THE LOCAL FOOD SCENE
This week's stories

Pad Thai, mangoes, sticky rice and everything nice

Eato Chef’s pad Thai primes the palate for a dessert of mangoes and sticky rice.
When my uncle traveled abroad to serve in the Peace Corps during the ‘90s, he met a Thai woman who generously taught her language to the Americans.

It’s a potato. It’s a thing. It’s Potato Thing!

Potato Thing only improves with the addition of cheese, an egg or other proteins.
This potato thing sizzled into my life when my 6-year-old decided to cook a potato.

El Azteco’s topopo salad still reigns supreme

If you’re a longtime resident of the area, especially if you grew up here like me, you probably already know all about topopo salad and are tired of hearing about it. However, for those of you who are new to the area or for whom those words ring nary a bell, hear me out.

Don’t Wait for Migas

Migas are a delicacy as old as tortillas. The word is Spanish for “crumbs” — specifically the crumbs of tortillas of a certain age.  North of the border, the tortilla fragments are usually served with salsa, beans and sour cream.
SHE ATE / HE ATE

Dine like a townie at Corey’s Lounge

Corey’s Lounge 1511 S. Cedar St., Lansing 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-midnight Friday Noon-midnight Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday (517) 482-3132 coreyslounge.com

Eating healthy is quick and easy at Fuel’d

Fuel’d 1500 W. Lake Lansing Road, East Lansing 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily 517-220-4983 fueldfoods.com

At Veg Head, nutritious doesn’t mean flavorless

Last week, I read a bizarrely mean-spirited and pointless editorial in the Detroit Free Press, bemoaning the fact that Lansing is the capital of Michigan and generally expressing how terrible our city is. Obviously, I disagree vehemently.
More food

Binging on beef at Bobcat Bonnie’s

My boyfriend and I frequently travel around the state for concerts, and every time I tell my mom we’re going to Ferndale, Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo, she excitedly suggests we should stop at Bobcat Bonnie’s for its array of options that suit both of our diets.

Whole lemon cookery

Ari LeVaux says his blended-lemon chicken will “inspire expletives of joy as the glorious cubes of chicken explode nonviolently in your mouth.”

Using a lemon only for its juice is a big waste. The whole fruit is edible, including the nutritious pith and the pulp, rich in fiber. Lemon zest is worth its weight in gold, and when I think about how much zest gets tossed,

The trials and tribulations of chicken husbandry

Scrambled eggs and baguette a la Secondo in “Big Night.”

I’ve raised a lot of chickens. Probably hundreds. For eggs, not meat. I give them the best lives I can, including a generous retirement plan when they reach a certain age, with free room and board, yet they rarely arrive at those emerald pastures. Precious few have lived long enough to die in their sleep. I blame myself.

Much more than beer and pizza — but those are really good, too

EagleMonk Pub and Brewery’s kitchen staff knows how to cook a gluten-free pizza, with a crisp and sturdy crust, a delicious house-made sauce, a liberal application of pepperoni and just enough cheese to hold it all together.

Your brewery has a mug club, but how about a crochet club? Sure, you’ve got the game on, but before kickoff, when is the local artist’s reception? How about a Thursday night bingo game that’s so crowded it’s standing room only?

The Armando’s eggplant experience

Making an eggplant Parmesan sub requires more preparation than you’d think, but the delicious end result makes it all worth it.

In the neighborhood where I grew up, my go-to spot for culinary excellence was Armando’s Pizza. If I was in a hurry, I’d buy a slice and be on my way. But if I had the time, I’d have an eggplant sub.

Turn to seafood during the Lenten season

Metro Creative Connection

Skipping meat on Fridays is a common sacrifice Christians make during Lent. But meals can still be flavorful when chicken, beef and pork are off the table. Lent makes for an ideal time to embrace delicious vegetarian meals, as well as those that feature seafood.

Chinese food you’ll want to eat every day of the week

East Lansing’s Everyday Authentic Chinese Cuisine offers an expansive menu, packed with traditional dishes like beef-brisket casserole, Chinese broccoli and rice-noodle rolls.

After my first visit to East Lansing’s Everyday Authentic Chinese Cuisine for an epic feast with friends on a Saturday, I had to go back for more when tasked with bringing takeout to my dad’s house for dinner the following Wednesday.

A very vanilla Valentine’s

To add some extra flavor to your Valentine’s Day treats, try extracting your own vanilla sugar from vanilla pods.

Chocolate steals the show on Valentine’s Day, while vanilla plays the Cinderella. The rest of the year isn’t much different. But there’s an easy solution to this imbalance: double the vanilla. In your Valentine’s Day chocolate, in your morning Cream of Wheat and any other dish where sweetness — or the flavor of sweetness — is dominant.

Smoke N’ Pig keeps the party going

Loaded fries from the Smoke N’ Pig BBQ, brimming with cheesy and meaty goodness.

This month, I’ve been celebrating a milestone birthday, which has meant dining at many great Lansing restaurants and forgetting to buy groceries.

Midwinter meat meditations

In early January, I heard elk on the mountain behind my house. The crisp air carried not only the cow calls, which sounded like trees bending in the wind, but also the otherworldly bugles of the bull elk, which sounded like a soundtrack to the northern lights.

