Category > Restaurant & Bar Reviews
Let me be clear: Kaiyo has the best sushi I have ever tasted. And speaking as a Chicago native, with access to extremely fresh fish, that is saying something. The buffet is $17.95 which comes to just under $21.00 with a beverage. The sushi was amazingly fresh tasting. The owner says that it's because the seafood is flown into Chicago then delivered to Champaign twice a week. The sushi is also prepared no more the thirty minutes before opening …
| Campus has KAM's and Chipotle, Urbana has the homely downtown with Crane Alley and the Courier, Champaign touches on the gourmet urban with Bacaro and Jim Gould's, and Savoy has... Dairy Queen and the abandoned Spaghetti Shop. Pretty much the only reasons to come out to Savoy are for the movie theater and Friar Tuck's. Food, generally, is left to be desired elsewhere. Even then, I have a M.O. when it comes to eating in Champaign-Urbana: I drive up …
One of the blessings (and curses, depending on how you look at it) of working on campus is there is no shortage of delicious noms to choose from on the lunch hour. Working smack dab in the middle of Green Street, I don't have to venture far at all to indulge in Indian, Mexican, Chinese, Sushi... But most days I am good, and I pack my lunch, especially in this cold weather when even a five minute jaunt for …
About a year ago, Editor supreme Joel Gillespie and I whimsically dined at the newly opened Xinh Xinh Cafe in Urbana. Its location was suspect; parked in the Schnuck's Plaza on Vine and Main in downtown Urbana, next to fast food Chinese, Quizno's, and Papa Murphy's, we didn't see reason to give it much promise. But then we ate. And ate, and ate. And by the meal's end, we were talking with Shai Mauth, the owner and head chef, …
Part of living in Champaign-Urbana — and not just stopping over for a degree — is coming to terms with a few certainties related to our cultural and geographical landscape. Feel free to lament the lack of a natural body of water, or the fact that we don't play host to a Minor League baseball team; these are things we have to drive to find because of choosing to live in a "micro-urban" location. Perhaps you are upset by …
When Benjamin Franklin said, "Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy," it is doubtful whether he knew what a cliche his statement would become. And yet, last night, literally hundreds of Champaign-Urbanians came to The Blind Pig Brewery (known also as The Piglet) to partake of that cliche — to guzzle down a pint or two of life-affirming, locally-brewed booze.
When Jack's Grill Mediterranean Cuisine opened this January, it had more than a few people in the community really excited by the prospect of an honest-to-goodness Middle Eastern joint outside of campus town. Oh sure, the walls were bare, there were only like four tables and 12 chairs, the wait was egregiously long at times, and there was lamb's blood dripping from a plate of kebabs onto the bottom of their meat cooler, in plain sight of the customer …
Over our artisanal cheese platter, my friend Marla and I reminisced with V. Picasso owner Victor Fuentes about the days when Thursday was El Matador night. We first met and became friends with Victor when he worked at the restaurant. That was ten years ago. My friend (and Marla's sister) Mindy and I had just moved here from Los Angeles, and our Thursday night El Matador get-togethers served to mark the difference between the place we had just left …
I turn 30 years old next week on Monday, for whatever that's worth. It's a landmark, I suppose. In any event, my wife asked me what I'd like to do for it, and whether or not I'd like for her to have a party in celebration. I told her, "Sure. I'd love to, that's very thoughtful." When she asked what I'd like to do, I decided that I'd like to get a steak at, arguably, the greatest place in …
This last weekend I hopped in the ol' DeLorean and took a trip to Old Chicago. So strap in and lets go for a journey. Maybe I am exaggerating a little, but the recently opened restaurant piqued my interest, so I took the opportunity to check it out. Occupying the prime real estate that used to be Smokey Bones (and most recently empty for the last few years) at 1910 N. Neil St. in Champaign, Old Chicago fashions itself …
Most Recent Food Comments
To get success, some persons must state if they are willing to compose the article critique writing or just buy custom paper writing service of perfect upper-class.
