Uptown Bay City's brand new business district continues to develop as merchants begin opening doors and settling in. Local restaurateur Vince Stuart is among them--and he's pumped about the September opening of his newest Bay City eatery, Uptown Grill.
The new
Uptown Grill will be an upscale venue serving breakfast and lunch, owner Vince Stuart says. High-end class with a twist--reasonably-priced meals.
It's not often that you walk into a breakfast and lunch place with chandeliers dangling from the ceiling and a décor of polished mahogany throughout, but that's how Stuart describes Uptown Grill's ambiance.
"It's not a Mom and Pop-type breakfast place," he says. "It's completely different. It's elegant and very beautiful. Uptown Grill is a beautiful restaurant with a unique menu and decent prices."
Stuart broke ground on his 2,300-square-foot eatery nine months ago. Up to 70 guests will dine inside and Uptown Grill's enclosed outdoor patio seats 30 more. And each of the 100 people that Stuart hopes will pack the place will open a menu not quite like any other.
"You don't see sweet potato pancakes topped with brown sugar and walnuts for breakfast very often," Stuart says. "Our garden quiche is a zesty combination of onions, red peppers, fresh spinach, tomatoes and three cheeses."
There's also an avocado-topped omelet available, and no matter what's on the plate, guests can be assured that what's in the cup or glass will be pleasing, too. Orange juice is squeezed and an ample array of coffees are freshly ground at Uptown Grill.
A salmon B.L.T. is among the lunch selections--it's a wild-caught salmon sandwich with applewood bacon, lettuce and tomato all dressed up with a cusabi dressing on a grilled ciabatta roll.
That's quite a dish, Stuart says, especially accompanied by a soup like the butternut squash bisque (created with curry, roasted red peppers and smoked Gouda cheese) among soups offered daily. Not to worry if you crave something more traditional, though.
"We'll have homemade chicken noodle soup and a burger that you can build yourself."
Stuart also has been the well-known proprietor of the Stockpot Diner in downtown Bay City for 25 years.
"I love the restaurant business and I love people," he says. "I feel like Richard Dawson sometimes-- I walk around my restaurant and talk to everyone, sometimes even give them a hug. I like to talk to the kids, too."
"I might not walk away with millions, but I can pay the bills and I can sleep at night. Money isn't what makes me happy anyway," Stuart says.
"Happiness, for me, is serving people good meals and being around them."
Uptown Grill is located at 3 East Main Street in Bay City and is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Kelle Barr is a Portage-based veteran freelancer. Follow her on Twitter: @BarrKelle
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