Frugal Floozie Friday - Gabriel's Cheesesteak Hoagies

When I first met Mary Catherine Smith, the fabulous host of "Brazilian Sol" on WEMU (Saturdays at 9 p.m.), she recommended Gabriel's Cheese Steak Hoagies as a great place to visit for my Frugal Floozie Friday column: good, honest food served for good, honest prices.

Well, it's taken awhile to get there, but Craig and I had lunch at Gabriel's recently and it definitely proved to be a tremendous value!

It's easy to stay within our mandatory $5 per person budget, with hearty sandwiches that are readily split. Costing just over $5 each, you can supplement your half with a bag of chips and a cookie to make a complete comfort food meal and still stay within our financial limits.

The menu is small, focusing on what the shop does well. You can order a cheesesteak hoagie, a steak hoagie, a Lunchmeat Special, or a ham and cheese sandwich. Prices range from $5.14-$5.54, with extras (cheese, mushrooms, peppers, or Provolone) costing anywhere from 20-69 cents to add on. A bag of chips will set you back a whopping 89 cents.

A small, quaint, tremendously friendly diner, Gabriel's is welcoming to everyone but vegetarians - there aren't any options for you beyond the Garden Salad for $3.49.

But carnivores can celebrate at Gabriel's for not much money!

Gabriel's Cheesesteak Hoagies
2585 East Michigan Avenue
Ypsilanti, MI 48198
734-483-5846
Monday-Saturday: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.



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Frugal Floozie Friday - Roy's Squeeze Inn

 

I had driven by Roy's Squeeze Inn so many times, but never managed to stop in. That's too bad, because it offers wonderfully friendly service, good food, and amazing prices. Thus, it is today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature!

Virtually every item - with the exception of a few of the burgers and the family-sized side orders - qualifies for our mandatory budget of $5 per person. So you could share the generous larger servings of fries, if you want to; but you can also get a meal for yourself within the price range.

I ordered the BBQ Pork Sandwich, pictured above, for $3.70. It was the size of a large burger, and - I was very pleased to find out - came topped with the cole slaw so that it wasn't necessary to place an extra order to put this together myself. I also wanted to see how generous the side dishes were, and found that the curly fries were a perfect single serving at $2.15. If you're just in the mood for a salty snack, they're ideal.

Craig chose the Quarter Cheese Squeeze burger that cost $3.70, and paired it with onion rings that also made for a nice-sized single serving, if you were to order them alone, for $2.20.

Roy's is quaint and old-fashioned with a semi-circular counter and cute tchotchkes; but Craig and I were the only ones who chose to eat in the restaurant on the evening that we visited. I was impressed to see at least a half-dozen customers come in for take-out orders, and found the service to be tremendously friendly as well as efficient.

Vegetarians will have to make do with the side dishes, from potato wedges to fried mushrooms, as well as the options listed above. Carnivores, however, will be able to eat very well for very little money. "Sandwiches," as the menu calls them, range from hot dogs to ham sandwiches (with or without cheese) and also a chicken sandwich; prices range from $1.30 to only $4.

And then there are the burgers, from Little Squeeze sliders costing a mere $1.15 each to the half-pound Big Squeeze for $4.95. You can also add toppings - extra cheese, crispy bacon, jalapeno peppers, grilled mushrooms, cole slaw, or chili - for as little as 40 cents and as much as $1.50.

So sort through the various permutations and eat very well at Roy's for less than $5!

Roy's Squeeze Inn
1315 E. Michigan Ave.
Ypsilanti, MI 48198
734-485-3999
Monday - Saturday: 10 a.m.- 10 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.



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Frugal Floozie Friday - Beezy's Cafe

Jeremy and I had a lovely lunch recently at Beezy's, on a beautiful fall day. I hadn't been there in ages, so it was good to have a chance to eat there again.

We were given a tremendous greeting by Jesse, who was wonderfully welcoming and friendly. In just the few minutes it took to place our order, we exchanged names, discussed fashion and thrift shops, and had a grand time!

