[NEWS BITES] November news from the outer 'burbs

Great Lakes Culinary Center. 

Southfield: The new Great Lakes Culinary Center, a 20,000-square-foot, multi-use facility for restaurant and food service industry professionals and aspiring food entrepreneurs, has officially opened its doors to the public. The center is connected with the Great Lakes Supply Company and provides food service professionals with everything needed to design, build, test, and launch a fully-equipped commercial kitchen. In addition, it is an interactive demonstration classroom, multimedia learning center, and a destination for private parties and special events with indoor/outdoor seating and capacity of up to 150 people.

Milford: Despite a previous press release going on saying that it is open, the new Smoke Street in Milford (in the space previously occupied by Cinco Lagos, previously Five Lakes Grille) is in fact not yet open. But the menu is up, and it looks...like it will be less "destination" BBQ and more serviceable neighborhood "we go because it's there" BBQ.

Plymouth: Plymouth-Canton Patch reports that the 789 building is celebrating its grand opening. The building is home to three new businesses: Cafe Jorge, Aladdin Shawarma Express, and Yummie Yogurt.

Shelby Township: Buddy's Pizza opened their 10th metro Detroit area location in Shelby Township yesterday. "Where is Shelby Township?", you ask? If you have to ask, you don't really need to know. (It's basically the Novi of the northeast but without all the Asians.) This is Buddy's first new location in 15 years.

Troy: Columbus's Piada Italian Street Food is coming to Troy. Here's part of the press release:A new, healthy, made-to-order food concept is coming Michigan thanks to successful Ohio restaurateur Chris Doody. Piada Italian Street Food will premiere its thin crust bread that is hand-rolled with premium ingredients at its newest location on Friday, Nov. 22 at 2038 W. Big Beaver Road in Troy.

Piada Troy is a new genre of fresh fare with Northern Italian roots. It is quickly rising in popularity in the Midwest and hailed as a “Hot Concept” by Nation’s Restaurant News. At the counter of Piada Troy, guests choose the creation of their dish step-by-step. The price of the average meal is $9 and the order is typically completed within 60 seconds.

Guests choose from three entrees:
· The Piada – It begins with a stone-baked Italian crust dough made from organic and natural flours and extra virgin olive oil. Then, it is filled with high-quality ingredients and from-scratch sauces of the guests’ choice
· A custom-created chopped salad
· A personal pasta bowl

Guests customize their entrée selections with items such as steak, Italian sausage or salmon; sauces including Pomodoro, Alfredo and pesto; a selection of sautéed and fresh vegetables; and salad toppings of cheese, pancetta and much more.

So, basically, it's another place for Troy office workers to get a quick lunch.

[EID Events] UPDATED October 3-November 2, 2013

The Sugar House. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

ONGOING

Plymouth Restaurant Week, through October 5
Has enough of restaurant weeks yet? Well, here's another one! This one's in Plymouth and features three-tier pricing.

Fall Flavor Weekends at the Henry Ford, through October 6
Celebrate harvest season at the Henry Ford during their Fall Flavor Weekends featuring a variety of fall foods and related programming.

Bastone Brewery Oktoberfest, through October 13
Bastone is now serving their annual Oktoberfest menu with their popular Rocktoberfest lager and special edition beer glasses.

TONIGHT

Fall Show Opening Reception at Rodin, Midtown October 3
The second best thing about art openings (aside from the ART, duh) is the booze. And Rodin has plenty of that. Check out the opening party from 6-8 p.m.

THIS WEEKEND

Free Lunch Friday (FLF), Detroit Labs, downtown October 4
Register now for a networky rah rah Detroit lunch thing at Detroit Labs next Friday. (Actually the free spots are all taken but you can still snag a non-free spot with a donation.)

8 Degrees Plato Two-Year Anniversary, Ferndale October 4
Celebrate two years of Tim and Brid and craft beer tonight from 4-8 p.m. with a free tasting featuring several Short's beers and some of their personal favorites, with Chicago-style hot dogs from Hippo's to go with the beer! Totes free. 

Manya's Birthday at Abick's Bar, Southwest Detroit October 4
Manya, the owner of Abick's Bar in Southwest Detroit, turns 90 years old today. Celebrate with her anytime this weekend at one of Detroit's oldest and friendliest bars. Read more about it here. 

