Press Photo/Adam BirdGood looks: A pleasing tone-on-tone dining room looks out on the downtown scene.

A welcome spot for casual downtown dining, XO Asian Cuisine offers an eclectic menu of Chinese, Japanese and Thai dishes ranging from curries to noodles, fried rice and stir-fries.

For my husband, Hoyt, and me, it's one of our favorite stops for takeout, especially when we're hungry for XO's luscious Panang curry ($13), which easily feeds two.

Press Photo/Adam BirdHot and fresh: Patrons can get pizza by the slice at New York Pizza on 28th Street.

After obsessively consuming six seasons of "The Sopranos," my foremost question was not, "What happened when the screen went black?" Rather, I was most confounded by how the characters ate pizza. Why did they always fold the slices like that?

The answer, of course, is that they're eating it New York-style, which, largely because of our proximity to Chicago, we don't get nearly enough of in Grand Rapids.

Enter the aptly named New York Pizza, which has brought a slice of the Big Apple to West Michigan.

Press Photos/Katy BatdorffVegan garbage plate is a specialty dish at Brick Road Pizza.

Brick Road Pizza Co. already had something of a loyal following when it opened in mid-November.

Like the Meanwhile Bar a few doors west on Wealthy Street, the family-owned spot has cultivated a devoted clientele through word-of-mouth endorsements and a neighborly atmosphere and by offering services that skew toward adventurous, nonmainstream tastes.

After sampling the goods at Brick Road, I can see what the fuss is all about. My guest, Adam, and I enjoyed the food so much we dined there two consecutive nights and delighted in the leftovers.

Press Photo/Delbridge Langdon Jr.Creveling's Family Restaurant in downtown Sparta is known for its Big Ugly Burger.

"Home of the Big Ugly Burger," the takeout menu hollered.

"Home of the Big Ugly Burger," the restaurant window boasted.

"Home of a Big Ugly Burger," my stomach rumbled.

Regular readers of this column will understand this logical progression. To be more specific, the BUB is a marquee item at Creveling's Family Restaurant in Sparta. And considering my indulgent, self-appointed Burger Aficionado status, it was inevitable -- unavoidable, even -- that my teeth would sink into the BUB.

Press Photo/Hollyn JohnsonViews and good food: Victory Club not only provides a sports-bar experience but excellent dining as well.

Press Photo/Hollyn JohnsonThe valiant: Dave and Heidi Organek took the big step of turning a former tavern and a vacant building into a quality neighborhood destination.

The Victory Club, including a bar and restaurant, has three big things going for it -- it's cute, it's casual, and the whole neighborhood is here.

That's great, because Victory Club, the only restaurant on the east side of the Thornapple River in Ada, is angling to be the neighborhood hangout.

Lowell residents Dave and Heidi Organek razed Lena Lou Tavern, 392 Pettis Ave. SE, near Vergennes Road in Ada Township to make way for a neighborhood restaurant. The couple turned the first floor of a vacant building on the property into the Victory Club bar and restaurant, while tacking on a 4,000-square-foot addition to house a lounge and billiards room.

From the looks -- and tastes -- of things, the Organeks are succeeding.

Press Photo/Katy BatdorffMake that to go: Andy Tran, of Soc Trang Chinese & Vietnamese Restaurant, in Caledonia, makes a chicken dish.

Press Photo/Katy BatdorffDelicious: A family-style bean curd vegetarian dish is available at Soc Trang restaurant in Caledonia.

Note to self: When ordering food for this column, don't use a Press desk phone.

Before leaving work on a particularly snowy night, I called in an order to Soc Trang, a Chinese/Vietnamese restaurant I was eager to try.

When I arrived at the Caledonia eatery after a white-knuckle drive on a slippery highway, restaurant manager Raymond Tran totally busted me. His caller ID pinpointed that I had called from the paper, and after a few questions, I was unable to construct a sufficient ruse and outed that, yes, I was there to write about his food. (We usually do this under the radar.)

