And evidently so did everyone else dining at The Mermaid Bar and Grill during my recent visit, because you could shoot a cannon through the interior, but people were lined up for dining al fresco.

Although Saugatuck is located on the Lakeshore, there are not a lot of waterfront dining options. So it is no wonder that The Mermaid is extremely popular. I called ahead to make a reservation, specifically next to the railing on the patio so that my dog could sit on the other side. (The Mermaid doesn’t allow dogs on the patio, but accommodates with a bowl of water on the other side of the railing).

We got there, our table was ready and we were seated at once.  We couldn’t resist the Big O’s Smoked Whitefish Dip ($9.75).  It was a plentiful scoop (a little less than a cup) served with veggies and pita chips and we loved it. It was creamy, smokey, had a little horseradish bite to it and we had to force ourselves to stop eating it so we had room for dinner.

Kevin ordered the Chicken Marsala ($17). Tender chicken with a Marsala Mushroom Demi-glaze, served with smashed redskin potatoes and vegetables. It was a large portion, but it was so good he finished almost every bite. He said it was tender, and seasoned just right and the sauce was perfect.

I chose the Shrimp and Goat Cheese Pasta ($19). This is one of my favorite combos, and in this case, it was a variety of pastas, mixed with the shrimp and the goat cheese along with peppers, onions and sun dried tomatoes. I loved it — creamy and just the right amount of tang from the pepper and onions.

We passed on dessert as we were just too full, and wanted to move on to catch the sunset over the Big Lake.

The menu is large, but not the typical grilled chicken/steak/seafood dishes. They put their own spin on all of the above and it makes for some really nice dining choices. On a return visit a week or so later I had lunch and ordered the Coconut Shrimp and Spinach Salad ($15). I ate every bite. Fresh spinach, strawberries, mango, mandarin oranges, Roma tomatoes, and toasted pecans, topped with large crisp coconut shrimp. The dressing was a delicious Amaretto-berry vinaigrette.

The Mermaid is somewhat hidden in a building with mostly retail shops, at 340 Water Street, right next to Wick’s Park. You have to go around the the waterfront side where there’s a separate entrance and greeting stand for the patio, or you can go in through the center of the building from either end to find the restaurant.

In the summer, be sure and call ahead if outdoors is your preference. Or you could sit inside and have the air conditioning and whole place to yourself, and although the adage “everything tastes better outdoors” is generally true, rest assured The Mermaid Bar and Grill’s delicious food would taste fabulous no matter where you eat it.

Perfect weather, the best table, friendly server, incredible food, getting together with an old friend and just for good measure, a sailboat gliding by as the sun at its setting. Such were circumstances to make my recent excursion to Boatwerks in Holland one of the nicest dining experiences I have had in a long time.

When my friend Cindy called and wanted to make dinner plans, my mind immediately went to restaurants on the big lake, and Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant got the nod because of its lovely outdoor setting. It’s not actually on Lake Michigan, but a close second at Lake Macatawa.

They don’t take reservations, but they do accept “call ahead seating,” so when we were told there was a 40 minute wait for the exterior tables, that was the perfect drive time from Grand Rapids, so we put our name on the list and headed to Holland. It was a smart move as we heard them tell diners in front of us that there was over an hour wait for an outside table by time we arrived.

We still had a short wait while they readied a table, but we took that time to sit at the exterior bar and order a couple of martinis. The bartender was efficient and made suggestions when we weren’t quite sure what we wanted. I ended up with a Pear Martini, and Cindy the Cosmopolitan. We had barely started on our drinks when our table was ready. I stayed behind to settle the bar bill ($17) and Cindy went to snag our table.

I’m a table snob, so I was beyond delighted when we got an edge table, right by the stairs that led down to Lake Macatawa, basically a front row seat to the goings-on of the lake.

We got right to the business of ordering, and I decided on the Tournedos Alaska ($28.95) — nine ounces of pan-seared tenderloin, topped with a sauteed seafood medley of shrimp, scallops and lobster meat, all topped with Bernaise sauce. It was served with asparagus — not the typical dinky serving most restaurants serve. This was a pile of asparagus I was able to share with leftovers. It also came with a choice of potato. The whole meal was so plentiful that I took home enough for lunch the next day.

Cindy went with the Mahi Mahi ($17.95), a more petite portion than my gargantuan beef portion, but still enough to fill you up. Served on a bed of green with garlic sauteed ravioli, she said the meat was flakey, delicious and flavorful.

