Pub Fare With a Twist

Sept. 7, 2014

Chris Copeland saw a vacant building in Williamsburg as an opportunity to create a vibrant restaurant for locals and visitors alike.

The building, located on M-72, has been a steakhouse, a poker club, and even a thrift shop.

"Chris wanted to have something for the local Williamsburg area where people could pop in and have some great food and great drinks," said Manager Charles "Bud" Rouse about Mr. C’s Pub & Grill, which opened in April.

THE SCENE

To help create that vibe, Copeland had the restaurant remodeled, keeping the large fireplace in the middle of the front dining room as a centerpiece.

There’s also a back dining area, a bar, and new patio.

Rouse joined the crew fresh from a stint at Pearl’s New Orleans Kitchen in Elk Rapids.

Serendipitously, he found he’d been preceded there by James "JW" Pascoe, also a Pearl’s veteran, now the general manager at Mr. C’s.

"It was a pretty easy transition for us," Rouse said. "JW is a foodie guy; a craft beer guy "¦ we wanted that to be the focus," said Rouse.

THE MENU

Mr. C’s offers a full slate of pub fare. Some of it is upscale, such as the baked goat cheese, smoked salmon paté, and smoked blue cheese salad.

Some is more traditional, including the burgers, chili-stuffed potato skins, and hangar steak.

And some offer creative twists on time-honored classics, like adding smoked pork to the nachos.

There are flatbread pizzas, too: there’s basil, tomato, spinach, cheese and a white sauce; smoked brisket, red onion and bourbon BBQ sauce; or Cuban pulled pork, black bean and corn salsa, and Dijon drambuie.

For entrées, the baked salmon is moist and flavorful. Rustic mac and cheese includes cappicola, caramelized onion, and one, two, three cheeses (gruyere, sharp cheddar and Parmesan). The signature tomato pasta is made in-house and includes chicken, beer-braised sausage, goat cheese and a smoked blush sauce.

Even the beef takes its turn, with Delmonico steak house-seasoned or chili-seasoned; top sirloin is served with a smoked blue cheese cream sauce; and the prime rib comes with a chipotle tomato au jus.

THE BEST

For the best, it’s all about the wings. "Our wings have been a very good seller," said Rouse. "We’ve added some variations and some different sauces."

Those include a dry rub, garlic Parmesan, teriyaki, and Rouse’s own honey hot sauce.

Another favorite is the flatbreads, all of which he says have been well received, but the number one choice is a sandwich.

"The Drowned Beef has been the top-selling item on our menu since we opened," said Rouse of the shaved prime rib sandwich with jalapeño horseradish cream, crispy fried onions and cheese.

Among the entrées, Rouse says the best is an item that wasn’t even on the menu at the beginning. "The prime rib was a Saturday special," he said. "We’d sell out of it every night."

It was so well received it became a special on Wednesdays as well. And its popularity kept growing, until it was put on the menu permanently.

Among desserts, the house-made cheesecake is prepared with a different fruit coulis seasonally. Whatever the time of year, it’s impossible to go wrong with the carrot cake, with a thick cream cheese frosting that’s not too sweet.

THE REST OF THE STORY

In addition to the various comestibles at Mr. C’s, Rouse says it is a prime spot for tasty brews.

"We’ve got 12 taps, and nine are dedicated to craft beers," he said. "All of them are from Michigan, and most are local."

Those various smoked specialties come from the restaurant’s own smoker. Rouse says that has enhanced their offerings, including the various meats and also the bleu cheese.

Mr. C’s offers entertainment Wednesday through Saturday in the summer, typically outdoors on the patio, but indoors if the weather isn’t cooperative. The dinner music runs from 6-9pm.

THE SKINNY

Appetizers start at $5.99; soup at $3.49; salads at 4.99. Sandwiches are $7.49 and up; flatbreads start at $9.99 and up. Entrées start at $11.99.

Mr. C’s is located at 9009 M-72E in Williamsburg, open seven days a week from 11am- 10pm. Phone (231) 267-3300, online mrcspubandgrill.com or find them on Facebook.