[EID Feature] Young Guns: Nick Janutol, Forest Grill

In anticipation of the first-ever Young Guns dinner at the Root - which sold out in less than 48 hours - Eat It Detroit will run a new profile every week leading up to the event featuring each of the six participating chefs. This week, it's Nick Janutol, Chef de Cuisine of Forest Grill.

Chef Nick's background: After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, Chef Nick Janutol moved to New York City where he worked under Daniel Humm and was part of the team that elevated Eleven Madison Park to three Michelin stars. Looking to move closer to home, Chef Janutol moved to Chicago. In Chicago he worked under his friend and mentor Chef Matthew Kirkley. Under Chef Kirkley’s leadership, Chef Nick opened the two Michelin star RIA in the Elysian hotel. The pair then left and moved to L2O, where they took the restaurant to a two Michelin star rating. Chef Janutol finally made the move back to Michigan where he has been able to take his experience in fine dining to create an exceptional spin on the causal and comfortable atmosphere he has always enjoyed in restaurants.

EID: What is your culinary ethos? As in, as a chef, what do you BELIEVE in? What is important to you as a chef in your cooking and, in a bigger picture, what do you think the most important values are for a chef to have?

NJ: This feels a little like a loaded question. I could talk for days about the values and beliefs behind why I do what I do. The words that best describe my philosophy are quality, consistency, integrity, and hospitality. If one starts by truly believing that every guest is equally important and works as hard as they can to make them happy, then you have done your job.

How/where do you see Detroit's/Michigan's culinary scene fitting in on a national level? Thinking in terms not of where it is (which is still far behind most other major cities/states) but where it COULD be, how can Michigan chefs/restaurants evolve and where do you see them going?

I think you are right in saying Detroit is behind major cities like New York, Chicago and the San Francisco area, and it is unreasonable to say we are not. That being said I don’t think we are as far behind as far as you think. Having lived in both New York City and Chicago for a number of years, I have had the chance to see once empty neighborhoods explode with incredible restaurants. When I look at Corktown or Ferndale it feels like the West Loop or Brooklyn five years ago, you can feel this energy. It really feels like we are one or two great restaurant away from creating the competitive playground needed to propel this city.

What advantages does a chef have in Michigan over other states? 

Michigan chefs have a blank canvas and a public that wants to see it colored in; we have a clientele who wants to see more. All in all Detroit is an entrepreneurs dream.

You recently moved back to Michigan after working at some high-profile restaurants in Chicago. What really prompted you to make that decision, to leave such a high-profile market for one that is markedly less so?

Michigan especially the Detroit area is home, and there is a great future for her food scene here. Maybe I am niave in thinking that Detroit will rebound, but I will see it through. I am committed to this area and want to be a part of this great upswing that I feel is inevitable. With that said, the goal of entrepreneurship is one of the biggest reasons I moved back.

What is your favorite cuisine and/or what are your favorite or signature dishes to make? What do you geek out over?

I guess the pc answer is “seasonal products from the farmers market,” but that should be a standard in any restaurant you go to. With that said, I love French fare, not the typical American French bistro, but true French food that is produced by great chefs like Charles Barrier, Alain Ducasse, Joel Robuchon, Olivier Roellinger, and Yannick Alleno to name a few. For me it is truly inspiring to see what is possible with food. I strive to create dishes that are not spur of the moment, but well thought out and executed consistently.

Who have you worked with who has most influenced you, and who most inspires you as a chef?

I have learned from so many people in this industry. There are so many great chefs out there, each with their own philosophy and ideology. However, Matt Kirkley, the chef of L2O, has been one of the most influential chefs for myself as well as a great friend that I have worked for. He inspired me to have a hunger for knowledge, a drive for quality as well as reinforcing the need for integrity.

When James approached you about being a part of this Young Guns dinner, what was your reaction? Did you consider yourself one of "Michigan's most dangerous chefs" prior to this? What do you think of your fellow Young Guns?

The whole young guns name is a bit contrived, but I love the idea that we as chefs are getting the opportunity to cook together. This will be a great event, where we can share ideas and techniques with each other. That is something that is huge in Chicago and New York, the idea of meeting up after work and swapping stories and ideas. This event will only help Detroit grow as a restaurant scene.

As a chef, what do you hope to achieve in your career? Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 20 years? And how do you hope to help strengthen and bolster Michigan's culinary scene?

Over the next 20 years, I hope that I continue to grow as a chef and businessman in the Detroit area.

[EID Feature] Young Guns: Michael Barrera, Streetside Seafood

In anticipation of the first-ever Young Guns dinner at the Root - which sold out in less than 48 hours - Eat It Detroit will run a new profile every week leading up to the event featuring each of the six participating chefs. This week, it's Chef Michael Barrera of Streetside Seafood in Birmingham.

EID: Where do you work and how long have you worked there? 
MB: I am the Executive Chef of Streetside Seafood in Birmingham and have been there since June of 2010. So 3.5 years.

Where did you work prior to this? How long have you been with Roberts Restaurant Group?
Beverly Hills Grill from 2005 -2010.

What is your culinary background and who has most influenced you?
I studied at the Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia. I worked for the Starr Restaurant Group while in school and after. I was a line cook at the Continental Restaurant and Martini Bar and promoted to Sous Chef shortly after while still in school. I worked under Chef William Murphy while there. He was a huge influence on me. He helped teach me that in this profession you need to have balance. Balance with family, career, etc.... He taught me that what we do for a living is not how we are defined as a person. What defines you is who you are as a father, brother, friend, and leader. Awesome chef. Miss him. The Starr Restaurant Group was and is loaded with a ton of talented chefs. Chefs like Chris Painter, Masaharu Morimoto, Michael Schulson. I was fortunate enough to do parties and dinners with these guys at the James Beard House.

