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

Courtside Cafe

28 08 2009
  • 101 N. Washington Street
  • Owosso, MI 48867
  • (989) 720-8161
  • Website
  • Menu
The Courtside Cafe on Washington Street in Owosso.

The Courtside Cafe on Washington Street in Owosso.

J and I made a trip to Owosso to conduct a little business.  It took a little longer than we expected and J had to be back in Lansing to get work.  It was pushing noon by the time we were done and we wanted to grab lunch before heading home. 

I did a little research and found a sandwich shop in downtown Owosso. Since we were heading back that way, I put the address in the GPS to get us back to where we needed to be.  My hope was we could get in and get out pretty quickly because we were really pushing the time limit now. 

The Courtside Cafe is in downtown Owosso on the corner of Main and Washington Streets.  It’s a small corner building on a very busy intersection.  We actually couldn’t even find parking near the building.  We ended up having to park a block down and around the corner. 

The Courtside Cafe is not what I expected.  It’s actually a sit down restaurant with servers. I was just expecting a place to grab a sandwich from a counter.  There was a lunch counter and that’s where J and I headed.  We grabbed a server and asked if we could put in a carry-out order.  She said she’d be right back which gave us time to look over the menu. 

The food at the Courtside Cafe is what you expect from this kind of place.  There are a number of sandwiches listed by number on the menu.  There are some salads, soups, quesidila’s, and even some baked goods from Zingerman’s.  No deep fryer which means no fries.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Cafe, Michigan, Owosso, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines

14 08 2009
  • 904 W. Eisenhower Parkway
  • Ann Arbor, MI 48103
  • (734) 997-9011
  • Website
  • Menu
DiBellas Old Fashioned Submarines in Cranbrook Village in Ann Arbor.

DiBella's Old Fashioned Submarines in Cranbrook Village in Ann Arbor.

Whenever I work in Ann Arbor, I get a request from J to make a Whole Foods run.   Since I’m going to be working a lot over the next week, I won’t be home to make dinner every night.  She’s a fan of one of the prepackaged salads from Whole Foods and she loves the pre cut fruit to snack on during the day.

After I got off work, I headed to the Whole Foods at Cranbrook Village.  Sure, I could have grabbed something for myself out of the deli, but where’s the fun in that?  I saw a sandwich shop in the same strip, so I grabbed the items for J then went to get myself a sandwich.

DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines is a chain out of New York, but the only Michigan location is in Ann Arbor.  In fact, there’s only five stores outside of New York….and in the state, they’re only in Rochester and Buffalo, so they’re not a large chain store by any means. 

The Ann Arbor location is on Eisenhower Parkway in the Cranbrook Village shopping center.  The shop sits right in the middle when you turn into the center from Eisenhower.  I found a parking spot then walked across the roadway.  The inside has sort of a throwback feel.  There’s a lot of red that accents the dark wood.  The employees all wear paper hats to add to the feel.  Read the rest of this entry »


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

Maize and Blue Delicatessen

14 08 2009
  • 1329 S. University Avenue
  • Ann Arbor, MI 48104
  • (734) 996-0009
  • Website
  • Menu
The Maize and Blue Delicatessen on South University at Washtenaw in Ann Arbor.

The Maize and Blue Delicatessen on South University at Washtenaw in Ann Arbor.

I’ve mentioned many times on this blog that I’m a late sleeper.  Most days, it well into the late morning before I get out of bed.  In my defense, it’s usually after two a.m. before I go to bed.  That makes days when I have to get up even harder and nothing has been more of a challenge than I had this morning.  I had to be in Ann Arbor, ready to work, at five A.M.  That means, I was out the door at about 3:30…an hour after I usually go to bed. 

I was able to change my sleep pattern for the weekend and actually slept all day Thursday and got up around midnight and just stayed up.  When “lunch time” rolled around on the job site at a little after seven, I was starving. 

I work a lot of these gigs where we’re fed by University catering.  The food is fine, but it’s always the same bacon, dry scrambled eggs, and some kind of cheesy potatoes.  It’s not really filling and usually pretty bland.  On today’s job, the guy in charge did something different.  He had to make a last minute change to our meal plan because the job was supposed to be in the afternoon but it was moved to morning.  Some quick thinking got us a much better breakfast than anticipated. Read the rest of this entry »


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

Ted-Dee’s Sandwich Shop

23 07 2009
  • 119 S. Washington Square
  • Lansing, MI 48933
  • (517) 374-2784
  • Website
  • Menu
Ted-Dees Sandwich Shop in downtown Lansing.

