year of fun

On Day 291, the hubs and I had an amazing meal at The Cook’s House in Traverse City. We found a place to stay on AirBnB–an over the garage studio just south west of down town. We were able to walk right over to the restaurant, which looks, in fact, like a cook’s house.

Outside a few steps lead up to the porch and through the open front door into what would have been someone’s living room. Instead a woman behind a tiny bar greets us and motions us to a table by the big bay window overlooking the porch. There are a few tables inside with an open view into the kitchen. Cookbooks line the shelves along with wine glasses and alcohols. And if you are lucky enough to sit by the kitchen, you have full access to the chef for conversation while he prepares your meal. It is so cozy, I imagine the chefs just going upstairs after service for a glass of wine and goodnight.

We were sitting near the door–which was good because I don’t think they had A/C–in full view of the kitchen and earshot of the lively conversation he was having with the table nearest him. At one point, a sous chef left the kitchen, through the restaurant and out the front door, to pick some herbs from the garden and then put them in a salad or on a fish. We enjoyed a fresh, farm-to-table five course tasting dinner in this relaxed and fun environment. A definite must go if you are in Northern Michigan!