Please be seated for these abbreviated versions of the restaurant profiles we’ve featured since our last RestauranTour issue. Bon Appetit! HOPSCOTCH BRICK OVEN & TAPROOM Brothers Matt and Mark Davies, longtime northwest Michigan restaurateurs with four other establishments in the region, opened Hopscotch in 2017 on the east side of Traverse City, in the former location of Mr. Bill’s Shirt Co., next to the now-defunct Pebble Brook miniature golf park When Matt and Mark bought it, it was all linoleum floors and pegboard walls — just an open retail space. But it had something specific they wanted: enough room out back that would allow them to put in a beer garden. Today, that garden is a major draw for Hopscotch guests. Pea gravel and flagstone walkways define the well laid out seating area, which is surrounded by a tall wooden fence that provides privacy and wind protection. Expansive sails overhead give shelter from the sun and the occasional brief shower. And two fire pits provide warmth and coziness on cooler summer and early fall evenings. This winter, the brothers plan to put in three greenhouse-like polycarbonate structures — a little more structural than the popular igloos they’ve used previously, plus easier to heat and transparent, so guests will be able to see the snow falling and feel like they’re outside. On the Menu: Brick oven pizzas are hands-down the most popular items on the Hopscotch menu, and several specialty versions are offered, including the East Bay (red sauce, pepperoni, and sliced sausage, with cremini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms) and the Gyro (shaved beef and lamb, red onion, garlic oil, tomato, and tzatziki sauce), as well as build-your-own options from a long list of possible ingredients. Among meat lovers, the smoked brisket entrées rule. Purists love the slow-roasted version (smothered in bourbon BBQ sauce), and those who find it hard to choose just one type of meat opt for the Smoke House Plate (brisket, baby back ribs and pulled pork, with traditional or Carolina sauce). In the small plates category, the Summer Shrimp (chilled jumbo shrimp with lemon, garlic and red pepper flakes), Pulled Pork Nachos (with cilantro sour cream and poblano coulis), and Baked Raclette (Leelanau Cheese raclette with potatoes, gherkins and toast points) take top billing, while with the piadinas — Italian flatbreads served like quesadillas — it’s the Cubano (Chihuahua cheese, bacon, smoked pulled pork, dill pickle, and yellow mustard). Tops picks in sandwiches — all served on toasted ciabatta — include the Lobster Roll (lobster meat, chives, and light mayo, with melted cheese and drawn butter), and the Smoked Turkey Breast (with bacon relish, avocado, tomato and mayo).
The bar features 12 rotating taps, the two mainstays of which are the iconic Motorboater, made exclusively for the Davies restaurant group by Right Brain Brewery in Traverse City, and Hopscotch Ale, from Short’s Brewing Company in Bellaire but it also stocks an impressive selection of fine scotch whiskeys, and its bartenders are often rolling out new cocktails. Find Hopscotch Brick Oven and Taproom at 2032 U.S. 31 North in Traverse City; it also has direct access from the TART (Traverse City Recreational Trail). (231) 252-4718, www.hopscotchbrickovenmi.com CROW’S NEST The Crow’s Nest Restaurant & Catering in Harbor Springs is a 60-year-old Northern Michigan mainstay that eschews the tourist-driven 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. The Valas took over in 1997 as the restaurant’s fourth owners. “I put my own spin on things when we started,” the 58-yearold Vala said. “We had been doing about 1,200 meals a day at Stafford’s Pier, so the pace here was very different. But, I brought some ideas that I had there and we took [The Crow’s Nest] menu to the next level.” On the Menu: The Mediterranean-style Pasta Putanesca ($22) offers great value with a colorful, hearty portion that is alive with fresh flavors. Tart artichoke hearts, tomatoes, capers, garlic, and Nicoise olives embrace tender linguine and succulent shrimp in a delightful quagmire. Another hefty plate bears the Northern Fried Chicken ($17), half a chicken’s parts expertly deep-fried, juicy and packed with flavor. Loaded mashed potatoes and corn pudding — both tops in their field — offer sweet and savory bookends to the tastilybreaded yard bird. The Yellow Lake Perch entree ($32) is this eatery’s signature dish. However, the menu contains some other classic entrees like Liver & Onions ($16), Steak Ann ($35), and Great Lakes Whitefish ($23) — and some not so traditional, like Bangkok Stir Fry ($23) and Walleye Morel ($28).
