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] Detroit Restaurant Week - A Room With a View

Iridescence. Photo courtesy of Motor City Casino.

Detroit Restaurant Week Spring 2012 starts this Friday, April 20th - 10 days, 21 restaurants, $28 three-course menus ... how does one decide? Each restaurant has its own unique aesthetic and culinary style. Maybe looking at the menus is all you need to help make your decision, or maybe there is a specific kind of ambiance you seek. Each of the participating restaurants is majestic in its own right, whether it be for its exceptional interior design or nostalgic throw-back appeal (looking at you, Roma Cafe; you too, Caucus Club). But if you're really looking for a room with a view, these places offer the best perches in the city.

#1 Iridescence (Motor City Casino)
Hour Detroit's 2011 "Restaurant of the Year" deserves accolades for more than just its exceptional cuisine (and make no mistake, as far as haute cuisine goes this is the absolute finest in metro Detroit and probably even all of Michigan). While some might argue that the Motor City Casino is a bit of an eyesore  (Christopher Cook, in that same Hour review, describes it as a "giant toaster"), once inside this 16th-floor two-story restaurant the garish outside matters naught - 40-foot windows give a panoramic view of Detroit's southern skyline - which, granted, is basically the Lodge freeway and a bunch of mostly-uninteresting buildings (the river is too far to be visible and the downtown skyline is only a far corner), but taken en masse at that height it's actually quite breathtaking.

#2 Coach Insignia (GM Renaissance Center)
Speaking of panoramic views ... Coach Insignia, of the Epicurean Restaurant Group formerly known as Matt Prentice Restaurant Group that is no longer affiliated with Matt Prentice, takes up the entire 71st and 72nd floors of the GM Renaissance Center center tower. Depending on the corner of the restaurant you're in, you may have a vertigo-inducing view of the Detroit River and Windsor skyline (from the elevator, bar and main dining room) or the absolute best view of the entire city of Detroit (from the larger rooms typically reserved for parties). It has the distinct honor of being the highest hotel restaurant in the Western Hemisphere; but take note, you may have a hard time with it if glass elevators and heights freak you out.

#3 Andiamo Detroit Riverfront (GM Renaissance Center)
Also in the Ren Cen, Andiamo offers an equally stunning view of the riverfront but on the ground level. Acrophobes can relax and sun-worshippers can enjoy the large outdoor patio right next to the Detroit Riverwalk. Day or night, indoor our out, the waterside dining offers stunning views of the river and the Windsor skyline.

#4 Fountain Bistro (Campus Martius)
Right in the heart of the Central Business District in downtown Detroit, smack-dab in the middle of Campus Martius Park, Fountain Bistro offers some of Detroit's best outdoor dining. Watch the fountain of Campus Martius from the massive wall-to-wall windows inside, or sit right next to it on their expansive patio. Surrounded on all sides by the towering skyscrapers of the financial district, this is urban outdoor dining at its finest.

#5 The Rattlesnake Club (Detroit Riverfront)
Located just off of the Detroit River, the Rattlesnake Club features a beautifully-landscaped "Garden Terrace" with a potted herb and vegetable garden and granite-topped tables with views of the river, as well as a second patio featuring a marble and cedar bar. Because the 'Snake is tucked away behind Stroh River Place, the space is quiet and exclusive.

Bubbling under Mosaic (Greektown), Cliff Bell's (Foxtown), Roma Cafe (Eastern Market), Angelina Italian Bistro (Grand Circus Park), the Whitney (Midtown)

DRW Preview #2: Coach Insignia

My latest Detroit Restaurant Week preview venture found me at Coach Insignia, the six-year-old fine dining flagship of the Matt Prentice Restaurant Group located at the top of the Renaissance Center, making it the tallest restaurant in the Western hemisphere. This is one of those places that I have ALWAYS enjoyed. It also happens to be the favorite restaurant of my dining partner's, which spurred on a conversation about all the great memories we both have of this place...

