Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 36

2E DETROIT FREE PRESSWEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 1998 ma, mm EHWME More restaurants at the waters edge Bogeys Bar Grill shows off Walled Lake vista terford, 1-248-682-1616. Dinner only; 4-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 4-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2-11 p.m. Sunday.

Carrie Lee's of Waterford: Order the almond chicken and gaze over Pontiac Lake from the dining room of this Chinese restaurant that seats about 150. Some American food. Two boat docks; outdoor seating. 7890 Highland Road, Waterford Township, 1-248-666-9045. 11 a.m.-ll p.m.

daily. St Clair County .1 mi I 1'- 'fcCI i I Splendid fare on Paint Creek The Patio Grill at Paint Creek Cider Mill 4480 Orion Road, Rochester 1-248-651-8361 By Judy Rose This grill-only outdoor restaurant has been open just a month as the outdoor extension of the older Paint Creek Cider Mill. The location is a deck, enclosed by tall trees, looking down into the meandering Paint Creek. It's so close, you can hear the water splash. Both the Patio Grill and the indoor restaurant to which it's attached serve very good, upscale food, but the Patio Grill has a smaller menu.

On a recent visit, three diners loved every item they ate. The gazpa-cho was spicy and brisk. The two house salads were unusually good. One version is fairly common in good restaurants baby greens, walnuts, blue cheese and raspberry vinaigrette. But this was light and slightly sweet the best we've had.

Same with the grilled vegetable salad, which had a very light marinade, as well as a grilled flavor. Grilled food can be repetitious and dry, but that is not true here. The grilled tuna was light, fresh and rare. The baby back ribs were meaty, smoked in-house with Jack Danjels sauce. Sous chef Patrick Gazzarato says virtually everything that goes on the grill is first marinated or brushed with a sauce made for that purpose.

The pork chops, for example, are lightly brushed with sauce reduced from brown ale, apples, oranges, ginger, soy sauce and brown sugar. Fare: All-grilled menu of fish, steaks and ribs, more inventive and tasty than the usual grilled fare. Price: Atmosphere: Tree-enclosed outdoor deck next to Paint Creek. Service: Good. Hours: 5-9 Tuesday-Thursday, 5-10 Friday, 12-3 and 5-10 Saturday, 10-3 and 4-9 Sunday.

Closed Monday. Bogey's Bar Grill 142 E. Walled Lake Drive, Walled Lake 1-248-669-1441 By Georgea Kovanis We are inching along a winding lakeside road, past cottages that have been converted into year-round homes, past the drive-in, past the band shell. Developers may have discovered Walled Lake, but it still has a relaxed and resort feel to it. Our destination is Bogey's Bar Grill, which boasts casual waterfront eating and, in sports-bar fashion, lots of TV sets and pool tables and noise.

This clearly is set up to be fun. The menu on the expansive deck overlooking Walled lake is mostly sandwiches and chips. We feel the need for the more substantial fare that is offered inside and settle at a table next to a window that is smudged but still has a nice view. Inside, the menu includes fish and pasta and steak, but most of the choices are of the bar fo6d variety: nine burgers and a variety of fried delights, including mozzarella sticks, onion rings and chicken strips. We choose Buffalo wings sold by the pound.

They arrive with celery sticks and a thin blue cheese dressing. The wings are meaty but dry and need a little oomph. We also choose artichoke and spinach dip. It's incredibly thick, gooey and cheesy. We wish it were served with something other than the tortilla chips that accompany it.

The chips just don't hold up to the weight of the heavy dip. For entrees, we choose sea bass, one of the specials. It is served with a basic iceberg salad, rice and vegeta- fc. SUSAN TUSADetroit Free Press Walled Lake features mostly bar food. come to Bogey's for the lake atmosphere.

In fact, that's why we're here. Still, we think our server could be a bit more attentive. For dessert, we go with peach cobbler. It's served on a skillet just like the fajitas a mass of warm peaches and caramel topped with a big scoop of ice cream. It's like a big peach and caramel sundae.

We're happy we're not going for a swim. Surely we would sink. Fare: Pasta, burgers, sandwiches, fish, meat. Price: (moderate) Atmosphere: Iaud and laid-back. Service: Friendly but could be more attentive.

