Chef Dan Approved

👨‍🍳 👉 Bento Cafe situated in Hainesville, Illinois, offers a casual dining experience specializing in Japanese and Asian-fusion cuisine.
🍤 Undoubtably some of the best shrimp tempura I’ve had. Mildly sweet and succulent flavor contrasted with a neutral, slightly buttery notes from the quick-fried batter. Served with Tentsuyu, a savory dipping sauce.
🥣 Miso soup- Highly savory, salty, earthy, and packed with complex umami flavor with cubed tofu and green onion. Served piping hot as you can see by the steam rising up from the bowl.
🍱 Chicken 🐓 Katsu Bento box.
-A traditional Japanese single-serving packed meal composed of several neatly sectioned food groups. The chicken was pounded flat to an almost paper like consistency with a light panko breading with a mild flavor. The katsu sauce thick, dark delivered a rich, savory-sweet, and tangy umami flavor.
🥬 Fresh side salad with sesame dressing really complimented the dish well.
🍺 Washed it all down with a Sapporo Japanese beer. A pale lager. Clear golden color, mild malt sweetness, and a delicate hop bitterness. ✅

👨‍🍳👉 The Prairie Restaurant at Brae Loch Country Club is a true diamond 💎 in the rough.
🏫 Prairie at Brae Loch is both a new restaurant at a popular public golf course and a state-of-the-art learning lab for students in the Hospitality and Culinary Management (HCM) program at CLC. 📖
🥣 Butternut squash soup
Velvety smooth consistency and just a hint of winter spice. Topped with chive & sour cream producing a naturally sweet and nutty flavor.
🐟 Blackened Whitefish
Served with garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus and topped lemon 🍋 Burr blanc.
This was honestly one of the best pieces of whitefish that I’ve ever had. Buttery smooth, yet just the perfect amount of spice coming through. The burr blanc (a classic French emulsified butter sauce) finished every bite in complete and utter satisfaction.
🍽️ Perfectly executed dish! 👏
📍- Service runs every Thursday and Friday for their Prairie Lunch and American Regional classes with a unique menu each day. ✅

👨‍🍳👉 For the second time now I’ve ended up having both breakfast and lunch at
👀 Somethings Brewing inc.
🌯 The chicken salad wrap was absolutely delicious 😋!
- Homemade chicken salad, 🍅 tomatoes, 🥬 romaine & 🥒 cucumbers. All combined with a mayo/dill mixture that was a delight to the senses.
- All of their wraps are made fresh to order and come with a side of your choice.
🥔 I opted for the potato salad.
-A sprouted grain wrap or gluten free rice wrap are other options.
* See previous post for a more comprehensive view of all of they have to offer. ✅

👨‍🍳👉 Who’s thirsty? Come see me -
Chef Dan. Your celebrity Beer 🍺 tender at
Lake county Beer fest! ✅
🥅 Go Team USA 🇺🇸 🏒