Review Visit: October 28th, 2014…read more Not an actual factory. Short story time: Back before I started traveling, I once thought the Cheesecake Factory was a building that churned out cheesecakes. I took the name literally and was confused on why people loved the place. Turns out, it's a delectable restaurant that just looking at the menu will exceed your daily recommended caloric intake. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is no Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory. It's your typical small store that has a ton of goodies inside. Everything from sweets to things that are nutty and everything in-between. Matt, Tim, and I wandered in during a day of hitting up a few Peoria locations. We came here after The 50's Diner to get our dessert fix. I've been to a few baked goods/candy stores at this point in time but I am never not amazed at the variety of goodies they offer. A lot of them carry some of the same chocolate-covered (item) but so many of them do it in their own way. Or do their unique twist on it. That's why I love small chain/locally owned businesses. They all have that personal touch that seems to be missing from Big Name Stores. Tim ended up stocking up on some goodies. Matt got a small item or two. I snagged a cookie or two. I don't remember what cookies I got but I do remember it being pretty dang good. I ended up eating it as we walked back to my car. To rewind time a bit, before we headed in to the store, we stopped and took photos with this giant bear that was sitting on a bench outside. That's just the nature of these kinds of things. If you can pose/sit with a goofy thing, you gotta take a photo with it. Lets wrap this up. If you need a chocolate covered (item), Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory can hook you up. It might be a smaller business but they do have multiple locations, so check their website below if you are interested in checking them out. I can't promise you they will have a bear to take a photo with but if you go and there is one, do yourself a favor and take a fun photo with it. Sometimes we need to throw off the burdens of being an adult and let our inner child out.

If you have a sweet tooth and are in the area I would highly recommend RMCF! The apples and fudge…read moreare always delicious; The quality can't be beat!

I like to buy their treats for service above and beyond!…read more Everyone loves their iced cinnamon rolls and their pecan rolls! The staff is always so friendly and quick to serve you! They have lots of choices so I doubt you will ever be disappointed!

I loved this bakery, I especially liked the small pies, crust is always baked well with lots of…read morefilling and topping. Their cream pies are wonderful and the fruit pies also I just tried the brownies and were wonderful. Going to try the cheesecake next but sure I'll not be disappointed. The staff is always pleasant and helpful.

The most perfect wedding cake!! They were able to decorate it exactly how I pictured & the price…read morewas very reasonable. Everyone was so helpful with the planning process. Best gluten free cake we've ever had!!

Trefzger's is one of those places where you bite into one of their creations and you immediately…read morethink "Ahhh I understand why they've been around since 1861". The thumbprint cookies are pure flames. I can't think of a single item that doesn't have the sweetness precisely dialed in. My only real nitpick I can think of is with the bread used for the pastries (danishes, cinnamon rolls). It's slightly too... Dry? Gluten-y? But it's not an overarching issue so it's pretty insignificant.

