[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. 

The Week We Ate (The EID Week in Review)

As we've seen so many of our beloved junk food favorites come back into vogue in the guise of upscale approachable comfort food, it seems like it was only a matter of time until nachos had their moment of glory. First We Feast predicts the time is now. Looking around at some of the offerings in metro Detroit and Grand Rapids - the Super Bowl nacho specials at Imperial (will they make their way to the regular menu?), the phenomenal plantain nachos at Frita Batidos, the duck confit nachos at Brewery Vivant - it seems like nachos just may be the poutine of 2013. Stay tuned as this story develops and I chart the emergence of this new trend. [FWF / EID]

Paczki Day is next Tuesday. The whole of metro Detroit will celebrate accordingly. Here. And here. Also here. Here too. And here. Aaaaand here. [Zingerman's FB / Tour de Troit / Pure Detroit / Small's / Avalon / Whiskey in the Jar]

So Big Buck Brewery and Steakhouse bought a bump shop in Ann Arbor and may or may not plan on bumping the bump shop to open a brewpub. Which would be great news for craft beer fans (not so much car repair fans though) if Big Buck didn't have such a terrible track record and if Ann Arbor didn't already have some many vastly better breweries anyway. And it seems like they're not exactly building a positive rapport with the community with this move. [AnnArbor.com]

Looks like Chef Paul Grosz of Cuisine in New Center will be taking over the old Zazio's space in Birmingham with a group of partners! No other details have been released yet, but this certainly bodes well for Boringham. [Crain's]

Detroit's OHH (Original Hip Hood) is about to come full-circle and be the NEW hip hood once again. Hamtramck: It's gonna be A Thing. Again. Mark it, Dude. [BLAC]

New York-based blog Grub Street names the EXTREME ghost pepper pizza at Detroit's very own all-Halal pizzeria Amar (on Conant, in Hamtown, which is going to be A Thing: Redux) one of "101 Awesome American Pies (and Slices)." Oh, and of course, Buddy's gets tapped, because duh. [Grub Street]

Madison Heights is Little Vietnam. Pho real. [Hour Detroit] (*ahem* FIRST circa 2010 - Metromode)

Want to know more about Chef Brian Polcyn's new line of stuffed burgers and charcuterie in partnership with Garden Fresh Salsa? They're going to be called the Great Stuffed Burger Co. and Charcuterie by Brian Polcyn, respectively. Crain's Detroit Business has the scoop on this and the goings-ons at Forest Grill. [Crain's]

For their five-year anniversary, Mudgie's is throwing itself the biggest birthday party in the history of sandwich shops. [Mudgie's FB]

This is why you love B. Nektar. (And save the date for Spring Mead Fest on April 20.) [B. Nektar FB]

Konbini Delivery and Hippie's Pizza are just two metro Detroit businesses that offer alternative and enhanced delivery options for customers. [Detroit News]

The Germans are taking over Ann Arbor! *crickets* Here's more on the reopening of the Old German (*cough*FIRST*couch*) and the old Metzger's, which is still old. [AnnArbor.com]

Who's got America's best chocolate chip cookie? According to Food + Wine, Zingerman's Delicatessen has one of them. [F+W]

Ethel's Edibles gluten-free baking company has a new home in St. Clair Shores. [EE FB]

It IS a food desert! It ISN'T a food desert. It IS a food desert! It ISN'T a food desert. Well, according to a recent study conducted by WDET 101.9FM of 240 SNAP retailers in the city, by certain working definitions of what is meant by "food desert," it is. [WDET]

Women, drop your panties. [Hey Girl, Detroit]

Beerie
~Odd Side Ales will start bottling this spring. [Odd Side FB]

~Short's released another XTREME beer. [Short's]

~New New Belgium Brewing Lips of Faith Series sour coming out, Transatlantique Kriek. #sourpower

B. Nektar Mead Dinner at Cuisine (3D Tours)

Thursday, August 19, 6:00-9:00PM at Cuisine
670 Lothrop, Detroit 48202

What is mead, you ask? Not only is it what knights drink, it's also a fast-growing trend in these parts thanks to Ferndale's B. Nektar Meadery. Join Discover Detroit Dining as we partner with B. Nektar Meadery and one of Detroit’s finest restaurants to bring you a mead dinner in which you’ll sample and learn about a variety of different meads. Enjoy a 4-course menu prepared expressly for proper mead pairing by Chef Paul Grosz at Cuisine and learn all there is to know about mead (I'll start you off: it's made with honey).

