New in 2001. However, Timothy's Restaurant at the Gordon Beach Inn is in a building that opened in 1924. Very cool atmosphere in this old fashioned inn. Tim Sizer is a well trained and well traveled chef that has a unique philosophy to cooking which combines contrasting features of color, texture and flavors to make your meal an experience. He was runner up in Best Chef America. I started with the homemade clam chowder which was excellent. They are also known for their fire roasted tomato bisque. They have appetizers like crab cakes, calamari and bang bang shrimp as well. My entrée choice was fish which was a horse radish crusted Michigan whitefish with balsamic glaze and lemon aoli. My wife had the salmon with an Asian sesame sauce. My friend had the walleye with strawberries and a sauce I can't recall. This really is unlike any other fish place I have been. Not that fish is all they do. Also, try the ribs, lamb, duck, steaks, chicken or pasta dishes. All are served uniquely in Tim Sizer style. Other fish offerings include scallops, sea bass or grouper(coconut macadamia nut crusted)! I will try the grouper next time. They have sandwiches, salads and a full bar with a decent wine list. All desserts are made in house. Special 10 entrée's for $10 are offered in the off season so...no reason not to make the trip. The hours are limited off season so be sure to check the guide for more details.

I had heard the Tapas place in Benton Harbor had closed and a new, very good restaurant had opened in the same space. Near the Pipestone Mall is Cravings Bistro and Pub which opened in 2012. This place is a little hard to describe so here goes...casual, steak and seafood with a Cuban emphasis. Very unique menu with appetizers such as plantain chips & salsa or jumbo blue crab & corn cakes. One of their salads features goat cheese. I started my meal with their signature lobster bisque made with real crab and a touch of sherry. Excellent! Main dishes include lime cilantro chicken breast, guava BBQ chicken, plantain encrusted salmon or try the 20oz porterhouse. For pasta lovers how about portabella mushroom ravioli or Thai shrimp penne. I went for the house paella with pulled pork, sausage, saffron rice and ficama which they kicked up to extra spicy per my request. Also excellent! They have seafood or vegetarian paella as well. Sides include South American green rice, fried sweet plantains or mac & cheese. They are open for lunch with burgers like the South American burger using a  mix of chorizo and beef or other sandwiches like pulled pork or their Cuban. Kids menu, full bar and live entertainment on Thursdays make this a happening place. These people love food and love sharing it with you. Check out the guide for more details.

This place has caught on quickly and is well deserving of the great reviews. The Four Roses Café in Plainwell is locally owned and operated by people with great pride in what they offer. Steaks and fish dominate the menu, however they are changed frequently on a paper and chalkboard menu. Very creative offerings like whitefish Grenoble, maple mustard ribs or Guinness beef. They do offer chicken or pork options as well, all of which are very unique. The appetizer list is long and features things like calamari. One of the most impressive things to me was the approximately 20 desserts offered. They actually have a pastry chef. I have not seen a dessert list like this since R. Stanley closed in Kalamazoo. Try the sticky toffee pudding. They have sandwiches and are open for lunch. Full bar and nice wine list as well as a nice selection of craft beers. I was able to get plead the fifth from Darkhorse Brewery here. Look for their frequent menu changes on their facebook page. Be prepared to wait for a seat, this place is popular. Check out the guide for more details.

Fall is nice time to dine near the lakeshore!

This place is very cool! Check out Frankie's Place in Union Pier for fine but not pretentious dining. The fall season shrinks the lake crowd unless the winery visitors form a crowd. Do you like Frank Sinatra music playing while enjoying excellent food? Ever had a grilled cheese and chef prepared tomato soup for an appetizer? Best with a martini and a swagger. This place has lobster cake or ahi tuna appetizers, great soups, nice salads and top shelf entrees. Some nice touches are the "lighter fare" and the "prix fixe" menus. Also, try the aged delmonico steak, the brie & pear pork chops or the New Zealand rack of lamb. Nice desserts and a full bar. Live entertainment on Saturdays. Check out the guide for more details.

New Spanish restaurant in Marshall

This place is right on the main drag in an old building with a high tin ceiling and brick walls. The unique Zarzuela Spanish Restaurant in Marshall will provide a special dining experience to those willing to try something new. Several sandwich, soup and salads for lunch using Spanish recipes and real Spanish ingredients. I had a serrano ham sandwich with 12 month aged manchego sheeps milk cheese. The dinner menu is larger with paella specials nightly. They also have some nice pastas like espagheti carbonara or pasta con gambas. Try the Spanish olives, almonds, cheeses and cured meats. If you like squid or gazpacho sevillano soup...they have it. The liquor license is on its way. Desserts are house made, as are many of their unique offerings. Check out the guide for more details.

