At 2 p.m. Fridays, our Kathy Reiser answers restaurant questions. Put her to the test by clicking here or email kreiser@news-gazette.com.
Grabbing a bite with Joey Wright
Each week, we chop it up with the folks responsible for dishing up food around the area. What restaurant should we try next? Let Joey Wright know at jwright@news-gazette.com.
Roch’s Place in St. Joseph has been serving American fare for over a decade.
And, for the past 17 months, it’s been accompanied by Little Roch’s in nearby Royal.
“My oldest son (Roche Cain Jr.) passed away in a car accident 11 years ago,” owner Roche Cain said. “Him and I used to play a lot of softball out there. They call me Roch, and they called him Little Roch. So we made it Little Roch’s in Royal.”
Little Roch’s is a sports bar, as Cain describes it, with salads, burgers and wraps among its menu items. It also has 10 televisions, which have made it a popular stop for Illinois games throughout the fall and winter.
And an eager — and familiar — clientele has helped make it a success in a town of roughly 400 residents.
“Some bounce back and forth (between the locations),” Roche said. “It’s turned out great. Our food will bring people from farther away … I couldn’t be more proud.”
Roche credits the help his staff — including his family — with the success of the new restaurant since its opening.
“We just have a great staff that really care,” Cain said. “And know what our business is and what we’re trying to accomplish. We’ve been very lucky.”
As for Cain’s favorite menu items?
“Our burgers have been our staple,” he said. “We have our Frisco melt, which is very popular … it’s hard to pin anything down, because we’ve just got such a good variety of Philly cheesesteaks, wraps and salads. “It’s just great bar food.”