Originally published in D-Tales here.
Didn't I just ask how long that Agave sign would continue to decorate the side of that building at Woodward and Canfield, still lit and with the lunch banner still hanging? Hasn't it been, like, 3 years now? Who's paying the electric bill on that sign, anyway?
Um, okay, maybe I didn't ask that, but I meant to. I sure did think about it.
Turns out, Raymond Wong just leased the space to start an Asian restaurant with prices reasonable for WSU students and the broke-ass hipsters who hang out in the area (that last part I added). Wong owned Asian Village until it was unceremoniously shut the fuck down last week by the good neighborly folks at GM. He has been in the restaurant biz for decades, having started with Wong's in Windsor some 35 years ago. There is no name for this new location, but Wong is considering another eponymous venture. It will be a hodgepodge of Asian cuisine, with Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, Korean, and Japanese fare available.
Secretly I hope they go a little upscale, at least. Recreate Fusia in Midtown. Keep Shawn Mac. Who has worked with John Lopez. Who is the reason Agave shut down. Ah, six degrees of Detroit.
(Wait, was that a John Lopez eff-up or was that a leaseholder/owner pissing contest? It's so hard to keep all the stories of failed businesses straight.)
Agave was such a great place, and when they brought DJs into their backyard patio it was the hotspot of Midtown, almost as popular as Oslo back in its day. I would love to just see Agave reopen, but since that won't happen, I hope Wong caters more to the trendy-and-gainfully-employed twenty-something a la Agave than the broke-ass college student/hipster looking for cheap eats, as Model D has kind of made it out to be (despite using the term "upscale").
Make it trendy! Throw parties! Pay your taxes!...wait, that was Twingo's and Atlas, nevermind...Make nice with your landlord!
Next up: Wasabi on Woodward. The plastic banner is up, but it is not yet open. It's in the ground level of the Park Shelton, and seems like it will have more of a casual eatery than fine dining vibe. They'll offer residents of the Park Shelton what will essentially be room service. It's Japanese-Korean fusion--which means you can get your sushi and your crispy beef in one stop. For PS residents, it will be just like living in New York, minus the effective public transportation.
SIDEBAR: As much as I love all these new restaurants and it speaks of all the great things happening in the city and how business owners have faith and all that I preach about, can we please get something besides Asian food?
Enter: Starter's in Studio One. Starter's Bar & Grille just signed a lease in the groundfloor of Midtown's new Studio One Apartments, along with Biggby Coffee. This is the third Starter's location (one is at Plymouth and Evergreen, the other inside Fairlane Town Center)--they offer really greasy but yummy bar food. If they keep late kitchen hours and offer pickup/delivery, they'll do killer business. Future residents will quickly realize that there are better bars, but this is the one that's in their building.
Still waiting: Shield's Restaurant and Pizzeria on the ground level of the Kales Building. The sign has been up for a year now. I just don't think it's going to happen. But hey, at least there'll be a Subway. Detroit can never have enough Subways.
Waiting with white knuckles: Michael Symon's new restaurant inside the Book-Cadillac???? WHAT KIND OF CUISINE WILL IT BE?????? ZOMFGZ TELL ME ALREADY!!!!!!
I still have to check out Good Girls Go to Paris Crepes...maybe I'll do that now...
Showing posts with label Asian Village. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Asian Village. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
R.I.P. Asian Village
Originally published in D-Tales here.
This one hurt.
Effective yesterday, Asian Village is closed for good (or for God knows how long until GM decides to lift their "We no likey" decree and allow AV to continue to operate, assuming that the owners would even be interested in continuing to do so at that point).
See apparently wha' ha' happened wuz The Powers That Be (in this case, General Motors as the leaseholders of the building AV was in) decided that they didn't want a nightclub operating that close to (a) their building and (b) their Riverfront, which they are supposedly developing (with partners) with even more overpriced condos that no one can afford to buy and will be reduced to 1/3 of the original asking price after sitting empty for the first 3 years a la the Skylofts et. al. in Royal Oak , aka Loftapalooza.
This is really quite unfortunate. For the year that they have been open, Asian Village has struggled. First having to shut down the Pacific-Rim-themed coffee shop, then temporarily shutting down the Asian cafeteria, and never quite getting around to opening the Asian-themed market. Then Fusia cut back their hours, then hired on a brilliant new chef--Shawn Mac from Twingo's and boocoo (and no it's not his fault any one of these places shut down--someone accused him of having poor management skills and advised him to stay in the kitchen where he belongs. Well, write this down for future reference: Mac never managed any of these places and only ever acted as the sous/executive chef with the responsibilities those titles entail. The issues that shut each of these places down fall on the heads of others, not him. All he ever did was design award-winning menus that garnered acclaim in culinary magazines), and began to get some much-needed recognition. Then Scott Hummel came on board as the event planner and AV started hosting high-profile, well-received events. Then Jay Noonchester and his friends started having club nights, called Sutra, there every Saturday, which then branched into Fridays (separate of Noonchester & Co.). Then GM got pissed and shut them down, citing zoning issues.
Now, I'm not in disapproval of zoning laws. Nor am I arguing that AV had a very clearly-defined identity as a restaurant(s) (it didn't, and it changed frequently). But I will say that, despite the lack of consistency in branding, AV finally found a niche that worked. And I will also say that, while they were not "zoned" for a nightclub, COME ON. This wasn't some booty-shaking, wet-T-shirt-contest-having, college night with girls in bikinis, lines of 18-to-21-year-olds wrapped around the building and hoopdies in the parking lot blaring gangsta rap fratboy thug fest. This was a lounge, where wealthy young doctors, business owners, lawyers, and NFL players hung out and sipped $30.00 glasses of whiskey. And I know you can't say "this kind of club is okay, but this kind isn't." However, this was a restaurant which simply chose to host special events. No different that any other restaurant that might bring in a DJ or band and charge a cover to see them after a certain time. Sure, it might be a sneaky little loophole, but there it is. Mon Jin Lau gets away with it. So does Crave. So does Oslo. So does Fishbones. La Dolce Vita. Andiamo. And countless others. What was different for AV was the fact that they were on GM's lease and their operations did not fit in GM's carefully monitored mold.