Hours: Kitchen open 11 a.m.-ll p.m. Monday-Saturday, bar open until 2 a.m.; kitchen open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday, bar open until midnight. Patio overlooks the Detroit River Windsor grill offers a fine view With so much water around us, there are still more restaurants with a view of HO. Here's a selection: Detroit and Wayne County Baron's Steakhouse: There's patio dining with a view of the Detroit River and Windsor at this River Place Hotel restaurant.

Menu specializes in steaks and chops, with some seafood. 1000 River Place, Detroit, daily. Rattlesnake Club: Chef Jimmy Schmidt's restaurant has a 40-seat terrace with a view of the Detroit River and the Windsor skyline. Complete 300 Stroh River Place, Detroit, 1-313-5674400. 11:30 a.m.-ll p.m.

Monday-Thursday, a.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday. Rumors on the River: A deli in the River House co-op complex, with fresh sandwiches and salads, plus entertainment many nights. 8900 E. Jefferson, Detroit.

1-313-824-1000, 11 a.ni.-2 a.m. daily, kitchen closes at 10 p.m. or earlier, depending on crowd. Sindbad's: It's been around since 1949 and is owned by the Blancke family. While there is plenty of seafood with such names as Schooner and Neptune's Delight many come here for the Sindbad's special, a simple strip steak served on toast.

Don't miss the clam chowder or the old-fashioned blue cheese dressing. 100 St. Clair, Detroit, 1-313-822-7817. 11 a.m.-midnight, Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-l a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Summit Restaurant: From this rotating restaurant on the 71st floor of the Westin Hotel, you'll see a long way up and down the Detroit River. (There's also a lounge on the 73rd floor.) The main fare is steaks, but there is chicken and seafood, too. In the Renaissance Center, Detroit, 1-313-568-8600. Opens at 5:30 a.m. daily; last dinner reservation taken at 9:30 Sunday-Thursday, 10:30 p.m.

Fri- day and Saturday. Macomb County Andiamo Lakefront Bistro: Noisy, hip waterfront spot with large American and Italian menu. Ample wine list; boats can dock. 24026 Jefferson St. Clair Shores, 1-810-773-7770.

11 a.m.-ll p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday, noon-10 Sunday. Crews Inn: The dress is casual, the menu is wide-ranging and the view is of the Clinton River. Boat dockage; patio with about 20 tables. 31988 N.

River Road, Harrison Township, 1-810-463-8144. 11 a.m.-ll p.m. daily; bar open until 2 a.m. Breakfast, 9-1 Sunday. DJs on Friday and Saturday nights.

Gar Wood's Bayview Lodge: The large, log cabin-style eatery can accommodate up to 500 diners. There are three dining rooms and two large fireplaces inside and a large dining area and bar outside. It all overlooks Lake St. Clair. Boat dockage; live music 7 nights a week and 2-5 p.m.

weekends. 41620 Conger Bay Drive, Harrison Township, 1-810-465-6300. 11 a.m.-ll p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11-midnighl Friday and Saturday. Bar stays open until 2 a.m.

daily. Breakfast buffet, 9 a.m.-l p.m. Sunday; dinner, noon-1 1 p.m. Sunday. Gino's Surf: The banquet and catering facility dishes up Sunday brunch every week of the year from 11 a.m.

to 3 p.m. For $12.50, you'll get omelettes, pancakes and crepes made to order, plus shrimp, roast beef, calamari, mussels, frog legs and on and on. Chow down 10 feet from Lake St. Clair. 37400 Jefferson, Harrison Township, 1-810-468-2611.

Lighthouse Inn: Ribs are the specialty at this casual spot on Lake St. Clair. There's also steak, seafood and pasta. The patio seats about 150 people. Guest docks.

32100 N. River Road, Harrison Township, 1-810-468 5050. 1 1 a.m.-l 1 p.m. daily. PJ's Riverhouse: There's live entertainment Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings at this Clinton River establishment.

The menu features prime rib and seafood. An outdoor deck seats about 45, and there are guest boat wells. 24240 N. River Road, Mt. Clemens, 1-810-465-5111.

11:30 a.m.-ll p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-2 a.m. Friday and Satur day; 3-10 p.m. Sunday. Tom's Blue Boat Ban Tom Bran-del, whom many know as the owner of Tom's Oyster Bars in Royal Oak, Southfield and the Grosse Pointe original, finally has a water view to go along with his seafood menu.

32760 S. River Road, Harrison Township, 1-810-783-1140. 11 a.m.-ll p.m. Mon- day-Thursday, 11 a.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday, noon-1 1 p.m. Sunday.

