GRDine

What do you get when you take an EQ3, gut it, and add over 250 seats to a 10,000 square foot warehouse?  You get the best new arrival to Grand Rapids in some time…Peppino’s Sports Lounge.

Just after EQ3 left the space

You probably know Peppino’s for the delicious take-out pizza with over 10 locations around Grand Rapids.  The owners decided to take that delicious taste, expand it to several new menu items, and match it with the perfect compliment…Sports.

The new sports lounge is located on Ionia, and will give other bars and restaurants on the street a run for their money.  Then they added an assortment sports memorabilia, 46 flat screen TVs, including screens inside most booths. Behind the concrete-topped bars are 36 taps offering 20 draft beers.  This place can beat out any other sports bar on several different levels.

Besides the incredible location, and the several beers on tap, and the several TVs, and the good prices, the menu dives deeper than what you would expect in a sports bar.  They have dishes like the Taste of Italy, Chicken Spiedini, Sicilian Ribeye, and of course pizza.  Since I know Peppino’s primarily for their pizza, it was difficult for me to deviate far from the comfort zone.  I tried their build your own calzone and filled it with pepperoni, sausage, bacon, and green olives.  The beast of a calzone was incredible and not a doughy as what you might get at other pizza establishments.

I have decided that this is now my new favorite Sunday Football spot, and can’t wait to try out some of the other dishes.

-Jon

On Friday I felt like going Italian and ended up deciding on Noto’s.  Located on 28^th street where old 28^th meets (new?) 28^th, Noto’s celebrates a tradition of old-world Italian cuisine.  It even says so on their website.

The Ambiance

Interesting feeling when you walk in, because it is very open and very polished.  It feels a little like a hotel.  The hostess then greets you and brings you to the dining area (a substantial portion of the restaurant is devoted to the catering).

The Service

Exceptional.  Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the food and the wine, and was attentive to our requests.

The Food & Wine

Easily, this restaurant has the deepest wine selection I’ve seen in town.  The commitment to wine is not only evident by the wine list.  If you’ve been to their website, it’s obvious they see wine as an integral part of their menu (as all fine dining restaurants should).

The only critique I really have of the restaurant is, with such a commitment to wine, why is the red wine served at 72-74 degrees?  It should be served at low 60’s, so during the course of consumption the wine will be drank around 63-69, which I would say would be its ideal serving temperature.

I ordered the Cannelloni della Casa with veal, homemade sausage, spinach, and grana cheese.  The ingredients tasted very good, and it was clear (and refreshing) to see an owner and chef with a vision of what a dish should taste in terms of subtlety and nuance.

Summary

Notos is clearly old world Italian dining with a true commitment to their wine.

–TM

I’ve eaten at Uccello’s on multiple occasions.  This has always been my go-to sports bar when I actually want quality food (Buffalo Wild Wings seems to the go-to for a lot of people…and don’t get me wrong…I enjoy my wings, but the food is not quality when you put it up against a great establishment like Uccello’s).  In my opinion, Grand Rapids lacks a larger selection of sports bars.

Saturday night I went to the Uccello’s on Beltline specifically for the food as there wasn’t a game on I wanted to see, and the Lion’s playback game wasn’t starting until 7:30.  A few of my friends were all out driving around and we decided we needed a central spot where we could convene and grab a quick dinner and a beer.  I was specifically interested in pizza and beer (Uccello’s is specifically know for their pizza.  Faro Uccello has been in the pizza business for years and has a very interesting story.)

The wait staff was extremely friendly, and sat us on the bar side as soon as we entered.  I noticed they had nearly one sever for every table.  Either they were not planning for a slower night, or this supports Faro’s philosophy to provide the customer with more than they expect (The service is incredibly attentive and friendly).

They just happened to have a pizza and beer special to satisfy my exact craving…$14.99 got me a pitcher of beer and a 14 inch, 2 topping pizza.  No joke, I would have ordered this exactly even if the special was not available.  Besides the pizza, the table shared an order of cheese fries and their famous Pizza Puffs (fried and seasoned pizza dough that can be dipped in marinara or cheese sauce).

