For a taste of Europe without the passport, just travel north on Dixie Highway to 221B Baker Street. The London-esque diner at 10063 Dixie Highway reopened in February after a layoff in the fall.
Trini and Carmen’s, a popular Mexican-themed restaurant, was to purchase the property, owned by 221B Baker Street’s proprietors Fran and Ed Avey. The Aveys have owned the eatery for nearly a decade. The restaurant closed at the end of September when the deal was being worked out. They are hoping word of mouth and advertising can recoup past and new guests.
‘I don’t think many of my people know I’m open again. I’ve been calling my last year’s reservation book and I’ve gotten through April in my phone calls,? Fran Avey said.
‘People have said, ‘I’m so glad you’re back open, I’m going to help spread the word.??
The 1,300-square-foot, non-smoking restaurant was reopened and now has a new chef, Tyler Ballek. The Aveys employed their children, daughter Rachel Rivera and son Matthew Avey, as the original chefs.
‘We wanted to start a family business. Our son and our daughter were our chefs for nine years,? Fran said.
‘They added their talent to everything, and were just remarkable at maintaining a real good reputation for food and their service up front.?
Ensuring the restaurant is a family-run business, Ed is still taking care of any maintenance issues, while Fran works up front with the guests.
As visitors likely remember, 221B Baker Street is adorned with Sherlock Holmes memorabilia. The name of the restaurant, Holmes? apartment number, as well as food items, are based on the legendary detective novels.
‘My husband was a fan of the classics when he was growing up. He introduced me to Sherlock Holmes through books and movies. When we got the building, it looked like a little country pub over in England or Ireland,? Fran said.
‘Thus the English-pub motif with lace clothes.
‘Many people who have visited said, ‘Oh, this reminds me of a pub back home.??
Fran described the menu as flavorful and diverse, and 221B Baker street is known for its chicken saut? dishes.
The Golden Pince Nez, or Lemon garlic chicken, leads the trio. The Five Orange Pipps (orange chicken) and the Study and Scarlet (Amaretto Chicken) with Traverse Bay cherries has almonds and spinach added to it.
She has high expectations for the End of the Islander crab cake entr’e, which is soon to make the menu also.
The Aveys like to incorporate Michigan products into their menu, like the cherries. While Ballek is working out the kinks of the recipe, the restaurant is likely to see the return of Mrs. Hudson’s Meat Pie, a nine-inch pastie.
‘Northern Michigan made pasties a household item.
‘It’s not on the menu and there are some people waiting for it to come back. I never realized how specific some recipes have to be.?
The Aveys make 221B Baker Street available outside their regular hours for catering, Saturday tea once a month and special events.
Once, Fran recalled, the restaurant hosted a wedding rehearsal dinner in need of foreign food to accommodate the South American bride and her family.
‘We searched everywhere and the web for Brazilian recipes and I finally came up with one from an old cookbook we have here,? Fran Avey said.
‘There wasn’t a drop left.?
221B Baker Street, 10063 Dixie Highway, is open from 4-10 p.m., Tues.-Sat. The restaurant can be reached at 248-922-9020.