[NEWS BITES] Alley Taco to open inside Marcus Market

Remember how Marcus Market went through a major exterior renovation earlier this year? Well, that's not the only thing that's changing at this staple Midtown store.

In mid-January, Alley Taco will debut inside Marcus Market where the pizza once was. Sad for pizza, but happy for tacos! They will serve tacos, burritos, bowls and the like, plus delivery will be available. Want to get a preview taste? Check them out at Turntables: Tequila (Tuesdays) at Great Lakes Coffee in Midtown Tuesday nights (including tonight) starting at 5 p.m.

[Model D] La Palma Mediterranean Cuisine now open in Midtown

Details of the stone, brick, and woodwork at La Palma in Midtown.

Midtown workers and residents have yet another option for weekday lunch and dinner: La Palma Mediterranean Cuisine, located at the corner of Canfield and John R.

Opened just two weeks ago, La Palma is an open, airy space with prepared foods and select pre-made hot items displayed in cases by the cash register, and options for carry-out or sit-down service.

Read more.

Flavor Flav's Chicken + Ribs: Stellar Service, No Nervous Chickens

When America's beloved TV personality and hip-hop mogul, the one and only Flavor Flav, chose metro Detroit for his third attempt at restaurant ownership (the third time's the charm!), it invoked a media frenzy that even got picked up by Eater National. At the very least, it had everyone saying, "Yeeeeeeeaaaaah boyeeeeeeeee!"

Eat It Detroit would be remiss to not feature this truly monumental moment in metro Detroit's culinary history and give it the full respect it deserves. We asked ourselves why, in a metropolitan area where a handful of news outlets routinely run the exact same story about the exact same hot new restaurant a dozen different times with the words in different order and a new would-be food blogger emerges at the same rate that a Detroit politician tells a lie, why has no one properly reviewed this place?

It's okay, guys. We got this.

Here follows the full analysis of EID intrepid correspondent Stefanie Cobb's experience at Flavor Flav's Chicken + Ribs, including her conversation with the man (the myth!) himself:

Photo from EID friends the Rogue Estate

Journeying east on 15 Mile Rd. in Sterling Heights, a suburb of Detroit, I can sense when I'm getting close as the scent of deep-fried barnyard fowl intensifies and teases my nostrils. There is no denying my arrival after spotting Flav’s welcoming grill plastered on the sign out front.

My initial thought after pulling into the parking lot was of the consideration put into adding a drive-thru window for clientele on the go.

The young lady behind the counter appeared to be pleasantly delighted as I wandered through the front door. I think I was their first customer of the day, but appreciated the warm welcome regardless. She waited patiently as I scanned the menu board, finding what most would expect to at an establishment such as this—chicken, ribs and an array of comfort foods to accompany an entrée.

I opted for the already-"famous" fried chicken knowing all of the poultry used in the restaurant is endorsed by the AHA, meaning the chicks were free-range and come steroid- and antibiotic-free. I know, right?

In a follow-up interview with the media mogul himself, Flav claims, “There is a certain kind of LOVE put into my chicken you can’t find anywhere else. You ain’t eating any nervous chickens here.” Rest assured guys: no nervous chickens at Flavor Flav’s Chicken + Ribs.

Pining to take full advantage of my experience, I chose to order a side of the mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, coleslaw and a biscuit. Jumbo-sized fountain drink in hand, I made myself at home in one of the several vacant booths and took in the ambiance while waiting for my food.

To be quite frank, the atmosphere was a bit modest for what I was anticipating. Let’s just say I was more or less expecting T.G.I. Friday’s on crack. I imagined there to be giant clocks everywhere, gaudy colors, and Flav’s gold-plaited Cheshire grin plastered from floor to ceiling. Much to my dismay, aside from the giant pop art mural of Flav and a couple Viking hat ceiling lamps, the place lacked some much-needed décor. Also, I really hoped there’d be booze on the menu, perhaps something zany such as a drink called the Brigitte Bellini. Purple drank, even. But booze really isn’t something readily attainable at fast-food joints, so I’m not going to hold that against them.

