{"id":18329,"date":"2018-08-13T09:22:47","date_gmt":"2018-08-13T14:22:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/burgersdogspizza.com\/?p=18329"},"modified":"2018-08-13T09:22:47","modified_gmt":"2018-08-13T14:22:47","slug":"jrs-chicken-review-kankakee-and-bourbonnais-il","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.peterstromquist.com\/?p=18329","title":{"rendered":"JRs Chicken Review – Kankakee and Bourbonnais, IL"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"JRs<\/a>61 miles south of Chicago’s loop, off Interstate 57, one will wander into the pleasant town of Kankakee, population around 30,000.<\/p>\n

Following a treaty signed by the US and\u00a0Potawatami Indians in 1833, the town incorporated in 1854.\u00a0 The adjacent town of Bourbonnais has a pop of around 18,000.<\/p>\n

The cities were founded at the junction of two major Indian trading trails and the navigable Kankakee River. Today general manufacturing and food processing are the driving economic forces.<\/p>\n

Don’t recall that I’ve ever been through here before, but found myself in town to observe the Chicago Bears training camp; they’ve called Bourbonnais “training camp home” since 2002.<\/p>\n

Needing nourishment I sought local opinion on where the old-timers go, and was pointed to JR’s Chicken, with locations in both cities. I opted for the Kankakee stop, for no particularly reason.<\/p>\n

The street portion of the building houses a take-out counter which appears to do a brisk business. The back portion is a full bar, dining room and video poker cubby.<\/p>\n

Chicken in their name and chicken is their game. They also have a modest daily buffet with two or three entrees (including chicken of course) and an equal number of side dishes.\u00a0 An amply stocked salad bar is also present.<\/p>\n

I passed on the buffet, unusual for me, and it did look appealing.\u00a0 But I’ve been on a catfish jag lately, and JR’s was willing to accomodate. (They had it on the menu).<\/p>\n

It was divine.\u00a0 Two crispy breaded fillets, I chose slaw and fries for a salad.\u00a0 Minor objection from me to the fries, which were extruded potato product, not my favorite, but were made passable in this case with a longer fry time.\u00a0 I suspect.<\/p>\n

The fish breading as lightly seasoned and tasty.\u00a0 Slaw is good, finely diced cabbage with a dressing that is both sweet and sour at the same time.\u00a0 Same description for the tartar sauce (except no cabbage, obviously).<\/p>\n

Travel companion did go for the specialty of fried chicken, which really is outstanding, crispy fry breading hiding very moist chicken. Sides were loaded baker and fried okra.<\/p>\n

Dinner plates come with a soft roll and dairy spread.\u00a0 \u00a0Service was over the top.\u00a0 Mid Saturday afternoon, maybe a third full.<\/p>\n

Kankakee was memorialized in the Steve Goodman ditty “The City of the New Orleans” – the Amtrak daily ride between Chicago and the Gulf Coast.\u00a0 Here’s Arlo Guthrie’s version.<\/p>\n

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