Review Visit: September 17th, 2014…read more Sugar. Spice. Everything nice. Like in a lot of smaller towns, you'll usually have or find a business that deals in candy. Sugary confections. Sweet treats. Candy from yesteryears. Soda (pop) in more varieties than you care for it to come in. Things you think you'd never see again and things you fall in love with. Holland's Mercantile fills that role for Washington, IL. My friend Matt and I decided to spend an afternoon exploring the Washington Square to see what the town and it's folk offered. The words on the front of the store's glass got me excited at the possibilities held inside. As we opened the door and headed in, the excitement increased tenfold. It was like being a kid in a candy store. Except that we are adults... in a candy store. Upon entering, I first noticed the long row of candy in the glass containers where you can scoop out as much as you want. Lining the walls were a million different candy from a million different times and cultures. I saw things I hadn't seen in years. They had stuff I didn't think existed in time where color TV is the norm. On top of the candy, they also had a display case full of baked goods. Whether these are made in-house or from a local bakery, I am not sure. Either way, the stuff looked fantastic behind the glass. Turtles. Truffles. Caramel Bars. It all looked so good that I think my blood sugar level elevated just looking at the offerings. This store has more than just candy, baked goodies, and sweets from everyone's childhood. They also had the novelty toys from the same time period the candy/sweets come from. There were novelty toys that tied in to current day trends but they also had toys that kids from our time would enjoy just as much as kids from the time from which they came. I also think there was a back room that was full of a combination of everything the store offered. On this day, I let my inner child run wild and I picked up a small sack full of candy. I didn't want to get too much because I don't have the best self-control when it comes to my sweet tooth. Next door is another Holland's store that offers up popcorn in many different flavors and even more soda to pick from. This store did remind me of the candy store from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, minus the Candy Man tossing candy to and fro. Though that would've been quite the sight to see. The store just has this feeling of being a great place to get your sweet tooth fix while reliving items from your childhood and also your parent's childhood. I will end this with a warning. If you have kids and bring them here... expect to drop a lot of money on sweets and toys. It's easy to spend a small fortune in a place like this. Also, don't let your kids see Holland's Caramelcorn next door. They might get loaded up on sugar and then get popcorn cheese everywhere. How sweet it is.

The best variety of popcorn indulgence is waiting for you at Hollands. It is hands down better…read morethan Garrett's! I make trips to central Illinois, and this is one of my must do stops!

Wow! Just wow! This ice cream & yo-cream shoppe has it all. When you first walk in you get to…read morechoose between cups that are flat rate pay or per oz. pay. We chose the oz. Now, I don't like to brag, but we bought $37 worth of ice cream and yo-cream in there today and there are only two of use. We ate all of it, every little sprinkle, m&m, nut, brownie chunk, chocolate rock, Andes' mint and gummy worm, cherry, chocolate, pineapple, vanilla swirl! We like to have died happily ever after today. It looked like a pink piglet silo inside, which I appreciated, because I felt like a little pink pig eating all that. Afterwards, we rolled out the door and barely made it into our vehicle without using a crane. Best birthday ice-cream I ever had and I'm turning 47 this year. . . See you all summer long! Oink oink

a very cute shop with lovely outdoor seating. the froyo was really yummy and they had so many…read moreoptions for toppings!

Placed a grub hub order and needed to change something. Called the store was on hold for 6 minutes…read more The girl did apologize. I asked if they could put birthday picks in my order instead of the flowers as it was for my son's birthday. She said "let me pull your order". When she got back I was told it was already picked up. She was so sorry. Well she must not know that I can see where my delivery driver is. He wasn't even there yet!!! I text him to be sure and he said no 5 minutes away. I wanted to call back so bad but was afraid I would have my order ruined! So ridiculous and lazy of the employee.

Service was fast. The butt cakes tasted delicious…read more The cakes that we had were extremely moist and flavorful !

We celebrated my wife's birthday at Saffron Social, and the entire evening was exceptional…read more The food was outstanding from beginning to end. The steak was excellent, the lobster ceviche was creative and delicious, the carpaccio was beautifully prepared, and the scallops were truly extraordinary. The bread pudding dessert was the perfect finish to an already remarkable meal. A special shout-out to the manager, Mike, who was incredibly gracious and welcoming, and to our waiter, Adrian, who was absolutely wonderful. Adrian was attentive, charming, knowledgeable, and a great conversationalist. He made us feel genuinely special and was a big part of what made the evening so memorable. I lived in Los Angeles for more than 40 years and have been fortunate enough to dine at many highly regarded restaurants in the U.S. and around the world. Saffron Social deserves to be noticed in that company. This was not simply a very good meal for Central Illinois, it was an exceptional dining experience by any standard. Most importantly, my wife had a wonderful birthday, and we talked about the meal the entire drive home. Saffron Social is absolutely a restaurant worth seeking out, and we are already looking forward to returning.

