[Concentrate] A delicious homecoming: Takashi Yagihashi returns to Michigan with Slurping Turtle

Takashi Yagihashi at Slurping Turtle. Photo by Doug Coombe.

Metro Detroit has been slow to take up the noodle trend that has been dominating the trendy food scene of major cities all over the world for nearly a decade now. While casual Asian take-out eateries in strip malls are never in short supply, especially in cities with larger ethnic Asian populations like Novi and Canton and, a little further east and a little less glamorous, Madison Heights, the metro area's core – Detroit – was noticeably absent the kind of upscale and/or late-night noodle shop found in abundance in places like Chicago and Toronto (and still is, if you consider that the places now just recently serving this kind of food – Rock City Eatery, Katoi, and Johnny Noodle King – are all helmed by non-Asians).

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[Real Detroit] Panache 447

Downtown Plymouth offers a burgeoning food scene with ample opportunity to be a big fish in a small pond, which is the reason father and son owners Robert and Blake Kolo decided to open Panache 447 in this location.

Speaking of big fish ... wait, we'll get to that.

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[HOT LIST] Sushi

Ahi Tuna Roll at Izakaya Sanpei, Canton. All covert phone photography by Nicole Rupersburg.

Full disclosure: I pretty much think sushi is the most boring of all the fashionable foods and I am quite frankly relieved that it seems as if the sushi craze is finally slowing down and stepping aside for good old American MEAT. For two reasons: (a) I'm not that much of a seafood fan in the first place (except for scallops, mmmmmm num num num scallops); and (b) the base components of any sushi dish - the stripped-down bare basics of sushi that would constitute as being authentically authentic in American minds - are pretty freaking boring. Raw fish + sticky rice + seaweed wrap. Meh. I understand (and agree) that it is better when fresh. So, okay, FRESH raw fish + sticky rice + seaweed wrap. Meh. Oh and then don't forget to drown it all in liquid sodium chloride - Americans heart salt.

So this is not about boring "authentic" sushi. (And please be reminded that if you use the word authentic I will punch you in your face.) Look, this is 'Merica. Sushi here is going to be 'Merican. Even sushi joints that have for-really-real Japanese sushi chefs shouting at people from behind the sushi bar are still going to cater to 'Merican palates, out of necessity. I like rolls to have some flayva. I say give me eel sauce and avocado; give me crispy tempura-battered shrimp and asparagus and splash it all with sriracha; slather that shit in cream cheese and bake it ... just don't put any mayonnaise on it because mayonnaise is disgusting, FACT.

Mexican Roll at Kabuki Sushi, Dearborn.

This sushi list is all about freshness, affordability and creativity. Places like Crave, Sakana and Inyo have outstandingly creative (and usually quite tasty) sushi but they are a far cry from affordable. Little Tree is affordable-ish but that shit is nasty. With thanks to my like-minded artist friend Angel Busque, who craves sushi the way I crave cheese, who helped me round out a list of fresh and affordable sushi joints. She says,

All I care about at the moment is freshness and being gentle on the wallet. That's the main thing really... Forget the people who are going to scrutinize those on authenticity, if they catch me ordering a roll with spicy mayo on my rare days, or if I'm not eating nigiri with my hands and dipping it fish side down, and putting too much soy sauce and wasabi ... What I care about is the food's freshness, the portions being good and filling; I want a place where I won't feel self-conscious about what I order, and if I'm willing to try new things that the staff and chefs are hospitable and eager to share their art. Those are what makes a sushi place a hot spot for me. 

Amen sister-girl.

#1 Ronin Sushi (Royal Oak)
I think I said it best when I said, "...at Ronin [sushi purists] might find [themselves] singing a different tune, one that embraces this NOT bastardized but modernized breed of distinctly American sushi (a song that may resemble the sonic warbles of Morrisey, but I get ahead of myself). One taste of sushi chef Kaku Usui’s contemporary creations will make you a nu-sushi songbird in no time." They make spicy tuna tacos, BLT rolls and ahi tuna pizza. At Ronin there's no shame in westernizing the flavors so long as it is done with craft; of all the trendy sushi "lounges" all over metro Detroit, there are none other like Ronin. (Pictured to the left: Ronin's Valentine's Day special, a snow crab roll in pink soy paper with cilantro + cucumber, topped with strawberries and served with ponzu sauce for dipping.)

#2 Sala Thai (Eastern Market)
My Official Sushi Consult Angel Busque says "the sushi at the Sala Thai is AMAZING. Had my eyes rolling to the back of my head. Close proximity to Eastern Market. It's got to be the reason why? Yes?" Hell, I'll buy it. You know what else I'll buy? The Rock and Roll - eel + avocado. Yes and yes. Or the Bagel Roll - cream cheese, smoked salmon, scallions and avocado. America: FUCK YEAH.

Kiss of Fire Roll at O Sushi, Dearborn

#3 O Sushi (Dearborn, Canton)
Hey, I like it. My Korean friend likes it too and that's official enough for me. (All facetious ignorant American joking aside, this place is owned by a Korean family so there are a lot of very good Korean items on the menu as well, like kimchi and bibimbap.) They have what is probably a disproportionate number of spicy rolls on the menu, which may in all seriousness be a cultural thing (Korean food tends to be spicy). Yipee for me! Order the Kiss of Fire Roll: tempura shrimp, spicy tuna, avocado and jalapeño pepper covered with crunchy tempura flakes and hot sauce on top. This would more accurately be called the "Ring of Fire Roll" IFYOUKNOWWHATI'MSAYIN.

