Not long ago I posted about my first foray into the food and drink scene of Grand Rapids, Mich., at a long-operating family-owned neighborhood bar called the Log Cabin. That fine experience left me wondering if I could discover some place with just as much history and personality downtown. Luckily, again with a little online research and a lot of positive reviews, I found just the spot – the Cottage Bar & Restaurant.
When I used to travel for work, I was rarely fortunate enough to visit most locations during what would be considered the ideal travel season. Case in point: Grand Rapids, Mich. – a nice city with a lively craft beer culture and a must-visit if you happen to admire hometown hero and former president Gerald R. Ford. But most outsiders wouldn’t book a trip in the middle of January.
Nonetheless, January was when my work took me to Grand Rapids. On my first night in town, I did actually try the closest brewery, which was OK, but I wound up talking with a local who was still obsessed with the aforementioned Mr. Ford (I was specifically told to not forget the “R” when using the full name) and how I just had to visit the presidential library downtown where he and his wife are buried. I kindly listened, careful to avoid comparisons between hometown presidents (mine happens to be Abraham Lincoln), but drank quickly and decided to skip the brewpubs for the rest of the week.
The next night, I stuck to my tried-and-true strategy of how to really get to know a town and its people … find the nearest highly regarded dive bar. After a little online searching, I settled on the Log Cabin.
Picture yourself cruising through the rolling hills and farmland of southern North Dakota early on a late summer morning. The sun is stil...
