Archive for the ‘Mackinaw City’ Category

I have to tell you about this amazing woman that I had the pleasure of meeting. Her name is Marvel Jones, and she, along with her son, have owned and operated Neath the Birches for thirty nine years. This lovely, secluded restaurant, is located just south of Mackinaw City on US 131, on the edge of a forest. Marvel puts in twelve to fourteen hours each day, seven days a week. Marvel, along with her personally trained assistant, prepare and cook every meal served at Neath the Birches. What I find so incredible, believe it or not, Marvel is eighty-six years old.

She arrives in the morning to bake the mini loves of bread, served at each table, and homemade pies. She also prepares all the fresh fish, roasts the prime rib, and bakes a whole turkey twice a week. After a full day of baking and preparation, Marvel doesn’t retire for the day, she then dons her chef’s hat , ready to cook and serve the dinner guests. Simply amazing.

We made reservations at 7:00pm, and were seated immediately upon our arrival. We requested a window seat, overlooking the woodlands, to bird watch, and view the animals, bear and wolves have been seen on occasion. The atmosphere is relaxing and unhurried. The menu offers a wide variety from black angus burgers, pastas, herb chicken, roast duckling, steaks, chops, and ribs. The fish is fresh daily, brought in from local waters. White fish, walleye, perch, frog legs, lobster tail, and Alaskan king crab are some of the choices from the surf side. For the wine connoisseur, Neath the Birches offers an extravagant wine menu, second only to the Grand Hotel. Order by the glass or bottle, from over 140 delectable choices.

My wife ordered the Friday, all you can eat white fish, a bargain at $13.95. Baked, broiled, fried, seasoned any way you like it. She chose baked, with lemon pepper, baked sweet potato, and the huge fresh salad bar.

The fish was perfectly baked, skinless, moist and flaky. An excellent way to showcase our local fish. The soup and salad bar was super fresh, full of everything you could possibly want. I ordered the seafood platter, a reasonable $24.95, for a variety of deep fried golden goodness. Jumbo shrimp, frog legs, perch, whitefish, and super sweet, extra large scallops. You rarely see sweet potatoes offered in a restaurant. At Neath the Birches, they take it to another level. When our waitress served the baked sweet potato, she also brought a tray of various toppings. Your choice of sour cream, butter, bacon , cheese, chives, and cinnamon sugar loaded onto the potato. by your server. right at the table. Our entrees were superb, and filling. Although it was difficult, I managed to save a little room for dessert. There is nothing like homemade pie, although the old fashion strawberry shortcake sounded wonderful too. Marvel had baked blueberry, and raspberry pie that morning , so we had to try both, which were equally delicious.

This was the most memorable dinning experience I have ever had. Our sever was one of the best, she never missed a beat. You simply must dine at Neath the Birches for superior service, and outstanding food. If you chance an opportunity to meet the amazing Marvel, you will shake your head in disbelief, and marvel at what this remarkable woman, and her reputable staff can do.

C.J. RAY

Where to dine tonight? We decided to take a drive up to Mackinaw City, and visit Nonna Lisa’s, for traditional Italian Cuisine…where authentic recipes have been handed down for generations. The atmosphere was pleasant, and relaxing, the service was great and the food was what we look for in an Italian restaurant. Classic Italian fare, along with a few surprises tossed into the mix. Our experience was anything but painfully predictable.

Nonna Lisa’s is located behind Mackinac Bay Trading Company in downtown Mackinaw City. The former location of Traverse Bay Woolen Co. They have adapted the decor of the restaurant to flow seamlessly into the rustic style of the building’s already existing beauty. The tables and chairs are a must see to believe. Tabletops are 4” slabs cut from California redwood, crafted by hand, and accented with beautiful juniper branches.

The bar top, also cut from redwood, intertwined with juniper branches throughout, and is absolutely one of the finest bars I have ever  seen.

We were seated immediately upon arrival, at a table for two, next to a small waterfall. Our server (I can’t pronounce his name) hails from Bulgaria. He is a top notch waiter, and his accent really made our dining experience special. We ordered a couple of cocktails and began to look over the menu. Nonna Lisa’s has twelve different kinds of pastas from $15.99 to $19.99. Shrimp Risotto Milanese, Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo, Crab Manicotti, just to name a few. Wood-fired pizzas, calzones and Stromboli are very popular from $11.99. You can also find steak, chicken, salmon, and a kids menu, very reasonably priced from $5.99.

