Local Lenten specials offer variety of

By Tinker Parker

What’s the difference between a piano and a fish?

You can tune a piano, but you can’t tuna fish!

What do you call a fish with no eyes?

Fsh.

Just a little fish humor! It’s Lent, and every Lenten season, it seems we consume a lot of fish.

At McDonald’s, 300 million fish sandwiches are sold annually, and about a quarter of those sales are made during Lent. And, yes, it is actually fish. McDonald’s uses Marine Stewardship Council certified wild-caught Alaska Pollock. That’s just one restaurant.

Here are some suggestions for enjoying some delicious food locally and helping a few organizations.

Knights of Columbus

A wonderful community organization serving great food for a great cause.

St. Viateur’s Lenten Fish Fry events return from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Friday nights. The fish dinners will be available through the Lenten season every Friday, including Good Friday.

The fish buffet includes unlimited fried and baked cod plus their endless salad bar, baked potato, French fries, green beans and macaroni and cheese. All this for only $14.

Or order the dine-in shrimp buffet for $18.

If you’re tired and want to go home to eat, you still can get both the fish and the shrimp to go. Purchasing a carry-out dinner allows you to fill up your own container. The price is $14 for the fish and $18 for the shrimp.

The other option is the curbside service. Choose the fish dinner with a choice of fried or baked fish or combo with a lemon, a roll and two sides for $15. Or the curbside shrimp dinner, which includes shrimp with a lemon, a roll and two sides for $18. Sides include baked potatoes, French fries, green beans, macaroni and cheese.

The K of C Hall is located at 187 S. Indiana Ave., Kankakee.

Come out for a tradition that is both delicious and goes to a good cause.

Oliver’s Bar & Grill

This year, Oliver’s really has gone over the top for their Lenten menu.

Try their seasoned grilled salmon filet, topped with black bean corn salsa and chipotle aioli with grilled potato cakes, or the salmon club sandwich with bacon, tomato, lettuce, chipotle aioli and with a choice of side.

One of my favorites is the grilled portobello burger with pico de gallo, mozzarella cheese, chipotle aioli and a fresh brioche bun. Or, just order the oven-roasted portobello stuffed with imitation crab stuffing.

The fish and chips are excellent. Hand-battered cod filets with cottage fries, coleslaw and tartar sauce. The New England baked cod is topped with butter compote and Panko bread crumbs and served with a vegetable medley.

On Friday they have their fish fry all-you-can-eat special. The special drink for Friday is the Electric Lemonade.

Oliver’s Bar and Grill is located at 800 N. Kinzie Ave., Bradley. Call 815-939-3510 for more information.

Tucci’s Italian

Tucci’s has some fabulous Lenten specials. Begin with their crab-stuffed Bellas with a secret sauce crab stuffing topped with gooey mozzarella and provolone cheese.

March entrees include an all-you-can-eat fried Alaskan walleye dinner that includes hand-breaded fillets that are deep-fried golden brown and served with your choice of side, endless salad and bambino bread. The bambino bread and unlimited salad is a meal in itself.

Shrimp fans will enjoy the jumbo shrimp blackened over linguini pasta with a blackened cream sauce and sliced fresh grape tomatoes. This entrée is also served with endless salad and bambino bread.

If you prefer something other than fish, they have a beautiful entrée, Braciole, a beef flank steak pounded and stuffed with bacon, parsley and cheese that’s rolled, tied and simmered slowly until tender in a rich red gravy. This is served over imported spaghetti and comes with endless salad and bambino bread.

Tucci’s Italian is located at 1560 State Route 50, Bourbonnais. Go to tuccisitalian.com and their Facebook page, or call 815-929-1875 for more information.

Hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 4 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday.

St. Patrick’s Catholic Church

The church in Momence will have their fish fry every Friday until Good Friday. This is a carry-out-only event. The fish fry will take place from 5 to 7 p.m., courtesy of the Knights of Columbus. There will be no fish fry at St. Anne’s this year.

The menu will be baked or fried fish Alaska Pollack, baked potato or French fries, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw and corn.

St. Patrick’s Catholic Church is located at 119 N Market St., Momence. Go to stpatrickmomence.org for more information.

Tinker Parker is an adjunct communication professor at Kankakee Community College and Governors State University. She can be contacted through the Daily Journal at editors@daily-journal.com or directly at bestbites@daily-journal.com; TinkerP91@yahoo.com; or Best Bites Hotline 815-802-5101.

