Antojitos El Catracho 7340 McGraw St., Detroit 313-399-3135 Handicap accessible Dinners: $6-$12.49 Antojitos: $2-$5.49 Breakfast: $7-$8 Open 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday

Why choose a Central American restaurant over a Mexican one? (Assuming, in both cases, that youre going for the real thing rather than an Americanized version. Actually, I havent yet met an Americanized Central American restaurant. In Detroit, at least, theyre all real-deal, serve-the-neighborhood places.)

Fried plantains would be reason enough. But enormous sopas with hand-made tortillas, crisp carne asada, tamales done right, and horchata are also plenty of motivation, as is your perpetual desire to broaden your horizons.

I say this as a person whos lived in Central America for months at a time, so I admit to the taste of second home bias.

El Catracho means The Honduran. Ignore the antojitos (appetizers) part of the name; youll get giant full-course meals here. Its decorated with a mural of a campesino digging rocks out of a field, a reminder of why so many felt they needed to leave and come here.

A brief lesson on plantains, which are the 10th-most important staple food in the world: The different names in different countries for varying degrees of ripeness and preparation methods are dizzying, but at El Catracho you need remember only three. Tajadas are green plantains sliced and then fried. Tostones are fried slices, pounded thinner with a wooden tostonera, and then fried again. Neither is sweet, as the fruit has not yet ripened, and though theyre a ubiquitous side dish in Honduras, I find them tasting mostly like generic fried. Garlic cream is offered on the side, in one version. Platanos maduros, on the other hand, are super-sweet, a traditional breakfast dish, though you might use them as dessert. Served with black beans and crema, theres nothing like them.

Pupusas (typically Salvadoran) come stuffed with various combos of cheese, beans, and chicharron. We got ours with loroco (a vine flower ) but found the whole (large) thing pretty mild. Like many dishes here, its served with a big heap of shredded cabbage sometimes with a sprinkle of powdered Parmesan on top!

Better was a pastelito, the Honduran pasty, because whats not to like about crisp, fried dough encasing meat? And better still was the $2 tamal, chicken or pork the moist, square kind steamed in a plantain leaf, not the dry cylindrical kind thats more common around here. Try a tamal this way and you wont go back.

New to me was the baleada, a street food, which our waitress described as like a burrito but just folded over. Here its pretty bland and contains scrambled eggs, beans, sour cream, and cheese in a flour tortilla. Hot sauce would improve it.

Those for whom the best accolade for meat is tender should not try Central American carne asada. Probably the steers are stringy, and being cooked within an inch of its life bumps up the chewiness factor. Here its a thicker cut than Ive had in Guatemalan restaurants, with a bit of a crust, and, in my opinion, deliciously tasty. Its served with rice and beans, of course; be sure to ask for whole beans.

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Restaurant Review: Antojitos El Catracho

Photo/Ann Genader

McDonalds Restaurant at 41 Marshall Hill Road in West Milford (circa 1981) will be replaced by a modern McDonalds eatery.

Preliminary and final site plan approval - needed for the new restaurant construction proposed by the McDonalds Corporation at 41 Marshall Hill Road - was expected to come from the West Milford Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) on Tuesday, Feb. 19. A necessary use variance and associated bulk variance approvals for the project were also expected to receive board sanction.

The proposal being considered includes installation of a freestanding sign and other improvements that are needed because there were other pre-existing nonconforming site conditions associated with the application, ZBA meeting agenda notes said.

The agenda reported that the application was carried from the Dec. 18, 2012 meeting. Revised plans were received in response to board questions, continued the agenda note.

It said the application was carried from Jan. 22 and the board professionals were given the opportunity to have all conditions ready (for approval) ahead of Tuesdays meeting.

"This will make it possible for the application to be approved and memorialized at the same time at the Feb. 19, meeting," the agenda noted.

McDonalds professionals said at earlier ZBA meetings that the present building will be replaced by a new restaurant with the new updated design that other McDonalds newer and refurbished restaurants have. They said over time the present 1981 building has become aged and outdated.

