Jim Holton, a former Mount Pleasant mayor and owner of
Mountain Town Station Brewing Co. and Restaurant, thought there was a niche to be filled for upscale dining in central Michigan.
Because of this, he opened
Camille's On The River in Mount Pleasant this October. The restaurant is named after his mother, who he says has been his greatest supporter. The atmosphere is upscale, but relaxed.
"We have referred to it as casual fine dining," says Brandy Simon, general manager. "Anyone would be comfortable -- from business people trying to impress clients to parents treating their college student to a great meal."
But, Simon said fine dining can be a tricky label.
"The public often associates fine dining with an air of stuffiness or can be viewed as unapproachable," she says. "Often, fine dining is seen as only for special occasions and gatherings. We would rather you saw our version of fine dining as an opportunity for the dining public to treat themselves to some of the best food in central Michigan in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere."
The menu at Camille's On The River showcases unique seasonal fare with a focus on fresh and regional ingredients.
"We do not open any canned products, nothing is frozen," Simon says. "Our seafood is 18 to 30 hours old from water to table. We make our own pasta, breads and desserts."
The restaurant is working with Smith & Sons Butchers for some of its meat products. The chicken comes from local Amish farms, and mushrooms, oils and other seasonal ingredients are sourced from
Earthy Delights out of Dewitt. Vinegars and oils also come from
Fustini's of Traverse City/Ann Arbor.
"We wanted to have upscale cuisine that really saluted the area and the Midwest, combining modern twists of classic comfort foods and some new cuisine that will soon be the crave-able dishes you want at your table," Simon says. "Creatively, we were also looking for an outlet to try new recipes and food trends that we weren't able to do with the constraints of Mountain Town."
The most popular dishes have been the fresh salmon with corn spoon bread and sweet corn nage, adobo aioli and basil oil, as well as the seared scallops over wild mushroom risotto with white truffle cream.
"We love taking unexpected ingredients, like the beef cheek, and turning it into something both crave-able and slightly familiar in the final product," Simon says. "Braised beef cheek is like the most decadent rich brisket you have ever eaten."
Another favorite is the char-crusted, bone-in, rib-eye steak, finished with red wine and bleu cheese butter, broccolini and duck-fat-fried fingerling potatoes.
"In our tastings, when we find something we truly love, we say, 'If you don't like that, you don't like food.' That's what I feel is great about Camille's On The River. If you like food, the setting and menu are perfect for a special occasion or even just a Thursday," she says.
Lindsay Allen, a Midland-based editor and writer, visited Camille's On The River during Central Michigan University's 2011 homecoming.
"My first impression walking into Camille's was, 'This place is beautiful!' It is obvious that a lot of time was taken on every detail of the look and feel of the restaurant," Allen says. "And it is so different from Mountain Town Station that you almost forget that Mountain Town is right next door."
Allen also praises the bar area where she enjoyed a few cocktails before dinner.
"You can sit at the bar, which we did, or in one of the couple of cozy seats next to the fireplace. I'm not usually one to enjoy sitting at a bar anywhere, but I enjoyed it here," she says.
She describes the food as outstanding.
"Mount Pleasant -- Mid Michigan, really -- needs more options for high-end, creative cuisine, and Camille's provides just that," she says. "If I hadn't known that Camille's had only been open for a short time, I never would have guessed it, because the kitchen clearly had the menu perfected already."
Camille's On The River is open from 5 to 10 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. Reservations are highly recommended because space is limited. However, if there is room, walk-ins are available.
Rachel Esterline is a freelance writer in mid-Michigan. She also works full-time as an account executive and social media specialist at AGP & Associates. Find her on Twitter or read her blog.
Images by: Avram Golden