The only thing better than drinking Michigan made wine, beer and spirits, is eating amazing food while drinking said wine, beer and spirits. Last week we paid a visit to the 2012 Detroit Free Press Restaurant of the year, The Root Restaurant and Bar in White Lake.
The Root is a smaller spot located in a new shopping complex just south of Highland Rd. What it lacks in size it makes up for in taste and ambiance. The intimate spot boasts an ever changing farm fresh menu that included items such as Michigan Honey & Ancho Barbecued Wild Lake Trout, Char Grilled Naturally Raised Michigan Beef Ribeye, and Crispy Dragon’s Milk Braised Michigan Pork Belly. The Root tries to get as many ingredients locally as possible, and only goes shopping outside the state when something is not in season in Michigan.
The food menu is not the only thing sourced locally. The drink menu was packed full of Michigan craft beer, wines and cocktails made with Michigan spirits. I tried the Real Housewife of White Lake, a raspberry lemonade and Valentine vodka concoction. I was really impressed with the amount of Michigan wines on the wine list. It’s often hard to find spots that aren’t in Traverse City that carry a larger variety of Michigan wines.
The night was topped off with The Mocha Brownie – a warm dark chocolate brownie with dark chocolate chunks, chocolate espresso gelato, creme fraiche, and espresso syrup. Chocolate overload? There’s no such thing!
The Root is a great spot, and one that I’m anxious to visit again to see what will be new on the menu! Below are some great shots we got while visiting.
