Crow’s Nest

CROW’S NEST The hidden Harbor Springs hideaway locals flock to for the perfect perch dinner — and more.

By Eric Cox

State Road runs northward from Harbor Springs, winding and rolling through thick forests, eventually terminating at Cross Village, near the tip of the Mitt. But, a few miles south, before that well-known stop, is an out-of-the-way little restaurant that serves pan-fried yellow lake perch with a rather large reputation.

The Crow’s Nest Restaurant & Catering in Harbor Springs is a 60-year-old Northern Michigan mainstay that eschews the touristdriven approach and embraces the wants and needs of its regulars, most of whom are area residents.

The result is an eclectic menu of highquality food that belies its rather humble surroundings. Though its food is more akin to haute cuisine, the restaurant itself has a traditional Northern Michigan lodge feel.

Lacquered knotty pine warms the Crow’s Nest’s interior, which is illuminated by large windows that provide views of the verdant grounds. Outside, a small, adjoining patio dining space overlooks a large vegetable and herb garden where owners Bob and Ann Vala cull some of their fare.

Embracing the farm-to-table philosophy, the Valas get a thrill from sourcing local produce and other goods in their authentic, complex, and thoughtful menu. That includes the yellow lake perch for which they’re so well known.

THE FISH THAT STARTED IT ALL

But how did they net this popularity? According to Bob Vala, his involvement with nonprofit fundraising led to his restaurant’s most popular dish. A Detroit native and Culinary Institute of America graduate, Vala has worked in northwestern Michigan for decades. Not only did he help launch Harbor Springs’ upscale Depot Club — a membersonly private dining club located in a historic Harbor Springs train depot — Vala also served as executive chef at Stafford’s Pier Restaurant and later as food and beverage director for all of the restaurants within the Stafford’s Hospitality family.

His connections within those establishments led to his being asked to helm a charitable event’s meal: a yellow lake perch dinner on the front porch of someone’s home in Petoskey’s historic Roaring Brook neighborhood. The meal was a hit. Everyone so loved Vala’s decadent, flash pan-fried perch, cooked right before their very eyes, that it not only earned its own catchy name — “Perch on the Porch,” naturally — but also made Vala a highly in-demand commodity; his custom-made, to-your-door, made-inperson dinners are frequently auctioned off in local charity fundraisers and have garnered bids as high as $6,000 for a 12-person meal.

Until the pandemic struck, Vala made his Perch on the Porch readily available even to the average diners among us, thanks to Crow’s Nest’s own Friday night Perch on the Porch buffets, with Vala cooking in person and chatting with the 150–200 guests the weekly event attracted.

“I always enjoy talking with the guests,” Vala said, noting that the event’s true star is the fish itself, and for more reason than just its flavor: “Perch is a modest fish, but one that’s hard to get. Plus, perch sparks great memories in people about the time they’ve spent up here.”

BEFORE FISH, CHICKEN

Memories are built into the Crow’s Nest, established in 1953 when a couple converted their home into what was then called the Crow Bar. “The Crow Bar had free-range chickens roaming around the place,” Vala said. “Every Friday night they’d have a fried chicken special.”

The Valas took over in 1997 as the Clockwise from left: The Crow’s Nest Restaurant was restaurant’s fourth owners. “I put my own spin on things when we started,” the 58-yearold Vala said. “We had been doing about established in 1953, as the Crow Bar. The Crow’s Nest Fried Chicken. Morel Bruschetta. Creme Brûlée Cherry Tart Cheesecake. Vala’s famed pan-fried yellow perch. Photos courtesy of Eric Cox. 1,200 meals a day at Stafford’s Pier, so the pace here was very different. But I brought diner’s palette wins this delicious duel. some ideas that I had there, and we took Other appetizers include Truffle Fries [The Crow’s Nest] menu to the next level.” ($7.95), Calamari ($11), Fried Pickle Chips

The restaurant still serves fried chicken, ($8), Escargot ($14), and BBQ Ribs ($14). of course. But it, like every other menu item, The Crow’s Nest also sells a few is prepared with real care — care that can be sandwiches, as well as a variety of pizzas discerned from other, more touristy eateries. featuring homemade dough. The restaurant

For example, the Mediterranean-style has an ample bar with regular beer, wine, and Pasta Putanesca ($22) offers great value with liquor offerings. a colorful, hearty portion that is alive with fresh flavors. Tart artichoke hearts, tomatoes, FOOD, LIKE LIFE capers, garlic, and Nicoise olives embrace Another facet of the Crow’s Nest is its tender linguine and succulent shrimp in a growing catering enterprise, which Vala said delightful quagmire. makes up about 70 percent of the restaurant’s

Another hefty plate bears the Northern business. Between a busy restaurant, a growing Fried Chicken ($17), half a chicken’s parts catering operation, and two sons, Bob and expertly deep-fried, juicy and packed with Ann Vala stay very busy, to say the least. But, flavor. Loaded mashed potatoes and corn according to Bob, the family does its best to pudding — both tops in their field — offer maintain some semblance of work/life balance. sweet and savory bookends to the tastily“We keep our hours limited, and we’re breaded yard bird. closed Monday and Sunday,” Bob said.

The Yellow Lake Perch entree ($32) is, of “People get burned out. We don’t want to kill course, this eatery’s signature dish. However, ourselves in this business. We’re not looking the menu contains some other classic entrees for the big dollars. We’re looking for quality like Liver & Onions ($16), Steak Ann ($35), of life and not getting burnt out.” and Great Lakes Whitefish ($23) — and Perhaps it’s that plain practicality that some not so traditional, like Bangkok Stir comes through in Vala’s food as well. To Fry ($23) and Walleye Morel ($28). some, the dishes might seem fancy. They

Because Crow’s Nest sources food are, however, simply the product of Vala’s locally as much as possible, Michigan’s exceptional preparation and thoughtful prized and hunted fungi also appear on combinations of some basic, unfussy the eatery’s most sought-after appetizer, its ingredients. The difference in the food — as Morel Bruschetta ($14). in Vala’s approach to life — lies in its balance.

This satisfying hors d’oeuvre starts with a perfectly toasted bruschetta slice blanketed The Crow’s Nest Restaurant & Catering is a by a lighter-than-air morel-and-garlic gravy. family dining establishment. Reservations are The subtle mushroom and boisterous garlic encouraged but not necessary. Find it at 4601 battle for dominance, but ultimately, the N. State Rd. (231) 526-6011, www.crowsnestharborsprings.com Northern Express Weekly • aug 24, 2020 • 17