If you've never heard of Peotone, Ill., it’s a small
community that, despite being in affluent Will County south of Chicago, has
remained largely untouched by the urban sprawl that continues to encroach upon
it. In fact, it’s probably one of the
first signs of rural Illinois farm town life you’ll find driving southbound on
Interstate 57.
If you have heard of Peotone, it may be because it’s the
proposed site for a third airport to serve the Chicago area (the airport in
Gary, Ind., would actually be closer but who realistically wants to fly into
Gary?). So, if certain politicos have
their way, the landscape of Peotone could change drastically in the next
decade.
What I hope doesn't change about Peotone is a little gem
of a German restaurant and beer garden called the Peotone Bier Stube, located
on Illinois Highway 50 as it runs through town (Side note: If you follow Hwy. 50 north, you eventually
find yourself on Cicero Avenue in Chicago).
Peotone is probably not on most people’s short list for delicious,
authentic German food, but then again, those people aren't seeking out the
uncommon in a commoner’s travels.
If you’re looking to find this place coming off the
interstate, you’ll need some patience.
It’s a couple of miles off the exit, then a left at Hwy. 50 until you’re
almost out of town. Look for it on the
west side of the road. On the Friday
evening I was returning from Chicago, I’d had the good fortune of recalling
seeing this place on an earlier trip, so when I saw the road sign, I knew I had
to try it out for dinner. Plus, 90
minutes of rush hour traffic had put me in the mood for a mug of German beer.
The building itself is a little unassuming, but there’s
little doubt of the German influence. As
you walk in, you’ll notice a main dining room off to the right with plenty of taxidermy
and artwork hanging to give it a hunting lodge vibe, and a bar and seating area
off to the left decked out in enough German-themed memorabilia to make you
think you were in Munich. I arrived
early enough to have my run of the house, so naturally I chose to sit at the
bar – and a well-stocked and appropriately cluttered one at that.
I wasted no time getting my German beer. I noticed they had Warsteiner Pilsener on tap
and knew it would go with anything, or nothing if need be. It was the perfect drink for taking in the
full menu.
Seeing that giant schnitzels were their specialty, I
figured I couldn't go wrong with one. I
mean, who doesn't have a fondness for a plate-sized schnitzel? But the choices were so varied, I couldn't
decide. Fortunately, the extremely
likable and pretty bartender (I really should be better at getting names, for journalistic purposes if for no other reason) recommended the Kaiser Schnitzel which was on
special – a schnitzel covered with a cream sauces and chunks of chicken breast. Now, that’s a schnitzel fit for the
Kaiser!
It was nothing short of delicious. The schnitzel was not overly breaded. The pork inside was nice and tender. The brown gravy and cream sauce worked
together to complement the dish very well.
The sides of German potato salad and red cabbage were spot-on, too.
The entrée also came with a choice of soup or salad. Since I was still recovering from the cold
drizzle that had engulfed Chicago the entire day, I went with the soup. Once again going with the bartender’s
recommendation, she chose the house special – liver dumpling soup. I expected something creamy with dumplings
like my grandmother made and bits of liver in the broth. Much to my surprise, I got this …
Yes, that’s a giant ball of pork liver floating in beef
broth. And guess what? It was amazing. Aside from the schnitzel, it was the highlight
of the meal. That, and the beer and friendly people at the Peotone Bier Stube,
of course. And before I forget, the prices were very reasonable, too. The dinner special was around $20. The beer was around $5-6.
1 comment:
Totally going to make the trip. Thanks!
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