MI Best - Weekend Edition - June 25, 2023

For delivery concerns or to stop receiving this publication please call 800.804.5788, email customercare@mlive.com, or go to http://michigans-best.com.

Join us as we explore Michigan to find the best our state has to offer. Follow along as we travel to find and tell stories about Michigan’s best adventures, foods, events, nature, innovations, businesses, and communities.

Your source for feel-good, positive Michigan news.

Find us on MLive.com/MichigansBest and our social channels.

WHERE TO FIND MICHIGAN’S BEST CONTENT MLive | www.mlive.com/michigansbest Facebook | facebook.com/MLiveMIBest Print | every Sunday, around the state Instagram | @mlivemibest Twitter | @mlivemibest

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

MLiveMIBest #ITriedMIBest

10527237-03

Telling Michigan’s Best Stories

you don’t want to miss this

MLive.com/MichigansBest

GRAND RAPIDS | KALAMAZOO | MUSKEGON | 6.25.23

When we chose the stories for this edition, all the events and dates were accurate. As always, find the mostup-to-date information on the business/event/activity website, Facebook page or other direct information source.

[LOOK INSIDE] More MI Best food finds around the state

i d S e B Michigan’s Best

RYAN BOLDREY | rboldrey@mlive.com

e

s u ia l H o l

fla ir

hen it comes to 45s, the artist’s favorite side of the record is typically the B-side, Mike Williams said.

“That’s where the artistry is, the passion is,” he said. “The A-side, that’s the producer’s pick.”

Williams knows a little something about producing and writing music. Like his cousin, Kevin Williams, he’s been in the music industry for two decades — both as a producer and in the Kalamazoo-bred hip-hip trio Dezert Eez. Now the cousins, along with friends and fellow Western Michigan University alumni Steve Perry and Matt Bond, are putting their artistry and passion on display in a different way — by opening a new restaurant.

The group opened B-Side Social House, near WMU’s campus, in late March.

With one eye on a late-night menu and the other on providing breakfast and lunch, the four former Broncos opened where Ramen and Rice used to be, at 227 W. Michigan Ave. Located next to the Old Goat Tavern and across from the busy Campus Pointe Plaza, B-Side offers an eclectic menu, mostly dreamt up by Perry, with prices between $10 and $14 per meal.

“We’re about daring to be different, coming up with the things that will make us stand alone and stand out,” Bond said. “And being a smaller place, that’s what we’ve got to do.”

INFO That means menu items like the already-popular Pearl For more information, visit Jam — a deep-fried peanut bsidesocialhouse.com or butter and jelly sandwich call 269-459-1117. Check on sourdough, topped with a out B-Side’s Facebook page dusting of powdered sugar. or Instagram page for daily The Pearl Jam isn’t the only specials and other updates. musically inspired name.

There’s the French Montana dip and fries — an aioli hoagie roll with roast beef, sauteed mushrooms, onions, green pepper and pepper jack cheese. For spice lovers, there’s the Kane Brown spicy southwest wrap, loaded with crispy fried chicken, mixed greens, tomatoes, southwest ranch, flash-fried jalapenos and cheese.

In the mood for breakfast? Try the Outkast Big Boi, featuring two eggs, two pieces of bacon and sausage each, two hashbrowns and two pieces of

oc

S

wi ns ope

w KALAMAZOO, MI

Local Eats:

th lat ca i s e-ni ght menu, mu

wasn’t available nearby for students at the school they attended 20 to 30 years ago.

There are other late-night food options across the street at Two Fellas and at DP Dough, but the focus at B-Side is serving food toast. not offered anywhere nearby.

Or go for the The late-night menu features smash burger De La Scramble Bowl, sliders, fries, wings, tacos, the B-Side breakfast with three eggs scrambled burrito, Fat Man Fish and more. with crispy bacon and seasoned “We spoke to the students about what they waffle fries topped with onions, green wanted. They wanted breakfast,” Williams said. peppers and cheese.

B-Side offers free Wi-Fi and welcomes students In addition to an already-robust menu, you to hang out, throw in their air pods and study, never know what might be on special. It could be Bond said. something like the Elvis Toast, which is French On the beverage front, in addition to freshtoast topped with peanut butter and bananas. roasted Kalamazoo Coffee, B-Side offers canned Something cheesy? There’s the Drizzy Drake La Colombe coffee lattes and Kirkland cold brews, grilled cheese, made on sourdough and stuffed with sparkling ICE drinks, Fairlife protein drinks, an mozzarella, Colby Jack, cheddar a fresh tomato assortment of juices and Celsius and ZOA energy slice and drizzled with a balsamic glaze. drinks.