We glanced at the dessert menu, but were just too full to partake. I don’t want to overbuild expectations, because, like I said, all conditions were right for the most perfect dinner ever. But I’ve eaten at Boatwerks and had just drinks, just appetizers, burgers, light meals and full dinners, and have never been disappointed.

The restaurant inside is very nice, arranged so most tables have a view of the water. The theme is a boat building warehouse, but in a polished way. I’ve been to the eatery in every season, and it’s a great experience whether you’re fireside in the winter or lakeside in the summer.

I can pretty much guarantee you are going to enjoy your visit here. Come during summer and sit outside at sunset, and you just MIGHT have the five-star experience I had. I suppose in a way part of that fifth star goes to West Michigan, but on any day of the year, Boatwerks gets a nod as one of my favorites.

But tonight, fortunately for me, was not one of those nights. Tonight my husband and I took in the classic Muskegon date night: Indie flick at Harbor Theatre followed by a warm pink and purple sunset at the sugar sanded beach of Pere Marquette Park. But not before stopping by Frosty Oasis on Sherman Boulevard for ice cream, of course!

My husband M. ordered his usual. Well, not his usual. It wasn’t the chocolate Monster Malt.  He’s watching his portion sizes. Or something like that.

Instead, M. ordered the “medium,” which honestly folks, is more like a “large.” Like ordering the new “small” drink at Burger King (but that’s another review in another place). And, though I can’t speak for him, I do know it was nearly gone by the time we drove past the dog beach.

Seems like, when it comes to food, West Michigan likes it large. Which maybe is why there are literally hundreds of options on the “Frosty O” menu board.

Have you seen that thing? Wowzers. You almost need to pull up a lawn chair to give yourself enough time to consider all the ooey-gooey options, or at least until you find that perfect little morsel of goodness crying out to you.

Will it be Grand Haven’s famous Pronto Pup? A freshly made elephant ear or caramel corn, or maybe a Gummy Bear Flurry? It can honestly be overwhelming if you don’t know your taste buds well.

In my case, Ashby’s “Ultimate Peanut Butter Brownie” hard ice cream in a homemade waffle cone had my name written all over it — like a good sale on chicken breast at Meijer.

But as with the malt, a ‘small’ it was definitely NOT.

‘Small’ just doesn’t seem fair. It does not describe the heaping mounds of ice cream molded to my delicate cone, or the intensely rich peanut butter and goodness in my first bite.

It was heaven on a cone — is what it was (cue the choir of angels). A hard, hand-packed mountain of vanilla ice cream with swirls of velvety smooth peanut butter ribbon blended with just the right amount of brownie bites to satisfy the chocoholic in me. Every bite was sinfully delicious.

But it wasn’t just the ice cream, or the lack of preschoolers in the backseat, that took me back to being 17 years old on the way to the beach with my sweetie. The handmade waffle code sealed the deal.

It was rich, and crunchy, and fresh. And big. It was the perfect place for the last drops of melted, syrupy peanut butter cream to pool in before I devoured the last crumb. Every drip on my hand from that bottomless cone reminded me of the joys of being a kid with an ice cream cone.

Now, what the ingredients were, I can’t say. I honestly don’t know (but definitely some hints of almond). I don’t know if it was made with organic milk or fair trade chocolate. I doubt it. And as much as I appreciate all that is good and right with those elements, I equally appreciate enjoying a deliciously refreshing ice cream cone while watching a sunset with my best friend.

And anyway, I’m convinced the finest ingredients for a summertime date night on the Lakeshore include, “Frosty O” and a Lake Michigan sunset.

Just one disclaimer: There’s often a long line to place your order at Frosty Oasis. But that’s a good thing, right?

The waiter, a familiar face named Brian, craftily flips up our brightly hued coffee mugs with a thumb in each ring holder and sets them right-side up on the table as he welcomes us in for brunch. It’s time.

Morning Star Café is conveniently located downtown in Grand Haven — a beautiful beach town with a strong local flavor and many fun attractions. On top of the selection of must-see, must-do, must-eat is this beloved joint on Washington Street.

The café is full of life and color. It embraces a southwestern Arizonian ambiance. The color palette features bright purples and darker peach and vivid blue walls. Cactus plants make multiple appearances. The walls have happy cartoon photos of tea sets and beach themes, but the star of the show is the pottery mosaic wall.