Describe your personal cooking style.
This is a loaded question. My style is free. I try not to limit what style of food I cook. I love it all. Vague but true. Flavor is universal. I feel strongly about my palate. I feel I can go to any restaurant and get the point or idea that chef is trying to convey through his food. This is no matter the style, price, area, etc. As for the restaurant we have a no-frills approach to our standard menu. We do however get to "play" everday with our specials and features that change daily. This is where we can be as creative as our skill level will allow us. 40% of our daily sales come off our chalk boards. There has been some sort of media backlash recently about why restaurants run specials. Either to use up old product or to use the guest as a test subject for your own ego boost. That is not what we do. It's calculated the risks with food we make. Understanding your cliental and what they are looking for helps but also recognizing what is in season and using that ingredient in the proper way goes a long way. My style is that of my staff: ever evolving, learning, changing. That won't change. To simply pick a style of food and specialize in that would limit what you can do and teach your staff and what they can teach you.

What is important to you as a chef in your cooking and, in a bigger picture, what do you think the most important values are for a chef to have? What do you believe in as a chef?
Humility. That value cannot be understated. I understand that I don't know everything about food or this business. I know that I can learn something from anybody on my staff or elsewhere every day. That is the true beauty of what we do. People often wonder how a chef can work long hours, miss time with family, have high stress, and still carry a sense of passion for what they do. To me it is easy. I have two families. My blood and my restaurant. Obviously, my priorities are always going to side with my blood, but my restaurant family is 1A. As for what I believe in? Having fun in what we do. It is business, yes, but a business predicated on service and pleasure. Very few professions give you a sense of instant gratification; this is one of them.

How/where do you see Detroit's/Michigan's culinary scene fitting in on a national level? And PLEASE don't bother with the "Detroit is the bestest thing ever" mindless cheerleading. It's not. At this point Michigan is barely even competing with Ohio, at least on the food side (our beer is a different story). So, thinking in terms not of where it is but where it COULD be, how can Michigan chefs/restaurants evolve and where do you see them going?
Love this question. I agree that our scene is not on par with many other metropolitan areas in the U.S. That being said, it is different on many levels. We are territorial. Each suburb has a different vibe. Corktown and Midtown are not the same, same with Royal Oak and Ferndale and Birmingham. First the problems: this town has a chip on its shoulder. [We're] always trying to prove we aren't what they say we are instead of loving who we are and celebrating what the greater Detroit area and Michigan have to offer. Great agriculture, beer, wine, spirits. Those are things to celebrate and I think the attitude is changing. We are also very territorial in nature as well. People from Ferndale tend to not dine in Birmingham because of the attitude or haughtiness of its citizens and the same is true of people from Birmingham going to Ferndale. They don't go because it's younger or it's hipsters or God forgive there are gay people there. That's all bullshit. Here is where I preach: stop thinking you know unless you have experienced. I have eaten in every neighborhood in this city and area. I don't give two shits about the people sitting next to me or what their income is or isn't. I don't care what they are wearing or what they are not. It is irrelevant. I care about the core ingredients of what make a good dining experience. 1. I am welcomed warmly into an establishment. 2. I am waited on by somebody who cares about their job and is educated to do so. 3. I am given a meal that has obviously been give some thought and care by the cooks or chef. It is actually pretty simple if you think about it. I think we can evolve by focusing on these core values in food and service. We can evolve by taking ownership of who we are and celebrating it through our food. In Philly, also a gritty no-nonsense kind of town, they don't care where your money comes from, as long as it comes. I also think some of the responsibility is with our guests. We have been so long a "steak and potatoes" kind of town. Understand that there is more to offer. Don't limit your palate with the same thing over and over. Take chances, try new things, go to a different neighborhood, leave your comfort zone. You will be suprised by what you find.

What advantages does a chef have in Michigan over other states?
Tough one. I love it here. Michigan is my home. I LOVED the east coast and Philly. I miss it for the reasons you mentioned in your last question. That being said, I love that I can go to Eastern Market on Saturdays. I love driving 30 miles to go to the Root and have a great dining experience. I love going to Ferndale for the relaxed vibe and drinks [and] to Empire for wine and the beach with friends. I guess that is why I am here. To prove that we are a good area. Hoping one day that it is recognized. Working to change the perceptions.

What is your favorite cuisine and/or what are your favorite or signature dishes to make? What do you geek out over?
I hate this question! I seriously love to eat anything. I do not discriminate. I do love Spain and its flavors. But I equally love the Southern U.S. Argentina has amazing food. Signature dish? I don't have one. I am sure I have made 1,000 specials in the last 8.5 years, maybe a few of those were signature I hope. I geek out over preserved foods. Pickled, cured, rillettes. Yum. The way that a food is manipulated to have such impactful flavor is something that cannot go unnoticed.

When James [Rigato of the Root] approached your about being a part of this Young Guns dinner, what was your reaction? Did you consider yourself one of "Michigan's most dangerous chefs" prior to this? What do you think of your fellow Young Guns?
I was sitting at the bar at the Root and James came to greet me. We talked briefly and I had mentioned that we should get together and throw down sometime or get a group together. He said that he was thinking of the same thing. He took it and ran with it. I only know James through my visits to his restaurant and vice-versa. I know he is as passionate about this profession as I am. I know he has a network of friends and chefs alike that would be a great fit for this dinner. What is so amazing about this dinner is its covered area of chefs with Nikita opening Rock City eatery in Hamtramck, Andy soon at Seldon Standard in Midtown, Brennan in Ferndale [at Imperial], Nick [Janutol of Forest Grill] and I in Birmingham, and of course James, the mastermind, in White Lake. I don't consider myself dangerous per se, but do consider myself to be a leader in this industry. Sure, I have made mistakes in the past but you can do two things from that, grow from them or let them bury you. I am honored and humbled to be a part of this event with these guys. They are all so talented. I hope to come correct with whatever dish I decide to do. No pressure!