Dave’s Hot Chicken brings mouthwatering munchies to East Lansing

Dave’s Hot Chicken’s sliders-and-fries combo features two perfectly cooked 
fried chicken sandwiches and a side of savory, crispy crinkle-cut fries.

While driving to Crunchy’s in East Lansing to meet up with my family for a holiday gift exchange that was postponed by a COVID outbreak, I noticed that Dave’s Hot Chicken had opened its doors on Albert Avenue. Though I was already on my way to chow down on a bacon cheeseburger, I made a mental note to return the next time I was feeling too lazy to cook.

Grapefruit is a great fruit

In this Thai shrimp-and-citrus salad, the assertive and complex flavor of the grapefruit is countered by garlic, cilantro, fish sauce and hot pepper flakes.

Texas grapefruit is in season and on sale at my local bodega. The bittersweet, ruby-fleshed orbs look shrunken and beat up, which is not necessarily a bad thing. On the contrary, it may mean they’re ripe.

FOOD: FEATURES FROM ELSEWHERE

Indulge Taste Buds with Better-for-You Snacks

(Family Features) The foundation of healthy eating may include nutritious breakfasts, lunches and dinners, but just as important are the snacks in-between meals.

Get Creative with Easter Sweets

(Family Features) Holiday hams and deviled eggs may take center stage at Easter gatherings, but edible crafts offer a reminder of the magic of the season that's found in moments spent together.
Easy Easter Eats
(Family Features) Even if Easter hosting duties fell on your plate this year and added one more thing to your holiday to-do list, that doesn't mean it has to be difficult.
Planning Your Basketball Tournament Watch Party? Try These 5 Simple Hacks from Dean’s Dip for a Slam-Dunk Snack Spread on Game Day
(BPT) - As fans gear up for the biggest tournament in college basketball, Dean’s Dip, the trusted dairy dip brand best known for its original and irresistible French Onion Dip, is the MVP of …
Unite Loved Ones with a Luscious Dessert
(Family Features) Celebration-worthy treats are perfect ways to cap off days spent with those you love, whether there's a special occasion or you're simply looking for creative ways to share more moments together.
A Better-for-You Way to Begin the Day
(Culinary.net) A morning meal loaded with nutrient-boosting flavor provides the foundation you need not only for the day at hand, but for a sustainable long-term eating plan, as well.
Sourdough from Scratch: 4 variations of friendship breads
(Family Features) Consider this Sourdough Starter, a 7-day process that may seem lengthy at first glance but requires just a few minutes in the kitchen each day.

Allergy-busting must-haves that will keep you buzzing all spring, according to a registered dietitian

(BPT) - Spring is just around the corner, bringing with it blooming flowers, greener grass and, unfortunately, the return of seasonal allergies for more than 81 million people. But you don’t …

Produce prescriptions hold potential to change consumer, community health

(BPT) - “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”Whether a quote often attributed to Greek physician Hippocrates or a rhyme …

Level Up Brunch Spreads with Natural Sweetness

(Family Features) No matter where you are when those warmer days arrive, you can put fresh brunch spreads on the menu with recipes like Orange Juice Biscuits or Orange Juice Spicy Margaritas.

Snacking for dinner? You're right on trend
(BPT) - How do you get your snack on in 2024? Dip for dinner? Are you creating your own perfect bite like a snack savant? In advance of National Snack Day this weekend, find out if your snack and …
Maximize your protein intake with these 3 expert tips!
(BPT) - Are you eating enough protein? If you feel hungry after a meal, are often fatigued or have brittle hair and nails, chances are you are protein deficient. Why protein? Protein is essential to …
The Making of an Iconic Moment: Behind the Scenes with David Beckham and Thierry Henry
(BPT) - Do you have Lay’s? Well, this seemingly simple question could lead to unexpected rewards, at unexpected moments, and sometimes by unexpected people. With the return of its global …
4 hacks to make your next game day watch party epic
(BPT) - With many exciting games underway, it's never too late to start planning a watch party that's sure to be remembered. Watch parties are a great way to get the family together so you can bond …
Easy, delicious seafood options for Lent — and every day
(BPT) - Whether you're looking to expand your protein options during Lent or want to try new twists on your seafood favorites, Morey's Fine Fish & Seafood offers plenty of easy-to-prepare, …

Celebrate St. Pat's with Traditional Irish Dishes

(Family Features) If St. Patrick's Day inspires feelings of hearth and home rather than leprechauns and green beer, you can celebrate tradition with warm, filling meals that harken back to Irish heritage like Irish Sláinte Stew and Irish Apple Cake.

Refresh Spring Menus with Sweet and Savory Favorites

(Family Features) Whether your favorite springtime meals take you to the patio or have you throwing open the windows to let fresh air in, enjoying the sunshine and warmth with sweet and savory dishes is a perfect way to celebrate the season.

How to support your nutritional needs while taking weight loss medications

(BPT) - Are you considering taking or are currently taking a glucagon-like peptide 1 agonist (GLP-1) medication for weight loss? If so, it's important to know how these drugs can affect your body. …

These 5 Simple Meal Prep Hacks Make Weeknight Cooking a Breeze

(BPT) - Face it — even if you enjoy cooking, weeknight meal prep can be stressful after a long day. If you're looking to elevate your meals without sacrificing more time and effort, check out …

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