Foudini's

A good friend of mine and his wife and business partner just had their business written up in the N-G. Foudini's is a business that has been around for almost a decade in one form or another.

Well, actually, my friend, Jim, has worked at a *ton* of places in town since I first met him over 15 years ago.

But after all that, I think he started running Foudini's out of that place that's Ruby's now (if it's still Ruby's) and he was based out of the kitchen at Gully's for a while as well. He's had a tent at the Taste of C-U before, but I think he moved to mostly catering for a while. Oh yah, he also owned Tommy G's and ran Foudini's out of there for a while.

After he sold the bar a few months ago, my friend Jimmy started hatching his ingenious new plans.

So...Foudini's is now open in Tolono on Thursday nights until 8pm. It's located in the old Sugar's coffee shop right on 45. If you are driving from Champaign, it's south on 45 (Neil St.) to Tolono and it's after the Monical's but before the traffic light. It's in the building on your right before the gas station. You can drop by and pick up dinner to go---and it's yummy. You can get the Family Meal with 5 sandwiches, 2 sides (usually stuff like baked beans, potato salad, pasta salad, chips, and stuff), 6 jalapeno corn muffins, and a 2 liter of soda for $20. Now *that's* a deal.

They also sell individual meals (about $5.25) and they have 1/2 grilled chicken and other stuff from time to time. I had the pork sandwich---pork that Juan, Jim's business partner, said he cooked with applewood smoke. Sometimes you can get a pork tenderloin that's rock hard and tough, but Jim's partner told me he *knows* how to cook a pig. He's right. It was juicy and tender and delicious. I ate half the meat before I even started on the sandwich. They also have hamburgers and pulled pork, but they ran out of pulled pork early last week, so go before 7pm if you want the pulled pork.

They grill the food on a huge grill out in the parking lot all day. You can order ahead at 217-485-5630 or you can order it when you arrive. They have limited indoor seating. There's a counter and some tables. Jim's wife, Christie, is in the process of changing the decor, so if you are a large group (more than 4) you might want to get it to go. Lots of people order for carryout.

Jim also recently purchased the Pesotum Hardware store building and plans to open a bar there after the catering season---I mean tailgating season is finished. I have every confidence it will be a success.

Course, the fact that I'm friends with he and his wife might taint my vision. Why don't you go try out his food and let me know if I'm biased or not?

And make sure you tell them you read it on a blog for my own personal enjoyment....