This place opened recently in South Portage and brings very good Mexican food to this area. La Finca Mexican Restaurant looks fairly ordinary, but the food is very good. We sat down to excellent chips with a very nice salsa. I ordered three different tacos and my wife had the chicken quesadillas. They came out quickly and were excellent. We also really liked the squeeze bottles of red and green hot sauce which were both good. The service was very good and nice. No alcohol. We are looking forward to trying other menu items as well as some of the weekend specials like mole or birra. Many Mexican restaurants have opened recently, but this one is a "don't miss".

The ethnic variety of restaurants around Kalamazoo has really grown. In nearby Mattawan we now have Nonla Vietnamese Street Food. Located downtown in a building that used to be Kazoopy's. The space is small but does have an outdoor patio in good weather. They also seemed to do a good carryout business. Street food is mostly pho or "noodle soup" and banh mi which means wheat bread and refers to sandwiches. These sandwiches use a bread much like baguettes due to the French influence in Vietnam. They then spread mayonnaise on the bread and add meat, pickles, cucumbers, jalapenos and other veggies. It seems most street food is in one dish. We tried the braised ginger chicken in a clay pot, which is a rice dish all in one bowl. It was very good and featured a marinade including star anise, cloves, cinnamon, pepper, jalapenos and fennel. This was served on jasmine rice with a fried egg on top. They do have a dessert of the day as well as a variety of soft drinks. Great addition to the food scene in this area! Check out the guide for more details.

I read in one of my beer magazines that a bar in Delton was brewing their own beer. I had been past Tujax Tavern many times and thought it was just a small town bar. I decided to check it out for the beer and found a couple of nice brews and a very good restaurant. My beer was a Mud Lake Stout which was very good. It does look and feel like a local bar, but they have a chef and an expanded kitchen which allows them to prepare some pretty impressive stuff. Their burger is fresh ground to their specifications and never frozen. I had a burger and thought it was very good. They make their own bread, pizza crust, salsa and as many other items as they can. The bread is even sold by the loaf from a bread display which can include cookies, croutons and muffins. Next time I want to try the burger with peanut butter and jalapeno jelly. They have daily specials listed on the in house board. They also have a smoker and make great brisket and corned beef. They are well known for burgers, pizza on their house made crust, brisket and their reubens. They have lots of other sandwiches, wraps, salads and appetizers as well. I do want to go back at night and try some chef specials like pan fried walleye or perch. I would also like to try the whitefish Grenoble or one of the pasta dishes. This place was a nice surprise and I can't believe I am just finding it. Nice place and nice people. Check out the guide for more details.

New in 2015. This place is the reincarnation of my formerly favorite burger joint in Battle Creek. Mike Dezotell Jr. has brought back the family BC Burger concept under the name Cereal City Burger. The new location is better, but the place is still small with only 15 seats. They make burgers the same way as the old BC Burger using only fresh 80/20 burger and fresh veggies. The parking is limited, but they do a large carryout business. The potatoes do not come from a fryer but instead are grilled with some nice seasoning. They are better than fries! Simple place with great burgers! Check out the guide for more details.

This place just opened bringing a brewery, hard cider and restaurant all together in an old Church building. The Texas Corners Brewing Company is a much anticipated offering from the Schultz family which has apples, cider, donuts and many other farm products in Mattawan. They also have a Bison herd. This new restaurant has a chef from North Carolina and a smoker out back. In addition to the burgers which include bison, they have many items from the smoker. My wife and I both had the smoked half chicken which was deboned, dry rubbed and smoked. The chicken was from Otto's and was tender and full of flavor. It sat on roasted veggies of carrots and asparagus. The side was homemade potato salad which was excellent. I also really liked the atmosphere of high Church ceilings, hardwood floors and lots of light. I have tried their ciders before which are very good, although the night we went the license had not yet arrived. They now have it and are serving 3 ciders and a porter. I look forward to going back for the drinks and another great meal. Sandwiches, ribs, steaks and smoked items all look good. They also have all housemade desserts. Nice place and nice people. Check out the guide for more details.

