♣

Out-of-the-Ordinary Bar Food in Traverse City

Michigan Bites!

A Welcome Find After a Desperate Search

♣

I sat on the porch this morning and listened to the rain find its way through the leaves of the trees that surround this rustic little house near Sleeping Bear.

At lunchtime, I decided nearby Traverse City would provide a backup plan for a bad beach day.

First stop: Brew. You order at the counter, find a table, they bring you food on a tray. You graze, type away madly on your Mac Book, and quietly judge everyone who walks by looking for an open seat. It was so crowded! I was sure that by the time I ordered, there’d be no place to sit, and I’d be stuck waiting for food that I’d have no place to eat. If there’s anything more humiliating than being judged, it’s being judged while holding a lunch tray.

I should’ve gone to BLK MRKT. The truly “in” in Traverse City know this is the place for coffee. But I’d already put quarters in the meter – quarters that I had to go to the bank to get … I mean, who carries two dollars in quarters around? It’s the 21st century, for Christ’s sake.

So, I went to Good Harbor Coffee & Bakery, but that place has, like, three barstools near the window and that’s it … and they were occupied … by two people. Well, I’m not one to confront people. I prefer to condemn them silently – actually, that’s not true … I prefer to condemn them in low murmurs behind their back, but I was alone, so silently would have to do. That’s when I crossed the street and saw a woman eating a wedge salad at one of the tables in front of Union Tap & Grill. A wedge salad! What is this, 1965? I had to eat one.

What I Had:

• Chateau Grand Traverse “Late Harvest Riesling,” Old Mission Peninsula: $9 by the glass. Sweet, fruity. Union Tap & Grill’s wine and beer list strongly emphasizes local wines and Michigan craft beers; that alone is a good reason to visit. The Riesling I had was delicious; I’d drink it all by it self. I ordered up a wedge salad, and found that the wine complemented it nicely. As a huge surprise, the wine was fantastic with the wings I had as an entrée, as well.
• Wedge Salad: iceberg, house-cured bacon, cherry tomatoes, bleu cheese; $8. The dressing was almost as thick as sour cream: the perfect context for the flavor of bleu cheese. I love to pair bleu cheese with a sweet Riesling. It might not be the most obvious choice, but it’s a great combination. You should try it.
• Wings: deep fried with buffalo sauce and ranch dressing; $10. Not breaded, so the skin tasted like a nicely roasted chicken would, and the meat was tender and juicy. The wings were lightly seasoned … marinated, maybe … with something that tasted lightly of teriyaki … lightly. The buffalo sauce was more sophisticated that most. Thicker. More of a cultivated sauce. It had a clear tabasco hit, but none of the sharpness … at first. The sharp heat arrived as an afterthought and became pronounced as I worked my way through the dozen. I hope the sauce is easy to get out of denim, because I got it on my best jeans.
• Bowers Harbor Vineyards “Pinot Grigio,” Old Mission Peninsula: $8 by the glass. Yes, a second glass of wine with lunch … I’m on vacation. This one was far more crisp than the Chateau Grand Traverse … fresh. It cut through the cheesecake effortlessly, cleansed the palate between bites, and provided a slightly dry balance to the cheesecake’s deep, rich, sweetness.
• Apricot Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce: off the menu; $6. Huge pockets of apricot jam. Mild, custardy cheesecake with strong French vanilla tones. Served just below room temperature, which is precisely correct. However, I don’t think the raspberry had a lot of offer the apricot. It overpowered instead.

Union Tap & Grill

I’m calling Union Tap’s menu “bar food,” but really it’s more approachable upscale cuisine with a bar food aesthetic. Decor: rustic, barnwood, nicely done. Sports on the TV, but silently. Someone new covering Gnarl Barkley’s “Crazy,” on a nice sound system, at a nice decibel level.

♠

Union Tap & Grill is located at 127 S Union St, about a half-block off of Front St.

Downtown Traverse City has free WIFI! I mean, the entire downtown. I can’t tell you how many times, back in the day, I would cruise around from parking place to parking place, trying to find a spot where I could catch a ride on someone’s free signal.

Credits for all images on this page: Make It Like a Man. Hover over image and/or green text to reveal secrets. Click for more.

♠