Read the South Bend Area Blog’s reviews of other Mexican restaurants Hacienda and Mazatlan, or scan the reviews of all the restaurants we’ve highlighted to date, 13 and counting.

It may have been perfected in Chicago, but chefs all over the world attempt to create their perfect version of the deep dish pizza. Our area has two that I recently put to a challenge. May the best ‘za win.

Giannetto’s is located in the historic 100 Center plaza. A Friday night rush hour visit pleasantly surprised us with only a 5 minute wait for a table for two. The dungeon-like interior is interesting and fun. You can’t escape the feeling of being inside a barrel with its curved ceiling and walls. The unique interior still allows for larger parties and has a family atmosphere though a bit on the dark side. Giannetto’s claims to be the first to introduce deep dish pizza to the Michiana area and has created a solid effort. It features a sweeter sauce with slightly soggy crust but was overall flavorful.

The Rathskellar started in the great location where Giannetto’s is now. They closed there and reopened later on Logan Street near Town & Country. The ambiance at the new Rathskellar location isn’t anything to write home about. Walls are covered with sports memorabilia, beer ads, and TV screens. They do have a great game room for kids to entertain themselves while waiting patiently for that slow cooking deep dish pie. They also have a decent salad bar and patrons ranged from couples to children’s birthday parties. Where they did put their effort was the delectable deep dish. The cheese went on forever and the seasonings and crust were perfect – worth every minute of the wait.

With either restaurant, I’d suggest calling ahead with your order to cut down on the long wait for your pie. And don’t shy from ordering a large so you can bring home the leftovers. Both were great heated up the next day.

In a showdown of the interior’s visual appeal and uniqueness, Giannetto’s easily defeats Rathskellar with a knockout. However, with taste buds in the ring, the Rathskellar takes the belt – skimping on interior looks and keeping to the basics of tummy satisfaction.

The Rathskellar
401 N Hickory Rd
South Bend, IN 46615
574-233-0300

Giannettos
100 N Center St
Mishawaka, IN 46544
574-254-9177

The saying goes “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. The Vine restaurant didn’t seem to heed this advice when it moved its South Bend location a few years ago. Its last location next to the Chocolate Cafewas warm, quaint, inviting and had a great outdoor seating area. Unfortunately, during its move to a spot near the Morris Civic Theater it managed to lose every bit of its charm.

The interior is cold with lots of metal and high ceilings that seem to magnify and ricochet even the quietest of conversations all around the room. Patrons talk louder and louder in attempt to be heard. And forget important conversation. I once attempted a business dinner there. It was so loud that we chose to scarf down our food in silence then leave and continue our meeting outside.

The Vine does still offer outdoor seating. However, the tables are squeezed onto a sidewalk at a fairly busy intersection and fail to offer a peaceful alternative to the dining room.

On a positive note, the food is still delicious and the wine list is extensive! A large and diverse menu of items promises a healthy size portion with lots of flavor. Mary’s Garbage Salad is my all time favorite. Its name is telling of what’s in it “ everything but the kitchen sink.”
Yummy down to the last bite! I’d also highly recommend Mike’s Hot Crab Dip and the Baked Brie for an appetizer and the Fra Diablo is a delicious spicy pasta choice.

So, while The Vine has lost the warm decor, the charm and the great outdoor seating, it’s still worth a visit for food. Just don’t expect to hear the people you’re dining with. Better yet, order takeout.

Address

103 W. Colfax
South Bend, IN 46601
574-234-WINE
www.thevinesb.com

Hours

Mon: 11 am – 9 pm
Tue: 11 am – 9 pm
Wed: 11 am – 9 pm
Thu: 11 am – 10 pm
Fri: 11 am – 12 am
Sat: 11 am – 12 am

You can now search the South Bend Area Blog’s restaurant reviews by location. Click on the image to the left to see an interactive map of our first eight reviews. They include two Mexican spots, two Asian cuisines, a twenty-four hour restuarant, Italian, American, and Greek diners:

• Beto’s Original Mazatlan
• China Garden
• Fondue
• Hacienda
• Main Street Grille
• Nick’s Patio
• Pasquale Rulli’s
• Toyo Grill

The Fondue! (formerly The Fondue Parlor) is set in one of the 100 Center’s renovated factory-type buildings and offers seating options ranging from booths to quaint “two-tops” to tables that can be moved together for the largest of parties.

Our meal started with a typical salad followed by an appetizer that was tastier than one might imagine – hot cheese fondue and bread chunks. The cheese was a blend of several kinds that worked very well together and complemented the dense breads used for dipping. We enjoyed the yummy cheese and watched as the restaurant slowly but continually filled up.