I don’t believe this place normally offers tableside service, but the courteous cashier brought the food right to my table (again, probably because I was the only one in there). Seeing as I came on an empty stomach, I made no hesitation to start gnawing on a drumstick. Although the fried and roasted chicken recipes are Flavor Flav originals, Flav and co-owners Salvatore Ditoni and Gino Harmon worked with culinary professionals to create the rest of the menu. All of the sides are prepared, Flav claims, “in-house.”

Fried chicken almost always wins me over and though it was good, it did lack a little FLAV. The mashed potatoes were, you know, mashed potatoes. The biscuits were comparable to what I’d imagine a deep-fried sponge to taste like, but fairly edible after being smothered in butter and honey. I found no grievances with the mac and cheese; it was certainly the superstar of my soul food spread. Shell noodles rich in cheese and cream. I approve.

EID friends from the Rogue Estate - after

The staff was on top of their game as more customers rolled in. They all seemed genuinely enthusiastic about their jobs, keeping the dining room clean and remaining attentive to the needs of their guests.

The eats were mediocre and there was a shortcoming of some much needed oomph. I was kind of expecting to leave with a complimentary pair of faux gold grillz. And where were all the clocks, Flav? Where were all the clocks?

Despite all that, my first visit at Flavor Flav’s Chicken + Ribs was amusing overall and the hefty portions succeeded in forcing me to loosen my belt. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that third time’s indeed a charm in Flav’s case, as this is his third endeavor in opening a successful restaurant. (His other two closed in less than a year.)

As I’m sure most are wondering, why Detroit? (And by "Detroit," I am of course referring to Sterling Heights.) Believe it or not, Detroit inhabits a large part of Flav’s heart. “Detroit was the first city I rode a plane to when Public Enemy opened for the Beastie Boys at Joe Louis—Detroit gives Flav a lot of love!” So there's that.

“My boys sellin’ G in the Motor City. It is the only place that lets me stand by the water and see a foreign country on the other side.” True dat, Flav. True dat.

Editor's note:
In a previous interview with the Macomb Daily, Flav suggested he might use this new restaurant as a shooting location for a TV show, the "black version of Happy Days." Well spank our asses, it's happening! The Emmy-winning L.A.-based entertainment company William Morris Endeavor will be in town next week to scout and discuss casting (if you want to catch the clock-adorned icon himself, he'll be here March 23), and the "sizzle reel" (industry-speak for "demo") will be shot April 12-14. You heard it here first! Detroit (aka Sterling Heights), get yer grillz ready for your close-up!

[EID Feature] When you go to the Auto Show, Go Natural

The new atrium at Cobo Center. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

By now you've heard about the $300 million renovation project currently underway at Cobo Center. Part of the construction includes a three-story glass-walled atrium overlooking the Detroit River, which will make its debut (temporarily) during the 2013 North American International Auto Show when it opens to the public next Saturday, January 19.

Just a tad less buzzworthy, but something the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority is also very excited about, is their new concession stand Go Natural located on the main concourse, opening just in time for the Auto Show. Go Natural is the first step in a whole new direction for Centerplate, the Cobo Center's food service vendor. This grab-and-go cafe features a variety of prepared foods - soups, salads and sandwiches - all made with fresh, natural, locally-sourced ingredients. Organic produce, locally-raised free-range chickens, from-scratch soups and more are on the menu at Go Natural, which is all part of a larger initiative by Centerplate to not just catch up to the marketplace but "leapfrog" it, offering the kind of food not normally found in convention centers. Options at Go Natural include breakfast and lunch items, and are definitely hearty yet healthy.

In addition to the atrium, which will host private parties and VIP dinners, the new construction in Cobo will include a grand ballroom, additional meeting rooms, a brand-new food court and a new 8,000-square-foot kitchen with private tasting room. Catering will be entirely overseen by Centerplate's ACF Executive Chef Jamie Miller, whose biggest passion and primary objective is to use fresh, locally-sourced ingredients in his cooking.

I had the chance to preview Go Natural, as well as the Auto Show in mid-construction, this past Thursday. Check out the photos in the slideshow below. For the record, I had the buffalo chicken sandwich and tomato soup. The sandwich was made with huge chunks of high-quality chicken and more huge chunks of bleu cheese on ciabatta bread, the soup was loaded with fresh vegetables, and the ladies at the counter were lovely. As far as convention center "fast food" goes, this place seems pretty top-notch.