Jeremy chose the Roasted Chicken Club sandwich for $6.95: "Sliced Amish chicken breast with bacon, tomato, red onion and spring greens with blue cheese pesto mayo."

The sandwich is huge and can easily be split, even among two hungry people. Jeremy - a 21-year-old male, among the world's heartiest eaters - could only finish half of it. And if you buy two bags of Michigan-made Better Made products for 99-cents each, this lunch would, indeed, be "all that and a bag of chips" for two people while staying within our mandatory Frugal Floozie Friday budget of $5 per person.

The air was just crisp enough (for me, anyway, since I'm always cold) that it warranted soup. So I ordered a bowl of the Creamy Chicken and Garlic soup for $3.50. As you can see, it was thick and rich with huge chunks of meat and carrots. Warm and delicious, this was a perfect antidote to the slight chill.

I also ordered a small Washington Street salad for $4.95; this offered "greens tossed in maple vinaigrette and topped with sliced roasted Amish chicken breast, sliced apple, raisins, and spiced pecans." In other words, it offered sweet and savory, tenderness and crunch, a variety of tastes and textures all on one plate.

Beezy's offers a number of options for vegetarians, and each of the salads is available in a small portion for less than $5. They promote Michigan products like the chips mentioned above, as well as Faygo sodas. The Redpops Jeremy and I each ordered were bright and fruity, and just seemed the perfect choice to complement our lunches.

For friendly service, good ol'-fashioned wholesome food, and a genuine feel for community - both in terms of being a gathering place and a supporter of both Ypsilanti and Michigan - Beezy's is the place to go!

Beezy's
20 N. Washington St.
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734-485-9625
Monday - Saturday: 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.



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Frugal Floozie Friday - Red Rock Downtown Barbecue

Red Rock Downtown Barbecue came with a tremendous reputation; I had heard nothing but stellar reports about its offerings. Sometimes, when you have such expectations (for a book, a movie, whatever), you can only be disappointed by reality. But I am here to say that Red Rock more than met my hopes, and is deserving of every rave review it's received.

Not only is this Ypsilanti restaurant serving great food, but it offers exceptional Frugal Floozie Friday deals, too. The Boulder sandwich Jeremy ordered - filled with beef brisket, pork, and bacon - is definitely large enough to split, so that it will come in at an even $5 per person. But you might want to save that for another time, because there are other items that cost even less ... I'm serious!

The side dishes cost $3 each, and are generously portioned. The Country Potato Salad pictured above was very good - creamy, zesty, crunchy.

But the star of the show - the star of the entire meal - was the Macaroni and Cheese. What you see above is the small version ordered off the side dish menu; it was enough that I could very well order it for a full meal! And I'd be lucky to finish it ... though it was so exceptionally rich and smoky and luscious that leaving any behind would be unforgivable. Jeremy and I literally scraped the bottom of the dish to make sure we didn't miss any of the goodness!

I also ordered two of the sliders - beef and pork - for $2.50 each. But guess what? During Happy Hour, all appetizers are half-price! So that means each slider is $1.25. One slider + one side order of mac 'n' cheese = $4.25, which is obviously well under our mandatory frugal $5 per person budget. And such amazing food, too, for such a meager amount of money!

Our server was very friendly and helpful, telling us a bit about the history of the restaurant and how recipes were developed, as well as letting us know about each of the four fabulous sauces. The meats are prepared with a dry rub and smoked; then you can mix 'n' match with more flavor to your heart's content. From sweet to spicy, and not neglecting the all important North Carolina vinegar sauce, there is a condiment to suit any taste.

Despite being a shrine to all things carnivorous, Red Rock also offers a number of vegetarian options, from the spectacular macaroni and cheese to a variety of salads and side dishes. A meal could easily be made from all the choices, and would offer an ideal "do it yourself" buffet either for those who don't eat meat or those, like me, who can't decide which fabulous option to choose.

