Firehouse Subs – Grand Rapids Township
2090 Celebreation Drive NEI’ve been eating a lot less burgers lately. Maybe it was overkill for a while or something, but when I’m at work, I really don’t feel much like getting a burger. Finding sandwich shops isn’t quite as easy as finding a burger joint. I have a couple deli’s in Grand Rapids that I really like but they can be really expensive.
Finding a good sub shop can be hard. As far as local sub shops go, there are very few good ones. The bit national sub shops are alright, but I feel like them like I feel about most fast food burger joints. They do in a pinch, but not when I have time to actually do something for lunch.
Last week I read an article about a new sub shop opening in Grand Rapids Township. My initial reaction was to run out there right away, but I waited until I actually had time for a dinner break.
Firehouse Subs is a chain of sub shops with almost 600 locations nationwide. The Grand Rapids location is one of two open right now in Michigan, but there are several more planned including one in Muskegon (but none in the Kalamazoo area). The chain was founded in the early 90’s in Jacksonville, FL.
The Grand Rapids location is just off the East Beltline on Celebration Drive. If you’re familiar with the area, it’s in the little shopping area of Knapp’s corner that is anchored by Celebration Cinemas. Read more…
Press Release – A Pint With the Past
From a Promote Michigan press release…
Tim Horton’s Cafe & Bake Shop – Westwood
4328 W. Main StreetA year ago, I made a doctor’s appointment. Stupid me. I made that appointment for 8:15 AM. Most days, that’s before even the baby gets up. When I called last week to see if I could push it back, they were booked up, so I had to keep the 8:15 appointment because I really needed to get the prescription refilled.
I had to actually wake L up and get her dressed so I could go to this appointment. I know she’s too little to understand, but I told her we could stop and get donuts on the way home.
I was just going to stop at Sweetwater’s, but I took West Main home so I could drop my prescription off at Walgreens. As I got closer to Drake Road, I remembered that Tim Horton’s recently opened a second Kalamazoo location…and I’ve never had Tim Horton’s breakfast.
The newest Tim Horton’s in the Kalamazoo area is on West Main Street near North Sage Street. The new building is kind of wedged into the busy commercial area in Kalamazoo’s Westwood neighborhood.
I’ve always liked Tim Horton’s as a less pretentious way of doing the coffee shop. They offer free Wi-Fi and some lounge chairs for those needed to sip a little coffee while doing some work.
I walked in to the shop and found a small case of donuts near the cash register. I was really hoping they would have what seems to be the elusive vanilla long john. Like Dunkin Donuts, they did not. They have some pretty delicious cinnamon sugar donuts, so I got two of them. One for me. One for L. Read more…
Samuel Mancino’s Italian Eatery – Plainwell
396 Oaks CrossingAs I’ve written about extensively, I have a co-worker who craves Mancino’s grinders. Last week, I got a text from a different co-worker who was forced to eat at a Mancino’s because other co-worker noticed it as they were driving and really wanted a sandwich.
Of course, I had to give her some grief because Mancino’s is “our thing.” In reality, it made me want a Mancino’s…and I haven’t craved one in a while.
Last Friday, my day started in Kalamazoo before I had to drive to Grand Rapids (and beyond) to finish my shift. On my way north, I decided I wanted that Mancino’s sandwich.
The Plainwell location of Mancino’s is in the Cross Oaks Mall shopping center right next to the M-89 Cinema. I pass it all the time when I stop at the Walmart next door on my way home from work.
The store has a pretty large dining room and even a little courtyard area for eating outside in the summer. The entrance is sort of back through that courtyard area and it brings you in right at the cash register. Since I had already called my order in, all I needed to do was pick it up. I gave the cashier my name and she turned around to a little rack between the cashier area and the kitchen where my sandwich was wrapped in foil and ready to go. Read more…
Spicer’s Pizza
9017 S. Sprinkle RoadHoly cow! Two new Kalamazoo area blogs in one day?! It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to do that.
