Nice deli with great corned beef!

 

 

This place is on a side street in downtown Chelsea, but well worth looking for. Mike's Deli has a neat atmosphere and offers over 65 sandwiches not counting "create your own" options. They have 17 cheeses and 9 types of Zingerman's bread to serve them on. Did I mention 14 salad dressings to put on your cobb, bing or strawberry salads? Mostly boars head meats and some very nice sides like soup, chili, baked beans and potato salad. The corned beef is just like in the big cities! This is a real deli with a neat atmosphere and great food. Check out the guide for more details.

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.

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.

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.

Easter, East Egg and Spring!

Had trouble finding an Easter Brunch that wasn't sold out. Finally got in at Win Schulers in Marshall. Good luck if you are looking! Tell us about your experience. Did you know April is Wine month? Check the guide for almost 20 wineries where you can go tasting. Tuesday Bell's Brewery launched their famous spring beer Oberon. This is a great beer and my favorite thirst quenching beer. I normally drink dark beers, however, after a round of golf, there is none I like better!
On to East Egg This new breakfast and lunch place is next to Craftsman Chop House by Crossroads Mall in Portage. Start with Water Street Coffee and their homemade donut holes. They have unique offerings like their 7 benedicts, scramblers, grits, omelets and crepes. Try a smoothie with your breakfast. Nice atmosphere and well run by the owners who also own Craftsman next door. Lunch offers 8 flat top burgers, nice salads, homemade soups and chili. Also, many nice sandwiches and hot dogs served 5 different ways. Nice addition to the Portage breakfast scene!

St. Patrick's Day! Where to eat?

Lots of good places to celebrate and eat meat! In particular corned beef with cabbage. This is the celebration in the middle of lent. St. Patrick (387-461a.d.) was from England and was brought to Ireland by raiders and held captive for six years. Later, after getting free and returning home he became a priest and returned to Ireland to spread the gospel. Legend has it that he used the 3 leafed clover to explain the Trinity to his pagan audience. He became the Patron Saint of Ireland and the date of his death is celebrated with a feast day. The celebration in his honor originally was bacon and cabbage. Their bacon was more akin to canadian bacon or ham. In the late 1880's the Irish in the U.S. were too poor to afford the bacon and their Jewish neighbors introduced them to corned beef, which was cheaper.
Check the guide under cuisine for Irish/English pubs. Many of the breweries that offer food will have a nice feast today with a special Irish brew. Also, several bar and grills will offer specials for today. In the guide, search under specialty for Irish food. Have fun, take in the green river in Chicago or the green ice at Wings Stadium. Wear some green and celebrate this patron saint with some good food and drink!

New addition in South Haven

You may think I am starting to lose it, but you have to prove me wrong. Check out the Lakeside Entertainment Center bowling alley with attached bar and restaurant for a really nice menu! How about their famous seafood chowder as a prelude to all you can eat whitefish on friday night. Do you like mahi mahi, lake perch, alaskan pollock, clam strips or yellowfin tuna steak? They have it served several ways. Like steak instead? How about a new york strip, prime rib or a blackened delmonico. Nice sandwich selection, but be sure to try the burgers. The pizza looked very good as well. Like wraps? Try the moroccan chicken wrap with a spinach dressing. Lots of appetizers like oysters on the half shell or shrimp jammers. I would not have believed this place was good if I had not tried it more than once. Check out the guide for details.

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 place in Manitou Beach near Jackson

How about a log cabin built in 1950 near beautiful devils lake. Lyons Family Dining and Tavern is very nice and features a large stone fireplace. Soups made from scratch, nice choice of fish such as whitefish lightly breaded and deep fried or pan fried perch. Steaks, chops and chicken are all offered along with many appetizers, salads and sandwiches. Known also for their tavern burger and some nice pastas. While this is a place to take the whole family, they do have a nice drink selection including a made in Michigan wine list. Nightly specials such as Thursday burger night or Saturday prime rib. Take a drive along the lake and enjoy this fine out of the way restaurant. Check out the guide for more details.

New place added in Allen

Step back in time to a place that feels like going to grandma's for dinner. The Outpost Grille in Allen is old country style with mismatched furniture and antiques everywhere. That makes sense since it is in the center of Michigan's "antique capitol". If you like antiques, you will love it here and if you don't care about them try this restaurant anyway. Home cooking with a nice menu of comfort foods for the whole family. You may not see your grandma here, but you will see someone's grandma. Mostly lunch type offerings like sandwiches, burgers and soups along with ice cream, shakes and desserts. They are only open during the day, so don't go at dinner time. Great place for Sunday dinner buffet. Check the guide for hours and other details.

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 place added in Sister Lakes

My favorite breakfast spots usually have a bakery attached or at least some homemade baked goods on the menu. If you try The Wright Place in Sister Lakes leave room for a homemade muffin, cinnamon roll or pecan roll. Famous for giant european style pancakes that hang over the edge of your plate. Full menu with lunch items as well. Very good food! Check the guide for more details.

New addition in Hastings!

Pasta's, steaks, seafood and gourmet pizza's? How about most of them with a unique twist. You will not be disappointed if you try Fall Creek Restaurant in Hastings. Appetizers like blackened sirloin dippers served with mild wasabi aoili. How about blue crab cakes topped with orange chipotle sauce. Ribeye steak for dinner is very popular as well as their Chicken Roulade stuffed with crab and topped with basil cream sauce. Don't miss the pasta dishes like fettuccine trio or chicken marsala. Lunch could be any special that day or the regular favorites like pulled pork on ciabatta bread or the corned beef rueben cooked for five hours! Check the guide for more details on desserts etc.

Also, if you use the guide and try some of our suggestions, please comment and let me know what your experience was.

Thanks,

Terry

I had great Corned Beef and Cabbage at.....

I ended up at the Walldorff Brewpub & Bistro in Hastings for St. Patrick's day lunch. That was probably the most tender corned beef I ever had. They also have a great beer called the State Street Oatmeal Stout. Lunch included potatoes, carrots, cabbage and raisin bread. This is my second visit and both have been great. I hope you had a meal as good! When it is not St. Patrick's day, try the wood fired pizza's or the slow roasted barbeque items like ribs, brisket or pulled pork. This is a full restaurant and brewpub with many beer choices along with sandwiches, appetizers, soups, fish and steaks. Check out more details in the guide.

St. Patrick's Day let's eat Irish food!

We have several Irish/English style pubs in the guide. Make sure you
Visit one tomorrow for some corned beef and maybe a guinness?? There
are at least five located in Kalamazoo area. One in Plainwell, one in
Saugatuck, one in Sawyer. There are some I have not yet reviewed
such as JR Mcgonigle's in Otsego and Mcgonigle's in Battle Creek.
Not to mention all the other places that go "Irish" for the day. I like
many of the brewpubs and Microbreweries. Olde Peninsula brewpub
has a special Irish menu for tomorrow. Check them out and have fun!!