Once the hot oil for our main course arrived, it was all work and no talk. We busily loaded up our fondue forks with meat, fish, and veggie selections and drowned them in batter before sizzling away in the oil. Each round of our main course took only a few minutes in the oil and once one round was ready, we quickly loaded up another fork for frying. It was an orchestrated balance of loading, frying, and enjoying. We had 6 yummy sauces for dipping and laughed about how our food preparation seemed like serious business yet really fun. The hot oil and sterno flame beneath it are the reason for the seriousness and show you it’s no place for younger children.

Once we finished the small yet surprisingly filling plate of our main course, we were united with what I call the bowl from heaven! Any woman’s dream – a boat of warmed chocolate with ripe fruits to dip in. The arrival of it was even more fun with the waiter lighting the top of the chocolate with liqueur which stayed lit long enough to roast a quick marshmallow. My only complaint with the desert, is that they didn’t include s straw for the remaining chocolate at the bottom of the bowl!

The Fondue! is pricey (at per person plates of $15.95 for veggies and up to $26.95 for meat and seafood combinations). But you can expect rather decent tasting food and entertainment all in one. The location is perfect for an after dinner stroll down Mishawaka ’s developing River Walk where you can attempt to burn off some of those chocolate calories.

Address

100 Center Street
Mishawaka, IN 46544
574-257-1792

Hours

Wed: 5 pm – 9 pm
Thur: 5 pm – 9 pm
Fri: 5 pm – 10 pm
Sat: 5 pm – 10 pm

There’s no restaurant scene so stylish as sushi. There’s no food more misunderstood. And there may be no cuisine more under-represented in South Bend. The Toyo Grill is working to change that. It’s comfortable if not stylish and covers the expected territory for a sushi place. Next to the more crowded Bonefish Grill, Toyo is a semi-secret spot for sensational seafood. Don’t expect a Chicago/New York/san Francisco club-scene setting, but do expect solid sushi backed by other Japanese standards like tempura and several Korean favorites that draw upon chef Eun Soo Oh’s background.

If you are a sushi expert, head to this restaurant and you’ll do fine. If you are new to the cuisine, you can order a sampler like the visually great and taste-wise solid “Rainbow Platter.” But if you like sushi but are tentative about it, order by color: Toyo’s yellow tail and blue fin are delicious. If you have another favorite it’s a safe bet they do it better than any other place in town. If you order enough, about six rolls worth, it will be delivered on a bridge or ship-themed platter that will gather second glances from everyone in the restaurant.

If you’ve got a taste for sushi or would like to try it, you won’t go wrong at Toyo. It can’t match the vibe more expensive restaurants in larger cities, but it delivers solid meals at mid-level prices. A couple can get out of there for $30 if they order samplers and drink water, but if you want to choose your pieces and drink sake or wine, the tab will be closer to $100 for a couple. Perhaps not an everynight meal, but not unreasonable for appetizers, sushi, sake and wine. One warning, the service can run quite slow, so it’s best to go when you aren’t pressed for time.

Address
620 W Edison #106
Mishawaka, IN 46545
574-254-9120

Hours
Mon-Thur: 5-9
Friday: 5-9:30
Saturday: 4-9
Sunday: 4-9:30

The South Bend Area’s staple for Mexican food is Hacienda. They boast multiple locations – 12 in Indiana and Soutwest Michigan – and have either remodeled or rebuilt many of them in the last few years. While the newly clad decor and themes are nice, I prefer the original location in the 100 Center. It opened in 1978 in the Kamm’s Brewery Mansion. It has old house charm and several rooms on two levels that allow you to be in a big restaurant without feeling like you’re in a big restaurant.

The food is not bad, it’s reasonably tasty and inexpensive. I switch back and forth between their chicken fajitas and soft shell taco. The soft shell taco is priced and sized right considering that I always overeat the complimentary chips and salsa. I recommend ordering a large side of their house dressing with the chips. It’s a cool ranch that blends well with the hotter salsa. Their margaritas are another big draw: they come frozen in several flavors, or as “make your own” concoctions where you choose the ingredients and they are served in a shaker. Expect a crowded bar and restaurant on any given weekend night.

While Hacienda may not qualify as “authentic Mexican,” its reasonably priced entrees, specials, and fun happy-hour atmosphere makes it a great choice.

