Bon Appetit! at Carmon’s in Champaign
January 28, 2009By admin
For a dining experience you won’t soon forget, sink your teeth into a freshly made buckwheat crepe stuffed with shrimp and scallops, curried chicken and green apple, or even beef stroganoff at Carmon’s restaurant, a French bistro on Neil Street.
The restaurant has served Champaign as a popular diner since the 1950s, but in 2007, new owners completely renovated and redecorated it and gave it a French twist. Now the eatery is attracting attention for its unusual menu and tranquil atmosphere, with artwork adorning the walls and accents inspired by the French region of Brittany.
“We wanted to make it feel like your favorite pair of slippers,” says Mike Nelson, co-owner of Carmon’s. “It’s considered fine dining, but it’s not pretentious. It’s cozy and comfortable, and you don’t have to get dressed up.”
Nelson got the idea for the French bistro from a similar restaurant he enjoyed dining at in Chicago before moving to Champaign. The menu offers dishes that aren’t typical of Illinois.
“We’re known for our grilled steak frites, which is marinated hanger steak with bleu cheese butter and our homemade crispy potatoes,” Nelson says. “We feature fresh fish that changes daily, and we prepare it in simple but wonderful ways.”
And, of course, there are crepes, because it wouldn’t be a French restaurant without them. In addition to several varieties of Breton-style hearty buckwheat crepes, Carmon’s offers sweeter dessert crepes such as the peach crepe with pecan streusel and house-made whipped cream and the bananas foster crepe with ice cream and hot fudge.
