Live, from Washington, Illinois, it’s Saturday Night Cheeseburger starring this week’s host, Alpha Bravo and featuring the Ready For Prime Beef Player, Marty Wombacher. And now, please welcome this week’s host all the way from Washington, Illinois, Alpha Bravo!
And we're off on a somewhat different episode of SNC tonight. What I've been doing this year is going back to the place I went a year ago and getting something other than a cheeseburger. Last year we went to Carl's Bakery and then we saw the band, Southern Cross. Well, that can't happen this year because Carl's Bakery closes early and I couldn't get there in the daytime (I had to get a haircut) and Southern Cross didn't have a gig booked for this evening. Plus we just went to Carl's Bakery with Jeanette Kendell for lunch, so I decided to ask Jeanette for a recommendation in East Peoria. And she suggested a bar called Alpha Bravo that's nearby in Washington and so that's where we're headed. So there!
And through the miracle of the internet, you're spared a ride over the bridge and then having to take the Camp Street exit, which I hate because it's one big sharp turn and weird and here we are at Alpha Bravo. Hooray! Let's go inside and see what's going on.
It looks nice and cozy in here and there's a seat at the end of the bar with my name on it....
See? Let's go snag it and get settled in.
Here's Kristina the pretty bartender on duty serving up a beer. So far, so good! Kristina's been working here for two years and told me that the building used to be Harold's Hamburgers, which had been in business in this building for 40 years. Here's an article about Harold's.
And things just get better in here as there's another pretty woman seated next to me at the bar whose name is Crystal. Crystal told me she's seen the MBIP blog via facecrack, so that was cool, that's her boyfriend behind her hiding from the camera, so we'll just call him, Sean Penn.
Here's my view of the bar from where I'm perched.
The bottled and canned beers are stored in this cooler and as you can see, there's a varied supply in here.
Alright, I just placed the dinner order with Kristina, so let's take a look around while that's being prepared.
Here's the five taps that are displayed at the center of the bar. Note the Guinness at the far left. That comes into play quite a bit here because...
They have four different varieties of Black and Tans and all for just five bucks! Such a deal!
This room is off to the left of the bar.
Alpha Bravo has a military theme in its decor, here's a banner honoring the Vietnam Veterans. Very nice!
Square tables and stools line the walls in here...
And there's circular tables and stools in the middle of the room.
An eagle clutching an American flag flies up near the ceiling over here.
Technically I should be sitting here, but luckily they're allowing me to stay at the bar.
The bars name and colors are displayed on this wall here.
Meanwhile back at the bar...
Dinner is just about to be served!
My neighbors at the bar suggested I order the Cordon Bleu Nuggets A.K.A. "Blue Balls" for the appetizer, so that's what I did and here they are.
Wow, this picture doesn't do this appetizer justice! These are deep fried nuggets filled with tangy blue cheese, ham and chicken. Very delicious! And as you can see, I peppered them up quite nicely!
And here's Kristina serving up the main course. Does this look fabulous or what? And the food looks pretty good too!
I got the Bacon Cheeseburger Roll-Up and a side of cole slaw. It looks and smells fantastic, let's dig in...
Wow, this is so good! You can read more about it in the review below, but I highly recommend you stop by Alpha Bravo and check this out, it is so tasty!
That's Shawn on the left who cooked up tonight's wonderful meal and chose to blink while this picture was snapped. That's Bill on the right who's also a cook at Alpha Bravo.
Garrett's another cook here who was off duty and enjoying a little time on the other side of the bar.
Here's Crystal with Bobbi Jo who came in with some friends. Two pretty women!
Bobbi Jo generously bought everyone a Cherry Bomb, from left: Matt, Chris, Crystal, Bobbi Jo and Yours Fooly. Cheers and we'll see you all tomorrow!
My Meal
I got the Bacon Cheeseburger Roll-Up and it was a tasty and amazing treat for the tastebuds! In theory, it sounds like a simple dish: A flour tortilla stuffed with hamburger, lettuce, tomatoes and chopped onion and topped with bacon and a cheese sauce. In reality, this is so good! It’s like a cheeseburger burrito and between the savory beef, the crispy smoked bacon and the creamy, rich cheese sauce there’s a lot of wonderful flavors happening in every bite. I also got a side of the cole slaw and it was homemade, creamy and delicious.
Other Roll-Ups on the menu include, pizza, southwest chicken, steak and a Horseshoe Roll-Up, which is a beef patty topped with french fries and a cheese sauce. They have a wide varitey of sandwiches on the menu and there’s also soups, salads, pizza and four styles of hot dogs including The Alpha Dog which is a hot dog topped with bacon, cheese, onions and peppers. I may have to try that the next time I’m in Alpha Bravo.
SNC Rating
Three and a half Galloping Gourmets—I highly reccomend the Cheeseburger Roll-Up, a real taste treat!
Alpha Bravo
2305 Washington Road
Washington, Illinois
309-745-5500
Related Posts: SNC @ Ulrich’s Rebellion Room, The Lariat Steakhouse and Castle’s Patio Inn.