Two Great Snacks in One! - Firecakes Donuts, Chicago, Illinois

Nothing is better than a fresh doughnut....except a fresh doughnut with good ice cream sandwiched between it.  That is what was on the try menu on our recent trip to Chicago.  We first saw this marvelous desert on You Tube.  After watching the program, there was no way out, we had to have it! As we pulled up, on what was a somewhat chilly evening, we noticed a line out the door.
  Firecakes has a small storefront only big enough for maybe ten people to fit through the door.  They sell some very original donuts along side some doughnuts that look familiar but are kicked up a notch. Some of their varieties of doughnuts are, Valrhona Chocolate Iced, a seasonal fritter, wildflower honey glazed, and even some that rotate dependingon the season.
  We got a Classic Sandwich. The Classic Sandwich features a honey glazed doughnut with ice cream and Valrhona Chocolate Sauce on top of the ice cream.  The only variation I made was choosin pistachio ice cream. They have a choice of 4 doughnuts and three ice creams.They also have nine toppings you can choose between.  Next time I will choose the vanilla ice cream, but other than that, it was a scrumptious treat. Even the chilly wind couldnt change that!
  Firecakes has four locations and a food truck.  You can find them on the web at:firecakesdonuts.com

How Can Fried Chicken Be Improved? - Honey Butter Fried Chicken, Chicago, Illinois

  On our recent excursion to Chicago, we decided to pass by some of our favorite food places and try some new ones.  We started our journey on You Tube.  We watched many episodes of Chicago 's Best.   This show is a show that highlights some of Chicago's restaurants that are sent in by viewer tips.  From the many places we watched, we picked the ones that tripped our food triggers.  Right from the start Honey Butter Fried Chicken did just that.
  As we located the restaurant and tried to find a place to park,  we noticed a line going out the door.
As we went inside the door, there was a sigm telling us to grab a menu, order at the counter and we will be seated.  We decided to bypass eating inside and ordered it to go.  We decided to try two thighs and a some creamed corn.  We found the corn to be good.  It wasn't your typical creamed corn,this was Thai green curry,and you could taste the flavor in the corn.  It was a good flavor ithout being overwhelming.  The bone free chicken had an extra crispy crust that held up well to the honey utter that we slathered over it.  The sweet buttery taste paired well with the slightly spicy chicken.We needed many napkins to get through this juicy chicken.
  Honey Butter fried Chicken is a little pricey, but they use the finest ingredients that are locally sourced, cage free and antibiotic free.  The employees don't work for tips and are paid industry leading salaries with benefits. They are located at 3361 N. Elston Ave in Chicago.  They accept charge cards.  You can find them on the web at; https://www.honeybutter.com/ .  You can order online at the site.

Drive By Try - Mary’s Fabulous Fried Chicken and Fish , Ann Arbor, Mi

Have you ever been past a place and thought to yourself, “Someday I have to try that place. “ Well after saying that about Mary’s Fabulous Fried Chicken and Fish, we decided today was the day.

  At Mary’s, you walk to the counter and give your order.  There is only one table in the place and the condiments are on the table.

  I decided to try the 3 piece fried chicken dinner, and Rebbel decided on the 2 piece fish dinner.  I asked for three thighs because I love the thigh.  Meaty and juicy dark meat. Can’t go wrong! I found the chicken to be all that with a little bit of heat way in the back.  It was very good chicken.  The dinner came with cole slaw and mashed potatoes.  The potatoes were good, but could have used a bit of salt in my opinion. The slaw was excellent. A good sweet slaw. Only complaint was that it was ground pretty small and resembled mush, but was still tasty. A roll was served with the dinner and was good but nothing special.

  Rebbel did not fare as well with the fish. She found it to be chewy instead of flakey.  It was a white fish but the kind was not listed. Her fries were good. Medium size, no crinkles. 

  We would definitely stop again in the future, but would stick with the fried chicken.  Mary’s also offers  hoagies, clams, and shrimp on their menu.  They are located at 3220 Packard St. In Ann Arbor, Mi.

