Deep South (Illinois) September 2020

SueF and I are taking a long weekend shortly, to the Cave In Rock / Elizabethtown area along the Ohio River.

Is there anything down there we shouldn't miss? Places we can dine (outside), winery or cidery, candy/pastry, BBQ...?

It's been nearly 30 years since it was originally published, but Bill Rice's "On the Barbecue Trail in the Tribune's (then) Good Eating section, provided a good guide to Southern Illinois 'Que. Many of the places are long gone, but some have survived, prospered, and even expanded.

Our favorite of the bunch was Triple `E' Bar-B-Que in Marion; now expanded to multiple locations around the Shawnee National Forest area. We've been to the one on Rt. 13 several times while passing through the region. Triple 'E', along with others in the area specialize in a Southeast style of BBQ, usually found in the Carolinas and Georgia. Their thin sauce is quite different from anything found up north, using apple cider vinegar as a base.

Triple 'E's 'Que is all very good, but we were especially taken with their blue gill. It's listed on the menu as a fried filet. That visit took place on our way home from NOLA where we'd consumed more than enough fried food so asked if it could be grilled. They were more than happy to oblige, with outstanding results.

Another fave was Dixie Bar-B-Que in Jonesboro. The interior was a time capsule of a bygone era with cozy wooden booths ringing the exterior, but recent photos seem to indicate they've remodeled to open up the floor plan with regular tables dotting the room. Their Barbeque was unique in that it was fully and properly smoked, then finished off on a griddle(!) creating crisp caramelized edges on the sliced Brisket and Pork sandwiches.

There's the much lauded 17th St. BBQ with locations now in Murphysboro and Marion. Frankly, we were underwhelmed by the 'Que at both locations. Best thing we've ever had there is the Smoked Chicken, and the sides are pretty good too. Meats are okay, but don't reflect the three Memphis in May Grand Championships they won.

That may actually be part of the disappointment. As soon as you walk into the Murphysboro location you're confronted with the three MiM trophies, creating an anticipation of life changing BBQ which never materializes. Like I say, it's not bad, but doesn't come close to high expectations.

Most of the other places were gone as of the last time we passed through, a couple years ago. Lord knows what's left due to the pandemic.

Buddy

On the Barbecue Trail article:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1993-10-14-9310140198-story.html

Triple `E' Bar-B-Que
Rte. 13 East, Marion, Ill.
618-997-1369.

Dixie Bar-B-Que
205 W. Broad St., Jonesboro, Ill.
618-833-6437

17th Street Bar and Grill
32 N. 17th St., Murphysboro, Ill.
618-684-3722

Casey, IL

Reflections of the Past, 15 S. Central Ave

granted I only ate there pre-pandemic, but last December I was very happy with the congenial family running the place and my diner-style breakfast...I don't know how they are running in the pandemic, but, as I will mention down message, they are probably open for business as if nothing has happened...oh, and located in an old bank building with a stuffed tiger hidden behind some dusty fake flora that local lore has it escaped from a circus train and mauled someone, Casey is known for the trains that circuit the town, I love them///the diner itself is a little rundown, but food and service were great last time I was there, and the grand old bank building is impressive

Richard's Farm, 607 NE 13th St.

iconic immense restaurant known for their giant BBQ pork chop, huge menu, very, very, very country fare, I usually, when treated go for the soup, homemade bread, long ass salad bar option///here is the deal this is NO social distancing, no masking, no nothing...I was there recently for an antiques show and if you have seen one of my favorite films The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2(long story I was in it, but got cut anyway the huge side section of the barn was lit like the underworld of that film and filled with creepy farm things(like evil dolls and evil butter molds) I can't imagine anyone buying...but, I got the heebie-jeebies with all of the unprotected people passing by me with zero regard, and the industrial AC blowing shit everywhere...and the entryway packed with locals and tourists waiting to be seated

Oilfield, 16964 N State Highway 49, Casey, IL, 62420

I haven't eaten at this roadside shack, but I've heard good things from reputable sources: burgers and such

And, lastly, Moonshine, the wonder that is Moonshine, 6017 E 300th, Martinsville, IL

This is the burger shack Oilfield wants to be supposedly. Charles Kurault once profiled it, and, it is seriously out in the middle of nowhere: yes, there is an outhouse. You might see buses pulled up. You will spy old-timers relaxing on the porch. Entering the general store you are perfumed with charring beef grease(very similar to a certain Northside Chicago burger joint). The flat top grill is at the back of the store. There is an immense table of condiments. The burger is what I call "fun," just a burger like you might enjoy at a neighbor's picnic. It is the experience of Moonshine that draws one in, a portal to a special realm where burgers and relaxing outside at the weathered picnic tables makes one feel welcome, at home.

