Whitecaps

May 31, 2006

When Traverse City native Robin Morris married her college sweetheart - a southern boy - she knew that she’d probably have to spend some time away from her Northern Michigan home. But in the back of her mind she always hoped to return to the all-American region that she’d grown up in - but it would take some convincing to get her husband to agree to move Up North.
That convincing finally happened, 20 years later, in twofold fashion - one, Morris taught her husband how to ski, and two, her husband’s job brought him the opportunity to move to Petoskey. Robin Morris took advantage of that chance happening to return to Northern Michigan and open the Petoskey restaurant Whitecaps.
Built on a lakeview corner in downtown Petoskey in an old building that used to house the local Salvation Army, the restaurant was completed in November of 1998, a joint venture of Robin and her brother, who is a graduate of the CIA (the Culinary Institute of America).
“We had always talked about and worked towards combining our efforts in a restaurant, and that is how Whitecaps came about,” Morris explains. “Our idea provided the opportunity for downtown development in Petoskey with an outdoor dining area, and the city was more than welcoming, working with us to make the project run very smoothly.”

CASUAL FINE DINING
Upscale “without all the fuss,” as Morris describes it, Whitecaps is casual fine dining in a great locale. The contemporary interior, which features floor-to-ceiling glass windows, offers unobstructed views of Little Traverse Bay, the famed breakwall, and the even more legendary Petoskey sunsets.
“The view here at Whitecaps is indescribably beautiful,” Morris enthuses. “It is the essence of Northern Michigan, and sitting on the outside deck on a beautiful summer day is what everyone waits in line to do - the window tables and the outside are a key attraction, as they should be. I don’t want to downplay the incredible talent that we have in the kitchen or on the service line, but it is an awe-inspiring event to witness these million-dollar sunsets.”
And, surprisingly, there’s a view in the other direction, too - Whitecaps, unique to most of the other restaurants in the region, features a theater kitchen, which provides another level of entertainment entirely. With the constant activity in the kitchen, there’s plenty to watch as your meal gets prepared.
“I think most people have really enjoyed the theater kitchen,” says Morris. “I believe that most people never get the opportunity to see a working kitchen, and most are mesmerized by it. The line cooks move with a certain dance-like quality - it is like quiet chaos. The challenge for us is to keep it entertaining. And it requires all of our staff to be especially aware that they are on display and must keep their stations impeccably clean, organized, and under control. If you’ve ever worked in a restaurant,” she chuckles, “you can certainly appreciate this challenge!”
CLASSIC TRAINING
So, the visuals are, of course, a draw, but, as Morris said, that’s definitely not the only thing that brings people to Whitecaps. The expertise of that on-display staff is also a factor. Executive Chef Timothy Morey, also a CIA graduate, brings classic training to the restaurant. Originally from the Detroit area, where he worked at several well-known restaurants, including the London Chop House, Morey has traveled extensively, doing a stint on a cruise ship.
Morey is joined in the kitchen by sous chef Katherine “Kit” Simmons, who brings 35 years of experience to the Whitecaps kitchen, specializing in smoked meats. “The two chefs complement each other so well,” Morris points out, “and they have brought a stability and balance to the restaurant that is appreciated immensely by our clientele.”
In addition to chef Morey’s expertise with seasonal items and chef Simmons’ “famed marinated lamb chops,” the Whitecaps menu includes an eclectic range of foods that are changed with the seasons, based on what is fresh, local, and available. For appetizers, you might want to try the Mussels Fra Diavolo; the veal, pork, and ham Country Paté; or the Calamari. Salads include the Salmon Spinach Salad and Whitecaps Cobb, the Pear Walnut Salad or perhaps the Warm Spinach and Chevre Salad with Mango Chardonnay dressing. Lunches include such sandwiches as the Apple and Gorgonzola Panini, or the avocado-graced California Wrap, or you might want to Build-Your-Own-Burger with condiments that range from Sautéed Mushrooms and Chipolte Barbeque Sauce to Crumbled Bleu Cheese or Olives in Mayonnaise.
Upscale “Pasta Bowls” can be had at either meal - try the rich Five Cheese Lobster Mac or the Penne Pasta Alla Romagna with Fire-Grilled Chicken Breast, Asiago Cheese, Tomato, and fresh Basil Cream Sauce - or wait for the dinner hours, when your choices will broaden even further with such entrees as Whitefish Amandine, Dry Aged New York Strip Steak, Pork Osso Bucco, and Chicken Morel.
“There are also several menu items that are so popular, they’ve become untouchable,” Morris laughs. “What I mean is, due to the demands of our patrons, they can never come off of the menu and cannot be changed! The biggest seller, by far, is the Whitecaps Crab Cake. A close second is the Whitefish Grenoble, and followed by the Cedar-Planked Salmon and the Lump Crab Quesadilla.”
Whitecaps will also be offering a raw bar for the warmer months - featuring fresh oysters and jumbo shrimp. The raw bar has proved to be just as popular with customers as those “untouchable” menu items, and is certain to make this summer another great season for this Petoskey restaurant that combines food and view to make for one great dining experience.

Whitecaps Restaurant is located at 215 East Lake Street in downtown Petoskey, telephone 231-348-7092. You may also visit them online at www.whitecapsrestaurant.com.