In years past, the great American steakhouse was the place that families went for celebration, to commune and to indulge. The steakhouse was always within the family budget and ensured that everyone got more than their money’s worth.
The rise of health conscious eating, heart disease awareness and the Ecoli scares in red meat curtailed the business somewhat. Many of the well established places like Millennium Steakhouse in Niles, MI were able to survive unscathed. Meanwhile others tried to embrace the trends, introducing gimmicks, the latest diets foods and fads in the culinary world.
Today, the steakhouse is back. Many believe that the recession and need for comfort food brought back the trend, but other factors have conspired to usher in the era of the steakhouse once again.
Nostalgic Food
Dishes like Steak Diane, and Chicken Parmigiana are no longer staples at restaurants. They have been removed to make way for fusion foods or those with that come attached to weight loss points. Steak restaurants like Millennium Steakhouse used the traditional recipes that an original steakhouse is known for. Many families continue to return to such establishments because they can count on seeing the old favorites.
Familiarity
It feels good to go to a place where they can ask you about your usual or you can catch up on the family over dessert. A traditional steakhouse is such a place where you can find yourself coming back just because this is where you are known and your family is comfortable.
Affordability
Many of the chic steak restaurants are expensive because of their trendy menus and décor. However, the traditional houses have been around long enough to learn that the key is to concentrate their efforts on the food once a comfortable décor is achieved. This ensures that the decorating whims of the owners isn’t passed on to the diners in higher food prices. At places like Millennium Steakhouse, the concentration is on the food over everything else, making a steak dinner affordable for just about any budget.
Millennium Steakhouse in Niles, MI is one of the last traditional steakhouses in the Michiana area. For that nostalgia, familiarity and affordability that is missing from pseudo-steakhouses, find your perfect steak and dining experience at Millennium Steakhouse.
While visiting the Michiana area, you will want to try some of the local restaurants and the Mishawaka area has some great sports bars and great restaurants. And of course being on Lake Michigan, you should definitely try some seafood while you are here.
Bonefish Grill
One local establishment with high quality food is the Bonefish Grill located in Mishawaka. This restaurant is a spinoff of the original restaurant in St. Petersburg, Florida. This place is known to have great cuisine and a great ambience with fine dining and lounge. At the Bonefish Grill, the owners have hired some of the best fish specialists to find the best and newest varieties of fish and to ensure they always have the freshest fish available.
Bonefish Grill is known for its Bang Bang Shrimp, which is a crisp shrimp tossed in a creamy, spicy special sauce. It is a perfect appetizer to start your meal. All the fish used arrives daily and is hand cut daily. The restaurant also features gluten free specialties for its guests. They also feature a specialty of day, such as ahi tuna with a wasabi cream and homemade Sangria. Enjoy!
Lucky Leprechaun
Looking for fun and good grub – try the Lucky Leprechaun by Legends, which just recently came to Mishawaka in 2008. While the Lucky Leprechaun is a sports bar with 30 full screen televisions, they also have a 500 seat family dining room and plenty of other events.
Some weekly events include:
Monday night: from 9 to midnight, a beer pong contest
Thursday night: come sing for prizes karaoke bingo with video DJ
Sunday from 3 pm to 7: bring the children for Kiddie Karaoke, sing on the main stage, take some pictures and enjoy some family time.
All that fun and we haven’t even mentioned the food, the Lucky Leprechaun is known for their food:
Award winning pizzas and calzones
Fresh, hand-patted half-pound burgers
Fresh hand-cut steaks
Smoked ribs
Jumbo Wings
Grinders and wraps
They also offer an economic stimulus package of food specials with most items being $7.95 or less. And don’t forget the drinks to enjoy with your burger and wings, the Legends Brew and Legends Light, their own house beers are available to try, along with 20 drafts and 40 bottled beers. So if you want to watch the games or just relax with your family, come to Legends.
All the Rest
Finally, the Mishawaka area is full of the normal staple restaurants, Bob Evans, Applebee’s, Hooters and you can always find Chinese and Mexican food. Looking for some great Chinese take-out, try Hi Ho Restaurant, you can experience great take-out or eat in the dining room. And there is always a great Mexican restaurant, you can try Hacienda Mexican Restaurant. It is known for their fresh chips, fresh salsa and a wide variety of Mexican specialties, all served at a reasonable price.
Mishawaka offers many choices for food, you can try the sports bars, Chinese or sea food, so happy eating!
The Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City, Indiana is the place to be for resting and relaxation. Spa Blu is a new 10,000 square foot spa, salon and fitness center. The spa features nine treatment rooms, individual lounges, steam rooms, whirlpools and water walls complete with all the treatments you could ever need.
Customizable Health and Beauty Regiment
At Spa Blue, you can control your and design your own routine.
Relax: For the ultimate in relaxation, you can enjoy the whirlpool, hot stones and steam rooms.
Massages: You can have a relaxing massage, complete with hot or cold stones to relieve muscle tightness. There are many kinds of massages targeting an area or with various techniques.
