trudie wrote:Well it looks like Hannah's in New Buffalo has closed.Not sure why or if it is permanent.I hope not, a lot of local people have jobs there.The economy?,competition from the Four Winds Casino ?just don't know.

The owner blames the economy.

Longtime New Buffalo restaurant closes

I find this a sad occasion. I remember many, many good times in a fun packed Hannah's having some of the most tender and tasty prime rib with one of the areas best onion straws ever, everything perfectly cooked. Who would have thought this famous and centrally located restaurant would feel the bite of the economic situation? There is no replacement in the vicinity for this restaurant, save maybe Casey's a few blocks away. And the hassle of going to the casino isn't worth it (as well as the recent food experience there). And Redamak's around the corner was never in Hannah's class.

BTB wrote:I find this a sad occasion. I remember many, many good times in a fun packed Hannah's having some of the most tender and tasty prime rib with one of the areas best onion straws ever, everything perfectly cooked. Who would have thought this famous and centrally located restaurant would feel the bite of the economic situation? There is no replacement in the vicinity for this restaurant, save maybe Casey's a few blocks away. And the hassle of going to the casino isn't worth it (as well as the recent food experience there). And Redamak's around the corner was never in Hannah's class.

What about Skip's Other Place? I've enjoyed the prime rib there.

Skip's Other Place
16710 Red Arrow Hwy, New Buffalo
(269) 469-3341
http://skipsrestaurantandcatering.info/index.html

I was in New Buffalo this weekend. Had a great breakfast at Rosie's and a superb thin crust pizza at Villa Nova Pizzeria.

I am going to Michigan city this Friday 9-17-10 and am in need of a great restaurant for dinner.
Type of food is open so you may suggest any type. I prefer an independent owner to a chain restaurant.

fire roasting restaurants any ideas

Does the restaurant have to be in Michigan City proper? Bartlett's in Beverly Shores (from the owners of Bistro 157 & Miller Bakery) is about 5 miles west of MC.

We like it.

Menus & info @ eatatbartletts.com

Bentwood Tavern or Brewster's in New Buffalo

If you're willing to travel to Michiana Shores, I'd recommend GNR Award Winner Stop 50. They've got a wood burning oven and turn out some of the best Neapolitinish pizzas in Chicagoland.

Stop 50 Wood Fired Pizzeria
500 S. El Portal Dr.
Michiana Shores, IN
219-879-8777

I've been eating in Michigan City since I was a kid (my folks have a place in Grand Beach, MI). Aside from Schoop's and maybe a quick snack at Shoreline Brewing, I have not found really any decent options in the area these days. I have fonder memories of days past- there was a grand old dining room serving up German classics called Old Heidelberg that once was my favorite restaurant in town, where I ate my first plates of spaetzle and rouladen.

MIchigan City has seemed to be for years, a dining desert. Until my parents discovered Sahara- an attractive and bustling corner spot on the Franklin Ave. strip. Its a hip restaurant, a converted garage with modern design, pleasant lighting, beer and wine, and attractive young servers. As we walked up to the place I knew it was a good sign when I saw a cook stoking up a lump charcoal grill in the back. The menu is simple, divided into cold mezza, hot mezza, and plates, mostly representing the standard fare of hummous, baba ganouj, fattoush, shwarma, kabobs. A few Greek items seemed to be a nod to more pedestrian offerings.

The okay:
Gratis Red Pepper Hummous
Discernible red pepper flavor, light on the lemon and tahini, somewhat bland.

The good:
Pita
Was of the larger flatter variety. Toasted and replenished several times throughout the meal.

Tabbouleh
A higher ratio of herbs to bulgur is always a good sign. It was dressed aggressively with a lemony pucker. Perhaps overdressed, it was a bit on the wet side.

Fattoush
A modern take comprised of very nice baby greens, tossed with a lemon based dressing and also drizzled with a pomegranate reduction. Again, like the tabbouleh, this was over-dressed. The toasted pita was nice, but sprinkled on top rather than incorporated. Full of flavor, sometimes I prefer over- dressed to under.

Ribeye Steak Kabobs
In my estimation this meat was not luscious enough to be ribeye. I was also dubious they would nail medium rare on a kabob cut too, which was the case. The best bits were the most charred ones and well done anyhow. The meat had a light lemon/ olive oil marinade and a nice sprinkling of sumac. Accompanying veggie skewer was fine. The bed of jasmine rice, however fits more in the next category, by far the best element of this plate, fluffy and buttery with a nice kiss of curry.

The fantastic:
Falafel
Fried crisp on the exterior, moist and light on the inside. Perfectly herbaceous character. Excellent lemony tahini sauce for dipping.

Baba Ganouj
Whipped to a light emulsification. Garlic and lemon in perfect stasis. Perfectly smoky, this was almost as good as best baba ganouj I've eaten this year at Cedarland in Dearborn, MI.

Beef Shwarma
Easily the best I've had in awhile, better than Salam, better than Cedarland. Nicely charred, aggressively marinated, plenty of sumac. The pickled onion topknot elevating the dish to higher heights. Served atop hummous, which provided a neutral backdrop, though was unremarkable on its own.

Sahara
1701 Franklin Street
Michigan City, IN 46360-4501
(219) 871-1223
http://sahara-restaurant.net/

The family and I spent a few days in New Buffalo this past week and wanted to add a recommendation for Stop 50. What a great find in an area with rather limited dining options. The wild mushroom pizza and market salad were a welcome treat on the last night of our trip, really great crust that was enhanced by the mix of wild mushrooms, fresh oregano (!), and olive oil. Beyond the food, you could tell that the pizza was crafted with care and passion for the craft. The service was also phenomenal, the waiter was very excited about the menu and wanted us to really enjoy our meal, which we did. The house made pistachio gelato was an excellent finish to the meal, one of the best I have had actually.

One other high note was Brewster's for lunch. I had the pesto shrimp po boy, which was packed with flavor and was cooked perfectly. My wife's salad was also very fresh and was dressed nicely. The atmosphere was very warm and comfortable and service was very good. Almost went back for dinner that night, but opted to cook on our own instead. Both of our meals were served with a large bowl of soup, I believe it was a potato bisque of some sort, which was nice on a cold afternoon.

Other meals during the trip included a bone in ribeye and tuna tartar from Bentwood tavern at the Marina Grand resort. Found everything to be perfectly acceptable, but not very exciting or inventive. Service was ok, but slightly aloof. Atmosphere felt very much like a hotel restaurant that is multi-purpose (pumping out catering, breakfast, lunch and dinner). Pricing was high for what you get, but not unexpected. I settled on the steak since nothing else on the menu really appealed to me, felt like a menu that was stuck in a time warp (seasonal vegetables were a side on almost every option). We also ate at Redamak's and got burgers and fries. Not sure what the hype is about necessarily, but again nothing offensive here. Burgers were a nice size and service was friendly and super fast. It was not crowded when we were there, but it was mid afternoon on a Wednesday. Fries were probably better than the burger to be honest, and they were pretty standard fare. Picked up sandwiches at David's Deli as well, beyond packing a massive amount of the boar's head deli meat on the sandwich, nothing to really note here...felt like a sandwich you would make at home.