My wife ordered the homemade lasagna ($15.99), a staple if ever there were one. The pasta was not al dente, but rather with delicate layers, stuffed with seasoned beef and ricotta cheese, smothered with homemade marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese. This dish was something any Nonna, worth her name, would be proud of. I always have a tough time deciding, I want to try everything. I asked our waiter what he would recommend, and he suggested the Nonna’s Tucson Tour, $19.99. A generous portion of lasagna, Fettucine Alfredo, and chicken parmigiano (a chicken breast lightly dusted with breadcrumbs and baked with mozzarella and homemade marinara sauce). The al dente Fettucine, and the rich creamy Alfredo sauce was some of the best I have ever tasted. The lasagna was delicious, but my favorite of the three, the chicken parmigiano, simply superb. For dessert, we chose Tiramisu, the house specialty. Ladyfingers soaked in espresso, stacked in layers, with sweet creamy mascarpone cheese, topped with chocolate, $5.99. It’s sinfully tasty. We really enjoyed our visit. It has the tranquility of a side walk café in old Italy, blended with the rugged outdoors of Northern Michigan.

Take my advice, and visit this hidden gem called Nonna Lisa’s. Don’t forget, ask for the Bulgarian waiter. It will make your experience truly memorable. Please check them out at www.nonnalisas.com

C.J Ray

Looking for a romantic place to take that special someone, or a nice up scale place to take the family? The Lighthouse Restaurant is the place to go. With a beautiful, quiet bar on one side, and a sophisticated, elegant dining area on the other. White table linens, and candlelight serves as the setting for an evening of spectacular food, and superior service from a fantastic, well dressed staff. A beautifully designed restaurant, with the familiar look of a lighthouse, hence the namesake, right in the heart of Mackinaw City.

Friday night, I took my wife to the Lighthouse Restaurant for a quiet, relaxing dinner. This was our first experience at the Lighthouse, and I sincerely, wholeheartedly recommend it to you. From the very impressive wine list of 120 different labels, to the versatile menu, with superb daily specials to entice, and surprise your palate. The Lighthouse Restaurant is well known for choice black angus steaks, and prime rib. The fish is fresh, and delivered daily from local fisheries. A huge seafood selection of crab, lobster, and jumbo shrimp, to name a few. Delicious smoked pork chops from Plath‘s at $17.95, or roast duckling at $29.00. So many succulent choices, it is difficult to choose. If lighter fair is the ticket, a few selections include black angus burgers, chicken sandwiches, chicken fingers, fish & chips, and specialty salads. A reasonably priced kids menu is available which includes a petit cut of prime rib at $12.95. They can also start you off with escargot, crab cakes, or smoked whitefish spread while you take your time browsing the menu.

We started out with a strawberry margarita, on special at $5.00, and the Vern sunset. The Vern sunset is a blend of vodka, Malibu rum, peach schnapps, pineapple, and orange juice, and a touch of sloe gin for the sunset color. Both were very tasty. My wife ordered the Black Angus prime rib, salad, and baked potato. Her slice of prime was a perfect medium, tender, juicy with mouth watering flavor. I chose one of the Lighthouse specials, the chuck tender at $15.95. This steak was marinated in burgundy wine, and pepper corns for forty-eight hours, accompanied with garlic mashed potatoes. The chef scores with this one, tender, and succulent, with just a hint of burgundy. The mashed potatoes were out of this world. Hand mashed with the chef’s special mix of butter, and garlic swirled into the mix. My wife informed me that my garlic potatoes were her favorite, but no longer. The chef scores again. Something else I learned, at the suggestion of our server, was to blend their homemade blue cheese salad dressing with the French dressing. My initial thought was, sounds gross, but I tried it anyway, and I‘m happy to say it was amazing. A truly delightful evening. Visit them at  www.mackinawdining.com

C.J. Ray

I had heard, numerous times, that the place to go for fresh fish is The Blue Water Grill in Mackinaw City. Since summer is coming to an end, and we still have an appetite for fresh water fare, we thought we would check it out. The Blue Water Grill is a laid back, unpretentious, sea side café. An inviting, casual atmosphere, with the charm of northern Michigan. They also offer outdoor dining on the beautifully landscaped patio. The only outdoor dining in Mackinaw City. A well ventilated bar area to accommodate customers, with a completely separate, smoke free, dining area. Our evening began with the house specialty, the Blue Water Margarita, on the rocks or frozen, at $5.50. The perfect blend of sweet and sour, tequila, blue coroco, and something else I can’t quite put my finger on, with a light dusting of salt on the rim. This Margarita is off the chart!

