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Behind the massive glass door of Plymouth’s century-old United Savings Bank is a luxurious restaurant with a history all its own. , which opened in February, has a sophisticated yet approachable menu established in classical French cooking. It has a midcentury modern and contemporary mixed interior with enormous front windows that give it a bright, airy feel. And the dining room is chic, enriched by gold, black, and wood accents with lavish magenta velvet banquettes and beautifully appointed restrooms.

But the space wasn’t always this grand. In 2012, George and Terrie Stefanakis purchased it as another location for their popular family diner, . Their youngest son, Stefan, grew up in restaurants, learning the family business.

Yet, as is often typical of children, he had different ideas. He had designs drafted up for the underutilized room below the Plymouth location and, in July 2020, opened it as a speakeasy called The Ebenezer.

By 2023, with the support of his parents, the Plymouth Greek Islands location closed, making way for the next generation’s vision. After an extensive remodel, Stefanakis, with partners David and Kathryn Szary, Chris Petrakis, and Jimmy Merdani, introduced The Ledger to Plymouth.

“My family gave me a lot of support, even though they probably thought it was crazy,” Stefanakis says. “But even knowing the risks, I would still choose to be doing this.”

On my recent visit, the rhythmic tapping of cocktail shakers provided the background music. For tables of celebrants, there were personalized gift bags and festive, sparkler-lit dessert deliveries. Apothecary bottles lined the bar with all-natural house-made elixirs alongside tall shelves of bourbons, whiskeys, and tequilas. There were interesting beers and wines available — all that was missing was a trained sommelier and a more extensive wine list.

Beverage Director Jimmy Walkup and Creative Director Mazen Mourad created a clever menu of craft cocktails and mocktails with classics on one side and creative innovations on the other. I had the Suffering Bastard ($16), light and balanced with The Botanist gin, Old Forester 86, ginger, and lime. The Tommy Bahama ($18) is a tropical offering with Lunazul blanco tequila, orgeat, falernum, passion fruit, and lemon.

The Ledger has a well-established culinary team of former sous- and executive chefs who can technically execute. After interviewing over 40 candidates, Stefanakis found Greg Alexiev, a Schoolcraft College-trained chef with 30 years’ experience. He joins Stefanakis after serving as the executive chef of in Plymouth, then executive sous-chef of the resort. He encourages a collaborative environment, believing the more ideas the better.

“Just because I think of something, it doesn’t mean that other ideas aren’t worth exploring,” Alexiev says. “It starts with one concept that evolves into something that blows everybody away.”

The Ledger runs a seasonal scratch kitchen. Alexiev says he’s trying things here that he’s always wanted to. One (for beef lovers) is the use of tallow, or seasoned rendered beef fat, brushed over steaks to intensify their flavor.

You’ll also see tallow on the shareables menu alongside focaccia, lit as a novelty candle ($11). Garnished with parsley, rosemary, Turkish pepper, and lemon zest, it melts into a flavorful dipping sauce.

Another standout small bite, the roasted Brussels sprout chips ($18), is inspired by a Japanese street food called okonomiyaki. It’s tossed with katsu, giving it an umami kick. It’s brightened by pickled onion and ginger and heated with a chile crunch that’s soothed by a nutty tahini drizzle.

The sashimi-grade tuna tartare ($22), a composed sweet and cool tower with wonton chips, is surrounded by sesame oil and sweetened soy sauce. It’s flavorful, topped with a refreshing avocado-cucumber layer, Korean chile threads, and the sweet-hot burst of sweety drop peppers.

The lobster roll ($42) is prepared Connecticut-style — hundreds of miles from its New England cousin. It’s served warm on a sweet bun and poached in a surprising vanilla-infused lobster stock butter. The pairing of vanilla bean and lobster stock seemed unusual initially, but I appreciated the thoughtfulness of the merger.

For tamer palates, the Alaskan halibut ($44) is a pan-seared fillet over a docile pea risotto with lemon-thyme gelée. The soy caramel scallops ($48) are visually appealing, sporting a one-sided sweet-and-salty sear over carrot-mango mousse with a carrot slaw, plus sautéed spinach and a spiced almond crunch.

The Ledger’s butcher’s cuts are a point of pride. I tried two — the American Wagyu strip, one of three from the Wagyu sampler ($185), and the Certified Angus Beef prime filet ($62), which sliced like butter for how lean it was. They arrived well seasoned and a perfect medium-rare. The flavorful Zip-style sauce comprises emulsified beef stock, bourbon, cream, garlic, shallots, herbs, and mixed peppercorn.

Great food accompanied by desserts that don’t measure up is not an uncommon combination at fine dining restaurants. But you won’t find it here. Self-taught pastry chef Adam Grimm first met Alexiev in 2015 at Michigan Beer Co. in Novi. Grimm’s desserts are performative and visually interesting and taste as good as they look.

The Instagrammable Crack the Vault ($22) is served by pouring warm crème anglaise over a gold-dusted chocolate dome. It melts away to reveal a golden butter cake, strawberry coulis, and fresh strawberries, making for a decadent, gooey mouthful. The dessert is now called The Ledger Cake ($18) and features a smaller dome filled with hazelnut mousse.

The Safety Deposit ($18) is a four-layer carrot cake with classic cream cheese icing under glass surrounded by a cloud of cinnamon-infused smoke. The cake is moist, light, and — surprisingly — gluten-free. The Strawberry Swirl ($16) is a New York-style cheesecake with perfect strawberry swishes, a rich and buttery crust, strawberry coulis, and Chantilly cream.

There is a strong front-of-house focus at The Ledger. From the welcoming host with a warm smile to the attentive and knowledgeable staff keeping plates and glasses full, I felt cared for the entire evening. Stefanakis credits his hospitality to his family’s Greek roots in Crete, where he says service and guest experience are the priority.

“When people walk in, they should feel special,” Stefanakis says. “We want to provide the best experience possible from start to finish, with exceptional food and service with a great vibe.” Mission accomplished.

The Ledger at a Glance

• Price: $$$$
• Vibe: Modern and upbeat
• Service: Attentive, polished, knowledgeable
• Sound level: Moderate
• Dress code: Business casual
  Open: The Ledger: Dinner Tuesday-Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 4 to 11 p.m., Sunday from 3to9 p.m.
• Reservations: Recommended. Call 734-984-0020 for parties of eight or more or reserve online at .
• Parking: Street parking and structures located nearby.
• Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

The Ledger is located at , call 734-984-0020 or visit for more information.��

This story originally appeared in the October 2024 issue of ������ Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of ������ Detroit at a local retail outlet. Our will be available on Oct. 7.