J&T’s Caliber aims to please with steaks, seafood and more

Tracy Starkweather and Julie Lamb want folks to know their restaurant, J&T’s Caliber remains open — and is thriving.

“Most of our business is local,” said Julie, the “J” in J&T’s, which opened in May 2014 and serves lunch, dinner and a Sunday buffet. The restaurant is located in the state-run World Shooting & Recreation Complex in Sparta. When the shooting complex shut down indefinitely Oct. 1 due to ongoing state budget battles, word went out that the restaurant was closed, too.

Not so. “We want to be here for the local people,” said Julie, who is originally from Highland. “Shooters are not our main focus,” though she and Tracy hope the complex eventually reopens.

Drawing diners from Pinckneyville to Steeleville to Belleville and in between, the restaurant and bar offer a casual atmosphere Wednesday through Sunday with a view of the countryside and Shotgun Lake from floor-to-ceiling windows that curve around an outdoor covered patio.

Tracy, 40, the “T” in J&T’s, and Julie, 29, painted, decorated and generally gave what had been a stark interior warmth and a comfortable atmosphere. The pair even tore apart wood pallets, sanded and painted the boards, then paneled the bar and created a decorative wall with them “to bring the outside inside,” Julie explained. “We didn’t want people to come, eat and leave.”

Plus, there’s room for private parties, class reunions, banquets and weddings.

Previously, Tracy, who has 25 years of experience in restaurants, managed a Pinckneyville restaurant where Julie worked as assistant manager. The director of the shooting complex was a regular customer. He liked what they had done with the menu and decor and asked them to consider setting up a restaurant inside the complex, Julie said.

“He asked us to come here and give it a go,” she said. And they did.

Nearly everything is made from scratch at J&T’s. Steaks are hand-cut, seasoned with a special rub and broiled. Special requests are always considered.

Fried Brussels Sprouts are a favorite side, while Bacon Meatloaf ($11.99 with side and salad) is always popular. It’s ground bacon and ground chuck combined with just the right amount of seasoning, wrapped in bacon strips and slow-baked to keep it juicy.

Daily specials run the gamut from crab legs on Wednesdays ($16.99) to prime rib ($14.99/8-ounce; $17.99/12-ounce; $20.99/16-ounce) on Saturdays. On the regular menu also are filet mignon ($19.99) and New York strip steak ($14.99). Other seafood items include ahi tuna steak, shrimp and fish tacos. The all-day, all-you-can-eat brunch buffet on Sunday is $12.99.

All six of the sandwich choices are served with homestyle fries. The half-pound charbroiled Caliber Burger ($8.49), is served with herb mayonnaise, lettuce, onion and pickle, then topped with provolone, bacon and a fried basil tomato.

Pick from five salads, including the Bleu Steak Salad ($8.99), a fresh lettuce mix with tomato, red onion, bleu cheese and bacon topped with strips of tender grilled steak and served with Bacon-Bleu dressing.

Even among the five starters, the fried mozzarella ($7.49) is no ordinary cheese stick. Fresh cut mozzarella is hand-breaded and seasoned with basil.

This story was originally published December 11, 2015 at 2:35 AM with the headline "J&T’s Caliber aims to please with steaks, seafood and more."