Chuck’s Cajun Fest – Burbank, IL

9 08 2008
The pulled pork and mac n cheese from Chucks Southern Comforts Cafe as served at Chucks Cajun Fest

The pulled pork and mac 'n cheese from Chuck's Southern Comforts Cafe as served at Chuck's Cajun Fest

A few weeks ago, I was in the Chicago area for a soccer game at Toyota Park.  While I was looking for places to eat, I came across Chuck’s Southern Comfort Cafe (review HERE).  I sent the website to my girlfriend since her parents live right down the road and when she saw the website, she thought I was sending it to her because of the ad for Chuck’s Cajun Fest which was on the front page.  We just happened to be heading to Chicago that weekend for a wedding and a stop in Chicago usually means a stop at her parents house as well.

We slept in Saturday morning since the fest didn’t start until noon.  It was nothing too fancy.  The event took place in the parking lot of St. Albert’s Church in Burbank, IL.  There weren’t a whole lot of people there when we got there but they just opened up for the day.  Read the rest of this entry »





Huck Finn Restaurant – Oak Lawn

9 08 2008
  • 10501 S. Cicero Ave.
  • Oak Lawn, IL 60453
  • (708 ) 499-1112
  • Website
  • Menu

One of three Huck Finn Restaurants in the Chicagoland Area

I have got this strange fascination with 24 hour diners.  When we go to my girlfriend’s parents house, we leave Lansing when she gets off work around midnight.  That puts us in the Chicago area around 2:00 AM CST.  This night was no different.  We made it to town just after 2:00.  Like the lazy college kids we aren’t, we piled all of our dirty clothes into her car and took over her parents laundry room.  Because we had plans Saturday afternoon, J wanted to get a couple loads done before we went to bed.  We put in a load of whites and realized we were both hungry.  Even though Huck Finn has been there since she was in high school, she never ate there.  Since it’s only a few blocks away, we hoped back in the car and went for breakfast.

Huck Finn is a chain of three restaurants in the Chicago area.  They’re open 24/7 and they work on the unique model of being not only a restaurant, but a donut and ice cream shop too.  The parking lot was packed even though it was 2:30 in the AM.  We headed inside and a hostess showed us to a booth along the back wall.  We just seem to not have much luck with waiters in Chicago area 24/7 places.  We had an absolutely disasters meal at White Palace Grill (review HERE) in the south Loop and this one started out that way.  Fortunately, the waiter recovered and everything turned out ok.  Read the rest of this entry »





Whole Foods Beef Recall…

8 08 2008

from an AP story….

Whole Foods Market is recalling fresh groundbeef sold between June 2 through August 6 because the beef might be contaminated with E. coli bacteria.

The recalled beef might have been sold at Whole Foods stores in Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and 20 other states, plus Washington, D.C., and Canada.

The company has received reports that seven people in Massachusetts and two people in Pennsylvania who shopped at Whole Foods Market became ill.

Whole Foods is asking customers who may have bought ground beef from June 2 though August 6 to dispose of the product and return it to the store with the packaging or receipt for a refund.





City Market Vote Delayed

8 08 2008

This is actually pretty common city politics when it comes to hot button issues.

Council members agreed at Thursday’s Committee of the Whole session – their first opportunity to grill Gillespie since Monday’s public hearing – that Aug. 18 is the earliest they will vote on the change in ownership.

Gillespie requested the extension to be more accessible and accommodating with feedback, city officials said.

It would help if city council members were getting in touch with Gillespie ahead of time, but this is probably the best step in the process. 

Despite the hundreds of jobs and the new year-round, indoor-outdoor market that Market Place promises, council members said Thursday they want more information about several things. That includes a business plan for the market, the construction schedule and the amount of local laborers that would be hired to work on Market Place. Read the rest of this entry »





Press Release – A Taste of Louisiana in Old Town

8 08 2008

From a press release….

Old Town Lansing, Michigan – Perspective2 Studio and Gumbo and Jazz restaurant are pleased to announce the “Taste of Louisiana,” to be held Saturday, August 16 from 7 PM – 11 PM at P2, 319 E. Grand River in Lansing’s Old Town.  Taste of Louisiana wil feature an authentic Louisiana feast, live music from the Wess Anderson jazz quartet, dancing, and more.

Desi Anderson, a native of Louisiana and owner of Gumbo & Jazz restaurant, will provide an authentic Louisiana dinner complete with gumbo, cornbread, and traditional Louisiana fixins.  Since opening her doors in the fall of 2007, Desi has been overwhelmed with the positive reviews of her cuisine and the way the community has embraced her.  “I had always wanted my own restaurant.” said Deis.  “Greater Lansing’s response confirmed that I made the right choice and that they were ready for some great Louisiana food.” Read the rest of this entry »





The State Room

7 08 2008
  • 55 S. Harrison Rd.
  • East Lansing, MI 48824
  • (517) 432-4000
  • Website
  • Menu
The State Room located inside the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center near MSU

The State Room located inside the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center near MSU

This week marks the one year of anniversary of the date I finally grew a pair and asked my girlfriend out.  The anniversary is actually Saturday, but we’re going to be in Chicago for a wedding, so there won’t be a chance to have a anniversary dinner out somewhere.  Instead, I decided to ask her out to dinner tonight.  Our first date was also on a Thursday night (last year, the 9th was on Thursday).  That first date was pretty casual at a new spot along the Peoria riverfront.  I wanted to do things a little different tonight, so I chose The State Room.

