Hattie’s Kitchen

4 06 2009
  • 401 E. Grand River Avenue
  • Lansing, MI 48906
  • (517) 894-4465
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
Hatties Kitchen in Lansings Old Town Neighborhood

Hattie's Kitchen in Lansing's Old Town Neighborhood

There’s a little soul food place in Old Town that I’ve been wanting to go to for quite some time.  Up until a few months ago, it was called Vernadine’s, but it now goes by the name Hattie’s Kitchen.  J and I were out running some errands and since we had some extra time, we headed down Grand River Avenue through some horrendous construction in search of some good comfort food.

Hattie’s Kitchen is in Lansing’s Old Town on the corner of Grand River Avenue and Center Street.  It’s a small, corner building with the entrance accessible from either street.  As we drove through the Old Town Neighborhood, we noticed a lot of people out walking around and enjoying some of the other dining establishements.  That got me a little worried about getting a meal during the lunch rush.

It was a nice, cool day and the door was propped open to let the breeze in.  We walked in to find only two of the handful of tables full.  Along one wall was a couple older gentlemen waiting for the food.  Along the other side of the room was a group of college aged kids looking over a couple menus.  Read the rest of this entry »


Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: , , , , , ,
Categories : Lansing, Michigan, Old Town, Restaurant, Reviews, Soul Food

Panera Bread – Frandor

3 06 2009
  • 310 N. Clippert St.
  • Lansing, MI 48912
  • (517) 332-9183
  • Website
  • Menu
Panera Bread in the Frandor Shopping Center.

Panera Bread in the Frandor Shopping Center.

I know.  I know.  Another chain.  J and I had made plans earlier in the week to only eat out once.  Tomorrow.  Something came up and J wanted to run to Frandor. Neither of us had eaten lunch yet and we wouldn’t get back home in time to eat before she had to be at work, so we just ate while we were out.

J has always been a big fan of Panera Bread.  Me, not so much.  When we lived in Peoria, J worked long hours on Saturday and would usually stop at a Panera for at least one meal.  Before we started dating, she almost lived there. 

The Panera Bread in Frandor has a physical address on North Clippert, but it’s actually on the interior of the shopping center.  It sits on a corner connected to the  same building that houses Kroger.  It’s much smaller than most of the other Panera’s I’ve been in.  From the beginning, I felt a little crowded.  Usually, Panera has separate areas for the cafe and bakery.  I didn’t see that here. 

When you walk in, the order counter is right in front of you.  The bakery section is off to the right side of the counter.  There were four cash registers, but only two open.  We waited for the next available cashier, but that wasn’t good enough for a lady who walked up after us.  She wanted us to pick a line in hopes we would pick the longer line so she didn’t have to wait as long to get her coffee. Read the rest of this entry »


Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: , , , , , ,
Categories : Bakery, Chains, Lansing, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Food Traditions in Lansing

3 06 2009

Another story I found via Twitter thanks to LEPFA and the GLCVB.  MLive.com has this article about Lansing food traditions.  They mention Emil’s, Roma Bakery, The Peanut Shop, Fabiano’s, and Golden Harvest.  Nothing you wouldn’t expect, but still worth the read.

LANSING, Mich. — Snack your way across Lansing, discovering the secrets behind the staying power of spots that have remained locally famous for multiple generations for peanuts, pastries, pancakes and more.

It’s hard to tell if it’s the blend of rich ricotta mixed with gooey mozzarella or the hint of spicy Italian sausage, but something about the lunch special at Emil’s makes you turn to your dining companions and say “Wow. Try this.”

Likely, the recipe is working the same magic it spun in the early 1920s, when Emil DeMarco was running a fruit stand where the cozy restaurant now stands (2012 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing). In those days, Emil’s wife, Carmella, would bring him lunch, and the tantalizing smells from the homemade spaghetti were more popular among customers than the fruit, says the couple’s grandson and current owner, Paul Grescowle.

CONTINUE READING ON MLIVE.COM


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : Food News, Lansing, Michigan

LCC Chef to Attempt Fudge World Record

1 06 2009

I actually first saw this on LEPFA‘s Twitter page.  I then found this Facebook event page. 

Gateway is teaming up with Chef Nick, Culinary Professor at Lansing Community College, to attempt to set the Guiness World Record for the world’s largest slab of fudge. The big event will take place on June 29 at LCC West Campus and everyone is invited to attend. Fudge may be preordered from http://www.candyrecord.com/for $10 a pound, and Gateway Community Services will receive a portion of the proceeds for all fudge sold. Please help support the continuing efforts of Gateway by participating in this once in a lifetime event!
 
