[NEWS BITES] Dine. Drink. Detroit.

Wine at Great Lakes Coffee. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

Detroit Restaurant Week is coming up September 20-29. (This year is kind of a big deal with the addition of the already sold-out Guns + Butter pop-up.) Now, we've all been through this before, and I'm not talking about the three-course $30 prix fixe dinner menus. I'm talking about the race for reservations. The disappointment when your restaurant of choice is booked for the evening you're free. Having to settle for your seventh choice. Trying to wrangle together groups of friends who all have different availability and want to go different places. Trying to have a normal dinner at one of these places during these 10 days, forgetting exactly what 10 days they actually are, and finding them unable to accommodate you. Yes, for all the fun there is to be had, it can also be a bit stressful. Especially for those of us (hi) who are loathe to ever plan anything in advance.

Fear not! For now there is Dine. Drink. Detroit. #DineDrinkDetroit brings together 13 slightly-less-than fine dining establishments offering a combination of food and drink for $15 - no reservations, just a special offering available at each of these locally- and independently-owned establishments.

The first-ever #DineDrinkDetroit will be held October 10-16. More details for this event will be forthcoming but for now, mark your calendars for an extra special week of celebrating all that which is dining and drinking in Detroit!

#DineDrinkDetroit is the brainchild of Scott Rutterbush from Great Lakes Coffee and Kate Williams of Rodin. 

[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.

[Real Detroit Weekly] El Barzon

This post authored by EID Co-Conspirator Stefanie Cobb.

Photo by Stefanie Cobb.

The neighborhood lines of Southwest Detroit are nearly bursting with the number of authentic Mexican restaurants. Although some are more popular than others, they all attract the crowds of metro Detroiters making the commute with the promise of satiating their cravings for true Mexican cuisine. With so many palatable options to choose from, how does one establishment stand out amongst their competitors? They must be unique and acquire a quality unbeknownst to their competition, much like El Barzon.

It cannot be denied that El Barzon deserves precedence in their neighborhood for serving up traditional Mexican cooking, only with a twist. The twist is that they are half a Mexican restaurant and half an Italian restaurant. If you have yet to be graced with the awesomeness of El Barzon, you might be perplexed as to how they are able to be both Italian and Mexican, while still maintaining true authenticity and notable plates. Owner and head chef Norberto Garita has proven that two very dominant cuisines can indeed be paired – and paired beautifully at that.

Read more.

Real Detroit Weekly: El Barzon

"In the tradition of great things being combined (like those Taco Bell/Pizza Hut combos that started showing up a few years back) comes El Barzon — half Mexican, half Italian, all authentic. Proprietor/Chef Norberto Garita is from Puebla, Mexico, and many of his dishes have traditional Pueblan influences. But he also served eight years in the esteemed kitchen at the now-shuttered Il Posto in Southfield so, you know ... there’s that, too.

'Pulling up to the humble establishment on Michigan and Junction, on the outskirts of Southwest Detroit, the sight of so many Audis and Jags seems a bit out of place. These are Garita’s devotees from his Il Posto days. In fact, most of his customers are from the suburbs. “They drive 45 minutes to come here; they come from Birmingham, Ann Arbor … not a lot come locally, though!” Garita laughs..."

Read the rest of the story here.

El Barzón: Saucy

Photo courtesy of Sean Gabriel Photography

True foodies know that you can’t judge a restaurant by its awning. Such is the case with El Barzón, a rather humble-looking establishment where you’ll find some of the best sauces under the Detroit sun.

El Barzón is what happens when a chef from Puebla, Mexico works for eight years at a AAA Four Diamond –rated Italian restaurant (in this case, Southfield’s still-shuttered Il Posto) and infuses his knowledge of both culinary traditions into one menu. This is a kind of fusion cuisine you won’t see anywhere else: a menu that is one-half traditional authentic Mexican, and one-half traditional authentic Italian.

Photo courtesy of Sean Gabriel Photography
Chef Norberto Garita, co-owner of El Barzón, uses his hometown of Puebla as a launching pad to present his restaurant’s most-sought-after specialty, Mole Poblano, a chicken dish named after its distinctive regional sauce that is not only difficult to find even in the corner of Southwest Detroit aptly-named Mexican Town but even more difficult to find done correctly. Garita’s is impeccable: a rich, deep mahogany-colored sauce made with chile seco, cumin, sesame seeds, tomatillo, garlic, anix, almonds, toasted bread, platanos, chocolate, and more. Commonly thought of as simply a “spicy chocolate sauce,” true mole is much more complex, and Garita’s shows all the subtle notes of sweetness, fruitiness and spice that are brought on by all the many different ingredients. Time and patience is key here, as this is a sauce that cannot be rushed, and only a truly talented saucier could master. Whether it was his childhood in Puebla, the city from which this mole originates, or his years training in Il Posto’s kitchen that lent Garita his superior sauce-making skills is irrelevant: everything this man pours onto a plate is absolute perfection.