Oshtemo is home to a new African restaurant called Jambo African Cuisine. This place is very unique and I have never heard of anything on the menu. However, when I read the detail, many dishes sounded very good. I tried the Samosas which are deep fried pastry dough filled with ground beef, spices, garlic, ginger and lentils. The spicy sauce served with them also helped make the dish. I tried a side dish called Dengu which was chickpeas sautéed with red onion, olive oil, coconut milk, tomatoes and salt. My main dish was called Pilau which was beef cooked with chopped onion and spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper and coriander seed served over brown rice. All were very tasty. Only soft drinks here, but try the juice of the day. My visit they offered pineapple and ginger juice. They have lots of other dishes I will try on future visits. I will try the warm dessert of the day sometime when I order less food. The lady that owns this place is from Tanzania and speaks Swahili. This is order at the counter food, but that allows you to see the food and ask questions. Plenty of comfortable seating. Great addition to the ethnic food scene offered in the Kalamazoo area. Check out the guide for more details.

This place has been a staple on Paw Paw lake since 1962. The building is even older and used to be a grocery store. The Board of Trade is a traditional restaurant and bar suitable for the whole family. For lunch I had their Rueben made with in house cooked corned beef. My friend had the 8oz. top sirloin  open faced steak sandwich. Both were excellent and we would go back for the same thing. They are also known for their French dip, burgers, stacked ham & cheese and perch sandwiches. Lots of appetizers including jalapeno cheese balls and coconut shrimp. Dinner features several steaks, ribs, fried chicken, prime rib, pork chops and seafood like Alaskan salmon, lake perch and shrimp. Dessert features pies and ice cream. Kids menu and more of a restaurant than bar atmosphere make this a good family place.

I seem to be visiting new breweries more than anything else lately. I was very happy to not only find another good microbrewery but also a German restaurant. Territorial Brewing Company in Battle Creek has excellent German style beers and a nice German inspired menu. The name is to honor people who used to travel the old Territorial road that stretched across Michigan and passed through Battle Creek. So far I have tried seven of their beers including ones I don't normally pick because you can see through them. I had kolsch, hefeweizen, black lager, pilsner and dopplebock to name a few and all had very good flavor. I normally don't order anything but ales. One of the beers has "Harmonia" in the name honoring the small town near here where Sojourner Truth lived in her days in Battle Creek. I was very impressed and look forward to trying all their beers regardless of style. For food we have tried the soft pretzel, knackwurst with sauerkraut, fries with porkbelly and very good bread pudding. They offer several German wursts, frankfurters, German style pulled pork braised in beer, schnitzel, rainbow trout, burgers and even mac n cheese made with house made spatzle. They also offer salads, surf n turf and wings. Check out their website for the full menu and other details.

This place has had a lot of people talking and eagerly waiting. Finally Ziingo Urban Asian has opened in Woodbridge Shopping Center in Portage. Created by the Chinn Chinn people of Mattawan, expectations have been high. The concept is completely different from Chinn Chinn and is strictly carry-out. A large chalkboard gives you options as you go to the counter and pick your rice or noodles, sauce, meat or tofu, topping and finishing ingredients. I had the pad thai noodles, green curry sauce, steak, brussel sprouts, onions, topped with sprouts and finished with sesame seeds. You can add soy or sirachi and other sauces at the end. Sodas and waters are in the cooler then you leave. Excellent food, priced reasonably and ever changing options and combinations. When we want carry-out this will be a favorite! Note: long lines move fast. Check out the guide for more details.

I don't know if this place will revive downtown Constantine, but it is worth getting off the highway to visit. Constantine Brewing Company, LLC has a neat atmosphere with a bar area and a second room filled with picnic tables and a stage. They keep six beers on tap. I had the Emperor's Victory Stout which was very smooth and good. My wife tried the fruity wine which was ok. I missed the BBQ because we got there too near closing time, however they served me a fantastic cup of their chili they call "Matt's Famous Chili". I talked to the cook who said he had worked on that recipe for 30 years. I do want to go back for more beer and BBQ. They have pulled pork and brisket with daily specials. All food is made from scratch with as many local ingredients as possible. The beer is good, the food is good. Nice friendly place. Check out the guide for more details.