The music theme doesn’t stop there.

Don’t forget the B-side add-ons on the menu, Walls are such as the waffle fries, sweet potato fries, hash filled with browns, breakfast meats, Granny record displays, grits, buttermilk featuring biscuits and toast, covers and the depending on the time accompanying of day.

— you guessed Heading into their it — B sides first summer, B-Side’s of each. From summer daytime Elton John and hours are 10 a.m. to 6 Led Zeppelin p.m. Tuesdays through to the Beastie Fridays and 10 a.m. to Boys, War, 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

NWA, Pink Breakfast stops at noon, Floyd, with the exception of Nipsey, the the weekend, when it’s Allman currently available all day.

Brothers and Lunch starts at noon daily.

2Pac, there’s B-Side reopens with a mix of classic rock and rap its late-night menu on display. from midnight to 3 a.m.

“We’re trying to hit every one of your senses,” Thursdays through Saturdays.

Bond said. “We’re trying to stimulate the visuals Those hours will be expanded with breakfast with the music aspect and then trying to hit the starting at 7 a.m. when students return in the fall. auditory with playing music that complements Once staffing is rounded out, B-Side may also stay that and tying it into stimulating your palate.” open straight through on the weekends as opposed The four friends, along with a silent partner in to closing before the late night.

Detroit, opened B-Side to offer something that

you don’t want to miss this

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Telling Michigan’s Best Stories Join us as we explore Michigan to find the best our state has to offer. Follow along as we travel to find and tell stories about Michigan’s best adventures, foods, events, nature, innovations, businesses, and communities.

Your source for feel-good, positive Michigan news.

Find us on MLive.com/MichigansBest and our social channels.

MLiveMIBest #ITriedMIBest MLive.com/MichigansBest 10527238-03

Michigan’s Best Local Eats:

Penny’s Cafe

r

offers high quality coffee, new walk-up window

FAUD SHALHOUT |fshalhout@mlive.com

FLINT, MI

ebecca Walgenbach started working in the food industry when she was 14 years old, primarily as a server.

“I wanted to do something more,” she said.

That something became Penny’s Café, located inside of the Flint Farmers’ Market for the past three years.

Walgenbach’s dream started when she linked up with a coffee instructor, Nicholas Ferris, in Ann Arbor and he took her under his wing.

Ferris owns BD Barista School, which has become one of the best coffee schools in the country. This school teaches other cafes, home enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and aspiring baristas the skills needed to create coffee and tea.

Originally from New Hampshire, Walgenbach also lived in Los

Angeles, but Michigan has been home for the past 24 years.

Walgenbach has worked at least 20 server jobs, she said.

“I would change jobs every three years,” Walgenbach said.

The name Penny’s Café has an interesting backstory behind it.

When she moved to Michigan from LA with her husband, Walgenbach said she felt miserable in Shelby Township, a suburban area.

“It was so boring, and I wanted to own chickens, and I couldn’t in Shelby,” she said. “I made everybody move because I wanted chickens and one of my first chickens was named Penny. She was my favorite chicken and she loved me.”

Walgenbach moved to Holly

and became sober after years of drinking, along with buying her chickens.

“Everything great happened after I moved,” she said. “All because I wanted a chicken. So, I was like our coffee shop is named after her.”

On the menu, all of the beans are roasted fresh, and the syrups and teas are made by Walgenbach.

Patrons can order the usual coffee, like a Latte or Mocha, and Penny’s Café also offers several teas, like Hibiscus tea, an herbal tea made as an infusion from crimson or deep magenta-colored calyces of the roselle flower -either hot or cold.

“What makes us great is a dedication to the details,” Walgenbach said.

Penny’s Café used to be located at the current location of Porter’s

Donuts inside the market.

Two months ago, the café moved up front, adding a pick-up window option during times the market is closed.

“Moving near the front door has already changed my numbers financially already,” she said. “I’m doing better than I was prior.”

Penny’s Café caters at weddings, business meetings, baby showers and parties.

Penny’s Café is open during normal market hours, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Additionally, the pickup window option is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays.

“I love working,” Walgenbach said. “The amount of friends I have made because of this place is crazy.”

Follow Penny’s Café on Facebook.

Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Find ‘one of the best’ Molcajete dishes at

Cancun Mexican Grill

i

MAKAYLA COFFEE | mcoffee@mlive.com

SALINE, MI

MICHIGAN’S BEST | 6.25.23 | 2

f you’re in Saline looking for a place to indulge in Mexican food then Cancun Mexican Grill may be a spot for you.

