This might come as a surprise to my Chicago friends who think Champaign-Urbana is just a big college campus surrounded by cornfields, but there are plenty of foodie delights to be found around here. A sampling:
Global Wednesday @ Silvercreek: Brazil
Contemporary American joint Silvercreek launched a Global Wednesdays series earlier this year, offering fare from a specific country each week. Of course I had to check out their take on Brazilian cuisine.
The capirinha was potent, and thankfully the menu didn’t describe cachaça as “Brazilian rum.”
The attempt at feijoada was more like a creole concoction — they didn’t get the meat or spices right, though it was still flavorful.
Pizzeria Antica
In downtown Champaign, authentic pizza di napoli — thin crust, crushed tomatoes rather than tomato sauce. Here’s the Chimuchurro: with mozzarella, basil, Calabrese peppers, and chimichurri lamb sausage.
Great apps too, like this selection of infused olive oils.
Global Wednesday @ Silvercreek: France
Another week, another cuisine. Very satisfied with the French Martini and the steak au poivre. In retrospect, should have skipped the opera cake — not that it wasn’t good, it was just more chocolate than I can handle.