LNT_Illinois Valley Restaurant Guide_Summer 2023

Your guide to a planning a night out

You’ve checked your phone and your socials are blowing up with people interested in getting together. There’s a lot of ideas flowing, from pre-gaming options to references to the newest restaurant that just opened in town. It’s exciting, but also a tad overwhelming.

While a night out with friends can happen organically, for a truly enjoyable and memorable time, it’s wise to put some forethought into planning the night. But what does one do when there are several people with their own ideas of how the night should go? Groups can heed these suggestions.

KEEP IT INTIMATE

It’s great to be part of a large crowd having fun, but the more cooks in the kitchen, the more difficult it may be to solidify plans. Stick to a core group of six to eight people. This reduces the likelihood that anyone will get separated from the group, and it’s easier to coordinate with everyone involved.

ADOPT A LEADER

It’s a tough job, but someone has to step up and organize the night. You probably know someone in your group of friends who is excellent at making plans or knows all of the top spots in town (it may be you). Enlist that person to help narrow down the possibilities and come up with a road map of what the night will look like. This includes choosing a time to meet, the guest list and how everyone is getting there and back.

CHOOSE THE LOCATION

Select a location that is convenient for most, if not all, of the people in the group. This could be a bar or club close to work, if coworkers are getting together, or a location in a neighborhood where everyone lives. An accessible spot, such as one that has public transportation or is near major roadways, also will be convenient. Be sure that everyone knows the exact address.

CREATE A GROUP CHAT

Organize a chat group so that details can be shared collectively. Also, if someone is running late or hits a snag finding the place, it will be easier to reach out and offer assistance.

FOCUS ON THE ACTIVITY

Think about gearing the night out around an activity rather than just eating and drinking. Head to a driving range, an escape room, a paint and sip shop, or a hatchet-throwing business. Less focus on imbibing can make for a safer evening for all.

These tips can help when planning a night out.

DE22B431

Include: lettuce, tomato, cheese, onion, jalapeños, sour cream and avocado.

• Asada Steak

• Pastor Marinated Pork

• Lengua Tongue - $6.99

• Molida Beef

• Arrachera Skirt Steak

• Cabeza Cow’s Head

• Chorizo

Mexican Sausage Tostada Dinner $8.99

One Tostada served w/rice and beans

NACHOS Dinner $12.99

Half Order $8.99

Includes: beans, nachos, cheese, lettuce, tomato, jalapeños, sour cream and Your Choice:

• Pollo Chicken • Asada Steak

Friday, Saturday & Sunday

3 Tamales $9.99

3 Tamales de Puerco con Arroz y Frijoles

3 Pork Tamales with lettuce, pico de Gallo, rice & beans.

Saturday & Sunday Menudo Sm. $6.99 Lg. $8.99

Sunday Caldo de Res Beef Stew Sm. $6.99 Lg. $8.99

These dishes are served with rice, beans, tomato, lettuce, onion & chile toreado.

Pork Chop Lomo de Res $13.99

Beef tenderloin Nina’s Plate $14.99 House Special Costilla de Res

Served with rice, beans, sour cream, pico de gallo, lettuce and guacamole and topped with nacho cheese

• Asada Steak

• Pastor Marinated Pork

• Lengua Tongue

• Pollo Chicken

• Molida

Beef

• Cabeza Cow’s Head

• Chorizo

Mexican Sausage

• Chicharrón Cracklings

2 Flautas with rice, beans, guacamole, tomato, sour cream and lettuce

Your choice: Chicken or Ground Beef

Con cilantro y cebolla ó queso, tomate y lechuga. With cilantro & onions or cheese, tomato & lettuce. Flour or Corn tortilla

Asada Steak

Pastor Marinated Pork

Pollo Chicken

Molina Beef

Cabeza Cow’s Head

Chorizo Mexican Sausage

Chicharrón Cracklings

Camarón Shrimp

Pescado Fish

Lengua Tongue

Taco Dinner

3 Tacos served with rice and beans

With lettuce, tomato, sour cream, guacamole.

•Asada Steak

•Lengua

Tongue

•Pollo

Chicken

With beans, cheese, tomato, lettuce & sour cream.

