ALL'S FARE

:AMMO*
81101.11

SeaGrille offers fresh fare in West Bloomfield.

BY DAVID MOSS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAAN

T

he flaming "Opaaahs"
have been replaced by a
chorus of satisfied
"aaahs" at the new
SeaGrille in West Bloomfield, where
Big Daddy's Parthenon has been
transformed into a contemporary fish
and seafood place by owners Bobbie
and Craig Dilworth, formerly of Ocean
Grille in Birmingham.
Also transformed: The ornate decor
of the former Greek restaurant and
lounge has given way to an understat-
ed exterior and calm interior of muted
sea blue and chocolate brown (save for
a pair of centrally located metal and
fiberglass sea horses), allowing the cui-
sine to shine as the real stars here.
Shortly after being seated, my
party's waiter took our orders for
drinks. We ordered glasses of a sauvi-
gnon blanc that was brimming with
notes of grass and apple. Although our

choice was but one of 14 wines by the
glass ranging in price from $5.50-
$8.50, I was surprised that we were
not offered a complete wine list.
Interesting starters include a crab-
artichoke-spinach dip with wild mush-
room bruschetta, lobster and truffle
mac-and-cheese and assorted pizzas.
We chose the Asian shrimp and crab
dumplings with chili and lime sauce.
The three delightfully presented
super-sized wontons, which were
downright delicious, were filled with
very little seafood.
In addition to the appetizer pizzas,
SeaGrille also offers several entree
versions, including margherita, wild
mushrooni, five cheese and roasted
pepper with goat cheese. If meat is
what you crave, the menu includes
rack of lamb, beef short ribs and a
slow-roasted Indiana duck — a cus-
tomer favorite at the Ocean Grille.

From the picture-perfect paella to
the pesto-glazed monkfish and red
snapper with orange horseradish crust,
there's an entree to meet most any-
one's taste. Daily specials feature cre-
ative recipes such as lake perch picca-
ta, wood-grilled Arctic char and gin-
ger- and soy-steamed pickerel. We
chose the seafood shepherd's pie, a
special of shrimp, scallops, lobster and
crabmeat covered in a creamy sauce
and tucked under whipped potatoes
and aged white cheddar. A dinner like
this should probably come with a sur-
geon-general's warning, but it was full
of rich flavor.
We also ordered the Maryland lump
crab cakes, which were loaded with
succulent crab and elegantly present-
ed on a large white plate with a
mound of wild rice and gleaming
sauteed vegetables.
For dessert, we considered the Key

lime tart and the fudge nut diamonds
with Guernsey ice cream and Sanders
hot fudge, but decided on the
Michigan sour-cherry crisp. A small
scoop of vanilla ice cream cut the tart-
ness of the cherries and made for a
perfect finish to our experience.
Service was friendly and casual.
The manager roamed the dining room,
chatting with patrons and checking on
food. This is a no-nonsense restaurant
that lacks flash, but seems to attract a
steady stream of happy diners. It
should do well. 111

SeaGrille

6199 Orchard Lake Road
West Bloomfield (248) 487-0326

Monday-Thursday, 5-10 p.m.; Friday-

Saturday, 5-11 p.m.; Sunday, 4-9 p.m.

JNPL AT INUM • I) IF. (.:

F. 11 2005 •

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