Upscale Lansing restaurant perfect for special occasion

Each time I head to downtown Lansing, I pass what seems to me as the most intriguing restaurant facade in the entire city. Bright yellow bulbs light up its name with tempting sophistication. They say not to judge a book by its cover, and so I decided to finally go in to Troppo, 101 S. Washington Square in Lansing.

It was a Wednesday night, and as the host walked us to our seat, my guest and I noticed the restaurant was comfortably crowded. The dining room was quaint and simple — elegant but not over the top. Black-and-white pictures of Lansing hung from the wall but they were laid out in a way that created hominess, opposed to tackiness.

I sensed an air of importance in the clientele — imagining that this is where Michigan’s politicians head to for lunch and where they might wind down at night.

Initially greeted by glasses of water, our server came to the table sparking conversation in a friendly and comedic tone rather than a business tone. This icebreaker made us feel like we were welcomed and assured us that we were going to be taken care of.

By the time our drinks arrived we were looking over the diverse array of appetizers and finding it difficult to pick just one. We took our server’s recommendation to order the sampler as a nice way to try a little bit of everything.

It came out on a large plate with a pleasant presentation and included the most creative and eccentric appetizers on the menu.

The calamari, which normally would be standard affair, was tossed in a mango salsa for a sweet and spicy tang. Drizzled with marinara sauce, meatballs and sausage stood at one corner of the dish, resting on top of a slice of pizza dough like bread. Three lamb chops were included as well, giving the dish its red meat. Lastly, the most interesting appetizer was half of a butternut squash filled with risotto and Gorgonzola cheese. Its sweet and soft texture made each bite worth savoring.

At this point we had tried a great deal of food and decided to split just one entree.

The dinner menu was easy to navigate and had a variety of proteins, greens and starches. Tempted by scallops, salmon, pork and veal, we decided to order the duck, which is the quintessential bird to order for dark meat lovers.

Salad and soup came out before the duck — I ordered a hearty minestrone that promised a heap of vegetables in every spoonful.

Satisfied and ready for more, the duck arrived like a work of art. It was three stories tall — figs and apricots on top, two breasts of sliced duck in the middle, and a creamy risotto for its foundation. The mix of textures and flavors made this a complete and satisfying dish.

As for dessert, we ordered the gelato flight — three scoops of gelato ice cream, one of chocolate, pistachio and strawberry plumped in little wine glasses. A refreshing way to end a truly superb dining experience.

While I plan to go back, at $30 to $50 per person, Troppo is to be saved for special occasions (at least for students). My experience at Troppo is definitely worth sharing and one I’ll be sure to use to boast about Lansing dining in the future.