What does one think about when their food options are limited by being away from home for almost two weeks? Why FOOD, of course! That then put me to thinking about the variety of options there are once I was home again in Delavan. Let’s work through the “menu”, shall we?!
Brand new to Delavan is Rushing Waters Trout House at Delavan, their second restaurant location, with the first being in Palmyra. 
The restaurant is in Downtown Delavan at 116 E. Walworth Ave., and literally just opened on Thursday, August 17. The schedule for the current week (week of August 21) is Monday through Friday, opening at 11am, kitchen closing at 9pm, and the bar then remaining open until 1am. Brunch begins on Saturday, August 26 and Sunday, August 27, at 9am, the kitchen closing at 9pm, and the bar remaining open until 1am. While I haven’t been as of yet, I’m already hearing good things! The menus are said to be either the same or very similar to their menus at the original location, so it’s guaranteed to be fabulous. I’m sneaking away for lunch one day this week as the Maryland Crab Cake Sandwich sounds completely delicious! Then again, maybe it’ll be a couple of small plates to get a taste of more than one thing, like the Smoked Rainbow Trout Bruschetta and still be able to try the Maryland Style Fresh Crab Cakes. Yum…! If lunch doesn’t work into the schedule, then dinner would be the next thought and oh boy, the Seafood Stuffed Rainbow Trout is calling my name. If I find that brunch on the weekend is the first I’ll be able to get there, that’s okay, too, as the Buttermilk Banana Pecan Pancakes with Maple Syrup will make up for having to wait, thought the Scrambled Egg and Smoked Rainbow Trout Burrito sounds just as tempting. Thinking I’ll be filling my schedule for a bit with having to try a variety of things at all different meal times at the new location! Who’s coming with me?!
While not quite as new as Rushing Waters Trout House at Delavan, La Monarca Restaurant has been open in Downtown Delavan since February. As the many reviews it’s getting are saying, this is authentic Mexican cuisine in a lovely, quaint setting, being in one of the historic buildings that has been remodeled! Breakfast is offered on the weekends, with lunch and dinner being throughout the week. The weekend also brings specials like BBQ lamb, that comes with freshly made guacamole and tortillas and is fall-off-the-bone delicious. From tacos, to soup, to fajitas, to dessert, there are many interesting items and specials to keep coming back to try.
In a tried and true location in Downtown Delavan but with a new name and ownership, Ol’ Wisco Bar & Grill is the hang out place to try if you’ve never been. Casual, friendly atmosphere, with great food options. I’m a sucker for a really good bar burger, and I wasn’t disappointed! Perfect size with being just that smidge too big, but actually being just right to satisfy the appetite without being overboard. Absolutely right on the mark with being cooked to that dribble-down-the-chin-a-little-bit juiciness. Have I got you headed there for your own burger yet?! 
Fridays bring the traditional fish fry and all the right fixings to go with it. This is a great place to meet friends, have a cocktail, eat some good food and just hang out. I’ve got Saturday night open if anyone’s available!
There was a point while I was away from home for those two weeks that someone walked by me with a hot dog. Just a hot dog. It immediately put my head to Brodie’s Beef and their Vienna Hot Dog with EVERYTHING on it Chicago-style! Oh my goodness – I swear I couldn’t get home fast enough and go get one! Okay, so I got two, but then I’m not admitting that I got cheese fries, too… Had to be something to represent Wisconsin! Hahaha Get it – Chicago-style dog and cheese fries…? 
Brodie’s Beef is a simple, relaxed restaurant with the really good simple food and I personally think it’s a shame that it gets overlooked sometimes. Who doesn’t jones for a good hot dog, be it Chicago-style or Chili Cheese, once in a while? Don’t even get me started on their Italian Beef – it’s Brodie’s original recipe, and he ain’t telling what the secret is – but it’s out of this world. I get a chuckle at the ‘for the smaller appetite’ size option of the Junior Italian Beef, as once you’ve tried it, you can’t get enough!
If I’m feeling a little more like I need some veggies, then I head to China Garden. Under new ownership, they’ve added Japanese fare to their menu alongside the Chinese they’ve always had. The variety this gives to suit any food mood you might be in is superb! Bonus for me and work if I forget to bring lunch is that they deliver! There are lunch specials available from 11am-3pm daily (except Sunday and holidays) that offer slightly smaller portions, but you can always order from the full out menu any time. There is so much to choose from, you’ll never run out of things to try. If you’re like me, you’ll have your favorites, but who doesn’t do that. Just remember to try other things, too, ‘coz they are all so good!
Not wanting to point out that Fall is almost upon us, so let’s just put it as September is around the corner, which means that Lake Lawn Resort’s Frontier Restaurant will be showcasing their new dinner menu as of September 5. I’m thinking the plan should be to work my way through the appetizers, then do some soup/salad combos, then tackle the entrées one by one. Might take a month or more to accomplish it, but it so looks worth it! Lobster Mac ‘n Cheese Croquettes? Rustic Artichoke, Olive, and Goat Cheese Bruschetta? Blue Crab Fondue? Wild Mushroom Wisconsin Cheese Soup? Grilled Fresh Lemon, Thyme, and Salmon Salad? Cherry Wood Smoked Baby Back Ribs? Butter Broiled Maine Lobster? Five Pepper Beef Medallions? Are you kidding me?! And that’s not even all the options! Oh my! Good thing they have the VIP Dining Card, which entitles the bearer to ten “2 for 1” entrées or buffets, along with first choice invitations to select special events, all for a really reasonable price. So…who should my “plus one” be to help me work through the menu?
This, of course, is not nearly the end of the restaurant options in Delavan, but I’m drooling so much with the taste of all this great food as I write this that my keyboard isn’t working properly and I need to take a break! Let me know about your favorite restaurant and tell me why, and if you want to join me in trying the ones I’ve talked about, let me know that, too!
Bon Appétit!
