Happy’s Pizza – Lansing

14 09 2008
  • 6045 S. Cedar St.
  • Lansing, MI 48911
  • (517) 272-7777
  • Website
  • Menu
Happys Pizza on the corner of Cedar and Miller in Lansing.

Happy's Pizza on the corner of Cedar and Miller in Lansing.

What a miserable day.  It hasn’t stopped raining since Friday and that’s made it hard to work up the ambition to do anything but lay on the couch and watch TV.   Good thing there’s a NASCAR race on today.  We had talked about going to Okemos to pick something up, but ultimately, we both decided neither of us wanted to do much of anything except lay around and be lazy.

We had been watching the progress at the old BP station on the corner of Miller and Cedar that was being turned into a Happy’s Pizza.  Not being from Michigan, I had never seen a Happy’s Pizza before.  They got their start in 1994 in the Detroit area.  Since then, they have expanded a lot in Southeast Michigan.  Currently, they’re heading west and even starting to look at expansion in Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana.

Lunch was becoming a problem.  We were both hungry but too lazy to actually do anything about it.  Earlier this week,  Runs With Spatula put up a post about Happy’s opening.  J and I talked about it all week.  She finally suggested if I could reach my cell phone on the coffee table, we should order pizza.  Grudingly, I got up and checked out the Happy’s Pizza website where I found a coupon for 12 wings,a  2-liter of Pepsi and a large pizza for about $16.  Since I was already up, I grabbed my cell phone and called in an order. Read the rest of this entry »


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

7-Eleven – Holt

12 09 2008
  • 1997 Aurelius Rd.
  • Holt, MI 48842
  • (517) 694-4906
  • Website
The 7-Eleven store on Aurelius Road in Holt

The 7-Eleven store on Aurelius Road in Holt

It’s not very often that J makes me crave something, but tonight, she did.  When she came home for dinner, she had to weave through the madness that was the gas stations in this town today.  Because people are stupid and will believe anything they hear, lines were forming in the streets on Pennsylvania and Cedar.  She had to weave through all this mess just to get home, so when it was time to go back, she didn’t want to mess with trying to get the Slurpee-type drink from Speedway which she was craving.  Just talking about it made me crave one.

Even though it was much later and all the rumors about $6 gas turned out to be untrue, I didn’t want to mess with trying to get to a gas station, so I went the other way and went to Holt.  7-Eleven occupies the corner of Holt and Aurelius Roads in the village.  It has been a few years since I’ve been in a 7-Eleven.  The convenience stores are prevalent in Chicagoland, but not where I grew up about an hour south.  7-Eleven was a treat when we would stop before or after a White Sox game at Comiskey Park.  We figured since they sponsor the White Sox (all home games start at 7:11 PM CST), we’d support them right back.  That’s what happens when your family watches NASCAR.  You support the sponsors of you’re favorite driver/team. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Chains, Holt, Michigan, Reviews

McDonald’s – Benton Harbor

8 09 2008
  • 2020 Pipestone Rd.
  • Benton Harbor, MI 49022
  • (269) 926-7600
  • Website
  • Menu
McDonalds in Benton Harbor

McDonald's in Benton Harbor

I have now eaten at McDonald’s more this week than in the previous year combined.  I left Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, IL (review HERE) after the IRL without eating lunch.  After searching for our car for a half hour then getting caught in traffic trying to get back to I-80, I was starving, but really wanted to get back on the road.  I had been gone since Thursday afternoon and hadn’t seen J since then.  It was already 7:30 back in Lansing, so I passed on going to dinner with my family and hit the road.  I decided to drive for a while hoping my options would get better if I could get to a bigger city.  I don’t like stopping in Indiana because there is so much construction on I-94 it’s hard to get on and off, so I just kept moving. 

I got to Benton Harbor around 9:00 EST.  I knew there was a mall just off the Interstate, so I figured there would be some food options around there.  I got off the Interstate and everything was dark.  The only places still lit up were McDonald’s and Steak ‘N Shake.  Neither was an ideal choice, but McDonald’s is more filling, so I drove to the golden arches to grab something to go. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Benton Harbor, Chains, Fast Food, Michigan, Reviews

Blues BBQ – Urbana, IL

5 09 2008
  • 1103 W. Oregon St.
  • Urbana, IL 61801
  • (217) 239-9555
  • Website
  • Menu
Blues BBQ on Oregon St. in Urbana, IL near the University of Illinois

Blues BBQ on Oregon St. in Urbana, IL near the University of Illinois

I made a mistake.  I had planned on going to grab a couple slices of pizza after I got off work from a pizza joint that gets rave reviews.  Instead, I chose to go get BBQ.  That in itself is not a bad choice.  The restaurant I chose was the bad choice.