Oakland County 7 Mitch's: Across the street from Cass Lake and a boat dock, the original Mitch's has been around since 1952. Ribs, Greek "salads, sea- food, pizza, pasta, etc. Homemade bread sticks with ganic-butter topping are "the original ones everyone's copied," says owner Jo Ann Mitchell. 4000 Cass Lake Road, Wa- Bud's: Dress casually or formally and dine on everything from seafood to steaks, prime rib to lobster. Gaze out the big windows onto Anchor Bay; guest boat docks.

8287 Dixie Highway, Fair Haven, 1-810-725-5602. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Friday; 11-11 Saturday. Down Riggers on the River: New owners have taken over the former Henry's on the St. Clair River.

The menu features pan-fired pickerel, charbroiled steaks and pasta dishes. No dockage. 408 St. Clair River Highway, Algonac, 1-810-794-3456. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Sunday-Thursday; 11-mid- night Friday and Saturday. Garr's: Big burgers are the house specialty half a pound of ground round. There are also ribs and pizza at this St. Clair River watering hole. No dockage.

142 S. Water, Marine City, 1-810-765-4692. 10 a.m.-lO p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10-11 Friday and Saturday; noon-10 Sunday. St Clair Inn.

Gaze out at the St. Clair River from all four dining rooms of this 78-room inn, built in 1926. Full dinner menu includes seafood, pasta and steak; separate breakfast and lunch menus. No dockage, but harbor nearby. Small outdoor bar serves drinks and snacks.

Reservations suggested. 500 N. Riverside, St. Clair, 1-810-329-2222. 7 a.m,10 p.m.

Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday. Surf North: You'll find everything from fish and chips to steak and lobster at this Anchor Bay eatery. There's live entertainment in the bar on Wednesdays and Sundays and live entertainment inside on Friday and Saturdays. Outdoor deck seals about 24 people, and there are guest docks.

10069 Dixie Highway, Fair Haven, 1-810-725-7888. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11-11 Friday and Saturday; noon-9 Sunday (dinner only). Thomas Edison Inn: Elegant dining room in a 120-room inn beneath the Blue Water Bridges in Port Huron. Seats 300 with sweeping views of St.

Clair River and Lake Huron. Extensive menu, from sandwiches to fine seafoods, steaks, etc. Also breakfast and lunch menus. No dock, but call for the guest shuttle to and from the Port Huron Marina. Casual dress accepted.

Weekend reservations a must. 500 Edison Parkway, Port Huron, 1-800-451-7991 anytime. 7 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m.-8:30 p.m.

Sunday. Rachel's Little Cafe: Dogs, burgers, sandwiches, homemade soups, 14 kinds of ice cream and big banana splits in a cozy spot with a view of Lake St. Clair's Anchor Bay. Some patio sealing. Opens at 5:30 for breakfast.

8089 Dixie Highway, Fair Haven, 1-810-716-8615. 5:30 a.m.-9 p.m. or later daily. Chuck Muer's River Crab: With Muer in the name, you know the specialty: all kinds of fish, seafood and shellfish. Also chicken, steaks, etc.

Excellent views of the St. Clair River from the dining room and outdoor deck. Dockage for diners and guests at the 21-room inn. Reservations suggested. 1337 N.

River Road, St. Clair, 1-800-468-3727 anytime. 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. daily. Sunday brunch 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Ontario, Canada Duffy's Tavern: Known as a popular spot for boaters and perch dinners. Friday night special is all-you- can-eat perch and chicken for $14.95 Canadian. Also has a variety of steaks, burgers and pastas, as well as a children's menu. Guest boat slips. 306 Dalhousie Street in Amherstburg (20 minutes from the Ambassador Bridge, if you drive), directly across from Boblo Island, 1-519-7364301.

8 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-l 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Park Terrace Restaurant: View Detroit's skyline and the Detroit River from this second-floor restaurant in the Windsor Hilton. Menu features lamb, steaks, salmon and a few chicken entrees.

Sunday brunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for $22.95 Canadian. 277 Riverside Street Windsor. 1-519-973-4225. p.m.

daily. Sandbar Waterfront Cafe: Popular with Americans. Glassed-in and outdoor patios overlook docks and harbor. Full menu, from appetizers to dinner entrees; catch-of-the-day available Friday and Saturday only. Rhythm and blues band on Sunday afternoons.

