#254: Cira's Restaurant

I grew up in the 90’s. That decade of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the Spice Girls, and Titanic.  Maybe then it’s apparent why I am afflicted, like so many others in my generation, with nostalgia for times I never experienced. The television show Mad Men is perhaps the biggest and best example of this phenomenon. Without ever having experienced the 1950’s and 60’s, we are enthralled, and alternately horrified, by the fashions, the music, the attitudes, and by Don Draper himself.

I felt something similar when I walked into Cira’s Restaurant right here in South Bend. For 58 years, the restaurant has served breakfast and lunch from its cozy location on Miami Street.  The décor appears to have never been changed. There are mint-green booths along the side and orange stools facing a counter you can imagine has served many a South Bend resident. The waitress welcomed us cheerfully and continued to serve us, cheerfully, even as we proceeded to request breakfast items after the breakfast window had closed. The ambiance is homey and distinctly old-fashioned, if what we mean by that is simply that it was created in an older time. The menu features an extensive list of diner fare and there are always several specials of the day. And as it typically goes in South Bend, you can get the food for very cheap.

Yet there’s an important distinction to make. Unlike Mad Men or other forms of nostalgia, Cira’s isn’t merely a relic. It’s a functioning restaurant that has survived to bring us not only a retro charm, but eggs and toast, hot, on a Saturday morning.

Location:

2007 Miami Street

Contact:

574-288-1077

Tip: It’s cash only. 

#253: City-Wide Liquors

You must think I'm scraping the bottle of the barrel if I'm highlighting a liquor store as one the top "things to do in South Bend." 

Au contraire, mon amie -- City-Wide is more than a liquor store: it's a destination.  They have arguably* the best selection of beer and wine in town, and unless you know what you want ahead of time, plan to spend 10, 15, 30 minutes browsing their selection.  Peruse the extraordinarily expensive beer in their beer cellar. (Dear, how about we try the 2008 Behemoth Blonde Barleywine tonight? Only $39!**)  On Thursday nights at their downtown location, they offer tastings -- last week it was of specialty spirits and cocktails, but primarily beer and wine distributors offer samples.  From my description, this place might scream pretentious snob to you, but happily, the atmosphere is truly the polar opposite -- the staff is always at hand, willing to help and offer a pointer or two.  Plus there's always a sale on cases of  popular brands.

So for a complete Mardi Gras, after you pick up paczkis at Dainty Maid or king cake at Chicory Cafe, walk just down the block to City-Wide, where you can find Abita, Lousiana's finest brew, in stock and waiting for you to try out!

Where: There are four locations city-wide, but head downtown (109 E. Jefferson) for their tastings.
When: Monday-Thursday, 9 AM - 10 PM; Friday-Saturday, 9AM - 11 AM
Website: http://citywideliquors.com/home/
Tip: Are you interested in specialty/limited release microbrews?  Get on their newsletter to hear when the stock will be arriving -- often, there is a purchasing list for the in-demand stock!

*The side story behind this claim: There is a wine, whose imports are limited to one distributer in North Carolina, a wine which I had only seen in Italy and on the menu of a single restaurant in Richmond, VA.  A wine so special that my 90-year-old grandmother smuggled out a bottle from this restaurant to send me one of their bottles for my birthday.  Yet there it was, at City-Wide, sitting amongst the Chardonnays and the Pinot Grigios.  That sealed my allegiance to them.
**Totally fictional price estimate and choice of beer.  We can begin a discussion about the journalistic responsibilities of bloggers, but please consider this creative license.

#252: Cooking Class with Chef Laurent

Thanks to 'Chef' C. for contributing this culinary-minded post!

Still looking for something special for your Valentine? Here’s your chance to save your Valentine’s heart – and your chivalrous character– with a fun idea for a quaint night out on the town. You’ll get to learn how to make a few delicious dishes, and sample them in the meantime. What could be better?

There are a number of establishments in the South Bend area that offer cooking classes, but one particularly fun spot is Chef Laurent’s kitchen in the basement of Villa Macri near Heritage Square, just two blocks north of Target on Main Street.

