Patrons of New Hotel Mertens may notice that the French restaurant’s cocktail menu is original to the erstwhile hotel in the 1940s. It’s a classic, pre-prohibition era menu gracefully updated with both modern and internationally renowned spirits. 

With a newly created IPA variation, craft brewers are offering a novel way to showcase hops in a style that falls on the opposite end of the spectrum from the much-hyped New England IPAs. 

Jell-O salads, 44-oz. drinks, Wish Bone Italian dressing, John Cheever — these seemingly disparate items conjure up nothing if not our preconceived image of the suburbs, in all its milquetoast glory. 

Now in its ninth year, Restaurant Week Grand Rapids has more than 60 restaurants participating in the 12-day event. Each eatery creates a menu specifically intended to branch out and create something new while staying true to its core concept. It’s a chance for newcomers to try new restaurants and regulars to try new dishes, and it’s happening at nearly every restaurant in the Greater Grand Rapids area.