Big Grove Tavern set to open with farm-to-table focus
“It’s kind of cool getting to know your farmer … petting the cows at Kilgus [Farmstead],” said Jessica Gorin, Executive Chef of Big Grove Tavern, which will open May 31 on the ground floor of One East Main in downtown Champaign. Gorin, a chef for 14 years and proponent of using local food, makes the farm-to-table concept a reality for the new restaurant by visiting many local farms to meet the farmers and source the ingredients.
Photo by Justine Bursoni
Although taking the place of Jim Gould Restaurant, Big Grove Tavern’s renovated space and concept both depart completely from that of the former. With double the bar space and about half the seating in the restaurant, the place feels warmer and cozier than its cavernous predecessor. The menu features classic-style comfort food, but with a modern, elevated twist. The beer list reflects as many local, yet diverse, craft beers as possible, with all being Midwestern brews.
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The chef
Gorin, a timely transplant from California, arrived in town with a tenure-track professor husband and a desire to find an executive chef job as fulfilling and as focused on local foods as the one she had in San Francisco. Even though she had an early interest in food and recalls trips her parents took her on by, “the place where we had the pidgeon … or the rabbit stew,” she said she didn’t start out hoping to become a chef, but a scientist.
| Champaign pulls rug from under food trucks
Zach Ware, owner of the Crave Truck, thought that he had all of his ducks in a row regarding compliance to the City of Champaign's food peddler regulations (available online here, Chapter 25). When he was starting his business in August 2011, he worked closely with Champaign City Clerk Marilyn Banks to make sure he was licensed properly as a transient food peddler, filling out the necessary paperwork and paying a $225 annual fee.
Ware even went so far as to engage Mayor Don Gerard and CPD Sergeant Donald Shelton, who, Ware says, "both gave me the go-ahead to park at meters in Champaign." In the months since he began operating his business, which sells street waffles and coffee, he's never been cited or even approached by city officials or police officers letting him know that his business was doing anything outside of city code.
So, when Ware visited the City offices to renew his license, it came as quite a surprise to learn that he was not allowed to park in metered spaces (or anywhere in the City right-of-way), and that his $225 annual fee was now $1,350 ($225 each for every employee who handles money, of which Crave Truck has six).
So everyone is safely graduated and ensconced in their summer sublet or is living it up, summer-style, in their usual digs, correct? It totally feels like summer out there, even though it's May. And the best thing to do on a summery Saturday morning is head to Urbana's Market at the Square over at the corner of Illinois and Vine from 7:00 a.m. to noon. It just feels good to roll out of bed at a respectable hour and …
Few things in life are more personal than the food and drink that we each love to love and love to hate. Food love stems from the way you remember things, from your own childhood experiences through now. And the people we’re with when we experience it form the way we feel about the food we eat. Only two of us compiled this list, and we even quibbled a bit before we finished, but we hope you find something …
Market season done begun last weekend, with spectacular, late-June-style weather and an abundance of produce, people, and good vibes. Goodness, it was fabulous. Now, this weekend? It's a busy time in C-U, what with graduation and Mother's Day and alla that, but the Market is a good Saturday morning adventure and a GREAT way to show off our area to visitors. Farmers markets are familiar to most people who live in other places, and people from other places seem …
There are places to get good coffee in C-U, there are swarms of places to get a cup of liquid containing a legal stimulant that vaguely resembles the stuff, and then there are places where the baristas have won awards for their work. We check out a contender in the latter category, Cafe Zojo. Cafe Zojo celebrated its grand opening last week at The Pines at Stone Creek Commons development at Windsor and Philo Roads in Urbana. Tucked in …
Farmers’ Markets in this area generally get going sometime in the month of May, but the elder statesman of them all, Urbana’s Market at the Square, launches first — and it launches THIS SATURDAY. It’s about time, too — with winter barely registering, and spring/summer trying to happen in March, it feels like the Market should have started a month ago. The Market, for the uninitiated, is one of the largest and most diverse markets in the state of …
Triptych met its next round of challenges from Savoy business and homeowners Wednesday night at the Village of Savoy Board of Trustees meeting, held at the Savoy Municipal Center. After nearly three hours, the Village of Savoy Board of Trustees voted to table their vote until the next meeting in two weeks. The majority of residents’ apprehensions were based on noise concerns, traffic issues (both vehicle and foot traffic), and safety. One of the opposition’s lead opponents, Joe Snell, …
Whenever I see produce I don’t recognize, I buy it and figure out how to use it. It’s a game for me that started years ago with the cherimoya. As you might imagine, some experiments turn out better than others. So when I saw something that looked like a bunch of overgrown, discolored green onions or undersized leeks at the Moraine View Farms vendor table this past weekend at the last Prairie Fruits Farm breakfast, I had to ask. …
Aroma Cafe, nestled in between Pekara and the Blind Pig Brewery in downtown Champaign, reopened under brand new ownership as of the first week of April. In general, it feels the same, but once you find your seat and begin to look around, you’ll begin to notice the changes — new pieces of artwork, new menu items, and a beautifully painted menu board to showcase them. Many of the dishes are almost exactly the same as items found on …
Most Recent Food Comments
it’s quite choice. looking forward to seeing how it and its patronage grow and develop over the course of the year. could be a neat little ecosystem.