Lavish two-bottle/four-hour dinners where we end up shutting the place down and doing shots with the bartenders at the end of the night...

An evening with some of the organizing members of Detroit Restaurant Week during the first campaign (followed by an EPIC party at the Yacht Club; now THAT was a night lemme tell ya)...

Crashing the British Consulate party during some big something something thing by pretending I was with a bunch of lawyers...

Invading the lounge with a gaggle of gays during the Detroit Guerrillas Thanksgiving Eve 2007 event...

Falling asleep in one of the oversized Alice in Wonderland chairs on my first visit only a few months after they opened in 2004 after attending my company's open-bar Christmas party at the Roostertail and my then-mate wandered off to the bathroom then ran into some people he knew and was gone for 15 or 30 or 45 minutes, can't really say for sure, leaving me to my own devices which translated to me curling up in the chair and falling asleep, wine glass in hand (and you BET it never tipped either)...

Ahhhh, good times...

These chairs.
Coach Insignia has always delivered a consistently great experience for me, and it has certainly always been one of those "special occasion" types of places. But new General Manager Ray Kurmas is trying to change that with their new Happy Hour. Every Monday - Friday, 5-7PM the top floor lounge hosts a casual after-work happy hour, offering $4 drink specials on select martinis, wines, and draft beers, as well as specials on small plates such as a Hot Salmon Tostada ($3), Mini Lobster Corn Dog (the restaurant's most popular item, only $4), and a Kobe slider & draft beer combo for only $5.

This happy hour is casual with no dress code; what Ray loves the most about this is that people can come and enjoy the same great food, atmosphere, and service as they would in the dining room but they can come in shorts & flip-flops and it is more affordable. "This is great for people who want to come up and enjoy the view but can't afford it otherwise," Ray says. "They can have a drink and an appetizer and still experience the same full service and atmosphere." His goal is to eliminate the intimidation factor people feel when visiting a place like Coach -- so typically understood as only a "special occasion" kind of place -- by making it more casual and more affordable, even adding more flatscreen TVs into the lounge area so people can come and watch games, etc. (See? What'd I tell you?)

But let's get back to bid'ness...Detroit Restaurant Week bid'ness, which is why I was there after all. Ray informed me that, as of Thursday night, they were almost COMPLETELY booked solid for the duration of this season's DRW (that's 400 covers PER NIGHT). My suggestion if you really want to make this one of your stops is to call every day around 4:00 and see if they've had any cancellations; you could get lucky. Or you could end up wishing you would have taken my advice when I told you to make your reservations early...I'm just sayin'...

We started with the Chipotle & Watermelon BBQ Short Ribs with fingerling potato salad and glazed root vegetables. The short ribs were tender (note: this cut of meat tends to be fatty so if that's a foodie turn-off for you, try one of the other options), but that brilliant red chipotle-watermelon sauce was outstanding, a bold way to dress up an otherwise basic dish.

My favorite though was the 5-oz. Stockyard's Angus Filet, a contender for this season's "Most Bang For Your Buck" award. Served with haricots verts, Cippolini onion, baby carrot and roasted garlic (also served with a selection of sauces, one being zip sauce and the other two being who cares because one was bearnaise and the other was white and I don't eat white semi-solids but truth be told it was probably horseradish but still), the presentation is simple, the filet all buttery and beautiful, tender and delicious, like buhtah. Meat buhtah. (I have a weakness for filet mignon, and this was a fine show of it. And look -- no char! Blessed be!) Succulent and wonderful, if I could get a table I would come back and spend all of my money on this.

