Art’s Bar & Grill – Revisited

14 03 2009
Arts Bar & Grill on Kalamazoo in Lansing.

Art's Bar & Grill on Kalamazoo in Lansing.

It’s been almost a year since our first visit to Art’s Bar & Grill.  It was one of the first places we ate at after moving to Lansing.  The building didn’t look like much, but I had heard the food was some of the best in town.  After a little hesitation, we went in and had one of the best meals we’ve had in town.

J’s parents were in town and we needed someplace to eat.  The original plan was to eat in Mt. Pleasant after gambling for a little bit, but we were still full from lunch, so we headed back to Lansing.  We tossed around a few ideas, but eventually settled on Art’s.  I had heard good things about their pizza and we hadn’t tried it yet.  By hitting up a bar, we could get a pizza and J’s parents could get burgers.

We stopped in around 7:00 on a Saturday.  There were quite a few people, but we found a table in the middle of the dining room.  Just like last time, a waitress noticed us right away and yelled over that she would be right with us.  A few minutes later, she dropped off menus while she was taking care of the rest of the dining room.  There were only two waitresses for the whole building and the one we had was working her butt off.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Bar, Burgers, Lansing, Local Flavor, Michigan, Pizza

Press Release – Old Town Food Sampler and Loft Tours

12 03 2009

From an Old Town Commercial Association Press Releae…

Food Sampler and Loft Tours Highlight

Life in Old Town

­­­­­­­­­­­ Businesses and loft owners offer patrons the chance to Taste & Tour Old Town

OLD TOWN, LANSING, Mich. – The Old Town Commercial Association (OTCA) presents the second annual Taste & Tour of Old Town, a progressive food sampler and loft tours, Sunday, April 5, from Noon-5 p.m., in conjunction with the First Sunday Gallery Walk.

The Taste & Tour of Old Town invites Lansing residents and visitors to sample tasty cuisine from eight Old Town restaurants and gourmet food retailers. Patrons may also view multiple Old Town lofts for an idea of what it’s like to live in Old Town.

The sampler gives visitors a chance to taste a variety of Old Town’s finest fare, all in one afternoon. Participating locations include The Chrome Cat, El Gallo Loco, Golden Harvest, Grand Café Sir Pizza, Hattie’s Kitchen, Mama Bear’s Café, Pablo’s Panaderia and Poppa Leo’s Pizza.

The revamped Taste & Tour of Old Town features loft tours for a second year in a row. The tours offer patrons a chance to view lofts not normally open to the public. After a successful turnout with the loft tours last year, the OTCA has decided to extend the event an additional two hours to Noon-5p.m. Patrons should check in at the OTCA office the day of the event for a map of tour locations, as they will not be announced until the day of the event.

Patrons have the option of sampling food and viewing lofts for $13 if purchased in advance, $15 day of, and loft tours only for $5. Tickets are on sale now and are available at the OTCA office located at 1232 Turner St., Lansing, Mich., and at Grace Boutique located at 115 E. Grand River Ave., Lansing, Mich. Tickets are available the day of at the OTCA office.

The Taste & Tour of Old Town is a fundraiser for the OTCA, which helps to continue its mission of revitalizing the Old Town district. It is also a great opportunity to introduce family and friends, who may be unfamiliar with Old Town, to the thriving businesses, hip living alternatives and delicious restaurants that contribute to Old Town’s growth and development.


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Categories : Food News, Lansing, Michigan, Old Town, Press Releases

Aldaco’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant

11 03 2009
  • 6527 S. Cedar Street
  • Lansing, MI 48911
  • (517) 272-4600
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
Aldacos Authentic Mexican Restaurant on South Cedar Street in Lansing.

Aldaco's Authentic Mexican Restaurant on South Cedar Street in Lansing.

