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The Good Life
George Aquino is a hotelier by day, and according to his wife, a blogger for his third shift job. Tag along with George as he scouts the world of food haunts and destination finds.
The Good Life: Could this restaurant be W. Michigan's best place for Italian food?
I don't take anointing a restaurant with "the best" title of anything lightheartedly. Sure, West Michigan is not Chicago when it comes to a myriad of good selections for authentic Italian food, but, we do have a few options. It took me several trips to the restaurant's website to finally convince myself that this place could be worth the twenty minute drive from downtown Grand Rapids. First of all, its location is not exactly a hot spot for good eateries in the area. In fact, N. Alpine is not even remotely close on my foodie radar screen.
Right across from the "landmark" Oasis hot tub resort on the barren stretch between Five Mile and Six Mile Road on Alpine Avenue, lies the restaurant that serves up the best Italian food in the area. Hands down. The place is Amore Trattoria Italiana. Forget the fact that my kids were appalled when we drove up to to this restaurant that looks like it had it share of former identities including a pub and a former Brann's Steakhouse. Amore, from an architecture and interior design standpoint is between a charming dive joint and nice family restaurant. The chef/owners have done everything they can within their budget to bring life into the place, from the colorful paintings for sale in the dining room to kitschy Italian memorabilia on the walls. The dark bar/lounge with mostly high tops occupy the southern half of the restaurant while the dining room with banquettes and four-top tables on the built-in dance floor reside on the northern half. But get past all the physical aspects of Amore and get down to the real reason for visiting - the FOOD!
We visited Amore twice in the last month to make sure that our first dining experience wasn't a mere fluke. In fact, this was just the beginning of our love affair with Amore's food. Both times, the food was simply the best tasting Italian food we'd experienced in the city (the former Tuscan Express on 28th St. and Cascade used to hold this distinction for me). From the mussels with a sauce worthy of bread double-dipping, to the decadent home-made pastas to the pizza crust that tastes exactly like it was right off the ovens in Rome to the friendly servers, and even more hospitable hosts, Chef Jenna and her husband, Maurizio Arcidiacono.
The Good Life: CityFlatsHotel, Grand Rapids
Check-In: CityFlatsHotel, Grand Rapids
The Scenario: My wife and I invited a Dutch friend(from Netherlands) who works in the Caribbean to the cozy CitySen Lounge at the hotel to start off our weekend this past Friday night. My good friend Jimmy happened to be dining with another friend, Chip, so we joined them. I contacted my friend Sin, who was dining in six.one.six at the JW, to join us. Sin brought two people with him. Another friend, Bonzi, happened to call Jimmy from The BOB, so he joined us with his girlfriend Shelly and their entourage of four friends. We were later joined by friends Nick and Ashley after they called Chip. Forget the fact that between our group, we had other friends sitting in the bar, in booths and friends who happened to just walk-by the lounge. What was meant to be a chill-night at a new establishment, turned out to be quite the get-together of friends and new acquaintances.
The Vibe: CFGR evokes a more personal charm than its sister property in Holland. The designer did a wonderful job of creating an inviting space out of a small footprint. CFGR reminds me a lot of the boutique hotels you may discover in Zurich, Amsterdam and Berlin. The lounge itself, with its illuminated bar, exposed brick walls, booth seatings and outdoor terrace, is stylized to reflect a hotel in a younger urban center. The staff in the lounge were friendly and accommodating and were gracious enough to offer our party a room tour. The rooms are smartly appointed with glass showers, flat screens, cork floors and bathroom fixtures worth photographing (as you can see below). CFGR is a very cool place and MHL highly recommends staying here.
The Good Life - Check in: JW Marriott Indianapolis
I've been living in Michigan for fifteen years and I have to admit that I have never been to Indianapolis. When the great city of Chicago is only two-and-a-half hours away, you can see why Indy is often overlooked as a destination for travelers like me. I've made many trips to other metropolitan midwestern cities, but not once did I even consider the five-hour drive to Indy.
It took a JW Marriott to open in downtown Indy for me to finally take that drive to Indiana's capital. I felt a rush of excitement upon seeing the city skyline from I-65, the main freeway that connects Indy to its northern neighbors. I took the Meridian Avenue exit and headed south past the rows of shops and restaurants that dot the epicenter of Indy's entertainment and shopping district. I took a little detour before making my way to the JW Marriott and drove past the Conseco Fieldhouse and the Lucas Oil Stadium to pay homage to the city's beloved teams, the Pacers and the Colts.
