The Week We Ate (The EID Week in Review)

Chocolate lava cakes from Chez Chloe. Don't you want to lick the screen? 

ICYMI:
~Six hotshot young chefs in the same kitchen could be a recipe for disaster, but not at the first Young Guns dinner at The Root Restaurant + Bar. Here is my recap and the full menu from this event, which featured so much talent in one room it was unfair to all other rooms. [EID]

~Chloe Sabatier of Chez Chloé makes exactly one thing: traditional French chocolate lava cakes. A 23-year-old French transplant who moved to Detroit from Paris just six months ago, Chloe is astounded by the overwhelming response she has received after just two months of being open, and is already thinking about her growth plans (which include a food truck for next summer). [Model D]

~Restaurateur Maurice Wiggins, one of the opening partners of Hudson Cafe, plans to open the Addison (in the former location of Atlas Global Bistro) and Restaurant 55 next spring. [Model D]

~Hatch Detroit 2013 semifinalists Voigt's Soda House are now open through the end of the month in the Livernois Community Storefront. Stop by for a sandwich, soup, and old-fashioned soda and order some of their artisan syrups for the holidays! [EID]

~The final chapter in a series on independent grocers in the city of Detroit, this last piece for Model D looks at stores in Midtown, Lafayette Park, and the East Riverfront where you'll find an active mindfulness towards healthy and organic foods, greater selections of fine wine and craft beer, and increased focus on Michigan-made products. [Model D]

~Tacos will replace pizza at the staple college town booze store Marcus Market, which underwent a serious facelift earlier this year. ALLEY TACO opens mid-January. [EID]

~This guide in Model D highlights many of Detroit's top permanent retailers and art galleries offering unique holiday shopping opportunities. While no means comprehensive, this list highlights a wide range of local retailers, including many that just opened within the last year, including Shinola Store Detroit, Busted in Detroit, RedBull House of Art, Inner State Gallery, The Detroit Mercantile Co., Hugh, Pure Detroit, and loads more. [Model D]

~The Grille Midtown, ALLEY TACO, Thomas Magee's Sporting House Whiskey Bar, Delite Cafe and Deli … here's a quick look at was has opened recently and what's about to open. [Model D]

Detroit City Distillery is now 100% approved to operate and will now work on finishing their build-out in Eastern Market. [DCD FB]

Esquire names the shawarma at Bucharest Grill among the best late-night food in the country. [Esquire]

Get your coffee and whatnot fix at Coffee and (_____) 7 days a week now! [C+Blank FB]

Detroit in…Dubai? Yep: Guns + Butter continues to make its worldly rounds. [Gulf News]

Have you heard about Detroit's Dr. Sushi yet? He's going to be popping up a lot more around town in 2014. You're going to want to check him out. [Click on Detroit]

'Tis the season for tamales at Honey Bee Market! [HB FB]

The holidays are a busy time for companies like Pete's Chocolate Co., Mindo Chocolate Makers, and Sydney Boggs. [Detroit News]

Ouch. Michael Symon's Roast - Detroit has to close for two weeks to repair fire damages in the kitchen during peak holiday season. [Freep]

#saveblimpy [MLive]

Red Crown has a new owner, a new menu, and new hours. [Freep]

The new Smoke Street in Milford is getting some good reviews so far. The owner, Elia Nichols, is kind of a character, and also owns the E.G. Nick's chain and Highland House (located not far from Milford in Highland, with a carry-out space in the same plaza as The Root Restaurant + Bar in White Lake). This is what replaced Brian Polcyn's Cinco Lagos, previously the famed Five Lakes Grill that was rebranded when the economy tanked. [Freep]

Here is a list of new places that have opened in Detroit really really recently. [Thrillist]

Beerie
~Jolly Pumpkin Brewery has announced their new cafe and taproom in Dexter! Null will showcase all of Northern United's brands, which also includes Civilized Spirits and North Peak Brewing Company. [Promote Michigan]

~Griffin Claw Brewing Company cans are now making their way to shelves. [Merchant's Fine Wine FB]

~Michigan's Best Beer Guide author writes about Detroit-area breweries for the Chicago Tribune, name-dropping everything from Atwater Brewery to Kuhnhenn Brewing Co. to Fort Street Brewery. And Traffic Jam + Snug and Falling Down Beer Company and MillKing It Productions and Griffin Claw Brewing Company and Rochester Mills Beer Co. Also Motor City Brew Tours. [Chicago Tribune]

