Houlihan’s Restaurant & Bar- Lansing

18 01 2009
  • 5732 W. Saginaw Highway
  • Lansing, MI 48917
  • (517) 323-3550
  • Website
  • Menu
Houlihans Restaurant & Bar at the Lansing Mall

Houlihan's Restaurant & Bar at the Lansing Mall

Last time we were in Chicago, J’s step-dad suggested we go to Houlian’s for dinner.  Actually, he gave us the choice between Houlihan’s and Hackney’s in Palos Park.  I lobbied for Hackney’s since I knew we had a Houlihan’s in Lansing.  J and her mom agreed so we went to Hackney’s.

Today, J wanted to make a quick trip to Horrocks to get some apples for the week.  It was a little later in the afternoon and we hadn’t eaten lunch yet.  I was still pretty tired and didn’t feel like thinking or researching so I suggested we go to Houlihan’s at the Lansing Mall.  J didn’t argue, so that’s where we headed.

Houlihan’s is in the Lansing Mall near Macy’s.  There’s an entrance from outside the mall as well as inside.  We used the outside door and entered near the giant clock.  We were met by a hostess who showed us to a booth near the windows in the non-smoking section.  The decor wasn’t all that different from most chains.  It was more of an upscale feel when compared to something like Applebee’s, but again, the design was too clean and too perfect to not be a chain.   I hung my coat on one of the coat hooks attached to the booth and took a seat.  J mentioned she was surprised that she wasn’t cold sitting next to the windows like she had been at other restaurants recently.

The first thing we noticed were the menus.  The outside covers were a piece of tin.  Inside, the pages were inside plastic sheet covers.  The menu started with drinks.  There were quite a few pages.  I flipped through until I got to the food section.  I just wanted a Coke.  J got a pomegranite lemonade which she loved.  She said it was just a little tart and was sparkling.  Read the rest of this entry »


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

New York Pizza Depot – E. Williams

18 01 2009
  • 605 E. William
  • Ann Arbor, MI 48104
  • (734) 669-6973
  • Website
  • Menu
The New York Pizza Depot on Williams Street in Ann Arbor

The New York Pizza Depot on Williams Street in Ann Arbor

When I’m in a college town, one of my favorite meals is to find a place that sells pizza by the slice.  I was in Ann Arbor by myself to shoot a basketball game which means I was going to be on my own for lunch.  A few weeks ago, I picked up one of those travel magazines at a rest area.  It had a list of restaurants by location in town, so looked for something in the campus area.  I found a pizza place and assumed they would do pizza by the slice, so when it came time for lunch, I headed down towards the State Street area to find the New York Pizza Depot.

The New York Pizza Depot sits on the corner of Williams and Maynard Streets.  The New York Pizza Depot is a small chain founded in Ann Arbor looking to franchise out.  Right now, they have five stores under the franchise umbrella Uncle D’s New York Pizza.  Three in Ann Arbor, one in Ypsilanti, and one in Bloomington, IN.  To my surprise, the shop was pretty big.  There is a main room when you walk in with a glass case full of pizza and a few tables.  There’s also another room with more tables down a short hallway.  It looks like it used to be two separate store fronts that were put together.  The decor is really nice.  The booths are cloth covered and it feels more like your sitting on a couch than a restaurant booth. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Ann Arbor, Michigan, Pizza, Restaurant, Reviews

Crisler Arena

18 01 2009
  • 333 E. Stadium Blvd
  • Ann Arbor, MI 48104
  • (734) 998-7236
  • Website
Crisler Arena on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor

Crisler Arena on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor

When I got the e-mail asking if I was available to shoot men’s basketball at Crisler Arena, I have to admit, I was a little pumped.  Growing up in the far away land of Central Illinois, Ann Arbor was this far away, mystical place we saw on TV every Saturday afternoon.  I would have been in junior high during the Fab Five years and there were wars at my house over college basketball.  My brother was a Michigan fan while I rooted for Duke.  This was also about the time Nike was coming out with “authentic” apparel.  My brother had the Jalen Rose jersey and matching shorts.  I had a number of Duke shooter shoots.  As far as we were concerned, Crisler Arena was one of those places we’d never go to, but would have given anything, at that time, to see a game there. 