As a chef, what do you hope to achieve in your career? Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 20 years? How do you hope to help strengthen and bolster Michigan's culinary scene?
I work for Bill Roberts. He is fantastic restauranteur and operater of some of the area's best establishments. I don't have any aspirations on leaving this area or his company in general. I have invested a lot of time and effort with this company and plan on continuing with them until they get tired of me. I hope that this area continues to grow in its culinary endeavors. I hope that we don't give in to outsiders perceptions of who we are and what we are. I hope that we become a place that has great dining options and are destinations for both locals and tourists. I hope this event will show that we are more than what people expected and that other events follow with more chefs. I hope that 20 years from now we all look back at this and see it as a beginning of something special. That is what I feel it is. No ego, no bullshit, just good food, good comraderie, and most of all, a great experience for our guests that night.

[EID Feature] Chef Paul Grosz takes a Stand

Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

The Stand in Birmingham officially opens for business today. The hotly-anticipated restaurant taking over the former Zazio's space - a concept that rather majestically flamed out for any number of reasons up to and including a cumbersome, poorly-planned space draped in seizure-inducing swirls of neon and food that quite simply wasn't that good (even by Birmingham's notoriously mediocre standards) - is a partnership between Chef Paul Grosz of Cuisine and fine dining industry vet John Kelly with Greenleaf Trust/Catalyst Development, owners of the building, as the investors.

Chef Paul is the Executive Chef of this new concept, and he'll also continue overseeing Cuisine in New Center, running back and forth between both. I've know Chef Paul for a few years - he was one of the first chefs I really established a personal rapport with back during my early days as a scrappy blogger - and, knowing him as well as knowing the difficulty of taking on such a massive space and making enough money on it for the business to stay open, my first question to him was: are you insane?

The answer is yes but in a way that makes sense in the long term. Paul has a 10-year plan. Part of that 10-year plan includes positioning himself for retirement and being able to put his mark on something other than Cuisine - a restaurant he is very proud of and happy with, but one that is also very much events-driven given its somewhat isolated location in New Center across from the Fisher Building.

Paul is also considering the natural trajectory of the chef's career. As he is currently filling in for Mr. Charcuterie Chef Brian Polcyn at Schoolcraft, teaching Polcyn's charcuterie class while Polcyn is busy working on his latest endeavors, Paul is thinking more and more of following in Polcyn's footsteps and transitioning into the role of instructor. He'd like to teach more at Schoolcraft - not Polcyn's class, but possibly a new class on seafood, which receives little attention as part of the school's culinary instruction, and maybe even vegetarian and vegan cuisine. (Paul is big on seafood, and also on veggies, as you'll find on the menu at the Stand). He'd also like to mentor up-and-coming chefs and eventually get out of the kitchen entirely.

Chef Paul in the kitchen. 

But that's all part of the 10-year plan. For now, Paul is going to be in BOTH kitchens, overseeing all operations and doing the cooking himself along with the help of his culinary team.

The menu at the Stand is decidedly small and carefully-managed. Items include a lobster fried egg - a brioche-breaded soft-boiled egg with lobster and asparagus - duck confit cassoulet, rabbit, and waygu beef, with a purposeful emphasis on sea food. (Again, this is Paul's thing.) There is a charcuterie room in which they will cure and dry their own meats (which will also be supplied to Cuisine) that should be fully operational in the next month. And while that all sounds like a very protein-centric menu, vegetarians and vegans can take heart: YOU HAVE YOUR OWN MENU. Eight entirely-vegan items are highlighted on their own menu, so you don't just have to order whatever lame-o salad or soup made vegan as an afterthought.

The bar area comes with its own menu and includes things like veal sweetbreads, foie gras burgers, duck sliders, and daily oysters. And desserts will be just as special as the rest of the menu: Pastry Chef Kevin Kearney, who has worked with Paul at Cuisine for years, is now at the Stand making his unique creations like goat cheese cheesecake and funky ice cream flavors (he did it before it was cool). He is one of the finest pastry chefs in the area, so do be sure not to skip dessert.

The beverage program is just as thoughtful, with a small but solid selection of Michigan craft beers and an entire craft cocktail program designed by none other than Travis Fourmont.

The Hall of Culinary Fun.

Those of you who remember Zazio's Wizard of Oz-on-acid color scheme (an image surely burned into your brain if you ever stepped foot in the place), all I can say is...wow. The space is transformed. And by that I mean they COMPLETELY gutted it - like, everything. Like, they kept nothing. They scrapped everything short of actually bulldozing the building. The entrance is now on Peabody and diners will be greeting in the "lobby" before heading down what Paul calls the Hall of Culinary Fun. To the right, you will see the open kitchen with a 10-seat bar where they will host two degustation menu seatings per night (in lieu of actually having a "chef's table" in the kitchen). To the left is the separate bar area with comfy booths and a community table. Further down is the main dining room and three private dining rooms.

Hand-blown glass gourds from Epiphany Glass.

As you walk around the massive space, take note to pay attention to the design details. Wood for the bars, ceilings, the communal tables and booth backsplashes is all reclaimed wood sourced through the WARM Training Center in Detroit, much of it from deconstructed homes in Detroit and Hamtramck. Eric Gorges of Voodoo Choppers made custom metal art pieces, including a copper "replica" of the Mackinaw Bridge over the communal table in the bar. In the main dining room, a series of four hand-blown glass sculptures made by April Wagner of Epiphany Glass represent the four seasons of food - leeks in the spring, shellfish in the summer, squash in the fall, and ice wine in the winter. Janelle Songer made the ceramic pieces throughout the restaurant. It was very important to both Paul and John to make this a space that is a reflection of the community, using local artists and salvaged materials with roots in metro Detroit. They want this to be a place that appeals to everyone, to have construction workers sitting next to bankers and everyone be comfortable. Like at a lemonade stand, where everyone has the same experience regardless of who and what they are - hence the name.

