Thursday, October 31, 2013

[EID Feature] Young Guns: Michael Barrera, Streetside Seafood

In anticipation of the first-ever Young Guns dinner at the Root - which sold out in less than 48 hours - Eat It Detroit will run a new profile every week leading up to the event featuring each of the six participating chefs. This week, it's Chef Michael Barrera of Streetside Seafood in Birmingham.

EID: Where do you work and how long have you worked there? 
MB: I am the Executive Chef of Streetside Seafood in Birmingham and have been there since June of 2010. So 3.5 years.

Where did you work prior to this? How long have you been with Roberts Restaurant Group?
Beverly Hills Grill from 2005 -2010.

What is your culinary background and who has most influenced you?
I studied at the Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia. I worked for the Starr Restaurant Group while in school and after. I was a line cook at the Continental Restaurant and Martini Bar and promoted to Sous Chef shortly after while still in school. I worked under Chef William Murphy while there. He was a huge influence on me. He helped teach me that in this profession you need to have balance. Balance with family, career, etc.... He taught me that what we do for a living is not how we are defined as a person. What defines you is who you are as a father, brother, friend, and leader. Awesome chef. Miss him. The Starr Restaurant Group was and is loaded with a ton of talented chefs. Chefs like Chris Painter, Masaharu Morimoto, Michael Schulson. I was fortunate enough to do parties and dinners with these guys at the James Beard House.

Describe your personal cooking style.
This is a loaded question. My style is free. I try not to limit what style of food I cook. I love it all. Vague but true. Flavor is universal. I feel strongly about my palate. I feel I can go to any restaurant and get the point or idea that chef is trying to convey through his food. This is no matter the style, price, area, etc. As for the restaurant we have a no-frills approach to our standard menu. We do however get to "play" everday with our specials and features that change daily. This is where we can be as creative as our skill level will allow us. 40% of our daily sales come off our chalk boards. There has been some sort of media backlash recently about why restaurants run specials. Either to use up old product or to use the guest as a test subject for your own ego boost. That is not what we do. It's calculated the risks with food we make. Understanding your cliental and what they are looking for helps but also recognizing what is in season and using that ingredient in the proper way goes a long way. My style is that of my staff: ever evolving, learning, changing. That won't change. To simply pick a style of food and specialize in that would limit what you can do and teach your staff and what they can teach you.

What is important to you as a chef in your cooking and, in a bigger picture, what do you think the most important values are for a chef to have? What do you believe in as a chef?
Humility. That value cannot be understated. I understand that I don't know everything about food or this business. I know that I can learn something from anybody on my staff or elsewhere every day. That is the true beauty of what we do. People often wonder how a chef can work long hours, miss time with family, have high stress, and still carry a sense of passion for what they do. To me it is easy. I have two families. My blood and my restaurant. Obviously, my priorities are always going to side with my blood, but my restaurant family is 1A. As for what I believe in? Having fun in what we do. It is business, yes, but a business predicated on service and pleasure. Very few professions give you a sense of instant gratification; this is one of them.

How/where do you see Detroit's/Michigan's culinary scene fitting in on a national level? And PLEASE don't bother with the "Detroit is the bestest thing ever" mindless cheerleading. It's not. At this point Michigan is barely even competing with Ohio, at least on the food side (our beer is a different story). So, thinking in terms not of where it is but where it COULD be, how can Michigan chefs/restaurants evolve and where do you see them going?
Love this question. I agree that our scene is not on par with many other metropolitan areas in the U.S. That being said, it is different on many levels. We are territorial. Each suburb has a different vibe. Corktown and Midtown are not the same, same with Royal Oak and Ferndale and Birmingham. First the problems: this town has a chip on its shoulder. [We're] always trying to prove we aren't what they say we are instead of loving who we are and celebrating what the greater Detroit area and Michigan have to offer. Great agriculture, beer, wine, spirits. Those are things to celebrate and I think the attitude is changing. We are also very territorial in nature as well. People from Ferndale tend to not dine in Birmingham because of the attitude or haughtiness of its citizens and the same is true of people from Birmingham going to Ferndale. They don't go because it's younger or it's hipsters or God forgive there are gay people there. That's all bullshit. Here is where I preach: stop thinking you know unless you have experienced. I have eaten in every neighborhood in this city and area. I don't give two shits about the people sitting next to me or what their income is or isn't. I don't care what they are wearing or what they are not. It is irrelevant. I care about the core ingredients of what make a good dining experience. 1. I am welcomed warmly into an establishment. 2. I am waited on by somebody who cares about their job and is educated to do so. 3. I am given a meal that has obviously been give some thought and care by the cooks or chef. It is actually pretty simple if you think about it. I think we can evolve by focusing on these core values in food and service. We can evolve by taking ownership of who we are and celebrating it through our food. In Philly, also a gritty no-nonsense kind of town, they don't care where your money comes from, as long as it comes. I also think some of the responsibility is with our guests. We have been so long a "steak and potatoes" kind of town. Understand that there is more to offer. Don't limit your palate with the same thing over and over. Take chances, try new things, go to a different neighborhood, leave your comfort zone. You will be suprised by what you find.