We have visited twice. The food is always average and the service is always below average. Our…read morecocktails have not been memorable. My husband and I agree that we probably will not go back after two disappointing experiences. The atmosphere and decor of Saffron is amazing...I love a swanky restaurant and so badly wanted this to be a great place to eat. Such a disappointment!

The ice cream was delicious, and the service was excellent! We were offered samples of multiple…read moreflavors without asking, and the employee was very friendly and informative. It is a little pricier than your average ice cream shop; however, these are unique homemade flavors, and I feel the price is deserving of this level of quality. As of my post, the cost is $7 per scoop or two scoops for $9. My husband chose the caramel brownie. I choose one scoop of Cookie Monster and one scoop of Starry Night. It was our first experience with this little shop, but it definitely won't be our last!

While the ice cream is visually pleasing, the flavor isn't that great. It wasn't as creamy as I…read morethought ice cream would be. Also, certainly a very small portion for a big price. I got Starry Night. No need to return for me.

My first time here. The menu was comprehensive and featured so many visually tempting options that…read moreI finally just asked our waitress Quincy to suggest something. She recommended the Cuban Pulled Pork Sandwich. My sandwich was huge and contained a large portion of pulled pork meat. It was delicious and the homemade chipotle bbq mayo made it all the more satisfying with its rich smoky flavor! The Cuban-style black beans were right out of Miami! Very nicely prepared and included green peas, carrots, corn, and bell peppers, as well. My dining companion, for her part, ordered the Falafel platter, with a side order of gyro meat. The falafel (a dozen), were fresh, tasty, and just the right consistency. These were served with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pita, and hummus. The side order of gyro meat featured a generous portion of decadently succulent lamb shavings and included two portions of homemade tzatziki sauce. Everything we ate was prepared to perfection and could easily compete with exceptional restaurants in Chicago! Yes, the food at One World is that good. As for the service, our waitress Quincy was friendly and professional. As for the ambiance and decor--we arrived ahead of the lunch crowd, so it was pretty quiet. The decor, however, is nicely done. The premises were clean and well maintained. Ditto the restrooms. The restaurant is actually huge. There are multiple dining areas and in the summer there is an outside patio behind the restaurant, as well. As for pricing and affordability--quality costs, and the food here is definitely a cut above. That being said, the owners have priced the entrees quite reasonably considering the generous portion-size and quality of the food. My overall opinion? If you want a dining experience worthy of comparison to the best Chicagoland has to offer, but don't want to make the long drive--or pay twice as much--then I highly recommend this little gem of a locally-owned restaurant in Peoria!

Very good spot in Peoria!!! The menu here is expansive and there is something for everyone. They…read morealso have a huge selection of lattes and drinks. I got the thai chicken pizza and it was SO good. The hot honey was a little sweeter than I expected, however the jalepeno balanced it well. The hummus also was hands down one of the best I have ever had. Still thinking about it. The only reason I didn't give this place 5 stars was the service. Everything was fine until it came to pay. I don't know if our server disappeared or something but we waited 30-45 minutes to get our check which was semi-frustrating. Anyways, 10/10 food. Very unique. Very different. I recommend!!!

Healthy options, supports a worthy cause, fantastic friendly service, charming restaurant.read more

A Vegan Gem That Overdelivers…read more As someone who has tried just about every plant based spot around, I have to say Eat and Evolve completely exceeded expectations. Every dish I ordered was outstanding. The Green Goddess Crepe was light yet satisfying and full of fresh vibrant flavor. The Spiced Tofu Bowl had the perfect balance of spice and texture, while the Orange Teriyaki Tofu was beautifully sauced, tangy, and full of depth. Even the Vegetarian Chili was hearty and comforting without feeling heavy. The portion sizes were impressive, especially for food that is this clean and balanced. The service was also wonderful. They made a substitution for me with no hesitation, which shows how much they care about their guests. Eat and Evolve proves that vegan food can be indulgent, energizing, and truly crave worthy. Whether you are fully plant based or just curious, this place deserves a spot on your must try list. I will absolutely be back, and probably ordering again on DoorDash before then.