#4 Kabuki Sushi (Dearborn, Farmington Hills, Canton)

The sushi is notoriously good, the service notoriously bad. Thankfully for them, this is not a Service Hot List. They make ROUSes: Rolls of Unusual Size. Their "Giant Rolls" include an American Dream Roll and Rainbow Roll; 8 pieces under $10. They also have some funky rolls, like the Mexican Roll with tempura shrimp, avocado and hot sauce. Hot sauce should be on all sushi. Skip the soy and replace it all with hot sauce. *OR* ... sriracha!

#5 Crazy Sushi (Madison Heights)

From Angel: "Now this place is not written much about. It's in Madison Heights on 12 Mile between John R. and Dequindre. It's just one guy behind the sushi counter. I've never been let down and the prices are actually cheaper than Noble Fish. I think it's better than Noble Fish. (I do love Noble Fish like everyone else though, but you are ABSOLUTELY right, totally overrated. [Editor's note: yes, I said Noble Fish is overrated.]) There are only two small tables, a small counter space, and the sushi bar to sit at.) It's tiny, cheap, and the fish is fresh. 'Nuff said.

Honorable mention: Grab and Go Sushi (Ferndale)
Sushi Chef Josh Taylor, who previously worked as the sushi chef at Oslo (a moment of silence, please) and Tom's Oyster Bar, was recently in a car accident and is currently recovering. He assures me that he is recovering well, but Grab and Go will be closed until further notice. Next to Kaku at Ronin, Josh cranks out some of the most inventive sushi I've seen. While at Oslo he created a Tandoori Roll, a baked roll made with cream cheese, salmon, crispy tempura flakes and sweet curry sauce. I wrote in Real Detroit Weekly that, "It's almost as rich as a dessert with a delicately sweet curry scent." Grab and Go was scheduled to be this week's exclusive feature; I will not be substituting somewhere else in its place and will hold off until Josh is all healed and back at work.

Bubbling under Izakaya Sanpei Restaurant (Canton), Shiro Restaurant (Novi), Noble Fish (Clawson), WOW Sushi (Troy), Sushi House (Farmington), Ajishin (Novi), Edamame Sushi (Madison Heights), Cherry Blossom (Novi), Sharaku (West Bloomfield), Sushi Ko (Farmington Hills)

944 Detroit: Club Sushi

Photograph by Scott Spellman for 944 Detroit.
"Pulsing electronic beats. Strobing lights. Breathtakingly beautiful people. Bodies gyrating on the dance floor. Raw fish.

'This may sound like a which-one-of-these-is-not-like-the-other riddle, but for some reason, sushi has become synonymous with phrases like 'exclusive nightclub' and 'ultra-lounge.' The hottest trend in metro Detroit right now is rolled up neatly in rice and presented with a side of sake martinis and techno. Oysters may be an aphrodisiac, but sushi is sexy. Here, 944 names the best places to break out the chopsticks and bust a move..."

Read the rest of the article here.

Real Detroit Weekly: Oslo

"Previous owners shut down this Detroit staple in '07, much to the dismay of sushi fans and techno freaks all over the metro area who knew this as the place to go. Current owners Kat Lemos and mother Lumpai Rossbach reopened this downtown hotspot and now, after three years, Oslo is once again one of the top venues for techno and hip-hop shows, and also one of our favorite sushi and Thai places.

'Sushi was always been Oslo's claim to fame and with a new sushi chef on board – Josh Taylor, who previously worked at Tom's Oyster Bar in Royal Oak – it will continue to be a strong draw with inventive, unique rolls only found here. Taylor has been here since the beginning of the year and brings to Oslo a fresh, unique take on contemporary sushi along with the passion and enthusiasm for food and drink that Kat looks for in her staff. Try the Tandoori Roll, a baked roll made with cream cheese, salmon, crispy tempura flakes and sweet curry sauce. It's almost as rich as a dessert with a delicately sweet curry scent. Skip the California roll – you can get those at Kroger..."

Read the rest of the article here.

I Guess My Real World Reference Was Too "Out There": Ronin

Ronin

326 W. 4th St., Royal Oak
248-546-0888, www.roninsushi.com
Hours: Sunday and Monday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Remember on the original “Real World: New Orleans” when Melissa (the bi-racial bi-sexual, not the Mormon Gone Wild) said she wouldn’t eat avocado because she thought it would be so good it would be like sex and she wouldn’t be able to stop? That was probably the most moronic thing ever said on “reality” TV up to that point, but then again that was before Jessica Simpson or Jersey Shore.

Yes, avocado is just like sex. Cool, creamy, mushy green sex.

At Ronin in Royal Oak, you can get all the creamy, luscious avocado you desire, alongside some of the metro area’s most creative sushi. Now, sushi purists tend to be at odds with most Asian-fusion joints -- which this place certainly IS -- for what they consider to be a lack of authenticity or too much pandering to American palates by means of spicy mayo, cream cheese and ... well ... avocado. But at Ronin you might find yourself singing a different tune, one that embraces this NOT bastardized but modernized breed of distinctly American sushi (a song that may resemble the sonic warbles of Morrisey, but I get ahead of myself). One taste of sushi chef Kaku Usui’s contemporary creations will make you a nu-sushi songbird in no time.

But Kaku -- a name you might recognize from the original incarnation of Oslo -- can’t take all the credit: the “Fasian” menu here is a group effort. Chef Mickey Lutes’s kitchen menu is full of intriguing cross-cuisine creations. Take their “burgers,” for example: your choice of Kobe sliders with ginger, smoked bacon, sriracha, lettuce, tomato and boursin cheese, or grilled Ahi tuna burgers with banana pepper-sesame aioli. My favorite hybrid is the sushi pizza. Actual name: Ahi Tuna Pizza, consisting of a crispy grilled tortilla, tomato, avocado (l’amour), cilantro and jalapeno with big, beautiful ruby-colored cuts of fresh sushi-grade Ahi tuna. This moshing of textures and flavors is completely unexpected -- the tuna itself dominates the dish but the kick from the jalapeno and contrasting crunch of the tortilla and smooth avocado create an impression of sushi deconstructed.