Photo courtesy of my crappy camera
For appetizers, the Chiles Rellenos are stuffed with tasty ground beef and cheese and slathered in a rich yet light expertly-seasoned tomato sauce. The Bis di Pasta, which features Strozzapreti Norcina and Cavatelli alla Boscaiola (both also available individually as entrees), is simply stunning. The juxtaposition of these two sauces—one a truffle-scented sausage and tomato sauce (the Norcina), the other a garlic and mushroom cream sauce (the Boscaiola)—is a palate-pleasing shock. Both are rich and wonderful and to choose a favorite would be impossible (which is why I recommend the appetizer in which you get a sample portion of both!). The noodles themselves are equally exquisite—dense and perfectly al dente, Garita’s years at Il Posto have trained him well on the intricacies of pasta-making (if it were as easy as throwing noodles into a pot of boiling water, I would do it…who am I kidding, no I wouldn’t).

Is the camera or the person holding it to blame?

For an entrée, you have over 50 selections to choose from, and that’s not including the tacos or tortas. Chicken, Veal, Pasta, and the occasional pork dish and Barbacoa (steamed goat), all with portions available in lunch or dinner sizes (and almost all priced $18.00 and under). If it’s got sauce on it, you can’t go wrong, and you’d best believe that everything on this menu comes with some kind of elaborate sauce.

Whether your hankering is for Mexican or Italian, there is a wide (and I do mean wide) variety to choose from, and it is all prepared with the most painstaking attention to detail. HOWEVER (because there is almost always a “however”), the meat is not the highest quality. And that’s my nice way of saying (because I like this place, I really do), that the meat is, well, not good. BAD. The meat is bad. The chicken is tough and more likely than not to have gristle, the veal is even worse, the seafood is by and large rubbery, but the pasta is really really good and I swear to you, I swear, the sauces are simply amazing. And I’ve had luck with the ground meats! Those are good; stick with those. Due to the low-grade quality of most ground meat we’re accustomed to ingesting, even if the ground meat used here is just as bad as the poultry and veal you’ll most likely never even notice. So skip the veal. And the chicken. And even if you must get the Mole Poblano (and most people who visit here really must), just know that the star of the dish is not the chicken, but rather the sauce that accompanies it.

I’m sorry I had to say that. No other reviewer has said that. But it had to be said. I am sorry.

Devotees of traditional Mexican cuisine will not be disappointed. El Barzón offers traditionally-prepared tacos, corn or flour (corn!), with choices of meat including goat, spicy pork, and chorizo (Mexican spicy sausage) and adorned simply with cilantro and lime-splashed onions (the lime takes the bite out of the onions, and is common in authentic Mexican cooking); they also offer tortas, Mexican “sandwiches” served with choice of meat, beans, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, onions, and jalapeño peppers. Italian food aficionados will be pleased with hearty Gnocchi and wonderful traditional sauces such as Bolognese, Palomino, and Arrabbiata—generic Eye-talian cuisine this is not, and Garita has clearly not forgotten his time at Il Posto. The sauces are all incredibly rich and no amount of cheese, butter, oil or cream was spared in making them.

But despite Garita’s finely-honed skills in Italian cuisine, his heart still seems to lie in Mexico. Diners start with a basket of piping-hot tortilla chips served with green and red salsas. Before you read further, wipe that image of Old El Paso Chunky Salsa right out of your head: these are traditional salsas (mole verde and mole rojo, more sauce than salsa which, as we already know, is Garita’s strong suit), more the consistency of watery soup and absolutely chunk-free. The flavors are also unlike any that you’re accustomed to in a salsa; there is very little tomato in either, but lots of, oh, nuts…peppers…chiles…maybe a hint of citrus fruit? Tasting these salsas is almost like tasting wine, trying to discern the different notes of vegetables and fruits and identify them. They become more complex the more you taste them, and change the longer they’re in your mouth. Another item that El Barzón has become known for is the guacamole: fresh, handmade and, unlike the salsa, very chunky. I, however, don’t care for overly-oniony guacamole, preferring to have it overly-garlicky instead, so this was not my cup of avocado. Others enjoy it very much. I stand by Woodbridge Pub on this.

Definitely the person holding it
Desserts—again, both Mexican and Italian—are merely average. Not bad, but not great. Cheesecake, chocolate cake, tiramisu, sorbet, profiteroles, flan…all the usual suspects from both cuisines. Stick to something slightly left of center (like the tartuffo), or skip it altogether. The wine list is also lackluster (something Garita apparently did not inherit from his time at Il Posto), but the hand-written tequila list is most impressive (and at $12.00 per shot, almost as expensive as most of the food!). To give you a point of reference, the names “Cuervo” and “Patron” make an appearance but are just two out of some 25 or so.

