Side Door Kitchen brings a Cajun vibe to Napoleon

The sleek, utilitarian look at Side Door Kitchen is a great contrast to the savory and creative dishes they serve. Pictured are co-owners and Manchester residents Marisa Olmstead and “Chef Chris” Sirvinskis.

A few years back, Manchester’s Chef Chris Sirvinskis decided to close the doors of his popular “Boogie Woogie BBQ” restaurant that he’d owned for 12 years in Pinckney, thinking that he “might want to retire and try a few other things.”

“I philandered around,” he says, “and focused on my music again. But I just found out that I’m really good at being in the kitchen. Being in my mid-50s, it didn’t appeal to me trying to start over in small jobs. And after being off a couple of years, it recharged my batteries. A friend asked me to do some cooking in his restaurant, so I felt right at home.”

In January and February of 2020, some of his former clients from Boogie Woogie BBQ started calling him to do some outdoor barbecues, and Chris started booking parties on the side.

Then, along came COVID-19. Chris’ step-daughter and also a Manchester resident, Marisa Olmstead, had just become a head chef after working in the corporate restaurant world for six or seven years. That job evaporated when the pandemic hit. Her location was closed; there was nothing else out there. “Those people were just out of work,” Chris says. His catering bookings also dried up.

“My kid didn’t have a job, so we started talking about opening our own place,” he said. They looked in Dexter and Ann Arbor, but were priced out of that market. When a spot in Napoleon became available, they decided to go for it. The Side Door Kitchen opened in the Airport Plaza on March 24 and has been going strong, five days a week, ever since.

And although it’s only been a few weeks, their reception has already been “way beyond what we anticipated,” he says. “I think Facebook has been a huge help; when we first announced we were opening about two weeks before, we had 1,000 followers within a week. By the time we had our first day, word had gotten out and it was crazy … far exceeding what I thought we would do.”

While the restaurant does have indoor seating, their primary business has been carry-out, especially with the pandemic “pause” that started again last Friday. “That’s what we did at Boogie Woogie BBQ,” Chris says, “so we’re well versed in carry-out and catering. And that’s what we’re aiming to do here.” The restaurant serves a menu of Cajun and Creole dishes all week long and Barbecue on the weekends.

Chris says he finds a lot of satisfaction in cooking for others. “I’m back. And I love it. I’m doing what I really love to do.” He first learned about cajun and creole cooking back in the mid-1980s, when fine dining restaurants were starting to embrace Paul Prudhomme’s cooking style. “The first thing I learned to do, while I was still in my teens, was to make a roux for gumbo,” he recalls. “I couldn’t believe the depth of flavor you could get by simply mixing flour with butter and having a little patience and skill.

“Barbecue is the same way,” he says. “You’ve got to take the time and patience to do it right … it takes at least 18 hours to do it properly. It’s still just as challenging as it was in the beginning, but now I know what to expect. And I came to realize that time and patience is very rewarding, and can’t be underestimated.

“I guess I just got lucky; I found it so fascinating and I’m still doing it today.”

At Side Door Kitchen, the Po-boy sandwiches have been a popular menu item, and it’s easy to see why. The home baked baguette is crisp on the outside and soft and delicious inside. The fillings include smoked pulled chicken with herbed mayonnaise, cheddar, and bacon; lightly fried shrimp with coleslaw; a smoked turkey “reuben” with gruyere cheese and coleslaw, and more. Or try Chef Chris’ famous gumbo, a catfish platter, and other cajun dishes, all served with a side of cornbread. Their $10 “BB King” dinners include red beans and rice, baked mac & cheese, and cornbread pie (smothered with chicken and vegetables). Servings are generous and the prices are reasonable.

Boogie Woogie BBQ, served every Saturday, expanded last weekend on an experimental basis. Because of the time it takes, they are planning to keep barbecue to the weekends, however. Chris says they will offer a variety, based on pricing. “Meat prices can fluctuate wildly even within a week’s time,” he explained. “I want to limit it at first to give myself some flexibility.”

The restaurant is located at 6780 Brooklyn Road, near the Napoleon Airport, and is open Wednesday- Sunday, 11 am to 8 pm. Check the entire menu at SDKmenu.com.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.