From their specialty rolls, sushi chef Keith Cha’s signature is the Cha Cha Roll -- spicy tuna topped with shrimp and garlic aoili, wrapped in sesame soy paper and baked. It has the deceptive visual impression of toasted marshmallows but is a very rich, decadent roll thanks to the heavy egg-based aoili. By contrast the vegetarian Shinto roll is light and downright delightful. Again playing on the contrasting textures of crunchy and creamy, this roll has lettuce, carrot and tempura bits with garlic mayo and topped with avocado -- all the joys of sushi without any of the concerns over parasites.

Sushi aficionados who frown at such Westernized flavors, take heart: the menu may be mass-audience-friendly, but Kaku is a traditionally-trained sushi chef lauded as one of the very best in the area. If REAL sushi is what you want (cuttlefish, quail egg, eel), Kaku abides. It’s the best of both worlds, really. And if after your meal of "healthy" sushi ("healthy" being all relative, really, what with all the mayo and cream cheese ... one must awe at the distinctly American ability to make some of the healthiest food in the world and transform it into high-fat, high-cholesterol, high-calorie garbage. What's next, swapping out the seaweed paper for bacon? You know what, forget I said that ...) you feel you can justify a decadent dessert, the exceptionally creative desserts with an Asian-inspired flare will cure your cravings. Try the Oreo Cookie Tempura with black sesame ice cream and vanilla crème anglaise -- basically an Asian deep-fried Oreo.


Ronin is the best of both worlds in a lot of ways. It’s definitely hip and trendy, but in the antithesis way to BlackFinn. At Ronin you get a little glimpse of the Royal Oak that once was: girls with lips almost red enough, eyeliner almost thick enough, hair almost black enough to be called “goth;” lots of gender-blind tattooed sleeves. And while most trendy sushi joints are all about the techno, here you’ll get a mix of James Brown and New Order. “Ronin” means a masterless samurai, and by Royal Oak standards this Ronin is certainly a renegade.

Metromode: Hungry for Success

You MUST MUST MUST click on the link below and check out Marvin Shaouni's photographs!

"September 2005, Detroit: Slows Bar BQ opens its discreet wooden doors. Detroit hasn't been the same since.

'There are few other restaurants in the metro Detroit area that have received as much national attention and acclaim as Slows. When Phillip Cooley opened this barbecue joint with his partners he was still in his late twenties. There was no way he could have anticipated the enormous success he would have with this casual concept restaurant.

''We really appeal to a broad demographic,' Cooley says of his restaurant's unprecedented success. 'We picked barbecue because everyone likes it, it's an American tradition, and it's one of the culinary art forms that's affordable.'

'Cooley heralded a new breed of restaurateur in Metro Detroit. They're young, attractive, smart, and savvy; they love food and know what it takes to run a successful business. As a result, their restaurants are hugely popular…but don't ever think it's easy...."

Read the rest of the article here.

Techno Sushi: Oslo

It’s been over a year now since Detroit’s favorite sushi place reopened—after a rather unfortunate and unnecessary closing—under new ownership. Owners Katalia (Kat) and Roberto Lemos (DJ Bet), who worked at the first incarnation of Oslo as bartender and DJ respectively, have very much kept the spirit of the old Oslo alive, and have perhaps even improved upon it, much to the happiness and relief of techno-lovers around Detroit. The basement bar is still a weekend haven for late-night dancing and debauchery with noted techno and house DJs and hip-hop artists spinning into the wee hours (though they shut it down at 2:00AM now, instead of 4:00AM as before). Oslo was always considered to be one of the best electronic music clubs in the area, and thankfully has retained that coveted reputation.

Oslo also was considered to have some of the best sushi in the area, which was unmistakably true and a fact that even the most stern of sushi snobs would hardly fain argue. When the Lemoses took over, they joined forces with Kat's mother, co-owner and chef Lumpai Rossbach (former owner of the Royal Thai Cafe in Royal Oak), who changed up the menu a bit, giving it more of an appeal to a wider variety of tastes (i.e., those who don’t like sushi) by adding hot food (gasp!) to the menu. Rossbach has deep roots in Thailand, and introduced a variety of Thai-style dishes to the menu, as well as a few familiar dishes from the popular Cantonese style. The result is a very trendy, very hip, somewhat generic hodgepodge Asian restaurant.

On two recent trips, I sampled a variety of dishes including the sushi and sashimi. I made it a point to stray from such general and obvious selections as Almond Chicken and California Rolls, sampling instead some of the more seemingly unique and perhaps even “authentic” items on the menu. (Granted, cultural authenticity in dining is relative, but it is still the Holy Grail that critics love to chase.)

I sampled the Tom Yum soup, a hearty broth made with lemongrass, lime leaves, straw mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and chicken. The lime and lemongrass gave it a citrusy tartness, but with the heartiness of soul-loving chicken broth. Though a stretch from traditional Thai "Tom Yum," which is actually a hot-and-sour soup, it was still flavorful and satisfying. I also tried the Steamed Dumplings, served with a sweet gyoza sauce. The dumplings were perfect--bursting with juice and wrapped in a delicate, tender dough that tears ever so easily but is also firm and resistant.


