Where should you go to dazzle your out-of-town guests with the best food and atmosphere Grand Rapids has to offer? Six-One-Six at the J.W. Marriott. That’s where my husband, Dan, and I took my parents, sister and brother-in-law when they came to visit from Louisville, KY. We left our cars with the valet and entered the hotel lobby. Restaurant patrons get free parking in the hotel parking ramp or free valet parking with validation. This is a great perk – especially in the winter! Of course, a tip for the valet is always recommended. The hotel lobby doubles as “Mixology,” a chic cocktail lounge with multi-story windows that look out over the Grand River. Stay for drinks on a Friday or Saturday evening and enjoy live music or urban beats spun by the DJ.

Six-One-Six has all of the makings of an exceptional restaurant. First, the menu changes frequently to showcase the flavors and ingredients of the season. Second, the menu features a wealth of local produce, meat and dairy products. The use of local ingredients not only provides diners with wonderful fresh food, but helps sustains our local economy. Third, Six-One-Six provides top-notch service. The manager greeted us after we sat down and our waiter gave us friendly, attentive service. Fourth, the restaurant has a modern urban atmosphere that you would expect to find in a much larger city. It’s one of the few downtown restaurants that offers a view of the Grand River. They also serve drinks and a limited dining menu on the outdoor “Jdek.”

Six-One-Six is a full-service hotel restaurant that offers breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. The unconventional dinner menu features many dishes that appeal to foodies like me and Dan. The menu is divided into “Small Eats” ($7-12) and “Big Eats” ($20-27). As our waiter explained, some of the Small Eats are good for sharing, e.g., the artisanal cheese board and flatbreads, but most of them are single portions of delectable delights. I have a relatively small appetite and love to try different things, so I ordered three Small Eats for my meal — the Dancing Goat Creamery Ravioli, Crispy Squash Blossoms and the Grilled Calamari & Chorizo. All three were beautifully presented and delicious, but the ravioli, served with fennel pollen, English pea nage, sorrel pistou and basil, was particularly heavenly.

While the flatbreads are included as Small Eats, they also make a satisfying main course. For her entrée, my sister enjoyed the Roasted Chicken Flatbread topped with roast chicken, rosemary potato, green garlic, basil pistou and smoked paprika aioli. Fortunately for the rest of us, she had a few slices left to share.

My dad and Dan both started with the House Smoked Trout Salad. Dan, who’s been smoking fish at home for years, thought it was excellent. After that, they ordered Dan’s favorite from the sushi menu — the Tempura Tuna Maki Roll ($9). With its crispy exterior and fireball sauce, this roll does not disappoint. But don’t expect a full or traditional sushi menu. The five items included on Six-One-Six’s limited sushi menu are the chef’s interpretation of sushi classics. For example, the Unagi Maki Roll combines barbequed eel, pineapple, green scallion and hoisin barbeque sauce.

With all of the great sushi and Small Eat options, no one in our party of six made it to the Big Eats. Among the Big Eats are a wide variety of meats, including lamb, rabbit, quail, chicken and a New York Strip. The seafood entrees include wild Alaskan salmon, halibut and seafood cannelloni. Each meat or fish is served with an array of mouthwatering accompaniments. Take the pan roasted quail, which is served with summer succotash, La Quercia speck (American smoked prosciutto), white beans, cilantro and Huitlacoche creama. For vegetarians, there’s also the Farmer’s Market “Hot Pot.” If you have a larger appetite, I recommend that you order at least one Small Eat and a Big Eat. If you have a really big appetite, this might not be the place for you.

One of the advantages of the less than gigantic portions is that you have room for dessert. We ordered three for the table. Everyone loved the warm Chai Spice Donuts, which are served with a white “hot chocolate” for dipping. The Chocolate Bete Noir and the dessert special featuring seasonal strawberries were equally well received and devoured.

Six-One-Six offers a full bar, including specialty cocktails that also change seasonally. A selection of beers and wines available by the glass ($7-$15) are printed on the dinner menu. They also have an extensive wine list by the bottle that features 40 bottles of quality wine for $40.

Six-One-Six clearly is committed to making creative, seasonal, high quality food accessible for more than just special occasions. I’m not sure if this cutting-edge restaurant would survive without the financial support of a hotel behind it, but we’re fortunate to have both Six-One-Six and the J.W. Marriott in our City. All things considered, this is my favorite restaurant in town.

Six-One-Six  ( Rating: out of 5 )

Where: JW Marriott Grand Rapids, 235 Louis St., NW
Hours: Dinner is served Sunday through Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Breakfast and lunch hours available here.
Ambiance: Modern, upscale dining
How much will it cost you: $7-12 for Small Eats, $20-27 for Big Eats and $8-15 for sushi dishes. Dinner for two with a $40 bottle of wine would average around $100-125.
Credit cards: All major
Alcohol: Yes
Reservations: Yes
Wireless Internet: Yes
Contact: (616) 242-1448
Online: http://ilovethejw.com/dining.htm