As Michigan’s epidemic orders continue to shift in our area, I have been so grateful for our local restaurants and how they have made things work so we are able to safely enjoy meals from their establishments. One of those restaurants I was recently impressed with was Cravings Deli, in Portage.

Cravings is located inside Pacific Rim Foods, a grocery store specializing in Asian foods.

Their website allowed me to examine their menu and even place my order online. They offered so many delicious options, it was hard for me and my husband to choose which ones we would get!

After placing my order, I was instructed to come to the restaurant in 20 minutes to pick up our meal. I had the option to come inside (masked) for pick-up, or I could call when they get there for a contactless delivery to my vehicle. I opted to go in so I could take a look at the restaurant and the grocery store.

Finally arriving home, I was so excited to dig in. The food was so beautifully packaged and made it fun to photograph. Oh, and it smelled amazing!

I ordered the delicious Korean Wrap with beef: Rice, peppers, onions, fresh cilantro and a homemade spicy Korean sauce all delicately wrapped. Everything tasted incredibly fresh. The sauce had a mild kick, but not any more than I could handle (and I am a wimp). The beef was incredibly tender and flavorful. Overall, I readily deemed this one of my favorite things I have eaten in a long time. My wrap was served along with a side of their miso soup, and I have to say it was one of the best miso soups I had ever had.

I also ordered a side of their Summer Rolls. This was hand-rolled rice paper with shrimp, pork, veggies and rice noodles, served with their house-made peanut dipping sauce. The shrimp was fresh and the whole roll was a complimentary side to my spicier wrap to cool things down.

My husband went with the Cumin Lamb plate. The plate was incredibly tender diced lamb seasoned with cumin and a pinch of chili powder, served with vegetables and a side of white rice. It was a little too spicy for me (like I said, I’m a wimp), but my husband absolutely loved it. He even shared the heat caught up with him the more he ate, but that didn’t stop him!

He also ordered a side of their Potstickers. Being that it came with six, I of course had to swipe a few. These were by far, the best potstickers I have ever had. They were a touch crispy, a little doughy and a ton flavorful. They were served with the perfect companion of a ginger dipping sauce.

I was incredibly impressed with Cravings Deli. Fast, friendly service and delicious fresh food. This is now our definite pick for Asian cuisine from here on out. My only regret? Not ordering one of their delicious-looking desserts!

Cravings Deli changes their menu seasonally and offers daily specials, so make sure to check out their website when ordering to see what the daily offerings are.

If you are looking for a great local restaurant to support in these crazy times, consider Cravings Deli!

Elizabeth Precopio

Elizabeth is a hairstylist by day and 24/7 food enthusiast. She visits restaurants in the Kalamazoo area and blogs about her experience at feedmekzoo.com