Though I have an affinity for spicy foods, I was at the mercy of my sensitive-tongued dining partner, and so when I ordered the Drunken Noodles they came ever-so-mildly mild. Made with bean sprouts, onions, bamboo, wine, egg, fresh noodles and basil, the Drunken Noodles were firm and fat and slippery, a perfect texture with a perfectly imperfect shape (noodles ranged in size and shape, proof of their homemade freshness). The flavor was rather rich, and while regrettably not spicy, still full of body with a long-lingering taste.


For sushi, I first tried the Triple Hitter (yellow tail, tuna, salmon, avocado, and masago) and the T.N.T. (spicy tuna and avocado topped with spicy sauce then baked). The Triple Hitter was mild, with no real standout flavor, though not at all unpleasant. The T.N.T. roll was a neon-colored explosion of spice, and while the "baked sushi" concept was a little off-putting, the taste was hot, hot, hot. (And I like hot.) My next venture brought me the Cherry Blossom: salmon and cucumber topped with tuna, lemon and fish eggs. Again, mild, with the standout flavor being the dried lemon on top which was, quite frankly, too much lemon. I also tried the Red Snapper and Crab Stick sashimi. The Red Snapper had a dollop of chili sauce on top, which was superb together. The Crab Stick tasted like the crab meat had been soaked in butter, and melted in my mouth as if it had. By and large, my preference tends to lean more towards sashimi than sushi, and here was no exception.

On both occasions my server was the friendly and affable Kevin, whose namesake specialty drink “Kevin Love Japan” (made with Jameson, Fuki Plum Wine, a splash of key lime juice and Sprite) is a surprisingly smooth and refreshing beverage, though deceptively strong (especially when the bartender accidentally makes you two). Kevin has a solid knowledge of sake, Japanese rice wine, which he will more than happily share. Opting instead to go it alone (mistake), I went for the Cap Ace, which tasted like…lighter fluid. When I told him as much, he cheerily answered that he’d be happy to help me choose next time, and that the house sake is actually quite good. But I know he was thinking I should have just taken his advice the first time. I know it.

For those of you with a strong thirst to quench, Oslo offers a variety of beer, sake, and creative specialty mixed drinks. If you'd like to round out your "Asian" experience, you can sample Japanese beers such as Sapporo, Asahi, or Hitachino ($7.00), or try the Chinese-brewed Tsing Tao, or even Sing Ha, a Thai beer (both $5.00). There is a small wine list with no real stars, and a comparitively extensive sake list which offers a variety of sake styles from the dry to the sweet which are made to pair with with this kind of cuisine (but I do recommend you ask for assistance with your selection if sake is not one of your areas of expertise). The cocktail menu utilizes surprising combinations to create truly unique creations, showing off Kat's mixmaster skills. I've already told you about Kevin Love Japan, but while you're there you might also want to try the Space Odyssey, made with 1800 Tequila, Bacardi 151, Liquor 43 and Seagrams 7...which adds up to 2001 (extra points for the clever name). Or if you want to try sake but are not sure you want to commit to it straight, order the Narviktini, made with Fuki Plum Wine and sake. Or you could just go for broke and order Kat's namesake, The Kat, a Svedka Vodka martini infused with peaches and fresh ginger, with a dash of peach nectar. Like angels dancing on your tongue.

The interior of Oslo is the same as ever--a post-industrial postmodern sake house set in almost-black wood with simple angles in an extremely narrow space, which fills up quickly during lunch and dinner. The expansion of the menu to include hot food has seemed to do the restaurant good, as it now appeals to more metro Detroiters than just the narrow sushi-loving niche (the Thai-loving niche is much broader, and dishes such as Sweet and Sour Chicken, Spring Rolls, and Crab Rangoon appeal to even the most reluctant tastes). On any given day the small space is bustling with groups of friends and co-workers out to dine, and most seem to opt for the Thai. Somewhat comical, for a place that made its name on sushi.

The charmingly polite Kevin noted that Oslo received the nod from the Metro Times for metro Detroit's best sushi. Now don’t get me wrong, the food is good. Perhaps some is even great. But metro Detroit’s BEST sushi? Once upon a time, but no more. (Though this is the same Reader's Poll that named Pizza Papalis "Best Gourmet Pizza" and did not include Chen Chow Brasserie under "Best Chinese," so you can really only take it so seriously.) The thrown-togetherness of the menu's culinary traditions is something that many purists (including, unfortunately, myself) take great issue with...sushi belongs in a Thai restaurant as much as it does at a Chinese diner or a high-end fish house (i.e., Not. At. All.). Unfortunately this Japanese tradition gets so frequently clumped together with whatever the nearest "Asian" or "fish" categories are, and the result is places like the N'awlins-themed Fishbones having a sushi bar. It's something that I continually raise my eyebrows and sigh at, even though I know such outward appearances of disapproval are futile.

Now, as for Oslo: they were doing sushi long before they did Thai, and so they staked their claim to it (and they did it better than most). The introduction of Thai to the menu helps broaden the restaurant's clientele and marketability; I get that. Does it bother me that people still use the word "authentic" to describe both the sushi and the Thai dishes in a restaurant that really isn't clearly either one? Yes; yes it does. But hey, as we already know, authenticity is all relative.

As far as Thai food goes, there's lots of curry and coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, spicy garlic sauce, and peanuts (whole and as sauce). Is that "authentic" enough? The absence of nam pla makes me say no, but hey...this is America, and fish sauce is slightly unsettling on American tastebuds. As for the authenticity of the sushi, well...avocodo and cream cheese do not exist in the Japanese culinary tradition but have become a staple in American "sushi" to help acclimate to Western palate. It is no different at Oslo, where common Japanese ingredients are soiled by Westernized creations. While it is sliced and rolled expertly by Korean-born John Riney, it still cannot shake its own Americanization. Good? Yes. On par with the majority of other sushi joints? Absolutely. But the best? Sorry, but no.

