OK, so it's a random Tuesday night, you're kinda bored, getting hungry and there's not much to do. If you live in northwest Michigan, there's a quick and easy way to spice up your life, and you don't have to go far.
You and your palate can take a quick trip to one of the handful of ethnic restaurants in the area, satisfying your appetite for both food and intrigue. If you feel it's time to break free from burgers and fries, you live in the right place.
You could try
Chez Peres Café Bistro and Patisserie Amie in Traverse City,
Polish Kitchen in Harbor Springs and a new location in Petoskey, or
The Fusion in Frankfort.
These are just a few of the ethnic samplings available in the area, but they are a darn good place to start. Let's see what's happening over at Chez Peres Café Bistro and Patisserie Amie, which is located at 238 Lake Avenue in Traverse City.
The eight-year-old eatery is, shall we say, a French evolution. First, in 2005, owners Eric and Amy Fritch, along with a partner, started Patisserie Amie in a tiny Traverse City spot at the east end of Front Street. There, they served pastries, and began to build a reputation as a great place to do Sunday brunch--French style.
They then began hosting Bistro Nights, which featured French cuisine at dinnertime. In 2008, business had grown to the point that it was time to move into a bigger location at their current digs on Lake Street.
The Fritches are now sole owners of Patisserie Amie, and have added the name Chez Peres (Papa's Place) as homage to Eric's father, Paul, who helped them get the place on its feet. And, now, the evolution has reached a place where Sunday brunches are still available, and dinner cuisine has become an equally delightful part of the menu.
"We love doing business in Traverse City, and it's been a very exciting growth process for us," Eric Fritch said. "We continue to get great feedback from our growing number of customers. We couldn't be more pleased with the way things are going."
Apparently, the customers at Chez Peres are pretty content themselves. At Sunday brunch, they can choose from an exquisite selection on Les Oeufs (the eggs) menu. There are 13 egg-based selections, and general manager Dan Russell points to five of his favorites.
"There's the peasant omelet (ham, gruyere, potatoes), the omelet ratatouille (provencal vegetables), the croque madame (ham, cheese, bechamel), the oeufs Africaine (spiced romesco, couscous), and the oeufs Norwegian (gravlax, hollandaise)," Russell said. "Those are a few of the omelets that are consistently popular."
Other items on the brunch menu include French pancakes, French waffles, a variety of crepes, hors d'oeuvres, soups, sandwiches, salads and more. The dinner menu includes a variety of fruits and salads, steak béarnaise, tournedos de boeuf, coquilles St. Jacques, chateaubriand and much more. Apparently, the recipes are working.
"We continue to set records every Sunday, and our dinners are popular, as well," Fritch said. "We're happy here, and our customers are happy with us."
OK, so you've filled up one Tuesday (or Sunday afternoon, if you choose brunch) with a trip to France. But there are certainly other random Tuesdays coming down the road. Or Thursdays, or whatever day of the week you feel like taking an intercontinental trip of the taste. Let's try
Polish Kitchen at 8418 M-119 (Harbor-Petoskey Road) in Harbor Springs, or its new location at 307 Petoskey Street in Petoskey.
At either location, it's the real deal in Polish food at the Polish Kitchen. This is genuine stuff served in a family atmosphere.
"The menu is composed of my mom, Helena's, homemade and authentic lunch and dinner recipes," said Rafal Benek, the general manager who oversees the business and works with several family members to keep things just right. "My family has lived in this area for about 16 years and many of our friends have come to enjoy our Polish dishes. Petoskey has really become home and we can't imagine ourselves anywhere else."
Some of "Mom's recipes" include potato pancakes, croquettes, pasties, salads, specialty bread, pierogis, kielbasa, stuffed cabbage, bigos, goulash, golabki and rissole. There also are a variety of soups.
It's not an overly extensive menu, but every offering at Polish Kitchen is a delectable taste of the old country that will leave you full and satisfied.
OK, so now we've taken European trips to France and Poland. For one more tasty journey, let's head east. We'll try Thai and Mongolian food, where The Fusion at 300 W. Main Street in Frankfort is as authentic as authentic can be.
At
The Fusion, the food is good, it's fresh and it's meant to be shared.
"We love food, good food, and we believe if you treat your food right it will treat you even better," said VaChong Ku, who owns The Fusion along with Bobbiesee Ku. "However, our desires are meaningless if we cannot share them. We remember that the customers are our friends and that they are the reason we are here."
There is a wide selection of stir-fry selections to choose from at The Fusion. You can try blue panang curry, masaman curry, cashew and almond, healthy white veloute, Thai fried noodle, Pad Thai noodle and more.
For those with a hearty appetite, the entrees include sambal pork steak, roast duck, sesame chicken, almond boneless chicken, choe talay, bulgogi and other selections.
"Everything we do at The Fusion is designed around the idea of using the freshest ingredients, perfectly blended and prepared from scratch," said Bobbiesee Ku. "From hand-cut meat, poultry and braised shanks to dumplings and desserts, one taste and you'll understand everything you need to know about The Fusion."
That's about it for our stay-at-home world tour. And that's just the start. With further exploring, you can find other Northwest Michigan ethnic eateries. Remember, it's OK to break away from that standard Tuesday burger and explore.
Jeff Barr is a freelance writer who has lived in Michigan for 46 years. You can reach Jeff at barrj88@gmail.com.