The Best (and almost only) Mexican Food in BG

El Zarape is located just east of campus on Wooster, which isn't the only thing that makes it especially "college friendly." However, this restaurant can be enjoyable for just about anyone, including the whole family.

Don't be confused, though, because El Zarape used to occupy a different location a bit further west. That building became another Mexican restaurant called Cinco de Mayo 5 when El Zarape moved down the road in June of 2008. Cinco de Mayo has a cheaper menu, but in my experience you usually get what you pay for, and I'll always choose El Zarape.

It has the feel of a family-run place with friendly service and a terrific menu that has to be made mostly from scratch. Every so often there's entertainment, usually mariachi bands, which aren't particularly my thing. As far as the food goes, I normally order a Fajita Burrito, but switch it up by alternating chicken and steak. The peppers and onions are excellent, and the platter comes with plenty of food, including beans and rice. If it doesn't sound like your thing, I'm not an authority on too many other items, but check out the link above. There's all kinds of combos and whatnot.

All these qualities of El Zarape aside, the thing they are most famous (or infamous) for is their margaritas. They're powerful enough to rival those of any of the out-of-town Mexican restaurants in Toledo, Perrysburg or Maumee, and come in many flavors. They'll even mix different kinds for you. There is also a pretty good selection of imported and domestic beers, and wine available as well. But come prepared, most likely with a designated driver, when you visit El Zarape to drink. You have been warned.

Downtown BG Bars

Below is a map of the various bars downtown Bowling Green has to offer. There are others in town, but this focuses on the downtown area, which is highlighted in orange. Click on each location to find out more, like contact information, websites and images. I took most of the pictures myself.


View BG Bars in a larger map

Campus Pollyeyes

The website for Pagliai's Pizza and Campus Pollyeyes tells the "legend" of the opening of the restaurants in Bowling Green. I'm going to open with a selection from that history:

"...our story begins, in 1967, with a nineteen year old Missouri born pizza maker named George Nicholson. George had spent his early years mastering his trade under the tutelage of the Pagliai's brothers, Salvatori, Armond and Haldo, who had built a chain of pizzerias which stretched across Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois. One day, after having passed through a college town in Northwest Ohio called Bowling Green, Salvatori thought, rightfully so, that this town would be an ideal location for the first (and to this day the only) Pagliai's Pizza in Ohio. When George was given the opportunity to relocate from their location in Iowa City to Bowling Green to open up the pizza house, he jumped at it.

Pagliai's opened for business at 1004 South Main in 1967, across the street from the present location, with George and a handful of employees under him. Cheese pizzas for ninety cents and bottles of pop for a dime caught on... in a big way. In 1969, hot subs and the first salad bar in town were added. In 1976, having outgrown its current location, the business moved across the street to its current location at 945 South Main. In 1978, a second pizzeria was established at 440 East Court Street and named Campus Pollyeyes. The name changed to a more phonetic spelling to avoid confusion."

I included this story because I found it to be interesting, and also because this is the first time I have seen an explanation of why the names of the two restaurants are spelled differently. I've pondered this all my life, and the answer has been waiting in plain sight for who knows how long.

Campus Polleyes, in my opinion, is quite different than its predecessor. Pagliai's has a pizza, soup and salad buffet, and a bunch of Italian recipes on their menu. I had to look to see what else the Campus joint sells, because I've only ordered one thing from them, ever, and that's stuffed breadsticks.

They're kind of pricey, but the stuffed breadsticks are worth it. There's nothing else like them in town. They'll take pretty much anything they have in the restaurant and bake them in some dough with cheese and top it with garlic butter. Six come in a full order, but if it's just you, I'd advise three unless you want leftovers. Three breadsticks has always been considered a full meal by anyone I know.  That whole order will run you around $14, but there's coupons on their website that can bring it down to $11 or $12. I always get chicken and cheese with ranch (you choose a dipping sauce), but there's all kinds of other stuff to get, like steak or roast beef.

