Small pub, great grub -- Stockholm's, Geneva

I'm going to repeat what people in Geneva and the tri-cities already knew, I'm sure: Stockholm's, 306 W. State St., Geneva, is a great little pub.

It's small -- some of those restaurants on State St are bigger than they look, but not Stockholm's, but we found a seat table pretty easily -- good timing. It's got a lot of dark wood and a local bar sort of feel, even though it's actually not that old. And while it looks more like a bar, they have a decent amount of tables and some darn good food, much better than your average bar food.

Shared the Papas Italiano as an appetizer which are totally delicious and seriously fattening, I'm sure -- they are homemade chips with a load of cheese sauce, bacon and scallions. Yum.

I had the buffalo chicken wrap, which was tasty and cheesy and large, though not quite as spicy as I might have liked. The husband had a burger, which he said was quite good and nicely medium. And our friend with us had a Reuben he declared adequate (he is a Reuben connoisseur) and tried the Aiger Ale, which he very much enjoyed.

My husband and I aren't really beer drinkers, though we did both try his, and it was pretty good. So maybe next time I'll have to try the LoRazz.

It being Swedish Days, it was pretty busy; we got good service and a lot of checking in, though it wasn't effusive. We didn't linger because there were people waiting for tables.

But the next time we venture out to Geneva, I'll say we'd definitely hit up Stockholm's again. Good stuff.

Stuff to do this weekend

Looking for something cool (and I mean that figuratively, not literally) to do this week or weekend? Geneva's Annual Midsommar Festival (Swedish Days) is now underway in the charming far-west suburb.

Check that website for a list of events and vendors, but basically, it's a big street festival. Carnival rides, food booths, Swedish crafts, music, you name it. Good stuff. Authentic Swedish food, too.

A few tips, though: If you can take the Metra, I strongly suggest it. Parking is not normally a problem in Geneva, but it sure is during Swedish Days. The train station is right on the edge of the festival action, and makes getting to and from much easier. And trust me, you won't find a parking space that's any closer than the train unless you actually live in downtown Geneva.

Also, it will be HOT this week and weekend. Take some frozen water bottles. Drink plenty, dress appropriately, and pace yourself. There are plenty of air conditioned shops, bars and restaurants to stop into to cool down a little. Sunscreen is also highly recommended.

That said, this is one of my favorite festivals -- it can get a little crowded, but it's well organized and there's plenty to see and do. And if you happen to see three 20somethings walking around, including a guy in a Lost bucket hat, that's probably my husband and I'll be right beside him :)

The Little Owl, Geneva

On Saturday evening the husband and I met two friends of ours at The Little Owl, located at 101 W. State St. (Route 38) in Geneva.

It's a historic bar and restaurant, with lots of dark wood and American food including burgers, chicken, lots of fish options, and your standard bar staples.

The bar options looked pretty good, too, and I was tempted by the martini menu, but decided to stick to food. They brought out a bread basket full of a small loaf of sliced bread, garlic toast rounds, and crackers. We shared cheese nuggets as an appetizer, which is every bit as bad for you as it sounds, but in a delicious way.

I had fish and chips, substituting the chips for their "sour cream and chive sticks", which turned out to be french fries coated in a ranch-dressing-like powder before frying -- which was pretty tasty. The fish was nicely fried, though some of it did come out in a chunk away from the batter. My husband had a chicken wings basket, which he reports were very meaty with a delicious batter.

Our friends had a fish-wich and an Italian beef sandwich with mashed potatoes, and reported that those were good as well.

I do have one small complaint: our waitress was a little flighty and took a while to take our orders; after she brought the appetizer out we had to actually tell her we were ready to order. The check also took awhile to come, although she did keep our drinks refilled nicely and took our credit cards promptly.

Prices were pretty good, although portions were not huge, but I was nicely full and not stuffed when we were done.

While there are a huge variety of restaurants in downtown Geneva, I think the Little Owl is a good option if you want a cozy tavern-y sort of place, with solid comfort food, drinks, and a place to sit and talk with friends.

Best of the year

With '08 wrapping up and this blog settling into a groove, I was thinking about good end-of-the-year posts.

I've tried a lot of great restaurants this year, seen a lot of cool things and explored some great towns.

But picking out the best isn't that hard, when it comes down to it.

Best restaurant discovery:
Bien Trucha, Geneva
This tiny restaurant reinvents the tacqueria into a classy, cozy restaurant hiding in plain sight in downtown Geneva. I have loved every bite I've eaten and every sip drunk at Bien Trucha, and hope there are many, many more to come.

Best downtown discovery:
Elmhurst, easily. There are a lot of great downtowns in the suburbs, and I could name a few more I love off the top of my head, but Elmhurst was only (sadly) discovered by me this year. With its excellent mix of food, public areas, and unique stores, it's a place I can't wait to walk around in again.

