The Cool Breeze Bids 89X Thursdays a Farewell

The cool weather has already made its way into Michigan and we are starting to wrap up our summer garden parties, but don’t worry, we have plenty planned for Fall. We've had a great season hosting the 89x Thursday night garden parties, but tonight we will be bidding them farewell (well at least for this summer). Join us tonight for some great LIVE music - three bands (we could tell you who, but we would rather you come hear for yourself), happy hour drink specials and delicious food! The party starts at 5pm so don't be late!!!

The Whitney's Green Thumb

As I drove up to The Whitney this morning, I couldn’t help but notice the lush greenery that has sprouted up in our vegetable and herb garden.
Although the organic garden is small, we have taken every opportunity to add a touch of the garden to many of our dishes. We are growing a variety of herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, chives, basil, thyme and Israeli mint. We’ve also grown jalapeño, yellow peppers, bean, tomatoes and lettuce. The peppers will be used on our new calamari dish which we expect to add to the menu this week!

Unforgettable…In Every Way

I wanted to take a moment and tell you of a fabulous experience I had dining in The Whitney Garden this week (as you know, I am a completely unbiased and highly critical Whitney diner). The day was hot; hot enough to make you think twice about eating outside. Fortunately, our 150 year old America Beech Tree provides incredible shade and keeps our back dining area more than comfortable. The gardens looked phenomenal with the roses and hydrangeas in particular showing beautiful color. Spanish guitar music from our hidden speakers gently floated down throughout the space. Under foot is our large bluestone flooring and a quiet babble emanates from the central fountain.

On this particular day, our kitchen was offering gazpacho - not something I typically order, but I wanted to give it a try. Let me tell you, it was outstanding! Beautifully presented and bursting with flavors. For my entree, I enjoyed a wonderful salmon Caesar salad. Alas, I was working in the afternoon and opted out of a nice wine in favor of an iced tea.

Anyway, these are challenging times for restaurants across the city. Different venues meet the challenges in different ways - cutting costs, mailing coupons, shortening shifts, etc. What I hope we are doing here at The Whitney is offering meals that are truly memorable in a setting that is unmatched. This is The Whitney distinction and the promise that I believe we are delivering to each and every guest.

There is nothing like The Whitney Gardens (period). If customers are watching their restaurant dollars closer or eating out less frequently, we'd like to invite them into a setting and a culinary experience that is truly unique and intertwined with our city's history and its current culture. Although our prices are very competitive with less inspired venues, we deliver an entirely different experience which speaks not only to all five senses but also to the soul. Simply put, given our heartbreakingly short Michigan summers, it’s great to dine outdoors among the flowers and trees. One can do this in an award winning restaurant while sitting less than 100 feet from Woodward Avenue in the heart of Midtown and adjacent to a recognized landmark.

We believe that our challenge is not in delivering the exceptional dining experiences described above, but rather in making sure that Detroiters think about The Whitney Gardens for their lunch and dinner events. I'm hoping to entice you to experience it for yourself in the near future, and then tell your readers to visit us often. (As I conclude this note, I just heard our Friday lunch (indoor) live piano player getting started!)