Honeybaked Ham Cafe – Lansing

9 07 2009
  • 5601 W. Saginaw Highway
  • Lansing, MI 48917
  • (517) 327-5008
  • Website
  • Menu
The Honeybaked Ham Company and Cafe on W. Saginaw Highway in Lansing.

The Honeybaked Ham Company and Cafe on W. Saginaw Highway in Lansing.

Merry Christmas!  Yes, I know it’s July, but J and I finally cashed in her Christmas present from work.  We were out in Delta Township with a number of errands to run.  Before we left the house, I suggested we finally use the $50 gift certificate from Honeybaked Ham for lunch.  I think we both almost forgot about it and since it’s good until next Christmas, we just kept putting it off.  My family is coming to town this weekend, so picking up some extra lunch meat sounded like a good idea.

The Honeybaked Ham Company and Cafe is in one of the many little strip malls across the street from the Lansing Mall on West Saginaw Highway.  I have had the boxed lunches from Honeybaked Ham before, but I’ve never been in a store.  J said her mom used to stop and pick up a whole ham, but she hadn’t eaten lunch there either. 

The store is pretty small with an order counter, a couple tables, and some displays of gourmet pantry items.  The menu board is above the coolers behind the counter.  Since we had a gift certificate, we had to spend the whole thing.  The plan was to get lunch for both of us today and get some sliced meat to take home for the weekend.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Cafe, Chains, Deli, Lansing, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Subway – Saginaw & Creyts

6 07 2009
  • 6334 W. Saginaw Highway, Suite G
  • Lansing, MI 48917
  • (517) 323-2003
  • Website
  • Menu
Subway on West Saginaw Highway and Creyts Road in Delta Township

Subway on West Saginaw Highway and Creyts Road in Delta Township

Last summer, our Horrocks/Walmart trip was a weekly event.  So far this year, we’ve been pretty bad about getting out to Delta Township.  Over the winter, we’ve preferred the produce at Meijer, but with local stuff starting to come in season, we wanted to make the effort to get out to Horrocks. 

After I got home from the Lugnuts game on Sunday, I asked J if she wanted to make the run.  We needed some groceries anyway, so why not.  I hadn’t eaten all day and was starving, but neither of us really wanted to do to the sit down restaurant thing.  We hoped in the car and just started driving.  I knew there was enough out that way that we could find something.  On the trip though, I came up with Subway.  It’s always a fairly cheap, good meal….and most of the time, it’s pretty quick.

We chose the Subway on the corner of Saginaw Highway and Creyts Road in Delta Township mostly because it was the first one we came across after getting off the highway.  The store sits in a little strip mall that I guess you coule say is “anchored” by a Baryames Cleaners. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Chains, Lansing, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Baja Grille

5 07 2009
  • 402 S. Jefferson Street
  • Mason, MI 48854
  • (517) 244-1181
  • Website
  • Menu
Baja Grille on South Jefferson Street in Mason.

Baja Grille on South Jefferson Street in Mason.

We’re finding out that the thing to do on the Fourth of July in Michigan is to “go up north.”  Well, we have no place to really go up north and I had to work all weekend anyway, so J and I did what we always do on Saturdays.  We slept in late then got up and started planning on lunch.

Our original plan was to see about driving over the Birch Run.  We got up too late to do that without rushing to get me home in time for work.  Our second idea was a cafe in Jackson that Corky told me about.  We called and they weren’t open.  I had a copy of City Pulse sitting on the coffee table, so I picked it up and started looking through the “Food Finder.”  As I’m going down the list, I come across a place called in Mason that I’ve never heard of.  I did a Google search, found a website and loved the menu.  We were off to Mason. 

The Baja Grille is on Jefferson street on the courthouse square.  There were quite a few people downtown due to the Fourth of July holiday.  We got there after the parade, but the car show was still going on.  I could see there was a lot of foot traffic, so when I found a parking spot a half a block away in front of the library, I pulled in.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, Cafe, Downtown, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Michael’s Southern Style Jack Daniel BBQ

28 06 2009
  • Corner of Mt. Hope Avenue & Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
  • Lansing, MI 48910
  • (517) 881-8720
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
Michaels Southern Style Jack Daniel BBQ on the corner on Mt. Hope and MLK in Lansing.

Michael's Southern Style Jack Daniel BBQ on the corner on Mt. Hope and MLK in Lansing.

I was all set to make tacos tonight when I got home from the baseball game.  For some reason, I took the long way home and headed down MLK from downtown.  I sort of did it for a reason, but I didn’t think of the reason until I actually started doing it.  Must have been one of those subconscious things.

A few days ago, I saw a tweet from @lansingonline about southern style BBQ on the corner of MLK and Mt. Hope.   There weren’t a whole lot of details, but the note said it was good.  Still, it brought up a lot of questions.  New place?  Guy with a grill?  What kind of BBQ? 

