East Egg – Arcadia
2628 W. Michigan Avenue- Kalamazoo, MI 49006
- (269) 381-9873
- Website
- Menu
After posting my picks in the Gazette’s Readers’ Choice Poll, I had people trying to convince me that my pick of East Egg as my favorite breakfast place was wrong. I have to say, I’ve never had a bad meal at an East Egg and the service is always fantastic.
That’s why, when J and I got up Sunday morning, I thought it was time we try out the new East Egg in Kalamazoo.
The newest addition to this ever growing local chain is in the Campus Pointe Mall on the corner of Michigan and Howard near Western Michigan University. It’s on the Michigan Avenue side of the shopping center in the space that used to be Fat Burrito.
The “front” of the building doesn’t actually face the street. It faces the parking lot. We pulled into the large shared lot and found a lot of cars there on a Sunday morning. I’m sure some of them were left there after a night of drinking at Capone’s.
Since they went in to a strip mall this time, the space isn’t quite as open and vaulted as the other locations in this chain. It’s much smaller and has booths running along one wall that I’m sure were left over from the Mexican joint that occupied this place.
We found the host who pointed us to a booth near the entrance. While the space is a little different from the others, they do try to carry some of the decor themes into the tight space. All the chairs have tennis balls on the legs and the color palate is bright and cheerful. Read more…
The Great White Fish Chicken – Eastern Avenue
2401 Eastern Avenue SEWhat the hell is a Fish Chicken? Bad English or did the “&” not fit on the sign? Oh well. Not important.
I’ve been driving by The Great White Fish Chicken for some time now. There are three locations on the South East side of Grand Rapids. Two of them used to be Sharks II Fish Chicken. The one on Eastern used to be a Wing Heaven.
Some co-workers and I had a conversation not too long ago about the location on Eastern. A few of them live in the area and were curious about not only what a Fish Chicken is, but if it’s any good. I was driving north on Eastern and had time for lunch, so I swung in to the small parking lot to check the place out.
I’m not kidding when I say the parking lot is small. There are only five or six spaces and they are in the back of the building off Alger Street. If you’re coming off Eastern, you have to go down a narrow alley between the buildings to get to the lot.
The Great White Fish Chicken is like a lot of places that serve fried fish. The surprising thing is that the inside is clean, well lit, and nicely decorated. I love places that serve up good fried food, but they always seem to have a thin coat of grease on pretty much everything.
The kitchen is front and center when you walk in with a large order counter right up front. The dining room is off to the right. There are only a handful of tables that are sort of centered around a large LCD TV. Read more…
Mancino’s of Canadian Lakes
8412 100th AvenueRoad trip! I was not expecting to be on the road for seven hours today, but I was. A co-worker and I got the tour of lower, central Michigan. We had to go to Lansing first then up to Mt. Pleasant and be back in Grand Rapids before 9:00.
After wrapping up in Mt. Pleasant, we started talking about dinner. I would have loved to have stopped at Mountain Town Station or Pisanello’s, but we didn’t have time. We started heading out of town looking for something quick.
The first, and as it turns out, only thing I came across was a McDonalds. We decided we could do better and kept driving….and driving…and driving. We found out the hard way, there’s really not much between Mt. Pleasant and Grand Rapids.
After a half hour of driving, we came up to a rural intersection in right on the edge of Canadian Lakes. I saw the sign for a Shell Station and craned my next to see if there were any restaurants down the street. I noticed the words “pizza” and “grinders” in lights next to the gas station so I turned to see what I could find.
Mancino’s of Canadian Lakes (which also uses the name Lakeside Pizza & Grinders) is near the corner of 100th and Buchanan in very rural Stanwood. On the map, it actually looks closer to Mecosta, but it has a Standwood address. It shares space with the Country Corner Shell near the Canadian Lakes in Mecosta County. Read more…
Fletcher’s Pub – Texas Township
7177 W. Q AvenueMonday was supposed to be an exciting day. We had a 3D Ultrasound scheduled for 11 AM. We cut our weekend home short to make it back in time and we showed up to the office right on time. As we were pulling in the parking lot, the office called to say the tech was going home sick and they were going to try to squeeze us in at the hospital instead…which doesn’t have the 3D machine….oh, and it would be later in the day.
