Tastemakers: Mode‘s Chili Dogs - Shaker‘s Rye Vodka

May 10, 2006

Mode’s Bum Steer Chili Dogs
Mode’s Bum Steer in downtown Traverse City is an “old school” restaurant. With all the new trendy restaurants serving the latest culinary inspirations (which is a good thing), it is nice to know that there are still some throwback dining establishments around. Mode’s built its reputation on customer service and consistency. Most of the Mode’s staff has been around for 10 years plus, which speaks volumes for the establishment. Mode’s popularity over the years also stems from their constancy and faithful customers knowing that that they can always count on Mode’s when entertaining business clients or visitors. Whether serving a quality cut of beef prepared to perfection or fresh twin lobster tails and a wedge of lettuce with bleu cheese dressing or that McMode Burger medium rare, Mode’s always does it right.
Locals always appreciated knowing that six nights a week Mode’s is open till 2 a.m., and if you walked in at 1:55 a.m. you could still order a burger. Another amazing feat is producing hundreds of dinners from a kitchen smaller than most modern residential kitchens. So profiling their chili dogs might seem a little silly when they do such a great job with walleye, porterhouses, burgers and everything inbetween. But the Mode’s chili dog has been a staple to the Saturday afternoon shopping experience in downtown Traverse City for years. The self-serve chilidog bar features homemade chili sauce, ¼ pound Koegel dogs, freshly chopped onions, chips and cole slaw. Having not been in on a Saturday afternoon for a couple of years I wondered if they still had their chilidogs. Of course they do – it’s Mode’s and they are consistent. Pair with a hearty red wine or Dos Equi’s on tap. Check out Mode’s and find out why the Detroit News selected it as their Editor’s Choice for best restaurant in Northern Michigan.
Shakers Rye Vodka
La Moda (a trendy clothing boutique) in downtown Traverse City recently held a hip soiree, giving Traverse City a little flavor of the metro nightlife. With DJ in tow, sexy servers, beautiful models sporting the latest Laurie Wildman designs, strawberries dipped in white chocolate and a shop full of fashionably dressed 20 and 30 something’s (plus a few of us 40 plus hipsters), the scene was lively and happening.
The event was sponsored by Shakers Vodka, a Minnesota-grown vodka. You mean Manhattan? Okay, so Minnesota is not known for producing distilled spirits; its claim to fame is the Mall of America and four failed attempts in the Super Bowl. But Minnesota is in the heartland and has exceptional soil and growing conditions for rye, considered by many to be the superior ingredient when making vodka. Shakers has scored with this vodka; no, not a Super Bowl ring, but a precious Double Gold Medal at the coveted San Francisco Spirits Competitions. Vodka is the hot distilled spirit in the states with over $10 billion in sales last year.
Shakers was introduced in 2004, selling 20,000 cases without the benefit of a major marketing campaign -- just simple word of mouth. The full-bodied robust but smooth vodka continues to grow in popularity and certainly was a hit at La Moda. The shaker bottle makes it convenient to simply put the bottle in the freezer, pull out, shake and pour.
Prideful Minnesotans created the Minnesota Martini, a mix of ice wine and Shakers. So we need a Michigan Martini. Here it is: place champagne flutes in freezer. Once chilled pour 1.5 ounces of Shakers Rose Flavored Vodka, fill the flute with Talismon sparkling wine from L. Mawby and drop in two Michigan cherries. Any way you shake it Shakers is a winner and is best enjoyed from the freezer by simply shaking and then pouring into a martini glass with three of your favorite stuffed olives.