I had heard rumblings that Red Rock could even rival what has become a Detroit institution: Slow's. I was dubious, and yet .... Jeremy and I both agreed that while we adore Slow's, Red Rock - particularly the mac 'n' cheese - wins the showdown.

So, what are you waiting for?  Go eat!

Red Rock Downtown Barbecue
207 W Michigan Ave
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734-340-2381
Kitchen Hours:
Sunday: 12 - 11 p.m.
Monday - Thursday: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Friday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - midnight
Happy Hour: 3 - 6 p.m., 9 p.m. - close



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Frugal Floozie Friday - Bona Sera Cafe

There are some bad women cookin' in downtown Ypsilanti [ip-sih-LAN-tee], and they're making some really good food.

Bona Sera Cafe - formerly an underground secret supper club, now an above-ground restaurant - has just opened on Michigan Avenue, and you simply must go visit and find out what all the buzz has been about.

Wonder Woman and Bad Fairy, our mischievous but marvelous chefs and hostesses, offer sophisticated and delicious sandwiches, salads, and desserts for lunch and dinner; each is layered with flavors and textures, all working in perfect harmony. They also serve their very own coffee - Bad Ass Woman Brew - blended just for them by Ann Arbor's own Roos Roast. And much of this menu qualifies for our mandatory $5 or less per person budget, so it's a perfect Frugal Floozie Friday feature!

If you look over the menu, you'll see only a small selection of the offerings; chalkboards give daily specials, as well. But in perusing the menu, you will notice that some excellent ingredients - cheeses from Chelsea's Greystone Creamery, porchetta, pistachios, and my beloved fennel - are all featured prominently.

I ordered a small serving of the Crunch Time salad, pictured above, for $4.95 - a tremendous deal for an excellent dish as large as a half-cantaloupe. It features "Shaved fresh fennel, apple and mixed greens, lemon vinaigrette," and was crisp, fresh, and perfectly portioned so that the licorice-y fennel and sweet-tart apple didn't overwhelm the tender greens. The dressing was so ideally coating the vegetables that they shone with its bright flavor but did not drip or get soggy. (Of course, the salad was so fabulous that I hardly gave them much opportunity to soak, either.) And Wonder Woman very graciously offered me a taste of the creamy, salty Sesame Peanut Noodle Salad that Bad Fairy had been making as I chatted at the counter while ordering.

My dinner companions ordered sandwiches: the Porchetta Banh Mi, with Italian pork roast and a fennel-apple slaw, and a Chicken Banh Mi showcasing not just the poultry but also a zesty but not too hot sriracha mayonnaise.  (The latter is pictured here, though they look remarkably alike in my photos; thus, no need to show both.)  The traditional buns were so tender and flavorful, even with all those other ingredients attempting to show them up.

The banh mi were both served with a delicate, finely shredded cole slaw in a very light - not creamy, not vinegary - dressing.  And they were quickly devoured - I wasn't even given a taste of the former!  The latter was great, with tender strips of chicken and a wonderful mix of greens, carrots and cilantro, rather than merely some shreds of iceberg lettuce and a slice of tomato.

The Banh Mi cost $6.95, putting them over our budget for one person; but they're large enough to split, and then you'll have a spare $1.50 in your budget for tea or lemonade.

But, truth be told, you'll actually want to allow room both in your stomach and in your budget for dessert.

Because your half-sandwich will cost $3.50-ish, that will leave $1.50 for a scoop of gelato - we tried both the raspberry, which was lovely, and the salted caramel. As I posted on Facebook after my dinner at Bona Sera, if the salted caramel gelato was my last dessert on this Earth, I could die "blissfully happy in a giddy reverie." It was buttery, salty, and like liquid gold as it melted on my tongue. I've been craving it since I left, and promised Wonder Woman I'd be back for more. Even a 2-scoop serving is within our frugal limits!

Bona Sera is not just dedicated to serving good food, but also to doing good work. In April the Ann Arbor Awesome Foundation, a local micro-philanthropic group, gave Wonder Woman and Bad Fairy a grant of $1000 to help get the new cafe established. In presenting the prize, trustees noted that the secret supper club has "raised over $20,000 for area nonprofits" - including one of my personal favorites, SOS Community Services which serves the homeless - "by hosting clandestine dinner parties in secret locations across Southeast Michigan."