At that point, we were still really excited to get to peak in at our little one again, but we were pretty bummed about not getting the 3D. Add that to the fact our day was pretty much shot now because we had to go to the hospital at 2:00 which cut in to the piles of house work that I was hoping to get done.
After leaving the office, J asked if we could go somewhere for lunch. Since we were already on Centre Avenue in Portage, I asked if she was up for pub food. She said she was up for anything.
We headed down Centre until it turns in to Q. A little farther down the road we came to Fletcher’s Pub in Texas Corners. The pub is in a small strip mall just to the west of Q Avenue and 8th Street. Read more…
From a Fair Food Matters press release….
Local chefs highlight Second Annual Fair Food Food Fair
Winning dish receives “Golden Ladle Award”KALAMAZOO, MI — More than a dozen of the community’s finest chefs will compete for the Golden Ladle Award in the Second Annual Fair Food Food Fair.
The event will take place Saturday, November 19 at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts (314 South Park Street). Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. Special VIP tickets are available for $100 each, and allow purchasers to arrive one hour early, plus receive two complimentary drink tickets and reserved seats.
Proceeds benefit Fair Food Matters.
Event organizers promise an outstanding array of food made with local ingredients, as the celebrity chefs compete for votes to win the coveted Golden Ladle Award (claimed last year by Crow’s Nest for a pulled pork dish made with cornmeal, spicy butter and sweet onions).
Scheduled to demonstrate their food artistry this year are Bravo!, Bronson Food Service, The Crow’s Nest, Events by Design, Food Dance, Gorilla Gourmet, Kalamazoo Cooks!, Kurry Guru, Francois Moyet, The People’s Food Co-op, The Union, Water St. Coffee Joint and Zazios.
A cash bar will feature Michigan-made wines from Fenn Valley Winery and Chateau Grand Traverse, beer from Founders Brewing, and soft drinks.
The Fair Food Food Fair will also include live music, a silent auction with local art, tickets to cultural events, sports memorabilia and more, and the presentation of this year’s “Locavore of the Year” Award.
Tickets are available online (www.fairfoodmatters.org) or by visiting Fair Food Matters (323 N. Burdick St., Kalamazoo) during business hours.
The Second Annual Fair Food Food Fair is sponsored by Bronson Hospital, Discover Kalamazoo, Horizen Hydroponics, Imperial Beverage and the Kalamazoo Nature Center/DeLano Farms.
From a Promote Michigan press release…..
Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival
WHAT: 4th Annual Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 17 (5-10pm) | Friday, Nov. 18 (4pm-10pm) | Saturday, Nov. 19 (Noon-9pm)
WHERE: The elegant 40,000 sq-ft Steelcase Ballroom inside DeVos Place, downtown Grand Rapids.
WHO: Bigger and better than ever before, this pre-holiday show remains one of the hottest events in town! Drawing more than 10,000 people, it is the largest culinary event in the state and one of the premiere festivals of its kind in the Midwest. Catering to both the connoisseur who lives and breathes for the finer things in life to the novice looking for an introduction to the world of wine, food and other culinary delights, this festival delivers a grand experience that is sure to please every palette.
INFO: Over one hundred wineries from around the world will provide samples of as many as 1200 assorted wines – including some hard to find, top shelf vintages. Brewmasters and distillers will also to be on hand providing tastes of their hand-crafted beverages.
Chefs from the area’s top restaurants prepare and serve samples of their culinary specialties.
Five select restaurants partner with distinguished wineries and breweries for special Pairings – gourmet multi-course meals served on-site in a casual yet intimate “bar top” setting. Tickets are $30-$40 each and may be purchased in advance online or at the Festival on a first-come, first-served basis.
Esteemed individuals from the culinary world host seminars, demonstrations and workshops on the Meijer Food Stage including bestselling author Ellie Krieger. Free beverage seminars, held classroom style in the breakout rooms off the Grand Gallery, give festival-goers a more in-depth look into the world of wine, beer and spirits including John Concannon from Concannon Vineyards in California.
Gourmet specialty items and high-end accessories are available in the Riverfront Marketplace.
