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Hey gang. Is anyone here in Springfield, Illinois?

Lindsay Hahn, Dean Mentjes..... haven't heard from either of them in ages!!

jdogric12aolcom wrote:Hey gang. Is anyone here in Springfield?

Homer Simpson?

Doh!

(_8^(I)


I was hoping someone could comment on any of these places:

http://www.travelchannel.com/vgn-ext-te ... 8b3a0aRCRD

I grew up in Springfield and lived there for about half my life, and my parents still live there, so I'm pretty familiar with the city.

Springfield has really great bad food. If you are not averse to a little grease in your diet, you can find some real culinary treasures there. Unfortunately they don't understand that this is a valid point of distinction so they don't make as much of it as they could.

Again, with the caveat that it's low cuisine and you need to mold your expectations accordingly, here are some thoughts:

Horseshoes: a horseshoe is an open-faced sandwich smothered in french fries and cheese sauce. Properly done, it's great. You can get them at any number of places in town, although D'Arcy's Pint, identified in your link, has somehow emerged as the flagship horseshoe joint in town. They have good 'shoes, but they're usually quite busy. Another place that has good 'shoes and is easier to get into but will give you about the same general experience is the Dublin Pub, 2413 S. MacArthur Blvd. Actually, that was the original location of D'Arcy's Pint, but they outgrew it. When they moved, the Dublin people opened up in the same location with basically the same business model. I can say, though, that their horseshoes are top-notch---in fact, I had one there earlier this year when I was visiting my folks. The traditional horseshoe is made with regular yellow cheese sauce, but Dublin and D'Arcy's also offer a white cheese sauce that's very good.

Chilli: Believe it or not, at one time Springfield was one of the chili capitals of America, rivaling Cincinnati and San Antonio. It's enduring legacy is Chilli Man chili (the "ll" spelling is a Springfield affectation), which is available in supermarkets all over the inhabited universe. The recipe was invented by a Springfieldian. Springfield chili went into a decline in the 70s and 80s, but in more recent years seems to be bouncing back: several new chili parlors have opened. But Joe Rogers, mentioned in your link, traces its roots back to the glory days of Springfield chili; as I understand it, it's the original recipe from the Den, the quintessential Springfield chili parlor for many decades. If you want to experience real Springfield chili as God intended it to be, that's where you go. The chili comes in, I believe, five grades of hotness, from mild to "fire brand", so an asbestos-lined digestive tract is not absolutely required to partake. If, however, you have the fortitude to ingest a bowl of the fire brand, you get your name up on the wall, commemorating your feat for posterity. Besides the chili itself, I also recommend the chili burger at Joe Rogers'. It's loose hamburger with chili spices on a burger bun with pickles and mustard---surprisingly good.

The Cozy Dog Drive-In: this place is the direct successor to the place where corn dogs were invented. The original Cozy Dog was torn down 15 or 20 years ago, but they only moved a block, and for a new building they certainly managed to infuse the place with a lot of the atmosphere of the old joint. It's a bit of a Route 66 tourist trap (it's on the former Route 66, which ran through town), but the food is the same. A Cozy Dog basket (six Cozys and a large order of their greasy fries) makes a good lunch for three (or two hungry) people. If you like corn dogs, these are pretty good, and it is a cultural experience.

Another place not mentioned in your link but notable in the pantheon of Springfield low cuisine restaurants is Coney Island, a chili dog emporium downtown at 219 S. Fifth St. It is a Springfield institution, and was run by the same couple continuously for something like 80 years. (They started in their teens and were still working there into their 90s.) They are not there anymore, but when it was faced with closure, a group of lawyers (who regularly ate lunch there) stepped in and saved the business. It is also not in its original location, but retains the same vibe. If you like chili dogs, their are pretty good.

Enjoy!

Thanks Chuck! That was very nice of you to take the time to write such a detailed and helpful post. I will certainly visit one of these places as I pass through.

After writing that up, I'm really hungry now for a Coney Island dog or a Joe Rogers chilli burger! Alas, the substitutes available in the Chicago Loop pale in comparison.

You've got to get to D'Arcy's Pint and have one of those horseshoes, JDog!! I had a beef one washed down with a couple of pints of Guinness.... awesome!!!

ozover50 wrote:You've got to get to D'Arcy's Pint and have one of those horseshoes, JDog!! I had a beef one washed down with a couple of pints of Guinness.... awesome!!!

I'd be willing to bet that the Guinness was the highlight of the meal.

Well, it was certainly up there with the cheese, Ken!!

jdogric12aolcom wrote:I will certainly visit one of these places as I pass through.

But.....just how will the food pass through you!

Quickly.

and probably none too easily......(urrrp!!!) skooz me,........

Oh great!!! That will be fun to drive for a couple hours afterwards!!!

Thanks for the additional info, gang! I'm officially adding Springfield to my city "list," just for the food. I'm doing the same with Pittsburgh (Primanti's).