The new restaurant "will not only create jobs in Ypsilanti, and draw more people downtown, but allow the organization to continue its charitable work as well." And Bad Fairy says that their new kitchen "will also be available to other local food industry start-ups for affordable rates as a way of encouraging and supporting other entrepreneurs.”

Rather than being a standard restaurant with just a sea of tables or a stereotypical coffee shop with overstuffed chairs, Bona Sera ofers a mix of seating with a uniquely quirky decor that is spacious and welcoming. My friend Ruth Kraut noted "how beautiful the space is.  So peaceful!"  And I will admit to coveting the sofas, too, in addition to another serving of the salted caramel gelato.

So head on down to Bona Sera, and see what Bad Fairy and Wonder Woman are making. There's even a mannequin in the window who carries a sign advertising new dishes. Go for the food, go for the whimsy ... whatever your reason, just go!

Bona Sera Cafe
200 W. Michigan Ave.
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734-751-4458
Tuesdays - Saturdays: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.



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Frugal Floozie Friday - Wolverine Grill

Today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature is the Wolverine Grill, which is now under new and wonderfully friendly management.  As Jeremy and I stood outside the restaurant perusing the menu, one of the waitresses came right out and welcomed us, inviting us in for lunch with such genuine warmth and sincerity that we couldn't have refused even if we'd had other plans.

The first thing we noticed was a sign advertising a great deal that just meets our mandatory $5 budget: a burger combo that includes fries and a 16-ounce drink.  Just be sure to get to the Grill between 11 a.m. and noon (Early Bird) or 2-3 p.m. (Late Bird) Tuesday through Friday, and this great money-saver can be yours!

Although we didn't arrive during the appointed hours for the special pricing, we still ordered burgers, which we'd been craving.  I ordered a plain one with creamy cole slaw while Jeremy ordered the cheeseburger pictured above, and they were brought out very quickly.  We were enjoying the sunshine in the bright space and chatting with the wonderful waitresses about flip-flops and good weather and the variety of options on the menu, which only made our already-short wait seem even more brief.

Jeremy normally loads a burger up with condiments; but because this one had a nice charring from the grill and smelled so good, he tried it "as is."  "I didn't even have ketchup or mustard on it, and it's delicious!" he declared.  And it really was very good - not doused with sauces or inundated with sloppy toppings that cover up the flavors.  There is beauty in the simplicity of just a good ol'-fashioned burger, cooked to juicy perfection, on a summery day.

But even if you don't take advantage of that special $5 offer, there are lots of other ways to eat well at the Wolverine Grill while economizing.  Breakfast is served at any time.  And for $4.95, you can get 2 eggs "almost any style" with a choice of meat, plus potatoes and toast.  A tall stack of three pancakes is only $4, or you can order a short stack for $3 and add in chocolate chips or blueberries for an extra $1.50.

The consummate comfort food - grilled cheese - is offered for $4.75, and includes a choice of "fries, cup of soup, a side salad, or coleslaw."  Daily soups cost only $2.  And to satisfy your sweet tooth, you can get a one-scoop hot fudge sundae for a mere $1.50, or floats made with either Vernor's or root beer for $3.

There are several vegetarian options, noted on the menu for ease in finding them, such as a side dish of vegetables with hummus for $4.95.  The Wolverine Grill also features some Michigan-made items: Paramount Coffee, roasted in Lansing, is served Monday through Saturday, while beans from Ypsilanti's own Ugly Mug Cafe and Roastery are featured on Sundays (and refills are free).  Dearborn Ham and Detroit Sausage Company products are also proudly offered.

