#148: Generic

Matt Ferriter, the amicable owner of Generic, expressed his intention that his store would not be moving anytime soon.  Good thing, too, because this space really takes advantage of place and space downtown.

Not only would it be painstaking to recreate the decor -- there are hobby horses hanging from the ceiling, an Irish flag in gargantuan frame, and a motley assortment of knick-knacks scattered around the store -- it would take days to move out all merchandise that's crammed into the store.  The store is packed with used and new clothing, shoes, belts, scarves, suspenders, jackets, CDs, incense, jewelry, torn cloth to repurpose...all the necessary punk/grunge/goth gear at good prices.  (Even this prepster found a couple shirts to wear...for $5...total.  Ah, the sweet smell of thrifting.)  Spend an hour and won't have combed over everything this small store has to offer.  Don't forget to check the clothes rack suspended above your head in the dressing room (how convenient!).


While Generic's resourceful use of space is admirable, what really rocks is that somehow, someway, space is made in the back to turn this store into a evening music venue.  In this back room, bands can set up for 50-person show, giving local bands and touring underground artists a chance to display their talent.  Last night's 7pm show featured four bands (Listener, The Homeless Gospel Choir, Analecta, and The Rendition) for $5.  I can only vouch for Analecta's great post-rock sound (see here; haven't heard the others), but we are lucky to have a venue to discover and support these emerging bands.  I only wish there were more places like Generic downtown in order to create an area for like-minded community to congregate, but I'm grateful that Generic makes the most of where's it at...which is right in line with our efforts to foster an appreciation for where you are.


Where: 127 W. Washington St.
When: 10am - 6pm, unless a show keeps the store open late
Website: http://www.myspace.com/genericshop.
Check the store windows for their shows, as well as other concerts in the area.

#147: Toyo Grill

Tucked away in a strip mall that features two popular chain restaurants is Toyo Grill, a Japanese sushi spot that is definitely not a chain.  What chains do well (polished, standardized decor and service) may not necessarily Toyo's strengths, but this restaurant features some of the best sushi in the area without any of the pretension you may find elsewhere.

Taken from the web, but gives you a sense of the Toyo's presentation style!

I've sampled the sushi -- and it was good! -- but was happily surprised to see several Korean plates on the menu.  I took advantage of the opportunity to try something new and ordered Bi Bim Bap (a choice only partially based on wanting to say the name), a variety platter of veggies and rice with a fried egg on top.  It also came with the typical Korean relishes.  Different and delicious, and passed the taste test of my Korean friend.


Even if you're not a sushi fan, I recommend you check out Toyo Grill.  It's a casual and convenient, not to mention tasty, place to grab a bite after a Cinemark movie.


Where: 620 W Edison Rd # 106
When: Mon-Thur: 5-9; Friday: 5-9:30; Saturday: 4-9; Sunday: 4-9:30
Call: 574-254-9120

#146: Support The Great LOGAN Nose-On

If you've been out and around South Bend in the past two weeks, you have probably noticed three things: 1) the snow's almost gone, 2) some sort of street promo for the show by Walk the Moon/concert fest at Club 23, and 3) a plethora of yard signs with a single, mysterious green dot.

Even the King was sporting a green nose.

The first two are self-explanatory (spring is soon and there is a music scene in SB), but I wanted to learn the story behind these green signs.  I couldn't determine the commonality between where I would encounter these signs, from the grand homes on Jefferson to the bars on Michigan St, and I didn't hear anything about a green dot filing for the mayoral race.  With some minor sleuthing, I discovered these signs are part of the LOGAN Center's month-long fundraising and awareness campaign called The Great LOGAN Nose-on.  Twenty-two Marchs ago, LOGAN began selling green foam noses to promote its mission of "supporting people with disabilities in achieving their desired quality of life" and they became the light-hearted emblem for this campaign.


Indeed, their symbol can be found everywhere this month: on First Friday for March, there was a competition to "find the nose" in various stores; if you braved the wind chill for the St. Paddy's Parade, you may have spotted a float filled with people wearing these noses; and as mentioned, those ubiquitous signs.


So what's something to do to support their mission?  
Buy a green nose or other merchandise here.  The South Bend Chocolate Company even developed a signature Green Dot chocolate -- a green mint chocolate malt ball -- sold at all of their locations as well as at the LOGAN Center.  Request a Green Dot yard sign for your home or business.  Attend this Thursday's Nose-On Luncheon, featuring Jason McElwain, or bring your child to The LOGAN Center on March 23 for the Disability Awareness Fair.  
And make a mental note that people with disabilities are just as much a part of the community as these signs represent.


Where: 2505 E. Jefferson Blvd. (The LOGAN Center)

#145: St. Paddy's Day Tent Party & Pub Tour

I look forward to the first Friday of the month because it brings people together to downtown South Bend.  Sure, Notre Dame football games and shows at the Morris draw crowds, but I like it when hundreds of people come downtown for the sole purpose of hanging around downtown all night long, visiting the great bars, businesses and restaurants there.