Last night, I was really craving tacos.  We were really close to making a Taco Bell run at midnight, but decided it was a bad idea.  The craving never really went away.  When J suggested going out for dinner, I suggested that Mexican place where Cedar meets Pennsylvania that has stared us in the face since we moved here almost a year ago.

Aldaco’s is right on the corner of Cedar Street where it intersect with Pennsylvania Avenue.  It sits between the White Castle the empty end of a strip mall that used to house a Hollywood Video.  The building is small, but the parking lot is always full.  There’s an entrance on both Pennsylvania and Cedar Street.  We were coming from the Pennsylvania side, so we used that entrance then drove around the front to the parking lot.  

Inside we were met by a hostess.  She grabbed a couple menus and asked if we were going to order the buffet or order from the menu.  J said menu and I just went along with it.  After passing the buffet, which is right near the entrance, I should have changed my mind but I didn’t.  The buffet was filled with taco shells, tortillas, and fillings as well as tacquitos, burritos, rice, beans and even some desserts. 

There are two dining rooms in Aldaco’s.  We were taken to the one on the right side of the space which is where most everyone else was.  We were shown to a booth along the inside wall near the bathrooms in the back.  We started looking over the menus.  It wasn’t long before we decided, but we still had not seen a waitress.  There was a man and a woman waitressing.  We think we were actually at the woman’s table, but after quite a while, the man finally came over and took our order.  When the woman came over a minute later, I told her our order had already taken the order.  I heard him say something to the woman about how long she let us sit there, so he took the table.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Lansing, Mexican, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews

Izzo’s Pub & Pizzeria

5 03 2009
  • 1145-1147 S. Washington St.
  • Lansing, MI 48910
  • (517) 853-8500
  • Website
  • Menu
Izzos Pub & Pizzeria in Lansings REO Town

Izzo's Pub & Pizzeria in Lansing's REO Town

It took three tries, but I finally found Izzo’s Pizzeria open.  I happened to be downtown for a late morning meeting.  I was hopping back in my truck a little after noon and I started to head towards Washington Square to find something for lunch when I decided to give Izzo’s a third try.

Izzo’s Pub & Pizzeria is on Washington Avenue in Lansing’s REO Town neighborhood.  The pub has been there since the mid-1960’s.  The Pizzeria has been there since December.  The two businesses are in separate spaces with separate entrances, but they are connected and you can move freely between the two spaces.  The pizzeria side is big enough for a kitchen and a handful of tables.   The interior fits the area.  It has kind of a rustic feel with an exposed brick wall with a relief pattern that sort of resembles the globe.  The tables are surrounded black metal chairs and it’s a bright, inviting atmosphere.

The order counter is near the back of the space.   When I made it back there, a man behind the counter made contact right away.  He asked if I was staying or taking something to go.  J was still at home and I planned on bringing her lunch, so I told him I was getting carry out.  He handed me a menu to look over, but I noticed some slices behind the counter.  I asked if they did pizza by the slice.  He said they did, but all they had was a sausage, mushroom, and onion pie.  Not really my thing, so I ordered a small cheese pizza that I could share with J. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Lansing, Local Flavor, Michigan, Pizza, REO Town, Restaurant, Reviews

Press Release – Wines for Humanity

2 03 2009

From a press release…

Wines for Humanity: a unique approach to charity

It started to happen in Michigan last year, when a group of passionate people about wine and helping others from Chicago created a company with a new approach to charity fundraising.

Wines for Humanity’s mission is to raise funds for charities across the country in order to prevent homelessness in families with children. We believe that the funds raised locally should be applied locally- directly impacting the quality of our Wine Advisors’ neighborhoods nationwide.

WFH has been around for a while in other five states (Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Indiana, North Carolina) pairing with different programs to put in motion our vision. As of January 1st, 2009, we have raised over $64,000 for the prevention of homelessness in families with children!

We are rapidly expanding in Michigan to help support the homelessness prevention program that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and other charities have in place. We need wine advisors!