I've documented in detail what I have seen as the rise of Asian Village. I've seen it transformed from being on the brink of bankruptcy with constant rumors of financial struggles and being near closing. I've watch it shift from its original incaranation and conception to what it has since become. I've watched it from being near-dead on a Friday night and closing at 9:00PM to being the latest hotspot in Detroit and packed past 2:00AM, listened as the buzz grew louder, even helped people pick out outfits to wear there on a Saturday night. I've hosted events there and have been treated wonderfully and had top-notch experiences. I feel an affinity towards much of the staff there, having known a number of them from various places before. I watched as the owners slowly got their proverbial shit together and finally put the RIGHT people in the RIGHT places, setting themselves up for success. And I watched as those many moves and difficult decisions and restaffing and reconceptualizing slowly but surely began to pay off.
All to be shut down in the end, right at the point that they were finally making all the right moves, on track to become a Detroit success story.
This, to me, is very sad. Disappointing, really. Ironic, no doubt (the timing, that is). And completely unnecessary.
What, it isn't enough that businesses in Detroit already have to shut their doors due to flagging business even though they've been around for decades, now we have to start shutting down the successful ones that might actually attract the kind of moneyed, youthful clientele that the city actually needs if it has any hope of becoming the revitalized, rejuvenated, and culturally thriving destination city that it hopes to one day become?
What, GM gets their panties in a bunch because of "zoning issues" (underlying implication--they don't want club rats dirtying up their Gold Coast) and completely shuts it down???? No warning, no slap on the wrists, no "no more nightclub, no-ah-ah," no second chance, no opportunity to get proper zoning, they just shut the fucker down?
This has nothing to do with low food and liquor sales or mismanagement (even though quite the argument can indeed be made that there were too many cooks in the kitchen whose names were on the business loan and not one of them agreed on anything and damn near drove the place into the ground on multiple occasions--only to survive time and time again). This has everything to do with the city's largest corporate entity throwing its weight around and decreeing what businesses can and cannot operate in the city--what does and does not suit them.
And thas sum buuuuuuuuuuuuullshit.
Asian Village was, to me, symptomatic of New Detroit. It struggled at first, and initially people didn't quite know what to make of it. But eventually people got more open-minded and decided that they actually kind of liked this new place, and started to check it out with a newfound sense of curiosity and appreciation.
Only to get shat on by the likes of GM.
The closing of AV is akin to New Detroit taking a step backwards. If we can't even keep these new, ambitious businesses open and protected from closure by special interest groups, how exactly is this city supposed to rebuild? Especially when the special interest group is GM, and part of the reason we need to rebuild is because they had to go and get themselves bankrupt and a whole lotta people lost their jobs. And now they're making the decisions on which businesses stay and which close? All based on their greed for overpriced waterfront property that they don't want sullied by the presence of club-goers (which was less the 1515 Broadway crowd and more the Crave the Sunset crowd--in other words, the kind of people who have money, want to spend it, and should be encouraged to spend it in the city, and hell, might even be the ones who could afford said overpriced waterfront property)?
Asian Village was exactly the kind of high-end, upscale, trendy place that New Detroit needs to reidentify itself. And now it's gone. Not because Detroiters have no taste, or because they didn't "get" the concept, or because it was too upscale, or because people couldn't afford it, or because it didn't live up to its hype--it's gone because a greedy corporate entity deemed it so.
I think Miss Janet said it best when she asked, "What have you done for me lately?" (The City of Detroit asks GM.)So long, AV. We tried.
And good luck to the hard-working, talented people who now find themselves unemployed.
This one hurt.
Effective yesterday, Asian Village is closed for good (or for God knows how long until GM decides to lift their "We no likey" decree and allow AV to continue to operate, assuming that the owners would even be interested in continuing to do so at that point).
See apparently wha' ha' happened wuz The Powers That Be (in this case, General Motors as the leaseholders of the building AV was in) decided that they didn't want a nightclub operating that close to (a) their building and (b) their Riverfront, which they are supposedly developing (with partners) with even more overpriced condos that no one can afford to buy and will be reduced to 1/3 of the original asking price after sitting empty for the first 3 years a la the Skylofts et. al. in Royal Oak , aka Loftapalooza.
This is really quite unfortunate. For the year that they have been open, Asian Village has struggled. First having to shut down the Pacific-Rim-themed coffee shop, then temporarily shutting down the Asian cafeteria, and never quite getting around to opening the Asian-themed market. Then Fusia cut back their hours, then hired on a brilliant new chef--Shawn Mac from Twingo's and boocoo (and no it's not his fault any one of these places shut down--someone accused him of having poor management skills and advised him to stay in the kitchen where he belongs. Well, write this down for future reference: Mac never managed any of these places and only ever acted as the sous/executive chef with the responsibilities those titles entail. The issues that shut each of these places down fall on the heads of others, not him. All he ever did was design award-winning menus that garnered acclaim in culinary magazines), and began to get some much-needed recognition. Then Scott Hummel came on board as the event planner and AV started hosting high-profile, well-received events. Then Jay Noonchester and his friends started having club nights, called Sutra, there every Saturday, which then branched into Fridays (separate of Noonchester & Co.). Then GM got pissed and shut them down, citing zoning issues.
Now, I'm not in disapproval of zoning laws. Nor am I arguing that AV had a very clearly-defined identity as a restaurant(s) (it didn't, and it changed frequently). But I will say that, despite the lack of consistency in branding, AV finally found a niche that worked. And I will also say that, while they were not "zoned" for a nightclub, COME ON. This wasn't some booty-shaking, wet-T-shirt-contest-having, college night with girls in bikinis, lines of 18-to-21-year-olds wrapped around the building and hoopdies in the parking lot blaring gangsta rap fratboy thug fest. This was a lounge, where wealthy young doctors, business owners, lawyers, and NFL players hung out and sipped $30.00 glasses of whiskey. And I know you can't say "this kind of club is okay, but this kind isn't." However, this was a restaurant which simply chose to host special events. No different that any other restaurant that might bring in a DJ or band and charge a cover to see them after a certain time. Sure, it might be a sneaky little loophole, but there it is. Mon Jin Lau gets away with it. So does Crave. So does Oslo. So does Fishbones. La Dolce Vita. Andiamo. And countless others. What was different for AV was the fact that they were on GM's lease and their operations did not fit in GM's carefully monitored mold.
