D'Arcy's Pint in Springfield

I got to spend a fun mother and son day in Springfield last month. My middle son is a history nut like his mom and when I mentioned that the Gettysburg Address would be on display at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum for just a few days, I was surprised when he actually seemed interested in doing a day trip.

So, the day before Thanksgiving we made the three-hour drive to visit the museum and see this rare document that spends most of its time in a dark storage. We also visited the Illinois State Military Museum and Lincoln's Home before having dinner on our way out of town. I have such a hard time visiting Springfield without having a horseshoe at a local eatery. If you've never had one, it's an open-faced sandwich with Texas toast on the bottom then a hamburger patty or other meat (like chicken, ham or pork) with a pile of French fries over it and then it's covered in a creamy cheese sauce. It's one of those things that is so good you just ignore the calories and savor each delicious bite.

I've had horseshoes at several different places after first being introduced to the regional specialty by my cousin, Cindy. She lives in nearby Virden and made one for me at home probably 15 years ago when we were visiting her on a trip down to the state fair. I loved it and now order one any chance I can. I've made them at home on occasion, too, but never have gotten the cheese sauce quite to my liking. Probably my favorite place for a horseshoe is D'Arcy's Pint, a quaint Irish pub. So, my son and I made a stop there so I could fill up on a horseshoe for the road. The place was pretty busy on that Blackout Wednesday, but we were served very quickly. It was a fun day for the two of us to take in some history and end it with one of my favorite regional dishes.

D'Arcy's Pint

661 W. Stanford

Springfield, IL

(217) 492-8800

darcyspintonline.com