Forest Grill, Birmingham MI

Planning my trip to Michigan not only to see the Frozen Four but also to celebrate my mother and aunt's respective birthdays I knew I wanted to take them somewhere special - I considered The Lark, Coach Insignia, The Michael Mina spots at the MGM, and others - I considered them until I read two outstanding reviews of Chef Polcyn's Forest Grill and the current work of Executive Chef David Gilbert. A review of the restaurant's website impressed me even more as I discovered the two Michigan born Chef's had collectively cooked all across Michigan's best restaurants and trained at a restaurants ranging from The French Laundry to L’Astrance and Michel Bras - heavy hitters to say the least.

Attempting to keep my expectations in check given their billing as a "simple American bistro that uses quality local ingredients and is rooted in traditional cooking techniques" I browsed the online menu which ranged from charcuterie to bistro fare to pizzas and spans multiple regions of Europe - identifying no less than 10 items that sounded great to me and a number that would fit the less adventurous palate of my family I called and made reservations, the receptionist ever helpful and pleasant...and pleasant again when I called to change the reservation due to alterations in the hockey schedule.

Arriving just moments before our reservation, early in the dinner hour, after wandering the lovely city of Birmingham for quite some time I was immediately taken by the modern interior, large windows viewing the street, and open kitchen and raw bar, and white tablecloths - almost a hybrid of sexy/modern and intimate/bistro - neighborhood, but formal. Greeted by our hostess and led to a nice table in the middle of the main dining room we were next met by our server, Tim, who explained to us the various parts of the menu, the available tasting menus, and the oysters plus charcuterie selections. Knowledgeable of the entire menu and ready to make recommendations, formal but down to earth, witty and pleasant I must say I found Tim to be the ideal waiter, akin to what I've experienced at TFL, Per Se, or Alinea. Plates were delivered with ample descriptions, beverages and bread refilled as if by an invisible hand, both our table and those around us had little to want - seriously first-rate service.

After some discussion of the menu both my mother and aunt opted for an appetizer and a main while I personally selected two appetizers as for the first course and two appetizers for the second course – though Tim offered to bring them out as four courses I suggested bringing them two at a time would be fine as we had plans for the game following. Happy to comply Tim said four appetizers would likely be a lot of food – but then added that my selections were excellent and that he (a thin and healthy looking fellow) could easily handle it. Striding away to the kitchen we were left to our drinks and conversation while the bar quickly filled up and many tables became occupied with well dressed couples.

Arriving moments after our orders were placed was a buttery loaf of sesame and poppy seed bread along with a creamy unsalted butter featuring pleasant grassy tones. Served piping hot and half-sliced we happily tore the bread into chunks and buttered it – each of us were impressed and the first loaf went quickly only to be replaced just as rapidly with a second. Crispy and golden outside, fluffy and airy within – a beautiful loaf of bread that I had to temper my consumption of given the total of the day’s gluttony.

Approximately 35 minutes had passed before our first courses arrived – for mom and aunt a salad and soup, respectively. For aunt, the Tomato Bisque En Croute was her selection and similar to the presentation at Bistro Jeanty in Yountville the dish was a hefty tomato soup served in a puffed pastry. Less rich and less buttery than the version out west I will note I actually preferred the soup at Forest Grill, but the pastry dome just didn’t stand up (literally) to the puff or buttery deliciousness of Jeanty’s classic. Overall it would be hard to make a call on which I preferred overall, but aunt loved it and that is what matters most.

For my mother, somewhat full from the day of carbs, her selection came as a surprise as she ordered the Heirloom Beet Salad with Warm Goat's Cheese, Candied Walnuts, and Petit Organic Lettuce. Mildly flavored with only a splash of balsamic I feel this was one of those salads where the whole was greater than the sum of its parts – mild baked cheese married with sweet and crunchy walnuts, heavy and sweet beets mellowed by the savory balsamic, crispy lettuce for texture. Unfortunately for this salad there was simply too much beet and too little of everything else – not particularly a bad problem to have, but given the fact that the mélange of flavors worked so well it would have been nice to have everything present throughout the duration of the dish.

