The Very Best of the City and Suburbs!
|
|
|||||
| Home | Detroit Culture | Just for Kids | Fashion | Beauty | Modern Living |
| Contact Us | Food & Fun | Fine Dining | Dining Diversity | Casual Dining | Nightlife |
|
Dining Diversity Dining
Adventures |
WORLD FLAVOR ATLAS GLOBAL BISTRO Overlooking an underdeveloped strip of Woodward Avenue, Atlas is a genuine urban bistro and one of the brightest new stars in the city. Attracting a diverse A-list, a mix of suits, scenesters and the curious linger at the vintage bar over cocktails and a keenly chosen list of the world’s beers and wines. The adventurous menu and the extraordinary ever-changing lunch and dinner specials cover all corners of the globe—from Bombay to Brazil and sometimes closer to home. The à la carte brunch on Saturday and Sunday is likewise as worldly as it is exceptional. MÉLANGE Chef John Weiszer’s amazing amalgamations of Eurasian flavors reflect his OJT in Thailand and Italy. His service as a chef in food-forward San Fran attest to how intelligently and artfully he puts it all together. We now crave jasmine rice instead of potatoes. SMALL PLATES Bon Appetit gave high props to a menu that meanders all over the world. From perfect panko shrimp to pizzas, both the portions and prices are designed for you to nibble your way through multiple continents. SWEET LORRAINE’S 17100 N. Laurel Park, Livonia 333 E. Jefferson, Detroit Pretty savvy with modern dining? That’s where Sweet Lorraine’s was 20 years ago. They introduced us to the flavors of the world, spun creatively. Lorraine continues to be one of the most important chefs on the scene; historically and currently. CRÊPES GOOD GIRLS GO TO PARIS CRÊPES Paris has a crêpe stand on about every corner. Now Detroit has one. Francophile Torya Blanchard Howell long dreamed of running her own crêpe stand in downtown Detroit, and city dwellers, rejoice, her vision has become reality. Her traditional French crêpe stand allows patrons to savor both the savory and the sweet versions of these delectable delights. She caters too. JOSEPHINE CRÊPERIE An artsy little neighborhood bistro with a big-city feel. We wish there were more places like this around; eating here feels as comfortable as a favorite pair of sandals. The food is freestyle French, and your dinner goes like this: You each order a different crêpe, decide to trade bites, you are jealous of your dining partner’s order yet so happy with your choice you secretly hope they don’t want another bite. You wonder about all the other things you didn’t order. You order dessert, which is something you rarely do. The next day you want to go back. FONDUE FONDUE ROOM Both romantic and fun, fondue is a different way to dine. The colors are vibrant in the exposed brick restaurant, but the fondue pot is the centerpiece of every table and conversation. Using a traditional oil (don’t sweat, it’s cholesterol free) or a lighter, bouillon style in a seasoned broth, you do the cooking—your server will advise and instruct. Appetizers and entrées are presented on skewers, accompanied by a variety of flavorful dunking sauces and a bowl of batter for creating some truly tasty treats. If you can’t make up your mind, we suggest you order The Big Event, a really big event that includes cheese appetizer, filet, teriyaki sirloin, chicken, lobster tail, shrimp, scallops, salmon, cheese tortellini, assorted fresh vegetables, and you still aren’t done until you have had dessert—a chocolate fondue (white, milk or dark) with fresh fruits, cakes and sweets for your dipping pleasure. Try a martini with dinner—there are over two dozen on the menu. THE MELTING POT 26425 Novi Rd., Novi Fondue is romantic and fun, and much better when you don’t have to clean it up. The Melting Pot is huge, yet not the elbow-to-elbow we’ve seen in today’s hottest spots—the seats you’ll occupy are intimate. Each table is given its own space—either a room or dividers for privacy—which has the effect of making you and yours feel like you are the only ones there. Great for a date or a party of friends. The wine list here is incredible—4,000 bottles and 27 by the glass. All of the tables have a ceramic fondue heating unit built in; it’s interactive, and with a quick explanation you will be cooking in no time. Your server brings your appetizers, entrées (meats, seafoods, veggies) and desserts (including nine incredible chocolates) and yes, there is the cheese which we all collectively associate with fondue. But after you visit, you might start thinking along the lines of the experience, because you can get food at any restaurant—but a great time is much rarer. NEPALI EVEREST EXPRESS Rocky is the man behind the curtain who sells the only legal Nepalese in town. You might notice little black things sprinkled on your food—they are kind of peppery but it isn’t pepper. Trying to explain the subtle flavors of a restaurant whose spice chart goes off somewhere in the Himalayas is like trying to explain the color of Nirvana’s skies. It’s best said that Nepalese shares most of its genes with Indian or Pakistani cuisine, yet is much lighter and way healthier. KATHMANDU CHULLO With a name sounding like it came from H.P. Lovecraft, Chef Rocky and wife, the creators of Everest Express, bring you the Detroit area’s only other Nepalese cuisine