Wednesday, October 20,2010

Tea(house) for two

A well-traveled couple brews up new ideas at Wanderer’s Cafe

by Joe Torok

You won’t need to strap on hiking boots and climb a couple miles up a mountain or slash your way through rainforest to find the Wanderer’s Teahouse and Cafe in East Lansing.

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Friday, October 15,2010

Wanderer's gets ready to 'tea' off

New East Lansing teahouse opens Friday

by Joe Torok

(Wednesday, Oct. 13) You won’t need to strap on hiking boots and climb a couple miles up a mountain or slash your way through rainforest to find the Wanderer's Teahouse and Café in East Lansing. No, in our urban home, where the most elusive treasure is an open parking spot, the wonders of the human world surround us, thanks in large part to a university with international attraction.

The secret is out

The secret is out MSU’s Visiting Chef Series is informative and utterly delicious

by Joe Torok

Approximately 100 foodies gathered last Wednesday and Thursday in a soft-lit conference room lined with cloth-covered dinner tables each equipped with four wine glasses (you see where this is going?), four forks, a couple of knives and a spoon for each participant.

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Wednesday, September 22,2010

Caravan to Pakistan

Caravan to Pakistan Karahi King Grill: A destination to savor

by Joe Torok

Lansing isn’t Singapore or Istanbul, but it’s no culinary backwater, either. Snap a giant needle onto the Capitol dome, spin it like a compass and you’ll find stuffed Greek gyros to the west, spicy jerk chicken from Jamaica downtown, Vietnamese Pho...

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Wednesday, September 15,2010

Eight beers, and don't say 'nein'

Old Chicago's Oktoberfest tour taps the real deal

by Joe Torok

With Christmas comes a mad license to max out your credit card. The Fourth of July sanctions loud explosions in your front yard. On Halloween, you can wield a bloody axe without raising an eyebrow. But when is it acceptable to let your red-nosed, beer-swilling inner Bavarian homunculus loose?

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Wednesday, September 8,2010

Jose's: Muy bueno

A deli brings the tastes of Cuba to Lansing

by Joe Torok

Lansing has a handful of fantastic, inconspicuous eateries, and Jose’s Cuban Sandwich & Deli is on that list. Housed in a gas station at the corner of Kalamazoo Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, Jose’s has been serving up sandwiches since February. Owner Jose Antonio V...

Jose's: Muy bueno

A deli brings the tastes of Cuba to Lansing

by Joe Torok

Lansing has a handful of fantastic, inconspicuous eateries, and Jose’s Cuban Sandwich & Deli is on that list.Housed in a gas station at the corner of Kalamazoo Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, Jose’s has been serving up sandwiches since February. Owner Jose Antonio Vivanco, who was born in Lima, Peru, has been in the restaurant business for 20 years.

Karahi grills up Eastern favorites

by Joe Torok

Karahi King Grill opened during the summer in the Trowbridge Plaza in East Lansing, around the corner from Woody’s Oasis, next door to Korea House.

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Wednesday, August 18,2010

Fit to be Thai-ed

Despite location change, Thailand maintains its authentic flavors

by Joe Torok

While spicy food is a characteristic of many Thai dishes, Hicks says customers can control heat in most dishes. Authentic recipes are a source of pride for Thailand. Consistency can be expected, too, as the place runs five days a week with exactly one cook: Ann Vimolsathit.

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Wednesday, August 11,2010

Island girl

A Hawaiian native cooks up delicacies at Pii Lani’s Buffet

by Joe Torok

Born and raised in Hawaii, Piilani moved to the Lansing area over 30 years ago and began an ongoing catering business. Her new venture features a daily lunch buffet and, if all goes according to plan, may soon feature a nightly dinner buffet ($8.99)..

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