Press Release – Future Chefs Invited to “Cook Up A Storm”
From a Fair Food Matters press release….
Fair Food Matters, a Kalamazoo-area non-profit organization that supports and promotes local food, is again collaborating with the City of Kalamazoo to offer Future Chefs.
The six-week program begins June 23, and offers teens (12-18 years old) the chance to learn or enhance food preparation skills and prepare for careers in food service.
Under the guidance of chef, author and culinary historian Channon Mondoux of Renaissance Cuisine, Future Chefs will include hands-on instruction as well as field trips to local restaurants, gardens and farms.
“We’ll be cooking up a storm and learning about topics such as international foods, food and kitchen safety, and an appreciation for local food issues such as sustainability and access,” Mondoux said.
Participants will leave with a certificate of completion and a letter of reference.
Future Chefs will take place Wednesdays from June 23 through August 4 (no class July 7) from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Oakwood Neighborhood Center (3320 Laird St.). The fee is $15 for city residents, $30 for non-residents.
To register, call the City of Kalamazoo Parks and Recreation Department at (269) 337-8191 or visit www.kalamazoocity.org.
Arby’s – Westnedge, Portage
5333 S. Westnedge AvenueAnother lazy day. Not lazy as laying around getting nothing accomplished. Lazy as in I just wanted something quick for lunch.
J and I had to run an errand but neither of us were in the mood to sit down and eat anywhere. We drove by Taco Bell and saw the sign for $.69 tacos, but we just had tacos. We were still talking about it until I brought up my favorite fast food restaurant.
Since it’s on the way home, we headed back to Arby’s on Westnedge just north of the I-94 interchange. I love Arby’s. I know that’s weird coming from a food blogger, but Arby’s has always been my guilty pleasure. I don’t eat there often because I don’t like eating fast food, but I do like to sneak a roast beef in every now and then. In fact, my family has always eaten at Arby’s. Even now when I go home and my parents “take me out for lunch.” They don’t mean some hip local joint. Hell, they don’t even mean Applebees. They mean Arby’s.
The store on South Westnedge is pretty small. The dining room is not huge and just to add more seating, they have a counter that runs along a hallway right after you walk in the door. Read more…
Big Apple Bagels – South Westnedge
3205 S. Westnedge AvenueSince we rented a movie from a Redbox last night we had to take it back today. We had to pick up something from the Walgreens on Whites and Westnedge anyway so that’s the one we went to.
I wasn’t planning on stopping for lunch while we were out, but as we were pulling in to the parking lot, J brought up Big Apple Bagels. She just got a handful of gift cards and offered to share with me.
There are two Big Apple Bagels locations in Kalamazoo. We were right next to the store on South Westnedge near the Cork Street intersection. The store is pretty close to the road and from Westnedge, there is a little alleyway that you could enter. The parking lot is in the back and accessible from Cork Street.
The entrance most people probably use is in the back of the building. It’s right off the parking lot, but there is an entrance on the Westnedge side of the building. When it’s nice out, there are tables outside so you can enjoy your bagel in the sunshine.
Before J brought it up, I had no idea Big Apple Bagels had a cafe menu. I always assumed it was just coffee and bagels. J stops there quite a bit in the morning to pick up coffee and/or breakfast. I had never been inside a store before. Read more…
Qdoba Mexican Grill – Portage
6800 S. Westnedge AvenueAnother lazy Saturday. The rain just makes it so hard to get off the couch. J had a taste for quacamole, but didn’t want to go to a restaurant. I wanted to pick up a movie. We figured out a way to do both.
We get movies from Redbox. The movie I wanted was available at the Walgreens in Portage near the mall. I made the reservation online then J mentioned there’s a Qdoba not too far from there. She had just eaten there a couple days ago, but likes the place enough that it didn’t bother her to eat there again. I’m pretty indifferent to the place. It doesn’t bother me to eat there, but I don’t crave it either.
The Portage location of the Denver, CO based chain is in a small shopping center just in front of the Crossroads Mall. The parking lot is only accessible from Westnedge. There are no other roads that lead in to and there’s no back exit or anything that will get you in to the mall.
The layout of the place is typical for the Qdoba chain. There’s a dining room as you walk in and a half-wall leads you towards the order area. It’s sort of layed out like a sandwich shop. Your food is made to order in front of you. You put in your order then you’re asked along the way how you want it customized. Read more…
Press Release – Dining Out For Life
I’ve seen this at a couple restaurants in the Kalamazoo area now, so I thought I’d pass it along. There are restaurants in both Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids participating. The following comes from the website Diningoutforlife.com.
