Destination Dining

Feb. 22, 2015

While northern Michigan boasts a remarkable selection of wonderful restaurants, sometimes you just want to get away and try something new. Whether it’s part of a road trip with a specific destination or simply passing through on your way to someplace else, here are a half-dozen dining destinations well worth a trip of their own. Add these stops to your itinerary and you’ll experience even more of what Michigan’s cool culinary scene has to offer.

DESTINATION: The Fish House $$

WHERE: Michigan Highway 123, Paradise, 906-492-3901

WHY: If you want fresh fish, this is the place to go. Brown’s Fisheries sends out the boats every morning and, if they don’t catch anything, The Fish House stays closed. But, when they do, you can be assured that the perch or whitefish is as fresh-caught as fish can possibly be, with flavor unlike anything you’ve experienced from your typical fish market or even the poshest cafe. It may look like an unassuming place, but these are the places where some of the best local foods are found. As Brown’s said themselves, "fish is best when the restaurant is close to the source." The Detroit Free Press and The New York Times have even given nods to this little U.P. gem.

ORDER THIS: The Lake Superior Whitefish Basket is captioned "The Best Fish and Chips You’ll Ever Have" and, outside of the U.K., they may just be right. We’d be remiss if we didn’t also mention the Smoked Fish Platter, specifically the Lake Trout, served simply with crackers and fresh lemon.

DRINK UP: Nothing complicated here either. Snag a brewed iced tea and let the fish do the talking.

WATCH FOR: The people watching is great, as tourists expecting something fancier wander in looking confused – until their food is served. Then the raves begin.

THE DESTINATION: Mani Osteria and Bar $$$

WHERE: 341 E. Liberty Street, Ann Arbor, maniosteria.com, 734-769-6700

WHY: There are usually two varieties of Italian food: traditional cuisine, relying on simplicity and high-quality ingredients, and the more inventive, experimental kind that features unique combinations and eclectic approaches. Mani offers both under one roof, from traditional calamari or Isabel’s Meatballs to Americanized wood-fired pizza or handcrafted tortellini with trumpet mushrooms. Many of the dishes are small plates, so you can order a variety of things to share.

ORDER THIS: The Mix may be the perfect Italian appetizer, with a choice of two cheeses (like Gorgonzola dolce or La Tur) and two meats (boar cacciatore is a local favorite) served with Chianti mustard.

DRINK UP: Few things go better with Italian food than Italian soda, and Mani offers San Pellegrino’s classics: Limonata (southern Italian lemon) and Aranciata (orange with juice and peel.)

WATCH FOR: Chefs Bobby Flay and Mario Batali have both reportedly stopped at Mani, so keep your eyes open if you’re a foodie; you never know who you might see at the next table.

DESTINATION: The Bandit Queen $$

WHERE: 117 S. Division Avenue, Grand Rapids, thebanditqueengr.com

WHY: While most of us were probably introduced to ramen noodles via the little packets and cups priced under $1 in the grocery, true ramen has far more depth and diversity, with a remarkably balanced range of spices, overtones and ingredients, including marinated eggs, mock eel, roasted squash and crispy pork, alongside those familiar noodles in rich, complex broths. This is both a late-night hangout (open until midnight) and a place to try ramen as it’s truly meant to be eaten.

ORDER THIS: If you’re feeling daring, get the No. 4, which basically consists of whatever has just arrived in the kitchen. Otherwise, rely on the No. 1, The Queen, with pork belly, beef meatballs, poached egg and sesame greens. And don’t forget to ask for the house-made sriracha.

DRINK UP: Found Water Cucumber-Mint Soda, imported from Turkey, is the perfect cooling accompaniment for some of the spicier ramen choices.

WATCH FOR: People often bring sweetly fragrant bags inside that almost tempt you from your dinner; Grand Rapids’ famed Propaganda Doughnuts is right next door.

DESTINATION: Blue Nile $$$$

WHERE: 545 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, bluenilemi.com/bluenile, 248-547-6699

WHY: You won’t find forks and knives here. Detroit’s only Ethiopian dining room offers traditional tableware, meaning you’ll use a flat bread called injera to scoop up your portion of spiced chicken, mashed lentils and peas, and sautéed cabbage. Sharing food from the same plate is significant in Ethiopian culture so, for most Americans, this is a unique experience all the way around – from the food itself to the décor, with its upside down parasols hanging from the ceiling and the woven wicker mesob baskets covering the food.

ORDER THIS: A delicious introduction to Ethiopian food is the Doro Wat, a chicken dish simmered in spiced clarified butter, onions and Berbere sauce with ginger and chilies.

DRINK UP: You really can’t go wrong with a cup of Ethiopian coffee, freshly roasted and ground daily. After all, that’s where coffee Arabica – the actual coffee plant – is originally from.

WATCH FOR: Don’t miss the little gift shop on your way out. Here, you can pick up spiced Ethiopian tea, Yirgacheffe coffee, tej honey wine or an Ethiopian cookbook.

DESTINATION: Baker’s Keyboard Lounge $$$

WHERE: 20510 Livernois Avenue, Detroit, theofficialbakerskeyboardlounge.com, 313- 345-6300

WHY: For starters, the entire bar counter is a giant (non-playing) keyboard, but Baker’s also claims a little piece of history as the world’s oldest jazz club – in operation since May, 1934. Miles Davis, Woody Herman and Ella Fitzgerald, among others, graced the art deco stage in their day.

You’ll feel like you time-traveled back to the end of the Jazz Age, especially if there’s a performance while you’re there. The menu complements this old-school ambiance, of fering a range of soul food including smothered pork chops, collard greens, catfish and fried chicken.

ORDER THIS: Baker’s peach cobbler is a musthave. It sets the standard for the dessert.

DRINK UP: Ask the bartender to make you a classic gin rickey and pretend you’re in The Great Gatsby.

WATCH FOR: Have you seen the movie Sparkle with CeeLo Green, Jordin Sparks and the late Whitney Houston? Well, look around, because when you’re dining at Baker’s, you’re actually sitting in one of the film’s locations.

KEY (Average Entrée Price): $ = $5-10 $$ = $10-15 $$$ = $15-20 $$$$ = $20 and up