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I'm driving down to Plano, IL this Saturday to visit the Farnsworth House. Since it's a relatively short drive, I probably won't make any stops en route, but after my 10am tour, I'll probably need a snack. Does anyone have any recommendations for lunch in Plano or very nearby?

Thanks in advance.

I don't know of anything right in plain ol' Plano, but in Sandwich there is a typical pub serving sandwiches, pastas, etc.: Rick's Place. Haven't been for a while, but it wasn't bad.

If I were anywhere in the vicinity, however, I'd zip over to the Bristol Tap for the BEST hamburger, ever. It takes about 20 minutes for them to make them by hand, and the menu certainly isn't extensive, but the burgers are just excellent. And huge -- go hungry! It is a tavern, and its about 10 miles away, but definitely worth it. The address is:

46 N Cannonball
Bristol, IL
630-553-6229

We're out that way once in a while to go to the Sandwich Antique Market or to Silver Springs State Park which is across the River from the Farnsworth House. We generally have lunch in Yorkville at the Bridge Street Cafe which is on Rte. 47 in downtown Yorkville. Nothing real special, just a small town eatery with basic good food. Last visit my partner ordered the trout special which was a beautiful presentation and well prepared whole fileted and deboned broiled trout. This area is exploding with new housing and new strip malls popping up on what was once beautiful farm land, there are many new restaurants and bars opening up along US 34 from Sandwich to Plano to Yorkville.

Thanks for the recommendations. I'll report on wherever I end up. The Bristol Tap burger will be hard to pass up!

Plano and Sandwich have several Mexican taco stands and I think the sit down Mexican place is in Plano, all along US Rte. 34. Like I said, this area has exploded and much new stuff all along 34 though none has tempted me yet. There is also an actual railcar diner in Sandwich on 34.

Thanks. I'll probably stay along 34, won't stray too far from it given my nonexistent sense of direction. A taco stand might be perfect. I won't be able to dawdle too much--I'll have to get back to shop and cook for Ravinia that night.

If you're set on a taco stand, there is a decent little sitdown Mexican place in the middle of Plano on Center Street two short blocks north of 34 on the right hand side. Weekend will mean menudo too.
If you look carefully, you might see the plaque for the original Reaper Factory inthe first block off 34.

Yesterday was my trip to Plano. (I highly, highly recommend the Farnsworth House to anyone with even the most minimal interest in architecture. It's an astounding landmark.) I finished my tour a little after 11am. Still thinking about the house, I was not focused on food at all, just intent on trying something in Plano before getting back on the road. LikestoEatout was definitely right about all of the development on 34--a LOT of strip malls. It seems that about every major fast food chain is represented in nearby Yorkville, but I didn't see a lot of other food options.

I ended up at Jade's Garden right in downtown (?) Plano. I ordered the hong sue tofu, the most notable quality of which was that it was served hot.



The menu defined this dish as "deep fried bean curd with pork sauteed with Chinese vegetables." It actually tasted fine, if somewhat heavy on the sauce. However, I didn't detect any pork. The dish also got me thinking about what "Chinese vegetables" generally refers to on the menus of Chinese-American restaurants. In this particular case, it meant: carrots, pea pods, broccoli, water chestnuts and bok choy. It was the bok choy that appeased me.

Jade's Garden
411 E. Route 34 (The number is correct; I just can't remember the street name for 34)
Plano, IL 60545

I'm glad you enjoyed the Farnsworth House! We drove by yesterday on our way to Winding Creek Farm, a nursery. I noted one Mexican place right at the corner of 34 and Ben Street (where you turn for the Farnsworth House) and another a little farther down 34 that had a sign for tacos, gyros and "ahmbergasa" (hamburgers). For our lunch we opted for Culver's in Yorkville, I guess we're not very adventuresome!

I know exactly the Mexican place you're referring to. I believe the name is Cano's. I actually would have preferred to eat there--a torta and a beer would have made for the perfect meal after my tour but, alas, they still looked closed shortly after 11am. I also saw that sign further down 34 with the hamburguesas and gyros! I thought it would be a great LTH photo, but I found it less easy to grab for my camera with just me in the car.

My boyfriend wants to visit the Farnsworth House with me in October once the leaves change, so I'm hoping to have a better Plano report then.

Taking tcdup's recommendation, Mr. X and I stopped at the Bristol Tap on our way to Earlville, IL. I thought the burger was fantastic.



We were there in August. It's a Cubs Christmas all the time at the Bristol Tap.



The place had great charm and a friendly staff. I'm sure we'll make it a regular stop on our annual trip to Earlville.

My partner and I are going to visit Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House this weekend.

I'm not sure this qualifies as "Chicagoland" -- it's located WAY out west near Plano, IL.

BUT -- does anybody have any good recommendations for dinner near there? It can be anything from a good local joint to something more upscale.

Just not a chain.