In regards to my question of how they were going to break up this 10,000-square-foot space to maximize marketability and monetization (something else Zazio's struggled with), the three private dining rooms are the answer. The 14-seat communal table inside the wine cellar is one, perfect for private celebrations. The 10-seat Paul W. Smith room is intended for celebrities and high-ranking executives, and even has its own private entrance. The third is a 40-seat conference room wired for all AV equipment with a large TV for teleconferences, and this is the space with the most potential to bring in a steady stream of business business.

Part of Paul's 10-year plan includes possibly opening more Stands in other areas in metro Detroit, or working with John on another concept in Birmingham - seafood, perhaps? But he's got 10 years to figure that out. For now, he's focused on getting the Stand open, which quite possibly stands to be the best restaurant in Birmingham.

The Stand has already been operating for a few weeks, hosting private events and seminars. It opens to the public officially at 5 p.m. today and will be open 5-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 5-11 Fridays and Saturdays (closed Sundays). Eventually they will also be open for lunch.

Want to see more? View the Flickr set here. 

[Metromode] Distilling the Greatness of Michigan-Made Spirits

Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

Thanks to the growth in the craft beer industry and craft cocktail culture, the craft distilling industry has been growing exponentially in recent years, from barely two dozen microdistillers across the country in 2000 to over 250 in 2012, with dozens more currently seeking federal licensing. Michigan alone has over 30 licensed craft distillers with more in the works, including several in metro Detroit. There is also a Michigan Distillers Guild in the early planning stages, mirroring itself after the Michigan Brewers Guild to be an advocacy group for Michigan's microdistillers.

Read more.

[HOT LIST] Best new patios

Red Crown.

Another summer, another slew of "best patio" lists. I'll let you in on a little secret: these lists don't change much year to year. The Rattlesnake keeps being located on the Detroit River and the Whitney keeps having a garden and the Old Miami keeps having a big-ass lawn with a koi pond.

But this year, things have changed. New places have opened. A LOT of new places. And these places have built patios. Really nice patios. So instead of the same old reminder that the Rattlesnake's patio has a nice view of the Detroit River (and it does! so very nice!), here's a look at the best new patios to pop up just this year (and some as recently as last week).

SIDEBAR: It seems that Corktown is becoming PATIOTOWN.

El Barzon.

#1 El Barzon Southwest Detroit
For years you've loved the food and merely accepted the ambiance, but their new enclosed patio is a thing of real beauty. If you haven't been over there recently, it's time you went back.

#2 Red Crown Grosse Pointe Park
The Grosse Pointes are becoming quite the hotbed of new restaurant activity, with a second location of Luxe recently opened, a new Atwater brewpub in the works, Dave Gilbert's new restaurant Marais getting ready to open, and all of restaurateur Mindy Lopus's new ventures opening this year. The first was Red Crown, a Southern BBQ and comfort food restaurant with an excellent craft cocktail program and an even better patio. Whether its for Sunday brunch or an evening of cocktails, this is a pretty happy place to be.

St. Cece's Pub.

#3 St. Cece's Pub Corktown
There are a few spots in Corktown that could be considered one of the locals' favorite hangouts (Green Dot, Astro, Sugar House), and St. Cece's is among them. Is it the farm-to-table food? The fireplace? The dog-friendliness? The quintessential local neighborhood pub feeling? Whatever the case, get ready to love it even harder with their fab bum-proof patio. You know what I mean.

Griffin Claw beer garden. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

#4 Griffin Claw Brewing Company Birmingham
I have a total beer boner for this place despite it being in Birmingham and all of the inherent Birminghamness that implies. (The latest news: Dan Rogers got to rights the Screamin' Pumpkin recipe back - originally his when he was brewing for Michigan Brewing Company - and is now brewing it under the same name at Griffin Claw. AND IT IS THE BEST.) Another thing to love about it is the three-season beer garden.

The Jefferson House. From my iPhone.

#5 The Jefferson House Downtown
The subtlely bum-proof patio at the Jefferson House - featuring a plexiglass partition just high enough to keep Detroit's vagrant population from intruding on your meal, which isn't so much an insensitive comment as something WE ALL FUCKING KNOW HAPPENS - may effectively be located on Jefferson as it becomes the Lodge Freeway service drive, but the design is comfortable and contemporary and the view of the GM Renaissance Center doesn't suck.

Pizzeria Biga Royal Oak.

Honorable mention:
Last year I ran a list of the worst patios in metro Detroit. Because I get really bored with this shit, honestly. So I ripped into Pizzeria Biga Royal Oak and it was kind of a big deal but now we've all moved past it and are friends, but they also made some serious improvements to the patio (including a covered floor and enclosed roof, blocking out a lot of the undesirable sound and preventing the tables and chairs from wobbling, my two biggest bones of contention). While the patio is not NEW new, in that it existed in a form last year, it's new in the sense of being totally redone, and certainly worth a redeeming mention. So, I take that one back. Go check out their patio.

Bubbling under Ottava Via (Corktown), Ashley's Westland (Westland), MotorCity Wine (Corktown), Green Dot Stables (Corktown), Brooklyn Street Local (Corktown) - new concrete poured this year

What did I miss? Leave it in the Facebook comments.

[EID Preview] Griffin Claw Brewing Company

In the case of great minds thinking alike, my boy Nate Dawg...er, I mean, reporter Nathan Skid from Crain's...ran this preview of the new Griffin Claw Brewing Company opening next Thursday in Birmingham. Normally I'd just scrap my own plans to run something because why be part of the echo chamber, but since I already shot and edited the photos and just haven't had time to post I'll still give you my own sneak peek with some different details. If you look at mine first then his, it's kind of like a time-lapse! (My photos were taken last Friday; looks like Nate probably took his on Monday.)

