Home Sweet Houghton

With this post we introduce a new section to Home Sweet Houghton, Quick Bites, in which we’ll offer brief reviews or suggestions on where to go for a good meal in the Keweenaw.  The peninsula is a little short on fine dining establishments, but there are plenty of great places to get a tasty meal and if you’re a fan of breakfast you’ll feel right at home.  Whether it’s French toast, pancakes, eggs or sweet rolls the diners and similar establishments in the Copper Country offer an embarrassment of riches.

Suomi Restaurant

My favorite is still Suomi Restaurant and Bakery in Houghton for Finnish French toast, made with a Finnish egg bread called nisu, and pannukakku, which is often called a pancake but is really more of a baked custard.  Visits there, particularly during the winter, are a fun distraction for our family, and Suomi’s become a regular stop for us when we have guests in town – a delicious meal, loads of local color and a guaranteed introduction to the Yooper accent (PS: Don’t miss the meatball sandwich if it’s lunchtime).

This past weekend, however, it was time for a field trip and the decision, on the occasion of a birthday, was to head 40 minutes south of Houghton to the Baraga County township of L’Anse, which is home to the Hilltop Restaurant and its famed sweet rolls.  Recognized by readers of the Detroit News as the #2 sweet treat in the state of Michigan, these things must be seen – and tasted – to be believed.  It was the first time I’d ever been brought a knife with which to slice a sweet roll, but the minute the pastry arrived at the table the logic in the knife was evident: One roll can easily feed 3-4 people.

www.sweetroll.com

According to the restaurant’s Web site they bake these rolls fresh all day, so you’re guaranteed to get a fresh one whenever you go.  Never mind the calorie calculation, these things are decadent and delicious (I did the math but trust me, you don’t want to know.  Ok, if you really want to know leave a comment to that effect and I’ll tell you.).

They’re best eaten warm from the oven and dripping with frosting at the restaurant, but failing that they ship anywhere in the U.S. twice a month.  If you’re in the area though, do yourself a favor and stop by.