Y’all… Indiana finished strong!
Breakfast in downtown Rochester brought us to the ‘Rochester Bagel & Coffeehouse’ rated the fourth best bagel shop in town! The menu offered specialty coffees and unique flavored bagels and muffins. Jose ordered a maple walnut bagel with egg and bacon. He said the combination of sweet and savory was much better executed than using a maple glaze, as we have had before. He also enjoyed the hazelnut amaretto latte. I had a warm apple strudel muffin with apple pie filling and a chocolate-caramel almond milk latte. On an icy morning it was a warm and cozy start. Several families stopped in with their kids on a delay from school. There was a welcoming small town feeling from the staff as well as the clientele. We didn’t get to try the other bagel shops in the area to provide our own ranking, but ‘Rochester Bagel & Coffeehouse’ did not disappoint.
For a snack around lunchtime, Jose and I were still wandering around downtown Rochester and we happened upon the ‘Mellow Mug Cafe.’ This place was GORGEOUS!! A family owned and operated cafe in a 137 year old building with some original furnishings and some repurposed from neighboring businesses. The wooden floors creaked their hello as I explored my way to the counter to order. Jaden had plenty to tell about the historic building that functions as a cafe, work space and event venue. He even recommended some yummy menu items. Jose had a chocolate iced bavarian cream donut that was eaten before I could snag a pic! I ordered the giant cinnamon roll and a gingerbread iced chai latte. I couldn’t finish it, so it’ll be a great breakfast tomorrow before we fly home. There was even an homage to Rose Apothecary from the tv show Schitt’s Creek, which was just a cherry on top for me as a big fan of the show. The owners source other local artisan’s goods including CBD supplies as part of the Edith Rose Company Apothecary.
Finally, we had a celebratory, Valentine’s Eve dinner and yes I know that’s not a real thing. LOL Indiana is not only near the Great Lakes, but it is in fact full of lakes. I had a hankering to sit near the water, although not actually outside with snow and ice still covering the ground. Honestly, when the wind wasn’t blowing you could hardly tell it was 20-something degrees out, but sadly the wind was blowing and the sun was setting. Google search and reviews led me to a lakeside restaurant near our hotel back in Warsaw. We discovered the delightful suburb of Winona Lake and wow, just wow. What a lovely little upscale village right on the water! Firstly, Winona Lake is a glacial lake meaning way back when the glaciers retreated from the land some left depressions, melted, and created large pools of water. Winona Lake even has a park where you can fish, swim, and boat. Canal Street facilitates water travel between the shops and waterfront homes facing the lake itself. Here we nestled in for a romantic dinner at the ‘Cerulean Restaurant.’ We had our choice of seafood, American, and Pan-Asian cuisine. Jose started with a miso soup with fresh shitake mushrooms, tofu and a nutrient dense bone broth. His entree was a fresh, not frozen burger cooked a perfect, juicy medium with white cheddar mac-n-cheese. The cheese sauce had been made as a creamy roux with plenty of pull. I had pork tenderloin sliders with aioli slaw, sticking with the Indiana staple. My entree was paired with scrumptious roasted brussel sprouts. They were firm, obviously fresh, and roasted to a crunch without being burnt. Jose finished with a goat cheesecake topped with orange blossom honey and slivered almonds.
Like I said, strong finish to a brief but adventurous trip. If ever you’re in the area, be sure to try these spots in particular.
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