~DRAFT Magazine names their top 25 beers of 2013. Not surprising: Founders Brewing Co. DOOM is on the list. Surprising: Wolverine Beer placed on the list? With something called Gulo Gulo India Pale Lager? That's one of the top 25 best beers of the year, apparently? Color me surprised, and congrats to them! [DRAFT]

~Paste Magazine named their 15 best winter beers, and that list includes Bell's Brewery, Inc.'s Winter White and New Holland Brewing Co.'s Cabin Fever. And some other really solid picks, too. [Paste Magazine]

Misc
~Grand Rapids and Lake Michigan's Gold Coast is the #1 travel destination for 2014 according to Lonely Planet (some other great picks on there as well, but none only 2.5 hours driving distance in our very own beautiful state). [Lonely Planet]

~"COLD AND LESS HOSPITABLE." Oops, I mean, yaaaaaaaaaaay someone said something nice about Detroit again, VALIDATION woooooooo. It's f-ing cold. [Fodor's]

~You know what would be way better right now? New Orleans. Oh hey, here's this thing I wrote. [Fox   News]

~California is such a vast, often incomprehensible state. It is the most agriculturally diverse state in the country, yet the people seem to be more at odds and internally conflicted over their own products and potential than anywhere else. As a whole, the state manages to be both trailblazing pioneer and two steps behind simultaneously. (Talking wine, farm-to-table food, craft beer, everything.) For you winos out there, here is a great interview with Jon Bonné, wine editor for the San Francisco Chronicle and author of The New California Wine, which touches on some of this. [LA Weekly]

~Some of these are actually kind of cool. Many of them are very SkyMall. But…who doesn't love SkyMall, amiright? [BuzzFeed]

~I feel like this could have been a lot worse for the restaurant in question. [Mashable]

[EID Events] October 9-November 2

ONGOING

Ferndale Restaurant Week, through October 13
More here.

Dine Drink Detroit, October 10-16
More here.

THIS WEEKEND 

(revolver) Dinner with the Cook's Crossing, Hamtramck, October 11
The new communal-style chef's tasting dinner is now taking reservations for October 11 but hurry, only 35 seats are available. Read more about them here and make your reservations.

Farmington FoodaPollooza, Riley Park, Farmington, October 13
Farmington's first-ever food truck rally is hosted by Off the Beaten Path Books, Grow Farmington, and KickstART Farmington and will have four food trucks and live music.

Good Food Gathering, Plymouth Michigan Gathering Space, Plymouth, October 13
A celebration of all things Michigan-made, hosted by Door-to-Door Organics.

AND BEYOND

Jolly Pumpkin and North Peak Beer Dinner, Forest Grill, Birmingham October 14
Five courses featuring the beers of Jolly Pumpkin and North Peak as well as some Civilized Spirits. Tickets are $70pp.

The Great Pumpkin Feast at the Root, White Lake October 16
Every course features pumpkin as a highlighted ingredient with beer pairings from, naturally, Jolly Pumpkin Brewery. Seats still available.

Michigan Craft Beer Gala, Karl's Cabin, Plymouth October 16
Featuring a chef's buffet including items like pate and charcuterie as well as 10 3-oz. samples of Michigan craft beers from Witch's Hat, New Holland, Right Brain and Liberty Street.

Salumi Dinner by Righteous Rojo at Zingerman's Events, Ann Arbor, October 16
A selection of salumi (as well as vegetarian options) will be served from 5-10 p.m. or until they run out of food. No seating times; just drop on by.

Detroit Beer Week, October 17-27
New Official Beer Destinations now and events are being announced daily; follow the Facebook page for updates.
~Rock City Eatery Food + Beer Specials featuring Dark Horse, October 17-27
~Sammie, Soup + Beer Combo Special at Mudgie's all through DBW, October 17-27 
~Afternoon Delight Daily at Woodbridge Pub, October 17-27
~Griffin Claw's Brewmaster Dan Rogers at Woodbridge Pub, October 17
~Short's Tap Takeover at Foran's Grand Trunk Pub, October 19
~Orange + Black Party at Woodbridge Pub, October 20
~New Holland Double-Header at Woodbridge Pub, October 21
~Kill All the ZomBEEs at Foran's, October 21
~Arbor Brewing Tap Takeover at Foran's Grand Trunk Pub, October 23
~Bell's Tap Takeover at Foran's Grand Trunk Pub, October 24
~Cans for Cans at Green Dot Stables, October 24 
~Beer Fest Hangover Brunch at Woodbridge Pub, October 27