The company professionals said McDonalds restaurants have a softer tone now in comparison to the original design. Since most of the business is through the drive-through section the seating inside is being decreased from 103 to 54 seats.

ZBA Attorney Stephen Glatt said at the Jan. 22 meeting that ZBA professionals wanted to take a final look at the application before a final vote was taken. All indications were that otherwise the approvals would be forthcoming.

The rest is here:
OK for McDonalds redo in West Milford expected

by KREM.com, David Nutt, Andrew Casler and Simon Wheeler, The Ithaca (N.Y.) Journal

KREM.com

Posted on June 24, 2014 at 5:45 AM

ITHACA, New York. A truck driver from Spokanecrashed into a New York restaurant Friday, killing a bartender andinjuring at least seven others.

Witnesses estimated the truck was traveling as fast as 60 mph when it crashed into the building in Downtown Ithaca.

The CBS affiliate in Syracuse reported the tractor trailer hauler was owned by Auto Star Transport in Spokane. The 37-year-old driver was ticketed for having an inadequate braking system and violating length restrictions, according to CBSNews.

The driver of the truck sustained superficial injuries and was being questioned by Ithaca police. The cause of the crash was being investigated Friday evening.

Lindsey Pou, 26, a pastry chef at a nearby restaurant, said she was sitting outside when she saw the tractor-trailer barreling down the street and smash into the building. She said the driver did not sound the horn, and she did not hear any screeching brakes.

There were a number of diners sitting in Simeon's restaurant, and more employees were arriving for the evening shift when the accident occurred, she said.

A group of construction workers were standing in the truck's path and had to leap out of the way to avoid being hit, according to Pou.

Original post:
Spokane truck driver involved in fatal NY restaurant crash

TAMPA Now that the Epicurean Hotel is open and the Elevage restaurant, Edge Social Drinkery and Chocolate Pi patisserie are serving customers, the owner of Berns Steak House announced Monday that sister restaurant SideBerns will get a major makeover.

David Laxer said the changes at the 18-year-old South Howard Avenue restaurant were long planned following Berns Fine Wine & Spirits relocation south to the Epicurean from SideBerns. With all the bottles moved and the space empty, renovating the modern fusion restaurant is now possible.

SideBerns will close on June 24 so that construction can begin at the award-winning 150-seat restaurant, Laxer said. No reopening date has been set, but it is expected service will restart near the end of the year.

For the past five years, the restaurant has closed for 10 days each summer for maintenance and decor improvements. Laxer said this years renovation plans are too extensive to complete in such a short amount of time.

Its a bigger endeavor than tearing up some floor, putting paint on the walls and moving furniture around, Laxer said. We just cant continue to have that dead space in the former wine store. Now its about figuring out the nuts and bolts of what to do.

In 2012, Berns joined with Mainsail Lodging & Development and Marriott to build the food-themed Epicurean Hotel across from the steak house on South Howard Avenue.

The land for the hotel, as well as the parking garage behind the resort, was provided by Laxer. Mainsail built the hotel and oversees its operations. Marriott provides the reservations and booking system.

Staff from Berns and SideBerns operate the Elevage restaurant, Chocolate Pi bakery and the Edge rooftop bar, as well as in-room and spa food and beverage hospitality. The restaurant also provides food for catering events in the ballroom as well as private functions inside the Epicureans Culinary Theater.

It takes time to do something right and we want to do it right, Berns spokeswoman Brooke Palmer said of the renovation. We want to bring SideBerns to the level of the hotel and Elevage.

In 1996, SideBerns started as three separate buildings, including the wine shop, the restaurant and a warehouse. As the restaurant grew from a dessert and wine space into a full-fledged restaurant under former chef Jeannie Pierola, the land between the wine shop and dining room was enclosed as The Brick Room to accommodate large groups and functions.

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SideBernand#8217;s to close during renovation

DECATURCome September, what will be a new restaurant for community members will serve as a laboratory for students at Richland Community College.

When people think of a lab, they usually picture beakers and Bunsen burners, instead of forks, spoons and duck pat, said Greg Florian, Richland vice president of finance and administration.