Address

700 Lincolnway West
Mishawaka, IN 46544
574-259-8541
http://www.haciendafiesta.com

Hours

Sun-Thu: 11 am – 10 pm
Fri-Sat: 11 am – 11 pm

The décor of the Main Street Grille compares with that of the area’s other upscale restaurants – sheik yet small and cozy. Its small dining room offers booths and tables and a full bar with a number of wines and high-end liquors. The food, however doesn’t match the setting. My party of three ordered Cheese Ravioli, Fish and Chips, and Pecan-Crusted Walleye. While each dish’s presentation was attractive, the portions and taste were disappointing.

The ravioli was undercooked and topped with plain tomato sauce. I ordered it with a side of the vegetable. It was asparagus on the day of my visit, and I was brought only five half-spears of baby asparagus on a plate. They were fresh and properly prepared, but there was not enough to call it a side dish. They billed me two dollars for it, so I’d recommend ordering a double portion until the restaurant gets wise and doubles the portion and price on their own.

The fish and chips was a mound of fries with two small-medium sized pieces of fish. They were tasty but you’ll have to fill up on the fries unless you want to walk away hungry. The walleye was the “winner” of the trio, eliciting the comment “decent fish but it’s overpowered by the breading.”

If you’re looking for an upscale place for cocktails, the Main Street Grille should be fun. However, if you’re looking for a good meal, you’d be better off trying one of our area’s other great restaurants.

Entrees ranged from $15-27.

Address

112 N Main Street
Mishawaka, IN 46544
574-254-4995
http://www.mainstgrille.com/

Hours

Mon-Fri: Lunch and Dinner until 11pm
Sat: Dinner until Midnight

editors note: This article was written 12/20/2006. While most of it is still relevant, you might want to check the Facebook page 365 Things to do in South Bend for more ideas and an ongoing discussion

Visit Notre Dame:
Go for the tailgating and a football game. Or go for another sport “ many are free and fun and very successful, including women’s basketball and soccer. Go to jog almost two miles on a lake trail. Go to attend mass at the jaw dropping Basilica of the Sacred Heart, or just go to wander and see the statues, light a candle at The Grotto, Touchdown Jesus, and the lesser known attractions of this 1,250 acre campus.

Go to the College Football Hall of Fame:
Go to learn the history of the game as played at the college level, or to test your kicking, passing and blocking skills. Or just to play catch on the replica field.

Go to the Zoo:
The Potawatomi Zoo is the oldest zoo in Indiana. It has lions and tigers and bears, toucans, a children’s train and a snow leopard. Child Magazine has ranked it among the 20 best zoos for kids. Look here to see if they have your favorite animal.

Raft on the East Race:
A 1,500 foot artificial whitewater course challenging enough for Olympic kayakers, but also open to recreational paddlers. The South Bend parks Department operates it and rents rafts and equipment.

Fish the St Joe River:
If you don’t like to raft, you can fish on the St Joseph River. There are fish ladders which allow salmon and trout to swim around the dams and thrive in the river, which has been noted as a good river for steelhead as well as salmon.

Play in the Snow:
St. Patrick’s Park, Baugo Creek and Wilson Park rent inner tubes for an event that brings 1950′s era sledding to mind, but without the trip to the emergency room. Howard Park and Merrifield Park have skating rinks with hot chocolate. In the summer Wilson and Baugo offer Disc Golf courses.

Play Golf:
From fantastic public courses that start under $20 on the weekends to Country Clubs, there are eight courses in South Bend, and dozens more within a one hour drive of South Bend.

Look at Old Cars:
Visit the Studebaker Museum to see classic cars including the Muppet-mobile and the coach that carried Abraham Lincoln to the theater where he was shot in the same building with modern Hummers.

See a show:
The Broadway Theater League brings several shows a year, the South Bend Civic Theater has a newly rehabbed building, and the Morris-Civic Theater has attracts everything from Sesame Street to Rock concerts.

Catch a Silverhawks Game:
Coveleski Stadium is home of an Arizona Diamondbacks minor league team, the South Bend Silverhawks. Take the boys, the girls or the family for lots less than a game at Wrigley and still a lot of fun.

Eat in Style:
South bend has the usual suspects as far as restaurants, but also offers fine dining in unique settings – The Carriage House is in an historic church and Tippecanoe Place is in an 1889 mansion.

If you counted and noticed eleven, it’s because there is a lot to do here. I could have listed thirty things without scratching my head. If you live in South Bend and I left your favorite activity, why not share it in the comments. If you are from somewhere else and wonder if South bend offers something, ask in the comments and we’ll try to let you know.

Follow this link to view a slideshow of the  Michiana photos that have appeared on the BendAreaBlog since its launch on April 11th.