Go Natural at Cobo Center - Slideshow Creator

[EID Preview] KouZina

All photos by Nicole Rupersburg.

Of all the buzzy words in the buzz-centric realm of foodiedom, “street food” is probably the buzziest. We’ve adopted the trend quite readily here in metro Detroit over the past couple of years, and now we have a pretty sizable collection of food trucks (the literal sense of the phrase "street food") and restaurants with street food-style menus (the brick-and-mortar interpretation of the trend). And what this has ultimately meant is tacos. Lots and lots of tacos. Tacos are far as they eye can see and the mouth can eat. El Guapo, Jacques’ Tacos, Taco Mama, Imperial (and let’s not forget the entirety of Southwest Detroit, where the early adopters and Yelp Elites first started charting new territories in search of the most “authentic” street foods) … oh yes, we have tacos.

What we don’t have is Greek food. Not real Greek food, anyway. As Greektown itself has slowly transitioned into something less than “Greek” – the old family businesses have moved or closed or sold, leaving barely a handful of “Greek” restaurants left, and even that is a source of quibbling as the chefs of these “Greek” places tend not to be Greek themselves – Greek families have spread out across greater metro Detroit. While some might bemoan the fact that the culture is no longer condensed to one colorful city street, the culture has been wholly assimilated into the surrounding suburbs – and honestly, that’s one of the things that makes metro Detroit so great: the fact that ethnic cultures are so fully incorporated that they no longer draw notice. If we didn’t have a Greek coney island and a Middle Eastern shawarma shop on every street corner, metro Detroit would be a very different place. A place bereft of cultural diversity. (...a place like Chicago.) And that’s actually pretty awesome.

But Greek coney islands have been through their own share of Americanization and the food they serve isn’t what any Greek would call “authentic.” Now there is KouZina.

KouZina opens Monday in Royal Oak, in the tiny little building that was home to the Zumba Mexican Grille for so many years. Partners Bobby Laskaris and George Xenos have repainted the walls, opened up the front by adding garage doors that will open to the patio during the warm months, and otherwise spruced the place up a bit with cool colors and stainless steel accents. (Please note: photos were taken mid-September while the building was still under construction.) The result is a modern, stripped down, somewhat industrial chic space that will serve stripped down street food.

“A lot of the Greeks complain that there’s nowhere to eat,” Bobby says. “These coney islands butchered the Greek cuisine!” Bobby is a long-time restaurateur from a family of chefs and restaurateurs. His father Panagiotis (Pete) studied at a culinary school in Athens and worked in high-end hotels and restaurants all over Greece before coming to Detroit in 1968. He worked at Hella’s (RIP), Grecian Gardens (RIP), and the Bouzouki Lounge (back when it was a Greek supper club, not a strip club … RIP). Pete is part of the Old Guard of Greektown, but would ultimately find success in opening restaurants in the suburbs (where Greek families were happy to not have to drive to Greektown to get real Greek food). He opened Athenium Cuisine in Southfield then Olympian Café in Allen Park. He then launched a concessions business in 1984, working at ethnic festivals at Hart Plaza and growing from there.

Bobby, now 40, started as a busboy in Greektown at age 15 (a job his dad made him get). It was in the family’s concessions business that Bobby really took off. He took over the business and made it bigger, catering events at stadiums and convention centers (including the Superbowl, the All-Star Game and the World Series that were all held in Detroit over the last decade). In the meantime, dad sold his other restaurants and retired.

Bobby never had any intention of opening a restaurant. “Growing up I saw my father working the hours and the days he worked and I was always afraid to get involved in a business like that,” he says. “I decided about a year ago to open a small store with Greek fast food but on an authentic level; no one’s doing that here.”

So now Bobby is opening his own restaurant, and he’s dragging his father out of retirement. “He’s been retired 10 years; he’s 73 years old and coming out of retirement for us!”

“I’m not working with your dad in the morning,” says Yianni (John), a college-age employee and cousin of Bobby’s. He turns to me to explain: “I’ll come in and say, ‘Hi Uncle, how’s it going?’ No ‘hello,’ no ‘how are you,’ just, ‘Why are you smoking? Don’t be like that dumbass over there.’” (Gesturing to Bobby.)

