It's family tradition to see the Nutcracker and to enjoy a nice holiday meal after the show. It was a Christmas miracle that my family and I stumbled upon Derby Station, nestled in the heart of East Grand Rapids Gaslight Village. Hear the story about the lengths Head Chef Ryan went to, to accommodate my food allergies. It even includes a trip to the grocery store.
After volunteering backstage at the Michigan Ballet Academy's production of the Nutcracker, I was starving. Anyone who goes primal or gluten-free knows the danger of this situation. The next meal probably won't be until you can make it home and cook something from scratch. By then, your blood sugar has hit such a low that even your botched-up meal looks appetizing.
Picturing this, I suddenly felt adventurous and agreed to eat out with my mother and aunt for one of the first times in 4-months. I had Benadryl in my purse just in case.
By chance, or fate, we chose Derby Station located right in the heart of the Gaslight District in East Grand Rapids. The warm and inviting pub style, reminiscent of Hosgmead in the winter, made us feel welcome.
From the beginning, the hostess, manager and our waiter, Ren, bent over backwards to make sure that I got a healthy, delicious meal that I could trust.
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| Salmon with grilled baby brussels sprouts, julienne carrots and local, organic mixed greens sauteed in fresh lemon juice and olive oil |
The menu at Derby Station had many great gluten-free options, but since I lean more towards a Paleo Diet, my order required a little tweaking. Head Chef, Ryan, came out to the table to get a quick assessment of my allergies and to see what he could prepare for me. After several minutes of genuine concern, he offered to create an entirely new entree just for me. We agreed on salmon and grilled brussels sprouts. A professionally cooked, grain and gluten-free dinner that I didn't have to cook myself was music to my ears!
If that wasn't enough, Ryan came back to our table personally, exactly three times, to suggest new ingredients and to get my approval. It was obvious that he was taking great pride in the dish and sincerely enjoyed the challenge of creating something new. But it wasn't really a challenge at all. The manager informed us that Ryan, a vegan, knows how to prepare dishes, that he wouldn't normally eat himself, that continue to impress others time and time again.
My meal was no different. What I got completely surpassed my expectations. The contrast between the sweet caramelized, julienned carrots and the bitter roasted brussels sprouts, along with the fresh local, organic greens, created a truly full spectrum flavor that complemented the lemon grilled salmon perfectly. With only minimal ingredients to cook with (olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper), the meal's flavor and texture was a direct result of Ryan's creativity and talent as a chef. MSG goes a long way in making up for a poor chef. Not the case at Derby Station.
Throughout the night, the manager and other waiters had to come over and admire the dish. I felt like a celebrity. Or at least a celebrity by association...
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| Coconut milk, cranberry, peach smoothie sweetened with Stevia |
Not satisfied with creating a whole new entree specifically to my liking, Ryan suggested a custom made dessert of coconut milk and fruit. In place of sugar, he thought they might have some Stevia powder in the back to use as a sweetener. Sounded perfect!
And it tasted perfect too! Ryan personally delivered our smoothies along with a box of Stevia powder as a gift. Afterwards, probably noticing the slight look of confusion on our faces, the manager came back over to explain the gifted Stevia. Ryan had made a quick trip to the grocery store to pick up some Stevia for us.
I know, I still can't believe it...This takes the idea of customer service to an entirely new level.
As we sipped our cranberry, peach smoothies in the dimly lit shadows of the gaslight while watching the snow fall through the thick garland trimmed windows, I realized that being surrounded by good food and good people is what truly makes Christmas special.
Enjoy your next meal at Derby Station by clicking here.
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