Ted-Dee's Sandwich Shop in downtown Lansing.

After spending a little time at the Select Michigan Capitol Lawn Farmer’s Market, J and I were in the market for lunch.  Since we were only a block from Washington Square, I suggested we take a walk and see what we could find.  It my mind, I was already leaning towards a deli, but if J saw something she would rather have, I wasn’t going to complain.

I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating, I feel extremely sorry for the businesses that have to deal with the CSO Project.  We walked down Allegan from the Capitol and just walking in the area is a pain.  Imagine if you have to drive.  It’s not worth the hassle….and that pains me to say. 

As we rounded the corner on Washington Square, we followed the fence to a makeshift crosswalk in the middle of the street.  The good thing is the crosswalk leads right to the door of Ted-Dee’s Sandwich shop which sits near the intersection of Washington Square and Allegan Street. 

It was lunch time and there were a lot of people walking the streets looking for lunch.  We entered Ted-Dee’s to find a cafeteria style set up.  Along the back wall is an order counter with a very high counter.  There are menu boards on the walls, but the fare is pretty standard for a deli.  There are a list of meats, breads, and salads.  There aren’t a lot of choices like a New York style deli, so it didn’t take long for us to decide on a sandwich. Read the rest of this entry »


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

McAlister’s Deli – Okemos

15 07 2009
  • 4760 Marsh Road
  • Okemos, MI 48864
  • (517) 381-3100
  • Website
  • Menu
McAlisters Deli on Marsh Road in Okemos

McAlister's Deli on Marsh Road in Okemos

It’s not very often that J and I make appointments for the early afternoon, but today, we had something to do in Okemos around one o’clock.  Our appointment wasn’t going to take long, so we decided we could squeeze lunch in after what we needed to do and before she needed to go to work.

Since we didn’t have a whole lot of time, I asked the question, bar food or deli.  She chose deli which narrowed the choices to Panera or McAlister’s.  Since I’ve only eaten at a McAlister’s once and she never had, I chose the latter. 

McAlister’s Deli is a chain of restaurants founded in the late nineties in Oxford, Mississippi.  There are three locations in the Lansing area.  Since we were in Okemos, we went to the Marsh Road location which is near the intersection with Grand River Avenue in a small strip mall. 

When we walked in, J’s first thought it was a sit down restaurant, but the aisle from the door leads you right to the order counter.  The decor is made to resemble the original restaurant which was in a gas station.  The lighting is pretty dark and the tables are sectioned off with dark wood dividers Read the rest of this entry »


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

Lou & Harry’s Grill & Bakery

19 05 2009
  • 1429 W. Saginaw Street #150
  • East Lansing, MI 48823
  • (517) 351-1066
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
Lou & Harrys Grill & Bakery near Frandor

Lou & Harry's Grill & Bakery near Frandor

Another one of those days were I was up long before I wanted to be.  I had to work downtown again fairly early.  As I was wrapping things up, I got a text from J.  She was at a jewelry store in Frandor getting her ring re-sized (I was off by half a size).  Since she had some time to kill, she asked if I wanted to meet her for lunch.  I was just going to grab something on Washington Square, but meeting J sounded like a better idea.

When I got to Frandor, she was waiting for me and suggested Panera.  I like Panera, but there’s still places I want to try in the area.  Instead, we headed out of the shopping center a little way to a little strip mall just on the other side of the East Lansing city limits.

Lou & Harry’s Grill has three locations in the area.  Two are in East Lansing and the third is Okemos.  The store we hit up for lunch was the Saginaw Street store.  The roads in this area are really messed up and if you’re not paying attention, it’s hard to get around.  Coming out of Frandor, we had to take a left on to Coolridge Road to get into the parking lot. 

Lou & Harry’s is part of a little strip mall.  One end is anchored by Lou & Harry’s.  The other by a Biggby.  The Lou & Harry’s faces the Saginaw Street Grand River Avenue side on the building.  You walk through a small outdoor patio to get inside.  It was a pretty nice day and there were several people taking advantage of that.  Read the rest of this entry »


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

State Side Deli

9 05 2009
  • 3552 Meridian Crossing Dr. Suite 550
  • Okemos, MI 48864
  • (517) 853-1100
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
The State Side Deli at Meridian Crossings in Okemos

The State Side Deli at Meridian Crossings in Okemos

I’m not an expert on New York deli’s.  In fact, I’ve never eaten in one.  I’ve only been to New York City once and that was a quick weekend trip to see a baseball game in old Yankee Stadium with my brother.  We ate at Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill, La Famiglia Pizza in Times Square, and a bar near Madison Square Garden.  We were going to find a deli to get some corned beef but we never did.