I don't visit Campus Pollyeyes in person very often, but it seems like a decent enough place. They have beer on tap (a nice selection, too), and it's close to campus at 440 East Court Street. They also serve pizza, sandwiches, salads, and more. Check out the rest of their menu with these PDF  links to the Carryout and Dine-In menus. Call for delivery at 419-352-9638.

Myles' Style is Thick

Another BG favorite is Myles Pizza Pub on East Wooster Street. Order this when you're really hungry or have a lot of people to feed, because their pizza is massive. The cheese, sauce, crust and toppings are all layered thick. Order a simple pepperoni and they'll pile it several slices high all over your pie, under a mound of cheese of course.

The restaurant is owned by Chip Myles, and it isn't his only BG staple. You can also catch him running an independent Dairy Queen located across the railroad tracks. Both have been around as long as I can remember.

They don't just get by on size and Myles, their pizza is tasty and creative. Look at their specialty pizzas, for instance. Although there are your standard meat and veggie lovers, taco, etc., Myles takes it several steps further. There's Greek lovers, Spice lovers (pepperoni/sausage/salami), Chinese chicken (pineapple/almonds), Tropical (pineapple/shrimp on whole wheat), Wild West (buffalo/mushrooms/bacon) and Breakfast lovers, with eggs and your choice of ham, bacon or sausage. A menu item I found surprisingly funny was a supreme-style pizza with lots of toppings called the "Food Lovers."

Myles Pizza also sells several sizes and styles of salads, subs and more. You'll just have to check this one out for yourself. Unfortunately they don't operate a website, so you'll have to try to look at some of those menu websites or, better yet, visit in person. Delivery is an option if you're hungry and aren't feeling motivated, which is available until 2:30 am for you night owls.

Pisanello's: Ever Have It This Good?

I can say with certainty Pisanello's is my favorite pizza place in Bowling Green. I've never been one to save the best for last, so I made it my first stop on the BG pizza trail. Their catchphrase hits it on the head for me: " A pizza never had it so good!"

I checked out Pisanello's website and learned a few new things about the restaurant, even though I've been eating their pizza since before I can remember. It turns out that a guy named Ron Pisanello opened restaurants in Alliance and Kent, Ohio in the late 1950s, who sold the name and recipes in 1964 to a Kent State University student who brought the pizzeria to Bowling Green. There are now more than twenty Pisanello's Pizza locations across Ohio and Michigan. The BG location has probably won as many honors as any other restaurant in town, including Bowling Green's best pizza for 17 years.

Their recipes are both classic and delicious. Their traditional pizza sauce is good, but for a new taste, order the California White pizza with chicken and whatever other toppings you like (I suggest tomatoes). Their dough tastes fresh, and so do their homemade breadsticks. There are also more than ten subs and sandwiches and plenty of sides. I like the tomato bread. I also like to hit up Pisanello's for a fresh salad once in a while as well. There are many kinds but I pick the Chicken Caesar, which comes topped with a mass of cheese and croutons and is plenty for two.

So check out Pisanello's, and don't be afraid to try something a little out of the ordinary, because they offer some pretty good flavors. Also remember to vote in our pizza poll in the right sidebar. Let us know whether you like Pisanello's, a chain pizza place, or one of the other local favorites!

What's Your Favorite Pie?

Pizza Places constitute a healthy percentage of the rstaurants in Bowling Green, a number of them locally owned. Shoutout to Cheesy in BGeezy. They have a cool slideshow with pretty much every pizza joint in town.

I work for a pizza place in BG myself, and I'm a little dismayed by the local places we've lost over the years. Luca Pizza sold monster oven-fired slices and some decent stuffed breadsticks out of the Woodland Mall food court until they closed shop a few months ago. Several restaurants including a few pizza places like Night Flight and Dinky's went in-and-out of the now-empty location on Mercer and East Wooster. Years ago that same place was the second Pizza Hut. Each of these restaurants had good pizzas on their menus; is it the presence of big pizza chains in BG like Marco's, Papa John's, Pizza Hut or Domino's that cost us some of the other ones? Which do you prefer? Chain or local?