Saturday night I realized that Uccello’s pizza beats Big Bob’s for my favorite pizza in town.  You have to support this local chain.  -JD

This local chain can be seen throughout Grand Rapids at a few different locations.  However, each Viatle’s location has their own special taste.  From what I understand, each location is run by a different member of the family, and the only difference comes in the form of the pizza sauce they make.  Vitale’s in Ada is known for their sweeter sauce.  Honestly, the Vitale’s on Leonard has the best sauce of the local chain…but this is strictly my opinion as my family and friends all rave that this place has the best pizza sauce.

Vitale’s Ada lives in the small row of retail in downtown Ada.  From the front there isn’t much to see.  When you enter you will notice their pickup and delivery station where a lot of the action takes place.  Moving past the delivery station you will notice a very bland dining area, and the stainless steel buffet station.  I have not had their lunch buffet, but I understand it is a great Friday night treat.  My treat is when you file through the first two sections into the recent addition…the sports bar.  Vitale’s did a fantastic job of creating a fun atmosphere with a focus on sports, great food, and good beer.  I can always count on getting my Oberon here.

On my last visit, I gave the calzone a try.  Being that I’m not the biggest fan of the sweeter sauce, I opted for a side of the pizza sauce.  I ordered my calzone with mozzarella, pepperoni, homemade sausage and green olives.  The concoction resulted in a very delicious meal.  I did use the tomato sauce, but in moderation.  Too much sweet in the sauce just doesn’t work for me.  The only complaint would be my meat/cheese ratio to bread…there were several bites that consisted of bread only.

Vitale’s is a staple in Ada, and I will continue to visit their sports bar and sample from their huge selection of sandwiches, pastas, and pizzas.  You can even order online!  Check it out.  –JD

My wife and I were walking through downtown Gaslight and we decided to head to Olive’s (http://www.eatatolives.com/) to eat dinner.  I’ve been here a few times before and while the food has usually been good, I couldn’t have said it was great.

The Ambiance

Olive’s has an advantage in that it’s in the heart of Gaslight, so you’re probably going to be in a good mood when you’re walking inside.  I have to say I’m a huge fan of the restaurant layout because there are multiple parts to the restaurant, each having its own feel.

When you walk in the “main” floor looks like an upscale dining reminiscent of Greenwell’s only smaller and darker.  This provides for an eclectic, cozy atmosphere.

There are two parts to the upstairs: the deck and the munier (I actually just made up that word because I couldn’t think of any way to intelligently say the inside part of the upstairs).  The munier (yes, I will keep using that word in this posts and future posts to come) is divided into a series of rooms that is reminds one of an upstairs of a house.  The décor is set to where it gives you a light, beachtowny, laid back feel.

The deck is fabulous because it is set on the second floor overlooking the sidewalk, so you feel like you’re lording over the minions below.

The Service

Olive’s has consistently shown great service every time I’ve dined there.  The wait staff is attentive and friendly, but fortunately not overly friendly to the point where they sit down next to you (which is worse than not friendly.  Note to those people:  we’re your customers, not long-lost friends).

The Food

As previously mentioned in the past I’ve felt like the food was good and not great, and often I left wondering if the price was justified.  That being said, while there most recently I had a dish (appetizer actually) that blew my mind.  It was the mushroom crostini, and it was one of the best dishes I’ve had in The Rap.  Sauteed wild mushrooms sit on a toasted baguette covered in goat cheese.  All of this is then glazed over with a balsamic demi-glaze.  If you like mushrooms, you have to order this dish.

Mushroom Crostini

My wife ordered this multi-layered chicken tostada thing which was great as well.  I’d give you the name of it, but I forgot to write it down and it’s not on the company website.

The tostada looked a similar to this

Summary

Olives is a restaurant with pleasing food, ambiance, and service.  –TM

Faros Pizza is a nice little Italian Pizzeria located at 3963 28^th st near East Paris.  I was questioning whether or not I should be writing about a place that I’ve never been inside of (they deliver to my house), but then my wife was like “Why Not?  It’s pizza.”  Touché.

The Ambiance?

