I couldn't deny my enthusiasm about this month's assignment being carnivore-friendly given our most…read morerecent review focused on vegetarian options, that while still very satisfying, still lacked the savory gratification of meat and more meat. Smoked, braised, grilled, roasted, or fried bring it on- either when I eat out or if I'm in my own personal happy place in front of my smoker. Enter Zynda's, a southwestern restaurant that now occupies the former Red Cedar Grill (one of my all-time favorite restaurants in the area) in Williamston. The venue has been nicely updated and far more open than I recalled its predecessor. There are several dining options including a nice bar serving craft cocktails, upscale booths for a special night, and the Chimney Room which can seat up to 50 guests. Billed as a barbecue restaurant on some food sites, Zynda's menu is part Tex-Mex, part New American, with some French, Asian, Cajun, and Mediterranean elements. I usually subscribe to the theory that restaurants that do a lot of everything rarely do anything exceptionally well. Zynda's had a lot of high notes, to be sure, but a lack of focus was evident on others. What's Really Good I'm a big fan of the ribeye when slathered in the bearnaise sauce. It was aromatic and rich, but not over-powering. Not as thick as most restaurants' ribeye, the steak was still cooked perfectly and paired well with the grilled asparagus. The smoked chicken atop the Baked "mac n cheese" with penne pasta was rich in smokiness. The dish had plenty of melty cheesy goodness and benefitted from both the creamy béchamel base and the crunch from panko crumbles. Likewise, the au gratin potatoes were rich and scrumptious with a nice kick from chiles. Can I get some more of this please? The onion rings were another hit, thick-cut and crispy, the batter was less greasy than some other area favorites. On lighter notes, the Michigan Springtime Salad with carrots, dried cranberries, walnuts, capers, and feta cheese and a red wine vinaigrette, and the Caesar Salad with a citrusy punch were both quite good. What's Just Ok The Smoked Chicken Quesadilla was solid, but not outstanding. The blending of Tex-Mex and slow smoking is a tricky matter, and the meat didn't shine like it did in the pasta. Further attention to detail could have been paid to several items: the corn chowder was missing the potato and bacon pictured on the menu; the coleslaw lacked creaminess and salt; and while the Southwest Pulled Pork Eggrolls, jam packed with black beans, corn, and green chiles, were an interesting way to enjoy Zynda's smoked delicacies, the smoked pork seemed at odds with everything else in each bite rather than enhanced by them. The dipping sauce added yet another layer of taste but offered a comforting cool to the Southwestern brawl. Best Bite A southwestern smokehouse will need to bring it in the flavor department when it comes to brisket. Zynda's Corned Beef Brisket was on point. Tender and juicy, the brisket was packed with a depth of flavor from both the corning and smoking processes. The flavor was ramped up a notch when coupled with either the AZ's Sweet & Savory sauce (closer to Kansas City-style tomato base and brown sugar) or the ZBQ sauce (a zestier, vinegar-based sauce akin to a Memphis-style sauce). Served with shoestring fries and a delightful jalapeño cornbread, this smokey and hearty plate is what I expect when I think of BBQ,

From our first greeting and the excellent waiter to the Easter entree of lamb it was a very…read moreenjoyable meal.

Delicious Tacos de Carnitas. So easy to order on their app…read more Great service and friendly staff. Great menu items!

They tip themselves. My bill was $9.13. I gave the cat a $10, he said, "thank you very much and…read morekept the rest of the money." He then looked at me and smiled. I was going to give him more than an .87 tip, but after he helped himself to my money, nope... Way overpriced for the amount of food you get. If I want taco's, I'll just go to Taco Bell. Thanks.

the 3 for 11 tacos are an amazing value!! i work nearby and have eaten there like 8 times in a few…read moreweeks it's my new favorite food by far the guy who runs it and his mom are both fricking amazing i cant say enough good about this place seriously

Delicious food! I got the wet burrito with beef and it was excellent. The service was great and the…read morefood came out at a good speed. Definitely will visit again!

This was delicious food, very fresh and ample servings. We will definitely go back! Both my mom and…read moreI got a lettuce salad with chicken, but have different varieties. They were both delicious and like I said huge servings. The chicken was grilled to perfection. It was juicy and flavorful. The salad dressings were delicious and the bread that came with it was also fresh and tasty.

