Al’s Beef – Oak Lawn, IL

24 09 2009
  • 5128 W. 95th Street
  • Oak Lawn, IL 60435
  • (708) 422-2333
  • Website
  • Menu
Als Beef on 95th in Oak Lawn.

Al's Beef on 95th in Oak Lawn.

It only took a day and a half this time.  Operation Bridesmaid Pickup is in full swing and J, her mom, and the one out-of-town bridesmaid headed to the hotel to unload a bunch of stuff for this week.  I was left at the future in-laws house to shower and run a couple errands.  Of course, it was lunch time and of course, I wanted a beef. 

Al’s Beef is a Chicago legend.  They claim to be the inventors of the sandwich.  In recent years, they’ve expanded quite a bit around Chicagoland with franchise locations.  One of those franchises is in Oak Lawn not too far from where I was staying.

The Oak Lawn Al’s Beef is on 95th Street in a new strip mall in the downtown area.  It’s actually a dual store with Nancy’s Pizza.  The inside is missing the one major thing that makes Al’s Al’s.  The counter.  Actually, I was quite confused with the store. Not only did it have tables instead of stand up counters, but when I walked in the door, I had no clue where the order area was.  You can’t see it at all from the doorway.  There’s a wall that sort of leads you around to the counter, but I walked into the dining area before I finally saw where I was supposed to go.  I had to go back to the entrance and walk inside the wall to get to the cash register. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Chains, Illinois, Oak Lawn, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Kuma’s Corner – Chicago, IL

24 09 2009
  • 2900 W. Belmont Avenue
  • Chicago, IL 60618
  • (773) 604-8769
  • Website
  • Menu
Kumas Corner on W. Belmont on Chicagos northside.

Kuma's Corner on W. Belmont on Chicago's northside.

 We finally made plans to make the trip the north side of Chicago.  We had to pick up the first of three out-of-town bridesmaids who flew in early to stay with another friend who lived in Bucktown.  We offered just to pick her up at her friend’s place because it was only a ten minute drive to West Belmont and I’d finally get to chow down on Illinois’ best burger.

Kuma’s Corner is on the corner of West Belmont Avenue and North Francisco Avenue in Chicago’s Avondale Neighborhood.  It’s an old corner building that doesn’t look like it should house such a popular restaurant.  The door was open and there were people spilling out when we drove by.  Like most of these neighborhood places, there is no specific parking.  You’re own your own to find something along the street.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, Chicago, Illinois, Pub, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

The Department – Joliet, IL

23 09 2009
  • 205 N. Chicago Street
  • Joliet, IL 60432
  • (815) 714-2280
  • Website
  • Menu
The Department in downtown Joliet

The Department in downtown Joliet

First day back in Chicago and J and I had a lot of errands to run.  We got up early to take care of our first major task at the Cook County Courthouse in Bridgeview.  After that, we needed to run to Joliet to see my grandma.  By the time we left her, it was lunch time. 

 

I lived in Joliet for four years and there wasn’t much reason to ever go downtown.  Things have changed a lot in the last seven years.  They’ve brought in a great Independent League baseball park and the Harrah’s Casino has invested a lot of money downtown.  With the influx of things to do, the dining scene has picked up dramatically.

In June, J and I went to a Joliet Jackhammers game with my parents.  They wanted to eat at the only reason there was to go downtown when I was there..Chicken ‘N Spice, but on our trek through town, I noticed a number of restaurants that I tucked away into the ol’ memory bank should we ever get back to Joliet.

After driving around the block a few times, the restaurant I settled on was The Department.  It was a neat looking restaurant from the outside, but what we found inside blew us both away. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Chicken, Downtown, Illinois, Joliet, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Blogging May Be Light…

22 09 2009

….for the next week and a half.  There definitely won’t be any local reviews…I may have some travel reviews if I get time and have a reliable Internet connection.  If not, I’ll get back to a regular schedule the first week in October.  Some of you can figure it out, but I’ll fully explain in a week or so. 

Keep checking and follow me on Twitter.  I’m hoping to eat really, really well the next ten days….


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Categories : Michigan

Press Release – Buffalo Wild Wings Share Our Strength Event

22 09 2009

From a Buffalo Wild Wings press release….