Well, this month brings us the luck of the irish because the annual St. Paddy's Day Tent Party & Pub Tour makes downtown South Bend the place to be tonight for the second week in a row.  This event, now it's its year, is organized by the friendly folks at DTSB, who know what the crucial elements of a good St. Patrick's Day party are: green beer and loud rock music (and free public transit between bars).

Five dollars buys you the wristband that gives you entrance into the tent where Stillshot and Blessed Engine are playing, rides on the trolley trolling between bars, and admission into Club Fever for the after party and 12 other bars downtown.

Where: Every bar downtown, but the tent is 350 S. Michigan, near the Main library, naturally.
When: 5:00 - 11:00 tent (Blessed Engine, 5:30; Stillshot, 8:00); trolley runs from 5:30 - 12:30am; bars open til ?
Tip: Sorry kids, 21 & up only.  Though that doesn't stop you from getting some food at Fiddler's or CJ's....
Check out http://www.paddyparty.com/ for details.  The Michiana Entertainer also has a great pub tour guide that explains what each bar offers.

#144: Frankie's BBQ

As a practicing Catholic, I recognize that the first week of Lent can be a challenge for some.  After the high of Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and then the first of six meatless Fridays can make this season for reflection seem like a burden.  I recommend that between this sandwich of fasting days, have a sandwich.  A nice, juicy pulled pork, wow-I-have-never-seen-that-much-dead-animal-on-a-bun-before type of sandwich.  Go to Frankie's.

Rib tips dinner

This windowless concrete BBQ outpost is far from inviting.  The limited seating inside recalls interrogation scenes from bad TV crime dramas.  However, don't go to Frankie's for the ambiance, go for the food.

Their specialty is the beef rib tips, a culinary tradition influenced by Chicago barbeque style.  I'm normally a pulled-pork, Memphis or Kansas City type of girl, but I accepted the sample offered to me when I mentioned it was my first time trying out this place.  Whoa, whoa: I ain't in Kansas [City, MI] anymore, Toto.

Order at the counter; takes about 15 minutes to get your food.

The $9 rib tips dinner platter includes cole slaw, a heaping of thick-cut fries and a mountain of rib tips drenched in a tangy, not super-sweet, and definitely not a Carolina style sauce.  The white bread below acts as a sponge for this deliciously thick sauce.  The pulled pork sandwich was decent, but stick to the tips if you want to max out your meat-eating potential for the day.

Where: There are two locations; I tried the re-opened spot on 23 (1132 South Bend Ave) but the original location is at 1621 Circle Ave off W. Washington St.
When: Whenever you see smoke a'rollin out.  
Website: http://frankiesbbq.net/index.php
Tip: At the South Bend Ave. spot, enter in the door in the middle and before you turn left to go inside to order, check out the ketchup container sitting on the window for a bit of Frankie's background.

#143: Lunch and Learn Series

As we here at 365 South Bend discover almost daily, there are always new things to learn about the city. I'll give you an example. Thanks to a blog commenter, I just learned this past week that McCormick's used to serve original-recipe Coney Island hot dogs for 30 years. Hence their full name, McCormick's Coney Island. I could actually give you dozens more examples, but I would prefer you give me yours. If you have a fun fact or interesting story about South Bend, please share in the comments!

I bring this up as a preface to an opportunity to learn many more things about South Bend. The City sponsors a Lunch and Learn Series every Thursday for any and all interested residents. Each installment last approximately one hour and is held in the Humphrey's Room of the St. Joseph County Public Library- Main Building. Each Thursday features a different topic, and I'm highlighting the entire series today because of my particular inclination towards tomorrow's topic: Historic Neighborhoods- Hidden Gems. I'm occasionally geographically challenged so having a South Bend expert guide me through the distinctions between Chapin Park, West Washington, the North Shore Triangle, Sunnymede, River Bend, River Park, Riverside Drive, and more will not only be fun but incredibly useful. In all seriousness, I really do believe that consciously choosing to learn about where you live is a type of civic duty, and this series provides the perfect opportunity to do so.

When: Thursdays, 12:00pm-1:00pm
Where: Humphrey's Room, St. Joe Library
Important to Note: The event requires a quick email RSVP to Sue Solmos (suesolmos@southbendin.gov). Bring your own lunch, or make a note in your RSVP that you would like to order one of the available lunches for $8.50.

For more information about tomorrow's event and the entire series, visit the City's calendar here.

#142: Lincolnway Cafe

First things first, Happy Mardi Gras everyone! For those wishing to celebrate the day's festivities head down to the Dainty Maid Bake Shop for a paczki. The bakery apparently sold more than 12,000 of the Polish pastries during last year's Mardi Gras alone. Other festive possibilities include stopping in at South Bend's French-Quarter style coffee-house, the Chicory Cafe, or heading downtown for the Palais Royale's Mardi Gras celebration. Second, thanks for sticking with us through our "unofficial bars week" (and the weekend break from posting). We'll continue to feature some of our favorite spots for drinks throughout the year, but we would welcome your suggestions! And finally, today's post...