After about $1 million and a year of construction, the college invited the public Wednesday to get a peek of Bistro 537, the Culinary Arts Institute student-operated restaurant. The ribbon-cutting doubled as a Business After Hours event for the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce where food, beverages and tours of the facility were provided to more than 150 attendants.

Chamber President Mirinda Rothrock said Bistro 537 will give students real-life experience that could lead to one day opening their own restaurant and spurring commerce in the community.

The culinary institute is one great way to think of economic development, Rothrock said. Students here receiving their education are becoming our future work force.

Though most of the construction on the facility, located adjacent to the Shilling Center, has been completed, the college will focus on finalizing detail work during the summer, Florian said.

Once open, the restaurant will offer lunch and dinner on Tuesdays and Thursdays with the menu changing each month.

From a fast lunch service to a fine dining experience and everything in between, the menu will evolve each month as students progress, Chef Ryan Rogiers said.

The restaurant serves as one project in a long list of construction developments taking place at the college this summer.

The Workforce Development Institute, a 45,000 square-foot building costing about $16 million, is slated for completion in October and will house the college's auto body, auto technology, diesel technology and construction trades programs along with the fitness and wellness center as well as space for Heartland Technical Academy students. Equipment will start to be hauled into the building in July.

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Beyond the kitchen

Sweet season: Shakamak wins Class A baseball title

Shakamak baseball wins the IHSAA Class A state baseball championship.

June 21, 2014 15 Photos

Sweat poured from the faces of about 110 high school football players attending Saturdays fifth annual Union Hospital Steve Weatherford Football Camp.

June 21, 2014 5 Photos 1 Story

Steve Weatherford, a New York Giants punter, continued his day of giving back to his home town Saturday afternoon at the Childrens Museum after hosting his annual football camp at North Vigo High School.

June 21, 2014 3 Photos 1 Story

A ceremonial groundbreaking will take place Monday for the new, $9.8 million Vigo Schools Aquatic Center, which will be located at Voorhees Park. The event will take place at 9 a.m.

June 21, 2014

The Vigo County School Board on Monday will consider revisions to its anti-bullying policy to comply with a new state law.

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After delays, construction resumes

Austin, Texas (PRWEB) June 16, 2014

Once a relatively quiet suburbia, the Anderson-Shoal Creek-Burnet corridor is now home to a booming population, including a bevy of young Austin professionals. Recognizing the energy of the neighborhood, restaurateur Brendan Puthoff called on the collaborative power of Dick Clark and Associates and Pinnacle Construction to design and build his latest epicurean venture, Fork & Vine (http://www.forkvine.com).

Construction has ofcially begun on the 5,200+ square foot, 229-seat Austin-inspired kitchen and wine bar, taking the anchor spot of the Creekside Square Shopping Center. Fork & Vine is a natural evolution for Puthoff Holdings, developer of Third Base Sports Bars and Mighty Bird restaurants and past owner of Hickory Street.

We wanted to bring to Shoal Creek a restaurant with rened food and excellent service, yet have it remain casual in spirit, said Puthoff. And nobody expresses this concept through architecture better than Dick Clark and Associates (http://www.dcarch.com).

I really love their design style, Puthoff said of Dick Clark. The rm is well known for creating sleek, comfortable interiors including their creative use of unique materials. Dick Clark has designed an incredible restaurant that exceeded our expectations from a functionality, style, and renement perspective. Our customers are going to love Fork & Vine.

The Austin Power Team

Since 1979, Dick Clark and Associates has helped shape Central Texas architectural design through its restaurants, mixed-use projects and custom homes. According to Katy Wise, Project Manager and Architect, the rm has designed over 50 restaurants, including Austins FINO, Soleil, Ruths Chris Steakhouse and Kenichi.

By the end of 2014, the trending phrase for going out for a memorable evening in Austin will be, Lets go to Anderson, said Wise.

The Dick Clark team brought in long-time partner Pinnacle Construction (http://www.pinnacleaustin.com), a 25-year industry construction veteran, for their technical expertise, superior eye for detail, and rich history in restaurant construction.

