Tonight we went out for my birthday dinner to Escobar’s on E. Columbia Ave. in Champaign, IL. We’ve never had a meal at Escobar’s that was less than stellar. Tonight was more of the same. We were able to park right in front and got a table right away, although it was about 3/4 full when we left. The special tonight was Scallops over Fried Rice in a Thai Red Curry Sauce. That was Sarah’s pick. I went with the Cowboy (bone-in) Ribeye with Mashed Potatoes and a port merlot demi-glace. We both started with salads; Sarah’s was the spinach with goat cheese and pears and mine was a classic Greek salad. Both were a good size and very tasty. I opted for a Horseplay “Rollicking Red” Cab-Merlot-Syrah wine with dinner. I wanted something hearty to go with the steak and this one was perfect.

Sarah’s scallops were quite large (4 of them) and nicely browned. She thought the curry sauce was spicy but delicious. Her only nitpick was that she thought the dish could have used more rice. My steak was perfectly prepared and absolutely delicious. The demi-glace was a great accompaniment, and the potatoes were excellent. We finished off the meal with a Guatemalan rum and mango cheesecake and two lattes. A perfect ending. Escobar’s continues to be the best Champaign has to offer.