The left side back wall is artistically covered with broken pottery — plates and mugs of all colors fashion a rainbow of kitchenware that you just want to touch. Just behind the mosaic is a bar for patrons to eat at with a prime view of the chefs at work — probably the best seat in the house!

Saturday morning here equals fresh, scrumptious breakfast fare for a crowded collection of hungry and dedicated customers. And this time there was no line and no wait; rare but much appreciated. And I never mind the usual wait because I know what is to come. For those who have not yet tasted their delicious food, don’t despair. Once your name is called and you take your first bite, you may forget you waited at all.

I flipped through the three-fold menu and settled on China Mist Iced Tea ($1.75) while my boyfriend ordered a Mocha Java ($3.95). The iced tea was standard and refreshing, but I have had better. The mocha java which combines dark star coffee, chocolate, and whipped cream hit the spot for him, though.

My order consisted of oatmeal cakes with dried cranberry and brown sugar ($6.75) off of the Gourmet Griddle. My boyfriend decided on the Denver Omelet: ham, green pepper, onions and cheddar cheese with a side of breakfast potatoes ($7.95). The oatmeal cakes were piping hot and flavored by the hint of brown sugar. The creamy butter appeared opaline with cinnamon flecks and the Michigan pure maple syrup tasted really, really good. The juxtaposition of dried cranberry and soft oatcake resulted in a nice texture fusion. I also favored the sweet thickness of the syrup with the cool, thin, refreshing tea. I snagged a few breakfast potatoes from across the table. They were tasty, then again who messes up potatoes?

The omelet treated my boyfriend well: Flavorful, filling, and fun to eat. We happily felt well-fed but not overbearingly full.

If you do arrive at a particularly active period, there is room outside to sit and socialize. Not to mention nice shops to explore and a charming local bookstore called The Bookman right next door. Nothing makes me happier than food and books, truth be told.

Morning Star succeeds at being that one place. You know, the one place everyone recommends. “Oh you’re going to Grand Haven; make sure you check out Morning Star Café!” The owners Lisa and Will Passinault have been preparing awesome homemade food since 1995. With good conversation, a friendly and appropriately chatty waiter, and simple but satisfying food, Morning Star is the perfect way to start a Saturday.

I had stopped in for a glass of wine, and was impressed with the menu a week or two earlier, but on this night, dining with the dog was the plan.

We arrived close to closing time, but there was no hint of rushing us — just the opposite in fact. We had a lovely, relaxing dinner on the large patio, surrounded by beautiful flowers, a waterfall and statues. A white table cloth was spread on the wrought iron table, a bowl of water for the dog was delivered without being asked, and our drink orders were pleasantly taken.

We decided to start with the fried calamari ($8.50). It was one of the better calamari offerings I’ve had recently (I try it whenever possible.) It was served in long pieces, like fries, and accompanied by a tangy red sauce. It was tender and although there was breading on it, it didn’t seem heavy and it tasted great. I would order it again.

As the name would imply, Hercules offers a large array of Greek items. In fact it began as a hot dog restaurant and expanded over the years. You can get everything from a Coney dog to Lamb Chops. We were in the mood for dinner food so we headed to the entrée section of the menu.

After considering the Potato Crusted Walleye ($18.95) and the Salmon Plaki ($16.95) I decided Chicken Picatta ($15.95) was the ticket. It was really delicious. The vegetables were nicely done, the lemon caper sauce on the chicken was light and flavorful and I was happy with my choice.

My friend chose authentic Greek and tried the Pastitso ($10.95). This is a complex dish made with ground beef, penne pasta and topped with parmesan and a béchamel sauce, and also came with a vegetable. He said it was authentic and reminded him of the dish a Greek friend made.

Both of our entrees came with a salad, and it was crisp, cold and tasty, and had a traditional Greek dressing, olives, tomatoes, red onions and flanked by two grilled pieces of pita bread. We got full enough on the appetizer and salad that we had part of our dinners packed to go. We traded leftovers, and when I had the Pastitso for lunch the next day I scraped the plate to get every last bit of that tasty sauce. I hope my friend enjoyed the Chicken Picatta as much.

There are a lot of offerings at Hercules Bar and Grill in both ambience and food. The interior is sunny in the front, intimate in the bar area, then there’s a covered/enclosed porch area and then the lovely large outdoor patio where we dined. Note: if you plan to take the dog, you need to go around the corner and enter through the fence right onto the patio in back.