Well, that and the Lobster Corn Dogs. Behold, Coach's most popular dish (and after several years of notoriety one that still has not yet been duplicated elsewhere), the concept of the childhood favorite all done-up for adults: tender, slightly sweet lobster skewered and battered and fried up a deep, luscious, crunchy golden brown, covered in whole grain mustard hollandaise and Napa cabbage slaw. Confession: I have a hard time choking down most egg-based sauces (hollandaise, bearnaise, aoili, pretty much anything remotely resembling mayonnaise), especially when poured on as generously as it was here, but this dish was simply divine and I didn't have to plug my nose to taste the sauce, not even once. The batter is so deliciously crunchy and the flavors of the hollandaise with the lobster...it just WORKS. No wonder this was such a hit at Tastefests past and why it is their most popular item.

I ended up not having dessert but I did have one hell of an outstanding Old-Fashioned. If and when you go, visit Chelsea at the bar -- she can make a DRINK, that one can.

Corporate Executive Chef Eric Ward is stationed here at Coach but oversees all of the Matt Prentice restaurants. He has been with Prentice for over 20 years, and together they have made a firm commitment to utilizing locally-sourced products, supporting Michigan farmers and markets. The kitchens use all organic products and everything is made from scratch (including all the breads and desserts for the entire MPRG made from scratch in their own kosher bakery). Prentice himself has made headlines in the past year for signing a contract with Henry Ford Health Systems to bring natural, healthy foods into their hospitals (instead of that awful pre-packed garbage...healthy food as part of the healing process, fancy that! AND it's saving the hospital money!), and this commitment towards healthy, high-quality products and buying local has been adopted by all his restaurants, from the casual delis to the high-end steakhouses. Coach Insignia is also a six-time recipient of Wine Spectator's Best Of Award of Excellence. ...I know, I just re-read that and it feels a little tacked-on, but that blurb really didn't fit anywhere else and hell, most of you probably didn't even make it this far anyway.

I've dined here a dozen times if once, not to mention cocktails and parties and banquets, but not ONE TIME have I actually sat in the dining room.
Sign up for their frequent diners program to receive all sorts of deals and discounts (for birthdays and anniversaries as well as upcoming specials, etc.) and you can also download coupons from the website at http://mattprenticerg.com/.

And for those of you who tend to avoid this place because of parking issues (to valet at the Ren Cen will end up costing you about $25; nearby garages are $5-10), either do what I do and park in front of Tom's Oyster Bar literally right across the street, OR park in Greektown and take the People Mover over which drops off right in front of the building. It ain't a lightrail but it's what we got.

Detroit Restaurant Week Menu:

FIRST COURSE:

Chilled Poach Shrimp
(Louisiana-style Creole and rémoulade sauces)
-or-
Poached Pear Salad
(Watercress, gingerbread croutons, pumpkin seeds, goat cheese
and Port wine vinaigrette)
-or-
Lobster Corn Dog
(Served with Napa cabbage slaw and whole-grain mustard hollandaise)

SECOND COURSE:

Udon Noodle Bowl
(Baby bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, green onions and
curry sauce)
-or-
5 oz. Stockyard's Angus Filet
(Served with haricots verts, Cippolini onion, baby carrot and roasted garlic)
-or-
Miso-glazed Salmon
(Served with Chinese vegetables)
-or-
Braised Lamb and Pappardelle Pasta
(Served with peas and roasted tomatoes)
-or-
Chipotle and Watermelon BBQ Short Ribs
(Served with fingerling potato salad and glazed root vegetables)

THIRD COURSE:

Crème Brûlée
(Classic French crème brûlée with a burnt sugar crust)
-or-
Mini Chocolate Coach Torte
(Layers of cashew caramel, chocolate caramel ganache and milk chocolate mousse wrapped in chocolate)

Special Feature: Easter Brunch

How Easter ever got to be the official holiday of Brunch (or is that Mother's Day? or both?), I'll never know, but I'm not complaining. Next to cheese and pizza, brunch is my favorite, and nothing says brunch quite like bottomless mimosas and a breakfast buffet. This Easter, give mom a break from the kitchen and BRUNCH! (It's not just for gay guys and New Yorkers anymore.)

