Two More Victims of Hard Times: MCB and Zaccaro's

The trendy (and, alas, pricey and poorly managed) Mercury Coffee Bar has closed its doors temporarily to "retool." I've been hearing tales of their woes pretty much since they opened, so this comes as no tremendous surprise, but it is still unfortunate. Let's hope the second time's the charm, since there's nowhere else in the city or suburbs where we can get genuine slow coffee.

The equally trendy and pricey Zaccaro's Market will also be closing due to "slow sales." This gourmet grocer, the Big Buzz of Spring '08, had all the right ideas in place including top-notch wines, cheeses, pastries, and coffees, a full line of organic food items, as well as a cafe with free Wi-Fi for mingling, working, and noshing. I had really hoped this one would be a success, but in this place at this time...well, as much as people might have been excited that a gourmet grocer had opened in the city, no one had the money to shop there. In time, I hope Cindy Warner or someone with her same ambitions and goals takes up the slack and tries again as I do think in a better economy there is a market here for such a place, but for right now we all must weather the storm with Meijer-brand. Best of luck to you Cindy, and thanks for trying.

In a Down Economy, Dine!

Has anyone else noticed the disproportionate number of new restaurants that have opened/are opening lately? And I don't just mean in Detroit, but all over the metro area. It's too much for a foodie like me to keep up with! I may need to adopt a "one new restaurant a week" policy...if only I could find someone to pick up the tab (blogger for hire, will work for food).

So here's what's going on:

Ferndale's favorite brunch location Toast has opened an brand-new boutiquey location which also serves dinner and alcohol in Birmingham. Early reviews have been great, and a friend of mine who works there raves about it. What I had seen of the interiors in early September looked promising--very warm, inviting, and arty. The menu also sounds fab.

Hit-or-miss (mostly miss) Andiamo Restaurant Group is extending their quasi-cultural appeal into Mexican cuisine with Rojo Mexican Bistro in Novi. With an extensive (and likely expensive) tequilla menu, it sounds kind of Agave-ish, and all I can say is IT'S ABOUT GODDAMN TIME. And also, why Novi? WHY??????

In Detroit, we all know all about Mercury Coffee Bar. But do we also know about Angelina Italian Bistro? It's a trendy new place best described to me as an "Eye-talian restaurant for Detroit hipsters" (thanks to Supergay for that one, pun on the pronunciation intended). I have a review-ish pending on that one...perhaps One of My Gays will meet me for lunch there tomorrow so I can do it proper-like...hm...must send email...

Also, the Westin Book-Cadillac has brought us Michael Symon's ROAST, now open and already very popular. I, too, enjoy dead things on plates and find its early success no surprise. Soon there will also be Spa 19 24 Grille, which...*sigh.*

Now, what exactly is going on in Dearborn? Maestro's opened in Dearborn's West Village Commons earlier this year, featuring executive chef Liam Collins who has worked in Las Vegas, Mackinac Island and most recently opened the Hotel St. Regis, is owned by Najib Rizk whose record is...questionable. Accusations of illegal activities a la La Cigar (in east Dearborn) and La Shish have been fairly rampant, and the reviews from locals have been mixed (it claims to be Mediterannean/French but seems more Lebanese, based on what Dearborners have said). But it is pretty inside.

Also, Dearborners apparently like sushi, as the downtown west Dearborn business district is about to have more than its fair share of sushi joints. We already know about the ultra-popular and ultra-trendy Crave; now there is also Kabuki Sushi, which has lower prices and more of a "family" (i.e., non-clubber) appeal. This is the second location of owner Michelle Lee's popular Kabuki Sushi; the original is in Farmington Hills. Further west down Michigan Avenue (like, a block) will be the aptly-named Sushi: A Japanese Restaurant. This one is still very much in the early stages of development. So now in less than one mile of Michigan Avenue diners will have no fewer than three different sushi options. Just. In. Case.

Ever wondered what would become of all those empty La Shish locations? A place called Palm Palace will be taking over. It will be exactly the same. Executive chef Jamil Eid is the "foremost expert of Mediterranean cuisine in the Midwest," having traveled all over Africa, Australia, Lebanon, and the US over the past 50 years, developing his culinary style and skills. Mark my words, it will be exactly the same as La Shish. Which is fine, because I rather liked their food.

What else has been happening in Dearborn? The much-buzzed-about opening just yesterday of P.F. Chang's and Bravo Cucina Italiana in the new restaurant plaza in Fairlane Town Center. Neither of which have great food (only varying shades of edible to decent), but both of which now add to my list of "Places I can be one shot and half a vodka martini into my evening less than 10 minutes after leaving work." And for that, I'm thankful. Friday's still has the best happy hour prices, though.

That's all for now. I will continue in my efforts to bring you all dining-related news and gossip, as well as thoughfully snarky restaurant reviews. A blogger's work is never done...

Mercury Coffee Bar Trip #1

Originally published in D-Tales here; see original post for pictures.

I say "Trip #1" as if there are immediate plans for a #2. There aren't, but next time I do plan on sitting in the dining area and actually being waited on, which will likely make for an entirely different experience.