Mini Job Fair March 26, 2009

Training for wine advisors is extensive, and WFH provides the materials to start without upfront costs.

Team Michigan is having a Mini-Job Fair

at Gone Wired Café (www.gonewiredlansing.com)

2021 E. Michigan Ave. Lansing MI 48912

on March 26, 2009, from 4 pm to 7 pm

Applicants need to be 21 and older

A demonstration of a wine tasting will be presented at 5 pm.

We encourage interested individuals to call 517. 719. 8049 to reserve an interview time to become a wine advisor. We also encourage doing the same to reserve a seat in the mini tasting.

To host a wine Tasting Party

Our in-home wine tastings entertain and educate the hosts and guests on the joy of fine wines. We discuss how to taste the wine, how to pair wine with food, and how wine can be an integral part of a meaningful life, –all while sampling seven fine wine selections.

To host a party at your home or office please contact

Sabina Texido stexido@winesforhumanity.com or 517.719.8049


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Categories : Food News, Lansing, Michigan

The Venue Live Grand Opening

27 02 2009

I drove by The Venue Live tonight on my way to dinner and noticed the parking lot was packed.  On my way home, I noticed the searchlights.  I’m guessing tonight was a preview.  I found this info about the Grand Opening…

Time: Saturday, February 28, 2009 at 9:00pm
Location: “The Venue Live” ~ (the old L.A. Globe)
Street: 6810 S. Cedar St.
Lansing, MI~ VIP Available

Come Eat, Drink and Dance

Special Celebrity Guest


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Categories : Food News, Lansing, Michigan

Jackie’s Diner – Pennyslvania Ave.

27 02 2009
  • 5600 S. Pennsylvania Avenue
  • Lansing, MI 48911
  • (517) 272-0036
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
Jackies Diner on South Pennsylvania Avenue in Lansing.

Jackie's Diner on South Pennsylvania Avenue in Lansing.

I’ve always known J was a little quirky.  When most people aren’t feeling well, they want soup and 7-up.  When J’s not feeling well, she wants something greasy.  About the only time she ever craves burgers is when her tummy hurts.  She’s been a little under the weather the past few days and when she sent me an e-mail from work about dinner, she caught by surprise.  “I want a greasy dinner grilled cheese and fries.”  How can I argue with that. 

We chose Jackie’s Diner on South Pennsylvania because it’s close enough to J’s work and it’s a diner we haven’t been to yet.  We got there a little after seven on a Friday night.  The parking lot was pretty empty but there were a couple cars.  When we got inside, a man told us to find a seat, so we grabbed a booth.  J said she was worried I had picked an Asian diner due to the decor.  The dining room was split level with booths in both levels and tables filling in the remaining space.  To me, it felt like a little country diner. 

While it was comforting, there was one big problem.  The ceiling fans.  Ceiling fans themselves aren’t really a problem.  The problem is when you put them too close to lights.  The entire dinner I felt like there was a strobe light just above my head.  There was a light directly above one of the fan blades.  You can imagine how annoying that can be. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Diner, Lansing, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Rudino’s Pizza & Grinders

26 02 2009
  • 8741 W. Saginaw Highway
  • Lansing, MI 48917
  • (517) 627-3025
  • Website
  • Menu
Rudinos Pizza & Grinders on Saginaw Highway in Delta Township

Rudino's Pizza & Grinders on Saginaw Highway in Delta Township

Once a month, I spend the whole morning driving around Delta Township while J gets her hair cut.  I usually spend part of that time looking for someplace to eat.  This month was easy.  A couple weeks ago, I saw a posting on Craigslist for jobs at a new place on Saginaw Highway.  Last weekend, we were out in the area and I drove by to see if there was any indication it was opening.  There was a sign on the door that said it would open February 25.  I knew we were going to be out there on the 26th, so we were good to go for lunch.

