Summertime in Western Michigan is certainly a highlight and not only for residents, but just as much for all the tourists that flock to our area to enjoy our pristine beaches, gorgeous walking trails, quaint towns, boating on our many inland lakes, and especially Lake Michigan (also known as Michigan’s Gold Coast!).
Nancy and Kelle decided to jumpstart this summer by participating in the Junior Achievement (JA) Golf fundraiser at Spring Lake Country Club on June 8th. Out of 32 teams involved in the event, we are proud to say that we have had the only all-women’s team for the past four years… and we didn’t finish in last place! We always have a color theme of matching outfits for our foursome, which makes it almost as fun to get dressed as it does to play golf!
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| Kelle Lynn - Heidi Sunderhaft - Nancy Levenburg - Cari Draft |
While at the event, we met Stacie Stevens-Venhuizen who was recently hired on as JA's program manager. She joined us for the luncheon they provided before the shotgun start at noon. We enjoyed her company and enthusiasm for the event. So we asked her if she would like to join us for a Dining Diva adventure and tell us a little more about JA… and the $60,000+ that JA raised at the fundraiser!
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| Stacie Stevens-Venhuizen |
Stacie Stevens-Venhuizen is the Program Manager for Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes ~ Lakeshore (Grand Haven office). Stacie works collaboratively with school Superintendents, Principals and Teachers, as well as C-level executives from local corporations, to secure both educational programs and mentor partnerships emphasizing entrepreneurship, financial literacy and work readiness for Kindergarten through Grade 12 aged students in Allegan, Ottawa, Muskegon, Oceana, Newaygo and Mason counties. She also manages speaking engagements through Junior Achievement “JA Reverse Job Shadow” programming, allowing business professionals to bring the workplace to the classroom and share their experiences with the students.
After going north and south for our last two reviews, we decided to stay closer to home and picked a destination in Grand Haven that just opened last December. We heard they use the fresh, locally grown ingredients from the Grand Haven Farmer's Market and we simply can't resist a meal out that includes fresh produce! So we met on a nice warm Wednesday night in June at Righteous Cuisine and secured the outdoor picnic table for the four us.
We were certainly happy to have our non-stop traveling Diva, Bari Johnson, join us for another review so we could hear a little about her recent trip to Brazil with the Rotary Club. Diva stands for Diverse,Interesting,Vivacious, and Adventurous, which describes Bari to a tee. Plus she's always doing projects that benefit others.
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| Bari Johnson |
Since we NEVER tell a dining establishment that we are on our way, we waited until after dinner to meet the owner, Matt Varley. Matt joined us at our picnic table and told us how he started out with a food truck, before opening the Righteous Cuisine storefront restaurant. We noticed he won a few local awards as well!
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| Matt Varley |
We arrived at 6:00 pm and were glad we secured our table since the place was very busy with a lot of people dining in or getting take-out. Indoor seating only accommodates 15 people. Our starter was a shared plate of nachos and guacamole; we agreed these were some of the best nachos we’ve ever tasted! (The nachos and guacamole can easily be your meal!) Try them… you won’t be disappointed! Matt told us the nachos were a "Mexique" mix since the ingredients are Mexican and BBQ.
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| Mexique Nachos Kelle: "This was our shared appetizer, but as soon as I had my first bite, I told everyone I could have easily made this my entree selection. It's that good! I had the pork and shrimp tacos as well and really appreciated the culinary creativity that went into making them so delicious. After having a bite of Stacie's salmon taco, I was smitten and seriously thought of ordering a few to take home and have for lunch the next day. A few days later, Stacie and I were still talking about the salmon taco!" |
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Bari: "My Spring Spinach Salad ($6) w/added Chicken ($3) is listed: Spinach, Arugula, Radish, Corn Bread Croutons, Rancho Dressing, and Seasonal Pickings. Shrimp can be added for $5.
After enjoying such a yummy and filling shared Righteous Nachos plate with a side of guacamole, I decided to try the salad to keep it on the light side. The salad was tasty and the pulled MexiQue chicken was generous, making the salad substantial. In the future, I would order the dressing on the side; it was, for me, too generous. Also, the salad came on top of paper – fun red and white checked – that covered the plate. This, we learned from Matt was not how it's supposed to be served. (New restaurant with new staff are still working out some of the kinks.)"
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Stacie: "When the Lakeshore Dining Divas invited me to join them to review Righteous Cuisine, I did not know what to expect about the eatery. My assumptions of smoked meat and barbeque sauce were inaccurate. As it articulates on their menu, website and social media sites ~ it is a “fusion of Mexican and BBQ cuisine that is described as righteous!” Righteous Cuisine actually reminded me of a gastro pub minus the craft beers and wine pairings.
The venue combines imaginative upscale cooking with the casual dining experience. The ingredients utilized changed any attempt from predictable to unbelievable. The food is local and prepared with passion. Righteous Cuisine seems like a farm to table concept, utilizing most of its products from local farmers. It is a nod to the increasing importance of sustainable, socially and ethically responsible foods.
The four us initially shared the Righteous Nachos ~ generous layers of homemade tortilla chips topped secret chili beans, succulent chicken breast, cheese, and a divine sauce that makes it all a meal in itself.
I ordered the shrimp and salmon tacos. The shrimp tacos provided a large portion of shrimp, mango salsa, avocado, mayo, queso fresco and cilantro. The salmon taco was a delightful surprise – with salmon, curry coconut slaw, mango salsa, avocado, queso fresco, and cilantro. They both were eclectic flavor combinations that came together nicely. The food is prepared well with unique presentation. It is creative, fresh and exciting.
My suggestion is to order a variety of the fare to share. Everything is à la carte ~ and the menu makes it virtually impossible to order merely one dish. The prices were reasonable.
I definitely would recommend this place! Righteous Cuisine is a hidden gem!"
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Nancy: "Righteous Cuisine – especially with its chalkboard menu and outdoor dining option – has all the color and charm of a urban eatery in Seattle or Portland… or Bend (Oregon)! The nachos were amazing; I also ordered a Citrus Shrimp MexiQue Taco ($4.50)… very good! And I couldn’t resist picking up one of Matt’s menu to send to my son and daughter-in-law, who are also thinking of starting a food truck business in Bend. Coincidentally, all three obtained their culinary degrees from GRCC.
We all enjoyed our picnic-style dining experience. Righteous Cuisine's casual style fits the picnic table well. We look forward to a return to try other menu items, e.g., The Asparagus & Wild Mushroom and Chicken Burritos ($8), in particular."
Righteous Cuisine
211 North 7th Street
Grand Haven, MI
htttp://righteouscuisine.net
http://www.facebook.com/righteouscuisine
The Divas want it to be noted, with all due respect, that the views and opinions shared in this venue do not represent those of the Grand Haven Tribune and are entirely based on each individual experience we encounter. Perhaps on any other occasion, they may differ. Our dining experience is entirely at our own expense and not covered by the Grand Haven Tribune or any dining establishment.
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