Cole's Corner
25 S. Greenville Road
Greenville, MI 48838
We have gone here before. The last time I was here, I ordered the fried chicken and it tasted like fish. It turns out obviously that they deep fry their chicken in the same fryer as the fish, and to me that is a mortal sin. I walked out exclaiming, never again.
But tonight my wife Penny suggested we give it another chance, and so I acquiesced.
Of course tonight I stayed away from the chicken. I opted instead for Cole's Corner's self-proclaimed specialty, smoked barbecue pork. One of the specials tonight was actually smoked barbecue pork with fish. Huh? But yeah. Smoked (there on the premises) barbecued pork is the main thing they do here, and I have been hankering ribs for quite a while so I went for the half rack. And a baked potato and baked beans.
Penny went for the Prime Rib, with a baked potato, and her obligatory tossed salad. Salads are....how shall I say.....BORIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGG.
Penny's Prime Rib came with the Au Jus on the side and I never like that. Soak the Prime Rib in it, and let the miracle happen. Au jus on the side seems a little too Mickey Dees style for me.
For two of us with baked potatoes the butter was a little light. Sure they were wonderful about bringing us more, but really shouldn't they just bring enough to begin with? But the big plus in my eyes, was that it was soft. It wasn't frozen. That means a lot to me.
I ordered the half rack of ribs and the baked potato, with baked beans on the side. And holy moly. For a guy that looks forward to traveling to the south every year just to be able to eat at a Sonny's Bar-B-Que, this was Heaven. I have no idea why they gave me a knife to go at the ribs with, since with a little help from the fork, fell right off the bone. Tasty beyond belief. I tried the baked beans. Couldn't believe it. I asked Penny to try the baked beans. She ended up eating a bunch of them. She said the baked beans were like eating a dessert. Just as an explanation, the beans came in a strong brown sugar barbecue flavor complete with shredded pork in the mix. Awesome. Both Penny and I declared...."the best we've ever had."
To be honest, on a Saturday night, for Prime Rib, this isn't the place. But anything pork related, this is DEFINITELY the place. They are trying. Are they Sonny's? Who knows? But they are the best we have here in the great white north.
The Good: Great Ribs, and other smoked pork entrees. And I would bet the smoked beef brisket is pretty great too. The Baked beans are second to none. Go just for these. Sonny's wishes their Campbell's baked beans could be this good. Trust Cole's when they brag about their pork. They are not lying.
The Bad: Their hours. They are closed Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On Friday and Saturday they are open from 9 am until 9 pm and on Sunday 9am until 3 pm. That's it.
The Ugly: They actually will drop your chicken in the same fryer wherein they drop the fish. This should be against the law. This is horrible. NEVER ever get chicken here.
Grade: B
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Marie Catrib's
Marie Catrib's
1001 Lake Drive. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
A friend of mine invited me to breakfast a few months ago, and he had me meet him at Marie Catrib's.
You know what I hate? When somebody thinks they can make perfect better. Let's take something that was perfect, like, say, the Oreo. The perfect cookie. And then some dumbass dipshit doesn't understand the word "perfect" and tries to improve on it. See, by definition, this can't be done. But still, here comes "Double-Stuffed Oreos."
They totally suck because the upend the whole cookie to filling ratio. And then, let's coat double-stuffed Oreos in chocolate. These people seem to want to stretch the totally-crappy-suck-awful envelope. They keep going crazy until they have yellow Oreos stuffed with watermelon creme filling. And everything they've ever done after the simple, pure, first Oreo, totally blows. Why do people do this? Is it a mental disorder? Don't get me started on the "improvements" in peanut butter, The Wizard of Oz, Catsup, or a myriad of other things. It makes me crazy.
And so do restaurants that think they can do a simple perfect thing like, say....breakfast...better?
Now Marie Catrib's had an impressive deli counter, and I was given exquisite samples from that, so there are lots of good things about this place. But the breakfast menu was so full of spinach, tofu, water chestnuts crap, that it was hard - no, impossible to order a couple of eggs, hash browns, and bacon. Look, breakfast is supposed to be a simple thing. Like the Oreo. But there are always people who think they have a better idea.
My favorite breakfast is eggs, home-made toast, hash browns, sausage, and coffee. Can you get this at Marie Katribe's? Of course not. You can get the overly-hip tofu sausage, and maybe eggs, but of course toast has too many carbs. And it does, but that should be my decision to make.
