cold winter day.

Even my finicky teenage daughter found plenty of things to eat.

And at $6.99 it was a bargain.

There is a restaurant opening in the former Claddagh spot in the Algonquin Commons. I don't know much about it. I heard they were going to have over 200 beers.

I just saw that in the local paper today. An Irish place, conveniently located in the old Claddagh.

Kosta's Gyros has (not that) recently opened up Algonquin, in the same strip mall at the former Lamai Thai and Aroma Tapas. Nothing fancy, but the same reasonably priced high quality food I was used to from their Palatine location. We've been here a handful of times, and have yet to be disappointed. I like my meat "extra crispy", which they are happy to do on request. It takes a bit longer, but it's worth the wait.

They also have a large second dining room that looks like it's reservable for birthday parties and events.

The only thing missing from the Palatine location is the absolutely gorgeous Greek girl with the long dark hair that was behind the register back when I first moved there. Of course by now, she'd be as old as I am

Kosta's Gyros
4053 W Algonquin @ Square Barn
Algonquin, IL 60102
847-515-7181

j r wrote:Kosta's Gyros has (not that) recently opened up Algonquin, in the same strip mall at the former Lamai Thai and Aroma Tapas. Nothing fancy, but the same reasonably priced high quality food I was used to from their Palatine location. We've been here a handful of times, and have yet to be disappointed. I like my meat "extra crispy", which they are happy to do on request. It takes a bit longer, but it's worth the wait.

Kosta's is generally pretty good - if you catch them when they are BUSY. I do not recommend the chicken if you arrive much past 7 pm because it is usually dried out and stringy.

There is another Thai place in that strip mall.

jlawrence01 wrote:There is another Thai place in that strip mall.

I don't know if the original Thai place changed ownership, or just the name. It's in the same place with the same phone number (the first business we encountered with a 224 area code). They changed the decor a bit. We've been there at least once since the change, and the food is still good.

Bangkok Thai & Sushi
4077 W Algonquin
Algonquin, IL 60102
224-569-3999

I recently had lunch at Bangkok on Algonquin road. I think they call themselves @Bangkok and the web site is: http://www.atbangkokthaisushi.com/ Overall, well executed Thai for this area. I have not tried the sushi.

One thing they need to do is post their lunch specials on the web site because I have been hesitant to try the place as the prices for the standard Thai fare on their regular menu seemed a dollar or two on the high side. If I spend $10 on sub-par Pad Thai, I am kicking myself the rest of the week.

The good news is they have lunch specials neat the $8 mark that includes miso soup and an appetizer. I had the Thai Basil Chicken and it was very good. The sauce was excellent and I used up all of my jasmine rice making sure I soaked up every last bit from my plate. Their spring rolls (fried) were a pleasant surprise. I like the non-fried type, but this one was done to perfection. Not greasy, just perfectly crispy.

The portion size was right for me, for lunch.

Overall, I will be back for lunch and would certainly consider them for dinner. I think their prices might be a little higher than I expected because they do have a liquor license and seemed to have a decent selection.

The interior has been improved (or at least cleaned up) since the Lamai Thai days.

After a greasy meal at Asian Cuisine earlier in the week, this was a pleasant surprise.

If you are looking for good lunch specials, Krystal Thai in Crystal Lake has a good number of $5.95-6.95 lunch specials that include soup, appetizer, and entree.

Krystal Thai
Krystalthai.com
230 West Virginia Road #A
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
(815) 444-0004

Open Mon-Tue,Sat-Sun 11:30am-9pm; Wed-Thu 11:30am-10pm; Fri 12:30pm-9pm

It is located next to TJ MAXX in the strip mall.

Good call on Krystal Thai. I think their food is very good, and the prices are also good. They have a very nice stuffed chicken app, and their Tom Yum noodle soup is perfect for flavor and heat.

j r wrote:Houlihan's is another chain, but seems to have remade themselves from what I remember from years ago. The soups are home made and excellent. All the entrees we've tried have been great. We've had steaks, chicken, fish, fajitas, pot roast, and the enchiladas. I still need to try the ribs and shrimp combo when I'm really hungry. Interesting "artsy" shaped plates for everything instead of the boring round plates and attractive presentations.
Their desserts are what keeps bringing us back. Smaller portions, so you don't feel like a pig for indulging, for $2 each, or a tasting of 3 (we share them) for $5.50.
Staff has always been friendly and helpful. No rush, no wait to be seated, but we've never been there for weekend prime time.

I have not been to the Algonquin location, but the Lake Geneva location was really quite outstanding. If I had to go back to Lake Geneva for reasonably priced food (<$20 pp), Houlihan's would probably be my first choice.

Has anyone tried Barley House yet - I wanted to go just haven't had a chance

bisque wrote:Has anyone tried Barley House yet - I wanted to go just haven't had a chance

Where is it?

abe_froeman wrote: I guess, for me, any BBQ in the NW suburbs is better than Russell's, which seems to be other people's standby, which I just don't get.

Russell's sandwiches are not BBQ in the traditional sense, not a hint of smoke. Maybe a juicy and tender pork or beef sandwich with BBQ sauce on it.

I have been known to enjoy a few of their sammies on occasion. both the sandwich and fries covered with their sauce.

Don't get me wrong as I have made some awesome, slow and low, brisket and shoulder and that is what I prefer. Just different. Worlds apart.

j r wrote:

bisque wrote:Has anyone tried Barley House yet - I wanted to go just haven't had a chance

Where is it?

It is opening up in the old Claddagh building.

Personally, I find it really ballsy to open up a restaurant in this economic environment when so many other places have major down counts.

Certain restaurant owners in McHenry Co. (not those of the Barley House) are telling me that January and February are always weak and that they expect to see things pick up in March. However, their non-verbals express more concern.

Edited as I gave a misimpression that I know the owners of the Barley House. I do not.

Either they are real smart or a few screw loose

Has anyone tried Randall Roadhouse in Carpentersville across from Woodmans/Menards?

Randall Roadhouse
2267 Randall Rd
Carpentersville, IL 60110

Randall Roadhouse is a tough one to classify and review. Overall, it's a bar/sports bar, with bar food. They do have a huge menu running from sandwiches to pizza to burgers to pasta to ribs and appetizers dripping with grease and/or cheese. Everything seems to be executed well for bar food, but nothing is going to knock your socks off.

I like their salads, which are large and have a ton of ingredients for the most part. They have good sandwiches too. Portions are large so I usually get something from there in the summer when I will work it off in the yard or on my bike. I've ordered their Pizza once and I just am no longer a Pizza lover so while I cannot give it great reviews, I think many people would like it.

It seems to be popular in the summer with baseball leagues, and from what I can tell it has a loyal following so they must be doing things right.

Randall Roadhouse
2267 Randall Road
Carpentersville, IL
http://www.randallroadhouse.com/

I've been to RRHouse a few times, and have had delivery also a number of times. I'd agree its good bar food, large portions, not expensive. I like their pastas and fried chicken. Quick delivery. I always ask for crispy fries and they always do it right, instead of saying ok and then delivering the usual non-crispy. I'd recommend it for a basic sports bar-type of place.

I checked out barley-house the other day. Food was good, Beer selection is plentifull. Atmosphere is so Boring! That is whats going to put this place under. The old Irish place started off strong then went right in the crapper. Way to boring up there. Zzzzzzzzzz