Well, I got my chance 10 plus years later.  Crisler Arena is on the campus of  U of M in the shadow of Michigan Stadium.  My first impression was, “wow.”  That’s not a good wow.  That’s a “I can’t believe this” wow.  The place is so run down it doesn’t look fit for a basketball program with the history and aura of the Michigan Wolverines. The seats were rusted, they were small and low to the ground.  From a broadcast point of view, Crisler is one of the worst stadiums I’ve ever worked at.  I’ve never been to Big Ten stadium where all of the cable had to be run from the truck.  After being there five minutes, all the expectations I had as a kid were squashed.  I’m really glad my brother hasn’t been there. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Ann Arbor, Big Ten Tour, Entertainment Venues, Live Entertainment, Michigan, Reviews

Circle K – Ann Arbor

18 01 2009
  • 1420 E. Stadium Blvd.
  • Ann Arbor, MI 48104
  • (734) 997-9405
  • Website
The Circle K on Stadium Boulevard and Packard Street in Ann Arbor

The Circle K on Stadium Boulevard and Packard Street in Ann Arbor

What’s my favorite thing about going to Ann Arbor?  It’s not Zingerman’s.  It’s not Blimpie Burger.  It’s the Circle K.  I made my to Ann Arbor through a snowstorm for work.  I left pretty early because I didn’t know just how bad the roads would be.  When I got to town, I made a quick stop at Zingerman’s Next Door to pick up some caramel’s for J.  I still had about a half hour before my call time when I got to Crisler Arena and I remembered that there was a Circle K about half a mile down the road, so I headed out back on to the unplowed streets of Ann Arbor.

The Circle K is on Stadium Boulevard not too far from The Big House and Crisler Arena.  It’s not the newest gas station in town, but they had what I needed.   A Polar Pop.  I’ve blogged a few times in the past about the Polar Pop, but I’ll remind you again, it’s more nostalgia than anything.  Yes.  It’s just a Pepsi out of a fountain in a styrofoam cup, but, unlike other gas stations, they charge less than a buck.  Actually, they only charge $.63.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Ann Arbor, Big Ten Tour, Michigan, Reviews

Now on Twitter!

17 01 2009

Didn’t think it’d take me all night to figure out, but it did.  I’m ashamed.  You can now follow Mid-Michigan Dining on Twitter.    There’s a RSS feed on the sidebar, but if you’re on Twitter, you can follow along….

http://twitter.com/mmdining


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Categories : Food News

Kellog Pulls Crackers

15 01 2009

Battle Creek based Kellog is pulling peanut butter crackers off the shelves until they can deterine whether contaminated peanut paste was used.

Kellogg gets at least some of its paste from Lynchburg, Va.-based Peanut Corp. of America, which has recalled 21 lots of peanut butter made since July 1 at its plant in Blakely, Ga., because of possible contamination from the bacteria. While not going so far as issuing a recall, Kellogg asked stores nationwide to remove the crackers sold under its Austin and Keebler brands and urged consumers not to eat those products until regulators have completed an investigation into Peanut Corp.


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Quality Dairy – South Cedar

14 01 2009
  • 2600 S. Cedar St.
  • Lansing, MI 48910
  • (517) 272-1522
  • Website

The Quality Dairy store on South Cedar Street in Lansing.

I’ll tell you what…we’re becoming QD converts.  J and I left Grumpy’s Diner on Mt. Hope and headed over to Cedar Street.  J wanted something warm.  These single digit highs are definitely not fun. 

We were heading towards McDonald’s on South Cedar when we came up to a Quality Dairy.  J asked if they had coffee.  I said I’m sure they did….I knew they had hot chocolate.  She asked if I wanted a hot chocolate and I was so frozen I could barely answer, but I managed to unfreeze my jaw enough to say yes, so J said it it was better to support a local business than a McDonald’s and of course, I agreed.  I made a quick right into the Quality Dairy parking lot.

