Bell’s Greek Pizza – M.A.C. Avenue

5 12 2009
  • 225 M.A.C. Avenue
  • East Lansing, MI 48823
  • (517) 332-2355
  • Website
  • Menu

After spending the afternoon killing time before work, I was now faced with a longer than usual lunch break.  Now, I had another couple hours to kill.  Since I had just eaten an hour or so ago, a big lunch was out of the question.  I wasn’t even really sure I wanted anything at all. 

I went to Barnes & Noble first to look for a couple things then I just started walking around downtown East Lansing.  Didn’t really know where I was going, but when I ended up on M.A.C Avenue, I figured I could use a slice of pizza..

Bell’s Greek Pizza has two locations in East Lansing and they’re  not very far apart.  I’ve eaten at the Grand River Avenue location before, but never the location on M.A.C. Avenue near Albert Avenue. 

The downtown location is a small street front building.  There are a handful of tables in the front of the space.  The order area and kitchen is in the back. 

I’m a huge fan of pizza-by-the-slice locations.  It’s one of my favorite things about college campuses.  You can get just a couple slices for under five bucks.  I love it. 

Of course, Bell’s has other options, but pizza slices was all I wanted.  I ordered two pepperoni slices.  The lady working pulled them right out of the display case and put them on a paper plate.  Now, usually, those slices would go back into the oven before being handed over, but these didn’t for some reason.  I thought it was a little wierd but I didn’t say anything.  The pizza was still pretty warm.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Categories : East Lansing, Michigan, Pizza

DeMartin Stadium

26 10 2009
  • 248 Jenison Field House
  • East Lansing, MI 48824
  • (517) 353-8635
  • Website

It’s wierd.  I’ve been to DeMartin Stadium, but I’ve never blogged about it.  I was thinking that Sunday as I was standing there watching the MSU women take on the Minnesota Golden Golphers.  I don’t have a lot of experience with college soccer stadiums or soccer in general, but DeMartin seems like a nice place to play.

DeMartin Stadium sits behind Jenison Field on Michigan State University.  It’s part of the athletic complex that makes up Old College Field along with the softball and baseball diamonds.  DeMartin Stadium is barely a year old.  Before the 2008 season, a number of changes took place to the soccer field including the orientation and the addition of seating bringing the capacity to 2500. 

The closest parking lot to the field is at Jenison and on game days, parking can be at a premium.  People were parking everywhere.  In spaces, on the grass, wherever they could find a spot to put their cars.  The only bad thing about Old College Field is the parking, but that seems to be the trend at all of MSU’s athletic facilities. 

You enter Old College Field between the baseball and softball diamonds…that is, if you’re paying.  You wouldn’t believe how many kids…and adults were sucking in their guts and squeezing through the fence that is meant to keep people out.  I don’t know how much a soccer game costs, but it can’t be that much.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : East Lansing, Entertainment Venues, Live Entertainment, Michigan, Reviews

Menna’s Joint – East Lansing

24 10 2009
  • 115 Albert Avenue
  • East Lansing, MI 48823
  • (517) 351-3827
  • Website
  • Menu

Another weekend, another trip back to East Lansing for work.  Fortunately, we still have control of the apartment in Lansing, so I could bring an air mattress, the laptop, and a little TV and be comfortable for a couple days. 

My weekend started early Saturday morning amongst the gloomy, rainy conditions.  By the time lunch rolled around, I needed to get someplace warm. 

I was working near the IM West Building at MSU which means there isn’t many options within walking distance.  That’s my only complaint about the MSU campus.  I work mainly at the athletic facilities and I can’t walk anywhere to get a sandwich, so I hopped in my truck and headed to Grand River Avenue where I found lunch.

Menna’s Joint in East Lansing is on Albert Avenue near Abbot Road just a block of Grand River Avenue.  It took a long time to find parking.  There isn’t much street parking in this part of downtown and the public lot across the street was full.  I finally doubled back to the public lot near Dublin Square Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Downtown, East Lansing, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Lou & Harry’s Greek Grill – Downtown East Lansing

22 10 2009
  • 245 Ann Street
  • East Lansing, MI 48823
  • (517) 351-0066
  • No Known Website
  • Menu

Sorry it’s been a few weeks since my last update.  We’re getting settled into our new place in Kalamazoo, but that’s not going to keep me from updating when I do make it back to the Lansing area. 