OK, seriously.  How awesome is that?  I want the whole slab!

Comments : 3 Comments »
Tags: , , ,
Categories : Food News, Lansing, Michigan

Press Release – Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Benefit

1 06 2009

You’ll have to click on the picture below to see the flyer.  There was no way I could copy and paste from the .pdf into a post here.

From a Claddagh Irish Pub press release…..


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , ,
Categories : Lansing, Michigan, Press Releases

Press Release – Tim Horton’s Camp Day

1 06 2009

From a Tim Horton’s press release….

BUYING A CUP OF TIM HORTONS COFFEE ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3RD CAN CHANGE A CHILD’S LIFE
Every Penny From Coffee Sales On Camp Day, June 3rd Will Help Send Thousands Of Kids To Camp!

June 3, 2009- Dublin, OH – Wednesday, June 3 is Tim Hortons Camp Day! Camp Day is the one day each year when every penny from coffee sales at Tim Hortons stores across Canada and the United States will be donated to the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation.

On Camp Day, customers can buy a coffee and help send close to 14,000 kids on the camping adventure of a lifetime. Campers ages nine to 12 years attend a 10 day summer camp session, or a seven day winter camp session at one of the Foundation’s six camps. All children who attend the camps are selected by Tim Hortons Store Owners who work closely with local youth organizations and schools to identify kids who would most benefit from an experience at camp.

“The success of Camp Day would not be possible without the support of our loyal customers and dedicated Tim Hortons Store Owners and their staff,” says Bill Moir, President, Tim Horton Children’s Foundation. “By purchasing a cup of coffee on Camp Day you give kids who live in your community an experience to remember and inspire them for years to come.”

During their stay at camp, kids participate in a wide range of first-class programs and activities designed to build self-confidence, self esteem and leadership skills. The Foundation is committed to providing an enriching and memorable experience for campers, giving them confidence in their abilities, pride in their accomplishments and a more positive view of the world and their place in it.

Following a camp session, Pamela from Canadaigua, New York had this to say about her son’s camping experience: “I can’t thank you enough for giving my son the great gift of the Tatamagouche camp experience. It is a life enhancing experience he had that will always be remembered as a high point in his childhood. He misses camp very much, but has a newfound upbeat approach that is so nice to see. Thank you all for what you have done for my son and continue to do for so many children that would not otherwise have such a great opportunity. ”


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , ,
Categories : Press Releases

Corner Bar & Grill

1 06 2009
  • 505 E. Shiawassee St.
  • Lansing, MI 48912
  • (517) 374-3565
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
The Corner Bar & Grill on Shiawassee Street in downtown Lansing.

The Corner Bar & Grill on Shiawassee Street in downtown Lansing.

J and I called it quits early on Be A Tourist In Your Own Town.  After the zoo, we tried to go to MSU, but couldn’t find parking and just gave up.  We spent a few hours at the zoo and we were getting hungry and I had to go to work in a few hours, so we decided to find lunch/dinner.  Since we were in East Lansing, J suggested Buffalo Wild Wings which is usually a hit with me, but on our way, J also pointed out that a lot of the blog entries recently have been chains and I hate doing that.  I wanted to get back to something local.  A couple weeks ago, Runs With Spatula reviewed a bar that I haven’t been to yet.  Her blog made my mouth water.  We were saving it for after a Lugnuts game, but bar food sounded good and it would put me back on the local track.

The Corner Bar & Grill is on the corner of Shiawassee and Cedar across the street from the City Market and just a block down from Oldsmobile Park.  Before we moved here, the building housed the Club 505 which I’m told was a lesbian bar.  Now, it’s kind of taken on a biker bar feel.  Maybe that’s because there are scooters from the neighboring business parked on the sidewalk. 

There’s a gravel parking lot across Shiawassee Street that has signs for parking.  When we pulled in, there was only a couple cars in the parking lot, but it was an odd time.  We were eating lunch around 3:00 which isn’t a prime meal time.  We crossed the street and walked into the building which opens up into the bar.  There aren’t really any tables in this area.  It’s got more of a bar feel.  We walked into another room which has a number of tables, booths, and of course, flat panel TV’s.  A third room was set up for live music and there was a guy running around setting up some gear for later in the evening. Read the rest of this entry »


Comments : 7 Comments »
Tags: , , , , , , ,
Categories : Bar, Burgers, Lansing, Michigan, Pub, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Next Entries »