El Camino Real
1122 W. Michigan Avenue- Three Rivers, MI 49093
- (269) 273-7010
- No Known Website
- Menu
I know it’s Michigan and I know it’s January, but man did we get a lot of snow this weekend. When I got home from work Friday night I was too tired to attempt to shovel my driveway, so I got up Saturday to do it before work. I only got about half the drive shoveled before I just threw my shovel and gave up.
Later that night, I decided I needed to break down and buy a snow thrower. I was hesitant to spend the money, but I just don’t have the time to shovel or the help like I did last winter.
I got on Sears.com and started looking at snow throwers. I found one I liked and clicked on the option to pick up in store. The store at Crossroads didn’t have the one I wanted in stock, but the Sears Hometown store in Three Rivers did.
I got the confirmation this morning that my new snow thrower was ready to pick up so I asked J if she wanted to make the drive to Three Rivers with me. She said if we could get lunch she was in.
The only place that really popped in to my mind when we decided to go to Three Rivers was El Camino Real. I’ve heard from several people that it may be the best Mexican in the area and a place that many people make a special trip for. Read more…
From a xxx press release…
GOOD VS. EVIL: An Evening with Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert
LIVE AT DeVOS PERFORMANCE HALL ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19th
Two chefs. Two unlikely friends. Two very differentcareers and philosophies sharing one stage.
(GRAND RAPIDS, MI)- Good vs. Evil: An Evening with Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert, live at Grand Rapid’s DeVos Performance Hall on Sunday, February 19th. Join Anthony Bourdain, chef, author of Medium Raw and host of The Travel’s Channel’s No Reservations and Eric Ripert, renowned chef of Le Bernardin, author, host of “Avec Eric” on PBS and regular guest on Bravo’s Top Chef as they share stories and muse on the place of food in our personal, community and global life. It’s an evening of storytelling and observation providing frank and provocative insight into what really goes on behind the kitchen doors.
Anthony Bourdain has been dubbed “the bad boy of cuisine” for his rock star look and blunt observations about the world of restaurants, chefs and cooking. Bourdain, the Chef-at-large at New York’s famed bistro Les Halles, is the author of the bestselling novels, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, and most recently Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook. His show on The Travel Channel, Emmy Award winning No Reservations, recently concluded filming its seventh season.
Eric Ripert’s Le Bernardin continues to receive universal critical acclaim for its food and service and the Zagat Guide has recognized the restaurant as the “Best Food” in New York City for the last seven consecutive years. Ripert has also served as guest judge (and “fan favorite”) on Bravo’s Top Chef for the past four seasons. This past fall, Ripert published his fourth book entitled, Avec Eric: A Culinary Journey with Eric Ripert in addition to his previous titles: On the Line and A Return to Cooking and the Le Bernardin Cookbook.
A limited number of VIP tickets will be available, which includes premiere seating within the first six rows, access to an exclusive meet and greet session with Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, a VIP tour laminate and a limited edition poster. Grand Rapid’s acclaimed Bar Divani is pleased to be the Official Restaurant Sponsor of the evening, and will be providing an innovative selection of appetizers for VIP Reception attendees.
Copies of Bourdain’s new book, Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook, and Ripert’s Avec Eric: A Culinary Journey with Eric Ripert along with other titles from their back catalogs will be available for purchase on site from Schuler Books and Music, the official bookseller for the event.
Press Release – Old Burdick’s Beer Week Dinners
From an Old Burdick’s e-mail…..
Press Release – Beer Week Throwdown at Food Dance
From a Food Dance e-mail….
Taste beer and cheese with the brewer of the night and our Cheese Gurus. We pick
the cheese, they pick the beer, you taste and vote on your favorite pairing. We’ll tally
the votes from each night and serve the top pairing from each brewery for the
weekend (Jan. 20 & 21). Yes, a 4 cheese and Michigan beer board pairing. This is
your chance to be heard.Reserve a banquette seat (in the bar area), sit or stand at the bar or have dinner
and a tasting at your table. Reservations not required, but recommended.
Please call to make reservations.Monday, Jan. 16 ~ Bell’s, Kalamazoo
Tuesday, Jan. 17 ~ Dark Horse, Marshall
Wednesday, Jan. 18 ~ Short’s, Bellaire
Thursday Jan. 19 ~ New Holland, HollandTo see the results, visit our facebook page.