Also, I miss the vegetable tempura (particularly the sweet potatoes). If you had ever dined at the old Oslo, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Oslo is a good restaurant. On any visit there you are more than guaranteed a tasty meal with friendly, helpful service. It might not be exactly what it was before, but it is still a fine place to grab a quick bite, have a drink, and dance the night away. With regularly scheduled techno and hip-hop events such as Re-Vive Sundays with Detroit Beatdown Sounds and the bi-weekly, bi-curious Fierce Hot Mess, as well as special guest DJs on Saturdays, Oslo is still hands-down one of the best music venues in the D. So if it's a quality club scene you're looking for, then by-golly you've found it. And if it's a quick-and-easy Thai carry-out place you need, you got it. However, if it is "authentic" sushi you want, and the best in all metro Detroit, you might have to look a little further.

New Businesses Open, Opening, Re-Opening

Now open: The Fort Shelby Doubletree Suites. Another salvaged historic hotel, significantly less buzz. This guy likes it. With this new hotel comes a new restaurant, Finn & Porter, which offers contemporary surf & turf as well as a sushi bar and the trendy "Round Bar Lounge" (it's a bar that's round; Park Bar regulars are familiar).

Now open: The Next Level Martini Bar & Grill, a new martini bar on Larned across from Opus One. Will it or won't it? Well, considering the only website I've seen any talk of it so far has been, well, mine, it's not looking very hopeful for this place to beat out those 95-in-5 odds (95% of new businesses fail within 5 years). But it might be pretty cool; do try to check it out.

Re-Opening: Bookie's Tavern. They had to move out of the Book Building--'cuz, you know, it's getting repoed or condemned or abandoned or something--so know they are relocating to Cass at Columbia by the long-ago-abandoned Chin Tiki. Which means: more annoying sports people in even closer proximity to Fox Town. They will be reopening in February. Local boozehounds breathe a sigh of relief.

Almost Open But Not Quite: The new kitchen inside Cliff Bells. Personally, I can't wait to see what kind of menu they create for one of the coolest venues in Detroit. I pray it extends beyond classic bar fare and goes for more of a hip, jazzy jazz club vibe. I don't really know what that means, either, but maybe they do.

That's it for now. Toodles.

Oh, Sushi: O Sushi

O Sushi opened their second location in Dearborn last week, and I--never one to miss out on a grand opening of anything--stopped by for a few to check out Dearborn's latest Japanese-inspired offerings.

O Sushi is located at 22431 Michigan Avenue in Dearborn, making in the third sushi restaurant along that half-mile strip of Michigan Ave. (the other two being restaurant-cum-nightclub Crave Lounge and family-friendly area favorite Kabuki Sushi). The original O Sushi location in Canton is popular among locals, but the competition in Dearborn is most certainly fierce.

But their location couldn't be any better: situated in a prominent corner of a building on the edge of the street, drivers immediately see the signage as they pass by. The interior is small and brightly-lit, welcoming to more of a eat-and-run lunch/dinner crowd than the stay-and-socialize crowds drawn in predominantly by Crave and, to a lesser extent, Kabuki.

Apparently their location and quick-serve vibe has done them well--on only their third night of being open, the bustling little restaurant was half-full and there was a constant stream of carry-out orders being placed. Not only do people know they're open; there is also an excitement in scoping out the new sushi joint.

As well there should be. I sampled very little of the menu, but was pleased to find a nice assortment of nigiri and specialty rolls. Sadly, such distinctly non-traditional Japanese ingredients such as cream cheese and jalapeno peppers were found in abundance on the menu (something which always makes me cringe), but O Sushi compensates for these more Americanized tastes by also employing generous use of eel sauce, masago and tobiko (varieties of roe, or fish eggs), kampyo (marinated pumpkin skin), and oshinko (Japanese pickled radish). At O Sushi, East does indeed meet West.

For my first experience at this hopping little Japanese diner (as it would best be described), I tried some hamachi (raw Yellowtail) and the Kiss of Fire roll. The Yellowtail was mild and delicate...the Kiss of Fire was not. Made with tempura shrimp, spicy tuna, avocado, jalapeno pepper, then covered with crunchy tempura flakes and hot sauce on top, this roll was a crackling sensation on the tastebuds...and a little rough on an empty stomach, truth be told. Though far from a "traditional" Japanese roll, with a very obvious American flair, this roll was still a palatable explosion of flavor, with drastically different yet complimentary textures and just enough spiciness to balance the otherwise mild fish and avocado. I enjoyed this roll very much...though my enjoyment was a little bit less an hour later.


Other roll options include all the standards (California Rolls, Tuna, Spicy Tuna, Cucumber, etc.), but also a few surprises. The Mexican Roll is a unique approach to "fusion" cuisine, and the cleverly-named 007, Saturday Night, and White Christmas Rolls are all creative combinations of culturally traditional and borrowed flavors. Michigan even has its own roll, as does Chicago and Philadelphia. And if you like spicy, well...the Devil, Kiss of Fire, Fireball, and Cobra Rolls await you. You can begin your meal with their "Fire Cracker" appetizer, O Sushi's take on cream cheese poppers which include spicy tuna. Prices are standard: $3.95-$9.95 for a regular roll, $9.95-$13.95 for specialty.