What advantages does a chef have in Michigan over other states?
Tough one. I love it here. Michigan is my home. I LOVED the east coast and Philly. I miss it for the reasons you mentioned in your last question. That being said, I love that I can go to Eastern Market on Saturdays. I love driving 30 miles to go to the Root and have a great dining experience. I love going to Ferndale for the relaxed vibe and drinks [and] to Empire for wine and the beach with friends. I guess that is why I am here. To prove that we are a good area. Hoping one day that it is recognized. Working to change the perceptions.

What is your favorite cuisine and/or what are your favorite or signature dishes to make? What do you geek out over?
I hate this question! I seriously love to eat anything. I do not discriminate. I do love Spain and its flavors. But I equally love the Southern U.S. Argentina has amazing food. Signature dish? I don't have one. I am sure I have made 1,000 specials in the last 8.5 years, maybe a few of those were signature I hope. I geek out over preserved foods. Pickled, cured, rillettes. Yum. The way that a food is manipulated to have such impactful flavor is something that cannot go unnoticed.

When James [Rigato of the Root] approached your about being a part of this Young Guns dinner, what was your reaction? Did you consider yourself one of "Michigan's most dangerous chefs" prior to this? What do you think of your fellow Young Guns?
I was sitting at the bar at the Root and James came to greet me. We talked briefly and I had mentioned that we should get together and throw down sometime or get a group together. He said that he was thinking of the same thing. He took it and ran with it. I only know James through my visits to his restaurant and vice-versa. I know he is as passionate about this profession as I am. I know he has a network of friends and chefs alike that would be a great fit for this dinner. What is so amazing about this dinner is its covered area of chefs with Nikita opening Rock City eatery in Hamtramck, Andy soon at Seldon Standard in Midtown, Brennan in Ferndale [at Imperial], Nick [Janutol of Forest Grill] and I in Birmingham, and of course James, the mastermind, in White Lake. I don't consider myself dangerous per se, but do consider myself to be a leader in this industry. Sure, I have made mistakes in the past but you can do two things from that, grow from them or let them bury you. I am honored and humbled to be a part of this event with these guys. They are all so talented. I hope to come correct with whatever dish I decide to do. No pressure!

As a chef, what do you hope to achieve in your career? Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 20 years? How do you hope to help strengthen and bolster Michigan's culinary scene?
I work for Bill Roberts. He is fantastic restauranteur and operater of some of the area's best establishments. I don't have any aspirations on leaving this area or his company in general. I have invested a lot of time and effort with this company and plan on continuing with them until they get tired of me. I hope that this area continues to grow in its culinary endeavors. I hope that we don't give in to outsiders perceptions of who we are and what we are. I hope that we become a place that has great dining options and are destinations for both locals and tourists. I hope this event will show that we are more than what people expected and that other events follow with more chefs. I hope that 20 years from now we all look back at this and see it as a beginning of something special. That is what I feel it is. No ego, no bullshit, just good food, good comraderie, and most of all, a great experience for our guests that night.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

[EID ON AIR] Talking meads and merds on the Craig Fahle Show

Me with Craig Fahle. 

Just last week (ye gods has it only been a week??) I was a guest on the Craig Fahle Show on WDET talking about mead, thanks to this little piece in Hour. I put together a bunch of notes for the show which, of course, I never once referenced. So now I'm sharing them with you. Initially I was only going to share a few key tidbits, but then I figured I might as well just start at the beginning and not assume people already have a basic knowledge of what I'm talking about. 

You can listen to the Craig Fahle Show's snippet on mead with me here. I've also done a lot of mead primer work here, for your reference. 

PS, "merds." It's a thing now.

NOTES:

What is mead? 
Mead is an alcoholic beverage made from honey. The difference between mead and beer and wine is in the fermentables in the product - in beer it's grains, in wine it's grapes, and in mead it's honey.

Because honey is the primary ingredient, yes, it is sweet, but the sweetness can be tempered just like in a wine and meads can also be bone-dry.

Mead is the oldest alcoholic beverage in the world. The famous French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss makes a case for the invention of mead as a marker of the passage "from nature to culture." (And everyone who has ever written anything remotely significant about mead has referenced this.)

Meads are typically the strength of wine, roughly around 14% alcohol (though that can vary significantly).

Are there different kinds of meads? 
Much as there are different regions and varietals of wine and different styles of beer, there are dozens of different varieties of meads, but some of the most common that you'll find are as follow:
-Melomel - made with fruit
-Braggot - beer/mead hybrid using malt (with or without hops)
-Cyser - honey and apple juice fermented together
-Pyment - honey and red or white grapes (a wine hybrid)

Mead now has its own National Mead Day on August 3, an effort by the American Homebrewers Association.