When I get a chance, I like to give J an hour or so of baby-free time so she can do things she can’t when L is around. Moms out there know how great a shower without little hands reaching under the door can be.
I was in the mood for pizza and since I wanted to get away for a little while, I looked up a new place that just opened near Long Lake in Portage.
Spicer’s Pizza is on South Sprinkle Road where the road runs between Long Lake and Austin Lake on the way to Vicksburg. According to an article that was in the Kalamazoo Gazette a couple weeks ago, the pizza place was opened in early February by a couple of brothers to honor the memory of their mother.
The building used to be Fast Freddy’s Pit Stop and it has apparently been heavily remodeled. Having never been to Fast Freddy’s, I have no direct knowledge of what the building used to look like.
The space is divided in to two distinct areas. When you walk in the door, there’s a large order counter with a Coke machine and a rotating rack warmer for pizza by the slice. I never looked in to the dining room area to see how big it was, but dine in is a possibility if that’s what your in the mood for. Read more…
Erbert and Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop
6503 S. Westnedge AvenueJ and I had another one of those rare baby-free outings yesterday as J’s mom was in town and willing to watch the little one for a while. After a long, relaxing lunch at Olde Peninsula, we needed to do some shopping in Portage.
As we were making out way from Kohl’s to the Crossroads Mall, I noticed a new sandwich shop that opened up right next to Men’s Wearhouse.
I didn’t recognize the sign, but I did notice an open sign flashing in the window. When J got home from work today, she took L and went right to bed for a nap. I asked if she wanted lunch and since I had some time while they were napping, I knew I could run to Portage and get back before they got out of bed.
Erbert and Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop has 47 locations mostly in Wisconsin and Minnesota. The Portage location, which is also the only Michigan location, is on South Westnedge right across the street from the entrance to the mall.
The Erbert’s and Gerbert’s story starts in Eau Claire, WI about 25 years ago. The sandwiches all have wacky names but they are pretty standard sub shop sandwiches. Read more…
Mr. Burger – Lake Michigan Drive
2101 Lake Michigan Drive NWTwo burger meals in one day?! Oh yeah…you know that’s a good day for me.
Actually, I didn’t even plan to eat dinner at work. It just kind of happened. I had to meet a co-worker on Lake Michigan Drive. I was a little early and I passed Mr. Burger and figured what the hell.
Mr. Burger is a small burger chain in the Grand Rapids area with six locations. The one I drove by was the Lake Michigan Drive location which is just west of the intersection with Covell Avenue NW.
The chain got it’s start in the late 1960’s at this location. It’s a former Dog ‘n Suds that was transformed into a full service restaurant. While the namesake burgers are plentiful on the menu, they have a menu more consistent with a family restaurant. They do breakfast in addition to the lunch menu which is mostly burgers. The dinner menu adds on a few plate meals.
The first time I visited a Mr. Burger was store #6 in Hudsonville. That time, I had time to sit down and eat. This time, I did not, so I hit the drive through.
The drive-thru menu is pretty much only burgers. There was only one car in front of me when I pulled up so I didn’t have a lot of time to look over the menu. I hate sitting at drive thru speakers looking over the menu. I don’t really like drive thru’s anyway, so the quicker the better with me. Read more…
Barrett’s Smoke House – Oshtemo Township
8126 W. Main StreetThere’s no such thing as too much BBQ. A while ago, I noticed a new place pop up on West Main in Oshtemo Township. The name was familiar, but I had never noticed (nor heard of) a store in that location before.
Barrett’s Smoke House has been in established in Portage on Oakland Drive for some time now. J and I stopped in a couple years back for some delicious BBQ.
The new Barrett’s Smoke House is west of Kalamazoo on West Main right next to D & R Sports Center in Oshtemo Township. The store is part butcher shop, part general store, part BBQ joint.