So, after I realized I was driving down MLK, I stayed on until I got to Mt. Hope so I could check it out.  When I got to the corner, I found a big red, white, and blue trailer in the parking lot of a party store.  I didn’t stop just then.  I went home where I casually mentioned it to J.  She was on board and we jumped back into my truck to get some BBQ.

We pulled into the party store parking lot and found a parking spot.  As we walked back towards the trailer, I could see a woman sitting in the front seat.  When we got to the side, we noticed a menu taped on the window.  They had everything I love about BBQ listed.  Pulled pork, ribs, Mac ‘n cheese, etc.  A minute or so later, a man walked around to the front of the truck and went inside.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : BBQ, Lansing, Michigan, Reviews

Arby’s – E. Oakland Avenue

28 06 2009
  • 500 E. Oakland Avenue
  • Lansing, MI 48906
  • (517) 487-5154
  • Website
  • Menu
Arbys on East Oakland Avenue in Lansing.

Arby's on East Oakland Avenue in Lansing.

In the last year, Arby’s has drastically changed their menu.  They’ve added the Roastburger, Fajita Flatbread Melts, and Toasted Subs.  Usually when places make that many changes in a short time, the old formula isn’t working.  Still, there’s nothing I like better than an Arby’s roast beef and when I saw the 5 for $5 campaign had been brought back, I started looking for a reason to stop for lunch.

I was on my way to Oldsmobile Park for a Sunday afternoon baseball game.  First, I needed to grab something quick and cheap for lunch.  I drove by the Arby’s on South Cedar and that reminded me of the 5 for $5.  I missed the turn and instead of turning around, I kept going and hit the Arby’s a little farther north. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Chains, Fast Food, Lansing, Michigan, Old Town, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Applebees Neighborhood Bar & Grill – Okemos

26 06 2009
  • 2284 Woodlake Drive
  • Okemos, MI 48864
  • (517) 347-4892
  • Website
  • Menu
Applebees near I-96 & Okemos Road in Okemos

Applebees near I-96 & Okemos Road in Okemos

We’ve been good all week.  I’ve made dinner every night and we haven’t eaten out since last Saturday.  Before J left for work today, I asked if she wanted me to pick her up for dinner.  Of course, she said yes. 

I’ve learned the hard way that we can’t really head towards Michigan Avenue or East Lansing on her dinner break, but the edge of Okemos is usually ok.  She actually said she wanted to eat at a chain tonight and I said Applebees.  Yes, we could have just went to the South Lansing location, but it is Friday night and if they were busy, I wanted to make sure we had options.  There’s plenty of other restaurants near the Okemos location, so that’s where we went.

The Applebees in Okemos is just off of Okemos Road and I-96.  You would think the address would actually be Okemos Road, because it faces that street, but the address is on the side street that you turn on to which is Woodland Lake Drive. 

Like I figured, the parking lot was packed.  Still, I found a spot in the front parking lot, so I was holding out hope.  We made our way to the door where a waitress/hostess was there to greet us by opening the door….something that I’ve noticed at pretty much all the chain restaurant we’ve been to in the last year.  Once we were inside, we were stuck behind what must have been a large group.  It took three people to figure out where to put them.  The hostess that opened the door finally grabbed a couple menus and showed us to a booth in the dining room that is to the left of the bar. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, Chains, Michigan, Okemos, Restaurant, Reviews

Spagnuolo’s Chocolate

21 06 2009
  • 115 E. Main Street
  • Owosso, MI 48867
  • (989) 729-9590
  • No Known Website
Spagnuolos Chocolate in downtown Owosso.

Spagnuolo's Chocolate in downtown Owosso.

Leave it to us to find the chocolate shop in town.  On our way to Owosso, we saw billboards for “historic downtown Owosso.”  After eating lunch at the Wrought Iron Grill, we decided to find downtown and see what the billboards were all about.  On our first pass through town, we saw a little candy store that still had an “open” sign lit up.  We went around the block to find a parking spot then headed back for some dessert.

Spagnuolo’s Chocolate has a tiny store front on Main Street.  We parked around the corner where there is some angled parking.  In front of the store, there are some parallel spots, but I didn’t realize that and the walk didn’t hurt us any. 