The Greening Gala, Roast, downtown October 4
Yes, tickets are $500 each. Let's just get that part out of the way right now. This is a gala fundraising event for the Greening of Detroit and you either have the money or you don't. If you do, celebrity chef Michael Symon himself will be cooking using ingredients he'll source that morning from the Greening of Detroit's 2.5-acre farm in Eastern Market and locally-raised livestock in a five-course menu at his flagship Detroit restaurant Roast. 

Kuhnhenn Oktoberfest, Kuhnhenn Brewing Company, Warren October 5-6
There will be live music and German food in their tented biergarten and Kuhnhenn Festbier on tap. Time to break out the lederhosen! 

Hamtramck Neighborhood Arts Festival, Hamtramck October 5
Held over 26 locations with 50 artists, musicians, theatre, dance, readings and more. Grab a guide at Public Pool.

The DIA's Inside|Out Community Dinner, Gleaners Community Food Bank, the Villages October 5
This event, presented by the DIA in conjunction with Detroit Harmonie and Slows BAR BQ to benefit Gleaners, is on a wait list but it's worth a shot. This community dinner is the wrap-up event for the DIA's 2013 Inside|Out program; Gleaners was one of 13 locations in the Villages to host one of the images. 

Sundaylicious at MotorCity Wine, Corktown October 6
The weekly Sunday themed and pop-up dinner series at MotorCity Wine continues this week with Rubbed, a Euro-style deli opening soon in Corktown. 

The Great Lakes Regional Chili Cookoff, downtown Plymouth October 6
This 18th annual event features a huge chili cookoff with awards in several categories, a motorcycle show, music, kids' activities, and more.

NEXT WEEK

Big Dumb Tiki Party, the Sugar House, Corktown October 7
Celebrate the two-year anniversary of the Sugar House at their "Big Dumb Tiki Party" on Monday, October 7 starting at 5 p.m. with music from the Mexican Knives and the Hentchmen, exotic tiki coolers, cheap punch, and floral shirts. No cover. 

Ferndale Restaurant Week, October 7-13
More here.

Dine Drink Detroit, October 10-16
More here.

(revolver) 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.

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.

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 
~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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

[HOT LIST] Cocktails

Dave Kwiatkowski of the Sugar House. All photos by Nicole Rupersburg.

It goes without saying that the BEST best places in metro Detroit to get a craft cocktail are Roast, the Oakland, and the Sugar House (which was just named one of the best bars in America by Playboy). But as the trend has grown over the last couple of years - so much so that Michigan Radio recently took notice and ran a state-wide poll looking for Michigan's best craft cocktail bar, and Michigan State University has their own Artisan Distilling Program (the Master Distiller of Death's Door is a graduate of this program) - an ever-increasing number of bars and restaurants are getting with the craft cocktail program. And not in the half-assed way they did before (changing the name of their martini menu to "craft cocktails," yet keeping all the same candy-flavored vodka drinks) - this time it's in earnest. Top-shelf spirits (think bourbons, gins, and boutique liqueurs), fresh-squeezed juices, and house-made bitters and infusions separate the men from the martinis. What a difference two years make, eh? These are some of the best places to get some (aside from Roast, the Oakland, and the Sugar House, of course).

#1 Pizzeria Biga Royal Oak, Southfield, Ann Arbor (opening soon)
Pizza and craft cocktails? Absolutely, when the pizza in question is made by James Beard award-nominated chef Luciano del Signore (along with house-made charcuterie) and the cocktails by some of the best local bartenders in the business. Biga's beverage program in general is a thing of excellence, with proper dues given to its Italian inspiration in its selection of Italian beers, wines, and liqueurs. They also have a great selection of craft beers and have recently started hosting beer dinners. As for cocktails, they have a full selection of classic craft cocktails as well as some of their own creations.

Red Crown. 

#2 Red Crown Grosse Pointe Park
Turns out, Grosse Pointers are a bunch of booze-hounds. (This probably surprises no one who is familiar with Grosse Pointers and their lifestyles.) Mixologist Thomas Phillips, a self-described liquor nerd, leads the bar's cocktail program, which includes a mix of classic cocktails and his own creations, which he changes seasonally. The renovated historic gas station in Grosse Pointe Park opened earlier this year and was an instant hit with the community that has been woefully underserved in their demand for drink. This summer, enjoy their expansive, beautifully-landscaped patio with a cold cocktail and some smoked meat and Southern-style comfort food.