Culinary and hospitality students from Secchia Institute of Culinary Education at Grand Rapids Community College, Ferris State University and Grand Valley State University work side-by-side with industry leaders for an unparalleled educational experience.
INFO: www.GRWineFestival.com or 800-328-6550 | Also find us on Facebook and Twitter
Gazette Readers’ Choice Results…
I missed this on Sunday. Erbelli’s scores with six wins. Let’s break it down and see if I can finally not be depressed by the results….
Best American Restaurant: Food Dance
I’ve never been a huge fan of this category because what is an “American” restaurant. Aren’t all restaurants in America American? Splittin hairs…I know. I like this choice though. Food Dance is one of the best in Kalamazoo. 1st Runner Up – Full City Cafe. 2nd Runner Up – Finley’s American Grill. Honorable Mention – Applebees.
Best Chinese Restaurant – Chin Chin
Honestly, I have no idea. I don’t eat Chinese food.
Beset Family Restaurant – Erbeli’s
This kind of shows how ambiguous the categories are. I wouldn’t put Erbelli’s in this category. In their defense, they are family friendly, but not what I think of with a family restaurant. My pick would Ryske’s which came in as first runner up or any of the East Egg locations. 2nd Runner Up – Theo & Stacy’s Honorable Mention – Full City Cafe.
Best Italian Restaurant – Erbelli’s
OK, now this time the category fits, but I’m not 100% on board. Granted, I’ve never had anything other than the pizza, but Zazio’s is really hard to beat in my opinion. The Gazette readers were obviously not on board and Zazio’s didn’t even make the list. 1st Runner Up – Mangia Mangia 2nd Runner-Up Carrabba’s Italian Grill Honorable Mention – Olive Garden….SERIOUSLY?!!?! Olive Garden is better than Zazio’s, Bravo! and Comensoli’s?!
Best Mexican Restaurant – Los Amigos Mexican Restaurant
I like Los Amigos and wouldn’t argue too much with this pick. I guess it depends on what the area covered is because if Paw Paw is included, I would include Cancun Mexican Restaurant. I would also throw Juanitos which surprisingly, to me anyway, didn’t make the list. 1st runner-up Mi Ranchito 2nd Runner-Up La Pinata. Honorable Mention El Jimador
Best Vegetarian Fare – Food Dance
I don’t do vegetarian, so I’ll pass on this one. 1st Runner-Up Crow’s Nest 2nd Runner-Up Saffron Honorable Mention – Zooroona
Best Place for a Steak – Webster’s Prime
I’m actually embarrassed to say I’ve never eaten at Webster’s Prime. J’s not a beef eater, so I feel bad going to a steak house on a night out. I have had steaks at Outback Steakhouse and Texas Roadhouse which came in as 1st and 2nd Runner Ups and I wouldn’t consider either a great place for a steak. Honorable Mention goes to Great Lakes Shipping Company which I also haven’t tried yet.
Best Pizza – Erbelli’s
I say this every year. I just don’t get it. I like Erbelli’s, but it’s not my favorite pizza. I like the other three on the list, Cottage Inn, Martini’s, and Bimbo’s much better than I do Erbelli’s. Picking favorite pizza has always been hard for me because none of them are pizzas that I absolutely crave.
Best Sandwiches – Erbelli’s
Huh? Not a place I think of when I think sandwiches. Not wild about the runner ups either. B’wiched Deli is the 1st Runner Up Panera Bread came in 2nd while Penn Station East Coast Subs picked up the Honorable Mention. I’m a big fan of B’wiched, but really surprised that The Strutt is not on the list….Gorilla Gourmet? Another one I’d put on the list
Best Hamburger – Red Robin Gourmet Hamburgers
And, congratulations, Kalamazoo. You still suck. Red Robin is not the best burger in Kalamazoo. It’s not even close. If you believe it is, I weep for you. My pick, Louie’s Trophy House Grill, doesn’t even make the list. The 1st Runner up is Smashburger….also a chain. 2nd Runner Up is a place I’ve never been but will now make it a point to…D & R’s Daily Grind Cafe in Portage. Honorable Mention goes to Old Burdick’s Bar & Grill which I’m a big fan of.