General Manager Maria Vera said the restaurant that opened in 2012 brings a family-friendly atmosphere and offers a wide range of menu items including tacos, veggie plates, fajitas, chimichangas, salads, and enchiladas with options for chicken, seafood and steak. “(For customers that) want to have a nice meal they can just come and relax and take a load off or if they are in a hurry, we will get things rolling as fast as we can,” she said. “I feel like if you were to mention everything that we have (on the menu) it would take us forever.”

Saline’s Cancun Mexican Grill is just one of the owners’ many locations, Vera said, adding she began working at the restaurant’s Okemos location in 2007 before moving. She said she has been in Saline since that restaurant opened and has grown accustomed to its size and operations.

“I feel comfortable with a place this size because I get to know people and I get to know my

regulars,” she said. “If I had a bigger As for Vera’s go-to menu item, place I wouldn’t be able to.” she said it’s the Cancun chicken As the weather continues to warm which some may consider to be an up, Vera said she’s working to add an interesting combination. The dish outside patio for customers to enjoy is made with grilled chicken, onions possibly as early as this summer. and mushrooms topped with fresh Besides burritos and tacos, Vera spinach and cheese served with rice, said Cancun Mexican Grill has lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and become known for some dishes like tortillas. its Cancun fajitas, which are made Regardless of what someone with bell pepper, onions, tomatoes, orders, Vera said customers can shrimp, steak and chicken served always find quality with Cancun with rice, refried beans, lettuce, Mexican Grill. guacamole, pico de gallo, “I don’t want to sour cream and either substitute on cheaper corn or flour tortillas. quality because that is INFO Another popular dish going to jeopardize my business especially for our is its Molcajete which Cancun Mexican Grill, regular (customers),” she features grilled steak, 405 E. Michigan Ave. said. chicken, shrimp and in Saline, is open 11 The restaurant, of chorizo sausage with jalapenos and nopales in a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday course, offers options for through Thursday margaritas both frozen a stone molcajete bowl. and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on the rocks with It’s served with pico de flavors like strawberry, gallo, rice, beans, lettuce Friday and Saturday.

Find it online, on lime, mango, peach and guacamole, sour cream social media or by raspberry. Other alcoholic and either corn or flour phone at drinks include daquiris, tortillas. beer and wine along with “To me, it’s not because 734-429-2262. non-alcoholic options like I serve it, but we have one Mexican sodas, Jamaica water and of the best,” Vera said. “We brought Horchata rice water. the Molcajete into the atmosphere Cancun also serves desserts like and then other restaurants brought flan made from scratch, fried ice it in after us which is great. But, cream, churro bites and a cheesecake from what I’ve seen, it’s not close to chimichanga that Vera said is the the same with the sauce, texture or best. presentation.”

D

is Hallm

Michigan’s Best Local Eats:

Hungry for a

smash burger?

s

Try this Jackson food truck JACKSON COUNTY, MI

CHLOE MILLER | cmiller@mlive.com

mash & Dash Smash Burgers has a different take on traditional hamburgers.

The food truck was started by Chad Farquhar after he decided to quit his job last September and embark on a new career in the food industry. His friend Kasey Ousley told Farquhar he was a good cook and should start a food truck with smash burgers. “(Ousley) loves food, so we went to Detroit, and we had some smash burgers,” Farquhar said. “I didn’t want to be the normal food truck, like everybody who serves burgers and fries. I wanted to have a different take on it, so I went with the smash burger.”

Farquhar prides in himself in offering fresh, homemade ingredients.

He also recently partnered with Lane View Farm in Cement City to offer Black Angus smash burgers.

Smash & Dash Smash Burgers’ specialty is the Smash Bacon Mac N’ Jam Burger. The burger comes with two patties topped with American cheese, bacon, macaroni and cheese and bacon jam. Farquhar even makes the bacon jam himself.

“Everybody sees it and it piques their interest,” Farquhar said. “I usually offer a little sample. And as soon as they try (the bacon jam), they’re like, ‘I want it.’”

A bacon, egg and cheeseburger is also on the menu. People can also find a traditional smash burger, an olive burger and a blue cheese burger.

Sides include macaroni and cheese, fries, potato salad and baked beans. Farquhar makes the baked beans himself as well.

“I use my grandma’s recipes I found in an old recipe box years ago,” Farquhar said.

While Smash & Dash Smash Burgers’ is run

by Farquhar, he receives a lot of help from Ousley, along with his wife and other friends, he said.

h Edible

Michigan’s Best Local Eats:

Delights

o | Autumn Brown P h ot

is the quintessential Hallmark movie bakery

LIZ NASS | enass@mlive.com

Montague’s

MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI

allmark movies often portray smalltown life with a beloved bakery as the community hub.

