Top Tables 2001: 10 best and most memorable dining experiences in Metro Detroit

Source: Detroit Free Press
When the flavors make you swoon and the plate looks almost too beautiful to disturb ...when the service is professional and seamless ...when your surroundings are so special that you feel special, too ...that's great dining.

And where can you count on finding it in metro Detroit?

We introduce the 2001 Detroit Free Press Top Tables, the 10 restaurants that we believe represent the Detroit area's best and most memorable dining experiences.

They range from tiny and romantic to grand and formal, and their cuisine runs the gamut from classic American seafood and exotic game preparations to high-end Northern Italian and cutting-edge French-Asian.

The group is deliberately diverse and, like every subjective judgment, sure to be debated. Consider our list a challenge to assemble your own -- and celebrate its pleasures.

In alphabetical order, the 2001 Detroit Free Press Top Tables:

CAFE BON HOMME
Even the most romance-hardened heart will soften in this sweet and unpretentious little gem in Plymouth, now in its 15th year. Barely a dozen tables fill the intimate front dining room; invariably, most are occupied by couples. Owner Greg Goodman -- whose name in French is bon homme -- is the charming host who greets guests at the door. The well-trained waitstaff is knowledgeable and gracious without being intrusive. The French-inspired menu is small -- just six or eight entrees -- but each dish is intensely flavored and beautifully presented. Veal and morel mushrooms are served with papardelle pasta in a dark, rich woodland sauce you will long remember. Or try a seafood dish such as caramelized Nantucket scallops, shown here, served with roasted shallot-caper butter and garnished with concasse of tomato and fried leeks. Of the three dining rooms, the small one in front offers the best ambience. 844 Penniman, Plymouth. Dressy casual to coat and tie. Entree with soup or salad, $29-$38. Reservations recommended: 734-453-6260. Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays, noon-3 p.m. Sat.; dinner, 5-9 p.m. Mon.-Thu., 5-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.

CHARLEY'S CRAB
In a state that simply adores fish, Charley's Crab serves up Detroit's best all-around seafood dining. The flagship of the Chuck Muer restaurant group since 1976, it's a white-tablecloth restaurant that's still more comfortable than formal; the huge interior is masculine and nautical. From 14 to 18 kinds of seafood and fish are stocked daily and the quality and variety are reflected in the prices. You can dine exotically with a gorgeous tuna sashimi appetizer, go conventional with pretzel-encrusted Canadian walleye, or indulge in fresh raw bar delights. One thing that separates Charley's from the crowd is its excellent service. The waitstaff is attentive, efficient and knowledgable, and they expertly crack your king crab legs or hefty lobsters, shown here, at tableside. 5498 Crooks Road, Troy. Dressy casual to jacket and tie. Reservations recommended: 248-879-2060. Web site: www.muer.com. Entree with starch and vegetable, $17-$40 and up. Lunch, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays; Sunday brunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; dinner, 4-10 p.m. Mon.-Thu., 4-11 p.m. Fri., 5-11 p.m. Sat., 4-9 p.m. Sun.

EMILY'S
Diners who seek out those small, one-of-a-kind jewels where the owner is also the cook will love Emily's. The setting is a Victorian-era cottage in picturesque Northville, and nearly everything about it is a reflection of chef-owner Rick Halberg's taste and personality. The eclectic American and Mediterranean menu changes frequently to reflect his creative urges and the market's freshest ingredients. Expect first-course temptations such as tender potato gnocchi with melted sage butter, Michigan roasted chestnuts and chanterelle mushrooms. Entrees range from pan-roasted Atlantic salmon served on melted leeks, potatoes and hedgehog mushrooms, shown here, to hazelnut-crusted New Zealand venison with celery root and potato puree. Dramatically colored walls and white painted woodwork give the interior a light, airy feeling, accented by white table linens, and eye-catching baskets and silk vines on the ceiling. 505 N. Center, Northville. Dressy-casual attire. First courses, $8-$18; entrees, $20-mid $30s. Reservations recommended: 248-349-0505. Web site: www.emilysrestaurant.com. Opens 5:30 p.m., closing times vary.

