The Barking Frog
113 E. Canal StreetLong weekend? Well, in a way. J got home from work really early today and she’s off tomorrow…which means we have a day off together! I don’t know if that’s happened since last summer, so we’re really living up in the day and a half we have off together.
Our plans for Thursday night included another trip to San Chez in Grand Rapids and the Sugarland concert at Van Andel Arena. Before that, we had all afternoon and J really wanted to go out for lunch. I could have just waited for San Chez, but she had gotten a recommendation from a friend she really wanted to try, so we made the short jaunt out to Augusta.
The Barking Frog is on Canal Street just off M-96 which is the main road that runs through the small village. The small building sits in the shadow of the towns grain elevator right across the street from a park. The parking is mostly behind the building although there are a few spots right in front. Read more…
Founders Brewing Company
235 Grandville Ave. SWGoing to Grand Rapids on my day off. That’s crazy talk. Yeah, I know, but I had a really good reason to go. J and I had been planning on going together since my meeting came up. She could drop me off, do some shopping, then we could go to lunch at one of the many, many places on my Grand Rapids list.
After I was done with the aforementioned meeting, J picked me up and we started heading back towards the south side of town for lunch. I had narrowed it down to either a place on Wealthy Street or Founders Brewing. She let me decide. I chose Founders.
Founders Brewing Company is on Grandville Avenue SW right next to the Rapid Transit Center to the south of downtown Grand Rapids. They have a really, really cool building. I wish I knew what the former use was. For some odd reason, it looks like an old post office to me, but I’m probably way off. Read more…
Los Amigos Mexican Restaurant – Kalamazoo
3317 Stadium DriveSo, I’m a little late. I know. This weekend has been particularly brutal, so I haven’t had time to write, but rest assured, J and I did go out to dinner Friday after I got home from a long, stressful day.
Since I got home pretty late, I didn’t want to travel far. I didn’t really have a taste for anything and really, most importantly, just wanted to do something with J.
I was coming up with nothing when she asked where I wanted to go for dinner. My brain was fried and I was drawing a blank. Luckily, J stepped up to the plate.
J takes Stadium to work and a few days ago, noticed the sign outside of the new Los Amigos restaurant said “Now Open.” We weren’t the only ones who decided to check the place out on it’s first Friday night. The place was packed.
Los Amigos takes over the space that used to be Buffalo Wild Wings on Stadium Drive. However, if you didn’t know it used to be a B-Dubs, you’d never guess. I never went into the store then, but there is absolutely no way this place has anything left over from the sports bar days. Read more…
Louie’s Trophy House Grill
440 E. North StreetNo clue why we decided to go out for lunch today, but boy, am I glad we did.
Since moving to Kalamazoo a year and a half ago, I’ve been on the lookout for that burger that I just had to have. I’ve found some good ones, but very few craveable ones. If you’ve learned anything about J and I, you should also know that we like bar food. I would much rather go to a good dive bar with great food than a fancy place with tiny plates.
I don’t know how, exactly, I first learned of Louie’s Trophy House Grill on North Street near downtown Kalamazoo, but I’ve always had a hard time finding info. Sure, they have a website, but they don’t have a menu on that website, so I kind of blew it off.
Just recently, I was searching for places that we haven’t been yet and I came back to Louie’s. Still no menu on the website, but I found a bunch of great reviews on places like Google, Yelp, and Urbanspoon. I guess that means it’s time to give it a try. Read more…
Longbranch Saloon & Eatery
606 Spruce Street- Vicksburg, MI 49097
- (269) 649-1961
- Website
- No Online Menu
Working on a Friday wasn’t enough to stop J and I from eating out. I got home around 6:00 and even after a big pizza lunch, I was really hungry. J was all ready to go when I walked in the door, so I pretty much set my bags down then turned around and headed right back out.
The funny thing, I decided I wanted to go to Vicksburg for dinner. That’s funny because I just came from Three Rivers, so we headed back down US-131 the way I just came.