They have a following. And they will be there a long time. Because there are people who love this, and the hipness, and being in Eastown, and being at an eatery other than Yesterdog in Eastown, and yadda, yadda, yadda. It wasn't horrible. Much of it was very good. But that's because I was with one of the coolest guys ever. But seriously, the food in the restaurant belies the stuff in the deli.
Visit this place. Get everything at the deli, and then get out. And if you're looking for breakfast, go to Denny's. But there have been other very positive reviews about their lunch menu. So who knows? But I still have to distance myself from the tragically hip.
The Good: A wonderful deli counter, and a fabulous staff that seemed to really care.
The Bad: Hard to order a simple breakfast.
The Ugly: Tragically hip.
Grade: D+
1001 Lake Drive. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
A friend of mine invited me to breakfast a few months ago, and he had me meet him at Marie Catrib's.
You know what I hate? When somebody thinks they can make perfect better. Let's take something that was perfect, like, say, the Oreo. The perfect cookie. And then some dumbass dipshit doesn't understand the word "perfect" and tries to improve on it. See, by definition, this can't be done. But still, here comes "Double-Stuffed Oreos."
They totally suck because the upend the whole cookie to filling ratio. And then, let's coat double-stuffed Oreos in chocolate. These people seem to want to stretch the totally-crappy-suck-awful envelope. They keep going crazy until they have yellow Oreos stuffed with watermelon creme filling. And everything they've ever done after the simple, pure, first Oreo, totally blows. Why do people do this? Is it a mental disorder? Don't get me started on the "improvements" in peanut butter, The Wizard of Oz, Catsup, or a myriad of other things. It makes me crazy.
And so do restaurants that think they can do a simple perfect thing like, say....breakfast...better?
Now Marie Catrib's had an impressive deli counter, and I was given exquisite samples from that, so there are lots of good things about this place. But the breakfast menu was so full of spinach, tofu, water chestnuts crap, that it was hard - no, impossible to order a couple of eggs, hash browns, and bacon. Look, breakfast is supposed to be a simple thing. Like the Oreo. But there are always people who think they have a better idea.
My favorite breakfast is eggs, home-made toast, hash browns, sausage, and coffee. Can you get this at Marie Katribe's? Of course not. You can get the overly-hip tofu sausage, and maybe eggs, but of course toast has too many carbs. And it does, but that should be my decision to make.
They have a following. And they will be there a long time. Because there are people who love this, and the hipness, and being in Eastown, and being at an eatery other than Yesterdog in Eastown, and yadda, yadda, yadda. It wasn't horrible. Much of it was very good. But that's because I was with one of the coolest guys ever. But seriously, the food in the restaurant belies the stuff in the deli.
Visit this place. Get everything at the deli, and then get out. And if you're looking for breakfast, go to Denny's. But there have been other very positive reviews about their lunch menu. So who knows? But I still have to distance myself from the tragically hip.
The Good: A wonderful deli counter, and a fabulous staff that seemed to really care.
The Bad: Hard to order a simple breakfast.
The Ugly: Tragically hip.
Grade: D+
Friday, April 4, 2014
Olivera's
Olivera's Ristorante and Pub.
390 S. Dexter
Ionia, Michigan 48811
Olivera's began in a smaller building a few years back and got excellent response. In time it became apparent that the parking was inadequate and the place was too small. So this week, Olivera's moved down the street to a much bigger site that had been vacated by a Mexican Restaurant. We made an impulsive decision to run down there this evening. And it turns out it was a good decision.
It didn't seem promising at first. Although it is a more than ample parking lot, it was nearly full. When we found out they'd only been in their new digs two days, and it was Friday night, and it was 6:30 pm, the 15 minute wait was fair.
The service was prompt and efficient. My wife and I both chose entrees that offered soup or salad, and we both chose soup. My wife chose the Tomato Basil and I opted for the Turkey Noodle.
Wow, these were good soups! My wife noted that she could tell by the texture that the tomatoes had been pureed and put together just right. My turkey and noodle was a combination of penne noodles, turkey, carrots, and other great stuff. I tried to make it last. It had a hint of a spicy bite to it that was wonderful. This wasn't dull at all. I could have made a whole meal out of this stuff.
My wife chose a Chicken Parmesan (and she accuses me of not thinking outside of the box). But hey, when it arrived, she raved about it the entire time. She was blessed with a very generous sized portion of chicken breast that was prepared so that it retained it's moisture and tenderness. Well done, Olivera's!
