Across the river in Bay City on what feels like the fringe of some suburb sits a nondescript and unassuming restaurant called Char House. It was a place where if we were looking for dinner and drove past it, we wouldn't have stopped. Except of course on Friday evening, that was our destination.
A colleague, who's lived in Bay City all her life, recommended this restaurant among many for me to check out. And she has not been wrong so far so I was excited.
As we stepped in, we were greeted by a senior woman in a soft black suit, someone whom back home in Singapore we would have no hesitation saying politely "Thank you, Aunty". We call all women whom we think are close to our mothers' age "Aunty".
The crowd is clearly made up of regulars and families, mostly more senior in age.
Once seated, another host came up to give us our menu and our carafe of water. He, probably assuming that we are Japanese, went on to entertain us with a story of how much he like Toyota cars. He has Down syndrome and that obviously wasn't a factor in his role as one of the hosts of the restaurant. We're now even more excited - because the family restaurant that cares about its family has to do good food.
The menu is fairly extensive. It has most things from grills to burgers to pastas and sandwiches. It's salad bar, which you help yourself to when you order a dinner, has some very good salads - all homemade. My favorite was the broccoli salad which was spiked with salty bacon and a mild cream dressing that brought together the sweet of the greens and the the sharpness of the bacon bits. As I'm on a (forever) diet, I refrained from the carbohydrate options - i.e. pasta salad - at the bar.
But I lie. Because the toasted bread and butter, almost brioche-like in texture, was i-r-r-e-s-i-s-t-i-b-l-e. Leon gobbled ALL OF HIS. It was so good I was distracted from one of my weaknesses - the homemade pate that was served with the bread. The cheddar cheese spread thingy wasn't that great so I hardly touched it.
Then came our appetizers. I do not resist escargots if they are on the menu. I do not resist a lot of other things too but lately my triglycerides number weighs heavy on my mind (I'm an overachiever in that department) and I know escargots are heart-healthy. Furthermore, the description said it was drenched in melted garlic butter goodness. Actually, the more accurate description is that it was flooded in melted garlic butter-no-goodness. I don't want to be drinking oil! I know there are many contradictions here.
Well, after using more of the buttered bread that came with the escargots to soak up excess oil, the globs of snails were honestly pretty good. Each has the slightest hint of garlic and while tender was still a bit firm to bite through.
Leon did a lot better with his French Onion soup. If I weren't in a generous mood, I would have insisted on a dish swap.
Underneath the heavenly gunky melted cheese and bread was one of the best French Onion soups we've had in a long time. It tasted so much like what I'd imagine a western grandma would make. Not too salty, with good stock base and onions that was just on the verge of turning mushy.
Then the main deal - we both ordered Prime Ribs. Fortunately, Leon listened to his bulging waistline for a change and ordered the 8oz serve instead of the 16oz serve.
The steak was ssssooooooo awesome! It was sliced from a whole roast, like what I used to enjoy at Lawry's BUT better! About 3/4 of an inch thick, nicely medium rare, well seasoned, and succulent. As it was cooked so nicely, the fats that came with the meat was like meat butter to accompany each bite. Except that again, my tri-number crept up on my conscience and I actually pushed the fats into a corner of the plate.
I must squeeze in a few words on the cups of broccoli and brussels sprouts we ordered as sides. They were blanched or cooked or whatever perfectly. And was gently coated in some garlic sauce that one serve left me wanting more.
We left no space in our bellies for dessert but we'll be back. Often, I think.
Duece's Char House sits next to the Tuscola Motel on 432 North Tuscola Road, Bay City, Michigan. Tel: (989) 893-5881.
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