We all laugh. Bobby says, “He’s great in the kitchen though!”

There’s a jovial familial vibe here that will really be a defining element of this restaurant, the same sort of friendly family vibe that the old Greek restaurants of Greektown once had. Bobby plans on maintaining that at KouZina. “It used to be in the old days all the Greek restaurants had Greek waiters, Greek owners, Greek cooks. Sabas at Pegasus is the only Greek chef left. Greek culture permeated the suburbs, which is why Greektown is not so Greek anymore. The Greeks started downriver and spread out. The parents started restaurant businesses and the kids got educated, but the kids who got the education but grew up in the industry are going back to the restaurants. We’re going to hire a few young college-age Greek kids. ”

For the concessions business, everything is made fresh on the spot. Bobby wanted to translate that to KouZina – a small menu of fresh, simple items made from scratch. Pete will be in 4-5 days a week making everything in house. “It will be kind of cool seeing him in chef coats again doing what he loves!” Bobby says.

The menu will be very simple: gyros made with lamb and beef, chicken breast, and pork tenderloin, marinated for a couple of days in olive oil and hand-stacked every morning. The sandwiches will be served the traditional way with tomato and house-made double-strained Greek yogurt made daily, served on your choice of five different house-made pitas (in flavors like garlic herb, cracked wheat, and feta and tomato).

Pete will also be making fresh spinach pies and weekly specials that might include other traditional Greek dishes like Moussaka and grape leaves. They’ll also serve their homemade yogurt with honey and walnuts and fresh fruit like it is served in Greece for a lighter dish. Their Greek dressing will also be made in-house and their fries hand-cut. All in all there will be about five different items to choose from, and a combo order including a sandwich, fries and soda will cost you about $8-9 out the door.

The whole kitchen operation is open to the dining area. “The cool thing is you’ll walk in and see the whole process of everything being made in front of you,” Bobby explains. There will also be artwork from local artists hanging on the walls and available to purchase. Bobby is himself an art conservative as President of Atlas Bronze Restoration (aka Hamtramck’s Venus Bronze Works), which has restored bronze sculptures in Cranbrook, on Belle Isle and all over Detroit and the Midwest. “We want to be a little more progressive than other Greek restaurants around here,” he says. “There will be no Zeus painted on the wall!”

Later Bobby also hopes to get into product manufacturing (Pete’s second retirement will still be a long way off), but first things first: KouZina opens this Monday. And like all the good street food joints, they’ll be open until 4 a.m. on weekends.

Hours: Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 a.m.; Sunday noon to 9 p.m.

Want to see more? View the Flickr set here.

[HOT LIST] Sliders

All photos by Nicole Rupersburg.

"With everything?" Yes, EVERYTHING.

Everything = ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions, wrapped in paper where they further soak in their own grease letting all the flavors marinate together (the true test of a good slider is how greasy the paper bag gets on your drive home). This is universal language for "everything" when at your local slider shack.  In metro Detroit, our little white huts of bite-sized burger worship have been around longer than most of us have been alive ... and the prices are practically the same as they were decades ago. Our slider shacks have a long history here, and the locals are fiercely protective of their favorites. Part of their appeal is their nostalgic sentimental value; the other part is their food: fast, cheap and greasy. Like relics of a former era - which most of them are (some dating back to WWII) - these slider shacks have silently shaped our food scene for decades, standing tall even as trendier and more commercial places have tried to de-throne them. Say what you will about your coneys; metro Detroit just wouldn't be the same without its sliders.

#1 Telway Hamburgers (Detroit)
Telway fans all swear they're the best, and that Motz, Bates and Greene's just don't compare. Located on Michigan Ave. in Southwest Detroit, Telway is probably the best-known of all the local burger emporiums. Part slider joint, part donut shop, they're open 24 hours and can cater to any and all of your grease, salt, fat and sugar cravings. They promise the "Best coffee in town," and at 45 cents it's pretty hard to beat. (We love $4 French press as much as anyone, but sometimes a no-fuss 10-second 45-cent cup of good 'ol American joe hits the spot.) Their burgers are a bit smaller, but at 85 cents at pop for a cheeseburger there's no reason to complain. Plus, this place is EXTRA adorable inside, even more old-timey and cute than all the other cute old-timey places. Cash only. Also in Madison Heights.