Choosing one hot and one cold option for my first course I started off with the hot - Green Eggs and Ham Risotto featuring Pancetta, Gremolata, Poached Egg, Watercress Puree, Arborio Rice, Mascarpone Cheese, Parmesan Reggiano, and Black Truffle. Reading the description my first impression was “wow, that is a lot of ingredients.” Taking my first bite – well, the ingredients were all there and they all tasted splendid. Beginning with the risotto – flawlessly creamy yet just a bit toothsome, clean and wonderfully prepared. Highlighting the risotto were the wonderful flavors of garlic, watercress, lemon, and (I believe) parsley while sharp notes of salty parmesan and ham brought everything to a point. Blending in the egg added a whole new level of velvety smoothness and just perceivable on the palate and nostrils was the faint air of truffles. Large in portion and larger in flavor this dish could’ve served many as a main and stands currently as the best risotto dish I’ve ever encountered.

My second dish was a no brainer – not only do I love foie gras when served in terrine or torchon form, but I’d heard that it was one of chef Gilbert’s signature dishes. Titled Hudson Valley Foie Gras Torchon - Strawberry & Black Peppercorn Jelly, Pistachios, Brioche Toast this was a relatively standard Foie torchon in composition and presentation, but the taste was on par with some of the best. As the primary component of the plate a large piece of compressed foie gras with excellent mouth feel was topped with a smooth and clean olive oil that added a unique silky finish to the traditional liver textures. Complementing the ethereal liver was a spicy yet fructose sweet strawberry jam with notes of balsamic and for texture there was a lightly buttered melt-in-the-mouth brioche, salad greens, and pistachio dust. Combining each aspect and spreading it lightly on the bread was a worthy venture as the multiple components all functioned well together – now, if only they’d have replaced the brioche with a warm new slice every couple of minutes things would have been perfect.

A short break, approximately 20 minutes, divided the first from second course – already pleased I sat with a smile on my face anticipating what was next. Arriving again with excellent description and presentation my aunt’s dish was something I’d identified as a must-have from the online menu – I was glad she’d order it so I could have a taste without committing to a full plate. Titled simply as Parisian Gnocchi with Ramps, Wild Mushrooms, Brussels Sprouts the dish was nicely balanced with the buttery pate a choux dumplings and their pillowy texture contrasted nicely by the pungent sprouts with a caramelized and crisp snap. Smoothing out the contrast was an aromatic and earthy sauce tasting the very essence of woodsy spring tones while a touch of balsamic and parmesan added a salty aspect. Much like the beet salad I do feel this dish had a few too many sprouts compared to dumplings, but when the vegetables are so fresh and well prepared having a plethora is hardly a ‘problem.’

For my mother her main course was a bit of a classic – so much that it was listed on the bistro classics section of the menu. Arriving golden, aromatic, and with a flawlessly crispy skin harboring moist and tender flesh the Clay Roasted Half Free Range Chicken with Wild Mushroom Cream, Potato Puree was exactly as described and second only to that at Boulevard in San Francisco in terms of best Roasted Chicken ever. Lightly accented with only salt and pepper the juicy bird sat atop a buttery blend of Robuchon-esque riced potato puree and in a small cup was an entirely unnecessary (because the chicken was so good on its own) but excellent sauce tasting like a concentrate of mushroom, cayenne, and Worchestire. As my mother is not a fan of dark meat I enjoyed a good portion of the chicken and actually found the thigh meat to be as good as most breasts I’ve had in recent memory – more evidence that “tastes like chicken” is very much dependant on where one sources their chickens.

