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Readers' responses to 'best in the Tri-Cities' survey

Readers share their tips for best pizza, chocolate, outdoor lunch spot in Tri-Cities

Readers came up with some interesting answers to my questions two weeks ago that came across like a "best of" survey, but were just different enough to require a little more thought.

Today we share those answers, as well as my own take on these scenarios. We'll repeat the question for those who may have missed the original column.

Question: If you had an hour for lunch at work during summer or fall, but were told it had to be taken outdoors, where would you go and what would you have?

Readers: Along Fox River or near the Batavia Riverwalk, eating sandwiches from Burger King or Portillo's; Pottawatomie Park in St. Charles; an outside table at Deane's Market & Deli in Geneva with one of its sandwiches, or the outside patio at Atlas Chicken Shack with the lunch special; sit on the deck at Patten House in Geneva and have a shrimp po' boy sandwich; peanut butter and jelly sandwich, milk, fruit and maybe cookies in the Fabyan Forest Preserve; the outdoor deck at Pal Joey's in Batavia for the noon pizza special, salad and a root beer.

Dave: The benches in a small wooded area in the southeast corner of Mount St. Mary Park has been an outdoor lunch spot for me in the past with a brown-bag meal, and would be the first place to come to mind.

Question: If you were told to kill two hours reading and relaxing outside of your home, where would you go?

Readers: My own garden under a shady tree; The Japanese Tea Garden by the Fabyan Villa; Sugar Grove Library; a lawn chair in Island Park in Geneva; Batavia Public Library, I love that library, even though I shouldn't speak of a building in terms of affection.

Dave: Hard to beat the setting on the deck at our house, but a bench in Geneva's Island Park near the Fox River would be quite nice.

Question: If someone told you to do something in the Tri-Cities you "haven't done in years" but always wanted to, what would that be?

Readers: Geneva Christmas House Walk or some local garden walks; I loved biking, but after my first hip replacement, I worried about the bike slipping, but would like to bike the trails again along the Fox River; a river ride on the St. Charles Belle paddleboat; I've walked the Fox River bike path, but would like to bike it; sledding at the hill at Fabyan Forest Preserve windmill, even though at my age it might be dangerous.

Dave: Play golf at the "new" St. Charles Country Club. Played the former course a few times, but don't recall playing the newer layout, which actually isn't that new any more. Sort of hard to do when you aren't a member.

Question: If a visitor said, "Let's just have pizza tonight," which pizza spot is getting that order so as to best impress that visitor?

Readers: Taylor Street Pizza in Geneva is the best; Salerno's on the Fox, best pizza and best leftovers; Doughocracy in Geneva, it has something for everyone; Salerno's is excellent pizza and not just run of the mill from most chains; the thin crust pizza at Rascal's in Geneva is great.

Dave: It's hard to deny Salerno's, and I have a fondness for Aurelio's, but my favorite has actually been the thin crust at Morano's Pizza in Geneva. It reminds me of the old Tom's Pizza in St. Charles, which I loved.

Question: When driving around the Tri-Cities, which street, intersection or portion of road makes you feel it is "an accident waiting to happen?"

Readers: Fabyan Parkway and Hughes or Wenmoth roads; can't believe engineers allowed such an angle to Fabyan and routes 31 and 25; the parking lot at Trader Joe's in Batavia; the three-way stop on Hawk Drive after turning right off Randall Road, just north of Fabyan Parkway (heading toward Wal-Mart), too many people think it's a four-way stop and pull out in front of you; the merge on Fabyan Parkway near Resurrection Cemetery during rush hour; a tie between Fabyan and Randall and Keslinger and Randall, as both are terrible; trying to make left-hand turns on East Main Street in St. Charles from Second Avenue to Fourth Avenue during peak traffic hours as drivers jockey to switch lanes.

Dave: Without a doubt, taking a left turn onto Route 31 off Fabyan Parkway in either direction is a "white knuckler."

Question: If you had a sudden uncontrollable urge for something chocolate, where would you go and what would you get?

Readers: Graham's in Geneva for chocolate-covered orange peels; hands down, the chocolate cake from Portillo's; a piece of dark chocolate from Trader Joe's; chocolate chip cookie from Graham's 318, double-dark bitter chip ice cream from Graham's, and chocolate cake from The Sugar Path in Geneva; I might buy a Lindt candy bar, but also would go to Graham's in Geneva.

Dave: We live in a Willy Wonka chocolate wonderland around here with great choices, but Dairy Queen's chocolate extreme blizzard with brownie bits always solves the "uncontrollable" urge thing for me.

dheun@sbcglobal.net

  A reader mentioned the Batavia Public Library as a favorite place to kill a few hours reading a book. "I love that library, even though I shouldn't speak of a building in terms of affection," the reader wrote. Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com
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