O'Charley's Offers Comfort Food in Champaign, Illinois

Wet and hungry, we sloshed across the parking lot into the O'Charley's restaurant of Champaign, Illinois. On this stormy summer's day, we were simply looking for a quick bite to eat that wouldn't cost a fortune. What we found was a warm and inviting atmosphere, pleasant greeters and servers, and some of the best comfort food we had eaten in a long time.

O'Charley's is a casual family dining restaurant with more than 200 locations throughout the U.S. Midwest and Eastern states. Famous for their super-soft yeast rolls, O'Charley's offers a broad menu including many foods most diners would consider comfort foods.

On our soggy visit to the Champaign, Illinois O'Charley's we were warmly welcomed at the front door and immediately seated by a friendly host. In moments, our table was visited by a smiling server. It felt relaxing after a hectic morning. Drink orders were taken and the menu was studied. There are several items that tempted us, but we wanted a meal that would be familiar, soothing and not pricey.

Many restaurants now offer a soup and salad combination at lunchtime but O'Charley's offers it with their Overloaded Baked Potato Soup. Their potato soup is the ultimate in comfort food. Creamy potato soup is a regular meal in our home and nothing lifts the spirit and warms the body that a creamy bowl of soup.

The Overloaded Baked Potato Soup was served in a bowl, not a cup. It was piping hot, garnished with crispy hickory smoked bacon pieces, and shredded cheese. The body of the soup was thick but creamy smooth in texture. The cheeses were perfectly blended with the cream base to create a smoky but mild potato flavor. Within the soup, there were several wedges of perfectly cooked potatoes. Each piece was a bit big for the spoon but when divided fit perfectly with a mouthful of the soup.

Pairing the decadent potato soup with a fresh, crunchy salad is genius. Being able to munch on the cool, crispy salad after a few bites of soup allows the diner not to get overwhelmed by the richness of the soup. O'Charley's house salad is filled with crisp greens, sliced tomatoes, onions, cucumbers. It is garnished with freshly shredded cheese and crunchy croutons.

Their list of salad dressings is large. Choices include ranch, vinaigrette and bleu cheese but when our server offered the cranberry orange vinaigrette, we knew we had to try it. The cranberry orange vinaigrette dressing is tart with a hint of sweet and citrus. It is slightly thicker than traditional raspberry vinaigrette and clings tastily to each salad component.

O'Charley's is famous for their complimentary basket of hot, buttery yeast rolls. Super-soft, the yeast rolls taste amazing on their own, never needing the creamy butter served at their side. Breaking off a piece to dunk in the potato soup is a great way to blend flavors and textures. Our server was quick to refill our roll basket as soon as it was emptied.

For under $8 a person, the O'Charley's soup and salad combination is not only the perfect comfort food but a great deal. This lunchtime treat was made even more economical for two hunger diners as it is offered with bottomless refills for both soup and salad. We took advantage of the deal and enjoyed a second bowl of the Overloaded Baked Potato Soup.

It does not need to be a stormy day to seek refuge in the cheerful atmosphere of O'Charley's. Their comfort food is good rain or shine. For diners looking for even more comfort food from this restaurant, choices can range from steak and baked potatoes, pasta smothered in rich marinara and cheeses, buttermilk breaded fried chicken, beer-battered onion rings, and even smashed potatoes. It's all good. It's all comforting.

If you're in the Midwest, especially Champaign, Illinois, or in the Eastern United States, skip the trendy cafe and pop into an O'Charley's to enjoy a plate of comfort food.