Edible Delights is that bakery in the small community of Montague, serving up homemade treats that fit anyone’s sweet tooth.

The bakery, located at 8851 Water St., opened in February 2021 with a commitment to share the love of baking with the rest of the community.

Autumn Brown, the owner of Edible Delights, started the business to support her and her two daughters. Baking was a hobby that Brown turned into a business. When she was growing up, she said both sides of her family encouraged her to pursue her talents.

Everything Brown bakes is from scratch; most are from family recipes or experimental recipes that she has concocted.

One of the newest experiments Brown tried her hand at was the French macaron in many different flavors. The delicate sandwich cookies are $2 each.

“That has been a crazy journey since those are super hard and finicky to make. Just recently, I don’t know if I would confidently say I conquered them though, but I have had a pretty good success rate lately.”

Brown said the treat that everyone wants to get their hands on is her carrot cake, being super popular for all occasions.

Customers can buy a whole cake for $40 or can have bite-sized portions of the carrot cake in cupcakes and muffins for $3.25 each.

Another fan favorite at the bakery is the cheesecakes, which are giant, three-inch tall pieces of cake in different flavors such as raspberry swirl or peanut butter and sell for $6 a slice.

One of the newest items on the menu is the tiramisu

INFO Locations, schedules and updates on where to find Smash & Dash Smash Burgers can be found on its Facebook page.

with a vanilla cake recipe from scratch, soaking in strong coffee. Instead of buying the mascarpone cheese to add to it, Brown makes her own with heavy cream, sour cream, cream cheese and vanilla extract. A slice of the cake costs $3.

If a customer is looking for a snack instead of a filling dessert, Edible Delights sells smaller bites such as peaches and cream scones, chocolate chip cookies and cake pops for $2 each.

Brown said her most underrated item is the blueberry bread pudding for $3, which is made with homemade rum caramel sauce and in muffin form.

“This past week, we did the bread pudding, and then on Saturday with every person that came in, we just gave them one because there’s a lot of it, and the people that do have it, they were like ‘Oh INFO my gosh, I didn’t think it was like this,’” Brown said.

The bakery is open Brown likes to change up the from 10 a.m. to 5:30 menu seasonally, making new p.m. on Wednesdays items to fit the season such as a and Thursdays, 10 peppermint scone for Christmas a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on and a pumpkin one for the fall. The Fridays and 10 a.m. to citrus cheesecake is the newest for 2 p.m. on Saturdays. summer, bringing light flavors for The bakery is closed the sunny season.

Sunday through Edible Delights is also not only Tuesday. The business making delightful treats for human can be reached at consumption. Six months ago, the 231-343-3010. bakery started making dog treats, starting at $1 and is now moving up to dog cakes for special occasions. Puppy birthday cakes are $15, and cupcakes are $5, depending on the size of your pup.

Along with all the menu items, people can also place custom orders at the bakery.

Brown said she loves baking for the community because she feels when customers come into the bakery that she is actually cooking for her family.

“We’re just a humble small-town bakery trying to appeal to each person that walks in the door,” Brown said. “That’s why we have so many different items because everybody that walks in, I want them to find something that they love.”

Brown gives back to the community as part of her business, starting Freebie Fridays, where she takes the extras she didn’t sell over the week, and drops them off at local fire or ambulance stations.

She loves that the bakery reminds people of a Hallmark movie. She said Christmas is her favorite time to decorate the bakery to make it look and feel like “a little Hallmark place.”

“It’s all decorated and a lot of people say it just looks like a little bakery out of a Hallmark movie, so that’s kind of what the feel is like,” Brown said.

MICHIGAN’S BEST | 6.25.23 | 3

Michigan’s Best Local Eats:

Presidential Brewing

w

include ‘Dill Clinton,’ Oatbama’ PORTAGE, MI

hen husband and wife Jake and Kayleigh Lohse opened Presidential Brewing Company, they wanted to create a place with great food and beer that provided entertainment for everyone.

The brewery, 8302 E. Portage Road in south Portage, has become a place where everyone could come, and where parents can bring their kids.

There’s karaoke on Wednesdays, trivia on Thursdays, yoga on Saturday mornings and live music outside on Fridays and Saturdays.

A decade before Presidential moved in, the building had laser tag, an arcade and 18 holes of mini golf. They ended up keeping nine holes after friends talked about the nostalgia of the building, Kayleigh Lohse said.

It was a popular decision, with people bundling up to play in the middle of winter and mini golf leagues going through the summer.

MARIE WEIDMAYER | mweidmay@mlive.com

Presidential Brewing has 12 beers on tap inside and an additional 10 in the summer when the outside bar is open. Everything from burgers to pizza to macaroni and cheese fill the food menu.