I've documented in detail what I have seen as the rise of Asian Village. I've seen it transformed from being on the brink of bankruptcy with constant rumors of financial struggles and being near closing. I've watch it shift from its original incaranation and conception to what it has since become. I've watched it from being near-dead on a Friday night and closing at 9:00PM to being the latest hotspot in Detroit and packed past 2:00AM, listened as the buzz grew louder, even helped people pick out outfits to wear there on a Saturday night. I've hosted events there and have been treated wonderfully and had top-notch experiences. I feel an affinity towards much of the staff there, having known a number of them from various places before. I watched as the owners slowly got their proverbial shit together and finally put the RIGHT people in the RIGHT places, setting themselves up for success. And I watched as those many moves and difficult decisions and restaffing and reconceptualizing slowly but surely began to pay off.
All to be shut down in the end, right at the point that they were finally making all the right moves, on track to become a Detroit success story.
This, to me, is very sad. Disappointing, really. Ironic, no doubt (the timing, that is). And completely unnecessary.
What, it isn't enough that businesses in Detroit already have to shut their doors due to flagging business even though they've been around for decades, now we have to start shutting down the successful ones that might actually attract the kind of moneyed, youthful clientele that the city actually needs if it has any hope of becoming the revitalized, rejuvenated, and culturally thriving destination city that it hopes to one day become?
What, GM gets their panties in a bunch because of "zoning issues" (underlying implication--they don't want club rats dirtying up their Gold Coast) and completely shuts it down???? No warning, no slap on the wrists, no "no more nightclub, no-ah-ah," no second chance, no opportunity to get proper zoning, they just shut the fucker down?
This has nothing to do with low food and liquor sales or mismanagement (even though quite the argument can indeed be made that there were too many cooks in the kitchen whose names were on the business loan and not one of them agreed on anything and damn near drove the place into the ground on multiple occasions--only to survive time and time again). This has everything to do with the city's largest corporate entity throwing its weight around and decreeing what businesses can and cannot operate in the city--what does and does not suit them.
And thas sum buuuuuuuuuuuuullshit.
Asian Village was, to me, symptomatic of New Detroit. It struggled at first, and initially people didn't quite know what to make of it. But eventually people got more open-minded and decided that they actually kind of liked this new place, and started to check it out with a newfound sense of curiosity and appreciation.
Only to get shat on by the likes of GM.
The closing of AV is akin to New Detroit taking a step backwards. If we can't even keep these new, ambitious businesses open and protected from closure by special interest groups, how exactly is this city supposed to rebuild? Especially when the special interest group is GM, and part of the reason we need to rebuild is because they had to go and get themselves bankrupt and a whole lotta people lost their jobs. And now they're making the decisions on which businesses stay and which close? All based on their greed for overpriced waterfront property that they don't want sullied by the presence of club-goers (which was less the 1515 Broadway crowd and more the Crave the Sunset crowd--in other words, the kind of people who have money, want to spend it, and should be encouraged to spend it in the city, and hell, might even be the ones who could afford said overpriced waterfront property)?
Asian Village was exactly the kind of high-end, upscale, trendy place that New Detroit needs to reidentify itself. And now it's gone. Not because Detroiters have no taste, or because they didn't "get" the concept, or because it was too upscale, or because people couldn't afford it, or because it didn't live up to its hype--it's gone because a greedy corporate entity deemed it so.
I think Miss Janet said it best when she asked, "What have you done for me lately?" (The City of Detroit asks GM.)So long, AV. We tried.
And good luck to the hard-working, talented people who now find themselves unemployed.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Fine Dining at Fusia
A couple of weeks ago I was fortunate enough to attend the Detroit Synergy Supper Club at Fusia inside Asian Village. Now, I've been wanting to check out Fusia for quite some time, but just never got around to it. Since opening last summer, Fusia has introduced a new chef and, under his authority, redesigned their menu to much critical acclaim.
And would you like to know who that new chef is? Of course you would.
Fusia's new chef is Shawn Mac...formerly of Twingo's most recent failed incarnation, as well as boocoo in Royal Oak (at the time they won Hour Detroit's Restaurant of the Year in 2004--and before they shuttered their doors in late 2006).
Wanna know who else works there? Rick Jewell, formerly the sommelier of Tribute in Farmington Hills (and where I got to know him), and manager of Zingerman's Roadhouse in Ann Arbor. Imagine my surprise as well as my elation when he snuck up one me with a "Well, hello there." At Tribute I knew him only in his som. capacity, but at Fusia he is the General Manager, where he utilizes his skills learned as a som. as well as a manager at Zingerman's to give patrons a wonderful dining experience with the most friendly and welcoming demeanor coupled with the utmost professionalism. Rick served the wine that was selected with the meal (an optional wine package was available for only $10.00) and explained its origins and flavors to each attendee; he also aided in the serving of the food, and even brought out Chef Mac when my table raved endlessly about how wonderful everything was (fortunately for me I was sitting with some real foodies).
The service was top-notch--exactly what one would expect from a four-star fine dining establishment--and that's impressive, considering the Synergy group filled the entire dining area to capacity and the servers were nothing short of swamped. Rick & Co. had the event flawlessly organized and executed, with courses perfectly timed and served with four-star flair.
Ah, but the food...ah yes, the food.
ZOMFGZ. Being with the Detroit Synergy Supper Club, the menu was prix fixe. For only $30.00, supper club participants got a 4-course meal as selected by the chef, as well as an optional wine packge for an additional $10.00 which included 2 glasses of wine. To order all of the items a la carte likely would have cost about $65.00, so this was a real steal--not to mention a great way to experience a new restaurant for the first time.
First we started with the Baby Shrimp Tempura with Creamy Chili Garlic Sauce--or, what they refer to as "Asian Mac & Cheese." And despite the fact that there is absolutely neither mac nor cheese in this dish, the nickname does it justice. The shrimp were perfectly crispy all over with just the right amount of the creamy sauce to cover them--the effect was distinctly comfort-foody, and these baby shrimp disappeared quickly from all of the trendy white tilted appetizer dishes.