But Tran just smiled, accepted payment and sent me off with my order, confident in its quality and the odds I'd enjoy it. And he had every reason to be. The menu at Soc Trang -- half Chinese, half Vietnamese -- is extensive, with dozens of chicken, pork, beef, seafood and vegetable options on the Chinese side and plenty of pho (beef noodle soup), vermicelli (thin noodle soup) and com dia (rice plates).

GRAND RAPIDS -- Downtown nightclub owner Greg Gilmore said Thursday he plans to expand his B.O.B. entertainment complex within three years.

Gilmore, who opened the night spot at 26 Monroe Ave. NW 11 years ago, said the addition will be a "multi-functional, flexible space" that could become the basis for more expansions.

The 20,000-square-foot space will be similar to a festival marketplace and feature retail and hospitality "kiosks," Gilmore said. The space could be used to host corporate events, festivals and other public gatherings.

Press Photo/Lori Niedenfuer CoolLeo's downtown: The lunch crowd begins to file into the restaurant.

My fiance, Andrew, and I enjoyed our most divine dining experience in years at Leo's.

Press Photo/Lori Niedenfuer CoolSeafood delight: Char-grilled cheese scallops wrapped in smoked salmon at Leo's

The only catch on a visit to Leo's is that it's virtually a once-in-a-lifetime experience. the restaurant changes its menu nearly every day, so when we return, we likely won't be able to order the same items again. However, every bite we consumed was so savory, it's extremely unlikely any future visit would disappoint.

We were immediately impressed by the knowledgeable and enthusiastic service provided by our server, Matt. We were salivating for the chargrilled sea scallops ($20) as soon as we ordered them, and he admired our choice, noting the creme fraiche in the dish is especially delightful, with hints of dill, mustard and lemon zest in the homemade sauce.

Press Photo/Adam BirdMain space: The dining room with fireplace in Newaygo's Northern Trails Bar and Grill.

Newaygo's Northern Trails Bar and Grill, only a short drive north of Grand Rapids, offers casual dining with a varied menu, reasonable prices and family-friendly ambience.

Housed in a building done in the Craftsman style, the newly opened restaurant sits at the corner of Cypress Avenue and M-82, near the gateway of the Croton/Hardy Dam recreation area, which includes the Muskegon River and a number of recreational lakes.

Press Photo/Dave RaczkowskiPlay while waiting: A wide choice of video games helps customers pass the time while dinner cooks at Rettangolo's Pizzeria & Arcade.

Who needs tables when you have old-school video games? Rettangolo's Pizzeria & Arcade, on Michigan Street in Grand Rapids, solves the problem of what to do while your pizza's in the oven. For me, it involved getting owned at Monopoly pinball.

Other options for killing time and increasing the chances of loudly cursing within earshot of children (sorry again, folks) include a "Bram Stoker's Dracula" pinball machine, "Big Buck Hunter," vintage "Galaga" and "Miss Pac Man" games and one of those claw-dropping stuffed-animal things.

Press Photo/Emily ZoladzOn the menu: The "Merry Mary," turkey sandwich at Ramona's Table in East Grand Rapids.

Ramona's Table offers no baloney.

I mean that literally and figuratively. Located in East Grand Rapids' Gaslight Village, this eatery made its debut last month, touting homemade, chef-concocted fare. And I don't exaggerate when I define said grub as Real Sandwiches, the kind that can force a fella to blurt a few exclamatory expletives upon biting into them.

Fare and fees: Sandwich combos, $6.95-$7.95; wraps, $6.95; salads, $5.95-$6.95.

Wait for food: 5-10 minutes.

Ambience: A modern vibe in a cozy setting, with a handful of dark-wood tables and a fireplace. Order off the refreshingly simple menu, pay at the counter, and your food is delivered to your table.

Chow down: I sank my teeth into the Black & Tan Dip ($7.95). My guest opted for The Derby Racer ($7.95) and a cup of French onion soup ($2.98).