IL POSTO RISTORANTE
In atmosphere, service and -- yes -- price, Il Posto is the high-end destination for northern Italian. From its boxy exterior and half-hidden location off Northwestern Highway, you won't expect such an airy, gorgeous interior or elegant service. The fresh house-made pastas are the headliners; shown here is tortellacci -- fresh pasta stuffed with cheese, porcini mushrooms and black truffle, with fresh chopped tomato and basil. Order a first-course pasta sampler to share; the dishes will arrive on a service cart under silver domes and your waiter will apportion them among your plates. Such tableside service is common here. Besides the menu's 30 fish, meat, poultry and pasta entrees, there are several daily features, which the waiters sometimes describe in Italian as well as English. The multilevel dining room seems to encourage celebration and can be quite lively. 29110 Franklin Road, Southfield. Dressy casual to coat and tie. Appetizers, salads $5-$15; main courses, upper teens to mid-$30s. Reservations recommended: 248-827-8070. Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. weekdays; dinner, 5:30-10 p.m. Mon.-Thu.; 5:30-10:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat.

THE LARK
Perhaps no Detroit-area restaurant has a more exalted reputation or loyal following than the 20-year-old Lark of West Bloomfield. Owners Jim and Mary Lark have created the ambience of a country inn with hand-painted tiles in the foyer and bar and a walled garden outside, filled with bird feeders, flowers and herbs. The dining room is closely spaced, seating only about 50 guests twice a night. In the kitchen, classically trained chef de cuisine Marcus Haight produces masterful creations, from the copper cataplana of large Gulf white shrimp, clams, mussels and chorizo sausage, shown here, to roasted honey-glazed duck with sun-dried figs, pine nuts and brandy sauce. The Lark's rack of lamb Genghis Khan arrives with a recipe card showing how many have been ordered; No. 50,000 was served last year. Four-course, fixed-price meals begin in the mid-$60s. The owner is justifiably proud of the extensive wine list. 6430 Farmington Road, West Bloomfield. Jacket and tie required. Four-course, fixed-price menu, mid-$60s; beverages and dessert extra. Reservations required: 248-661-4466. Web site: www.thelark.com. Seatings at 6 and 9 p.m. only, Tuesday-Saturday.

OPUS ONE
Whether it's pre-theater or power-lunching, Opus One is a perennial favorite for downtown Detroit dining -- and no wonder. Everything here is luxurious, from the green marble foyer floor and the ivory-colored linens to the formal service and the deluxe cuisine. Executive chef Tim Gzinsky's French-accented American cuisine always impresses with its flavor and detail. His pan-seared Chilean sea bass with balsamic-painted sauce beurre blanc is downright heavenly, but so are the grilled filet of beef tenderloin with Madeira demi-glace and the sauteed duck breast with raspberry sauce. You must try something by pastry chef Steven Brock, creator of the sinfully good banana split flan, shown here, and many other equally tempting desserts. Live piano in the pretty lounge. 565 E. Larned, Detroit. Business casual to dressy. Reservations recommended: 313-961-7766. Web site: www.opus-one.com. First courses, $10-$15; main courses, $22-$38. Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. weekdays; bistro service in lounge until closing; dinner, 5:30-10 p.m. Mon.-Thu.; 5:30-11 p.m. Fri.; 5-11 p.m. Sat.