Founded by Beth Selbe Lasita in 1989, Pinnacle is the only female-owned Austin construction company that specializes in restaurants and retail. Lasita has led her team to complete over 250 restaurants, including the latest new eateries la V, Odd Duck and Midnight Cowboy, and established names like Ranch 616, Bess Bistro, and her own investments, The Grove Kitchen and Lola Savannah Coffee.

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Award-winning Design & Construction Teams Pair Up to Build Austin Kitchen and Wine Bar, Fork & Vine

Weston,FL (PRWEB) June 16, 2014

The month of June has been incredibly busy for the Florida Restaurant Franchise Group (FRFG), a subsidiary Jafrejo Holdings, LLC. The company had recently announced the acquisition of a new location and the start of construction on their first site in Davie, Florida. The group is now proud to announce I-526 approvals in their Group 8 project that is being used to fund the development of Twin Peaks restaurants throughout South Florida.

While this news was expected, it is always exciting when one of our projects begins to see the I-526 approvals start rolling in, said Fred Burgess, Director and Chief Legal Officer of the Florida Restaurant Franchise Group (FRFG) and operator of Twin Peaks Restaurants in South Florida. The Florida Restaurant Franchise Group (FRFG) is the subsidiary of Jafrejo Holdings and is responsible for all EB-5 fundraising efforts of the companies various restaurant brands. Receiving these I-526 approvals simply reaffirms our position that USCIS believes in our projects as being sound and fully compliant with program guidelines and that is reassuring to our EB-5 partners and those who are still considering our projects as a way to obtain permanent U.S. Residency through the EB-5 Visa program, said Mr. Burgess. We expect this news will bring even more notoriety to our Twin Peaks EB-5 projects.

The first two EB-5 phases (FRFG 8 and FRFG 9) that are being used to partially fund development of Twin Peaks Restaurant locations in South Florida are already sold out, but according to Burgess, there are positions remaining in Twin Peaks FRFG 10 which will fund two (2) additional locations. The first of ten South Florida Twin Peaks locations is expected to open in January 2015 with additional locations to follow shortly thereafter. Burgess is quick to point out that this latest news should create even more awareness in FRFGs Twin Peaks projects with those considering the EB-5 program.

In addition to Twin Peaks being one of the hottest sports themed restaurant brands in the United States, the FRFG business model carries its own appeal to EB-5 investors, EB-5 agents, consultants, and immigration attorneys alike because of the simplicity of the project structure and the fact that unlike many other EB-5 projects these do not wait for EB-5 funding to begin construction or development of locations:

FRFGs Twin Peaks offerings are presented under the Palm Beach Regional Center, the first EB-5 Regional Center to have been approved in the State of Florida and one of the few Regional Centers in the United States that can boast a 100% success rate on all previous I-526 petitions. The Palm Beach Regional Center operates in nine Florida Counties including Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach.

About the Florida Restaurant Franchise Group (FRFG):

The Florida Restaurant Franchise Group, based in Weston, Fla., and is subsidiary of Jafrejo Holdings, LLC, a private entity that develops and markets franchise restaurant concepts throughout Florida. The company has a development and operations team with more than 30 years of combined success in various national franchise operations. The group is currently developing VooDoo BBQ & Grill and Twin Peaks restaurants throughout South Florida. For more information, log on to http://www.eb5restaurants.com or http://www.jafrejo.com.

About Twin Peaks:

Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Addison, Texas by successful restaurant veterans Randy DeWitt, Scott Gordon and Jack Gibbons to meet the needs of an untapped market, Twin Peaks Restaurants features quality made from scratch man food and ice cold draft beer served at 29 degrees into frozen mugs by friendly and attractive Twin Peaks Girls in a mountain sports lodge setting. Named a "2010 Hot Concept!" by Nation's Restaurant News and among 2011s and 2012s Future 50 concepts by Restaurant Business magazine, the national chain has more than 50 locations throughout Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. For more information, log on to http://www.twinpeaksrestaurants.com.