The cook was helping out at the cash register as we left; I asked him about some of the more distinctive menu options, such as that day's special: a grilled pork chop with kale, braised cabbage, almonds, and grilled Yukon Gold potatoes.  I was curious about his training, since he was offering something more distinctive than standard diner fare.  But he just chuckled and said he'd been a family cook for 13 years, and asked "Does that count for anything?"  Clearly, he just likes to serve old favorites while giving some of them a new twist, keeping a wide range of customers happy.

I particularly love following the daily specials on the Grill's Facebook page; they're always accompanied by enticements such as "Hey Ypsilanti! I am thinking it's a sign that the freckles in our eyes are mirror images and when we kiss they're perfectly aligned" and "Can't think of anything that I'd rather do than spend some time showing that my love is true with my two favorite things – Dinosaur Jr. and you."  The menu items sound wonderful, but the "pick-up lines" are the best!

The Grill's ambience is quaint, with traditional counters and booths as well as charming waitresses who make you feel as though you're visiting with old friends even on your first visit to the place.  With blues playing overhead and the comfortable sense that you'd be welcome to loiter and chitchat all day long nursing coffee refills after your meal, the Wolverine Grill was a great place to visit, the kind of place where you'll want to become a regular.

Wolverine Grill
228 W. Michigan Ave.
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734-483-1727
Summer Hours:
Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Saturday - Sunday: 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.



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Frugal Floozie Friday - Cafe Ollie

I've had the great good fortune to visit Cafe Ollie twice recently - once with my very dear friend Sarah (who just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl this past weekend!), and once with Jeremy and his best buddy, Mitch.  Since the restaurant is so warm and wonderful, and such a supporter of Michigan products, it was time to feature it today for Frugal Floozie Friday.

Sarah and I each enjoyed a refreshing dish of Guernsey Farms Dairy's McGuire's Irish Mint ice cream, produced not too far from Ann Arbor in Northville, which was perfect on one of those way-too-early-to-be-summer days that found their way to Michigan before it was even officially Spring.  A single scoop - in either a cone or a lovely sundae glass - costs only $2.75, leaving plenty of room in our mandatory $5 per person budget to buy a local favorite: Faygo soda "made with real sugar in glass bottles."

Cafe Ollie also features daily soups, an assortment of coffees and teas, and baked goods made from scratch (like the fabulous sweets pictured above).  Sarah and I had originally intended to treat ourselves to cupcakes, but the ice cream was calling more loudly on a hot afternoon.  We met just after 4 p.m., and were having such a grand time - truly, talking about everything from family to antique heating grates to Jewish law! - that we ended up closing the place just before 8 p.m., with only the gentlest nudge from the very sweet waitress just as she started to clean up.  Many places would be loathe to let you loiter for quite that long, but we were welcomed stay right until the end of the day.

The next week, Jeremy and Mitch and I sat in the sun on the deck and enjoyed a late lunch of sandwiches, which are served with Detroit's own Better Made potato chips and Perkins Pickles.  For the exceptional price of $7, Jeremy and Mitch split the Reubenesque, Cafe Ollie's own Reuben sandwich.  (Regular readers know that Jeremy will inevitably order a Reuben if he finds one on a menu, and can pontificate at great length about the pros and cons of each one!)  Jeremy gave this sandwich high points for generosity of filling, tenderness of meat, and - most importantly - excellent flavor.

Cafe Ollie features a menu filled with creative sandwiches and salads, and caters to carnivores, vegetarians, and even vegans specifically.  So whether you're looking for a light meal, a sweet treat, or some combination thereof - and no matter what your dietary preferences - you can absolutely find something delicious to eat.

And once you've finished eating, you want to meander next door to the fabulous shop that's also owned by Cafe Ollie's owners, Danielle Scherwin-Teachout and her husband, Mark Teachout.  (If you don't find them on one side of the doorway, you'll find them on the other.)  I first told you about the Michigan General Store in my post about Buffalo Celery Sticks, in which I used some Cajun-flavored chips I'd found at the shop to create a great variation on the famous wings.  You can find so many, many exceptional items at this store, from salsas and mustards to wines and beers to smoked fish and cherry caramels, all made proudly here in Michigan.