I’m sure that a visit to Hercules will figure in my plans whenever I dine in Saugatuck, because a dog friendly restaurant will get my business even if the food is just OK. But in the case of Hercules, I can dine with the dog and have great food. What could be better than that?

Located in the former Blue Moon restaurant on Blue Star Highway, the Douglas eatery stands out with its peppy, zippy-sounding moniker.

The interior tickles all the senses, featuring art, animal print fabrics and walls, sueded textures and festive, colorful lighting. The various area of the restaurant provide a perfect combo of intimate feeling with contemporary openness — aspects of formalness, and yet an understated casualness. The bar exudes hipness, with a chartreuse baby grand piano as the centerpiece of the cabaret area that screams “let’s have some fun!”

Zing’s website describes the eatery as “playfully eclectic…that takes the ordinary to the extraordinary with an unexpected twist on the expected.”

We were allowed to choose the table we wanted and settled in the corner and were soon greeted by our enthusiastic and knowledgeable server “Star.” She gave advice and didn’t steer us wrong. After a few questions about the menu and considering the Scallops in Puff Pastry ($12), and The Wedgie ($9) — iceberg with blue cheese — I decided on the Grilled Marinated Steak Salad ($13).

The salad was a large portion, with a mound of slices of d juicy, flavorful steak, and all of the accompanying vegetables arranged so you could incorporate them, or avoid them as you chose. So, I worked in the ingredients as I liked. It was served with smoked provolone, avocado, red onion, cucumber and tomato over mixed greens. It was tasty and filling, however, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, and. I sampled both the homemade bleu cheese and avocado dressings, and they made the flavors of the marinade — a sweet citrus blend — pop.

I realize now that there was no avocado on the salad. I also overheard them tell another diner they were out of the scallops. However, this once, I’ll forgive them for that, and chalk it up to a few stocking issues since they had just opened.

My friend chose the inventive Grilled Veggie Rolls ($9). These were like a sushi roll with thin slices of grilled eggplant, zucchini and portabella, wrapped around a center of roasted garlic goat “cheeze” and red pepper sauce. She said they were tasty, but unlike my huge portion, there were three rolls, and when it arrived, she said she wished she had gotten two orders.

I thought the most interesting thing on the menu might be one of the “entreez” called the Zinginton ($29), which is Zing’s version of Beef Wellington, featuring a prime filet with creamed spinach and bacon wrapped in puff pastry served over sweet caramelized onions.

Zing offers three menus — breakfast, lunch/dinner and a late night bar offering. Each are full of “zing-afied” dishes to amuse and tempt.

The breakfast menu made me want to make a trip just to try the array of delicious sounding items. Between the blueberry cheesecake French toast or German cinnamon apple pancakes, a spicy egg & cheeze scramble, the Zing omelet with lobster, shrimp and goat cheeze, flakey pastry Florentine or the signature Croizingwich, I’m not sure which I’d pick on my next visit.

The bar menu features pumped-up bar food such as the Zing burger, grilled Caribbean chicken, Chef Will’s cheese and European meat plate, steak frittes and Uncle Ivo’s pasta with rustic meat sauce.

There is also a chartreuse piano, and a cabaret-type stage area where there are promised “zing-alongs,” bound to get more and more fun as the evening unwinds as the crowd enjoys their “zing-tinis” — one named (as we’d expect by now) Zing on the Beach.

With the interior dining room, fanciful piano/zing-tini bar, exterior covered “living room,” casual party tent in the back , three menus, long hours and delicious innovative food, Zing Eat/Drink offers something for everyone and is likely to be one of my new favorites.

Mia and Grace is a contemporary restaurant and bakery that would easily fit in Chicago or New York’s dining scene. Instead, it operates in a building that stood vacant for 15 years, previously home to Big Bob’s, (“the omelet king”), in a relatively unimpressive area of Muskegon. Mia and Grace resides on Third Street sits next to Brown Bag Boutique and an empty for sale building. Its immediate success since opening in July of 2008 definitely contributes to the regentrification of downtown Muskegon. Once inside the shoebox-shaped structure, soothing acoustic music filled my ears and the sight of the large brown packing paper menu hanging on the peachy back wall soothed my eyes. It’s like seeing precious land from a ravaged boat. That may seem exaggerated but it’s true for the foodie types. But Mia and Grace is a place for anyone looking to indulge in quality, hand crafted, satisfying cuisine.

