The Week We Ate (The EID Week in Review)

Chocolate lava cakes from Chez Chloe. Don't you want to lick the screen? 

ICYMI:
~Six hotshot young chefs in the same kitchen could be a recipe for disaster, but not at the first Young Guns dinner at The Root Restaurant + Bar. Here is my recap and the full menu from this event, which featured so much talent in one room it was unfair to all other rooms. [EID]

~Chloe Sabatier of Chez Chloé makes exactly one thing: traditional French chocolate lava cakes. A 23-year-old French transplant who moved to Detroit from Paris just six months ago, Chloe is astounded by the overwhelming response she has received after just two months of being open, and is already thinking about her growth plans (which include a food truck for next summer). [Model D]

~Restaurateur Maurice Wiggins, one of the opening partners of Hudson Cafe, plans to open the Addison (in the former location of Atlas Global Bistro) and Restaurant 55 next spring. [Model D]

~Hatch Detroit 2013 semifinalists Voigt's Soda House are now open through the end of the month in the Livernois Community Storefront. Stop by for a sandwich, soup, and old-fashioned soda and order some of their artisan syrups for the holidays! [EID]

~The final chapter in a series on independent grocers in the city of Detroit, this last piece for Model D looks at stores in Midtown, Lafayette Park, and the East Riverfront where you'll find an active mindfulness towards healthy and organic foods, greater selections of fine wine and craft beer, and increased focus on Michigan-made products. [Model D]

~Tacos will replace pizza at the staple college town booze store Marcus Market, which underwent a serious facelift earlier this year. ALLEY TACO opens mid-January. [EID]

~This guide in Model D highlights many of Detroit's top permanent retailers and art galleries offering unique holiday shopping opportunities. While no means comprehensive, this list highlights a wide range of local retailers, including many that just opened within the last year, including Shinola Store Detroit, Busted in Detroit, RedBull House of Art, Inner State Gallery, The Detroit Mercantile Co., Hugh, Pure Detroit, and loads more. [Model D]

~The Grille Midtown, ALLEY TACO, Thomas Magee's Sporting House Whiskey Bar, Delite Cafe and Deli … here's a quick look at was has opened recently and what's about to open. [Model D]

Detroit City Distillery is now 100% approved to operate and will now work on finishing their build-out in Eastern Market. [DCD FB]

Esquire names the shawarma at Bucharest Grill among the best late-night food in the country. [Esquire]

Get your coffee and whatnot fix at Coffee and (_____) 7 days a week now! [C+Blank FB]

Detroit in…Dubai? Yep: Guns + Butter continues to make its worldly rounds. [Gulf News]

Have you heard about Detroit's Dr. Sushi yet? He's going to be popping up a lot more around town in 2014. You're going to want to check him out. [Click on Detroit]

'Tis the season for tamales at Honey Bee Market! [HB FB]

The holidays are a busy time for companies like Pete's Chocolate Co., Mindo Chocolate Makers, and Sydney Boggs. [Detroit News]

Ouch. Michael Symon's Roast - Detroit has to close for two weeks to repair fire damages in the kitchen during peak holiday season. [Freep]

#saveblimpy [MLive]

Red Crown has a new owner, a new menu, and new hours. [Freep]

The new Smoke Street in Milford is getting some good reviews so far. The owner, Elia Nichols, is kind of a character, and also owns the E.G. Nick's chain and Highland House (located not far from Milford in Highland, with a carry-out space in the same plaza as The Root Restaurant + Bar in White Lake). This is what replaced Brian Polcyn's Cinco Lagos, previously the famed Five Lakes Grill that was rebranded when the economy tanked. [Freep]

Here is a list of new places that have opened in Detroit really really recently. [Thrillist]

Beerie
~Jolly Pumpkin Brewery has announced their new cafe and taproom in Dexter! Null will showcase all of Northern United's brands, which also includes Civilized Spirits and North Peak Brewing Company. [Promote Michigan]

~Griffin Claw Brewing Company cans are now making their way to shelves. [Merchant's Fine Wine FB]