Windsor Craft Beer Festival, Windsor October 18-19
Right on the other side of the Detroit River lies the exotic land of Windsor-Essex, and lo and behold they brew beer there. Can't wait for Fall Beer Fest in Eastern Market? Get prepped the weekend before with this celebration of craft beer heritage in Windsor-Essex in historic Olde Walkerville.

WindsorEats Bikes + Beers Cycling Tour (Beer Fest Edition), Windsor October 19
Visit local beerie establishments by bike then end your tour at Windsor's inaugural craft beer festival.

(revolver) Dinner with Rubbed, Hamtramck, October 18-19
The European-style deli and sandwich shopping opening soon in Corktown will present this five-course dinner at (revolver). Two seatings are available each day.

Theatre Bizarre: The Procession, the Masonic Temple, Detroit October 18-19
New this year is a Preview Gala on Friday night. Limited tickets are available for this intimate event where masks are mandatory and masqueraders are led through a strolling dinner and scheduled performances. On Saturday, join the Procession.

West Village Biergarten, West Village, Detroit, October 19-20
Hatch Detroit and the Villages of Detroit present this pop-up beer garden to introduce Phase II of the Detroit Lions Living for the Neighborhood Initiative in West Village.

Halloween Harry Potter Hogwarts Feast at the Old Town Hall, Farmington October 19
Off the Beaten Path Books presents this Harry Potter-themed Halloween feast in Farmington. Dress in your wizardly best and allow the sorting hat to decide if you are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or (shudder) Slytherin. (There are only 25 seats per table so not everyone can be Gryffindor.) There will be house tables and house cups, butter beer, and readings from the Harry Potter books. Artisan Knitworks in downtown Farmington will also have knit kits available to make your own house scarves and earn your house extra points (okay, so houses will be sorted in advance). Tickets are $25.

Sweater Weather, Boston-Edison, Detroit, October 19
This event is hosted by 826michigan and will be held inside a historic mansion in the Boston-Edison district. Food by Righteous Rojo.

Kung Food Pop-Up Dinner After the Shanghai Ballet, Music Hall, downtown Detroit October 20
Following the performance of The Butterfly Lovers (China's own Romeo and Juliet) by the Shanghai Ballet at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, enjoy a dinner with local Asian food pop-up Kung Food. Combo tickets are $50.

Sundaylicious, MotorCity Wine, Corktown, October 20
This Sunday's food feature is a raw bar from Chef Robert Scherer of the London Chop House.

Michigan Brewers Guild Fall Beer Festival, Eastern Market October 25-26
As if this needs any kind of explanation.

Wrestlemania Halloween at Green Dot Stables, Corktown October 31
Break out your '80s spandex for a Wrestlemania Halloween at everyone's favorite slider joint, Green Dot Stables. There will be food and drink specials and theme music. 

Dia de los Muertos at Imperial, Ferndale November 1-2
Remember when they did this last year and it was amazing? Well, they're doing it again. Details TBA. For now, set those dates aside. 

The Week(s) We Ate (The EID Week in Review Double-Header pt. 2)

ICYMI (um, for next year now I guess):
Here are many ways to avoid the Dream Cruise entirely. And for whatever reason they all seem to revolve around beer. I like beer. Also zombies. There's a thing about zombies. And pop-ups because pop-ups. [EID]

And then there were four. [Hatch]

Sometimes I bury really good nuggets of information in my posts just to see if you're paying attention. I've determined that you're not, but other local media persons damn sure are. So here's more on the new Kuhnhenn Brewing Co. production facility that will be opening in Clinton Twp. (as well as a new take-out location for Bad Brad's). [Macomb Daily]

Bistros fare better than big restaurants in Birmingham, in part because of a shift in customer interests, but also because of the much higher overhead with larger spaces. Crain's Detroit Business checks in with Commonwealth, TOWNHOUSE, Social Kitchen + Bar, and Forest Grill to see how their model of smaller spaces with plenty of outdoor seating and more casual atmospheres attracts more customers. Now the question is...how does this bode for the Stand? [Crain's]