Indianapolis is smaller than I imagined it to be, given the magnitude of major sporting spectacles the city hosts. However, you'll find almost everything here that Chicago has. Let's go down my list of important factors: wonderful local restaurants (check), national restaurant chains (check), a vibrant arts and theater scene (check), a shopping district (check), major sporting venues (double check), a "walkable" city (check), and of course, beautiful hotels (check).
The Good Life: Asians Night Out - Grand Rapids Style
The forecast called for cloudy and 60% chance of rain last evening. Jim Tressel, the ousted Ohio State coach must have been the meteorologist because the weather couldn't have been farther from the truth. The temperature was in the 70's, sunny with a slight breeze. The JW Marriott's, ilovethejw.com, first Asians Night Out couldn't have been more perfect.
Guests drove from Chicago, Lansing and the lakeshore to join the Grand Rapids clan in celebrating Asian awareness in
West Michigan. As the DJ rocked the tunes, friends mingled in the new jdek cabanas warmed by the glowing firepits and bright moonlight above.
The Good Life: THE GREEN WELL REINVENTS GASTRO PUBS IN GRAND RAPIDS
The Green Well restaurant in the Cherry Hill district of Grand Rapids has been busy since its doors opened a few years ago. Whether it's happy hour on a Monday or dinner time on Saturday, this place is always a good bet if you want a livelier place to eat. I first visited the restaurant a few weeks after it opened in 2007. The chef recognized my party and he requested that we allow him to "just do his thing." One good dish after another came out of his tiny kitchen and from that moment on, I decided that The Green Well was going to be my "go-to" restaurant. The service is always friendly, the food is always delicious and its neighborhood ambiance is as comforting as a warm blanket on a cold Michigan winter's night.
I invited the JW's new executive chef, Justin Dalenberg, and his lovely Brazilian wife, Roberta, to The Green Well to help celebrate their arrival to West Michigan from Aspen. Our server suggested the Breads & Spreads ($6.99) as a starter to our dinner. We were all starving and this plate was a good starting off point for the rest of the meal.
I have a soft spot for soup, and despite the fact that asparagus wans't in season, I went ahead and ordered the Creamy Asparagus soup to warm me up during one of the coldest days of the year. Unfortunately, the soup was too salty and I had to have chef Justin reassure me that it wasn't just my taste buds that were being too sensitive. A former boss of mine always told me to taste the restaurant soup (and the sauces) every single day to make sure that it was made perfectly. The restaurant chef obviously didn't taste the soup that night. Things like this happen even to the best restaurants so I didn't make a deal out of it.
The Good Life: The JW Marriott in Grand Rapids
The JW Marriott Grand Rapids, ilovethejw.com, collected its 2010 Marriott International excellence in customer service award today at the Marriott Western Region's General Manager's conference in Chicago. Marriott's Guest Satisfaction Survey or GSS, measures the overall performance of each hotel in every area of operations from arrival & departure, check-in, food and beverage, amenities, room cleanliness and service execution. Only the top 2.5% of all full service JW Marriott, Renaissance and full service Marriott's make up this elite group of hotels in the United States and Canada. Five hotels out of the Western Region (From Hawaii to the Midwest and Canada) were given this honor.
The JW Marriott Grand Rapids finished number one among all the JW Marriott brands in the country; its second out of its short three-year history (the hotel finished 2nd in 2009).
A special recognition goes to Joel Berghorst, Assistant Rooms Manager, the hotel's designated GSS champion. His leadership has kept the hotel associates focused on the goal of being the best in the country. Most of all, this award is dedicated to every associate of the JW Marriott Grand Rapids for their commitment to being the best.
The Good Life: Korean Tacos Arrive in Chicago
Chicago Magazine rates Del Seoul delseoul.com as one of the 10 hottest restaurants in the city at the moment. Unlike the other 9 restaurants with higher end pricing, Del Seoul is street food pricing with a storefront. A year after Kogi BBQ food truck in Los Angeles took off, Chicago can now claim her version of the Korean taco - Korean BBQ served with cilantro, onions, chili sauce, secret slaw and grilled white corn tortillas.
