More options needed for late-night crowd

Posted by Daniel Luscombe, @ 6:39pm January 19, 2009

When it comes to late-night food options for the student on a budget, East Lansing has room to improve. While we certainly have our share of cookie cutter fast food joints and a few pizza places, what we do lack is a solid 24-hour restaurant close to campus.

I often find myself out late on a cold night wishing there was a place where I could get a cup of coffee and a sandwich, or linger with friends before finally retiring to bed. Taco Bell and Jimmy John’s might be open late, but under their sterile fluorescent lights, can one really sit comfortably on plastic chairs and enjoy solitude or the company of friends? Where can those go to “stay late at the cafe,” as Ernest Hemingway says in his glum short story, ““A Clean Well-Lighted Place”:http://www.mrbauld.com/hemclean.html.”

Another aspect of late-night cuisine East Lansing lacks is the walk-up window restaurant, where simple food and snacks can be purchased quickly, conveniently and cheaply. In other cities, I’ve seen such establishments serve everything from crepes, to hot dogs and hamburgers or even chow mein. The local and personalized nature of restaurants like these make them not only popular with loyal crowds of late night eaters, but also those looking to munch on a budget.

As long as I’m talking about food in East Lansing, I must issue a complaint: At Johnny’s Lunch, 101 E. Grand River Ave., they serve something called a “Hot.” Perhaps I’m a crazy cultural fanatic, but I think this is absurd. How long can we let these corporate chains pollute our regional character and homogenize our culture? This is Michigan. When you put a hot dog on a bun with chili, mustard and onions, it’s called a “Coney Dog,” not a “Hot.”
Check out this YouTube video if you want to learn more about the great coney debate.

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