DRW announced their fall dates (Sept. 20-29, FYI). [DRW]

No one does XTREME foods better than Detroit! And, really, are we at all surprised by this? HEY, let's have a food festival dedicated entirely to fried foods! EXTREME fried foods!!! [MLive]

Also, Michigan's biggest contribution to the world of chain restaurants is Domino's Pizza. But hey, at least we're not Illinois. [Thrillist]

First pumpkin beers, now cider mills are opening for the season. Well, the end of summer isn't ALL bad. Yates Cider Mill is now open! [Yates FB]

Lock and Key, the new lounge inside the Oxford Inn that was redone by Food Network Extreme Makeover: Bars, is now open for your judgement. [Detroit News]

Famous person drinks coffee. [Freep]

Looks like Ferndale is getting a big new development that will likely become four storefronts, which means, more likely than not, another restaurant or two. Looking for space for your own concept you want to open? Get in on this early. [Ferndale 115]

A sad: yes, iconic Ann Arbor institution Blimpy Burger has closed. A happy: they're relocating. A sad: they don't know where or when yet. A happy: the best restaurant closing photo in possibly history. [AnnArbor.com / EID / Michigan Radio]

Mattie Armstrong and Ye Olde Tap Room were on Comedy Central's Drunk History. [somewhere on the internet]

Thrillist popped over to the newly-relocated MotorCity Wine, now in Corktown (and with a fab patio). Here is what they came up with for a first date (or any date, when you're still in that stage of dating where impressing the person matters) wine guide. [Thrillist]

Interested in getting involved with the growing local food economy? Have a small start-up food business that you want to get off the ground? FoodLab Detroit is having their first-ever member drive now. [FoodLab]

Alley Wine: now even closer to being almost open. [Alley Wine FB]

Small Plates is opening a second location in Syracuse, NY, with plans to make it a national chain. Probably like the Cheesecake Factory. Only plates will be small, instead of gargantuanly large. So that's a new twist. Remember a few owners, management teams, and years ago when this was one of the best restaurants in Detroit? Memories... [Syracuse.com]

Vegan news: The FBI's largest domestic terrorist organization is now trying to buy space for its propaganda in Detroit using the promotion of veganism as a lifestyle choice that will save Detroit as its excuse. [Freep]

Soooooo...Snack in the Box is opening soon. Somehow I don't imagine this was a pre-opening PR stunt. Oh, Detroit... [Motor City Muckraker]

Chinese fooooood? Yes and then. Here's a list of a few spots I've heard of and more I haven't because, honestly, this is really not my thing. But this is Freep writer Erin's thing! And she totally provides. I think. I wouldn't actually know. I like pizza. [Freep]

Bookies Bar N' Grille and The Oakland are both celebrating anniversaries this Friday. Something tells me there is not going to be a lot of audience overlap here. Like, "MAN, I TOTALLY wanted to go to the Oakland's party but then I'm going to miss out on Bookie's!" is probably something you're not going to hear. But maybe! But probably not. [Detroit News]

Beerie
~The best food bloggity-blog named Jolly Pumpkin's La Roja the best beer in the state. They are not wrong. [First We Feast]

~Let my people go. Or something. [Nasdaq]

~Here is USA TODAY's recap of a list made by The Daily Meal (which was probably aggregated from somewhere else) that says the exact same thing. So, once again, YAY Bell's Brewery and Founders Brewing Co., from now into infinity for every time they should appear on one of these lists, which is every time one of these lists is made and then aggregated in perpetuity. [USA Today]

~Why does The Big Lebrewski Brewing Company not exist yet? Why/ WHY???? [Spotted by Locals]

~People really expend a lot of energy wringing their hands over this. [Business Week]

~Five years ago, oh how people laughed. Now it is being said that craft beer is BETTER in cans. "Ugh, is that a BOTTLE in your hand? You sooooooo just don't get it." [Slate]

