Press Release – Jimmy Johns to Celebrate Grand Opening Downtown

17 07 2008

Got a press release from the Mayor’s office announcing the grand opening of a new Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches on Washington Square in downtown Lansing.  It’ll be the first in Lansing proper, but the fourth in the metro area. 

Jimmy John’s is another chain that got it’s start in Illinois near the University of Illinois in Champaign.  The expansion took place in central Illinois where I lived so I’ve been around them from almost the beginning.  Never been much of fan.  In my opinion, they don’t do anything that Subway doesn’t do better.  Some people love Jimmy John’s, but I’m not one of them.

 

(LANSING) – Representatives of Mayor Virg Bernero’s office and the Lansing Economic Development Corporation will be on hand tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. for the grand opening of the new Jimmy Johns Sandwich Shop located at 134 South Washington Square in downtown Lansing. The grand opening event will include special $1 sandwiches and a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

WHO: Lansing City Officials and Jimmy Johns Sandwich Shop Representatives

WHAT: Jimmy Johns Sandwich Shop Grand Opening

WHERE: 134 S. Washington Square

WHEN: Friday, July 18 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.


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Categories : Chains, Downtown, Food News, Lansing

Claddagh Irish Pub

14 07 2008
  • 2900 Town Centre Blvd.
  • Lansing, MI 48912
  • (517) 484-2523
  • Website
  • Menu
The Claddagh Irish Pub in Eastwood Towne Centre

The Claddagh Irish Pub in Eastwood Towne Centre

My parents had come to town for the final day of Common Ground to see Trace Adkins.  After a four hour drive, they were a little hungry and it was still way to early to head to Riverfront Park, so we decided to find a place for dinner.  One of our first weeks in Lansing, we went and found Edgewood Towne Centre and noticed an Irish pub on one end.  Since pub food is usually a sure bet with everybody in my family, we headed out to Lake Lansing Road for some grub.

Claddagh is a chain of fifteen Irish Pubs located in the midwest with the home office in Solon, OH (you know, “we’re going bowling, so don’t leave her in Solon.  Moon over Parma, tonight!”  I love Drew Carey 🙂 )There are only two locations in Michigan with the other being in Livonia.  It was a beautiful day so we opted for the patio over the dining room.  We got a quick look at the inside and it’s a gorgeaous pub.  Very typical of what you expect.  Lots of dark woods with a huge horseshoe shaped bar in the middle.  The really interesting feature was the pub tables located near the bar.  They took old whiskey barrels and put a table top on them.  I noticed it when we were walking out and I actually went back to take a closer look.  It was a really cool idea and added nicely to the overall theme. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, Chains, Irish Bar, Lansing, Pub, Restaurant, Reviews

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers

8 07 2008
  • 6524 W. Saginaw Hwy.
  • Lansing, MI 48917
  • (517) 886-7440
  • Website
  • Menu
Red Robin

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers in Delta Township

Why is the Wii so dang popular?  We spent all morning going from store to store looking for Mario Kart.  We were told a few days ago that because the dollar is so worthless right now, Nintendo is investing most it’s efforts in Japan where the yen is strong.  We went or called almost every store along Saginaw Highway that carries video games. Striking out at every one of them really worked up an appetite.  The original plan was to go to Art’s Pizza & Italian Oven for lunch, but when we got there, there was a sign in the window that said they were closed for the summer due to losing their liquor license and they’re searching for new owners.  What a bummer.  I had been wanting to eat there for a while and now that we had the chance, it was closed.

We didn’t really want to piss around looking for another place and neither of us have ever eaten at a Red Robin, so we headed back down Saginaw.  Red Robin sits in front of Kohls near Kroger.  The building is not hard to spot with a lot of red trim and a huge sign.  We got there just before the lunch rush so there weren’t a whole lot of people in side.  The first thing that jumps out when you walk in is the TV in the floor.  There was caution tape around it the day we were in there, so I’m not sure if it was new or if someone jumped on it and broke, but it was still funny to see a TV in the floor.  We were greated by a host who took us through the dining room to a booth near the back.  The set up of the store is really interesting and not like anything else I’ve ever seen.  When you first come in, to your left is a full bar with a small dining area.  The back wall of the bar is glass that looks into the dining room.  To the right is the kitchen and waitress station.  It has the feel of a lunch counter without the counter.  There’s a big stainless steel counter where the orders come up for the waitress.  There are a lot of booths.  They created half walls throughout the space to make more walspace for them.  Every third booth or so along this half wall is a double wide booth where this is no wall.  If you bring a big group, you won’t be forced to push tables together to get everyone in.  These large booths could easily seat eight.  The walls are covered with movie posters and other art work leaving very little of the faux wood panel showing. Read the rest of this entry »