The State Room is located inside the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center on the campus of Michigan State University.  There’s no surface parking around the hotel, but there is a parking deck just off the side of the building.  The restaurant validates, so there is no charge to park as long as you eat dinner.  The parking structure is connected to the hotel by a skywalk which brings you into the conference area.  Down the long hallway and past the reception area, the State Room sits on the left side which would be closest to the corner of Michigan and Harrison. 

We were met at the door by a Maitre’d who asked if we had reservations.  I started sweating a little bit when he asked that.  I didn’t figure we’d need a reservation on a Thursday night.  I said no and he fiddled around a little bit looking at his table list.  He finally showed us to a table near the back of the room sort of near the kitchen and right on the wheelchair ramp that leads to the lower dining room. Read the rest of this entry »





GLFB Collection at The Flap Jack

7 08 2008

From a press release…..

The Flap Jack Restaurant located at 6927 S Cedar Lansing will be sponsoring
an in-house food drive from August 11th thru the 16th to support the Greater
Lansing Food Bank. All donors of non-perishable food items will receive a free beverage. 

The food collected will be distributed to the Greater Lansing Food Bank
pantries that help feed the hungry.  As the number of those in need of food
continues to rise, this is a timely opportunity for the community to assist
in keeping local pantry shelves well stocked.

Food Drive
Flap Jack Restaurant
6927 S Cedar
Lansing
August 8 through August 16th
6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

All donors will receive a free beverage





Need Suggestions – Breakfast and Karaoke…

7 08 2008

….but not at the same place.  I had to get up early (at least early for us) for a job interview this morning.  Since I was done by a little after 9:00, we decided to go get some breakfast.  Getting up before 11:00 is pretty rare for us since my girlfriend works until almost midnight.  Anyway, we headed downtown to Soup to Nutz Bistro AGAIN since it keeps getting recommended.  Well, they hit strike three.  Stike one was on Saturday.  We waited in line for two hours for Obama tickets, didn’t get them, and needed something to eat.  They’re not open on Saturday.  Today, we get there at about 9:30…they don’t open until 10:00. Strike two.  So, we put more change in the meter and walked around downtown for a half hour to kill time.  We get back about 10:10 and go in…the kitchen.  The sign is above the kitchen/catering entrance, not the dining room entrance and the dining room isn’t even marked.  We go out and into the right door and a server comes out and says they don’t do breakfast during the week.  Then why the hell are you open at 10:00 AM?  Who’s eating lunch that early?  Strike 3.  Their website doesn’t say anything about brunch only being served on Sunday.  Sunday’s a day to relax and sleep in….not get up for breakfast.  We’re most likely done with trying to get here.  I’m not ruling it out totally, but we probably won’t make a special effort anymore.  Sorry, Amy.

So, that brings me to my question.  Where is a good place to go for breakfast in Lansing?  Since it was already 10:15 by the time we found out Soup to Nutz didn’t serve breakfast, we didn’t look for someplace else because neither of us could think of a place off the top of our heads.  Any diners that serve an outstanding omelet? 

My next question is Karaoke bars and if you say Crunchy’s, I will track you down and kick you in the shins.  Everyone keeps saying Crunchy’s.  If they’re the best Karaoke bar in town, I feel sorry for you  all never getting to experience a good one.  Crunchy’s sucks.  The accoustics are bad.  The song selection is terrible.  In our last town, there was a Karaoke theatre outside of town.  If an artist released a single on Tuesday, they had a karaoke version by Thursday.  There were literally thousands of songs and the space was set up with monitor speakers, televisions in the ceiling and a little stage complete with lights.  THAT, was a Karaoke bar.  I realize we probably won’t find anything like that in Lansing, but is there any good places that have a good song selection that includes more than classic rock?

Sorry about the rants this morning….it hasn’t been a good start to the day…..





Where to Get Knives Sharpened?

6 08 2008

I saw a post on Good Food Hunting about knife safety and it made me think that I need to get my chef’s knife sharpened.  It’s not really dull, but it has seen about 8 months of constant use. 

Are there any good places in Lansing that sharpens knives?  I have a Le Cordon Bleu Collection Chef’s Knife by Wusthof.

The Le Cordon Bleu Wusthof Chefs Knife
The Le Cordon Bleu Wusthof Chef’s Knife
I try to take pretty good care of it.  I use a home sharpener every couple days and use a honing rod to keep the blade straight.  I also use a Boos Block which I believe is their Cherry R-Board 1-1/2″ Thick – Reversible. 
John Boos Cherry-R Board 1 1/2 Thick - Reversible

John Boos Cherry-R Board 1 1/2" Thick - Reversible

My girlfriend, who is the best girlfriend in the whole world, bought me both last year for Christmas and I love them both. 
I can definately live without a sharpening, but I was just wondering if anyone out there has ever used someone in the Lansing area and if they have any recommendations.




Press Release – Grass Lake Harvest Festival

6 08 2008

From a press release….

Celebrate the Fall Harvest at the 2nd Annual Grass Lake Fall Harvest Festival

September 20, 2008

The quiet community of Grass Lake will celebrate the fall harvest on Saturday, September 20, 2008 in both the village and township. The Grass Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce has planned events throughout the town to make it a fun-filled day for the entire family.

This year’s festivities include: Read the rest of this entry »