This place was rebuilt in 2011 after a 2010 fire. However it has an inscription on the fireplace about it being a fur trading post in 1809. After the fire that nearly took the owner's life (she was rescued by neighbors who brought a ladder to her window, which she crawled out of with her hair on fire)the rebuild still has an old feel to it. The ceiling is covered in old doors inside, and shutters on the nice screened porch. We sat on the porch with a nice view of Devil's Lake. This classic lake area bar and grill in Manitou Beach used to be called the Manitou Beach Inn and now is the Manitou Bar and Grill. They are known for burgers and their famous soups the most famous being the cabbage chowder. I had a pulled pork sandwich which was very good. My wife had a southwest salad with grilled chicken with housemade dressing. Our friends had fish dinners perch and salmon. Everything was very good and we will go back. Lots of specials mean a constantly changing menu. The atmosphere is great and provides live entertainment after dinner hours. Nice family run operation. Check out the guide for more details.

New in 2014. This place has as good a location as you can get. Right on the South Haven harbor next to the Idler. Admiral Jack's Bar and Grill has a great view of the harbor, the drawbridge and the tall ship. Notice their dinghy dock runs the length of the business. We tied our dinghy up and walked right up for drinks and dinner. Very cool! I had their perch sandwich with tater tots which was very good. My wife had a chicken wrap with potato salad that she really liked. I had a craft beer from Founder's and she had a cocktail. This is an open air bar and grill with an unbeatable view, good food and a full bar. They have a good craft beer selection, lots of summer drink concoctions and shot specials when the drawbridge is up. This place is owned by the Joe's Bar and Grill people and will be very popular. I will update the listing in the guide when I get more info. This is a must visit while in South Haven! Check the guide for more details.

Since 2014. Located in the former space of Arie's London Grill. This place has a very Michigan theme. Starting with the name The Lost Raven to honor the lost days when the Raven was common in lower Michigan and is now relegated mostly to the U.P. and the tip of the lower peninsula. The ingredients are mostly from Michigan including the beers, wines and spirits. I started with a "Michigan" mule using Michigan vodka along with their house made ginger beer. My wife had a special cocktail using Michigan made gin and fresh blueberries. For my meal I had a sandwich called the peachy pig made using peachy pulled pork, bacon, onion peach jam and arugula on a nice locally made bun. Very good! My wife had the crispy whitefish with tomato, greens and pesto mayo on brewers bread. I had a taste of that as well and it was also very good. They offer some very original items. Appetizers include pub poutine with nettle-leek gravy, truffle crème fraiche and Michigan cheddar curds. Also, try the great lakes fish cakes made with house smoked Lake Superior whitefish and arugula pesto. Soups include roasted lily using seasonal lilies, herbs, bread crisp and white cheddar. Nice selection of salads like pulled pork or steak and blue cheese. Other sandwiches are offered including veggie or burgers. Pasta dishes looked good with offerings like marinara and primavera as well as chicken and pork belly alfredo. After 4pm the menu broadens to include cassoulet, 1/2 chicken, tomato and fennel whitefish, lamb shank and top sirloin. This is a true Michigan farm to table place with a very nice atmosphere and very good food made in an open kitchen by people who care. A must visit place for our area!

Since 1907. This landmark bar/restaurant sits on historic North Territorial Road which was formerly a horse trail. The historic Inverness Inn sits across from the Inverness Country Club golf course near North Lake not far from Chelsea. The Main dining room is a log cabin with a stone fireplace and a mounted moose head. This bar/restaurant has good food. I liked the burger with homemade potato chips and a Bell's beer. The menu is large with lots of other burgers, appetizers, salads and sandwiches. They also have lots of interesting dinner items like ribs, steak, fish and chicken. They are also known for their south of the border offerings and are reputed to be one of the best places to get pizza in the area. I have lots of things to try on my next visits! They offer a kids menu and some nice desserts, so take the whole family. Live entertainment on Friday and Saturday. They also offer a lighter menu with smaller sized meals. Full bar and neat history make this a must see place. Check out the guide for more details.

New in 2014. Peruvians moved to our area to be close to family after retirement. Unable to find any Peruvian restaurants in the entire state of Michigan, they drove to Chicago when they craved their favorite foods from their homeland. Now, they have blessed our corner of the state with El Inka a Peruvian Bistro in Kalamazoo. Nice comfortable space with native decorations on the walls. They had a rotisserie oven shipped from Peru so they could bring pollo a lo brasa to us. The whole chickens are marinated in Peruvian spices and cooked rotisserie style. This is now their signature dish. I had purple corn drink to start which was interesting. We tried aji de gallina which was a creamy yellow sauce over chicken and potatoes and topped with a slice of hard boiled egg. Also, try the ceviche which is raw fish marinated in citrus and chilis and is the most popular dish in Peru. We did try dessert as well which was rice pudding with a little cinnamon and warm fruit compote on top. Very good! I have never heard of most dishes offered here so this will be an adventure as we return to try many other dishes. They have applied for a license to sell alcohol in the future. Check out the guide for more details.