#3 The Last Word Ann Arbor
The Last Word takes its name from the classic cocktail of the same name, which is fitting for this Prohibition-era craft cocktail bar. This place is all about the booze, and be sure to shop in for Whiskey Wednesdays when they serve Scotch (SCOTCH SCOTCH SCOTCHY SCOTCH), bourbon and rye half-off. It's a classy joint in a college town, and their cocktails are on point.

#4 Bailout Productions Detroit
We all know that Roast is one of the best places to go for a craft cocktail, and that's because of the talent behind the bar. Bailout Productions has its roots in Roast, where founders Travis Fourmont (who now works at Great Lakes Wine and Spirits) and Joe Robinson (still holding down the happy hour fort) both worked. They now team up for pop-up bar events at places like Green Dot Stables and the currently-uninhabited Rhino Club in Harmonie Park, and bring their full cocktailing skills along with some friends – like chef Andy Hollyday, who recently left his post at Roast to work on opening his own restaurant in Midtown. They've got more events planned for this summer, so be sure to follow them on Facebook for updates on their upcoming pop-ups.

#5 Sardine Room Plymouth
The much-buzzed-about Sardine Room in Plymouth just celebrated its one-year anniversary earlier this month. Known for their selection of fresh seafood (oysters, the oysters, especially the oysters) and elevated small plates, the Sardine Room also has an excellent selection of craft beer and craft cocktails. What with all of the oysters and the hot sauce and the lobster rolls (basically a lobster po'boy) and the shrimp and grits, the Sardine Room has a vaguely New Orleansean vibe, so it seems only fitting to sip on a Sazerac (the drink that originated in the Big Easy over 150 years ago) while you're here.

Bubbling under Valentine Distillery (Ferndale), Gastronomy (Southfield), Zingerman's Roadhouse (Ann Arbor), St. Cece's Pub (Corktown), Vellum (Ann Arbor), Great Lakes Coffee (Midtown), Union Woodshop (Clarkston), the Raven's Club (Ann Arbor), Imperial (Ferndale), the Bar at 327 Braun Court (Ann Arbor), the Laundry (Fenton), the Root (White Lake), Torino (Ferndale), Lena (Ann Arbor)

[Real Detroit] Panache 447

Downtown Plymouth offers a burgeoning food scene with ample opportunity to be a big fish in a small pond, which is the reason father and son owners Robert and Blake Kolo decided to open Panache 447 in this location.

Speaking of big fish ... wait, we'll get to that.

Read more.

[HOT LIST] Neapolitan pizza

Mani Osteria. All photos by Nicole Rupersburg.

There has been a growing trend in metro Detroit recently, and one that has been happening relatively quietly. No, it's not upscale BBQ or upscale comfort food -- those trends have been anything but quiet. But while we have continued to bow at the altar of the almighty mac and cheese, coal- and wood-fired pizzerias are increasing in number (not to mention overall quality), and more specifically, Neapolitan-style pizzas are quickly nipping at the heels of their Sicilian-born Detroit-style deep dish brethren.

Pizza gets a bad rep. Typically thought of as the garbage pail gut-bomb it has been bastardized into courtesy of America (USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!), when people think of "pizza" they think of grease-soaked dense pan-cooked crust gobbed with dripping piles of cheap cheese and piled over with a zoo's worth of animal flesh. While I have a certain passion for such pedestrian pizzas like the fat Midwesterner that I am, not all pizza is so offensive to refined tastes. Neapolitan-style pizza is defined by high-quality, fresh, simple and healthy ingredients -- unbleached flour, fresh mozzarella, exceptional produce, extra virgin olive oil. In its truest Neapolitan form, pizza is actually quite healthy.

There is a very specific set of criteria that qualifies a pizza as "Neapolitan," but there are only two pizzerias in metro Detroit that are officially certified as such. For the purposes of this Hot List, I'm looking at places that are Neapolitan in spirit if not 100% in practice. Taken into consideration is size, shape and flavor of the dough; the quality and caliber of ingredients (prosciutto, yes; Canadian bacon, no); whether the pizza ovens are coal- or wood-fired; and, as is the case with any Hot List, whether or not I like it.*

The Margherita pizza at Antica Pizzeria Fellini.

