Oh, Illium

Average Joe has been more or less out of commission for a few weeks, battling a cold that is oh-so-cold in its ability to stick around.

What better way to banish the sickness than a hot, satisfying breakfast? That was the idea for hitting up Illium Cafe, in Monument Square in Troy, but when this Joe awoke from a deep coma and rolled over to look at the alarm clock, thoughts of home fries and omelets were banished.

Luckily, Illium serves up a great lunch menu in addition to its breakfast fare. Instead of selecting a hearty sandwich, I chose a pear salad for this trip ($9.25). This turned out to be a great decision. Candied macadamia nuts were a great compliment to Roquefort cheese, the name of which made me feel contentedly classy.

My companion chose a quesadilla that was loaded with scallops, roasted red peppers and more fancy cheese ($11.50). I lied about feeling much better as I stabbed a chunk with my fork, and the result was good enough to make me feel guilty about playing the role of Patient Zero on our lunch date.

Illium serves up creative foods made with great ingredients, at a price that satisfies as much as the eats. They're closed down for the holidays, but will open back up January 2.