With a heavy French accent and a flair for culinary deliciousness, Chef Laurent Robic keeps his audiences entertained throughout his 1.5 to 2 hour cooking lessons. Born in northwest France and a  student of the Cordon Bleu Cooking School in Paris, Chef Laurent came to South Bend after working in Chicago and Southwest Michigan. His specialties are seafood and desserts, but his upcoming menus feature everything from Chicken with Mango Sauce, to Quiche Lorraine or baked Italian frittata.

Can't take the heat? Get outta tha kitchen...and into his class.

Classes vary in price but generally cost around $50 per person. Keep in mind that this price includes the cost of instruction for three to four great dishes along with very generous samples of all the menu items. (The word generous is to be taken seriously - don’t eat dinner if you take an evening class). Another plus, of course, is that you don’t have to clean up or even do the dishes once class is over!

Students at the class are also invited to purchase a glass of wine (or two!) upstairs at Villa Macri prior to dinner – the bartenders can recommend a drink selection based on the evening’s menu. Glasses generally range in from $6-15.

When: Classes are normally held in the evenings (5:30-7:00) with a few on the weekend.  Check teh website for specific times.
Where: 225 Toscana Park, Granger
Website: http://cheflaurentinc.com/
Call: 574.993.2772 for reservations and gift certificates

Tip: Cooking classes are great for more than just dates. Next time you can’t figure out what to get mom, Uncle Fred, or Grandma Ginny for their birthday, consider an “experience” like a cooking class rather than a token gift. Chances are that your gift will either end up in next year’s white elephant exchange or the local goodwill box anyway!

#251: South Bend Studebreakers

Last year, we made a few (tongue-in-cheek) suggestions for blind/first date ideas.  One suggestion was a South Bend roller derby event, and we haven't elaborated on this great group since.  Since it's rolling round to Cupid's special day, appropriately, perhaps it is timely to highlight "Heartbreaks and Beatdowns," this Saturday's match-up between the South Bend Studebreakers and Naptown Roller Girls Third Alarm.

The movie "Whip It" might be have brought roller derby into semi-mainstream culture, but it's really something you must see (experience?) for yourself.  From Afro Disiac to Twiggy Tormentor, the skaters will impress with their skills, hilarious names, and of course, bad ass-ery.

The group also hosts fundraisers for the community with regular frequency.  They're not all about dealing and taking hits -- a motto of theirs is: Northern Indiana has a taken a beating and we want to give everyone something to be excited about!  (Aww.  But don't let their kind motives fool you into false expectations about their ferocity.)  If you're not a girl, or a skater, you can still get involved by attending events like these.


Although they were accepted into the Women's Flat Track Derby Association just six month ago (July '11), the South Bend Roller Girls have a huge following, and previous events have sold out.  You can buy tickets for tomorrow match-up online here, but online sales stop at noon, FYI. (Tickets available at USA Skate Center and Orbit Music as well.)

When: Saturday, Feb. 11, 8:30 PM (doors at 8:00 PM)
Where: USA Skate Center, 3909 N. Main St., Mishawaka
Cost: $10/advance, $12/door
Event Website: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/222314 or https://www.facebook.com/events/211652435594456/


Tip: Can't make it Saturday?  They host free public scrimmages the first Thursday of every month at USA Skate Center.

In Memoriam: Bonnie Doon Drive In

Yesterday, en route to Mishawaka, passing by the comfortably familiar sights of Club Landing and the Wooden Indian on Lincolnway, I noticed, to my deep disappointment, that a well-known landmark was not readily apparent: the italicized letters spelling out Bonnie Doon, usually glowing a soft neon blue and pink, were dark.  In a vague recollection, I remembered an article a couple weeks ago about it closing soon... but I foolishly thought we had at least until April, or May...at least one spring day left to enjoy a chocolate malt/IUSB sundae/mini-scoop sampler.    But the windows are papered; the parking lot, empty.

And so I call, just like I have done countless times before.  I have often called to find out when they close for the evening in the hope I can make it in time to that perfect place to end a day's adventures.  It's happened before that my luck ran thin, and I headed to the Dairy Queen instead.  But it wasn't the same.  It wasn't just the ice cream -- it was the red vinyl and jukebox, or the indestructible poured concrete tables and Harleys outside.  It's that intangible feeling one gets visiting somewhere unique, where the experience can't be found anywhere else. 

