Out of the Pan

How quaint and welcoming.

Last night, Maya and I finally decided to go to Out of the Pan, a cute little bistro across the bridge from us. We've been talking about trying it for weeks, but it's usually closed when we want to go (just like everything else in this town). Out of the Pan is known for its Sunday brunch (known by whom? I couldn't tell you. Why do I make statements I can't support?), but we needed dinner since it was Friday night.

Special Menu. I wish I liked lobster...

It turns out this is probably the best restaurant in Racine. After we spent about ten minutes salivating over the menu, Maya sighed, "Of course, we saved the best for last" in a completely exasperated tone. It is almost as close as Jimmy John's, but we've ignored it this entire summer.

I have nothing to say about these tables and chairs, but I hope you appreciate them anyways.

I'm really digging these paintings.

The interior is pretty nice as the restaurants of Racine go. I really like the pear artwork, and red is supposed to stimulate your appetite, so I think it's a good color for the restaurant. It seems like a State Street counterpart to Henry & Wanda's on Sixth Street, complete with the extensive martini menu.

That being said, the menu at Out of the Pan is a lot more interesting than that of Henry & Wanda's. Maya got buffalo chicken tacos (a favorite of Charles on Yelp, whose review convinced us to try it for dinner), and I had the grilled ham and cheese sandwich with carmelized onions and roasted red peppers. I never thought a sandwich could be that incredible, but the peppers and onions created a whole new dimension, and the bread was grilled to perfection. It was very nearly life changing.

Maya's buffalo chicken tacos had some kick to them! 

Have you ever noticed the perfect bread in Ratatouille? I had it in real life.

Maya and I shared a Turtle Brownie for dessert, which had caramel sauce and nuts on it. There were only two other dessert options, both of which were pies, but the dinner menu is pretty extensive. They have salads, sandwiches, flatbread pizza, and plenty of specialty items. I want to return every day this week to try something new. Since we don't really want to be grocery shopping for our last week, there's a good chance this will happen.

Do you see the bites? We were so excited that we almost forgot the picture.

And even with dessert, it was only $12 each with tax and tip. And they give you enough food for two meals. I swear no one is making any money in this town.