COMMUNITY

FIVE THINGS YOUR KIDS WILL LOVE THIS MONTH

FOODIE

A Destination Locale by Roadster or Speedboat

The views amaze in Commerce at It's a Matter of Taste.

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By Esther Allweiss Ingber

inged by cottages — some palatial, some
smaller — sparkling Union Lake casts a daz-
on diners at the waterside bistro, It's
zfing
a Matter of Taste.
This is summertime at its best, you'll say, while
relaxing on the wrap-around, open-air deck or
seated within the Mediterranean-styled dining
room. Any vantage point is great for watching
boats and water-skiers on the glimmering water.
It started out as a small carryout/catering busi-
ness on nearby Commerce Road. In 2003, the local
haunt catapulted itself into the fine dining realm
when it moved into a new, but timeless-appear-
ing, two-story villa.
It's a Matter of Taste has a casual atmosphere
with a dock for boaters. It's also a destination for
fine dining, which employs the talent and creativ-
ity of head chef Mark Greer along with executive
head chef and co-owner Tom Traynor.
Their food is made from scratch with fresh
ingredients; sauces can take two to three days to
perfect. The restaurant shuts down after lunch
for two hours to set up for the dinner menu.
Daily specials are offered, whether for appetizers,
entrees or other specialty categories.
Three of the house specialties include: pan-
roasted grouper served over buttermilk-whipped
potatoes, seasonal vegetable in a vermouth,
capers, artichoke hearts and spinach concasse
sauce; crisped walleye served on jasmine rice with
steamed mussels,Thai vegetables, cilantro and a
spicy red curry and coconut milk broth; and Missy
Pasta, which I tried and would order again.
The pasta dish is composed of medium-large
shells, grilled chicken, asparagus tips, fire-roasted
peppers and fresh basil in an Asiago broth. My
dining companion and I were able to split this dish
at no additional charge, which is not always pos-
,;:,,

' -
•

'A' , 1*.A411seisfi

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It's a Matter of Taste
2323 Union Lake Road
Commerce Township 48382
(248) 360-6650

www.matteroftaste.net
$$ ($22-$29) out of $$$$

sible at many restaurants. (I suggest demurring
from the freshly grated cheese you'll be offered —
it made the sauce a little too salty.)
We also tasted two of the three soups on that
day's menu: We both enjoyed the jalapeno-carrot
bisque, which was rich, slightly smoky and not too
spicy for us. My companion loved the day's cold
soup: honeydew-coconut finished with pineapple
chutney.This taste had to grow on me, but I
became a fan.
Another dish I liked was the raspberry chicken
salad: Poached chicken breast, roasted pecans,
tart raspberries, celery and Clementine oranges
tossed in raspberry vinaigrette and served over
mixed greens. Pre-cut chunks of fresh pineapple
on the rind accompany the salad, which is also
available by the pound in the restaurant's carryout
shop.
Menus change seasonally here — look for a
new one in late September.
Tom Traynor is executive head chef and co-
owner with his wife, Missy (of pasta fame).The
couple's good taste extends beyond the kitchen
as Missy selected the decor and, with her sister
Amy, applied faux-painting techniques to the
walls, floors and pillars. The golden walls appear
aged with exposed brown brick patches. Painted
wooden tables have a crackled look.
Tom was the builder; take & moment to appreci-
ate the handsome woodwork he put around the
bar and fireplace.
Swing by the carryout shop (open 10 a.m.-8
p.m.) and check out the refrigerated cases of gour-
met entrees, side dishes, salads and delectable
desserts. (The carrot cake and the key lime tart are
standouts.) Ceiling-high shelves display merchan-
dise and food items of equal quality: wine, lotions,
paper napkins, serving and picnic items, jams and
mustards.
It's a Matter of Taste is a full-service caterer. Up
to 250 guests can be accommodated for onsite
parties. The upstairs banquet rooms also have an
outside deck to let you feel the breeze off that
shimmering lake. P?,7

JUKEBOX

The Big Hype is Not All Talk

Big Talk: Album Review

6 August 2011 I

RED MAD

In 1867, the new game of"base ball" was sweeping the nation
and evolving from a simple child's game to a gentleman's national
and the Detroit area was host to the World's Base Ball
pastime
Tournament.
See how it was done — no cussing, no spitting — as Greenfield
Village's two teams, the National Base Ball Club (based on an 1867
Parma, Mich., club) and the necktie-wearing Lah-De-Dahs (based on
a club that played in Waterford in the 1880s) take to the field each
week.
It all leads up to a World Tournament of Historic Base Ball,
complete with live 19th-century music. Just as in the original 1867
World's Tournament, a $300 cash prize will be awarded to the cham-
pion club, while the club with the fewest wins will receive a sack of
peanuts. Free with Village admission. Games are played 1:30 p.m.
every Saturday and Sunday through Aug. 7 and also Aug. 20-21;
the Tournament games take place 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday,
Aug. 13-14.
Greenfield Village, 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn. (800) 835-
5237; thehenryford.org .

