Food
A Fresh Take on Tradition
La Catrina Mexican Nishinaab blends two cuisines and two cultures
By Rachel Pasche | April 27, 2024
Fusion restaurants are not a new concept; the joining of cultures in unique food creations is a practice that’s been around (and popular) for a while. What is less common, however, is finding a restaurant that creates surprising and distinctive menu items from two cultures that are not traditionally combined. That’s exactly what La Catrina Mexican Nishinaab of Manistee is doing with their Anishinaabe and Mexican fusion menu. Northern Express spoke with ... Read More >>
The Flour Pot's Cherry and Cheese Danish
Tastemaker
By Anna Faller | April 27, 2024
Classic treats meet modern flair at The Flour Pot Bakery and Coffeeshop in Elk Rapids. This sugary mecca has been cranking out baked goods for decades, and though its name has changed, the recipes haven’t. We especially love the Cherry and Cheese Danish ($3.50) for spring. A perfectly sweet and buttery balance, this cult-favorite pastry is made from a layered dough—which takes about four days to create!—that’s been hand-rolled and sprinkled with ... Read More >>
Third Coast Bakery's Ruby Ginger Cacao
Bottoms Up
April 27, 2024
Can your morning beverage actually be good for you? The folks at Third Coast Bakery in Traverse City think so. Meet their superfood latte, the Ruby Ginger Cacao, complete with Vegan Sweet Cream Vanilla Cold Foam. The gluten-free sip is made with health-boosting ingredients like organic beetroot powder, raw cacao, ashwagandha, and real spices, creating a refreshing and velvety-rich drink. We’re talking all the good stuff for this latte: organic, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, ... Read More >>
Upping the Ante at Room 94 Taps and Bourbon
Odawa Casino bets on a different kind of customer with their newest restaurant
By Greg Tasker | April 20, 2024
For gamblers and non-gamblers alike, the dining options at many casinos are often lackluster—a sandwich shop, small café, or a standard all-you-can-eat buffet. Odawa Casino in Petoskey is out to change that dynamic. The casino is upping its food and drink game with a new venture, Room 94 Taps and Bourbon. Located in the casino’s former buffet space, Room 94 exudes an inviting, welcoming vibe with an eclectic menu, a solid selection ... Read More >>
Common Good's Whipped Ricotta Toast
Tastemaker
April 20, 2024
This week’s Tastemaker came in as a recommendation from a reader, and we just want to say please, please send us more of your foodie faves. We take our jobs investigating the tastiest dishes of northern Michigan seriously, including sampling the Whipped Ricotta Toast at Common Good Restaurant of Traverse City. (That’s the Eighth Street location of the bakery.) Found on the “Toasts & Tartines” portion of the menu, the Whipped Ricotta ... Read More >>
The Blue Goat's Cocktail Bundles
Bottoms Up
By Anna Faller | April 20, 2024
With patio season well on the way, sipping on a tasty tonic at home has never sounded better—especially if you don’t have to buy full-sized bottles of booze! Enter: The Blue Goat’s new Cocktail Bundles. Mixed up just in time to pack in picnic baskets and boat-day coolers, these single-portion drink kits come complete with two nip-sized spirit bottles (about one standard shot each) and mixers to craft one of four classic ... Read More >>
Where the Panini Reigns Supreme
Lunch at Traverse City’s Chubby Unicorn
By Karl Klockars | April 13, 2024
Even when he was running the kitchen at Bubba’s in Traverse City, Justin Chouinard had his eye on the little restaurant space across the street. For years, 439 East Front has housed restaurants like Patisserie Amie, Cook’s House, 9 Bean Rows, Sparks BBQ, and most recently, Zest Kitchen. Today, chef Chouinard holds the keys to that cozy little kitchen as the proprietor of Chubby Unicorn, the sandwich-focused lunch destination inspired by his ... Read More >>
The Munchies
Where to go in NoMi for your post-cannabis cravings
By Anna Faller | April 13, 2024
It’s a tale as old as time…weed brings on the munchies. It’s hard to achieve canna-bliss when you’re hungry, so we asked seven dispensaries throughout northwest Michigan for the restaurants, cafés, and coffee shops they recommend to their customers. (It’s always 4:20 somewhere, right?) Lume Cannabis Co. Petoskey, Honor, and Gaylord (plus other locations)With a staggering 38 storefronts and counting, you’re never far from Michigan’s first adult-use dispensary, Lume Cannabis Co.—and that ... Read More >>
Hive Coffee Co.'s Strawberry Matcha
Bottoms Up
April 13, 2024
You know the classic adage: April showers bring May (or early June) strawberries. (Yeah, yeah, we know it doesn’t rhyme, but it’s true!) If you’re craving that red fruit fix, Hive Coffee Co. of Suttons Bay has you covered. A standout on their seasonal menu is the Strawberry Matcha, which features your favorite super green tea alongside a sweet and spicy blend of ginger, molasses, and strawberry syrup. To finish, the whole ... Read More >>
Spoonful of Granola's Cinnamon Roll Granola
Tastemaker
By Anna Faller | April 13, 2024
For those in search of the ultimate snack, we raise you: Spoonful of Granola’s Cinnamon Roll Granola. Rolled out just in time for spring, this not-too-sweet treat packs all the cinnamon-y goodness of its namesake pastry into a handful of key natural ingredients: old fashioned oats, honey, and cinnamon. Each hand-crafted batch is drizzled in olive oil, baked until golden, and finished with a hearty sprinkle of Ghirardelli white chocolate chip “icing.” ... Read More >>
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