A Peorian Restaurant Review: The Creve Coeur Club
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- Published on 21 February 2016
- Written by Kevin Kizer
It’s a rather unassuming place on the outside. A location you’ve walked past perhaps a hundred times and barely noticed. Or if you did notice the ornate but sedate wooden doors you still might not realize that what lies on the other side is one of Peoria’s finest restaurants.
The Creve Coeur Club, located just off the Fulton Street entrance in the Twin Towers, not only has a fine dining atmosphere and reputation, but it also serves up an exceptional pub-style menu during the lunch hour, as I and three guests experienced just recently.
But first things first: the CCC (or 3C? perhaps 33?) is obviously a private club. Unfortunately, one just can’t wander in and grab a bite. One must…belong. Or at least be friends with someone who does belong, as I was lucky enough to be. And so enough with that.
While the Creve Coeur Club has an exclusive feel and atmosphere — and it is clearly the place where Peoria’s elite mingle, even during the lunch hour (John Bearce and Wayne Baum were there) — it didn’t come across as intimidating or stiff.
The lunch menu is referred to as pub style, but I would almost compare it to a gastro pub, which might be a fine distinction but an important one. Essentially, gastro pubs up the ante on traditional pub fare and the Creve Coeur Club definitely does the same.
Before I get into the food, a quick digression on My Philosophy for Restaurant Reviewery. Instead of coming in an ordering a bunch of random things or ordering what I would typically order, I always ask for recommendations and then – after scouring the menu for something intriguing or unique – undoubtedly go with what was recommended. The main reason is that I want to see the best the restaurant has to offer from their perspective, even if it’s a simple as delicious, homemade bread or something unique like seafood crepes (both of which the Creve Coeur Club serves up). It’s a challenge in a way: give me what you think is your best and then I’ll write about it. End digression.
So what did we get?
Upon recommendation of our server, we started with fresh baked pretzel bread along with “overloaded” baked potato soup (some in the group ordered “salad” which does not deserve a mention other than to shame them. Shame!). Pretzel buns have been a trend for quite awhile (which I guess doesn’t make them a trend anymore) for burgers and sandwiches, but fresh baked pretzel bread is a joy in and of itself, although it was accompanied by cheese sauce.
The “overloaded” part of the baked potato soup was undoubtedly in reference to the amount of crispy bacon found within, always a good thing. Being a cold February day, this was a perfect start to lunch or almost a lunch in and of itself.
For our entrees, the four of us went our own ways: seafood crepes, crab cakes, chicken pot pie, and, for me, a fresh lobster roll (which was, naturally, the recommendation of our server). Just a few notes on each entrée:
- The seafood crepes were cooked perfectly with light brown, crispy edges and featured small scallops and tiny gulf shrimp that were whole, as opposed to larger scallops and shrimp that would have been chopped up which is a horrible thing to do to any scallop or shrimp. A light lobster sauce tied it all together nicely.
- The crab cakes came with the claim that they were the “best in town”. Now, I have had crab cakes at almost every restaurant in Peoria I’ve been to that serves them and these were right up there with, if not better than, the better seafood places in town. Another quick digression: I don’t know how many restaurants have told me they have the best crab cakes in town (upwards of 90% if not all of them) but it makes me want to have a citywide crab cakes competition. Everyone seems to think they have the best.
- The chicken pot pie deserves a special mention because of the way it was served — a bowl of crusty, fresh-baked bread was smashed with a fork by our server before being drenched in a thick, creamy chicken stew. This kept the bread from getting soggy and created a unique texture unlike a typical chicken pot pie, which can often be a gloopy/gooey mess.
- The lobster roll was very good, but honestly, I’ve only had a lobster roll one other time and it was in New Orleans and I was REALLY drunk and it was REALLY late… So the frame of reference might not be there. But having said that, the lobster was perfectly cooked (no overcooked rubbery bullets here) and it came in a light fresh lobster sauce with fresh celery and onions. I typically avoid fresh onions in sandwiches because they tend to stick with you long after the meal is done, but, in the right proportion (as was this case), they added just the right bite.
- While the lobster roll came with homemade potato chips, the crepes and cakes came with a generous amount of fresh fruit on the side – a nice bright pairing to the sauce-laden dishes.
Along with above-average-to-great food, we were served quickly and the food came out in a timely manner – crucial for a lunch crowd. It also was – somewhat surprisingly – decently priced with entrees clocking in anywhere from $8 to $13.