By Tinker Parker

What’s the difference between a piano and a fish?

You can tune a piano, but you can’t tuna fish!

What do you call a fish with no eyes?

Fsh.

Just a little fish humor! It’s Lent, and every Lenten season, it seems we consume a lot of fish.

At McDonald’s, 300 million fish sandwiches are sold annually, and about a quarter of those sales are made during Lent. And, yes, it is actually fish. McDonald’s uses Marine Stewardship Council certified wild-caught Alaska Pollock. That’s just one restaurant.

Here are some suggestions for enjoying some delicious food locally and helping a few organizations.

Knights of Columbus

A wonderful community organization serving great food for a great cause.

St. Viateur’s Lenten Fish Fry events return from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Friday nights. The fish dinners will be available through the Lenten season every Friday, including Good Friday.

The fish buffet includes unlimited fried and baked cod plus their endless salad bar, baked potato, French fries, green beans and macaroni and cheese. All this for only $14.

Or order the dine-in shrimp buffet for $18.

If you’re tired and want to go home to eat, you still can get both the fish and the shrimp to go. Purchasing a carry-out dinner allows you to fill up your own container. The price is $14 for the fish and $18 for the shrimp.

The other option is the curbside service. Choose the fish dinner with a choice of fried or baked fish or combo with a lemon, a roll and two sides for $15. Or the curbside shrimp dinner, which includes shrimp with a lemon, a roll and two sides for $18. Sides include baked potatoes, French fries, green beans, macaroni and cheese.

The K of C Hall is located at 187 S. Indiana Ave., Kankakee.

Come out for a tradition that is both delicious and goes to a good cause.

Oliver’s Bar & Grill

This year, Oliver’s really has gone over the top for their Lenten menu.

Try their seasoned grilled salmon filet, topped with black bean corn salsa and chipotle aioli with grilled potato cakes, or the salmon club sandwich with bacon, tomato, lettuce, chipotle aioli and with a choice of side.

One of my favorites is the grilled portobello burger with pico de gallo, mozzarella cheese, chipotle aioli and a fresh brioche bun. Or, just order the oven-roasted portobello stuffed with imitation crab stuffing.

The fish and chips are excellent. Hand-battered cod filets with cottage fries, coleslaw and tartar sauce. The New England baked cod is topped with butter compote and Panko bread crumbs and served with a vegetable medley.

On Friday they have their fish fry all-you-can-eat special. The special drink for Friday is the Electric Lemonade.

Oliver’s Bar and Grill is located at 800 N. Kinzie Ave., Bradley. Call 815-939-3510 for more information.

Tucci’s Italian

Tucci’s has some fabulous Lenten specials. Begin with their crab-stuffed Bellas with a secret sauce crab stuffing topped with gooey mozzarella and provolone cheese.

March entrees include an all-you-can-eat fried Alaskan walleye dinner that includes hand-breaded fillets that are deep-fried golden brown and served with your choice of side, endless salad and bambino bread. The bambino bread and unlimited salad is a meal in itself.

Shrimp fans will enjoy the jumbo shrimp blackened over linguini pasta with a blackened cream sauce and sliced fresh grape tomatoes. This entrée is also served with endless salad and bambino bread.

If you prefer something other than fish, they have a beautiful entrée, Braciole, a beef flank steak pounded and stuffed with bacon, parsley and cheese that’s rolled, tied and simmered slowly until tender in a rich red gravy. This is served over imported spaghetti and comes with endless salad and bambino bread.

Tucci’s Italian is located at 1560 State Route 50, Bourbonnais. Go to tuccisitalian.com and their Facebook page, or call 815-929-1875 for more information.

Hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 4 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday.

St. Patrick’s Catholic Church

The church in Momence will have their fish fry every Friday until Good Friday. This is a carry-out-only event. The fish fry will take place from 5 to 7 p.m., courtesy of the Knights of Columbus. There will be no fish fry at St. Anne’s this year.

The menu will be baked or fried fish Alaska Pollack, baked potato or French fries, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw and corn.

St. Patrick’s Catholic Church is located at 119 N Market St., Momence. Go to stpatrickmomence.org for more information.

Tinker Parker is an adjunct communication professor at Kankakee Community College and Governors State University. She can be contacted through the Daily Journal at editors@daily-journal.com or directly at bestbites@daily-journal.com; TinkerP91@yahoo.com; or Best Bites Hotline 815-802-5101.

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