I noticed Blues BBQ last night when I went to Manolo’s (review HERE) to get pizza.  I almost went there then because it *looked* like a neat place.  When I left Memorial Stadium tonight about 8:00, I headed back to the area to get some Q. 

Blues BBQ is located in a little shopping district on the campus of the University of Illinois.  From the outside Blues looks like an upscale BBQ place.  It’s not the roadhouse you think of when you usually think of BBQ.  This should have been a huge warning sign.  When you walk in, again, you’re met with an upscale, eclectic feel.  There are a handful of tables in the dining room.  Most of them share seats with long, red benches.  There’s a bar that runs along the windows which is about the only thing in here that you would find in a typical BBQ place.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : BBQ, Big Ten Tour, Chains, Champaign/Urbana, Illinois, Restaurant, Reviews, Urbana

McDonald’s – Paw Paw

4 09 2008
  • 829 S. Kalamazoo St.
  • Paw Paw, MI 49079
  • (269) 657-2835
  • Website
  • Menu
McDonalds in Paw Paw located just off I-94

McDonald's in Paw Paw located just off I-94

When I left Lansing this afternoon, I had no intention of eating fast food.  I knew when I left for Champaign, IL at about 1:30, I would have to stop somewhere for lunch before I got to my parents house.  Just to their house, it’s about a four hour drive and Champaign is another hour after that.  I got just passed Kalamazoo and got really, really hungry.  I pulled off in Paw Paw.  Being a county seat, I assumed there would have to be sandwich places near the courthouse.  There were a lot of restaurants, bars, and pubs, but not a whole lot of quick sandwich shops.  The one I did find in the main business district was already closed for the day as it was almost 3:00.

After striking out downtown, I drove back out towards the Interstate where chains dominate the landscape.  There used to be a place called the Chicken Coop (review HERE) close to I-94, but since the last time I was in town (May), it has been torn down and a Walgreens is being built.  So, my choices were all chains.  I contemplated Taco Bell, but realized that would be hard to eat in the car.  I ended up choosing McDonald’s mostly because it was next to a stop light and it’d be easy to cross traffic to get back to the Interstate.  Read the rest of this entry »


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

Subway – Ashkum, IL

4 09 2008
  • 410 N. Front St.
  • Ashkum, IL 60911
  • (815) 698-2108
  • Website
  • Menu
The Subway store located inside BP Fast N Fresh in Ashkum, IL on the way to Champaign

The Subway store located inside BP Fast 'N Fresh in Ashkum, IL on the way to Champaign

You haven’t lived in a small town until you’ve lived in a place that gets excited a Subway is moving in to the gas station.  How small is this town?  It’s the only national chain other than Dairy Queen that has ever set up shop.  Yes, that’s the town I grew up in.  This review is actually a holdover from a couple of weeks ago when J and I were home for the Ashkum Homecoming.  I didn’t snap a picture and really just forgot about it until I stopped at my parents house on my way to Champaign tonight.

Like I already mentioned, this particular Subway is located inside the only gas station in town about half a miles from Interstate 57 in Ashkum, IL which is about halfway between Chicago and Champaign.  Before Subway moved in a year ago, the only food option this town had was pizza from the local grocery store or pizza from the operation that occupied this space.  The townspeople were ecstatic when it was finally annouced Subway would set up shop.  My mom actually eats there at leaset three times a week. 

J and I got up after a long night of drinking and catching up with some of my old friends.  The only options for lunch at the park where the homecoming was being held were greasy foods like hamburgers, pizzas, and brats.  She wanted something a little healthier and I didn’t want grease so we walked down to the BP for lunch. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Ashkum, Big Ten Tour, Chains, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Another Grocery Store Coming to Jackson

2 09 2008

You’d think two Meijer’s would be enough in a town like Jackson, but Save-A-Lot is opening it’s second store at 3525 O’Neill Drive.

The new store is going in a building formerly occupied by Staples, which closed in 2001. Rabban said he liked the building’s location off I-94 and the building itself, which is 20,000 square feet and in relatively good condition.

“It’s easy for you to get to, very visible,” Rabban said. “The building was ideal. It almost looks like it was designed for a Save-A-Lot.”

