Most restaurants don’t sit on 87 acres of lakeside grounds designed by Albert Kahn. Most chefs don’t develop their menus with a National Historic Landmark as their backdrop. At The Continental at Ford House, both are true — and starting May 5, the spring and summer menu makes the most of it.
Executive Chef Ray Zaidan has built a menu around the season and the setting: fresh herbs, citrus, grilled proteins, and brighter preparations that feel at home on the shore of Lake St. Clair. The collection spans brunch, lunch, and dinner, and it ranges from a cast iron Dutch Baby with Michigan maple syrup to a Dirty Chai Martini finished with brown sugar cardamom foam.
“The overarching idea was to capture freshness, brightness, and a renewed sense of seasonality,” Zaidan said. “I wanted the menu to feel connected to Ford House itself, where the gardens, landscape, and historic setting naturally influence the way guests experience food during the warmer months.”
Rooted in Michigan, Reaching Outward
Two ingredients run through the new menu like a thread: Lake Erie perch and Lake Erie walleye, each sourced regionally and featured across multiple service periods. The Ale-Battered Lake Erie Walleye Roll, prepared with Bell’s Two Hearted ale batter, house remoulade, and garlic dill pickles, turns a Michigan staple into something worth driving to Grosse Pointe Shores for. The Lake Erie Perch appears at dinner as well, paired with a potato torta and house remoulade, carries the same regional conviction.
“Regional sourcing creates a stronger connection between the guest, the food, and the place they are dining,” Zaidan said. “At Ford House, that sense of place matters.”
Michigan maple syrup appears in several preparations as well, including the Original Dutch Baby Pancake, a weekend brunch centerpiece served from a cast iron pan with blueberries, lemon, and powdered sugar.
The Most Personal Dish on the Menu
Chef Zaidan points to the Churrasco Cornish Hen as the dish that most reflects who he is in the kitchen. The brined Cornish hen arrives with churrasco marinade, Creole spinach rice pilaf, grilled mini peppers, blistered cherry tomatoes, and Calabrian chili cream sauce, a preparation built on fire, technique, and restraint.
“Bold marinades, grilling, fire, and simple ingredients treated with care,” Zaidan said. “That balance of comfort and refinement is something I try to bring to the menu at The Continental.”
Global Influences, Grounded in the Estate
The menu reaches beyond Michigan without losing its sense of place. Maryland Blue Crab Cakes arrive with Old Bay chipotle aioli and frisee slaw. The Thai Coconut Curry — vegan, built around shiitake mushrooms, snap peas, heirloom cauliflower florets, and toasted cashews — is served alongside stone grilled flatbread. A Romesco Rigatoni Burrata pairs roasted red pepper romesco sauce with panko-breaded burrata and herb oil. The Braised Short Rib, finished with short rib demi and heirloom baby carrots, anchors the dinner menu alongside a 12 oz. New York Striploin with Boursin silk mashed potato.
Zaidan describes the coherence of the menu as a product of intention rather than geography. Each dish, wherever its roots, is held to the same standards of execution and presentation — standards he sees as inseparable from the character of the estate itself.
Brunch Worth the Weekend
Weekend brunch, served Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., is among the most ambitious service periods on the menu. The Short Rib Benedict layers braised short rib, poached eggs, hollandaise, and crispy shallots over a potato croquette. The Breakfast Cajun Shrimp and Grits bring southern grits, black tiger shrimp, andouille sausage, and smoked Gouda into a single bowl. The Salmon Cake Benedict, finished with Old Bay chipotle aioli and smoked Spanish paprika, offers a lighter alternative.
Desserts and the Spring Cocktail List
Pastry highlights include the Raspberry Chocolate Tulip, a pastel chocolate shell filled with raspberry mousse and Chantilly cream, finished with matcha tuile; the Continental’s Signature Butter Cake with salted caramel gelato and Guernsey hot fudge; and the Citrus Tart layered with lime, blood orange, lemon, and grapefruit. A vegan Chocolate Truffle Slice rounds out the menu for guests with dietary restrictions.
The spring and summer cocktail list debuts alongside the food menu. The Ford House Filthy Martini, built on premium olive brine with a signature house garnish, joins the Dirty Chai Martini with Ketel One Vodka, shaken espresso, and brown sugar cardamom foam, and the Mother Earth, a Bulleit Bourbon preparation with turmeric syrup, lime juice, and egg white. Five mocktails are also available, including the Ford House Garden Spritz with cucumber, basil, lemon, and sparkling water.
Hours and Reservations
The Continental at Ford House is open Tuesday through Sunday. Lunch is served Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Weekend brunch runs Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dinner service is available Thursday through Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Mondays. Reservations and full menus are available at fordhouse.org/dining. The Speedster, the estate’s quick-service cafe, will also feature updated spring and summer offerings beginning May 5.