Press Release – Celebreate Beer Week at Millennium Restaurants
From a Millennium Restaurant Group press release…
Press Release – Food Dance Partners with Van Buren Technology Center
From a Promote Michigan press release…
Food Dance Staff Mentors Students in Hospitality Services Program at Van Buren Technology Center
(Kalamazoo, Mich) – Hands-on educational programming in the culinary arts are growing at a rapid pace throughout Michigan – not just at the college level, but at several vocational high schools around the state. The Van Buren Technology Center (250 South Street, Lawrence) currently has roughly 50 students enrolled in its “Hospitality Services” program, which is taught by Patti Kenworthy and Diana Stump. The culinary team at Food Dance in Kalamazoo has launched a mentoring program aimed to help educate these students about various aspects of the industry.
“Our students have divided into teams of 4-5 and they are working on coming up with their theme of their restaurant, type of food and menu items,” says Meg Zapalowski, their Integrated English teacher. “The challenge here is to use as many local resources as possible to create the menu. Students are encouraged to research local farms online to find out what products they produce and sell to the public, visit local farms or talk to local residents about where they find local produce or visit local farmers markets – both indoors and out.”
As part of the program, Food Dance Chef Robb Hammond recently visited with the hospitality students to share a presentation about the restaurant’s philosophy, its relationship with local farmers and how he developed the specific menu.
Later this semester, the top team will travel to Kalamazoo for a behind-the-scenes tour of Food Dance to see what it takes to run a locally-focused, farm-to-table restaurant. Students will also have lunch and have their winning entrée featured on the menu.
Students at the VBTC study the art of cooking and gain the organizational skills needed to work in or manage a professional restaurant in either the one- or two-year program. Specifically, students learn how to plan and prepare a variety of foods operating commercial equipment; develop the culinary techniques for good food presentation; prepare for a catering event, serve professionally and provide good customer service; and then they’re given the opportunity to practice these skills in a real-world environment… with real customers.
At the completion of the program, students can receive Pro Start certification or begin the American Culinary Federation (AFC) certification. These levels of instruction prepare students for careers as cooks, chefs, kitchen managers, caterers, pastry chefs, servers and restaurant owner.
Sbarro
6650 S. Westnedge Avenue #FC1J and I aren’t really mall people anymore. Fifteen years ago, that might have been different. J worked at a mall in Orland Park, IL and I used to do all of my shopping at the closest mall to my hometown in Bradley , IL. Back then, it was just what you did. You’d go to the mall, shop a little, eat in the food court, and play video games until your five bucks ran out at the arcade. Of course those were the days when Venture and Target were the anchors so you really could do all your shopping in just one stop.
Malls just aren’t like that anymore. Most of the stores I would never go in and the few I do, I always find better deals at the Outlets. Today was different though. We weren’t shopping. We were walking.
No, we didn’t suddenly get old overnight. We were trying to walk the baby out. We took a few laps around both the upper and lower levels at Crossroads Mall in Portage when J said we should grab something to eat then walk a few more laps. I looked at her with a pretty strange looked and asked, “You want to eat at the Food Court?”
She was heading to Subway and she just assumed I would to, but I had other plans. It’s been years, but I used to love eating at Sbarro. I never could pronounce it, but I always loved being able to pick my slice. Read more…
Eastown Cafe
410 Ethel Avenue SE- Grand Rapids, MI 49506
- (616) 233-0797
- No Known Website
- Menu
I was lazy today when it came time to leave for work. I didn’t feel like making my lunch. I know I should have, but I said the hell with it and just decided to eat out.
Around 7:30, my manager looked at me and asked if I had taken dinner yet. I said no and he told me to get out of the office for a while. I didn’t really have any idea what I was hungry for, but I did want to go check out a shop in Eastown.
About a month ago, I saw a news report on a new shop that makes fresh pasta. I really wanted to check it out and pick up a couple packages of pasta for dinner later in the week, but when I got to the door of the Local Epicurean, the lights were off. They close at 6:00.
As I was walking back to my car, I spotted a cafe that a co-worker had recommended to me some time ago. I never really knew where it was, but since I was in the area and technically on my dinner break, I figured why not. Read more…
El Gallo Blanco
2838 Portage StreetOnce again, J and I were out and about before lunch time and once again, we contemplated Old Dog Tavern. I still really want to try lunch there, but we decided to call before we headed downtown. At 11:05, no one was answering the phone. J tried three times and got a voicemail all three times. We decided not to chance it.
