Butter Run Saloon * Spirits * Nourishment * Character* is the basis for a recent get-together.  If I leave it to my Bride, we will always dine at the same restaurant, have the same meal and the same wine.  Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it would make for a lousy blog, in my opinion.  We were going to meet one of her cousins and her husband, have a meal and then go to her mother’s house to wish her a 96^th Happy Birthday.  We were on the East side of town and I found a restaurant that sounded interesting, and the Eastsiders had seen this place, but never ventured there, until now.  It was one of those places that I instantly felt comfortable in, long and narrow with the old-fashioned plank wooden floor, embossed tin ceiling, tables that were shadowboxes of Detroit nostalgia, and so were the walls.  They tout themselves as having the larges whisky selection in the state.  I know that it doesn’t sound like a place for us, but I called to make a reservation, which was no, and to ask if they have a wine list, which was a yes. 

The menu was quite extensive for a small casual place, besides burgers and sandwiches, they had full dinners and even exotic appetizers like Escargot.  There was one Fish and Chips, one Walleye and one Whitefish dinner, and I had the Barbecued Ribs (note to myself to go with fish, the next time, because they had chosen better).  The meals started off with two people have big mugs of Beef Barley Soup, my Bride had a House Salad with (of course) Caesar Dressing and I had Purple Cabbage Cole Slaw.  We will be back, when we are in that part of the town,

My Bride wasn’t too sure about what to expect from their wine carte, but it was an adventure and they did have a succinct, but nice list of some good popular value and priced wines.  We had a bottle of J Vineyard and Winery Chardonnay California 2019. The winery began in 1986 by Judy Jordan, the daughter of Tom Jordan, founder of Jordan Vineyard & Winery fame. The father and daughter team began as equal partners, until the daughter was able to buy out her father and she became sole proprietor. For the first ten years, they only produced the J Vineyard Brut and what a fine job they did with it. In 2015 E&J Gallo bought J Vineyards & Winery and the winemakers were maintained with the change of command.  This is their introductory Chardonnay as the fruit is harvested from Monterey, Sonoma and Napa Counties.  I will venture to say that this wine is produced using Stainless Steel and a short aging period, but it was just an easy drinking wine and especially perfect for the fish dinners.  The name “Butter Run” is from the time the grandfather was asked to go buy some butter, and during that errand, he got side tracked at a watering hole for a quick one and a few hours later, he returned home with the butter.  There are now four generations that have continued this family tradition of going out for a “Butter Run.”  You have to honor tradition.