A couple weeks ago the Dadio slipped south of the Wisconsin territory to Rockford, Illinois. When heading off the Tollway to head into downtown Rockford on the Highway 20 main drag, one of the first places you will pass by is
The Thunderbay Grille. If a place with a name like Thunder Bay does not have fish, I will eat my Geo Metro.
The place is a hugh lodge construct. The inside boasts open spaces and wood lodge-esque decor. The bar itself is actually not too long, but it is just off the large entrance foyer. The bar top is actually large enough to eat at. For a large place it is rather cozy. I sat at the bar. The bartender took my order and took good care of me.
Although they have a ton of fish options all the time, I went for the Friday fish offering. It came with four hunks of dark crispy-breaded Cod. The inside of the chunks of fish flaked like good Cod should. I ordered my fish dinner with homemade mashed potatoes. They were lightly sprinkled with parsley. They were damn good.
Warm biscuits came prior to the meal. The biscuits come with a dark cinnamon honey butter. A dish of crispy cole slaw will accompany your meal, and of course it comes with some thoughtfully prepared tartar sauce.
Thunder Bay Grille is cool with Cool Dadio. They pass the Wisconsin fish fry muster with flying colors.
Find them at 7652 Potawatomi Trail just off Highway 20 near the Tollway. Call (815) 397 - 4800 for more information; or, check out their Web site at
www.thunderbaygrille.com .
Wisconsin Military Service Person Special Mention of the Week
(each week Cooldadiomedia mentions a Wisconsin service person killed in Iraq or Afghanistan)
Marine Captain Kevin Michael Kryst, 27, West Bend, Wisconsin, died Monday, December 18, 2006 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Light-Attack Helicopter Squadron 267, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force out of Camp Pendleton, California. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted Captain Kryst was a helicopter pilot and was on his second deployment to Iraq. Kryst was the eldest son of Elizabeth and Glenn Kryst. The most recent deployment to Iraq began in early December of 2006. He was killed at the Marine Corps' Camp Korean Village, in the desert of Anbar province west of Baghdad. That area near the border of Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia has been known as one of the deadliest regions in the Iraq war. Kryst's unit mission was to secure major highways in the province. Kryst's younger brother, Dan, was a member of the Marine Reserves and has also served a tour of duty in Iraq in 2004. Kevin had become engaged while home before the deployment. The Journal Sentinel went on to say Kryst graduated from West Bend West High School in 1997. He played French horn in a school ensemble. Kevin was on the Spartans' swim team and was known as being an excellent student and graduated with a high grade point average. Captain Kryst was the second West Bend West graduate to die in Iraq. Marine Lance Corporal Travis Wichlacz a 2002 graduate was killed in February 2005 in Babil province. The paper went on to say Kryst enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison after high school and attended Marine Officer Candidates School during summers. Kevin Kryst attained commission as an officer when he graduated from UW-Madison in 2001. He flew Cobra helicopters in Iraq. A biography via www.arlingtoncemetery.net/kmkryst.htm notes Captain Kryst was the oldest of six children. He has four younger brothers and a younger sister. At the time of his death, he was survived by his parents, Glenn and Elizabeth of West Bend; his fiancee, Sara of West Bend; brother Bradley of Mesa, Arizona; brother Daniel of Stevens Point, Wisconsin; brothers Justin and Timothy of West Bend; and, sister Jennifer of West Bend. He was further survived by his maternal grandparents, Sy and Betty Dziak of Illinois; and, paternal grandparents, Clifford and Rita Kryst of Michigan. Captain Kryst was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery on 5 July 2007. The Wisconsin Legislature honored Captain Kryst with 2007 Assembly Joint Resolution 53. Captain Kevin Kryst was the 65th Wisconsin military service person to be killed in Iraq since the spring of 2003.
As of this blog entry's posting date:
97,994 Iraqi civilians have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
9,714 Iraqi Security Forces have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
4,425 Americans have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
1300 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
318 Coalition soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
799 Coalition soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
31,951 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
8,041 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
102 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
22 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
142 journalists (several nationalities) have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
21 journalists (various nationalities) have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
Wisconsin military service person special mention of the week, military casualty, and journalist casualty information sources: Committee to Protect Journalists; cnn.com; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; washingtonpost.com; thehighground.org; Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs; iraqbodycount.org; www.defense.gov/news/casualty.pdf; and, icasualties.org.