ever. Stylistically, it’s a trip to Nepal by way of the flea market; there’s oodles of fake flowers and wall-to-wall carpets—literally on the walls. Wash your feet first, you have to take off your shoes as you will be walking and eating on that traditional seating. Service is not rushed and this food is so healthy it would probably cure your bad back. The food is similar to Indian restaurants, a little different but pretty familiar. AFRICAN THE BLUE NILE 545 W. 9 Mile Rd., Ferndale Fine dining, Ethiopian style. Expect the unexpected. It is traditional to eat with your hand (right hand actually) and scoop using fingers or a wonderfully spongy sheet of bread called injera. Ethiopian cuisine is exotic and wonderfully original; heavily seasoned entrées (mostly vegetarian with nods to lamb and chicken) come in small mounds on platters lined with injera. It is a sharing experience, perfect for a date or a group of friends. You must try the honey wine. The servers will replenish, inform and advise. CARIBBEAN JAMAICA JAMAICA On the 7 Mile strip sits one of Detroit’s few Caribbean restaurants. Jerks and curries abound at the tables. Like it hot? You are in for a treat, mon. IRIE CARIBBEAN CUISINE One of the better Caribe cuisine huts to open, in a nice strip mall (and they don’t sell hair products on the side or offer you a lifetime supply of noni juice). The spice is less than deadly than some; we’ve nearly encountered death by habanero at other encounters. Exceptional curried goat and fish as well as the jerks (we dug the pork). The mango, pineapple and coconut dunk sauce for the shrimp was a hit as well. LATIN CAFÉ HABANA Get your mojo on at the first Cuban restaurant in the Detroit area. Finally, a place to grab a quick Cuban for lunch. Anyone who’s spent time in Florida may have become addicted to these roast pork and ham submarines, which are flattened and heated on a sandwich press. Habana features fancier Cubano dishes as well; the ropa vieja is well done and it was as surprising to see the stuffed arepas (a cornmeal cake) appear on both the dinner and the breakfast menu as it was to see that Habana even had a breakfast menu. Most importantly, since Habana has a liquor license, you can order mojitos and kick back. EL BARZON Looking for that wonderful off-the-map gem to impress your friends? With everyone from Molly to the Metro Times raving, El Bazon has gone from clandestine to destination. Meticulous Mexican and incredible Italian dishes await under one roof, authentic, delicious, and the prices even better. No matter which side of the menu you order from, you’ll get more than a meal—you’ll get cuisine. Owner Chef Norberto worked for years as sous chef at swanky Il Posto. He carries the same high standards, but not the high prices. The Mexican food is as good as you’ll find anywhere—fresh and honest, beyond the gentrified cheese covered dishes that dominate the cuisine locally. From the first visit, there was an unmistakable warmth and an eagerness to please that makes this restaurant truly special. DONA LOLA Looking for mofongo? Mofongo is seafood in sauce over mashed plantains and is just plain fun to say out loud. This is one of the only restaurants in town that uses plantains as an entrée rather than a clever garnish. Dona Lola serves Mexican and Puerto Rican entrées made from chicken, beef and pork but is primarily a Latino seafood house. Go for the Shrimp Dona Lola—they wouldn’t have given it the house name if it sucked. PAMPAS CHURRASCARIA Just when you have eaten it all, along comes Churrasco (pronounced shoo-RAS-koo). The Brazilian barbecue has become the vanguard of ethnic epicurean eating. It is an endless parade of meats brought from the flames of the rotisserie directly to your table—a buffet without the work. Pampas does it right. It’s a cornucopia of carnivorian excess—with an excellent wine selection to wash it down. Vegetarians—regrets only, but technically you could graze at the salad bar all night long and never hit the same place twice. SANGRIA Owner Luigi Cutraro may be Italian, but he comprehendes de Español. Michigan’s first tapas tavern loads the table with an endless array of phenomenal Spanish specialties, from top-heavy sandwiches to lavish paellas—four in all, and if you don’t try one of each, you’ve missed the boat. The signature drink, sangria, is made in twenty-five gallon batches by Luigi himself, and goes well with any of the offerings created by Chef Lee, who’s designed his fun but serious menu with that fresh and fruity drink in mind. TANGO BRAVO ARGENTINE GRILL The gauchos of Argentina are said to actually be the ones who invented churrasco, if that even matters. They certainly know their way around a cow. The grills go non-stop at this family-owned Argentinean restaurant, they even have one for your table. There are cuts and parts of the beef we don’t normally find, of course when covered in the house chimichurri anything is going to taste great. Meat is not only on the menu, it is the menu. Vegans beware. TU-CAN TANGO This sophisticated martini and tapas bar is heating up the west side with salsa. Instead of traditional dining tables you’ll find low slung couches, ottomans and coffee tables throughout the space, ideal to kick back, eat and soak up the atmosphere in style. There