552. Strawberry Fields – April 3, 2022 – New Baltimore, MI

Strawberry Fields, I’m so pleased to have met you and your phenomenal Reuben sandwich!

I’d been enthralled by this New Baltimore-based restaurant since discovering a couple of years ago that it’s not your average eatery. Strawberry Fields is a Beatles-themed restaurant!

Probably this shouldn’t have surprised me, given the restaurant’s name. All I know is that I was laughing really hard when a friend’s husband read me some of the headings from the very punny menu (I have a Dad-joke sense of humor, so puns are wont to make me LOL). “I Wanna Hold Your Hash” and “Eight ‘Crepes’ a Week” are two favorites of mine.

I knew I had to experience the place firsthand – and I finally did one Sunday afternoon in early April. Many people shared that same desire; Strawberry Fields was kicking! Whether attracted by the puns, the walls lined with Beatles memorabilia, or the well-stocked menu, people were out enjoying “The Fields” (as my friend calls it) that day.

The restaurant serves breakfast and lunch/dinner dishes (as of this writing, it’s open until 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and until 2 p.m. Sundays and Mondays). Breakfast lovers will be enthused by the plethora of choices: crepes and omelets and French toasts and hashes and SO many kinds of pancakes (nine) and waffle dishes (seven). Those who prefer more afternoon-focused fare – as I do – are sure to find a salad, sandwich, hamburger, pita wrap, plate of pasta, fish dish, or other entrée item that intrigues them. A full bar makes for plenty of beverage choices, too.

I ordered the Dr. Robert’s Reuben (from the “Yellow Submarine Sandwiches” section of the menu, naturally) and was SO into its melted Swiss, piles of tender pastrami, zingy sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing, and crispy-toasted, butter-saturated rye bread. YUM!

You don’t have to be a lover of puns or the Beatles to enjoy Strawberry Fields. You simply need to be a lover of good food, which Strawberry Fields has in spades!

51070 S. Foster Rd.

New Baltimore, MI 48047

www.strawberryfieldsdining.com

541. Fin’s Eatery & Spirits – December 30, 2021 – New Baltimore, MI

With its inviting pub ambiance and PHENOMENEAL baby-back ribs, Fin’s Eatery & Spirits is the perfect place to cozy up on a cold winter’s night!

With a name like Fin’s, you don’t think ribs, right? And yet, ribs are featured in this New Baltimore-based restaurant’s logo, which tells you something. The baby-back ribs I had at Fin’s during my visit in late December were tender, fall-off-the-bone deliciousness slathered in luxe barbecue sauce. Mmm, mmm, MMM! I could eat Fin’s ribs for dinner EVERY day!

If seafood is more your thing, Fin’s does serve plenty of it: whitefish and walleye, salmon and scallops and fried shrimp, crab cakes and beer-battered fish-and-chips. And, as evidenced by those out-of-this-world ribs, it offers so much more than its sea-centric name suggests. Its menu also features entrée salads, hearty sandwiches, pastas (including a lobster-infused mac ‘n’ cheese), and meat-forward dishes such as prime rib and the Rockefeller (chicken smothered with spinach, bacon, onion, and Swiss and Parmesan cheeses). An ample appetizer section with upscale offerings such as ahi tuna, escargot, and baked brie round out the menu. The full bar serves wine, beer, and cocktails such as the Flying Monkey (a vodka-spiked raspberry lemonade) and St. Clair Punch (a medley of light and dark rums, grenadine, Sprite, and fresh-squeezed orange juice).

The next time you’re looking for a super-satisfying meal and a cozy, convivial atmosphere, harken to Fin’s!

51006 Washington St.

New Baltimore, MI 48047

www.eat-at-fins.com

507. Trini’s Mexican Carryout – April 24, 2021 – New Baltimore, MI

I love Mexican food! So when a friend suggested lunch from Trini’s Mexican Carryout, I was game.

From the tiny confines of this New Baltimore-based carryout restaurant comes big flavor – and big portions! The Teresa’s Pick 3 combination plate I ordered came in two carryout containers. One was devoted to ample portions of rice and refried beans; the other, the two enchiladas and Street Taco I’d opted for as part of the Pick 3 combo.

The enchiladas were meaty, cheesy goodness! I got one cheese and one ground beef enchilada. Both were rich in flavor – as was the Street Taco. Nestled in a soft corn tortilla, it was a delicious melding of pork, cheese, cilantro, lime juice, onion, and tomato.

Trini’s menu offers a plethora of options besides that Pick 3 combo. Dinner plates combining sides of rice and refried beans with Mexican favorites such as tamales, burritos, fajitas, and chimichangas abound. There’s also an à la carte section offering tacos, tostadas, and other goodies sans the sides. Lunch specials are available, as is a build-your-own nacho platter coming in three sizes: Super, Mini, and Micro. So much goodness on one menu!

35710 Green St.

New Baltimore, MI 48047

www.triniscarryout.com

481. The Little Mustard Seed Café and Shoppe – September 26, 2020 – New Baltimore, MI

A summer-like Saturday in late September was worth celebrating with an alfresco lunch at The Little Mustard Seed Café and Shoppe.

The restaurant/retail space in downtown New Baltimore promotes itself as an organic, gluten-free café with a focus on fresh ingredients. Chalkboard menus showcasing a variety of soups, salads, sandwiches, smoothies, pizzas, baked goods, and coffee drinks line the walls of its bright, bunting-bedecked interior. Also sold are a carefully curated selection of dry goods: packaged snacks, jams, and honeys, plus gift-friendly items such as naturally-derived lip balms.

I enjoyed the seedy, obviously house-made bread of the Club sandwich I ordered at The Little Mustard Seed. It went well with the turkey, ham, turkey bacon, tomato, mixed greens, and cheese that constituted its iteration of the classic sandwich.

If you’re looking to eat a healthful, whole-foods-focused meal AND support a local business, you can’t go wrong with The Little Mustard Seed! Summer-like weather abounding or not, it’s worth a visit.

5111 Washington St.

New Baltimore, MI 48047

www.thelittlemustardseedcafe.com