Maple Grille

Amanda and I could have been down south on Saturday afternoon as we sat at an outdoor barbecue, eating pulled pork sandwiches and listening to the rain on the tent overhead.

The Maple Grille, on M46 between Hemlock and Shields, opened just a few weeks ago at what was the headquarters of a thriving construction company before the economy declined. With the charm of a family-run business combined with the tantalizing smells from wood grills, the business was an instant success. 

The Maple Grille is truly a local business. All of the meat and produce, from the lamb chops fresh from the auction at the country fair to the zucchini from the garden out back, are raised within a few steps or a few miles of the restaurant. Maple syrup, from trees on the property, is the sweetener for many of the dishes. Even the soda pop was bottled in Michigan.

Locally grown ingredients isn't the only distinctive aspect of the new eatery. The restaurant seeks to embrace eco-friendly practices. Forks and spoons are compostable and the plates are made of wheatgrass. Rather than a dumpster out back, there is a compost pit for used eating utensils as well as food scraps. 

Chef Josh and his crew have big plans for expanding the business. They plan to keep the Grille open until October and then use the winter months to prepare to open a bigger establishment in March. But for now, the picnic tables just steps from the smoke billowing grills and the lush garden is just the right place to while away a couple of hours on a drizzly Saturday afternoon.

The garden