Southern Buffet in the Old South - Blue Willow Inn, Social Circle, Georgia

Deep in the heart of Dixie, about 45 minutes east of Atlanta, life gets slower and you seem to travel back in time. You see old towns with single owner party stores, old towns, gas stations with only two pumps with no credit card slots, and lots of older homes. In this area dwells a historic southern cooking icon called the Blue Willow Inn.                            

   Located in the town of Social Circle, The BLue Willow has been around since 1991. The building was renovated and a kitchen area added. It opened for business in late 1991. A gift shop came soon after along with expansions to get to where they are today.

  We arrived for the lunch buffet.  The buffet had ham, fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, field peas, squash, and pies and cakes. 

   We found the menu to be a very good example of down home southern cooking. The chicken in my opinion was a bit bland and a little bit of a letdown.  The rest of the meal was good.  While we didn’t indulge in the deserts, some looked like they were made outside the restaurant but I withhold judgement, because we were too full to try them. The price was a little moderate, but for a true taste of the south, this would be a good place to try. This was our second visit and probably our last as we are ready to move on. I was happy though, to try them out.   If you would like to try them out , they are located at 294 N Cherokee Rd Social Circle Georgia. Find them on the web at www.bluewillowinn.com

An Amish Buffet In Sunny Florida - Der Dutchman, Sarasota Fla.

On our recent trip to Florida, we decided to visit a buffet we has first found out about on You Tube.We drove down to Sarasota which turned out to be a pretty long drive.  Der Dutchman offers a full menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner also, but we went there for the buffet.  We got there early, so we browsed through the gift shop and looked through the bakery and the pies and doughnuts as big as a manhole cover.  Lunch did not start until 11:30. We finally made it to lunch and our server was prompt and friendly.
 The lunch buffet include he regular Amish food staples you find in Shipshewana or other Amish buffets. Noodles, creamed corn, dressing, salad selections, and soups. For meats they offered fried chicken, meats like pulled pork, and turkey that you could make a sandwich

  We found the chicken to be crispy and juicy on the inside and very good. The only thing we did not like, was that the food wasn't hot enough. That migh be because we were early birds and the food did not have a chance to warm.  They had a few desert choices and ice cream was served with the buffet. The place was clean and service good.  We were not sorry we visited, but would not put it on our list to have to visit.  If you are looking for an Amish meal in sunnu Florida though, this is the place for you. Der Dutchman has locations in Walnut Creek, Ohio, Berlin Ohio, and several other locations in Ohio. The location in Florida is located at 3713 Bahia Vista St, Sarasota.  You can find them on the web at: http://www.dhgroup.com/restaurants

Weird Name, Great Food! - L George's Coney Island Restaurant, Canton, Michigan

Checking on Trip Advisor for the best restaurants in the Canton, Mi. area, I came across L. George's.  They were rated number one.  I looked at the name and said to myself that there was no way that this place ccould be any good with a name like that.  I even hesitated telling my wife about it.  I finally told her because nothing else looked all that impressive. We decided to give it a try!
  We drove down Michigan Avenue not knowing what to expect.  We did a Michigan left and noticed a busy parking lot. Maybe a good sign.We went in for a short wait.
  Rebbel asked a passing waitress what the best thing on the menu. She was told everything was good. Everything made right there from scratch and real.  We decided to try the hot roast beef sandwich and the fish dinner.
  The roast beef sandwich came on top of two pieces of bread with mashed potatoes and covered in a brown savory gravy.  Rebbel didn't care much for that type of gravy, but the chunks of real roast beef were very tender and tasty. It was a  huge portion.
  I got coleslaw and ordered fries with my fish. The fish was cod and was in three big pieces.  The fish was flaky, firm and in a batter that was just the right density.  The coleslaw was also prepared just perfectly. The prices were really reasonable and we had plenty of food to take home. The service was fast and friendly.They serve breakfast all day,  variety of sandwiches,gyros, and pitas. Hamburgers, hot dogs and lots more! L.George is located at 43711 Michiagan Ave in Canton,Mi.  They have another locaton in Walled Lake.  You can find them on the web at:http://www.lgeorgescanton.com/locations.html