I guess it didn't use to be this way.  I have passed former Bonnie Doon drive in's, still standing like skeletal remains in the desert surrounding downtown South Bend and Mishawaka... yet I naively assumed that the location I grew so fond of over the past two years was safe, a timeless local institution, somewhere that had such essence of the community that it would remain forever.  I should have paid closer attention to the seemingly unavoidable consequences of bypassing old Lincoln [high]Way with US-31 and the Toll Road. 

Honestly and undeservedly, this post is more of an apology than elegy.  It wasn't the price, or the customer satisfaction.  There simply wasn't enough traffic, one might say.

#250: East Bank Emporium

Highlighting the celebration for First Friday in downtown South Bend is a monthly favorite.  It's truly an event not be missed, and there always seems to be one stand-out event (or a few) that distinguish one month's festivities from another. 

For February 2012, the theme is "Shiver on the River" and it features fireworks over the river at 8:30.  The Howard Park Ice Rink is open, and around downtown, there will be free hot chocolate around the area.  Lucky for us, unlike last year's blizzard, the weather forecast will be more forgiving for roaming around between spots.  Less fortunately, it also marks the second-to-last night of Winter Restaurant Week (bummer). 

With these factors in mind, I recommend making a stop at the East Bank Emporium.  This restaurant, right on the East Bank Trail, is on the other side of the river from downtown and might seem a little distant from the action.  Quite the opposite.
 
1) It's located between the downtown art galleries and stories and the Jefferson row shops, not to mention the nearby ice rink.
2) You will have the ideal vantage point for watching the fireworks. 
3) The Emporium is participating in restaurant week, so you can get a 4 course meal (app, salad/soup, entree, and dessert -- per person!) for $25.

[I took advantage of this deal last week --and I emphasize deal.  The crab cake appetizer was delicious, and the BBQ salmon portion generous.  I was too full for dessert, but our waitress kindly gave us each a slice of cake to-go instead of insisting we forgo what we couldn't eat.]

In addition to its food, its ambiance is worth the trip across the river.  The light woodwork and antique light fixtures give this place a nostalgic feel.  The tiered eating levels break up the large space, so it is a comfortable place for a couple or a party of 12 to go. 

It's hard to articulate how unique the interior is.  See it to believe it.

For First Fridays, it will be especially lively because of Chicago rocker Don Savoie, who will be playing will be live music from 5:30-8:30 PM.  At the end of his set, you will be in a perfect position to watch the fireworks go off over the river. 

Where: 121 S Niles Ave
Call (574) 234-9000 for reservations and hours.
Website: http://www.eastbankemporium.com/


Tip: Huge parking lot!  Don't worry about that. 
Tip 2 (for later): They have a spacious deck that is perfect for an outdoor drink or meal, right on the river!  I don't know of any restaurants closer to the river's edge than this one.

#249: Winter Restaurant Week in South Bend

I am a day late, but it's Restaurant Week in downtown South Bend!

If you like food, or hate to cook, this event is for you.  If T.G.I.Friday's commercials about its 3/2/$20 deal entice you, this is your event.

Thirteen restaurants -- with a wide range of ambiance, cuisine, sophistication -- give you a reason to try them out, whether for the first or fifteenth time.  They have set special menus to highlight their best dishes and to lure you (if you need luring) downtown to eat. 

Most of these multiple course meals cost $25/person for 3 courses, with several restaurants offering meals for $25/couple.  Some two-person lunches run for $15.  Restaurants are featuring New Belgium beers for $3, Finlandia mixed drinks for $5, and Guernoc Lake County wines for $6/glass ($25/bottle).

In less words: a wonderful blend of big city extravagent with small town prices. The website www.eatdrinkdtsb.com has all the information you need -- parking, menus, participating restaurants.

Those who lack the ability to indulge a litte are not forgotten.  Diners can opt to pay $5 for 'an extra helping,' not for themselves, but for the Northern Indiana Food Bank.  These donations contribute to its task to nourish more than 10,000 people in the community.

Don't forget to make reservations to guarantee a spot.  Restaurant Week runs until February 4.

#248: LaSalle Grill

Since I left South Bend, I’ve become an infrequent guest visitor to this blog and the city itself. I made it back for the recent holidays and re-visited many of my favorite South Bend spots along with a few new ones. One of those new ones happened to be one of the most renowned dining establishments in the city, the LaSalle Grill.

