When Midwesterners are looking for a romantic weekend getaway, Galena, Ill., often makes the short list of ideas. Wedged in the northwestern tip of Illinois, Galena offers a superb blend of history (the town is full of sites related to its most famous resident, Ulysses S. Grant), shopping, outdoor activities and small-town charm. With the surrounding area being unusually scenic and hilly for Illinois, Galena tends to be more popular in the fall and winter months (the only ski resort I know of in the state is nearby), but it truly is a year-round destination.
It should be no surprise, then, that Punky and I try to make a trip to Galena every year at a minimum. And whenever we go, we rarely miss an opportunity to dine at one of our favorite restaurants in the downtown area. Its menu and décor might make you think of a modern Tuscan-style trattoria, but its namesake dish is a classic southern appetizer – Fried Green Tomatoes.