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Cheddars coming to Saginaw Hwy?

26 06 2008

I was hanging out near Lansing Cheddar\'sMall today and noticed some work going on at the corner of Saginaw and Mall Dr.  The outside looked familar, but I couldn’t quite figure it out.  I drove up a little closer and saw the signs for Cheddar’s which, according to their website, will be the first is the only Cheddar’s in Michigan.  Cheddar’s is a growing chain founded in 1978 in Arlington, TX.  I’ve eaten at a couple of their other stores.  It’s good food, but it’s still a chain.  There isn’t a whole lot that is different from, say, Applebees.  For those of you that like the chains, this is something to get excited about.  It is a small enough chain that you’re not going to be able to find one in every city, so treat yourself sometime.

Update – Apparently not a new Cheddar’s but a remodel maybe?  Corky pointed out in comments that there had been a Cheddar’s at this location before.  The signs are all covered and there’s a lot of work going on?  Does anyone for sure if they’re remodeling or maybe a new tenant moving in?


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Arby’s – S. Lansing

18 06 2008
  • 6035 S. Cedar St.Arby's
  • Lansing, MI 48911
  • (517) 882-1619
  • Website
  • Menu

Arby’s is my guilty pleasure.  I know I give chains a hard time on this blog, but if there’s one fast food place I could eat at everyday, it would be Arby’s.  Growing up, Arby’s was always a treat because it does tend to be a little more expensive than a Wendy’s or McDonald’s, but the food is soooooo much better.  Now, it’s about the only fast food I eat at regularly.

The first thing you’ll notice about the Arby’s on South Cedar is the old sign out front.  There was one store in my last town of Peoria, IL.  I think we did some research and found out there’s only a handful of these old signs left.  The old sign sits in front of a more modern building.  I let my girlfriend talk me into going through the drive-thru.  I HATE drive thru’s.  I can never understand the person talking to me and I feel like they always get something wrong because they can’t hear me.  I did it anyway because neither of us were totally awake yet or dressed very well, but we needed lunch. Read the rest of this entry »


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Big Boy Restaurant – Okemos

11 06 2008
  • 2221 University Park Dr.Big Boy
  • Okemos, MI 48864
  • (517) 349-9570
  • Website
  • Menu

Ah, one day sales.  After being woke up by a lawn mower, my girlfriend and I decided to make a trip to the Meridian Mall in Okemos.  Younkers was having a one day sale and as it turns out, so was Macy’s.  We shopped for about an hour and then started back towards home since my girlfriend still had to go to work.  When we got in the car, she asked about lunch and I said, “What about Big Boy?”  Before moving to Michigan, my only knowledge of Big Boy was gained from watching Austin Powers.  Heck, at first I didn’t even know Big Boy was real.  Funny thing.   Big Boy is real and it’s corporate headquarters are here in Michigan in the town of Warren.  Neither of us had ever eaten at a Big Boy Restaurant so we decided it was time.

I’d seen the sign from the road for Big Boy on the way in, but when we actually went to find the store, it was much harder than it should be.  Big Boy actually sits behind a Sunoco near I-96.  The problem is, if you get to the Sonoco, you’ve gone too far.  So, I made myself a traffic hazard and turned into the Sunoco to turn around and go back to University Park Dr and take a right.  After the turn, we came up on a sign that said “Big Boy” and a very plain looking building.  The trademark cartoon character was nowhere to be found and there was no marking on the outside of the building.  Again, we weren’t sure if this was the right place or not.  If you turn into the first driveway, it actually takes you to the backside of the building, so again, we were confused as to where to enter.  After driving around the building, we found the front and again, no markings until you get to the second set of doors. Read the rest of this entry »


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McDonald’s Pulls Tomatoes

9 06 2008

McDonald’s and most other fast food restaurants are worried about Salmonella.

