Lakeview Hills Country Club and Resort in Lexington has completed a renovation of its dining and banquet areas, a 29-room hotel, and is preparing to convert a former bowling center into a large wedding venue highlighted by glass windows overlooking the South Course.
The resort, which opened in 1927 with the 18-hole South Course, recently unveiled a new restaurant, Emilio’s Prime, which offers a variety of steaks — filet mignon, New York strip, ribeye, and porterhouse — along with cumin lamb pappardelle, and braised short ribs.
During the grand opening of the new restaurant, guests were treated to a five-course dinner complimented by wines selected from a wine list that won the Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator magazine.
The menu also includes grilled salmon filet, chicken marsala, twin lobster tails, tagliatelle San Marino, eggplant primavera, and brodetto fabbri (oceanic broth, calamari, shrimp, mussels, clams, and grilled spianata bread).
Appetizers and starting courses feature shrimp cocktail, crab and lobster cake, hummus, a cheese board, and three salads — beet, wedge, and caesar — along with signature lobster bisque served tableside.
“We have been preparing for this moment since last October, lots of hard work, preparation, training, and, of course, a remodeling took place, but we couldn’t be happier with the results,” says Fadi Achour, general manager of Lakeview Hills.
The restaurant was named after Emilio Fabbri, whose son, Tom, is president and CEO of Lakeview Hills.
“My father, Emilio, is looking down on us from heaven and smiling, this is of course a dedication to him and to realize his dream of opening a first class, fine dining restaurant that Lexington and the Thumb area can be proud of,” says Fabbri.
“This restaurant is all about Emilio Fabbri. He wanted Lakeview Hills to be a fine dining destination in Lexington, and my siblings and I couldn’t be happier to be able to deliver on that promise to the community.”
During the grand opening, guests enjoyed a performance by Detroit favorite Pino Marelli as well as cognac lobster bisque served tableside. In turn, Achour offered a live cooking show by preparing bananas foster accompanied by a liquor cart with vintage port and rare cognacs.
“Guests really loved the food and service, but everyone was talking about this gorgeous wine cabinet and the iron gate as you enter Emilio’s,” says Bethany Herrick, assistant general manager and director of sales at Lakeview. “Both were handmade, and the cabinet (crafted) by a local Amish farmer holds over 300 bottles of wines.”
Some of the wines displayed in the cabinet included rare and winery only available bottles such as the Patrimony Black Label and the 1740 Malbec by Daou Winery of Paso Robles.
Achour also announced Lakeview Hill’s first Wine Maker Dinner on July 11. Steve Lohr from J. Lohr Winery will be on hand to pair fine wines with a five-course dinner. Other wine events are scheduled for later this fall and winter.
“We have scheduled over 25 events throughout the summer, fall, and winter of this year, including weekend appearances by Julie Bannerton as Marilyn Monroe, afternoon tea, Champagne Sunday brunch, cooking with the chef, Daou Wine Maker Dinner with Daniel Daou himself, a comedy show, and two major musical concerts —Jazz on the Greens on July 15 with Keiko Matsui along with the Alexander Zonjic band with Jazz musician James Lloyd, followed by Country on the Green on Aug. 26,” says Herrick.
The newly renovated Lexington Ballroom can accommodate more than 300 people. Other offerings include the 18-hole North Course, a full-service clubhouse, and a full fitness center with racquetball and wallyball courts. In addition, there is the potential for hosting larger sized weddings on the greens, along with smaller indoor spaces for more intimate gatherings.
In addition to Emilio’s Prime, other dining areas include the San Marino Lounge and the Tin Cup Bar. The hotel also offers stay and play packages.
For more information about Lakeview Hills Country Club and Resort, located at 6560 East Peck Road (20 miles north of Port Huron), contact Bethany Herrick at 810-359-7333 or bharrick@lakeviewhills.com.