Best Hotdogs – Coney Island
Don’t eat Hot Dogs. 1st Runner Up is The Root Beer Stand. 2nd Runner Up Treat Street Honorable Mention – Dogs With Style
Best Fries – McDonalds
Well, if best burger didn’t piss me off, this one puts me over the top. This is flat out embarrassing. Words cannot describe the disappointment. I mean…ugh…why even continue….oh, wait it gets worse. Much, much, much worse. Every restaurant on this list is a freaking chain. 1st Runner Up – Penn Station East Coast Subs 2nd Runner Up – Smashburger Honorable Mention – Red Robin. This is so embarrassing…..my picks? Almost every other restaurant in town. Central City Taphouse and Ray Ray’s Italian Beef and Sausage are my two favorites.
I really have no reason to continue…I’ve lost all faith in humanity, but I’ll forge on…..
Best Desserts – Food Dance
Honestly, I don’t normally eat desserts at restaurants, but I like all of these restaurants 🙂 1st Runner Up – Rykse’s 2nd Runner Up – Bravo! Restaurant & Cafe Honorable Mention – Zazio’s
Best Sports Bar – Old Burdick’s Bar & Grill
I love Burdick’s. It’s my go to when it comes to finding a place to eat. Food is great, beer selection is pretty good and service is always great. My second choice is usually University Roadhouse 1st Runner Up – Main Street Pub 2nd Runner Up – Erbelli’s (sports bar?) Honorable Mention – Buffalo Wild Wings
Best Local Beer – Bell’s Brewery
No argument here. I love Bell’s! 1st Runner Up – Arcadia Brewing Company 2nd Runner Up – Olde Peninsula Honorable Mention – Bravo!
Best Wine Menu – The Wine Loft
I go straight for the beer list. Not much of a wine drinker. 1st Runner Up – Rustica 2nd Runner Up – Erbelli’s Honorable Mention – Epic Bistro
Best Martini’s – Zazio’s
Again, I go straight for the beer list. 1st Runner Up – Erbelli’s (really? This is getting a little ridiculous) 2nd Runner Up – LoDo Company Honorable Mention – The Union Cabaret & Grill
Best Brunch – Bravo!
I didn’t know anyone in town really did brunch other than Bravo. I always just go to breakfast. 1st Runner Up – Food Dance 2nd Runner Up – Full City Cafe Honorable Mention – Brewster’s
Best Breakfast Place – D & R’s Daily Grind
The hours of this place make it hard for me to get there, but they’ve placed in two categories I’m interested in. My choice would probably be East Egg which didn’t place. 1st Runner Up – Food Dance (great breakfast, but pricey) 2nd Runner Up – Sophia’s House of Pancakes Honorable Mention – Nina’s Cafe (I would place this higher…good food, but service wasn’t great)
Best Coffee Shop – Water Street Coffee Joint
Don’t drink coffee. I grab a Pepsi as soon as I get up in the morning. 1st Runner Up – Biggby Coffee 2nd Runner Up – Starbucks (of course…I’m surprised it didn’t win) Honorable Mention – Full City Cafe
Best Lunch Place – Erbelli’s
I’m calling Shenanigans. I don’t know if they gave out free pizzas for votes or what, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they win Best Chinese Restaurant next year. Again, I like Erbelli’s and I like their lunch buffet, but there are a lot of other places I like to go for lunch. Kalamazoo Beer Exchange is always a solid choice for lunch as is Fieldstone Grill. 1st Runner Up – Panera Bread 2nd Runner Up – Full City Cafe Honorable Mention – Food Dance
Best Fine Dining – Webster’s Prime
My choice is either Bold or Fandango. I like the Tapas experience. 1st Runner Up – Rustica 2nd Runner Up – Bravo! Honorable Mention – Zazio’s
Most Romantic Restaurant – Bravo!
The way my brain works is that Fine Dining and Romantic go hand in hand…so to me, they’re the same category. 1st Runner Up -Rustica 2nd Runner Up – Webster’s Prime Honorable Mention – Martell’s
Best Wait Staff – Erbelli’s
You have to go to a place over and over to really be a judge of this. I think the best service I get consistently is at Burdick’s, but that’s because I eat there more than I do any other place. I do like this category though because usually the only time you hear about wait staff is when they suck. There are hundreds of good waiters/waitresses that deserve credit. 1st Runner Up – Full City Cafe 2nd Runner Up – Food Dance Honorable Mention – Bravo!