Menu:
~Diver scallop ceviche with smoked salmon / Wildflower Mead
~Roasted Halibut with oven dried tomatoes and citrus glaze / Orange Blossom Mead
~Beef Shortrib braised in honey and Shiraz with gold mashed potatoes / Wildberry Pyment
~Blueberry tart with vanilla crème brulee ice cream / Vanilla Cinnamon

Tickets to this dinner are on sale now at www.discoverdetroitdining.com/upcomingtours and are $65.00 including all tax and gratuity.


About B. Nektar Meadery:
B. Nektar Meadery began as a home-based beer and mead operation between good friends Brad Dahlhofer and Paul Zimmerman. Theirs is a story of true entrepreneurship in the face of defeat: Brad and his wife Kerri had both been laid off from their jobs, inspiring them to open their own business selling the meads that had been winning awards at home-brewing competitions and wowing their friends. The Meadery officially opened its Ferndale location on August 2, 2008 and has since been highlighted in a number of different noteworthy publications and is carried in wine shops and restaurants all over the Midwest. But the question on everyone’s lips is, “What IS mead?” This is your chance to find out!

About Cuisine:
Chef Paul Grosz trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris under some of the top French chefs in the world. He served as the Executive Chef at the Whitney for 10 years before opening Cuisine in 2001. Through his use of fresh, clean flavors focusing on simplicity, he creates dishes that are bold and daring – true culinary art.

About Discover Detroit Dining:
3D Tours exposes metro Detroiters to different restaurants and establishments that might interest the curious epicurean. We offer themed packages that explore a variety of destinations as well as unique tastings, theme dinners, and signature events.

From Model D: Interview with Chef Paul Grosz

In my DRW Preview #2, I explored the bold, unique creations of Chef Paul Grosz at Cuisine. You've already learned about the food, now learn more about the man himself with this week's Detroit Restaurant Week feature in Model D.

Later this week look for a DRW preview of the Whitney, as well as a tour of Celtic Chicago. You can also keep up with my foodie quips and tidbits over at Twitter.

And thank the heavens this abyssmal weather held out for most of the weekend, eh? Yeesh.

DRW Preview #2: Cuisine

Cuisine is an old favorite of mine. The first time I discovered Cuisine a friend of mine and I had been out touring museums, and we wanted to dine somewhere that would compliment our cultural mood. It was pure coincidence that we chose Cuisine, which fit our criteria of (a) being somewhere a little more upscale where we could have "a nice meal" (code for fancy and pricey) and (b) being a place neither of us had never visited before. That evening we shared the kind of meal that we still talk about to this day, where I had my first experience with veal sweetbreads (they're not for everyone, but I like them) and where we had a red wine and blue cheese ice cream with walnuts.

I tell everyone about that red wine and blue cheese ice cream. It was blue cheese. In ice cream. Even after having some of the most decadent and artistic desserts in the area, this one is still my all-time favorite (you know how I love cheese).

From that moment on Cuisine was instantly catapulted into my Top 5 list of favorite area restaurants, and still maintains that rank even with all the new players in the game. It might not have the same glossy ultra-chic finish as some of the newer, sleeker, trendier places, but the food here puts most of these aesthetics-centric establishments to shame. Plus, Chef Paul Grosz is one hell of a nice guy.

For this installment of my Detroit Restaurant Week preview sessions, Chef Paul whipped up some of his trademark seasonal creations (the menu at Cuisine changes constantly as Chef Paul regularly conjures up exciting new combinations based on what's available season to season), and this is where his true talent and genius as a chef takes center stage. He may have a quiet, unassuming manner, but don't assume that means he can't cook circles around those who exhibit more bravado. This is a man who truly loves what he does, who feels he is living his dream in ways most people never get the chance to, and that passion is evident on every plate.

First I try the Baby Arugula Salad with Prosciutto and Parmesan, decorated with garden-fresh grape tomatoes and dollops of rich, raw honey from Michigan's Yale Farms. The greens are bitter with the slight crunch of salt and ground pepper for seasoning, and are balanced well by the prosciutto and parmesan. The honey--a thick, flavorful honey that seemed almost scented with lavender--was a bold contrast to the salad, giving it more of a summer feel (along with the bright reds and yellows of the tomatoes).

Next Chef Paul brings out his Seafood Sampler, which included a foamed lobster bisque served in a cup, a small pile of butter-poached lobster, a seared scallop, and a lobster ravioli. All were outstanding, but the seared scallop (which also happens to be on the DRW menu) was my favorite. This is most likely because I have a weakness for scallops (tasty little mollusks that they are), but regardless, those at Cuisine do not disappoint.