B. Nektar Meadery, Ferndale
-Brad Dahlhofer is the co-owner of B. Nektar Meadery with his wife Kari and partner Paul Zimmerman.
-B. Nektar just entered the New York market.
-B. Nektar has expanded into a second production space, also in Ferndale, about six times the size of their original space, and recently added another 4,000 gallons of capacity.
-They are currently in the process of getting a brewery license so they can make braggots. UPDATE: As of October 31, 2013, they have received their federal brewing license and will soon begin making braggots.
-When they started producing the Zombie Killer, a lightly-hopped cherry cyser session mead, in 2011, it was a coup for the company and became their claim to fame; Ken Schramm and others credit them with bringing mead national attention.
-Next up was Evil Genius, a lightly-carbonated IPA-style mead that, to the best of their knowledge, was the first IPA-style mead in the country (though not the first hopped) - note, Evil Genius is no longer in production due to an issue with availability for one of the ingredients.
-Other carbonated session meads now include: Necromangocon, Kill All the Golfers (an Arnold Palmer style mead), Black Fang (made with blackberry, clove, orange).
-They will produce 25,000 cases of carbonated meads alone this year.
-New Devil's Night releases including new session mead Dwarf Invasion (made with cherry, hops), the Smoked Pumpkin Caper (made with smoked pumpkin, squash, and sweet potato, smoked honey, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spices, aged in a Goose Island Bourbon County Stout barrel clocking in at 15%ABV), Devil's Juice (orange blossom honey, smoked 'mutt' honey, pineapple juice, and a blend of 3 hot peppers), Eye Ball (like a highball, ginger and raw wildflower honey aged in rye whiskey barrels, one of partner meadmaker Ian Radogost-Givens' creations; he will be doing more experiMental B-Sides and a barrel-aged series.
-In the works: the barrel-aged series and more B-sides.
-We're seeing more and more carbonated mead at trade shows, presumable thanks to the success these guys have had.
-B. Nektar might be the largest meadery in the country right now, with Red Stone Meadery in Boulder next closest in size and production.

Ken Schramm, Schramm's Mead, Ferndale
-Read about his new Ferndale meadery here.
-Heart of Darkness is his signature mead, which used to be made at B. Nektar before Schramm got his own licensed meadery. It is made from homegrown, hand-harvested fruit from Schramm’s orchard and berry patch. The cherries are of the Schraammbeek variety, an intensely flavorful, European morello type, the raspberries are Heritage and Latham, and the black currants are Crandall and Consort. Production is extremely limited, as the amount of care and labor which go into each batch is substantial. Much of the fruit is netted to prevent birds from eating what should be your mead. This is a hand-crafted mead, if ever there was one.
-Where B. Nektar's meads appeal to the beer nerds, Schramm's meads are more elegant, akin to fine wines.
-Schramm is a world-renowned expert in mead, having wrote the book on it. The Compleat Meadmaker was released in 2003. It is still considered the current book of reference for meadmaking, and Schramm plans on a second edition soon. He is to mead what Brian Polcyn is to charcuterie.
-He plans on producing 300 gallons per month, all self-distributed.
-He also co-created the Mazer Cup, the largest mead event in the world featuring both home brewers and commercial meads in competition.
-Schramm has his standard blackberry, raspberry, and ginger meads, but he also has special meads like the Heart of Darkness, the Statement (made with Hungarian cherries) and Black Heart, a black raspberry melomel being released on Halloween.

Kuhnenn Brewing Co., Warren + Clinton Twp.
-The cult favorite craft brewery just bought a new production facility, which will open next spring
-The new brewery also has the capacity to produce 2,000-3,000 barrels (120,000-180,000 gallons) of mead.
-They will focus on braggots, lightly carbonated session meads (beer/mead "hybrids"). They will still make limited release still meads for brewery release only.
-They will distribute their braggots starting in Michigan and expanding out.
-Still meads will be special releases likely brewery only
-Every March they host "Mead Madness" with a slew of new limited specialty mead releases every week.
-They were covered in Imbibe Magazine's recent article on American meads, along with B. Nektar.
-They're currently known for meads like their Bourbon Barrel French Toast mead and Imperial Bourbon Barrel Braggot.
-Meadmaker Frank Retell has taken home scores of golds, silvers and bronzes at the Mazer Cup for his braggots, pyments, dessert meads, melomels...the list goes on and on.

Other Michigan meadmakers
-Dragonmead in Warren (currently going through a major expansion)
-Superior Lakes in Harrison Twp.
-St. Ambrose Cellars (now making some carbonated meads)
-Bardic Wells

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

[Model D] Green Grocer: Fresh food aplenty in Southwest Detroit

Honey Bee Market
The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation's Green Grocer program exists to strengthen the over 80 independently-owned full-service grocery stores in the city of Detroit. Each week for the next several weeks, Model D will profile a selection of these stores in neighborhoods throughout the city.

This week we're focusing on Southwest Detroit.

Read more.

