LANSING - A Detroit fish and chicken franchise that serves meals with a lemon pepper mix, commonly referred to as "crack seasoning", has opened a location in Lansing.

Nu Wave Fish & Chicken opened in Lansing last month, serving up plates of shrimp, catfish, cod, perch and chicken.

The you-buy-we-fry restaurant is located at the former A&W at 427 E. Oakland Ave at the intersection with Cedar Street. The franchise has six locations in Detroit.

Sharif Hamed, who runs the restaurant, doesn't call his ingredients crack seasoning, even if other people do. He calls it Nu Wave seasoning.

"It really gives a good kick to the food if you use it wisely," Hamed said. He's even used the seasoning on fried corn.

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To celebrate Nu Wave's opening, the restaurant plans to give away 1,000 free meals to customers on Saturday. That includes chicken wings and fries or fish, depending on what's available. There will also be free samples.

There are other you-buy-we-fry style restaurants in Lansing, among them Eastside Fish Fry & Grill, Lansing Fish Market, Grand River Fish Market and Fresh Fish and Fry, which literally trademarked "crack chicken."

Hamed said what makes his restaurant stand out is the quality of the fresh food and the secret recipes he uses. It's a mix of salt and lemon pepper, but that's as much as he'll tell you.

The restaurant has several deals, including the Obama special. It's two wings, two pieces of fish, fries, bread and coleslaw for $7.49. There is no Trump special.

When Tony Baltimore, chair of the Lansing Housing Commission, tried the restaurant, he ordered catfish and shrimp. He said Nu Wave adds variety to a very popular taste in Lansing.

"People have enjoyed (the style) for a long time in Lansing," he said. "The seasoning adds something extra."

Contact Alexander Alusheff at (517) 388-5973 or aalusheff@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexalusheff.

Grand opening

Where: Nu Wave Fish & Chicken, 427 E. Oakland Ave. in Lansing

When: Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m