I was back in East Lansing for a volleyball game at Michigan State.  When lunch time rolled around, I headed downtown to find a sandwich.  I was actually looking for Menna’s Joint, but I couldn’t find parking close.  By the time I got up to someplace I could park, I was a couple blocks away and there was another joint right around the corner.

Lou & Harry’s Greek Grill is on the corner of Ann & MAC in downtown East Lansing just a block from Grand River Avenue and MSU’s campus.  There’s a little mall area with a couple restaurants and shops.  Lou & Harry’s takes up what could probably be a couple storefronts. 

I had eaten at the Lou & Harry’s near Frandor in East Lansing, so I was somewhat familiar with the menu.  When you enter the store, the order counter is right in front of you.  To the right is a bar as well as some seating.  There is more seating to the left and if you head down a hallway along the left side, you can find a game room with a couple pool tables.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Deli, Downtown, East Lansing, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Bubble Island

15 09 2009
  • 515 E. Grand River Avenue #E
  • East Lansing, MI 48823
  • (517) 333-3860
  • Website
  • No Online Menu
Bubble Island on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing.

Bubble Island on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing.

So, why were we in East Lansing this morning?  Funny story.  We had Unwrapped on The Food Network last night…well, actually it was just kind of ambient noise.  We weren’t really paying attention.  J had just got home from work and we were catching up on the days events. 

Even though we weren’t really watching, something caught J’s eye.  They were doing a segment on a place called Lollicup which is a chain of stores mainly on the west coast that serves Boba Tea.  She picked up the laptop to see if there was one either close to us here on in Chicago, but alas, nothing.   Then, out of nowhere, she remembered a place in East Lansing that had the word “bubble” in the name.  She did a Google search and found what she was looking for.  We decided to get up and go see if the tea was any good.

Bubble Island is on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing right next to The Peanut Barrel.  The store is kind of hidden on the bottom floor of a two story commercial building and it sits a little ways back  from the road. 

We had just eaten at National Coney Station, so we were just in the market for a drink. I wasn’t interested at all, but J was really stoked at the idea of trying this wierd drink.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Downtown, East Lansing, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews

National Coney Station

15 09 2009
  • 565 E. Grand River Avenue
  • East Lansing, MI 48823
  • (517) 351-2100
  • Website
  • Menu
National Coney Station on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing.

National Coney Station on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing.

As readers of this blog know, the thing I love most about food is regional cuisine.  Sure, I may not like everything that makes a region popular, but I love the idea that no matter where you grew up, there’s going to be some brand, food, or preparation technique that will always make you think of home. 

In Michigan, that food is the Coney Dog.  I’m not a hot dog eater, so it’s not something that I’ve been able to adapt to.  I’ve tried it once and wasn’t a huge fan only because I don’t like the dog.  The chili is delicious and I could eat that without the hot dogs.

There are always imitators when it comes to a region’s marquee cuisine.  Yeah, you can get a coney dog here in Lansing, but up until last week, you couldn’t get it from one of the big names in Detroit coney’s.

National Coney Station opened up on Grand River Avenue in the building that was most recently Moe’s Firehouse.  Before that, it was a Spartan Gyro.  National Coney did a lot of work to the building to clean it up.  I never got a chance to eat at Moe’s before it closed, but for some reason, the place always scared me a little bit. 

National Coney Station is not quite the same as the National Coney Island restaurants you’re familiar with in Detroit.  They’re owned by the same company, but they’re designed to be more of a quickservice restaurant.  The menu is much, much smaller having only nine choices plus some a la cart items.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, Chains, Downtown, East Lansing, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Press Release – National Coney Station Opening in E.L.

8 09 2009

From a City of East Lansing press release…

RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY FOR NATIONAL CONEY STATION

(EAST LANSING)—The City of East Lansing Downtown Management Board is pleased to announce the Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for National Coney Station, a new concept from National Coney Island, Inc., scheduled to be held on Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. The Honorable Mayor Victor Loomis will provide opening remarks.

