[ShermanJoe]

I was reading this article, when about 9 paragraphs down, another mention of dining in northern Michigan. So I google Tapawingo and find that it's closing due to the economy.
America’s Food Revolution by Jerry Weinberger, City Journal Summer 2009

[Peter B]

Tapawingo closed earlier this year. An amazing restaurant but there were not enough deep pockets up here to keep them afloat consistently. Tasting menu with wine for 2 persons was around $100.00 pp.

[thebreadlady]

thanks for another good article i would have missed otherwise.

[ShermanJoe]

You're welcome, breadlady. Outdoor pursuits that have drawn us to Mich. for nearly 30 years of vacations, and the fun of discovering great new restaurants while there has been icing on the cake. Too many to name here, but we have favorites all over the northern LP/UP. Most recently discovered: The Sweet Grass in Marquette and The Night Owl in L'Anse. Oh, then there's that place in Grand Marais....,and Empire, and ......<g>.

[thebreadlady]

Thanks for the heads up on The Sweet Grass in Marquette. We spend a little time in the UP near Engadine each winter, and generally make a trip over that way.
Actually, we have restored a VW camper Van, and are planning little trips all over the state. (We have a farm and can't be gone too long.) And, as you know, life is too short to eat bad food.....

[tecpatl]

Originally Posted by ShermanJoe

I was reading this article, when about 9 paragraphs down, another mention of dining in northern Michigan. So I google Tapawingo and find that it's closing due to the economy.
America’s Food Revolution by Jerry Weinberger, City Journal Summer 2009

Thanks for posting the article. Very interesting.
While Tap has closed down, there are great food spots all over Northern Michigan. While some are recent arrivals, others have been operating for a long time, and are being rediscovered by people with an aroused curiousity for local foods of all kinds. Good quality food doesn't have to be an artful, sculptural arrangement in the center of a half-acre plate. It might come from a humble spot along side the road that's been there forever.

Just up the road from the late, lamented Tapawingo is the place that gave Pete Petersen (Tap's owner and original chef) his start in Northern Michigan: The Rowe Inn. When Wes Westhoven started the Rowe there really wasn't much in the way of fine, creative dining in the area. He and wife Arlene toughed it out, kept serving wonderful food and the place is still thriving. One of the best wine collections anywhere, as well.
Pete was hired by Wes, and sharpened his craft at The Rowe. When he left to open his own place he just moved down the road, which, in that small area, seemed a bit treasonous to The Rowe. Wes took it pretty graciously, of course, but it hurt his hard-won business for some time.

The role of Alice Waters is interesting. She definitely was a major player in raising the awareness of the value of local foods and wines, etc.
But, here's another perspective about Alice. She is the sister of a friend of mine, and has visited Leland on a number of occasions. A very nice person, someone I've enjoyed getting to know, and, certainly, a very talented chef and writer.

But... when she was in charge of the weekend-long food oriented celebration of a nephew's wedding, a HUGE amount of the food served at those meals was flown in... out-of-season fruits, meat from California, on and on. When local peaches were at perfect ripeness, she chose flown-in raspberries for a dessert. This happened a lot, and left the impression with many who worked on these meals that LOCAL was fine, as long as that "local" was California, and that truely local Michigan foods were somehow suspect or not up to her standards. To be fair, she did use some local products, but not nearly to the degree one would expect from the Queen of Local Cuisine.
Kind of a do-as-I say-not-as-I-do thing.

[tecpatl]

I think that, in my over long post, I forgot to mention that The Rowe Inn is still open and serving great food and wine.
Northern Michigan fine dining at the Rowe Inn Restaurant near Charlevoix, Michigan.

[Wulf67]

I drove by Tapawingo last Saturday and it's sad to see the nice gardens overgrown and unkept. I always wondered how they could stay in business in such a remote location. Such a restaurant would make more sense closer to Charlevoix, Petoskey and Harbor Springs.

I recently had dinner at the Landmark Inn / Capers in Marquette and it was very good for very reasonable prices. Same goes for excellent lunches at the Weathervane in Charlevoix and Trattoria Stella in TC.

[ShermanJoe]

Tecpatl wrote:"Good quality food doesn't have to be an artful, sculptural arrangement in the center of a half-acre plate. It might come from a humble spot along side the road that's been there forever."
I totally agree. We tend towards those humble spots....you never know where you'll a gem of a restaurant. It's easier to find those places tucked away in smallish towns in Michigan than it is in this area that is overrun with chain-restaurant swill.
Thanks for the Rowe Inn tip.
And Wulf67, I'm checking out the Capers link you provided....thanks.

[tecpatl]

Originally Posted by Wulf67

I drove by Tapawingo last Saturday and it's sad to see the nice gardens overgrown and unkept. I always wondered how they could stay in business in such a remote location. Such a restaurant would make more sense closer to Charlevoix, Petoskey and Harbor Springs.

I recently had dinner at the Landmark Inn / Capers in Marquette and it was very good for very reasonable prices. Same goes for excellent lunches at the Weathervane in Charlevoix and Trattoria Stella in TC.

They could and did stay in business by being so good they were a destination.
Like the Rowe Inn, you had to want to go there and make a special trip to do so. I live quite a drive away, and in the days when we were dining out a lot we'd get a room for the night nearby. The House on the Hill was a favorite lodging spot, but I'm not sure if it's still open. When Buster and Julie opened it, most of their clientele was spending the night in order to eat at The Rowe or Tapawingo. Good location is relative.