The only Faros I’ve been in before was their old Northland Drive (E Beltline near Plainfield) location and that has since turned into a Mamma Mineos Pizza (that will have to be a future blog destination).  The inside wasn’t anything special, which I don’t feel would be necessary anyway since when you go to a pizzeria you’re going for one thing and one thing only:  the pie.

The Pie

Normally I get the hand tossed, but last night I was feeling a little crazy and got the pan (with pepperoni and sausage).  Faros touts its sauce with good reason:  it’s delicious.  The pie itself is not overly sauced (pan or hand-tossed version) which is a huge plus with me.  The crust was the right thickness for a pan pizza, but my complaint would be its very bland.  I feel this doesn’t mean as much when you order a hand-tossed pizza because other things are highlighted like the toppings and cheese, but in a pan pizza I feel the crust should get more consideration.  The cheese is very good as is the sausage, but the pepperoni is sliced a little thin for my taste.  I like a thicker cut of pepperoni.

Sides

My wife likes Faros solely for the breadsticks.  They’re covered in butter, a hint of garlic, and draped in Parmesan cheese.  When you dip them in Faros signature sauce, the combination is truly excellent.  They are truly some of the best breadsticks in Grand Rapids.

The Summary

Overall Faros has very good pizza, and if you’re a breadsticks person this should be the place you keep coming back to over and over.  –TM

Drive seventeen minute north of downtown Grand Rapids up either Plainfield Ave or M-37 and you will arrive at the Blue Water Grill located at 5180 Northland Drive.

The scene

On this, my first visit to this member of the Gilmore Collection, my boyfriend and I arrived around just before 9 pm hoping to have missed the dinner rush. To our surprise, the parking lot was full and the restaurant was lively with patrons doing the same as us, enjoying a warm summer evening in Michigan.

When greeted by the hostess we put in our name to wait for one of the many tables with a view of the lake  lining the second floor deck of the Grill. While we waited we took a seat at the bar and enjoyed the view of the lake out the large panoramic windows that give the building a prairie style feel.  Had it been colder outside, a nearby fireplace would have provided a cozy, intimate element. The takeaway, even while sitting at the bar, the mood was relaxed.

After a short while sitting at the bar we left to walk outside in search of one of the many seats by the lower-level outdoor bar. We found two Adirondack chairs facing the lake and settled in for the remainder of our wait.  Shortly after settling down our buzzer rang and we headed back up to the deck to be seated for dinner.

The fare

Being a Gilmore restaurant I expected a few things: a varied menu, dishes created using many fresh and locally grown ingredients, and a great drink menu. I wasn’t disappointed. To begin our meal we each ordered another beer and the Root Chips appetizer. If you haven’t had this before you must try it! Available at many of the Gilmore establishments, root chips are served with melted chevre and a red pepper aoli. Yummy. When getting together with friends for dinner at someone’s house, this is my go-to appetizer; it usually disappears in 10 minutes flat.

The menu was great, consistent with the rest of the Gilmore collection (literally, most everything sounded fantastic). For dinner we went back to basics to enjoy the simple yet extravagant experience of dining outdoors. I had the cheese macaroni with panko bread crumbs and sun-dried tomatoes and my boyfriend has the Margarita Pizza, one of the many Maple Plank grilled Neapolitan pizzas. Both were delicious.

Menu link: http://www.thegilmorecollection.com/MENUBLUEWATER.pdf

The service

The estimated wait time for our table was spot on, our server was present but not too present and I had only to wait a little while to order another drink (the server took one order but not the other). Other than that, the service was consistent with the other Gilmore restaurants that I have visited.

The score

I would highly recommend the Blue Water Grill on Northland Drive to anyone who enjoys sipping a beer or glass of wine while eating a great meal outside on a warm Michigan night. The setting instilled a casually romantic atmosphere as the evening sky crept in. I enjoyed just about every aspect of my candlelight twilight dinner; my only gripe, that the deck faces east so we weren’t able to enjoy the sunset.

Big Bob’s originated on Straight Street in 1983, and then moved to Plainfield, from there to Hall Street, and finally to the Gas Light Village on Croswell Ave.  I had never heard of the place until a good friend of mine in the Gas Light Village insisted I gave it a try for dinner a few months back.   I was so impressed with the food that my wife and I brought out of town guests there as part of their “Grand Rapids” experience for the holiday weekend.