~Michigan's Best Beer Guide author writes about Detroit-area breweries for the Chicago Tribune, name-dropping everything from Atwater Brewery to Kuhnhenn Brewing Co. to Fort Street Brewery. And Traffic Jam + Snug and Falling Down Beer Company and MillKing It Productions and Griffin Claw Brewing Company and Rochester Mills Beer Co. Also Motor City Brew Tours. [Chicago Tribune]

~DRAFT Magazine names their top 25 beers of 2013. Not surprising: Founders Brewing Co. DOOM is on the list. Surprising: Wolverine Beer placed on the list? With something called Gulo Gulo India Pale Lager? That's one of the top 25 best beers of the year, apparently? Color me surprised, and congrats to them! [DRAFT]

~Paste Magazine named their 15 best winter beers, and that list includes Bell's Brewery, Inc.'s Winter White and New Holland Brewing Co.'s Cabin Fever. And some other really solid picks, too. [Paste Magazine]

Misc
~Grand Rapids and Lake Michigan's Gold Coast is the #1 travel destination for 2014 according to Lonely Planet (some other great picks on there as well, but none only 2.5 hours driving distance in our very own beautiful state). [Lonely Planet]

~"COLD AND LESS HOSPITABLE." Oops, I mean, yaaaaaaaaaaay someone said something nice about Detroit again, VALIDATION woooooooo. It's f-ing cold. [Fodor's]

~You know what would be way better right now? New Orleans. Oh hey, here's this thing I wrote. [Fox   News]

~California is such a vast, often incomprehensible state. It is the most agriculturally diverse state in the country, yet the people seem to be more at odds and internally conflicted over their own products and potential than anywhere else. As a whole, the state manages to be both trailblazing pioneer and two steps behind simultaneously. (Talking wine, farm-to-table food, craft beer, everything.) For you winos out there, here is a great interview with Jon Bonné, wine editor for the San Francisco Chronicle and author of The New California Wine, which touches on some of this. [LA Weekly]

~Some of these are actually kind of cool. Many of them are very SkyMall. But…who doesn't love SkyMall, amiright? [BuzzFeed]

~I feel like this could have been a lot worse for the restaurant in question. [Mashable]

[NEWS BITES] November news from the outer 'burbs

Great Lakes Culinary Center. 

Southfield: The new Great Lakes Culinary Center, a 20,000-square-foot, multi-use facility for restaurant and food service industry professionals and aspiring food entrepreneurs, has officially opened its doors to the public. The center is connected with the Great Lakes Supply Company and provides food service professionals with everything needed to design, build, test, and launch a fully-equipped commercial kitchen. In addition, it is an interactive demonstration classroom, multimedia learning center, and a destination for private parties and special events with indoor/outdoor seating and capacity of up to 150 people.

Milford: Despite a previous press release going on saying that it is open, the new Smoke Street in Milford (in the space previously occupied by Cinco Lagos, previously Five Lakes Grille) is in fact not yet open. But the menu is up, and it looks...like it will be less "destination" BBQ and more serviceable neighborhood "we go because it's there" BBQ.

Plymouth: Plymouth-Canton Patch reports that the 789 building is celebrating its grand opening. The building is home to three new businesses: Cafe Jorge, Aladdin Shawarma Express, and Yummie Yogurt.

Shelby Township: Buddy's Pizza opened their 10th metro Detroit area location in Shelby Township yesterday. "Where is Shelby Township?", you ask? If you have to ask, you don't really need to know. (It's basically the Novi of the northeast but without all the Asians.) This is Buddy's first new location in 15 years.

Troy: Columbus's Piada Italian Street Food is coming to Troy. Here's part of the press release:A new, healthy, made-to-order food concept is coming Michigan thanks to successful Ohio restaurateur Chris Doody. Piada Italian Street Food will premiere its thin crust bread that is hand-rolled with premium ingredients at its newest location on Friday, Nov. 22 at 2038 W. Big Beaver Road in Troy.

Piada Troy is a new genre of fresh fare with Northern Italian roots. It is quickly rising in popularity in the Midwest and hailed as a “Hot Concept” by Nation’s Restaurant News. At the counter of Piada Troy, guests choose the creation of their dish step-by-step. The price of the average meal is $9 and the order is typically completed within 60 seconds.