Dining Out For Life® Offers Satisfying Ways to Raise Funds for HIV/AIDS
Thursday, April 29th in Over Fifty CitiesOn Thursday, April 29th, 2010, an estimated 250,000 people will dine out to fight AIDS in over fifty cities across the U.S. and Canada. Nearly 3,000 restaurants participate in Dining Out For Life® hosted by Subaru by donating a generous percentage of proceeds from the day’s meals to a local AIDS service organization. Money raised in each city stays in that city.
Actress and advocate Pam Grier joined Dining Out For Life as co-spokesperson (with Food Network host Ted Allen) to help raise support: “There is a resurgence of HIV among youth, gay men, women and ethnic minorities due to lack of education and the misperception that the epidemic is over and curable. Awareness and funds are declining — but you can help. Dine out on Thursday, April 29th for the most satisfying meal you’ll have all year.” Here is how to participate:
- Visit www.diningoutforlife.com and make a reservation at a participating restaurant near you on April 29.
- Contact the Dining Out For Life AIDS service provider in your city to volunteer.
- Follow us on Twitter @DineOut4Life and on FaceBook.com/DineOut4Life and join the world’s largest social dining event…TwEAT Out, Fight AIDS!
For a list of Kalamazoo restaurants, CLICK HERE
For a list of Grand Rapids Restaurants, CLICK HERE
Press Release – Smashburger Coming to Kalamazoo
So, I’m minding my own business and searching the Mlive.com classified ads (because as a Michigander, that’s just what you do) and came across a posting for a manager at a place called Smashburger. I did a Google search and found the following press release. The burger making process sounds a lot like Blimpy Burger to me which is one of my favorite burger joints. Already looking forward to trying one of these….
Smashburger Introduces its “Better Burger” to Southern Michigan
Franchise Agreement Brings Popular Fast-Casual Concept to the Kalamazoo area
KALAMAZOO, Mich. April 22, 2010 – Smashburger, a fast-casual, “better burger” restaurant concept has signed an agreement with Smash Venture, LLC to operate six restaurants in the Kalamazoo, Mich. metro area.
The deal with Smash Venture, LLC brings the number of signed franchise agreements to more than 350 and by year’s end, Smashburger will have approximately 100 stores open in more than 15 states. With a combination of corporate, franchise and joint venture partnerships, Smashburger has created a strategy that allows the Denver-based company to grow quickly and deliver its promise of a “better-burger” that maximizes guests’ time and dining experience.
Named for the cooking method used to create the perfect burger, Smashburgers are a one-third or half-pound ball of 100-percent—fresh, not frozen, Certified Angus Beef smashed on a flat grill to sear in the juicy flavors. To further the “better burger” experience, Smashburgers are served on a toasted artisan bun and topped with a selection of real cheeses, the freshest produce and top-quality condiments.
Smashburger is known for its savory burgers and serves up delicious Smashchicken sandwiches, Smashdogs and Smashsalads, with sides like veggie frites and rosemary and garlic-seasoned Smashfries. Burger lovers can pair their meals with beer, wine, Häagen-Dazs shakes and root beer floats.
“The team at Smash Venture, LLC has vast operational experience and will be a great asset for Smashburger as we enter southern Michigan’s communities,” says Smashburger President Scott Crane. “We are confident that our partnership will make Smashburger every city’s favorite place for burgers.”
“After trying Smashburger, I was very impressed by what I saw and tasted,” says Terry Henderson, SmashVenture, LLC CEO. “The time is right for Smashburger to enter Kalamazoo and its surrounding communities, because residents are looking for somewhere they can go to congregate and enjoy exceptionally tasting ‘better burgers’.”
Old Burdick’s Bar & Grill West
2747 S. 11th StreetFor quite a while now, we’ve been sitting on a Buy One Get One offer from Old Burdick’s. They’re not real hard to get. They seem to be printed on the back of every ticket for sporting events in Kalamazoo. We’ve actually got a handful of them, but the one I put away to use someday was a ticket from a football game at WMU last fall.
We’ve already been to Old Burdick’s downtown, so I wanted to give the west side location a shot. Old Burdick’s West is inside the Holiday Inn on 11th Street in Oshtemo Township. The hotel can be a little hard to find even though it’s clearly visible from US-131. When you turn the corner on to 11th Street from Stadium Drive, there is a sign that tells you turn in 500 ft. If you pay attention, there is another smaller sign and a left turn lane to get onto the access road to the hotel. Luckily, J had stayed at that hotel before we moved to town so she knew it could be easy to drive right by.