Press Photo/Katy BatdorffColor and flavor: The extensive menu at Three Happiness includes chicken vegetable delight.

Dinner at Three Happiness is as likely to be a reunion with old friends as it is a chance to load up on reasonably priced, tasty Chinese food.

The restaurant, which originally opened in 1990, is celebrating its return to the Alpine Avenue dining scene after a roughly six-year absence. The family eatery closed in 2002, when the owners decided to "pursue something different."

"We wanted to do something else, (though) the restaurant is our passion," said manager Richard Ngo. "We were doing good business."

Press Photo/Jon M. BrouwerInviting design: The bright, welcoming interior of Ciao Bella's is a cut above the usual buffet layout and would lend itself to the eventual addition of full-menu, sit-down dining.

When it comes to buffet-style dining, expectations aren't always high for interior design and smorgasbord offerings.

It's a nice surprise, then, to see the light, bright and inviting interior of Ciao Bella's Italian Buffet and Pizzeria, a new Italian buffet eatery in Hudsonville that also offers pizzas, pastas and sandwiches for take-out and delivery.

A wall painting behind the buffet line is reminiscent of the al fresco eateries of Italy and its outdoor markets, replete with a canopy draped over the picture. The palm tree at one side may be a bit on the side of kitsch, but I do recall palms far south in Brindisi.

Press Photo/Hollyn JohnsonPreparation: Prezanna Moore makes an order of Willy Wild Wings' 12 piece barbecue wings.

Willy Wild Wings, a relatively new wing place on Eastern Avenue that broke off from the Wing Heaven chain, offers 18 sauces -- and the tempting aroma hits as soon as you step out of the car.

Willy Wild Wings offers sampler options (six with three sauces or a dozen with four sauces), excellent choices for the uninitiated or indecisive.

Falling into both categories, I grabbed two dozen-wing samplers, $8.79 apiece, with the following eight sauces: medium, hot barbecue, bourbon, spicy garlic, mango habanero, Caribbean jerk, lemon pepper and teriyaki.

Press File PhotoMaster Chef Angus Campbell, right, works with GRCC culinary arts student Gene Hartney in the teaching kitchen. Campbell will be one of the featured experts during this weekend's Grand Rapids International Wine & Food Festival.

GRAND RAPIDS -- If you love wine, food, beer, spirits or any combination of those four, you have no excuse to miss the Grand Rapids International Wine & Food Festival.

"If you're a foodie, you've got to come to this," said Angus Campbell, chef-instructor at the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education at Grand Rapids Community College.

Campbell will be one of the featured experts this weekend at the three-day, first-time event at DeVos Place. He and chef Robert Garlough will host a series of presentations during the festival, including cheese and olive oil tastings, modern sauce techniques, roasting and mixing spices, stylish plate presentation and pasta coloring, shaping and stuffing.

"It's going to be fantastic," Campbell said of the festival, which celebrates a range of epicureal delights.

Campbell hopes the event will encourage people to embrace the joys of cooking and spend more time getting creative in the kitchen or sharing food with friends and neighbors.

"(The organizers) are laying it on the line for Grand Rapidians. ... It's time for (something like this)," Campbell said. "They do this every day in Italy, we only do it one day a year.

"Cooking is so much fun .... This will teach people how to enjoy themselves with food."

Press Photo/Jon M. BrouwerOn the menu: Marbled rye bread gives a ham sandwich extra flavor at Sundaes Cafe, 2404 Eastern Ave. SE, in Alger Heights.

So, I see ice cream season is officially over.

A big ol' bummer, yes, but fret not, sweet teeth.

Sundaes in the Heights, an Alger Heights cold confectionary counter in the summer, recently expanded upon its ice cream business with Sundaes Cafe, moving into adjacent space to provide coffee and sandwiches -- and, as you're about to read, sugary treats.

