Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- New Finds up in Southwest Michigan
Somebody on twitter recently said Chicago should ask for a refund on summer this year and I agree. It hasn’t been great as far as the weather goes. I’ve only taken a dip in Lake Michigan three times so far and only once was that actually in Michigan. But I have been up to the Michiana region a few times and of course there were food stops involved. The food scene in Southwest Michigan continues to grow into it's own. It’s taken some time to do so but it’s safe to say that it’s taken off. I did a big roundup two years ago that included a bunch of newer spots and today’s post will feature five more.
Gustavsen Cafe (Buchanan)
First stop is the cute little town of Buchanan which sits 30 minutes east of New Buffalo. I enjoy the Main Street vibes of this town that was once named the ‘The Nicest Place in America’ by Reader’s Digest. The main reason for my visits to Buchanan is to visit 'Lifted' - a Microgrowery that grows some of the finest "flowers" in Michigan. But I've been trying to check out Gustavsen Cafe the last few times I visited Buchanan and the stars aligned on my most recent visit. Gustavsen Cafe is a Nordic bakery that adds to the towns lovely vibes. It sits off on its own and visiting feels like you’re somewhere in Norway. They did an great job with the building and the pastries are just as good. Specifically the cinnamon rolls which are served warm and soft and are fun to eat by pulling each layer off one by one. I knew they were going to be good but I wasn’t expecting them to be as good as they were.
Cinnamon Rolls at Gustavsen Cafe
__________________________________________________
SideYard (Sawyer)
Sawyer is another cute little town. It’s right on the lake about 15 minutes up from New Buffalo. I like to go to the Sawyer Garden Center this time of the year when locally grown produce is at its peak. They have ton of fresh fruits and vegetables and a lot of it is from the area during the month of August. I also like stopping into SideYard this time of the year as it’s a cool concept: an outdoor bar/beer garden with a foodtruck kitchen. The draw for me is the backyard-like setting with plenty of outdoor seating, plus games like cornhole, fire pits, music, and laid back Harbor Country vibes. The patio is both kid and dog friendly and the bar food is slightly elevated. The menu is a mix and match of cuisines with creative takes on classics like the CrunchWrap Supreme which they call a Wrapcrunch - seasoned ground beef, with queso, pickled onion, creamy jalapeño sauce and a crispy tostada inside with a crispy cheese crust on the outside. Pair it with a locally brewed beer for complete satisfaction.
The Wrapcrunch at SideYard
__________________________________________________
Dads Farm & Cafe (St. Joseph)
Next stop is St. Joseph aka the Midwest Riviera. Ok so it’s not quite to the level of Italy or France but it’s a scenic place in its own right. Tourism is big business in St. Joseph during the summer and with that you get a lot of mediocre restaurants the closer to the water you get. But 'The Market' seemed to be a popular hangout for locals or maybe it was the people with summer houses but either way it’s a popular indoor marketplace that serves as a community hub featuring local, artisanal vendors selling coffee, food, drinks, and unique gift items like candles and such. If you enter off of Main Street you’ll walk right into 'Dad’s Farm & Cafe' which is a stand known for its quick service deli sandwiches, wraps, smoothies. I hadn’t had a BLT all summer until I got one from here last weekend and it was pretty much perfect with tomatoes being in-season. Bread is also key to a good BLT and the toasted locally baked sourdough was on point. This place makes for a pretty good option before the beach.
BLT Sandwich at Dad's Farm & Cafe
__________________________________________________
The Chef's House (St. Joseph)
If you go to the back of The Market you’ll find 'The Chef’s House' in the back right corner. It’s a French-inspired casual bistro founded by Chef Justin Paruszkiewicz who has previous experience in Chicago with Gibsons Restaurant Group. Although this is a stall with counter service the food can be described as “Fast Fine Dining” with options like steak and frites or a catch of the day. That said I’m always on the prowl for lake fish in these parts and I’m always going to consider the fish sandwich when it’s on the menu so I knew I was getting the fried walleye sandwich before I ever stepped foot in the foodhall. Yet again I figured it would be good but I didn’t know it would be THAT good. I think the Walleye was pan fried due to the breading being super thin allowing the flakiness of the fish to act as intended. The bun was a step above as was the tartar sauce which fresh and full of flavor - it worked great on both the sandwich and as a dipping mechanism for the frozen fries. I just did a Chicago fish sandwich roundup not too long ago and this was as good as any of the sandwiches listed on there.
Fried Walleye Sandwich at The Chef's House
__________________________________________________
PostBoy (New Buffalo)
The area of Southwest Michigan is to Chicagoans what Upstate New York is to New Yorkers. It’s a quick place to escape and relax be it at the beach or the brewery or perusing art galleries and so forth. But one thing the Harbor Country area has long lacked is a modern food scene. That’s slowly changing with each passing year and the opening of PostBoy in New Buffalo feels like the biggest step forward yet. It opened last year and I had a nice meal there last November but much like the area it’s in, this place seems to be at its best in the summer. It’s a colorful restaurant with lots of light inside plus a huge outdoor dining area and it’s just minutes from the New Buffalo Amtrak station.
Roti Paratha with Cucumber Raita
Biang Biang Shrimp at PostBoy
The owners / chefs have a connection to many Chicago restaurants but PostBoy is an ode to the SW Michigan farms, wineries, and breweries that call Harbor Country home with the menu being an eclectic collection of dishes with influences from across the globe. Don’t miss the ‘Halibut Al Pastor’ made with pineapple honey, masa aioli, black garlic salsa macha, and tortilla hay. I’m a big fan of any dish loaded with crispy fresh fried tortilla strips so this dish was calling my name and I was glad to have answered. Also got a really terrific tuna tostada topped with salsa roja mayo, charred avocado, and mole seco. Instead of a store bought tostada it came on a fresh fried corn tortilla which made for the perfect delivery vehicle. The ‘Biang Biang Shrimp’ was a bit over fried but the sauce was spot on and the roti paratha with cucumber raita was wonderful. New Buffalo really needed a place like this.
Tuna Tostada
Halibut al Pastor at PostBoy
__________________________________________________
Eating up Lake Michigan Pt. 2 (2020)
Eating BIG in Grand Rapids (2020)
Eating up Lake Michigan Pt. 3 (2021)
Eating BIG in Southwest Michigan (2024)
See ya next time @chibbqking
No comments:
Post a Comment