The restaurant is just past the registration desk when you enter the main door of the hotel. You walk down a long hallway that separates the bar area from the pool before you come to a hostess station. Past the hostess station is the main dining room where you have a wonderful water view. No, there’s no lake or river running by the property. You’re actually looking at the hotel’s pool. I kid because it’s really not that bad. We just both got a chuckle out of it, but it looks like you can get service out on the patio. I saw a couple servers bringing drinks out there. Man, my parents would have loved that. We always used to stay in Holiday Inn’s and this looks like one of those that was/is a “Holidome.” We loved the Holiday Inn for that reason. Read more…
KFC – Streator, IL
1702 N. Bloomington StreetA fast food review from a town four hours from here. Yeah, you don’t care. I don’t blame you. How about if I tell you I ordered the Double Down? Listening now? OK.
Streator isn’t a very big town, so dining options on the go are somewhat limited. There are a couple of fast food joints including a combo KFC-Long John Silver. The building looks pretty new. I have no idea how long it’s actually been there, but it’s in the new style of KFC. It’s on a pretty narrow piece of land that backs up to a Little League baseball field.
It was after dinner time by the time I got off work and pulled in for something I could eat on the go. I went in to the store because I hate the very idea of drive thrus and if I’m by myself, I go in to the store about 99% of the time.
For a chicken joint, this KFC is pretty nice. Chicken places always seem to collect grease. This one looks like it’s new enough that they’re still keeping up that new car smell if they can help it.
I went to the counter and didn’t even look up at the menu which has both the KFC selections and the LJS selections. I knew what I wanted.
I ordered the Original Recipe Double Down and a Pepsi. The girl working told me it’d be cheaper by about two bucks if I went with the combo meal, so I did and got fries. I don’t ever remember seeing fries at KFC before. I’ve seen potato wedges, but these were actual french fries. The meal cost a little over seven bucks. Read more…
Mr. J’s Hot Dogs & Gyros – Streator, IL
111 E. Bridge StreetOne of the biggest things I can do in my line of work is make friends. When it comes to finding work, it’s usually who you know. Lucky for me, one of my buddies back in Illinois is having a hard time finding guys to work during the week, so when he can’t find anyone else, he calls me.
I headed to Streator, Illinois to shoot a high school baseball game for the local cable company. It’s not a huge paying job, but work is work and it’s with guys that I genuinely like working with. Since it didn’t pay my normal rate, I didn’t want to spend money on a hotel, so I decided to make the four hour trip (one way) shoot the game then drive back to Kalamazoo.
When lunch time rolled around, I was hungry. It had already been a long day for me and the game was still three hours away. I bolted from the school and went looking for someplace to eat.
As I was turning around to head back towards a place I saw on the way in, I found a little hot dog stand on the corner of Bridge and Park Streets. It wasn’t much, but it’s definitely in the style of hot dog/gyro places that populate towns all over the state.
It seemed to be a pretty popular place. There were quite a few cars in the parking lot and a line once I got inside. There are only a handful of tables inside. Read more…
Harding’s Friendly Market – Centre Ave.
3750 W. Centre Avenue- Portage, MI 49024
- (269) 323-7380
- Website
The quest for dinner. It seems to be getting harder and harder to get inspired. I just haven’t been in the mood to cook so I’ve been eating roast beef sandwiches that has caramel coloring in it. What the hell is that, btw? Yeah. I’ve been eating crap.
Anyway, we needed some stuff dry cleaned and tailored, so we found a dry cleaner on Oakland and Centre in Portage that would do both. I needed a suit cleaned for a dry cleaner which was going to be quicker than the sewing we needed done. When I went to pick it up, I thought I should find a grocery store and get something for dinner.
I knew there was a Harding’s somewhat close. We actually found it one day on our way home from Texas Corner’s when we got off US 131. The store is in a shopping center at Oakland at Moorsbridge Road. The shop fits seamlessly into the center. Like many of Harding’s stores, it’s not a big box type store. The store is more like a neighborhood market.
What initially attracted me to this particular Harding’s was the signage that promoted a cafe. It’s not something that’s really unique to this store, but unlike the other stores that I have been to, they have an actual seating area. You can buy food from the self service deli and sit to eat after paying. Read more…
SW Michigan Dining 