Fare and fees: Sandwiches and wraps, $3.99-$5.99; salads, $4.99-$5.99; coffee drinks, $1.60-$3.85; desserts, $1.75-$2.50.

Wait for food: About five minutes.

Press Photo/Lance WynnNew look: Bar Divani, above, prepares to mark its sixth anniversary with a swankier, trendier ambience. Below, Chef Craig Oland displays an orange chicken dish.

Slipping through the velvet curtains draping the entryway at Bar Divani always is a thrill, something new to try, a reason to revisit, often the best place to be in when downtown.

As Bar Divani prepares to celebrate its sixth anniversary next month, co-owners Dennis Moosbrugger and Rimple Nayyar have ushered in a trendier, swankier feel. Moosbrugger's wife, Melonie Rogers, a designer at Think Design, renovated the space with painted mirrors, lush panels, upright suede and leather furniture, window table booths, new light coverings and a fresh paint job.

My husband, Rich, and I, looked forward to sharing the fine show with my dad, James Beeler, visiting from Scottsdale, Ariz.

Taking advantage of the happy hour menu with greatly reduced pricing of many small plates, sushi maki rolls and flat breads -- to counter the economic downturn -- we found it was a delicious way to shave a few dollars off the bill.

Press Photo/Paul L. Newby IIBalancing act: San Marcos server Moises "Benjamin" Arroyo carries six orders to a table during a recent Friday lunchtime rush.

Readers often know best what stellar restaurants are in their area. Acting on a tip from a reader who raved about San Marcos, a new Mexican-style eatery in Caledonia, my husband, Hoyt, and I, decided to see for ourselves.

Located in the same building as the former Big O' Fish House restaurant, San Marcos features a warm, rustic interior with wooden pine booths, colorful murals and Mexican decorative touches.

The restaurant, locally owned and managed by the Cuellar family, opened about five months ago. The back portion of the building still houses the Big O' Fish smokehouse and specialty market.

Press Photo//Lance WynnTry a pizza (with pepperoni, mushroom, olive, green pepper and onion), garlic bread or boneless pork ribs from Mr. Pizza.

After years of experimentation, I think I've arrived at the perfect three-topping combination for pizza. Ready? Here goes -- pepperoni, mushrooms and green peppers.

I have absolutely no scientific data to back this up, and you are, of course, welcome to disagree (and if so, e-mail me your favorite combination). But remember: I eat for a living.

Eager to try out my newly christened Theory of the Invincible Three-Topping Combo, I visited Mr. Pizza, just over the Michigan Street/College Avenue hump on the Medical Mile.

Press Photo/Lori Niedenfuer CoolSlinging the servings: Jayne Kotrba serves French toast and a veggie skillet at the Red Geranium Cafe in Wyoming.

"We do everything old school," Red Geranium Cafe owner Jim Stein told me.

Those aren't empty words. I can attest to their truth, having eaten breakfast at the Geranium several times in its former Michigan Street NE digs. And, honestly, their food, which I revisited at the sort-of new Wyoming location (it relocated last year), is even better than I remembered:

Press Photo/Adam BirdYolanda VanderPloeg, left, and Kimberly Bytwerk enjoy dinner at the Little Africa Cafe in Grand Rapids.

Despite my role as a foodie, I occasionally find myself in a dining rut.

The weeks become overscheduled, and, in a pinch, it's easy to turn to the old standbys -- microwaved Lean Cuisine and peanut butter and jelly. A series of boring dinners brings the need to rouse my palette from self-imposed hibernation.

A recent dinner at Little Africa Cafe was just what I needed to shake the mid-season culinary doldrums.

The Ethiopian restaurant's bold flavors and rich smells are a sensory delight -- challenging and satisfying.

Press Photo by Dave RaczkowskiOutside or in: Terrace Grille at Bay Pointe offers pleasing views of Gun Lake from its dining room, above, and seasonally from its expanded patio. Menu items, below, include filet of beef (foreground), glazed pork tenderloin (upper left), passionberry mousse (top) and almond-crusted walleye.

