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.

New BBQ place added

Would you like to watch the game on some nice big flat screen TV's while having a beer? How about adding some pulled pork or beef brisket to this setting. Well the people at the Saucy Dog's Barbeque in Jonesville have done just that. This is a very good BBQ joint with hardwood floors and wood furniture, but also a nice sports bar type atmosphere. Voted best lunch in Hillsdale county. I had the beef brisket sandwich with their slightly sweet sauce and was very impressed. They also have pulled chicken, ribs and wings to round out the BBQ portion. Add things like BBQ nachos or their signature "saucy dog" which is a deep-fried hot dog topped with coleslaw and BBQ sauce in a hot dog bun along with salads, soups, sandwiches(including burgers), sides and desserts and you can bring the whole family. Check out all the details and more review in the guide.

New place added unlike any other!

"Yooper" food comes to Southwest Michigan. Allegan in particular is the host hometown for U.P. North Sandwich & Pasty Co. How about a made from scratch pasty with a side of beef gravy from a family who recently moved here from the Upper Peninsula. They also feature a "cudighi" sandwich which is a homemade italian sausage patty served several ways. Hot subs, cold subs and specialty sandwiches like the dirty reuben or the pecan chicken salad croissant. Lots of salad choices like chicken apple vineyard, greek or chicken club. Soups and several sides are available as well. This food is excellent and a one of a kind experience. The place is fairly simple yet nice and you order at the counter, yet when they bring you your food it becomes very special. Some very nice desserts and Upper Peninsula candies and fudge sold at the counter for the "too go" crowd. More details in the guide.

Terry's Guide featured in Southwest Michigan's Second Wave media article

Growth News - THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2010

Portage Resident Offers Favorite Dining Picks at Updated Online Site

ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Terry St. Louis of Portage sells insurance, and he spends a lot of time traveling Southwest Michigan, dining out at least five days a week.

So many people asked St. Louis for advice on where to eat he decided to start Terry's Guide to Dining and Drinking to chronicle his picks for the best places to dine in Southwest Michigan.

After a little over a year, the site has reviews and pictures of 350 places where St. Louis has found good food. Wineries, bakeries and breweries are all part of the mix.

The site recently relaunched with a new look and features that are more friendly to mobile phone users and is constantly updated as St. Louis finds new places to eat. There are no negative reviews, only places where St. Louis can recommend good food.

"When I go into a restaurant I ask what they are known for, what are their top sellers and build my review from that," St. Louis says.

The restaurant guide covers all kind of eateries from dives to fine dining spots such Webster's in downtown Kalamazoo. The site also can be searched by city, cuisine and specialties. Hidden-away spots only the locals know about are also part of the package.

"One of my spots is two miles down a dirt road," St. Louis says. "I have reviews of places that are out in the middle of nowhere."

The site recently has seen a lot more traffic -- 4,000 visitors last month -- and St. Louis attributes that to its redesign by Team Hypernet. He said the company not only provides attractive graphics but services to help drive traffic to the site.

If the site continues to grow he hopes to eventually branch out and offer reviews from Grand Rapids, Muskegon and Grand Haven.

Writer: Kathy Jennings
Source: Terry St. Louis, Terry's Guide to Dining and Drinking

New addition in South Haven

This place has done the unexpected.
Willy O's Pizza & Grille has created a following in a town that already had several good places for pizza. This thin crust style is so good that they won 2nd place in a national pizza contest in Las Vegas for their regular pizza and 1st place for their gluten free version. The dough, sauce and sausage are made fresh daily with their own recipes. They also cook their own corned beef for their gourmet reuben pizza. Lots of sandwiches, calzones and appetizers. Salads and seasonal soups are served. Desserts include a blueberry-pineapple pizza or upside-down cheesecake bites. You can buy Lorraine's homemade chocolates at the counter. Sit down seating in the dining room or outside during warm weather. Go in for some great pizza and see their national championship trophy! They do "call ahead" or regular take out as well.