1. Stonefire Bistro - Brighton, MI
2. Aleko's - Hamburg, MI
3. Cottage Inn - Brighton, MI
Friday, July 25, 2008
Stonefire Bistro (Brighton, MI) #2
My wife had a very good experience at Stonefire last night. Stonefire has been open for about a year now, and it really seems like they are getting their act together. Once again we sat outside on the sidewalk patio. All of the tables outside were full, which is always a good sign. Downtown Brighton has some sort of outdoor celebration on Thursdays in the summer, and the mood downtown was upbeat.
The weather was great, 80 and sunny...the music was at a great level and playing a good variety of fun, adult contemporary summery songs...service was very good. My wife started w/ a garden salad and I had the minestrone soup - both were solid and hit the spot. The bread at Stonefire is also delicious - such a contrast to a place like Buon Gusto across the street, which has horrible bread. Stonefire's bread is warm, fresh, tasty, and comes w/ an olive oil and fresh parmesan dipping plate.
And for our entree we split a delicious medium cheese pizza w/ sausage. We had pizza last fall at Stonefire, and we weren't that impressed. I don't know if they've changed recipes or chefs or whatnot, but our pizza last night was fantastic. Cooked perfectly, excellent italian sausage, flavorful sauce, great cheese quotient, etc. I can't say enough good things about the pizza - it may be the best pizza that I've had in Brighton. In fact, it probably is. A medium pie was also plenty for my wife and I to split. And at $14 it's a good value.
All in all, another very good experience at Stonefire.
The weather was great, 80 and sunny...the music was at a great level and playing a good variety of fun, adult contemporary summery songs...service was very good. My wife started w/ a garden salad and I had the minestrone soup - both were solid and hit the spot. The bread at Stonefire is also delicious - such a contrast to a place like Buon Gusto across the street, which has horrible bread. Stonefire's bread is warm, fresh, tasty, and comes w/ an olive oil and fresh parmesan dipping plate.
And for our entree we split a delicious medium cheese pizza w/ sausage. We had pizza last fall at Stonefire, and we weren't that impressed. I don't know if they've changed recipes or chefs or whatnot, but our pizza last night was fantastic. Cooked perfectly, excellent italian sausage, flavorful sauce, great cheese quotient, etc. I can't say enough good things about the pizza - it may be the best pizza that I've had in Brighton. In fact, it probably is. A medium pie was also plenty for my wife and I to split. And at $14 it's a good value.
All in all, another very good experience at Stonefire.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Zingerman's Deli (Ann Arbor, MI)
We stopped in for a late lunch last week - and on a Monday 1:30pm the place was jammed! I had a Reuben and my wife had a a chicken sandwich. Zingerman's has a large outdoor seating area, and we grabbed a couple sodas and a bag of chips, and found a nice table and awaited our meal. After about ten minutes a waitress brought out our sandwiches. Zingerman's is an Ann Arbor landmark, so I don't need to get into great detail here.
We both loved our sandwiches - a bit overpriced, but still they were very good sandwiches. Great flavor, fresh meats, totally fresh bread. Sandwiches are $10-13, and that doesn't include chips, or a drink, or table side service. A good experience, and a great place to take friends/family from out of town.
www.zingermansdeli.com
We both loved our sandwiches - a bit overpriced, but still they were very good sandwiches. Great flavor, fresh meats, totally fresh bread. Sandwiches are $10-13, and that doesn't include chips, or a drink, or table side service. A good experience, and a great place to take friends/family from out of town.
www.zingermansdeli.com
Bobber Down (Whitmore Lake, MI)
My wife and I had dinner at Bobber Down w/a large group of people last week. We've eaten at Bobber about a dozen times, and the food is very good bar food. Simple, straightforward, but always flavorful. Friendly service. On this visit we split the chicken sandwich, and it was excellent - great bread, real bacon, flavorful chicken.
Bobber Down serves good comfort food.
Bobber Down serves good comfort food.
Buon Gusto (Brighton, MI)
My wife and I had dinner at Buon Gusto on Saturday night. We sat outside on the new patio - which is very nice. Unfortunately the meal wasn't as good.
