The Soul music is the first thing that can be distinguished in this place. It is hard to recognize if it is Aretha Franklin or another 1960´s singer. The music fits perfectly with the environment. As the restaurant’s name “The Union Grill Cabaret Grille” alludes, it perfectly represents the mid 1950’s New York or Chicago bars and cabarets, where Jazz and Blues musicians used to meet together. White and black paintings decorate the brick walls, giving it a classic touch. A mini scenario with a big piano is in the center. Velvet curtains separate these two areas. The scenario lights give an artistic air to this place. Stained glass windows transformed the insider light into different colors. A bar table is in the back part for those who profit the Happy Hour martinis from five to eight in the night. It is more a casual than a fancy place. The atmosphere was nonetheless pleasant.
“This is an American restaurant with a little twist”, says the “The Union’s” chef, Eric Gillish. It is difficult to find that “twist” he referred to in the menu. While reading the options, it is mostly all Mediterranean food like seafood and pasta; and all of them are based on ingredients like basil, pesto or balsamic vinegar. However, some of them have an American touch. Many are deep fried, have bacon or are served with mashed potatoes. You could find hamburgers and sandwiches, except for the fact that they are prepared in a more gourmet way. There are Salmon Burgers or Smoked Gouda Chicken Burgers. Most of the hamburgers are seven to nine dollars. Steaks are the top dishes of “The Union’s”. There are five types of steaks, whether with mushrooms, garlic or peppers. All of them accompanied with vegetables and some kind of potatoes or rice. Steaks are twice most expensive, they are between $15.25 and $18.95 dollars. Gillishe’s educational influence is clearly reflected in la carte du jour. After studying in Grand Valley State University (Grand Rapids), he made a food tour and training in France, Italy and Spain.
Even if Kalamazoo is a student’s city, this place is full of middle aged people. Most of them are around 40 or 50 years old. They enjoy their Saturday choosing from the enormous wine variety the restaurant offers and drinking. Imported and domestic wines are available. Of course, the prices changed a lot between both. A bottle of white or red wine can vary between $19 until $40. You could also find some families chatting while Western Michigan University College of Fine Arts renowned musicians entertain the guests with live jazz music. Music is the principle ingredient in this restaurant. Even when Gillish is in the kitchen, he cooks with the rhythm of music.
The best way to begin a “Unions” dinner is with a Fried Boursin Cheese. One of the waitresses who attend there always highly recommends it to all of her costumers because it is her “favorite”. It is fresh goat cheese covered with crunchy fried pastry. The cheese presentation might be treacherous. It looks like a deep fried potato, but once it is in someone’s mouth, opinions usually change. Around this cheese are slices of hot baguette and glorious small tomatoes seasoned with basil and olive oil. The combination of the cheese with the tomatoes and the bread is simply delectable. It is easy to feel how the palate expanded with the mixing of the sweet tomatoes and the milky cheese. This appetizer is pretty similar to the ones offered in Via Veneto’s restaurants (Rome’s boulevard). They are discordant. The appetizers prices are between $3.99 and $9.25. The most expensive is a sampler platter of several options. For a few seconds, it is like being in Italy.
The waitress induces her clients to choose a second appetizer called Grilled and Chilled Shrimp Cocktail. It is six large herb and garlic - grilled shrimps, served with a hot sauce and corn tortillas. The shrimps are natural, fresh and huge. Apparently they were not recently defrosted because they have a lot of flavor. They are completely pink, as well. Nevertheless, the combination of the shrimps with the hot tomato sauce simply does not match. The sauce is not even spicy enough. It is like putting together red pants and a yellow blouse.
The musicians take a break. It is Aretha Franklin music again; now is she for sure. The artists drink water to moisten their throats and discuss among them. They are working on how to improve their show, probably. They can rest, but the waiters can’t. They are walking, nearly running, from one place to another. Dishes come in, dishes go out. People continue inspecting the menu. It is hard to figure out exactly what type of food this restaurant offers. This is no specifically American food. It is a wild European, Mediterranean, American combination. The place adapts perfectly to a Unites States environment, but the food does not.
The Union is close to celebrate its tenth birthday; it was opened for the first time in 2002. Eric Gillish says that in commemoration of this celebration, he is planning to change the restaurant’s menu. However, he must not change the incredible and extravagant Seafood Papardelle. It is handmade wide noodles tossed with shrimp, lobster meat, scallops pan seared and pesto cream sauce. On the top were a lump of crab and a few drops of balsamic. The mix of the cream and the balsamic dissolves easily in anyone’s mouth. They serve generous pieces of lobster and again, huge and fat shrimps; something uncommon in restaurants. For the sea food lovers this is the perfect dish because it has a variety of everything. The Papardelle is $19.50; it is the most expensive dish in The Union’s.
Eric Gillish explains that one of his highest cooking alterations, compared with normal American Food, is that he doesn’t use a lot fat in his food. He tries to make it as healthy as possible and replaces it with olive oil or light butter. “This is one of the biggest problems with American food”, affirmed Gillish. He also says he can’t choose his favorite menu dish. It depends on his humor and day. According to him, our appetite and tastes change every day. This is so true. However, most of the people can’t deny desserts. “The Union” does not have a lot of dessert options, but they are really different one from another. Their prices are from $3.75 to $4.50. The Pecan Toffee Chocolate Torte and the Apple Blueberry Crisp are the most popular. The first one is a cake which has three layers of different types of chocolate and pecans. The layers of dark chocolate, butter toffee and the chocolate mousse look thick and rich in chocolate. Even though the second one also has different layers, but in this case it has oatmeal, nuts, apples in caramel, and blueberries. It is served warm with vanilla ice cream. This one looks like made at home. Delicate and tasty!
“The Union” is a good casual place to enjoy an evening out with friends, have a drink, listen to good music and eat something more elaborated. Nevertheless, before deciding to go there, it would be better to have a good budget because it might be more expensive than someone would have expected.
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