So stop by Cafe Ollie and the Michigan General Store.  Enjoy delicious food and a warm welcome, and support both a local business and the Great Lakes State!

Cafe Ollie
42 E. Cross St.
Ypsilanti, MI 48198
734-482-8050

Monday: Closed
Tuesday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.



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Frugal Floozie Friday - Bill's Drive-In

Bill's Drive-In re-opened on February 1, after a brief fall/winter hiatus.  It offers hot dogs, chili dogs and root beer ... a limited menu, but one that is excellent nonetheless.  Focus on what you do well, as they say.

I would have featured this bright and friendly place sooner, but Jeremy and I visited just a few days before the season ended last fall.  So, better late than not at all, the hot dog stand is today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature!

You may remember that Bill's root beer made my Top 10 list for 2011; Jeremy summed it up this way - "Holy s---! This is, like, the best root beer I've ever had in my life! It's amazing!"  And it is very good, with rich flavor and not too much of a head; when you get a mug of root beer at Bill's, you get a full mug.  It's worth stopping by just for the soda alone.

But for less than $5 - our mandatory Frugal Floozie Friday budget - you can feed two people ... I'm serious!  Jeremy ordered a hot dog schmeared with ketchup and mustard, I ordered a chili dog with onions, we made sure to get our root beer, and the total tab was ... drum roll ... $4.30.  Yes, you read that correctly!

We drove up, parked the car, and before I could even reach to open the window there was a very friendly attendant already waiting to take our order.  He told us our options, we told him what we wanted, and he ran off.  I turned to talk to Jeremy while we waited; he uttered maybe one sentence before telling me "Lunch is here."  Our food was brought that quickly.

So now that they've reopened, be sure to eat at Bill's.  It's a long-time local favorite, and you'll be getting fast food that's also good food.

Bill's Drive-In
1292 E Michigan Ave
Ypsilanti, MI 48198
734-485-2831





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Frugal Floozie Friday -- Tower Inn Cafe

My BFF Wendy and I ate a great dinner recently, at a place that she's been to numerous times but I hadn't been to in ages. Today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature is the Tower Inn Cafe, an Ypsilanti institution.

There is an extensive menu of appetizers, pizzas, pastas, sandwiches, salads and burgers ... needless to say, it took a bit of time to decide among all the fabulous options. Each of us ordered something that could be readily split and shared, and which could come in at $5 or less per person to meet our mandatory budget.

The Parthenon-Greco pizza featured garlic, herbs, gyro meat, yellow peppers, feta cheese and Kalamata olives ... sigh. The small pizza cost $10.99; it's 10" in diameter, so the servings are very generous even if shared with three others to bring it within our Frugal Floozie Friday budget. It was rich, salta, zesty, and exceptionally good.

The Spinach Pie Bourekitos, for $7.99, were flaky and delicate; they also came with a lovely rice side dish featuring spinach and herbs for flavor.

And then there was dessert:



For $3.99, Wendy chose the Snickers cheesecake and I was fortunate enough to snag the very last piece of the Oreo variety. Rich, creamy, and utterly decadent, these were so incredibly good, and a perfect way to end our meal.

The Cafe has a wide range of options for Frugal Floozie Friday or for any time. As the owner, Rois Savvides, writes in a note on the menu: "Our food is made with tons of love and we are trying to win your hearts as well, every day."

Tower Inn has, indeed, won Wendy's and my hearts.


Tower Inn Cafe
701 W Cross St
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734-487-4000


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Buffalo Celery Sticks

Cool and crisp, these blue cheese-filled celery sticks are a great snack.   The crushed corn chips on top offer a bit of contrasting spice, too, with Cajun flavoring.  These are not necessarily photogenic, but they're fabulous nonetheless!