are three bars about the place and an enticing black marble dance floor that’s right in the midst. The tapas menu is extensive, expertly plated and very, very good. It would have to be, the place is owned by Ramzi, who showed his skills at the Golden Mushroom and owns the new improved Italian Epicure in Novi. VICENTE’S Some of the most interesting dining and dancing to hit our city, Vicente’s is just what downtown needed. The setting is a large room designed in the style of a vintage Cuban nightclub. It’s fun, vibrant and a little spicy, as is the food: a mix of homestyle and elegant Cuban and Spanish dishes including an astounding array of tapas. It’s the best Cuban sandwich we have had this far north of the equator. The paella is a feast, loaded with succulent lobster, clams and mussels. Later in the evening, when the salsa music starts, the room is transformed. The dance floor undulates with dance fiends and amateurs from all walks of life mixing it up in what might be the sweaty solution to all the problems in the world. (Lessons are available if you haven’t yet mastered the art). The housemade sangria is a unique recipe, one you shouldn’t miss and the same goes for what has got to be Detroit’s best mojito. EASTERN EUROPEAN ALLEGRO Russian/Armenian restaurant specializing in lamb over a wood coal fire. Kabobs and chops are tops, and come with a gazpacho/salsa sauce that is very refreshing. Most appetizers come by the dozen, caviar comes with blini and spiced hard cooked eggs, and we liked the veal dumplings—like tiny pierogi you pop in your mouth. There are sturgeon kebabs, Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Kiev and Tolma (grape leaves, made with the national Armenian recipe no less). Call, because you won’t stumble across this place accidentally and chances are if you did it might not be open (it is a weekend thing in the back of a strip mall). DAKOTA INN RATHSKELLER It’s always Oktoberfest at the Dakota Inn. Sing along with the live piano player while you drink great German beer and munch on knacks and brats. Haus specialties are the four kinds of schnitzels and amazing Reuben soup. They have all the other authentic German entrées, usually accompanied with mashed potatoes, spätzle or the amazing potato pancakes, all housemade. The building itself is a true treasure; art deco meets the old country—it’s one of the most interesting architectural gems in the city. Check out the plasterwork on the walls, this kind of craftsmanship no longer exists. THE FIDDLER Want borscht under your belt? Classic Russian names—Count Stroganoff’s noodles to Czar Stoli’s magic water—the Fiddler has them all and does them right. The food is rich, and nearly everything on this minutiae-loaded menu has a lengthy ?explanation about how it was some famous Russian’s favorite dish. HUNGARIAN ?RHAPSODY No other ethnic food is as comforting as the Hungarian you’ll find at the Rhapsody. These made-from-scratch dishes are subtly spiced, usually rich and as fulfilling as a meal can be. A house specialty is hortobagyi, a veal crépe covered in a velvety sauce, available as an appetizer or a meal and may be the single best dish we have ever tasted. Virtually everything on the menu is extraordinary and well presented—goulash is served over a flame in a hanging miniature kettle. This is a family-operated restaurant that excels at everything they do. Since everything is immensely satisfying across the board, we recommend the “Transylvanian Wooded Platter” which will give you the pleasure of sampling many things. And try to save room for the house-made desserts. FILIPINO PICASSO OF MANILA Most people associate Picasso with Spain, some might pick Paris, but obviously, they have never been to Picasso of Manila in Warren. This Italian/Filipino restaurant aims to please. Pancit, a noodle dish, is usually a safe bet, because you pick the main component (chicken, beef or pork). And you never go wrong with meat on skewers (unless you are on a halal or kosher diet) because Filipinos love the pork even more than Italians. We were told the cooks are from the Philippines—only to discover later that half of them included the owner. RUSSIAN THE FIDDLER Want borscht under your belt? Classic Russian names—Count Stroganoff’s noodles to Czar Stoli’s magic water—the Fiddler has them all and does them right. The food is rich, and nearly everything on this minutiae-loaded menu has a lengthy explanation about how it was some famous Russian’s favorite dish. OFF THE BEATEN PATH KOLA’S FOOD FACTORY Perhaps the most unusual world cuisine is here in our very own backyard—Riverview, virtually the only place you will find muskrat (a large amphibious rodent native to North America) on the menu. Of the few restaurants Downriver that serve this exotic delicacy, Kola’s is probably the best known—because Johnny Kolakowski gets the most press. Kola’s is known far and wide for their unusual menu (we like the alligator medallions and the homemade sliders), and “Kola” himself is the author of a wild game cookbook called Cooking Wild with Johnny so you can try some of his famous muskrat recipes at home. So how does the muskrat—a.k.a. water rat—taste? Let’s just say it’s an acquired taste, a gamy meat that definitely does not taste like chicken. © 2008 Guide to Detroit, LLC |