Soup Spoon cafe is way more than just soup!

My sister was in town for the day giving a talk on campus and had less than an hour to meet up with me.  I suggested she meet me at the Soup Spoon Cafe because it was only a block from the hospital (on E. Michigan Ave. between Ferguson and Custer) and I was just getting done with work for the day.   We had both eaten already so we decided to get a drink and share a dessert.  Surprisingly, this little cafe has a full bar and several beers on tap (all local brews like Founders).  I chose wine and my sister thier iced tea blend. They do not have a dedicated dessert menu but offer something different daily which they write on a chalk board on the wall next to the beers on tap.  We ordered an orange goat cheese cheesecake.  OMG!   This was so good!   The goat cheese made it light and creamy and the orange have it almost an orangecicle flavor reminiscent of our childhood.

The atmosphere is relaxed and casual with rustic decorations and delightful staff.  Everyone is helpful and the lack of uniform for the staff gives it a homey feel.  It is a great place for breakfast, lunch, dinner or drinks. You can bring your colleagues, family, date or friends. They try to use only local items on their menu supporting other Lansing area small businesses.

I was so happy with my first experience, that I was determined to make it back at my next chance to try one of the enticing items on the lunch menu.  As luck would have it, the following week, I found myself in need of a lunch to bring to the school to eat with my kids.  I ordered the BLT with avocado and chips.  Holy Bacon!!  Thick crisp pieces in abundance atop lettuce and tomato and avocado and drizzled with chipotle mayo.  The mayo have it a super kick!  My kids kept stealing my bacon and my chips. My picky eater loved their fresh made kettle chips.  I was happy and they were happy.

Needless to say, when my NP friend asked me to meet her for lunch I suggested the Soup Spoon.  We sat at the bar, which also serves the full menu.  Then came the hard task of deciding which item to order!   I was torn between the seafood chowder, naan pizza and the special-crab cake poboy.  When I went with my sister, the woman next to me ordered the crab cakes and they looked amazing so I decided on the crab cake poboy.  This item needs to be permanently on their menu.  Moist, perfectly seasoned crab cakes on a toasted asiago bun with peppers, onion, carrots and tomato with a chipotle aioli!  If I could have eaten two, I would have ordered another one!  So fantastic!! Take a look:

I am craving one now while writing this!!!  I was a happy girl with this lunch!!  I think I will make the Soup Spoon my go to lunch spot (and maybe breakfast and dinner as well).  

Thai Chicken salad- Homemade is sometimes better than a restaurant

I enjoy home cooking just as much as eating out, and some of the most fantastic food I have eaten was homemade.  Last night, my girlfriend, Lindsay, invited us for dinner.  She always cooks something that I love and that is healthy.  This time she made a Thai chicken salad.   Wow!   She marinated the chicken in rice vinegar, cilantro, garlic and lime before grilling it.  It smelled and tasted fantastic!  We added  a mixture of cucumber, edamame, carrots, red pepper, green onions and cashews to the bed of romaine.  Yummy!!!!  To top it all off she made a homemade spicy thai dressing with rice vinegar, siracha, sesame oil, peanut butter, a bit of sugar and veggie oil.  Here is the finished product all mixed up:

Thai chicken salad

My son had two helpings, and as we were leaving he said he needed to go back and thank Ms. Lindsay again for the great meal.   Both my girls loved the chicken and one of them loved that the veggies had edamame and cashews!   It was such a fantastic meal!  I kept saying " this is so good".  To add to the goodness,  I had a glass of homemade beer (Das Boot-German ale) brewed by Lindsay's husband Joe! Needless to say, I was a happy girl last night!!  

Here is the recipe as Lindsay makes it:

Chicken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 cup cilantro, chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• dash of salt
• 1 medium boneless, skinless chicken breast (6-8 oz)
Salad
• 4 cups chopped romaine
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1 cup edamame, cooked
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• Cashews
Dressing
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 5 tablespoons siracha
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tbsp sugar
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the chicken:
1. In a ziptop bag, combine all of the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken breast. Marinate for at least 4 hours - up to overnight.
2. Heat the oven to 350F. Discard the marinade place the chicken breast in a baking dish. Bake until the internal temperature is 165, about 40 minutes.  Alternatively grill 4-5 minutes each side until cooked through.   When cool enough to handle, shred or cut into small pieces.   
For the salad:
3. In a large bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients except the romaine and set aside. Add in the chicken when cooked and add all ingredients to the bed of romaine
For the dressing:
4. Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk well to combine. Pour over the salad.

Recipe was modified from tasteandtellblog.com.

Korea House- A taste bud's delight!

Tucked away in the back of the Trowbridge strip mall in East Lansing is a fantastic Korean restaurant.  Korea House's external facade is plain but the restaurants interior is beautiful with wooden accents and Asian art.

I was meeting a friend for lunch and as I was waiting I was drawn to all the amazing dishes that were on the tables in front of me.   Steaming bowls of soups and stews, plates piled with chicken, tofu and vegetables.  I didn't know what to choose.  The menu offers Korean dishes, Japanese noodles and sushi.  (see the sushi bar in the above photo).  Luckily my girlfriend arrived quickly, and was as hungry as I was, so I did not have a hard time convincing her to order an appetizer, as well as, a meal.  The Korean pancakes (Nokdu-Bindaetteok) were just too tempting not to try.  I ordered the Soondubu Chigae (Tofu and seafood in a spicy soup) wanting something warm because it is still so cold here in Michigan.  My girlfriend ordered the combo of spicy chicken and bulgogi that at lunch comes in a bento box with tempura vegetables, rice and kimchee.
Much to our surprise and delight they gave us salad (with ginger dressing) and kimchee, onion and stir fried fish cake for starters.  I loved the fish cake.  I ate the whole bowl and wanted more!

 Then came the pancakes.  They were lightly fried creating a crispy exterior but when you took a bite the inside was soft and moist.  So good I could have had it for a main dish!

My soup arrived quickly and was still bubbling in front of me.  Thick soft pieces of tofu, shrimp and mussels bathed in a spicy broth.  So good!  There were pieces of zucchini and onion that accented the broth and seafood well.

The food was so fantastic and there was so much of it!  I had enough to take home for my son to have for lunch the next day.  He was so happy and said his friends were jealous of his meal.  I was a happy girl that day!