Selecting another pair of appetizers for my second course they were delivered together – one a typical choice and the other somewhat outside my norm. The first selection, Citrus Roasted Sweetbreads - White Asparagus, Sauce Gribiche was an interesting choice as I generally don’t favor mayonnaise or mustard (two of the primary components in Gribiche) but I do love Sweetbreads and White Asparagus. Featuring three large slices of the offal, breaded and pan-seared crispy with heavy accents of orange and lemon the Sweetbreads themselves were superb and pairing the creamy organ meat with the snappy asparagus proved an excellent match. Topping the dish was the gribiche, but not in a traditional manner in that it was largely lacking of mayonnaise, instead a rough-cut admixture of hardboiled eggs, herbs, pickle, and light accents of mustard – it was excellent, though I have to say the pickles and citrus provided a strange sensation when consumed without any sweetbread to temper the pairing. Overall the aggressive flavor pairing was resoundingly successful, though I did leave some of the surrounding pool of citrus on the plate – it was simply too sour once the other components were gone.

The final savory of the night was something unique – something I’d debated getting versus the gnocchi or the duck...it turned out to be the best savory of the night. Served essentially as a sausage (utilizing the pork skin as a wrap and largely the meat with most of the tendon, bone, and collagen removed) over top of a pan-seared and reduced base of onion, green and red peppers, and tomatoes the protein itself was succulent and smooth without being overly fatty. Topping the dish with a creamy Bernaise while the base of the plate was lacquered with a wild mushroom pan sauce (similar, but less heavy than the mushroom sauce with the chicken) the overall effect of the dish was rustic yet refined, heavy but unlike the traditional heaviness of trotters, and extremely well composed.

Browsing the cheese menu, excellent like most everything else, I declined (promising myself to indulge when I return for the tasting) and we moved on to the dessert menu – an eclectic list of both the whimsical and refined, fruit and chocolate. Starting first with my mother’s option, Creamsicle Crème Brulee – interesting to say the least. Not generally a fan of Crème Brulee myself I have to say this version proved quite impressive with a satisfying crack of the shell leading to a room-temperature custard that tasted somewhat like a push-up, but vastly more refined with subtle notes of citrus poking though the ample vanilla tones.

For my aunt’s dessert selection, the most substantial (portion-wise) of the desserts - Trio of Glazed Donuts - Caramel-Heath Cream, Hazelnut-Chocolate, and Lemon Dipping Sauces. Featuring three piping hot donuts with minimal grease, a crisp exterior, and a pillowy interior just mildly sweetened with confectioner’s sugar the donuts were quite tasty on their own and only enhanced by the three sauces. Ranging from a zesty and potent Meyer lemon curd to a Nutella-esque Hazelnut and finally a caramel toffee so thick you could stand a spoon upright in it each of the sauces was good enough to be eaten with a spoon – but better on a warm donut.

Moving on to the final taste of my evening, the decision was easy - Brioche Bread Pudding with Chocolate Pistols, Creme Anglaise, Tahitian Ice Cream. My favorite way to end any meal I can say without hesitation that Forest Grill’s bread pudding was not only unique in presentation, but one of the five best I’ve ever tasted. Passing of the standard “cake” or “loaf” style, this version featured a thick custard base of Crème Anglaise that was then studded with cubes of buttery brioche and chunks of dark chocolate before being placed under the broiler and subsequently dusted with confectioner’s sugar and a dollop of heavenly vanilla ice cream. Utilizing this method created an entirely heterogeneous experience – one moment a fully saturated piece of brioche, the next a chunk of chocolate, then subsequently a toasty piece of bread with less gravity. Acting as the lynchpin for the dish, the Anglaise was hefty in texture but subtle in taste – enhanced by the chocolate and acting on its own the nuance the bread. Truly a wonderful dish I’d order it again without a second thought.