“It was at this point, before he started his business, that working with city employees should’ve raised red flags…” But they didn’t because: 1) The City Clerk’s office originally mis-interpreted the rules, or are indeed re-interpreting them. 2) Champaign’s brick-n-mortar merchants hadn’t yet started whining about The Crave Truck.
Looking forward to trying this place!
I don’t know about Gerard and a random police sargeant. My (mild) outrage is based on this: “...he worked closely with Champaign City Clerk Marilyn Banks to make sure he was licensed properly as a transient food peddler, filling out the necessary paperwork and paying a $225…
Local Yocal pretty much nails it here. I suspect there will be merchants who oppose food trucks because they arguably don’t pay their fair share to locate their trucks in high traffic (high rent) areas. The food trucks take away business from rent payers, park in city…
I also got to visit Big Grove Tavern during the soft open and definitely enjoyed the pork belly the most of all the dishes I sampled. The cheesy grits and the vinegary pickled vegetables were a perfect compliment to the rich pork belly.
Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…
Not so much far-right Tea Party as a balanced, moderate viewpoint between letting businesses succeed and protecting society with reasonable regulations. In spite of what the city reps are saying, the interpretation of policy on this issue certainly has changed. Letting a business start up under one…
I think it’s neat that SP has turned rightward, now espousing a Tea Party-style frustration with government regulations & taxes.
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Most Recent Comments
High-profile whining. AKA Lobbying.
it’s quite choice. looking forward to seeing how it and its patronage grow and develop over the course of the year. could be a neat little ecosystem.
“It was at this point, before he started his business, that working with city employees should’ve raised red flags…” But they didn’t because: 1) The City Clerk’s office originally mis-interpreted the rules, or are indeed re-interpreting them. 2) Champaign’s brick-n-mortar merchants hadn’t yet started whining about The Crave Truck.
Super cool! Excellent track, Excellent band.
Looking forward to trying this place!
I’m in the middle (or the beginning or end, depending on how you look at it) of re-reading Slaughterhouse Five. What a great companion column.
Get yours early. The Rave’s CD will be available at Exile and at The C-U Flea on Saturday. C-U Flea details here: http://www.smilepolitely.com/news/sp_radio_podcast_c-u_flea_arrives/
I don’t know about Gerard and a random police sargeant. My (mild) outrage is based on this: “...he worked closely with Champaign City Clerk Marilyn Banks to make sure he was licensed properly as a transient food peddler, filling out the necessary paperwork and paying a $225…
Local Yocal pretty much nails it here. I suspect there will be merchants who oppose food trucks because they arguably don’t pay their fair share to locate their trucks in high traffic (high rent) areas. The food trucks take away business from rent payers, park in city…
Oh nice! I’d totally vote for Matt Campbell!
“Smile Politely sports writer announces candidacy for city government.”
I also got to visit Big Grove Tavern during the soft open and definitely enjoyed the pork belly the most of all the dishes I sampled. The cheesy grits and the vinegary pickled vegetables were a perfect compliment to the rich pork belly.
The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!
Snell and the little Hitlers of the neighborhood association need to chill out. Legitimate businesses should have the freedom to exist without having to endure the slings and arrows of ignorant and misguided opposition.
represent, Matt.
Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…
Not so much far-right Tea Party as a balanced, moderate viewpoint between letting businesses succeed and protecting society with reasonable regulations. In spite of what the city reps are saying, the interpretation of policy on this issue certainly has changed. Letting a business start up under one…
I think it’s neat that SP has turned rightward, now espousing a Tea Party-style frustration with government regulations & taxes.
This makes me so sad. (Happy to live in Urbana, though!) Crave Truck has been a GREAT addition to the food choices in C-U, and it’d be a travesty to chase them away. This town should be supporting small businesses. I’m glad to hear that they’ll still…
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High-profile whining. AKA Lobbying.