Bloomfield Hills, MI — The only thing better than going on an adventure is going on an adventure — with friends!

This particular adventure involved my friends Zack, Vince, Rob, Scotty, and Dave. Our destination — 5th Tavern in Bloomfield Hills. A late-lunch excursion as the precursor to a group trip to Carl’s Golfland on a Saturday afternoon. This American fare restaurant located on Telegraph just north of Square Lake Road, boasts a range from surf ‘n turf to sandwiches, burgers, salads, and more in a casual venue.

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I had noticed the establishment both times heading back home from Carl’s during previous trips and knew I would have to stop and check it out at some point. So this group outing was the perfect little parlay opportunity to have my cake and eat it while enjoying a milkshake too! (Ironically, I’m not that big into desserts.) The legs for this particular parlay: lunch at a new (and highly rated) restaurant, getting new shoes at Carl’s Golfland, and hanging out with some of my best friends in the Metro!

We all met up at the restaurant for our reservation at 1:30 p.m., and to say we were all hungry would be an understatement. I only had a few spoonfuls of rice for breakfast earlier in the day, so I was ready to enjoy the whole foodie experience that 5th Tavern had to offer!

We walked into a rather busy environment, even for the tail end of the lunch rush. We realized not too long after sitting down that the restaurant’s brunch hours ran from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., and clearly, it was a brunch destination based on how packed the tables were. But this, as most would probably assume, is a green flag when checking out a new eatery. This signifies that the restaurant is a hot spot, known for either above-average to top-tier quality food or is commendable for its pricing, with these two factors often working in sync.

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We placed our drink orders and quickly assessed the regular lunch/dinner menus. We decided to split two appetizers for the table: an order of coconut shrimp and the crab, spinach, & artichoke dip. The coconut shrimp was about what you would expect, but the mango salsa garnish was noticeably fresh. The dip was pretty solid all around; for our rendition, we opted to have the crab meat dispersed throughout the dip. The dip was conjoined with the particular individual highlights of each key ingredient but whisked into something new to pin down the appetizer round as a top favorite app of choice to kick off any meal journey!

For the entrée, I landed on the rattlesnake pasta! And no, actual rattlesnake meat was not involved in the meal… The meal consists of linguine pasta tossed with garlic, tri-colored bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and a cajun alfredo sauce. Not only does the dish come topped with parmesan cheese, but you can choose to add chicken or cajun shrimp for a bit extra. I went with the chicken and chose a side salad with ranch.

The rattlesnake pasta exuded deliciousness and excelled in plating and presentation via color, including portioning. The chicken was cooked perfectly and seasoned very well. The pasta itself was great on intake with or without the chicken; every bite teemed with bright and spicy taste signals. The sauce was heavy enough to stick to everything but also light enough not to weigh down the noodles and increase the ease of consumption! It was hard to slow down, but I really had to ease up and enjoy the meal after the first few initial bites.

The spice had a nice medium level, staying a consistent hum in the background. The portioning of mushrooms to onions and cheese aided in the overall convergence of flavors in this garlicky and peppery delight. After our meal, we ventured off to the land of Carl’s Golf, and new shoes were successfully acquired! Now if only my swing was as great as that pasta…

After all was said and done, a great meal was had, new shoes were bought, and another afternoon adventure with friends was achieved. If you find yourself up north on Telegraph Road, just north of Square Lake Road in the Bloomfield Hills area, this would be a safe and solid choice to stop in for a bite. The robust menu features a little bit of everything, from pasta to reliable apps, an abundance of burgers, salads, steaks/seafood, and entrées. Overall, this a strong recommendation if you’re in the area and are looking for a meal that gets the job done, with the possibility of an above-average experience. Happy eating!

For more information on 5th Tavern, or to peruse its menu, click here.