Great Rivers Tap and Grill battered cod with pickle, onion and tartar sauce.
Jennifer Martin, director of Great Rivers Tap and Grill, a packed lunch I enjoyed at Nan Elliott Memorial Rose Garden at Gordon Moore Park in Alton.
Flowers abound at the Nan Elliott Memorial Rose Garden in Gordon Moore Park, Alton.
ALTON – One of my favorite places to dine is the Great Rivers Tap and Grill at the Best Western Premier.
Some might call it Alton’s “best-kept secret,” so I hope other people don’t think about it anymore. Because it is an in-house hotel, some others might not think of Great Rivers Tap and Grill, 3559-B College Ave. , which has its own cover and a complete menu of pieces made from scratch.
Chef Kenny adds his non-public touch to the menu with my favorite dish: potato pierogi and cheddar cheese, a recipe from the chef’s family circle. With this shared dish, you get five savory ravioli stuffed with potatoes and cheddar cheese and topped with bacon, onion and sour cream It is said that the pierogies come from Poland and are simply delicious.
I know other people I know there. Their lunches seemed wonderful and easy to carry, as I did, at Nan Elliott Rose Garden.
The flowers were in full bloom and a lovely setting for my lunch, which also included battered cod, with pickle, red onions and tartar sauce. I love the role it’s in, which says “The Daily Telegraph. “
Pierogies and fish are very easy to eat under the lookout on the rose lawn of Gordon Moore Park, 4550 College Ave. , just above Best Western Road. And now is the time of year for rose grass.
Whether on a casual walk, attending a wedding or just having lunch, the Nan Elliott rose garden is stunning. It has more than 125 types of roses and 1600 roses. The lawn has been rated as one of the most productive in the area.
As a gift, I can hear the bell ringing at 2 p. m. when I return to my car parked in the shade under a beautiful giant tree.
For about 40 years, the soft transparent sound of the bells has resonated through the beautiful flowers and scented aromas of roses of all kinds and colors of the garden.
This year’s Memorial Day weekend begins, with Susan Parton Stanard, the first of 15 bells to exchange the summer, giving life to the 183 bells of the colorfully arranged and harmonically tuned instrument.
Free Sunday night concerts last 30 to 45 minutes, starting with a “ringing” followed by the show at five o’clock in the afternoon. There are some benches on the lawn and in park locations where you can still listen to music with the 400-Watt Amplifier and 4 tower speakers. Spectators can also bring their own garden chairs or blankets, or sit in their vehicle to listen.
It’s special.
So some takeaway and enjoy the good looks and sounds of Nan Elliott’s rose garden.