We should have known that things wouldn't be as good as we hoped when the bread arrived to the table. It was four pieces of stiff, cold bread w/ some sort of Parmesan cheese quasi-melted on the bread. And there was no olive oil or butter served w/ the bread. Not a very good start to a meal at an Italian restaurant. Each of our entrees was served w/a side salad.
I ordered the Chicken Caprese, which was decent, but nothing to write home about. It was served w/a side of rigatoni and meat sauce, and the meat sauce seemed to be very bland. My wife ordered the tortellini w/ marinara - only she ended up receiving gnocchi w/ meat sauce. Eventually another server noticed the mistake - b/c her table was missing a gnocchi. She quickly brought out the correct meal. The tortellini were no better than the frozen kind that you can buy at the grocery store, and the marinara was essentially Ragu. A real disappointment. Also, the Parmesan cheese brought to the table was in a jar - which is another clue that Buon Gusto isn't a very good Italian restaurant. When we go out to eat at an Italian place, we expect to be offered fresh Parmesan. And to top things off, our server never checked up on us. We both finished our meals, and she dropped off the check. She never acknowledge that my wife received the wrong meal, or asked us how the food was.
Overall, it was a real disappointing meal. We'd had lunch at Buon Gusto about a year ago, and the meal was very good. So we entered dinner w/ high hopes - we won't be returning for dinner any time soon. Small portions, bland sauces, below average bread, inattentive service, etc. On the bright side, Buon Gusto did recently get their liquor license.
www.vivianocatering.com
We should have known that things wouldn't be as good as we hoped when the bread arrived to the table. It was four pieces of stiff, cold bread w/ some sort of Parmesan cheese quasi-melted on the bread. And there was no olive oil or butter served w/ the bread. Not a very good start to a meal at an Italian restaurant. Each of our entrees was served w/a side salad.
I ordered the Chicken Caprese, which was decent, but nothing to write home about. It was served w/a side of rigatoni and meat sauce, and the meat sauce seemed to be very bland. My wife ordered the tortellini w/ marinara - only she ended up receiving gnocchi w/ meat sauce. Eventually another server noticed the mistake - b/c her table was missing a gnocchi. She quickly brought out the correct meal. The tortellini were no better than the frozen kind that you can buy at the grocery store, and the marinara was essentially Ragu. A real disappointment. Also, the Parmesan cheese brought to the table was in a jar - which is another clue that Buon Gusto isn't a very good Italian restaurant. When we go out to eat at an Italian place, we expect to be offered fresh Parmesan. And to top things off, our server never checked up on us. We both finished our meals, and she dropped off the check. She never acknowledge that my wife received the wrong meal, or asked us how the food was.
Overall, it was a real disappointing meal. We'd had lunch at Buon Gusto about a year ago, and the meal was very good. So we entered dinner w/ high hopes - we won't be returning for dinner any time soon. Small portions, bland sauces, below average bread, inattentive service, etc. On the bright side, Buon Gusto did recently get their liquor license.
www.vivianocatering.com
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
New Holland Brewing Company (Holland, MI)
We spent a day in Holland last month. We ate and drank at a handful of different places. For dinner we ended up at the New Holland Brewing Co, which is located smack dab in the center of downtown Holland. Holland is a nice little lake-side community just down the road from legendary Oval Beach.
We ate outside - it was about 8pm when we arrived, and we waited 5 minutes for a table to open up. The atmosphere was great - it was busy outside and there were pedestrations walking by constantly. Our server was a really friendly guy, our french fry appetizer didn't come until the main courses came, but he was at least cordial about it and took the fries off of the bill. And the fries were excellent by the way - a huge plate of waffle fries covered in cheese and bacon. You've got to love waffle fries, the caviar of the french fry community.
We had a chicken sandwich and a turkey sandwich, and both were excellent. Great taste, huge portions, fresh veggies, really good bread - both were really solid sandwiches.
