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• buzz sits down with La Gourmandise’s Pete Schnabel

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Pete Schnabel of La Gourmandise. Photo by James Kyung (James Kyung, buzz Photographer)

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La Gourmandise Bistro on Main »
Address: 119 W. Main St Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217) 328-4405
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La Gourmandise may sound like a fancy — and pricey — spot, but don’t let the name fool you. With earth-toned walls, brightly colored paintings and a café-style dining area, La Gourmandise offers more informal European cuisine, specializing in German dinners. buzz talked to owner and head chef Pete Schnabel to find out more about the eclectic bistro.

buzz: Why the name “La Gourmandise”?

Pete Schnable: La Gourmandise was just a name we thought up. Of course, it doesn’t match exactly the German food we cook. La gourmandise actually relates to pleasure eating, the act of feasting.

buzz: How did you start cooking German cuisine?

PS: German food comes from my mother. We’ve got a German restaurant in Gibson City that my parents and I opened back in ’91. It was kind of what we knew how to do — we’re from Germany.

buzz: How does German cuisine differ from other food?

PS: It’s just a variation of hearty, home-cooked foods: meat and potatoes, basically. We do things a little bit unique like cooked red cabbage, or things like sauerkraut. It’s very hearty, farm-grown food.

buzz: Is there a market for that here in Urbana?

PS: We’ve been doing it in Gibson City for nearly 20 years, and Gibson City is halfway between Bloomington and Champaign, so those are the two markets that we draw from up there. There are a lot of German folks in the area and a lot of international students that go to the U of I. So yeah, there is quite a bit of interest in that kind of food here.

buzz: What is the specialty of the menu?

PS: We’ve got a sampler platter that we sell — just a huge plate with sausage, breaded pork, roasted pork loin, really hearty brown sauce, and then red cabbage and sauerkraut, and then maybe a starch, potatoes or noodles. That’s become a very popular dish.