#2 Sonny's Hamburgers (Detroit)
Sonny's fans all swear they're the best, and that Telway, Motz and Bates just don't compare. Depending on your perspective, Sonny's has either the distinct advantage or disadvantage of being probably the least-known slider joint in town. Located in NW Detroit's Brightmoor neighborhood, it suffers from the seclusion of not being in one of Detroit's, errrr, trendier parts. But locals know: their burgers are the best. The BEST. Meatier, greasier, just plain gooder. The neighborhood might not be the most enticing but inside Sonny's is plenty welcoming (and no, there's no bullet-proof glass, just the same old giant stainless steel counter you'll find everywhere else). Their cheeseburgers are a little "pricier" at $1.50 each, but you're getting what you pay for. Plus you can order small or large burgers AND they accept credit.

#3 Motz Hamburgers (Detroit)
Motz fans all swear they're the best, and that Bates, Telway and Greene's just don't compare. Ahhhh, DELRAY, another neighborhood in Detroit you have to be a bit adventurous to visit (though being on the edge of SW it's a little less out of the way). Named one of the best burgers in the country by USA Today, Motz is known for thick, meaty "sliders" as big as regular fast food joint burgers, killer fries (with malt vinegar on every table), and a fairly diverse menu of other cheap 'n greasy victuals including other varieties of burgers. Like the geographically-appropriate Mexican Burger. And, Veggie. Which would presumably be cooked on the same beef-grease-coated grill. Which defeats the whole purpose. Kind of like ordering a veggie burger in a slider joint in the first place. Cash only.

#4 Travis Hamburgers (Saint Clair Shores)
Travis fans all swear they're the best, and that Motz, Greene's and Telway just don't compare. Open 24 hours and serving a bevvy of gut-bomb breakfast food in addition to glorious burgers, Travis is an eastside thing, you wouldn't understand. More of a full-fledged diner than a simple slider joint, this place is predictably packed after-hours and is also known for a stellar old jukebox that kicks out the likes of Patsy Cline. You want ambiance? This place has an old-school punk appeal that only comes with decades of serving drunkards warbling along to Johnny Cash. Cash only.

#5 Bates Hamburgers (Livonia)
Bates fans all swear they're the best, and that Greene's, Telway and Motz just don't compare. It's tiny, it's white, it's got the stainless steel counter and the old-fashioned sign menus with the push-in mismatched letters. Bates is known for having a slightly bigger burger, and no trip to Bates would be complete without indulging in their thick chocolate shakes or crispy crinkle-cut fries (add chili for extra oomph). They're also known for having solid coneys, and to mix up your slider experience a bit, get your burgers on a sesame seed bun. Open Monday through Sunday, 7am to 11pm. Cash only.

Bubbling under Greene's Hamburgers (Farmington), Old Fashioned Hamburger (Detroit), Bray's Hamburgers (Westland), Carter's Hamburgers (Lincoln Park), Comet Burger (Royal Oak), Joe's Hamburgers (Wyandotte), Hunter House (Birmingham)

[Real Detroit Weekly] Red Sauce

Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

"We all know the big restaurant names inside the MGM Grand Detroit: the Wolfgang Puck Grille, Bourbon Steak, SaltWater, even Palette Dining Studio (the fancy buffet). But there's also Breeze Dining Court, and to assume that a "food court" is akin to high-volume/low-quality fast food joints would be a serious mistake: at Breeze, Chef Chris Sokolowski and his team certainly oversee a high-volume operation but do so with the same commitment to from-scratch items using quality products as you see throughout the rest of the property. Just, you know, wa-wa-wah-wayyyyy cheaper (for those of us whose champagne dreams and caviar fantasies don't come true after a night at the slots).

'Red Sauce is one of five restaurants inside Breeze that cater to a wide range of craveable flavors, from stir-fry to classic American grill (dressed up with Black Angus Beef and specialty relishes) to housemade desserts. While the name itself isn't new, the concept is: previously an Italian-themed restaurant, it was re-conceptualized as a Mexican eatery featuring a build-your-own burrito, nacho and taco bar in July..."

Read the rest of the article here.

Want to see more? Check out the Flickr set here.