Big Bob’s has a pretty interesting menu ranging from pizza, pasta, some Mexican selections, to gelato.  I’ve personally have not had any meals beyond the “build your own” pizzas.

I pride myself in loving big, meaty deep dish pizzas, but when I come here I build something I typically would never order anywhere else.  Last night I stayed true to my favorite self created pizza.  I start with a hand tossed crust with olive oil as the base, and the typical mozzarella as the cheese.  I will then add spinach, artichokes, jalapenos, and green and black olives.  The end result is a fantastic concoction that has resulted in several repeat trips.   Below isn’t even the largest size.  I believe this is the 14 inch.

My good friend Brian thought it would be a good idea to try the calzone.  At a base price of $7.95, this massive entry could easily fill up 2 adults.  However, with Brian’s selection of marinara meatballs and pineapple, he was stuck with the whole meal.  Looks good from the picture though, right?

Lastly, I would suggest that you place your order to go, and pick it up yourself.  Delivery tends to take around an hour, and service in the restaurant has always been slow.  Not a bad thing if you have nowhere to go and looking for a relaxing dinner.  – JD

Since I had never been to Bistro Bella Vita before (http://www.bistrobellavita.com/)  I didn’t really know what to expect other than what I’ve heard from friends, which was generally positive.

The Ambience

Located by Van Andel Arena in downtown Grand Rapids, when you walk into the building you immediately notice the swanky ambience complete with high ceilings, wooden floors, and brick/stone walls. 

 They’ve managed to keep the restaurant (which is large in square footage terms, esp. for downtown Grand Rapids) very open while still giving off this intimate feel.  They use the term “Mediterranean countryside” to describe the feel, and I think they achieve this well.

  Also, staying consistent with their philosophy (“fresh.natural.local”) ,  they make all of their pasta from scratch…in fact they they claim to make everything from scratch.

The Meal

Knowing my love for homemade, al dente pasta, I ordered the four cheese ravioli, with shallots in a butter-based sauce.  The pasta was excellent, with the balsamic giving it a nice touch of tang.  I thought they went with a great combination of cheese in the ravioli (although admittedly I forgot to ask what they were) because it provided flavor, not just texture so commonly found in blander cheese raviolis.

caprese salad

My wife ordered the Caprese salad and Carpaccio.  I dove into the Carpaccio ASAP because my wife can be picky about wanting to eat her own food.  It was prepared in the old-style (rare, sliced tenderloin with chunks of Parmesan sprinkled on top, drizzled with what I thought was a cream based sauce (although their website said it was evoo and roasted garlic vinaigrette).  It was great, as were the large chunks of tomatoes and mozzarella drizzled with evoo in her salad. 

beef carpaccio

The Summary

Overall, this is an excellent restaurant with a high commitment to quality ingredients that is not only good for Grand Rapids, but would be for any town.  –TM

Every now and then we want to include a guest post on our blog.  We understand the value of different opinions and perspectives, so highlighting them on occasion will help our readers gain additional insight into the dining offerings of Grand Rapids.  Our good friend, Neil Kirby, recently entertained a fellow blogger from New York City.  Here is his experience at Mangiamo’s (www.thegilmorecollection.com/mangiamoletseat.html), located at 1033 Lake Drive SE.  –JD

I was entertaining a business colleague from NY, and a little nervous as to what GR restaurants may make the New Yorker feel at home with quality cuisine. I decided on Mangiamo! The converted 1873 lumber baron home, now Italian restaurant would be perfect for my guest. As we we’re seated her first comment was “wow, he’s so enthusiastic” referring to Keith our host. Followed by “what a cool place.” My worries were over and we were able to enjoy the healthy wine list and continue with our dining experience. In the mood for fish and vegetables my guest from the big apple, was not familiar with Walleye. Keith explained in “foodie” terms what Walleye was and then kindly broke it down in plain English for her. Tasty cuisine on a beautiful porch with wicker fan blades turning above made for an elegant setting for our dinner conversation. Success! – Neil