New addition in Fennville

I have heard many good things about this Fennville eatery and finally tried Salt of the Earth after picking apples at Crane's Orchards. It is everything I have heard. They bake their own breads and pastries. They source their products locally. From meats, produce and fruits to local cheeses and gelato. Most everything is made in house or from local providers in the area. They have buttermilk bleu cheese, pecorino romano, aged white cheddar, chevre, feta, provolone, fresh mozzarella and other goat cheese all from local Michigan producers! Most rave about the brussel sprouts, pork belly and pierogie appetizers. The grilled cheese is very special. Try the grilled hangar steak, char grilled ribeye, braised pork shoulder or wood oven bone-in salmon. Speaking of wood ovens be sure to try the wood fired gourmet pizzas. Yes they have pastas and chicken dishes as well. Good salads and soups. Fenn Valley Wines (Fennville). Don't miss Palazzolo's(Fennville) gelatos for dessert. The coffee shop cafe and bakery open at 7am. Try the cinnamon roll! My wife and I split 1/2 piece and took the other 1/2 home. Brunch on weekends with fresh squeezed juices. Full bar. This is a great restaurant and worth the drive! Check the guide for details.

New European Cuisine place added

This new place is so popular that I feel I am late to the party. Downtown Kalamazoo is the host for Rustica described as Rustic-European-Cuisine. What a nice addition to the local dining scene. The restaurant is small and it is hard to get a table, so we used the call ahead program since they do not take reservations. This is what a great downtown restaurant should be. Open kitchen, fresh local ingredients, great service and unique selections. The menu is not large but has great variety. Our group of three had pan-roasted Michigan chicken, grilled American kobe beef and grilled leg of lamb. Each was served with a different side dish to match. They also have several fish and pasta offerings and a very popular pan-roasted pork chop. Add 130 wines from all over the world including 30 by the glass, nice appetizers, salads and desserts and you have one of the areas finest restaurants! Check out the guide for details and more review.

Fine dining destination added!

This top rated restaurant in Tecumseh seems like it belongs in a big city. We are glad this top chef chose this small town to open Evans Street Station. Chef Alan Merhar was doing farm to table before it became the latest craze. He negotiates with local farmers and suppliers for fresh local products. This place has been written up in all the nearby papers like Toledo, Ann Arbor, Detroit and even AAA. Rave reviews from diners and food writers. This chef/owner had prior stops at Detroit area top spots like the Tribute and Forte'. The only evidence from the building being the former fire station is the siren on the roof. The fieldstone fireplace inside along with an open kitchen gives it great style. They also have outdoor dining. This is fine dining at its best in both quality and presentation. My strip steak with a cabernet reduction sauce was amazing! One of the few places that makes everything from scratch inhouse with local ingredients. Known for great crabcakes, baked brie, Michigan potato chowder soup, lamb shank, bacon wrapped amish chicken, flat iron steak, lobster, great wine list, martinis, microbrew beers and housemade desserts like capuccino creme brulee. Everything here is good, fresh and from local ingredients. 60% of their business is from out of town people, so make the trip through Tecumseh to this destination restaurant. Check the guide for all the details and more review.

Mother's Day at a Mansion?

Lots of places have great Mother's Day specials. Great brunches and dinner specials all over. Check some of your favorite places that are not usually open on Sunday and you may be surprised. How about a special place at some of the mansions around our area. W.K. Kellogg Manor House is very nice check www.kbs.msu.edu/visit/manor-house located on Gull Lake. In Jackson check out Cascades Manor House at www.cascadesmanor.com where they always have Sunday brunch. In Eaton Rapids check out The English Inn at www.englishinn.com or in Saugatuck check out The Belvedere Inn at www.thebelvedereinn.com. Just a few special places. I am sure there are many more. No quarantee they are not already booked so good luck!

Great place in Downtown Jackson!

This place in Jackson has it all. An owner/chef formerly of the Common Grill in Chelsea. A great old building with brick walls, high ceilings & hardwood floors. A complete, creative menu. Live entertainment and great service. Daryl's Downtown has become the place for a nice business lunch, cocktails or great dinner in Jackson. Their fresh in house baked dinner rolls are so good that many people buy them to take home! Known for great fish, they also do a really nice job with their chicken and steaks. They have one of my favorite salads as well. Check out the guide for more review and details.

New addition near Indian Lake

If you wander around the Sister Lakes area and down to the North end of Indian Lake you should check out the Timberline Inn. This place has been serving people from Chicago, Indiana and Southwest Michigan since 1939. A classic fine dining restaurant with great food and atmosphere. Known for prime rib and steaks, they also have a large seafood selection. The fried chicken is very good and they offer a couple of housemade desserts. Check out the "gourmet table". Look in the guide for more details and a longer review.

New place added in Texas Corners

I had heard that chef Shane Sheldon was opening his own place and looked forward to its opening. It is here and it is called BOLD Restaurant & Catering. Self described "simple foods...big flavors". Shane is not the chef but brings his food philosophy to the menu. This is a casual fine dining place with a nice selection of "small plates" and "big plates" which are full dinners. Very nice place with a neat concept. Everything has that chefs touch with a little something extra. They have a neat wine concept that allows you to try a different wine with each course by buying it in 3oz segments. Check the guide for more details and description of our dining experience there.

Take a drive in the country to this Great Restaurant

This place is really in the "sticks". However, the drive and risk of getting lost is worth it. The River Lake Inn Restaurant and Nature Trails has been around since 1976! We walked the nature trails, saw the hummingbirds, the coi and the butterfly gardens. Then we had a great meal from chef Mark. Check it out!