Carnivores Only!! Meat Southern B.B.Q. and Carnivore Cuisine - Lansing,Michigan

  The menu tells the story of this place.  You look under vegetarian choices and listed is the soft drinks they serve. That is it!  This place is for meat eaters with no apologies!!  Located in Old Town in Lansing Michigan, This place has been on Diners, Drive Inns and Dives.  They serve pork ribs, burgers, pulled pork, and something called a meat mountain.  The meat mountain has layers of smoked brisket, bacon gravy, creamed corn, and gooey cheese.  Their sandwiches are called meatwiches which offers a choice of a 7 oz burger,beef brisket, pulled pork or smoked turkey.
  We sat at the bar because the place was filled on the Saturday we chose to go.  We went with a half rack of ribs, chili, the chin - gorilla burger, and mac and cheese.
 The ribs were meaty although my wife took points off because they were not baby back ribs. The chili was a Texan no bean type with their smoked brisket.  I wish it would have had more of the brisket.  the mac and cheese was not the best we ever tasted, but it was very good.  The burger Rebbel got was really off the charts. It had pineapple, house made pimento cheese spread, and crispy onions. A very tasty burger that has become one of Rebbel's favorites.
 If you want to try Meat, they are located at 1224 Turner St, Old Town, Lansing,Mi.  Find them on the web at: http://meatbbq.com/

Great Food In A Jiffy! - Smokehouse 52, Chelsea, Michigan

Chelsea, Michigan. This little town is the home of Jiffy Mixes, The Purple Rose Theater,and one of the tastiest barbecue places I have been to in Michigan, Smokehouse 52.  We first heard about this restaurant from my wife's friend from work.  It took us a couple of weeks to get there, but once we tried it, we were happy that we did!
  The restaurant is located on the main drag of downtown Chelsea, which happens tobe M52.  Look for the cow hanging on the corner of the building.  We went on a Saturday afternoon and there was no wait.  The hostesses and wait staff .were superb. The building the restaurant is in, is an older building complete with brick walls,metal ceiling,and large beams.
  I ordered the half rack of ribs, pit beans and cole slaw. A choice of two sides came with our meal. Rebbel chose the fried chicken and house made chips.  She also got the macaroni and cheese, which was a signature side and well worth the little extra it cost.
  My ribs were outstanding.  The baby backs had a nice, smokey taste with a little pull coming off the bone. They are smoked on site for 18 hours.  There is a choice of sauces on the table to add to the meat, but after tasting these ribs, you may opt for no added sauce! My sides were hearty and delicious. There was also a slice of Jiffy cornbread to go along with it!
  Rebbel's chicken was outstanding too. Buttermilk dipped chicken breasts that were drizzled with honey.  We usually don't go for chicken breast meat because we prefer the juicier dark meat.   This chicken was so tender and juicy,and fried to golden perfection,  that we would order them again. The house made chips were fried crispy and crunchy and were a perfect side dish.They really ought to bag these and sell them, the are that good. Rebbel knows her mac and cheese.  It is rare for her to like anybody;s macaroni and cheese,  but she loved theirs. It was cheesy and was a good sized portion.  In fact the portions of all the food was big enough for left overs later on
  The food we had was all made with lots of care. It is a rare to find a restaurant like this.  I would trust them ith just about anything on their menu, and will be back to try other dishes.  You can find them on the web at: https://www.sh52bbq.com/

Stack 'Em Up! - Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger, Ann Arbor, Micchigan

