Although I’m leaving it, Kalamazoo is not without its charm. The lovely, little Kalamazoo Mall is such a nice place to be on a sunny, summer day. If you’re a people watcher like me, the mall is crowded with folks walking around to shop, going to dinner, or a show, or maybe going rock climbing, or sitting on patios enjoying an afternoon adult beverage in the warmth of the sun. As one meanders down the west sidewalk of the mall you come across an impossible to miss giant capital “P” in an old timey font, emblazoned in light upon the sidewalk and it is then you know you’ve arrived at Principle.
Walking into a dining room that brings together a classic era and the modern one, you’re welcomed by the host stand. A pleasantly small bar sits on the left, and a long comfortable bench seat that runs the entire length of the wall sits on the right, with tables cohesively interspersed between. The dining room is just large enough to feel that “I’m out to dinner feeling” but not so huge and loud that you can’t hear your fellow diners.
Principle hits their 4 year anniversary this month, so if you haven’t been yet, you’re making a dire mistake. Whether you’re going in for some of their delicious classic cocktails and tasty shareable snacks, or heading in for a full dinner; the fantastic food, delightful drinks, and lively ambiance is always a wonderful experience.
Their beer and wine lists are perfectly satisfactory with choices for everyone to enjoy, but the real gem of their drink menu is their cocktail list. It has a wide variety of craft cocktails, both classic and modern, or twists on the former. For example the Pilar Old Fashioned; a twist on an old fashioned using Papa’s Pilar 24 dark rum, black walnut and Peychaud bitters, and demerara sugar. I always love a good old fashioned, and this one made with rum is absolutely spectacular. The black walnut is fragrant and I cannot stress enough how wonderfully smooth this drink was. The Traveler is another standout made from Journeyman gin, St. Germain, agave, lemon, and Aperol which makes for a nice tangy beverage. Much like their food menu however, their drink menu is rotational; and so the other drinks I’ve had at this great little locale, are no longer on the menu, but not to worry! Their bartenders are always mixing up great cocktails, and the list has a little something for everyone.
Principle boasts snacks and small plates galore! A few years ago, when they first opened I met with some friends at the bar, and while I was full from lunch, I felt simply compelled to order their house baked cheese crackers. Cheez-its are a guilty pleasure of mine, so to have house baked little cheese crackers just filled me with glee. One of the other ladies I was out with had ordered a house baked pretzel that was equally fantastic, although tragically these are no longer available. Another time, I was on a date there, and we started with the homemade pork cracklins (which we opted for spicy) and what could there be to dislike about them? I wished for a bag of them to bring home to snack on later, but alas, that was a dream. For my entrée on that date I had a house-made Andouille sausage served with sweet peppers stewed in hearty and robust tomato sauce. These are also sadly no longer available, though perhaps may return toward the end of summer.
Now to stop disappointing you with food you can’t eat. I recently went with a friend and his husband as a celebration of my big move. They were telling me that the way they like to eat out with people is to start with a few snacks that everyone can share, and everyone gets their own entrée, but smaller tastes are offered or traded just so everyone can get a little taste of more of the menu. I was delighted to hear that, as that had always been the premise of how this blog was intended to be built, and how I intended to fairly and adequately review the restaurants. So to start with, we all shared the Garden Toast. A shareable portion of seasonal vegetables showing their natural beauty sits atop some beautiful seedy salt bread, all drizzled in aged balsamic and served with a buttery roasted garlic puree. We also ordered the grilled broccoli which still had a nice desirable crunch and flavorful char after its time on the grill. It was served quite simply, with spicy mayo and toasted almonds. I appreciated that they weren’t afraid to give the mayo a nice kick, as I think anything grilled pairs well with at least enough heat to open the palate.
The portions were perfect and while I can’t speak for the guys, my appetite was whet and I was ready for my entrée. For Bradley’s dinner he had ordered the Cioppino, an Italian style fisherman’s stew loaded with smoked salmon, manila clams, rock shrimp, mussels and served with crostini. I traded part of my dish for a clam and got a little broth. The clam was cooked perfectly, and the fumet was very flavorful, although the table agreed it was just a little salty, at least when tried individually. James’ ordered the market seafood selection; in this case seasonal sockeye salmon, cooked perfectly, with a pristinely crystal clear tomato consommé with bruinoised summer squash which was absolutely divine. For my entrée, I ordered the coffee barbecue brisket served with a potato hash, grilled tomatoes that just melted in the mouth, and a sunny side up egg on top. The brisket was fall apart tender and the coffee barbecue sauce was rich and smoky. The whole table agreed that the tomatoes were simply wonderful, and I am always pleased to break the yolk of a fried egg and watch it run all over the dish.
We debated quite seriously on several dessert choices. James and I both appreciated having a cheese course on their dessert menu, as it’s such an underrated choice for dessert. The Billy Blue Goat cheese is served with blueberry jam, smoked almond, bread and truffled honey. However, the peanut butter banana split was the big discussion of the table served with peanut butter gelato, sea salt, banana and honey. Ultimately, we decided it was time to head to the show we were seeing at the nearby Farmer’s Alley Theatre. Bradley and James both assured me that the peanut butter banana split is incredible, and I may very well go with some friends to devour it before leaving Michigan.
No matter when you go to Principle, they are sure to have a terrific selection of beverages, small plates, shareable snacks, and perfectly portioned entrees all sourced locally as much as possible. The craft cocktails are spectacular and their bartenders are quite skilled. The food is always seasoned and cooked to perfection; the dishes highlight the simplicity of their local ingredients, but elegant and beautiful, proving the talent of their kitchen staff and chefs. Their staff is kind, and attentive, but not interruptive and they allow the diners to eat and enjoy each other’s company in peace. Every time I’ve had the pleasure of eating, drinking and merriment at Principle, it has been a lovely experience and indeed I would argue that it is one of the best restaurants in Kalamazoo.
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