Our Harbor View Grille Adventure
Always up for an adventure, the Dining Divas decided to head northward to Harbor View Grille in Whitehall for our June review. It's a little over a half-hour drive from the Tri-Cities area... a beautiful drive straight up US-31.
The Harbor View Grille is situated on White Lake, which connects to Lake Michigan via a narrow channel, so whether you're seated inside the restaurant or outdoors on the patio, there's a gorgeous view of the water. In fact, Bari shared a story with us about running a sailboat aground on White Lake (we hope we're not embarrassing her by mentioning this snafu).
We arrived at the Harbor View on Friday (June 6) around 6:45 p.m., and were seated at an indoor table immediately. (We opted to dine indoors, as it was a little on the cool side that evening). A whiteboard at the entrance announced the evening's specials, which included deep-fried Montague asparagus as an appetizer and two different perch specials.
Nancy chose to try the Boffo Brown Ale, brewed by the Marshall, Michigan, Dark Horse Brewery. It was excellent! Bari chose a glass of cabernet. And, we unanimously agreed that since it's the season for asparagus, we needed to sample Harbor View's deep-fried version (although we were also mighty tempted by the deep-fried onion rings). And the asparagus was terrific!
With finger-food as a first course, Nancy said she wanted to use the restroom to wash her hands. Upon returning to the table, she announced, "You have GOT to go wash your hands... it's AMAZING!"
WHAT!?! Anxious to check out the amazing hand-washing experience, off marched Kelle and Bari to the restroom. What's so special is that Harbor View has an fragrant jar of hand scrub (plus soap, lotion and a bottle of mouthwash) on a ledge above the sink, which leaves your hands feeling smooth, silky, and oh-so-heavenly smelling. (As we didn't venture into the men's room, we're not sure if the same is offered there.) But, it's DEFINITELY worth a stop.
Kelle and Nancy ordered the evening's sauteed perch special, which features Lake Erie yellow perch. It was accompanied by a fresh salad and served on a bed of rice, with sauteed vegetables. Nancy recalled that in days of yore (1970s), an old Michigan joke was that if you fell into Lake Erie, you'd decay - not drown (due to polluted water). But, massive clean-up efforts over the years have resulted in dramatic improvements in water quality, and a return to economically important fish species - like the fabled perch.
For dessert, we decided to try Harbor View's chocolate cake. After all, who wouldn't be tempted by a description that features not only chocolate, but cream cheese!?! We ate every bit of it... delicious! (Bari says "speak for yourselves: she only tasted the whpped cream 'cause she's not a chocolate fan.")
On the return trip, the Divas drove South Shore Drive around White Lake when we noticed a sign for the Lakeside Inn. (It's just past the golf course.) Curious, we made the right turn, discovering it has risen from the ashes. (Nancy was long gone and sound asleep through this part of the journey so she missed our little adventure!) But Bari and Kelle left her in the car to snooze on her own and went inside to check out the new decor and menu. They let us know it opened up a few months ago, so we decided it was worth a trip back this summer. We saw a spectacular sunset while cruising on South Shore Drive, but just missed it setting at Duck Lake State Park where you are driving almost right next to Lake Michigan on a short stretch of the road. A lot of the locals were lined up in their cars since they know this view is next to none. The drive home made our entire evening a delightful adventure.
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| Definitely worth ordering! |
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| Kelle: "This dish was so tasty and well-prepared. I could only eat half of it and enjoyed the rest for lunch the next day. This was only my second time to Harbor View Grille and I was anxious for Bari and Nancy to come. I'm impressed with all the gluten free options on the menu and the fact that I can come back and get a juicy burger on a gluten free bun. Next time it's a burger and the deck for me!" |
Nancy: "The perch was absolutely luscious… served in a lemon-y sauce, dusted in seasoned flour and pan fried. Like Kelle, I couldn't finish it all… and particularly after the asparagus appetizer and generously sized tossed salad (plus, our waiter told us that all of Harbor View's salad dressings are homemade!). Nevertheless, I did make room for the yummy Triple Chocolate Cake. ;-) All in all, definitely worthy of an excursion to Whitehall!"
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| Bari: "After seeing an order with onion rings, I knew that I'd have them. My first choice was to join Kelle and Nancy with perch; however, I wanted it in a basket with those onion rings. That was not to happen-perch was only available for the dinners-so I went to plan B: a Mushroom Swiss Olive burger with onion rings. My meal arrived and looked yummy and it was. The bun was particularly delicious with the burger and the fixings. The coleslaw was nice, but my focus was on diving into the burger and onion rings. (I did share them with Nancy and Kelle)." |
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| The jar in the middle made washing our hands so much fun since our skin was incredibly smooth and soft after using it. We must confess that we washed our hands once we arrived AND again before leaving! |
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| Bari checking out the good stuff in the ladies room! |
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| The Harbor View Grille overlooks White Lake & the White River Wetlands |
Diva Tips!
We tried to make a reservation since we were driving up on a Friday night, but you can only reserve a table for parties of eight or more. You are within walking distance of a few shops in downtown Whitehall if you end up having a wait time. (We were planning to peek inside Posh!)
Great place to sit outside on the deck for a mesmerizing view.
If you're heading south and have the time after dinner, take the scenic route along South Shore Drive. We saw a breathtaking view of the sunset along the way.
Harbor View Grille
115 North Mears Avenue
Whitehall, MI 49461
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The Divas want it to be noted, with all due respect, that the views and opinions shared in this venue do not represent those of the Grand Haven Tribune and are entirely based on each individual experience we encounter. Perhaps on any other occasion, they may differ.
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