Following up on the Jazz, Wine & Art Festival is news that a new wine and dessert establishment will be opening in late October. Called Taste: A Wine And Dessert Bar it will be in the lower level of the Baynham’s Shoe Co. building at 323 Main St.

Taste will feature fifty-six different kinds of wines as well as cheesecakes and pies. You can get a sneak peak of the inside of the place during the Jazz, Wine & Art Festival this weekend.

This sounds somewhat similar to my favorite place at Purdue, Capp & Ginos. They had an awesome little wine & dessert bar upstairs. I loved that cheese plate.

Yes, it’s Clockwork Orange quote day. I’m obsessed with Mr. Alexander

photo courtesy of Christina Snyder

As we were leaving lunch this afternoon, I couldn’t help but notice the 4 girls standing in front of the KFC on Green River Road with posters and a chicken coop. Luckily we had a camera and snapped a few photos.

Click the images to get a closer view.

Update: I can only assume they got the information from PETA’s KFCruelty site. I’d love to confirm it though.

Today we bring you a review of what seems to be a staple in Evansville, Los Bravos. The majority of the Evansville area will probably be familiar with this Mexican food, but newcomers to the area or college students who haven’t yet ventured out should know Los Bravos is a good find.

The buildings clearly establish what type of restaurant it is on the outside, with bright orange paint. Inside is not overly done up, but still tries to offer a sense of the Latino vibe. The walls are done in murals of Mexican-town life, while windows are filled with Mexican-style pottery and figures. Even the chairs and highchairs are vibrantly painted.

This evening, there were three of us. After being seated, we were immediately served chips & salsa and placed our drink orders. The salsa was good in flavor, but rather runny as opposed to chunky. We ordered the #5—2 enchiladas, rice, and beans, #29—burrito supremo, & nachos with beef. The #5 meal was off the dinner menu list where everything costs either $5.75 or $5. The enchiladas were ground beef rolled into a corn tortilla with cheese and enchilada sauce over it. I enjoyed that dish, and it was plenty to eat, with lots of food left on my plate. My dining partners also enjoyed their burrito and nachos, finding both to taste good and be plenty of food.

Other dinner options include the fajitas, chimichanga, or flautas. If you come at lunch, there are great lunch specials for $3.50 or $4.50. Try the Speedy Gonzolez, or my personal favorite, the Quesadilla Suprema. Don’t forget to try the cheese dip. They offer a range of beers, and of course a long list of alcohol, including margaritas.

All in all, I enjoy Los Bravos. The restaurant is clean, nice and polite waiters, great prices, and very speedy service. The food is good, and always consistent. My only qualm is how some of the waiters, especially in the kitchen, tend to ogle at some of the female customers, as it can sometimes become awkward.

That aside, I do suggest Los Bravos as it is one of the top Mexican places in town. However, I think I will always prefer the taste of Acapulco better.

Los Bravos is located at 834 Tutor Lane (behind Sonic & Qdoba), (812) 474-9078; 3534 N. 1st Ave (behind Arby’s), (812) 424-4101; and 4630 W. Lloyd Expressway, (812) 464-3163. Mon-Thurs 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10:30pm, Sun 11am-9pm.

This week we review a well-known restaurant in Evansville, The Pub. While styled after a typical pub in England or Ireland, it caters to us Americans with our traditional fare.

There are two separate entrances for the bar and family room, but once inside, you can see there really is no separation except for a very short, narrow hall. It is slightly aggravating that there is no true divide between the rooms since the bar is still smoking - the smoke very easily can waft over to the family room. Another pitfall is that there is no hostess to seat you, so we were unsure whether to take a seat or wait for a waitress when we entered.

The décor inside is nothing special. There are thick wooden tables or booths inside with old walls covered primarily in sports paraphernalia from local and state universities. The Pub looks old; it feels old, but there is an overwhelming sense of comfort that invites people to stay and relax after their meal. On our visit there, one table had long finished lunch and was proceeding to do some business at their table, while another table of friends was talking after having finished their food.

The menu primarily covers your most basic American food, but has one or two other options as well. My dining partner got the simple chicken salad sandwich with walnuts that he said he really enjoyed. I opted for the gyro, which is sliced lamb in a pita with a yogurt sauce and the option of lettuce, tomato, and onion. Both meals came with a side of chips. We were very impressed with how fast our food came out; we barely had to wait at all. Other options include basics like salads, chicken sandwiches, burgers, and more.

I suggest a visit to the pub for a casual lunch. It is great for doing business as well as having a relaxing lunch with friends. It seems to be an older clientele that frequents The Pub. The menu is small, but the food is good as are the prices. My one complaint is the lack of true separation between the smoking bar and non-smoking family room.

The Pub is located at 1348 E. Division St. behind the Lloyd. (812) 422-2451.

This week we ventured out of Evansville and up the highway to Haubstadt. About fifteen minutes out, you find Haub House where they specialize in steak and the train, but have a little bit of everything.

Haubs is in a large brick building, very much like a house, just feet from a train track. The track is actually a big feature for children who will run up to the windows when it rolls by. Inside there are two floors, and the decor is very old fashioned-lots of old wallpaper and other old styles.

Everyone in my party ordered some type of steak or lobster. Steaks ranged from strip, rib eye, chop sirloin, and of course, the ever delicious filet mignon. Lobster dishes came either on their own or in a Land & Sea combination. Looking down the table, the strip and rib eye looked especially delicious — nice and big, cooked perfectly. I ordered the 8 ounce fillet (also comes in 4 and 12 ounce), which came wrapped in bacon, cooked a perfect medium. Sides are all ordered separately, the most popular being the twice-baked potato, followed by German fries and rice pilaf. All of our meals came with our choice of salad, with loaves of hot, freshly baked white and wheat bread.

There is also a substantial amount of seafood at Haubs. Start with the Oysters Mornay or Rockefeller, or Herring. Continue on the seafood route with Crab Legs or Lobster, Baked Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp, and any number of various fish. Not a seafood fan? Try a Bacon-Wrapped Liver or Stuffed Mushroom appetizer followed by Chicken Kiev, Roasted Chicken, or Broiled Pork Chops. After stuffing yourself, you can end with Bread Pudding or Pecan Pie, or even a dessert drink such as the old-fashioned like the Grasshopper or Pink Squirrel.

The service is good, but not great. You will have to exercise patience when attempting to get your drink refilled. The food, however, always comes out hot and delicious, I’ve never had anything bad. This is a pricey restaurant though so expect to pay a fair amount. Most dishes are a la carte. The steaks range from $17 to $30, and fish ranging from $14 to $35. If you are interested in eating a little earlier, there is an Early Evening Menu section in which everything is $12.95. Haubs is also also able to accommodate large parties or meetings.

I do suggest trying Haubs at least once. It is a bit out of a trek to get to Haubstaudt from Evansville, but the steaks are worth the trip. Just know that you will be paying a premium for your dinner.

Haub House is located in 101 E. Main St., Haubstadt, In—41 North, West on Highway 68, North on Main. (812) 768-6462. Mon-Thurs 4PM-9PM, Fri & Sat 4PM-10PM.

For this week’s Open Thread let’s focus on local restaurants. What’s your favorite local restaurant? I’m not talking about chain restaurants that have the same boring flavor here as they do in Des Moines, Iowa. I’m talking about the Turonis’, Firefly’s and Yen Ching’s of Evansville.

What’s your favorite and why?

Use this open thread to discuss it in the comments.