Heights Eats

Chez Peres claims to be “Northern Michigan’s only authentic French Bistro.” It was only two blocks from where I was staying in Traverse City, and we were happy to eat there more than once. It’s right by the Boardman River.

The space is small but tastefully put together, and the blue walls have a rustic feel while echoing the hue of the river. For my first meal, a lunch, I ordered the lentil crêpe:

It was filled with spiced lentils, bacon and potatoes and topped with a little hollandaise sauce. It was extremely tasty, hearty and filling. My dad said that he had never had any dish with lentils that tasted as good as this. I was barely hungry for dinner that night.

For my breakfast visit I ordered the salmon on bagel halves.

The salmon was perfectly smoked and not in the least fishy. The bagels were also toasted and buttered before being spread with cream cheese, making the sandwich even better. Once again, … continue reading

Mine and Jonathan’s recent visit to Traverse City included a stop at Trattoria Stella with my mom. It’s in the old state hospital building, which was slated for demolition years ago but, with some agitation from my dad, become a haven for a number of excellent businesses.

The brick walls provide a good rustic feel, and the dim lighting and white tablecloth clearly indicate a somewhat upscale establishment.

We started our dinner with the bruscetta which included basil pesto, tomato and cheese.

The pairing of sharp roasted tomato, creamy cheese, and butter toasted bread made these go down very easily.

For my entrée (or, technically, “primi”) I had the squash blossom pasta. The squash blossoms (which I’d never had before) were wonderful with a distinct squash flavor with none of the typically unappealing texture or starchiness of squash. They were filled with ricotta amidst a mild garlic butter / olive oil sauce. Whil this was generally balanced and very tasty, it was perhaps a bit on … continue reading

This will be the first of three reviews for restaurants in Traverse City, Michigan. Cleveland readers may ask, “Why should I read this?” First, the beaches on the shore of Lake Michigan are beautiful and clean. The pictures below are from a few years ago (Sarah the photographer didn’t come along this time) but not much has changed:

The state of Lake Erie is a bit sad in comparison. Sleeping Bear dunes, about 35 minutes away, are great as well, where you can climb to the top or just look down at a stop along the scenic drive. I grew up in Traverse City and visit both of these sites regularly when I go back. The winters are brutal, though, which might be part of the reason everyone is so happy (with gratitude) in the summer.

But anyway, the food scene is excellent there as well. I visited Jolly Pumpkin Brewery twice, once with my family and once with friends. Jolly Pumpkin… continue reading

We visited Food Dance on a recent visit to my brother Ethan and his wife Maura in Kalamazoo, Michigan. My brother basically recommended it as the best place to eat in Kalamazoo, and, based on our (admittedly limited) experience, we definitely agreed.

The vibe is simultaneously homey (lots of hardwood) and slightly upscale, a bit like Crop Bistro in Cleveland. We ordered the Cheese Board and Curry Dusted Chickpeas to start and were very happy with both. The cheeses included blue, sharp Cheddar, hard Monterey jack, and Gouda along with some rustic crackers and excellent olives. The deep fried chickpeas had an almost overwhelming curry aroma but were actually mild enough for even Jonathan to enjoy.

To drink Ethan ordered a mojito. Most mojitos I’ve had at restaurants are cloyingly sweet, but his was perfectly minty and fairly dry. Both Sarah and I ordered the Short’s Soft Parade, a four berry rye beer brewed in … continue reading

Sarah and I recently visited Saugatuck, Michigan while in the area for my brother’s wedding. Saugatuck is a very small, picturesque town on the shores of Lake Michigan which is known for its community of artists. It reminded us a lot of Key West.

For lunch we visited Pumpernickels. We started off by splitting a cinnamon roll, which, while not a typical appetizer option, looked too good to pass up. It was unbelievably good, with so much cinnamon flavor that it almost tasted spicy (but it was plenty sweet as well). It was probably the best cinnamon roll I’ve ever had.

For sandwiches Sarah ordered the tuna salad on pumpernickel and I had a turkey, bacon and Swiss on cracked wheat. The sandwiches were fairly generously portioned and very fresh, but a bit heavier on the bread than I generally like. Sarah loves bread, so she was fine with the ratio. Jonathan had a peanut butter and jelly. They were really … continue reading

While on a recent trip to northern Michigan to visit family over the holidays, we stopped off in Ann Arbor to visit Zingerman’s Deli. We had been receiving their holiday catalogs and we thought pretty much everything in them looked really good — so we planned to stop on the way up north.

The deli itself is very small, and jam packed with all kinds of foodie goodness. There is an amazing cheese/deli section with expensive and exotic cheeses and deli meats. There is a small bakery counter with tons of different kinds of breads and sweets. There is also a small “alley” behind the bakery counter with vinegar and olive oil samples. The most impressive sample on our visit was the aged balsamic vingar, with a sweetness and consistency reminiscent of maple syrup but a much more complex flavor. There is also a small coffee counter and an area in the back of the … continue reading