Guests choose from three entrees:
· The Piada – It begins with a stone-baked Italian crust dough made from organic and natural flours and extra virgin olive oil. Then, it is filled with high-quality ingredients and from-scratch sauces of the guests’ choice
· A custom-created chopped salad
· A personal pasta bowl

Guests customize their entrée selections with items such as steak, Italian sausage or salmon; sauces including Pomodoro, Alfredo and pesto; a selection of sautéed and fresh vegetables; and salad toppings of cheese, pancetta and much more.

So, basically, it's another place for Troy office workers to get a quick lunch.

The Week We Ate (The EID Week in Review)

Behold: the douchiest of bags. 

ICYMI:
~On December 8, six area chefs will collaborate on a special "Young Guns" dinner at The Root Restaurant and Bar. Every week, EID will profile each of the participating chefs. This week meet Chef Michael Barrera of Streetside Seafood, and hear what he has to say about our local food scene and the important things about being a chef. [EID]

~Wicked Donuts is coming to Treat Dreams starting November 16. [EID]

~Some of the best grocery stores in the city are in Southwest Detroit. From authentic Hispanic food items and produce from Latin America to the most extensive selection of fresh baked goods, butchered meats, and hot foods sections to rival restaurants, places like Honey Bee Market, E+L Supermercado, Gigante Prince Valley, and others make simple grocery shopping an exciting adventure. [Model D]

~Eastern Market Corporation is a prime example of placemaking according to a new study released by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)'s Urban Planning Department. [Model D]

~I do a LOT of writing on the food and bev industry in metro Detroit, and because of that I have a LOT of knowledge on those subjects (also I'm a bit of an obsessive information junkie). I recently appeared on The Craig Fahle Show to talk about local meaderies. I put together some notes on places like B. Nektar, Schramm's Mead, and Kuhnhenn Brewing Co., which of course I never used. But DAMN there is a lot of good info in there, so I'm sharing it all with you. Here's your total mead primer, beginning at the beginning with loads of info on metro Detroit meaderies. [EID]

~Upcoming events! [EID]

Eddie Huang was profoundly affected by Detroit because abandoned buildings. Watch all of the profoundness in his three-part show when he eats burgers with a rapper, whips his wang out and pisses in a street (because, you know, when in Detroit), and visits our version of the Springfield Tire Fire. [Freep]

It's been over a year since La Feria Detroit took home the top prize in the 2012 Hatch Detroit competition, and Detroiters have been waiting patiently as we've watching the building take shape. Now they are officially open for lunch and dinner! Urban Innovation Exchange checks in with co-owner Elias Khalil in anticipation of the opening. Did you know he wrote the book on the Cass Corridor? Read on. [UIX]

The anticipation just keeps building: Detroit Institute of Bagels opens next month! [DIB FB]

Anthology Coffee has expanded their hours and are now open on Sundays at Ponyride! They are now open every day 9am-4pm. [Anthology]

Congratulations to B. Nektar Meadery, who just received their federal brewing license! The meadery will now start making braggots, beer/mead "hybrids" that require a brewery license to produce. [EID]

Blood soup, glands, bone marrow, and other organs? Yep, you can eat those here in metro Detroit! Here are some of metro Detroit's scariest foods, just in time for Halloween! Braaaaaaaaaaains... [Freep]

The Daily Meal lists 7 reasons to visit a Detroit Lions game. Local food reasons like McClure's Pickles Bloody Mary, The Sugar House, SLOWS BAR BQ, Russell Street Deli, Pegasus Taverna, Zingerman's Creamery, and Hungry Howie's Pizza. [The Daily Meal]

The Downtown Farmer's Market Detroit may be over for the season (along with most of the other farmers markets), but Brother Nature Produce will continue on through the winter thanks to their hoop houses, though now owner/farmer Greg Willerer, who quit his job as a teacher to become an urban farmer, does get a little bit of a break. [UIX]

Here's what Blaze Pizza in Royal Oak looks like. [Thrillist]

Smoke Street Restaurant is now open in Milford in the former Cinco Lagos/Five Lakes Grill space. [Prosper]

Check out The Oakland's Shane Bang at the Las Vegas Cocktail Competition sponsored by GQ. [YouTube]