#1 Antica Pizzeria Fellini (Royal Oak)
For more about the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, scroll down to #4. Got it? 'k. So this place is metro Detroit's other VPN-recognized Neapolitan pizzeria, and it's the real deal. This place is the most like an actual restaurant in Italy out of any of the faux-Italian eateries I’ve ever been in – it’s just a space, a simple space they obviously made some effort to make it look nice but otherwise a room in a building, nothing more. The owner is ever-present, presiding over the restaurant from his post in the very open kitchen, making all the food himself and personally checking in with all the customers. (For a little added authenticity, he even has an Italian accent). There was once a time when Il Posto was the most "Italian" place in Detroit, reminiscent of the highly-orchestrated fussy fine dining at Michelin-rated restaurants in touristy Toscana. Antica is countryside Italian, a small family-owned spot that exists solely to serve good food to their "extended" family, the customers. This is hands-down the best Neapolitan pizza I’ve ever had in Michigan. The dough tastes like flour, salt and yeast with a bit of wood smoke – in other words, exactly what it is, a mere canvas for the superior tomato sauce and creamy mozzarella. Their house-baked bread used for their bruschetta would also make excellent fettunta, and I wouldn't be surprised if they would in fact make it for you if you asked.

#2 Pizzeria Biga (Royal Oak, Southfield)
The custom-built brick oven chef-proprietor Luciano del Signore had flown in from Italy is pretty much the Ferrari of pizza ovens. Actually I think I said it best when I said, "The showpiece of the place is the 6,000-pound Ferrari-red wood-burning oven hand-made in Naples, Italy by Stefano Ferrara who is (channeling Cher Horowitz), like, a totally important designer. (Of ovens.)" Also, I am apparently fond of the Ferrari comparison. Real talk: this is not the best Neapolitan-style pizza of the bunch; several others on this list and listed as "bubbling under" are better. But do any of those other places have 24 international craft beers on tap and a beer store in their basement? No they do not. Extra bonus for the use of their own house-made charcuterie like duck prosciutto, which if you HAVE to pollute your pizza with animal carcass then this would be the place to do it.

The Margherita pizza at Tony Sacco's.

#3 Tony Sacco's Coal Oven Pizza (Novi, Ann Arbor coming soon)
It's a casual joint that manages to strike the perfect balance between pedestrian pizza gluttony and European refinement. You can read more about their $50,000 custom-built oven that burns extremely expensive clean-burning coal here; see also all fresh ingredients and everything made from scratch with no freezers, no microwaves and no fryers anywhere in the building. For a place that feels like such a casual sit-down pizza place, their commitment to quality is unmatched. The pizzas themselves toe that line of excessive American meatiness, but their Margherita is the real deal and the Bianco is bang-on. And also also also also the garlic rolls.

#4 Cellar 849 (Plymouth)
As Michigan's first certified Neapolitan pizza recognized by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (VPN) -- the "pizza polizia" -- of Naples, Italy, Cellar 849 adheres to the strict regulations that respect the tradition of true Neapolitan pizza, including a custom wood-burning oven, hand-rolled dough, and fresh, all-natural ingredients. They use some of the highest-quality imported ingredients available, including Fior di Latte mozzarella, Denominazione di Origine Protteta (DOP -- the produce polizia) San Marzano tomatoes, Italian extra virgin olive oil, prosciutto di Parma and Caputo flour. Their Italian-built wood-burning oven is the same as those used at the flashier Pizzeria Biga joints, and the remainder of the menu is just as delightfully Italian, including the (somewhat predictable) wine and beer lists. Yes, I just plagiarized myself here.

#5 Crispelli's Bakery + Pizza (Berkley)
Make no mistake, this place is a clusterfuck. It is so much of a clusterfuck that I'm not even sure why anyone would even make the attempt to go there on a Friday night. Don't go on a Friday night. All the traffic controllers and little metal signs with numbers on them designating your assigned seats in the open-seating cafeteria-style restaurant cannot make this any less of an exercise in tedium, nor does it make up for the fact that you have to wait in six different lines just to cobble together a single meal and if you don't stand in the middle of the register area with all of the other blank-looking meat bags you'll have no way of knowing when your food is ready. Pizza? That's one line. Salad? That's another. Drinks? Look, don't make this complicated: go on an off day at an off time and order one of their "Authentic Italian" thin crust pizzas. Despite all of the MANY inconveniences of ordering, their pizza is worth the hassle. (Just not on a Friday night.) Another thing I like: the self-serve structure means your $10 pizza really is $10 -- none of the added charges of sitting down in a restaurant with a server, ordering drinks, having to tip, so on and so forth until your $10 pizza becomes a $25 pizza. If you want to stuff your face on the quick without the fuss but still have high standards, this is the place to go.