The first thing you notice when walking in the door is all the delicious meat. I know where I’ll be going this summer once grilling season rolls around.
The back of the store is where the cash register is. There was a woman who greeted me as I walked in and right behind her were giant chalkboards with the BBQ menu on them.
When J and I went to the Portage store, all they did was pulled pork plus a daily special. Now, they have a full blown BBQ menu. Pork. Chicken, Brisket. Ribs. Read more…
Press Release – Millennium Opening Two New Restaurants
From a Millennium Restaurant Group press release…
Two exciting new projects for Millennium Restaurant GroupKALAMAZOO, Mich.—Kalamazoo‐based Millennium Restaurant Group is thrilled to announce its two newest concepts, The Panini Express (downtown Kalamazoo‐ inside the City Centre lobby outside The Union Cabaret & Grille) to open March of 2013 and Centre Street Tap House (3251 W. Centre ‐ at the east end of the building, opposite to Bigby’s Coffee) to open fall of 2013.
Although the location of the Panini Express will be next to The Union, it will operate as a new entity, a food truck that never moves! Offering quick lunch service and a menu that changes daily with warm, grilled‐to‐order sandwiches and Paninis and a fresh selections of soups and salads. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, with additional hours for events such as Arthop.“With the growing amount of downtown businesses and residents, we saw a great opportunity to add to the downtown lunch scene,” says Millennium Restaurant Group Partner, Bob Lewis. “We love the concept of food trucks… It’s not what we usually do but this is our spin on it.”
Centre Street Tap House, a place for the beer lovers of Portage and beyond, will open in the fall of 2013. The new 4100 square‐foot restaurant will have a similar menu and atmosphere of downtown Kalamazoo’s Central City Tap House (also owned by Millennium Restaurant Group) with gourmet burgers, great appetizers, salads and entrees. Also Like the downtown Tap House, Center Street will carry an ever‐changing line up of American Craft, Craft Import, and bottled beer. Special to the Portage location, will be its extended outdoor dining area.
“Michigan is ranked in the top five for the most breweries, micro‐breweries, and brewpubs per state in the nation… The beer community in this area is great and we get excited about being part of it,” says Central City Tap House General Manager, Brandon Banicki. “We were happy to discover how many fellow beer lovers there is in this community and Centre Street Tap House is another point of entry for our guests to experience a variety of beer as well as enjoy a menu that compliments beer perfectly.”
The Panini Express, a fast lunch option of Panini‐style grilled sandwiches, from‐scratch soups, and salad options, will open March of 2013 (located inside the City Centre lobby, just outside The Union Cabaret & Grille). Centre Street Tap House on Centre Street in Portage, with similar atmosphere and menu to Central City Tap House of downtown but with extended patio dining, will open in fall of 2013.
Millennium Restaurant Group looks forward to the opening of both operations and hopes to see many old and new faces at each location.
Centre Street Tap House
Panini Express
Donk’s Mexican Joint – Michagan Street NE
820 Michigan Street NEAnother pretty quiet night at work means another chance to actually get out for dinner. I’ve been going to the Qdoba at 25 Michigan quite a bit. Not sure why. Just craving their tacos.
I’ve been noticing a new Mexican joint popping up around town not really sure why there was all of a sudden a new chain moving in to the area. A quick Google search shows it’s not really a new chain, but an established chain branching out with a new concept.
Donk’s Mexican Joint is being brought to you by the people who have been in business as Taco Boy for many years in the Grand Rapids area. They came to the realization that people only think of tacos when they think of Taco Boy and they wanted to showcase the other items on their menu, including the burritos, so a name change was in order.
The newest addition to the Taco Boy stable is the Donk’s Mexican Joint on Michigan Avenue Northeast across the street from Grand Coney. The building, like the Taco Boy in Plainwell that is also now a Donk’s, used to be a Hot ‘n Now. The building has undergone an extensive renovation to make it fit the new theme of a Mexican place. Read more…
SW Michigan Dining 