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Because Crow’s Nest sources food locally as much as possible, Michigan’s prized and hunted fungi also appear on the eatery’s most sought-after appetizer, its Morel Bruschetta ($14). Other appetizers include Truffle Fries ($7.95), Calamari ($11), Fried Pickle Chips ($8), Escargot ($14), and BBQ Ribs ($14). The Crow’s Nest also sells a few sandwiches, as well as a variety of pizzas featuring homemade dough. The restaurant has an ample bar with regular beer, wine, and liquor offerings. The Crow’s Nest Restaurant & Catering is a family dining establishment. Find it at 4601 N. State Rd. (231) 526-6011, www.crowsnestharborsprings.com LYLAH’S Cynthia Henderson might not have a knack for timing, but she more than makes up for it with her food. Conisder: She opened the first Lylah’s in Lake Leelanau in January 2019. Last winter, she moved the popular sandwich shop to Suttons Bay. The new Lylah’s was open for only two weeks — two very successful weeks at that — and then … ? The pandemic hit. “We were so thrilled that we had made a change for the good because there was more foot traffic, more parking, and we were sure that this was going to be something big. Little did we know, however, what was about to happen next.” Henderson closed down right away and stayed closed for a month. “When we reopened, for takeout only, there was definitely an initial drop in sales,” she said, “but since then we have been getting a lot of support from the locals, and visitors are discovering us, too.” On the Menu: Fresh and homemade are key words for Lylah’s. Tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce are sourced from TLC and other local farms, and most of what can’t be sourced nearby comes from other Michigan growers and producers. Vegetables and salads are prepped fresh daily, and all sauces, spreads and dressings are made in house, Henderson noted, calling herself the “condiment queen.” And she demands the same quality in the meats she serves. “We make our own pulled pork, slow-roasting it for about 12 hours,” she said. “We also bake our own chicken breasts and roast our own turkey and top round beef. The only meat that we don’t cook here is ham.” Henderson has always been intrigued by the “endless possibilities” that sandwiches offer, and her made-to-order creations, piled high with toppings and sauce, are definitely the main attraction at Lylah’s. Top sellers include the Gouda-nuff Turkey sandwich
(house-roasted and chopped turkey breast tossed with garlic-herb mayo and topped with smoked Gouda cheese, cucumber slices, lettuce and tomato on toasted sourdough bread), the Jalapeño Mouth (ham, bacon, cheddar, house-candied jalapeños, Dijon mustard and tomato on a toasted onion bun), Horsin’ Around (hand-sliced roast beef, house-pickled onions, horseradish cheese, lettuce, tomato and herb mayo on sourdough bread), and Oh What A Year Oh! (rotisserie lamb or chicken, lettuce, tomato, red onion, feta cheese and house-made tzatziki on warm pita bread). Three different soups are featured daily, with the Turkey Noodle making repeat appearances and selling out quickly every time. A newcomer among the three salads on the menu — all made fresh to order and served with dressing on the side — is the Clubbin’ (turkey, ham, bacon, provolone, pepperoncini, red onion, cucumber and tomato over mixed greens, with herb vinaigrette). And for your sweet tooth, Lylah’s offers an ever-changing selection of homemade cheesecakes, pies, brownies, cookies, and more. Lylah’s is located at 99 W. 4th St bin Suttons Bay (in the same plaza as Hansen Foods.) (231) 866-4081, Lylahs.square.site
SMALL BATCH AT THE CUPOLA With a little nudge from a good friend, newly retired Lauretta Reiss — whose degree in design from Michigan State University led to a highpowered, international career as a footwear designer — opened a bakery, Small Batch Local, in downtown Harbor Springs in 2014. Less than a year later, the owner of The Cupola, a well-known Harbor Springs dining destination for 30 years, approached Reiss about taking over that space to open a breakfast and lunch restaurant, and Small Batch at the Cupola was born. The interior of Small Batch showcases Reiss’s extensive collection of art, cookbooks, and vintage furniture, making patrons feel as if they are dining in a private home. Soft, ’40s-style music plays in the background. “I wanted to create a compelling, exciting, interesting dining experience,” she said. “You’re dining not only with art surrounding you but also with art on your plate. There’s an artistry in what we do. On the Menu: Put it this way, said Reiss: “I won’t put anything on my menu unless I’ve done it 100 times — I perfect it and change it until it’s right. And we still tweak things all the time if we feel they can be better yet.” That includes her version of eggs Benedict, Benedict’s Garden, which uses
