Eating hearty to stay warm

By Jacob Wheeler
Sun editor
Just because the fudgies have taken the tourism season south for the winter — or maybe because of it — doesn’t mean those of you sticking around for gritty January-April can’t enjoy good food at the area’s local dining establishments.
Tim Barr reports that you’ll wait no more than 15-20 minutes, if that, for a table on two-for-one burger night at Art’s Tavern on Mondays from 5-9 p.m. As Tim says, “It’s an intimate gathering. This is how everyone gets to know each other during the winter.”

Haven’t gotten your weekly beef fill yet? Walk west through Glen Arbor to Boone Dock’s on Tuesdays for burger night, numero dos. Between 40 and 50 people sometimes show up to enjoy a burger, beverage and fries for $6.75. And come back on Sundays for Boone’s prime rib, starting at $13.75.
Do you pine for Provence this winter? No need to jump on a plane. Guillaume is offering a two-for-one special on Wednesday nights at La Bécasse (the French restaurant in Burdickville is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays), and seafood and a glass of Chardonnay for $17 on Fridays. C’est bon.
Start things off with a free cup coffee at the Foothills restaurant on Thursday mornings, and then come back to Burdickville for a notte Italiano at Funistrada, which offers two pasta dinners and a bottle of wine for $40 on Thursday nights, September-May.
Still in need of fine dining? The restaurant North, between Glen Arbor and Leland on M-22 will serve you dinner and wine for $23 on Fridays and a three-course dinner (soup, salad and entrée) for the same price on Sundays.
If love is on your mind and you need to score points with that special someone, take her (or him) to Maybings in Glen Arbor (open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday-Sunday) for Sweetheart Sundays. Buy your significant other a necklace and you’ll both eat dinner for free.
The neighborhood menu isn’t over yet. The Glen Lake Manor near the Narrows on Little Glen Lake offers $10 nightly specials, Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday. And the Empire Village Inn hasn’t left a single night unaccounted for when it comes to specials for the locals. Stop by after 5 p.m. for 25-cent Super Sliders on Mondays, dinner baskets for $6.50 on Tuesdays, 25-cent mini-tacos on Wednesdays, 25-cent chicken wings on Thursdays as well as $2 domestic drafts and open pool, smelt and fish fry for $7.50 on Fridays, all-you-can-eat pizza buffet for $7.50 on Fridays, and fried chicken dinner for $7.95 on Sundays.
The week’s over and you can’t possibly still be hungry!