EatandEvolve opened up last year in Junction City and it’s quite a unique dining option here in Peoria. It’s a meal delivery service and it’s also a breakfast and luncheon restaurant where you can dine in and enjoy their healthy and tasty treats. You can read about the restaurant and delivery options by clicking here. I stopped in to EatandEvolve last July and did a People of Peoria post featuring Gabriela who founded the restaurant with her husband Erick.
While talking to Gabriela last summer, I noticed that they had Chicken and Waffles on the menu board and made a mental note to come back and try that dish out. I haven’t had decent chicken and waffles dish since I first tried them at Sylvia’s Restaurant in Harlem over nine years ago when I was doing my bar crawl tour.
And so that’s exactly what we’re going to do on this 21st week of this finger-lickin’ chicken tour! Cluck yeah!
Here we are at EatandEvolve. I walked in and happily saw that the chicken and waffles entree is still on the menu. As you can see, they have a lot of choices for breakfast and lunch in here including crepes, power bowls, sandwiches, soups, salads and tasty muffins. All of the food is prepared fresh here on the premises.
I’m having lunch with my friend, Terry Grawey today! Terry is Peoria’s only Hypnohumorist and you can read more about him here. Terry’s shows are a lot of fun and I was hypnotized by him three years ago, check that post out here.
The word seems to be spreading about breakfast and lunch in here, check out the line to order!
Dawn took our orders and pointed us over to the beverage area.
On my way to get a drink, I noticed the impressive hot sauce selection and also saw that Chelsie Tamms has some of her unique hand-lettering art on the menu!
The kitchen is in back behind that window and I held up the MBIP Camera to get a behind the scenes shot.
There’s coffee and flavored water over here, I chose the lemon-flavored water.
This is a nice bistro-styled dining area with tables and stools and a row of tables facing the outer wall. Terry and I opted for a table in the middle of the dining area and settled in for our lunch.
Here’s the view from our table.
Before you know it, Dawn’s delivering our lunch to the table! The food looks wonderful!
Terry stayed in line with the chicken theme and got the Baked Chicken Parmesan with a side of broccoli. As you can see it’s topped with a layer of fresh, melted cheese and sits on a bed of pasta. It looks fantastic and Terry said it was delicious!
Now, it’s on to the featured dish of the day, the chicken and waffles. This entree comes with a salad and it was served with home-made dressing.
The chicken and waffles look so good, it’s hard to believe this is healthy dining but it is. The waffles are made from scratch in the kitchen. They’re prepared with the main ingredients being almond and oat flour with coconut milk, so they are gluten free and dairy free. They’re topped with crispy bacon and they are simply wonderful! Now to try them with the chicken!
Wow, the chicken is so good! These are fresh chicken tenders that are hand-cut and have been marinated overnight. The breading for the chicken is what really makes them unique and delicious.
Gabriela “breads” them with crushed nuts, mostly pecans and walnuts and tapioca flour, then they are baked to crispy perfection. The nutty breading really gives the chicken a unique taste and a nice crunch. It also makes the chicken a more healthy dish, but it still has a decadent delicious flavor especially when it’s paired up with the waffle, bacon and sweet syrup.
I have to say that this version of chicken and waffles is better than the dish I had at Sylvia’s in Harlem and that is quite the compliment! This is one of the best lunches I’ve ever had!
After lunch Gabriela came out to say hi to Terry and myself and delivered us a couple of their homemade muffins. These were beyond tasty and are made with almond flour and oat flour. The topping is melted dark chocolate and coconut milk.
Who knew eating healthy could be so sinfully delicious!
If you’d like a unique breakfast or luncheon experience you should really stop by EatandEvolve in Junction City. It’s fresh and healthy food that tastes delicious!
Chicken Rating
Four Dixie Chickens—I never thought I’d find a place that serves up better chicken and waffles than Sylvia’s Soul Food restaurant in Harlem, but Gabriela has done it at EatandEvolve in Junction City! Stop by and try them out and don’t forget to get a muffin for a sweet dessert!
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5832 N. Knoxville Avenue
Junction City
Peoria
217-972-3832
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