—

F

WALKING WITH WILDLIFE

Along a half-mile winding path through the Wild Wonders Wildlife
Park at the Howell Conference & Nature Center (that offers miles of
scenic walking trails and recreational opportunities), visitors can
encounter more than 30 species of native Michigan mammals and
birds in habitats built to mimic their natural environments.
Created to house and rehabilitate injured and orphaned wildlife,
Wild Wonders is home to coyotes and groundhogs, owls, hawks,
falcons and more — in habitat structures with waterfalls, ponds, live
trees and underground dens.
While there, check out some of the activities at the Nature
Center, including:The tallest outdoor climbing tower in Michigan; a
500-foot-long zip line over a pond; and a high ropes course running
through the trees, 25 feet in the air (check online for availability).
Suggested donation: $4/adults; $2/children. Open daily from 9
a.m.-4 p.m.
Wild Wonders Wildlife Park at the Howell Conference & Nature
Center, 1005 Triangle Lake Road, Howell. (517) 546-0249;
howellnaturecenter.org .

FEEDING GIRAFFES

Open wide! Did you know that the Detroit Zoo offers the
opportunity to get up close and personal with its long-necked
friends? At the Giraffe Encounter, for $5, 100 visitors a day can buy
lunch for a giraffe (usually in the form of"browse,"or leafy branches)
and hand-feed it to them from an elevated viewing platform
overlooking the giraffe habitat. Tuesdays through Sundays
through the end of September (subject, of course, to the giraffes'
appetites). P.S. Don't forget the sanitized
Detroit Zoo, 8450 W. 10 Mile Road, Royal Oak. (248) 541-5717;
detroitzoo.org .

BROADWAY FOR THE FAMILY

By Natalie Sugarman

74, ig Talk's self-titled release is the debut album
of the Killers' drummer Ronnie Vannucci. He
L,7" steps out from behind the drums and takes
the reins on creating an upbeat rock album; joining
him on this album is former Killers' member Taylor
Milne.
As frontman, Vannucci sings lead vocals, plays
guitar, drums, bass and keys. Milne is on lead guitar
and backing vocals. It has a bit of that signature
Killers sound, but it also goes beyond that. Big Talk
melds their rock 'n' roll sound with elements of
electro, a little indie pop, a hint of Southern blues
rock and a pinch of country.
The album, produced by the Strokes and My
Morning Jacket vet Joe Chicarelli, is 12 tracks of spar-
kling electric sound that comes together with catchy
lyrics, tight rock melodies and an instrumental cohe-
sion that provides a solid debut album for Big Talk.
With this release, Vannucci proves that he can
"talk the talk." It's always interesting to see a mem-
ber of a band such as a drummer step out of what
would normally be his comfort zone. What actually
occurred though is Vannucci has proved that, as a
frontman, he can hold his own and isn't outside of
his comfort zone.
The first track on the album "Katzenjammer,"Ger-
man for"cat's wail," comes in with a burst of energy
and swirling electric sound that segues into an
arena-rock anthem, with swirling guitars that bring

HISTORIC BASE BALL

out the edge
of that intrinsic
Killers sound —
but Vannucci
puts his own
spin on it.
The second
track, "Getaways;'
was the band's
debut single and
was released in
May. The song travels in waves of synth-pop-rock
sound. It has a chorus that goes"Hey! You say you
want out. You say you want everything.Take it
while you can, and then you run away."This is the
track that will get lodged in your brain.
Two other tracks that stand out are "No Whiskey"
and "A Fine Time To Need Me."
"No Whiskey" is a stripped down acoustic song
that has a rolling jaunt to it, with a subtle Neil
Young-esque sound. On "A Fine Time To Need Me"
the drums come in and are met by rambling guitars
reminiscent of Tom Petty, with a rock 'n' roll groove
and feel. Both tracks really shine a spotlight on Van-
nucci's talent.
Overall, the album is streamlined with a spar-
kling creativity and an energetic pace of electrify-
ing rock musicianship. Big Talk is a rockin' album
that hits the notes in all the right places. ,

Broadway at Meadow Brook, that is. Thrill your little ones as all
their fave songs come to life on the stage under the direction of
composer and lyricist Neil Berg with Family Day on Broadway.
Songs from Annie, Mary Poppins, The Lion King, The Sound of Music,
The Wizard of Oz and more will have your kids screaming along like
it's Beatlemania — and go on, you know you want to, too. 2 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 13. $10/general admission pavilion; $15/reserved
pavilion (half-off reserved seats for kids 12 and under).
Meadow Brook Music Festival, 3554 Walton Blvd., Rochester Hills.
(800) 745-3000; palacenet.com or ticketmaster.com .

RENAISSANCE FESTIVITIES

Since 1979, the fanatical and curious alike have descended on
Holly for the pageantry of a 16th-century village come to life — tur-
key legs and all.The landed gentry and their serfs roam the 18 acres
of the Michigan Renaissance Festival, interacting with visitors who
take in the sights and sounds of the European past. See full-contact
jousting with armored knights and horses, and a Human Combat
Chess Match, plus craft demonstrations and wares, and human-
powered rides.
A Children's Realm includes a castle playscape with free activities;
snack on Scotch eggs, soup in a bread bowl and apple dumplings.
Check online for special themed weekends, like the Buccaneer
Beer Fest (featuring a tattoo contest and press-a-wench), and the
Highland Fling (with a men-in-kilts competition and beer tasting).
It really is fun for the whole family! $19.95/adults; $10.95/child;
$17.95/students/seniors. Weekends and Labor Day, from Aug. 20
through Oct. 2.
Michigan Renaissance Festival. 12600 Dixie Hwy., Holly. (248) 634-
5552; michrenfest.com .
— By Lynne Konstantin

www.redthreadmagazine.com