We have had a burger at Krazy Jim's before, but that was the old location.  We had gone there after watching them on a t.v. show.  Then they closed because the Uof M had bought their building.  They later re-opened again in downtown Ann Arbor so we decided to try them again. We found parking on a side street next to Ashley street where the restaurant is now located.  After walking up the mountain tht they placed the side street on, we entered the door.  The waitress was giving people menus.  Right away, I told my wife we were in the wrong place.  Sure enough we had gone to the Fleetwood Diner and not Blimpy Burger.We quickly exited and wen next door to Blimpy.
  At Blimpy there are rules.  First you go to the counter and order what you want from the fryer. They offer fries, onion rings and other vegetables fried in canola oil. Don't forget to grab a tray if you are eating there, and no cell phones in line. Next you tell them how many patties you like. They also have a veggie burger and chicken ,  The hamburger patties are small and squished on the grill. The meat is ground from western chuck..We ordered three which the chart said brought us to a quarter pound, Would you like any grilled items?  You are then asked what bun you would like. They have several to choose from.  You are then asked if you would like cheese and what kind of cheese. Lastly you are asked what condiments you would like,,  They claim there are over 2 billion combinations.  I chose 3 patties on a kaiser bun with cheddar cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, onion, mayo and mustard.  Eebbel had an onion bum with American cheese, but other than that, same as me. I tried the rings.
  While I liked all the choices, we found themeat to be on the bland tasteless side. The rings were looking home made,meaning no batter at all, just what flour managed to stay on during the frying process.  The kind of rings that make you not to do rings at home, they serve,  I would go there once to try but now thatwe went twice, we had our fill.  If ypu would like to try them for yourself,  you can find them at 304 Ashley Street in Ann Arbor or on the web at:http://www.blimpyburger.com/index.html

Just Plain Good-Das Dutchman Essenhaus, Middlebury,Indiana

On our trips to Shipshewana, Indiana,in the heart of Amish country, we always make it a point to travel 6 miles down hwy 20 to Middlebury to visit one of our favorite Amish cooking restaurants called Das Dutchman Essenhaus. On our most recent trip, we learned from our brother in law Tim, that Essenhaus was eat house in German, and that is exactly what I did! Eat.  TheEssenhaus offers menu dining, and  family dining, but we always go for the buffet. It's nothing fancy, in fact it's pretty simple.What is offered is good. mouth watering crispy,juicy, fried chicken, which is the highlight for me. They also have beef and spaghetti, vegetables and good, moist, dressing; potatoes, soups,noodles and salads. Sometimes you can get there just at the right time and they still have the breakfast buffet up and you can get some of that too. Still not enough?  Meander past the crafts to the bakery, where you can choose a doughnut as big as your head or a house made pie along with other bakery goods. Das Dutchman Essenhaus is located on hwy 20 in Middlebury Indiana. You can find them on the web at:
 http://www.essenhaus.com/page/13/Restaurant-Bakery

Sunday Brunch Hunch - Firepit Grille, Holland Ohio

On our weekly trip to Sam's Club, I am always looking for somewhere new to

eat.  I noticed that the Firepit Grille always seemed to have a bunch of cars early on Sundays. I had a good hunch that they were serving brunch!  I looked them up on Trip Advisor and found that they do indeed have a Sunday Brunch,  We had to visit.
  The Brunch was very nicely set up. They have a table with carved hamans Sirloin Beef that was cooked perfectly and omelettes cooked in front of you to your order, On another table they served barbecue chicken quarters, tender peppersteak with rice, green beans almondine, salads, fruits and other selections including french toast and of course bacon. On a third table there was a selection of desserts.Thre were pies of the peanut butter and lemon variety and other sugary concoctions.
 The service was pretty good from start to finish.  Plates were removed right away. Some ofthe food looked like it might have came from Sam's Club or GFS, but all of what I tasted was very good, and I would definitely go back again. Firepit Grille also has a dining option of inside or under a covered,heated patio by a large fire pit.  They also have a full menu featuring ribs, pizza and other items during the week. They are located at 7723 Airport Hwy, in Holland Ohio. You can find them on the web at.http://www.firepitgrille.com/

Choice Rules! -The Dog House Restaurant - Tecumseh, Michigan

One of my favorite hot dog places is located very close to us.  At this place you can visit hot dog styles from all over the country in just one restaurant.  The Dog House is located in downtown Tecumseh and offer beef hot dogs, turkey or pork dogs.  Your choice. You can go large if you want with quarter or half pound dogs.  Many choices of dogs such as the Rueben, Monte Cristo Dog, Classic Chicago Dog and really so many other choices too numerous to mention.   They also have Polish Sausage and Brats. Not feeling like a dog?? They have Paninis and other sandwiches and salads.  Dessert is also offered. You can get a pan of monkey muffins for heaven's sake!!  We had the Chicago Dog when we were last there, and itwas made to perfection. About the only thing I see they lack is a snappy dog (natural casing), or a Jackson style Coney.   Maybe I'll mke a suggestion on their website at :

. http://www.thedoghouserestaurant.com/

Lunch Fail - Tecumseh Brewing Company, Tecumseh Mchigan

Rebbel firs heard about this place on Facebook.  She noticed a Monte Cristo Sandwich that she thought looked scrumptious and worth a try.  We normally don't eat close to home because we usually travel on the weekend and then work schedules hinder it during the week.  The sandwich would not stop calling er name so..off we went for lunch in the nearby city.