That being said, me likey. I ate upstairs, ordering my breakfast at the counter and chatting with the baristas. At the recommendation of one of them, I tried the "Flat White" espresso, described to me as being similar to a latte but with only the slightest wisp of foam...and something about the way it's done something with something makes the espresso sweeter, I dunno. She said it was thus far their most popular espresso beverage so I said, what the heyl. It looked pretty, like it does on the main page of the website.

I also ordered a Bacon Ceddar Panino on Raisin Pecan. It was not a large sandwich, but it was very flavorful--the bacon is thick and meaty, and the cheddar very sharp and tangy. I'm typically not a fan of raisins in my bread, but the subtle sweetness of the bread was a nice way to offset the sharp, salty flavor of the cheddar and bacon. All in all, a very tasty little sandwich.

The rest of the menu is sparse, utilizing minimalist preparations with simple, flavorful ingredients. Paninos are available in flavors such as Black Olive Tapenade with Mozzarella and Sopressata with Sweet Onion and Fontina. Onions get a lot of face time...which, I hate, but I also hate ordering things off the menu "plus or minus this or that" because I feel it ruins the integrity of the dish as it was intended, so I can pretty much eliminate half the menu options. Paninos and salads are available in full or half orders; until I see what those sizes look like I will reserve judgement.

For beverages, a wide variety of imported teas and slow coffees (so named for the slow-drip style brewing, made fresh for each order) are available, as well as a host of espresso-based beverages and one "fast coffee" called simply, "El Diablo." The menu translates easily into breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and there are pastries available for dessert (though I simply could not justify spending $4.50 on a brownie).

The décor, as I noted before, is pleasantly loud. The endless, depthless pink floor, though at first a bit jarring, is actually kind of soothing in the morning light. And the views of the still-standing train station ruins from the windows are outstanding.

Mercury Coffee Bar: Almost Open But Not Quite

Originally published in D-Tales here.

But it will be tomorrow! Swing by the new Mercury Coffee Bar in Corktown across from Slows tomorrow between 7:00AM and 10:00PM to check out what they have to offer. They were supposed to open today, or so methought, but I guess they got delayed because when I came in I got a big no-ah-ah. I did get a piece of coffee cake though. Little dry...

The floor is very, very pink. And it is so solid and smooth that it looks like it might suck you into all its pinkness. It almost has a hypnotic effect in that way...you're getting very, very pinky...come closer into the pink...a long time ago in a pink far, far away...

Remember that scene from Austin Powers? "Moley moley moley moley moley"??? Pink.

For the time being, it's cash only. They will eventually be serving beer and wine, and apparently there was an article about it but I don't read. Coffee beans are being sourced from Intelligentsia Coffee, award-winning bean importers and roasters based in Chicago. Ah, hello Chicago. Newman.

I think I will give it another go tomorrow. After that, my patience will have been exhausted, so here's hopin' they're open.

Lots of New Developments; Here's a List

Originally published in D-Tales here; edited for content.

...Level: This new martini bar will inhabit the former site of the once-popular Buzz Bar, which shut down for some damn reason or another, who can keep track anymore? So much for the rumored reopening...but I will always welcome a new martini bar. The sign says "Opening Soon," but you never really know what that means in this city. I'm still waiting on that new French restaurant right across the street.

Mercury Coffee Bar: Phillip Cooley (who, with his brother, owns Slows Bar BQ and half a block of Corktown) and Todd Wickstrom, co-founder of Heritage Foods USA and former managing partner at Zingerman's Deli, have teamed up to create Mercury Coffee Bar in Corktown. This two-floor building will have seating for about 50-60 diners, and will serve fresh-baked pastries and sandwiches made with ingredients supplied by local urban gardens and Michigan farmers. The idea is to create more jobs for locals as well as to drive economic development using food. With the recent shift in Detroit backs towards more agrarian roots and urban gardens cropping up all over the east side and Midtown, there's no time like the present. Mercury Coffee Bar promises to be the first wave of a sure new trend in Detroit: one that focuses on the highest quality ingredients and promoting the local agricultural economy.

Tre Monti Ristorante: This newly-opened Italian-esque restaurant behind the San Marino Club in Troy is open to the public, unlike the Club it is adjacent to. Some interesting things about San Marino: it is the oldest constitutional republic in the world and boasts the smallest population in the Council of Europe as well as one of the highest Gross Domestic Products per capita in the world. Membership to the San Marino Club in Troy is open only to those of San Marino descent. Which makes me wonder how many there could possibly be in Michigan, but apparently there's enough.

Tre Monti is the result of a longtime desire to extend the Club's cultural heritage, and is said to highlight the cuisines of tiny San Marino, the landlocked enclave republic completely surrounded by the rolling hills of Italy. The cuisine is shockingly similar. But, the decor is bright and welcoming and the fare sounds tasty enough, though pretty painfully basic. Some standouts include osso buco and involtini with prosciutto and mozzarella--again, nothing too fancy, and certainly not the work of a Chef de Cuisine, but I'll spare my judgement until I actually dine there. In my experience, it is oftentimes these non-flashy restaurants owned and operated by a long tradition of families from the Mother Country featuring menu items that sound pretty basic and simple that are the ones you'll rave about for years afterwards as being one of the most flavorful meals you'd ever experienced.