McDonald’s Corp., Wal-Mart and some other restaurant and grocery store chains will stop selling some types of tomatoes while U.S. health officials try to find the source of the outbreak, which has sickened at least 145 people.

The FDA issued an expanded warning Saturday, saying raw red Roma, red plum and red round tomatoes have been linked to an outbreak of Salmonella serotype Saintpaul, an uncommon type of Salmonella food poisoning. The first warning went out on June 3.

Last year it was the high price.  This year is possible sickness.  Tomatoes ruin burgers anyway.  Why are people still destroying meat or meat-like patties with vegetables?


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KFC – S. Cedar

9 06 2008
  • 6600 S. Cedar St.KFC
  • Lansing, MI 48911
  • (517) 882-9781
  • Website
  • Menu

I was all ready to fire up the grill and cook myself a nice, big T-Bone for dinner when, for the third night in a row, the Lansing area got pounded with heavy storms.  As I’ve mentioned in this blog before, I’m a former news photographer, so my girlfriend and I grabbed a camera and went storm and damage chasing.  Unfortunately for my T-Bone, the storm came during dinner time, so we needed a back-up plan.  We were on our way home, tired and wet when we remembered the KFC on the corner of Cedar and Pennsylvania.  A few days ago, we walked to Meijer to get some stuff and talked about trying the new Smoky Chipotle Crispy Chicken.  Since it was getting late and we were tired, this was as good a time as ever to give it a shot.

I’m not really a fan of Mexican food, but the one thing I use all the time in my own cooking is chile’s, dried chile’s and chile powder’s.  I have bags of Chili De Arbol and Ancho Chile Powder in my spice cabinet and there’s usually a can of chipotle’s in adobo in my fridge, so I was really looking forward to this chicken. Read the rest of this entry »


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Grand Traverse Pie Company – Okemos

22 05 2008
  • 3536 Meridian CrossingsGrand Traverse Pie Company
  • Okemos, MI 48864
  • (517) 381-7437
  • Website
  • Menu

My girlfriend is heading back to Chicago to see friends and family this weekend and wanted to bring back something unique to Michigan.  We were going to drive up to Middleton to an Amish Mennonite Bakery but were afraid we’d get up there and they wouldn’t have any cherry pie.  Since they don’t have a phone we didn’t know the name of the place, we couldn’t call ahead.  Instead of taking the chance, I suggested we go to the Grand Traverse Pie Company.  A small chain located here in Michigan that started in Traverse City in the mid-90’s.  Their specialty?  Pies of course.

We stopped in the Okemos location around lunch time.  Since we hadn’t eaten yet, we decided to do that first.  Grand Traverse reminded me a lot of Panera Bread.  You order at a counter then wait for your name to be called.  At least you know your sandwich is being made fresh.  There were quite a few choices for lunch ranging from cold sandwiches to soups and salads.  Both my girlfriend and I went with a grilled sandwich.

She got the Grilled Smokehouse.  The sandwich consisted of smoked ham, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and a spicy dijon mustard on sourdough bread.  The neat thing was this sandwich was served in a pie tin.  On the side, she got berry coleslaw and a pickel spear.  The ham was delicious and there was a lot on it.  She peeled a few pieces off to give to me.  She’s doesn’t like a whole lot of meat on her sandwiches and this one had a lot.  The mustard was spicy, but again, there was a little too much.  Both pieces of bread were covered with the mustard where one side probably would have been better.  Even with those two minor complaints, she loved the sandwich.  The ham had a great smoky flavor that the mustard balanced.  The lettuce and tomato were just enough to cool down the spice.