  As we walked into the place, we were greeted not ny a host or a wait person, but a sign that said seat yourself, and order at the bar.  To us, it was not a very welcoming entrance.  We found a menu andlooked through it.  Rebbel's sandwich was not on the menu.  It was a special snadwich theat was onlymade on that week.  I talked her in to  staying and weordered a Cuban and ahe ordered a Hot Italian.  Both sandwiches were dropped off at our table and were nice and hot when delivered.  The sandwiches were good but really unremarkable in our opinion.  We ended up getting our bill at the bar and leaving.  I guess thta during other times theymay have otjer choices and full service.  To be fair, they are a brewery and probab;y concentrate on the beer endof things.  My feelings are that if I wanted service like this, I would stick to Subway or Jimmy Lohns and pay lower prices.You can find them on the web at :http://www.tecumsehbrewingco.com

Quality Douughnuts - Five Daughter's Bakery, Nashville,Tennessee

I was looking for a quality donut in Nashville. Lately we are able to find these small batch shops that make donuts using the very best ingredients. Nashville did not let us down.  We found Five daughter's Bakery.  They use non'gmo ingredients, organic and locally grown when possible. The doughnuts are fried in grape seed oil.  The menu changes daily. I chose a peanut butter and jelly that was very good and Rebbel had avanilla cream doughnut that was highly recommended by a fellow customer.  Both doughnuts were very good.. They also have other desserts available. They have a few locations in Nashville and one in Franklin Tn. and one even in Fla We visited the location on Caruthers Ave.You can find them on the web at http://www.fivedaughtersbakery.com/

Meat and Three Or Was It Two?-Cafe Monell's,Nashville,Tn

Mest and Three is definitely a southern tradition thsouth and one of the better examples is found at Monell's Cafe in Nashville.  What is a meat and three?  At Monell's it is a meal that is served cafeteria style consisting of a meat and three sides. Monell's cafteria has a good menu of southern favorites such as macaroni and cheese, cheese grits, greens, fried chicken and pulledpork.  The menu changes.  The evening we were there we chose meat loaf and I got the pulled pork. We also chose sides of mashed potatoes and corn pudding. We ended up with two sides and I got a slice of corn bread and Rebbel dot a biscuit. We shprted ourselves a side somehow bit it was still plenty of food.  Rebbel's meatloaf was very good.  The mashed potatoes would have been better with gravy, but they did not have any.  The pulled pork was good, but could have been a bit more tender for my liking. In all. Monell's Cafe is a good place for southern foods served cafeteria style.  If I were to go again, I would have to try some of that skillet fried southern chicken.  That might make the meal!  Monells also has two other locations in Nashville.Monnell's at the Manor and the original Monell's in German town. The other locations close between lunch and dinner and meals are served family style, The location we visited is located at 2826 Bransford.

You can find them on the web at  https://monellstn.com/

Some Like It Hot...Not Me! - Hattie B's Hot Chicken, Nashville,Tn

Hot chicken is a thing in Nashville. We had to tryit. I'm not really a fan of hot. It's not that I can't do it. I can eat a jalapeno pepper with nachos with the best of them.  I just prefer tasting the food and not just trying to put the fire in my mouth out. That being said, when we visited Hattie B's in Nashville, I had a decision to make.  Did I want to play it safe and go with the southern chicken with no heat, or in the name of research, go for the heat that Nashville was known for.  I decided to go for the heat! Well kind of.  I went with the mild, bit I did it with nothing to drink! They have 3 different heat levels and mild was hot enough for me!