Anyway, this look at local pizza places is my attempt to draw some attention away from the $10 specials of the big guys to what I consider to be some more flavorful choices in Bowling Green. I much prefer the grub from the local places. I'll touch on my favorites this week, which are the same ones in the poll on the right sidebar. Wait for my reviews or make your sleection now between the local choices or the chains. Cheesy inBGeezy also has a pizza poll up, so make sure to stop by and give them your feedback as well.

Long Live the King

I know I do a lot of writing about restaurants, but I love to eat.

Arguably, the greatest 'bang for your buck' spot in Bowling Green can be found at King Buffet.  King is an Asian cuisine eatery and is known for their King's combo.  For $5.99 you can pick five items from a list and a canned drink, fried rice is included.  Although there is a lack of polite customer service, it's hard to deny their affordability and flavor. 

It's the quintessential take out spot.  If it was up to BGSU senior David Clark he'd eat Kings at least four days a week.  "I've been eating Kings since I got up here.  I love the fact that I can eat multiple times throughout the day from one take out order," Clark said. 

The buffet isn't that great because they focus more on cost efficiency than the customer.  They don't refill the empty food pans that often, but participants in a smorgasbord don't do too much complaining.  Less than 30 seconds down the road is Old Time Buffett.  Although I never ate at Old Time Buffett I heard they have a great spread.

All in all, King rightfully deserves a spot on the city's top 10 busiest business list.  One way they could improve their business is by showing some customer appreciation.  Punch out cards for frequent customers or occasional discounts would prove beneficial for them.  Also, they should keep a better eye on those slick college students in there packing a little extra for later though :)

Marketplace of Freshness

After watching Food Inc. this past summer, I began to respect independent food producers more than I had ever done before.  Within this fast paced industrialized world we live in, franchises like McDonald's and Taco Bell seem to dominate the food market.  This quick fix-corporate-food phenomena has complicated the American economy and our health simultaneously. Food Inc. also highlights the discouraging  fact that many government employed regulators whom work in agencies such as the FDA, tend to have ties with the same corporations they should be monitoring to ensure healthy practices and safe food.

Think about it for a second.  Our national news is dominant over local news.  Commercials are from nationally recognized entities.  We're tuned into national politics rather than attending town hall meetings.  Lastly, we tend to shop at franchises over locally owned Mom & Pop stores.  There is this national/state vs. local dichotomy present in different aspects of American life. 

But withstanding all the national competition remains an endangered shrine of locality: The Farmer's Market

On Wednesday's from 3-8 on S. Main St. (Between Sam B's and Mesmerized) you can find all types of vendors selling herbs, fruit, veggies, fudge, cookies and more.  After my visit today, I felt refreshed.  I conversed and ate with Willy who owns Willy's Salsa (amazing), Tony who owns Antone's Hummos (tasty), and Bob the fudge man (delicious) about entrepreneurship and Bill O'Reilly, whom they said i'll debate with one day.  I also bought some natural hand sanitizer from Elizabeth, who is a chemist, made from from olives and sage.

It was a breath of fresh air.

Thoughts for Grounds

Grounds for thought may be my favorite business in Bowling Green.  The name of the store alone sets the mood before you even walk in.

Coffee, pastries, comic books and records all do their part towards stimulating your mind.  The subsequent formulation of ground breaking ideas is expected.  Every time I come here I feel like I am in Seattle.  And I’ve never even been to Seattle.  The wooden décor provides an Earth tone color scheme that creates a much better ambiance than Jerome.

Although different elements add to the atmosphere, books are the seminal piece.  A wide variety of reading material ranging from children’s books to critically acclaimed novels occupies the shelves.  But if you don’t want to read, there is usually some people playing chess or scrabble.  It’s a family affair.

All jokes aside, it’s more intimate than Borders.   And it is much cozier than Nobles and Barnes.  If you need a change in your studying venue, I suggest you come here.