~As someone who goes to Vegas usually as few times every year, this news makes me very, very happy. Even as recently as last month when I was there for just a couple of days I noticed some new spots with an actual, bonafide, LEGIT beer list. I've been to both spankin' new Five50 Pizza Bar at ARIA and the very fine Sage at ARIA, and while I think it's a bit early to claim they have the BESTEST BEER LISTS EVAAAAAR as the article seems to suggest (they don't; still a lot of predictable brews and didn't see much evidence of these so-called rare birds), it's still vastly improved from what it used to be. I wouldn't make Vegas your next beercation destination, but give it a year - things happen quickly there. [Forbes]

Misc
~Seriously though, First We Feast is just fucking brilliant. And here is a rant about Cro-Tards and XTREME foods I could not possibly have written better myself. [FWF]

~The cronut. The waffacle. The ramen burger. Now Pepsi-flavored Cheetos. Please let this be the cultural nadir of the XTREME subset of "foodie" culture. [Food Beast]

~USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! [Top Info Post]

~I'm not sure how the math behind all this works (the claim is, essentially, that servers made MORE money despite the automatic gratuity being slightly less than their actual tip average prior to that AND adding tip-sharing with the kitchen crew), but here's another one to add to the "the tipping system in this country is absurd" category. [Slate]

~But for as long as our archaic tipping system is still in place, if you REALLY want to know how to get better tips, take a cue from this guy. Allons-y! [Stranger on Baker Street]

The Week We (briefly) Ate (The EID Week in Review, now on Fridays)

Seriously though, how great was this year's Christmas special?

On Monday when I said this was the last Week in Review of the year? I lied. WiR will now happen on Fridays. And weird weeks like this when no one is on the Internet anyway is the best time to make such changes. And so the abbreviated final Week in Review of the year that was 2012:

Obviously the world DID end because SLOWS IS CLOSING. ... J/k, they're just closing for a re-model, the long-awaited expansion with MOAR seats, MOAR BBQ, and MOAR beer. MOAR BEER!!!! Target reopening date is Jan 9-ish. [Slows FB]

Christmas came twice this year: the Buffalo Wild Wings in Greektown is now officially open! [MLive]

Rendering or it didn't happen! Detroit Institute of Bagels has renderings posted of the bagel shop and outdoor patio/park they hope to have open sometime in 2013. [Curbed]

It snowed. A lot. [EID FB]

The Michigan By The Bottle Tasting Room in Shelby Twp. is now open for business, a whole new business model for Michigan bringing together six partner wineries under one roof for a collaborative tasting room. [DetNews blahg]

The Whitney has apparently divined a new method of putting food on a plate. According to their press release, anyway. [DetNews]

Here's me on Thrillist popping off about Detroit's food scene in 2012, and doing so in good company: Andy from Michael Symon's Roast and Kevin from Ronin Sushi, plus Dave from Supino Pizzeria and Les from Green Dot Stables talking smack at each other. [Thrillist]

And here is Crain's Detroit Business run-down of the biggest restaurant news of 2012. The announcement of Craftwork was big enough news in itself, the Prentice v. Dickson slap-fight at least yielded Gastronomy and Detroit Prime, and the opening of Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe, Detroit's Buffalo Wild Wings, and Vinsetta Garage were all big news for various different reasons large and small. [Crain's]

A2GastroBoy totally wants to be me. (After the part about the butt-chugging.) [A2GB blahg]

Serious Eats has a serious thing for The Wurst Bar. Here is their list of top Christmas-themed hot dogs. [Serious Eats]

Pizzeria Biga makes one of the sexiest pizzas in the country. [Thrillist]

The New York Times attempts to write about wild yeast and sour beers and does it, um, ok I guess. As best as could probably be hoped for. Imma go ahead and say I did it in the New York Post FIRST. Also, Jolly Pumpkin Brewery! [NYT / NYP]

Eat It GR
~After some teasing about making some old beers no longer in production available once again in 2013, Founders has released their full beer line-up for next year and it includes Rubaeus, a popular raspberry ale that hasn't been produced since 2008. The brand realignment also means Cerise is shelved for 2013, Breakfast Stout and All Day IPA will be the only seasonals, Red's Rye is getting bumped to a specialty release, and all specialty releases (including KBS and Curmudgeon) will be sold in 4-packs with a suggested retail price of $11.99. So do be quick to accuse your local liquor hut of gouging when you see KBS marked at $19.99. [MLive]
~They've also promised to have "more additions" up their sleeves for 2013. [Founders Official]
~Virtue Cider's new facility in Fennville has started production. [Holland Sentinel]