Living in a locale that experiences all the seasons, sometimes all within the same week, I appreciate the restaurant that shakes things up as the seasons and our moods change. I had lunch this week at Everyday Kitchen and tried some of the items they’ve included on their winter menu.
I’m going to talk about the dessert first, because sometimes the dessert should just go first. Will you look at that banana cream pie? LOOK AT IT. The crust, the filling, the whipped topping, the caramel drizzle, the caramelized bananas…it was a delight.
Image: A white plate has a white ramekin with breadcrumb topping. Pieces of seeded crackers surround the ramekin. The plate sits on a light wood table.
This crab and artichoke dip was warm and rich and lovely.
Image: A white plate has a pile of blistered green whole shishito peppers. There is a metal spoon resting on the plate, as well as a small white dish with pesto. The plate is sitting on a light wood table.
These shishito peppers are something I might typically overlook on a menu, but this was a nice little appetizer. The peppers are not overly spicy, but they have a bit of warmth to them and they pair quite well with the cilantro pesto.
Image: A white bowl contains a chopped salad with lettuce as the base, halved red grape tomatoes, small tortilla strips, shredded jack cheese, and pieces of chicken covered in a dark red barbeque sauce. The bowl sits on a light wood table.
This BBQ chopped salad was like a chopped salad/Southwestern salad mash up. I enjoyed the crunch of the tortilla strips and the tanginess of the BBQ sauce, and the chicken was tender and delicious. I could’ve used a few more pieces of it.
Image: A white bowl contains bucatini pasta mixed with browned pork sausage, tomatos, and cream sauce. It has green parsley and shredded parmesan sprinkled on top. A metal spoon sits to the left of the bowl. The bowl sits on a light wood table.
Their take on pasta bolognese was flavorful with just the right amount of tomatoes and cream and pork sausage.
There are many more new items to try, on both the lunch and dinner menus, but I did have to function the rest of the day, so you’ll have to go in and order them yourself. And if you are planning on some Restaurant Week dining experiences, you’ll find the crab dip and banana cream pie on the RW menu.
Top image: A large white plate has a tart shaped cream pie in the center. There is a layer of light brown crust topped with white whipped cream, three carmelized bananas, and a drizzle of caramel.
Everyday Kitchen Restaurant & Bar
1807 S. Neil Street, Champaign
M-Th 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 4 to 9 p.m
F 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 4 to 10 p.m.
Sa 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (brunch), 4 to 10 p.m.
Su 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.(brunch), 4 to 9 p.m.
Photos by Julie McClure