Renovations are ongoing. The Save-A-Lot sign is now up, the checkout counters are in, and the aisles are going in.

“It’s really coming along. Wow! Beautiful,” Rabban said during a recent walk-through.

The first Jackson-area Save-A-Lot opened in 1994 in a former Polly’s building at 3152 E. Michigan Ave. It was called SAL Food Store to distinguish it from Sav-A-Lot Drugs, which closed in 2000.

Save-A-Lot isn’t my favorite store, but discount options are a good thing in this economy.


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Categories : Chains, Food News, Grocery, Jackson, Michigan

Finley’s American Restaurant – South Lansing

29 08 2008
  • 6300 S. Cedar St.
  • Lansing, MI 48911
  • (517) 882-7530
  • Website
  • Menu
Finleys American Restaurant on S. Cedar St in Lansing.

Finley's American Restaurant on S. Cedar St in Lansing.

I was bad.  I got home from Indianapolis at 4 AM after leaving Lansing at 7 AM the previous today.  I was a little tired.  Phone calls woke me up and I only got about six hours of sleep.  After my girlfriend went to work, I decided to take a nap.  Usually when I take afternoon naps, I sleep for an hour or so.  Not today.  I slept almost three hours.  I woke up about ten minutes before J usually comes home for dinner.  There was no way I could put anything together in that time other than a salad, so I swallowed my pride and sent her a text message letting her know there would be no dinner ready in time.  She called me back and said we could just go out, but she wanted to go to a restaurant where she wouldn’t be tempted to order something greasy. 

Finley’s sits about a mile down the road from us, but since we’ve moved here, we haven’t tried.  It has the appearance of a chain restaurant so we kind of stayed away.  It is a chain, but it’s a small local chain with five Finley’s all located in Michigan.  However, there are more restaurants in the system.  They are owned by a company called River City Food Company which owns six restaurant brands including BD’s Mongolian BBQ which also has locations in Mid-Michigan. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Chains, Lansing, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews

Portillo’s Hot Dogs – Oak Lawn, IL

22 08 2008
  • 4020 W. 95th St.
  • Oak Lawn, IL 60435
  • (708 ) 422-1384
  • Website
  • Menu
Portillos Hot Dogs on 95th St. in Oak Lawn near Chicago

Portillo's Hot Dogs on 95th St. in Oak Lawn near Chicago

I said this a month ago when I reviewed the Portillo’s in Crestwood, IL (review HERE).  I LOVE PORTILLO’S!  The thing I miss the most about Illinois and Chicago cuisine is the Italian Beef sandwich so anytime I get a chance to get one, I make sure I do. 

J and I were at her parents before continuing our trip south to my parents for the annual Homecoming celebration.  We got in late and had plans to go to a 24 hour restaurant for breakfast, but we were too tired and just went to bed.  When we woke up, both of us were starving.  After playing Mario Kart Wii with her mom for a while, we got up and went looking for lunch.  J asked what I wanted and I said I didn’t care.  She knows me all too well and suggested Portillo’s.  I thought we were going to the one on Cicero we always go to, but she said there was one closer to her parents place near Christ Hospital.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Chains, Chicago, Illinois, Local Flavor, Oak Lawn, Restaurant, Reviews

Panera Bread – Lansing Mall

21 08 2008
  • 5300 W. Saginaw Hwy
  • Lansing, MI 48917
  • (517) 703-9340
  • Website
  • Menu
Panera Bread located inside the Lansing Mall on Saginaw Highway in Lansing

Panera Bread located inside the Lansing Mall on Saginaw Highway in Lansing

I used to be scared of Panera Bread.  I always assumed there is nothing there I would like because they didn’t make greasy hamburgers and fries.  My girlfriend finally got me there one day while we were doing some extended work in Decatur, IL.  We had exhausted all of the downtown restaurant options and another lady we were working with had mentioned she was going to Panera Bread.  I decided not to argue and went along for the ride.  To my surprise, I actually found quite a bit there that sounded and looked good.  Panera has always been a standby for J.  She eats there pretty much every time she has to work in Kalamazoo or anytime she has to find someplace to eat and I’m not with her.

Today, we needed to run to Horrocks before heading back to Illinois for the weekend.  J just wanted a salad for lunch and asked if there was a Panera close.  The only one I could think of was the one at the Lansing Mall so after we grabbed what we needed from Horrocks, we headed down Saginaw Highway to the mall.  Read the rest of this entry »


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

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