When it comes to vista, nothing beats the view of one of southwestern Michigan's largest inland lakes from the dining room and patio of the Terrace Grille at Bay Pointe Inn on Gun Lake near Shelbyville.

The terraced gardens and unforgettable view make for ambience that's incredibly hard to beat, especially as the trees shrouding the shores strut their vibrant autumnal stuff.

On a recent early fall visit, my fiance, Andrew, and I were able to take advantage of the stellar view at an outdoor table, thanks to gas-powered heat lamps on the patio, and we witnessed a young couple likewise soaking up the ambience during their wedding rehearsal.

While Bay Pointe, with its extensive, shoreside boat parking, is a shoo-in as a summertime destination, the winner of a Award of Distinction from toprestaurants.com in 2007 offers extras to fall guests. A midweek menu features a variety of entrees on sale for $9.95, prime rib for $15.95, a featured appetizer for $4.95 and dessert for $2.95.

Bay Pointe recently updated its facilities to include a new lakefront pavilion with a 200-guest capacity for private parties and events. While we were tickled to take in the stunning vista and vicariously share the couple's big event, we were bummed to hear the bridal party had ordered the last of the crab cake appetizers.

The restaurant also ran out of asparagus during our visit, but, blessedly, we beat the bell and the slender asparagus accompanying my entree was perfectly prepared.

Press Photos/Lance Wynn Putting it together: Shaun Wooden, 27, general manager/chef at Rose's Express, makes a pesto chicken pizza before putting it into the wood-fired oven.

How Rose's Express stayed under my takeout radar for so long is anyone's guess. It's tiny, popular and, most important, it has delicious food.

The Gaslight Village operation is a satellite location of much-loved Rose's Restaurant on Reeds Lake. But while there is a lot of crossover between the establishments' menus -- both belong to the Gilmore Collection -- Rose's Express has, since opening in the early 1990s, developed an identity of its own.

Essentially, you get a takeout experience with upscale food choices. Rose's popular wood-fired pizzas do brisk business at Rose's Express, and I guessed correctly that the pesto chicken specialty pizza was one of the menu's highlights.

Press Photo/Dianne Carroll BurdickInviting diner: Co-owners Paul and Lynda Pennock enjoy a cup of coffee from their diner.

Note to the truth-in-advertising department: You needn't bother Lynda's Diner.

My visit to the appealing new Dutton restaurant, which opened in August, resulted in a sandwich that defied all expectations for quality and value. As you'll see, Lynda and company have a literal definition of "steak sandwich," much to my delight.

Press Photo/Lori Niedenfuer CoolChoices: Kia Song, co-owner of Thai Basil Cuisine, shows dishes featured at the restaurant, from left: Gang Keaw Warn, green curry with coconut milk, bell peppers, eggplant, peas, bamboo shoots and fresh basil; Tom Kha Kai, chicken coconut soup; and drunken noodle, stir-fried noodles with freshly cut veggies.

Thai Basil Cuisine, located in a new strip mall on busy Alpine Avenue NW, successfully overcomes being surrounded by big-box chains by presenting striking decor and fresh cooking.

A pair of Thai dolls in traditional attire and waitresses wearing Thai silk dresses are the only nods to Thai culture.

Owners Meng and Kia Song opened the pleasant, upscale space with picturesque windows and a towering slate fireplace about two months ago. For five years, the couple owned and operated Indo-China restaurant in Bellaire, and before that, they trained at family-owned restaurants in the Traverse City area.

HOLLAND -- We've got it goin' on, too.

That's the hip message Tulip City is trying to send to West Michiganders.

To prove its case, Holland is hosting its first GrooveWalk, an evening of local music performed in the city's unique eateries, pubs and coffeehouses.

Holland's Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant entices patrons with its varied menu and casual lakeside charm, thanks to an updated look in the dining room and a brand new outdoor bar and lounge area.