The Lincolnway Cafe located on (do I have to say it?) Lincolnway West (right beside Bonnie Doon) was the perfect spot for a Saturday brunch several weekends ago. I have a documented quest for new diners and after stopping in here, it's quickly become one of my favorites. The menu doesn't depart significantly from what we consider to be standard breakfast fare: eggs (in a variety of forms), toast, potatoes, etc. but then again, why should it? The staff was friendly and prompt enough that my coffee never even approached luke-warm, and the decor, while eclectic, was inviting. It's a pretty small dining room but the proximity of your fellow diners, most likely also lingering over piping-hot coffee, makes for a cozy and welcome start to the day.

Photographic evidence

Location: 2524 Lincolnway West

Contact Info: 574-256-7024

Tip: This is not so much a tip as an appreciation of the fact that they stock blackberry jam. Which is my favorite.

#141: Martha's Midway Tavern

Around this Mishawaka neighborhood, a handful of bars are hardly distinguishable from the houses on either side of them.  Each is a "if these walls could talk" type of establishment that has welcomed neighborhood regulars for decades.  Yet, none offer quite as much history and local culture as Martha's Midway Tavern, the jazz cornerstone of Michiana.

Midway opened its doors in 1924, and the rhythm hasn't slowed since.  Operating as "Midway Lunch" during prohibition, you could find your favorite alcoholic contraband there, including near-beer, moonshine, and other such bootlegged beverages.  Al Capone is said to have stopped by often while doing business in the Princess City, and would even bring roses for Martha, the original owner and namesake. Despite the 9 month period when they were closed by the police for getting caught selling alcohol (whoops), Midway thrived during the 1930s and even renovated the dance hall, which hasn't been altered since 1930.  

Their reputation as a hub of jazz and blues has equal longevity.  As a "midway" point in between Chicago and Detroit, the movement of (illegal alcohol and) touring jazz musicians brought some well known acts to Mishawaka.  I'll let you search through the old photographs hanging on the walls for the familiar and famous faces of previous jazz and blues performers at Midway.  (In the comments, tell us about who you've seen play at Midway Tavern over the years.)

But back to Martha, the 67-year matron, heart, and soul of the place.  She was inducted to the Bartenders' Hall of Fame in the late 1980s, winning her national attention and accolades.  While the bar still bears her name, Martha's no longer with us.  Fortunately for us, her daughter, Albertina Wassenhove, has taken over since her mother's death in 1990.  Martha was around well before my time, but if she had half of the wit and spunk of Albertina then she must have been quite the barkeep.

Location: 810 West 4th Street, Mishawaka

Hours: Mon-Sat, 5 pm to 3 am

Tip: Check their events calendar for the live musical acts.  Go for the music, and stay for the atmosphere....or the beer, whichever you enjoy more.

#140: Fiddler's Hearth Public House

Fiddler's Hearth is known around town for its traditional Irish food, live music, and cozy atmosphere (more on all of those later), but we're including it in our unofficial 'bars week'  due to its distinction as South Bend's only Public House. I am by no means a beer aficionado, but the draught selection at Fiddler's is extensive and well-curated.  On their website, they also feature their designation as a Guinness Gold Star location indicating the places which store and serve Guinness of the highest quality. It is no exaggeration to say that all of this makes Fiddler's one of the most popular places in South Bend to get a drink.

As alluded to above, Fiddler's has numerous qualities to recommend it above and beyond the impressive bar menu. The Irish fare offered at Fiddler's is authentic and one-of-a-kind. Some of my favorite dishes include the Shepherd's Pie, a Chicken Boxty, the fish and chips (served traditionally in newspaper), or any and all of the featured soups and stews.  Check out the menu here for more.

A final component of Fiddler's appeal is their regular rotation of live music, open-mic nights, and special events. For example, this upcoming First Friday they're hosting a pancake-flipping contest. The events calendar can be found here, and there are events featured almost every day of the week. Pick something that sounds interesting (one Old-Timey Music Session coming up!), and head over.  Food, drink, and a great atmosphere will be waiting.

Location: 127 Main Street
Hours: Mon-Tues, 11:00am-11:00pm; Wed-Sat, 11:00am-1:00am; Sun, 11:00am-9:00pm
Contact Info: 574-232-2853; info@fiddlershearth.com

Tip: In the style of a true public house, pick a comfortable spot and seat yourself!

#139: McCormick's

McCormick's is that crazy, rough-around-the-edges cousin in the restaurant/bar row in the 100 block of Michigan Street.  Its neighbors -- Noma, Sangria's, and Trio's -- maintain upscale, refined atmospheres suitable for taking parents or a business partner out for a drink.  While you might sip on a Zentini at Noma, next door at McCormick's, what seems like a castoff crew of reality show characters is knocking back $1 bottles of Rolling Rock. 

 Most leave with ringing ears and smelling strongly of smoke.  Yet its great location downtown, cheap drinks, and unpretentious attitude make it the place to stop in at the end of the night, the place to unwind after a long day at work, that place where you go when you just need a bar.  Stop in McCormick's, and you don't know who or what you'll find, but you'll definitely leave with something to talk about. 

Where: 125 N. Michigan
When to go: Almost any day of the week, late in the night, you'll find a crowd
Note: The full name of this bar is McCormick's Coney Island. I've never heard this place referred to by its full name.  Anybody know where NY reference comes from?