For quite a while now, I’ve been wanting to go to the Lonbranch Saloon & Eatery on Spruce Street on Vicksburg’s northeast side. Not only did the place just have the feeling of a place we would like, but the name was enough to get my interest. Not that “Longbranch” is anything really special on it’s own, but it shares a name with a favorite place of mine back home in Illinois. Of course, I had to see if it would compare. Read more…
Angelo’s Pizzeria
666 E. Main Street #B- Centreville, MI 49032
- (269) 467-6880
- No Known Website
- Menu
I’m running out of places to eat in Centreville. Sure, I could just repeat, but that’s just not me. I’ve only got a few more days down that way. I’m sure I’ll survive.
As I was heading out to Yoder’s Country Market for lunch, I noticed Angelo’s Pizzeria in a strip mall right on Main Street on the east side of town. It didn’t look like much, but pizza did sound good. They had a few sandwich specials on a sign board out by the road, but it was pizza I was in the mood for.
The small shop is pretty typical for pizza joints. There are a half dozen tables spread out in front of the order counter. The kitchen takes up most of the space and most of their business is probably take out. There was no one else in the place other than the two employees and one of those was a delivery driver who came and went quite a few times in the 45 minutes I was there. Read more…
Covered Bridge Diner
104 W. Main Street- Centreville, MI 49032
- (269) 467-7200
- No Known Website
- Menu
Another day in St. Joseph County for work means another opportunity to eat out. I was actually by myself so when lunch time rolled around, I could pick whatever I wanted.
J has actually been to Centreville for work several times and she suggested a little diner right in the heart of the small St. Joseph County community.
The Covered Bridge Diner is on the corner Main and Dean Streets across from the St. Joseph County Courthouse. The area surrounding the courthouse is mostly older row buildings. The Covered Bridge Diner takes up the corner space along the busiest stretch of road in town.
The diner takes its name from the Langley Covered Bridge which is just a few miles north of town. Parking is wherever you can find it on the street and seating is whatever is open at the time. Read more…
Oberon Release Date Announced!
Bell’s announced the release day for this year’s Oberon. According to a post on Bellsbeer.com, the release will happen on Monday, March 28.
I’ve circled the date on my calendar…..
From a Millennium Restaurant Group press release….
Millennium Restaurant Group to Feature Castello Banfi Wines for Millennium Showcase
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—For the fifth year in a row Millennium Restaurant Group is excited to host the Millennium Showcase on Thursday, March 24; an annual food and wine event where all four of the Millennium Chefs will share a kitchen for one night as they each prepare a dish for this four-course dinner. The Chefs’ dishes will be inspired from the reserve selection of Castello Banfi family of wines as each dish will be paired with a specially selected wine.
For the first time in the event’s five year history the Millennium Showcase will be held at Martell’s; in the past it has been held at the Epic Bistro. The venue change will not only accommodate more seats for guests, but Martell’s has its own parking lot, making parking free and easy for all in attendance.
Castello Banfi is a family-owned vineyard estate and winery in the Brunello region of Tuscany, Italy. Special guest Gary Cook—Certified Specialist of Wine and Sommelier—will be present all evening to share his knowledge about the wines. In addition to the four wines served, there will be additional offerings from Castello Banfi available for taste and retail purchase.
This year’s lineup is as follows: Read more…
Applebee’s – Oshtemo Township
5330 W. Main StreetFree lunch! Well, sort of free lunch. We had to spend a lot to get it, but didn’t have to buy anything we wouldn’t have anyway. But why am I telling you that? You know how credit card rewards work.
So, we had some errands to run after J got home from work and just last Friday, we got a $25 Applebee’s gift card as a points reward from one of our credit cards. Before heading to the mall, we headed to lunch.
There are two Applebee’s locations in Kalamazoo. We chose the one on West Main Street in Oshtemo Township. The other is on Gull Road on the east side of town.
J was home a little earlier than normal, so we actually walked in to the restaurant at a normal lunch time. We were met by a waitress who took us to a booth just on the other side of the bar area. Read more…
SW Michigan Dining 