I ordered the Spaghetti Rustica. It was a spaghetti in a garlic cream sauce combined with sauteed spinach, fresh tomatoes, and Italian sausage. And oh, buddy! Was this ever good. It, as well as the wife's entree, comes with a breadstick that is delicious without being covered in melted cheese.
The portions are generous and we both ended up bringing some of ours home. The prices were modest, that is, entirely fair.
Johnny Carino's on the East Beltline had previously been my wife's favorite restaurant. But they closed last year. We have our suspicions on where the chef's went. My wife Penny declared tonight that she thinks that Olivera's is her new favorite restaurant.
The Good: Great food at modest prices.
The Bad: The wait, but they said it would be 30 minutes and it was actually only about 15. And I suspect they were so busy was because of curiosity about the new digs. And it was Friday night at about 6 pm after all.
The Ugly: I got nothin'.
By the way, the hours are : Mon - Saturday 11 am - 12 midnight.
Sunday 12 noon - 12 midnight.
Grade: A
390 S. Dexter
Ionia, Michigan 48811
Olivera's began in a smaller building a few years back and got excellent response. In time it became apparent that the parking was inadequate and the place was too small. So this week, Olivera's moved down the street to a much bigger site that had been vacated by a Mexican Restaurant. We made an impulsive decision to run down there this evening. And it turns out it was a good decision.
It didn't seem promising at first. Although it is a more than ample parking lot, it was nearly full. When we found out they'd only been in their new digs two days, and it was Friday night, and it was 6:30 pm, the 15 minute wait was fair.
The service was prompt and efficient. My wife and I both chose entrees that offered soup or salad, and we both chose soup. My wife chose the Tomato Basil and I opted for the Turkey Noodle.
Wow, these were good soups! My wife noted that she could tell by the texture that the tomatoes had been pureed and put together just right. My turkey and noodle was a combination of penne noodles, turkey, carrots, and other great stuff. I tried to make it last. It had a hint of a spicy bite to it that was wonderful. This wasn't dull at all. I could have made a whole meal out of this stuff.
My wife chose a Chicken Parmesan (and she accuses me of not thinking outside of the box). But hey, when it arrived, she raved about it the entire time. She was blessed with a very generous sized portion of chicken breast that was prepared so that it retained it's moisture and tenderness. Well done, Olivera's!
I ordered the Spaghetti Rustica. It was a spaghetti in a garlic cream sauce combined with sauteed spinach, fresh tomatoes, and Italian sausage. And oh, buddy! Was this ever good. It, as well as the wife's entree, comes with a breadstick that is delicious without being covered in melted cheese.
The portions are generous and we both ended up bringing some of ours home. The prices were modest, that is, entirely fair.
Johnny Carino's on the East Beltline had previously been my wife's favorite restaurant. But they closed last year. We have our suspicions on where the chef's went. My wife Penny declared tonight that she thinks that Olivera's is her new favorite restaurant.
The Good: Great food at modest prices.
The Bad: The wait, but they said it would be 30 minutes and it was actually only about 15. And I suspect they were so busy was because of curiosity about the new digs. And it was Friday night at about 6 pm after all.
The Ugly: I got nothin'.
By the way, the hours are : Mon - Saturday 11 am - 12 midnight.
Sunday 12 noon - 12 midnight.
Grade: A
Friday, December 13, 2013
Rumney's Fiesta Cafe
Rumney's Fiesta Cafe
129 S. Lafayette Street
Greenville, Michigan.
You know this is just one of those places one takes for granted. Great food, great service, and reasonable pricing. Much overlooked, but those who attend swear by it, and sing it's praises.
The thing is, Rumney's is not open on weekends or after 8:00 p.m. But they do serve great food and they always have a "special." And I usually really like the 'specials.' But they never fill me up.
This restaurant focuses on Mexican cuisine, but there is a wide variety of things featured on the menu. You can get a Olive Burger or a terrific Club Sandwich. Many great choices.
The owner Bill, obviously loves Mexican food. That's a given. There is another big Mexican restaurant in Greenville, but if I were you, just stick with Rumney's. The food is delicious and not extravagantly priced. And really, what sane human being eats dinner after 8:00 p.m.?
Go for it. The evening waitress is fun and a marvel to watch. This girl is a worker. She does the whole floor alone, with ease, and doesn't bat an eye. Greenville has a lot to offer and Rumney's Fiesta Cafe is a treasure that deserves to be checked out.
The Good: Variety in menu options. And all good. The Decor is so cheesy it's kinda cool without meaning to be.
