Before we begin this post, I’m happy to announce a new member in the MBIP Bucket List Brigade! Joining the group of businesses that every Peorian should frequent is one of our favorite bars and hangouts, The Red Barn! Check them out at the top of the Bucket List page today, which has a link to their facecrack page and another to a post on The Red Barn right here on MBIP!
Okay, we now return to the blog, already in progress!
Way back when MBIP was less than a month old we did a post from Oliver’s Pizza & Pub in Peoria Heights. Over a year ago they opened up Oliver's Pizza & Pub North on Willow Knolls Drive, just down the street from MBIP Headquarters and I’ve been meaning to stop by and try it out. Well, tonight is that magical night! And there’s going to be guest stars as well, so let’s get going, there’s so much time and so little to do. Wait a second, strike that. Reverse it.
Off we travel into a black and blue evening! The sky looks a little threatening, but we travel onwards and upwards, there’s no stopping this MBIP Train!
Here we are at Oliver’s Pizza & Pub North. According to Danielle Hatch’s review in the PJ Star, this building was previously used as an office space. It looks like a big house to me. Let’s go and see if anyone’s home.
There’s a huge porch on the front and you can dine there, which is where I think we’ll end up once tonight’s fabulous guest stars show up. And make no doubt, they are fabulous! I don’t just hang out with anybody...oh wait, yes I do...but tonight we hang out with fabulous people, so get ready for that!
Looking at this doorway, I kind of feel like I’m walking into someone’s house, I’m half-tempted to ring the doorbell. But I don’t see a doorbell.
No need for a doorbell, when I got to the entrance I was greeted by Jill, the pretty and friendly manager of Oliver’s. She gave a wave for the MBIP readers and offered to give us a little tour of the place. Hey, when a pretty woman asks me to follow her, I don’t need to be asked twice, they’re usually running away from me!
Here’s the main dining room, very spacious and I love the wooden floor.
Jill told me there’s more rooms upstairs, so let’s go explore those!
This room is used when the downstairs gets filled up or you can rent this room for parties or other events. I’m thinking about renting it for an evening to just sit in here alone and drool all over myself. By the evening’s end I’d be sitting in a pool of my own spittle. It will probably never happen, but hey, one can have a dream, right?
Here’s another room across the hall, Jill certainly moves fast, I can hardly keep up with her!
I think Jill’s had too much coffee! This is a room where people can bring their kids to let them blow off some steam up here while the parents relax with their dinner and drinks.
There’s electronic games up here...
Plus some old school ones to keep the kiddies occupied. This is a great idea and parents should take note!
We’re back downstairs and Jill has to take care of business, so she left me at the one room in the house where I’ll really feel at home...
The bar!
Here’s Steven who was doing his last night of duty here at Oliver’s. He’s got a job at the Pere Marquette Hotel, so we’ll probably see him as we eat our way up Main Street, that’s going to be a stop soon. Stay tuned!
They have a Spinal Tapish count of 11 beers on tap. That’s as good an excuse as any to cue up, “Stonehenge.”
This is Tanya and Tammy who were seated at the end of the bar. Tammy said she had heard of the MBIP blog and we had a nice chat about Peoria and things to do here.
It turns out that Matt who works behind the bar here is Tanya’s son! Well, most of you who read this blog with any regularity will know what that means, time to cue this up. And those who don’t read this blog with regularity, go take a laxative or something...sheesh! After this picture was taken and I thought about the name Matt, I realized that I’ve left this week’s fabulous guest stars waiting out on the porch this whole time! I just pray they haven’t burned it to the ground...then we’ll have to eat inside!
And here they are basking in all of their fabulosness, Clare and Matt! You’ve seen them both on the MBIP blog many times, Clare’s the one who hates having her picture taken and Matt’s the one who had the idea of wearing sombrero’s a few months ago. Sadly, there’s no sombrero’s tonight, but they will return. Consider that a threat, Matt...I mean consider that a promise...yeah, that’s the ticket, a promise!
Our waiter for the evening is Alex, a super-nice guy who didn’t even flinch when I ordered a bowl of cocaine. I do have to note that the cocaine never did arrive. Oh well, maybe next time.
But these onion rings did and they look delicious! Scott Turley (MBIP's personal onion ring fanatic) you need to try these out! Alex told us that they’re made fresh here daily, no onion rings out of a bag at Oliver’s!
Not only were they tasty rings of onion, they made for a nice prop as a monocle! Am I Mr. Funny or what? Oh, shut up.
Okay, time for the main event, Alex is serving up two pizza pies!
We got the cheese pizza, which is made with three cheeses...
And a meat lovers pizza which has sausage, pepperoni, ham, bacon and three types of cheeses on it for toppings. I've heard that Oliver's has the old Penguin Tap pizza recipe, but I forgot to ask, so I guess you'll just have to find out for yourself.
I asked for hot sauce and Alex delivered the ever-present Frank’s Hot Sauce which is becoming the generic mustard of this pizza pie tour and Tabasco sauce. Nothing too exciting, I wish places around here would step up a little on their hot sauce game, but what are you going to do?
I took two pieces of each and I’m letting them cool for a minute or two.
Both of them were great and very tasty, but I think I liked the cheese pizza the best. The crust here is thin but not crispy and I like the texture of the dough. The toppings were fresh and tasty, great pizza!
And now for the next day cold pizza challenge. Note that we’re down to two Red Stripes. I think once I’ve drank all of them, I’ll get a new specialty beer for this corner of the fridge. I can feel the excitement building for that already!
Delicious! Thanks to everyone at Oliver’s for great pizza and service and to this week’s fabulous guest stars, Clare and Matt! We’ll see you all tomorrow!
Pizza Rating
Three Chef Boyardees—Really tasty pizza that can be had in two locations now!
Oliver's Pizza & Pub North
3300 W. Willow Knolls Drive
Peoria
309-691-7891
Related Posts: YOP at: Rizzi’s on State, Bacci Pizza, Veterans Pub and Pizza, Larry’s Driftwood Pizza, Norwood Pub ‘N’ Grub, Barrister’s Pizza and Pub, Mickie’s Pizzeria, Double A’s, Lucca Grill, Avanti’s, Leonardo’s, Lou’s La Grotto, Knuckles Pizza, Davis Bros. Pizza, Kenny’s Westside Pub, Dave’s Pizza, Peoria Pizza Works, Sugar and Agatucci’s.
Ah, sittin' on my front porch,
Ummm, sweet nothin's.
Surprise link, click on it...I dare you!
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Bucket Update From All Smiles Dental Care!
Our MBIP Bucket List Buddies over at All Smiles Dental Care are hard at work decorating their bucket and here’s a couple of photos they sent in. Looking good! Can’t wait to see the finished product! And speaking of ASDC, don’t forget to vote for them in the PJ Star’s 2014 Reader’s Choice Awards. Vote for them in the “Dentist” and “Denture” categories and you can get to the voting page by clicking right here!
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Today’s post was brought to you by The Red Barn. Check them and all the other fine businesses helping to support this blog over at the MBIP Bucket List Page. Your Daily Random Linkage awaits you at the bottom of the that page as well!
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