When arriving at Sibley Gardens, one would think that it was any ordinary Coney Island or bar turned restaurant. This couldn’t be farther from the truth! I arrived at Sibley Gardens, 916W Jefferson Ave, Trenton, MI 48183, at six o’clock p.m. on a Saturday with my close friend Sheila. A restaurant review was just the excuse we needed to indulge ourselves. She had previously been to “the gardens” and had been insisting that I go for some time now. I wore casual clothes and quickly felt underdressed. After entering the restaurant, that was so dingy and old looking outside, I was surprised at how classy and well-put together it was inside. I almost felt as if I entered the twilight zone. The interior of the restaurant is decorated with fine art and had low lighting to set the mood of a special dining experience, like an anniversary or first date. I would have to imagine that this was a five-star establishment after entering, although I felt very differently looking outside.
When we entered, we were quickly greeted by the host. He was dressed in a full suit and very friendly. He led us to our table and chatted with us a bit before our server arrived. “May I get you something to drink?” he asked. “Perhaps something off the wine list?” he added. We both asked for water and ice tea. As we skimmed the menu, we discovered that they offered a wide variety of wines, a full bar, and some non-alcoholic choices. Our server came to the table and quickly gave us a run through of the menu, offering her favorites, as well as some that guests seemed to enjoy. It was apparent that she knew what she was talking about after the many questions we asked.
The restaurant prides itself on serving authentic Italian cuisine. In fact, they have done so for almost eighty years now, which in itself is a major accomplishment for an independently-owned restaurant. There menu is full of Italian favorites such as penne ala vodka and ravioli. They also have more daring items on the menu like calamari and escargot. Within the jumble of Italian inspired dishes, they still manage to serve some everyday foods such as their Michigan cherry salad and a good old cheeseburger. We quickly came to the conclusion that we wouldn’t be able to decide on just one appetizer and instead chose the three that interested us the most: goat cheese napoleon, Italian formaggio dip, and just to be adventurous----escargot.
As the server went to put our appetizers in, I couldn’t help but look around. I first noticed the cloth napkins on our tables, so intricately folded. Also, I noticed how the freshly polished silverware looked. I also wanted to check out the restrooms as I think this says a lot about a restaurant. They were immaculate! There weren’t even the typical watermarks from a careless hand-washer on the counter. As I walked back to the table, the server abruptly returned with a basket of breads and crackers, butter, and delicious dipping oil that, I must say, was out of this world. The bread was soft and warm, as was the oil, with Italian herbs and spices added to it. Our server also grated fresh parmesan cheese over it. “This is the only way to have it.” she said to us.
It wasn’t long before our appetizers arrived. As our server sat them on the table, I could tell that this was fine dining. The mere way that the cooks had set the plates up, carefully drizzling bright sauces and stacking bread and crackers on the edge of the plate screamed first class. You could tell that the cooks sent out artwork rather than food. “I hope it tastes as good as it looks” I said to Sheila. “Oh it does” she replied. First stop was the goat cheese napoleon. It was medallions of goat cheese covered with pine nuts, roasted garlic and red peppers, and pesto, topped off with a balsamic reduction. It was served with Tuscan style toast, which alone was amazing. The cheese spread on the bread like warm butter, along with the roasted cloves of garlic. I smiled as I felt it melt in my mouth, spreading over every bit of my tongue. All of the flavors melded together: the sweetness of the peppers, gaminess of the cheese, along with the toasted pine nuts. I couldn’t help but eat more. The cheese dip was good as well. The only way to describe it is a queso dip with an Italian spin. Instead of seasoned beef, it sports Italian sausage. No salsa here, only Italian-seasoned tomatoes. Much like bruschetta. The escargot was interesting. The snail itself had little taste and its texture was a lot like clams, chewy and leathery.
For the main dishes, I highly recommend their gorgonzola tenderloin medallions. They were two medallions of beef tenderloin, adorned with gorgonzola cheese, and a glaze that was good enough to eat with a spoon. The meat was so tender, you hardly needed a knife. The cheese bubbled on top like hot lava from an erupting volcano. Sheila ordered pesto cream pasta with grilled chicken. It was creamy and full of herbs. The chicken was, again, tender to the fork and seasoned perfectly. It was moist and juicy, leading you to want just one more bite.
Throughout the dinner, our server returned, making sure that we were satisfied with the entrees and refilling our drinks. I honestly cannot think of a moment we had empty glasses. “Would you like dessert?” asked the server. “Of course” I thought to myself. We had already decided that we were going to splurge and go all out, for the review sake of course. As she handed us the dessert menu, I could only think of one thing---tiramisu. This is an Italian joint, why would I pick anything else? Sheila ordered crème brulee and it was decided that we would share the two. The tiramisu was chilled and had a hint of Kalua, their twist on the dessert. It was moist and full of chocolate deliciousness. The crème brulee wasn’t bad either, although we both agreed that the serving was small at best. It was creamy and had a perfectly caramelized top coat. It even crackled and cracked as we spooned into it.
If Italian food is your guilty pleasure, you have to try Sibley Gardens. You won’t be disappointed. Their menu is moderately priced, depending on what you want. Some of the menu items are more on the higher end, reaching up to twenty-one dollars. Our bill was right around eighty dollars. Not an everyday stop, I know, but if you are looking for somewhere special, this is the spot. The service couldn’t have been any better either. Friendly wait staff, good food, and an awesome atmosphere made this one of my top five!
Until next time, Ciao!
All photos are copywritten and taken by:
TJ Stewart
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