The particular Quality Dairy is on the corner of Cedar and Greenlawn Avenue.  I don’t know if I’ve just never paid attention or of this store is bigger.  We were in the market for something hot.  I spotted the hot chocolate machine and grabbed a cup.  Other than hot chocolate, they had flavored cappuccino, regular coffee and a few other coffee flavors.  I went with a 20 oz. hot chocolate.  J mixed the fat free vanilla cappuccino and hot chocolate in a little bit bigger cup. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Coffee, Lansing, Local Flavor, Michigan, Reviews

Grumpy’s Diner

14 01 2009
  • 1001 E. Mt. Hope Ave.
  • Lansing, MI 48910
  • (517) 853-1035
  • Website
  • Menu
Grumpys Diner

Grumpy's Diner on Mt. Hope and Pennsylvania in Lansing.

I don’t know what “Mean Cuisine” is, but I like it.  Because of the weather, I took J to work again, so when dinner rolled around, she offered to treat me instead of making another trip back and forth.  We threw around a few ideas then she came up with Grumpy’s Diner.  We noticed right after they opened and have heard nothing but good about it since.  I love diners, so why  not?

Grumpy’s Diner sits on the corner of Mt. Hope and Pennsylvania Avenue.  There is another restaurant connected to it, but Grumpy’s is by far the more visible restaurant.  We found a spot in the L-shaped parking lot which proved to be tough with all the snow piled up.  We parked on the Pennsylvania Avenue side, but the entrance is on the Mt. Hope side.  After carefully making our way to the front door, we were met by a waitress who showed us to a booth along the windows.  Other than the booths, there are a few tables and a lunch counter.  The color red dominates the decor.  The table clothes are red and white checkered  and any surface that lended itself to a pop of color is bright red.

The waitress brought us drinks while we looked over the menu.  After she set them down, she told us drinks were on the house tonight as long as we ordered dinner.  We weren’t there just to drink, so of course, we did.

The food is typical diner fare.  They serve breakfast all day and most of the menu is sandwiches.  J ordered a grilled cheese and a cup of soup.  The soup of the day was Cream of Broccoli and that was brought out while we were waiting on our meal.  More than anything, she just wanted to hold the cup of hot soup.  We were both freezing.  It’s nothing Grumpy’s did…..it was just 10 degrees outside before windchill.  The walk from the car to the door was enough to send a chill straight to the bone.  The grilled cheese came out not long after she finished her soup.  A nice, thick sandwich with a gooey center.  She loved it.  It was perfect diner fare as far as she was concerned.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, Diner, Lansing, Local Flavor, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Soooooo Close

13 01 2009

I almost beat Guy Fieri to a restaurant instead of going after I see it on Diner’s, Drive In’s, and Dive’s.   If you watched Triple D last night, you saw a pizza joint on Chicago’s south side called Vito & Nick’s.  When J and I were home for Thanksgiving, Vito & Nick’s was one of the places J’s step-dad suggested.  We chose BBQ instead and went to The Pit Rib House (review HERE) in Hickory Hills.  Now, when we go home in February, we’ll follow Guy again and go check out Vito & Nick’s….


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Categories : Chicago

Restaurant Openings!

12 01 2009

Hey, here’s some good news instead of the usual “guess what closed today.”  I’ve noticed a couple new restaurants in the area recently.

First, we noticed a taco stand in the abandoned coffee place between Holt and Mason sort of near the skating rink.  I didn’t catch a name and it was closed by the time we were heading back to Lansing.  I can’t even tell you what used to be in the building to try and help pin down the location because whatever it was had been closed since we’ve been in the area.   One night when I’m on my own for dinner I’ll probably run down there and give it a try.

The other is Brother’s Grill in East Lansing.  I saw a story on WLAJ last week about the Michigan Business Tax and they talked to this place which I had never heard of.  I did a quick Google search and found a website at http://www.brothersgrillmsu.com.  It looks to be in the old Big Ten Burrito location on Grand River Avenue.  It also looks like the kind of place J and I would enjoy, so I would expect a reveiw from there fairly soon. 

Anyone else seen new places opening up in Mid-Michigan recently?


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Categories : East Lansing, Food News, Holt

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