• Asada Steak

• Pastor Marinated Pork

• Lengua Tongue - $10.99

• Pollo Chicken

• Molida Beef

• Cabeza Cow’s Head

• Chorizo Mexican Sausage

• ChicharrÓn Cracklings

• Burrito Dinner $12.99

• Arrachera Skirt Steak

Hamburgers

Incluye Papas fritas / Includes French fries

Cheeseburger with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and jalapeños.

Hamburger with lettuce, tomato, onion and jalapeños.

Extras Side Orders

Include: lettuce, tomato, sour cream, beans, onion, avocado & jalapeños

•Asada Steak

•Pastor Marinated Pork

•Lengua Tongue

•Pollo Chicken

•Molida Beef

•Arrachera Skirt Steak

•Cabeza Cow’s Head

•Chorizo Mexican Sausage

•Chicharrón Cracklings

•Milaneza Breaded Steak $7.99

•Cubana $7.99

Lettuce, tomato, sour cream, onion, avocado, jalapeños, mustard & ketchup.

Torta Dinner 10.99

One Torta served with rice & beans

Incluye: Arroz, frijoles, crema, pica de gallo, lechuga y guacamole. Includes: Rice, beans, sour cream, pico de gallo, lettuce and guacamole.

• Fajitas Nina $16.99

Pollo, Asada Chorizo Cameron

•Molida Beef

•Arrachera Skirt Steak

•Pastor Marinated Pork

•Cabeza Cow’s Head

•Chorizo Mexican Sausage

•Chicharrón Cracklings

Enchiladas Verdes Dinner $12.99

Chicken, Asada, Ground Beef Enchiladas Rojas Dinner $12.99

Pollo, Asada, Molida

Burrito Suizo Dinner $12.99

Only Burrito $9.99

Guisado en Salsa Roja

Chicken or Steak $15.99

Shrimp $17.99

Guisado Ranchero

Chicken or Steak $15.99

Shrimp $17.99

Guisado Verde

Chicken or Steak $15.99

Shrimp $17.99

El Toxico Dinner $22.99

Con camarones,arrachera, pechuga de polio y chuleta de puerco.

Nina's Burrito $13.99

Chicken, Steak or Beef

Guisado de Lengua en Salsa Verde $15.99

El Chingon Dinner $16.99

With one stu ed poblano pepper one enchilada and one taco

Cielo, Mar y Tierra $19.99

La Guajolota $16.99

With one tamal, one taco and one Stu ed poblano pepper

El Taco Salad Chicken or steak $9.99

Arrachera Skirt Steak. . . . .$3.49

HOMEMADE*

Guacamole, Pico de gallo, Rice, Beans, Burritos, Tacos, Taco Salad, Nachos Quesadillas, Chimichangas, Tamales [when available], Fajitas & Our Regular Menu

HOMEMADE RED & GREEN SALSA

Friday & Saturday – Fish Special Serving Cod, Whole Catfish, Chicken, Pasta

Gyros Off the Spit [when available] ½ Rack BBQ Ribs [when available] Plus Our Regular Menu

Sunday- Breakfast All Day!

Lunch also available at 11a.m. Crepes, Skillets, Pork Chops, Steaks, Omelets, Biscuits & Gravy

HOURS

Sun & Mon 5am-2pm, Wed & Fri 6am-8pm, Thurs 6am-2pm, Sat 5am-8pm, Closed Tues

A margarita with a spicy twist

Often some well-crafted cocktails help celebrants to shake off their inhibitions and make the party a bit more festive.

In Spanish, margarita refers to a daisy flower. Some believe that the margarita is a variation of the Daisy cocktail, which mixes citrus, orange liqueur, a spirit, and soda. Others attest that the margarita has always been its own unique drink, and was developed in the Mexican city of Acapulco when a Texas socialite combined blanco tequila with lime juice and Cointreau. Tequila is a spirit made from the agave plant, a succulent that grows in arid climates, which are common in areas of Mexico. Agave produces a sweet nectar that some people use as a sugar substitute. Blue agave juice can be fermented and turned into tequila. Agave also makes other spirits, including mezcal, sotol, and baconara.