 
National Coney Station, located at 565 E. Grand River Avenue, will offer a menu of ‘National’ favorites like the trademark Hani Special and their famous Coney Island Hot Dogs as well as new additions like Station Burgers and more!

The restaurant is scheduled to be open seven days a week, with the following business hours: Sun.-Wed .:11 a.m.- midnight; Thurs.-Sat. 11 a.m.- 3 a.m..

Director of Business Development for NCI, Inc., Bradford Egan, a former MSU student, said that he is “excited to be opening up our new concept across from the Michigan State University. We are thankful to be able to have such a great business and loyal following.”

Currently, there are 25 National Coney Island restaurants located throughout South-East Michigan. The first National Coney Island opened in 1965 in the Macomb Mall.

On the web: Facebook Fan Page


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Categories : East Lansing, Michigan, Press Releases

Press Release – Burrito’s for $1 at Panchero’s

25 08 2009

From a Panchero’s Mexican Grill press release…..

PANCHERO’S WELCOMES BACK MICHIGAN STATE STUDENTS WITH DOLLAR BURRITOS

(EAST LANSING, Mich.)—Class schedule? Check. New wardrobe? Check. A full stomach and full wallet? Check and check, thanks to Panchero’s Mexican Grill, where locals can ring in a new Michigan State school year with dollar burritos from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on September 8th at 125 E. Grand River Ave.

The event, which this year will feature a 97.5 FM radio remote and free t-shirt giveaways, has been a staple of Michigan State students’ back-to-school routines for the past 17 years. According to Panchero’s founder Rodney Anderson, it’s just the company’s way of starting the academic year off on the right foot.

“Some people may not realize this but Panchero’s is not a concept with roots in the Southwest: It is and always has been truly homegrown right here in Michigan and our dollar burrito event is just one way for us to thank the people that helped us to get to where we are today,” said Anderson. “We know everyone, especially college students, is trying to save money wherever they can and we’re helping them to do just that without sacrificing the taste they’ve come to know and love at Panchero’s.”


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Categories : East Lansing, Michigan, Press Releases

Gumby’s Pizza and Wings

16 08 2009
  • 311 W. Grand River Avenue
  • East Lansing, MI 48823
  • (517) 351-8400
  • Website
  • Menu
Gumbys Pizza & Wings on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing.

Gumby's Pizza & Wings on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing.

Long hot days.  I haven’t had too many of them the summer, but I have had a lot in the last week or so.  It seems at work picks up for me, our pleasant summer has taken a vacation.  Saturday was no different.  A ten hour day at Michigan State left me hot, tired, and hungry.   I decided to act like a college kid and I put in an order for pizza.

I don’t know why I thought of Gumby’s Pizza and Wings as I was trying to look up phone numbers using the web browser on my outdated Motorola Razr.  I’ve heard of Gumby’s but I’ve never had a pizza from one.  The chain is pretty exclusive to college campuses with 25 locations throughout the US.  There is one other location in Michigan at WMU in Kalamazoo. 

The Gumby’s Pizza and Wings in East Lansing is in a tiny mixed use building just to the west of downtown on Grand River Avenue.  It’s right across the street from Crunchy’s which is the reason I first noticed this location.  The shop is mostly take out, but there are a couple tables and a quasi-lunch counter if you need a place to eat.  They also have a couple video games and a Pepsi machine in the lobby.  Read the rest of this entry »


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

Green River Cafe Closing

14 06 2009

Sad news from The State News today.

After three years of serving East Lansing a selection of vegan, vegetarian and organic food, the Green River Cafe, 211 MAC Ave., will close its doors for good today.

Their menu didn’t really interest me because I’m a meat eater, but it’s still sad to see any local business go under.  For those that do prefer the vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, there’s not many choices.  Still, there is some good news.

Green River Cafe opened in September 2006, and the owners Jim and Josephine Jabara opened a second location at the Lansing City Market in May 2008.

The Lansing location will remain open and will continue to serve the same menu, (employee Grace) O’Connor said.


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Categories : East Lansing, Food News, Michigan

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