For my next preview course I am treated with Beef Short Rib braised in soy and honey with a puree of carrot and pear and a sautee of wax beans. I can see you raising your eyebrow--carrot and pear? Yes, carrot and pear, made with rice wine vinegar and white wine. Slightly tart and sweet, this puree offered a light, summery spin to the old meat-and-vegetable concept. Who would have thought carrots could be so interesting? And the wax beans--those are strange little beasts. Pale yellow, they look almost like macaroni noodles, and have an inexplicable spiciness to them. I'm not much of a bean fan but together with the sweet-tart puree and the hearty, tender beef, it worked. I don't know how it did, but it did.

And this is precisely what makes Chef Paul such a brilliant chef--his bold approach to taste combinations, his daring usage of common items. There is a certain artistry that goes with being a truly great chef--one must know and understand how different flavors, textures, colors, and smells work together to make something palatable (or not). There is much to balance, and not every guy with a set of knives has mastered this art to the point of being able to toy with it. Chef Paul has, and every meal you will ever eat at Cuisine is the end result of him, essentially, playing with his food.

I had the chance to speak with Chef Paul as I tried one of the DRW desserts, a chocolate walnut cake with a chocolate ganache and a scoop of sour cream ice cream. Yes, sour cream ice cream (the flavor was incredibly rich, but certainly not something you would want to put on a baked potato). As I ask him how he comes up with some of his ideas (whether or not his mind is always full of food), he confides that even as we speak he was thinking of a recipe for rack of lamb, which was being delivered in time for the weekend. Red lentils, figs (or plums, depending on availability, he explains, kind of more to himself than to me), caramelized onions, and some sort of orange/citrus infusion. He talks about it excitedly, and I feel as if, for that moment, I was peering directly inside his brilliant brain at the very moment another culinary masterpiece was being conceived.

The cuisine at Cuisine emphasizes simplicity. Chef Paul espouses the ideal that flavors should come first and that doing it simple is best (a sentiment I hear a lot of chefs echoing lately). He admits this approach can be labor-intensive, but the end result is wothwhile. Nothing is overdone or overworked; nothing is "stacked up two feet" high. He focuses on clean, fresh flavors that are designed around the availability of certain products at certain times. What you end up with can be deceptively simple--carrot and pear???--but rest assured, the flavor is like nothing you ever tasted before, or likely will ever again.

There are many fine, worthy restaurants participating in Detroit Restaurant Week; Cuisine is one not to miss.

And as an added bonus: every Wednesday during the summer they offer $25.00 Lobster dinners, as well as weekly wine tastings on their patio every Friday night from 5:00PM-7:00PM (only $15.00 per person with complimentary hors d'ouevres), which will carry through the end of September. Cuisine is also available for private parties and catering.

If you want to see the mind and hands of Chef Paul Grosz in action, he will be demonstrating at Taste of Eastern Market on Saturday, September 26th at 10:00AM in Shed 2. He is excited about this and will not be planning in advance what he will be demonstrating, instead waiting until the day of the event itself to see what is available in the market. For you, it's a live cooking demonstration which you can then try to repeat at home (to whatever level of success); for him, it's a challenge, a way for him to further test his skills. Chef Paul is always thinking, always trying to improve and challenge himself, and THAT is what makes Cuisine so great.

Detroit Restaurant Week Menu for Cuisine
September 18-27, 2009

First Course
(Please choose one)

Baby Arugula salad with prosciutto and parmeasan
-or-
Soup Dujour
-or-
Lobster ravioli with citrus butter

Entrée
(Please choose one)

Seafood plate of garlic shrimp, seared sea scallop,
smoked salmon and mini crabcake
-or-
Beef short rib braised in soy and honey with puree of carrot and pear

-or-
Chicken breast stuffed with parmesan and herbs over carrot risotto
-or-
Mélange of vegetables – 6 different preparations

Dessert

Strawberry tart
-or-
Chocolate Walnut Cake

$27.00 per person exclusive of all beverages, tax and gratuity

Upcoming Dining Events

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Friday, June 5th: Summer Wine Tastings at Cuisine

Friday June 5, 2009
Join us on the patio or inside
for our 5th annual Summer Wine Tasting series.
This Friday we’ll be celebrating Italy
Complimentary Hors D’oeuvre

Beni di Bastasiolo Wines

Gavi
Dolcetto d’ Alba
Barbera d’ Alba “Sovrana”
Moscato d’ Asti

5:00pm-7:00pm
Friday evenings
Price per person is $15.00

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Monday, June 8th: Vision Cellars Wine Dinner featuring Winemaker Mac MacDonald at Forest Grill

Forest Grill is proud to welcome Mac MacDonald from the highly acclaimed Vision Cellars winery for an exclusive dinner at the Forest Grill. Vision Cellars is a boutique winery located in the Russian River Valley, specializing in award winning, single vineyard Pinot Noirs.

