Niemerg's Steak House - Effingham, Illinois

When you are driving from Indianapolis to St. Louis on I-70 about two hours into the journey it happens.  Your eyes glaze over and you begin to think that if you have to stare at one more farm field without seeing some sign of life, then you may lose your will to live.  Just as you begin to contemplate which bridge to drive off, it appears.  The crossroads of America pops up on the horizon.  You roll into Effingham, Illinois, and being devoid of civilization for so long you seek out a place to eat.  Somewhere to recharge your batteries and renew your belief in American society.  When you experience this, look no further than Niemerg's Steak House.

Niemerg's Steak House fully represents everything that makes the Midwest great.  A place where an army of working class heroes prepare comfort food for all walks of life from farmers to weary travelers to business persons.  The food is not only good and comforting, but it is some of the most affordable meals I have ever enjoyed.  I make the trip from Indianapolis to St. Louis and back several times a year and I never make the trip without stopping at Niemerg's.  

The decor is nothing exciting, but it fits the conservative nature of the area.  No matter what time of the day you choose to dine, you will find very limited parking in the large parking lot and all the hustle and bustle of numerous employees serving tables.  The dining area is deceptively larger than the outside would lead you to believe so there is rarely a wait.  The staff keeps the place clean and they are always professional and courteous.  

The menu is a compilation of classic comfort dishes like ribeye steak, liver and onions, pork chops, chicken fried steak, and fried chicken.  The menu also includes a few local favorites and a couple quirks.  Now based on everything I've told you thus far, I am sure you will not be surprised to hear appetizers include items like jalapeno poppers, onion rings, and mozzarella sticks.  But what if I told you this restaurant offers up the best egg rolls I've ever tasted.  The hand rolled egg rolls are overstuffed with seasoned pork, cabbage and other vegetables before being fried to crispy, golden perfection and then being offered along with homemade sweet and sour sauce.  If I find out you went to Niemerg's and didn't try the egg rolls, I will be forced to ban you from reading future posts.  You won't regret trying them.

The crisp of the cabbage and the crunch of the wrapper go so well with the tangy sauce.  Juicy, tasty deliciousness will drip down your chin as you enjoy the egg rolls.  

Hand Rolled Egg Roll Appetizer

By the time you are done with the appetizer, your mind will already be blown and you will be telling yourself there is no possible way to top the egg roll.  To that I will tell you to hold on to your hand because we have two more courses left.  For the entree, there are many great options including their crispy, crunchy fried chicken, but I tend to favor recommending a dish that is only available in central Illinois.  In this small swath of land, there is a dish that is so cheesy, so ooey, so gooey, you will be down for the count.  The kind of dish that will leave you so full and satisfied that you will be able to feel your heart beating in your chest for at least several hours.  What dish could that possibly be you ask?  None other than the Horseshoe or for the slightly less famished, the Pony.

The Horseshoe and the Pony are central Illinois staples.  Take a piece of grilled Texas toast and place whatever type of meat on top of it.  Cover the meat completely with crispy, french fries and then smother all of it in melted cheddar cheese.  If you absolutely must have something healthy as part of the dish then you can top it off with some grilled onions and chopped tomatoes.  I chose to have the hamburger pony on this particular visit.  Just as you would imagine, it is sinfully delicious.  Savory, cheesy.  It fits the definition of a hot mess to a T.

Hamburger Pony

There is only one rule at Niemerg's, which is that you must save room for dessert (Editorial Disclaimer:  Please note this is not actually a rule at Neimerg's rather a rule imposed by the author of this post.  Following the rule will lead to the utmost gastronomic satisfaction)  Desserts are made in house and are delicious.  Pies are the main route to take and there are dozens to choose from.  I personally am very fond of the coconut cream, apple pie and pecan pie, but chances are great that on any given day you will have more choices for pies than you will be able to deal with.

Niemerg's is a must stop destination.  Great food, family atmosphere and amazing prices are the story of the day.  Niemerg's is just like the family dog.  Always faithful and always there when you need them.I got two egg rolls as an appetizer for $3.49, a bowl of vegetable soup for $2.19, my hamburger pony was $3.49 and a piece of pie topped it all off at $2.49.  All in all, I left weighing at least a couple pounds more than I came in and ready to tackle the rest of the trip after a brief nap in the car.  the best part was that I got all of that food for less than $12 before tax and tip.  Where else can you get that?

Made From Scratch Vegetable Soup

Hank's Smoked Brisket - Indianapolis, IN

There once was a man from Texas.........who moved for a job in Indianapolis.........He stayed for decades and when he retired........He shared his love of BBQ brisket.