Our second course was the Mixed Asian Greens with Chow Mein, Spicy Tofu Croutons, and Passionfruit Vinaigrette. Now, I'm not big on tofu, in any incarnation, and this was really no exception. However, I can say that the pairing with the crunchy chow mein noodles and the passionfruit vinaigrette as well as the salty spiciness of the croutons themselves were certainly a winning combination, though I personally would have preferred less (as in no) tofu and more vinaigrette. Regardless, this certainly tops my list of one of the more interesting salads I've ever had, and was indeed tasty despite the tofu.
For me, tofu is like polenta. It doesn't matter how you dress it up, it will always be disgusting.
Ugh, I hate polenta...
For the entree, we were treated with Togarashi (aka--the Japanese version of all-spice)-Encrusted Filet of Beef with Udon Noodles and Chinese Long Beans. This dish was superb. Firstly, the beef was expertly prepared somewhere between medium and medium-well, with absolutely no fat (I understand the fat gives the meat its flavor, but I just prefer not to have to chew on it myself--especially when it's all chewy and fatty and nasty, or all stringy and fatty and nasty....gross). The flavor of the beef was rich and juicy, as if it had stewed in its own juices for hours, just soaking it all in. And then came the udon noodles--somehow the beef had escaped the flavor of the noodles and the sauce they were served in. Sampling only the beef at first, I was quite satisfied with the simple flavor, and then I incorporated the noodles--thick Japanese noodles perfectly al dente in a kickin' spicy sauce that, while entirely different in style and flavor from its beef component, complimented it expertly. This dish literally exploded with flavor--so much so that it burned a little.
For dessert, we received an Asian Key Lime "Pie"--more of a tart, which was wonderful on its own, but when paired with the pineapple caramel and the lighter-than-air coconut mousse (I would call it more "foam" than mousse, as mousse tends to be densely creamy and not at all the consistency of this), this dessert became a unique delight. Again, a combination of flavors that paired well, with consistencies that were very complimentary (the creamy key lime filling, the foamy coconut, the sticky caramel, the crumbly tart--all come together for a big mouth forgy).
For the wine pairings, we sampled two Charles Smith wines. For the appetizers and salads, we had Smith's Kung Fu Girl Riesling, a light, zingy wine that matched the equally zingy notes of the first two dishes, offsetting the spices of the shrimp's chili sauce nicely and complimenting the traces of fruit in the salad's vinaigrette dressing. Hints of crisp pineapple and florals abound with this one, and it is definitely a standout in American-made Rieslings (one of very, very few). For the entree, we got to sample Smith's Holy Cow Merlot--and it's not just a clever name. Holy Cow does well to bring out the soft, subtle notes of the merlot varietal (which can often be too heavy for its own good and is typically better when blended), allowing the notes of fruit and earth to dance a little on the palate before the tannins take over. Charles Smith Wines--further proof that the Columbia Valley in Washington State is THE BOMB (and Napa is only a name). The best part of this producer is that the wines are very, very cheap. Charles Smith began his eponymous label when he decided he wanted to make wines full of depth and character available to the market inexpensively...so, he did. And we thank him for it.
For dessert Rick broke out a little something special for us all--a Sauternes-like dessert wine (though not itself a Sauternes, and DAMN IF I CAN REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT) as a little extra bonus treat for everyone. It had all the honey-like characteristics of a Sauternes, and as I recall is made by the same methods (botrytis infection, or noble rot, of the grapes), and the concentrated golden sweetness of this wine was a wonderful offset to the tart tanginess of the key lime.
Overall, it was a wonderful event, with top-notch service, a beautiful backdrop, and first-rate food. I kick myself a little for never having been before, but very much look forward to going back.
But first I need to convince Shawn to put the Duck Three Times entree back on the menu...
And would you like to know who that new chef is? Of course you would.
Fusia's new chef is Shawn Mac...formerly of Twingo's most recent failed incarnation, as well as boocoo in Royal Oak (at the time they won Hour Detroit's Restaurant of the Year in 2004--and before they shuttered their doors in late 2006).
Wanna know who else works there? Rick Jewell, formerly the sommelier of Tribute in Farmington Hills (and where I got to know him), and manager of Zingerman's Roadhouse in Ann Arbor. Imagine my surprise as well as my elation when he snuck up one me with a "Well, hello there." At Tribute I knew him only in his som. capacity, but at Fusia he is the General Manager, where he utilizes his skills learned as a som. as well as a manager at Zingerman's to give patrons a wonderful dining experience with the most friendly and welcoming demeanor coupled with the utmost professionalism. Rick served the wine that was selected with the meal (an optional wine package was available for only $10.00) and explained its origins and flavors to each attendee; he also aided in the serving of the food, and even brought out Chef Mac when my table raved endlessly about how wonderful everything was (fortunately for me I was sitting with some real foodies).
The service was top-notch--exactly what one would expect from a four-star fine dining establishment--and that's impressive, considering the Synergy group filled the entire dining area to capacity and the servers were nothing short of swamped. Rick & Co. had the event flawlessly organized and executed, with courses perfectly timed and served with four-star flair.
Ah, but the food...ah yes, the food.
ZOMFGZ. Being with the Detroit Synergy Supper Club, the menu was prix fixe. For only $30.00, supper club participants got a 4-course meal as selected by the chef, as well as an optional wine packge for an additional $10.00 which included 2 glasses of wine. To order all of the items a la carte likely would have cost about $65.00, so this was a real steal--not to mention a great way to experience a new restaurant for the first time.
First we started with the Baby Shrimp Tempura with Creamy Chili Garlic Sauce--or, what they refer to as "Asian Mac & Cheese." And despite the fact that there is absolutely neither mac nor cheese in this dish, the nickname does it justice. The shrimp were perfectly crispy all over with just the right amount of the creamy sauce to cover them--the effect was distinctly comfort-foody, and these baby shrimp disappeared quickly from all of the trendy white tilted appetizer dishes.
Our second course was the Mixed Asian Greens with Chow Mein, Spicy Tofu Croutons, and Passionfruit Vinaigrette. Now, I'm not big on tofu, in any incarnation, and this was really no exception. However, I can say that the pairing with the crunchy chow mein noodles and the passionfruit vinaigrette as well as the salty spiciness of the croutons themselves were certainly a winning combination, though I personally would have preferred less (as in no) tofu and more vinaigrette. Regardless, this certainly tops my list of one of the more interesting salads I've ever had, and was indeed tasty despite the tofu.