In summation, I have to say I’m disappointed that Creve Coeur Club is private. Its food – at least the food my party sampled – is special and a respite from the typical lunch fare served up at similarly priced restaurants around town. And being something of a gastro pub it’s menu is unique and a step up, without being stuffy. But then again I guess that’s why it’s private. So you’ll just have to find yourself someone who “belongs” and con them into getting you in. I have a few names if you’re interested (of course, I’ll have to tag along).
Bill would raise smoking age to 21
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- Published on 19 February 2016
By Mark Fitton
Illinois News Network
SPRINGFIELD — Should Illinois raise the legal smoking age from 18 to 21?
A proposal by Sen. John G. Mulroe, D-Chicago, would do just that.
Mulroe, surrounded by public health advocates, pitched the idea Thursday in a news conference. He said the change would serve the public well for several reasons, among them:
- Smoking is deadly, and the proof’s available on every pack of cigarettes in the form of a warning from the U.S. surgeon general.
- Smoking is expensive to the individual. A two-pack a-day habit in some areas (notably Chicago) can run a person $24 a day or more than $8,700 a year, Mulroe said.
- Smoking is expensive to the state. The senator and public health advocates said $5 billion annually is spent in Illinois treating smoking-related illnesses, and $2 billion of that comes from taxpayer-supported Medicaid funds.
- Raising the legal age for the purchase and possession of tobacco is a research-proven way to cut use among young people. Mulroe said research also shows that if people make it to 21 without smoking, they likely never start.
Mulroe said he’s not targeting smokers, many of whom have told him they support raising the legal age.
“The smokers tell me, ‘It’s a good bill, John,’” and when he asks why, they respond, “I wish I’d never started smoking.”
“They can’t quit,” Mulroe said. “The addiction makes them powerless.”
People who don’t smoke or don’t object to smoking shouldn’t shrug off the issue as none of their concern, said Kathy Drea of the American Lung Association in Illinois.
“Two billion dollars of the Illinois state budget is spent treating Medicaid recipients with tobacco-related diseases,” Drea said.
“That cost alone is one of the main, right reasons this bill should be passed,” she said. “Illinois should be doing everything it possibly can to reduce tobacco use and the associated disease, death and cost.”
Anthony Fisher of Reason.com, a branch of the libertarian Reason Foundation, said not everyone agrees.
While Mulroe and supporters make some valid points, the change in law the senator proposes “restricts the personal liberties of adults, which people who are above the age of 18 are, period,” Fisher said.
“They can be charged as adults under the law, they can fight and die for their country, and they are required to pay taxes. They’re adults, and they are entitled to make their own decisions, even if they are ill-advised decisions like taking up cigarette smoking,” he said.
Fisher acknowledged the public-health cost of smoking is “a fair and valid point.”
“But if we’re going to go there, let’s go further — let’s make it so that nobody under 21 can purchase sugar,” he said.
“That will make it hard for people to develop the sugar habit, (and) it will make it harder for people to develop diabetes,” he argued.
“Let’s just never stop,” he said. “Let’s just never stop using the public good as an excuse to curb people’s choices. We can go on forever with this.”
Fisher said he doesn’t smoke and doesn’t think people should, but “we’d actually be a freer and more tolerant society if we allow people to make those choices and not turn everything into a potential crime under civil and criminal codes.”
Mulroe’s legislation, Senate Bill 3011, would apply to the sale, purchase and possession of all tobacco products, as well as electronic cigarettes.
If passed, it would provide business penalties for retailers who sell tobacco products to anyone younger than 21 and make it a petty offense for anyone under 21 to be in possession.
— Illinois News Network reporter Greg Bishop contributed to this report.
Access to capital a problem for minority entrepreneurs
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- Published on 15 February 2016
- Written by Paul Gordon
Small and minority owned businesses have difficulty getting access to federal and state startup funding, a small group told there local congresswoman during a roundtable discussion Monday in Peoria.
A half dozen minority business owners told U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-East Moline, that if it had not been for family help or putting their homes up as collateral for startup loans, their businesses probably would not be operating today. That’s largely because the paperwork and red tape involved with getting a small business loan is often prohibitive, they said.
“It sounds great to hear how much money is available but if I don’t have access to it, what good does it do me? If there is so much red tape involved that it takes a year to get the loan, is that really access,” questioned Barry Draper, founder of a technology business that is just getting off the ground called Connectivity Resources.
The discussion was at Carver Community Center and is one of three Bustos intends to have throughout her 17th District this week. Bustos told the group she wanted to hear the concerns of small business owners and, in honor of Black History Month, from minority business owners in particular.
“I know access to capital is an issue,” Bustos said, noting it is becoming more of a problem for minority owners. Since 2008, she said, the amount of federal small business loans going to minority businesses has dwindled from 8 percent of all loans to 2 percent.
