I love this time of year, and I love Restaurant Week in Grand Rapids.  I will have to say that the choices this year were outstanding... So many different options and varieties to pick from and so many great restuarants here.

This year, I chose one of my favorite hangouts downtown GR - Z's Bar and Restaurant. I've always loved this place, and my trip this time was no exception.

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As usual, Z's is laid back, friendly, comfortable, not too loud but the jukebox is always playing.

I usually get a burger at Z's, but not this time. It being Restaurant week, I had to partake in the special! This stuff was not just a burger.

They started with risotto fritters stuffed with smoked mozzarella and then they served that with arrabiatta sauce, and finally... calamari-rings with onions!  The whole time their was a very cool sampling of 4 locally brewed beers.

They had a few choices for soup and salad, but I'm pretty simple so I got the  salad-grilled ciabatta cubes, tomato, cucumber, peppers, red onions and a bunch of other good stuff! There was feta cheese too, loves me some feta!

For Entre' - again many choices but I went with the Pineapple Braised Pork Sandwich - which was damn good and it came with sweet potato fries.

I will say, I've been to Z's many times, and have never had anything that wasn't great. vZ's isn't fancy, but it's nice, and always good food. I've never left unhappy. This time was no exception!

Make sure you get out and enjoy one of the many fine establishments, like Z's during restaurant week. So many great choices for food in our own back yard!

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