Tell Me About Calamari.

As I was surfing the interwebz this afternoon, calamari came to my mind... on two separate occasions. 
First when I was on Tumblr and saw a picture of fried calamari with marinara,
and second when I saw something on my blog roll that looked a lot like calamari steak but wasn't.
I got squid on the mind!

So my question is, how difficult would it be for me to attain some good quality calamari
and to cook it in a delicious way? I live in Midwestern College Town, USA so there aren't
any local fish markets that I can swing by... so I am limited to the super market.
My personal preference is Kroger, but Jewel might be the better contender.
I would definitely have a better chance of finding some when I go home for Christmas Break.

I would like to use calamari steaks like this:

The best tasting squid steak I have ever had was at Kiku Japanese Steakhouse, just plain hibachi style.

I can only tell that they pre flour the steaks, and then cook them in oil and butter with salt and pepper.

So I'm assuming the amazing flavor comes from the type of oil they use.

I can't find any pictures of what it actually looks like after it is cooked, so I'll have to go sometime soon to take some photos :)

Do you guys know of any good recipes or other ways to cook calamari?

Merry Ann's

This weekend while 'vacationing' down in Normal, Connor, my boyfriend, and I
went out to get a late dinner at the diner under my apartment complex.

It is called Merry Ann's and is definitely going to be the go-to place for a late night snack
and the best hangover cure seeing that it is open 24 hours.

Here we are drinking our refreshing and extremely affordable smoothies. Mine: mango, his: strawberry.

The strawberry was really light and didn't taste like they added any sugary syrups, which was great.
And the mango, actually tasted like mango (and I know my mangos).
This place is definitely going to be the death of me, my weight, and my wallet.

Along with the smoothies, I ordered a grilled cheese, and Connor got a ham and cheese omelet.
Honestly, the BEST, most delicious, melt in your mouth, classic American grilled cheese you will ever eat.

I die for this sandwich.
I only hope that all of you are given the chance to eat something so life-altering. :)

The Rock Restaurant - Normal, Il

My First Gyro Experience!

This is a gyro topped with feta cheese from The Rock Restaurant in Normal, Il. 

I was kind of hesitant to go in there at first, because I have never had a gyro before. 

The meat freaks me out... I never really understood what it was. :) 

For some stupid reason I imagined the little speckles as dirt.

But, The Rock Restaurant proved me wrong! It was really good... the tzatziki sauce on top

was so refreshing and addicting. It wasn't greasy and didn't make me feel like garbage for eating it.

The only negative thing I could say about my meal is that it was way too much food for me.

But I do tend to have that 'bigger eyes than your stomach' syndrome...

This restaurant has definitely inspired me to be more adventurous in the Greek food world.

What are some good classic Greek dishes that I could make or possibly order at a restaurant?