Tasty food, friendly people
The Peoria Cafe is a low-key dining experience in which the restaurant's charm rests on the tastiness of it's Mexican-American menu and the pleasant, attentive dispositions of the people who serve it.
This is a cafe that operates in the rich tradition of the great American diner: solid value in terms of cost, prompt, efficient service and a clientele and service staff of "real" people, who make eating there a family type experience--even if you are alone and/or a stranger.
Located in a strip mall. the restaurant has been operated at the same location for more than 30 years. As might be expected, there were ups and downs in its efficiency and inconsistency in the food. Consequently--and sincethere are a fistful of other eateries in the same area--the cafe's business ebbed and flowed. Such is not the case under the current ownership.
Now the restaurant is decorated with traditional Americana touches and it's large glass windows let the light pour in to give it an airy, open feeling.
The Peoria Cafe has two signature weekly events: Menudo, served on Saturday and Sunday mornings and beer-battered fried chicked, served on Friday nights. The menudo--both the red and white styles--is prepared in the classic manner and served with diced union, cilentro and tortilas on the side.
The only downside to the menudo is that you are best advised to get there early to get it. It often sells out (again, it is only offered on Saturday and Sunday) and it is not uncommon to see a line of customers waiting to take a couple of quarts home in containers they bring with them.
The rest of the week the staples range from spicy chorizzo to chicken-fried steak, to a variety of daily soups and sandwich specials.
The cafe has a steady stream of regulars, including a large mumber of persons who make it the first stop of their day when headed for work.    [07 Jan 2004 09:44:47]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: The weekend menudo is truly outstanding.

     ­Lance W. Evans   goldenlancer at aol dot com