BUFFALO WILD WINGS® JOINS
SHARE OUR STRENGTH’S GREAT AMERICAN DINE OUT®
TO HELP END CHILDHOOD HUNGER IN AMERICA

WHO: Buffalo Wild Wings

WHAT: SHARE OUR STRENGTH’S GREAT AMERICAN DINE OUT

During the week of September 20 – 26, Buffalo Wild Wings is joining thousands of other restaurants nationwide to raise money to end childhood hunger in America. Customers are encouraged to “dine out” in participating restaurants during this week as the restaurant industry rallies together to raise much needed funds. For every flatbread sold from September 20 – 26, Buffalo Wild Wings will donate 50¢ to Share Our Strength®

WHEN: Sunday, September 20 – Saturday, September 26, 2009 – Great American Dine Out

WHERE: Buffalo Wild Wings

Mt. Pleasant – East Lansing – Bay City – Midland

DETAILS: Share Our Strength’s Great American Dine Out is a week-long national restaurant event designed to raise funds to end childhood hunger in America. The program rallies the restaurant industry and consumers all across the United States from September 20 – 26, 2009. Right now thousands of restaurants – from coffee shops to fine-dining establishments – are signed up to participate in a variety of ways: donating a portion of sales for the week, offering special “Dine Out” menus, or selling promotional items to raise money. Millions of consumers play a vital role as well; their choice to dine out at participating restaurants will help feed children in America. Share Our Strength is the leading national organization working to end childhood hunger in America.


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Zingerman’s Roadhouse

20 09 2009
  • 2501 Jackson Avenue
  • Ann Arbor, MI 48103
  • (734) 663-3663
  • Website
  • Menu
Zingermans Roadhouse on Jackson Avenue in Ann Arbor.

Zingerman's Roadhouse on Jackson Avenue in Ann Arbor.

Where to go to do dinner after a Michigan football game?  J had suggested Zingerman’s Deli, but we would have had to go north through downtown which I didn’t really want to do and I’ve always been told Zingerman’s Deli is nuts on game days. 

I started looking over the menu at Zingerman’s Roadhouse and while the prices all seemed a little higher, when I thought about it, dinner at the Roadhouse would have cost the same as dinner at the Deli.  We love Zingerman’s Deli, so I had no reason to think we wouldn’t love Zingerman’s Roadhouse….plus, Bon Appetite did call their BBQ one of the best in country….and I do love me some BBQ. 

Zingerman’s Roadhouse is on Jackson Avenue near the Westgate Shopping Center in Ann Arbor.  It’s near the Interstate 94 Exit for Jackson Avenue, so after leaving Michigan Stadium, I headed back to the expressway.  We left the game a little early to beat traffic since it was a blow out, so it only took a few minutes to get to the restaurant. 

Leaving early also allowed us to beat any sort of post game rush.  It was a little after three when we parked the car and there weren’t a lot of cars in the parking lot which was good news to me.  We were both pretty hungry having skipped lunch at the Stadium, so the quicker we could get food the better. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Ann Arbor, BBQ, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Press Release – Crosby Mint Farm Update

20 09 2009

From a Crosby Mint Farm press release….

An Update from the Crosby Mint Farm
30 days Right of Refusal, Get Mint Trading Co. at Detroit Farmer’s Markets, Eviction Sale.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
(MINT CITY, USA/St. Johns, MI) September 18, 2009
30 day Right of Refusal
It has been three weeks since the farm’s eviction on August 28, 2009. While the writ of eviction was signed by Hon. Judge Tehvonen on Monday August 24th 2009, the Crosbys had until Friday August 28th 2009 5PM to be off their property. While evacuating the farm, the 30 day Right of Refusal was issued, putting the deadline of raising the, by Greenstone FCS newly appraised fair market value of $550,000, at September 25th 2009.

Peppermint Jim lectures and Get Mint Trading Company sales
The Get Mint Trading Company, the business extension of the Crosby Mint Farm, is still up and running and not much has changed since the eviction, according to “Peppermint”Jim and Linette Crosby, owners of the farm. Orders are still coming in, are being processed and products are sent to the still growing costumers base.
Peppermint Jim will be giving a lecture about mint oils and its uses at St. Stephen’s Health Ministry monthly meeting in Lansing this Saturday from 11am to1pm, open to the public (1007 Kimberly Street).
On both September 26th and October 3rd Peppermint Jim and the Get Mint Trading will be selling products at the Fall Season Farmer’s Market in Greenfield Village from 10am to 3pm.

Eviction Sale
On the family’s property along Old US 27 North, the eviction sale is ongoing, with a variety of items for sale. Public is welcome, for questions please refer to contact information.


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Michigan Stadium

20 09 2009
  • 1 E. Stadium Blvd.
  • Ann Arbor, MI 48104
  • (734) 764-1817
  • Website
Michigan Stadium - The Big House

Michigan Stadium - "The Big House"

Don’t judge me.  I wouldn’t judge you if you went to a baseball game at Wrigley Field.  I’m not a closet Michigan fan.  In fact, growing up, I despised Michigan because my brother, for some reason, was a huge Wolverine fan.  We grew up about an hour north of the University of Illinois, so it caused a lot of Saturday afternoon fights in our house. 