Bubbling under Terra Cotta Pizzeria (Windsor), Tomatoes Apizza (Farmington Hills, Novi), Spago Trattoria E Pizzeria (Windsor), Vito's Olde Walkerville Pizzeria (Windsor), Mani Osteria (Ann Arbor), Fresco Wood Oven Pizzeria (Rochester Hills)

*Gas ovens have been excluded. Supino uses a gas oven. Is that a bad thing? Certainly not. The best pizza I ever had in my life was made in a gas oven. But that is not for this list. I have to draw the line somewhere, and I drew that line at coal. Because...I did. Because I can. So there. Still more places not listed here -- Vinsetta Garage, Union Woodshop, Bad Brad's BBQ Shelby Twp., J. Baldwin's, Motor City Brewing Works -- use wood-fired pizza ovens (as I said, this is becoming quite the trend), but their pizzas didn't quite meet my very loosely-defined Neapolitan-ish criteria. 

[HOT LIST] Plymouth

Photo from the Sardine Room on Facebook.

Plymouth: that mysterious Middle Earth that lies somewhere between Ann Arbor and the rest of greater metro Detroit. For many Plymouth is merely a drive-by city, a place you pass on the way to Ann Arbor and only take note of because of the prominent water tower in plain sight of the freeway. But Plymouth is a fantastic city with a vibrant, bustling downtown filled with independently-owned shops and restaurants, flanked by historic Colonial and Cape Cod-style homes on hilly tree-lined streets. It's quiet and quaint, charming and absolutely adorbs. (There is a reason CNN Money Magazine named it one of the best small towns to live in 2009.)

In addition to being so cute you want to pinch it, the community is also committed to maintaining a rich cultural identity. Home to a variety of events including the Plymouth Ice Festival, the oldest and largest free ice carving festival in North America attracting 400,000 visitors annually, and Art in the Park, Michigan's second-largest art fair held every year in downtown Plymouth's fab Kellogg Park (which just so happens to be this weekend), Plymouth remains something of a best kept secret for the 10,000 or so people who call it home.

Photo from the Sardine Room.

#1 The Sardine Room
The name may be a bit misleading as there really aren't an abundance of sardines in the Sardine Room; just roll with it. (To their credit, they do have a Portuguese sardine snack plate.) The Sardine Room is Plymouth's newest restaurant (from the same people behind Plymouth's Fiamma and Compari's) and is already a huge hit with the locals. It's a raw bar and tapas restaurant  that focuses on shellfish with a smattering of high-end odds-and-ends items (like American Wagyu beef, Loch Duart Scottish salmon and rilettes). Mussels, clams, scallops, shrimp, crab and LOTS of oysters dominate the menu, with a lot of love left over for that most magical of animals, the pig. (Porchetta sliders; pulled pork POUTINE.) They have a nice selection of Michigan and American craft beers plus some fun and funky imports (Cuvee des Jacobins all day every day please), and their Sunday brunch is like a little taste of New Orleans. But the best part of all is their buck-a-shuck happy hour, Monday through Friday 4 to 6 p.m. in the bar. $1 oysters, $2 PBR, $3 shooters, $4 cocktails, and $5 cheese plate.

#2 Zin Wine Bar
With new ownership and an ambitious young chef, Zin Wine Bar is poised to become one of metro Detroit's top dining destinations. Hyper-local, somewhat experimental (pushing the envelope of molecular gastronomy about as much as meat-and-potatoes metro Detroiters can handle, anyway), hyper-seasonal, and ridiculously affordable for what you get, Zin is a win -- right down to the wine and beer list crafted with consultation by beverage whiz kid Joseph Allerton of Roast fame.

#3 Cellar 849
As Michigan's first certified Neapolitan pizza recognized by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (VPN) -- the "pizza polizia" -- of Naples, Italy, Cellar 849 adheres to the strict regulations that respect the tradition of true Neapolitan pizza, including a custom wood-burning oven, hand-rolled dough, and fresh, all-natural ingredients. They use some of the highest-quality imported ingredients available, including Fior di Latte mozzarella, Denominazione di Origine Protteta (DOP -- the produce polizia) San Marzano tomatoes, Italian extra virgin olive oil, prosciutto di Parma and Caputo flour. Their Italian-built wood-burning oven is the same as those used at the flashier Pizzeria Biga joints, and the remainder of the menu is just as delightfully Italian, including the (somewhat predictable) wine and beer lists.

