Bourbon's 72

Jan. 15, 2016

A SURE BET

The calm, elegant interior, cozy fireplace and unobtrusive wait staff at Bourbon’s 72 stand in sharp contrast to the 56,000 square feet of bright lights, chiming bells and bustling activity just outside its doors. Located inside Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel in Williamsburg, the restaurant has been in operation since 2008, but many northern Michigan residents don’t have it on their radars unless they’re gamers. For anyone who appreciates high-quality, classic steakhouse cuisine, it’s a missed opportunity. Bourbon’s 72’s hand-cut steaks and chops, as well as premium seafood, are just the beginning of the creatively presented and mouthwatering food coming out of the kitchen.

Presiding over that kitchen since the restaurant opened in 2008 is chef de cuisine Del Edwards. His core staff of five is backed by a 30-member main kitchen brigade that makes all of the stocks and soups, as well as facilitating the casino’s Seasons Buffet café and serving meals for up to 300 people every day in the employee restaurant.

BACK TO THE FUTURE

Food and beverage director Richard Hamper oversees restaurant and bar operations for both Turtle Creek and the Leelanau Sands Casino north of Suttons Bay. A trained chef, Hamper has experience in everything from back of the house to front of the house — and now, administration. He’s excited about the new phase Bourbon’s 72 will enter in 2016.

“We have a major renovation coming up this spring,” he said. “This is a good space, but it has already become outdated and needs more than just a facelift. We’ll be basically gutting it and redoing everything from A to Z. In addition to reconfiguring the dining room, we’ll be extending the back area for an open kitchen presentation and a chef ’s counter with seating for six to eight. And we will finally expand to the outside with a three-season dining area — something I’ve wanted to do since I arrived here.”

The project is slated to begin in March and be completed by June.

A new bar at the front of the restaurant will also be part of the remodel.

“It will have a Cruvinet wine dispensing system, allowing us to offer some higher-end wines by the glass,” said Hamper. “We will also have a more substantial and sophisticated wine list featuring local, domestic and imported bottles, and the proper temperature- and humiditycontrolled storage units to store them in.”

More good news for wine lovers: “Typically, restaurants have a 100 percent markup on their wines,” said Hamper, “but none of the bottles on our wine list are marked up more than 50 percent. By being a part of the casino, we have the opportunity to be more affordable.”

However, wine was not the inspiration for this restaurant. Its name came from its location on M-72 and its original concept as a steakhouse featuring various bourbons, not only to be served as beverages, but also to be incorporated into the menu as sauces, marinades, desserts and more.

“We have done that all along, of course, but for a while, the restaurant kind of lost its identity,” said Hamper. “We’re bringing it back now. Once we reopen with the new bar, we will have a huge emphasis on quality, topshelf bourbons.”

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

As for the menu, Hamper said that, aside from seasonal changes, “we’re going to stay with the classic steakhouse model, with some contemporary twists, because that has worked very well for us. We have a diverse clientele here — many markets to satisfy. We have highend players who enjoy fine dining and we have other players who come in and just want a quick, simple steak, so among other choices, you’ll find both a lower-priced sirloin and a top-end prime-aged ribeye on our menu. Chef Del and I focus on two seasonal main menus per year, plus each month, we run either a prix fixe menu of several courses or perhaps options of three different entrées to choose from, and we make those options very affordable.”

Topping the list of Bourbon’s 72 signature items, according to Hamper, is Chef Del’s prime rib, available in half-pound or onepound portions.

“He starts with whole primal ribs, which are then herb-rubbed, kosher-salted, marinated for several days and very slowly roasted,” said Hamper. Following close behind on the list are the Maryland lump crab cakes, the baby back ribs and the wedge salad. For desserts, Bourbon’s follows the classic steakhouse example, with selections like key lime pie, cheesecake, Black Forest cake and a signature Bourbon’s turtle sundae (after Turtle Creek), all made in house. Vegetables and freshwater fish are locally sourced, but, said Hamper, “because of the volume we do and the need for specific cuts and consistency, we focus on a line of meat out of Chicago, called Stockyards. We also have two unique lobster tails: one from the North Atlantic that has sweetness and a soft texture and another from either the Caribbean or Pacific with a firmer texture and a more pronounced lobster flavor. They are all one-and-aquarter-pound-plus tails and easily a foot long.

I’m not sure there is anyone in this area serving lobster tails this size...We sell out every night.”

Hamper’s philosophy seems to permeate the entire restaurant.

“Dinner should be an event. We want our guests to relax, take their time and enjoy their food.”

Sounds like one more reason Bourbon’s 72 is a sure bet.

Bourbon’s 72 is located inside Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel at 7741 M-72 East in Williamsburg.

Open Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday from 5–9pm, Friday and Saturday from 5–10pm. Reservations are recommended on weekends. The casino is open 24/7, as are the other inhouse dining options: Seasons Buffet and The Deli. For more information, visit turtlecreekcasino.com or call (231) 534-8870. $$-$$$