Oh yeah, and the beer is very good as well. I had three Existential beers, and I was very happy. It's a higher alcohol content beer, so it's really hoppy and has an aggressive taste, but it still totally drinkable on a warm summer night. I've had Sun Dog and Full Circle in the past, and both are solid beers. Unfortunately New Holland does not brew any non-alcoholic beers, which was a disappointment.
Overall it was a good experience - good weather, sitting outside at a busy restaurant in downtown Holland, surprisingly really good food, interesting beers, and solid service - we'll definitely be back.
www.newhollandbrew.com
We ate outside - it was about 8pm when we arrived, and we waited 5 minutes for a table to open up. The atmosphere was great - it was busy outside and there were pedestrations walking by constantly. Our server was a really friendly guy, our french fry appetizer didn't come until the main courses came, but he was at least cordial about it and took the fries off of the bill. And the fries were excellent by the way - a huge plate of waffle fries covered in cheese and bacon. You've got to love waffle fries, the caviar of the french fry community.
We had a chicken sandwich and a turkey sandwich, and both were excellent. Great taste, huge portions, fresh veggies, really good bread - both were really solid sandwiches.
Oh yeah, and the beer is very good as well. I had three Existential beers, and I was very happy. It's a higher alcohol content beer, so it's really hoppy and has an aggressive taste, but it still totally drinkable on a warm summer night. I've had Sun Dog and Full Circle in the past, and both are solid beers. Unfortunately New Holland does not brew any non-alcoholic beers, which was a disappointment.
Overall it was a good experience - good weather, sitting outside at a busy restaurant in downtown Holland, surprisingly really good food, interesting beers, and solid service - we'll definitely be back.
www.newhollandbrew.com
Monday, July 7, 2008
Stillwater (Brighton, MI)
We tried to sit down for dinner and drinks at Stillwater on a recent Friday night. We walked in at 7:30pm, and were told that the outdoors patio was full, and that they weren't seating anymore parties outside. Which was frustrating. The hostess didn't even suggest that we grab a drink at the bar and wait 10 minutes, the vibe was clearly that they were winding down and didn't want a table seated at 8pm - which is really crazy. It's a Friday night, and they don't want to seat tables after 8pm?
Buffalo WIld Wings (Green Oak, MI)
BWW's is what it is - a place to watch a game or games. Boneless buffalo wings in a variety of sauces, wraps, apps - good, consistent bar food. Nice place to catch a Saturday afternoon baseball game outside. Their patio holds about 50 people or so, and there are 4 TV's so you can usually get a requested game tuned in.
BAB's Deli (Brighton, MI)
Bab's Deli, located on Grand River in downtown Brighton, has the best bagels in town. The bagels are always fresh, and there is a great selection of bagels - the asiago, cheddar, everything, chocolate chip, and jalapeno are all bagels that we've had and enjoyed. Bab's also does an awesome job in putting cream cheese on the bagels - they are generous w/ the spread, and the bagels are always toasted just the right amount.
Decent coffee. There is always four or five choices of coffee, which is nice. The muffins are also good - soft, not too heavy, etc. Great, friendly service. Place is always clean. Nice little tables to eat. Usually a stray newspaper laying around to read. One thing Bab's could do is up the music level - it such a pleasant, upbeat place, that I think that good music could really make Bab's a great morning spot.
Decent coffee. There is always four or five choices of coffee, which is nice. The muffins are also good - soft, not too heavy, etc. Great, friendly service. Place is always clean. Nice little tables to eat. Usually a stray newspaper laying around to read. One thing Bab's could do is up the music level - it such a pleasant, upbeat place, that I think that good music could really make Bab's a great morning spot.
Stonefire Bistro (Brighton, MI)
My wife and I stopped in at Stonefire on a recent Friday night at about 6:15pm. The sun was still blazing and it was 80 degrees, so we really wanted to sit somewhere outside and have a drink. We grabbed a table outside, and had a couple beers, a soup and a salad. Our table provided a nice view of Main Street, and we were entertained w/ the train lights malfunctioning and stopping traffic every three minutes. There are also outdoor speakers, and the music was at a great level, and playing good music - contemporary, some older rock, just a good upbeat mix.
