Jefferson Bilsborrow
Google
Let's talk about Mari's Whitefish Board! We visit Mari Vineyards every summer. They have arguably the best view of any winery, their wines are fantastic, and their terrace and lawn are dog-friendly. We always look forward to our visits to Mari. When we visit Traverse City, we habitually eat a late breakfast, an earlier dinner, and our lunches consist of wine. One lazy Monday afternoon this past summer, we were feeling a little hungry while we relaxed in the shade of Mari's terrace and took in her view. We looked over the menu, and noticed the Whitefish Board ($32). The Old Mission wineries aren't known for their food (it's a super long story), so our expectations were rather low when we ordered the Whitefish Board. Holy mackerel...or should I say...Holy whitefish!!! Ok...first of all, the platter was HUGE - far larger than we expected! And the serving of whitefish pâté was far more generous than we've ever received at any other winery serving any sort of pâté. The naan bread was warm and fresh, the crackers crisp, and the little gherkins tart but sweet. There was a tin of whitefish fillets, and a little heap of red onion. My wife and I shared the Whitefish Board, and it lasted us long enough to drink a couple glasses of wine. The whole experience was delicious and decadent. We talked about it the remained of the evening. The next day (Tuesday), we continued to talk of it, and returned for another round. On Wednesday, we didn't return, but thought about it all day long. On Thursday, we resolved to return for another, but the day grew late, and we went to dinner instead. We left Traverse City on Friday, but we made Mari the last place we visited before leaving town. We couldn't leave without enjoying one more Whitefish Board (and wine)!