I was going to suggest Moonshine, but I see Christopher has already covered that well. At latitudes a bit farther south, there is Firefly Grill in Effingham and a Dog N Suds in Robinson (the second Dog N Suds franchise ever created and currently the oldest still in operation). But I've got no pushpins as far south as you're going.

I have not been to Firefly, yet, but, again heard good things. Unfortunately, the Dog N' Suds in Charleston closed. We can still find their fine bottled root beer at stores in the area. Addendum, recently shopping in Terre Haute(30 min. away) we saw signs for by the slice best NY pizza in the city...and my thought was, the competition is, what?, Dominos? I have to suss this out. Oh, I totally forgot. The first Jimmy John's is in Charleston, for what that is worth(a pilgrimage for aficionados?). And, in Mattoon, ten minutes from Charleston at the end of the city in the old downtown by the railroad tracks, of course, is Hunan Cafe'...still open...we recently drove past after a Home Depot trip. I hope the proprietess, Mai is still working, she did everything, with her beehive bobbing and pleasant demeanor, Chinese-American food, some of the best ever, in nowheresville and great old skool dark, lambent, jade, lanterns, sculptures, murals interior. We always made a point to dine there when we visited family nearish. Our friends had a used bookshop just up the street and I killed their 80's horror section and scifi. They had a hush hush porno area upstairs, vintage Playboys, Hustlers, etc. I didn't know about it for years. But, my thing was genre fiction, firsts, and whatnot. Not to forget: the original Burger King is in Mattoon. Not affiliated with the company, they fought the company to retain their name decades ago.

Mary's in Herrin has been the go to spot since I was a coal salesman 25 years ago. IIRC steak was the star item. I haven't been there in years but the food was great and it was the finest dining in the area.

http://www.marysfinedining.com/

JoelF wrote:SueF and I are taking a long weekend shortly, to the Cave In Rock / Elizabethtown area along the Ohio River.

Is there anything down there we shouldn't miss? Places we can dine (outside), winery or cidery, candy/pastry, BBQ...?

Do you know your route and how far you're willing to deviate from it? On your way south, assuming you'll take I-57 past Champaign, you'll pass through Tuscola ("Broomcorn Capital of the World"). Flesor's Candy Kitchen, a charming old (1901) soda fountain and candy store, is definitely worth checking out. In nearby Arthur you'll find Yoder's Kitchen, a huge Amish feeding hall. They were known for their buffet (I thought it was pretty great, as such things go), but I'm not sure how it's handled now. Both Flesor's and Yoder's have been discussed here. Also in Arthur is Beachy's Bulk Foods, an Amish supermarket, complete with gas lighting and a horse-and-buggy parking area. I got some excellent local grains and legumes there.

I can't help with the southern Illinois area, but if you venture into Kentucky you'll be on the edge of the barbecued mutton belt (hence my first question). The Kentucky Barbecue Book by Wes Berry is a fantastic resource.

Flesor's Candy Kitchen
101 W Sale St
Tuscola IL
217-253-3753
https://www.flesorskitchen.com/

Yoder's Kitchen
1195 E Columbia St
Arthur IL
217-543-2714
https://www.yoderskitchen.net/

Beachy's Bulk Foods
259 N Co Rd 200 E
Arthur IL
217-543-3447
https://www.facebook.com/beachysbulkfoods/

Rene G wrote:I can't help with the southern Illinois area, but if you venture into Kentucky you'll be on the edge of the barbecued mutton belt (hence my first question). The Kentucky Barbecue Book by Wes Berry is a fantastic resource.

Thanks for jogging the ol' brain box. Your mention of Kentucky 'Que reminded me of Starnes Bar-B-Q, right across the Ohio River from Metropolis, IL, in Paducah, KY. Typical Kentucky style BBQ served at a classic diner lunch counter. Every sandwich comes neatly wrapped in wax paper sporting "hospital corner" creases.

Super basic menu is sandwiches only ($2.75 ea.) with your choice of Pork, Beef, Ham, Turkey, or Bologna. Sides include Potato Salad or Cole Slaw. They also sell bags of some local Potato Chip. If you want to eat where the locals do, Starnes is the place.