Guest boat wells. On the Puce River harbor connecting to Lake Clair, 1-519-979-5624, 11:30 a.m.-lO a.m. Monday-Satur- day, 1 1:30 a.m.-ll p.m. Sunday. fr ..9 "tLtsr I The deck at Bogey's Bar Grill on bles.

I am convinced the fish, which is almost mushy, has been poached. My dining partner is convinced it has been steamed. We call the restaurant later to settle the matter and are told the fish was broiled. Less ambiguous are steak fajitas. The steak arrives on a skillet, sizzling alongside onions and green peppers.

I wish the meat were juicier and a little more flavorful. But once it's wrapped in the tender, warm tortillas and doctored with guacamole, sour cream, salsa, cheese and lettuce and lomato, it's nicely tasty. Only days later do I realize that the corn and black bean salad promised on the menu never showed up. Our server tells us she is new, although we have guessed this. We spill coffee and it sits in the middle of the table like a reflecting pool.

(It takes her a couple of trips before she helps us wipe it up.) We know people odd topping: three shrimp. It was tasty nevertheless. The broiled Lake Superior whitefish with crab butter was bland. The crab butter didn't help. The rice accompanying all of the entrees was chewy and lukewarm, and someone must have gotten a deal on carrots, because our plates were loaded with them.

A lot of boaters drop into Portofino, which is located near Buoy 29 on the river. There are tie-ups for guest boaters. The restaurant also operates a charter boat accommodating 140 for private parties. If a private party isn't booked, Portofino offers moonlight cruises at $25 per couple or $15 per person through the summer. The boat cruises upriver to downtown Detroit and back, from 8 to 11 p.m.

There's a I)J and cash bar. Fare: American, including sandwiches and burgers, beef, pork, veal, chicken, pasta and seafood. Price: (complete dinner, per person) Atmosphere: Casual with a view of the Detroit River, Grosse He and the Trenton Channel. Outdoor patio with covered and uncovered areas, as well as indoor dining with large bar. Music entertainment begins at 8 p.m.

Friday and Saturday on the patio during the summer. Has banquet rooms and offers Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Also has a charter boat for private parties or moonlight cruises. Service: Friendly but rushed.

Hours: 11 a.m.-ll p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-lO p.m. Sunday. high above bay salad. That should leave enough room to try the luscious-looking house-made desserts we were too stuffed to order this time.

At lunch, the prices are lower and the menu is more casual, but the view is still great. Fare: Classic American cuisine steaks, chops, chicken and many seafood and fish choices, including Great Lakes varieties. Price: (moderate to expensive). Atmosphere: Relaxed, upper-end, waterside dining. Dark, polished mahogany and brass suggest old yachts.

Sport coats and casual attire are fine, but leave swim trunks on the boat. Guest docks available. Service: Knowledgeable, professional chatty. Reservations advised. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Tuesday; 11-11 "Wednesday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday; brunch 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, dinner 3-10 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday. Lilly Kazzilly's Crabshack Grill 9550 Riverside Dr.

East Windsor 1-519-944-8332 By John Tanasychuk A Windsor friend says that on weekend nights, it's hard to get into Lilly Kazzilly's, because this is as much a watering hole as a restaurant with a water view. There are 200 seats on the palio, 240 inside. This place is big. Although we visit during a lobster festival $17.95 for a one-pounder the menu is more madhouse eclectic than seafood-themed. We walk out to the huge palio full of plastic chairs and tables set with metal buckets of cutlery, napkins and condiments.

We're handed oversize paper menus and while we sip drinks from plastic cups, we order chicken wings and dill-and-garlic shrimp to share. The wings are heavily breaded and crispy, served with barbecue sauce instead of the usual blue cheese. The shrimp dish is described as featuring "five tender shrimp." But "five tiny shrimp" would be more accurate. They are so small we wonder why anyone would try dressing them up with garlic, parsley and chopped tomatoes. These little guys are best scattered in a salad.

Tasty seafood on Jack's Waterfront 242 14 Jefferson St St Clair Shores 1-810-445-8080 By Tina Croley So there we were in the cruiser on Lake St. Clair. The sun was still shining, the ride was calm and we were hungry. We were in the right place. The cruiser is inside Jack's Waterfront in St.

Clair Shores at least the stern of it. We're part of the decor, high atop the dining area and bar in a boat attached to Ihe wall. Water is king at Jack's. Nautical is everywhere inside, with assorted "Ahoy, matey" stuff. You can't beat the patio and pool view.

