Wine and dine in class at Cooper’s Hawk

Classy restaurants can be pricy, but it’s often worth it for the food and dining experience. The Eastwood Towne Center and its surrounding area have many such restaurants, and in February, Cooper’s Hawk landed at 2101 Lake Lansing Road to further class up that part of town.

Cooper’s Hawk is an upscale restaurant chain known for its handcrafted wine and gourmet food. Previously, the only Michigan locations were in Kentwood, Clinton Township and Troy. Now, Lansing residents will get a taste of what people in those areas have been raving about. My mother and I decided to try it for ourselves, and it was a good thing we were wise enough to make a reservation because it was busier than you’d expect a restaurant to be on a Sunday afternoon. Granted, this was shortly after it opened, but it’s still a good idea to book in advance.

While waiting for our table, we got a chance to browse the little shop at the front desk. Customers can purchase the restaurant’s specialty wines as well as chocolates, glasses and other merchandise. There’s also a wine-tasting room. My mother and I aren’t wine drinkers, so we passed on that. However, it was interesting to see other people have decanters brought to their tables for their bottles of wine.

The restaurant has a casual yet luxurious atmosphere. Complimentary pretzel rolls and butter are served to tide you over while you choose from the many entrees on the menu, including steaks, pasta, seafood and burgers. Wanting to be adventurous, I opted for the shrimp and scallop risotto. In addition to the seafood, there was a mixture of sweet corn, asparagus, spinach, peas, Parmesan cheese and white truffle oil. It was pleasantly creamy, a must for any seafood lover.

Though it was a small plate, it was very filling — but not filling enough for me to skip dessert. Even with all the dessert menu’s decadent options, my heart was set on the s’more budino, a parfait cup layered with caramel custard, Valrhona chocolate mousse, toasted brown-butter graham crackers and a melted marshmallow. Warm and gooey, it transported me to the most elegant campfire I could imagine.

If you’re a hardcore foodie willing to spend some money on a high-quality dining experience, you won’t leave Cooper’s Hawk disappointed. Everyone should try the experience for themselves at least once, but as a word of warning, you might find yourself coming back for more.