Good to Go

The novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, changed the world we live in on a dime. When it came to eating out and supporting our favorite local restaurants, the mode went from dining in to carry-out and delivery. During the stay-at-home restrictions, we ordered take out from six local restaurants. Some spots were known favorites while others were new; regardless, we were eager to dig in and try. Get a taste of our take-out before placing your own orders!

 Wasabi Express  
Phone/Website: 812-602-3737 or 812-602-3738, wasabi-evansville.com
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday,
11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, and
noon-8:30 p.m. Sunday
Location: 1122 Hirschland Road
What I ordered: Fried shrimp roll, Ninki roll, pork egg rolls, and chicken fried rice
I have been a fan of the Owensboro, Kentucky, locations of Wasabi Express for many years and was more than excited to have a location in Evansville. I loaded up with two sushi rolls, chicken fried rice, and pork egg rolls. The Ninki roll — six pieces of soft-shell crab, spicy crab, and avocado topped with spicy tuna — was by far the favorite of my order. And the fried rice was so large, I had plenty for two more meals.
Ordering over the phone was simple, though it took calling twice to get my order in. My food was ready in 20 minutes, and pick-up was great through the restaurant’s drive-thru window. Everything was still fresh and hot when I got home to dig in. — Trista Lutgring

 Spankey’s Una Pizza  
Phone/Website: 812-402-6776, spankeysunapizza.com
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Location: 4404 W. Lloyd Expressway
What I ordered: The strom pizza and Spankey’s cheese bread
Sometimes the best meals are something fast and familiar, and delivery pizza fulfills both of those categories and more, especially when it’s mouthwatering thin-crust, una-style pizzas from Spankey’s Una Pizza perfect for an at-home pizza party.
We debated between ordering strombolis and pizza, so we compromised with the restaurant’s strom pizza, topped with mozzarella, crumbled sausage, red onion, and banana pepper, for a delicious take on a classic comfort sandwich. And because that wasn’t enough carbs, we also added an order of Spankey’s fresh-rolled cheese bread piled with mozzarella and garlic butter that added an amazingly cheesy companion to a simple and flavorful pie. — Elisa Gross

 Los Alfaro’s Restaurant
Phone/Website: 812-550-1186,
losalfaros.com
Hours: 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday
Location: 1021 S. Weinbach Ave.
What I ordered: The sample platter and a Venezuelan arepa
Just because people are eating at home more with the current COVID-19 restrictions doesn’t mean you have to give up trying new foods. Los Alfaro’s is a great option to have food delivered straight to your door that will expand your palate through dishes from all over Latin America, like Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru, and El Salvador.
I wanted to try everything on the menu, so I ordered a sample platter to get a taste of a Salvadoran pork tamal, Salvadoran steak, fried yucca, artisan chorizo, rice and beans, sweet plantains, and a Salvadoran pupusa (a starchy, pancake-like dish made from corn and filled with cheese, pork, and refried beans), simple ingredients but all with an amazing flavor. I also tried a Venezuelan arepa, another starchy dish similar to a pupusa, that was sliced in half and filled with pork, lettuce, tomato, and cheese. — Elisa Gross

 DiLegge’s  
Phone/Website:
812-428-3004, dilegges.com
Hours: 4-7 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and
4-8 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Location: 607 N. Main St.
What I ordered: Bruschetta and pesto sauce with angel hair pasta
A nice pasta dish sounded like the perfect way to wind down a Friday night, so for dinner I called up DiLegge’s on Main Street. A friendly waitress took my order quickly and said it would be ready in 20 minutes. Upon my arrival at the restaurant, I simply called in and my food was brought out and passed on.
The pesto sauce on a bed of angel hair pasta was light and hit the spot, with a great flavor of fresh basil, olive oil, and pine nuts. I also was very happy with the bruschetta. This commonly known appetizer takes on a tasty form at DiLegge’s — baked bread topped with olive oil, marinara, and provolone cheese. The bread was perfectly crispy and the marinara sauce was delicious with the melted provolone. Definitely a new favorite of mine to try again! — Trista Lutgring

 Amy’s on Franklin
Phone/Website: 812-401-2332, amysonfranklin.com
Hours: 4-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and
9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday
Location: 1418 W. Franklin St.
What I ordered: The Bad Randy burger with a side of pork belly mac and cheese
It’s finally grilling season, but it would be a challenge to make a burger at home that could rival the elevated Bad Randy burger at Amy’s on Franklin. With mustard-griddled patties, muenster cheese, caramelized French onion jam, Russian dressing, tomato, pickle, and shredded lettuce, this burger packs a flavorful punch. Add some pork belly mac and cheese, and you have a delicious and decadent meal.
I ordered my food online for a weeknight carry-out dinner. I simply called the restaurant when I arrived, and someone brought my order straight to the car — easier than firing up the grill and definitely faster to clean up once the food is inevitably gone. — Elisa Gross

 Hilltop Inn
Phone/Website: 812-303-3732, hilltopinnevv.com
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and
11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Location: 1100 Harmony Way
What I ordered: Quarter fried chicken with mashed potatoes and corn
There’s just something about crispy fried chicken, and Hilltop’s was worth the drive to the West Side. During the stay-at-home order, Hilltop opened for pick-up orders on Fridays and Saturdays, offering specials as well as their normal fare.
Customers can call in orders or download the Toast TakeOut app to order online. It was easy to put in my request on the app — choosing from the options of chicken pieces and sides was simple. Thirty minutes later, I pulled into the parking lot, gave the restaurant a call, and met an employee on the front patio to grab my food.
Back on the East Side, my lunch was still warm and crispy — no soggy breaded chicken to be found. The mashed potatoes and corn were just as tasty as the crunch of the fried chicken breast and leg I devoured. — Trista Lutgring

Previous article
Next article

Related Articles

Latest Articles