For me, tofu is like polenta. It doesn't matter how you dress it up, it will always be disgusting.
Ugh, I hate polenta...
For the entree, we were treated with Togarashi (aka--the Japanese version of all-spice)-Encrusted Filet of Beef with Udon Noodles and Chinese Long Beans. This dish was superb. Firstly, the beef was expertly prepared somewhere between medium and medium-well, with absolutely no fat (I understand the fat gives the meat its flavor, but I just prefer not to have to chew on it myself--especially when it's all chewy and fatty and nasty, or all stringy and fatty and nasty....gross). The flavor of the beef was rich and juicy, as if it had stewed in its own juices for hours, just soaking it all in. And then came the udon noodles--somehow the beef had escaped the flavor of the noodles and the sauce they were served in. Sampling only the beef at first, I was quite satisfied with the simple flavor, and then I incorporated the noodles--thick Japanese noodles perfectly al dente in a kickin' spicy sauce that, while entirely different in style and flavor from its beef component, complimented it expertly. This dish literally exploded with flavor--so much so that it burned a little.
For dessert, we received an Asian Key Lime "Pie"--more of a tart, which was wonderful on its own, but when paired with the pineapple caramel and the lighter-than-air coconut mousse (I would call it more "foam" than mousse, as mousse tends to be densely creamy and not at all the consistency of this), this dessert became a unique delight. Again, a combination of flavors that paired well, with consistencies that were very complimentary (the creamy key lime filling, the foamy coconut, the sticky caramel, the crumbly tart--all come together for a big mouth forgy).
For the wine pairings, we sampled two Charles Smith wines. For the appetizers and salads, we had Smith's Kung Fu Girl Riesling, a light, zingy wine that matched the equally zingy notes of the first two dishes, offsetting the spices of the shrimp's chili sauce nicely and complimenting the traces of fruit in the salad's vinaigrette dressing. Hints of crisp pineapple and florals abound with this one, and it is definitely a standout in American-made Rieslings (one of very, very few). For the entree, we got to sample Smith's Holy Cow Merlot--and it's not just a clever name. Holy Cow does well to bring out the soft, subtle notes of the merlot varietal (which can often be too heavy for its own good and is typically better when blended), allowing the notes of fruit and earth to dance a little on the palate before the tannins take over. Charles Smith Wines--further proof that the Columbia Valley in Washington State is THE BOMB (and Napa is only a name). The best part of this producer is that the wines are very, very cheap. Charles Smith began his eponymous label when he decided he wanted to make wines full of depth and character available to the market inexpensively...so, he did. And we thank him for it.
For dessert Rick broke out a little something special for us all--a Sauternes-like dessert wine (though not itself a Sauternes, and DAMN IF I CAN REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT) as a little extra bonus treat for everyone. It had all the honey-like characteristics of a Sauternes, and as I recall is made by the same methods (botrytis infection, or noble rot, of the grapes), and the concentrated golden sweetness of this wine was a wonderful offset to the tart tanginess of the key lime.
Overall, it was a wonderful event, with top-notch service, a beautiful backdrop, and first-rate food. I kick myself a little for never having been before, but very much look forward to going back.
But first I need to convince Shawn to put the Duck Three Times entree back on the menu...
Monday, May 5, 2008
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!
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!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Adventures on a Friday: A Tale in Two Parts
Originally published on D-Tales here.
Part One: Asian Village, Mezzanine, and Lunch at Vicente's
It's been a busy week for D-Tales, so I'm playing Blogger catch-up now. But still I would like to share with my readers my adventures from last Friday, as they were...adventuresome.
The day started out with me taking an injured friend to work so he could tie up some loose ends. While we were in the area, I decided I wanted to get some coffee at the Kawaiian Cafe inside Asian Village. I had read about it repeatedly on the website (as recently as earlier that same week) and wanted to check it out, figuring this would be my perfect opportunity.
Except for that it's apparently been closed for, like, almost a year. Okay, not quite that long, but a pretty long time. The website had never been updated to reflect this closure (ditto with the closing and reopening of Asian Marketplace, the lunch spot). So THEN what should happen I KID YOU NOT just a few days later???? The website gets shut down for a day, and then totally revamped and now NOT advertising businesses that no longer exist.
:/
I was just bummed I couldn't get my coffee.
BTW, I've heard rumors for some time that Asian Village is hurting for business (hence the closures), but most recently I've started hearing about some improvements in patronage. I don't know if Detroiters have simply FINALLY caught on to the coolness that is (every OTHER trendy Asian place in the outlying suburban areas are considered THE places to hang out--Chen Chow in Birmingham, Sakana in Ferndale, Mon Jin Lau in Troy, Crave in Dearborn...Detroiters seemed to have missed the boat on the 18,000 sq. ft. trendy Asian MegaPlex right here on the Riverfront, but they're putting on the life preservers and trying to swim to catch it now). I always attributed it to a problem with advertising--as in, complete lack thereof. Other people cited reasons as simple as parking dilemnas (there is valet service there, but it's expensive--$5.00 before 9:00PM, $10.00 after). But now that Fusia is getting some good buzz and the new lounge Sutra is open (Saturdays only; $10.00 for girls, $20.00 for guys; tables with Ketel One bottle service and admission for 5 people $225.00) and being promoted by my fave Jay Noonchester, things are apparently looking up for AV.
Just the other day, a friend of mine told me that Saturday nights at Asian Village was the new hot spot for black people. She said it seemed like every friend that called her up was either already at or on their way to AV. She also said, "You know us black people--we find a new place we like and suddenly it's the hype place to be." So apparently catering to a more diverse crowd...or, really any crowd at all, aside from the GM Ren Cen workers and business travelers staying at the Marriott...was a wise business maneuver for AV. Now BRING BACK THE COFFEE!!!!!
I am glad that it seems AV is no longer two weekends away from shutting down.
But I'm still pissed I ended up with a crappy Mocha Frappuccino bottled thing from CVS.
