I come bearing great news for lovers of buffets and hot pot! Word on the street is that this ultra-local Springfield restaurant serves the best hot pot in Illinois. For first-timers and hot pot fanatics alike, Hot Pot & BBQ Buffet is the hole-in-the-wall gem you've been looking for!
Don't judge a book by its cover. It's an open secret that Hot Pot & BBQ Buffet is one of Springfield's most reliable spots for scintillating flavor. You might not have heard of it, but its bright orange paint makes it hard to miss. And you won't want to!
Never heard of hot pot? Let me walk you through this delicious Chinese dish that's become increasingly popular in the United States. In simple terms, hot pot— also known as steamboat— is a highly flavorful broth left to gently boil on a table. Diners cook their meats and vegetables in the liquid before seasoning them with various dipping sauces.
From there, it's a choose-your-own-adventure meal! Hot pot is a crowd-pleaser. If you're vegetarian, forgo the meats and focus on fresh vegetables and tofu. If you've arrived with your family and friends, collaborate on the platter of your dreams.
Hot Pot & BBQ Buffet makes it easy for customers to get exactly what they want, offering everything from dipping sauce charts to eight different soup bases. Your blow-hard cousin can brag to his heart's content about how much he likes heat, but Grandma can still try hot pot and make it out of the restaurant alive. If you have any questions, feel free to ask the staff. They're friendly and always happy to give suggestions to stumped patrons.
Whether you're a longtime fan of hot pot or just trying this incredible Chinese dish, Hot Pot & BBQ Buffet is a fantastic hidden gem that ought to be at the top of your list if you're in Springfield's southwest side.
Do you march to the beat of your own drum? If so, you'll love the International Horseradish Festival in Collinsville. This horseradish extravaganza is a true community event, becoming a fixture of the town's annual calendar with its quirky and family-friendly events. Learn more about this wonderful and totally weird festival in Illinois!
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Thirty-five years ago, when Collinsville founded the horseradish festival, few predicted its future scale. The celebration has since put this small Illinois town on the map as the world's horseradish capital, attracting almost 200,000 horseradish tourists since its debut.
Self-mythologizing as Earth's premiere horseradish hot spot isn't all hot air. On the contrary, 60 percent of the world's horseradishes are grown in the Collinsville area. No wonder local vendors clamor for space at this event— it's an expression of state pride.
Have a brood? The International Horseradish Festival has lots to keep kids busy. Not only is the festival free, but it's scheduled for June 7 and 8 this year, making it the perfect destination for a weekend of sunshine fun!
Some tried-and-true traditions include Root Toss, a sport akin to cornhole but with horseradishes in lieu of bags. Bragging rights are on the line, as is your place in history. To date, an estimated 6,000 roots have been tossed at the festival, so get your name on the leaderboard.
Other bizarre attractions include Root Derby. Here, participants create, decorate, and race horseradishes to glory! You'll be astounded at the creativity of the contestants.
Stay energized for the festivities with a bite of something that pairs well with horseradish. As an event honoring produce, food is central to the International Horseradish Festival's mission.
If you want to attend an off-beat, family-friendly event this summer, check out the International Horseradish Festival in Collinsville. At first glance, it might just seem this is a weird festival in Illinois, but dig a little deeper, and you'll find an earnest celebration of community. No wonder this strange and heartfelt extravaganza has been kept alive since its inception in 1988!
Aside from the handful of large cities in Illinois, the vast majority of the state is farmland. Sounds pretty boring, right? Well, it may shock you to learn that the Prairie State actually likes to keep things pretty interesting when it comes to quirky facts, history, and laws that sometimes are just downright strange. From Eureka to Chicago, we discovered some seriously fun facts about Illinois.
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1. The small town of Casey has 12 of the world's largest objects.
Casey, Illinois has less than 3,000 residents, but it's home to a dozen huge attractions that have all been certified by the Guinness Book of World Records. Supersized objects include a massive rocking chair, a mailbox as big as a building (that you can actually send mail from!), a 56-foot wind chime, and the world's largest golf tee and driver. In addition to its record-holding objects, it also has some everyday things that are just plain huge — like a gigantic pencil that's displayed in town. A popular spot for tourists in the town is the giant birdcage, which you can enter for a photo, or the inside of the mailbox, which gives great views of the city and the other attractions.
2. The world's largest bottle of catsup in Collinsville is a national landmark.
This state is full of big surprises — literally. Just outside St. Louis is Collinsville, where you'll find a towering 170-foot catsup bottle billed as the World's Largest Catsup Bottle. Since 1949 this astonishing roadside attraction has had legions of loyal fans — so many that there is actually an annual festival to celebrate it. It was created for the G.S. Suppiger catsup bottling plant and has survived the test of time. The Catsup Bottle Preservation Group saved the statue from demolition in 1995, and in 2002 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It's actually a giant water tower with the ability to hold 100,000 gallons.
3. Illinois is home to the largest collection of 8-Track tapes.
An outdated technology for decades, 8-track tapes had their heyday from the 1960s to the 1980s and are pretty much historical relics at this point. But that only fueled Mr. Bob "Tracker Bob" Hiemenez to hunt down these artifacts with even more determination. In fact, Hiemenez is the World Record-holder for possessing the most 8-track players in the known universe! He has amassed an impressive 633 players and a whopping 80,025 tapes (or more).
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4. Illinois, the Land of Lincoln, was the first state to abolish slavery.
You may not think of Illinois much when it comes to the Civil War, but being the home state of presidents Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant, there are actually some pretty interesting connections. One such fact is that Illinois was the first state to abolish slavery in 1865. Prior to the Civil War, Illinois had created a law targeting Black citizens which made it challenging for them to live in (or move into) the state. Legislators from the state later changed that law and were the first to ratify the U.S. Constitution's 13th Amendment, which effectively repealed slavery nationwide.
5. Twinkies were invented in suburban River Forest.
America's favorite snack treat was invented just outside Chicago by James Dewar, a resident of River Forest and Oak Park for over 50 years. Dewar worked at the Continental Baking Company in River Forest when he was struck with the genius idea of stuffing sweet cake with a creamy white filling. Before his passing in 1985, Dewar said he would regularly enjoy three Twinkies with a glass of milk before bed. The baking company he worked for loved the idea and later became the Hostess Cake Company.
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6. This one's for the roosters living in Kenilworth: If you want to crow, you must step back at least 300 ft. from the house.
Try telling this one to a crow and see what he does. Will he abide by the 300-foot rule, or is a defiant 10 ft. from your window his preference? Three hundred feet is only 60 feet less than a football field, so for your rooster to follow the law, you would need a pretty big yard.
7. In Normal, it's not normal (or legal) to make faces at dogs.
Do you think making a funny face at dogs is all fun and games? That kind of action could get you in handcuffs, buddy. In Normal, it's against the law to make a face at a dog, regardless if it's your own four-legged friend. What kind of faces qualify? It's hard to say, so it's best to just keep it professional.
What do you think about these fun facts about Illinois? Are there any that we missed? Which of these would have you breaking the law? Tell us in the comments!
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Feeling proud to hail from Illinois? You should! Check out this unique collection of apparel from Wear Your Roots and wear your state pride on your sleeve.
For more Illinois fun, take a virtual tour of this historic river town:
