Live, from Peoria, Illinois, it’s Saturday Night Cheeseburger starring this week’s host, The Fieldhouse Bar And Grill with special guest stars, Jimmy and Mindy LaHood and featuring the Ready For Prime Beef Player, Marty Wombacher. And now, directly from Campus Town where everybody’s bitching about the intersection of Main and University, please welcome this week’s host, The Fieldhouse Bar And Grill!
Okay, we're off and rolling to the Fieldhouse Bar and Grill, where we sampled a cheeseburger last year, time to go back and try something different in this magical year of 2014.
Oh no...it's a moment of on-road fuzziness...help me Mr. Wizard!
Whew, back to normal! Okay, we're getting close, there's Mr. G's over there up ahead. Campus Town is just a few blocks away.
Here we is! As I was snapping this photo, I heard someone yelling my name...
It's MBIP pal, Jimmy LaHood and his wife Mindy! We last saw Jimmy when we went to see The Graduate at Corn Stock Theatre. They were passing through the parking lot and saw me taking a photo. I asked them if they'd join me for a beer or three inside and they said they would. Hot damn, unintentional guest stars for the evening!
The parking process has been successfully completed and it's onwards we go!
On the way to the bar we ran into Elizabeth, Dan and Mary. Ryan and Mary remembered us from last year's visit and it was great to meet Elizabeth...
But I'm dying of thirst over here! Let's get inside and get a beer already!
We toyed with the idea of sitting at a table, but we saw some empty seats at the end of the bar, so we chose to snag those and settle in.
And there's yet another familiar face behind the bar...
It's Ryan who was on bartending duty last year. Good to see him and really good to get an ice-cold bottle of Budweiser!
Cheers!
Here's some of the special and events coming up at The Fieldhouse, note the Tap Takeover...
It's the Tyranena Tap Takeover, which is happening this Saturday, June 7th at 6PM. All the taps will be switched to beers from the Tyranena Brewing company who are a legendary Wisconsin brewery.
Dan pointed out this painting to me and told me it was the newest thing on the walls in here. It's a piece of art created by Willard T. Waugh who was an art major at Bradley and gave the Fieldhouse this painting of the 1950-51 Bradley Basketball Team. Very cool!
I was just ready to throw caution to the wind when I stumbled upon this thing. Damn, I hate it when that happens!
Here's the back room, which is available to rent out for parties.
Suddenly...Cake!
Spalding Golf...hmm...wonder if he's any relation to Spalding Gray? Even if he's not, that sure is one fancy jacket! Too bad it's stuck inside of that frame and Spalding can't wear it anymore. He must get chilly in the winter time.
Meanwhile, back at the bar...
I decided to get a couple of appetizers tonight, instead of a full-blown meal or a sandwich. I got a half a dozen of the sweet chili chicken wings. They were really tasty, but the star of the evening's food portions was...
The Bavarian Pretzel Sticks. These things were just crazy good!
Dunk them in cheese and you are eating the best pretzel in Peoria! Delicious!
After dinner was consumed, Ryan let me go back behind the bar to take a photo of the taps. Check out the Baba beer! Baba Wawa. Baba O'Riley. Baba Ganoush. Baba Ramdev. Okay, I'll stop.
And while I was behind the bar I had to take a bartender's point of view shot.
Here's John and Ed who were visiting from Chicago and were wandering around passing out chicken wings. Jimmy noticed that Ed could definitely be a separated at birth twin of Bob Coletta, so we had to take this picture. I really need to stop making that face, it's starting to bug the fuck out of me.
Last year I had no idea what that meant. This year I know. So there!
On my way out, I ran into T.J. and Joe who were sipping beers at this outside table. T.J.'s a writer and follows the MBIP blog, which I always love to hear! Cheers, guys and we'll see you all tomorrow!
My Meal
Instead of a sandwich or a meal, I decided to get a couple of appetizers for my anti-cheeseburger weekly foodfest. I got an order of a half dozen sweet chili chicken wings and they were really tasty. Juicy and bursting with a tangy heat and sweet flavor. Those were great, but what really stole the show was the Bavarian Pretzel Sticks. These things were unbelievable! They weren’t sticks at all, more like little mini pretzel loaves and they were crunchy on the outside and pillowy soft inside. A quick dunk in the savory melted cheese and you’re sampling one of the best pretzels in Peoria and beyond.
SNC Rating
Three and a half Galloping Gourmets—the chicken wings were really tasty, but the Bavarian Pretzel Sticks were a little slice of pretzel heaven!
The Fieldhouse Bar & Grill
1200 W Main Street—CampusTown
Peoria
309-494-9600
Related Posts: SNC @ The Fox Pub & Cafe, McMahon’s Pints and Plates and The Fish House.
Surprise link, click on it...I dare you!
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Today’s post was brought to you by New Amsterdam Bar & Restaurant. 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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Bonus Art From Jaws the Cabbie!
Jaws the Cabbie sent in this illustration as a comment to my fuzzy camera shot. Ha ha ha, good one, Jaws! Thanks!