[Model D] Eastern Market is a prime example of urban placemaking according to MIT


Eastern Market
A study conducted by the Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP) at MIT that was just released last week that explores the evolution of the urban planning and design of public places toward placemaking, evaluating high-profile placemaking projects throughout the country including Detroit's Eastern Market.

Read more.

Monday, October 28, 2013

The Week We Ate (The EID Week in Review)

From Imperial.

ICYMI:
~ For the next several weeks, I'll be profiling many of the full-service supermarkets throughout Detroit for Model D as part of a Green Grocer series for the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. We started this week with select neighborhoods in northwest Detroit featuring stores like Metro Foodland, Glory Supermarket, and more. Now when people ask you "where do you buy groceries in Detroit [besides Whole Foods]," you can point them here. [Model D]

~Approved! Congratulations to Detroit City Distillery; they've been approved as a distillery by the city and will start major construction on their space in Eastern Market next month. They're looking to open next spring. [Model D]

~A pedal-powered brewery in Detroit? Shawn and Aaron Grose of Windmill Pointe Brewing Company want to make it happen. [EID]

~Tickets to One-Eyed Betty's FestivALE are now on sale! $20 in advance/$25 at the door. Christmas, seasonal, and flagship beers from Bell's Brewery, Inc. (Official), Arbor Brewing Company, and Dark Horse Brewing Co., plus a 30-tap takeover of Short's Brewing Company inside and a special booth of extremely limited Christmas ales from St.Bernardus, Unibroue, and more. Whole animal roasts and tons of decadent cold weather comfort food. This is going to be THE holiday party! [EID]

~Downtown Detroit's Bagger Dave's Burger Tavern is set to open November 10. [EID]

~What's going on this weekend and next? Oh just ALL OF THIS. [EID]

First We Feast has the trailer for the Fresh Off The Boat With Eddie Huang Detroit episode, in which he eats burgers with rapper Danny Brown and does other things. [FWF]

Not all of Corktown has found the pot of gold at the end of the Detroit Is Cool Now rainbow. PJ's Lager House has struggled since the day PJ bought it despite introducing a (very good) food menu in the past couple of years to bring in more business. Bottom line: it might seem like business is booming for all the trendy businesses, but such is not the case for everyone. [Crain's]

The next statewide MLive.com search: Michigan's best pizza. Dear Gonzo, you need an official Detroit consultant. And that person should damn well be me. Please someone make this happen. [MLive]

Imperial is once again hosting their Day of the Dead celebration this year from October 31-November 2 and the skulls designed by local artists for the charity art auction are even more amazing this year than last, PLUS they have a killer special menu with three different kinds of tamales and of course, special drinks as well. These guys know how to do shit, for real. And here are the skulls. [RDW / Imperial FB]

Dia de los Muertos is coming up (Nov 1-2). Celebrate with Savor Southwest by visiting the dozens of ofrendas displayed at restaurants, stores, businesses, and churches throughout the neighborhood. And here's a handy guide to all of them! [SDBA]

Royal Oak is get yet another pizzeria bar and cafe next year, this one called Iron Horse. This is in addition to the Blaze Pizza that opened today and Trattoria Da Luigi that opened just a couple of months ago, plus Pizzeria Biga - Royal Oak and...that...other one. The name of which I forget. It's right on Main Street. Something Neapolitan-nana-something. And the Franklin Cafe that opened earlier this year, which has fallen way short of the really cool cafe/market I thought it would be. [RO Patch]

Bistro 82 and Sabrage are moving along in Royal Oak (in the old Sangria space) and could be open by mid-November. The word "ultra-lounge" still makes me skeptical, even though the chef they have is outstanding. I mean, the place could have a great chef but still be super-douchey, you know? [RO Patch]

B. Nektar continues to grow and expand, now adding New York to their growing list of distribution markets. Plus, B. Nektar's Evil Genius IPA-style mead has been out of production for awhile but Honey Bee Market still has a ton left for all you merds out there. [BeerPulse / EID FB]

Eastern Market Corporation: the go-to example of placemaking from Next City. [Next City]

Couple of factual gaffes here (Tom's Tavern is in Detroit, not Ferndale; Dangerously Delicious pies vacated Comet Bar months ago, and the then-editor of Thrillist even wrote a story on it for this very same publication), but an otherwise nice rundown of some of Detroit's best dives. [Thrillist]

Under The Radar Michigan stopped in Detroit for a full episode and covered Shinola, Dangerously Delicious Pies Baked in Detroit, and Diner en Blanc on Belle Isle. [PBS]

Most of you will probably roll your eyes, but the Starbucks inside of the Crowne Plaza Detroit Downtown-Convention Center is now open. Good for travelers and for when locals are staycationing and in need of immediate caffeine. [EID FB]

Misc.
~Some excellent advice for you all working and aspiring chefs out there from Marc Vetri. (Most of this advice can very easily be translated into most other professions too; it is the ethos that is important here.) [HuffPo]

~America is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay behind on tea, the world's second-most popular beverage (second only to water). Starbucks is looking to change that, aiming to do for tea what they did for coffee. [Freep]