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Easter Brunch & Tour of the Ford House

Guests dine on an elegant Easter brunch and tour the grounds of the historic mansion.

Where: Edsel and Eleanor Ford House, Grosse Pointe Shores
When: 11:30AM-2:00PM
Tix: $33.00 adults/$18.00 children with tour; $25.00 adults/$13.00 children without
www.fordhouse.org

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Easter Brunch at the Rattlesnake Club

The Rattlesnake's legendary Easter Brunch is the perfect place to celebrate
the seasonal of renewal with family and friends!

Our bountiful brunch buffet display will delight everyone in your group. Leave the cooking (and cleaning!) to the Rattlesnake!

Enjoy our Brunch Menu with items such as our Chef prepared Omelette & Waffle Station, Baked Honey Cured Ham & Eggs, Smoked Scottish Salmon, Carved Spice Crusted Roast of Prime Rib of Beef, Salads and many more Rattlesnake Specialties including our lavish Dessert Table!

Where: The Rattlesnake Club, Detroit
When: 11:00AM-2:00PM
Tix: Adults $38.00, children 12 & under $10.00
www.rattlesnakeclub.com

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Easter Brunch with the Matt Prentice Group

Including his four flapship fine-dining restaurants: Coach Insignia (Detroit), Shiraz (Bingham Farms), No. VI Chophouse (Novi), and Northern Lakes Seafood Company (Bloomfield Hills).

Brunch features a made-to-order omelet bar, an upscale breakfast station, carved prime rib and honeybaked ham, shrimp station, creative salads, entree station, and chef Tiffany's sweets table.

Coach Insignia
Adults: $34.95
Children: $15.95
Children 5 & under free

Shiraz, No. VI, & Northern Lakes
Adults: $29.95
Children: $15.95
Children 5 & under free
www.mattprentice.org

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Opus One Sunday Brunch

The Opus One Sunday Brunch Prix Fixe includes your choice of Mimosas, Bloody Mary’s, Orange Mojitos, coffee, soft drinks or juice (two drink maximum) and either an appetizer and an entrée (either breakfast or luncheon) or an entree and a dessert for $22

Or

The drinks mentioned above and a Prelude, an Orchestration and a Finale for $28

Where: Opus One, Detroit
When: 12:00PM-3:00PM
Tix: $22.00 or $28.00
www.opus-one.com

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Signature Grill Easter Brunch Buffet

Called "The Best-Kept Secret in Detroit" by Hour magazine, Signature Grill typically doesn't serve Sunday brunch but are open for Easter with a made-to-order omelet station, seafood station, salad bar, and more.

Where: Signature Grill, Detroit
When: N/A
Tix: $24.95 adults, $14.95 children
www.signaturedetroit.com

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D'Amato's Restaurant and Goodnite Gracie Martini Bar Brunch Buffet

Come on out on Sunday April 12th for D'Amato's first annual Easter Brunch Buffet! They'll be serving the works, complete with a ham carving station. Items included are French Toast, scrambled eggs, assorted Quiche, potato hash, Applewood smoked bacon, sausage, mixed wildberry crepes, assorted fresh fruit, smoked salmon, fresh foccacia, caesar salad, assorted vegetables, etc. They'll also be serving our famous bottomless mimosas and bellinis.

Where: D'Amato's, Royal Oak
When: Two seatings--11:30AM & 1:30PM
Tix: $24.00 adults, $7.00 children
www.damatos.com

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Also serving Easter Brunch:

Detroit
Majestic Cafe
Union Street Saloon
Atlas Global Bistro
Woodbridge Pub
Seldom Blues
Detroit Breakfast House

Troy
Kona Grill
Larco's Italian Chophouse
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood
Morton's the Steakhouse
Ocean Prime
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse

Birmingham
Rugby Grille

Southfield
Morton's the Steakhouse

Northville
Rocky's of Northville