Michael's Fine Food & Spirits

"Silly-good."

That's apparently Jen speak for "this meal is superb."

Truth be told, I was so busy inhaling the "silly goodness" on my plate that ordinary approvals just wouldn't do. So in sensory overload, a high compliment was born.

Then again, is there really a need to explain when it comes to one your new favorite restaurants?

Nestled on the main drag of Waterville, New York, Michael's Fine Food & Spirits blends well with its small-town surroundings. Its menu reaches well beyond Central New York by mixing local favorites, comfort food and seriously good deserts with multicultural cuisine including Italian, French, Creole, Moroccan, and Mediterranean.

I discovered Michael's with my mom about a year ago, almost by accident. We've been weekend lunch regulars when I come to town ever since.

We started with modest lunch choices, all very well priced. Soup/sandwich combos, seafood lasagna and chicken and biscuits previously won us over. Many Saturday features include salads, choice of warm beverage and desert of the day. (The Mother, a self-professed brownie hater, still raves about the caramel brownie sundae.)

As much as we enjoy our new Saturday road trips, we're hoping to trek down for dinner or one of Michael's many in-house events sometime soon. We've taken to ordering items for the road (Jen secret: I have a serving of chicken riggies in the back of my freezer just waiting for one wicked bad Boston day) but I'm convinced Michael's wine pairings are superb and upcoming Halloween event will be a blast. Michael's also offers a new weekday lunch buffet, catering and variety of special happenings throughout the year.

Good food would earn a thumbs up -- maybe an ok blog post. But great food and a superb dining experience justify repeated 15+ mile treks and a glowing review. We truly can't say enough about the folks at Michael's -- from the warm greetings when we walk through the door and friendly farewells upon leaving, the service is top-notch. Special kudos to Faith, our favorite server, who consistently makes our visit excellent with friendly conversation and attention to detail beyond compare. (Enjoy your vaca, Faith...you so deserve it!)

It's no secret that I love home. I love the people, the experiences, the food...and Michael's does a fine job in capturing the best of all three.

So bravo, Michael & crew -- keep the "silly goodness" coming. You've got a big fan out east who can't wait to see what's being served on any given Saturday Upstate...