~Yessy yes yes. [EID FB]

~Anyone else remember going to the local police station to have your Halloween candy scanned after trick-or-treating? The poisoned/needle-stuck-inside candy scare was big in the '80s; not sure if it's even still really a thing now. [some blahg]

Friday, October 25, 2013

[EID EVENTS] October 25 - November 2


ONGOING

DETROIT BEER WEEK
~$15 Food + Beer Combinations at Traffic Jam + Snug, October 17-27 (check their Facebook page for hours)
~Beer Flight + Pulled Pork Slider Special at St. Cece's Pub, October 17-27 (check their Facebook page for hours)
~Sammie, Soup + Beer Combo Special at Mudgie's, October 17-27 (check their Facebook page for hours)
~Rock City Eatery Food + Beer Specials featuring Dark Horse, October 17-27 (check their Facebook page for hours)
~Afternoon Delight Daily at Woodbridge Pub, October 17-27 (check their website for hours)
~Three-Course Menu at the Jefferson House for $20, October 17-27 (check their Facebook page for hours)
~BEER FEST
~Beer Fest Hangover Brunch at Woodbridge Pub, October 27, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

THIS WEEKEND 

Jolly Pumpkin + North Peak Tap Takeover at Great Lakes, Midtown, October 25
#47 Thai Basil, Oro de Calabaza, and La Parcela sours from Jolly Pumpkin all on draft. And North Peak too but, c'mon.

Michigan Brewers Guild Fall Beer Festival, Eastern Market October 25-26
As if this needs any kind of explanation.

Chef Brad Greenhill at (revolver), Hamtramck, October 25
2x Rabbit is two times the reason to go. 

Detroit's Big Crush, Downtown Detroit, October 26
The Detroit Art Deco Society's annual wine stroll will hit Angelina Italian Bistro, Small Plates, Foran's, and more starting at 1 p.m. Tickets are $35 in advance, $45 day of. 

Gathering of Ghouls, Corktown, October 26
Batch Brewing Company and Corktown Cinema present this Halloween party with libations from Batch and Anthology Coffee, food from Supino Pizzeria, a music from local DJs/musicians. Oh yes, it's a dance party. 

Halloween Dance Party and Costume Contest at Corner Brewery, Ypsilanti, October 26
Same day, another dance party on the other side of the planet as far as Detroiters are concerned but home to however many millions of you live in Ann Arbor Metro. No cover charge, prizes for best costumes, spooky sounds by Halcyon Sound and Wax Kings DJs, a haunted beer garden, and specialty Halloween brews on tap. 

Sundaylicious with Social Sushi at MotorCity Wine, Corktown, October 27
Eat sushi. Be social. Drink wine. Also beer. 

Last Slider and Cocktail Pairing from the Sauced Chef for 2013 at Go Comedy, Ferndale, October 27
The name pretty much says it all. Hit up Go Comedy in Ferndale for the last slider and cocktail pairing with the Sauced Chef for 2013. 

AND BEYOND 

Kung-Food at St. Cece's, Corktown, October 29
In collaboration with Food for All Seasons. 

Wines of the World: Germany at the Rattlesnake, Detroit Riverfront, October 29
The Rattlesnake's 25th anniversary Wines of the World wine dinner series continues with the oft-misunderstood wines of Germany and an exceptional menu. 

Special Devil's Night Release Party at B. Nektar, Ferndale, October 30
B. Nektar will release two new meads, the Smoked Pumpkin Caper and Devil's Juice, with food by Green Zebra Truck, prizes for best costumes, and a Rocky Horror Picture Show screening. 

Wrestlemania Halloween at Green Dot Stables, Corktown October 31
Break out your '80s spandex for a Wrestlemania Halloween at everyone's favorite slider joint, Green Dot Stables. There will be food and drink specials and theme music. 

'80s Zombie Party at the Sugar House, Corktown, October 31
Door prizes, '80s music, and a whole lot of booze. Dress like a zombie, or just your typical unwashed and half-asleep Detroit hipster. Close enough. 

The Oakland's Second Annual Halloween Ball, Ferndale, October 31
Special menu of elixirs and poisons. Prizes awarded to the best dressed.

Dia de los Muertos at Imperial, Ferndale November 1-2
Remember when they did this last year and it was amazing? Well, they're doing it again. And the charity art auction skulls are even more amazing than last year's. I WANT THEM ALL. 

[NEWS BITES] Pedal-powered brewery coming to Detroit



Aaron and Shawn Grose have a crazy idea. They want to open a nanobrewery in Detroit - that's not the crazy part (based on the response Batch Brewing Co. has received, there is a mega market for nano beer in this city). No, the crazy part is that they aim to make the entire brewery operation 100% pedal-powered.

It makes sense, what with Detroit's exploding cycling scene and the symbiotic relationship that seems to exist between beer and bikes.

