Adding extra dishes to my takeout orders is one way I like to meal plan. If I didn’t feel like cooking on Friday night, I sure won’t feel like cooking the next night. It’s great to have enough food for leftovers — if it’s tasty. I don’t want any leftover casserole or salad. No, I want some good leftovers.
Having ordered an abundant amount of takeout over the last year, I have become somewhat of a pro at realizing what extra entrees or sides make good leftovers. Spoiler: most fries are garbage when reheated, but who has extra fries at the end of a meal? Here are five dishes that are so good as leftovers that I always order extra whenever I’m getting food from these places.
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
Pulled Pork | Black Dog Smoke & Ale
You can buy pulled pork (and other meat) by the pound at Black Dog. A pound of pulled pork is $22.95, and it makes for a great leftover meal. Just dump the pork on a pan and toss in a 350 degree oven until it’s hot enough to enjoy. I love how tender and smoky the pork is from Black Dog — and that it’s pretty much just as good as leftovers as it is fresh. I like to just eat the pork with a little sauce, no sides or anything complicated. I’m partial to the hot Georgia peach for my pulled pork, but I wouldn’t say no to any of Black Dog’s sauces. This pulled pork would also be nice in a wrap, a sandwich, on a pizza, or tossed in with a salad or an omlette.
Enjoy your food at Black Dog’s Champaign location indoors, in their four season porch, on their outdoor patio, or order online for curbside pick up or delivery here. Just make sure you order an extra cup of sauce to go with your extra pork.
Black Dog Smoke & Ale
320 N Chesnut Ave
Champaign
Su-T 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
W-Sa 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
Llapingachos | El Paraiso
Llapingachos ($2), a little side from the Broadway Food Hall Latin American restaurant, is a favorite of mine to pick up — even if I’m getting lunch from another BFH restaurant. Llapingachos is an Ecuadorean dish made from potatoes stuffed with cheese and then fried on a griddle. El Paraiso’s cheesy potato pancake has a queso middle with a smooth mashed potato texture. It’s fantastic the day I buy my llapingachos, but I have learned that it heats up so well that I always get at least two. It makes for a great breakfast or snack the next day, without any of the cooking. Just pop it on tin foil in the toaster oven for about five minutes, and you’ve got yourself a cheesy potato treat that tastes freshly prepared.
You can order in advance for pick up or enjoy a meal at one of the many BFH tables and take an extra order of llapingachos to go. Check out our review of El Paraiso for more tips on what to order while you’re there.
El Paraiso
401 N Broadway
Urbana
T-Th 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
F 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. + 5 to 7 p.m.
Sa 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
Pizza | Manolo’s
This pizza is delicious hot from the oven at Manolo’s for carryout, delivered to my house, or made from frozen, but leftover pizza? It’s an essential item for any leftover list. I like the build-your-own pizza with pepperoni, garlic alfredo sauce, and seasoned breadcrumbs ($15.99). I love these seasoned bread crumbs so much because the salty and crunchy crumbs level up this pizza. Sure, you can eat it cold if you’re cool like that, but I’m not that cool; I prefer warm pizza, so I toss it in a skillet for a few minutes on medium heat with a sprinkle of water and the cover on top. When I hear the slices popping a little in the pan, I know it’s done. The thin crust crisps up the second time around, and the pepperoni and bread crumbs toppings plus Manolo’s minimal sauce on the pizza make for an easy reheat.
The next time you’re craving pizza, make sure you order extra. Put your Manolo’s order in here.
Manolo’s Pizza & Empanadas
1115 W Oregon St
Urbana
T-Th 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
F+Sa 11 a.m. 9 p.m.
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
Yellow Curry | Sticky Rice
This yellow curry ($11) from Sticky Rice is amazing when you order it, but it is also excellent when reheated. The options for protein for this yellow curry are chicken, beef, pork, tofu, shrimp, and duck. I chose chicken for mine. The yellow curry had a delicious coconut broth with a sweet yellow curry taste filled with thinly sliced chicken, diced potato, and ribbons of soft onion and a side of steamed white rice. I like to get it mild (3/10) because it still has a kick, but it’s not too spicy. The curry is enjoyable and hearty, and I have to have it every time I order Sticky Rice takeout. The portion is pretty large, so I eat some for dinner and then have some as leftovers the next day. You can microwave this for sure, but I don’t like to microwave chicken, so I microwave a bowl of rice, and I heat the curry in a pot on the stove until it comes to a simmer. Then, I pour it over the white rice and enjoy.
Sticky Rice is open for limited indoor dining in addition to takeout, so you can enjoy some Thai food however you like. Just be sure to order enough of this yellow curry to have some for leftovers. Place your order here.
Sticky Rice
415 N Neil St
Champaign
M 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
W-Sa 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Su noon to 8 p.m.
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
Yaki Udon | Sushi Kame
Chicken yaki udon is a favorite of mine. I can’t chop vegetables that thinly, and I definitely cannot make noodles at home with this developed a flavor like a restaurant chef can. Sushi Kame’s yaki udon can be made with chicken, beef, tofu, or just vegetables. I like the chicken version because those little pieces of poultry are so tasty. The veggies were solid, too. Sushi Kame’s chicken yaki udon has a big enough portion to enjoy with dinner and still have leftovers. When I am making it as leftovers, I heat it up in a skillet with a little splash of water. Stir occasionally so the soft noodles don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
There is no indoor dining at Sushi Kame’s location at this time, so place your order online for pick up here.
Sushi Kame
39 E Green St
Champaign
T-Sa noon to 3 p.m. + 5 to 11 p.m.
Su noon to 3 p.m. + 4 to 9 p.m.
Top image by Alyssa Buckley.