Service is still...well, working out the "kinks." My waitress (and the only Caucasian on staff) seemed unsure of herself at every step, in likely part due to her constantly being barked at by the sushi chef and head waitress, screwing up everything she could then failing to present herself to correct her mistakes. As I write this a week later I'm willing to bet even now she no longer works there. The rest of the staff exhibited the utmost professionalism and attentiveness, with an obvious shared concern over the image and success of their establishment.

The décor is simple yet inviting; delicate Japanese floral wallpaper, bamboo accents, buttery yellow walls, modernist "Oriental"-style chairs in dark wood, a granite sushi bar, bright lights. In time they will also have a liquor license and will offer a full drink menu--I'm interested to know if that drink menu will go more by way of Mai Tais and Asahi or Mango Liquer and sake, but time will tell.


Overall, I was pleased. O Sushi has no pretenses about it, which is a nice change of pace in this increasingly trendy sushi-bar-meets-ultra-lounge world. A great place for a quick lunch or to pick up dinner on your way home, the fast service is met equally with quality flavors and creative craftsmanship. Third time's the charm, eh Dearborn?

Oops, missed one...

Originally published in D-Tales here.

Inyo Restaurant Lounge in Ferndale. Which already has Sakana Sushi Lounge. Not to mention its own fair share of other trendy lounges (bosco, Gracie's Underground, Via Nove). But sure, why not another sushi lounge. I mean, really.

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...

Konichiwa, Wasabi!

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

Last week I was able to check out the new Asian restaurant Wasabi inside the Park Shelton. The verdict's in: love it.

First of all, the décor. Polished granite floors, corrugated aluminum sheets on the walls (giving it a very urban chic-industrialized affect), dark-stained furniture, a very postmodern ambiance. I walked in and immediately felt like I was in one of those trendy/divey sushi joints in Manhattan (they're like 7-Elevens there) where trendy Wall Street people have power lunches but the dinner business is dead, save for carry-out and delivery orders placed by more trendy Wall Street people staying late at the office or who don't have enough time to cook at home. Totally felt that way.

Yes, I fell in love with it immediately.

Now, around here sushi is kind of like...well, it's like sushi. You can get it pretty much everywhere you go in some variety or another, whether you're at a high-end seafood restaurant with its own sushi bar (see: Mitchell's, Northern Lakes, et. al.) or at a high-end ultra-trendy ultra lounge that serves sushi (Corner Bar, Ignite) or at a high-end Asian-fusion restaurant with its own sushi bar (Mon Jin Lau, Chen Chow, et. al.), or at an ultra-trendy sushi-specific restaurant-cum-nightclub (Oslo, Ronin, Sakana, Crave). Even most area Krogers have their own in-house sushi chef (their to-go sushi is pretty tasty, too). Bottom line: sushi ain't that special. We're not in Tokyo anymore, Toto Hiro.

BTW: so how awesome is Heroes this season??? Sylar, going good, SRSLY????

Wasabi has a large offering of classic, regional, specialty, and vegetarian rolls, as well as sashimi (just the fish, ma'am) and nigiri sushi (wad of rice with the fish on top--easier for the smaller-mouthed to consume). In addition to this, they also have a full selection of Japanese and Korean entrees, which is something you don't see all that often in your higher-end pan-Asian restaurants or your run-of-the-mill pander-to-all-Asian local restaurants, often located in strip malls (places with names like Wok Inn, Dragon Phoenix, Peking Palace, Lee's Chop Suey, etc.).

I remember my first experience with Korean cuisine at Little Tree Sushi in Royal Oak...fried egg on top of a bowl of rice with some other undefined crap in it. Turns out, this is "Bimibab." And this is part of what I ordered this night. My friend and I also sampled the pork gyoza (deep-fried pork dumplings, dripping with peanut oil and that special gyoza sauce which I forget the name of but is usually made with soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil and is like liquid crack). From there, we moved on to the Spicy Scallop Roll (no wasabi needed here) and the specialty roll called "The Hulk," which was made with red snapper tempura, spicy shrimp, crab salad, and topped with seaweed salad on top to make it all green and Hulk-like. This one was fabulous; the flavors worked well together and the different textures provided a needed contrast and balance.

A future tip from my palate to yours is to always make sure your sushi rolls have some tempura-fried item inside. The biggest problem most people have with sushi isn't so much the flavor or the raw fish but the consistency...too much squish-factor will turn anyone off from future experimentation. Another tip, and this one's strictly a personal preference: stay the hell away from any roll made with cream cheese. THAT'S not sushi. It's not it's not it's not ohmygodjapanesepeoplewouldn'tputthathighcholesterolgarbageanywhereneartheirmouths it's not. It's good on bagels and that's it. Stop trying to put it in places it doesn't belong. That times two with bacon.

Since I am older and gastronimically braver, we also tried the Bimibab. Again: fried egg over rice with a bunch of other crap mixed in, but at least this time I knew what the other crap was. This isn't exactly the most flavorful dish (and being served luke-warm, a superior alternate preparation is to nuke the hell out of it and douse it in Korean hot paste), but it was good enough for what it was.

After this gross display of over-ordering, I had no room left for the tempura cheesecake I had eyeballed earlier, but I bet it's awesome.

And the green tea was served in a really pretty pomo pot, which also made me happy.

Would that pot be "pomo" or just simply "mo"? I can prattle on for hours about postmodernism in pop culture, but the whole interior design thing has me thrown off.