Best store discovery:
This is a little harder. I do love Funky Things in Algonquin something fierce, but I discovered that when it first opened in 2007. So this year's winner is probably SereneTeaz, again in Elmhurst. A fun and funky tea shop with samples galore and all the tea options you can imagine, plus some great clerks to help you find whatever it is you're looking for.

Best town-run discovery:
For a town as small as Wood Dale, they have a great pool/waterpark, known as "The Water Park," complete with big slide, adult hot tub, kiddie area and more. It was well showcased at National Night Out -- which is a great event in and of itself, complete with free swimming, free food, music, raffles and mosquitos. I mean more.


So tell me -- what were YOUR favorites of '08? I'm always looking for tips, suggestions, ideas, you name it! Comment away!

Love popcorn? Kernel Fabyan's, Geneva

I will unabashedly admit to adoring Geneva and St. Charles. They are wonderful towns with a ton to offer. Geneva's Third Street is one of my absolute favorite suburban spots, and there are so many cool shops and eateries, I could write for hours.

But today I'm going to focus on a great little snack shop: Kernel Fabyan's. A clever little play on words (Colonel George Fabyan is a historic Genevan figure and has a bunch of stuff named after him), this cute little place mostly just offers fantastic popcorn and assorted drinks to wash it down. (They also have a Naperville location, but I have never been there and didn't know it existed until today.)

Now, I love popcorn. Mmmm. Buttery, cheesey, caramelly, however you make it, chances are I will eat it. But I'm a bit picky, too -- it has to be fresh, not fakey tasting. Garrett's in Chicago is probably the zenith of popcorn, but since most of us don't want to trek downtown just for some popcorn, Kernel Fabyan's is a completely acceptable substitute.

Located just a block north of the Geneva Metra station, the shop smells intensely of popcorn, cheese and caramel. They offer caramel, cheddar, white cheddar, kettle corn and "movie" aka buttered.

The caramel corn is light, crispy, sweet and buttery; the cheesy pop is turn-your-fingers-orange delicious, with tons of cheesy-buttery flavor that will keep you licking your fingers.

The next time you're in Geneva and want a little treat -- check out Kernel Fabyan's. (I'm making myself hungry just thinking about it...)

Island Park is awesome

I'm getting a little nostalgic here. I lived in St Charles for the first year of my Chicagoland adventures, and it's such a fantastic area. I just love St Charles and Geneva, and I had a great time exploring them.

Now that it's getting all cold and icky out, what better to do than recommend one of my favorite Geneva outdoor places? Hey, it'll just make us long for spring more. :)

I discovered Island Park rather by accident, and completely kicked myself for not going there earlier. It has lovely walking/biking paths, gorgeous scenery and flora, a picnic pavilion, a smallish playground ... all the makings of a great park in such a great downtown. It's a little slice of calm by the river.

Well, here -- I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:

From Geneva's Island Park

From Geneva's Island Park

From Geneva's Island Park

From Geneva's Island Park

From Geneva's Island Park

Mill Race Inn in the background there.

From Geneva's Island Park

Ahh... makes me long for summer all over again.

Mexican of the awesome variety

There is truly no other way to describe Bien Trucha, the Mexican sensation sweeping the suburbs, then awesome.

Located at 410 W. State Street in Geneva, the tiny storefront restaurant is truly worth all of the hype it's gotten. (If you haven't heard of it, go ahead, open a new window and google it -- you won't find a bad review.) I was there for the first time in April and returned with my husband in tow Saturday to combine our dinner with Swedish Days (a great festival, but not the focus of this post). Tiny is hardly the word -- it has five tables, one of which seats up to 6, and if you must use the facilities you get to walk through the kitchen, past the delicious food being prepared.

Unlike standard Mexican fare, there are no giant platefuls of rice, beans and congealed Monterey Jack cheese oozing on enchiladas. The emphasis is on very fresh, hand-crafted food served tapas-style on small plates. The menu is as small as the restaurant: guacamole (freshly made , of course), ceviche, two soups, three kinds of cazuelitas, and entrees are tacos and tortas. Oh, and fresh-made drinks, including the best margaritas I've ever had.

Last time, I split fish tacos and portobello tacos (4 to a plate) with my girlfriends; this time the hubby and I shared steak and chicken. All four varieties were truly wonderful, with flavorful and subtle sauces and tender, delicious meats and cheeses (and I never thought I'd like portobellos, but trust me, they were almost meat-like, spicy and substantial). The chicken tacos were of particular interest to my husband: rolled and fried almost taquito-style, the filling of shredded chicken and potato is a lovely contrast to the crispy tortilla and the smooth, salty crema fresca, salsa verde and shredded cheese adorning the top.

I can't say it enough: I have so much love for this place. But be warned. The wait can get quite long the later you go, especially on weekends, and they don't accept reservations. The thing to do is show up able to eat but not starving, put your name in, and go down the street a block or so to the bar (or starbucks) of your choice. They'll call your cell phone when your table is ready, and off you hurry to claim your spot.

Also, for those who are curious: Appetizers are mostly under $7; tacos and tortas in the $7-10 range.