This place opened in 2013 in downtown Chelsea. The building for Smokehouse 52 BBQ is really neat with high tin ceilings, hardwood floors and exposed brick. It is the former location of a small grocery store. Inside this historic location is a true original BBQ joint offering real pit smoked BBQ like pulled pork, brisket, ribs, sausage, chicken and even pork chops. They offer a couple of unique soups like smoked chicken corn chowder or their chili made with their brisket. On the table are four different types of BBQ sauce. They offer a unique salad called the "piggy colada" which has pulled pork, pineapple, banana bread croutons and sliced almonds, then covered with house made coconut vinaigrette dressing! Since Chelsea is the home of "Jiffy Mix" the croutons and cornbread are all made from this local iconic company's mixes. Want more? Our grandson had the chicken and waffles. I tasted his fried chicken and would come back to make that my dinner. How about mac and cheese or even cajun mac and cheese? They do offer some fish like cedar plank salmon or bacon wrapped BBQ shrimp. They also have sandwiches and burgers. Kids menu and a bar round out this place for the whole family. Roomy and comfortable. Check out the guide for more details.

This place is my favorite breakfast place. I have a lot of ones I really like, but this is the one. Most people do not even know about this place. They have never advertised and I didn't know they existed for their first 21 years even though I had walked and driven by many times. A friend with a cottage in Saugatuck asked if I had ever been to Ida Red's Cottage? I thought it was a rental. After he told me, I had to check it out. I have been going every chance I get since then. It is small with limited hours and the wait to get in is usually long. However, if you like everything made from scratch using only the best and freshest ingredients, you have to go get in line. The homemade raspberry muffins are perfect. Especially with a glass of fresh squeezed orange or grapefruit juice. Lots of omelets and other egg dishes. (Check the specials board) Great pancakes and waffles. Everything has a unique twist from Asian, Greek, or Spanish to whatever the cook wants to do that day. My wife loves the potato pancakes which are not a regular item. I would drive a hour just to have breakfast here. As long as I have been going, the same people seem to work there. This is as good as it gets. Check the guide for more details.

This place just opened in December of 2013. Kevin and Cindee Tibbs have created a neat atmosphere on a great corner next to the State Theater in downtown Kalamazoo. Tibbs Brewing Company seats 55 and offers 3-5 taps each day along with a chalkboard menu with a few items like nachos, sandwiches and some tasty pretzels from Renzema's Bakery in Parchment. You can try small glasses of the beers before committing to a pint. The day of my visit they offered an IPA, a Citra and a very nice Porter. I am a fan of Porters, so that was my favorite. I also really liked the pretzels. I have been to this space many times in my life as it was various restaurants. They have kept the spirit of the space and made a nice addition to the downtown beer scene. Nice place and nice people. Check out the guide for more details.

New in 2013. The latest Millennium Group offering is now open in Portage. The Centre Street Tap House is similar to the Central City Tap House located downtown Kalamazoo connected to the Epic Bistro. Portage has more room than downtown and easier parking. Great atmosphere and lots of TVs to watch the game. I like the lamb sliders or the bangers and mash. Nice burger selection along with many other sandwiches. Lots of great appetizers including tater tots and deviled eggs. For entrees, try the gourmet mac and cheese or the flat iron steak. Like craft beer? Large selection with both local and international quality beers both on tap and in bottles. The wine lovers can buy by the glass and they even have wine on tap! This place did a good job for us the second day they opened, so it looks like a nice addition to Portage.

New in 2013. At least as a sit down place. Maestro's Pizza at 12th Street and Milham Road by Wedel's Nursery has moved from being a take out place in the nearby party store since 2011 to their own space in the nearby strip mall. The local owners are Matt and Deanna Watson who run this sit down pizza and sandwich place with a full bar. Excellent thin crust pizza cut in triangles so you can fold it and eat it New York style. The dough, sauce and Italian sausage are all homemade. The mushrooms are fresh, not from a can. I am looking forward to my next visit to try the salads and a calzone with a frosty mug of beer. Great location, local owners and excellent food make this a winner. Check out the guide for more details.