Overall: we now have a semi-authentic Japanese and Korean restaurant that looks high-end but has the price points of Lee's Chop Suey and also offers carry-out (perfect for the Park Shelton residents, who can pretend they live in a Manhattan high-rise if they never leave their building or stray further than the DIA) and delivery (for CCS and other unspecified Detroit locations). It is a non-smoking establishment that currently does not have a liquor license, though they're working on it. The food is good, the prices right, and the place is trendy without being all Hey-look-I'm-a-super-trendy-sushi-restaurant-and-I-bring-in-techno-DJs-at-night-to-show-you-how-trendy-I-am trendy.

Dining by D-Tales grade: B+

May is Asian Heritage Month!

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

And so for you, dear readers, I have taken the liberty of compiling a list of 7 days of Asian-themed fun.

Tuesday

Head over to Fashionable Ferndale to Sakana Sushi Lounge. Fridays and Saturdays are busy, sure, but Tuesday nights are just as hype and are a touch less jam-packed.

Sakana has a great super-trendy atmosphere, very modern minimalist, and as far as sushi joints go, Sakana is probably one of the more artful and exotic. Their sushi selection goes far beyond your basic California roll, with a choice of specialty rolls, nigiri sushi, sashimi, maki, temaki, and now also brown rice sushi. They also have the most impressive presentation I've seen for a sushi place, treating each piece as its own stand-alone art instead of a full roll sliced, plopped on a plate and served.

They also have one of the most impressive drink menus, with over 50 specialty drinks made with hard-to-find liquers. Resident mixologist Brent Foster knows that the drinks are just as important and can be just as artful and unique as the food, and I appreciate anyone who understands that. I like drinky.

Tuesday nights you can expect lounge, jazz, and electronic music courtesy of Tuesday night resident DJ Shortround and guests. Get there early, because it can get a bit crowded--this place is kind of like what the Bosco used to be before everybody went there, back when only mostly everybody went there.

Wednesday

Celebrate Hump Day at Mon Jin Lau in Troy with their extremely popular Shanghai Wednesdays. This party has grown out of control; make reservations and get there EARLY if you have any ambitions of getting a seat. Chill with the music of DJs Tom T and Matt A, featuring the "Medicine Man" Bruce Cobb on percussions.

Now that it is getting warmer, people are pouring into the restaurant and out onto the patio as early as 7:00PM. As for the dress code...I was just there a couple of weeks ago wearing a cute summer dress and heels and felt woefully underdressed. Men wear suits, or at least shirts with ties, and women are dressed like they're going to V afterwards--low-cut barely-there tops, microminis, sky-high heels, 3 pounds of makeup, straight-from-the-salon hair, lots of sequins and even some latex.

This is your standard club night, just in the middle of the week. It is a singles haven (but of the slightly older singles crowd), and the clientele is pretty much the same that you would find at Crave the Sunset (i.e., lots 'o Arab folk--which is probably in part due to the fact that Jay Noonchester used to promote this, though I don't think he still does), with some Troy-area 30-something divorcees mixed in.

Mon Jin Lau has great Nu Asian cuisine, though I actually think their Chinese-focused dinner menu is superior to their sushi selection, which I found to be standard at best.

But, honestly, if you're coming out to Shanghai Wednesdays, you're really not there for the food anyway.

Thursday

Metro Detroit's newest dining darling, Chen Chow Brasserie, just opened last November in Birmingham and is has already exploded on the scene as the newest hotspot, as well as already garnering accolades for Restaurant of the Year (well, almost--the buzz is pretty solid there that they will win when the various publications start bestowing the honors again).

A quick flip through any of the nightlife publications (Metro Times, Real Detroit, Six Degrees) will show you many mentions of Chen Chow, whether as something cool coming up, something cool that happened, or just something cool in general. They were also voted by Real Detroit readers as 2008's "Best Restaurant to be Seen At."

So they've succeeded in attracting the trendy Birmingham crowd, but how is the food?

Under the guidance of acclaimed Detroit Executive Chef Robert Courser (who hails most notably from Opus One and Seldom Blues, which won Restaurant of the Year while he worked as Executive Sous Chef under Jerry Nottich), the menu is being hailed as one of the best and most inventive contemporary Asian menus around, incorporating American classics (beef, beef, and more beef) with a distinctly Asian flair. The wine list is unsurprisingly Napa-heavy, but surprisingly French-infused. And yes, you can order Cristal and Latour, and it will only cost you your monthly car payment (if you drive a Benz).

Thursday nights are as good as any at Chen Chow Brasserie (and a popular night to be out in Birmingham--see: Forté, the Corner Bar). The interior design of proprietor John Janviriya (who also designed Mosaic, as well as other lesser-knowns) is rich, warm, and terrifically trendy. It's cozy contemporary, with a soft circular pattern throughout. The lighting is dim but richly golden, with the intricate detailing of the walls and ceiling adding to calm coolness of the atmosphere.

It will be busy. There will be loud groups of trend-seekers crowding the bars. But for a stylish drink and a stylish meal in a stylish setting, Chen Chow Brasserie can't be beat.

(Reservations strongly recommended.)

Friday

Oslo has reopened...quietly, and without much ado. They started by reintroducing DJs into their basement, then suddenly, without much word, the restaurant was once again open and serving.

Of all the restaurants and bars that open and close in the city of Detroit (and my God there are a lot of them), Oslo's mysterious and sudden closing kicked up the most rumors as well as the most mourning.

Everything from unpaid taxes, borderline bankruptcy, disputes with the landlord, and prejudice against the owner as a gay man were cited as reasons for Oslo's shutdown.

Then, about a year later (at the end of 2007/beginning of 2008), Oslo began hosting DJs again (and Kevin Saunderson was one of them), and shortly thereafter the tempura was cracklin' once more--this time under new ownership. Katalia Lemos and mother Lumpai Rossbach are now in charge of Oslo, and they've decided to take it in a slightly different direction--adding hot food to the menu, and bolstering more of a Thai food theme (Rossbach is a native of Thailand).

