Oak & Reel's French Month Returns - And We Could Not Be Happier

Kira Jabri
2 days ago
2 min read

For one month each August, one of our favorite Michigan restaurants, Oak & Reel, completely transforms into a modern French brasserie, a temporarily pause in their signature Italian-inspired seafood and pasta. for a menu that celebrates the flavors and traditions of France.

If you've been following JFD for any length of time, you know our family loves food themes and traditions. We love the anticipation of returning to something we look forward to year after year, and Oak & Reel's French Month has is a welcome tradition to our summer meal planning.

Of course, every visit presents a challenge for us. Not what to order but what not to order for that specific meal and revisit the next dinner. We can already say in addition to the repeats we will not leave next time without the tagliatelles aux champignons. This trip we had to have the ravioles du dauphine and well next time we will just have to do both.

If you've ever been curious about escargot but are a little nervous this is the restaurant, especially this preparation. Last year's preparation was outstanding, but this year's version may be even more approachable. Paired with sweetbreads inside a beautifully executed vol-au-vent, it creates a rich, buttery dish that perfectly balances familiar comfort with classic French technique. For us, it was an easy repeat order.

Another standout was the Ratatouille served in a squash blossom. We loved seeing Oak & Reel keep squash blossoms on the menu, reimagined through a French lens. The Rillettes were another favorite. This is exactly what makes French Month so exciting. Dishes like this typically require a plane ticket, yet for one month each year, Oak & Reel brings them to Detroit.

One dish that we can describe as French healthy comfort (remember we are not food bloggers) is the Tomates au Thon. One pro tip is that you do not want to miss out on the au thon sauce. Ask for a spoon. French comfort food that somehow also tastes like summer.

One noticeable change from last year's menu is the replacement of the pommes purée with frites. While we'll always have a soft spot for those luxurious pommes purée, the frites are a natural companion to both Le Hamburger and the Steak Frites. (Our photo shows a half order the full portion is incredibly generous.)

As with every seasonal menu, saying goodbye to certain favorites is part of the experience. We admittedly missed last year's Poireaux Vinaigrette, a dish we still think about. But that's also part of what keeps French Month exciting.