Paying the surprisingly modest tab for so much great food ($180 with tax/tip) and thanking Tim for his wonderful service we made our way to the car after nearly two hours of magnificent dining. Having dined at many of the best restaurants in the country I can definitively say that the food Chef Gilbert is putting out of the kitchen at Forest Grill is every bit as competent as the best Farm-to-Table restaurants anywhere while the service provided by Tim was not quite as refined as the best, but every bit as enjoyable. A beautiful dining room, a pleasant and interesting city, unique and delicious food – in all honesty I would say Forest Grill is the first “destination restaurant” I’ve visited in Michigan or Ohio.

Cake Nouveau, Ann Arbor MI + Supino Pizza, Detroit MI + Schakolad and Cupcake Station, Birmingham MI

With my metabolism revved up by a carbohydrate laden breakfast and my companions not dining nearly as gluttonously as myself at the Zingerman’s family of restaurants our most recent trip through Michigan entailed a number of small bites and stops between lunch and dinner. From the streets of Ann Arbor to Detroit’s Eastern Market and finally up to Birmingham for dinner our travels led us to no less than four stops prior to the Boston College versus Miami of Ohio matchup at Ford Field in the Men’s Frozen Four. First amongst the stops, actually situated between our visit to Zingerman’s BakeHouse and Zingerman’s Deli was suggested by my aunt, an avid fan of the Food Network.

Known largely for her victories in multiple large style cake competitions, my aunt was excited to know that Food Network’s “Last Cake Standing” winner, Courtney Clark’s Cake Nouveau was located on Ann Arbor’s 4th Avenue, just blocks from Zingerman’s Deli. Not desiring a whole cake we were happy to know that Cake Nouveau also specializes in cupcakes and a daily cookie selection and entering the small shop after browsing the pet shop and food co-op next door my aunt actually uttered the phrase “Is this what heaven smells like?” as hefty tones of vanilla, citrus, and cinnamon poured from the kitchen.

Browsing the pictures of many beautiful cakes we were shortly greeted by an elderly woman who told us a little about the store and took our order – two cupcakes and a cookie to go. Consuming the still-warm cookie, blueberry almond, as we left the store I must say my first impression was a wonderful one. Similar to an oatmeal raisin cookie but with a nutty essence, blueberry sweetness, and heavy hints of cinnamon and nutmeg the cookie went very quickly with each of us eating a third.

Saving the cupcakes for later, actually during second intermission break around 10:00pm, I must say the cakes were vastly less impressive than the cookie. First tasting the Cherry Limeade and then the Chocolate Elvis I will first say that the cupcakes were quite small – especially for their $2.50 price-tag. Secondly, while the frosting to cake ratio was appropriate I found the frosting to be largely lacking in flavor aside from “Sweet.” Finally, while the cakes were soft, they were more “muffin” in their density. Overall I would say the Cherry Limeade was the superior of the two, largely because of the gelatinous lime filling, but I wouldn’t go out of my way for either, especially with Zingerman’s and Cupcake Station nearby.

Following our morning in Ann Arbor we decided to make our way west to Detroit and having heard absolute rave reviews about Dave Mancini’s Supino Pizza at the Eastern Market we made our way into the small shop shortly after 12:30 – lunch service was winding down and we quickly grabbed a seat at the window. Speaking directly to Dave himself (he was working the ovens and hand tossing the dough, but the cashier had stepped out for a smoke) I asked how long for a half and half pie and was told “about 20 minutes.” Placing our order and taking a seat we watched as multiple pies came out of the enormous oven and I told my mother about Dave’s history, ironically, as a Physical Therapy major and how he went to Italy to truly perfect his craft. Midway through telling the story our server stopped by and gave us some additional information about the innovative décor – fashioned from old doors and school furniture.

