The observance of Lent and the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day give us enticing reasons to eat out.
Tracking down this season showed me a wonderful world of food traditions.
This early spring sampling of favorite foods began when a friend brought paczkis, the European pastries that are traditionally eaten on Fat Tuesday. They were filled with Bavarian cream and lemon. Would we relish paczkis, as we do on one day a year, if they were available all year?
The Delta 109 Tavern and Eatery is an attractive store front restaurant that is an oasis for regular customers and attracts new ones with seasonal menus.
When we arrived in Delta for dinner, there was limited space to park all over town. Fortunately, a car pulled out leaving room in front. We called it Irish luck and continued inside where there was one vacant booth where we were seated. We soon learned that a Cajun menu, as a reminder of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, was in full swing.
The 109 boasts an extensive menu from breakfast through dinner, but on this night, it was Cajun with choices that reflect the Cajun culture prominent in New Orleans.
I chose a bowl of gumbo and red beans and rice. The gumbo had a pleasant kick to it and the portion of red beans and rice was enough for two or more people. Other Cajun choices were jambalaya, seafood creole, and crawfish boil.
109 has been celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with Jiggs dinners Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and will be ready for a crowd Monday.
At Shawn’s Irish Tavern in Waterville, a countdown clock reminds customers of the approaching holiday. On the 17th day of each month, Jiggs dinners are served but Monday (March 17) is the big day for the traditional dinner and other attractions. A bagpiper was scheduled to play Saturday and will play again Monday at 4 p.m. Customers can wash down their corned beef and cabbage with green beer.
A recent Friday night at Shawn’s was like a rehearsal for St. Patrick’s Day as customers poured in. Shawn’s handles the wait time cordially by getting your name and phone number at the hostess desk to notify you of the length of the wait. Our half hour wait time was sweetened when we met Jon Majerowski and his seven- year- old daughter, Stella, in line. The father-daughter pair usually goes to Shawn’s in Holland but decided to give the Waterville location a try. Stella’s first choice at Shawn’s is chicken strips. She also likes the complimentary popcorn that is usually offered during waits. Unfortunately, there was no free popcorn that night.
Shawn’s is commended for paper placemats that are printed with current and future information.
We chose perch and cod dinners and polished it off with mint chocolate dirt pudding.
I can’t let Lent go by without applause to Culver’s for serving walleye in sandwiches and dinners. Word from the Wisconsin chain’s headquarters, which has several units in the Toledo area, is that the Lenten special will be served as long as the supply lasts.
First Published March 16, 2025, 10:30 a.m.