Smoked Spareribs All Sauced Up

Okay, so no one ever said I was a poet, but a limerick seems fitting when you talk about Hank's Smoked Brisket.  After growing up in Texas, Hank moved to Indianapolis over three decades ago to work as a supervisor in manufacturing.  After spending his entire career with the same company, he retired and began to think of his next adventure.  Hank had a passion for slow-smoked barbecue.  His friends and coworkers always looked forward to being invited to dine whenever he made it.  After some encouragement from said family and friends, Hank decided to share his barbecue with others.

Just across from the Crown Hill Cemetary on the northwest side of Indianapolis, you will find Hank's Smoked Brisket.  Sitting on the end of a commercial strip building on Martin Luther King Junior Drive, Hank serves up Texas-style brisket and other barbecue on a daily basis.  It was designed to be more than a part-time job originally, but Hank said he couldn't keep up with the demand on a part-time basis so he expanded to full-time.  You can sample Hank's barbecue for yourself Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to 9pm and on Sunday from noon to 5pm. 

When I said Hank cooks Texas-style barbecue, I wasn't kidding.  Several times a year, Hank drives down to Texas and loads up on mesquite wood, which he hauls back to Indy to fuel his smoker.  As a barbecue competitor myself, I am always interested in trying new places.  And so on one Tuesday recently, I found myself up in the area around lunchtime and decided to drop in.

Just stepping out of the car, I could smell the intoxicating aroma of sweet smoke in the air.  I was drawn to the building to explore what flavors would compliment the smells.  Hank was positioned behind the window, working alone as he helped each customer.  A row of four or five chairs sit in front of the glass windows across from the order window, however there are no tables.  Hank's is designed to be a carryout location.

The menu is simple, yet offers a full range of slow-smoked meats.  Chicken, ribs, pulled pork, brisket, pork loin, smoked sausage and corned beef are all offered after been smoked in mesquite on Hank's seasoned pit.  Meals can be ordered as sandwiches, as meals including sides, and by the pound as well.  For my first time at Hank's I wanted to sample several meats, and my only disappointment was that the menu is structured in an easy way to do that.  The menu would be truly complete with a sampler dinner that would combine more than one meat option to allow people to try multiple options.

While I was mulling over the many options, Hank made some small talk and offered up a sample slice of smoked corned beef.  It was reminiscent of a pastrami without the juniper and other specific spices that combine to transform corned beef into pastrami.  The meat was hot, smoky, tender and juicy.  The smoke note wasn't overpowering and the corned beef flavor was able to shine through.

Without an option to sample more than one meat in one meal, I skipped any sides and just ordered a sliced brisket sandwich and a half slab of spare ribs.  I opted to allow Hank to apply the sauce on the ribs for me and sauce on the side for the brisket before heading off to the car to dine.  The ribs set me back $10.75 for a half slab and the brisket sandwich was $9.  With a soda, it was just over $20 total.  The prices are fair individually and I think if Hank would add a combo meal to the menu so people can affordably sample several meats, it would be a welcome addition.

I first nestled in to sample the brisket sandwich, knowing it should be Hank's speciality since it's the namesake and what Texas barbecue is known for.  The brisket did not disappoint.  I was able to try a bit without sauce on it and found it to be simply spiced and thoroughly tender.  The brisket still had a slight tug to it when you went to pull it apart, showing that it was tender, but not overcooked.  The sauce complimented it well, with just enough savory complexity to make it work with the meat.

Smoked Brisket

The ribs were next on the agenda and they are three napkins to the bone kind of ribs when sauced.  They are full spares as well so there is plenty of meat to be had.  The flavor of the ribs and the sauce were very good and I enjoyed them.  The particular set of ribs I had on that were perhaps just a tad undercooked as they didn't pull cleanly from the bone, but I had no complaints with the flavor profile.

Hank's is a must try if you appreciate barbecue in Indianapolis.  It's not a big flashy place in a high rent area.  It's one man, taking his passion for barbecue and plying his trade in retirement to do something he truly loves.  His passion for serving others great food is evident from the moment you set foot in the door all the way through the last sauce, soaked napkin you wad up.  If you head there for lunch, you may want to plan a little nap time after your meal because you will be fully satisfied when you are through.  Here's to hoping Hank will continue to serve quality Texas barbecue in Indianapolis for many years to come.  I have plenty more to try on the menu on my future visits.

Hank's Smoked Brisket Menu