We have eaten at hundreds of restaurants, and served by some of the best, and unfortunately, some of the worst. Our waitress this evening was simply wonderful. With such a friendly, outgoing server, we couldn’t wait to try the food. The walleye, perch, trout and whitefish are fresh from local waters, and delivered daily. You can choose baked, fried, broiled, Cajun etc., from $13.95 to $17.95. Also on the menu, Alaskan salmon, yellow fin tuna, mahi mahi, lobster, crab, and sea scallops. If your taste buds are leaning in the other direction, the Blue Water Grill will tempt you with steak, burgers and sandwiches, pasta, frog legs, and much more. You can also order the original Mario’s Pizza from $12.95 on up. We will definitely return to try the pizza, as it looked delicious. A yummy kids menu, with all the favorites, even peanut butter & jelly starting at $3.95. With delicious home made pies, and other treats on the dessert menu.

My wife ordered the Friday special with baked potato, and a salad at $15.95. Eight Louisiana, jumbo, golf shrimp, and I mean JUMBO. The shrimp is lightly battered, deep fried to a golden, crunchy delicacy. I ordered the fresh perch, baked potato, and salad at $17.95. There is nothing like fresh lake perch, mild delicate filets, deep fried, golden and crispy. It really bugs me when I order fresh perch, as advertised at some restaurants, and end up with Zander, an imitation of perch from New Zeeland . If you love fresh fish, you have got to try the Blue Water Grill. No imitations here, only the real McCoy. Both the shrimp, and the perch were very clean, delicious, and not a drop of excess grease. Our dinner salads were large, with fresh crisp lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and croutons. Dinner rolls were soft, and warm, and the baked potato’s were hot and fresh, just like we like them. So drop in for scrumptious fresh fish, seafood or whatever your heart desires, and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed, or leave hungry.

C.J.Ray

People say, some of the best ribs are found in the south, and that may be true.Our experience here was outstanding, one of the best ever. If you are looking for some of the best ribs around, or a large selection of entrees, check out the Dixie for great food, and a good time. visit them at  www.dixiesaloon.com

C.J. RAY

However, I found some of the best ribs, right here in northern Michigan. Ribs as good, if not better, than any I’ve had in the south.

In the late 1800’s, the Dixie Tavern was built. It was a place where sailors could wet their whistle while docked in Mackinaw City. In 1914, it stood as a landmark to signify the northern most point of the Old Dixie Highway. The Dixie Highway was constructed to connect the deep south to Mackinaw City.

When we arrived, we had a moderate fifteen minute wait. Knowing this is a popular spot for locals, and vacationers, we hoped it would be worth the wait. As soon as we were seated, we ordered drinks, and checked out the menu. I came for the ribs, although, the Dixie has a lot to offer. Numerous choice steaks, pork, chicken, burgers, sandwiches, fish, salads and a kids menu $4.99 on up. My wife ordered the Cowboy burger for $7.99, and it was delicious with a nice soft bun, lettuce, tomato and onion. And for myself, a full slab of the famous Dixie BBQ ribs at $22.00. They were some of the best ribs I have ever eaten, and like I said earlier, I’ve been all over the south. The ribs are juicy but not fatty, seasoned simply, with a tasty hint of smoke. A final slick of BBQ sauce on top adds a note of sweetness, and finger-licking messiness to their crisp exterior. The meat is fall-off-the-bone tender between the ribs. (extra napkins a must). The veggies were a nice blend of yellow, and orange carrots, and green beans. The fries were hot and fresh. Our server was awesome. Friendly, attentive, and her timing was perfect. The atmosphere here is comfortable and inviting. There is so much to look at. Lots of antiques scattered throughout, and many flat screens at every angle. The cedar structure is two stories tall, with an inviting, open-air interior, that spans both stories. Large cedar columns rise from floor to ceiling. Second level seating offers an excellent view of downtown Mackinaw City, and lake Huron.

The elegant Chippewa Room, of Audie’s Restaurant in Mackinaw City, is one of our favorite places to dine. The American Indian décor, the white table linens, southwest inspired upholstery, and the Indian artifacts displayed throughout the dining room, adds to the dinning experience.

C.J. Ray