Buddy

Starnes Bar-B-Q
1008 Joe Clifton Dr
Paducah, KY 42001
(270) 444-9555
https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Barbecue-Restaurant/Starnes-Bar-B-Q-118036078222073/

I happened to spy in a gravel parking lot next to the John Deere outlet the other day a "food truck" which as far as I could tell is two white tents. Fork or Spoon. On Facebook the victuals look appealing, typical for the area: burgers, breaded pork cutlet, country-fried chicken sandwich, tater tots, and, what appear to be hand-cut skin-on fries. For a town, Casey, IL, a food desert, meaning the IGA closed down during the pandemic, this seems promising. Open, Tues. thru Sat. https://www.facebook.com/cheftaylor69/

Christopher Gordon wrote:...I was there recently for an antiques show and if you have seen one of my favorite films The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2(long story I was in it, but got cut

You were in TCM 2? AWESOMEEEE! Love that film! Always makes me want BBQ.

Christopher Gordon wrote:...I was there recently for an antiques show and if you have seen one of my favorite films The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2(long story I was in it, but got cut

In the film or from the film?

=R=

Report from Shawnee
We spent a three day weekend at the bottom of Illinois, much of it driving.
For lodging, I recommend the San Damiano Retreat - it's a bit off the beaten path but there really isn't a beaten path down there. The rooms look out onto the Ohio with bald and golden eagles soaring in the morning (religious iconography in the room is minimal). Full kitchen so you don't have to go out among the unmasked -- we brought breakfast fixin's, and picnic stuff for lunches.

Dining down there seems to be pretty basic. Deep fryers and griddles figure prominently.

The E'Town River Restaurant is a couple rafts tied together, the second being two stories of outdoor dining space. I had the River Catfish Special, which included baked beans, slaw, hush puppies, and choice of potato (fries, cakes, potato salad or tots). The river cat is local and fresh, very sweet fish in various-sized nuggets. They recommended against the pond cat, which although filets, comes frozen and is fishier. SueF had fried shrimp, nothing special there, likely frozen pre-breaded. Service was warm. We ate kind of early so hard to say what a prime crowd would be like, but we were happy not to be elbow to elbow.


The next night we ate at Diver Down in Golconda. More sandwiches, less fish (I'd expected more seafood choices with that name). We had a burger and a chicken sandwich, salad and onion rings. Inexpensive and tasty, good service, with a tent in the street.

Other notables:
Hogg Hollow Winery made me less comfy with no masks, offered tastings for $5. Some unusual items such as a hot pepper wine, and a corn cob wine. Nothing impressed us enough to buy a bottle, but I bought a jar of pear butter.

The Chocolate Factory makes very nice chocolates, sells candy making supplies as well as lots of other souvenir gewgaws, and has ice cream which was outstanding.

E'Town River Restaurant
100 Front St, Elizabethtown, IL 62931
(618) 287-2333
https://m.facebook.com/etownriverrestaurant/

Diver Down
219 E Main St, Golconda, IL 62938
(618) 683-3483

Hogg Hollow Winery
48 E Glendale Rd, Golconda, IL 62938
(618) 695-9463
https://hogg-hollow-winery.business.site/

The Chocolate Factory
990 IL-146, Golconda, IL 62938
(618) 949-3829
https://chocolatefactoryinc.com/

Yesterday, my first visit to Morgan's meat market in Mattoon: the haul, ribeye, smoked pork chops, cherry cayenne brats, beer brats, cheddar jalapeno snack stix(sic), cheddar horseradish dip, Wisconsin port wine cheese(I am a terrible cheese monger)...(not really, I am one of the best, but the heart wants what the heart wants)...///Amish Wedding brand raspberry chipotle spread(destined for the smoked pork chops), a very good Amish Wedding chile jelly, pretty damn good Amish Wedding bread and butter pickles. And, btw? What the fuck is an Amish Wedding? I thought they all went on rumspringa and smoked meth and engaged in weird rites of Spring. Also, Great Lakes Cherry BBQ potato chips which rock. Anyway, Morgan's is a beautifully-articulated store. With ghosts of Mars' Cheese Castle in Wisconsin and none of the tourists trap ick.

Christopher Gordon wrote:Yesterday, my first visit to Morgan's meat market in Mattoon...

Pish. Mattoon is only Central illinois.

Judy Schad would disagree

Christopher Gordon wrote:Judy Schad would disagree

If it is the cheese lady, she lives much further south than you do. She is south of Indy, parallel to St. Louis and just north of Louisville, Ky.

If you exclude Chicago and collar counties, who think just going beyond this border is southern Illinois. Where you are situated is central Illinois.

Where Joel vacationed recently is most definitely deep south Illinois. Shawnee National Forest is considerably south of Louisville. Now that is really deep south by any definition related to Illinois.

Where you are located is a few hours drive to Indy, Chicago or St. Louis, which is not too bad.

Regards,
Cathy2