We're instantly in the mood for seafood. Next time, well order more, because it was the star of our meal. Potato-crusted whitefish was so big it flirted with the edges of the plate. The tartar sauce was worth every fat gram. Entrees come complete with bread, soup or salad, and potato or vegetable.

Crab cakes, a special, were Portofino on the River 3455 Biddle, Wyandotte 1-734-281-6700 By Susan Selasky Whether you choose to dine inside this multilevel, nautical-themed restaurant or on the patio, you'll get a swell view of the Detroit River, punctuated, if you're lucky, by a passing freighter and pleasure boats scooting through the Trenton Channel. One patio level is covered and has ceiling fans for hot, muggy days; the other is uncovered. They seat about 160 combined; about 160 more can dine inside, including at the bar. The menu offers American fare including beef, veal, chicken, pasta and seafood, plus appetizers and specialty salads. Entrees are reasonably priced at Sandwiches also are available.

For starters, we picked a patron favorite (denoted by an anchor on the menu), coconut shrimp with hot orange sauce. The four large shrimp, coated with shredded coconut and deep-fried, were tasty. The sauce added just a hint of spiciness. We also tried the calamari, breaded and fried, and served in a gratin dish with a white wine, tomato and green onion sauce. The calamari was fresh-tasting and tender.

The baked shrimp entree with crabmeat stuffing was delicious. I saved calories by skipping the drawn butter, which would have only masked the great flavor of the shrimp. The veal Portofino, tender medallions of veal served in a white wine, garlic and butter sauce, came with an Mac Rays sits Mac Ray's, from Page 1 tender, juicy filet niignon cooked to a perfect medium rare. Our half-slab of St. Louis-style ribs seemed a bit dry.

Rice or potatoes and a fresh seasonal vegetable come with dinner entrees, and it's nice to see a kitchen treat them so Other options include salads, chicken, prime rib, chops and rack of lamb. A couple of burgers are available for less than $9, but most entrees range from about $15 to $25, in the $30 range for lobster and crab. You may want to split an appetizer they tend to be rich. Our favorite was the simple fried calamari thick, succulent strips of fender white meat in a. light batter, sauced with white wine, lemon and capers.

We couldnt finish the portabella mushrooms filled with a heavily seasoned crabcake mixture. Next we'll skip the mild seafood gumbo and the typical house I like to eat fish and chips in Canada because, unlike here, they're so oflen made from halibut. At Lilly Kazzilly's the batter is crisp, the fish not overcooked. I get vinegar to pour over them. We also order fried perch, which tastes suspiciously frozen, but it is served with fresh green beans and plain white rice.

Perhaps the best entree was sesame mandarin chicken salad. The chicken breast was mildly marinated, and the salad fixings included snow peas, mushrooms, fried wonton noodles and sesame seeds in a rice wine-based vinaigrette. For $7.95, it is a generous entree salad. Overall, the menu reads belter than it delivers. What Lilly Kazzilly's does deliver is a pleasant view.

Fare: Roadhouse food including burgers, fish, pasta, prime rib and salads. Price: (complete dinner, per person) Atmosphere: A view of Peche Island and a city-owned marina. More bar than restaurant, the outdoor patio is huge and features bands on Sunday afternoons and an area for volleyball. Bands play inside Thursday through Saturday night. Service: Friendly but not very attentive.

Hours: 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Monday-Saturday (kitchen closes at 1 a.m., appetizers available until closing), 9 a.m.-2a.m. Lake St: Clair packed with flavor. Less successful were oysters Rockefeller, which were heavy on the bread crumbs. We also weren't sold on the soup of the day: turkey rice.

It was too thick and smoky, and we were suspicious of the perfect chunks of turkey. A better choice would have been clam chowder. Our litlle diners were pleased with the kids menu and the idea of eating in the boat. Hot dogs came with a ton of fries; other offerings were fish and chips, burgers and chicken strips. There's more to Jack's menu than seafood.

The signature pasta is Jack's pasta a la vodka, with a rich cream sauce. It had a good mix of prosciut-lo, tomatoes, scallions and Parmesan, with a dash of red pepper flakes to make your taste buds pay attention. Fare: Emphasis on seafood, with pas-la and American treats' such as meat loaf and mashed potatoes. Price: Atmosphere: Nautical and casual. Service: Efficient and very friendly.

Hours: 11 a.m.-ll p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-midnight Friday, Saturday; 10 a.m.-l 1 p.m. Sunday..