When we began our search for Grand Rapids’ best local restaurant, Marie Catrib’s was a recommendation that came up time and time again. We were able to round up a group of 11 this week, all first time visitors.
Food
An amazing feature of Marie Catrib’s menu is that each item is made from scratch. Everything from the fresh breads to the yogurt, and even the pickles, and, it was all amazingly wonderful. They pride themselves on using local farmers (which we love!) and many local vendors.
The menu consists of really unique combinations of sandwiches, salads and sides. Luckily we’re the kind of group that shares, so we were each able to sample about 10 different items. We started out with the trio of dips which came with hummous, baba ghanouj, and cucumber yogurt sauce – all perfect for dipping with their crackers or pita bread.
Being a warm summer night I wanted to try a sweet and refreshing salad in a small portion (considered a deli side) so I asked our waiter for a suggestion and he insisted on the Bulghar Wheat Salad with Sundried Fruits. Honestly, I was a little scared because I don’t often eat too far out of my comfort zone and I’ve certainly never heard of a Bulghar Wheat Salad (am I alone here?) It was fantastic, sweet, and almost dessert like. There were dried cranberries, apples and raisins in it – a perfect second course. I should add that the Peanut Soup and Greek Salad were equally fantastic.
Most of the people in our party ordered sandwiches including Ghost Cat (chipotle salmon burger with citrus slaw and garlic aioli), and the Sweet Potato & Quinoa Burger was a popular selection among our group, as well as the Shoarma (gyro).
And what dinner would be complete without a dessert, or three? We ordered the carrot cake, gluten-free chocolate raspberry brownie, and a cherry chocolate cupcake. No complaints in that department.
Despite having tasted nearly all of this food (and loving every bite of it!) I left anticipating my next visit and what I would order. I wanted to try more of Marie’s creations. The food was so wonderfully unique that it made me feel guilty for so frequently eating common foods like cheese pizzas and plain chicken breasts.
Atmosphere
When I walked in the door the first person to say hello to me was Marie Catrib herself (how fun is that?!) I had to stand and look around for a few minutes before sitting down because the place was just too darn cute!
They sell a number of baked goods, local coffees & teas, and sides to take home with you, but the presentation of the quaint seating areas, hand drawn chalk board style menus, and vibrant colors made this a place I want to visit every day.
We ended up sitting outside on the patio. Its pretty small, but it did accommodate our entire group. Nearly everyone commented on how quaint and cozy our outdoor atmosphere was. And, while I’m at it, I have to give mention to our fabulous server, Justin. He did an amazing job! He was on top of things, knew everything about the menu, made some great recommendations, and was super friendly. Justin rocks.
History
On our way out we got the opportunity to talk to Fouad, who is Marie’s son. He was a super nice guy and gave us all sorts of history and info on the business. As it turns out, Marie is from Lebanon and moved to Michigan in 1970 where the family eventually ended up in the UP (Houghton) for a number of years. Marie began making dishes for neighbors who encouraged her to open her own restaurant. Marie’s Deli quickly became a favorite amongst locals. Fortunately for all of us, Fouad moved to Grand Rapids 12 years ago and convinced Marie to start up a restaurant here. If you want to know more, you can get the complete history on their website.
All in all, Fouad was a great host, he let us take dozens of photos, and was more than happy to talk with us about Marie Catrib’s, and our search for Grand Rapids’ best local restaurant.
In closing, I think its safe to say that Marie Catrib’s is giving all other restaurants a definite run for their money. Every member of our party thoroughly enjoyed their experience, and I’m thinking we’ll all be back. Sooner, rather than later.
[...] tell us about their business. You can read more about how meeting Mark, Bernie, Luis, Ursula, and Fouad enhanced our experience at each of their respective [...]