The London Grill

This past weekend Aimee and I went to one of my favorite Kalamazoo restaurants with our good friends P and J. We decided to go downtown and have dinner and drinks at The London Grill.

If you have never been there, we highly recommend it. Their unique menu brings you the flavors brought home from patriots returning from years of service in the British Empire. Their quality food is noticeably fresh and cooked right on a grill in sight of most of the diners. Their food is also complemented with British ales, ports and scotches. There are two locations, one in downtown Kalamazoo and one in Plainwell.

Papadum

When you first sit down you are brought out a plate of papadum with tomato chutney. In case you have never tried them, papadum is a thin and crispy Indian side dish which can be best described as a cracker of flatbread. Paired with the sweetness of the chutney makes for a tasty combination that is a perfect appetizer that is light and does not fill you up.

On the chalkboard you can find The London Grill specials of the day. I debated about ordering one of the delicious sounding specials, but instead opted for my favorite dish on their menu, the sautéed cod. Aimee and J ordered the whitefish Grenoble and P ordered the curried potatoes and peas. For drink, Aimee ordered a vodka and soda, J a glass of white wine, P a two hearted ale (one of my favorites), and I ordered the Boddingtons Pub Ale on draft.

Whitefish Grenoble

The food was amazing. Aimee and J’s whitefish Grenoble was perfectly cooked. It is a pan-seared Lake Superior whitefish coated with seasoned flour. It is garnished with lemon, tomatoes and capers and served with grilled veggies and jasmine rice. The fish was expertly seasoned and the grilled veggies with the rice made for a perfect dish.

P’s Indian dish was very good too. The thing about The London Grill is that it just may have the best Indian food in town even though their Indian menu is limited. The seasoning was excellent and P was very happy he ordered the special.

sautéed cod

My sautéed cod was amazing. The dish is two Atlantic cod fillets that are pan sautéed then topped with a spicy chili black bean sauce. On the side is a spicy and tangy shredded cabbage salad and rice. This cod is a dish that I could easily eat every time that I go there. When most people think cod, they think fish and chips. This is so much more, you have to try it.

The London Grill is a true gem of Kalamazoo. Everything is done right. The setting is quant yet classy. The bar reminds you of a true pub. The food has a story and the flavors are unmatched anywhere in town. I am looking forward to our next visit to The London Grill of Kalamazoo.

The London Grill
214 E Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo, MI. 49007

Old Burdicks

On Easter Sunday, Aimee and I wanted to go out to eat for dinner. The problem was which restaurants would be open. Many Kalamazoo restaurants were open for brunch, but had already closed in time for dinner. We decided to try our luck at Burdick’s figuring they would be open since there are inside the Radisson.

Aimee is a fan of Burdick’s for two reasons, first for their bloody marys, and second, their mahi mahi sandwich. I have never been a big fan of Burdick’s but decided I would give it a try again.

The restaurant was fairly crowded for a Sunday night. We looked around and noticed it was mostly college age people dining and drinking. We soon found out why.

We were sat by our hostess right in the middle of the entrance in a high traffic area. There were several empty tables nearby so we choose one that was along a wall so we would not be in the middle of everyone moving around.

Mahi Mahi Sandwich

Then we sat. And we sat, and we sat some more until we were finally greeted by a waiter. He took our drink orders and Aimee ordered her bloody mary. She loves their bloody Marys because they have their own recipe for the mix. I ordered a Bell’s Two Hearted Ale. The waiter told us that everything was half off on Sunday’s which was a pleasant surprise.

The news of the half off menu prompted me to skip the burger that I was eyeing on the menu and instead order a full rack of ribs. Aimee ordered her mahi mahi sandwich and had it prepared blackened style.
Our drinks came first. The bloody mary was really excellent; it is a perfect blend of fresh tomato flavor, heat, and spices. My Two Hearted Ale was excellent as usual.

Our meals came were served shortly after. Aimee skipped the pineapple which usually comes on the top of the sandwich and instead asked for lettuce, onion, tomato, and mayo. I have to say that she knows what she is doing because it was much better this way then with the pineapple and mango salsa which it is usually served with. For her side dish she had the mashed potatoes and gravy which were also very good

Rack of Ribs

My ribs started out pretty good. The meat was cooked well and it just fell right off the bone. Things were looking good. However, with each rib, the meat was tougher, there was more connective tissue, and it became less and less enjoyable. My side dishes were fries and slaw. The fries were pretty good; they had a bit of spice to them too. The coleslaw seemed old. It lacked the tangy flavor that I am used to and it was dry.

When our bill came, I quickly realized that the waiter meant that only the drinks were half off, not the food. This may have explained the younger crowd at Burdick’s that evening.

All in all the food was ok in my opinion. Aimee was happy with her meal, but I have certainly had much better ribs from other restaurants in Kalamazoo.