The dinner at the Forest Grill will focus on five wines, paired with five courses, for an unforgettable evening of food and wine. Mac MacDonald will be on hand to discuss the wines, and his vision, while dining alongside the guests for a rare and unique experience.
Please call in advance for reservations.

Where: The Forest Grill, Birmingham
When: 6:30PM-9:30PM
Tix: $85.00 plus tax and gratuity
www.theforestgrill.com

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Wednesday, June 10th: Michigan Beer Dinner featuring Bells Brewery at Maggiano’s Little Italy

Join us for a very unique and special event as our Chefs match up their creative menu with selections from Bells Brewery. Dave Munro from Bells Brewery will be here to discuss the pairings, share with us the history of Bells and answer any questions you may have.
Seating is limited so make your reservations today. Please contact the restaurant directly to make reservations.

Cost includes all applicable taxes and service charges.

Where: Maggiano’s Little Italy, Troy
When: 5:30PM-9:00PM
Tix: $55.00

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Thursday, June 11th: Wines on the Riverfront Explore France at Andiamo

Our Wines On The Riverfront events are held every Thursday thru August on our patio facing the beautiful Detroit and Canada Skylines, and are co-hosted by Andiamo Sommelier Lisa Ribaudo, and her wine team. You’ll explore 5 wines paired with Tapas style appetizers prepared by Chef Ed. Enjoy a beautiful setting, along with great food, wine, and a bit of education too!

Where: Andiamo Riverfront, Detroit
When: 6:30PM-8:30PM
Tix: $35.00 plus tax & gratuity
www.andiamoitalia.com

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Thursday, June 11th: Royal Oak Restaurant Stroll

Appetizers will begin at 6pm at Mirepoix followed by dinner at D'Amato's at 7pm. Enjoy dessert a bit later at 8:15 at Andiamo and wrap up the evening with a nightcap at 9 at Oak City Grille. Tickets are $50 per person. This event is hosted by Know Advertising. Please register online at www.royaloakchamberofcommerce.com or send questions to thestroll@knowad.com.

Where: Downtown Royal Oak, various locations
When: 6:00PM
Tix: $50.00
www.knowad.com

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Thursday, June 11th: Italian Wine Tasting at Vivio’s in Eastern Market

Enjoy an evening of wines and food from Italy. We are featuring a winemaker flown in direct from Lombardy, Italy. Attendance is limited so you will have an opportunity to meet and chat with the Italian winemaker. Wines will be available that night for sale at Detroit's finest wine seller-Cost Plus Wine Warehouse directly on the corner from us.

Where: Vivio’s Eastern Market, Detroit
When: 7:00PM-10:00PM
Tix: $25.00
www.viviosbloodymary.com

Winter Specials at Cuisine

Don't let the erratic weather get you down! Now through March 17th, Cuisine is offering diners phenomenal specials to entice your tastebuds. Every Wednesday receive a full lobster dinner for only $25.00, or you can enjoy three-course progression menus for just $35.00 daily. At the very least, it's enough to start getting you out of hibernation mode. Insider's tip: this is a great place to hit up before or after a show at the Fisher Theatre. With their season in full swing, now is a great time to sample Cuisine at a deeply discounted price and make it a great date night or a tony (-award-winning, if you catch Rent) night out with friends.

Valentine's Day Dinner Options

It's easy to forget just how stressful planning a special night for your loved one can be on the most high-profile date night of the year. Luckily, several area restaurants have taken some of the pressure off of that planning with generous and savory prix fixe menus and live entertainment to match. Make your reservations ASAP as space is filling up fast all over town.

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Thursday, February 12th-Saturday, February 14th: Valentine’s Weekend at Opus One

Please join us for Valentine's Day Weekend either Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday for our special Valentine's Day Dinner Features. The cost for two persons is $89.

These features include Chateaubriand for two, Surf and Turf for two, or a Seafood Trio for two along with your choice of either the Opus Romaine Salad or Specialty Soup of the Day and one of our Specialty Desserts for two or your choice of the Opus One Pastry Cart.

