The view from the highways I travel looks pretty much the same, especially when I am hungry. McDonald’s are everywhere, of course, as are all of the other fast food chains. Applebee’s has done a good job of placing their stores near the type of hotels I frequent. What is more difficult to find, at least for someone like me who does not like to do a lot of research, are the nice, interesting, hopefully healthy, locally owned eateries. I am sure there is a website to help me with this, and maybe someday I will look for it.
But the best way I have found to get to the distinctive restaurants is to ask for a recommendation. I ask the LYSO or I ask strangers. Sometimes people get what I am looking for and sometimes they don’t. When I asked the desk guys at the Crack Hotel in Columbus to guide me to a nice, non-chain restaurant, they suggested Longhorn Steak House
Luckily, Beth Smith of Spinning Loft in Howell, MI suggested I try Blue Fin for sushi or hibachi. I had not eaten too much all day and I was running quite late for my appointment with Beth (another spinning goddess, who, in a minute, made a 2 ply lace weight string on a drop spindle with the Mountain Meadow roving…wow…maybe someday I will be able to make something even close?) so I was ready for an early dinner.
Here’s why you need to go to the local places–okay, there are lots of reasons, but here is a fun one! The owner of Blue Fin Japanese Steakhouse was opening the place up for the 4:30 dinner start. It was about 4:20, but he gladly let me in. I sat at the bar and asked to look at both the sushi and hibachi menus. Very reasonably priced, and incredible variety. I got a seared spicy tuna appetizer and seaweed salad–both way above average. But the kicker was they had a lot of different sake and I thought it was about time for me to know what I am doing in that area. He gave me tastes of 4 different sakes and I found my favorite. Maybe it helped him make a better sale, but it really made him earn a new customer. Oh yeah, he also gave me 3 giant Japanese grapes to try for dessert. I loved them and I loved the focus on helping me have a new and exciting experience that I couldn’t get anywhere else. That’s what I look for every day. If I don’t go back this Thursday for 20% off sushi, I will certainly go back when I am back in town. In fact, he is making it into my GPS and my Communitywalk.com map website!
4313 E. Grand River Ave.
Howell, MI 48843
Phone: (517) 545-8899
Map / Directions
