September’s crisp, cool air is a welcome change from August’s muggy corn sweat afternoons. This month’s not-hot weather needs fall food and drink to go with the autumnal vibes. This September, go for five things that I love to eat and drink this time of year: a hot latte, brisket chili, orchard apples, saucy chicken, and cheesy flautas.
Apples
Apples taste great this month because it’s apple season, and the apple trees are ripe for picking. Just imagine noshing an apple on a cool September day while wearing flannel! That’s the vibe for this month. Skip grocery store apples, and eat some local apples. Pick apples right off the tree branches at Curtis Orchard. The Champaign orchard has five varieties for picking plus a shop with their famous apple cider and treats. Find apples from area orchards at our farmers markets. At Urbana’s Market at the Square, several vendors sell fresh-picked local apples: Ben & Molly’s Farm, Cary’s Garden of Eatin’, Mileur Orchard, Ochoa Farm, Sager Farms, and The Fancy Tomato, too.
One of my favorite apple dealers is Weinzierl Fruit, which sells at both Urbana and Champaign markets. This Champaign County orchard has over 400 apple trees and specializes in delicious varieties like Pixie Crunch, Ludacrisp, Evercrisp, Zestar, and more.
Apples
Curtis Orchard
3902 S Duncan
Champaign
M-Sa 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Su 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Champaign Farmers Market
Tu 3 to 3 p.m.
Urbana’s Market at the Square
Sa 7 a.m. to noon
Oatmeal Cookie Latte ︱ BakeLab
When the weather cools, I want to forgo my usual cold brew (if only for a day) to sip a hot latte. The other day I met up with a friend and ordered my favorite latte at BakeLab: the oatmeal cookie latte ($6.30). The drink really did taste like an oatmeal cookie layered with the delicious taste of Counter Culture coffee. Served hot like a cookie fresh from the oven, the oat milk latte had that recognizable oat flavor and mouthfeel for a serious creaminess like a cookie dipped in milk. BakeLab created beautiful latte art in the foam, which made sipping the drink feel like a warm hug.
The latte is available at both BakeLab locations (the one on Lincoln and the new location inside Lodgic) and BrewLab on Fifth.
BakeLab Urbana
410 N Lincoln Ave
Urbana
8 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily
Brisket Chili ︱ Black Dog Smoke & Ale
During football season, chili is a must. While I can appreciate a bean chili, the fantastic part about Black Dog’s Texas-style chili ($9.95 for bowl) was its lack of beans. No bean could possibly compete with the deliciousness of this slow-smoked brisket. This chili was super chunky with saucy barbecue hunks and lots of softened onions. The smoky beef bites were so tender, practically melting in my mouth. I loved the thick gravy’s bold, peppery flavor and the chips garnish as well. A barbecue restaurant’s side of chips has no business being so good, but these corn chips were freaking awesome. Hot from the fryer and seasoned, they were so good with a scoop of chili.
Black Dog has an entire section of the menu devoted to chili, five dishes including chili cheese fries and chili macaroni. Eat Black Dog’s chili at the Champaign location seven days a week and soon at the original Urbana location, reopening this fall.
Black Dog Smoke & Ale
320 N Chestnut St
Champaign
11 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily
Chicken Flautas ︱ El Paraiso
I like a hot cheese-pull especially when it’s cool outside, and one of the best cheese pulls I’ve had lately was at El Paraiso. At the Downtown Urbana restaurant, I ordered the chicken flautas ($12.95), which was three corn tortillas wrapped around chicken and stuffed with equal parts cheese, then deep-fried. Served with beans, sour cream, pico de gallo, and (so much) steamed white rice, this dish was total comfort food and absolutely filling. I loved the crispy crunch on the tortillas just as much as I loved the stringy, hot cheese. The pulled chicken tasted good, but it was the crunchiness and cheesiness! El Paraiso’s flautas delivered both a very crispy crunch and a very cheesy stretch that satisfied bite after bite. The beans were awesome, and the side of veggies were super fresh.
September is stacked with events from C-U Black and African Arts Festival to PYGMALION to 2024 C-U Pride and more. If attending Downtown Urbana’s events this month, a plate of these flautas or any of El Paraiso’s tasty Latin American dishes would make a great meal.
El Paraiso
126 W Main St
Urbana
T-F noon to 3 p.m. + 4 to 8 p.m.
Sa noon to 6 p.m.
Masala Chicken Kabab ︱ Kohinoor Indian Restaurant
Whenever I want a cozy meal, I go to Kohinoor Indian Restaurant. A few blocks from Downtown Champaign, the family owned and operated restaurant has colorful bubble pillars and a menu of 100+ Northern Indian dishes, all made from scratch. I usually get the thali lunch special, but last week, I ordered things I’d never had. My favorite of the bunch was the #72 Kohinoor kabab chicken masala ($14.99), which I expected to be chicken on a stick with masala sauce, but this bowl of saucy chicken was even better. The special tomato curry had a sublime ginger and garlicky flavor, and the chicken tasted amazing. Without the stick, there was no pointy kabab danger, only yummy sauciness. Slow-cooked in a tandoori oven on skewers first, the bite-sized chicken soaked up that yummy sauce’s spiced (but not spicy) flavor and what was left in the bowl, I sopped up pillowy garlic naan.
Eat this dish for dine in at the restaurant or order it for carryout.
Kohinoor Indian Restaurant
6 E Columbia Ave
Champaign
Su + M 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. + 5 to 10 p.m.
W-Sa 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. + 5 to 10 p.m.