The Bad: Weird parking. If we can't park in front, we don't stop. Also, the specials don't fill you up. And I believe you should NEVER walk out of a restaurant hungry. And then there's the hours.....not real user friendly. No weekends.
The Ugly: There are regular weirdos that hang out in there and were too shell-shocked from Viet-Nam to not be vocal. God Bless 'em, but just sayin'......
Grade: B-
129 S. Lafayette Street
Greenville, Michigan.
You know this is just one of those places one takes for granted. Great food, great service, and reasonable pricing. Much overlooked, but those who attend swear by it, and sing it's praises.
The thing is, Rumney's is not open on weekends or after 8:00 p.m. But they do serve great food and they always have a "special." And I usually really like the 'specials.' But they never fill me up.
This restaurant focuses on Mexican cuisine, but there is a wide variety of things featured on the menu. You can get a Olive Burger or a terrific Club Sandwich. Many great choices.
The owner Bill, obviously loves Mexican food. That's a given. There is another big Mexican restaurant in Greenville, but if I were you, just stick with Rumney's. The food is delicious and not extravagantly priced. And really, what sane human being eats dinner after 8:00 p.m.?
Go for it. The evening waitress is fun and a marvel to watch. This girl is a worker. She does the whole floor alone, with ease, and doesn't bat an eye. Greenville has a lot to offer and Rumney's Fiesta Cafe is a treasure that deserves to be checked out.
The Good: Variety in menu options. And all good. The Decor is so cheesy it's kinda cool without meaning to be.
The Bad: Weird parking. If we can't park in front, we don't stop. Also, the specials don't fill you up. And I believe you should NEVER walk out of a restaurant hungry. And then there's the hours.....not real user friendly. No weekends.
The Ugly: There are regular weirdos that hang out in there and were too shell-shocked from Viet-Nam to not be vocal. God Bless 'em, but just sayin'......
Grade: B-
Thursday, December 5, 2013
The Wealthy Street Bakery.
The Wealthy Street Bakery
608 Wealthy Street
Grand Rapids, Michigan
I had just given my wife and father-in-law a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's Meyer May house in Grand Rapids, and before leaving my wife asked our friend Shirley if there was anywhere good to eat nearby. Shirley instantly assured us there was. The Wealthy Street Bakery around the corner.
Shirley knows of what she speaks.
This is primarily a bakery. But they do serve an assortment of soups and sandwiches along with coffees, lattes, and other coffee drinks. I opted for the turkey and provolone, while my wife and father-in-law ordered the chicken salad sandwich. We all elected to have the soup along with our sandwich. There is only one soup at a time, and at that moment, it was cheesy broccoli. I normally don't like "cheesy" thick soups, but since it was the only one available I decided to give it a try. And I'm glad I did.
Our sandwiches arrived and I must say I was hesitant about the whole idea. I had been craving a burger. But after I took the first bite of this wonderful turkey and provolone, with lettuce, and some mayo/mustard concoction, on the BEST bread ever..... I no longer wanted a burger. I wanted to figure out how to make this sandwich experience last as long as possible. And did I mention the others' Chicken Salad sandwiches? They came also on the the aforementioned BEST bread ever, and besides chicken included lots of interesting stuff including cranberries.
The soup I had been apprehensive about was simply wonderful. Cheesy for sure, but not thick and overpowering. It was light and was filled with very fresh broccoli that still had life in it. If all cheese-broccoli could be this I would have a bowl every day.
We all enjoyed this little jewel very much. I will be going there again as my occasional duties as a docent at the Meyer May house bring me to that area of Grand Rapids. I cannot recommend this place highly enough. It was wonderful.
The Good: Lots of parking, plenty of seating, casual atmosphere, employees who really care and take pride in the food.
The Bad: Only a bakery and lunch place. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it means the menu is fairly limited.
Hours are 6:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Monday thru Saturday.
Grade: A.
608 Wealthy Street
Grand Rapids, Michigan
I had just given my wife and father-in-law a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's Meyer May house in Grand Rapids, and before leaving my wife asked our friend Shirley if there was anywhere good to eat nearby. Shirley instantly assured us there was. The Wealthy Street Bakery around the corner.
Shirley knows of what she speaks.
This is primarily a bakery. But they do serve an assortment of soups and sandwiches along with coffees, lattes, and other coffee drinks. I opted for the turkey and provolone, while my wife and father-in-law ordered the chicken salad sandwich. We all elected to have the soup along with our sandwich. There is only one soup at a time, and at that moment, it was cheesy broccoli. I normally don't like "cheesy" thick soups, but since it was the only one available I decided to give it a try. And I'm glad I did.
