Elberta Nightspot a Community Landmark

March 15, 2015

It really was an actual shed – or a shack, to hear manager Becky Hunt tell it – which served as a general store, post office and headquarters for the Benzie County Fruit Exchange over the years. And, yes, it did stock cabbage for rail shipment in the 1930s.

Today, Elberta’s Cabbage Shed is known not for merchandise or shipping produce, but as a great place for a meal, a drink and some music.

Its well-worn floors and booths attest to its long history and the old-time signs that dot the walls and ceilings reinforce the feeling.

Hunt, who runs the restaurant for her father, owner Jim Clapp, was brought up in the business and the building. She used to ride her tricycle around the place while it was undergoing renovation.

"We opened when I was five. We lived upstairs at the time. People come in and remember me," she said with a laugh.

THE SCENE 

The Cabbage Shed overlooks the waters of Betsie Bay. In the summer, the outdoor patio is a wonderful place to take in the scenery. In the winter, the bank of windows showcases the frosty ambience.

Though it’s been a restaurant since Clapp bought and refurbished the building in the early 70s, it’s as noted for its music as for its food.

"We have a reputation for live music: folk, rock and roll, acoustic, roots music, jazz, funk," said Hunt. Bands and artists hail from close by, downstate or across the country.

The semi-retired Clapp was originally from Brooklyn and was a musician by trade. "He still hosts the open mic night when he’s here," said Hunt.

THE MENU

Whether you call it comfort food or pub fare, the Cabbage Shed has plenty of rib-tickling dishes that will please most appetites, such as ribs served with house BBQ sauce. Other entrées such as whitefish, walleye and the Shed Sirloin are hearty and tasty.

The Cabbage Shed boasts sandwiches like the Red Hot Steer, a flame broiled prime rib sandwich with spicy Cajun seasoning; Mike Palmer’s Chubby George, with grilled ham, bacon, Swiss cheese and lettuce with top secret sauce; various burgers with numerous toppings; and a grilled chicken with avocado.

Small plates include bangers and mash (spicy charbroiled sausage with garlic mashed potatoes), nachos, wet burritos and fish tacos.

Appetizers – Preludes in Cabbage Shed parlance – include fried green beans, clam strips, wings and breaded cauliflower. Salads, soups and desserts complete the menu.

THE BEST

"The prime rib is wonderful. It’s slow roasted, then we grill it," said Hunt. She also touts the pan-seared sea scallops, though the offseason downturn in business means she isn’t able to stock them in the winter.

The house soup is borscht, a beef stock with beet and cabbage and other root vegetables.

"We’re the only place around that has borscht," said Hunt.

Another unique offering is the Glarum Grille, an open face prime rib sandwich with sautéed onions and peppers, melted cheddar jack and stone ground mustard, named for one-time owner Nils Glarum.

Relatively new to the menu are the flatbread pizzas, which manage the trick of a thick crust that’s still crispy. The mushroom artichoke flatbread with pesto cream sauce is particularly noteworthy.

The bluegill is also a crowd pleaser. "People love it and I love it," Hunt said.

THE REST OF THE STORY

"We host a lot of rehearsal dinners and reunions. It’s a comfy atmosphere," said Hunt.

The Cabbage Shed is also a popular site for fundraisers, due to its size and the ability to sequester groups in the private room.

Its music tradition also continues in the offseason. The Cabbage Shed hosts an open mic every Thursday and either a DJ or a band plays Friday and Saturday nights.

THE SKINNY

The Cabbage Shed is open from 4pm to midnight on Wednesday and Thursday and 4pm to 2am on Friday and Saturday. Summertime expands the restaurant’s operation to seven days a week, opening for lunch at noon Friday through Sunday and opening at 4pm the rest of the week.

Appetizers start at $5.95, small plates at $7.95, soup at $2.95. Entrées start at $10.95, pizza at $9.95. The Cabbage Shed is located at 198 Frankfort Avenue in Elberta. For information, call 231- 352-9843 or visit CabbageShed.com or their Facebook page.