I’m writing this for you on a Thursday evening, so naturally I’m dreaming up plans to avoid having to cook all weekend.
This very well may just be a way to avoid making a grocery list rather than a real plan, but maybe it’ll inspire you to make some weekend food plans.
Without further ado, I’m kicking off Weekend Eats — a new series where different members of the Chambana Eats staff will tell you what their ideal weekend (without concern for schedule or budget!) of eating and drinking in C-U could look like.
Here’s the breakdown:
(Photo by Jake Williams)
On Fridays after work I usually stop by 25 O’Clock Brewing for a quick drink. The relaxed atmosphere, quiet music, friendly staff, all make this a very sensory friendly place for me when I’m low on spoons after my week.
If you don’t drink beer, 25 still has you covered with a few options on tap: usually a cider, a kombucha from local mainstay Cloud Mountain Kombucha and a house ginger ale. All three are typically excellent.
After a kombucha or a cider, I’m usually ready to head home and put on a show or open a book. When it’s been a long hard week and I need my comfort food, I turn to Mid Summer Lounge for their delicious Chinese dishes, specifically for their Signature Stewed Pork over Rice.
Tender pieces of melt in your mouth pork are nestled over perfectly steamed rice with a side of pickled sour mustard greens and a delicious tea egg.
I’ll also be getting the stewed pork belly in a toasted bun as my appetizer. Juicy salty pieces of pork are tucked inside the most flaky gorgeous pastry.
I do feel obligated to mention that Mid Summer Lounge is known for its noodles though, so someone in my household will also probably order the Stewed Beef Consomme Noodle soup, another one crowd favorite. The broth is delicious, and the noodles are perfectly chewy.
Because I’m antisocial and usually tapped out of energy to be in public by dinnertime on Fridays, I usually order Mid Summer Lounge for delivery or takeout. Don’t worry – it still comes piping hot, and is packaged simply and efficiently.
(Photo by Sam Ehlinger)
I like a slow Saturday if it’s still winter or if the outdoor Urbana Market At the Square isn’t open yet.
So once I drag myself out of bed, I’ll make my way over to Flying Machine Avionics in Champaign to drink a nice coffee. I love the warm atmosphere there, and it’s a great opportunity to enjoy a cup of bean water made out of beans roasted by the woman-owned Page Roasting Company, who shares space with the coffee shop.
I drink my coffee black, but they have nice lattes, and great seasonal drink options. If they have coffee soda on the menu, get it. It’s sweet, bubbly and just the right amount of bitter.
(Photo by Jake Williams)
After some cafe time I may start to get hungry. I’ll head over to The Space for some crispy crispy dressed wings fried in duck fat and tossed with pecorino….I'm drooling just typing. No joke.
I may also get a little day drink cocktail. You won’t tell, right?
It'll probably be their take on a Manhattan with rye whiskey, absinthe, sweet vermouth and a little maraschino liqueur. It's served in their gorgeous glassware with a long, delicate stem that makes me feel fancy.
(Photo by Sam Ehlinger)
Ken and Kaori Ishibashi run Ishi, where they deliver an intimate cozy omakase experience on Friday and Saturday evenings. Every single moment of the experience, a carefully curated multi-course journey through sushi and sashimi, is carefully planned and thought out. The quality is unparalleled and every plate looks like a work of art.
From the miso soup to start, to dessert choices from Kaori's Oven i to top off the evening, every bite is incredible, and you'll leave
(Photo by Sam Ehlinger)
The best thing about a Sunday is that I get to pretend that time doesn’t exist. I love bringing a book to Caffe Paradiso and losing time.
I almost always order their incredible london fog with oat milk, but choose your own adventure here. Paradiso’s drinks are great, but the real star here is the vibe.
(Photo by Sam Ehlinger)
This weekend plan is all about food, so after sleeping in and having my coffee, I’m headed to Golden Harbor. They open at 11 a.m. and I always try to go with a group so we can order more.
Plates come family style. The menu is extensive, but it’s honestly hard to go wrong.
The Pork Stir-Fry with Shanghai Rice Cake,will definitely get ordered, and so will the Sesame Balls. In the Taiwanese specials section I’ll probably be ordering the Taiwanese Shrimp Rolls.
The leftovers from this meal will probably be consumed as a late night snack during the week.
An added bonus: Golden Harbor is right next to the Champaign Public Library, so I can go pick up some books and do so much more.
To round out the weekend and chase away the Sunday scaries, I’ll finally go get the groceries I’ve been putting off getting. For this, I am so happy that I get to go to the still-relatively-newly-opened H-Mart.
As a little treat, I can grab dinner at one of the restaurants in the food court (my go-to is Chodang Tofu). Two tasks, one trip!
Sam Ehlinger is a journalist. They live in Urbana.