Restaurant Review: Brunch at Bird Dog

RESTAURANT REVIEW brunch at 57649 Murray Street Mattawan birddogmattawan.com

BREAKFAST PLATE

It has been so exciting to see our local restaurants reopening their indoor seating after months of not being able to serve us in the traditional way. Many have gotten creative with new, inventive ways to invite their customers to “dine-in”—like one of my favorite area restaurants, BIRD DOG. They’ve been using outdoor igloos throughout the winter, and continue to, even though their indoor space has been open at some capacity. And so, one Sunday morning, my friends and I decided to take advantage of their igloo experience. The igloo had this cute décor of ivy and twinkling lights. There was also music playing from a radio, and a little heater sitting under the table to warm our feet (and when we visited, that particular morning was cold!). Our server came by and recommended their RASPBERRY MIMOSA…which we all ordered. I ordered a French press coffee for the table to share.

As brunch is my favorite meal, I was very excited to see their plethora of menu options! And with Bird Dog only serving brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, it truly feels like a special treat! For our table, one friend went with the BREAKFAST PLATE—with eggs, breakfast potatoes, herb salad, choice of sausage or bacon, and sourdough bread. Another pal went with their CHICKEN AND WAFFLE. It was a peanut butter waffle with Nashville Hot Chicken and whipped butter. (I was excited she ordered this as I was debating getting it, but now I could try hers!)

DUTCH BABY PANCAKE

CHICKEN AND WAFFLE

I ordered the DUTCH BABY PANCAKE, topped with a lemon curd and berries. And I ordered a side of their BREAKFAST POTATOES to share with the table.

I have dined at Bird Dog for dinner a few times, and I always find their food impressive, and their plating is an artform! They incorporate lots of color into their plates and always have a very creative approach. This was definitely obvious as our brunch plates came out. I was in awe of how delicious and beautiful everything looked! The breakfast plate was full of traditional breakfast goodies, yet elevated. Everything was cooked to perfection and the plate was balanced well.

I was in love with my Dutch Baby Pancake. The edges were nice and crisp while the inside was cakey and sweet. The lemon curd and berries gave it just enough sweetness and tart to balance it out, so it wasn’t overly sweet. I nearly finished the whole giant thing! And those potatoes were impossibly delicious. Both creamy and rich and there were plenty in our side dish for all of us to have.

And that Nashville chicken (I managed a bite!) was juicy and tender. It wasn’t super spicy, but had just enough bite to it. The Peanut Butter Waffle was fluffy and sweet, with the peanut butter flavor minimal, but just enough to know what it was. The combination of the two together in one bite simply knocked my socks off. I would highly recommend this dish, especially as I was quite jealous that I hadn’t ordered it for myself. My igloo brunch experience at Bird Dog was amazing. We had an hour and a half in there, yet never felt rushed. The servers were amazing, with great suggestions and friendly service. And even though it was a cold day, we were never freezing. We had our coats off by the end of the visit. I cannot wait to return for another meal!

Elizabeth Precopio

Elizabeth Precopio is a hairstylist by day and 24/7 food enthusiast. She visits restaurants in the Kalamazoo area and blogs about her experience at feedmekzoo.com