Dixon's Chili

Kansas City Missouri.

Yes, since 1919 this place has been cranking out a unique style of chili for over a hundred years. This was a favorite haunt of President Harry Truman and after he was actually President when he came into town the Secret Service would be sent here to get him his much desired chili. 

This is like no other chili I've ever had. It is beans covered in meat and then offered with two different sauces choice. I used both. And I loved it. 

This is a picture of President Truman visiting this very place. Now to be absolutely candid, my bride Penny did not like this as much as me. But I got the spaghetti chili [I have a theory that if it has a noodle, it can't be wrong] and she did not. So that may be part of it. 

If I lived here I would be at least a weekly regular and maybe more. My wife probably every two weeks. But I thought this was fun and great. I recommend it. 

My grade: B+

 Arthur Bryant's Barbeque

Kansas City Missouri. 

We went to Kansas for spring break so that I could get it off my 'want to get to all 50' list. But it Kansas City Missouri we ate at seem interesting places.

One such place was the world famous Arthur Bryant's Barbeque. We entered this place and the smell was intoxicating. I ordered baby back ribs with the beans and potato salad on the side. 

We had to enter and get into a delicatessen style line. A lady in line had to fill us in and tell us to go around her because there are two ordering stations. Penny got the pulled chicken and she liked it. I liked my order too. But the thing is I didn't love it. I mean, it was good, especially the sides, but I've had barbercue all over the south and everywhere, and I have to say I've have better that Arthur Bryant's.

But here's the thing. This joint had a bit of a rep. Patrons have included President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalind, Senator John McCain, Stephen Spielberg, Sally Field, President Barrack Obama, James Spader and many others. 

As I've said I really enjoyed the sides although the portions were way more than I could possibly eat, and the ribs were actually forgettable. And I used the premium sauce. 

So I will give this place my grade. It was a fun experience but I give this a C for the food and the way one gets it.

180˚ Burger Bistro

180˚ Burger Bistro

Lafayette Avenue, Greenville, Michigan.

We were able to finally the remake of the Greenville restaurant The Green Harp in Greenville Michigan. The remake is called 180˚ Burger Bistro. We haven't been here before because they are only open from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. so that usually keeps us out during the week because Penny doesn't get home from work until 3:30 or 4:00pm. 

And although we were resenting the fact that the owner wouldn't give Rumney [of Rumney's Fiesta Cafe] a shot of taking over this place, but when we finally got here it's pretty cool. If your a 80's and on kid. My wife loved it. She's an 80's kid. Me? Meh. But the food was great and we didn't even get their specialty - burgers. Next time for sure. 

I got the Cubano, and Penny got the Messy someting and she adored her sandwich and ate all her tater tots, but I can't eat as much as I used to, so I brought half home with tater tots. Penny was estatic about her sandwich commenting several times about the bun, and my Cubano was the server's favorite And it was delicious. A really delicious Cubano sandwich, although not typically served with a pickle spear but rather with pickles on it, and I ate half with many tater tots. Even the tater tots were delicious. 

We can't wait to go back and get their signature product, burgers. We will get back here as much as possible. 

We have grown so sick of all the Greenville, Turk Lake, Belding restaurants so when whe had a chance at going here today we loved it. The place is 80, 90's funky and the food was great. I’m a 50’s, 60’s, 70’s kid so I wish the owner was more my age, but it was a fun unique atmosphere with the walls lined with awesome surfboards, and other Ghostbusters, Back To The Future, and other 80’s references. 

So the upside is the food is great. The downside are the hours of 9 am until 3 pm.

So, Grade: A-

Indian Masala

5769 E. 28th St. Grand Rapids or Kentwood, MI

Penny and I had been discussing our desire to try Indian cuisine. We were in Jacksonville Florida recently and our daughter Sami and her husband Will took us to a place called Jaxspice and we were blown away. So we began looking for a place in Grand Rapids that may be as good as that was. Well today we found it. 

