Monday, July 11, 2011

Timberlake's 17th Street Grill

Marcia and I went to the "Grand Opening" of the patio area at the 17th Avenue Grill, the restaurant at the Timberlake Lodge in Grand Rapids. We had actually been there once before. Both times we road our bikes and sat out on the patio in the sun. It is a very nice space, While it faces west and gets full afternoon sun there is some shade if you want it.

We just had a couple appetizers, which taken together really provided enough for a light meal. Marcia had an Italian Flatbread with sun dried tomatoes and cheese. It was delicious and they have another Mediterranean Flatbread on the menu that looks like its well worth trying, given this one's success.

My first choice was the seared tuna with wasabi mayo, but they didn't have the tuna that night. They also didn't have the Fried Greenbeans. So I settled for the Bruschetta. It had a good pile of tomatoes with balsamic vinegar. I would have preferred a lot more garlic, but then I love garlic, and a crustier bread. But it was very good.

The previous time we had stopped there they had a slightly different menu. But we had the Minnesota Wild Cakes that are still on the menu. They are a delicious version of crab cakes using walleye, that come served with a dill sauce.

My only criticism is that they need more craft beers. Fat Tire and Summit Pale Ale in bottles is not a wide enough selection with the wide range of beers these days. Since we were sitting in the sun, I had a cold Fat Tire. Marcia had one of their specialty cocktails, which she found very sweet.

This is a place we will be back to. The folks having dinner looked like they were enjoying their food. And its a great place that's in town, easy to get to on a bike (although they need a bike rack) and a great place to take in some sun while dining on creative food.

Let us know about your experiences there in the comments section.