Wow. Amazing food. Wraps, Bowls, Salads. Drove by this…read moreplace many times and finally stopped in. Will be back as a regular. I had the Thai wrap. Delicious

I've gotten El Oasis 20+ times, and it's consistently excellent. Whenever I want fast Mexican food,…read moreI go there instead of Taco Bell, and it's always so much better and a better value. El Oasis especially needs our support now with the construction on Michigan. You can get there by taking a right on Francis off Saginaw. Today, I got the asada big burrito. It hit the spot. Plenty of fresh ingredients evenly disbursed. I also love their breakfast burrito, tortas, and sopes. The food is always ready in 10 to 15 minutes. Get some!

Hit or miss. Sometimes I get an entire burrito full of rice and other times it is good. Tacos are…read morethe way to go here. I like the people that work there as they are kind enough, just wish I didn't often end up with a rice burrito for 9 dollars

First time having been to the food truck. They were at DeWitt Farmers Market. DELICIOUS! I ordered…read more1/2 pizza and 1/2 garlic cheese bread with their amazing dipping pizza sauce. Friendly service. I highly recommend!!

Pizza is cooked quickly and tasty! I had the meathead pizza with sausage and cup pepperoni which…read morewas very good. Service is great and with a smile! The pizza is a bar style with a very thin almost cracker like crust which was delicious. I think the sauce is somewhat sweet which I don't prefer but that is my own preference and others may love it! Check them out for a food truck ambiance and very good !

The burger is sublime. You can taste the sweetness from the bacon contrasting with the cheese…read more Probably the best in town for a pure bacon cheeseburger without any foo-foo toppings. I wish they had unique (or even average sides). The downside is the staff. Granted they are students, but if they're working in food service, they should emphasize the "service".

A (sometimes) hidden gem appeared on MSU's campus this fall... Check out the brand-spankin' new…read morefood truck rolling around campus during the lunch hours or at special events and games. My friends and I have been pleasantly surprised by the quick eats served up here. The best part is that they feature local stuff - for example the awesome cheeseburger with MSU's own beef (yep!), Dairy Store cheddar, and baked goods from the MSU Bakers. Plus it's run by hospitality students so I presume the money goes to a great cause. The truck itself is definitely one of the nicest I've ever seen (complete with LCD screen, speakers, etc.), but when you're not 1) paying for it or 2) a struggling bunch of foodies trying to carve out a special slice of food truck heaven, who cares? That's just icing on the cake! I've only been a couple of times, but am impressed with early efforts. As to the food, the burger is the bomb. There's a rotating feature menu with salads and more sandwiches, plus you can get a combo option for $1 added to any entree. I also tried the Grilled Chicken sandwich and the Turkey Cuban special. Both were quite tasty, but portions were a bit on the small side. I'll happily shell out $6-7 for a 'which, but it needs more than one piece of ham and turkey. Make it the combo (i.e., chips and a small pop) and you have a fairly filling lunch. Some students are likely to disagree, but they do take the Combo-Exchange so some may not notice/care. Perhaps they need to express how the money is used; that is, if it's supporting scholarships or something, I'm more than willing to shell out a few extra bones. Yet, I would expect food cost on some items (such as the Cuban) to be about half industry average. There's a lesson for budding "culinarians" there, though. I'd say cut the excessive/expensive packaging (tray), beef up the stuffins, and sell us on your story. The only other issue was the apparent need for training on one visit. I'm not sure if the truck needs to be running (or can just run the LP tanks to cook), but it was near impossible to communicate with the cashier. It's a high set-up, noisy, and she couldn't hear any of our questions, let alone order. We didn't think she even knew the small menu. However, the manager (Kelly?) and the cooks were rock stars and always demonstrate awesome service and attention to detail. Also wish the Twitter page had better updates on the daily menu, hours, and locations. A couple minor bugs, but I expect smooth sailing in another month or so. Oh, they take credit cards, too.

Just tried this place across the street from Dunhams.. Snack shack. We tried the…read more Shack burger, Super fresh off the grill. Very delicious, The bun really holds double burger together. The fries were Lame'' They should offer Tots! Overall must try.

Guaranteed to hit the spot every. single. time! Conveniently located, with plenty of parking, and…read morepicnic tables if you decide to eat on site. We are so grateful we stumbled upon this food truck! The owner was so kind and attentive! The menu is simple but perfect! The food! Ya'll the food is the snacky meal you've been searching for! The beef was fresh and the owner told us that they order fresh weekly and never freeze their meat! The toppings were in perfect proportions. The chili dog, although simple had the perfect bun and amount of toppings. These folx have the food truck bizz figured out! Keep it cute, simple, and delicious!