My Morning Coffee, Loaded with Custard

I've lived in Grand Rapids (essentially) for 30+ years. So I am amazed and delighted when I discover hidden gems.

Sandy's Donuts had been on my list to check out for a year or so, and I'm really quite disappointed in myself for not stopping sooner! It's everything a donut shop should be — completely old school with black coffee and enamel tables. The smell of fresh baked donuts welcomed me as soon as I stepped out of the car.

Sandy's has been a mainstay on the northwest side (2040 Leonard St.) for generations, with recipes handed down over the years. I couldn't find any formal information on its history, but it's the type of place I dream of having down the block. Someplace I could visit weekly, read the paper and drink my coffee. Looking around the diner, it was obvious that the gentlemen customers had been meeting here for years. The traditions present clearly went beyond the donuts.

For $2.50 I had donut and a large coffee. My eclair was fresh — nice and airy, it was filled with copious amounts of custard. Basically, my perfect donut. 

It feels like sacrilege to say it, but I would be inclined to call these Grand Rapids' best donuts. (Above Van's... and possibly followed by Dart's Donut truck — more research may be required on the subject to formally rank ;) )

Then again, perhaps it would be better for my waistline if I'd never found Sandy's... 

Meeting Anna, All Over Town

After Anna's House was voted best breakfast by both the public and the mLive reporters in 2013, I knew had to go check this unassuming restaurant on Plainfield.

It seemed pretty basic—hearty breakfast favorites in a crowded cafe setting. And per GR brunch style, there was a wait to be seated.

But after the article came out, I started paying attention to what were subtle changes at first – like updated signage with a bit of marketing attached.

The changes soon progressed to a complete redesign. New branding, new design, new style, new colors, and even an evolved menu.

In 2014, a second location was opened on East Beltline near 28th Street at the mall. It's a full-fledged retro inspired diner with a vintage twist on decor. Lots of vintage malt makers, toasters and blenders. And a menu featuring fresh ingredients and special attention to dietary needs. 

Just last month, a third location opened in Grandville  near Rivertown Crossings (complete with soda fountain). Which leads me to believe that breakfast is booming!

I don't know what has been the driving force behind the changes. Maybe a generational change in ownership, maybe growing popularity after the polls led to re-development. But I think it's safe to say that a facelift and design update make a huge difference. People seem quite taken with Anna, and now when they talk about meeting for breakfast, they talk about meeting at Anna's. It's the hottest new spot(s) — which means expect to wait — though people really don't seem to mind!

**Images: Google image search
 

The Grinch's Nightmare

Speaking of Christmas decorations... these ones may be a little less uniform.... but there's no lacking in Christmas Spirit. 

This is the holiday interior of the Broadway Bar, on the corner of Broadway and Sixth on the west side. The place is a holiday tradition of Grand Rapids' very own.

For 21 years, the family-owned restaurant has gone all out for the holiday. The start the day after Halloween, and take 4 weeks to complete this wonderland of lights, trains, garland, Santas, and reindeer. There;s even a projector screen that plays holiday movies all day long.

Stop on in to get your overdose of Christmas, but be sure to make a reservation first, it takes more than a little effort to get in here this time of year!

(Food) Tour de Mexico

Sometimes I get obsessed with food, and eating ALL of it. So this summer we started a Mexican Food Tour of Grand Rapids, trying out many of the many Mexican places that we had never ventured to, in order to experience and compare them.

As means of comparison, with few exceptions, I ordered cheese enchiladas at all the locations. As well as Chips + Salsa.

1. La Huesteca - This place is just around the corner from my house, yet I didn't even know it was there.  This was the universal favorite for the group. Skip the chips, they're no good, but overall, it's very authentic place with decent tamales.
1811 Plainfield Avenue Northeast, Grand Rapids, MI 49505

2. San Jose Taqueria - By far the most authentic of our locations, and overall a fun eating experience. Good food, good tamales, good vibes. And I love drinking Coke out of the bottle.

1338 S Division, Grand Rapids, MI 49507

3. El Sombrero - Known for their tamales! In fact, they sell out of tamales daily... not  having known this... we got no tamales. However, we did get delicious, and probably the most unique, chips—though the lack of salsa almost cost them third place! The location and outdoor seating sealed third for them. Overall an authentic taste, great tortillas, and I loved the sauce on my enchiladas.

527 Bridge Street Northwest, Grand Rapids, MI 49504

 

4. El Arriera - A bit more American in flavors and proportions, this place was well rounded. Great salsa, great chips, good tortillas, and just really satisfying Mexican meal. The location prevented El Arriera from stealing the third place ranking!Southridge Center, 2948 28th Street Southeast, Kentwood, MI 49512 

6. Cantina - My favorite as a kid — it had been a decade since I'd been here, and the place had been completely redone. While the atmosphere is fun, it seems more gimmicky than authentic. The food was pretty standard American Mexican fare, BUT they did have some pretty amazing Cheese and Bean dips. Worth going back for more cheese. Good for larger parties. 