Nice article, Emily! When I get to the CU area, I’ll be sure to give this place a try.
Sorry about the lack of address and hours. All I can say is duuuh
“...who aren’t so savvy with the google…“ You know, the way I’m not so savvy with the typing. That page I linked is one of the best things I’ve seen on the internet, though.
Yeah, I did a little googling and found it. I’d forgotten that there was finally something going into the Boston’s space. But when I was reading the article I was thinking that that kind of info would have been nice for the people who savvy with the google: http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/facebook_wants_to_be_your_one_true_login.php#comments
Mike — Here you are: http://champaign-taste.blogspot.com/2010/03/kaiyo-japanese-restaurant.html
I am embarrassed to say that I gorged on sushi at Kaiyó over the weekend. (Who wants to eat one more grain of vinegar-scented rice? Not I!) In any event, if you’re looking for quantity over quality, Kaiyó is the place to go. ...if you’re looking for…
Some basic info like location and hours would be awesome for articles like this.
The sushi has been great everytime I have been there. The rest of the food varied. I hope the uneveness is just growning pains because when it is all good the resturant is amazing. For the price you can always find something to eat that is tasty.…
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Ok folks, now that its obvious the wonder bread, gas station eggs, and pasteurized processed cheese food can be marked up sufficiently enough to open two restaurants during a recession and in the same five year span, ya think we can be a little demanding? I’m all…
Everyband in CU - shutup faggot at least this writer is speaking for himself, at least he has a real opinion you spineless capslock drunk fuck. sorry, anyways… what’s good, what’s bad. what’s rock, what’s indie. what’s real what’s not. In 2010, never has this been more…
Indeed, I may also say that some may prefer pop music but some may also like rock music—thus rock music is more alive and cool. Since then, we have lots of good rock bands here, then again we’ll not be compromised and may not be running for…
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WE’RE SORRY JOHN WE’LL TRY HARDER
There went the neighborhood.
Now all you need is large Marge and the picture is complete! Congratulations Tony. I can’t wait. -Manna
I had a great time reading around your post as I read it extensively. Gold Coins
I had a great time reading around your post as I read it extensively. Gold
If you’re bored than you’re boring…damn I must be boring too!
...Papa Bear was applauding.
Zeleni, I had the exact same theory only with the mysterious Man in Black/Smokie granting the wishes. MIB promised Sayid he could have anything in the world he wanted, which turned out to be Nadia. Although he does not necessarily “have” her, she has not died yet…
I like Kaiyo A LOT, but at Sushi Kame (next to the art theatre) you can get an absolute shitload of good sushi, plus miso, and a bit of noodles in a vineagar cucumber salad for $21, and you know it was made just for you. I…
April 9th can’t come fast enough!
To get success, some persons must state if they are willing to compose the article critique writing or just buy custom paper writing service of perfect upper-class.
Pheidippides wasn’t planning on running a marathon; that’s why he died. If he had known ahead of time that he’d be running 26 miles and followed a good training program for a year, stretched properly before the event, had bands and cheering people along the race route,…
Very sad I’ll have to miss this. It sounds sexy as hell & I’ll look forward to the recap.
Doug, I absolutely agree. I think this might have come across focused on rock because, as you say, rock was the 90s, and we had some innovative rock bands here then. But what I’m really trying to get at is that there’s no way Dirty Projectors, Liars…
John, I’m not sure that the current climate for indie rock stardom is all that favorable for bands who simply rock out. Most of the bands doing it well that are also popular have been around for a while and have a tested identity (I’m thinking Spoon…
Keep us posted on the latter!
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I like Kaiyo A LOT, but at Sushi Kame (next to the art theatre) you can get an absolute shitload of good sushi, plus miso, and a bit of noodles in a vineagar cucumber salad for $21, and you know it was made just for you. I…