Scovie‘s Waterfront Grille

Forget Jimmy Buffett. Who needs Margaritaville when freshly cooked Caribbean fare is just a short drive away? Scovie’s Waterfront Grille in Charlevoix offers family-friendly dining with a taste bud-tempting kick.
Owners Scott and Vi Forreider, known for their self-named Scovie’s Gourmet shop and deli in downtown Charlevoix, have created a new island-themed dining destination.
Open since March and equipped with a liquor license not available at their downtown venue, Scovie’s Waterfront Grille offers good food and Lake Charlevoix views. “We thought the town of Charlevoix could really use another family-oriented space that people could go to two or three times a week,” explains Scott Forreider. “The price point is a lot less than most of the higher end places in town but not quite diner mentality.”
Six months and 10 pages worth of taste-tested meals later, and Forreider had his menu.
“We thought we’d take it to the next level,” he says, admitting burgers and fries can get boring, real fast. “Vi’s family has some Hawaiian background, and they kind of gave us some insight and local recipe books.”
Creating new entrees with a blend of Asia-Rican and Costa-Rican spices, Forreider combines the familiar with the exotic to offer a Caribbean-Pacific Rim experience.
Specialties include Szechwan fajitas, a spicy dinner entree served with beef, chicken or shrimp and Asian crepes, coffee-crusted scallops, plantain nachos and jerk (spicy) chicken.
Soups, salads, sandwiches and burgers are available, along with a children’s menu, appetizers and a tempting array of desserts – some using locally made Kilwin’s ice cream.

ISLAND FUN
Tiki torches, a thatched roof and Latin and Caribbean reggae music greet you as soon as you walk in the door, and live entertainment is planned for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings.
“We are planning to work with a local steel drum band to do something light on Sunday night,” says Forreider. “It’s something a little bit different for people to do.” Plans include performances by local jazz and blues singers from the area.
Making good use of their liquor license, the restaurant serves a wide range of alcoholic beverages.
“The wine list is pretty much all South American, California, Australia, so we kind of work on that Pacific Rim,” says Forreider. “Beer is from the Caribbean, Mexico and the Far East.”
And don’t forget a fruity island cocktail – try a Jamaican Cab Driver with Malibu coconut rum, cranberry juice and pineapple juice or one of Vi’s creations, a Geisha Martini (bring a designated driver) made with Hpnotiq liquor, pineapple rum and chambord.

LOCAL CONNECTIONS
Most of Scott’s restaurant experience came locally: “I was sous-chef at Bay Harbor Yacht Club, Boyne Mountain, New York in Harbor Springs, Stafford’s, One Water Street. Vi was a pastry chef in Florida country clubs as well as Little Harbor Club. We met through a friend 13 years ago at a company night out, on a Sunday night at Legs Inn.”
Vi worked as general manager of the newly opened Red Mesa Grill before the Forreiders relocated to Phoenix in 1998 to be near her family. Scott spent many years as a food broker, while Vi managed 11 restaurants before they decided to give up their hectic lifestyle and return to Northern Michigan. In 2003, they opened up Scovie’s Gourmet.

SCOVIE’S BEGINNINGS
“We started with breakfast pastries, coffee and lunch,” remembers Forreider. “There just wasn’t much of a market for that, so we transformed it into a lunch and dinner place.”
The downtown location continues to serve food and carry plenty of local wines, fruit spreads, sushi making materials, chocolate and many items for gift baskets. Specialty and wedding cakes and all types of catering are available, along with seating for 54 inside the deli.
The Forreiders spend time at both Scovie’s locations – Vi still does cake orders and Scott makes sauces – but they mostly rely on manager Eric Wlodarczak. “He’s been with us for about 2 years now and is actively managing the downtown store,” says Forreider. “He has a great amount of wine knowledge.”
Scott’s parents, Joan and Leonard, will take over management positions at the Waterfront Grille in time for the busy summer season ahead.
Although Forreider doesn’t foresee much time off in the future, he clearly loves the new direction Scovie’s has taken and hopes to lure people into the new restaurant from as far south as Elk Rapids to as far north as Alanson.
“We hope to be a little bit more of a destination place where we’ll have people driving 20 miles for dinner.”

Visit Scovie’s Waterfront Grille at 230 Ferry Avenue in Charlevoix, Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.–9 p.m. and Friday & Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.– 8 p.m. Call 231-547-2960. Check out their website and menus at www.scovieswaterfrontgrille.com
Downtown visit Scovie’s Gourmet, Deli and Bake Shop at 111 Bridge Street, Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m., call 231-237-7827 or visit www.scovies.com. View On Our Website