“We need to find out why,” she added. “We will figure out how to address this.”
Draper was one of six business owners in attendance and he talked of having to put his home up as collateral to start his company, which assembles components for the technology industry. That was despite having years of experience in the industry working for others and having a business plan in hand, one that included helping put laid-off local workers back to work.
The reason he started his business, he said, was because he saw how much assembly work his former employer was sending to Mexico, work he knew could be done here.
Andre McKnight, who owns a company that subcontracts with builders to clean and prepare new structures for opening, said he made sure to become certified in everything they expect subcontractors to be certified in and still has trouble even being invited to bid on projects. His company, Leis Michael Construction, has managed to survive 17 years through perseverance and getting themselves known, said he’s never gotten a business loan.
Help from friends and family got him started “along with my own strong work ethic,” he added.
His wife, Leslie McKnight, who is also an economic development specialist for the City of Peoria, said access to capital is the biggest impediment small business owners face and it is largely because they don’t have any equity starting out and that is what banks want. “There is a lot of bootstrapping going on to build the business and get equity,” she said.
Leslie McKnight said she believed one solution could be to tie small business development grants to business counseling services and aid from small business development centers to better the chances of success.
Others there talked of needing family help while not only building a business, but building a market for their business. Ronnie Lee, who with his wife owns a Segway touring business called World on Wheels, said they now have nine Segways and have had to save money and buy the units three at a time. “But at least we don’t owe anyone,” he said.
Ron Givens, owner of a construction company called GIVSCO, said it was in his mind to be a business owner since he was a teenager and learned from his father that everything happens in the world because of business.
“So I started setting goals,” he said. “Having grown up in Peoria I knew there were very few minority-owned businesses here outside of bars, churches or restaurants. I wanted more.”
Givens said he’s always been a saver and a talker and has never obtained a low interest loan. But, he said, he has been able to achieve his goals.
One thing he said helped him was finding a mentor and he recommended new and potential small business owners do that, as well.
Illinois seniors to state: Leave our money alone
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- Published on 16 February 2016
- Written by The Peorian
AARP Illinois is letting state legislators know what the state’s seniors think about the ongoing budget mess and a potential tax on retirement income to help fix the state’s fiscal crisis.
Ensuring the voice of Illinois taxpayers is heard loud and clear by elected officials, AARP Illinois delivered to every member of the Illinois General Assembly and several members of the State's Executive Branch, including Governor Bruce Rauner, a survey of residents ages 50-plus expressing strong concerns about those matters, the organization said in a news release Tuesday.
The survey, conducted and released to the public in December 2015, has been delivered to legislators in both chambers of the General Assembly, Gov. Rauner, Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti, Comptroller Leslie Munger, and Treasurer Michael Frerichs. Included was an executive summary and a letter from AARP Illinois leadership urging that the voices of all Illinois taxpayers be included and all options put on the table in order to design solutions to fix the state's recurring budget crisis.
"Illinois needs comprehensive reform proposals on the table, starting with an evaluation of a revenue system that aims to make life better for all, including retirees, working families, and low-income households," said Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois state director. "We need a comprehensive look at all taxes paid by Illinois residents and businesses, and an equitable tax reform approach to raise revenue, rather than a piecemeal approach shouldered by Illinois retirees."
AARP Illinois' 2015 survey of 1,000 state residents ages 50 and older shows the unequivocal concerns of taxpayers regarding the state's current fiscal crisis, the divisiveness among Illinois' elected officials, and the impact that new taxes, particularly taxes on retirement income, could have on individuals and households.
The rising cost of essential necessities, including groceries, utilities, and health care, combined with the increasing fiscal burden created through higher taxes, are growing concerns for millions of Illinoisans, especially for older and retired Illinoisans living on fixed incomes, the survey found.
As countless Illinois households struggle to make ends meet, an overwhelming majority of Illinoisans aged 50-plus strongly oppose the prospect of a new tax on retirement income to fix the state's ongoing budget crisis. Over 87 percent of Illinoisans considered a lack of cooperation among Illinois elected officials as a major problem preventing a fix to the state's budgetary woes.
Moreover, over two-thirds of Illinoisans viewed the amount of state and local taxes residents have to pay as a major problem.
The potential taxation of retirement income, in particular, faced strong opposition:
- Nearly 9 in 10 Illinoisans 50-plus oppose a proposal to tax retirement income;
- Over 92 percent believe a tax on retirement income would have a negative impact on their household budget;
- Nearly 60 percent would consider moving to another state if Illinois starts taxing retirement income;
- Nearly 70 percent would be forced to reduce their household spending;
- One-third would have to return to the workforce;
- Over 8 in 10 older Illinoisans (84.3%) would be less likely to vote for a candidate who supports taxing retirement income.