Still, even though I’ve never been a fan of Michigan, like most sports fans, Michigan Stadium has been one of the stadiums that I really wanted to see a game in.  When we moved to Lansing, one of our goals was to see a football game at both Michigan and Michigan State.  I’ve been to Spartan Stadium for work, but not Michigan Stadium. 

Last week, when I was working at Illinois, I got a text message from J that said she wanted to go to a football game this weekend.  She looked first at MSU, but they were on the road, so she checked Michigan.  There were tickets available and at $50 a piece, didn’t seem to overpriced, so she ordered two tickets. 

I hate to admit it, but I’ve been looking forward to this all week.  I mean, it’s The Big House. I have a lot of friends back home, who aren’t Michigan fans either, that are really jealous. 

Michigan Stadium is the centerpiece of the University of Michigan athletic campus  on the corner of Main Street and Stadium Boulevard.  I’ve heard a lot of stories about how crappy the place is, but those opinions were coming from Michigan State fans, so there may be a little biased.  My expectations for the stadium itself wasn’t very high.  My suspicion was that Michigan Stadium was more about tradition and atmosphere than it was comfort and aesthetics. Read the rest of this entry »


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

T & D Coney Grill

17 09 2009
  • 1735 W. Grand River Avenue
  • Okemos, MI 48864
  • (517) 347-9066
  • No Known Website
  • Menu

 

T & D Coney Grill on West Grand River Avenue in Okemos.

T & D Coney Grill on West Grand River Avenue in Okemos.

In my runnings around Delta Township this morning, I forgot a few things I needed to do, so it was back out tonight, but this time, I decided to go to Okemos.  The store I needed to go to was out that way too and I wanted to check out another new place recommended by BernieB.

 

 

T & D Coney Grill is a new addition to the Okemos restaurant scene that sits in a strip mall at the corner of West Grand River Avenue and Dobie Road.  It takes up the space that used to be Villegas.  They do breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the small, family run diner, but it was dinner that I was looking for.

I pulled in just before 8:00 on a Thursday night.  There were a few other people in the restaurant which is divided into two dining rooms.  It’s just the layout of the space.  There’s not really a reason the room is divide.  Tying the two spaces together is a lunch counter that overlooks a window to the kitchen.

Since I was alone, I grabbed a seat at the lunch counter in front of the large LCD TV which was tuned to Wolf Blitzer.  When I sat down, I was asked if I was dining in or if I wanted carry-out.  I had no place to be, so I sat down to eat.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Coney Island, Diner, Michigan, Okemos, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Press Release – Old Town Oktoberfest Looking for Volunteers

17 09 2009

From an Old Town Commercial Association press release….

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR OLD TOWN OKTOBERFEST!
­­­­­­­­­Be a part of Mid-Michigan’s only authentic German festival and lend a helping hand to Old Town

OLD TOWN, LANSING, Mich. – The leaves are changing, the air is getting crisp, and in Old Town, Lansing, that means the Old Town Commercial Association (OTCA) is planning the 2009 Oktoberfest.

Don’t miss out on a chance to be a part of Mid-Michigan’s only authentic German Oktoberfest, filled with music, great eats, and of course, German beer! The OTCA has more than 4,000 volunteers who help us make events like Oktoberfest a success, and allow Old Town to continue to thrive and grow as Lansing’s official arts district.

The OTCA needs YOU (and your friends) to help make this year’s Old Town Oktoberfest the best it can be through volunteering for one (or many) slots during the festival. Below are the time slots for the festival, which is on Friday, October 9th and Saturday, October 10th this year.

Volunteer slots on Friday, October 9, 2009 run from 5:30 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. On Saturday, October 10, 2009, the volunteer shifts run from 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., 4:15 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., and 7:15 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Volunteers receive a unique Old Town Oktoberfest volunteer t-shirt and a discounted ticket in to the festival after their shift has been completed. Volunteers working more than two consecutive shifts may receive food voucher tickets.

Old Town Oktoberfest is an annual fund raiser that helps to fund the continued revitalization of Old Town, Lansing. All proceeds directly benefit the OTCA and its efforts. Old Town Oktoberfest would not be possible without great volunteers!

To sign up as a volunteer, contact Chad at chad@oldtownmainstreet.org or call the office at 517.485.4283. There will be a Volunteer Party held at Spiral Nightclub in Old Town, Lansing on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 from 6-8p.m. where volunteers will learn about their duties, receive their t-shirts, and have an opportunity to mingle over appetizers.


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Categories : Lansing, Michigan, Old Town, Press Releases

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