So, from the ill-fated attempt at getting coffee in AV to lunch at Vicente's Cuban Cuisine. But first, my friends and I decided to drop in and say hi to our friend Joe Posch, owner of Mezzanine, a high-end modernist furniture and home accessory store located at Grand River and Broadway. Tres chic.
The store is actually located on the second floor, and you have to call for the elevator operator (an older woman named Jean, I believe, who has apparently been doing this for some several-odd decades). This is one of those super-old-fashioned elevators (with an operator! who operates!), iron grate and all. Plus, in true old-fashioned form, Jean smokes as she operates. For one brief second it was like living in the '50s...if in the '50s a twenty-something woman who was single with no children could wear pants with a T-shirt in public and be accompanied by her two best openly gay male friends, that is. Other than that, just like it.
Mezzanine was a visual treat--it's a very trendy place in a very trendy space (Joe was fortunate to be able to have his store occupy the corner of the building, so it features ceiling-high windows over two full walls; very trendy and loft-like, which is actually great for the store because browsers are able to envision what the products might actually look like in their own modern Detroit loft home). The merchandise is all exactly the kinds of things I gravitate towards in the CB2 and Chiasso catalogues, only at Mezzanine the merchandise is a little less mass-produced and thus a little more expensive. The store has a very nice set-up, with small home accessory items on display with the larger items and the furniture, so everything has a very "livable" look to it--actually, it felt more like a showroom than a store. In fact, it reminded me a lot of several fully-decorated model lofts I had seen on previous loft tours, as if someone could buy the whole entire space outright and move right in without having to change very much about the set-up to make it a true home. There are a number of different artistic and eclectic modernist pieces on display for your purchasing perusal, but no giant warehouse with bin numbers a la IKEA or walls of miscellaneous knick-knacks 5-deep. This is a great place to go for your contemporary home décor needs, and I'm fairly positive that it is the only store of its kind in Detroit. (Bureau of Urban Living is more accessory and less furniture, though those who would shop at one would certainly shop at the other.)
After oohing and ahhing at pretty things we can't possibly afford, we bid Joe adieu and headed over to Vicente's for some late lunch.
I love Vicente's; I just think it is a wonderful place with a very unique vibe and some very tasty food. Friday and Saturday night salsa dances are a must-see at least once for all metro-Detroiters. Plus, love all the flavored mojitos.
Lunch at Vicente's is a different vibe. The Cuban music isn't blaring, the dancefloor isn't packed, and there is a minimal crowd dining. It's a nice, relatively quiet place to go for lunch (at least at 3:00 in the afternoon it is--I can't speak for the common lunch rush).
I've dined there numerous times before, and I typically opt for the diverse Tapas menu over a single full entree--you get to sample a larger selection of items for a little more bang for your buck. I heartily recommend the Gambas al Ajillo (shrimp marinated in garlic, olive oil, and white wine with lemon juice, crushed red peppers and parsley--so simple, yet so good, and be sure to sop up the remnants with some crusty bread) and the Calamares Fritos (calamari in a lemon butter sauce--when done right, the edges of the calamari have just the slightest crispness, which is a fantastic contrast to the creamy garlic butter).
To try something a little different, I ordered the Surtido de Espana--a basic meat and cheese plate (I know! as many times as I've been there and I've NEVER ordered it!). Manchego cheese, serrano ham, cantimpalo chorizo and marinated olives were served to me on one very greasy plate. Now, individually these are all very greasy items (especially the cheese and chorizo sausage)--when put on the same plate and served at room temperature after being chilled (read: sweat), it was pretty much just a pool of mixed grease on a plate. Still tasty, though, but at $10.95, not a very good value. Oh, but the olives--yeck. The marinade was apparently some kind of mayo base--yeck, yeck, yeck.
What I get most excited about when I go there are the Plantanos Maduros (fried sweet plantains)--the sweet plantains (pungent mini-bananas) get a little caramelized as they are fried, so the edges get crisp, the sugar caramelizes and enhances the naturally sweet flavor, and they are just simply YUM-MY. Much like the majority of Vicente's menu, the motto at work here is "the simpler the better," and it works oh so well.
For dessert, we opted for some Tres Leches (three milk) cake--white cake made with evaporated milk, condensed milk, and then soaked in good old-fashioned liquid milk. The cake is actually not made in-house but is brought in from a bakery in Mexicantown (not...remembering...the name...), so you have to try to get it when it's fresh. It is most certainly a different experience--the cake is beyond moist, given that it is still dripping with milk, but it is very light and flavorful and...cold.
We left there full and bloated and ready for a nap time. My ambition earlier in the day was to take a walk to enjoy the beautiful weather, but I quickly gave up on this when the temperature dropped 20 degrees, the wind started gusting 30+ mph, and the Weather Channel was reporting a storm blowing in...so I decided to get rested up for the big night I had ahead of me and took a lengthy nap
....
Check back soon for Part Two: The Dossin Great Lakes Museum and Cuisine! But first, gotta go pay the bills and make some dolla dolla bills y'all...
Part One: Asian Village, Mezzanine, and Lunch at Vicente's
It's been a busy week for D-Tales, so I'm playing Blogger catch-up now. But still I would like to share with my readers my adventures from last Friday, as they were...adventuresome.
The day started out with me taking an injured friend to work so he could tie up some loose ends. While we were in the area, I decided I wanted to get some coffee at the Kawaiian Cafe inside Asian Village. I had read about it repeatedly on the website (as recently as earlier that same week) and wanted to check it out, figuring this would be my perfect opportunity.
Except for that it's apparently been closed for, like, almost a year. Okay, not quite that long, but a pretty long time. The website had never been updated to reflect this closure (ditto with the closing and reopening of Asian Marketplace, the lunch spot). So THEN what should happen I KID YOU NOT just a few days later???? The website gets shut down for a day, and then totally revamped and now NOT advertising businesses that no longer exist.
:/
I was just bummed I couldn't get my coffee.
