Visit - White Fence Farm

(Romeoville, IL)

This is not my first trip to White Fence Farm. I'm kind of an addict, but we don't get to go very often since it's one heck of a drive south for us (about 45 minutes). When we do go, it's very much worth the trek!

The first thing you'll notice is that it's on a larger plot of land. After parking (or maybe even during), you may notice that the building is fairly large... well, like Whovians say about the TARDIS, "it's bigger on the inside". There's a big rooster by the front entrance - so you'll know where to go.

Me and the rooster...

When you go through the doors, you'll notice a large room to your left and a check-in desk to your right. The room to the left has a couple of miniature museum rooms (which are pretty cool) - it also has a bunch of old machines in it - most of which work (there is an occasional one down). My favorite is the old crane machine. The person at the check-in desk will direct you to the middle room, which used to be overflowing with people waiting to get into any spot in any room (and all the many large rooms were open and busy). I find I usually end up getting placed into the "frontier" room, which is one of my favorites. At this point, you'll really start to notice what I meant by "bigger on the inside" - this place is huge!

After sitting down, they'll give you a menu... but if you're like me, you won't need it! "The chicken meal, dark meat." The relishes consist of coleslaw (I usually don' like vinegar-based coleslaw, but this one is pretty good), pickled beets, cottage cheese, kidney bean salad (oh yes yum) and last, but definitely not least (the winner of the lot!) - CORN FRITTERS! Fresh fried and rolled in powdered sugar, these babies are soft but ever-so-slightly crispy on the outside - making these puppies one of the reasons we go! You can also order these by the dozen during carryout or at the end of your meal.

It's perfectly cool to start filling up on relishes! The sides are unlimited - and the chicken is really good reheated at home. DEFINITELY try the chicken at the table when it first comes out, though - so delicious.

Next, the chicken:

You can't say "no" this chicken.

Just look at it.

Nom...

Taken from their website:

Fresh, never frozen chickens arrive daily to be coated with our closely guarded secret recipe for breading, milled exclusively for us in Chicago. The chicken is pressure cooked thoroughly before being flash fried for only 3 minutes. Delivered immediately to your table, always hot, golden, crispy, and delicious.

Sounds about right to me! The coating is thinner than most chicken joints, but the flavor is much better (and yes I like other chicken joints).

Click Here to go to White Fence Farm's Website

Whelp, I'm full.

Two dozen corn fritters to go, please!

-Moni

Visit - County Donuts

(Schaumburg, IL)

Yay! My first post on donuts! I love donuts. :D

This. Place. Is. Awesome.

24 hours of deliciousness just north of the Roselle exit off Thorndale.

They make their glaze themselves with a bit of honey included in the mix. Delicious.

I'm not sure, but I think their best seller may be the "Honey Dip," which is a glazed, raised-ring donut. It is a bite of bliss. A puffy, slightly crunchy cloud of heaven, the Honey Dip is.

Another donut worth noting would be the glazed chocolate donut. A-maz-ing. :) I personally ask for the "glaziest" of them when I get them because they are just delicious.

Some of my other favorites are the "Old-Fashioned Sour Cream" (with powered sugar dusting on top). - A crunchy, beautifully made donut that just the right amount of sweetness to it; their black-raspberry filled donut is wonderful, too - as well as their sugared raised ring donut.

Pictured below are three of the above mentioned. I will take a picture of the glazed raised soon (clockwise from top sugar raised, chocolate glazed and black raspberry filled).

They even get customers that come from out-of-state at all hours just for these little scrumptious cakes.

Bonus? They have coupons online you can print out and save a buck or so.

County Donuts - Click here for their website. :)

Mmmmmm, donuts...

-Moni

Visit - Café la Cave

(Des Plaines, IL)

To celebrate my 21st birthday, my fiance (at the time boyfriend) treated me to a delicious meal at Café la Cave. I have been hooked ever since.

Café la Cave is a more formal place to eat with a cave-like dining atmosphere. It is a family-owned business right next to O'Hare. They have an extremely attentive and friendly staff - and their food is amazing.

We will start off with the starters/appetizers. Now, personally, I have had escargot and oysters and I don't like them just because of the texture. I do try everything anyway so I can appreciate the flavor, but I simply do not care for their textures and refrain from eating them (but I do try them first). The escargot and oysters are delicious. Save the escargot plate and enjoy the butter sauce with some table bread! :) The "Oysters on the Half Shell" are also quite delicous - and even though I couldn't stomach the actual oyster, my fiance ate that as I tried a crunchier bit with some of the sauce. *amazing*

Next up is the soup and salad. I have never had a better French Onion soup than the one they serve here. The bread at the bottom, the crunchy cheese on top, the soup brothy while still being the perfect amount of chunky. Delicious.
The Caesar Salad served there is the best I have ever had. The wedge is pretty dang good, too. :)

Entrees
If you like steak, the first thing you have to try -and get spoiled with- is their "Steak Diane." Steak Diane is made with tenderloin medallions - gently sauteed with garlic, shallots and mushrooms - finished off with cognac. Get the garlic mashed potatoes to go with. Just trust me - the sauce and the potatoes is heavenly. (Picture below is of the Steak Diane.)

If you are more of a seafood lover, and it just so happens to be on the specials menu, get the "Seafood Bake." It is the most amazing seafood dish I have ever had. I don't remember how they described it, but it had mashed potatoes along the outside of the circular dish, shrimp and scallops and more with a cream sauce inside - all baked so the mashed potatoes had some golden brown tips.... oh, man, I was in heaven when I had this dish.

If the Seafood Bake is not on the specials - get the Atlantic Salmon off their menu. It is pan-seared and served with braised spinach and a champagne-tarragon sauce that is so smooth and delicious you will want to savor every bite. (Picture below is of the Atlantic Salmon.)

Save room for dessert!

Their Bananas Foster is served tableside and is astounding. The Créme Brulee, if you like Créme Brulee, is the best I have had. Silky yet firm texture and the perfect amount of crunchy sugar on top. Raspberries too, to top it all off. Delicious. (Top picture is the Créme Brulee, the bottom is the Bananas Foster.)

Café la Cave is also the place I learned I love cognac. My favorite one at the moment is the Belle de Brillet Pear Cognac, which I like to enjoy -at least one- with each visit. :) They also make a very delicious White Russian.

The best part is that if you haven't yet gotten to try this wonderful restaurant, they do a lot of Groupon supporting and that is an excellent way to try it out!

Cafe la Cave - For their website, click here! :)

Signing off for now!
-Moni