Instead, I started heading over to Portage Street. I wasn’t really in the mood for Mexican, but a couple Twitter friends (@mattvandyk and @mobilejray) have tweeted several times about this new place that’s only been open a few months. We had to try it out.
El Gallo Blanco is on Portage Street just past the intersection with Lovers Lane. It’s in the building that formerly housed Huarache. We weren’t really big fans of that place and I was worried this new place was just putting a fresh coat of paint on the same business.
It isn’t. El Gallo Blanco is a new business owned by the same people that run the popular La Perla in Benton Harbor. Other than the building and odd parking lot, there’s not much that would remind a person of the former restaurant. Read more…
Press Release – Fundraiser for Kalamazoo Band Going to International Blues Challenge
From a Millennium Restaurant Group press release….
Area Band to Represent Kalamazoo at the International Blues Challenge
KALAMAZOO — Each year The Blues Foundation hosts the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis, Tennessee. From January 31 to February 4, 2012 the Legendary Beale St entertainment district will house the most prestigious blues competition in the world; drawing artists from all over the globe. Winners of this competition are awarded cash prizes, professional press kits, promotional considerations and gigs at some of the largest blues festivals in the United States, Canada and Europe. The competitors are scored in five areas; blues content, talent, vocals, originality and stage presence. Bands wishing to compete in the IBC must be an unsigned act and sponsored by a Blues Foundation affiliate. Affiliates are encouraged by the Blues Foundation to hold a competition based on the same scoring criteria used in the IBC.
On Sunday October 2nd, The Kalamazoo Valley Blues Association, a local 501(c)3 organization and Blues Foundation affiliate dedicated to the preservation of blues music and its relevance as an original American art form, held a competition to send an unsigned act from Michigan to compete in this world renown competition. Several bands with enormous talent battled it out to see who would represent Kalamazoo in Memphis. Crossroads Resurrection, formerly Crossroads Blues Band was the stand out winner. Crossroads, formed in 1993 as the host band for the jam sessions at Wonderful’s Funky Basement, has been a West Michigan Favorite band since its inception. Not only is this band a crowd pleaser, but are talented enough to have won a sponsorship to the IBC competition in the past and have shared a stage with world class blues acts such as Lonnie Brooks, Tab Benoit and Little Charlie and the Nightcats. In fact, the band has such a strong local following that a large contingent of local Kalamazoo followers plan to travel to Memphis to support their hometown boys.
Says Eddie Lester, “We’re very honored to be representing the KVBA a second time. This is our home turf, and even though we’ve competed for other organizations in the past, it feels good to be doing it for the home town.”
Band members Eddie “Blue” Lester (saxophone and vocals), Dave “Gator” Allemang (guitar and vocals), Nick Cekola (Bass), John Ford (Keyboards), Jeff “Fuego” Fernandez (Drums) are excited to return to Memphis for another chance to compete, and network with talented musicians, promoters, and music aficionados from around the world.
“It’s not just the competition that’s important,” says Dave Allemang. “We wouldn’t do it if we didn’t want to win, but at the same time, the IBC is a wonderful networking opportunity. It’s a chance to be in the right place at the right time—to have your music heard by such a large group of people who know and understand what you’re trying to do, and who recognize and appreciate the creative effort that goes into your music. There’s nothing else like it.”
Having enough talent to win a sponsorship to Memphis is just the first rung of the ladder so to speak, in the climb to winning the Memphis competition. A good portion of that climb is raising the funds needed to help defray the cost of travel, accommodations, food and etc. The IBC can be a very costly venture, but the opportunities and rewards are priceless. The local music community has come together to help support Crossroads in this tremendous venture. The Union Cabaret has generously offered to be the hosting venue of a fundraiser to help the band raise money to cover these expenses. The Union Cabaret on the Kalamazoo mall is well known not just for their fantastic food and drink menu, but also as a first rate venue to listen and see some of the finest local musical talent. Crossroads Resurrection themselves will provide the entertainment, treating those attending to a preview of their Memphis IBC set.
Where:
The Union Cabaret and Grille
125 S. Kalamazoo MallWhen:
Sunday January 22, 2012
4 pm to 8 pmAdmission:
Donations taken at the door
SW Michigan Dining 