BTW, I've heard rumors for some time that Asian Village is hurting for business (hence the closures), but most recently I've started hearing about some improvements in patronage. I don't know if Detroiters have simply FINALLY caught on to the coolness that is (every OTHER trendy Asian place in the outlying suburban areas are considered THE places to hang out--Chen Chow in Birmingham, Sakana in Ferndale, Mon Jin Lau in Troy, Crave in Dearborn...Detroiters seemed to have missed the boat on the 18,000 sq. ft. trendy Asian MegaPlex right here on the Riverfront, but they're putting on the life preservers and trying to swim to catch it now). I always attributed it to a problem with advertising--as in, complete lack thereof. Other people cited reasons as simple as parking dilemnas (there is valet service there, but it's expensive--$5.00 before 9:00PM, $10.00 after). But now that Fusia is getting some good buzz and the new lounge Sutra is open (Saturdays only; $10.00 for girls, $20.00 for guys; tables with Ketel One bottle service and admission for 5 people $225.00) and being promoted by my fave Jay Noonchester, things are apparently looking up for AV.
Just the other day, a friend of mine told me that Saturday nights at Asian Village was the new hot spot for black people. She said it seemed like every friend that called her up was either already at or on their way to AV. She also said, "You know us black people--we find a new place we like and suddenly it's the hype place to be." So apparently catering to a more diverse crowd...or, really any crowd at all, aside from the GM Ren Cen workers and business travelers staying at the Marriott...was a wise business maneuver for AV. Now BRING BACK THE COFFEE!!!!!
I am glad that it seems AV is no longer two weekends away from shutting down.
But I'm still pissed I ended up with a crappy Mocha Frappuccino bottled thing from CVS.
So, from the ill-fated attempt at getting coffee in AV to lunch at Vicente's Cuban Cuisine. But first, my friends and I decided to drop in and say hi to our friend Joe Posch, owner of Mezzanine, a high-end modernist furniture and home accessory store located at Grand River and Broadway. Tres chic.
The store is actually located on the second floor, and you have to call for the elevator operator (an older woman named Jean, I believe, who has apparently been doing this for some several-odd decades). This is one of those super-old-fashioned elevators (with an operator! who operates!), iron grate and all. Plus, in true old-fashioned form, Jean smokes as she operates. For one brief second it was like living in the '50s...if in the '50s a twenty-something woman who was single with no children could wear pants with a T-shirt in public and be accompanied by her two best openly gay male friends, that is. Other than that, just like it.
Mezzanine was a visual treat--it's a very trendy place in a very trendy space (Joe was fortunate to be able to have his store occupy the corner of the building, so it features ceiling-high windows over two full walls; very trendy and loft-like, which is actually great for the store because browsers are able to envision what the products might actually look like in their own modern Detroit loft home). The merchandise is all exactly the kinds of things I gravitate towards in the CB2 and Chiasso catalogues, only at Mezzanine the merchandise is a little less mass-produced and thus a little more expensive. The store has a very nice set-up, with small home accessory items on display with the larger items and the furniture, so everything has a very "livable" look to it--actually, it felt more like a showroom than a store. In fact, it reminded me a lot of several fully-decorated model lofts I had seen on previous loft tours, as if someone could buy the whole entire space outright and move right in without having to change very much about the set-up to make it a true home. There are a number of different artistic and eclectic modernist pieces on display for your purchasing perusal, but no giant warehouse with bin numbers a la IKEA or walls of miscellaneous knick-knacks 5-deep. This is a great place to go for your contemporary home décor needs, and I'm fairly positive that it is the only store of its kind in Detroit. (Bureau of Urban Living is more accessory and less furniture, though those who would shop at one would certainly shop at the other.)
After oohing and ahhing at pretty things we can't possibly afford, we bid Joe adieu and headed over to Vicente's for some late lunch.
I love Vicente's; I just think it is a wonderful place with a very unique vibe and some very tasty food. Friday and Saturday night salsa dances are a must-see at least once for all metro-Detroiters. Plus, love all the flavored mojitos.
Lunch at Vicente's is a different vibe. The Cuban music isn't blaring, the dancefloor isn't packed, and there is a minimal crowd dining. It's a nice, relatively quiet place to go for lunch (at least at 3:00 in the afternoon it is--I can't speak for the common lunch rush).
I've dined there numerous times before, and I typically opt for the diverse Tapas menu over a single full entree--you get to sample a larger selection of items for a little more bang for your buck. I heartily recommend the Gambas al Ajillo (shrimp marinated in garlic, olive oil, and white wine with lemon juice, crushed red peppers and parsley--so simple, yet so good, and be sure to sop up the remnants with some crusty bread) and the Calamares Fritos (calamari in a lemon butter sauce--when done right, the edges of the calamari have just the slightest crispness, which is a fantastic contrast to the creamy garlic butter).
To try something a little different, I ordered the Surtido de Espana--a basic meat and cheese plate (I know! as many times as I've been there and I've NEVER ordered it!). Manchego cheese, serrano ham, cantimpalo chorizo and marinated olives were served to me on one very greasy plate. Now, individually these are all very greasy items (especially the cheese and chorizo sausage)--when put on the same plate and served at room temperature after being chilled (read: sweat), it was pretty much just a pool of mixed grease on a plate. Still tasty, though, but at $10.95, not a very good value. Oh, but the olives--yeck. The marinade was apparently some kind of mayo base--yeck, yeck, yeck.
What I get most excited about when I go there are the Plantanos Maduros (fried sweet plantains)--the sweet plantains (pungent mini-bananas) get a little caramelized as they are fried, so the edges get crisp, the sugar caramelizes and enhances the naturally sweet flavor, and they are just simply YUM-MY. Much like the majority of Vicente's menu, the motto at work here is "the simpler the better," and it works oh so well.
For dessert, we opted for some Tres Leches (three milk) cake--white cake made with evaporated milk, condensed milk, and then soaked in good old-fashioned liquid milk. The cake is actually not made in-house but is brought in from a bakery in Mexicantown (not...remembering...the name...), so you have to try to get it when it's fresh. It is most certainly a different experience--the cake is beyond moist, given that it is still dripping with milk, but it is very light and flavorful and...cold.
We left there full and bloated and ready for a nap time. My ambition earlier in the day was to take a walk to enjoy the beautiful weather, but I quickly gave up on this when the temperature dropped 20 degrees, the wind started gusting 30+ mph, and the Weather Channel was reporting a storm blowing in...so I decided to get rested up for the big night I had ahead of me and took a lengthy nap
....
