A couple of weeks ago, my 2010 Toyota Yaris, with 319,000 or so miles on it, started acting a bit strange on the way into work. Every time I hit a mildly rough patch of road, really anything that was not perfectly smooth, the car started to waddle. I had no immediate rush appointments, so decided to stop at the Muffler Man on Plainfield Avenue, which Google Maps assured me was open. They immediately had time to check it out and confirm my suspicion that a bushing in the steering mechanism somewhere had worn out. Aside from normal items that wear out, such as windshield wipers, headlights, batteries and tires, this was only the second thing that had ever gone wrong with the vehicle since I bought it with 12 miles on it. The WOMAN owner of the Plainfield Muffler Man suggested that I go have lunch at the Choo Choo Grill, right across the street. Hmm, I thought… I’ve been passing by the Choo Choo Grill on my way to work for as long as I have been in the Greater Grand Rapids (Michigan) area. Finally time to check it out!
So I did. A friend called just as I was walking out of the Muffler Man door, and when I told him I was going there to have lunch, he informed me that their onion rings are famous, and that his in-laws had met there! Ok. That sealed it. Off I went.
And had the olive burger and onion rings. And yes, the onion rings were really good. I told them I’d been driving by for 35 years, and they said they were glad I stopped. Apparently business has been slow because people think they are closing. Well, they assured me that yes, they would like to retire, but no, it’s not closing. The food was great. A very cozy place with 3 tables and a few more seats at the counter.
If you are on the north end of Grand Rapids, check it out!!!