We will also have our regular menu available for those that have their favorite Opus One entrees.

Call 313-961-7766 and press one for reservations. Opus One is located at 565 East Larned Detroit, Michigan 48226

Where: Opus One, Detroit
When: Call 313-961-7766 for details and to make reservations
Tix: $89.00 for two exclusive of tax and gratuity
http://www.opus-one.com/

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Friday, February 13th-Sunday, February 15th: Valentine’s Dinner at Cuisine

Come celebrate with your significant other all weekend at Cuisine. Cuisine will offer your choice of an ala carte menu and Special Valentine’s Day menu of 5 courses for $80.00. Cuisine will be offering Champagne specials as well. Chef Paul can pick a wine pairing to compliment your Valentine’s Day menu.

Where: Cuisine, Detroit
When: 5:00PM-10:00PM
Tix: $80.00 prix fixe menu
http://www.cuisinedetroit.com/

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Friday, February 13th-Saturday, February 14th: Valentine’s Dinner at the Rattlesnake

A special prix fixe menu for your valentine.

Tease
Butternut Squash with Ginger Splash

Starter Choices Please (Select One)
~Baby Gem Limestone Bibb Wedges Dusted with Spiced Cashews, Chewy Lardons and Maytag Blue, Pomegranate Vinaigrette & Arils
~Warm Goat Cheese and Black Turkey Fig Spoon Spinach & Baby Arugula Tossed with Figs & Roasted Cippolini, Goat Cheese Button, Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette
~Colossal Lump Crab Cake Pan Roasted with Braised Whole Grain Mustard Slaw, Many Mustard Sauce Topped with Mustard Seed Micro salad
~Crispy Calamari & Rock Shrimp Fry Crisp Fried Cool Lemon-Garlic & Spicy Red Chile Aioli

Entrée Choices (Select One)
~Maine Sea Scallop & Lobster Reverse Ravioli Pooled in Ginger Froth with Pasta Pearls, Crispy Ginger Ginger Scented Wild Atlantic Nova Salmon Ginger Crystal Coated Salmon Swimming in a Sweet Corn Risotto, Splashed with Ginger Froth, Scallion & Crispy Ginger Salad
~Pan Roasted Free Range Duck Breast Apple Cider Cured, Stacked atop Sea Salt Caramel Glazed Two Apple Tart, Pinot Noir Essence & Crispy Sage Salad
~Porcini & Truffle Infused 6oz CAB Filet With a Yukon Celery Root Gratin, Black Cabernet Jus & Porcini Cream Wild Mushroom Ragout
~Live Smoked CAB Beef Short Ribs Braised in Rich Rattlesnake Barbeque Spices Roasted Cauliflower Smash, Tobacco Onion Rings

Dessert Choices (Select One)
~Flourless Chocolate Pressed Cake With Vanilla Bean Ice Cream & Caramel Sauce
~Lavender & White Chocolate Crème: Brulee Caramelized Raspberries swirled in Lavender Scented Silky Crème Brulee, Topped with Burnt Turbinado Crisp & Pyramid Rattlesnake Blend

Press Pot Coffee
Mocha Ginger Drop Cookies

Where: The Rattlesnake Club, Detroit
When: 5:30PM-10:00PM
Tix: $60.00 exclusive of tax and gratuity
http://www.rattlesnakeclub.com/

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Saturday, February 14th: Valentine’s Day Chocolate and Wine Pairing

Valentine's Day wine and chocolate pairing. Try four of our custom wines with four specialty chocolates. The perfect way to impress your valentine!!

Where: Vitner’s Cellar, Royal Oak
When: 11:00AM-7:00PM
Tix: $16.00
http://www.royaloakwinery.com/

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Saturday, February 14th: Grupo Escobar and Dinner at the Majestic Cafe

Grupo Escobar is an 11 piece Salsa and Timba Group from Detroit specializing in music from Cuba. The band members have all converged from different backgrounds and nationalities to form a group which can grind out modern tropical rhythms. Cuba has always been a melting pot for musical styles and has been very controversial in it's constant efforts to create new and exciting compositions in Dance Music, and many other art forms. Grupo Escobar seizes on this spirit and combines their thorough experience in Timba, Salsa, Jazz and American, Cumbia, and Tropical Rhythms to bring the audience a diverse and rich onslaught of high energy music. Expect High Energy Music and Dance! all generated through "La Clave". "AGUA!"

