2 from the menu: Burrata and Roasted Peppers & Cider Braised Pork Belly

Cider braised pork belly
pear sauce, parsnip, kale, Concord grape aigre doux

This one has been on Reserve's menu since we opened. The pork belly was raised by our friend and farmer Nathan Creswick. We braise it all day long in Michigan apple cider we picked up at the Holland Farmer's Market. We finish it in our deep fryer that is full of 100% lard (Yes, really. You should try the french fries we make for ourselves, and no they aren't likely to make it to the menu anytime. Just chef snacks late at night.) Served on top of caramel pear sauce, kale and parsnips, with Concord grape aigre doux. This food traveled less to get here than our chef does.



Burrata
Roasted bell peppers a la grecque, Blis 9 year old Solera sherry vinegar

How do you replace a dish that you loved but is now past its prime? We said farewell to heirloom tomatoes on Saturday and took our best selling salad off the menu. We built a new dish around the burrata (a fresh mozzarella with a liquid cream center) that Giles from the Great American Cheese Collection in Chicago sends us. This exceptional cheese was featured on our heirloom tomato salad. Originally we were going to move on to a beet salad and had all kinds of plans and prototypes in the works. In the end we decided to put beets on hold until we can pair them with some good citrus, maybe blood orange or kumquat...and beets will be around for months to come.

After a few hours of throwing around ideas during service Saturday night, and a gin & tonic, we arrived at our new salad. We have preserved a taste of late summer by marinating roasted bell peppers in olive oil, lemon, capers, and oregano. It's all topped with a splash of Blis 9 year old Solera sherry vinegar. This is an amazing vinegar, by the way, aged in bourbon barrels that have previously been used to infuse the maple syrup that we serve on our pain perdu. It picks up all that bourbon and maple flavor as it sits in those barrels for a year.

We have a few more new menu items rolling out this week including some Rushing Waters trout, quail with rabbit sausage, and a roasted breast of rose veal. Art Prize is over so you can find a place to park now.

Thanks to our talented cooks B. Fouch, Scott Luecht, and Brandon Jones for making these dishes tonight and taking the pictures.