Motorcycle Food Diaries - Players Club
I’ve been pondering what I’d like to post to this blog in order to make it stand out from the myriad recipe and food blogs you can find elsewhere. Sure, I’ve got good recipes up my sleeves, many of which are my own. I’ve got stories. I’ve even got insights, on occasion. But while you might not get my specific versions of those things elsewhere, you can definitely get someone else’s. The trick, I figure, is in setting myself apart somehow. What do I do that sets me apart from a lot of other people?
It’s the combination of things, I think, that does it. There are plenty of people who ride motorbikes and cook, and plenty of people who cook and write—but the number narrows considerably when you consider people who do all three. Add in the fact that I’m female, and quite sadly, the number decreases even more steadily. (Which is something I’d like to help correct in the future, if I’m honest.)
With those things in mind, you’re now witnessing the birth of a regular feature on The Spice is Right—the Motorcycle Food Diaries. If you don’t mind riding pillion, hop onboard by following the jump.
It started innocently enough—Joe took the beginning MSF course with his brothers and learned how to ride a motorcycle, which he’d wanted to do for a long time. He asked if I wanted to go out on the back, and I did—so we rode like this for a short time before I decided I’d like to try riding my own bike. I took the MSF class as well1. Soon afterward, I got Harvey, and the rest was history.
As I’ve noted previously (if you read my columns on Chef’s Blade), I rode to and from culinary school on Harvey, knife roll safely tucked in my boot. It was lovely. But what I haven’t told you about from those days is Ducati Night at Players Club—a favorite stop after school on Tuesday nights.
I’ve never owned a Duc, though they’re lovely. Joe’s first bike was a Monster 620ie (Matrix edition), though, and therefore it seemed like a brilliant idea for me to go meet him there after school got out. Sure, I’d been at work since early that morning and was going to culinary school full-time on top of it, but what could another extra hour hurt? Besides, it’s usually nicer riding in groups than riding by yourself.
Of course, by this point, you might be wondering why I’m writing about some bar on a blog purporting to be about food. I’ll tell you why: Players Club is completely not what you’d expect out of a “sports bar.” At least, not the connotation we’ve got locally. The owners were involved in various motorsports prior to bar ownership, and there’s a Duc mounted on the wall just over the bar. Their flatscreen LCD TVs regularly show AMA and F1 races rather than NASCAR, football, or baseball. And their food? Their food is phenomenal.
There’s nothing wrong with a good pizza or some chicken wings now and again, but one taste of their mushroom risotto could possibly kill you with sensual delight. Wash it down with one of their delightful imported draught beer specials ($3 pints of Warsteiner…yes, please!). Finally, do all this while chatting away with friends and acquaintances on bikes on the Players Club patio during a warm summer night and there’s no two ways around it: it’s epically brilliant.
I’ve linked them above, and their menu’s online: read only if you’re wearing a bib, because you’re going to need it.
- Really, I can’t recommend it enough, especially in Illinois. We’re one of only two states in the US that subsidizes motorcycle safety instruction, so the class is only $20—and well worth it. [↩]
Janaki
on April 7th, 2009 at 9:12 am
Finally, 3 of the things I like best about you all in one convenient series. And thanks for linking the info on the MSF. As soon as I finish paying off my car, I’m getting a bike.
on April 7th, 2009 at 9:22 am
I can’t recommend the MSF enough. They have classes all over the country—but IL is one of the only places where the beginner’s level class is this inexpensive to take.