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$ The Blue Boar, Cobden IL (breakfast experience)

970 Kratzinger Hollow Road
618-833-7788

Let me take my mothers advice and say nice things about people. The servers pay attention to detail and are polite, the setting is fabulous, and the decorations pleasantly eccentric (unless you have a thing about dead wild animals being displayed for pleasure). The Bloody Mary is a bargain and a small meal in itself.
Well mom, you didn’t specifically say the adage of saying nice things applies to places. Not that I find The Blue Boar to be a bad place, but I find it inconsistent. The weekends foray for breakfast was less than spectacular. Interesting menu  items that tantalize the imagination did little to satisfy in the way of living up to imagined greatness.  It’s a problem many restaurants face and I’m not sure its staff turnover or lack of attention and detail. In a group of 8, no one item shined.  Nothing was bad, but it just lacked the sizzle that should be there given their menu selections. Another day it might be another story, but Sunday morning June 12th was a disappointing experience.

π π ½      Disappointing product from what is really a good and inventive menu selection
π π π ½   Wait staff was good and the surroundings are spectacular and fun.

$$$ The Newell House Bistro Cafe, Carbondale IL

201 E. Main St
618-549-6400

After many previous stops for drinks and desserts after dining experiences elsewhere we finally made it back to The Newell House Bistro Café specifically for their dinner offerings.
Starting with a very good sherry tomato basil soup and fresh herbed bread the experience only ratcheted up a notch when the tower of a 12 ounce “smothered” ribeye appeared. Sautéed mushrooms, onions, green and yellow and red peppers, asparagus with bacon bits and crumbled bleu cheese  over mashed potatoes. A lot to write, a lot more to eat. But it was excellent and a “must try” for steak lovers. It was one of, if not the, best steak experiences I’ve had in Southern Illinois.
A second entrée, a spinach and chicken gorgonzola was not quite as spectacular, but certainly acceptable.
Wait staff was friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. While those who tackle the smothered ribeye most likely will not want to partake of dessert soon afterward, the grotto downstairs remains a favorite go to destination for drinks and dessert.


π π π ½      An unexpected great steak experience, very good soup & bread
π π π      Comfortable surroundings, and seem to have an excellent staff