A short 20 minutes passed as we chatted and the place began to fill up again as our pizza arrived – a pizza that was enormous, loaded with toppings, and looked and smelled sublime. Unable to settle on one pizza our split was one half “Bismarck” and one half “Smoky.” Prepared in four quarters and served piping hot I quickly plated a slice of Smoky for both my mother and my aunt before taking half of the Bismarck for myself. Crispy along the edges and saturated to a point just short of soggy in the middle I took a bite of the soft baked Egg, Proscuitto, hand pulled Mozzarella and Tomato sauce mix, chewed, swallowed, smiled, and sighed – wonderful. Looking up I saw a similar look of delight on the faces of my mother and aunt as they indulged in the sauceless potency of Garlic, Speck, Mozzarellla, Smoked Gouda, and Ricotta.

As someone who simply loves great food made with top notch ingredients I can honestly say I’ve never really fancied “pan” pizza versus deep-dish versus Neapolitan versus New York style – each has their own merits when done right. Similarly to my feelings about style, I’m really not sure whether I preferred smoky or Bismarck as both were absolutely flawless. Each somewhat charred, a fork and knife absolutely unneeded, a subtle hint of yeast and salt in the crust, and toppings that highlighted and complimented the care of preparation – my only regret is that I didn’t have room for more slices and selections.

Checked in on frequently by our server and paying a mere $17 for a pizza that handily fed three (with one slice of each pie left over) there really is no more I can say about Supino’s Pizza – what I will say is that although I have no particular preference for “pizza style” I do have a preference for great pizza and on that note I will say that only Batali’s Otto challenges Supino for best Pizza I’ve ever tasted – and at a fraction of the wait, price, and distance from home.

Following the Eastern Market we turned our sites northward, to the small town of Birmingham. With dinner plans at Forest Grill and a good knowledge of the area from various art shows we found free parking and took to walking the streets of the city – browsing the boutique shops, checking out watches, and visiting a few more eateries, the first being Schakolad, a large chocolate shop with a small but unique selection of chocolates, gelato, and gifts. Chatting with the pleasant attendant we opted for three 1oz squares of bark to sample their wares – dark chocolate almond, pistachio cherry, and white chocolate Oreo. Tasting each during the course of the hockey game I must say the pistachio cherry was unique while the others were rather standard. Good service, good prices, good product – good, but not great.

Moving along, just across the street actually, after a long visit to Universal Watch we found ourselves at yet another Cupcakery – this time the Birmingham wing of Cupcake Station. Having heard good things about their cakes from my mother and aunt who visited the Ann Arbor store we made our way in only to find the store actually quite busy – a good sign. Kitschy and pleasant décor, an open viewing window of the baking area, plenty of seating, and unique apparel plus at least 14 cake options we browsed for a bit as a large group of teenage girls made their selections and moved to the front of the store to eat.

Receiving no pressure at all from the staff we spent a while weighing the options (and gauging our capacity) before we settled on a half-dozen minis at $1.50 a piece. Approximately 1/3 the size of a standard Cupcake Station cupcake the mini cakes certainly are not a deal, but the ability to try multiple tastes justified the cost and our selections ranged from fruit to chocolate, filled to unfilled, and frosted to “topped” with all but one being very impressive (the Lavender Vanilla which, to me, tasted like soap – but my mom quite liked. Sampling Peanut butter and Chocolate, Cream Francaise (dark chocolate with French buttercream filling,) Banana Split (strawberry filled,) Simply Red (Marshmallow filled, Buttercream topped,) Samoa (Vanilla Bean, Caramel, Chocolate, Coconut) and the previously mentioned Lavender Vanilla each cake was soft with good moisture, balanced with nuance only enhanced by the topping, and most importantly – sweet without being cloyingly so. Notably, the Red Velvet (Simply Red) was not a traditional Red Velvet, but it was quite excellent and my favorite of the group.

When it was all said and done our eating adventure through Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Birmingham spanned the course of many hours, miles, and venues yet almost all of them were worth the effort – and the best was yet to come. While many may feel that the Midwest is “flyover” country, for many of us it is home and while the best parts may be further apart than in San Francisco or New York the discerning eater can certainly find the gems – besides, I’m pretty sure you can drive from Detroit to Ann Arbor or Birmingham faster than you can traverse Manhattan.