Cherry Deli & Catering
834 Cherry Street SEI know it’s a surprise, but sometimes I just don’t feel like a burger. As I was sitting at work contemplating my choices, deli sandwiches kept popping into my head. I know there are a couple deli’s near my place of employment. I just had to find one that’s open when it’s time for my lunch.
One of the Saturday night options is Cherry Deli & Catering. As the name implies, it’s located on Cherry Street just east of Eastern Avenue in Grand Rapids’ East Hills neighborhood. The building really blends in to the surroundings. It sort of looks like an old house with an “open” sign flashing in one of the side windows. It’s a building that is a great fit for the neighborhood. You know it’s a business, but it doesn’t assault you with ugly signs or a sterile facade.
It wasn’t a very busy time for them so parking was pretty easy. There are no lots in the area. Just street parking.
The deli is set up with an order counter on one end and seating in the remaining space. The menu is so large it doesn’t fit on just one chalkboard. There are several chalkboards hung around the space with all 55 of their sandwiches, 15 of which are vegetarian selections, as well as salads and soups. Fun fact, all the sandwiches have neighborhood themed names. Read more…
Richland Pub
8253 N. 32nd StreetWe got a little adventurous for dinner tonight. Well, we left Kalamazoo, so that’s what I’m calling adventurous. Cuisine wise, we went to a pub. Not adventurous for us.
Our trip out of Kalamazoo took us all the way to Richland (please see the sarcasm in that..) to a staple of that community.
The Richland Pub is just north of downtown on 32nd Street which is also M-89/43. It’s not a fancy place, but they do have a menu that piqued my interest.
Since we had a pretty heavy late lunch at the Taste of Kalamazoo, it was well after 7:00 before we even started heading to Richland. We actually walked into the old building just before 8:00 on a very busy Friday night. Read more…
Taste of Kalamazoo 2010
I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while. I always love food festivals like this that give you an opportunity to try several different places.
When we lived in Lansing, we looked forward to the BWL Chili Cook-Off. The first year we went, it was fantastic. Great food. Easy to get around and try everything. The second year, they changed the venue and it sucked. Having never been to a festival at Arcadia Creek, we didn’t know what to expect, but were really hoping for something like that first year at BWL.
First order of business. Find parking. I probably could have found some street spots since we went for lunch, but I pulled into a parking lot along Water Street. We didn’t figure we’d stay long, so parking wasn’t going to set us back a whole lot.
Since we were there before 4:00, there was no cover. There are ticket booths located throughout the site, but J’s work had given her 25 tickets, so we figured we’d start with that.
The food vendors are set up underneath long tents that sort of form a T. Our first trip through we just kind of looked to see what was there. There are programs that list all the food and how many tickets each thing costs, but we didn’t find those right away.
Tickets are $.50 each and on the food side, nothing costs more than 8 tickets. Most of the items are in the 7-8 ticket range. Read more…
Shelton’s Farm Market
1832 S. 11th Street- Niles, MI 49120
- (269) 684-3230
- Website
One more stop before heading home. After a fabulous lunch at the Riverfront Cafe in downtown Niles, J wanted to stop and pick up some fruit. Since we were in an area of SW Michigan that we had never been in, we had no idea where to go. On a whim, I did a Google search for “farm market Niles, MI” and came up with a place that looked like it would have everything we wanted.
Shelton’s Farm Market is on the corner of 11th Street and Bell Road on the south side of Niles. When I found info on line, I wasn’t sure if this was a seasonal stand or a year round, grocery store-like market similar to Horrocks. It was the latter.
The property is divided between the retail market and a fairly large looking wholesale operation. The retail parking lot is pretty narrow with barely enough room for two rows of cars. I carefully made my way to a spot then we headed in to the somewhat small, but stocked full, market. Read more…
So, here’s a cool event. Actually heard an ad on the radio is how I found out about it. Ace of Cakes is still one of my favorite Food Network shows. I may go to the book signing…haven’t decided yet. Would be very cool. If you’re interested in the speaking engagement, which you will get a piece of cake, you can click HERE for tickets
Hospice of Michigan 30th Birthday Celebration featuring Duff Goldman
Grand Rapids • Tuesday and Wednesday, September 14-15Duff Goldman, star of the Food Network’s “Ace of Cakes,” is one of the most sought after bakers in the country. His show is seen by 1.8 million viewers each week. Goldman’s book, “Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes,” continues to fly off bookstore shelves.
Our dazzling birthday event is designed to raise awareness of the work of Hospice of Michigan. Two exciting opportunities are planned:
Book Signing
Tues, Sept 14, 6pm
Schuler Books Downtown
40 Fountain NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616.459.7750 / www.schulerbooks.com
There is no charge for admission.All proceeds from the sale of Duff’s book go to Hospice of Michigan’s Open Access program, ensuring care to people regardless of ability to pay.