Since 1991, the restaurant has been a focal point of the city’s dining scene. AAA, the national travel organization, has awarded the restaurant 4 diamonds out of 5 for a dining experience described as:

“A distinctive fine-dining experience. Often an executive chef and accomplished staff. Menus reflect high degree of creativity and complexity using imaginative presentations to enhance market-fresh ingredients. Proficient service staff meets or exceeds guest expectations. Wine steward typically available. Ambiance is highly refined, comfortable and well-coordinated, incorporating quality materials and upscale design enhancements for a first-class impression. Typically expensive.”

Our visit only confirmed all of the above. We ordered a first course of the house salad and bison soup followed by entrees, Amish chicken with potatoes and asparagus and a New York strip steak, respectively, and dessert, a chocolate cake with peppermint ice cream, all accompanied by wine selections recommended by the wait staff. The food is simply classic, and the atmosphere is warm and friendly. If you’re looking for drinks after dinner, visit Club LaSalle (on the third floor of the building) which we’ve featured previously. If you’re a South Bend resident or just passing through, this is a restaurant you don’t want to miss. For me, it was a wonderful welcome home.

For more information and a menu, visit their website here.

Location:

115 West Colfax Avenue

Tip #1: Their stated attire is “Coats and ties for gentleman preferred but not required”. Go fancy or go home.

Tip #2: The owner, Mark McDonnell, is a huge supporter of the South Bend food scene, and, in particular, the upcoming Winter Restaurant Week from January 23-February 4. This might be the perfect time to visit!

#247: MLK National Day of Service

"Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Although it feels so nice to laze around on a day off, consider the reason why you have the day off.  I encourage you to participate, in whatever you can, in a national act of giving -- you will feel great.  Tomorrow is the only federal holiday designated as  a day of service, a fitting tribute to our nation's great civil rights activist.

Although mlkday.gov lists only one serve event for the South Bend area, there are multiple MLK-related activities around town -- South Bend Tribune has compiled a thorough list, and we highlighted the annual concert for Post #107 -- but any act of kindness honors his legacy of non-violent activism.  "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," Dr. King wrote in his "Letter from Birmingham Jail."  Even if you donate some canned food (Ivy Tech is holding a drive) or that extra pair of gloves you have, you will be doing something for justice.

If you have to work tomorrow,  you could take a lunch break for a long-standing South Bend tradition: the annual MLK march.  Join city leaders in government and in religious groups at 12 Noon for a non-denominational prayer service outside the County-City Building, the seat of the government for South Bend and St. Joseph County.  Afterward, march with great fanfare to the Century Center, where various events are happening all day long. 

For those who work at Notre Dame, there is another non-denominational prayer service happening right on campus.  University president Fr. John Jenkins will lead the service, which starts at 11:30 AM in the Main Building.

"More and more I feel that the people of ill will have used time much more effectively than have the people of good will," Dr. King also wrote in his famous letter.  If we were lucky enough to have him still with us today, let us hope that he would think differently.

#246: Cocoa and Candlelight Ski

Think you have to drive miles away from South Bend to ski?  You need to drive (approximately) five miles away from the heart of downtown to reach St. Patrick's Park, where there are groomed cross-country trails.

Last year, we highlighted their tubing hill (which isn't open yet this season!), but for this post, I'm going to highlight an event that occurs only a few times each season.  Tonight, thanks to a well-timed snowstorm, "Cocoa and Candlelight Ski" will be taking place.

Full disclosure: I am vouching for this activity without ever having participated -- never skied before in my life! -- but I do love the way snow reflects light, brightening the night.  The routes at St. Pat's will be lined with luminaries to guide your way to Marion Cabin, where a fire and hot cocoa will be ready.  Dress in warm layers, but once moving, you'll heat up fast -- cross-country skiing is a top calorie-burner.

The park is normally closed after sunset, so this is rare opportunity to see it by night.  I am sure it will a unique, gorgeous, and romantic (if you're not a huge klutz on skies) way to spend your evening.

If tonight's cold warning makes you leery of heading outdoors, you have two more chances.   The event will repeat on Jan. 27 and Feb. 10.

Where: St. Patrick's Park on Laurel Road, north of Auten Rd.
When: 6:00 - 9:00 PM, Friday
Cost: $5 for the event; $10 for a skis, boots, and poles
Website: http://www.sjcparks.org/leisure.html
Phone: 574.277.4828