By Northern Express Staff & Contributors Loosen your waistbands and tuck in your napkins—it’s time to take a look back at the eateries featured in Northern Express since our last Restaurant Issue. While the menus may have changed, the great food and hospitality have not. And with the weather warming up, you may even be able to enjoy some al fresco dining among the spring blossoms. Bon appétit! VERNALES Harbor Springs The No. 1 steakhouse in Michigan—according to MLive (and a vocal cadre of Northern Express readers who named its Tomahawk Ribeye to our first Iconic Eats list)— is nestled in Harbor Springs, serving up awardwinning Wagyu beef just past the intersection of M-119 and Powell Road. Vernales opened its doors in May 2014, and according to Joe Guthrie, co-owner and director of operations, business has been going gangbusters ever since. “The most important thing to us was that we were a restaurant for everybody,” Guthrie says. “We have burgers and wings, and then we also have the best steaks you can buy. [Guests] will come one night, and they’ll sit in the Wine Cellar. Another night, they might just belly up to the Sports Bar. And then when their family comes to town, they make a reservation and go sit in the Chop House.” On the Menu While the variety keeps regulars returning, it’s Vernales’ reputation for steak that so many first-time guests come to experience. The two steaks that catapulted Vernales to fame were the 16 oz Kansas City bone-in strip and the 30 oz Tomahawk bone-in ribeye, both American Wagyu dry-aged chops. The steak menu is balanced with an Angus New York Strip ($39.95) and a Japanese A5 strip loin ($92.95), which Guthrie says is “literally the best beef you can buy.” For those who don’t eat red meat, the seafood dishes offer just as much star power. Guthrie says the sautéed Lake Perch is their top seller, followed by Alaskan King Crab “as big as your wrist,” and the Angry Arrabiata, which pairs a seafood medley with a spicy tomato spaghetti. Find Vernales at 3018 M-119 in Harbor Springs. (231) 242-4777, vernales.com ARGONNE HOUSE Charlevoix Charlevoix’s Argonne House, christened in 2020, is the present-day iteration of the Argonne Supper Club, the much-lauded shrimp house and the longest family-owned restaurant in Charlevoix County.
Today, the Argonne House is both new and not-so-new: it honors its namesake and its traditional shrimp dinners, and its meticulous exterior renovation stays true to the original 1925 design. It also offers new dishes, fresh looks at old favorites, and a perfect spot for locals to gather for a night out on the town. On the Menu Shrimp, faithful to the original recipe, still accounts for 70 percent of the dinner sales: steamed, deep fried in a tempura batter, or mixed. Accompaniments still include the same red and yellow sauces, Germanstyle baked bread, and traditional coleslaw. (Another item from the old Argonne will return in fall 2022: fried bread with housemade maraschino cherry jelly.) But the updated Argonne House menu has plenty to satisfy other tastes: walleye, perch, and lobster; ribs in house-made BBQ sauce; a 10 oz. burger with the works; and Mary Taylor’s baked cannelloni. Weekly specials include Thursday’s 10-piece shrimp dinner, Friday’s fish fry and Saturday’s surf and turf. The 14” Neapolitan-style pizzas, made with Fustini’s garlic oil, are just the right size for two. And for dessert, the house favorite is the bread pudding, with enticing variations, including lemon-poppy, turtle, and Black Forest. Patrons can enjoy the large outdoor patio for al fresco dining, in season, shaded by two 150-year-old maple trees. A drive-through take-out window in the back of the building, originally a response to COVID, remains for customer convenience, and in-town deliveries are available, depending on staffing. Find the Argonne House at 11929 Boyne City Rd. in Charlevoix. (231) 547-9331, argonnehouse. com. Reservations recommended. LIL BO Traverse City Established in 1932 and operated for years as Little Bohemia, Lil Bo had been closed and shuttered until owner Jenni Scott and several family members purchased the landmark tavern and reopened it in July 2021. Jenni and her sister Lisa Scott are majority