My server, Nikki, greeted me from the counter under the fluctuating menu — this establishment adheres to the ethos of farm-to table, seasonal food — in a friendly tone. Nikki informed me of popular dishes and allowed me to choose my table. I slyly selected a table in the nook of the room, next to the kitchen. The black swinging doors allowed a glimpse into where the magic happens.

To begin my food coma, I selected the creole onion soup ($3, $5 for bowl). The tastiness was presented in an elegant teacup along with a glass of refreshing water. Similar to French onion soup, soft thinly sliced onions in beef broth was topped with homemade croutons rather than the traditional cheese. The creole seasoning offered a nice bite to the already fulfilling flavor. My only wish was for more than two croutons. My house made hot dog came in a timely manner with a side of beautifully flushed apple-fennel coleslaw and three spheres of sweet pickles. The taste shot all other hot dogs to hell, but the outside texture was a bit rough and hard to bite. Table manners will go out the window when eating this, you need to rip and pull rather than bite. It was annoying. So ask for more napkins.

Mia and Grace makes everything in house, even soda. Per custom, I ordered the lavender vanilla bean cream soda in all its white cloud, creamy goodness. The fusion of flavor is both unique and likeable. Choose from others like root beer, ginger ale, and lemon thyme. These flavor provocateurs also make ice cream from root beer and Cajun butter pecan to candied bacon.

I deftly concentrated on my surroundings. Juxtaposed peach and periwinkle blue walls house local art. Behind the bakery counter displaying a variety of desserts and baked goods sit locally-crafted teapots and teacups. Mia and Grace operates as a truly hyper-local restaurant with numerous partnerships with Michigan farms and businesses. Local artist and Community College professor, Lee Ann Frame, is one of the featured artists whose piece “The Offering,” hung above my dark mahogany table. Sunlight streamed in from the large front windows casting light on the lightly baked wooden floors.

Owners and executive chefs, Jeremy and Jamie Pacquin found the perfect spot to bring their decadence to West Michigan after moving from Houston. Mia is the name of their two year old daughter and Grace is Jeremy’s grandmother and sister. This food gem features unique dishes imbued with intense flavor through a passion for cooking and compassion for building locally.

The dish I’m talking about is the Spinach Gorgonzola Stuffed Chicken Breast ($14.99) at Blue House Bistro in Holland. It is a farm-raised chicken breast stuffed with gorgonzola and feta cheeses, spinach, artichokes and herbs topped with a natural broth butter beurre blanc and served with mashed fingerling potatoes. The waitress wasn’t lying. The sauce — and the entire dish — was sublime.

The chicken was cooked to perfection, the potatoes creamy and delicious and the sauce was heaven on a plate — rich, tangy and perfect.

Odd I liked the food so much, since I felt like I was sitting in the middle of a party store (and I was). Blue House Bistro also sells take out beer and wine, but you can’t order drinks off the menu. There are a small number of tables in a non-descript blue house at the far edge of Holland’s downtown business district. The building is clean and quaint, but doesn’t add much to the dining experience. Yet what the Blue House Bistro lacks in ambiance, it more than makes up for it through its fresh ingredients and inventive menu. It is worth the drive to Holland to check out this (somewhat) new eatery.

The menu is the brainchild of Chef Angie K (Angie Anderson who owns the restaurant with Sara Florenzo) and it features an amazing mix of neo-American Creole Fusion style food. The Blue House Bistro serves small plates, hand crafted soups, fresh salads, chef featured entrees (my chicken was one of them, so it might not be on the menu when you go), sandwiches, gourmet pizza and desserts. And Chef Angie K uses farm fresh, local and organic ingredients whenever possible.
 
According to the restaurant’s website, Chef Angie K began her craft in a humble bar and grill as a line cook in New Orleans in 1997. It was in that establishment that she discovered her love for making people’s dining experience as flavorful as possible. She then spent the next eight years working in some of the finest restaurants in New Orleans. When Hurricane Katrina hit Chef Angie K found herself in Holland and decided that it was the perfect opportunity to expand her dream and idea. She opened her first restaurant in early 2006, The Grass Cup in Graafschap, which closed in 2008. She opened the Blue House Bistro in 2010.

