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Over The River and Through The Woods...

Let the countdown begin.  I am just a shade under two weeks until my employment here on the Island is finished.  And then, I dunno, I gotta get, like, a real job and stuff.

So, my restaurant of choice this week is the Woods Restaurant.  This place is the shining gem of the Grand Hotel dining complex, and is tucked away (in the woods, natch) in the far northern corner of the island.  I suppose that's one of its draws - away from the craziness of the downtown area, peaceful, secluded, etc.


The description on the website states "opulent Tudor with Bavarian charm".  Indeed.  Feel like you're entering a funhouse a bit, yes?

I sat in a vaulted-ceiling, animal-head heavy dining room.  The walls were a vibrant red and the chairs were red-and-white checked gingham (sorry I didn't get a picture here, but click on the link, you'll get the idea).  It could have all been very cheesy and over the top, but somehow the restaurant manages to pull off 'elegant'.  Maybe it's the waitstaff in ties and tails or that men asked to remove ball caps, etc.

I managed to get a table by one of the fireplaces and a window.  Dress code was casual, which means, yes, the guy wearing the Michigan State Spartans polo fits right in with the guy wearing a suit coat and wingtips.

Nothing on the menu is under $20.  The choices range from duck to salmon to chicken to brisket, which is what I had. 


The brisket was so tender, it practically fell apart as I tried to lift it with my fork.  It was delicious, along with the sauerkraut (there on the left side) and the red cabbage (right side).  Here's my only problem with this plate.  There's a tiny smidge of green (the broccolini) on this plate, and it's tucked up under the mashed potatoes (right side).  I personally think the green should be placed in front, maybe atop the horseradish-apple compote.  Then, maybe, the compote would look like vomit.  It was a very delicious vomit, I will say, but nevertheless.

So, yeah, I've done it.  Eaten at one of the most elegant restaurants on the island.  The food was good, the ambiance was beautiful.  About what I expected.

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