Before the show, enjoy a special prix fixe dinner at the Majestic Café, specially selected for Valentine’s Day.

Where: The Majestic, Detroit
When: Music at 8:00PM
Tix: $7.00 advance/$10.00 at the door for music; $50.00 per person for dinner with admission to performance
http://www.majesticdetroit.com/

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Saturday, February 14th: Valentine’s Dinner and Comedy Show at the Emory

Enjoy a one of a kind dinner for two at the Emory this Valentine’s Day. The menu includes your choice of grilled filet mignon, blackened tilapia, or vegetarian strudel with soup or salad, fresh bread, redskin potatoes, and grilled asparagus. Cupcakes from Pinwheel Bakery will be served for dessert with a champagne toast. Purchase also includes two tickets to the Go! Comedy All Star Showdown ($30.00 value).

Where: The Emory, Ferndale
When: Seatings to accommodate the 8:00PM and 10:00PM Go! Comedy shows
Tix: $75.00 per couple
Call 248-546-8202 for reservations by 2/12/09

Prix Fixe Dinner Plans for NYE

New Year's Eve is one of those events that can be daunting to plan for, and it usually never works out quite the way you wanted it to. There are big big hotel parties and big big club parties and big big house parties, but sometimes the best way to do it up is quietly, with a lavish meal in an intimate setting with close friends or a loved one.

Enter Mon Jin Lau in Troy and Cuisine in Detroit, who have designed delish tasting menus to help you ring in the new year with a happy mouth, full belly, and a pretty solid guarantee of some level of maintained personal space.

At Mon Jin Lau, enjoy dinner and dancing for $69.00 per person (excluding tax and gratuity). And here's what's included in the tasting menu:

Veuve Clicquot Champagne Toast

First Course
*Vietnamese Crispy Spring Roll Wrapped in Lettuce
*Seared Kobe Beef Roll Seared Tuna

Second Course
Cucumber Wrapped Baby Field Greens Red Pepper, Mango, Goat Cheese with Yuzu-Asian Pear Dressing, Topped with Crunchy Filo

Third Course
Miso Black Cod Miso Glazed, Cellophane Noodle, Pea Shoots, Shitake Mushroom, Miso Broth

Fourth Course
Asian Braised Short Rib Shitake Mushroom, Baby Bok Choy

Dessert

Reservations are required: 248-689-2332.

At Cuisine, Chef Paul Grosz has created an extradorinary dining experience for only $80.00 per person (also excluding tax and gratuity). Find the carefully crafted menu below:

First Course
(please choose one)
*Assorted mushroom ravioli with salsify vinaigrette and foie gras emulsion
*Charcutiere of duck pate, duck mousse and beef sausage
*King crab gnocchi gratin
*Lobster Bisque with lobster whipped cream
*Bluepoint oysters roasted with leeks and parmesan

Second Course
(please choose one)
*Foie gras sautéed with brioche toast and oven dried tomatoes
*Maine crab cake and sea scallop sautéed in a citrus glaze
*Caesar salad with Cuisine smoked salmon
*Chilean Sea Bass roasted over creamed shiitakes and chanterelles
*Maine Lobster butter poached with lobster ravioli and chanterelles

Third Course
Watercress and fennel salad with walnuts and black grapes

Entrée
(please choose one)
*Roasted Indiana Duck ala ‘orange with buttered quinoa
*Spiced Colorado lamb chops with mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts
*Beef tenderloin roasted over red wine braised barley and haricot verts
*Veal sweetbreads sautéed in puff pastry with a mustard sauce and spaghetti squash
*Roasted Cod over roasted fennel, potatoes and shiitakes with foie gras and port wine butter
*Dover sole meuniere roasted with dauphinoise potatoes and asparagus
*Oven dried tomato risotto with eggplant involtinis

Dessert
New Year’s Eve tasting

For reservations, call 313-872-5110.

And have a safe and happy new year! Dine well; live better.

Food and Fashion

Originally published in D-Tales here, edited for content.

...Wednesday was the Detroit Synergy Supper Club at Cuisine. The group was a little smaller than a usual Supper Club, but this actually became an advantage. The people who were there were Supper Club regulars (and I even succeeded in pulling some super-cool n00bs from the bar into our group), and it just couldn't have been a more fun, more laid-back group. We had a good mix of young and old, all people just looking to experience a great meal and enjoy themselves in the company of others looking to do the same. The vibe was warm and welcoming; this would have to be my favorite Supper Club event to date. I had a lot of fun chatting it up with loads of different people (I even met a fellow blogger!). Plus the food at Cuisine was amazing, as always: the ricotta-stuffed eggplant (and there was definitely some goat cheese in there as well; tasted like chevre) was tangy and delicate; the chicken roulade over parmesan risotto was full of flavor and very tender; and the lemon-line sorbet was a perfect palate cleanser. The wine selection was also very popular and sparked a lot of conversation at my table about wine and travel and other things I like to talk about.

