Generous portions of quality food at reasonable prices. That's what Mike Gotsis is serving up at his London Broil restaurant at 1158 Prairie Drive.

Gotsis, who opened the establishment in March in the building formerly occupied by the Country Kitchen, takes pride in pleasing his customers. And those we talked with were very appreciative not only of the care taken in preparing their food, but the friendly atmosphere and attentive service at London Broil.

"I've been here several times, for lunch and dinner and everything has been very good," said Bev Zurawski, a local diner who was lunching with several friends. One of her favorite selections so far is the restaurant's signature dish - the London Broil marinated steak. She ordered the ladies cut version and still had enough to take home for a couple more meals.

"You get as much at lunch time as you do at dinner," Zurawski said. "And even the green beans are really good."

"No one goes away hungry from here," said Gotsis.

At the same time, London Broil offers options for the smaller appetite, such as its 99-cent pie and cake dessert specials. Zurawski and friends said they enjoy being able to each order a smaller dessert, rather than always having to split a larger treat. The 99-cent slices are the right size when you want just a little something sweet, they said.

Larger servings of cakes and pies are also available ($2.99 each), as well as traditional ice cream selections including milk shakes and banana splits. For the hungriest sweet tooths, there's the London Tower - a fudge brownie topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, chopped nuts and a cherry ($4.99).

Ah, but we are getting ahead of ourselves. There are a lot of other dishes to consider on London Broil's menu before dessert.

The real thing

Like many diners, this restaurant serves breakfast all day with traditional egg offerings, as well as skillets and a wide range of omelettes. There are also several varieties of French toast (including cream cheese) and pancake options such as cinnamon, pecan and chocolate chip.

Some of the more unusual items on the breakfast menu are the London Omelette - a combination of country ham, steamed spinach and feta cheese topped with Hollandaise sauce - and the Italian Skillet, which features grilled onions, green peppers, Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese.

The steak and eggs - which comes with London broil grilled to order - made a nice lunch entree for Maurcine Redmond, who came to Racine from Milwaukee to dine with her mother, Arzenia McCoy.

McCoy said she enjoyed her cream of spinach soup, and both women said they not only appreciate the nice selection of food at London Broil, but the courteous staff and the restaurant's cleanliness.

"It is a nice, cozy restaurant," Redmond said.

Gotsis, who spent seven weeks completely renovating the property before opening London Broil, says he insists on cleanliness.

Another of the keys to keeping his customers happy is his use of all fresh foods, said Gotsis, who has operated other restaurants in Indiana and Illinois before coming to Racine.

"Nothing here is frozen."

All of London Broil's soups are made on the premises, as are the dinner rolls. And only the best, bone-in ham, for instance, is used in dishes such as omelettes and ham an eggs.

Such attention to quality, as well as the good service he's experienced, are what keeps Malcolm Johns coming back to London Broil for lunch and dinner. Johns, who lives in Illinois and works for Case New Holland, said one of his favorite things to order is the turkey club sandwich, which is made with real, roast turkey.

"That makes a big difference," he said.

Johns has also been pleased with the Baby Beef Liver and Onions dinner, and says that he is gradually converting his office mates to dining at London Broil.

"I'm always amazed that it isn't more crowded than it is," he said. "It is a good value."

Lots of choices

London Broil's lunch menu features a wide range of sandwiches, including seven different wraps, a variety of melts, burgers and croissant options. There are also a dozen salad choices and - for the heartier appetite - "Manhattans." These hot, open faced sandwiches include a generous portion of turkey, roast beef or chopped steak; real mashed potatoes and gravy; and are served with choice of soup or salad. All for $6.99.

Dinners - all of which are served with soup, salad, vegetable, choice of potato or rice and hot rolls - include Greek style pork chops, barbecued ribs, fried perch, and several selections of grilled chicken breasts including lemon pepper and Cajun, as well as London Broil.

There are also several pasta offerings, of which Gotsis' favorite is the Seafood Fettuccine Alfredo: shrimp, crab meat and scallops with creamy Alfredo sauce.

Gotsis also offers daily specials and - for those who want a glass of wine or a bottle of beer with their meal - there are $1.99 wine and beer specials.

"We have everything you want," Gotsis said.