AARP, on behalf of its 1.7 million Illinois members and all individuals aged 50-plus and their families, has expressed its support for House Resolution 890 and Senate Resolution 1325, which oppose efforts to create a new tax on retirement income.
"We believe this survey sends a clear message to the Legislature and the Governor that taxpayers need to be at the table as the State tries to figure out how to put an end to its recurring fiscal crisis," Gallo added.
A copy of the survey and its executive summary can be accessed here: http://bit.ly/1Qfmfc7
2016 Products of the Year named
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- Published on 12 February 2016
- Written by PRNewswire
Product of the Year USA, the largest consumer-voted award for product innovation, has announced the 2016 award winners. The winning products are selected through the votes of over 40,000 consumers in a national representative survey each year conducted by research partner TNS, a global leader in consumer research.
"Consumers are looking for quick, in-and-out experiences in stores when making their everyday household purchases," said Rich Fryling, managing director, Product of the Year USA. "The red Product of the Year Award seal lets shoppers know that over 40,000 fellow consumers prefer the winning products over the competition."
Product of the Year was established 29 years ago. The company now operates in 42 countries with the goal of guiding consumers to the best products on shelf while rewarding manufacturers for quality and innovation.
Product of the Year takes submissions of innovative products launched within the previous year. These product submissions are placed into categories such as food, beverages, home improvement, pet, etc., with one product being named the category winner based on the results of a TNS survey of 40,000 consumers.
The following winners were announced at last night's 2016 Product of the Year Awards Ceremony at the Edison Ballroom in New York City hosted by "Saturday Night Live" alum Rachel Dratch and NBC "30 Rock" comedian Scott Adsit, with red carpet interviews conducted by Cat Greenleaf, host of NBC's "Talk Stoop". The 29 product winners are set to have an edge for success in store, as Product of the Year winners outperform category sales performance by 38.1 percent.
- Oral Care: ACT® Advanced Care™ Mouthwash
- Snacks: Gold Emblem abound™ Unsalted Pistachio & Almond Blend
- Feminine Care: Playtex® Sport® Collection
- Sustainability: Energizer® EcoAdvanced™
- OTC: FLONASE® Allergy Relief
- Paper Products: Kleenex® Perfect Fit* Facial Tissues
- Pet Food: Beyond Purées
- Sugar Confections: SweeTARTS Soft & Chewy Ropes
- Liquid Laundry: Tide HE Turbo Clean™ Liquid Detergent
- Laundry Pacs: Tide PODS Plus Febreze
- Vitamins & Supplements: Emergen-Zzzz®
- Beauty Tools: Amopé Pedi Perfect™ Extra Coarse Electronic Foot File with Diamond Crystals
- Kitchen & Home: Finish Powerball Max in 1®
- Condiment: FRENCH'S Tomato Ketchup
- Shower & Bath: Lysol Click Gel
- Condoms: Durex RealFeel® Condoms
- Eye Care: CLEAR CARE® PLUS
- Specialty Laundry: Downy Fresh Protect
- Frozen Foods: Ore-Ida Bold & Crispy Steakhouse Fries
- Better For You: Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® Smoothies
- Chocolate: M&M's® Crispy Chocolate Candies
- Pet Health: Milk-Bone® Good Morning™ Daily Vitamin Treats
- Hair Styling: göt2b mind blowing fast dry HAIRSPRAY
- Men's Hygiene: Right Guard Xtreme Heat Shield Deodorant
- Hair Care: Schwarzkopf essence Ultime Omega Repair 11-IN-1 Leave-In
- Lip Care: Softlips® Cube
- Coffee Beverage: Skinny Cow Creamy Iced Coffee
- Ice Cream: Skinny Cow Dipped Ice Cream Bars
- Car Care: Turtle Wax® DASH & GLASS
For additional information about the 2016 Product of the Year Award winners, visit productoftheyearusa.com and follow along socially using #POYUSA2016.
ABOUT PRODUCT OF THE YEAR:
Product of the Year is the world's largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. Established 29 years ago, Product of the Year currently operates in 42 countries with the same purpose: Guide consumers to the best products in their market and reward manufacturers for quality and innovation. Product of the Year winners are backed by the votes of over 40,000 consumers in a national representative survey conducted by research partner TNS, a global leader in consumer research. The award is a powerful merchandising program for marketers proven to increase product sales, distribution and awareness. Winning products are announced in February each year and receive the right to use the Product of the Year seal in marketing communications for two years. For more information, visit www.productoftheyearusa.com.