My husband, Hoyt, and I treated our youngest son, Evan, a student at Eastern Michigan University, to a celebratory birthday dinner at Boatwerks on a recent Friday night.

Press Photo/Paul L. Newby IIMan at work: Head chef Chou Vang prepares a pad Thai variation at Little Bangkok Thai restaurant.

The staff at Little Bangkok is careful to ask each customer exactly how spicy they'd like their food.

And for good reason. Too little spice, and there's not enough zing. Too much, and you'll be sweating too profusely to enjoy the small restaurant's abundantly tasty entrees.

Feeling like a wimp for requesting my food with mild spice while calling in a recent order, I got slightly ambitious at the last second: "... OK, maybe with a bit of kick."

Prepared by a staff accustomed to this type of request, the food contained, to my taste, the perfect balance of flame and flavor.

Press Photo/Adam BirdA cozy spot: A customer walks in the doors of Rupinski's Deli on Fourth Street NW.

Pig, meet cow.

Mixing meats is the official Cheap Eats definition of excessive eating. Of course, there are exceptions, such as putting a couple of strips of bacon on a chicken sandwich -- that's routine. But combining swine with beef? It's a sign of one's culinary fortitude. Like that time I was at a Chicago restaurant and engulfed a half-pound burger with a halved bratwurst on top; I felt like a real man, washing it down with a hearty ale and feeling the unavoidable intestinal effects later.

But, back to the present. At Rupinski's, a new West Side deli, meat, meat, meat is the name of the game. And although I'm typically Grand Rapidian in my Dutch/Polish heritage, I couldn't resist Rupinski's meat-melding of my Eastern Bloc roots with Italian beef:

Press Photo/Adam BirdNew digs, more room: Guests eat in the Cracked Pepper's spacious dining room.

In nature, fire can be a catalyst for new life and growth. In the restaurant business, not so much.

But Cracked Pepper -- a charming family-owned restaurant in downtown Middleville -- beat the odds and literally blossomed in the face of adversity.

The eatery, which opened in July 2007, suffered a devastating fire in December. Two months later, the restaurant reopened next door, unveiling an expanded dining room in a previously vacant space.

Press Photo/Emily ZoladzAmong items on the Bombay Cuisine menu are, clockwise from right, rogan josh (lamb), masala subzi and basmati rice with fennel seeds.

GRAND RAPIDS -- Bombay Cuisine buffs soon will have more to love.

Owner Balwinder Bal plans to open The Queen's Pub in the original Bombay location on Lake Drive. Bombay, the Eastown staple, has moved next door to the former Pizza Hut location, where it has a similar amount of space but has undergone a handsome makeover.

The Queen's Pub, expected to be completed this winter, will feature dart boards, pool tables and a sizeable bar seating area. The curious can sneak a peek through the front windows when they pop into the new Bombay for a bite. The two sides of Bal's newly doubled business will share a wall and eventually will be connected.

The Bombay has something exciting and more immediate on the horizon. This month, it will start stocking about 200 wines in a new seven-seat wine bar.

DOWNTOWN

Bobarino's Italian American Grill -- Offers wood-fired pizzas, salads, handmade pasta and entrees; located inside The B.O.B. (and part of the Gilmore Collection), the restaurant operates a spacious deck above the city's action. Open daily. 20 Monroe Ave. NW, 356-2000. $$

Bobby J's Downtown -- Varied menu includes Middle Eastern appetizers, pita sandwiches, grilled paninis, pastas, seafood, chops, steaks and ribs. Located in the vintage Peacock Building. Serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night offerings. Open daily. 15 Jefferson Ave. SE, 459-8149. $

Bull's Head Tavern -- This restaurant is in a convenient spot for dinner before a show downtown or as a watering hole after work; wide assortment of entrees, dinner-sized salads and sandwiches. Closed Sundays. 188 Monroe Ave. NW, 454-3580. $$

Press Photo/Hollyn JohnsonThe wing dinner at the Wing Heaven location on Wealthy Street SE.

