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 Orleans style deli & bakery

New Orleans comes to Middleville in the form of Big Easy Deli & Bakery. The owners had lived in Gulf Shores, AL for several years savoring New Orleans style food from their close proximity and because that style is very prevalent all over that part of the gulf. Open for breakfast and lunch you could start your morning with local roasted coffee, a housemade muffin, pastry or strudel and move on the Bourbon Street croissant. How about a nice quiche with house baked bread for toast. Lunch has that same great bread in several sandwich options like a pulled pork po'boy with coleslaw on top or a shrimp po'boy. Their signature sandwich is the muffelatta which rivals any I have had on Bourbon Street. Don't miss the gumbo. The owner is up at 3am baking her breads, muffins and turnovers so we can enjoy all this homemade goodness. Daily specials like red beans and rice on Monday and jambalaya on Tuesday. Always chef choice fish on Friday. This place is worth a drive so check it out. More details in the guide.

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.

Try this newer place in South Haven

This place is behind Clementine's on a side street, however many people have found it. So much so that they have doubled in size in only a couple of years. The menu is large, mostly homemade and fresh.
Maria's A Taste of Italy has really done things right. Lasagna is their best seller. I really like the pasta shells. Pizza is hand tossed with homemade sauce and lots of topping choices. Don't miss the sweet pepper crab soup on weekends or the mussels in red sauce under the seafood section. Many go just for the salads. How about a tuscan chicken caesar or a traverse city salad. During the season try Maria's antipasto. Great breadsticks as well as a large sandwich assortment. Try the italian beef or sausage. Maybe both for a combo. The capaccio comes with hard salami, cappicola and pepperoni. How about the johnny D which is an open faced homemade meatball sandwich covered with their marinara and cheese then baked! Palazzolo's gelato, crane's pies and homemade cookies can be purchased there or to go. Click the highlighted name above for more details.

New restaurant added in New Buffalo

New Buffalo is a great town for restaurants. I have some favorites there so that is my explanation for why I had never been to
Retro Cafe'. They have been there since 1994 and are right on US 12. This is a special place that uses organic ingredients and makes as much as possible from scratch. Breakfast and lunch only, so get there early. Outdoor deck is nice and the cafe' atmosphere inside is all their own. They bake many of their own items and make their own preserves and chutneys. They can be purchased in the store behind the restaurant called Kites Kitchen Bake Shop & Pantry. This restaurant has many original items like eggs benito or their grass fed roast beef hash. Great sandwiches and salads for lunch. I had the Drier's ham & brie with avocado & tomato grilled on sour dough bread. Excellent! Pricing reflects the top quality ingredients used and is worth it. Click the name above to go to their page for more details.
Enjoy! Thanks to Wendy for the tip on this one.

New place added in Buchanan on the River!

New in August 2009. How about a nice upscale but casual barbeque place overlooking the St. Joseph river on a scenic drive road just north of town. Check out the Wheatberry Restaurant & Tavern in Buchanan. Everything made from scratch including the barbeque sauces. Try pulled pork, beef or chicken with the sweet and tangy or the spicy sauce. Nice bar and great selection of Michigan beers and wines. Hardwood floors, paper tableclothes and a chalkboard menu give this place a special upscale yet casual feel. This is worth a nice scenic drive along the river or take time to visit Michigan's only cave. Check it out! Look in the guide for details and more 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.

Out of the area, but worth talking about!

Most of you have heard of Ann Arbor's famous Zingerman's Deli. Many are not aware of their other restaurant out near I94 at Jackson Rd. This one is called Zingerman's Roadhouse and is a large, nice, sitdown and be waited on place. Bon Appetit calls the Roadhouse one of the "top 10 new barbecue restaurants". Chef Alex Young and staff offer "really good american food!" as it says in their self description. Regional dishes are served using the best and freshest ingredients possible. Well known products like Nueske's applewood bacon, Pasolivo olive oil, American Spoon and of course corned beef from Zingerman's deli. These products or others like them go into their Tennessee Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Texas Beef Brisket or Chesapeake Bay crab cakes. Don't miss their mac and cheese with vermont cheddar or their burger which is ground fresh twice a day. They have daily specials and a full bar however, be prepared for higher prices than you are used to. Check out the guide for more details. Very good food!!

New restaurant added in Kalamazoo

This place is a nice addition to the Kalamazoo dining scene. The Mandwee brothers who brought you Tiffany's Wine Shop have opened an authentic middle eastern restaurant they have named Zooroona Restaurant and Lounge. In arabic zooroona means "come visit us". Nice atmosphere with a large menu offering many chicken, beef, fish and lamb dishes. Add a great salad selection, wraps, soups and desserts and you have a winner! Try the turkish coffee or the iraqi cardamon tea. No alcohol. Check out the guide for more details.

New place added in Harbert

This place is a rare treat for Southwest Michigan. We have an upscale Middle Eastern dining spot called Cafe' Gulistan which means "the land of the Roses". With a Kurdish cuisine, this place has some unique offerings and is the only place in the area serving beers and wines from the Mideast. It is the only place in Michigan carrying Turkish wines! The atmosphere is cozy and exotic at the same time. In the summer months you can enjoy outdoor seating in their very nice garden area. They have nightly specials and prices range from $10-$30. The Hummus has a nice twist with olives on top. I liked the Antepli Yahnisi served with basmati rice. Nice lamb, chicken and shrimp dishes. The baklava for dessert is made in their kitchen. Check out the guide for details.

The oldest Inn in America!

Middleburg, VA is the center of fox hunt country and horse country for the state as well as sitting in the richest county (Loudon) in America. It also boasts the oldest Inn in the U.S. Built in 1728 it was originally called Chinn's Ordinary after the owner Joseph Chinn. It was part of the vast estate of Thomas, sixth Lord of Fairfax and Baron of Cameron. This place was visited by George Washington around 1748. He became president in 1789! Later it was called the Beveridge House. The Inn served as a hospital during the civil war. In 1887, the Inn was renamed the Middleburg Inn and in 1937 renamed the The Red Fox Inn. This is a top Inn Nationally with a great restaurant. The dinner we had was all from local farm raised organic beef, lamb and chicken. Excellent wine list and a truly memorable dining experience. I know this is not in Southwest Michigan however, some experiences outside the area are worth sharing! Check out this amazing find at http://www.redfox.com/. If you like horses, mansions, history, vineyards and fine shopping go to Middleburg and The Red Fox Inn.

New place added in Paw Paw

How about a place where the chef is the owner and used to be the chef at the Black Swan? Go to Paw Paw and try Cafe' 237. Bill Sutcliffe does a great job with farm to table cooking. He even makes the thousand island dressing from scratch for his top selling reuben sandwich. The corned beef is cooked and cured inhouse. I liked the goulash (not what you think). Chalkboard menu changes frequently with lots of new ideas. Lunch and dinner except weekends when breakfast is available. Check out the guide for a full review and details.

New addition with International Chef!

What a great dining experience! Saturday International Buffet with a chef from South Africa. Not to mention live music. Did I mention the building is from 1843? Check out the details on the guide. This is reservation only, so call soon. The place is called the Mendon Country Inn. Thanks to Eric V. for this find!