Deadwood is Alive! (Restaurant Review)

Burly elk, fragile quail and duck, rotting, ancient wood, bustling playful bears, pieces of oaks and plants, a lively forest all placed...inside a restaurant? Yes! There is such a place and it is called Deadwood bar and grill. Deadwood is an establishment within my community that is consistently bustling with customers and is off Northville Road in between 6 and 7 mile roads near Downtown Northville. Starting off my experience at the Deadwood, a lush forestry atmosphere engulfs the restaurant with a welcoming presence. Around the limits of the building hang portraits of hunting wild foul and ducks. Along with this hang deer, bear, moose and elk heads, placed around the walls along with stuffed quails and ducks. The largest elk head hangs over a cozy fireplace in the corner of the restaurant, twas where we sat for dinner. While observing these animal remains, a general theme was accumulating. Antlers from wild bucks were used as overhanging light fixtures, the tables and chairs made out of polished, but unrefined wood, and cross-section cuts of small tree's line the wall in the back of the restaurant. This pleasing atmosphere was also accompanied with a sporty aura - having several television sets around the restaurant, showing recent sporting events on their screen. The place was very clean - rugs vacuumed, windows clean, and the floor looked spotless. While all of this decor is pleasant, a lot of unnecessary Christmas decorations over flooded the scenery of the place, somewhat overbearing the customer in this already "busy", but comfortable restaurant. An overall pleasant and satisfying atmosphere that boasts a few services would be ideal right?

While sitting at the table near the fireplace, a few places stuck out as points of interest for servicing. First and foremost, a full-service bar that seats about 12 people stands firm in the front of the restaurant. It is equipped with handmade red oak stools and a television set at each end. Next to the bar area are two solid red oak pool tables. These are free of charge, allowed to play while either waiting for food to arrive or just for leisure activity. Another exclusive feature to the foundation is a WiFi hotspot and lounge area. This area is specifically set up for groups of three to four to take a load off, sit down and chat, or access the free wireless internet via a laptop, etc. while waiting for a table! Did I mention that they also had a outdoor patio? I did not get to embrace this area due to the weather conditions, but from the view from the parking lot, it seemed to be accommodating to both wait staff and customers alike.

The service from the Hostess/waiting staff was remarkably helpful and courteous. Walking into the restaurant, a hostess greeted us with a smile, and saw that my mother, who was dining with me, needed special care due to a recent knee surgery. We were setup a table near the fireplace as requested by my mother and a shift manager came over to us to make sure we were properly taken care of, such as my mom feeling comfortable. We were greeted by a nice looking waitress who took our drink orders in a prompt way. However, our waitress did not come back to often to check on us or to refill our waters, etc. When she did come back, it was very fast and not thorough. Now lets see what is on the menu for the Deadwood!

After becoming situated in our seats near the fireplace, opening up the menu became my first priority. At first glance, the prices looked a little bit over the top and ranged from $7.99 to about $21.99 for dishes and $4.99 to $10.49 for some of the appetizers. After viewing the prices, meal selection came next. There was a very limited amount of choices from this menu, which concerned me. The categories included salads, Prime Meats - Chicken, Veal, Beef, etc., Sandwiches - Burgers, Clubs, etc., and Pastas. On the back of the menu, though, specials are listed that are changed on a daily basis. Here, variety starts to take part in the menu, but it still held to the menu's overall items. There were no "calorie-watcher" foods or any specific vegetarian meals on the menu, which was somewhat disappointing if a person with those needs wanted to dine here. After reviewing the menu and its contents, it was time to order my meal.

An Italian dish caught my eye and that was the chicken piccata. Once we received our meals, the aroma of the chicken and the sauce caught my senses. Looking upon my meal, a side of creamy garlic mashed potatoes were off to one side and on the other side was a side of steamed, lively broccoli. In the middle was three pieces of chicken breasts, which from viewing it, looked very tender. Covering the chicken, but not smothering it, was a light, creamy lemon sauce that incorporated several pieces of lavish artichokes. To top off the chicken were salty capers, which look like tiny black balls, which were dotted around the plate.

To say the least, the chicken was very tender, feeling like butter as it went into my pallet. The combination of the sauce, capers, artichokes and chicken was superb. The potatoes complemented the dish excellently. The broccoli had a slight seasoning on it, which was a little bit peppery, but still had a fresh taste. This was an overall great meal - including a meat/poultry, vegetables and a starch and the price for the serving size of my meal was proportionate. Nearing the end of our stay at the Deadwood, our waitress informed us that customers get one free cookie per customer after their meal after seven p.m. The cookies, while free, did not taste the best and seemed a little dry and a tad cold. After polishing off this desert, my time at the Deadwood came to a close.

My overall experience at the restaurant was very good. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and my meal. I would rate this dinner at the Deadwood an A- and would definitely recommend anyone who would like to have a pleasant time with family and friends to stop by and get a bite to eat. I will surely visit the establishment again and my best wishes go out to those that look for great places to eat, because Deadwood is one of them!

Rating: 1 (bad) - 5 (Excellent)
Price = 4 1/2
Service = 5
Food = 5