Speaking Engagement and Cake Unveiling
Duff Goldman will appear at DeVos Performance Hall to share stories about his rise to fame and his hit show. Following his presentation, Goldman and his team will unveil Hospice of Michigan’s 30th birthday cake. Cake baked by Charm City Cakes will also be served to those in attendance at a reception, following Goldman’s presentation. Tickets for this event will be available beginning Monday, July 19, at the DeVos Performance Hall box office or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
Wed, Sept 15, 7pm
DeVos Performance Hall
303 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616.742.6500 / www.devosplace.org
TICKETS: VIP – $150
Orchestra Level – $60
Mezzanine Level – $40
Balcony Level – $25
Riverfront Cafe
219 N. Front StreetWell, we tried to get away with out “Let’s stop because of a billboard on I-94” trick. After we left my parents to head back to Kalamazoo, we started talking about lunch. I said there was a place in Buchanan that I’ve seen the billboard for and wanted to stop. Right after getting in to Michigan, I saw the billboard for Wheatberry Restaurant & Tavern. We pulled off and started heading down M-12. Neither of us thought to check the website to see if they were open.
We finally found the place on Red Bud Trail just outside of Buchanan. The parking lot was empty. I pulled in so I could see the sign on the door that said they didn’t open until 4:00. It was only 2:30.
We needed a backup plan so I got on my phone and started looking on Urbanspoon. I went to Niles because it seemed to be close and found a website for a really neat looking cafe along the St. Joseph River in downtown Niles. Read more…
Schoop’s Hamburgers – Bourbonnais, IL
515 S. Main StreetI finally joined my generation and got a smart phone. I’ve been putting it off for a while, but I get so frustrated when I go somewhere with my iPod Touch if I can’t find Wi-Fi that I decided to upgrade. I’ve been on the same cell phone plan since I was in high school and I don’t want to give up my number, so I’m still on my parents plan, so I’m very careful about overcharges because she doesn’t always tell me and just ends up paying then I feel bad.
J and I were back home for a few days and we got up early to take my dad to the nearest AT&T store which is in Bradley, IL. I went in expecting to buy the Motorola Backflip, but was talked in to the HTC Aria which I really like. This isn’t a tech blog, so I won’t bore you.
After completing that transaction, we needed food. There’s a hamburger joint not too far away from where we were that I’ve been wanting to try for a while, so I made the decision without really consulting anyone else. Read more…
Tilted Kilt – Chicago Ridge, IL
6401 95th StreetFinding time to get home now that I have a weekend job isn’t easy. Since I just started, I have no time off, but fortunately, J has quite a bit. She decided to take a few days off so we could go see our nieces again. The quick, one day trip we took a week ago just wasn’t enough.
On almost any trip to see my family, we stop by J’s parents first. Since they’re in the Chicago suburbs, it’s on the way home and it breaks the trip up for us…especially if we’re traveling overnight.
Before heading south, we decided to eat lunch with J’s mom. For quite a while now, we’ve always joked about going to a place called Tilted Kilt in Chicago Ridge. It’s kind of been an inside joke due to a conversation at a family party, but I got curious one night and looked at the menu. It actually looked really good, so I sort of jokingly mentioned it to J and she was on board.
The Tilted Kilt is a chain of Celtic themed restaurants that got started in Vegas. Describing the place as an Irish Hooter’s is a pretty fair assessment. The atmosphere is actually really nice. It’s a great sports bar with a somewhat rustic decor that gives the feeling of an Irish pub. The waitresses, however, sort of bring the class of the place down a little. The joint is a haven for “all-men” businesses lunches, creepy old guys, and douchebags who think they can score with a waitress. The uniforms include very sort plaid skirts, knee high stockings, and plaid push-up bras sort of covered by a skimpy white top. It’s a little classier than a Hooters…but only a little. Read more…
Penn Station East Coast Subs – Portage
6778 S. Westnedge AvenueWhere did this place come from? Seriously. About two weeks ago, J and I went to the mall to pick up some gifts for our nieces. As we were walking out of the mall, J said she wanted Penn Station for lunch. Since the Westnedge ramps are closed from that direction, I went out the back entrance of the mall and took Romence to Oakland to the Interstate so we could get to the store out on West Main. The very next day, J was driving down Westnedge and noticed there was a new Penn Station in Portage. Don’t know how we missed it or if we just missed it by a day, but something very dangerous has moved much closer to home.
J and I don’t usually visit the same restaurant more than once or twice. We just like finding new places. Penn Station is one of the few places that keeps us coming back. It’s not for the sandwiches though. It’s for the extra’s.
The newest Penn Station East Coast Subs location is on South Westnedge at JL Hudson Drive right in front of the Crossroads Mall. There’s a little shopping area that is also home to a Qdoba and Biggby, but the Penn Station is in a different free standing building. Read more…
Taste of Kalamazoo
The Taste of Kalamazoo is this weekend, July 22-24….
Every year, on the fourth weekend of July, thousands of hungry festival-goers flock to downtown Kalamazoo to enjoy the endless variety of foods prepared by Kalamazoo’s most popular eateries. More than 30 local restaurants and chefs will offer mouth-watering combinations of ethnic items, family favorites, exotic dishes, and local specialties, attracting and feeding an average of 10,000 people per day in downtown Kalamazoo and totaling 25,000 – 30,000 attendees over the entire weekend.
Lots of info on the Taste of Kalamazoo website including vendor list, entertainment, and information on the event.
SW Michigan Dining 