THE RATTLESNAKE CLUB
No place captures the polished side of Detroit style and attitude like the light and airy dining room of the Rattlesnake Club, where big windows frame glittering nighttime views of the skyline and the Detroit river. The sleek 'Snake is probably the city's best-known restaurant, and its owner, Jimmy Schmidt, is certainly its most famous chef. Service here can be maddeningly uneven, but the setting and Schmidt's uncanny skill with flavors and ingredients keep bringing food-lovers back. Here you can count on finding the newest ingredients and trendiest techniques, but Schmidt never abandons our roots. His menus always celebrate the region and season with dishes such as porcini-crusted rack of veal with garlic mashed potatoes and ragout of wild mushroom and asparagus, shown here. Don't be surprised to see Detroit's social set in furs and formal wear. 300 River Place Drive, Detroit, at Stroh's River Place. Business casual to coat and tie. Reservations recommended; 313-567-4400. First courses, $12-$15, entrees with accompaniments, $22-$35. Hours: 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Thu.; 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri.; 5:30-11 p.m. Sat.

THE RITZ-CARLTON GRILL
The Grill at the Ritz-Carlton Dearborn delivers what the corporate name implies: elegance, quality and service. It's the kind of place you choose when it's your grandmother's birthday or you're meeting your future in-laws -- times when things need to be just right. The Grill's style is traditional, with heavy linens, beautifully upholstered chairs, a glass-fronted china cabinet and gilt-framed paintings. The waitstaff goes out of its way to assist guests and make them comfortable. Chef Jason Weaver's excellent American cuisine is sure to impress. The Lake Superior whitefish with winter truffle combination, shown here, is a superb treatment of this favorite Michigan fish. 300 Town Center Drive, Dearborn. Business casual to dressy. Reservations recommended: 313-441-2000. First courses, $7-$17; entrees with accompaniments, $28-$40. Breakfast, 6-11 a.m. daily; lunch 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. daily; dinner, 6-10 p.m. Mon.-Thu. and Sun., 5:30-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Brunch, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sun.

TRIBUTE
Detroit's most urbane and impressive dining. Tribute's unique and stunning decor, the Asian-accented French cuisine, and the skillful, personal service combine seamlessly into a memorable experience. Vaulted ceilings and skylights lend an airy elegance; cushy semicircular banquettes line the walls. Japanese-born chef Takashi Yagihashi, formerly of Chicago's Ambria, creates food that is as intensely flavorful as it is beautiful. Asian influences show in dishes like the delice of seafood appetizer, shown here, while Western tastes dominate offerings such as Cervena Farms venison with roasted chestnut and root vegetable, truffled gnocchi and squash puree. The service by maitre d' Mickey Bakst's staff is silky smooth and never stuffy; desserts by pastry chef Michael Laiskonis are a must-have. 31425 W. Twelve Mile Road, Farmington Hills. Dressy-casual to dressy. First courses and salads to $20; main courses, mid-$20s to mid-$30s; chef's six-course tasting menu, $85. Reservations required: 248-848-9393. Web site: www.tribute-restaurant.com. Dinner only, 6-11 p.m. Tue.-Sat.

THE WHITNEY
No listing of top Detroit-area dining destinations would be complete without this elegant landmark. It would be worth visiting if only to see the magnificent 1890s home of lumber baron David Whitney Jr., rich with leaded glass, elaborately carved woodwork and intricately painted interior. But executive chef Paul Grosz's high-end American menu is an attraction in its own right. The seafood is featured in rich and inventive main courses such as tuna Rossini -- a layered construction of crispy shredded potato cake topped by steamed baby spinach and a medallion of rare tuna steak, crowned by seared foie gras. Or consider the bacon-wrapped venison loin with parslied potatoes, chanterelles and black currant red wine sauce, shown here. An a la carte steak house menu is also available. While service has varied, recent experience has found it good. 4421 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Jacket recommended. First courses to $15; main courses, $25-$45. Reservations suggested: 313-832-5700. Web site: www.thewhitney.com. Lunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays; brunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; dinner, 6-9 p.m. Mon.-Tue., 5-9 p.m. Wed.-Thu., 5-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 5-8 p.m. Sun.
Source: Detroit Free Press