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 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!

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

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

This location is honestly a bit random, tucked off a very commercial lot with mostly medical or law…read morepractices. But if you can locate it, you'll be very pleased with the quality, pricing, and flavors. I recommend getting a salad rather than a wrap, since the salads are huge and come with the pita anyway! Also order an extra dressing if you are a sauce lover like me, as the one provided never seems to be enough.

Heard good things but they need to add staff. We arrived to find a 45 minute wait. Not a problem,…read morewent to their side coffee shop and got 2 coffees for $14 including tip. Not happy about that but I guess these are the times we live in. Waited 45 and eventually got two seats at the bar. After 10 minutes we had to ask to place an order. We had somewhere to be at 1:30 so after waiting for our food for another 30 minutes we had to ask when it would arrive. The waitress said 'I only took your order 27 minutes ago'. Eventually we had to take it to go which is boarder line unacceptable. Had to eat my food from a box with no seasoning. It was fine but the overall experience was not great

Loved the food! Got the Cuban and Steak it easy. 10/10 would…read morerecommend. Thank you. Will see you again!

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!

I got the sweet potato fries and the vegan "chicken" sandwich. Both were excellent and quickly…read moreprepared. I recommend stopping here for lunch and eating your meal in a nearby coffee shop

This is easily some of the best food in Lansing! They have a variety of options including options…read morefor folks with special diets. I want to try everything on the menu! We tried the Brussels sprouts, sweet potato fries, chicken sandwich and grilled cheese. It was so tasty that I couldn't stop eating! Can't wait to visit again. Long story short- the food is fresh and the staff is friendly.

We really enjoyed our beverages a meal here - the beef poutine was very rich, with a darker gravy…read morethan I've ever had on a poutine before which really took it up a level from your standard poutine.

Speedy service with knowledgeable staff and the added bonus of the adjoining brewhouse make for a…read moreperfect combination of food and ambience. The olive burger and smoked meatball hoagie at Ozone are excellent. This cheesy olive burger had sliced olives in a very yummy red mayo-based sauce. It was cooked nicely, but the bun-to-meat ratio skewed a bit too bready for me. The smoked meatballs were tasty and weren't overpowered by either smoke or garlic, instead meshing quite nicely especially with the house red pasta sauce, Bellissima. Best Bites: The mac & cheese with smoked chicken and bacon at Ozone is a 0-60 mph journey to Comfort Town, only it's been gentrified in a good way. Flavored with garlic, Sage of Ale beer (yum!), and multiple cheeses, I already need another. bowl. Also from Ozone, the buffalo chicken sandwich, with buttered Texas Toast, pickled red onions, and a blue cheese sauce had a crispy chicken breast slathered in a magical garlic hot sauce. This is a departure from the fast-food chain chicken sandwiches and Ozone is going way above the speed limit here so be prepared to get messy.

$19 plus a tip and by far the driest birria tacos I have ever had. So disappointed. The rice had…read morecarrots and corn in it, which I have never seen. No cheese. It's like they served me meat from yesterday. I am just so upset but lesson learned. I will go back to the Southside and get my birria tacos from where I know they are worth the money.

This is a sitdown restaurant.! Breakfast was amazing, service was great…read more And I always appreciate a small, local place.

Great food! Fast service as well! I ordered the Chicken Shawarma plate, hummus, and salad and it…read morewas delicious! The ingredients tasted fresh and homemade.

Checked out this food truck at Ozone Brewery on Saturday. I got the chicken shawarma plate with…read morerice, salad and humus. It was super tasty. The chicken was charred and moist and I loved that the salad had some greens outside of the standard romaine that Mediterranean places tend to offer. My husband ordered the gyro which was more like what I would consider a gyro wrap/sandwich at most places. It was served on a thin lavash kind of wrap, not on a puffy pita like you typically think of when you're talking about a gyro. I didn't try it, but he said mine was much better. The Greek fries were pretty disappointing. They were fries with just some feta on top. Anyway, I will definitely be back. My meal was awesome, and I'm looking forward to trying it again!