Our sandwiches arrived and I must say I was hesitant about the whole idea. I had been craving a burger. But after I took the first bite of this wonderful turkey and provolone, with lettuce, and some mayo/mustard concoction, on the BEST bread ever..... I no longer wanted a burger. I wanted to figure out how to make this sandwich experience last as long as possible. And did I mention the others' Chicken Salad sandwiches? They came also on the the aforementioned BEST bread ever, and besides chicken included lots of interesting stuff including cranberries.
The soup I had been apprehensive about was simply wonderful. Cheesy for sure, but not thick and overpowering. It was light and was filled with very fresh broccoli that still had life in it. If all cheese-broccoli could be this I would have a bowl every day.
We all enjoyed this little jewel very much. I will be going there again as my occasional duties as a docent at the Meyer May house bring me to that area of Grand Rapids. I cannot recommend this place highly enough. It was wonderful.
The Good: Lots of parking, plenty of seating, casual atmosphere, employees who really care and take pride in the food.
The Bad: Only a bakery and lunch place. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it means the menu is fairly limited.
Hours are 6:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Monday thru Saturday.
Grade: A.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
The Twisted Rooster
The Twisted Rooster
1600 East Beltline
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525
Okay, I had always thought this was a chain, and therefore never paid it much mind. But the other night we stopped in and found out that it is a chain....of 3. All in Michigan. So it's a local chain that deserves a mention.
As we entered....it was noisy. Really noisy. I guess some fancy New York advisor tells them that noisy is good...seems happening, friendly, on top of it. To me, it was too noisy. Lousy acoustics. But if the wife and I raised our voices, we could communicate. My wife had been there before, and she got what she knew to be great....the "Twisted Mac and Cheese." I wasn't really all that hungry so I just randomly picked some "Parmesan Cheese Bruschetti". Spelling error on Bruschetti not withstanding.
Our server was prompt and wonderful. She was on top of her game. She was full of history and exclamations about the place. And our drinks came fast and for as crowded as the place was - and this was a Thursday night - our entrees were very prompt.
The menu was loaded with Michigan menu items, and obviously they supported many Michigan growers to churn out the menu specialties. Just a shout out to the restaurant, in case anybody actually likes Michigan. I don't. So there's that.
But when the food arrived....oh buddy! What great food. I cannot either spell or describe my Bruschetti. It was some of the best stuff I've ever eaten. Exquisite. The various textures of pasta, croutons, tomato, and cheeses just lit my pallet up.
My sample of my wife's "Twisted Mac and Cheese" was extraordinary. What a great meal from a simple idea! We were both just giddy over how good the food and service were.
I told my son that we'd gone there and he chimed in with his favorite entree...and fancy nachos dishes that feature Jalapenos. He absolutely loves 'em.
All I can say is bring your ear-buds, and be ready to treat your taste-buds. This was one great dining experience.....except for the noise...
Grade: A-
1600 East Beltline
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525
Okay, I had always thought this was a chain, and therefore never paid it much mind. But the other night we stopped in and found out that it is a chain....of 3. All in Michigan. So it's a local chain that deserves a mention.
As we entered....it was noisy. Really noisy. I guess some fancy New York advisor tells them that noisy is good...seems happening, friendly, on top of it. To me, it was too noisy. Lousy acoustics. But if the wife and I raised our voices, we could communicate. My wife had been there before, and she got what she knew to be great....the "Twisted Mac and Cheese." I wasn't really all that hungry so I just randomly picked some "Parmesan Cheese Bruschetti". Spelling error on Bruschetti not withstanding.
Our server was prompt and wonderful. She was on top of her game. She was full of history and exclamations about the place. And our drinks came fast and for as crowded as the place was - and this was a Thursday night - our entrees were very prompt.
The menu was loaded with Michigan menu items, and obviously they supported many Michigan growers to churn out the menu specialties. Just a shout out to the restaurant, in case anybody actually likes Michigan. I don't. So there's that.
But when the food arrived....oh buddy! What great food. I cannot either spell or describe my Bruschetti. It was some of the best stuff I've ever eaten. Exquisite. The various textures of pasta, croutons, tomato, and cheeses just lit my pallet up.
My sample of my wife's "Twisted Mac and Cheese" was extraordinary. What a great meal from a simple idea! We were both just giddy over how good the food and service were.
