Over the last year I’ve learned a few tricks when going out to eat. Let me share the best one. City workers and garbage men know the best spots. Pulling into the parking lot of the World Market located just off the Avenue of the Cities in East Moline, if you venture inside you’ll find a little spot called Indian Cafe. On the day I went it was Diwali, the Indian festival of lights. The beginning of a new year and a celebration of new beginnings for many that follow the Hindu faith. So, I did what any red blooded American country boy would do. I ordered a cheeseburger. Okay that... Read More

I roll over and stare at my alarm clock. It displays 4am, I smile to myself and roll back over, flip my pillow to the cool side and drift back to sleep. Miles away from me, Barista Jeremy Hull is up and moving. In one short hour coffee will be brewed, drinks will be made, a flavoring of non-alcoholic mixed energy drinks will find there way into the hands of Nurses, Teachers, Factory Workers, and everyday folks that line up at Constellation Coffee via Bowlyou’s Ice Cream and Grill . Drinks named from the farthest reaches of space, with flavors out of this world. All of it the love child... Read More

Get you a man that looks at you like I looked at this Key Lime Pie by Cook and Cuffs by Chef Keys. First off that’s get rid of the sticker shock. A whole key lime pie is 40$ from Chef Keys. For all the haters in the comments, shush your mouth. Guaranteed your happy to pay for that 2020 Chevy sitting in your driveway compared to the 86 Plymouth Horizon sitting that could get you from point A to B the same way. I’ve tasted the best Key Lime Pie in the country. I’ve walked out of a restuarant after one bite in . This Pie is on par with the best. Where’s the best?... Read More

Kinetic is the word that comes to mind when speaking with Chef Laken. It’s a Wednesday night and I am sitting down to share a meal and a conversation with another incredible Chef. The restaurant, The Kitchen Brigade, 210 E. River Drive, Davenport. The food, Wings and Cakes (Double fried chicken wings, sticky honey chow chow with Alabama white sauce and lattice corn cakes) and Chicken & Grits (Pan seared thigh, green chile grits, chorizo cream, cilantro salad, with roasted tomatoes) Quite possibly the best grits I’ve ever had. These Chef made meals by the QC and maybe world famous... Read More

I did something terrible last night. Once my wife finds out, I don’t know what happens to my marriage. I’m sorry Mimi’s Tres Leches Cakes, people need to know. There you were though. Sitting behind that glass door. You were looking like more than a snack, maybe not the whole cake just a piece. My God, it’s been so long since I’ve had a piece though. I know I’m a sick man, and you’re nothing but trouble for me. That look you gave me though, those dinner table eyes I had to have you. Those sitting in the parking lot, in a dark area with some Careless Whisper... Read More

In 1888 Vincent Van Gogh painted quite possibly my favorite work of art. Cafe De Terrace. It was part one in a series of three. Fast forward to 2021, and Chef Keys from Cooks and Cuffs has cooked for me her Cafe De Keys. This New York born and raised Chef found her way here, to our bustling little metropolitan area, looking to start a new life with her husband. What’s she brought with her is a style of cooking all her own. To call what Chef Keys does in the kitchen is cook, is an insult. If Pavarotti hummed a diddy next to you, would you call it humming or listening to a musical master?... Read More

To know Tacobar is to know Chef Toby. To know Chef Toby is to know the deranged, angry, passionate, frustrated, loving man. Who refuses to give up, give in, or go “mainstream.” He pushes the boundaries of what most Chef’s will do, then he breaks those boundaries, and smashes through the walls of your expectations like a drunken Kool-Aid man high fiving everyone in the room screaming “Ohhhh Yeah” while pelvic thrusting inappropriately to 90s alt rock. Our dinner tonight felt like a celebration of not only us, but a celebration of knowing and befriending Toby almost one year... Read More

The 50s and 60s gave way to the age of the diners. Small greasy spoon stops where you could get eggs and bacon, maybe some buttered toast and a strong cup of coffee that’d wake you up and send you on your way. Mornings and lunch belonged to the working class, and the night time gave way to a jukebox in the corner and kids cutting a rug. Depressingly, those days gave way, to drive thru’s and over priced coffee. In 2018, a little stop on the river gave birth to unique take on that classic experience. The Diner opened its doors at 421 W. River Drive, Davenport. Through flood waters, pandemics,... Read More

Meli’s Pancake House is wonderful. Today’s breakfast was an impromptu stop at Meli’s Pancake House. I didn’t expect to find a classic diner, however I’m always up for surprises. This isn’t your usual Mom and Pop breakfast place, it’s something more. While the menu is full of the regular staple items, it offers a comfort in knowing anything you choose will be amazing and fit for your needs. Whether a giant stack of fluffier than life pancakes or a perfectly cooked steak and eggs, the staff is there to make sure you’re happy. The decor and feel gives tribute... Read More

To know Tacobar is to know Chef Toby. To know Chef Toby is to know the deranged, angry, passionate, frustrated, loving man. Who refuses to give up, give in, or go “mainstream.” He pushes the boundaries of what most Chef’s will do, then he breaks those boundaries, and smashes through the walls of your expectations like a drunken Kool-Aid man high fiving everyone in the room screaming “Ohhhh Yeah” while pelvic thrusting inappropriately to 90s alt rock. Our dinner tonight felt like a celebration of not only us, but a celebration of knowing and befriending Toby... Read More