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

I’ve been following Chef Eric’s blog from behind the stove for quite a while and was happy to finally get a chance to eat at his restaurant, The Cook’s House. It’s in Traverse City, Michigan, where I grew up, and Sarah and I made a point of eating there during our visit.

The establishment is extremely small, located on the city’s main street (Front Street). Sarah overheard the staff talking about a recent health inspection (which apparently went very well) and the inspector supposedly said that it’s the smallest restaurant in Michigan. There are about six tables (some with four seats, some with two), plus a few tables for outdoor dining during the summer. We were seated up against the counter separating the dining room from the kitchen. The atmosphere was good—warm colors, a few paintings on the wall—but the A/C was struggling to combat the warm weather and hot kitchen.

The Cook’s House is BYOB, which I found out shortly after … continue reading