Lotawata Creek Southern Grill, Fairview Heights Illinois

My hubby’s co-workers have been talking non-stop about a new restaurant in our area. The claim of fame for this restaurant is reasonable prices and big portions. So hubby decided that we just had to check this place out and we ventured there for a late lunch. We thought that perhaps people were exaggerating. Were we ever surprised to find out that they had under exaggerated the good food and portions. Warn you now, if you visit…I’d suggest you not eat a the day prior to actually ordering. Doggie bags are a must because you’ll be eating your meal the next day. This restaurant even gives Outback Steakhouse a run for their money.

Your first hint that this place is popular is the fact the parking lot is filled from opening hour to closing time. During lunch and dinner rush, you can wait up to an hour in the lounge area waiting on a seat. The best times for being seated quickly is between 2:30 pm and 4 pm. They have the restaurant itself divided into 4 huge dinning rooms, including the bar area. The atmosphere is southern family ambiance. High ceilings, lots of honey maple wood, soft lighting, and country living memorabilia on the walls. Everything from fishing poles to stuffed animal trophies. The staff immediately makes you feel welcomed and part of the family. This is the type of place you can come in wearing flip-flops and shorts, or show up to throw a business power lunch.

Their menu includes everything from Southern fried chicken and fish to surf and turf or barbeque. The menu includes family style meals of meatloaf and roast beef dinners to burgers and sandwiches. But their claim to fame isn’t just the menu choices. It’s the size of the portions. At Lotawata Creek, you definitely get the bang for your bucks. The only meals close to resembling ‘normal’ portions is on the children’s menu. And those portions are still huge.

Hubby and I ordered an appetizer while deciding over our menus. The meal started out with Lotawata’s stuffed mushrooms. Since we were there only for lunch, the two of us decided that sandwiches were in order. Hubby ordered their fried chicken club sandwhich, I ordered the smoked turkey club. It was after placing our orders, that we started taking note of what the other diners were eating…and the size of their meals. Then the feeling of ‘oh, oh…what have we gotten ourselves into’ started to sink in while we enjoyed the warm loaf of honeyed oatmeal bread they give to you while you wait.

By the time our stuffed mushrooms arrived, we were a bit anxious. Appetizers normally are small portions meant to wet your appetite. But that isn’t the case at Lotawata. Appetizers there should be listed as main meals, because the mushrooms that came out were huge. You get a portion of 8 of these lovelies, that have been filled with cream cheese, spices, then batter dipped and fried. You need a fork and knife to eat them. Two of these mushrooms are about the size of a tennis ball, they’re that big. And absolutely delicious. After eating one each though, hubby and I requested a box to put them in to take home. Didn’t want to ruin our appetites for the sandwiches.

We were further surprised when our sandwich platters came out. Hubby’s sandwich had at least a one pound chicken breast on it, while mine had at least a pound (or more) of thinly sliced smoked turkey breast. That didn’t include the 5 slices of bacon on each sandwich, the lettuce, onion, tomatoe toppings. , and 3 cheeses. I know I have a big mouth, but there was no way I could wrap mine around that sandwich. Even pressing it down didn’t diminish the size. They also include on the platters, seasoned fries. The platters look more like serving trays and are piled with fries around the sandwiches themselves. Our choices were delicious as well. It was perhaps the best tasting lunch we’ve had.

Unfortunately, the meal was so filling, that we were unable to order a dessert. Which probably was for the best, since their desserts don’t fall on the small side either. Their most popular dessert is their Nacho Sundae. They have 2 sizes, regular and large. But the regular is large enough for 6 adults to eat. Imagine a large platter filled 6 inches high with fried corn tortilias that have been sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. Then these are topped with 2 huge scoops of vanilla ice cream, marichino cherries, a can of whipped cream, nuts, chocolate fudge sauce, and caramel sauce. Their smallest dessert is on the children’s menu. Two large scoops of ice cream with your choice of chocolate, strawberry, or caramel sauce.

My husband and I have already made plans to return again. But this time with a large group just so we can try out the desserts, especially those nachos.

If you find yourself in the Fairview Heights area, Lotawata Creek Southern Grill is a must stop restaurant. Just make sure to bring a healthy appetite and company.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 21st, 2007 at 2:52 pm and is filed under Restaurant Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.