Known as both the best place for sushi in the city as well as the best electronic music venue, Oslo is the place to be on a Friday night to catch some phenomenal local DJs spinning hardcore techno and trance tracks--something you won't find at the majority of other "electronic" clubs, which pretty much just play house.

Plus, the food is great, and pretty cheap.

The best part is, Oslo's reopening was done so very quietly that the place isn't yet flooded with people who want to be seen there, as it was shortly before it closed. At this moment Oslo is kind of an open secret--those of us who know about it don't want to jinx it again by buzzing about it too much.

Saturday

Take thee to Asian Village. You can choose to first dine at the phenomenal Fusia, or just lay low until 10:00PM to hit the newest much-hyped Saturday night party as AV transforms into the newly-launched Sutra Lounge. My fave Jay Noonchester is promoting this party, and booths are already selling out in advance.

I've talked about Asian Village several times before, and have tracked its progress from rumored near-closure to Detroit's newest hotspot, thanks to the help of night manager and special events coordinator Scott Hummell and key partnerships with nightlife powerhouses like Noonchester. Since then, Asian Village has taken a 180 and is now considered one of the top nightlife destination spots in the city on a Saturday night. Over the past couple of months the buzz over AV has become increasingly louder, and now I overhear friends and customers of mine talk about how they'll be at AV.

Sutra Lounge is $10.00 for ladies, $20.00 for guys, and tables are $199 with Ketel One Bottle Service or $225 for booth, bottle service, and 5 admissions. Ketel One cocktails and appetizers free until 10:30PM.

Sunday

It's almost summertime, and you know what that means? Crave the Sunset is back.

The hottest parties of the summer start Sunday, May 18th, and this one has a Halloween theme. Slutty costumes aren't just for October anymore! So break out the old naughty nurses and angel wings (worn only with a matching white lace bra-and-panty set, natch), and keep it sexy.

Crave the Sunset is a five-part party series that runs over the course of the summer at Crave Lounge in Dearborn. The outdoor patio is all done up with white tents and tiki torches and local DJs (like DJ Tom T) spinning. Make dinner reservations and hang out for a while to get into the party free; otherwise tickets are $20.00 per night ($30.00 for the end-of-season White Party), and a season pass to all five events is $45.00. Tickets are on sale now at Neptix; the party starts with dinner at 5:00PM and runs all the way until 2:00AM.

This is another Jay Noonchester party (this blog entry officially DINGS!), so you know it's going to be good. (And packed to capacity, so get there early, and be sure to dress the part of Detroit-area's hottest annual series of parties. I.e., they won't kick you out for wearing jeans, you just shouldn't.)

Oh, and Crave is also considered to have the best sushi in the metro Detroit area (formerly second only to Oslo, and now probably up for debate), so you won't want to miss this dining experience either.

Monday

Sadly, I know of no hot Asian-related parties happening on Mondays. Mondays remain the one night of the week that people just don't do anything. However, if you want to get a full 7 days' worth, here are a couple of suggestions:

Try Hong Hua in Farmington Hills, previous recipient of Hour Detroit's "Restaurant of the Year" title. Hong Hua succeeds in offering a quality Chinese menu in a fine dining atmosphere, with superior service and dishes that range from classic Chinese (Peking Duck, Hot and Sour soup) to more exotic choices like Shark's Fin and Abalone. This is some of the best Chinese food you will find in the metro Detroit area, and the prices are quite reasonable. The atmosphere is quite unabashedly fine-dining, and not of the trendy sort--white tableclothes, high-backed plush booths, minimalist lighting and dark oak comprise the décor. The service is also stellar, forgoing the typical burn-and-turn Chinese food mentality for true attentive and leisurely fine dining service.

You could also try Ronin Sushi Bar in Royal Oak, located on the plagued northeast corner of Lafayette and Fourth St. (over the years in recent memory that spot has played host to a very good steakhouse and a sports bar, but no restaurant has been able to hold that spot yet), and home to some of Oslo's former sushi chefs. Ronin's menu is best described as New-Nu Asian: try their signature "slider," made with your choice of Kobe beef, crab cakes, or Ahi Tuna. Or how about some diver scallops with some black rice risotto, or cripsy King Salmon with Asian Cherry BBQ sauce? Or, for sushi lovers, try the "Mountain Dew Roll"--tempura-battered asparagus, shittake mushrooms, and sweet potato wrapped in green soy paper. As for their drink menu? Drinks with names like "Hot Orange Spiced Sake" and "Lemon Ginger Sorbet" rule the drink menu...color me impressed. Ronin Sushi Bar certainly has a unique, creative take on now-old Nu Asian favorites...let's just hope this place can survive its curse.

Royal Oak also has Little Tree Sushi Bar, a long-time Royal Oak staple and a favorite of many who want to eat some sushi without all the trendoid frills. They also have an extensive pan-Asian menu--order dishes from all corners of Asian cuisine, including the slightly-more-exotic Korean and Phillipino preparations. The atmosphere is very casual; lots of bamboo. Actual Asians inside eating. Caters to American tastes, but the conoisseur can sidestep this. Smells like tea.

Fin

Well, kids, let's here it for your 7 Asian Days in Detroit. Everything from high-end dining to trendy nightlife and quiet corners await you (plus there's all the ones I didn't include, like NOMI in Northville or Katana Japanese Steakhouse, another Royal Oak spot). And celebrate Asian Heritage Month the D-Tales way: with food and booze!