Get pampered at the Salon:
Hair: For your beauty pampering, there is a men’s and women’s salon offering haircuts, styling, coloring or highlights.
Facials: For your face, there are numerous types of facials, including age defying, deep cleansing, an enzyme facial and a special gentleman’s facial.
Make-Up: Have make-up applied if you are going out for a night on the town or you can receive a make-up lesson if you are looking to update your style.
Wax: Receive a wax for your legs, eyebrows or bikini line.
Manicure or Pedicure: Comes complete with treatments and polishing.
Getting Married: The spa offers a private makeover room that can be used for big groups. Your entire wedding party can be pampered, have their hair styled and their nails done in preparation for the big day.
Fitness Center
Can’t bear to stop your fitness routine, you don’t have to. The fitness center at the Blue Chip is state of the art with:
Weight training stations
Treadmills
Stationary bikes
Elliptical machines
The fitness center is in the second floor of the spa with glass walls that offer natural light and have a great view of the grounds surrounding the casino.
Additional Packages
A spa wouldn’t be complete without a variety of packages that you can purchase. While expensive, they are comprehensive and can cap off your trip with some relaxation and rejuvenation.
My favorite is the Something Borrowed, Something Blue Package. This includes two and a half hours of wedding pampering. You will receive a formal hairstyle, make-up application and a bridal pedicure.
The other spa packages range from 6 hours with all of the amenities to 2.5 hours with various other great treatments. Each package has a specific focus. For example, you can experience the Blu Moon, a 6 hour treat. The Blu Moon includes a signature facial, signature blu massage, deluxe manicure and pedicure, hair wash and hairstyle, make-up application and a selection of your choice. There is also a special for the man in your life called His Time. This package is 2.5 hours and includes a 25 minute sugar and salt scrub, a signature blu facial and a 50 minute Signature Blu massage.
Along with these packages, the Blue Chip Casino Hotel offers a package that includes an overnight stay and a choice of two 50 minute spa services. What a great break from your busy life!
The Casino environment isn’t just for gambling. The lights, fun, entertainment and great food of Vegas is available right in your backyard.
Four Winds Casino is located in the heart of Michiana, just 30 miles northwest of South Bend and 70 miles south of Kalamazoo.
If you are looking for live entertainment and great drinks, this is the place to be. There are three bars and a restaurant within the casino. Like Vegas style, the bars are opened 24 hours a day, although alcohol is only served until 2 a.m.
The Bar Atmosphere
The Stage Bar has live entertainment nightly Tuesdays through Saturdays. You can enjoy a different band weekly.
The Martini Bar, you can shake and stir your drinks with specialized vodka drinks, special cocktails and of course, all sorts of martinis.
The Sports Bar obviously is the best place for sports. This bar is located on the casino floor and has big screens to watch all the sporting events.
The Food
The Dining experience is world-class at Four-Winds. Check out some of the offerings below.
Copper Rock Steakhouse: Before visiting the bars, you can enjoy a steak or lobster at the Copper Rock Steakhouse, but don’t forget your appetite. The steakhouse has any variety of steak you would like, including a fillet, Delmonico, strip steak or prime rib.Are you in the mood for seafood or steak? Get a full surf and turf meal with a 7 ounce fillet and an 8 ounce lobster tail or you can choose prawns or crab legs. If you are celebrating a wedding anniversary, this place would be perfect, as they have meals to share, so order up a 42 ounce porterhouse steak to share with your sweetheart.
And, don’t forget the wine! The Copper Rock Steakhouse has over 450 different types of wine, likely something to please all.
The Buffet: a variety of food for brunch, lunch and dinner. The buffet has hand carved meats and a seafood specific buffet on Friday and Saturday nights and of course a dessert station.
The Willowbrook Café: you can have a more casual meal, but of course still with high quality food. The café offers a wide menu, including a late night menu of appetizers and burgers. The Café is open until 3 a.m., so you can stop there after enjoying one of the bands at the Stage Bar.
Timbers Fast Food Deli and the Grab and Go: a variety of sandwiches and snacks; Timbers is open daily with hours until early morning, while Grab and Go closes at midnight (on weekends).
As the casino caters to a mostly adult atmosphere, you must be at least 21 years of age to eat at the Willowbrook Café, the Copper Rock Steakhouse and the Timbers.
Even if gambling isn’t on your schedule, the food alone is worth the trip to the Four Winds Casino.
It’s hard to stick to a diet, but the challenge becomes even more difficult when you leave your kitchen. Calories, carbs, sugar…restaurant menus make it easy to lose track of these diet crashers. Fear not weight watchers! If you are committed to your healthy eating habits, we offer these helpful tips on nutritious dining:
1. Vegetarian Choices
Chefs have discovered a way to add taste and zest to oft neglected vegetarian options. Restaurants like the Sahara offer meatless fare that is far from tofu, soybean vegetarian meals.
2. Requests are Allowed
It’s your plate and your choice what goes on it. You can request that gravy, dressings and other savory sauces be removed from your dish or be placed on the side. This tactic saves calories by allowing you to choose how much of these high calorie items you consume.