Located in the epicenter of Lincoln Park's yuppie corner on Clark and Wrightwood, Del Seoul is destined to be a keeper of a restaurant with the young college graduates in the area. In addition to the tacos, del Seoul also offers Korean BBQ plates of kalbi, bulgogi and spicy bbq pork. Korean style "Bahn Mi" sandwiches are also on the docket along with specialties such as Bibimbop, Kimchi fries and Seoul style dumplings.
Starving from our drive from Grand Rapids to Michigan, my daughter Margaux and I devoured our own kalbi and bulgogi plates, shared two tacos and munched on the kimchi fries. The plates and tacos were right on while the kimchi fries could have used a little more kimchi. I regret not ordering the 100 year-old-recipe street dumplings which most of the tables ordered. Eight pieces of small pork dumplings are served on top of a steam plate with a sake-soy dipping sauce. It looked delicious.
The Good Life: PACHANGA LATINA LIGHTS UP GRAND RAPIDS
There are several things that make these Pachanga events at the JW so addicting. First, you can guarantee a great turnout with several hundred on hand last night inside the International Ballroom. Second, the music by Grupo Aye, arguably the best latin band in the midwest, is electrifying. On this evening, another local latin band, Akaray, opened for Grupo Aye to show support of latin music in the area. The JW also added DJ Angel Gee to the mix to help spice things up. Third, there is no question that people come here to dance. Dancing takes center stage and with the help of Salsalogy Dance Academy and their students, Pachanga Latina, like all other Pachanga's, was simply amazing.
Gabriella de la Vega of WYCE, was the evening's emcee. Cuban artist, Angel Lopez Manes, added another creative touch to the event by displaying three of his oil paintings inspired by his Cuban roots.
However, my favorite part of these Pachanga parties is how a diverse set of cultures - Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Mexican, Asian, European, American - all blend together for one night to celebrate music and dance. You can see it in everyone's facial expressions and joyous movements on the dance floor. If you find a common ground between cultures, the outcome is almost guaranteed to result into something truly amazing.
The Good Life: Tacombi - A "Beachside" Taco Joint in NYC
Whisked from the beaches of Playa del Carmen to Nolita in NYC, this "authentic" Mexican taco truck sure is making heads turn in this "gallery" space dedicated to "Peace, Love and Tacos." Strands of yellow lights are suspended over cheap metal tables and folding chairs like an outdoor fiesta. In fact, this restaurant inside what probably used to be an artist loft complete with concrete floors and high ceilings, reminded me so much of home in the Philippines. Like Mexico, makeshift vehicles are converted into exhibition kitchens near the beach towns and central plazas where the churches are located. Crowds would rush to the streets after church service to seek comfort in homemade empanadas and churros. In beach towns, locals share benches with tourists at sunset to drink cheap cervezas and roasted peanuts while listening to Marley and BeeGees in the same musical breadth.
Tacombi doesn't pretend to be some trendy hangout in Nolita. It's a fantastic concept in its simplicity. The food, ranging from tacos, pescado, breakfast tacos, puerco asado to tamales, is comforting to say the least. So is the price - $4 for food and $3 for drinks.
Tacombi is open from 8 am to 2 am. It's a great place for kids (kids portion tacos), for a midday pick-up or even a late night hangover cure with friends.
The Good Life: Dinner at Zazio's
Zazio's inside the Radisson hotel in Kalamazoo deserves a lot of kudos for spearheading the restaurant resurgence in this college town 45 minutes south of Grand Rapids. This Italian eatery offers an extensive Italian wine list, a burst of bright colors for its interiors, a quaint lounge, an open kitchen and a very impressive chef's kitchen featuring stadium seating overlooking the culinary studio setting.
My colleagues and I dined here last evening as a precursor to the annual Michigan Lodging Tourism Association's annual Pure Michigan Governor's conference hosted by the Radisson. Our experience did not disappoint; in fact, the food quality and the friendliness of the staff surpassed our expectations.
The highlight from our dinner were the Spinach Tagliatelle Pasta Ribbons with Bolognese Ragu, Parsley and Grana Padano, and both steak dishes, the Manzo Ribeye and the Fiorentina Porterhouse. The Tagliatelle was so simple yet absolutely delicious in its purity. The Manzo with balsamic grilled onions, gnocchi al gorgonzola, cremini, garlic and broccolini was a feast for the eyes as it was for the stomach. The 20-ounce Fiorentina is a meat-lovers dream with a truffle-pecorino infused arugula salad and roasted butterball potatoes.
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