Share a Meal 2011 Is Tomorrow!

On Tuesday, April 26, you can donate money to organizations that help people (and animals, in the case of the Champaign County Humane Society) in need. And you won't feel a thing.

That's because six restaurants in Champaign-Urbana have generously agreed to donate 20 to 30 percent of their profits on that day to charitable organizations. All you have to do is go out to eat—it's that simple.

Here are the participating restaurants and details.

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The Black Dog Smoke and Ale House
The best place for barbecue in C-U is donating a percentage of its profits at both lunch and dinner time. So go in for one of their fabulous sandwiches during lunch hours, or go for dinner and enjoy ribs, chicken, pulled pork, or brisket. I highly recommend the smoked chicken wings with homemade smoked blue-cheese dip as an appetizer.

The daily specials on Tuesdays at lunch are the BD's famous tacos (pulled pork, beef brisket, or pulled free-range chicken) and a grilled pastrami sandwich with Swiss cheese and coleslaw on Mirabelle bakery rye bread. I've had both the tacos and the pastrami sandwich, and you cannot go wrong with either one. The pastrami sandwich will still be available at dinner, plus you can chow down on their smoked artichoke dip, served with homemade chips.

201 North Broadway Avenue
Urbana, IL
217-344-9334
Share-a-Meal contribution: LUNCH and DINNER
Serving lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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Farren's Pub and Eatery
Some people say that Farren's has the best burgers in C-U. Actually, a LOT of people say that, and with good reason—they do cook a mean burger. But it's not just burgers, baby! Farren's menu and daily specials are varied and eclectic. On any given evening you might find lamb shanks, shrimp and grits, steelhead trout, or spareribs on the specials board. And evening is when you'll want to go to support Share-a-Meal, because Farren's is only participating at dinner time. So check them out starting at 5 p.m. tomorrow, April 26.

308 North Randolph Street (behind Nitaya Thai restaurant)
Champaign, IL 61821
217-359-6977
Share-a-Meal contribution: DINNER ONLY
Serving dinner from 5 p.m.

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The Great Impasta
This great Italian restaurant, long a landmark in downtown Champaign and now ensconced on the east side of Lincoln Square in Urbana, is also donating a percentage of its take during both the lunch and dinner hours. Grab a cup of soup and a sandwich at lunch or a plate of pasta or chicken Parmigiano for dinner, and you'll automatically be giving a significant donation to the charity of your choice.

Lincoln Square Village (entrance is on the north-east side)
Urbana, IL
217-359-7377
Share-a-Meal contribution: LUNCH and DINNER 
Serving lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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Milo's
This Urbana favorite is located at the corner of Windsor and Philo Roads. Milo's is participating in Share-a-Meal at dinner only, so you can go in tomorrow evening and try their pepita-crusted shrimp with herb aioli, goat cheese and red pepper strudel, or wild mushroom ravioli with pecan buerre blanc—if you want to. Just a thought. I reported on those items in a review a few years ago, so you can see some motivational photos there. But of course, there are lots of other things to choose from. Peruse the entire dinner menu online, and remember they'll also have specials.

2870 South Philo Road (in "The Pines," corner Philo and Windsor)
Urbana, IL
217-344-8946
Share-a-Meal contribution: DINNER ONLY 
Serving dinner from 5 to 9 p.m.

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My Thai
This restaurant is the new kid on the block, having opened maybe a year ago. It's located on West Springfield Avenue, where Illini Grill and Pancakes most recently was (and El Torero before that). The people who own Siam Terrace in Urbana also own My Thai. You can try one of your favorite Thai dishes or sushi here and support Share-a-Meal at either lunch or dinner, as the owners are generously contributing a percentage of their profits from both meals. The menu is viewable online.

2312 West Springfield Avenue
Champaign, IL
217-351-8424
Share-a-Meal contribution: LUNCH and DINNER
Serving lunch 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and dinner 4:30 to 10:00 p.m.

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Siam Terrace
The place for Thai food, and now SUSHI, in downtown Urbana, will donate their percentage during dinner hours (you may remember that I had a fun sushi experience there on New Year's Day last year). So go and enjoy a boatload of sushi and sashimi, or pad Thai, or a delicious stir-fry on Tuesday evening. You can peruse Siam's menu on the Web site. Be sure to also get the crab Rangoon appetizer; they do the best crab Rangoon in town.

212 W. Main Street
Urbana, IL
217-367-THAI
Share-a-Meal contribution: DINNER ONLY
Serving dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

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There will be a couple of volunteers from Community Shares at each of the restaurants on April 26 at the appointed times, which makes things very easy. All you have to do is tell them, on your way out, what your total bill was, and that's that! UPDATE: It's different, and easier, this year! All you have to do is eat; you don't have to fill anything out or tell anyone the amount of your bill. Each restaurant will simply add up its total take for lunch and/or dinner and will donate the percentage they've agreed to—no muss and no fuss for you, the patron.

These are just a few of the organizations you can support by eating out in C-U tomorrow:

• Champaign County Humane Society
• PACE Center for Independent Living
• Champaign County Health Care Consumers
• Voices for Illinois Children
• Habitat for Humanity of IL
• Wesley Church Evening Food Pantry

I want to personally extend a giant THANK YOU to these six C-U dining establishments for their generosity. The percentage of hard-earned profits they're giving away to help support our community is really staggering, and they should be well praised for it.

Last year, the Share a Meal event raised $4,101.95 for local charities. Thanks to everyone for going out and supporting it—maybe we can raise that total even higher this year. Let's all show the owners and their staffs how much we appreciate their giving spirit by packing their restaurants at lunch and dinner time on Tuesday, April 26.