Cheap Eats at Cuisine!

Originally published in D-Tales here.

Detroit Synergy is hosting another Supper Club event this month, this time at one of my favorite Detroit restaurants, Cuisine. Cuisine is pretty much the only restaurant in the city where one can experience authentic French preparations and methods (the Whitney waivers, others try; perhaps this new place opening on Larned can give them a run for their money), and their dishes are nothing short of works of culinary art. Other restaurants pale in comparison for the pure-blooded epicurean...and now you have the opportunity to experience all of this for CHEAP.

On Wednesday, August 27th beginning at 6:00PM, enjoy a prix fixe menu of Chef Paul's special selections made specifically for Detroit Synergy Group for only $30.00, including tax and gratuity. There is also an optional 2-glass wine package available for an additional $10.00.

$30.00. It's a steal. Chef Paul is allowing you to rob him blind. You are being permitted to commit a crime.

Here's the menu, highlighting some of their summer specialties:

*First Course (choice of): Spinach and mixed green salad with a red wine vinaigrette
-or-
Eggplant involtini (stuffed) with ricotta and scallions in tomato sauce;

*Entrée (choice of): Tomato baked whitefish with asparagus and a peach and apple cole slaw
-or-
Chicken roulade stuffed with herbs and parmesan over parmesan risotto and green beans
-or-
a Mélange of vegetables (8 different preparations);

*Dessert: Lemon-lime sorbet.

Because space is limited and because Chef Paul has to be able to prep entrees for some 40+ people, reservations MUST be made in advance at supperclub@detroitsynergy.org. You may purchase tickets online at the DSG store or pay cash at the event--but your name had better be on the list lest you be denied at the door.

Friday Night Wine Tastings at Cuisine

Originally published in D-Tales here.

Beginning tomorrow evening, Cuisine is bringing back their summer patio wine tastings (this is one of those June events I overlooked initially)! Join them every Friday 5:00-7:00PM on their outdoor patio (or indoors, dependent on weather) as they sample a selection of wines paired with their own hors d'oeuvres.

Tomorrow will be California wines. The cost is $15.00 per person, all-inclusive.

Adventures on a Friday: A Tale in Two Parts

Originally published on D-Tales here, edited for content.

...After nibbling on some of the cheese and pastries they had at the exhibit preview and sipping on some of the wine from local winery Red Hat Micro-Winery in St. Clair Shores (nothing that would make it into Wine Spectator, but nice to know it's nearby), my friend and I were feeling in the mood for some fine wining and dining, so we decided to head off to Cuisine in the New Center area, a place neither him nor I had been to before.

Okay, kids, this is where I'm about to get all foodie on you. I think another friend of mine said it best when he noted that there are places in Detroit people can go to for a nice meal, and then there are places that food people go for nice meals--Cuisine is the kind of place that a food person goes to for a nice meal. Well, he's absolutely correct in that observation.

Cuisine Restaurant is housed in a historic old Detroit home (much like the Whitney), with all of the heavy plaster, crown molding, intricate woodwork, bay windows, hardwood floors, and the like that go with that. But despite the historic home architecture, the décor is very contemporary--lots of electric blue glass accents, clean white tablecloths, and blue and yellow stained glass light fixtures create a very calming juxtaposition of the contemporary with the classic. The music also helps enhance the mood--French cafe songbirds, classic jazz, and classical pieces dominate. The sounds are markedly different, but the effect is the same, and adds to the classic-meets-contemporary ambiance.

But the best thing here is the food. The cuisine at Cuisine is best described as Nouveau French-American. Owner and Chef Paul trained at some of the top culinary schools in France, and brought that training back here to Detroit to realize his dream of owning an award-winning restaurant (which it is) in a city he has a true passion for.

Cuisine's menu offers a few different dining options. In true French style, there are two different Progression Menus offered (more commonly referred to as a tasting menu in the U.S. and a dégustation in France), which offer a variety of the chef's signature dishes at one prix fixe price (the more expensive offers a larger number of tastings), and includes all dining courses. Considering that to order most items a la carte (appetizer, salad, entree, dessert) would be more expensive than ordering the Progression Menu, don't let the $50-$80 price tag scare you off--these pre-selected menus are typically more bang for your buck anyway.

