Finally checked this place out two weeks ago. LOVED the grilled baby octopus. Lots of ingredients but oh boy was it good. Also particularly liked the goat empanadas with feta and hummus, but there were no duds. Can't wait to go back.

Go to Big O's downtown instead of Bistro Bella Vita. Not nearly as swanky ambience wise but much better (and cheaper) food. Get a chicken pesto pizza and add green olives. Also, check out El Granjero for mexican on Bridge Street. Two Beards Deli for sandwiches downtown (used to be called Fourth Street Deli until their very recent move - may have to search for them under that name). Leo's would be my choice for expense dinner... had way too many bad experiences at 616 in the past. I would also recommend cabbing it (short drive) to Grove on Cherry Street - probably the best restaurant in town at the moment.

in the past five months i've eaten at schwa twice and el ideas once. if it comes down solely to food, i would take schwa no question. for experience, i also prefer schwa but i also love rap music and have become quite friendly with michael and some of the crew.

i did not love el ideas as much as others. i'm reluctant to comment on the food as i was somewhat under the weather, but even the overall "experience" seemed more like something my parents would love in an "underground BYOB" than i would (i'm also 26 and act younger, so that plays into things). schwa is much more entertaining, and if i had to quantify value - which is highly personal - i'd go with schwa.

but that's not to say you'll have a bad time at El Ideas. it is definitely a unique experience, but i wouldn't describe it as unforgettable (as i will with schwa).

You couldn't drag me to BBV or Green Well (have had too many terrible meals at both); I guess the third time is the charm for this group. Grove also recently started opening on Sundays. Instead of the regular menu, it's a three (all savory) course prix-fixe with lots of options for $28, wine with each course for an additional $12. Took my mother and grandmother yesterday for Mother's Day and had a great meal.

Also put me down as a fan of your new review style, especially if it means we get more of them!

I ate at El Ideas back in February and I'm amazed at how some of the dishes have evolved in that time (as well as stunned at some of the new creations). Foss has a very pleasing visual style on his plates, but I did feel sometimes that components were too spaced out at times to make for cohesive eating. Beyond that, I've been unable to comment further on my meal there as I went ill and my pallete and appetite were not up to snuff as a result (this was back when reservations were still a crapshoot and I didn't dare cancel).

I ate at the first three Next menus (and quite enjoyed all of them, particularly Childhood) but had little interest in El Bulli simply because they were clear that some of the dishes would "challenge," and I understand this is Adria's thing, but there's no way I'm dropping nearly four figures for a two top if everything isn't damned delicious. I'm very much looking forward to your take on the meal there. Did you feel sated afterwards? Many pictures I've seen left me with the impression that it's really not much food.

I was born and raised in GR and have been frequently harsh on the local dining scene. However, over the last six months two places have really captured my attention and left my outlook a little brighter.

Grove opened in the past year, it's run by the people who own Bistro Bella Vita and Green Well. Though I've never been a fan of the latter two restaurants, I think Grove is very exciting and sometimes the food is fantastic. There have been a few duds there certainly (the asian influenced dishes in particular - avoid the miso soup or the kimchi stew despite how good the descriptions sounds... very weird broth), but I've also had some of my best meals in GR there since the 1913 room closed.

Highlights I've had thus far:deep fried chicken liver mousse topped with pickled carrot and daikon; a deconstructed taco salad with perfecty cooked cow tounge; any seafood dish (they have a particular deft hand with trout), the ceviches. Last time I was there I had a buttermilk shortcake with pickled blackberries and honey-miso ice cream that may sneak into my top 5 desserts ever. The menu leans upscale but has quite reasonable price points for the quality of fare, and also has enough to appeal to less adventurous eaters. Service can be hit-or-miss, and I'm a little surprised that we've been there on 12-13 occasions and never been recognized by some of the servers we've had multiple times. Also, the wine list leaves much to be desired, but I was informed by a manager that one could bring their own bottle with no corkage fee.