We ordered the dark quarter that included a piece of white bread,a thigh and leg.  The chicken had a nice crisp skin with some heat. The chicken was very juicy with a slightly salty taste.On the side we had the pimento mac and cheese. It was a very creamy mac and cheese and was very tasty if you like pimemtos, which is also a southern staple. Hattie B's also features other southern favorites on their menu such as banana pudding, peach cobbler and southern greens.    If there was a Hattie B's in Michigan I would definitely be a repeat customer!  Hattie B's has a couple of locations in Nashville , and you can find them on the web at:


http://hattieb.com/

Southern Hospitality and Biscuits - The Loveless Cafe , Nashville Tn

I was looking for the perfect southern breakfast on our recent trip to Nashville. One name kept coming up on all my searches. The Loveless Cafe.The restaurant started out in 1951 by selling biscuits and chicken to travelers on route 100 according to their web site.  They quickly grew into a 14 room motel and restaurant. Today they serve over a half million guests a year.  Our meak started with a plate of the famous biscuits and preserves.  We were greeted by the manager who saw my Detroit Tiger shirt and brought over a waitress from Jackson Michigan to say hi to us.

 I ordered the city ham wich was a thick slice of sugar glazed ham and two eggs over easy. I thought the ham was very mild and good. I also had a hash brown casserole that was good and cheesy  Rebbel had her usual omelette. She thought it was pretty ordinary. The manager bought out some cream corn to tatse which he said was the best around.  I agree with him. It was whole kernels of the sweetest corn in a creamy sauce.  They also have country hams and pit beef they do on premises,  I found exactly what I was looking for in the Loveless Cafe.A true southern gem that I would love to go back and revisit   You can find them on the web at https://www.lovelesscafe.com/

Home of the Hot Brown Sandwich! - J. Graham's Cafe At the Brown Hotel, Louisville,Ky

Louisville Kentucky...Home of mint juleps, Louisville Slugger, and the Kentucky Derby. Forget all that, we decicided to travel to Louisville for another famous Louisville product, The Hot Brown Sandwich. The Hot Brown Sandwich is popular all over Louisville, but the first and what some say is the best was served at the Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville. The sandwich consists of roasted turkey chunks placed on crustless Texas Toast on a tomato, it as then smpthered with a Mornay sauce with two strips of crisp bacon crossing on top. It is covered with parmigiano-reggiano cheese, and placed in the broiler.  The sandwich is delicious. How could it not be!  The Brown also features a weekend brunch buffet that was top quality. The Sunday I tried it, they had a wine reduction barbeque beef that was very good, omelettes made to order, fruits of all kinds, ham, chicken and much more, all top quality!  We would definitely try them again if we were in Louisville. The Brown Hotel is located at  335 Broadway St Louisville. Find them on the web at:http://www.brownhotel.com/j-grahams-cafe

More Than Just Soup! - Soup Spoon Cafe, Lansing Michigan

After trying Trip Advisor's number two breakfast place in Lansing a couple of weeks back, Rebbel asked why we had not tried the number one place.  It seemed like a good question. Maybe the name wasa little misleading. The Soup Spoon Cafe did not sound like a breakfast place. One look at the breakfast/brunch menu proved me wrong!  The menu is filled with so much tasty foods, Ihad a hard time choosing.  Everything from egg Benedict's,  to hotcakes with real maple syrup,deli sandwiches, and omelets.  We decided to choose the omelets.  Rebbel chose the Black Forest omlet. This omlelet is made wi three eggs, koudemade Canadien bacon, mushrooms,onions, tomatoes, and gruywew cheese.  It was drizzled with hollandaise. I gave it highmarks,  I chose the Northeastern omelet. It has crab, green onions, tomatoes.  It was topped off by  a basil cream sauce. It was also athree egg omelet and was huge and the crab made me feel like I was indeed out east. Ialso took the choice of a brunch sald for a side dish, which actually went very well with my order.

The service the day we went was a little slow, but the waitress kept the coffee coming, You can tell just by the menu offerrings that this is not your typical restaurant.  They go a step or two further.  If you would like to go try the Soup Spoon Cafe, you can find them at 1419 E Michigan in Lansing.  They are on the web at https://soupspooncafe.com .