So here's how it will work: customers will come in and ride bikes (think of them like the stationary bikes at the gym) and create pedal power. That power is then used to power the brewing equipment, so, essentially, pedalers are actually helping to brew the beer themselves. (And how often can you really say that?)

Of course, you're not obligated to contribute your personal pedal power; you can just come in and drink like at a normal brewery. But those who pedal receive membership accounts with an escalating point system to get discounts, merchandise, and other freebies. AND, if enough pedal power is produced, their utility costs will be significantly lower, making the beer significantly cheaper. Everybody wins!

Their pedal-powered brewery concept is called Windmill Pointe Brewing Company, named after Windmill Pointe in Grosse Pointe. Aaron and Shawn are both Grosse Pointe natives and the name not only pays homage to the harvested energy of a windmill, but also to Detroit's history (Windmill Pointe was first settled by French farmers and the whole area was filled with ribbon farms). All of the beer they will brew will have names that refer back to some piece of local history. Both are avid home-brewers and long-time industry vets.

They do not yet have a location for Windmill Pointe Brewing but would ideally like to be located in Eastern Market. This February they will host a private tasting party and fundraiser kick-off featuring their home brews where they hope to be able to use their pedal power technology (which they're still figuring out) to brew a five-gallon batch right then and there. To start out, they need to have about 20 bikes to power a 2.5-barrel system.

It's still very much in the early stages so it's far too soon to say anything definite - right now it's still just two dudes brewing beer in their garage - but the concept is certainly promising and it will be interesting to see how it develops after the holidays. They would like to open sometime in 2014.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

[NEWS BITES] Downtown Detroit Bagger Dave's set for November 10 opening

Photo from Detroit Regional News Hub.

Back in March, the Bagger Dave's in Greektown was experiencing some construction delays but was still moving forward with plans to open. Just last week, the Detroit News Hub noticed some work happening out front. Well, now it is official: the downtown Bagger Dave's will open for business on November 10.

Here's the press release:

Bagger Dave's Freshly-Crafted Burger Tavern, a unique, full-service, ultra-casual restaurant and bar, will celebrate the grand opening of its downtown Detroit location 11 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 10. The new restaurant is located at 1224 Randolph.

As part of the restaurant’s commitment to give back to the communities in which it operates, through Sunday, Nov. 17, Bagger Dave’s will donate 10 percent of its sales from the location to the Children’s Leukemia Foundation of Michigan.

“The opening of a downtown Detroit tavern has been a longtime priority of ours and we’re extremely excited to pull back the curtain on this labor of love. Being part of the city’s resurgence is exciting,” said T. Michael Ansley, president and CEO of the Southfield-based Diversified Restaurant Holdings, which operates Bagger Dave’s. “The city needs fresh dining options. Detroiters have shown their commitment to locally sourced products and freshness in their products. These are Bagger Dave’s core values. We look forward to being a viable part of the community.”

Diversified Restaurant Holdings also owns and operates the Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in the space adjacent to the new Bagger Dave’s.

The two-story space, which was built as a bank in the late 1800s, has been gutted and restored to highlight the historic front window, building’s original limestone façade, and skylight extending the length of the building, above the bar.  The restaurant’s main floor will seat approximately 60 people and the second-floor bar area will seat 70.

Like all Bagger Dave’s restaurants, the Detroit location will offer a warm, welcoming neighborhood atmosphere and memorable guest service. The restaurant will feature full table service and a bar serving local craft beers and wine.  Patrons can create their own hand-crafted and legendary beef, turkey or veggie black bean burger made with never-frozen, no filler, 100 percent USDA beef-blend, delivered daily, and all-natural, fresh, Midwestern-sourced ground turkey, a choice of 30 Meaningless Free Toppings®, which include six cheese choices, a variety of artisan buns, six house-made sauces and more.  A selection of Signature Burgers is also available, including the Tuscan Turkey Burger™ (sliced mozzarella, tomato, onion, basil and balsamic vinaigrette) and the famed Train Wreck Burger™ (fresh-cut fries, fried egg, mild cheddar, sautéed onions and mushrooms, and Bagger Dave’s Railhouse Burger Sauce™).

The menu also features the option to offer all meals as platters, which are served with a choice of Fresh-Cut Fries, Dave’s Sweet Potato Chips®, a side of Twisted Mac ‘n Cheese, a side salad, cup of Amazingly Delicious Turkey Black Bean Chili® or Tomato Basil Soup.  Also on the menu are sandwiches, salads and hand-dipped milkshakes.
            
Atmosphere is equally important at Bagger Dave’s, which was founded in 2008. The company has identified a niche in the burger business with a modern interpretation of the old-fashioned neighborhood bar. The restaurants are inviting for adults and kids alike, with localized décor of the town’s historical past displayed throughout, a bar, and even an electric train that runs above the dining room and bar areas. For more information, visitwww.baggerdaves.com.
            
