Bringing the South to the North

North Country Kitchen and Bar under new ownership with a new, Southern-inspired menu

By Greg Tasker | Aug. 19, 2023

Over the years, North Country Kitchen and Bar in Suttons Bay (formerly North Country Grill and Pub) has become a favorite among locals and tourists, thanks to its welcoming and rustic vibe and a menu laden with Up North favorites like prime rib and whitefish.

Now, under new ownership, the menu has gone south—in a good way. Thanks to the ambitions of the new proprietor, who has roots in the Deep South, and the passions of the new chef, you’ll now find Cajun, Creole, and other Southern fare on the menu.

“One of the challenges of changing the menu is we are called North Country, yet we have a distinctly Southern menu,” observes Chef Eric Force, a northern Michigan native and a graduate of the Great Lakes Culinary Institute. “We wanted to keep the name, but it is a little confusing.”

Bringing in New Flavors

How Southern are we talking? Fried Green Tomatoes. Gumbo. Andouille and Crawfish Cakes. Jambalaya. Cajun Walleye. Collard Greens. Grits. Pecan pie…everything you’d expect to find in New Orleans.

“Southern food is something I’ve always gravitated to,” says Force, who has learned the flavors and techniques of this style of cuisine on his own, reading cookbooks and experimenting. “The flavors are so diverse. Southern food is a combination of a little bit of everything—French, African, Native American. Every region of the South does things differently.”

While the emphasis is clearly on Southern cuisine, some popular items from the past remain. They include prime rib, filet mignon, a 12-ounce ribeye, and the Cherry Chicken Salad. (The latter has been given a Southern touch: The Cherry Chicken Salad is now dressed with candied pecans instead of walnuts.) And the classic whitefish dish has been transformed into a Whitefish Almondine.

“You can’t just flip a restaurant when you have a following,” says Matthew Branton, one of the new owners. He promised former owner, Karen Boone, that he would keep some customer favorites on the menu. “North Country is really a community-based place. It’s easier to introduce people to new things when you take care with the stuff they love. Then they might listen when you ask them to try something new.”

Putting Down Roots

So how did Branton, who has a background in television production and who has lived all over the world, come to settle in Suttons Bay and become the proprietor of North Country Kitchen and Bar?

Following the pandemic, Branton wanted to settle down in one place and began looking for the right opportunity. He became interested in living in the Great Lakes region and fell in love with Suttons Bay. Meanwhile, Boone was looking to retire after more than 30 years in the restaurant business. When Branton learned one of the town’s main restaurant staples, North Country, was up for sale, he seized the opportunity.

“The place reminded me of New Orleans in the sense that you come here in the evening and there would be this ridiculously rich doctor from Northport drinking at the bar with a painter from the wrong side of the tracks,” says Branton, who attended Tulane University in New Orleans and whose family roots are in Louisiana and Arkansas. “It just had that real mixing pot of people, which I love. I think it’s really valuable for a community to have a place where everybody is welcome.”

The purchase was completed in March, and the next three months were spent making necessary renovations in the kitchen. Outdoors, on the patio, Branton has added a stage for live music. He also extended hours to include lunch, with a menu that features chicken and waffles and sandwiches like muffulettas and po’boys.

Branton found his chef and partner—serendipitously—through a local contact. They talked over the phone while Branton was working in Montana, and the pair clicked. Branton welcomed the idea of emphasizing Southern cuisine and bringing a new type of food to Suttons Bay and Leelanau County.

Building on Classic Recipes

Force, who honed his skills at a well-respected Traverse City restaurant, PepeNero, was eager to make his own mark as a chef.

His specialty is shrimp and grits, a dish you’ll find in variations all over the South, he says. Force keeps the dish simple but adds his own touch, using white cheddar grits and a Cajun cream sauce with Tasso ham.

“I came up with the recipe at another place [where I worked]. It caught on down there, so I brought it here,” he says. “I have had people from all over the South saying that ours is just as good, if not better, than in the South.”

Force’s jambalaya has also been a hit with customers. Like other recipes for the dish, he uses Andouille sausage, chicken, and his own combination of spices. He tops each serving with shrimp. Force, however, uses a rare type of rice—Caroline Gold 24, an heirloom rice found primarily in the South.

“Africans brought it to America from Madagascar,” he says. “It almost became extinct in the 1980s, but they’ve brought it back. It’s now a staple in the South. I tried other rices, but this is the one I like best.”

Cornbread is made in house every day, and a local baker makes pecan pie, a regular dessert feature. The French bread for the po’boy also comes from a local purveyor; as much as possible, Force and his small kitchen staff use local produce and other fare. Green tomatoes come from nearby TLC Farms, and an early summer dessert—strawberry shortcake—used locally grown strawberries.
So far, the reception has been great, with a couple caveats.

“People miss Karen, of course, and a few of the old menu favorites,” Force says. “But people are starting to catch on. We’ve had a lot of compliments about the food, and I hope that continues. I’m pretty confident saying this food is good.

“I didn’t really want to change the place that much,” he adds. “There are people who love this place—really love this place. I didn’t want to take away the things that worked. That would have been all about pride and hubris. The menu just needed some refreshing … and hopefully people grow to love what we’re doing too.”

Find North Country Kitchen and Bar at 420 N St Joseph St. in Suttons Bay. (231) 271-5000, northcountrykitchen.com