I read the message boards at Chow.com quite often and the most popular question about dining in Lansing is “Where can I find a New York style deli?”  Recently, the answer has been State Side Deli.  I’ve heard a lot of good and only one bad, so I’ve been looking for an excuse to go. 

For the first time in about two months, I had a Saturday off.  No work.  No family in town.  No trips to Chicago.  Just a Saturday afternoon where J and I could do whatever we wanted.  What we wanted to do was go to Walmart.  J had a list of things she needed and can usually get cheaper at Walmart.  Since there’s really not one close to us, we were going to have to drive somewhere.  Since I there was a Walmart in Meridian Township, I chose that one so I could finally stop at that deli everyone’s been talking about.

State Side Deli is in the Meridian Crossings shopping center somewhere between Stillwater Grill and Starbucks.  You can see a sign from Okemos Road, but your better off if you enter on the backside which is techinically Meridian Crossing Drive.  There is an entrance in front, but the counter and tables are off the back parking lot. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Deli, Michigan, Okemos, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Mama Bear’s – A Conscious Cafe

30 04 2009
  • 1224 Turner Street
  • Lansing, MI 48906
  • (517) 485-6262
  • Website
  • Menu
Mama Bears - A Conscious Cafe in Old Town

Mama Bear's - A Conscious Cafe in Old Town

It’s the end of the month again which means J and I head to Delta Township to get her hair cut.  While she’s doing that, I drive around town, run errands, and of course, scout out new places to eat.  In City Pulse’s Top of the Town Awards, I noticed a cafe in Old Town that racked up a few awards.  I couldn’t find much other than a Myspace page on the place, but it sounded good to me.

Mama Bear’s Cafe is on Turner Street in Old Town half a block off of Grand River Avenue.  I drove by the building four times trying to find it.  It’s a big grey building with a black awning.  There is a logo on the awning, but it’s hard to see from the street.  I did finally find it and after I picked J up, headed back to Old Town for lunch.

We parked on the street a few doors down from the cafe and walked back.  The cafe is pretty small, but very cute.  The order counter is near the front.  The dining room are heavy wood tables which are scattered throughout the space.  Next to the counter on either side is a pastry case with all sorts of goodies including some that are vegan. 

We stopped in closer to 1:30 which would have been after the lunch rush.  The lady working told us they had a pretty busy lunch and they were out of a few things.  There was no turkey left and they didn’t have everything to make the creole wrap which I think is the menu item J was looking at.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Cafe, Lansing, Michigan, Old Town, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

7-Eleven – 103rd & Central – Oak Lawn, IL

9 03 2009
  • 10220 Central Avenue
  • Oak Lawn, IL 60453
  • (708 ) 346-0816
  • Website
The 7-Eleven on the corner of 103rd and Central in Oak Lawn, IL

The 7-Eleven on the corner of 103rd and Central in Oak Lawn, IL

You should know about my new found love for frozen drinks by now.  After a quick dinner at Brown’s Chicken & Pasta, I had a decision to make. I could either go back to J’s parents for an hour or so and risk either falling asleep or getting involved in a Wii game and miss the party or I could just kill time shopping or something. 

I chose shopping.  I only know two ways to get to the Chicago Ridge mall.  One is to take the busy Central Avenue to 95h or to take the even busier Cicero Avenue to 95th.  J and her family weave through the neighborhoods, but I’m not brave enough to drive and find that way on my own, so I chose Central to 95th.  I figured along the way, if I saw a Speedway or 7-Eleven I was going to stop for a Frozen Coke/Slurpee.  As I turned from 103rd to Central, I noticed a 7-Eleven in the strip mall on the corner, so I made a quick lane change and went after my Coke.

Normally, I wouldn’t blog about every 7-Eleven I stop at.  You all know by now what the store’s all about and you really have even less interest in a Chicago convenience store than you do a Chicago restaurant, but it’s not the Slurpee’s that make this 7-Eleven stand out.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Grocery, Illinois, Oak Lawn, Reviews

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