The notion for this recipe came to me in a flash as I perused all the lovely goodies at the new Michigan General Store in Ypsilanti.  Oh, it's so much fun to shop there!  My favorite treats so far are the Great Lakes kettle cooked potato chips, made with potatoes grown in the state, and buttery, creamy tart cherry-flavored caramels ... sigh.  Garlicky pickles, hot sauces, beers, shortbread cookies, candies, smoked fish dips - there are so many amazing products, all proudly made right here in Michigan.  And the wines you can buy there are lovely served in beautiful glasses etched with the famous mitten shape of our state, which you'll also find just waiting for you at the shop.

As I admired the bounty, I saw Cajun tortilla chips made right in Ypsilanti ... I heard them calling to me.  With a clear vision, I thought of combining these treats into an homage to all the flavors of a traditional plate of Buffalo wings - cooling sticks of celery, blue cheese dip, spicy sauce - but without the chicken part of the equation.

Whether serving these while watching a sporting event or a movie, or serving them at a party, they're an easy and fun food to offer.  Buy dairy products and celery from Michigan to go with the tortilla chips when making this recipe, and your entire feast can celebrate the Great Lakes State!


Buffalo Celery Sticks

1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
several splashes cayenne pepper sauce
2/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
pinches of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large stalk celery, cut into 5" ribs
1 cup Cajun-flavored corn chips (see note below)

Combine sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, blue cheese, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl; cover and let rest overnight.

Spread the blue cheese dip down the center of the celery ribs. Crush the corn chips and press the celery ribs upside-down into the crumbs to coat the dip with them. Place onto a serving dish.

Makes 12 or more Buffalo Celery Sticks.

Note: If you don't have access to Cajun-flavored chips, you can use either corn or potato chips and sprinkle them with Cajun seasoning.

Michigan General Store
44 E. Cross Street
Ypsilanti, MI 48198
734-961-8039




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Frugal Floozie Friday -- The Bomber

It's Frugal Floozie Friday, and today's feature offers the most gargantuan quantity of food yet for our measly budget of $5 per person! What you see in the photo is the infamous Bomber Breakfast, found only at the Bomber restaurant.

Jeremy recently had an early morning appointment, and his dad, Stuart, and I went along with him. Afterwards, we decided we could use some breakfast; and so we ended up at this Ypsilanti institution:

"The Bomber opened in 1936 as Baldwin's Diner. In the 1940s the name was changed to the Bomber, only to be discarded in favor of Bob's Barbecue in the mid-1970s. Finally in 1986, the name Bomber returned and the current owners John Sebestyen and Johanna McCoy purchased it in 1995".

The restaurant is noted for the historical artifacts linings its walls - everything from uniforms to posters to autographed photos to rifles - not to mention the 24 model airplanes which hang from the ceiling. It is also noted for friendly service, generous portions, and the kind of atmosphere that encourages eating, reading the paper, having just a little bit more coffee, chatting with other customers, and making oneself at home.

The signature dish - the Bomber Breakfast - is so enormous that it was once featured on the Food Network's "Top Five Overindulgences" show. There is enough food, truly, to feed a family of four: a pound of hash browns with cheese and onions, 2 full slices of toast, 4 eggs any style, and a choice of 6 sausage patties or 7 sausage links or 10 slices of bacon or 2 slices of ham. (Our waitress told us, upon seeing our eyes glaze over, that we could mix-'n'-match if we wanted to.)

So, how much does this platter full of food cost?

$9.95.

And since Stuart and I split it - though we couldn't finish it, despite valiant efforts! - it came in at under our mandatory $5 per person limit.

As though this wasn't enough indulgence, Jeremy ordered an obscenely rich and decadent breakfast for himself: Chocolate Hazelnut French Toast. A half order - 2 portions of thick bread filled with luscious Nutella, dipped in batter and drenched in syrup - costs only $4.95.

The Bomber also features weekday breakfast specials for $4.50, featuring everything from traditional pancakes and eggs and oatmeal to breakfast sandwiches. There are many items on the menu which could qualify for our Frugal Floozie Friday mission.

The Bomber is a great place to go for a hearty breakfast or lunch, and is easily a place where you could become a regular.

Bomber
306 East Michigan Ave.
Ypsilanti, Michigan
734-482-0550


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