I got the French Dip.  The sandwich came with a huge cup of Au jus.  I didn’t realize it when I ordered, but sauteed onions came on top of the roast beef.  I really don’t like onioins so I scraped them off which also took off most of the cheese.  The bread was just hard enough that it really soaked up the au jus and made for a nice crunch, but held the flavor of the juice.  I got a bag of chips on the side along with the pickle spear.  The chips were just a small bag of Lays.  Usually at places like this, the French Dips are a little on the small side and I end up leaving hungry.  Not here.  The sandwich was a good size and had a lot of flavor.  It’s easy to overcook roast beef, but this was done just right.

I passed on dessert and I’m kicking myself.  I don’t really like pie, but I do like cheesecake and there was a delicious looking slice of an Oreo cookie cheesecake.  My girlfriend got a slice of Laksehore Berry Pie Grand Traverse Pie CompanyCrumble to take home with us.  Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and apples are packed into this slice.  She picked all the flavors but the apple out.  That one seemed to fade into the background, but she did call it one of the best pies she’s ever eaten.  We also grabbed two whole pies since that was the original purpose of our trip.  Being in Michgan, she went with two Cherry Pie Crumbles to take home.  I’m sure her parents and friends will love them.  Like I said, I don’t really like pie, but these both looked delicious.  Our meal cost around $18 for the two sandwiches and drinks.  For dessert, we got out for under $30 and that was two pies and a slice.


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Categories : Bakery, Chains, Michigan, Okemos, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Submarina

3 05 2008
  • 438 Edgewood Blvd.Submarina
  • Suite B116
  • Lansing, MI 48911
  • (517) 882-7707
  • Website
  • Menu

It’s weird how we come across new places to eat.  My girlfriend needed to make a quick stop at National City.  While inside the lobby, I saw a take out menu for Submarina.  We get back in the car and she says she’s hungry and suggests Steak ‘N Shake.  I happen to have that take out menu in my back pocket and I take it out and show it to her.  Now, I know both places are chains.  Steak ‘N Shake actually got it’s start in Normal, IL which is close to where I used to live, so I’ve eaten at Steak ‘N Shake’s many times.  We decide to give the new place a try.  Usually, I hate anything related to California (Submarina is marketed as California Subs), but Submarina is new to town and it’s the only location in Michigan.  The majority of the chain is located in San Diego County with just a few locations outside of that…again, mostly in California.

The shop is in a strip mall and it’s pretty tiny.  There are only a few booths, but they do have two flat screen TV’s.  It’s like most sub shops where you order at the counter then watch them make your sandwich in front of you.  Nothing out of the ordinary there, but the menu is anything but.

I got a six inch East Coast sub.  Proscuitto, cappocola, ham, salami, and pepperoni are sliced fresh on a deli slicer right in front of you.  It’s not like the sub standard place that has the portions already packaged out between sheets of butcher paper.  They cut the meat right in front of you.  The sandwich starts with a bed of provolone then the fresh sliced meats are piled on top.  After that, you have a choice of a few toppings.  Not as many as the other place, but they do have a couple items that make them “California.”  I passed on all those and went just with lettuce, Italian dressing, and mustard.  The sandwich was good and the meat was really piled on there.  Unforunately, the flavors all kind of ran together.  I love the taste of proscuitto and I couldn’t really taste it.  I do prefer this sandwich over Subway, but let’s face it, it’s a cold meat sandwich.

My girlfriend got the Peppered Garden sandwich on Squaw bread.  Again, the peppered turkey was sliced fresh right in front of us.  The sandwich is supposed to come with Havarati, but they must have been out as they asked if Provolone was alright.  On top of the turkey was a balsamic vinagrette and sprouts.  She really liked the sandwich and actually took some of the turkey off because there was just too much there for her to eat.  Good thing is, I get a little bit extra meat for my sandwich. 🙂

Submarina is a chain and normaly I hate chains.  I don’t hate Submarina.  The service was a little slow, but that’s because they were cutting their own meat (have I mentioned that already).  There are a lot of sub shops popping up and each one needs to do something different to make it.  Submarina offers unique ingredients like avocado, pepperocinni’s, and sprouts.  The combination of meats and fresh ingredients make all the difference.  For a little over $11, we had a quick, delicious and somewhat healthy lunch…..better than the hamburgers I probably would have cooked.


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Categories : Chains, Lansing, Michigan, Reviews, Sandwiches

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