Talking breakfast at the Market
You rolled out of bed and made it to the market in time to get your berries and your greens. Unfortunately, getting to the market early meant skipping breakfast and now, you are starving. By the time you get home and cook up your haul, you'll be ready to gnaw off your own arm.
But, don't undo all of your efforts to eat locally by hitting the drive-thru at the Golden Arches, not when there are better options just steps away.
With a name like Fryer Tuck's you might expect the white vending trailer on the southeast corner of the market to be selling funnel cakes or mini doughnuts. But Fryer Tuck's cooks up egg sandwiches made with local sausage from Triple S farms and English muffins from Dan and Paula Erwin. You'll likely have to stand behind several of the market's farmers to get yours, but it's worth the wait. And for just $3, it's hard to beat this breakfast to go.
If you're in the mood to take a load off after shopping, head for the opposite end of the market where Harold Allston and his crew have turned The Great Impasta into C-U's newest breakfast destination.
"Because of our proximity to the market, serving breakfast just seemed like the natural thing to do," says Allston. In fact, if you are at the market around 7 a.m., you'll likely see Allston pushing a restaurant cart through the market buying ingredients for the morning's meal.
While this makes for a rather hectic schedule as the menu is literally set by 7:30 a.m., menus printed by 7:45 a.m., and the first coffee poured at 8:00 a.m., Allston wouldn't have it any other way. "For years we've been having farmers deliver to our door. Now we can go to their doors," says Allston, adding that shopping at the market allows him to work with even more local farmers.
Allston says he's been consistently surprised with the offerings of the market's vendors. So far The Great Impasta's breakfast offerings have featured local eggs, cheeses, bacon, sausage, Swiss chard, asparagus, kale, mixed greens, strawberries, rhubarb, and even hydroponic tomatoes. Omelets, frittatas, and quiches are staples of the breakfast menu, as local eggs are prevalent and easy to build around, says Allston. "We also serve eggs benedict made with English muffins from Dan and Paula Erwin who are sharing our kitchen to make their breads and other baked goods for the market."
Allston says he plans to serve breakfast throughout the market season. "It's becoming very popular and the kitchen is enjoying getting to learn a new form of cookery. Breakfast is different than lunch or dinner, especially when you are cooking with eggs. It's also been interesting to have guests come in and ask, ‘Where did you get the lamb sausage? So we're getting to educate people about what all the market has to offer, which is an unexpected bonus."
The Great Impasta serves breakfast until 11 am when the restaurant switches to its lunch menu.
Photo by Lisa Bralts-Kelly
Most Recent Food 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.
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…
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Most Recent Comments
Did the Crave Truck get a permit to park in city metered spots and city right of way? Or did they just get a permit? The city clerk’s office seems to be a suspect here, but it’s not clear they did anything wrong. Did the Crave Truck…
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.
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Did the Crave Truck get a permit to park in city metered spots and city right of way? Or did they just get a permit? The city clerk’s office seems to be a suspect here, but it’s not clear they did anything wrong. Did the Crave Truck…