Old Burdick’s Bar and Grill
2747 South 11th Street
Kalamazoo, MI 49009-2177
(269) 372-1596

Long Branch Saloon & Eatery

Today for lunch a colleague and I decided to make the drive to Vicksburg to go to one of our favorite places for lunch. If it wasn’t so far south of my home it would probably be one of my favorite places to go for a burger and beer in the evening.

The restaurant is called the Long Branch Saloon & Eatery. When you first walk in, there are plenty of tables to choose from. To the left is a nice sized dining area with tables and booths. To the right is the bar with more tables. Further down past the bar is more seating and if you keep walking it looks like it is an area for bands and DJ’s. If you keep walking, you can go outside through a door wall to their patio which has a few tables, a heater, a fire pit, and a nice view with a small pond. I bet this place is a lot of fun at night.

The atmosphere was very country and inviting. There was country music playing on the radio. Much of the furniture looked to be hand made out of carved wood. On one wall was a collection of some of the biggest largemouth bass I have ever seen! There were also some old time decorations on the wall like an old metal Chesterfield cigarette sign and more.

Gumbo

We were taking a late lunch so there were plenty of seats for us to choose from. We both knew that we wanted burgers as we have had great success with them from the Long Branch on previous visits. I ordered a cup of the gumbo and the Blue Bayou Burger which is Cajun seasoned beef with blue cheese dressing. On the side it comes with either Long Branch fries or Long Branch sweet potato chips. I went with the sweet potato chips which are served with a side of maple syrup. While I wasn’t sure what to expect from that combo, I am pleased to say that I loved it. I swear I could eat those every day they are so good.

My colleague Kevin ordered the Long Branch White Chicken Chili (one of his favorites) and the Olive burger which comes loaded with olives and mayo.

We both loved our meals. The soups were great but the burgers take the cake. Everything about my burger was right. The bun had great texture and wasn’t too heavy. The meat was cooked perfectly and the toppings of blue cheese, onions, lettuce and tomato were fresh and crisp. Even the pickle was good.

Blue Bayou Burger

I really want to come back and try more from the menu, but it is hard to stray away from their burgers. Kevin had his eye on the St. Louis Ribs and I would like to try their walleye, their salmon, and I know their beef tenderloin steak has got to be great.

I highly recommend this place if you like a good burger and a down home atmosphere. I talked briefly with owners and they are some really nice and down to earth local folks who take pride in what they do. So if you are looking for a new place to eat, or perhaps a place to catch a game or to have a beer then the Long Branch Saloon & Eatery is definitely worth a visit.

Long Branch Saloon & Eatery
606 Spruce St.
Vicksburg, MI. 49097
(269) 649-1961

Nina's Taqueria of Augusta

On Saturday, Aimee and I had to make another visit to our accountant in Augusta. By the time we left I was starving, so we asked the locals if they had a favorite restaurant they could recommend. They asked if we like Mexican food. It turns out that we love Mexican food. In college, I worked at the Mi Ranchito that used to be on Westnedge.

Just a couple of hundred yards down the road from our accountant’s is Nina’s Taqueria. I heard from some friends in the past that Nina’s was a very good Mexican restaurant. When you drive up from the outside the building is small with orange stucco. The same simple design carries into the inside. The seating is very casual; it is definitely no Don Pablo’s. The food makes this little place a big gem.

Chips, Salsa, and Guacamole

Nina’s Taqueria makes some delicious, authentic Mexican food. Nina’s reminded me of some of the taco stands in Southern California-nothing fancy, just good food.

To start with, our waitress brought us some of the best chips I have had in a long time. They were thick and warm, almost like crunchy pitas. The salsa was fresh and flavorful, with just the right amount of heat. Our accountant raved about the guacamole so we knew we had to order some. The guacamole was excellent. It was fresh, clean and the perfect mix of tomato, onion, and a dash of salt to bring the flavors together.

Enchiladas Verdes

For our entrees, Aimee ordered the enchiladas verdes and I ordered a combination of one taco and two enchiladas. Aimee’s enchiladas were cheese and onion and the dish came with rice, beans, and sour cream.

For my meal, I chose the steak fajita meat in the taco, one enchilada had ground beef, and one had barbacoa beef. I was happy to be able to have so many options for my fillings. All were good but the steak fajita was probably my favorite. I also ordered the verdes sauce for my enchiladas as I have always been a fan of enchiladas verdes.

The food was great. It was a nice change of pace from the Qdoba’s and national chain Mexican food that I have had lately. The prices were also very reasonable.

Enchiladas and Taco

So if you are in the Augusta area and are looking for a place to eat, we definitely recommend stopping by Nina’s Taqueria for some delicious authentic Mexican food.

Nina’s Taqueria
111 E. Michigan Ave
Augusta,  MI. 49012
(269) 731-5300

As we review Kalamazoo restaurants, we would love to hear from you. Let us know about your experience at the restaurants we review. If you have a restaurant that we have not yet reviewed, leave us a comment and we will do our best to make it by there as soon as we can.

We hope you enjoy our Kalamazoo Food blog.

Jeff and Aimee