As the Detroit location opens, the company will launch its new mobile loyalty and in-store rewards program, Bagger Dave’s Fresh Rewards.  Once enrolled in the program, which can be participated in via microsite registration, SMS or by scanning an in-store QR code, patrons can be rewarded by checking-in at any Bagger Dave’s location, purchasing specific products, rating their dining experience, referring friends or sharing the program via Facebook or Twitter.
            
Bagger Dave’s Fresh Rewards also features instant-win game experiences with prizes including gift certificates and big tickets items such as $10,000 to use toward a holiday shopping spree.

About Bagger Dave’s
Headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, Bagger Dave’s Freshly-Crafted Burger Tavern often gets accused of getting “fresh” with its customers, and rightfully so. The company’s menu features hand-crafted never frozen burgers, delivered daily. Burgers are made of 100 percent USDA beef blend with cuts of prime rib and no fillers or naturally raised, always fresh, Midwestern ground turkey. Burgers can be accented with more than 30 toppings from which to choose, fresh-cut fries, made from Bagger Dave’s own brand of potatoes, hand-dipped milkshakes and a selection of local, seasonal craft beer and wine.

Each restaurant quickly becomes a neighborhood gathering spot, showcasing historical photos of the city in which it resides and a nostalgic electric train that runs above the dining room and bar areas. The company has 16 restaurants across Michigan, Indiana and Missouri. For more information, visit www.BaggerDaves.com

About Diversified Restaurant Holdings
Diversified Restaurant Holdings, Inc. ("DRH" or the "Company") is the owner, operator, and franchisor of the unique, full-service, ultra-casual restaurant concept, Bagger Dave's Legendary Burger Tavern® ("Bagger Dave's") and one of the largest Buffalo Wild Wings® ("BWW") franchisees.  Between the two concepts, the Company currently operates 47 restaurants in Michigan, Florida, Illinois, and Indiana, and one franchised Bagger Dave's in Missouri.  The Company routinely posts news and other important information on its website at www.DiversifiedRestaurantHoldings.com.


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

[NEWS BITES] Tickets to FestivALE at One-Eyed Betty's are now on sale


Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 23, and don't plan on doing anything else. One-Eyed Betty's is hosting a monster FestivALE – a fall festival for all! (Or a festivus for the rest of us, if you must.)

What started out as a beer tent to coincide with the Ferndale DDA's 5k obstacle course nighttime run (a fundraising effort for their holiday events) has turned into a full-scale holiday festival with lots of food and beer and entertainment – like fire dancers, aerialists, and stilt-walkers, plus music from Americana bluegrass bands like the Appleseed Collective.

The DDA approached Beth Hussey, owner of One-Eyed Betty's, about hosting a beer tent for the 1,000 runners they expect at their event. She agreed, then figured, "If I'm going to do a beer tent I might as well turn it into a thing and make it a big deal."


And oh, IT'S A BIG DEAL. FestivALE will feature all seasonal and holiday beers, including some very special limited releases and rare imports. The whole concept is based around Christmas beers – those high-octane specialty releases like St. Bernardus Christmas Ale and Delerium Noel. There will be several local breweries pouring samples of seasonal and limited releases from Bell's, Dark Horse, and Arbor Brewing, all set up in an outdoor tent like at the Michigan Brewers Guild festivals. Plus Short's will have a 30-tap takeover going on inside. There will also be a special one-off Christmas beer booth with scheduled tappings of extremely limited kegs of rare and unusual beers from St. Bernardus, Petrus, Unibroue, Van Eeecke, and more (some of these kegs are the only ones allotted to the state of Michigan). Harpoon with also be there with kegs of their Winter Warmer and their ciders, available for the first time in kegs.

Since this is the Saturday before Thanksgiving and right as we all get into the full holiday swing, the food will also be equally as special as the beer. They'll have a "roast beast" dinner of whole pig, goat, and lamb, all served as finger food in rolls or tortillas with complementary sauces. Beth is also having a giant tartiflette pan custom-made by local metalworker Richard Gage to make the traditional cold weather comfort food of Franco-Swiss origin made with potatoes, Reblochon cheese, lardons and onions (they'll put their own spin on it, naturally). And there will be a six-foot-long apple strudel.

"We're really going for a different kind of feel than other festivals," Beth says. "We just want it to be a really awesome party with really great beer, really great food, and a really great atmosphere."

Another awesome food and drink festival in Ferndale that puts all others to shame? I'm in.

Tickets to FestivaALE are now on sale! $20 advance/$25 at the door.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

[Model D] Green Grocer: A fresh food oasis in Northwest Detroit

Metro Foodland
The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation's Green Grocer program exists to strengthen the over 80 independently-owned full-service grocery stores in the city of Detroit. Each week for the next several weeks, Model D will profile a selection of these stores in neighborhoods throughout the city.

This week we're focusing on the neighborhoods of Northwest Detroit: Grandmont-Rosedale, Rosedale Park, Old Redford, and 7 Mile and Evergreen.

Read more.

[Model D] Detroit City Distillery receives approval from the city, aims at spring 2014 opening



After a five-month-long process requiring two public hearings, Detroit City Distillery has been approved as a distillery by the City of Detroit.