Marco's Bistro has been around for a while but it was only in the past three months that I finally tried it, and I've been kicking myself for missing out on this place. A great, eclectic menu that is just perfectly executed. It's divided into small, medium, and large plates, with enough things to satisfy me (a foie gras appetizer with caramelized onions and pomegrante seed, halibut cheeks, willd boar pappardelle) and less adventurous dining companions (daily risotto specials that are fantastic, homemade pastas). The service is fantastic; the waiters remember our name every time since the first visit and maintain a professional decorum that matches the upscale nature of the food. However, this is not a snooty place - it's always packed with regulars, probably due to the generous diner rewards program that is offered at no fee. Also, if you like me are a sucker for salty/sweet desserts, you must try the dessert simply called "nuts". It's essentially a slice of pecan pie except made with the entire range of nuts you'd find in a can of Plantar's mixed nuts, bound in a bourbon-mollasses syrup and served with caramel and peanut butter ice cream. Tremendous. Also have a very good wine list.

Yes, I just saw that episode myself and jumped on the net to see if my eyes were deceiving me. It was a very strange segment; I missed the beginning where they may have explained what they were doing there in the first place. Especially awkward how Guy had some employee doing dishes he created a decade before the cook worked there.

Just read through this thread for the first time; there's plenty of opinions but I figured one more wouldn't hurt. I used to hate the show but have come to see it as the FN's best offering (whether that is a result of the show improving or the other shows significantly declining is another topic). Initially, the Fieri-shtick drove me up a wall, but I came to realize that I would adapt similar personality-driven defense mechanisms if my job forced me to interact with the continental range of characters Guy encounters who run these restaurants.

And perhaps I've become more attuned to the nuances of Guy than I should admit, but I think it's obvious when he doesn't enjoy something. This show presents actual restaurant cooking more in-depth than anything else on TV, and when some untrained cook starts making terrible mistakes I love watching Guy's oh-so-subtle (not being facetious) hints...."No salt on the roast huh... really?"..."Well Guy we don't like the salt to distract from the pile of dried rosemary I haphazadly plopped on top". And then when he eats something he doesn't like, he always says "that's interesting!" or repeats exactly what the owner said was going to be good about the dish. I really appreciate that he doesn't call anyone out, because I'm also the kind of person who in restaurants will always say something "tastes great!" even if I hate it.

In newer episodes, there's a marked trend away from the diners/dive and more towards restaurants proper. The places he went in his recent "Detroit" Michigan episode (Traffic Jam and Snug, Union Cafe and Woodshop) would be considered somewhat upscale by most of our state's proleteriat, and stand in marked contrast to the previous places he's visited here (Rosie's Diner, Blimpie Burger, Joe's Gizzard City). Visiting his own restaurant on last night's episode fits this trend. This actually is fine with me, but my dream food TV show would be a diners, drive-ins and drives type show about Michelin star restaurants so I don't know how I compare to the rest of Guy's audience.

He's also significantly cut back on things like the sandwich hunch, and does it seem to anyone else that he may be cutting back on how much he eats in general on the show? I see a lot more small nibbles these days than sandwiches entering gaping mandibles. Typically these days, when I find myself getting annoyed with Mr. Fieri I hit the info button on my remote and it turns out it's one of the earlier episodes. Perhaps he saw this chowhound thread and decided to tone it back somewhat.

haha, funnily enough they picked up right after i posted this.

it's back to the 'full mailbox' message now (i've been calling literally every day, throughout the day, for 2.5 months now and haven't had them pick up once).

ate at schwa last night - the meal was incredible, quite possibly one of the best i've ever eaten. every dish was excellent; gorgeously plated and DELICIOUS... flavors really developed over time with the dishes and i found myself loving the last bites of each dish more than the first ones. our menu (prob out of order):

