You may be wondering why we chose a restaurant about 60 miles away for our review this
month. The answer is simple, because its darn good. Mrs. She-Ate and I are excited to
share our esteem for this place with you. I first became aware of The Laundry around 2014
when I was leading a series of professional development workshops with the Flint
Community Schools. A good friend and colleague who lived in the area suggested we have
dinner not too far south of Flint and my taste buds have been blown ever since. The quaint
bedroom community of Fenton has been benefitting from not just good food and libations,
but also the cultural hub that The Laundry has become.
Having first opened over 25 years ago on a site that was a former laundromat, the
restaurant is embedded as an anchor in the downtown development and as a stalwart in
supporting community initiatives- public schools and art, libraries, charities, and the
chamber of commerce. They are as proud of that work as they are the James Beard
nominated chefs who grace their kitchen. When you visit the bistro, with its locally sourced
ingredients and on-site vegetable garden and beehive, you immediately know you're in a
place that takes their food seriously.
Craft cocktails and scratch-made meals are a hallmark, and while you may have prolonged
anticipation while somethings arrive at your table, they are often well worth the wait. My
very first meal years ago at The Laundry was a pork shank Osso buco that is still one of the
best plates in my life. They also offer a cheese spread know as Gorg Dip that continues to
be a hit whenever I recreate it during the holidays- cream cheese, leek, bacon, apricot,
gorgonzola. Trust me, these people know what they're doing with flavors.
Oh, wait, I forgot to mention they also double the fun with a bakery as their sister company,
Crust, and a coffee house, Side Door, which is quite literally the Side Door to the
restaurant. The baked goods are phenomenal, and rumor has it that leftover pastries are
captured for the next day's bread pudding- which again is some of the best I've ever had.
What's Really Good
My Much Better Half stole away for a midday excursion to Fenton and enjoyed a "late
brunch" at the Laundry. The coffee is a prime example of an exercise in patience- super
slow in the advent but spot on once we were able to sip the hot, frothy Nutty Professor
($6.25. This is an espresso-based drink with house made caramel and macadamia syrup.
For a sweet starter, we shared Jeff's Pull Apart Bread ($5) which is a single loaf shaped
monkey bread. Packed with sweet notes of caramel and cinnamon and then smothered
with a house made cream cheese frosting. Near perfect.
What's Superb
I must make note of the friendly and knowledgeable service we received. We were made
aware of potential delays in plates and drinks but were also never an afterthought as our
server checked on us multiple times with a genuine joy you only find when people really like
where they work. We were both highly impressed and that was before she told us about her
FIFTY-SIX hours in labor last July as she and My Much Better Half traded birthing stories.
On the food side, I was torn between two items and our server asked how hungry I was. She
then encouraged me to order the #125 The Money Maker ($17) and I was very much
enchanted. A grilled brioche bun holds a heaping mound of hot honey butter braised
chicken that is topped with applewood smoked bacon and a house made pimento cheese
spread. The meat was tender and the kick from the heat was remarkable but not
overblown. The pimento cheese spread is so good it also belongs in a jar to be purchase on
the way out. I also ordered the Roasted Potatoes($3.50) which were just okay, to be honest,
but there was enough flavor in the sammie that it didn't matter much.
Best Bite
My dining mate is a lifelong pursuit of the perfect French Onion soup. She ordered the
House made Soup and Sandwich ($25) and I think she got as close as possible. Not to be
relegated to second billing was the Petite Croque Monsieur with layers of ham, Gruyère
cheese, and a traditional croque sauce. Yet, the star of the show was the unctuous soup
with broiled Gruyère and croutons and slivers of onion that have been carmelized and
stewed in a succulent beef broth for longer than you or I would have patience for. read more