So, to recap: Griffin Claw Brewing Co. is the lastest effort of the same family that owns Big Rock Chophouse and Clubhouse BFD (to be clear, each of these businesses have different owners, but they are all connected to each other by previous partnerships, marriage and blood: Bonnie LePage and Mary Nicholson own Griffin Claw; they co-own Big Rock Chophouse and the Reserve with their husbands Norman LePage and Ray Nicholson; and the LePages' son Scott LePage owns Clubhouse and Eastside Mario's).

Brewmaster Dan Rogers, who has racked up the awards since taking over as Brewmaster of Big Rock Chophouse in 2004 (see a complete list of his awards below - bear in mind, Big Rock was really just a small brewpub with no distribution and some of these awards are in the biggest categories in the biggest and most respected beer competitions in the world), is moving over to Griffin Claw along with all of Big Rock's brewing operations. All of their beer will now be under the Griffin Claw label.

Griffin Claw is a 12,000 square foot facility and most of that is the brewery (and soon, distillery - though the equipment isn't yet operational). They're looking at a 10,000 barrel production in their first year, and judging from early demand so far they've already outgrown that. Griffin Claw beers will be distributed in kegs to local restaurants, and they will also can four of their signature beers - Norm's Raggedy-Ass IPA, El Rojo Amber Ale, Grand Trunk Pilsner and Grind Line Pale Ale - for distribution to liquor stores through mega craft beer house Powers Distributing.

The taproom will have 12 draft handles with ever-rotating seasonals and speciality beers. Some of these speciality beers will also be canned but only available for purchase through the taproom. Some of what Dan has planned includes lots of Belgie beers - trippels, a Belgian stout, lots of sours (which, if you were at last year's Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival in Ypsilanti, you may be in the elite group of those of us who decided Big Rock's sours were the best beers of the bunch). Dan plans on having lots of events here, including an Oktoberfest and Winter Fest and an annual bourbon-barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout release party.

The mash filter.

The brewery is also a state-of-the-art facility, featuring a mash filter that was custom made for them. (Mash filters are rare to see in craft breweries, long the providence of the macros in American brewing. To Dan's knowledge, this is the only mash filter of its size in the country.) In layman's terms, this is an advantage in several different ways, including in the brewing of high-gravity (read: high-ABV) beers. Which, yes, he will be making. Griffin Claw will also be one of the top 10 largest breweries in the state when it opens, based on projected production.

The space was designed by Ron Rea, who has designed pretty much every restaurant in metro Detroit in recent memory, and includes communal tables inside and in the pretty pretty beer garden, which also has a fireplace and heaters to keep its season going even longer (these might just be the best seats in Birmingham).

Big Rock's Executive Chef Brian Henson, the Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association's 2012 Chef of the Year, oversaw the menu at Griffin Claw. Both the atmosphere and the menu are a stark contrast to nearby Big Rock - much more casual. The menu will still be of the same high quality as its sister chophouse, just more burgers (and we're talking brisket and short ribs burgers here) than steaks. (They will have golf carts taking people back and forth between the two restaurants though, so you can have a few beers while you wait for a table at Big Rock, have a steak, then come back for more beers on the patio.)

As soon as he has all the equipment he needs, Dan will also start distilling. He'll be making a vodka from spelt and Michigan wheat, gin, rye whiskey, brandies, and absinthe - oh yes, ABSINTHE. To my own knowledge, I don't know of any other Michigan distillers making absinthe. Domestic absinthe has been known to be less than stellar (and that's assuming you like absinthe in the first place and have a palate for it), so I'm interested to see what Dan does with his. Griffin Claw will be opening a martini bar in the corner of building opposite the beer garden later this fall.

This will be the martini bar when it opens this fall.

Griffin Claw opens to the public on Thursday, July 18. The opening draft list is as follows: hefe weizen, wit bier, grind line pale ale, el rojo (red), norm’s raggedy ass ipa, go figure black ipa, platinum blonde, third rail belgian style trippel tripple, lemon shandy, saison st clair, berlinerweiss, red rock flanders red, bourbon imperial. (Emphasis added to indicate level of excitement.)

Brewmaster Dan's list of achievements while at Big Rock:

2011 Brain of Brewers
 Gold Medal - Witbier German Wheat Beer
2011 World Expo of Beer
 Gold Medal - Red Rock Flanders Red Ale
2011 Internatonal Beer Fest
 Gold Medal - White Cap Whit Belgian Farmhouse Ale
2010 & 2011 World Beer Cup
 Gold Medal - Norm’s Raggedy Ass India Pale Ale
 Silver Medal - Bonnie’s Raggedy Ass Imperial Pale Ale

2010 Great American Beer Festival
 Silver Medal - Go Figure American-Style India Pale Ale  Bronze Medal - American Brown Ale
2010 World Expo of Beer
 Gold Medal - Bonnie’s Raggedy Ass Imperial Pale Ale  Silver Medal - Norm’s Raggedy Ass India Pale Ale
 Silver Medal - Michigan Sour Cherry Tripel
 Bronze Medal - Red Rock Flanders Red Ale
2009 Great American Beer Festival
 Silver Medal - Red Rock Flanders Red Ale
2009 World Expo of Beer
 Gold Medal & Best In Show - Red Rock Flanders Red Ale  Gold Medal - Sour Cherry Tripel
 Silver Medal - Jessica’s Raggedy Ass Imperial IPA
2005 World Beer Championships
 Bronze Medal – Got Rocks Russian Imperial Stout
1998 World Beer Championships
 Gold Medal – Big Rock Scotch Ale
 Bronze Medal – Flying Buffalo Oatmeal Stout 

For more photos, view the Flickr set here.

