BEST BURGER
Krekel’s Custard and Hamburgers 2121 North Grand Ave., 525-4592. We all know there are tons of places in Springfield where one can get a good burger, but as in years past, voters say that Krekel’s Custard and Hamburgers serves the best burgers in town. Krekel’s burgers are unique in that they are cooked on a sizzling flat top grill until the edges are crispy, then served on a toasted bun. Since the burgers, made to order with fresh ground beef, are a bit thin, we recommend a double, or perhaps a triple burger. Just as tasty as the burgers are the prices, which begin at $1.65 for a single to $3.95 for a triple cheeseburger.
BEST MEXICAN FOOD • BEST MARGARITA
Xochimilco 2941 W. Iles Ave., 546-3116 210 Northfield Dr., 544-9206 6901 Preston Dr., 483-1066 This is getting old. Year after year, the Mexican restaurant with the unpronounceable name (so-she-milco) wins, usually in more than one category. This time around, it was no contest. Xochimilco won best Mexican food and best margarita by nearly two-to-one over runner-up La Fiesta, which placed second in both categories. One sip of a Xochimilco margarita and you’ll know why. The blended version is incredibly smooth, mixed to the point where the ice becomes one with the liquor, with no chunks or even granular bits of frozen water. Neither too sweet nor too sour, these margaritas are just right, with the slightest aftertaste of smoke – the perfect counterweight to a hot, humid summer day. The food is equally terrific. For those who have a tough time deciding, try the fiesta fajitas that feature steak, chicken, shrimp, chorizo and mushrooms. Good as they are, you’ll be bringing leftovers home unless you have help or a humongous appetite. Runner-up: La Fiesta
BEST CUPCAKES
Café Moxo (pictured above) 411 East Adams St., 788-8084. We are astonished at the number of nominees for best cupcake – more than two dozen. With so many making the list, we’d love to try a cupcake or two from each of the nominees, but neither wallet nor waistline can afford it. So, we decided to give the first and second place winners a try. First up, Café Moxo – this year’s winner. As we entered the café, we were excited to see the list of approximately 25 cupcake flavors, including root beer float, peppermint swirl, chocolate malt, key lime, red velvet, strawberry shortcake, furry friends, I do, and pucker up. Of these, we soon learned, only about five different cupcakes are made daily. (Beyond the “daily special,” the café needs a 48-hour advanced notice.)
Disappointment quickly turned to jubilance once we tasted the s’mores cupcake, a chocolate cake smothered with marshmallow buttercream and topped with graham cracker and chocolate. We quickly gobbled it down and decided to try another. How can we properly assess the cupcakes by just trying one? So, we opted for the Hostess with the Mostest, a chocolate cupcake filled with marshmellow buttercream and topped with chocolate. It was just as delicious. Other popular flavors include the PB & J (white cake filled with raspberry jam and topped with peanut buttercream and jam) and caramel apple (apple flavored cake topped with buttercream and drizzled with Ghiradelli caramel).
On to the second place winner – Mrs. Kiddy’s Cakes, which has 35 flavors. We’ve gone to Mrs. Kiddy’s cupcakes more than a dozen times since the doors opened a couple of years ago. But in the interest of our survey, we decided to pay them another visit. This time, we sampled the cotton candy cupcake. Though we enjoyed it, Mrs. Kiddy’s red velvet, carrot, and lemon cupcakes are still our favorites. Although we didn’t get a chance to try them, voters say that Specialty Cakes, who earned the third place honors, is also worth a try. Runner-up: Mrs. Kiddy’s Cakes (pictured below)