#4 5ive Restaurant
5ive, located inside the AAA four-diamond-winning Inn at St. John's overlooking a sprawling 27-hole golf course, offers the full dining experience -- breakfast, lunch and dinner (as restaurants inside hotels usually do), but also custom chef's table menus with wine pairings prepared personally by Executive Chef Jason Stoops. They've also got a beautiful outdoor terrace with fire pits and views of their impeccably landscaped gardens, and plenty of plush lounge seating inside.

Photo from EID.

#5 Plymouth Coffee Bean
Astro it ain't, but what it lacks in post-third-wave coffeehouse appeal it more than makes up for in the adorability factor. Claiming to be Michigan's longest-running independent coffee shop (open since 1993), Plymouth Coffee Bean is housed inside an historic old home. There are multiple different rooms and two spacious tree-shaded patios for lounging and/or lively discussion, with WiFi aplenty. They have a variety of homemade snacks, sandwiches and crepes made to order. In that early-'90s tradition of the coffeehouse-as-iconoclast hub, works from local artists adorn the walls and they regularly host live music, open mic nights, poetry readings and ... *cough* ... "Tweet-ups" (our early '90s forefathers are rolling over in their flannel shirts and Doc Martens). The coffee ... well, you can't win 'em all. They're still stuck in that Starbucksian sense of drowning the taste of stale beans in scalded milk and sugary syrups, but the place has enough character where that can be overlooked in favor of its other fine attributes (an Italian soda or tea works just fine, but if you absolutely must, stop first for coffee at Espresso Elevado nearby which roasts their own).

Bubbling under Liberty Street Brewing Company, Compari's on the Park, Espresso Elevado, The Box Bar, Main Street Pizza, Fiamma Grille, Crawford's Kitchen, Sweet Afton Tea Room, Sean O'Callaghan's

[HOT LIST] Salads

The Arugula Salad at Olga's Kitchen. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

Salad. That most underrated course of culinary creations. For too many restaurants, it is merely an afterthought. For too many diners, it is too much filler between the appetizers (small plates! tapas! ...a rose by any other name would surely still be a rose, unless you call it "extra special trendy new never-seen-before rose;" thus how "appetizers" evolved into "small plates") and the entrees. It is usually denigrated to the lowly position of "side," and is munched on seemingly out of pity as the diner patiently awaits his or her "real" food. As an entree choice, salad is a laughingstock and so is the person who orders it - it is considered "girly," often imbued with smug accusations of insecurity over appearance - "diet" is a four-letter word, as is "girl." "Vegetarian" isn't, but it might as well be for all the snide comments that meat-eaters make about them (because meat-eaters eat ONLY meat: every meal is meat wrapped in meat on a meat bun with meat sauce and sides of meat cooked in meat fat).

But a good salad is an art - not merely shredding up some lettuce, throwing on whatever toppings are nearby and slathering it in some uninspired dressing like ranch (*shudder*). A good salad can highlight the very best of Michigan's bountiful produce (second only to California in diversity, and THOSE people know their salads), incorporate unexpected flavors and textures, and be not just the intermission but the highlight of an entire meal. These salads do exactly that, and not one of them is made with iceberg lettuce.  Iceberg has about all of the nutritional value as a handful of wood chips. Which honestly isn't even fair to wood chips, which probably have more flavor. It's time to demand and appreciate a higher class of salad!

Prosciutto Salad at Zin. Photo by VATO.

#1 Zin Wine Bar Plymouth
Still the new guy in town over in Plymouth, which is quickly becoming the new go-to downtown restaurant destination thanks to places like 5ive and the even-newer Sardine Room, up-and-coming Chef Justin Vaiciunas gets the importance of salad, and just how creative a chef can actually be with it. The menu at Zin changes seasonally, but recent salad options included a roasted heirloom beet salad with citrus foam, brussels sprouts salad with black garlic aioli, and a shaved prosciutto salad featuring a pile of prosciutto (MEAT motherfuckers!) over lemon mascarpone and drizzled with Italian white truffle oil. Check your salad prejudice at the door.