The service was very good. The clam chowder was advertised as being "peppery", and it was. The chowder was good, flavorful, filling, etc - but it was more soup than chowder. My wife had a simple garden salad, and was really happy w/ the crisp vegetables. All in all it was a good experience at Stonefire. Good simple food, cold beers, sunny night, good people watching, music, and good service.
The service was very good. The clam chowder was advertised as being "peppery", and it was. The chowder was good, flavorful, filling, etc - but it was more soup than chowder. My wife had a simple garden salad, and was really happy w/ the crisp vegetables. All in all it was a good experience at Stonefire. Good simple food, cold beers, sunny night, good people watching, music, and good service.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Lu & Carl's (Brighton, MI)
Lu & Carl's is a bar/restaurant on the corner of Grand River and Main St in downtown Brighton. Great location, plenty of parking, eay walk to the pond, markets, shops, etc. The bar itself is top notch - it's shaped like a square - so there are 20+ seats at the bar and great people watching. It's a decent place to watch a game. The beer is a tad expensive for the atmosphere, but still it's usually a simple, solid option. There are tables and booths inside as well.
We had lunch outside at Lu & Carl's earlier in the week. The served apparently wasn't that excited to serve us outside, so we didn't feel as welcomed as we'd hoped, but the food was fine. We all had flats, which are a Lu & Carl's staple - basically sandwiches with a twist. We had the veggie flat, a BBQ chicken flat, and a spicy chicken flat. Everyone finished their sandwiches. The prices are a bit high, and Lu & Carl's is one of those annoying places that charge extra to get fries with your meal. Usually they just give you plain tortilla chips. The fries are $2 extra, so each flat w/ fries is usually $10 - which is a bit steep for this place.
Overall, we are fans of Lu & Carl's, but feel that it's a better option to grab a drink or hit Happy Hour.
www.luandcarls.net
We had lunch outside at Lu & Carl's earlier in the week. The served apparently wasn't that excited to serve us outside, so we didn't feel as welcomed as we'd hoped, but the food was fine. We all had flats, which are a Lu & Carl's staple - basically sandwiches with a twist. We had the veggie flat, a BBQ chicken flat, and a spicy chicken flat. Everyone finished their sandwiches. The prices are a bit high, and Lu & Carl's is one of those annoying places that charge extra to get fries with your meal. Usually they just give you plain tortilla chips. The fries are $2 extra, so each flat w/ fries is usually $10 - which is a bit steep for this place.
Overall, we are fans of Lu & Carl's, but feel that it's a better option to grab a drink or hit Happy Hour.
www.luandcarls.net
Zukey Lake Tavern (Pinckney, MI)
We had dinner at Zukey Lake the other night with two kids and another couple. Apparently Tuesday nights are Mexican night at Zukey, and the roof deck was really busy. The roof deck is the place to be at Zukey in the summer - 40+ tables, bar, great lake views, sunshine, etc. There is a limited menu outside - mostly pizzas, burgers, salads, etc. We split two pizzas - a cheese pie and a BBQ pizza. Both were excellent. The pizza is a bit thick so it's filling, but the crust was cooked perfect and the flavors were great.
The service...wasn't so good. I'll spare you the details. Regardless, we'll give Zukey's mulligan on this one, as we've eaten there dozens of times, and the service is usually fine.
Overall, the outdoor deck at Zukey's is a great summer option. Get there early or prepare to wait for a table. The atmosphere is great - lake views, a dock out front where boats can tie off and grab a drink or bite to eat.
www.zukeylaketavern.com
The service...wasn't so good. I'll spare you the details. Regardless, we'll give Zukey's mulligan on this one, as we've eaten there dozens of times, and the service is usually fine.
Overall, the outdoor deck at Zukey's is a great summer option. Get there early or prepare to wait for a table. The atmosphere is great - lake views, a dock out front where boats can tie off and grab a drink or bite to eat.
www.zukeylaketavern.com
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