P.S.:   Order a Coffee Amore with whip cream.

Pictured above are the friendly folks who'll make your drinks etc.  I didn't get their names sooo, let's call them Gertrude and Thomas.

Small Biz BG Slideshow

Bowling Green's downtown is comprised of a nice variety of small businesses.  No skyscrapers or colosseums, just a bunch of blue collar families trying to make a few dollars.  Enjoy the slideshow.

The Cookie Jar... And More?

This kinda ties in with something Daniel wrote about earlier, because "The Cookie Jar And More" is one of those places you're kinda surprised is able to stay in business. In no way should this be taken as an insult, I just mean that a cookie delivery business is a very specific sort of shop. It's at 130 East Court St., across from Spots, and definitely offers more than just chocolate chip (although they do that pretty well also). The Cookie Jar opened about three years ago, and is managed by Christy Johnson and Maureen Lanigan.

I've been spoiled most of my life by having some great cooks in my family, including my grandma and my mom. One of the things they really got creative with was desserts, which might be a reason I can appreciate what The Cookie Jar is all about. Cookies freshly made and baked from scratch are their specialty, and they some cookies every day as well as special varieties each day of the month. There's some really creative combinations on the menu for October. They also sell muffins, and do a great job catering their treats for events. The Cookie Jar is closed Monday and Tuesday, but can still deliver on catered orders. The rest of the week they are open until midnight. Call them up at 419-354-8780. Of course, you can also order milk.

Side note: in researching The Cookie Jar, I discovered that they actually hold an annual cookie eating contest: the fastest to eat six of their cookies and drink six pints of milk wins. I've never heard of this but thought it was worth mentioning if you like to see people throw up from eating too much.

Mr. Spots

Everyone loves Spots. I'm not sure how else to say that. Their menu (.pdf link) features some of the best sandwiches and buffalo wings you'll find in Bowling Green, as well as salads and quite a few drinks, juices and sodas. And they deliver beer. Let me repeat that: with proper ID, they deliver beer. Been drinking, need more, and don't live near a store? DON'T DRIVE. Call Spots and let them help you out.

If you're still reading after that, let's get back to the food at Spots. Their Philadelphia style cheesesteak sandwiches are great, and probably the signature menu item. I like the Fire Steak, which has all the meat, cheese, onions and stuff and a bunch of hot sauce. There's other sandwiches, salads and hoagies as well. Get them with a bag of waffle fries. Call 419-353-SPOT, or visit them on East Court Street near downtown.

If you're from the Bowling Green you may or may not know that there is also a Mr. Spots in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Each location has been around for more than twenty years. I don't know how old this is, but here's a tv commercial I've seen from time to time...

Small AND Big Business

While our focus for this blog is on small business, it's important to understand the balance between local establishments in Bowling Green and the presence of larger companies. I've lived in BG my entire life, so I've been a part of the community's development for more than twenty years.

Like just about anywhere else in America, one thing we've always had here has been fast food restaurants. There are now two McDonald's, three Burger King's, two Wendy's, and a Rally's. That's a lot of burgers, but it doesn't stop there. BG has an unbelievable amount of Subways. I think the count currently is around 7, including several locations in gas stations. One of the busiest chain restaurants in town is Taco Bell, which stands in a prime spot on the walking route between the BGSU campus and downtown BG, specifically the bars.

Even with the presence of so many large companies, the city maintains a strong sense of small business as well. There are many small businesses and restaurants in downtown Bowling Green, which creates an interesting balance with the many chain restaurants. It's not possible to completely understand how chains affect the viability of small businesses in a small city, but there have been plenty of places that have gone out of business.

One of my favorite restaurants when I was a kid was a baseball-themed hamburger place called Casey's. It was very simple, with a menu that offered sandwiches that ranged from a single up to a home run, as well as fries and milkshakes. No go-wraps, fruit smoothies or gimmicks. I don't know if an increase in chain restaurants chased Casey's out of BG, but a rise in the number of locations for the big guys couldn't have helped.