[Real Detroit Weekly] Dick O'Dow's

Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

It can be hard to find a place in Biiiiiiiiiiiiirmingham where you feel comfortable enough to kick back and enjoy a few pints in your jeans and tennies without feeling out of place. Dick O'Dow's offers exactly that kind of laid-back, casual atmosphere, a dark corner pub (though not really on the corner) in the midst of all the bright lights, big city bars and restaurants and lounges of B-ham.

Open since 1996, Dick O'Dow's has been one of Birmingham's best watering holes for many years, and while they most certainly served food during this time, it wasn't until after the smoking ban went into effect in May 2010 that customers started seeing them less as a bar that serves food and more as a restaurant with a great bar.

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[EID Feature] Brian Polcyn, Chef and Patriarch

Being a chef is terrible. Unless you love being a chef.

Think about it: 16 hour work days on your feet in a sweltering kitchen in which the daily number of opportunities for personal injury are on pace with that of a war zone, working all nights and weekends and holidays, sacrificing your social life and your family life and really any other kind of life you might have hoped to have had, plus the pay sucks until you finally own your own restaurant and then the pay is even worse ... bottom line, you'd better really fucking love to cook if this is the life you're going to choose.

Brian Polcyn chose that life, and he has made the most of it.

Earlier this week Polcyn made the decision to close Cinco Lagos, the rebranded casual Latin version of his renowned Five Lakes Grill in downtown Milford. The decision was not made lightly.

"I put a lot of my life into that space," says Polcyn. "But there comes a time in your career when you know you need to move on. It was a really tough decision for me; that was my baby! I built that place from zero, from nothing, to become a nationally-named restaurant." Five Lakes received coverage in The Atlantic, Wine Spectator, the New York Times, Bon Appetit, and even earned Polcyn a James Beard nomination for Best Chef Midwest in 2006.

At the time Polcyn opened Five Lakes Grill, downtown Milford wasn't exactly the most obvious choice for such a prestigious restaurant. (It still isn't.) But Polcyn is a family man, and he chose that location because he had a wife and five children to raise and he wanted to be close to home so he could balance being a chef with being a dad. "You know what it's like to be a chef," he says to me. "And to be a father. In order to be successful at either one you have to put a lot of time in."

He certainly didn't suffer for it; he racked up a list of a accolades and was still "able to achieve chef development."

He spent 18 years in that location. But now, his kids are all grown up. And his baby has grown too ... not quite in the way he had envisioned, but in a way that was necessary (he transitioned Five Lakes into the fresh-Mex Cinco Lagos in 2009, when the recession was landing its most severe blows on local businesses).

He also opened Forest Grill in Birmingham in 2008, a concept with the same soul as Five Lakes but in a much more agreeable location. Suddenly the customers that would drive all the way from Birmingham and the Bloomfields to visit Five Lakes now had one of their own; they stopped coming. Then the recession hit, and Five Lakes was over. (Polcyn says now the decision to change Five Lakes over to Cinco Lagos was harder than his more recent decision to close.)

But Polcyn understands the necessity of this decision. Much like being a father and being a chef, he realizes owning two restaurants is also a balancing act. Add to that teaching full time at Schoolcraft College, launching a national charcuterie line with Garden Fresh Salsa (coming later this year), and being a best-selling author currently working on his third book (a more in-depth, detailed version of what he introduced in Charcuterie and Salumi). "The thing is, I'm just really busy," he says. "It takes a lot of time and effort in Milford and I can't spend the time there anymore to make it successful."

After 37 years in the business, Polcyn is past the point of sweating away in a kitchen every day. In the natural stages of a chef's evolution, he has transitioned into more of a teacher/mentor role, and continues to develop his own brand outside of the dining room. "I'm perfectly happy with the direction I'm going in. I'm still developing as a business man."

As a full time instructor at Schoolcraft College, Polcyn has been training the next generation of chefs in his own image. Now house-made charcuterie platters are widely available in restaurants throughout metro Detroit (10 years ago most people had never even heard the word). You'd be hard-pressed to find a chef working in a metro Detroit kitchen who hasn't in some way been influenced by him (if not directly trained under him).

And now, Polcyn will be mentoring a new Chef de Cuisine at Forest Grill.

Previous Chef de Cuisine David Gilbert left late last year in order to open his own restaurant in Grosse Pointe Park (opening sometime this spring). Things at the Grill have been unstable since his departure, but now Polcyn has hired on Grosse Pointe native Nick Janutol, who has been working at Michelin-starred restaurants in Chicago.

Polcyn was introduced to Janutol through their mutual friend James Rigato, Executive Chef at the Root Restaurant in White Lake. "James kept on me relentlessly, 'You gotta get this guy, you gotta get this guy.'" When Polcyn was in Chicago on a book tour he met with Janutol ... and they talked nonstop for an hour and a half. "I'm really confident," says Polcyn. "He really buys into the [Forest Grill] concept and sees what my vision is."

Polcyn remembers when he was first starting out all the chefs around here were European because at the time a chef in Europe had to wait for a chef to die just to get a position. "I want to make room for the next generation guys ... these guys are established, they have the base skills. Now they need a place to develop. It's like developing your craft as an actor. You need a good role to go through that journey of self-discovery. I'm a good teacher and I know how to spot talent."

And for Polcyn, being a teacher is also about being a mentor and setting a positive professional example. "The restaurant business can breed the wrong element with late nights, parties ... these guys need an example. I've been married to the same woman for 30 years and have five kids. We are professionals and should conduct ourselves as professionals." In other words, he's no Bourdain.

Janutol, for his part, is on the same page. At 27 years old he realizes that this is a young man's game. "Your knees will only work for so long," he says. "Work as hard as you can as young as you can so that by the time you're in your 40s and 50s you can focus more on management and teaching." Much like Polcyn himself.