-red hook 'manhattan' amuse
-crab salad with avocado, guava puree, pink peppercorns
-potato soup with garnishes of fried potato skin, scallion oil, bacon, cold melted cheddar. this was meant to mimic a wendy's baked potato bar; the cold melted cheddar was particularly amazing.
-quail egg raviolio
-fruit loops course. i don't even know how to describe this. it tasted like fruit loops, yet was somehow savory. part of it involved cured salmon roe in a passion fruit gelee. there was a piece of papaya on the plate that had been pickled with jalapenos and tasted amazing, and i loathe papaya.
-salmon in pink lemonade with black truffles and grapefruit. they told us the lemonade was made with sumac in the traditional native american way.
-rabbit with strawberries and bruleed bread pudding. when this was served they poured hot water over mint leaves scattered around the bottom of a second bowl.
-a piece of seared foie gras topped with a cocoa nib and brioche brittle, accompanied by a curried mango puree and pickled clementine rind. this was the greatest bite i've ever tasted; i got goosebumps just typing the description
-what i would call a gougere made with a pretzel-y tasting dough and stuffed with chimay cheese.
-lamb leg and tenderloin with pickled blueberries, blueberry sauce, and cashew puree. absolutely sensational.
-tumeric ice cream on top of date puree with mustard caramel. incredible. when i went to the bathroom after this course they were plating more of these and popped another one in my mouth
-the dessert was a deconstruction of Dr. Pepper flavors, served with a can of the soda to drink.

overall i was most impressed with how much sweet components they used in each course while still having great balance. the pickled fruits were also brilliantly done. despite the loud music, the dining room is so small that i found it to actually be on the quiet side compared to many places; i never had to ask my dining companion to speak up once. i will certainly be back - the meal easily trumped one i had at Alinea three months ago.

I checked out Tacos El Corporal several times on your rec and will second that it is awesome.

somehow i managed to get through on my very first time calling, last week wednesday around 5:00 central time. we got disconnected halfway through the process, my heart dropped, but then i called back a few times and they picked up and got me in for two weeks later. they seemed to have lots of options open still for times in december, which i found surprising.

regardless, i'm really looking forward to it. especially BYOB, as being a broke 25 year old, fine dining excursions can really break the bank when wine pairings are considered. i've got an extra seat on my reservation if any chi-town area hounds are particularly itching to go.

El Granjero on Bridge Street, corner of Lane is the best in GR. There's a few new tacquerias popping up around the Burton/Division/28th street corridor that I haven't tried, but for authentic mexican Granjero is top-notch. Been going there for eight years and they are amazingly consistent. Maggie's is a couple blocks away from it, but not nearly as good (in my opinion).

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Bridge Street Cafe
103 E High St, Belding, MI 48809

i've already been all over this thread but it seems we may be in order for an updated list of GR dining so i'll add my 2 cents (on top of the 6 added previously).
-Reds on the River has very good food, is close to GR (~20 min or less from downtown), and often overlooked. i've only had one meal there that i regretted. awesome views if you can sit outside on a nice day.
-six.one.six gets a lot of love on these boards but I absolutely abhor it. I've eaten there five times, and gotten their pairing menu at GR Wine Festival twice and not once had a decent meal. i find the menu to be ridiculously global, like we're talking Epcot-level (and they have a sushi bar?) and they go overboard with sweet components in savory dishes. I wrote very specific yelp review once critiquing this place so I'll resist the urge to get back into it indepth, but suffice to say, I hold a grudge haha.
-Bloom is closed
-Real Food is a decent breakfast spot if you are nearby, I feel it is a tad overhyped and it's easy to wait well over an hour for a table at prime times. I prefer breakfast at Cherie Inn, which also has a lovely ambience.
-Marie Catrib's to me has a very spotty menu, some things on it are decent, others can be incredibly bland. Usually very full, and I feel way overhyped.
-Nantucket bakery is great
-Bistro Bella Vita is very safe food, it has broad appeal but not much depth. I find it bland and tend to avoid it except for drinks.
-El Burrito Loco is certainly not authentic mexican food; it's tex-mex but not even good for that genre.
-i've only been to Cygnus for brunch (which is pretty awesome if they still offer all-you-can drink champagne, though I think they shut it down in the summer months).
-A place not frequently mentioned that has a great prime rib and an awesome looking dining room is Great Lakes Shipping on the corner of Breton and Burton. I only vouch for the prime rib though. Drinks are great.

