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Printer-Friendly ModeHuba's and Tony's fit for the movies
September 10, 2007 —
I thought I'd seen big meals before, until I went to Tony's on State Street and my server brought me the Moby Dick of burritos. My latest venture into Saginaw dining brought me to two very different environments; one, a quiet and calm takeout, the other a bustling diner with huge portions of food.
State Street Tony's is part take-out, part diner; the kind of place characters in movies stop to eat. In fact, I thought the atmosphere was a little reminiscent of the famous scene in Pulp Fiction in which Samuel L. Jackson's character's wallet is stolen, and subsequently returned to him in glorious fashion. This is the kind of place where your placemat is your menu and all nonsense is left at the door.
The menu is impressive, containing everything from sandwiches, fish, and salads, to burritos and pizza. It's all very reasonably priced, from $1.85 cheeseburgers to an incredible $9.95 for an 18 inch pizza.
At a bit of a loss as to what to order, I opted for a milkshake and the Texican burrito. I didn't know what I was getting myself into. When I saw the monolithic plate emerge from the chef's window, I assumed it was a family order for someone else.
It wasn't the case, though, as my server brought me what appeared to be a two-pound burrito, with a bowl of chili poured over the top of it, with a platter of nachos stacked on top of the chili, with sides of sour cream and salsa placed on the nachos. As a result of the massive proportions, I, for the first time in my life, didn't even finish the milkshake I ordered.
The food tasted good, and while there wasn't a hint of gourmet about it, I was happy with my experience. I barely finished half of my gargantuan meal, and concluded that Tony's is as good an option as a buffet for an empty stomach.
Another thing I noticed was the local atmosphere. The cook seemed to know most of the people that came in, and there was a feeling of camaraderie amongst the staff and guests. I think Tony's is the kind of place that every city has, but that is in its own way somehow one of a kind.
I also went to a place I only noticed by chance while returning some movies to Blockbuster. Located across the street on Bay Road is Yasmeen's Mediterranean Foods, a small locally-owned grocery store, and within that is Huba's Hut, a deli and takeout.
Coming from a Lebanese family on my mother's side, many members of which are avid cooks, I was excited to try the food here. Yasmeen's Mediterranean Foods is a quiet, clean, and pleasant place, attributes which are mirrored by Huba's Hut, located in the back corner of the store. There are a couple of tables to sit at, but it's clear that this mainly a take-out joint.
I tried the Shift Kafta Pita Wrap, which is a pita wrapped around ground beef, onions, pickles, and some very tasty sauce and seasoning. Only about four dollars in price, the wrap appeared fairly small in size, but upon consuming it I was surprised at how filling it was. The meat was of excellent taste, and the pickles and onions added a nice bite, and I felt it was more than worth the cost.
There's a lot to pick from on the menu for being a small operation, and all of the food is very reasonably priced. There are even family-sized meals that can be ordered to serve four or five people. And from my experience, this would even be a nice place to sit and study while eating.