Check back soon for Part Two: The Dossin Great Lakes Museum and Cuisine! But first, gotta go pay the bills and make some dolla dolla bills y'all...
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Detroit Synergy Supper Club at Fusia
Originally published in D-Tales here.
It's no secret--I like fine dining. And fine dining for less? GAME ON.
Detroit Synergy's popular Supper Club event has been touring all the fine dining establishments Detroit has to offer for a few years now, and has been giving diners deals on meals that would otherwise be pretty pricey (not to mention offering some much-needed and much-appreciated exposure to some of these struggling businesses). The menu is always specially-selected and prix fixe to include tax and gratuity, and it is always a bargain for anyone who participates (typically, to order all of the items a la carte at full price would cost anywhere from 50-150% more). Plus, it gives people the opportunity to discover new places and patron the city. Really, it's a win-win-win...-win.
"On Wednesday, April 30 from 6:00PM-8:00PM, Detroit Synergy will be hosting its April Supper Club event at Fusia, inside Asian Village. For only $30.00 per person (inclusive of tax and gratuity), Supper Clubbers will be able to experience a special four-course menu featuring some of Fusia’s most popular items. There will also be an additional wine package featuring two glasses of wine picked to pair with your meal available for only $10.00 more. Tickets are available by advance purchase only through the DSG store.
'The management of Fusia has selected a very fine four-course menu which gives diners a taste of what fine Asian dining at Fusia is all about:
'First Course:
Baby Shrimp Tempura with Creamy Chili Garlic Sauce
'Second Course:
Mixed Asian Greens with Tofu Croutons and Passionfruit Vinaigrette
'Third Course:
Togarashi-Encrusted Filet of Beef with Udon Noodles and Chinese Long Beans
'Fourth Course:
Asian Key Lime “Pie”
'Fusia inside Asian Village is fairly new to Detroit, but it is already redefining trendy Detroit dining. From the glass-enclosed entryway to the stylish Asian-influenced design and the tastefully done blue and green neon accent lighting, Fusia encompasses everything that makes high-end Asian dining and sushi bars the hotspots of choice for trend-conscious nightlife seekers. Having just played host to Detroit Fashion Week, as well as catering to high-end clientele with private parties (during the NAIAS Charity Preview, for example), Fusia inside Asian Village is quickly becoming known as the place to see and be seen for Detroiters looking for the latest trendy hangout.Top off their sleek Vegas-dinner-club-style ambiance with their impressive high-end Asian-fusion menu (the menu is unquestionably Asian-themed, but does borrow some heavy influences from cuisines all over the world—hence the name), and you’ve got a restaurant and party palace to rival all of the very best metro Detroit has to offer.
'Fusia inside Asian Village is located at 521 Atwater Street, next to the GM Renaissance Center and overlooking the Detroit River."
It's just too bad that they aren't offering their Duck Three Times entree at this discounted price: "Crispy Pekin duck breast, pomegranate molasses. Sesame duck confit, preserved green mango, salad of fresh herbs, Chinese chive-orange crepe. Seared Hudson Valley foie gras, black pepper and peach compote. $35.00." ZOMFGZ.
I must admit I have not dined at Fusia yet, so this is a great way to experience (somewhat inexpensively) what this place is like. But that duck...OMFG that duck...*droolikins*
It's no secret--I like fine dining. And fine dining for less? GAME ON.
Detroit Synergy's popular Supper Club event has been touring all the fine dining establishments Detroit has to offer for a few years now, and has been giving diners deals on meals that would otherwise be pretty pricey (not to mention offering some much-needed and much-appreciated exposure to some of these struggling businesses). The menu is always specially-selected and prix fixe to include tax and gratuity, and it is always a bargain for anyone who participates (typically, to order all of the items a la carte at full price would cost anywhere from 50-150% more). Plus, it gives people the opportunity to discover new places and patron the city. Really, it's a win-win-win...-win.
"On Wednesday, April 30 from 6:00PM-8:00PM, Detroit Synergy will be hosting its April Supper Club event at Fusia, inside Asian Village. For only $30.00 per person (inclusive of tax and gratuity), Supper Clubbers will be able to experience a special four-course menu featuring some of Fusia’s most popular items. There will also be an additional wine package featuring two glasses of wine picked to pair with your meal available for only $10.00 more. Tickets are available by advance purchase only through the DSG store.
'The management of Fusia has selected a very fine four-course menu which gives diners a taste of what fine Asian dining at Fusia is all about:
'First Course:
Baby Shrimp Tempura with Creamy Chili Garlic Sauce
'Second Course:
Mixed Asian Greens with Tofu Croutons and Passionfruit Vinaigrette
'Third Course:
Togarashi-Encrusted Filet of Beef with Udon Noodles and Chinese Long Beans
'Fourth Course:
Asian Key Lime “Pie”
'Fusia inside Asian Village is fairly new to Detroit, but it is already redefining trendy Detroit dining. From the glass-enclosed entryway to the stylish Asian-influenced design and the tastefully done blue and green neon accent lighting, Fusia encompasses everything that makes high-end Asian dining and sushi bars the hotspots of choice for trend-conscious nightlife seekers. Having just played host to Detroit Fashion Week, as well as catering to high-end clientele with private parties (during the NAIAS Charity Preview, for example), Fusia inside Asian Village is quickly becoming known as the place to see and be seen for Detroiters looking for the latest trendy hangout.Top off their sleek Vegas-dinner-club-style ambiance with their impressive high-end Asian-fusion menu (the menu is unquestionably Asian-themed, but does borrow some heavy influences from cuisines all over the world—hence the name), and you’ve got a restaurant and party palace to rival all of the very best metro Detroit has to offer.
'Fusia inside Asian Village is located at 521 Atwater Street, next to the GM Renaissance Center and overlooking the Detroit River."
It's just too bad that they aren't offering their Duck Three Times entree at this discounted price: "Crispy Pekin duck breast, pomegranate molasses. Sesame duck confit, preserved green mango, salad of fresh herbs, Chinese chive-orange crepe. Seared Hudson Valley foie gras, black pepper and peach compote. $35.00." ZOMFGZ.
I must admit I have not dined at Fusia yet, so this is a great way to experience (somewhat inexpensively) what this place is like. But that duck...OMFG that duck...*droolikins*
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