Everyone should know how to make a margarita. This version, courtesy of Liquor.com, puts a unique and spicy spin on the flavor profile of margaritas.

Spicy Margarita

1 lime wedge

2 jalapeño coins, seeds removed

2 ounces blanco tequila

1⁄2ounce orange liqueur

1 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed 1⁄2ounce agave syrup

Optional: garnish rim with salt and jalapeño coin

Rub the rim of a rocks glass with lime wedge, dip the rim in salt to coat (if desired), and set aside.

Add the jalapeño coins to a shaker and gently muddle. Add the blanco tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, and agave syrup, plus ice, and shake until well-chilled. Strain into the prepared glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a jalapeño coin if desired. TF235020

Eat in Two Countries at Once!

BURGERS

Served w/ lettuce, tomato, pickle, & choice of French fries or a bowl of soup

Hamburger

Cheeseburger

Double Cheeseburger

Bacon Cheeseburger

Mushroom Swiss Burger

½ lb Cheeseburger

Double Bacon Cheeseburger w/ fried egg

SANDWICHES

Served w/ lettuce, tomato, pickle, & Choice of French fries or a Bowl of Soup

Patty Melt

French Dip

Philly Cheese Steak

Italian Beef

Roast Beef

Reuben

B.L.T.

Grilled Cheese w/ Bacon or Ham

Chicken (Grilled or Fried) w/ Bacon & Cheese

Jumbo Pork Tenderloin

STEAK & EGGS

Served with hash browns & toast

Ribeye Steak w/ 2 eggs

Chopped Steak w/ 2 eggs

1 Grilled Pork Chop w/ 2 eggs

Corned Beef Hash w/ 2 eggs

Skirt Steak w/ 2 eggs

OMELETTES

Served with hash browns & toast

Add cheese for 90¢

Tues.-Sat.

MEXICAN BREAKFAST

Served with rice & beans *Choice of tortillas

*Chilaquiles with 2 eggs

*Chorizo con Huevo

*Huevos Rancheros

* Huevos ala Mexicana

Breakfast Burrito

MEXICAN APPETIZERS

Served with rice & beans *Choice of tortillas

Guacamole & Chips

Queso & Chips

Corn in a Cup

Nachos

Nachos w/ meat

Cheese, Jalapenos & Choice of Meat

Chicken Fajita Nachos

Fiesta Nachos

Beef, Lettuce, Beans, Nacho Cheese, Onions, Tomato, Cilantro, Guacamole, Sour Cream, & Jalapenos

MEXICAN DINNERS

Served with rice, beans, & *choice of tortilla

*Bistec a la Mex

*Carne Asada

Chimichanga Dinner

*Camarones ala Diabla

*Camarones Rancheros

*Mar y Tierra

Burrito Dinner

Taco Dinner

Torta Dinner

TORTAS

Includes: Beans, Sour Cream, Lettuce, Cheese, tomato, Onion, & Avocado

Steak (Asada)

Cheese

Bacon, Sausage, or Ham

Chorizo

Chicken Fajita

Gyro

Veggie

Denver

Meat Lover’s

Ham & Cheese

The Works

Milanesa (breaded Steak)

Chicken (Pollo)

Ground Beef (Carne Molida)

Pastor (Marinated Pork)

Chorizo (Spicy Sausage)

Torta Loca

Milanesa, Jamon, Salchicha, & Chorizo

TACOS

Mex: Cilantro & Onions

American: Lettuce, Tomato, Cheese & Sour Cream

Steak (Asada)

Chicken (Pollo)

Ground Beef (Carne Molida)

Pastor (marinated Pork)

Chorizo (Spicy Sausage)

Veggie (Vegetables)

Enchilada Dinner

Quesadilla Dinner

Shrimp Quesadilla

BURRITOS

Includes: Beans, Sour Cream, Lettuce, Cheese, Tomato, & Onion

Steak (Asada)

Chicken (Pollo)

Ground Beef (Carne Molida)

Pastor (marinated Pork)

Chorizo (Spicy Sausage)

Veggie (Vegetables)