Grove {Restaurant Review}

Complimentary starter at Grove

Grove has been on my list of restaurants to try for a long time. So when Restaurant Week GR came along, it was moved to the top.

It opened just a couple of months ago (August 2011), and calls itself an “earth to table” restaurant. We went at 5:30 PM on a Saturday as that’s when the reservation was available (note to self: next year, book Restaurant Week reservations early!). However, it was a pleasant evening, and we loved the tasting menu price ($25 per person for two courses plus dessert, just for Restaurant Week.)

The tables were a little close together for my taste, but it was pleasantly decorated. Our server brought the little starter shown at the beginning of the post. I chose a Michigan red wine (Sleeping Bear Winery Bordeo Blend ), DH chose a Michigan white (Left Foot Charley Stumble).

Dancing Goat Creamery Chèvre, farm beets, Michigan apples, cherry gastrique; $4

We decided to go ahead and get an additional cheese plate, simply because I adore Dancing Goat and have not had any in awhile. It was quite tasty, even the beets!

Shaved Farm Vegetable Salad shaved farm carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, fennel, turnip, golden raisins, radish, frisée, lemon-thyme vinaigrette, olives, Buzzelli’s fresh mozzarella

For my first course, I chose the shaved farm vegetable salad. LOVED it. I commented to DH that I really need to work on my knife skills-I would love to be able to chop things as square as that.

Fall Squash Soup: pepitas, apples, crispy kale, crème fraiché

DH chose the squash soup for his starter, and the crème fraiché added a nice zing to the squash.

Natural Flat Iron Steak multigrain risotto, Michigan chestnuts, peas, mushrooms, local butternut squash pureé, dried cherry gastrique

For my entree, I chose the steak with risotto. Everything was well cooked, seasoned perfectly. I was tempted to lick the plate.

Creswick Pork 3 Ways crispy pork belly, loin and sausage, Michigan white bean puree, braised greens, carrots, caramelized Medjool date barbeque

DH chose the Creswick Pork 3 Ways, and other than the pork loin being a bit too peppery he quite enjoyed it.

Dark Chocolate & Medjool Date Pudding Cake Palazzolo’s spiced dark Venezuelan chocolate gelato, pepitadark chocolate toffee, ginger caramel

Finally, the dessert course. I chose the chocolate (of course). The pudding cake was my favorite element; it was a bit crispy and hit all the right notes.

Brown Butter Financier caramelized apples, cider cream cheese frosting, maple candied walnuts

DH chose the apple dessert. The cream cheese frosting was to die for.

Overall, we were not disappointed. Had it not been Restaurant Week, we would have spent a bit more than we normally do, but we’ll keep Grove on the list of “special occasion” type of restaurant. I do appreciate its focus on local food, and the presentation and quality were worthy of its price point.

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