In a run-down area of Lansing is a hidden gem, a little restaurant called Golden Harvest sits on the corner of Turner and Dwight. Across Turner street is a closed factory and across Dwight street is what I am assuming is a closed and boarded up liquor store. Down Dwight are boarded up houses and the area reminds me of my hometown Detroit. But somehow Golden Harvest finds a way to add a strange form of beauty and community to the neighborhood.
Along the street the owners have planted a very pretty and well-kept garden. The building is covered in graffiti and what appears to be garbage, but in art form. Garbage art! They have headless mannequins spray painted ty-dye colors riding bicycles, rocking-horses painted up wearing helmets (because safety first), and all kinds of signs and bizarre things to see. Definitely an interesting place to go for breakfast. They didn’t seem to be in a rush to open even though there was a line waiting outside. They just took their time to prep and get ready for the day and about 10 minutes after 8 they opened the doors and started letting us in. A sign on the door says parties of two often must share a four-top table. Luckily my girlfriend and I got one of the two-top tables. Inside was crazy, it l was like eating breakfast in a skaters basement. Stickers are everywhere, a grenade hung in the kitchen with the pots and pans, and loud unedited rap music like Eminem's "Without Me" and "Truffle Butter" by Drake, Nikky Manage, and Lil Wayne playing along with some Sublime, Ramones, Pepper, and some more good stuff. The uniform seemed to be whatever the staff had partied in the night before.
While it may sound like I’m criticizing Golden Harvest for it’s strange ways, I’m not. I loved it there. The customers, while waiting in line outside, were all talking and having a good time. Everyone with smiles on their faces and excited for the restaurant to open. Inside was the same. The couples that got put at a four top together were chatting and laughing. The staff was dancing to the music and turning it up when good songs were on and their favorite parts were coming up. As far as the service, the wait staff was perfect, not a complaint. The food did take a long time to get to the table but they did open-up the doors to a full house so I can’t blame them for being flooded with orders. I ended up getting the “Mother Trucker.” It’s your basic breakfast deal but with biscuits and gravy, which is my favorite! So I had to try it out, and I am so happy I did. Not only did the cook pour a pool of sausage gravy over my biscuits, but they put BACON in the gravy! Oh my god damn was it good. The rest of the food was good too, but I have never had bacon added to my sausage gravy and I may never have it without it again. Next time I go back though I wanna get the “Gay Bubba San’Which”, with a side of biscuits and gravy of course.
If you are ever visiting Lansing and are down for getting some good breakfast in a wonderfully strange atmosphere, I recommend heading over to Golden Harvest. But get there early because the line gets long quick. But if you don’t get in right away just sit back, chat it up with the other kind folk waiting and enjoy the site seeing the building provides.