Originally posted here:
Florida Restaurant Franchise Group Continues EB-5 Success with Twin Peaks

Davie, Fl (PRWEB) June 13, 2014

The month of June has been very exciting for the South Florida group developing Twin Peaks the nations hottest sports themed restaurant chain that prides itself on being the ultimate man cave! The Florida Restaurant Franchise Group (FRFG) a subsidiary Jafrejo Holdings, LLC which is developing ten (10) locations across South Florida announced today that they have acquired a new location in Davie, FL and have begun to prepare the site for construction. This Davie site will be FRFGs first South Florida location and is expected to introduce South Florida to the East, Drink and Scenic Views of Twin Peaks in January 2015.

We are very happy with the progress we have been making and we are excited to finally begin the construction process on our first South Florida location. Davie is the perfect location to introduce our brand to South Florida, said Jack Flechner of the Florida Restaurant Franchise Group (FRFG) and operator of Twin Peaks in South Florida as well as other franchise restaurants in Florida. Acquiring this property and beginning the construction process on our first of ten locations are exciting milestones for us, we couldn't be more excited about working with the Town of Davie in developing our first location at the Tower Shoppes, added Flechner.

The Florida Restaurant Franchise Group (FRFG) has also indicated that it is working on plans to quickly expand with additional locations in Pembroke Pines, West Palm Beach, Doral and Fort Lauderdale.

About the Florida Restaurant Franchise Group (FRFG) :

The Florida Restaurant Franchise Group, is a Subsidiary of Weston, FL based JaFreJo Holdings, a private company that develops and markets franchise restaurant concepts throughout Florida. The company has a development and operations team with more than 30 years of combined success and experience in various national franchise operations. The group is currently developing VooDoo BBQ & Grill and Twin Peaks restaurants throughout South Florida. For more information, log on to http://www.jafrejo.com .

About Twin Peaks:

Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Addison, Texas by successful restaurant veterans Randy DeWitt, Scott Gordon and Jack Gibbons to meet the needs of an untapped market, Twin Peaks Restaurants features quality made from scratch man food and ice cold draft beer served at 29 degrees into frozen mugs by friendly and attractive Twin Peaks Girls in a mountain sports lodge setting. Named a "2010 Hot Concept!" by Nation's Restaurant News and among 2011s and 2012s Future 50 concepts by Restaurant Business magazine, the national chain has more than 50 locations throughout Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. For more information, log on to http://www.twinpeaksrestaurants.com.

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Twin Peaks Begins South Florida Expansion

Chris and Toula Linville got started early this year, filing in January for a building permit to build a new Louie's Coney Island restaurant on the site of the tornado-ravaged store on East Hoffer Street.

Their ability to line up a contractor and building plans so quickly paid off of the Linvilles, who re-opened Louie's to widespread public acclaim June 4.

With tornado damage in need of repair, as well as a national economy on the rebound, local planning officials are hoping this will be the best post-recession year for Kokomo and Howard County construction yet.

In the southwest and eastern edges of the city, the recession-stalled build out of subdivisions has restarted.

In March, the Kokomo Plan Commission issued 13 building permits for new homes. Locations included Crooked Stick Drive near the Wildcat Creek Golf Course, Schick Drive in the new Quail Run subdivision, and Morrow Drive in the Highland Springs area.

The numbers were encouraging, as homebuilders have endured some horrific years since the economy faltered in 2008. In 2006, more than 2,500 people were employed in the construction trades in Kokomo and Tipton counties. By mid-2009, that number had been cut in half, with residential housing jobs taking the brunt of the hit.

So far builders have filed for 23 building permits for single-family homes in Kokomo and Howard County this year, after filing for 26 permits in all of 2013, and only 17 in 2012. Between 2009 and 2011, there were only 11 new home permits issued.

"It's a busy time, but it's a good busy," Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight said Friday, as workers could be seen from his office window working on the city's new $6 million parking garage, due to be finished by year's end.

The city is gearing up for a downtown baseball stadium project, with site work set to begin this year.

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Construction trending up in Kokomo