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Feb 2nd, 2010 - 13:42:13 |
Clean Plate Club (December 2, 2009)
By Rebecca Hurvitz | photo by Andrea Bonaventura
Dec 1, 2009, 12:49
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Big Beaver Tavern
Mambo Italiano & More
As a seasoned CPC contributor, I know that it’s going to be a good review when immediately upon sitting down I am offered a drink. I don’t say this for the obvious reason of free alcohol. It just means a restaurant owner knows a thing or two about hospitality. Such is the case with Susan and Marc Larco, owners of Big Beaver Tavern in Troy. This particular review felt more like having lunch with a long lost aunt and uncle, and it’s this family-oriented atmosphere that keeps loyal customers coming back.
“We’re a family operated business. Our families came from Italy and settled in Detroit. We’re born and raised in Michigan,” explains Susan Larco, as her husband Marc brings dish after homemade dish to the table. Originally Larco’s, the restaurant was re-opened as Big Beaver Tavern about six months ago. The decision to go from a white-tablecloth eatery to a bar-centered establishment wasn’t an easy one for the Larcos, but with the current economy it was a needed change. “The integrity of the food hasn’t changed,” explains Susan, whose eldest son Pete, a graduate from the Culinary Institute in New York, is the executive chef. “Just because it’s a burger doesn’t mean it can’t be a good burger,” says Marc Larco. Butchering all their own meats here, the Big Beaver Burger is made with quality ingredients. This monster of a sandwich consists of two half-pound patties, a triple decker bun, lettuce, tomato, bacon, cheddar and Swiss cheeses, and sweet sautéed onions. It is such a feat to finish this burger that if a diner succeeds they are awarded a T-Shirt and their photo is tacked up on the wall. “The first day we opened, a woman from the office building across the street came in and finished the whole thing. Her boss called her to ask what was taking her so long to have lunch,” says Marc Larco.
An original Larco’s classic, the Baked Penne Palmina, has made its way to the new menu. The Palmina sauce is homemade and consists of cream, tomato and parmesan. Savory and rich, atop perfectly cooked pasta, this dish allows customers to experience authentic Italian food.
The Shizzle Sizzle is another dish that honors a Larco’s classic. Broiled beef tips in a signature zip sauce are served alongside Italian garlic toast. The zip sauce is buttery, salty and the perfect condiment to dip the toast in. The meat is tender and lean, and the price is incredibly reasonable for such a quality entrée.
Perhaps most impressive, Big Beaver Tavern makes all their desserts in house, a rarity in restaurants these days. Carrot cake, Tiramisu, a crème brulee made with Tahitian vanilla bean and a perfect sugar crust — all homemade. The most popular dessert is the Chocolate Bomb, a personal chocolate cake filled with mousse and covered in chocolate ganache. “This is a chocolate overdose, and I’m a chocolate freak,” says Marc Larco.
With a variety of daily drink specials, 10 cent wings on Sunday and all-you-can-eat pasta on Saturdays, Big Beaver Tavern is making dining out not only affordable, but a quality experience filled with tradition. | RDW
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