Sandwiches steal the show at Arms & Embers grill

By Gabrielle Lawrence

I love a signature menu item. If a restaurant offers something unique or well-known, I’m probably going to order it.

The grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich ($8) at Grand Ledge’s Arms & Embers Grill is a perfect example. I would normally never order something like that, but my amateur internet research suggested this item would blow me away.

Mr. She Ate and I were able to sneak off campus (what I call leaving downtown Lansing) for lunch one recent weekday and headed to Grand Ledge. At 11:50 a.m., Arms & Embers was empty, and our server gave us breakfast menus. Befuddled, I asked for lunch menus, which were quickly delivered. We ordered immediately since I knew I wanted the PB&J, and Mr. She Ate couldn’t resist the smash burger ($16). We also knew we had to traverse counties in order to be back for our afternoon engagements, so time was of the essence.

The food was delivered quickly. The bread on my sandwich was perfectly toasted and made me think of the popular ASMR videos on social media. Dragging my fork tines lightly across the surface of the bread created the most satisfying crispy sound, and the peanut butter slowly oozed out, slightly warmed from the grill. The sandwich was made more substantial with the addition of sliced bananas, a perfect pairing. Strawberry jam and a honey-mascarpone schmear rounded it out. This was not a sandwich I would typically order, but as the restaurant slowly filled up with the lunch crowd, I noticed that every table had a diner that ordered it. Although I considered that a savory note, like a slice of bacon, would be nice, I also know that if I’d been offered the addition of bacon, I would have passed. This sandwich is a signature item for a reason: It’s addictively good.

Mr. She Ate chose the classic smash burger ($16) and loved it. The bun was toasted, and it was topped with pickle slices and actually melted cheese. Both sandwiches came with fries, which were unlike any fries I’ve ever had. They were steak fries but flat. There’s no other way to describe them. Mr. She Ate loves it when a restaurant makes fries its own, and Arms & Embers has certainly taken that to heart. He loved them, but I was indifferent.

On a breakfast visit, we quickly ordered pancakes ($12) and a side of bacon ($4) for the kids, the Plain Jane skillet ($11) for me and the All-American platter ($15.50) for him. The pancakes arrived, and I knew they were going to be excellent. The edges were slightly lacy, having been grilled in what was likely butter, resulting in my favorite pancake texture. I grabbed a bite of my son’s pancake before he doused it in syrup and whipped cream, and it was as wonderful as my eyes suggested it would be.

My skillet comprised a sliced red potato base piled with eggs, cheddar cheese, gravy and chorizo. It was kind of a mess. The gravy was an unnecessary addition and was thick and flavorless. Mr. She Ate fared better with his enormous breakfast, which included three scrambled eggs, two slices of bacon, two sausage patties, two slices of toast, red potatoes and two pancakes. He ate it all, and considering he had just mowed the lawn in temperatures that could only be described as “inferno,” he no doubt needed it.

The kids’ bacon only came out after I questioned where it was, and it appeared to have been cooked the day before. Luckily, we weren’t charged for it because I would have put up a bit of a fuss.

If you’re on the west side of town or love a unique sandwich, the grilled PB&J is worth a trip. If you see me there, we’ll all be eating pancakes.

By BRYAN BEVERLY

Main streets are the heartbeat of communities, where commercial and cultural elements combine to create a meeting place for the masses. These districts of commerce offer revived storefronts, warehouses and factories and are fertile grounds for gastropubs, bookstores, microbreweries and boutiques. Grand Ledge’s Bridge Street is such a hub, reminiscent of similar commercial centers in DeWitt, Williamston and Old Town or REO Town in Lansing.

Arms & Embers Grill, which opened last May and has been under the ownership of Jordan Rivas since October, has situated itself to provide community connections just east of the Grand River along Bridge Street. This New American restaurant and beer bar serves breakfast and supper options and has an interior that’s appealing without hitting you over the head with any particular theme. The name comes from the “arms” on the beer taps and the “embers” from the large fireplace that dominates the dining area. The arms serve up several Michigan-made brews and ciders, and while it was too warm outside for a fire, I could tell how welcome the embers would be on a blustery January day.

What’s OK

The Fully Loaded Biscuits & Gravy ($14.50) presented well: creamy sausage gravy ladled atop two soft biscuits, a sunny-side-up egg and potatoes, all topped with bacon lardons and cheddar cheese. If only it tasted as good as it looked. While the biscuits were fluffy, the gravy was devoid of flavor. The side sausage patty ($4) was very flavorful, but the gravy meat somehow missed the mark.

My much better half ordered the huevos rancheros ($12.50), and while the serving size was a tad small for the price and the smothered queso topping reminded me of a Super Bowl Crockpot dish, it was better than my meal. The corn tortillas weren’t soggy or undercooked, which is an easy mistake to make l, and the Mexican spices were fragrant and enticing.

My daughter ordered the Croissant Heaven ($11.50), which was a flaky, buttery success, but the egg was slightly dry, and the sandwich could have benefited from some smoked cheese. A larger croissant would’ve greatly improved the handheld mechanics, as some of the ingredients were falling out of the sides of the bread.

What’s really good

Arms & Embers does chicken extremely well. The jerk chicken sandwich ($15) and Moroccan chicken sandwich ($15) were well-marinated and juicy, and flavors from both coastal regions were on point. These sandwiches far exceeded my expectations in several ways.

The bread on the Moroccan sandwich was so soft and pungent that I thought it was made in-house earlier that day. The bread maintained its firmness against the moderate spread of tzatziki sauce across both sides of the sub. Speaking of tzatziki sauce, I mentioned it was only a moderate helping, which was initially disappointing. However, as the sub slowly disappeared, I realized it was the perfect ratio of sauce that neither disappeared next to the delicious, sliced chicken nor overpowered the sweet grape halves or cleverly tucked arugula sprinkled throughout the sandwich.

The jerk sandwich came with a grilled pineapple slice that added another layer of island vibes. The whole chicken breast was served burger style, and my only wish was that it had a bit more heat.

The garlic-Parmesan fries ($10) were a light, slender alternative to the usual carb-heavy steak fries that fill you up after several handfuls. They were topped with a tasty combination of minced garlic, chunky Parmesan crumbles and herbs, and they kept calling my name throughout the meal.

Best bite

It’s hard to impress me with restaurant mac and cheese, but Arms & Embers ($12) did just that. It was a cheesy success, with a sauce that was properly gooey without being runny. The smoked gouda was the star, and the fresh green onion on top was a surprisingly delightful accompaniment. The portion size was solid, but it was so good that I still wanted more.