2770 E Paris Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 

7. El Granjero - The food here was good, and may even be more authentic than some of the ones I ranked above it, but in general, it just seemed middle of the road to me. The atmosphere was somewhat lacking and the meal was less memorable. 

950 Bridge Street Northwest, Grand Rapids, MI 49504

8. Maggie's Kitchen – Maggie's was hard to get to because of their weird hours. I ended up just stopping in for carryout one day. Really good tortillas but rather bland rice and beans. And again, skip the chips and salsa. I think this would have been a better as a dine-in experience, and I like to try them again sometime. The interior was surprisingly spacious and clean, would be pretty good for seating larger parties.  
 636 Bridge Street Northwest, Grand Rapids, MI 49504

9. Tacos el Cuñado (Downtown Market) - I think it was a mistake to not try the Cuñado at Bridge and Pine. Because, in my opinion, the one in the Downtown Market isn't Mexican food, it's hipster food. And if you want hipster tacos, go to Donkey.

435 Ionia Avenue Southwest, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

10. Cinco de Mayo - Good chips, good salsa, and overall good food. But I've never really thought Cinco was very authentic Mexican—it's not TexMex, it's just... a lot of cheese. Which has some appeal. 

114 Monroe Ctr NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (+ Rockford)

 

11. Beltline Bar - The first stop on our tour is legendary in GR for their burritos. And yes, the burritos are HUGE... and could probably feed a family for a week. The veggie burrito was good, but didn't strike me as remarkable, and overall, the challenge to eat as much of it as I could, left me a little uncomfortable. However, I would rate their salsa highly (but the not the chips). The Beltline Bar loses points with me for inauthenticity—it seemed based on what Americans think Mexican should taste like and what we think Mexican restaurants should look like. It was also full of (white) Americans.

16 28th Street Southeast, Grand Rapids, MI 49548

The experiment could have gone on forever, and I know we left a few places out. But compromises needed to be made and deadlines drawn. A overall few learnings as takeaways from this adventure

1. The shadier the place looks, the better the food is going to be. 

2. Coke always tastes better from a glass bottle. 
3. Salsa as we know it, is probably not all that authentically Mexican.

Speaking of salsa... if you're looking for a variety of salsa in the American way, try Fajita Republic. I hate to call them out because it's so chain-esque, BUT they do have really fun salsa combinations — you can basically order a flight of salsas!

Anyway... I don't know about you, but I'm full. Time to let the beans and rice settle and plan the next eating adventure. Tiramisu? Mac & Cheese? The perfect fry? 

Eating Grand Rapids

I've been running around GR talking about this random, yet very important, list I saw online last year: "These 15 Grand Rapids Restaurants Will Blow Your Taste Buds Out Of Your Mouth".

When I first saw the list, there was only two on there I hadn't been to—Westsider and Taqueria San José—and knowing how good the rest of the selections were, I knew it was important I get to these. And both were winners.

My overall thoughts? Knowing each restaurant fits in a certain category, there is only one I disagree with completely*, and very few that I might offer better alternatives (parenthesis).
1. Electric Cheetah – Breakfast/Lunch American Trend
2. Marie Catrib's –Breakfast/Lunch-Organic/Health
3. San Chez – Tapas
4. Stella's –  Whiskey and Burger Bar, Vegetarian Friendly
5. Westsider – Diner
6. Winchester – American/Gastro
7. Bistro Bella Vita – Italian – (Amore)
8. Harmony Brewing Company – Brewery – (Founder's)
9. Taqueria San José – Authentic Mexican – (La Huasteca)
10. Real Food Café – Breakfast
11. Hopcat – Brewery/American – (Grand Rapids Brewery)
12. Nantucket Baking Co. – Bakery
13. Wolfgang's – Breakfast
14. Green Well Gastro Pub – American/Gastro
15. Bartertown Diner – Vegan

A lot of these are obvious choices, but that doesn't mean they aren't legitimately good. I do think there's a lot of breakfast places on here, which is a meal we eat out the least, so that might be one change I'd make.  

I often get asked what my favorite restaurant is, and I think without a category that's a very difficult question. But I've given it a considerable amount of thought and I've come up with three personal favorites (dinner):**
1. Graydon's Crossing
2. Green Well Gastro Pub
3. SpeakEZ

I could talk about food forever. So if you find yourself hungry and lost in this city, I'd be so happy to help! It's time to look beyond Applebee's people!


*In case you're wondering – Bistro Bella Vita. I find this restaurant to be highly overrated.
**Though, in the past week I had two really great meals, Derby Station and Palace of India (best Indian in town!) so these lists are in constant evolution!