Cobblestone Eatery and Drinkery

By Jawaun Jackson, Contributing Writer

Pictures by Jawaun Jackson

Frequently visited by the student body of McKendree for the drinkery and nightlife, Cobblestone boasts a pretty tasty menu during weeknights and weekend mornings. I first visited the establishment for nourishment between dawn and noon; in simpler terms I came for brunch. I was at an impasse with the brunch menu, perplexed by the variety of choices. I eventually settled for a smoked brisket omelet with a horseradish blended cheese and hash browns.

Most styles of cooking only call for about 1-3 eggs when making an omelet, but at Cobblestone it’s 4. Now, I watch a lot of cooking shows and have a novice to intermediate knowledge of basic cooking techniques. When I saw a 4-egg omelet, I knew I had to take on that beast of a breakfast. I also ordered a pancake because I heard they were bigger than the average face. The omelet was slightly above average, just a bit better than a chain restaurant like Denny’s or IHOP. However, the pancake made me experience what only could be described as the scene in Ratatouille when the critic was transported back to his childhood. After my first bite I instantly felt memories of eating pancakes made by my grandmother. I could almost tell that the cook didn’t use any measurements while making it; it was intuition and second nature. It was simple yet elegant, crispy around the edges and fluffy in the middle, and it was around the size of a personal or kid size pizza. It was fresh off the griddle with butter melting and trickling down as if it was dancing upon a hot fluffy roof.

While the pancake was completely awesome, the main course was stuck playing second fiddle to my taste buds, so I went back for dinner. The dinner menu caught my eye with the lobster BLT pizza, topped with fresh arugula, bacon, garlic aioli, and tomatoes on a buttery garlic crust. The crust was phenomenal, and the lobster melted in my mouth. The arugula was a bit too much in terms of presentation, but it gave the pizza a slight hint of crisp coolness that was refreshing. The only downfall of the dish was the garlic breath that lingered in my mouth for the rest of the night; it was so bad my fiancée refused to kiss or hug me in a very loving and comedic way.

During my evening trip I ordered a dessert to go, a lemon blueberry Italian cake with mascarpone icing. It was quite the delightful treat. The sweetness of the mascarpone icing blended well with the acidity of the lemon cake and dried berries scattered in. It was truly a unique way to end my meal.

In all, I found myself attracted to the savory tunes of the Cobblestone entrees but stayed for the confectionaries and morning sweets melodic hymns. Truly a one of a kind restaurant and experience, I am confident in returning to try more of their vast menu.

Oh the possibilities!