We walked into the chocolate shop at 3:45…about fifteen minutes before they were set to close.  There was one lady who was already gearing up to close.  We started looking around.  We saw a sign for fudge, but didn’t see any in the case.  The lady noticed we looked a little lost and asked if there was anything in particular we were looking for.  She pointed out the fudge in a basket behind us.  It was already cut and wrapped.  They only had two flavors but one of them was peanut butter.  I grabbed a chunk of fudge and J kept looking. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Candy, Downtown, Ice Cream, Local Flavor, Michigan, Owosso, Reviews

Wrought Iron Grill

21 06 2009
  • 317 S. Elm Street #201
  • Owosso, MI 48867
  • (989) 472-9025
  • Website
  • Menu
The Wrought Iron Grill on South Elm Street in Owosso

The Wrought Iron Grill on South Elm Street in Owosso

I know it sounds stupid, but J and I just aren’t back on Eastern Time yet.  We had a nice vacation that didn’t involve a lot of getting up early, but sleeping in unfamiliar beds all week really took a toll on us.  We made it back to Lansing just as the storms were rolling in Friday night and J went almost right to bed.  I stayed up and caught up on some Tivo’d shows.  When I rolled over Saturday morning and the clock said 11:50, I have to admit, I was a little shocked.  That’s not all that unusual for me, but it is for J.  By the time we got up and got moving, it was a little after 1:00.  We didn’t have plans today, but needed to go somewhere for lunch.  J asked if there was any place I’ve been wanting to go…even if it was a little bit of a drive.  I mean, we are still in vacation mode.  Owosso’s not that far and there’s a restaurant just on the edge of town I’ve heard good things about.

The Wrought Iron Grill is on South Elm Street in an old warehouse that is now a mixed use building.  The Wrought Iron Grill takes up the bottom floor of the front of the space.  Around the corner there’s a cute looking coffee shop and there are lofts on the second floor.  We pulled in a little after 2:00 on a Saturday afternoon.  There were a few cars in the parking lot and one family dining on the patio so we knew we wouldn’t be the only people in the place.

We walked in the front door where we were met by a hostess.  She showed us to a booth in a room that is just off the bar.  She set down the “dinner” menus which was a little bit of a worry to me, but they had sandwiches, so we were ok.  The hostess said the waitress would be with us in a second so we started to look over the menu. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, Local Flavor, Michigan, Owosso, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

South Side Soda Shop and Diner – Goshen, IN

20 06 2009
  • 1122 S. Main Street
  • Goshen, IN 46526
  • (574) 534-3790
  • Website
  • Menu
The South Side Soda Shop & Diner on South Main in Goshen, IN

The South Side Soda Shop & Diner on South Main in Goshen, IN

A couple years back, J and I were watching Diner’s, Drive-In’s, and Dives and we saw a segment on an old soda shop in Goshen, IN.  When we moved to Lansing, we pulled out a map to see where in Indiana Goshen is.  The map showed it just being outside of Elkhart.  It also showed the town as being pretty close to the Indiana Toll Road.  We figured it would take us about a half hour out of our way to make a stop on our way home from Chicago one weekend. 

So, one weekend, we made the detour and stopped.  Problem was, stupid me forgot to see if they were open on Sunday.  They’re not so we made the trip for nothing.  J wasn’t very happy with me. 

On our most recent trip home, we headed back towards Lansing on Friday.  As we were sitting in traffic on I-94 near Portage, IN, J asked if we missed the exit to get to South Bend.  We had, but I had her turn the GPS on because I knew there was a road from Michigan City to South Bend that we hadn’t missed yet.  As we waited to get through traffic, we made the decision to try again.  This time, J called to make sure they’d be open…and they were.

The South Side Soda Shop and Diner is on South Main Street just south of Downtown Goshen.  It’s sits on the corner an the only parking is in the neighborhood on the streets.  We pulled up near dinner time on Friday night, so there was already quite a crowd of people packing the small diner.  We parked a few blocks down and walked back. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, Diner, Goshen, Ice Cream, Indiana, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Silver Cross Field – Joliet, IL

20 06 2009
  • 1 Mayor Art Schultz Drive
  • Joliet, IL 60432
  • (815) 726-2255
  • Website
Silver Cross Field in downtown Joliet.

Silver Cross Field in downtown Joliet.

I think I’ve already mentioned, I really like baseball.  Most guys spend all year getting ready for their fantasy football draft….I look forward to April because baseball’s starting.  I’ve been very lucky the last seven years having a Midwest League team in the city I’ve lived in.  Trust me, I’ve taken advantage of that. 

For my first two years of college, I played baseball at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, IL.  We played our home games on a pretty nice field at Joliet Catholic Academy (high school).  Since I went to a small high school, this field was a huge step up, but for most of the guys I played with, it was a step down.  In 2003, USF got a huge opportunity to play it’s home games at the newly built Silver Cross Field in downtown Joliet.  I never got to play there or even see it before I left school, but the park’s main tenant is the Joliet Jackhammers of the Northern League. 

J and I were at my parents house and it’s always nice to be able to get my dad out of the house.  He likes baseball like I like baseball so I suggested the hour drive north to Joliet.  Once we figured out the rain might actually hold off, my mom and aunt also wanted in, so we loaded up the van an headed to Joliet. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Entertainment Venues, Illinois, Joliet, Live Entertainment, Reviews

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