Janutol is leaving his post as "Second in Command" (his official title, their way of poking fun at how generously the title "Sous Chef" is doled out) at the Michelin-starred L2O in Chicago. Previously he had worked at the Michelin-starred RIA in Chicago and the Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park in Manhattan, and studied at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park. While this is the most high-profile position he's yet had, he certainly has the pedigree to succeed. (He officially joins the team next Tuesday.)

Polcyn says the Forest Grill will be a continuation of his philosophy and what he feels food should be. "A lot of people use phrases -- 'farm to table,' 'local food' -- I've been doing that my whole career! You buy what's in season because it's the best quality but also because it is in abundance and at the best prices." The Forest Grill will continue to do whole animal nose-to-tail butchery and foster relationships with farmers, and down the line may also introduce whole animal menus. Janutol is hoping to also bring more of a focus on foul and fish.

With Polcyn able to put more focus on the restaurant and Janutol as the eager new chef, Forest Grill is now primed to become "the restaurant everyone always wanted it to be" (in the words of Chef Rigato). "Nick's going to bring a different style and it's going to be cool," says Polcyn. "It's like having a kid. You don't know how they'll turn out but [if you raise them right and teach them all the right values] they'll blossom into their own personality."

 

[NEWS BITES] Polcyn closes Cinco Lagos, hires Michelin-experienced chef for Forest Grill

SCOOOOOOOOOOOOP!

On Monday night, nationally-renowned chef Brian Polcyn pulled the plug on his former flagship restaurant Cinco Lagos (known best as Five Lakes Grill) in Milford. Plans of shuttering Cinco Lagos have been in the plans for some time; however, the closing came quickly and without official warning.

Polcyn is currently focusing his efforts on Forest Grill in Birmingham. After losing longtime Chef de Cuisine David Gilbert and his wife and Forest Grill GM Monica (who are opening their own restaurant, Marais, this spring in Grosse Pointe Park), the Grill has seen some changeover and Polcyn himself is often in the kitchen cooking.

Soon that will no longer be the case when Polcyn's newest hire Nick Janutol comes on board as Chef de Cuisine next week. Janutol is a Michigan native who has been working in Chicago at the Michelin-starred restaurant L2O and has previously worked at the Michelin-starred RIA in Chicago and Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park in New York. The guy has serious culinary creds.

Currently Polcyn has no future plans for the Cinco Lagos building and is hoping to sell it to another serious restaurateur who will uphold the reputation he worked hard to create.

These plans have been a long time in the works and are all coming together simultaneously. Stay tuned for the full story with interviews with Polcyn, Janutol and others later this week.

[NEWS BITES] Zazio's, Zumba Mexican Grille closing in Birmingham; more

Looks like it's a bad week for places whose names start with the letter "Z" in Birmingham.

In a blink-and-you-missed-it post on Facebook this past Saturday, Zumba Mexican Grille in Birmingham announced they were closing at the end of the year (last year, that is, as in a few days ago). This location's Facebook page seems to have since been scrubbed from existence.

Zazio's will also be closing at the end of this month. Crain's reports that the very large and very expensive (as in they dumped a lot of money into it, but yeah, also in the other sense too) simply wasn't getting enough customers to support its financial goal of $4 million in revenue per year. Probably also too many people were having seizures because of all the clashing neon colors and swirling patterns. So, one too many investment bankers who were hippies in a former life having acid flashbacks and not spending enough money on mediocre Italian food later and they're closing effective January 31. (They will remain open as a pizza and beer bar in the meantime.) No plans for the space have been announced but Greenleaf Hospitality Group will no longer be operating anything in that space themselves.

There's a joke in here about "if you can't run a successful mediocre restaurant in Birmingham you're doing it wrong" in here, but it's almost too easy.

In cheerier (or at least beerier) news, the Chelsea Alehouse opens today! (H/T All the Brews Fit to Pint.) The first microbrewery in Michigan was actually located in Chelsea in 1982 (it didn't last long), so the Alehouse -- which will be Chelsea's only currently-operating microbrewery -- is somewhat of an historical achievement. Or maybe us beer people are just sentimental like that.

[Metromode] 5 Questions with Michigan Chef Of The Year Brian Henson

Brian Henson, Executive Chef of Big Rock Chop House in Birmingham, was recently named the winner the 2012 Chef of the Year award from the Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association (an honor based on a cooking competition, which was a new method of judging for 2012). Henson went to Schoolcraft College 20 years ago when it was going through its major transition from extremely "old-school" teaching to hiring savvy master chefs and building a new facility.

Since then Henson's culinary career has been a colorful one. He worked under Brian Polcyn at Pike Street and Milos Cihelka at the Golden Mushroom, traveled with Wolfgang Puck as part of his national training team, spent time at the "White House of the West" (the Brown Palace Hotel) in Denver, then came back to Michigan where he spent a year at Steve and Rocky's followed by five years at MotorCity Casino, and landed at Big Rock, where he been for the last four or so years.

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[HOT LIST] Coffee (redux)

Anthology at MoCAD.

In EID's first-ever Hot List (June 20, 2011), we took a look at our favorite coffee spots in and around Detroit. This simultaneously prompted a more in-depth piece for Metromode on some of our local roasters, and later a shout-out from yours truly on Curbed Detroit christening Detroit as the new Seattle. (For the record, I said it FIRST.) But so much has changed just in the last year, it's already time to re-visit.

Alas, metro Detroit's growing coffee culture has taken a recent hit with the closing of Thistle Coffeehouse, but the seeds have spread and already two more cafes are positioned to take its place: the Bottom Line in Midtown (opening July 23) and the Roasting Plant in the CBD coming this fall. What many of these places have in common is that they are of the next wave of coffeehouses -- the third wave and beyond. Many roast their own beans in-house and are exquisitely conscious of sourcing; the others may not roast themselves but source beans from some of the top roasters in the country (Stumptown, Intelligentsia) who are themselves known for their exquisite sourcing. What you can take away from all of this is that we sure do brew some good java in this here food desert.