My friend and I decided to still go a la carte, sampling first the wild mushroom ravioli appetizer (fantastique). Throw chanterelles and morels into any dish and I'm pretty much sold--here the ravioli dough was thin and fluffy, stuffed full with large pieces of semi-exotic mushrooms in a rich, buttery cream sauce. Exotic mushrooms + lots of butter = FRENCH. Hardcore.

For dinner, I decided to go all out--roast quail stuffed with veal sweetbreads (glands) with accents of fingerling potatoes and marinated red grapefruit.

Mind you, this is not a dish for a novice. One must not only be acclimated to game hen (really, it tastes like really freaking good chicken), but one must also be comfortable with eating veal glands. And, might I say, the portioning of the sweetbreads was quite generous. They are slightly soft (to call them "squishy" would not be outside of reasonable), and an acquired taste--not unlike the heaping helping of foie gras my friend had with his Filet, which was all kinds of artery-clogging pungently flavorful goodness.

My quail dish was phenomenal--my only criticism is that there were so many flavors at work there that they tended to battle each other for dominance as opposed to working together for enhancement. Extra points for presentation, however--once again, in true French tradition, the presentation of the food is as much of an artform as the food itself. The quail was split up the middle and partially de-boned, served laying flat with the sweetbreads tumbling out, with the grapefruit slices artfully arranged and the potatoes carefully scattered. Very pretty, indeed...until I hacked it apart trying to cut the very small and very delicate quail carcass. :/

And, oh, the wine--I must say, while Cuisine certainly doesn't have the most impressive wine list in the city, they certainly have one of the most reasonably priced. A nice smattering of selections from around the world, with no particular emphasis on any region or varietal, and most of them available by the bottle for $40.00 and under. I found a fantastic South American cab for only $18.00, but there was also a handful of the requisite high-end wines also available--such as a bottle of Penfolds Grange, priced very reasonably (for what it is) at $200.00. We selected a Shiraz from Washington State to pair with our meals (my personal weakness: Shiraz and Pinot Noir from Oregon and Washington--killer), which complimented the delicate flavors of my quail quite nicely, as much as it suited the robustness of my friend's foie gras-covered filet.

But the absolute best part of our dining experience came with dessert. ALL breads and desserts and made in-house by Pastry Chef Kevin Kearney, who studied at the acclaimed French culinary institute Le Cordon Bleu, where Chef Paul also studied. The world of the patissier is much different from the world of the chef de cuisine--much less notoriety and recognition, often considered an afterthought, and typically not taken all that seriously in all areas of the culinary world (often referred to derogatorily as a "baker"). This isn't to say that pastry chefs are a laughing stock all over the world--they're just often not as appreciated as the executive chefs, especially here in the States.

That being said, the pastry chef--when permitted to fly freely by the executive chef--can demonstrate as much artfulness and creativity as the head chef, perhaps even moreso. Here at Cuisine, Chef Kevin is giving Chef Paul a run for his money.

Every single dessert sounded absolutely tantalizing (THEY HAD A CHEESE PLATE AND I PASSED ON IT), right down to the three different flavors of soufflés. But when we were told what the special house-made ice cream selections were, we were sold. Get this: a red wine ice cream with Danish bleu cheese and walnuts. I KNOW. Fucking fabulous. Also available was a Guiness ice cream with pecans and good old-fashioned wonderful strawberry. But it was the red wine/bleu cheese combination that made both my friend and I say "Gimme some of that," and had us ooohing and ahhing for the rest of the night. When it hits your tongue, you taste the fruity fullness of the wine. As you swirl it in your mouth and bite into the walnuts, the taste of the bleu cheese jumps out. Truly one of the most interesting desserts I have ever tasted, like a little piece of heaven on my tongue. Paired with the rich Graham's "Six Grapes" port I selected, I was having one serious foodgasm.

Cuisine is definitely a place to go for people who love food and love the experience of dining. The service is also very friendly--we chatted at length with our two servers as well as Chef Kevin, and were made to feel extremely welcome and appreciated. At this point in time, the nearby Fisher Theatre is closed for renovations through November (from which Cuisine receives a good portion of their business), so now is a great time to go and enjoy what is guaranteed to be a unique and intimate dining experience. Anyone who has doubts about the dining culture in Detroit, head to Cuisine.