3. Heart Healthy Menus
Some restaurants offer Weight Watchers meals or designate a heart healthy choice. Many restaurants, such as the Michigan City Applebees, located inside Marquette Mall are affiliated with the diet franchise. Logos and numbers referencing the dfish’s point count identify the Weight Watchers meals on the menu.
4. Avoid Mom’s Cooking
Foods labled as fried, crispy, stuffed or au gratin are trouble. They can be high in fat and calories – a no-no for anyone watching their weight. Replace the crispy fried stuff with steamed, broiled, baked, grilled, poached or roasted foods. Ask for grilled chicken at any of the bars and grills in town, like The Harbor Grill. Sure, these chefs don’t make it like mom, but they’ll find away to satisfy those taste buds anyways.
5. Say No to Butter
Sometimes it’s necessary to cook with oil and that’s fine – 10-30% of our daily calories should come from fat. Vegetable oil provides a much healthier dose of fats than the alternative butter. Butter lurks in many dishes when dining out. Avoid the butter monster and chose vegetable (olive oil, soybean) oil instead.
6. Just Dessert
Believe it or not, some eateries provide healthy dessert options. Explore menu items with mixed fruits or sherberts to appease that sweet tooth.
7. Bye Bye Calories
Some calories are easy to find such as those in cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise. Get in the habit of avoiding these tempting toppings.
8. Bad Salads
Salads can be deceiving with all the extra ingredients (and thus, extra calories). Mixed greens are always a good option, but be careful when delving into options with cheese, bacon, heavy dressings and other meats.
9. That’s What Friends are For
Splitting an entrée is both cost and calorie effective. Many restaurants provide servings that will topple regimented diet plans. In that case, get two plates and watch your calories disappear in your friend’s appetite.
10. Go Fish
Remember that joke from Seinfeld? “You know why fish are so thin? They eat fish!” Fish are great for many diets and with Lake Michigan so close, the freshness can’t be beat at local venues such as The Lighthouse Restaurant.
Traveling provides a tempting opportunity to veer off your strict eating plans so remember these tips when vacationing as well as when exploring Michigan City. Bon Appetie!
Winner of the Best of the Best Awards Steaks and Seafood
The Leader Publications voted the Millennium Steak House best Steaks and Seafood for 2009. No doubt they are right! Millennium is an excellent, fine dining restaurant in Michiana. When you’re in the mood for good times and great cuisine, be sure to check out Millennium Steak House. The restaurant features one of the area’s most pleasant settings and is known for its delightful staff and superb cuisine. The menu at Millennium Steak House features a wide array of great selections, made from only the freshest and highest quality ingredients, with something sure to please every member of your group. Millennium has the highest quality of beef that tastes great with every bite. Millennium Steak House has established itself as one of the area’s favorite culinary destinations and is sure to offer you a pleasant and unique dining experience every time you visit.
Additionally, they can provide a semi-private room for parties, meetings, function or group gatherings, corporate dinners, bridal and baby showers.
The restaurant has received many awards for the quality and service they provide the customers. From the time you enter the front door, you will be pleasantly surprised by the fine dining you will experience.
Please stop in soon, and remember, save room for one of our “Award Winning Desserts”, they’re the best in Michiana!
Don’t Forget to visit FinditLocal411 for 1/2 price gift certificates .
Location & Hours
The Millennium Steak House is located at 1245 South 11th Street (M-51, just north of U.S.12) in Niles, MI.
The Millennium Steak House opens at 5pm Monday-Saturday
Positive Words from Bill Giannakakis
Bill Giannakakis owner of the Millennium Steak House speaks out about tough economic times and how his customers are part of his family.
Some User Reviews
1) The Millennium is my absolute favorite restaurant! It is not far out of the way, there is no traffic, easy parking…and you will not find better food anywhere in Michiana. Perhaps the only thing that comes close to being as good as the food is the way they treat you from the time you walk in – to the time you leave. And believe me…when you leave, you’re full…and you’re happy!
Try the porkchops…simply outstanding!
2) My husband wanted to try the Millennium last week for my birthday. It was great!! The prime rib and filet mignon was the best we have ever had. The service was great. We will be back, with family and friends next time!!
3) My husband and I ate at Millennium for the first time last evening. Our waitress, Amber, was very gracious and gave us wonderful service. The food was great, and I am sure that we will return. I would rate my filet to be better than those I have had from other Steak Houses. I also appreciate the fact that my entree included a choice of potato, rice or vegetable along with a sorbe and warm rolls. Other high end places charge extra for those items.
In years past, the great American steakhouse was the place that families went for celebration, to commune and to indulge. The steakhouse was always within the family budget and ensured that everyone got more than their money’s worth.
Many of the chic steak restaurants are expensive because of their trendy menus and décor. However, the traditional houses have been around long enough to learn that the key is to concentrate their efforts on the food once a comfortable décor is achieved. This ensures that the decorating whims of the owners isn’t passed on to the diners in higher food prices. At places like Millennium Steakhouse, the concentration is on the food over everything else, making a steak dinner affordable for just about any budget.
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