Okay, my New York trip is over and we’re back to local daily Peoria postings. I had a good time on vacation, but it feels good to be back on my hamster wheel schedule. This is a Spinal Tap-like week as we hit number week number 11 in our Year of the Sandwich Tour. One place that we’ve stopped at on every one of these MBIP food tours is No Wake Zone, one of my favorite bars in Peoria. And while other blogs posts just go to 10, here at MBIP they go to 11! So let’s go before Joe “Mama” Besser blows up!
Here we are at No Wake Zone on Galena Road. I love the beer deck that looks onto the Illinois River. I wonder if they have slots in there?
Okay, let’s walk the plank and head inside. It’s kind of early, but as you can see, there’s already people here in the dining room, No Wake Zone is a popular place and equally known for the good food and massive drink and beer selection! I’m meeting friends later and we’ll get a table then, but till they arrive let’s go grab a seat at the bar.
No sooner are we seated than Char, the friendly bartender on duty arrives with a cold bottle of Budweiser and check out who’s seated next to us, it’s the esteemed owner of the No Wake Zone, Pete Clarno! I’ve been buddies with Pete since high school and always great to see him. We’ve never discussed this, but I think each time we see each other we think: “How the hell are you still alive!”
Pete pointed out that they’ve put the gifts I brought for the 4th anniversary celebration on the wall, along with a dollar bill that I marked up about three years ago on my first trip here (scroll down here to see the bill originally hung up). Pete noticed the bill was faded, so he had William take it down and both of us darkened it up and William put it back on the wall! Very cool to have an MBIP corner of the wall in here!
After we did that, I went and looked at all of the other dollar bills on the wall and it’s fun to look at all of the messages on them! Pete pointed out that some have even left some foreign bills there on the wall, one of them left by another former classmate of ours, Mike Paisani! Hi, Mike!
There’s all kinds of fun knick-knacks and bric-a-bracs to check out in here along with daily specials and a half a dozen beers on tap.
Of course my favorite item on the walls in here is Stumpy Pete, but as many times as I’ve taken Stumpy Pete’s picture, I only just now reaized that Stumpy Pete’s leg is amputated and he’s serving it up for dinner! I love Stumpy Pete! And how perfect seeing him on this 11th week, it makes me think of Spinal Tap drummer, John “Stumpy” Pepys, who always reminded me of Ed Begley, Jr.
Meanwhile, back at the bar, I met, Laura and Kathi. I thought that Laura looked familiar and it turns out we met when she was working for Times Newspapers when I had lunch with our mutual friend, Jeanette Kendall!. I took her picture back then and if you scroll down here you can see that! And of course now we have to cue this up! Laura was with her friend Kathi who was really nice and knew me from this blog, which always makes me feel good. She was also wearing a cool t-shirt, it’s a limited edition of the Elandorf 2016 Music Festival that sadly never happened. Great to see Laura again and wonderful to meet Kathi!
And here’s those aforementioned friends of mine that I said were going to meet me for dinner, Joe and Amber! They’re both looking fantastic and I’m always happy to have them join me in the festivities here. Now that they’ve arrived, it’s sandwich time!
Bobbi is our pretty waitress and she not only took our dinner orders, she said I could go back and watch this week’s sandwich being prepared. And so away we go...
We’re really putting William to work tonight! First he had to take down and put back up the MBIP dollar bill and now he’s preparing this week’s sandwich. And what is this week’s sandwich? Well, you’ll have to keep on scrolling to find out! William’s doing a great job of cooking and preparing the sandwich and I’m happy to see the bun being buttered and grilled, I always say that the bread or bun can make a sandwich and I always prefer it buttered up and grilled. Okay, let’s let him finish in peace and go back and join Amber and Joe at our table.
Here we are at the table and I’m drinking a shot of mustard because I caused some trouble a while ago and I’m under a tennis court injunction not to drink ketchup in bars for another nine months or so. Never let it be said that I take my punishments lightly!
And here’s dinner! Amber and Joe got a BLT pizza from the many pizza selections on the menu. It looks really tasty!
Here’s this week’s sandwich, which is...drumroll please...The Philly Cheese Chicken Sandwich!
This is a sandwich made with chunks of fresh chicken breast, and it’s marinated in a mixture of pineapple juice, brown sugar and Worcestershire Sauce. It’s topped with a pile of grilled onions, sauteed peppers and a generous layer of fresh, melted Swiss cheese. This is really a delicious sandwich. The chicken serves as the base with sweet flavors coming from the marinade and a touch of savory from the Worcestershire Sauce. The onions and peppers add some zing and zest and the melted cheese layers in creamy richness. And of course it’s all housed in a bakery-fresh, buttered and grilled bun! Great sandwich and I got it with waffle fries and they were a nice crispy compliment for a side dish. There’s other sandwiches here on the menu including a Chicken Cordon Bleu on Texas Toast and a loaded Ham and Cheese sandwich. I’m sure those are delicious too, but I suggest you try The Philly Cheese Chicken Sandwich on your next trip to No Wake Zone!
After dinner, night has fallen on the beer deck out here at No Wake Zone and it’s been another wonderful and fun night here! Thanks to Pete and everyone here for the great food and hospitality, as always! And thanks to Amber and Joe for joining me, always a blast to hang out with both of you! We’ll see you all tomorrow!
Sandwich Rating
Three and a Three Quarter Dagwood Bumsteads—This sandwich takes a chicken sandwich to a tasty and delicious level that you definitely want to try! And there’s a whole menu of other tasty items to be had as well!
No Wake Zone
4925 N Galena Road
Peoria Heights
309-688-4840
Related Posts: A Year In The LIfe Of A Sandwich @ Picco’s Pit Bar-B-Que And Steakhouse, The Fox Pub, Leonardo’s/La Gondola, Castle’s Patio Inn, Kuchie’s On The Water, The 50’s Diner, Donnelly’s Pub, The Mix Sandwich Works, Nacho Mama’s and Jim's Steakhouse.