Rudino’s Pizza & Grinders is in a small strip mall near the Menards on Saginaw Highway.  It’s in the space that used to be Art’s Pizza & Italian Oven.  We tried going to Art’s once, but it was closed.  I was excited to see a new pizza joint moving in.

Rudino’s is a long, narrow space.  When entering, you sort of come in to what can be considered the first dining room.  Beyond that is the order counter.  There is a menu board above the registers that lists a large selection of grinders as well as pizza’s, calzones, and salads.  Since it was only the second day of being open, things were running a little slow, but we knew that when we walked in and it wasn’t a big deal.  We needed time to figure out what we wanted anyway.  We were greeted right away by two guys who were sitting behind the counter on laptops.  The whole space is a Wi-Fi hot spot. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Italian, Lansing, Michigan, Pizza, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Dispatch Sports Pub & Grill

21 02 2009
  • 3004 W. Main Street
  • Lansing, MI 48917
  • (517) 484-7940
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
The Dispatch Sports Pub & Grill on Main Street in Lansing.

The Dispatch Sports Pub & Grill on Main Street in Lansing.

Saturday nights are usually relaxed nights for us.  After being lazy all afternoon and watching the NASCAR truck race, we decided to go out for dinner again.  We still  haven’t been to the grocery store since getting back to Michigan so there’s not a lot of food in the house yet and since shopping hungry is a bad idea, we just found a bar.  Quite a while ago, someone suggested the Dispatch Sports Pub & Grill.

The Dispatch Sports Pub & Grill is on Main Street near I-496.  It’s kind of out there by itself.  There’s not a whole lot in the area yet the parking lot was packed even though it was a crappy, snowy night.  We trekked through the snow only to be confused again.  There were two doors.  Neither were marked.  Neither gave any indication that it was the entrance. One of them was a little fancier than the other so that’s the one I chose.  I peeked in through the window and it looked right so we went in.  Good thing I chose that one.  The other one would have led to the kitchen.

The inside is a typical sports pub.  There are at least three pretty good size dining areas.  The bar is the first thing you run into.  From there, there are two dining areas off to the side.  I took a second to look around and didn’t really see anything other than tables for large groups.  Then I noticed some booths at the far end of the bar.  The decor is all beer company freebies.  It’s a comfortable, familiar setting.

The Dispatch near I-496 on Main Street in Lansing

The Dispatch near I-496 on Main Street in Lansing

Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Lansing, Michigan, Pub, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches, Sports Bar

Quality Dairy – E. Jolly Rd.

21 02 2009
  • 2625 E. Jolly Road
  • Lansing, MI 48910
  • (517) 272-1628
  • Website

This coming Tuesday is Fat Tuesday….and everyone knows what that means!  Paczki’s!  Alright, I’ll admit it.  Up until about a year ago, I had never heard of a paczki.  J grew up on the south side of Chicago which has a fairly large Polish population, so the Fat Tuesday treat was something she grew up with.  Last year on the Monday before Lent, J and I took my mom to Chicago and while we were eating lunch downtown, J started talking about paczki’s.  My mom likes sweets so we found a Polish bakery on the north side of town and brought home a dozen.  This past weekend, I was at a mega mart with my mom and grandma when I saw a box of paczki’s….of course, we had to buy them.

In the last couple days, we had seen commercials for Quality Dairy and L & L Food Centers advertising that they both had the pastry in their stores.  After eating lunch and a quick shopping trip, we needed dessert, so it was off to the Quality Dairy.

We chose the Quality Dairy on East Jolly Road at Dunkel Road because it was on the way home.  This location is bigger than the other QD’s we’ve been to.  Not only does it have all of the great Quality Dairy baked goods, but it also has a gas station and a laundromat.  How great of an idea is that.  You can throw a load of laundry in then go next door and get a doughnut.  I’m usually happy if the laundromat has a pop machine so I can get a Pepsi while my clothes are washing. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Bakery, Chains, Lansing, Michigan, Reviews

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