Thanks

Doug

No need to worry about chains, there aren't that many in this part of the world. You will find a lot of good neighborhood bar food, some great Mexican hole in the walls and some good casual nice places. Right in Plano on John Street which is just north of Rte 34 is Mio Amore, a very nice Italian classic place and steakhouse. It's only open for dinner.

http://www.mioamore.org/

Back in Yorkville (east of Plano on Rte. 34) is Stonefire on Rte. 47, north of Rte. 34. The place is only 4 or so years old, I've only been for lunch and had an excellant burger but they do steaks and pastas. It has a pub kind of a feel to it.

http://www.stonefiredine.com/

The Blackstone is also in Yorkville on Rte. 34 east of Rte. 47. It's 5 or so years old. They have good seasonal house made pastas and good steaks.

http://www.blackstonebarandgrill.com/

My favorite if you are anywhere nearby is Walton Payton's Roundhouse in downtown Aurora. Good steaks, pork items, woodfired pizzas. The menu changes seasonally plus they operate a brew pub and have sample flights availible. It's a great complex in the reconstructed Burlington Railroad Rounhouse, worth the visit for the architecture, there are many photos of the building's history and there is also the Walter Payton Museum. Walyer was one of the founding partners and was very active and visable in the operations.

http://www.walterpaytonsroundhouse.com/content/2.html

There are a number of new restaurants that have opened up in the strip store fronts that have built up along Rte. 34 between Yorkville and Plano in the recent years. I've only been to one small Italian place that's near the Wal Mart and can't remeber the name, the others appear to have sports bar themes. This area has exploded in recent years.

You will enjoy the Farnsworth House! A good friend of mine lives very near by so we see it in the spring and winter, in the summer it's hidden by trees.

another place off of route 47 out that way is the Bristol Tap, allegedly great burgers, although the sign on the door prohibiting kids makes it unlikely I will be trying one anytime soon.

Bristol Tap
46 S. Cannonball Trail
Bristol, IL.

630-553-6229

_________________
I got a real good mind.

Before Cotton was King: http://www.grubseeker.blogspot.com

I've been by the Bristol Tap but never in it but I have heard good things about their burgers too. As I mentioned, there are a lot of good mom & pop bar food eats in the area, I just haven't tried any. There are also a few good places in Sandwich which is west of Plano, one being an old railcar diner that I think they just use for their part of their retaurant.

I guess someday I should put together a list of Plano-Sandwich-Yorkville eats, I'm in the area a lot and just don't always pay attention to them all.

I have eaten at the Bristol Tap 3 times now, and must say their burgers are tasty. They are hand-packed, grilled to order, and served with chips. A burger and and and ice cold beer, you can't beat it!! And the prices are great as well.

finally hit Bristol Tap today, same goofy Cubs decorated tree as posted above, but I was able to look past that.

Burger was fantastic, easily the best I have had all year(better than Kuma's, Paramount Room, Big & Littles, etc, etc.). Perfectly cooked(rare to medium rare), minimalistic. A dash of salt and some ketchup, and this burger was good to go, and quickly snarfed down. @ $5.75 it is a steal.

$6 rounds of Jim Beam shots and High Life, working class, no nonsenes, local joint. You get the burger how it is prepared and served. I loved the attitude, and vibe.

I also like bars where the flat top grill is right behind the bar like it is here.

Best burger in Chicagoland.. perhaps... today it was.

definitely worth the detour today for me.

_________________
I got a real good mind.

Before Cotton was King: http://www.grubseeker.blogspot.com

Jim-

I'm glad you tried the Bristol Tap. We skipped it this year on our way to our annual Earlville camping trip, but I missed having their delicious burger.

-Mary

_________________
-Mary

enjoyable lunch yesterday with a couple LTHr's.

Burger was cooked more to medium this time, but still good. Sprecher on tap, cheap beer, no frills. Grill is right behind the bar, I find places that operate like this typically have good burgers. Bristol Tap is no exception.





grillmeister:



burger:



cheeseburger



a big fan of this place.

_________________
I got a real good mind.

Before Cotton was King: http://www.grubseeker.blogspot.com

Wanted to quickly mention that the Bristol Tap is still putting out great burgers. Mr. X and I stopped there a couple of weeks ago. A couple of medium-rare burgers, a beer for him and drafter Sprecher's root beer for me...excellent.

_________________
-Mary

Rick's Place in Sandwich is long gone, but there is a replacement restaurant there. Maybe called Brickhouse?

Very disappointing. To be fair, we were there between brunch and dinner, but my chicken fried steak was not hot, and the gravy was congealed brown gravy -- not white gravy as CFS calls for.

Go to the Bristol Tap. It never disappoints.

Bristol Tap was a quick drive from the Irish Club at halftime of the noon game yesterday. Enjoyed some Bush lite off the tap, some Beam and a brat burger for me, a bacon cheeseburger for my mom.
Burger temp a perfect medium rare. Brat burger was two thin pattys with a little cheese melted between, worked..

_________________
I got a real good mind.

Before Cotton was King: http://www.grubseeker.blogspot.com