Garita (left) and team, courtesy of Sean Gabriel Photography
When Garita opened El Barzón in 2006, many of his diehard clientele from Il Posto followed him to this otherwise desolate corner of Michigan and Junction Ave. (don’t worry, it’s safe; there’s no one even there to rob you). On any given night you might find the surrounding streets full of Beamers, Lexi (plural for Lexus), and Escalades…what you won’t find is a valet. Here you get all the quality of four-diamond dining (except the meat, I’m not talking about the meat) but all the down-home friendliness and casual appeal of a Detroit corner diner. The staff is exceedingly friendly and accommodating, though many only speak a smattering of English (not unlike Il Posto in that regard). And with all entrees priced at about half or less of what Il Posto used to charge, it’s no wonder all the old clientele is willing to make the drive.

To sum it all up, I made a rhyme for you: the prices can’t be beat…STAY AWAY FROM THE MEAT.

Detroit Synergy Supper Club at El Barzon

Detroit Synergy’s Supper Club celebrates the month of May, typically honored as a Mexican heritage month, at Southwest Detroit’s own El Barzón. On Wednesday, May 20th, beginning at 6:00PM, taste the traditional flavors of Mexico as presented by co-owner and Chef Norberto Garita. While you’re at it, why not also try some traditional Italian flavors as well—El Barzón’s menu reflects Garita’s Mexican heritage just as much as it does the eight years he spent as a sous chef at Southfield’s AAA four-diamond upscale Italian restaurant Il Posto…which is why, on any given day, you might see a Mercedes or Beamer parked outside on this otherwise remote and unglamorous corner of Michigan Ave. and Junction. The word is out: El Barzón is in.

Chef Garita is offering a very wide range of his specialty dishes, both the Mexican and Italian, for Supper Club attendees for the very handsome price of $30.00 (inclusive of tax and gratuity). And in keeping with tradition, there will also be an optional two-glass wine flight available for an additional $10.00.

“I want to do a little something for everyone,” says Garita. “I want to make this as memorable an experience as possible for those who are new to El Barzón.”

Garita has included his very popular Mole Poblana dish as a possible contender, though with the variety of other options available the decision won’t be easy. Bring a friend and share!

• Appetizers will be served family-style and include Fritto Misto (shrimp and calamari), Bis Di Pasta (Strozzapreti Norcina—a dense noodle with a truffle-scented sausage and tomato sauce—and Cavatelli alla Boscaiola, a garlic and mushroom cream sauce), and Chiles Rellenos (homemade tomato sauce filled with ground beef and cheese);
• Entrees include a variety of options:
o Mole Poblano—chicken breast with mole sauce made with chile seco, tomatillo, anix, bread, banana, etc.
o Cecina El Barzón—thin-sliced steak with fresh arugula and tomato or sautéed onions and jalapeño pepper
o Barbacoa de Chivo al Horno—slow-cooked steamed goat barbecue
o Cavatelli alla Boscaiola—dry porcini mushroom and cream sauce
o Lasagna—baked pasta layered with authentic Bolognese meat sauce and mozzarella cheese
o Scaloppine al Barolo e Porcini—veal scaloppini sautéed in porcini mushroom and Barolo wine sauce
o Spaghetti e Scampi El Barzón—fresh tomato, basil, garlic, fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh arugula
o Pollo al Limone—chicken breast with lemon sauce and capers, sautéed with white wine
• For dessert, diners can choose between Mexcian Flan and Tiramisu
• There will also be plenty of fresh tortilla chips served with homemade mole verde and mole rojo (green and red sauces) to start

El Barzón offers a wide range of traditional flavors for a wide range of tastes, as well as authentic dishes that you won’t find at the more popular and trendy eateries of Mexican Town. Still considered to be one of Detroit’s best-kept secrets, El Barzón is becoming increasingly popular on the strength of word of mouth and a handful of rave reviews. Join Supper Club on May 20th to be in on the secret buzz, and discover for yourself what local foodies consider to be one of Detroit’s best restaurants!

Tickets are $30.00 in advance at the DSG store, http://shop.detroitsynergy.org, and include tax and gratuity. There will also be an optional two-glass wine flight available for an additional $10.00. Tickets to this event are available by online purchase only, and all purchases must be made by Tuesday, May 19th. Due to capacity issues, there will be a strict adherence to a 40-person limit. There will be absolutely no walk-ins permitted. Tickets are first-come, first-served.

Check out pictures from the last Supper Club at 24 Grille here! Also, save the date for Wednesday, June 10th, when Supper Club boards the Detroit Princess for a sunset dinner cruise. And if you haven't done so already, join Supper Club's Facebook page here.