Belinda Carlisle was right: Heaven is a place on Earth. Several places, actually, as the locally based Wing Heaven chain continues to grow.

To catch up with the perennial takeout favorite, I paid a lunchtime visit last week to the new location, a few blocks west of its longtime perch at Wealthy Street SE.

Still recognizable for its heavenly clouds-and-sky decor, the iconic restaurant has the same M.O. as ever, serving batches of tasty wings slathered in any of 17 sauces -- soon to be 18 -- that range on the hotness spectrum from "zesty" to "face-melting."

Press Photo/Dianne Carroll BurdickIn the Kirby House: The Grill Room, above, offers creative seasonal dishes, many prepared with local foods.

Press Photo/Dianne Carroll BurdickSpecialty dish: Grill Room executive chef Andrew Sprite displays his restaurant's cedar salmon entree.

A stroll down the Grand Haven boardwalk along the Grand River to the lighthouse and dinner downtown was the perfect end-of-summer soiree we set out to enjoy. My husband, Rich, and I were joined by his parents, Dick and Donna Jelier, of Norton Shores.

At the Grill Room in the Kirby House, executive chef Andrew Sprite unlocks the secrets behind each dish with four-star ingredients and techniques.

Sprite, recently named general manager, is a familiar face on the lakeshore, having had kitchen stints in the Pigeon Lake Lodge, Rosebud and Jac's in the Spring Lake Holiday Inn. Sprite has found a dream job: specializing in high-quality, aged steaks and fresh seafood -- specifically line-caught, nonfarm-raised fish -- and glorious local produce planted especially for him by a local farmer.

Press Photo/Katy BatdorffIn your face: Texas Tradition Hot Sauce Factory manager Garrett Isham holds a brisket sandwich.

You can almost hear the spurs jinglin' and janglin.'

Byron Center's Texas Tradition Hot Sauce Factory aims for such authenticity with its exemplary barbecue, one sniff of the homemade, secret-family-recipe sauce may have you believing you're a good ol' cowpoke plopping your fanny down for some grub after a hard day's work rustlin' steer on the ranch.

Of course, the horse I rode in on actually was a Japanese-made automobile, my cowboy boots are sneakers, and the Factory is located in a suburb -- but, as I learned, it's the taste that counts.

DOWNTOWN

Bentham's Riverfront Restaurant -- This Amway Grand Plaza Hotel restaurant offers basic food with a fabulous view of the Grand River and its bridges; popular for before or after downtown events; parking free for two hours if you self-park in the Amway ramp. Open daily. 187 Monroe Ave. NW, 774-2000. $$

Bistro Bella Vita -- Downtown eatery in a redone warehouse next to Van Andel Arena serves upscale and gourmet meals. Open daily. 44 Grandville Ave. SW, 222-4600. $$, $$$

Press File PhotoFull-course dining: The Legends Restaurant at Holland's Legends Golf and Country Club offers outdoor seating with a view of the course.

Press Photo/Hoyt E. Carrier IIDuck delight: Duck, above, is served with diced sweet potato, duck confit hash, braised greens and a tart cherry shiraz glaze at Legends Restaurant, below, at Holland's Macatawa Legends Golf and Country Club.

Even if you don't have reason to celebrate, dining at the Legends Restaurant at Holland's Macatawa Legends Golf and Country Club is celebration enough -- turning even an ordinary evening into something special.

Opened earlier this summer, the restaurant is part of a newly built community complex just north of Holland, west of U.S. 31, that includes residential homes, condominiums, a banquet and conference center, country club and golf course. Membership is required for the golf course and fitness facilities, but the dining and banquet areas are open to all.

The clubhouse features two restaurants -- the casual Sunset Lounge, graced by soaring ceilings, a central stone fireplace and a sweeping view of the golf course on the main level, and Legends, on the lower level. Casually elegant, the restaurant has large windows overlooking the greens and simply appointed tables covered in white linen.