#1 Anthology Coffee (Midtown/Corktown)
They sprung onto the scene as a finalist of the first-ever Hatch Detroit seed funding competition last fall, and are now featured in a regular pop-up at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit as they work on the build-out of their very own permanent location in Corktown. Yes Corktown, where Astro Coffee resides, but one can hardly call it competition when Astro uses Anthology's coffee. Given the ample seating, ease of parking and wholly accessible WiFi at the MoCAD space, if it's Anthology's coffee you seek you should probably just go there, the end. Roaster Josh Longsdorff, who still roasts for Birmingham's Commonwealth as well, is a master craftsman and his coffee is probably the best in Detroit. If you'd like to show your support, they're currently crowd-funding for their new roaster and you can pitch in a few bucks in exchange for some goodies here.

#2 The Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Co. Institute for Advanced Drinking (Midtown) / Torino Espresso + Bar (Ferndale)
How to choose between two places that serve both coffee AND booze??? You don't. Therefore, tie. The IFAD is newly-opened in Midtown and is already my new favorite place ever, which isn't to say I love my old favorite place ever (Torino) any less. The two establishments might both focus on coffee, cocktails and cheese + charcuterie platters, but the similarities end there. The vibes of each space are entirely different: Great Lakes is a little more rustic-modern, like Brooklyn and LA had a baby in Detroit, where Torino is more urban contemporary, Miami by way of the Midwest. Both have great patios. Be sure to check out the IFAD and if you find you can't decide between coffee or beer, they have the perfect daytime transition beverage: the 50/50, half Short's ControversiALE and half cold brew. As for Torino, they're celebrating their one-year anniversary on Sunday, July 29 with a pork party.

Summer galette from Pinwheel.

#3 The Red Hook (Ferndale)
Stumptown Coffee and Pinwheel Bakery. That they ever close is a source of continual sadness, as is the fact I don't live inside. One of the best pour-overs you'll find in all of greater metro Detroit, and also one of the best bakeries with both sweet and savory treats for every craving. And for realsies, all of it is outstanding.

#4 Commonwealth (Birmingham)
Don't let the fancy Birmingham hausfraus fool you, this place is legit. Outstanding coffee (DUH) and exceptional sustainably-sourced food make this pretty much one of the only places worth ever going to Birmingham for. And I also don't hate that parking in the nearby garage is free for the first two hours. If only there were more places worth visiting in that time ... but screw it, Commonwealth FTW.

#5 Germack Coffee Roasting Co. (Eastern Market)
It might sound ridiculous, but until Germack Coffee Roasting Co. opened in Germack's snazzy new digs in Eastern Market, the market had no coffee roaster to call its own. Now Germack, best known for those pink pistachios, has an adorbs cafe (with WiFi!) and store selling items from local producers like Slow Jams Jam and McClure's Pickles, as well as a variety of looseleaf teas and their own house-roasted coffees. The coffee still has a way to go while they hone their skills, but it definitely shows promise and hey, I can walk there, which on certain days makes it the best place in the whole entire world.

Bubbling under Courage Coffee (Hamtramck), Chazzano Coffee Roasters (Ferndale), Cafe Con Leche (SW Detroit), Astro Coffee (Corktown), the Ugly Mug Cafe (Ypsilanti), Comet Coffee (Ann Arbor), Chez Zara (Detroit), 14 East (Midtown), the (espresso) bar (Ann Arbor), the Lab Cafe (Ann Arbor), Zingerman's Coffee (Ann Arbor), HenriettaHaus Coffee Roasters (Ferndale), Renaissance Roastery (Detroit)

 

The Week We Ate (The EID Week in Review)

Eastern Market is now open on Tuesdays for the remainder of the summer. I have no snarky comment because Eastern Market is rad (and also they've got some different vendors that aren't there on Saturdays, and also there are way way wah-wah-way fewer people there which makes Tuesdays the new Saturdays or something). [WXYZ]

Griffin Claw in B-ham breaks ground. This could be the one, guys. [Birmingham Patch]

A lot of pigs died for this event. And so did a lot of whiskey trees. [Ferndale Patch]

SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION: Please buy tickets to this season's Detroit Passport to the Arts, for which I am on the advisory board, and also mark your calendars for the DIY Street Fair Sept. 14-16, for which I am a sponsor. KTHX. [EID FB]

Stiiiiiiiiiiill waiting on some staffer at one of the many, many local (and hyper-local) media outlets to explain why Onion Roll Deli closed. Because I'm not doing it. I'm not. [EID FB]

Famous Person Jamie Oliver descended upon the Rattlesnake with the cast and crew from his new show The Amazing Top Iron Chef Race (or whatever) for BBC America. [Eater / Rattlesnake FB]

BREAKING NEWS: half of the world's population likes beer just like the other half. Stellar reporting, IndyStar. [IndyStar]

Yes, you will be able to get the Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale soon. No, I'm not sure you actually want to. [8 Degrees Plato Beer Co. FB]

The Free Press reports that Coach Insignia will be "making food the focus." You know, Coach Insignia ... the restaurant. This is almost as awesome as "delicious plant-based meals." Guys, let me know if you need some help writing titles over there. [Freep]

And the Branch Floridians cried into their pour-overs before riding their fixies home to water their carrots. [Salon]

[HOT LIST] Mother's Day brunch

Brunch at Beverly Hills Grill. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg. 

Easter brunch is pretty much a practice run for Mother's Day brunch. If the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, the way to mom's heart is through fancy brunch buffets and prix fixe menus. The more she raves about how nice the place is and how you're spending too much money on her, the more you win. Here are some of metro Detroit's best for Mother's Day brunch!