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Cherie Inn
969 Cherry St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506

Burrito Loco
351 E Cass St, Joliet, IL 60432

Nice looking place, I haven't eaten there since it became Bar Divani but I have been in there for a glass of wine at a couple birthday gatherings. Haven't been there in over a year so I can't get too specific, but it's probably the more "upscale" bar on the street it's on (Ionia, actually right between Gardellas and Hopcat). Worth checking out.

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Bar Divani
15 Ionia Ave SW Ste 130, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Hopcat
25 Ionia Ave SW Ste 100, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

My favorite bars are Hopcat and Gardellas on Ionia downtown. Viceroy is a pretty new place worth checking out if you're a cocktail person (check the website first for the password).

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Hopcat
25 Ionia Ave SW Ste 100, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Tacos El Granjero on Bridge Street has wonderful Mexican food. Ostas in East Grand Rapids has terrific mediterranean food, but it is quite pricey.

I've had some pretty good meals at the Winchester on Wealthy. Brewery Vivant and Green Well on Cherry Street make good, not great food, though they get a lot of hype and can be pretty packed. The Electric Cheetah is similar, but expect a long wait there no matter what time you go, and pretty poor service for the small size of the space. Republic on Division can be hit-or-miss but I've had a couple good meals there. Leo's is the go-to place for seafood and well-prepared meat entrees. San Chez is a pretty good tapas bistro but it seems like they're always out of whatever I decide to order. A personal favorite of mine for simple italian food in a bistro-like setting is Big O's on Ionia Ave. in downtown (try the chicken pesto sub or pizza and add green olives).

I like the atmosphere and most of the food at Graydon's Crossing on Plainfield. 1913 Room would be a go-to, but it has recently closed :(. I seriously recommend avoiding the Gilmore Collection restaurants (Roses, Bluewater Grill, anything in the BOB, Mangiamos, etc.). They may be "independent" and have wonderful locations/buildings but the food is very bad and definitely on the decline.

Grand Rapids restaurants seemed to be hitting a renaissance/renewal period 5-6 years ago that abruptly stopped several years ago as restaurants now seem to be content to operate a "gastropub" concept, throw up lots of microbrew drafts, and call it good. Some of the places I've listed haven't made major changes to their menu since they opened (the ones that have have been for the worse - Logan's Alley and J.D. Reardon's downgrading adventurous menus to simple bar fare), so though I'm sick of them, a newbie might find them more to their liking. Hope this helps, if I think of anything else I'll update.

Be wary of yelp reviews of GR places - I'm shocked at how many places I simply wouldn't eat at ever can maintain consistent four or five star rankings.

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Cherry Street
57 S Cherry St, Galesburg, IL 61401

Bluewater Cafe
323 W Main St, Ionia, MI 48846

Mangiamo
1033 Lake Drive S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49506

Graydon's Crossing
1223 Plainfield Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505

Bridge Street Cafe
103 E High St, Belding, MI 48809

The 1913 Room
187 Monroe Avenue NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Funnily enough, right after I posted this a couple google searches informed me that the last thing one should do is ask people for advice/their spots/etc., so I appreciate your kind and informed reply. There's a couple parks in the area that I frequent, so I'll be sure to check along the riverbanks. Morels might prove too much of a challenge for me, as they are quite small in comparison and I'm not very observant.

I've always enjoyed eating ramps/morels, but I've never made the effort to look for them myself. Can anyone give me some tips on where to look in the Lansing area? Is it still a good time or is it too late?

Go to Maru in Okemos for sushi/japanese - many times better than Sansu and very close to east lansing (less than 10 minute drive from MSU campus). I would also second Dusty's Cellar. Frankly, there really are slim pickings for "fine dining" in the area so keep your expectations low.

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Sansu
4750 S Hagadorn Rd Ste 100, East Lansing, MI 48823

Dusty's Cellar
1857 W Grand River Ave, Okemos, MI 48864

there were a couple vendors with them at eastern market last weekend; i was able to pick up a couple pounds.