There were so many items on the menu I wanted to try. There was the Sirloin Sandy ($14.99), an eight ounce sirloin filet topped with an amber ale reduction and served with the mashed fingerling potatoes. I enjoy Creole food as well, and was tempted to try the Seafood Gumbo ($6.99) with crab, shrimp, crawfish, sausage and Creole vegetables and rice blended in a dark roux soup. Diners can also choose from Jambalaya ($10.99); Red Beans & Rice ($9.99); a nice assortment of sandwiches, salads and wood-fired pizzas (I would love to try the Bluex House Pizza with ground sausage, pepperoni, sweet onion, mushroom, black olives, roasted red peppers, Bleux House Marinara and topped with mozzarella).

Blue House Bistro is not the kind of place you file away as someplace to go the next time you are in Holland. It is so good that you should push yourself away from your computer, drive to the Lakeshore and indulge in some truly amazing food right now. In fact, the only reason this restaurant isn’t getting a five-star rating is because of the ambiance. It is truly one of the best meals I’ve had in West Michigan.

There is a Creole proverb: Dites moi qui vous aimez, et je vous dirai qui vous etes. “Tell me whom you love, and I’ll tell you who you are.” It is obvious Chef Angie K loves her food. And because of that, I love her restaurant.

The only excuses I can give for not discovering Palermo Pizza sooner is that I didn’t grow up in Grand Rapids and, until recently, there wasn’t a location near my house.

So let me get directly to the reasons I might be hooked on yet another West Michigan pizzeria (the list keeps growing). I ordered a large (14-inch) pizza with pepperoni and bacon ($11.99). The classic hand-tossed crust might be the best part. It’s foldable, yet the ends are still crispy.

The bacon was a hit and the pepperoni was thin enough to be crispy on the ends. The other basic ingredients — cheese and sauce — were phenomenal. All in all, the whole pie came together in a heavenly way.

I like my pizza a little greasy. Dry pizza doesn’t do anything for me. With Palermo’s pie, I got the right amount of grease without too much for my fingers (nothing’s wrong with a little pizza grease on the hand).

The only snag about this pizza is something about it seems a tad too generic. It’s kind of like mom-and-pop-pizza-shop meets Papa John’s. Maybe I’m wrong, but the crust seems awful cookie cutter compared to a Gino’s or Andrea’s. Maybe it’s just my disbelief is something so right.

In addition to a great pizza pie, the service is quick and friendly. When I called, the Palermo’s representative was helpful and concise. Picking up the pizza showed me the employees care about the product and their customers. Nothing is better than a local place that treats its customers with personal care.

With seven West Michigan locations, Palermo has operated in Grand Rapids for more than 40 years. I visited the one on Breton near 28th Street in Grand Rapids. They have shops in Caledonia, Grand Haven, Jenison, Kentwood with two in Wyoming. Besides pizza, they serve wings, salad, Italian dinners and subs.

So, with Palermo Pizza, I’m excited to say my love for Grand Rapids pizza is expanded. And, with it, possibly my waste line. But, hey, this is one risk I will gladly take.

Located in the old Quizno’s on 8th Street, the City Delicatessen did one thing right when they opened — it’s certainly much more appealing and attractive to the downtown atmosphere. It fits right in with the rest of the shops on 8th Street, almost as if it’s been there for years.

The inside atmosphere is clean and inviting, with several tables (tall and regular-sized) and a small ordering area. While it could use a little more of a personality, the big mural of Grand Rapids as you walk in is certainly a step in the right direction (though remember, this is Holland…).

I went ahead and ordered a Traverse sandwich ($6.99), featuring sliced turkey, swiss cheese, grilled onions, bacon and granny smith apple slices. The honey mustard added a bit of a kick to the already unique sandwich.

As I waited for my sandwich, I was surprised to see a little sample of frozen yogurt on my tray. And even though my mother told me to save desert for last, I couldn’t help myself. The strawberry-vanilla yogurt had a refreshing feel, almost cleaning my taste buds in preparation for the sandwich I was about to divulge.

My sandwich came out, with peppered kettle chips. The sandwich had a decent amount of flavor, though I was expecting more of an apple “kick” to each bite. The sandwich also seemed to fall apart pretty easily, making it a little difficult to eat. Despite this, it was still pretty good.

But the highlight of the meal? Surprisingly, the chips. They had a perfect amount of seasoning, and certainly weren’t your grocer’s plain old potato chips. The pepper wasn’t overpowering, and it definitely was a great companion to the sandwich.

If the City Delicatessen does one thing right, it’s the unique spin they put on seemingly normal deli items. While I’d like to see it expand its menu (it could take some cues from Cherry Deli in Grand Rapids), it seems to be a perfect fit for Holland’s relaxed downtown feel.