Chicken Consommé for the Soul: Grand Hotel

If ever there is that one bite that becomes burned into your culinary memory, the Grand Hotel‘s chicken consommé was one of mine. Having spent a few glorious sunny summer days on Mackinac Island, my sister and I took our meals in the variety of Grand-owned restaurants around the property and in town. We chose to have the famous five-course dinner in the Main Dining Room as our last supper. While researching this trip, I learned about the dinnertime dress code. After 5pm, guest’s attire must be semi-formal, with men required to wear a tie and jacket while women in dresses or dressier pants. No denim allowed and we were fine with that! I quite enjoyed packing my Sunday best for this trip. Even though there is a general feeling of “properness” throughout the day, come evening, the atmosphere of the hotel shifts into a formal dinner hour. Guests were dressed to the nines, including adorable children in seersucker and bowties. Families were milling about the lobby and couples were strolling along the world’s longest porch with cocktails in hand, admiring a glistening Lake Michigan. We made dinner reservations on the earlier end to be able to enjoy swing dancing afterwards in the Parlor. Burn a few calories.

After being led to a picturesque window seat overlooking the famed porch, our server- one of the many Dominicans and other Caribbeans who work here for the summer- smilingly delivered water and baskets of bread. We were given a menu from which to choose a starter, soup, salad, entree, and dessert. Shortly after ordering, a procession of courses began arriving. The soup options seemed the least interesting, as I am not a fan of chilled fruit soups, nor of cheesy soups, so I “compromised” on the chicken consommé… which turned out to be the best taste of the trip! A cup of glowing clarified broth turned up with a garnish of wild mushroom quenelles and chives. The deeply delicious chicken flavor was so sublime we asked the server to indulge us with a second round. The chef kindly spoiled us with an extra sixth course – another cup of that remarkable soul-warming consommé. I resisted wrangling the recipe from him, but have since found several online, including one by chef and food writer, Michael Ruhlman.

I must have been in the mood for duck this day having ordered it for two of my five courses: smoked duck breast with duck liver mousse as the appetizer along with a zingy escarole salad. My entrée of the five spice seared duck breast was artfully plated atop a polenta cake nestled in a pool of delicious, not-too-sweet plum soy sauce. However, I couldn’t stop thinking about that consommé. We were hoping a few glasses of wine would inspire some clever tactic for acquiring a third cup, but I was not about to forego dessert to make that happen. I often half-joke about how white chocolate isn’t “real” chocolate, but it’s chic and for some reason, I opted for it this day. Dinner ended on a sweet note of white chocolate cheesecake with fluffy strawberry crème fraîche and almond crumble.

Overall, our dining experiences at the Grand Hotel and their off-resort restaurants were top notch. Each place served dishes that were both thoughtfully created and memorable. In the case of the Main Dining Room, it was many things…. an elegant atmosphere, smiling service, beautiful lakefront views — and have I mentioned the consommé?