It's called Indian Masala on the east side of 28th street and it met all of our hopes for the place. We purposely ordered the same dishes we'd ordered at JaxSpice to make a more accurate comparison. I ordered the butter chicken and Penny had the Messala Chicken and they were everything we'd hoped they'd be. Both dishes were top notch although we ordered them a little spicier than we'd had in Florida. Every bite bit back a little bit but that's how I like it. This place was incredibly stylized. For example the way the napkins were folded was impressive.  It was incredibly clean, and they spent a lot of time cleaning a previously used table. I mean a lot of scrubbing so I think it's safe to assume that sanitation is important here. When they finally got around to turn on the Indian music the atmosphere got better much as it does in Chinese restaurants with Chinese music. 

 As an appetizer we began with the cheesy Naan which is a flatbread. A very tasty flatbread. It is probably meant to go with the meal but it never makes it that far with us. Butter chicken is chunks of chicken breast served in a simmering pot of creamy tomato and garlic sauce. This is put on the provided white rice. Penny's Masala Chicken looks to be very similar but we both like our dishes so much we are not willing to share. 

I found the entree to be interesting and different from my usual fare. But that made it more intriguing. We have been so entrenched in Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Greek, American cuisine that this was a wake up call that we have been missing the boat.

The hours are different than most restaurants. For example, on Sundays they are open from 11:30 until 2:00 pm, and then they re-open again at 4:30 pm until 9:00 pm. So be advised. 

We need to try different dishes before I grade this one, but for now it's a solid high grade.

 Dear Friends,

I have mysteriously been locked out of this my sight for the longest. Suddenly tonight it let me in. Crazy but in a happy way. I have so many great spots to tell you about. Some have been forgotten as I didn't think I could get in anyway, so I will do better. 

Stay tuned.

Mission Barbecue

Mission BBQ
East Beltline across from Celebration Theater North
Grand Rapids, Michigan

I love BBQ. I have to say that right up front because I am prejudiced right from Jump Street. This was highly recommended so we were anxious to get here.

Right from the beginning we were put off. We have to stand in line and have to try to quickly read and ingest the menu. One gets confused and then right away you have to order. So you quickly settle on just any old thing.

As per the usual the sauce array is on the table and one can review while waiting for the food to arrive.

When the food arrived, I had ribs, my wife had chicken, it was totally....adequate. The sides were also wonderfully adequate. The sauces were what you would expect the usual fare. They were not bad, but usual.

This was a good meal. The portions were generous, and it was counter service so no complaints there.
But for us, it doesn't merit a special trip to Grand Rapids. Especially when we have better closer.

But if you are in the area and hankering for Barbecue, definitely give this a try.


Grade: B-

Zorba's
111 W. Portage Ave.
Sault St. Marie Michigan 49783




My wife was able to visit this establishment this summer and she was so enamored with the place that when we all had a chance to be there again last weekend I considered it a rare opportunity. She had gotten the number 2 when she was there before and was blown away. It was a gyro, and a Greek salad, and a Souvlaki.

So like sheep we all ordered the number 2. There were 5 of us. But before that we ordered that, we ordered a kind of sampler platter and I realized that the item that intrigued me on the menu I should have gone with. I should have went outside the box and ordered the Dolmades. But anyhow, we got our food and it was fantastic.

After the sampler platter stuff, I couldn't eat all of my number 2 but I got into it the next day. It was terrific food, spiced just enough, intriguing because I don't get exposed to Greek food enough. As mentioned there was a dish called Dolmades.  It was a marvelous rice and beef thing wrapped in a grape leaf and a lemonish sauce was poured on. This was wonderful. I wish I would have ordered it.

In reality I will probably never be here again, but if I am I'm going to get into it. If I lived there I would go everyday and know every item on the menu very well.

If you ever go up to see a ship go through the Locks, stop in just a little jaunt down the street to visit here. You won't regret it.

Grade: B+

see menu and hours online.