Phil‘s on Front

April 19, 2009

New Bistro Destination: Phil‘s on Front

By Nancy Krcek Allen

Northern Michigan foodies will be happy to know that Phil Murray, former chef-owner of the popular restaurant, Windows, is back in the kitchen. This February Murray opened Phil’s on Front, a bistro and chocolate lounge.
Murray’s hits just keep on coming.
In 2006, after 21 years at Windows, Murray retired from restaurants. “I took lots of naps. I went bicycle riding. I opened Chocolate Exotica (and Windows Catering at West Front Market).” Murray smiles. “Then I got tired of having nights, weekends and holidays off.”
After a mission trip to Peru with Bob Foote and other eye doctors (no, he didn’t feed them—he helped with eye exams), Murray got a call from the owner of Ciao Bella, the space where Phil’s on Front is now located. “I think I had $19 in the bank,” says Murray. “I called old customers and investors and they came through. January 21 we began negotiating. We closed on February 2 and by February 12, we opened.”
Murray’s philosophy is simple: make people happy. “This is bistro versus fine dining,” says Murray. “Fine dining has died, it’s passed away. Here I do what I was doing at Windows for half the price. People would come out on a special occasion and spend $32 on duck. Here it’s $17. Now I see people coming in two or three times a week.”
Murray’s menu changes daily. He always features four or five fresh seafood dishes like crab, salmon, grouper, cod and mahi mahi. Perch and walleye show up when available. Offering from a recent menu were Roasted Vegetable Salad ($10), Barbecued Shrimp ($8), Lamb Shanks Provençal ($16), Prime Short Ribs of Beef ($16), Ahi Tuna Tamari ($16) and Blue Lump Crab Cakes served with Creole Meuniere ($18).

ACCOLADES
“I have always liked Phil’s food and how passionate he is,” says long-time Windows fan, Bob Purvis of Suttons Bay. “He wants to put out beautiful food with rich flavor. What impressed me most about his new place was the price. There probably wasn’t a dish over $20.”
“I think Phil is a fabulous cook and a fun guy,” says Purvis’s wife, Suzanne Rogers. “It’s different here (from Windows): he’s not serving those extravagantly beautiful vegetable plates, which no one but Bob and I probably ate—so I was thrilled to have a generous pile of garlicky fennel and roasted vegetables under my scallops.”
Murray’s trendy and innovative “chocolate lounge” is packed most nights. “I thought that we’d sell lots of red wine and chocolate,” says Murray, “but it’s the martinis that are off the charts. That was totally a shock. I recently had a Funky Monkey (Crême de Banana, Bailey’s, White Chocolate Godiva and Vanilla Vodka—$8) and thought, ‘my god this is good,’ so I had another. You really can’t taste the alcohol. I had to walk home.”
Caitlyn Fouch is the bar manager and drinkmeister. She’s responsible for the Funky Monkey and 39 other drinks gracing the drinks menu and chalkboard in the Chocolate Lounge like: Coconut Key Lime Pie ($7), Mango Madras ($5), Death by Chocolate ($8), Fudge Cycle ($7), Caramel Apple ($7) and White Chocolate Raspberry Martini ($8).

SWEET STUFF
With these drinks, who needs dessert? But you really don’t want to miss Murray’s desserts.
Trained as a classically trained chef and saucier 30 years ago, Murray continues to take training in chocolate and pastry. “I took my first chocolate class in 1983,” says Murray. “I’ve taken six or seven more with pastry chefs brought over from France. It built my foundation. I think dessert makes people happy.” The restaurant’s dessert menu reflects Murray’s passion for pastry and dessert with Phil’s Soon to Be Famous Bread Pudding ($6), house made ice cream ($6), Classic Ricotta Cheesecake ($6) and Chocolate Paté ($6). Murray’s already-famous chocolate truffles shine serenely at diners from a glass-fronted case in the Chocolate Lounge.
“I don’t need a lot of money,” says Murray. “My goal for the restaurant is to give back, to create fellowship in the community.” With the downtown location, generous menu, fun atmosphere—and we can’t forget the chocolate—Murray is well on his way.
Call ahead for special nights like:
Monday: Half off entrées for those in the hospitality industry
Tuesday: Glass of wine $5.50/$6
Wednesday: Ladies half off everything except martinis
Thursday: Martini night—all martinis $6
Sunday: Family meals with choice of entrée, soup salad and dessert start at $9.50 per person.

Phil’s on Front Restaurant & Chocolate Lounge is located at 236 East Front Street in Traverse City. Open for dinner and drinks from 4p.m. until the last person leaves, usually 10p.m. weekdays and midnight on weekends. Look for lunches soon. Call 231-929-1710.