So, there you have it. I don’t agree with a lot of what the Gazette’s readers thought, but that’s life. Their opinions are no less valid than mine. I was really hoping that when I started this blog I could point out some of Kalamazoo’s great local places, but the chains still win on the categories I spend the most time on…..damn…
Pizza Palace Ashkum
124 E. Main Street- Ashkum, IL 60911
- (815) 698-2525
- No Known Website
- No Online Menu
This one brings back memories. Growing up, it used to be a treat to head down I-57 and go to the Pizza Palace in Gilman. If you can believe this, I grew up in a town where the only way to get pizza was to order it then go pick it up from the gas station. It was a big deal when the gas station expanded so it was big enough to have a kitchen just to Hot Stuff pizza.
After the gas station stopped doing pizza, the local grocery store in town started doing it. They closed a couple years ago leaving no place to order pizza from in town. Did I mention that neither of these places delivered?! We actually had to go pick it up.
Last year, a real pizza joint finally moved in to my little hometown….and to make it better, it was the pizza joint that used to be a “treat” when we went out for pizza.
The Pizza Palace is on Main Street in downtown Ashkum. It took over the building that used to be Christano’s Restaurant. The building has always struck me as odd. There are no windows. It’s a solid building with a green door leading into a small dining room. I have to be honest, I have no idea what the dining room looks like now. We did delivery and my brother picked it up. I was going to go with him, but he didn’t tell me he was leaving. All of a sudden, he showed up with two pizzas. Read more…
The Second City – Chicago
1616 N. Wells Street- Chicago, IL 60614
- (312) 337-3992
- Website
Our big plans for my rare Saturday night off were to take in a main stage show at The Second City in Chicago. I’ve always wanted to go to a show, but I’ve never pulled the trigger on this one.
A few weeks ago, I ran the idea by J. She and her mom had been to a show on the E.T.C. stage, but she had never been to the main stage before…..oh, and two of her friends from high school/college are in the show.
It’s kind of amazing given my love for comedy that I’ve never been to The Second City. It’s even crazier when you realize I never miss an episode of Saturday Night Live.
The Second City has been a jumping off point for almost every comedian that has made it big since the 1960’s. Name any famous comedian and chances are they’ve gone through The Second City. Jim Belushi, Mike Meyers, Chris Farley, Tim Meadows, John Candy, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Alan Arkin, Joan Rivers, Harold Ramis, Eugene Levy, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Tina Fey and so many more.
The theater opened in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood in 1959. In 1967, they moved from that theater a few blocks south to the current theater at 1616 North Wells near the intersection with North Street.
You enter the main stage from street level on Wells then go up two flights of stairs where the box office and lobby are. If you’re looking to go to a show on a weekend, you better buy your tickets in advance. Pretty far in advance too. Two weeks before the show, all I could get was tickets for the 11:00 show. You can buy them online then either print them out or pick them up the day of the show. Read more…
Molly’s Cupcakes
2536 N. Clark StreetOur weekend in Chicago just happened to coincide with my birthday. It wasn’t planned that way…just the way it worked out…but it worked out really good because we were able to spend a night in the city and celebrate me being three years away from being able to run for President.
As we were sitting at dinner at Goose Island, J was pressuring me in to getting dessert. I mean, it’s really not a birthday without cake, right?
I’m not a huge dessert at restaurant guy, but I did have another idea. As we were waiting for our check, I pulled out my phone and typed “cupcake” in to Google. Had I done that in Kalamazoo, I would have been lucky to get one hit. In Chicago, I got ten hits within a mile and a half from where we were at.
We had tickets to a late show at The Second City which meant dinner wasn’t until 9:00. With dinner not being until 9:00, dessert didn’t come up until after 9:30. Out of the ten cupcakeries I found, only a couple of them were open. Since I was picking blindly, I picked the one that had the most reviews on Google. Read more…
SW Michigan Dining 