Detroit City Distillery is a partnership between seven young professionals who are also long-time homebrewers and distillers. At the center of it is distiller J.P. Jerome, a Ph.D. in microbiology, and Michael Forsyth, manager of retail development for the DEGC and director of the REVOLVE Detroit program. The distillery will be in a 2,700 square foot space at 2462 Riopelle St. in Eastern Market, a former slaughterhouse.

Read more.

Monday, October 21, 2013

The Week We Ate (The EID Week in Review)

OVER IT. *snap snap* 

ICYMI:
~IT'S MOTHERFUCKING BEER WEEK, YO. [DBW / EID]
~Several Detroit businesses, including Hacienda Mexican Foods, foodjunky, and Detroit Mini Donut, are in the running for a $250,000 Chase Mission Main Street grant. They have to reach 250 public votes by November 15 to be considered for one of 12 available grants by the panel of top business professionals, so help them out with a quick vote. [EID]
-You could save your life a lot of time by checking in with my weekly events round-up to see what cool stuff is coming up. [EID]
-With the chilly weather, the fall foliage, and Halloween fast approaching, it's time to hit your favorite cider mill while it's the peak season! And these are the best ones out there. Also, it is now officially official: Blake's Hard Cider Co. cider house and winery is now open for business! [EID]
-And let's not forget The Dexter Cider Mill, the oldest continuously-operating cider mill in the state of Michigan. [EID]

THIS JUST IN: You are all officially over Slows. So 2010 called and wants its listicle back. Travel + Leisure names SLOWS BAR BQ one of the best mac + cheeses in America, begging the question: IS it though? Is it REALLY? Is it even the best in Detroit at this point? Or metro Detroit if you have to be snippy about the arbitrary 8 Mile border? And what did you say? In a word, no. [T+L / EID FB]

Everyone's trying to Make Detroit Happen. [WXYZ]

Bourdain promises to show people a Detroit they've never seen before. So, POP-UPS! [MLive]

Our very own Joe Robinson of Bailout Productions won first in the nation on Thrillist's search for the best Bloody Mary! Next he will be going to New York to do a Food Network Chopped brunch and compete for the title of America's Best Bloody. Congrats, Joe! I think this calls for a Bailout Bloody Brunch pop-up somewheres! (Green Dot Stables mayhaps?) [Thrillist]

The 5-month-long process has finally come to an end: Detroit City Distillery has been approved by the city of Detroit! They expect to open sometime in 2014 in Eastern Market. Read more about them here. [DCD FB / Metromode]

Great Lakes Coffee in Midtown now has a beer and wine to go license. [GLC FB]

The government shutdown affected not just Batch Brewery but every single brewery (both those trying to get licensing as well as ANY new product for distribution) in the country. [MLive]

Oh hey, Rock City Eatery gets some love from Thrillist, including their selection of Michigan craft beers from breweries like Dark Horse Brewing Co. and New Holland Brewing Co. AND that soon-to-be-be-famous mac and cheese in a parmesan bowl. [Thrillist]

B. Nektar Meadery is having one HELL of a Devil's Night release party. [B. Nektar]

The Woodward Hall beer hall popped up during the Tigers home ALCS serving beer from Michigan breweries. The Tigers are done but is the beer hall? Or will they come back for other special events in the future? (Indoor beer halls sure are better than outdoor ones what with their indoor plumbing and freedom from the tyranny of Michigan weather.) [Woodward Hall FB]

Marcus Market in Midtown got one hell of an exterior overhaul from the same folks behind the La Feria facade. Marcus Market, you are now officially a part of the Detroit Design District at Cass and Canfield! [EID FB]

THIS guy. (Tunde, that is.) Detroit News gives some love to Revolver and chats with co-owner Tunde Wey, a Detroit personality, if you will. (And you will.) [Detroit News]

Progress is progressing at downtown's Bagger Dave's. [Det Reg News Hub]

Here's a nice feetch on MotorCity Wine. [Metro Times]

The pastry chef's name is actually Kevin, not Eric (as originally printed), but otherwise a fitting review for the stellar The Stand Gastro Bistro. [Detroit News]

Hiller's Markets are taking some cues from Papa Joe's Gourmet Market and Whole Foods Market Ann Arbor getting all fancified. [Crain's]

According to the Metro Times, these are the best bars in greater metro Detroit. [MT]

The new 7-Eleven is looking quite a bit a lot Whole Foods-y. [Design Taxi]

National Pizza Month
Gizmodo has publishing this *AMAZING* pizza map showing where the closest pizza chains within a 10-mile radius are anywhere in the United States. Take a look at the full map on top - Michigan bleeds orange for Little Caesars. [Gizmodo]

The pizza cocktail now exists. (To be fair, despite the name that promises something wacky and potentially disgusting, it's basically a riff on a Bloody Mary with better marketing. But that doesn't make for a good Buzzfeed story.) [Buzzfeed]