The wife and I like to dine at out-of-the-way places on occasion. Today we decided to go to the Opera House Bistro in Red Bud, Illinois, USA.

I guess that the restaurant is not out-of-the-way since it's on the main square in a town of 3,000. It is right beside Red Bud's only traffic light -- a 4-way stop.

We have lived in this area for a few years, but today's stop at the Opera House was our first.

Upon entering the establishment we saw a long, antique wooden bar with a few tables on the side. 

We were taken to a table in a larger room and seated next to a window with a view of the street and outside dining area. There was an antique wood stove next to our table that appeared to be serviceable but unused.

Christmas music was playing in the background. A few old pictures of vintage '20s era vehicles adorned the walls.

Being a Sunday afternoon, there were few patrons in the establishment. These patrons were finely dressed as if they had just left some church service.

The chatter was low and indistinct.

I didn't catch the name of our server, but she was charming and personable. She told us of the day's specials, took our drink orders and left to give us a moment to decide what we would like to try.

We placed our order and the server brought us warm bread while we were waiting.

Our appetizer was crab cakes drizzled with some thin gravy and a spicy corn relish. This was an exquisite selection on the part of my wife.

Our entrees arrived shortly thereafter. She had shrimp scampi with tempura mushrooms and slightly sauted green beans. I had a chicken Parmesan with loaded baked potato and green beans.

My wife was raving about the shrimp so I have to assume that they were good. She was also very impressed with the mushrooms.

My chicken was terrific. The flesh was tender enough to use only a fork for cutting. The breading and red sauce were outstanding. The whole affair was baked to perfection. The potato had just enough bacon, chives and cheese. The beans were still a little crunchy.

Dessert came with the meal. She got a chocolate creme pie. I got a chocolate raspberry cake. We decided to take these with us. We've not tried them yet but reckon that they will be exceptional.

If you ever find yourself in Red Bud, treat yourself to some fine dining. But don't go on a Monday -- they're closed and you'll be left standing on the street.