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owners, along with their parents, Doug and Marge Scott, and Lisa’s husband, Matt Gaffy. The chance to recreate Lil Bo’s laid-back atmosphere in the central neighborhood where the Scott sisters grew up is like a dream come true. Now, the quintessential neighborhood bar moves toward its centennial with a new family, new menu, and longtime legacy for doing the locals proud. On the Menu Betty’s Cowgirl Chili is a six-time winner in the downtown chili cook-off competition. Its blend of pulled pork, beef, bacon and three types of beans provide some sweet heat for chili-choosers. There’s always a warming soup of the day, and regulars know to stop in on Friday for Scott’s Nantucket Chowder. There are a half dozen different po’boys on the menu to choose from. Two of the most popular are Will’s Shrimp Po’ Boy featuring Guinness beer-battered shrimp dressed with homemade remoulade, lettuce and tomato, and the Meatloaf Po’ Boy with a hefty slab of homemade meatloaf bathed in a tomato glaze and topped with grilled onions. For dedicated carnivores, seven burger selections are available. Each is a 1/3 pound of fresh ground chuck sourced from Burritt’s Market across Front Street. Served on a grilled Hawaiian bun with chips and a pickle, the Olive Burger is topped with melted creamy provolone, lettuce, tomato, and pickle. It’s a fistful of flavor, especially when paired with the optional waffle fries. On the appetizer side, the NOLA Brussels are shaved Brussels sprouts with bacon, sultanas, brown sugar, almonds, and a splash of NOLA cane vinegar. Beau’s Badass Nachos start with a bed of freshly baked homemade tortilla chips smothered with ques blanch and pulled pork, then topped with corn salsa, candied jalapeños, and sour cream. Find Lil Bo at 540 West Front St. in Traverse City. (231) 421-3100, lilbotc.com MAPLE + BATTER Bay Harbor When the Original Pancake House, a Bay Harbor fixture for over 20 years, closed its doors due to the state’s early pandemic orders, a group of like-minded family and friends stepped in to execute their vision of a breakfast and brunch-style eatery.
The result is an eatery that boasts the energetic buzz of a sophisticated urban popup but is grounded with the expert-driven long-range planning suitable to a venture that’s meant to last. Simply put: Maple + Batter is here for the duration. On the Menu Head chef Aaron Finner is committed to making Maple + Batter “the best brunch spot around.” He makes sure the classics and fan favorites are always expertly prepared— and then brainstorms with staff to develop interesting, and flavorful, items to keep guests surprised and delighted. To put a new twist on a classic dish, for example: Finner’s Bay Harbor Benedict adds roasted tomatoes to the traditional recipe, while sweet potato maple hash, with onion, red pepper, and choice of meat, elevates expectations. Griddle choices, all based on the eatery’s official (and delectable) maple batter recipe, include pancakes, French toast, and waffles. The flapjacks, their crispy edges rimming the circumference of a dinner plate and yielding to a tender center, round out the griddle selections. Enjoy them all with real maple syrup, fresh berries, candied pecans, or chocolate. (Or mix and match.) All baked goods are fresh daily. Try the signature maple bacon muffin with a brown sugar crumble top. Grab it to go with a cup of freshly ground coffee from Leelanau Coffee Company. Or add an egg to punch up the carb/protein ratio. For quiche aficionados, the mushroom truffle quiche, wrapped in its own crust, combines creamy eggs and melted Gruyere with a wild mushroom mix, blades of fresh rosemary, and a finish of truffle oil. After 11am, choose smash burgers (beef sourced from Halperns’ in Kalamazoo), served with the works; a BLTC (the “C” stands for cheddar); or a roasted beet and feta salad with a nicely balanced vinaigrette. Weekly specials, plus plenty of sides and add-ons, make choosing difficult. It’s probably best to visit regularly. Find Maple + Batter at 4165 Main St. in Bay Harbor. (231) 753-2122, mapleandbatter.com NEW BOHEMIAN CAFÉ Northport Tucked behind sunset-orange doors on Waukazoo Street in Northport is a 1,000-square-foot space
