Overview:

In the heart of downtown Elgin, right on the corner of Spring St and DuPage St, is a little corner cafe known as Al’s Cafe & Creamery. This local store isn’t your run-of-the-mill cafe, “Al’s Cafe provides customers with comfort food alongside more innovative dishes that are sure to delight your palette.”

Chef Tony Jamin is the main chef at this establishment. Having been trained in Holland, Germany, and France, the foods are filled with flavors and tastes from all over the world.

Now that we have a brief backstory, let’s take a dive into my experience.

My Experience:

Sunday brunch right after church is a staple in my relationship. While we typically have our usual spots where we might go for coffee or go for a meal, we wanted to switch it up a bit. My girlfriend and I made our drive over and walked right into the place, and we were seated immediately. If the food itself didn’t bring comfort, it was for a certain that the vibe of the restaurant would.

As soon as we walked in, it felt like we were at home. The hospitality and the design of the cafe were so inviting, it was as if I walked into my house on Thanksgiving Day. We were seated right by the large windows, which offered a well-lit experience on a bright, sunny day.

When we sat down, we were greeted by the waitress with warmth and immediately was asked we wanted for drinks, and was delivered bread to our table without even knowing we were going to receive any. In looking at the menu, there were so many options to choose from, such as burgers, salads, pastas, and one thing that caught my eye was that there seemed to be a lot of seafood options on the menu. However, I decided to order what was known as the “Bruschetta Grilled Chicken Sandwich” with a side of homemade chips and chicken noodle soup.

While it did take a little while for the food to come out, the I didn’t mind the wait too much. The soup was the first to come out, and I enjoyed the soup. It wasn’t the best soup I’ve ever had, but it was still a good soup, and it was a good way to warm up my taste buds.

When the food came out, I could feel my mouth start to water because of how delicious it looked. I took the first bite of my sandwich, and I had so many flavors hit my mouth at once. The chicken was seasoned with a special blend of herbs & spices, topped with homemade bruschetta, American cheddar cheese & served on a toasted deluxe bun, with lettuce, tomato, & mayonnaise. Part of me wanted to savor each bite and take it slow, but the other part of me didn’t want to put it down because of how good it was. The veggies and the mayo paired REALLY well with the grilled chicken, and it was such a soft bite every time.

I would highly recommend eating here, and if chicken sandwiches are your thing…PLEASE get this sandwich.

Overall Rating: 8.25/10