They describe it as elevated pub food, Kayleigh Lohse said.

“People don’t come here looking for steak and seafood,” she said. “We want to be true to who we are. We’re comfort food, family friendly, easy, approachable.”

Loaded tot skillets are a popular appetizer.

Deep fried tater tots are topped with cheese curds and then customized with additional toppings. Jake’s favorite is the Buffalo Tot, with chicken, green onion, Buffalo sauce and bleu cheese.

The dill pickle pizza is Kayleigh’s favorite.

The beer-infused pizza crust is topped with pickles, bacon and cheese. Other pizza choices include a traditional pepperoni and a barbecue pizza with chicken or pork.

The Blackberry Bam-a-Lam Burger topped with bacon, blackberry jam, goat cheese and caramelized onions is a must-try, Jake Lohse said.

In the mood for chicken? Presidential offers three – fried or grilled – chicken sandwiches.

One option includes house-made honey butter, bleu cheese and Buffalo sauce.

Burgers and sandwiches are served with house-made chips.

Most of the menu can be made gluten free, vegetarian, vegan or dairy free. They wanted to offer people with dietary restrictions more than the few sad options found at other restaurants.

The idea of opening a brewery came to the couple after an attempt to try new beers every Friday with friends turned into Jake Lohse brewing his first beer – Oatbama.

“Your first beer should never taste good.

This one tasted great,” Jake Lohse said. “We thought this beer deserved to be made again.”

Barack Obama was president at the time, so they named the oatmeal stout Oatbama and enjoyed the joke. They kept brewing more beers and coming up with more presidential puns.

The beer-tasting Fridays evolved into a monthly event with friends, family, coworkers and people from their church.

Eventually, it involved into a business model.

The Lohses took a leap of faith – or made a stupid decision, Kayleigh joked – and opened Presidential Brewing Company in late March 2019.

INFO This article has been edited for space, find the full article and links on mlive.com/ michigansbest

Continued online at mlive.com/michigansbest

showing off michigan’s best features

Telling Michigan’s Best Stories Join us as we explore Michigan to find the best our state has to offer.

Follow along as we travel to find and tell stories about Michigan’s best adventures, foods, events, nature, innovations, businesses, and communities.

Your source for feel-good, positive Michigan news.

Find us on MLive.com/MichigansBest and our social channels.

you don’t want to miss this MLiveMIBest | #ITriedMIBest | MLive.com/MichigansBest

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

10527234-02

MICHIGAN’S BEST | 6.25.23 | 4

TUB-TO-SHOWER CONVERSIONS

TUB LINERS

TUB & SHOWER REPLACEMENTS

THE PERFECT FIT. With hundreds of custom designs for showers or tubs, a one-day install† and a lifetime warranty‡ ... it’s no wonder 2 million happy customers have trusted Bath Fitter with their bath remodels.

Contact us today to book your FREE consultation!

24

SPECIAL OFFER

MONTHS

0% INTEREST *

OUR BENEFITS

One-Day Install†

Easy to Clean

Seamless Wall

Lifetime Warranty‡

1-833-822-4200 bath-fitter.com/local24 †

Tub-to-shower conversions and fiberglass replacements typically require a two-day installation. ‡Lifetime warranty valid for as long as you own your home. *Offer ends 7/31/23. All offers apply to a complete Bath Fitter system only, and must be presented and used at time of estimate. Minimum purchase required.

Terms of promotional financing are 24 months of no interest from the date of installation and minimum deposit. See representative for details. Qualified buyers only. May not be combined with other offers or applied to previous purchases. Valid only at select Bath Fitter locations. Offers and warranty subject to limitations. Fixtures and features may be different than pictured. Accessories pictured are not included. Plumbing work done by P.U.L.S.E. Plumbing.

MD MPL #17499, NJ MPL #10655, DE MPL #PL-0002303, MD MPL #82842, VA MPL #2710064024, IA MPL #18066, OH MPL #37445, WV MPL #PL07514, MI MPL #8111651. PA HIC #PA017017, NJ HIC #13VH03073000, WV HIC #WV053085, MD HIC #129346, VA HIC #2705155694, MD HIC #122356, VA HIC #2705096759, IA HIC #C112725, WV HIC #WV038808, MD HIC #129995, VA HIC #2705146537, DC HIC #420213000044. Each Franchise Independently Owned And Operated By Bath Saver, Inc, LLC, Iowa Bath Solutions, LLC, Ohio Bath Solutions, LLC, Mid Atlantic Bath Solutions, LLC. 10598265-05

MICHIGAN’S BEST | 6.25.23 | 5