Food Factory no assembly line
I drive through the town of Lake City, Mich. exactly twice a year: On the way to my annual skiing and snowmobiling week in Gaylord with my brother, Chris, and again on the way home.
But a restaurant there makes it one of my favorite places to pass through. Food Factory & Pub has an unassuming name, but the flavors the place manages to create is nothing short of spectacular. Over the years, one dish in particular has attracted me to this place on Main Street: the BBQ Combo ($11.99).
I’ve been to barbecue places across the Southeast and in tiny bergs in Texas, but nothing I’ve come across has been as delicious or perfectly cooked as the BBQ Combo at Food Factory. The dish consists of massive portions of rib tips, pulled pork and a quarter chicken served with coleslaw, French fries and a disc of corn bread.
On our recent stop at Food Factory, we were disappointed to learn that they were out of pulled pork, though the friendly waitress said the chef would be happy to supplement the dish with more rib tips to make up for the pulled pork. Though we would miss the tender pulled pork, the amazing rib tips more than made up for the loss.
The dish is so good, it is hard to describe. It’s the type of meal that makes you stop eating on occasion just so you can shake your head or utter a grunt of satisfaction. And it is so large, you have to think about what to eat first for fear of being too full to enjoy one of the other elements. Though the aforementioned rib tips and pulled pork are amazing, it is the chicken that blows your taste buds away. It is seasoned and covered in the most finger licking barbecue sauce you will ever find. I’m not sure how the chef is able to keep the chicken so moist and tender, but thank heaven he does.
Some meals like the BBQ Combo excel when it comes to the main components and suffer when it comes to the sides. Not so at Food Factory. The cole slaw is every bit as delicious as the main portions. And the corn bread is out of this world.
I was lucky to stumble on the BBQ Combo the first time I ever set food in Food Factory, which is a blessing and a curse. It is a curse because I’ve never tried another dish on the menu. Luckily, my brother did (before he gave in to the BBQ Combo). Chris tried the restaurant’s Buffalo Burger ($7.49) and found it delicious as well. It’s not that nothing else on the menu looks good. In fact, there are many things I’d try. The Spinach & Artichoke Stuffed Chicken ($11.99), a chicken breast topped with a creamy spinach and artichoke sauce smothered with Cheddar jack cheese sounds especially good, as does the Baja Whitefish ($12.99), whitefish pan sauteed and topped with fresh Baja mango salsa. The restaurant also has a wide assortment of steaks, chicken, burgers, Mexican, salads and sandwiches.
Food Factory is good, but it isn’t fancy. It is a bar, so some might be bothered by smoke (though it has never been overly smokey on our visits). The restaurant is tastefully decorated with historic pictures and memorabilia from the Lake City, which is on M-55 between Cadillac and I-75. It takes just under two hours to get there from Grand Rapids, but it is certainly worth the drive.
Food Factory & Pub, owned by John and Sandy Miller, is one of those hidden gems in Northern Michigan that simply do food right. When a family friend (who grew up in Cadillac) read on Facebook that I was going to write about the place, she was disappointed. “I always think that the lil’ ol’ Up North towns are my little secret.” Sorry Angie, the secret about the Food Factory & Pub is out.
Food Factory & Pub ( Rating:
out of 5 )Where: 118 S. Main St., Lake City
Hours: (food is served) 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday; Sunday 12-9 p.m.
Ambiance: Up North rustic
How much will it cost you: $7 to $17
Credit cards: All major
Alcohol: Yes
Reservations: No
Contact: (231) 839-FOOD
