Fat Guy With a Fork

06/22/2025

Fat Guy hasn’t posted in a hot minute; but, I’m here at Big Poppa’s Pizza today. Ive personally never had Chicago style pizza before; but the smell walking in reminded me of my childhood. The decor is simple and inviting. Definitely not over done like some places.

The service was top notch. They explained right away how to reheat my leftovers, which was appreciated. Drinks were offered, along with a great explanation of the menu, and specials. I ordered a 14 inch supreme Chicago style ($39.19.) They explained it takes about 45 minutes to cook so I could do some running and come back. I chose to sit at a booth and wait.

The pizza came well before the 45 minute mark. It’s definitely different than what I’m used to but really good. That outer crust is golden and crispy. Packed full of toppings. I bet this thing weighed 10 pounds. It was huge! If you’re coming, bring your appetite.

Drinks are served in bottles. A personal preference for me, would be fountain, and maybe a few more sugar free options for those who prefer that. Another preference for me would be “stronger” silverware. This is a very minor detail; but there were a couple times when I felt like I was going to bend my fork while eating.

Overall guys, excellent experience. If you can’t decide what’s for dinner, or if you’re looking for a pizza that’s a little different than others in town, give them a try. Tell ‘em Fat Guy with a Fork sent you. It won’t get you anything but you can tell ‘em anyway.

12/21/2024

After the “teaser” post, here are some thoughts on Casa Del Rey.

🥈 Overall we’ll give Casa Del Rey a silver. I was going to go with bronze; but, I feel some of the reasoning for that is because I was comparing to past experience.

The meal starts with the complimentary chips and salsa. The chips were thin and crispy. A few broke off in the salsa bowl. Overall, pretty good chips. The salsa is pretty close to what I remember it being prior to the ownership change. Chips and salsa get a 8/10.

The menu is quite a bit smaller than I recall. I don’t believe there were any “combination” platters listed. This was a miss for me. Combination platters are usually my “go-to” at Mexican restaurants. I settled for the Reyrito. I feel as though the portion size wasn’t what it used to be. I also found that the ingredients were not evenly spread throughout the tortilla. I had one bite of rice, then a bite of meat, then a bit of a mix. This could very possibly be chalked up to staff still on a learning curve. I’d give the meal a 6.5/10.

My overall thoughts are that it’s just not the same as it used to be. The new owners claim to be keeping things as close to original as they can (paraphrasing snippets I’ve heard). I’m just not sure they can do that. I’ve also heard that they are waiting on some things to come in so they can move closer to “the old” ways. We can only see what happens. In the end, things are not going to be exactly the same as the people keeping that way are no longer involved. I don’t know that the changes are enough to keep me from coming back though. It was still good food; and staff is going to take some time to get up to speed.

12/21/2024

Haven’t posted in a while; but we are still here. On our way to try out “the new” Casa Del Rey today. Hope things haven’t changed drastically. (I’m a bit nostalgic like that.)

09/21/2024

We ate good today! We each got a starter, a main dish and a dessert. We started with the fried pickles & peppers, cheese curds, and bacon wrapped steak skewers. Then for the mains we got the Italian brute,a florentine pizza, and the twisted mac & cheese. We can’t forget the desserts - seasonal cheesecake, monster cookie (definitely share cuz it’s huge), and Boston’s whiskey cake. Worth a try for sure 👍

02/10/2024

Thai10 today. Really super good. Clean! Dude behind the counter is amazing, and it’s so cool to see all the women in back cooking the food. Like, it’s not an open kitchen; but, you can tell whats up. Stop in and try ‘em out. Just south of Russell on Minnesota.

10/10 Would recommend!

10/21/2023

Enjoyed some good food and even better company with some friends at Shahi this afternoon. If you have never tried Indian food give them a try. Our waitress was so sweet and the portions were just right. Can’t wait til our next meal!

03/01/2023

Be sure to show them some love before they close and after they reopen!

To Our Valued Customers,
To serve you better,
Phnom Penh will be
CLOSED For Renovations
On March 12th through March 20th
Plan to re-open on March 21st
We apologize for the inconvenience

12/22/2022

Dudes! We need to keep these small locally owned place around. The bring so much to our community! Be sure to support them!

Restaurants survive when customers eat. Unfortunately, this has become a familiar scene during our lunch period at Swamp Daddy’s. This photo was taken at 12:30 today. We NEED YOU for our survival! We also need your feedback to continue to be a better establishment for our community. Spread the word……..Swamp Daddy’s has great food and excellent service! If you can, please join us, buy a gift card or order delivery through Door Dash or Grub Hub. See y’all soon!

11/18/2022

GO BULLDOGS!!!!!!

I didn’t feel like cooking tonight; so, I made the short drive to Someday Cafe in Baltic. I can’t wait to taste their food.

Review: (also in comments)
*Gold*🥇

Attire: Casual to business casual. I could see some “professional” types in suits eating lunch here.

Atmosphere/Decor:
I’d use the words casual, friendly, and inviting. It was simple and not overdone.

Cleanliness:
The areas I could see were very clean. Tables were cleared and wiped almost immediately after others had left.

Service:
I’m just going to make this one simple. Service was great. Food was timely, refills were offered, and recommendations were provided happily. The best part was the server’s interaction with folks as they entered the restaurant. I’m pretty sure she called each one by name.

Food:
The special offered was hot turkey with mashed potatoes and corn casserole. This seemed to be the most popular item of the evening. I could hear many others ordering it and discussing the flavor and portion size. Alas, I opted for a sandwich called Firebird. It’s a grilled chicken breast with pepperjack cheese, bacon, spicy mayo, and jalapeño slices. I’d definitely order it again.

The chicken was wonderful and would have been good, as an entree, on its own. The bacon…well…it’s bacon…enough said! For my preference, the spicy mayo could have had a bit more heat. On the other hand, heat is very subjective. Between the spicy mayo and the jalapeños, Firebird would be perfect for some folks. The flavors blended well. No one ingredient overpowered another. You could feel the “idea” of this sandwich.

For my side item, I chose Cheese curds. They were made with white cheddar cheese and a “coarse” breading. Fresh, hot, and cooked perfectly! Most importantly, they were delicious. I forgot to order ranch to go with; but, it wasn’t really needed.

Last came dessert. I considered the bread pudding; but, on the server’s recommendation, selected the pumpkin cheesecake. It was delectable. Smooth and creamy with just enough whipped cream to accent the pumpkin flavor. This was the perfect finish to my meal.

Finally id like to say that, as a previous resident of Baltic, I can’t express how thrilled I am to see an establishment like this open. It’s a true small town cafe, y’all! My favorite part of the dining experience was seeing the interaction between staff and patrons. People would walk in and be called by name. It was amazing.

If y’all are thinking of eating out somewhere, consider making a short trip up I-29 or Cliff Ave to Baltic. Give Someday Cafe a try!