Tag Archives: FireRock Grille

Santa appearances in Grand Rapids area

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Recreation, ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Santa is making his rounds in Grand Rapids and West Michigan with a number of appearances for this holiday season.

He will be at this year’s Santa Parade which is set for 10 a.m. Saturday along Division Avenue. Santa also has regular scheduled visits at Woodland Mall.

Santa riding into town at the 2019 Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce Santa Parade. (WKTV)

Here are a few more places Santa plans to be this weekend:

BattleGR is putting on its “Cookies with Clause” Sunday, Dec. 12, from noon to 1 p.m and 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. This event includes one game of laser tag, a picture with Santa, cookie decorating, and crafts. Visit BattleGR’s website to sign up.

Reds at Thousand Oaks, FireRock Grille, and RedRock Grill will be hosting brunches with Santa. At each of the locations, there will be a family-friendly brunch with Kris Kringle himself. Enjoy a buffet, cookie decorating, and a hot chocolate bar. And of course, Santa will be available for photos. Reds at Thousand Oaks, 4100 Thousand Oaks Dr. NE, hosts its Santa Brunch Sunday, Dec. 12. FireRock Grille, 7177 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, and RedRock Grille, 4600 Macatawa Legends Blvd., will have Santa Brunches on Dec. 19.

The Coopersville & Marne Railway’s Santa Train will be taking to the rails again this month. This family-friendly event has become an annual tradition for many in West Michigan, and includes a 90-minute trip on the vintage train from Coopersville to Marne and back. During the trip, a storytelling Princess will read the “Polar Express” and kids will be able to look for special Christmas symbols located along the route. Each child also will have an opportunity to talk directly to Santa Claus using a special direct video connection. Each child also will receive a toy. For dates and times visit the Coopersville & Marne Railway website.

If you are heading north this weekend, Ludington Bay Brewing Company will be hosting a Santa visit from Sunday, Dec. 12. Santa will be stoping by between 1 and 4 p.m. to say hello to families.




Restaurant Week finalizes lists, adds lunch option

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, , , , ,

Last year, Ganders Grand Rapids offered Michigan-themed courses for Restaurant Week GR.

Nearly 70 restaurants will participate in Restaurant Week Grand Rapids, which is set to take place Aug. 9 – 20, with more than 10 new restaurants such as Indian Masala Restaurant on 28th Street, participating this year.

 

The annual event includes the popular Ganders Grand Rapids located in the Double Tree by Hilton, 4747 28th St. SE. and several restaurants close to the Wyoming/Kentwood area such as Indian Masala, 5769 28th St. SE; Aryana Restaurant, 5700 28th Street; and FireRock Grille, 7177 Kalamazoo Ave. SE.

 

New to the event this year are more than 25 participating locations that will be offering a lunch option. Lunch will include two courses for $14.

 

“By adding lunch, we are inviting more individuals to dine out and ‘Taste the City’ during Restaurant Week,” said Experience Grand Rapids Marketing Director Kate Herron. “Going into our eighth year, we are excited to add something new to entice more people to check out our participating restaurants.”

 

During RWGR, most of the participating restaurants will continue to offer dinner options with either a three-course menu for $28 per person or a menu for two people who can dine for $28.

 

RWGR not only promotes the Greater Grand Rapids culinary scene, but also helps selected students from The Secchia Institute for Culinary Education with educational support.  Since 2010, Restaurant Week participating restaurants and sponsors have contributed more than $110,000 to the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education’s Student Scholarship fund at GRCC. Participating restaurants donate $1 for every Restaurant Week meal sold to the scholarship fund, which then provides grants to selected students within the Institute’s culinary program.

 

For more about Restaurant Week Grand Rapids, click here.

Checking out the local restaurants in this year’s RestaurantWeekGR

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Food, , , ,

Ganders Grand Rapids will be offering Michigan-themed courses for this year's Restaurant Week GR.
Ganders Grand Rapids will be offering Michigan-themed courses for this year’s Restaurant Week GR.

Designed to encourage residents to “Taste the City,” the seventh annual Restaurant Week GR kicks off today.

 

The 10-day event highlights participating restaurants that offer a special $28 three-course meal — either for one person or two — through Aug. 21. All menus are designed to showcase the creativity of local chefs who are asked to prepare dishes that are both unique and use local seasonal ingredients.

 

More than 60 area restaurants are participating with most of the restaurants being downtown. I did take a few minutes to glance through the list. There are two restaurants in the Kentwood area ] participating in this year’s event, FireRock Grille, 7177 Kalamazoo Ave. SE., and Ganders Grand Rapids, located in the DoubleTree by Hilton, 4747 28th St. SE.

 

Participating in this year's Restaurant Week GR is FireRock Grille.
Participating in this year’s Restaurant Week GR is FireRock Grille.

FireRock Grille offers traditional American food. Within its three-courses, the restaurant has a number of options featuring items from such Michigan companies as Grand Rapids’ Founders Brewing Company, Detroit’s Corridor Sausage Co., New Buffalo’s Green Spirit Farms and Scottville’s Myopia Mushrooms.

 

Ganders Grand Rapids is know for its Michigan-themed menu with its three-course offerings following that theme. There are Michigan Bacon Burger Sliders along with a salad featuring Michigan blueberries and among the desserts you could select the Beer Brownie Bells featuring Two Hearted Chocolate Caramel Brownie from Kalamazoo’s Bell’s Brewery paired with Ashby’s Sterling’s Michigan Pot Hole Ice Cream along with peanut brittle and cream.

 

Right on the border of Grand Rapids and Kentwood is Taqueria El Rincon Mexicano, 2055 28th St. SE which is featuring Mexican-themed three-course selections. Those selections includes Chicken Breast in Poblano Sauce, Lomo Saltado and vanilla and chocolate churros with mango ice cream. Also close by is Crowne Plaza’s Aryana Restaurant and Bar, 5700 28th St. SE, which offers American cuisine.

 

For something a little different try the Dominican cuisine of Mi Casa.
For something a little different try the Dominican cuisine of Mi Casa Restaurante.

There are no restaurants in Wyoming participating in this year’s Restaurant Week GR, however I did find the nearby Mi Casa Restaurante, 334 Burton St. SW. This is a Dominican-themed restaurant and so its three-course selections are just that. Selections include the Dominican stew Sancochito, Cusco con Camarones, Shredded Beef with Twice Fried Green Plantain (Ropa Vieja con Tostones), Smashed Green Plantain with Pork Crackling and Fried Pork Rib Belly (Mofongo de Chicharron de Puerto) along with rice pudding, flan and sweet beans.

 

A couple of other Restaurant Week GR restaurants that are close to Wyoming and participating are FireRock’s sister restaurant Rush Creek Bistro, 624 Port Sheldon SW, Grandville, and Byron Center’s Railside Bar & Grille, 2500 76thSt. SW. Both offer American-style cuisine.

 

If you plan to participate in Restaurant Week GR, here are few suggestions:

1. Review the restaurants and menus at RestaurantWeekGR.com. Select about five or six you would like to visit.

 

2. Some places fill up quickly, so make reservations at the restaurants you are interested in.

 

3. Come about 5 – 10 minutes in advance of the reservation. If you did not make a reservation, plan to arrive 30 minutes to an hour earlier than when you plan to eat as there may be a wait.

 

4. Ask for the Restaurant Week Menu as well as the regular menu.

 

5. Enjoy

 

For complete menu details, directions and other restaurants, visit www.restaurantweekgr.com.