I told my son that we'd gone there and he chimed in with his favorite entree...and fancy nachos dishes that feature Jalapenos. He absolutely loves 'em.
All I can say is bring your ear-buds, and be ready to treat your taste-buds. This was one great dining experience.....except for the noise...
Grade: A-
Sunday, July 7, 2013
City Park Grill
City Park Grill
432 E. Lake Street
Petosky, Michigan
231-347-0101
This bar/restaurant is located next to the park in Petoskey, Michigan and was formerly known as "The Park Gardens." Back in the old days it was favorite hang-out of Ernest Hemingway when he stayed in northern Michigan. In fact he mentioned it by name in "The Torrents of Spring." Its other claim to fame is that one night in 1902 or 03, Mark Twain strolled in and had a large beer approximately in the spot where the woman in this picture is seated. He was on a speaking tour and was there that evening.
The establishment had added on sometime in the late 70's extending the room to add additional dining space as it moved away from strictly being a drinking establishment. Since then it has changed hands again, and also changed it's name becoming the "City Park Grill"
We were there with a group of eight, which allowed for several different menu choices. We were there at lunchtime. I selected the Fish & Chips and my wife ordered the macaroni and cheese with parmesan chicken added. Others in the party ordered the macaroni and cheese with mushrooms added, and still others ordered various sandwiches.
The Good: My Fish and Chips were the best I've ever had. The fish was breaded just right and the tartar sauce was made from scratch. The fries were like my mom used to make which is the basis from which all fries should be judged. The fish was tasty but didn't scream "this is fish!" My wife even tried a piece and liked it. That is saying something! (see below).....The others all seemed to enjoy their sandwiches very much.
The Bad: Our friend Lizzie's macaroni and cheese with mushrooms took forever to arrive, since they messed up the order and had to redo it. But they did, and they did so graciously. They didn't charge her for it.
The Ugly: My wife complained that her mac and cheese with chicken tasted like fish. I don't know how she knows what fish tastes like, since she refuses to eat it.
But she was not happy with it.
This place is well worth a visit if you're ever in the Petosky area. Just note the beautiful ornate woodwork in the picture above. I thought the food was very good and the service was wonderful. They are also a full bar, and offer an extensive wine list. The pricing was not extravagant. My fish and chips was roughly $8.99.
The prevailing knowledge is that the table area shown here (at the time was the back wall, the other room was added in the 1970's) was where Hemingway used to sit, drink, and scrawl into journals.
Grade: A-
432 E. Lake Street
Petosky, Michigan
231-347-0101
This bar/restaurant is located next to the park in Petoskey, Michigan and was formerly known as "The Park Gardens." Back in the old days it was favorite hang-out of Ernest Hemingway when he stayed in northern Michigan. In fact he mentioned it by name in "The Torrents of Spring." Its other claim to fame is that one night in 1902 or 03, Mark Twain strolled in and had a large beer approximately in the spot where the woman in this picture is seated. He was on a speaking tour and was there that evening.
The establishment had added on sometime in the late 70's extending the room to add additional dining space as it moved away from strictly being a drinking establishment. Since then it has changed hands again, and also changed it's name becoming the "City Park Grill"
We were there with a group of eight, which allowed for several different menu choices. We were there at lunchtime. I selected the Fish & Chips and my wife ordered the macaroni and cheese with parmesan chicken added. Others in the party ordered the macaroni and cheese with mushrooms added, and still others ordered various sandwiches.
The Good: My Fish and Chips were the best I've ever had. The fish was breaded just right and the tartar sauce was made from scratch. The fries were like my mom used to make which is the basis from which all fries should be judged. The fish was tasty but didn't scream "this is fish!" My wife even tried a piece and liked it. That is saying something! (see below).....The others all seemed to enjoy their sandwiches very much.
The Bad: Our friend Lizzie's macaroni and cheese with mushrooms took forever to arrive, since they messed up the order and had to redo it. But they did, and they did so graciously. They didn't charge her for it.
The Ugly: My wife complained that her mac and cheese with chicken tasted like fish. I don't know how she knows what fish tastes like, since she refuses to eat it.
But she was not happy with it.
This place is well worth a visit if you're ever in the Petosky area. Just note the beautiful ornate woodwork in the picture above. I thought the food was very good and the service was wonderful. They are also a full bar, and offer an extensive wine list. The pricing was not extravagant. My fish and chips was roughly $8.99.
Grade: A-
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