Wren’s Summertime Scallops

Tastemaker

By Lynda Wheatley | June 27, 2020

The elegant and intimate Wren, located in the old Firehouse building in downtown Suttons Bay, missed nary a step through the spring shutdown. Instead, owner and chef Adam McMarlin used the opportunity to make some minor renovations and additions to the restaurant, including a new backyard garden. Already its fresh herbs have made their fresh and fragrant way into the of-the-moment meals for which McMarlin is known.

Our favorite of late: These decidedly not-shrimpy scallops, which he serves in a toasted-almond-topped arugula puree (arugula courtesy of Loma Farms) whose color and taste — from green apples, tarragon, cilantro, chive blossoms, and beurre blanc — made us wish licking dishes in public were a more welcome after-dinner activity. Get in soon to try it; much like McMarlin’s garden and the area farms that inspire him, Wren’s menu changes weekly, sometimes daily, depending on what’s available under the summer sun.

Wren is open 5pm–9pm Tuesdays through Saturdays. Find it at 303 N. Saint Joseph St., Suttons Bay. www.wrensuttonsbay.com, (231) 271-1175