#2 The Root Restaurant White Lake
Executive Chef James Rigato (another serious up-and-comer) is passionate about produce, specifically Michigan produce. The overarching ethos of the Root is fresh, local and seasonal, and this is reflected as much in their salads as in any other menu item. Their take on a roasted beet salad includes arugula, goat cheese, pickled onion, orange and marcona almond with a Michigan honey and sherry vinaigrette. For the summer they've got a vegan greenhouse fattoush salad, a strawberry arugula salad, and their signature "Orchard Salad" with green apple, red leaf, marcona almond, dried Michigan cherries, Michigan bleu cheese, pickled onion, crispy house-made bacon (!), and Spicer's hard cider vinaigrette.

#3 The Majestic Detroit
House salads usually suck: "here's a pile of crappy lettuce with chopped up three-day-old tomatoes and canned olives with bottled Italian dressing on top" (and if they're fancy it will be called "Italian vinaigrette"). At the Majestic Cafe, the house salad is one of the best things on the menu, and they've got a damn good menu. Order as a full portion or just as a side (but a side that can certainly hold its own): baby arugula, Saga bleu cheese, candied walnuts and apple tossed in a Michigan maple vinaigrette. And, like, a big-ass HUNK of Saga bleu. No fooling around with this one.

#4 Olga's Kitchen Detroit
Newly opened on the main floor of the Compuware Building in downtown Detroit's Central Business District, Olga's Kitchen was met with a mix of excitement and, to a much lesser extent, disdain. (Disdain: "Waaaaaaaah, it's corporate." Rebuttal: It's a Michigan-based chain! Disdain: "Waaaaaaaaah, you have to order at a counter right inside the door and that's weird and unfamiliar and I don't like it." Rebuttal: this speeds up service by cutting out the middleman and besides, fine dining it ain't; your food is still brought right to your table.) They've got a large selection of salads, but try the one that's inexplicably buried under the "starters" portion of the menu: the Arugula Salad. Baby arugula, tomato bruschetta, candied bacon (BACON!!!), red onions and feta tossed in their signature dressing. They also have a surprising selection of Michigan craft beers (like Frankenmuth Dunkel) - on a recent visit the salad with an order of Olga Snackers (bread + cheese) and a beer was under $11 and the food came out lightning-fast.

#5 Torino Espresso Bar Ferndale
They've got a small but mighty selection of salads to match their small but mighty menu. Their Caesar is made with house-made Caesar dressing and prosciutto bacon, but for something light and simple try their house salad -- arugula, Parmagiano Reggiano, olive oil, lemon juice and balsamic. The best part is you can order one of their outstanding panini and swap out the chips for the house salad for only $2.50 ... totes worth it.

Bubbling under Pizzeria Biga (Royal Oak), Le Petit Zinc (Detroit), Anita's Kitchen (Ferndale), Meriwether's (Southfield), Roma Cafe (Detroit), Mr. Paul's Chophouse (Roseville), Inn Season Cafe (Royal Oak), Big Rock Chop House (Birmingham), 24grille (Detroit), Hudson Cafe (Detroit), Forest Grill (Birmingham), Hilton Road Cafe (Ferndale), Roast (Detroit), Palazzo di Bocce (Lake Orion), Tony Sacco's Coal Oven Pizza (Novi)

[Metromode] Almost Famous: Metro Detroit's Up and Coming Chefs

James Rigato of the Root Restaurant in White Lake. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

Metro Detroit isn’t exactly known for its cutting-edge culinary scene, but that’s not the same as not actually having one. It seems like we’re almost always the bridesmaid (getting sloppy drunk and shoveling gobs of buttercream frosting down our throats as we insist we’re really happy for the bride, really) when it comes to James Beard awards and invitations to compete on Top Chef.

Sure, occasionally we manage to eke one out – Eve Aronoff of Ann Arbor’s Frita Batidos and John Somerville of the Lark in West Bloomfield are still the only Top Chef competitors from Michigan to date, though both got booted early on; Executive Chef Alex Young from Zingerman’s Roadhouse won the James Beard Award (nicknamed “the Oscars of Food” and presumably just as political) for Best Chef: Great Lakes in 2011, which brings the grand total of Michigan winners up to three since the awards were established in 1990 (the other two were Takashi Yagihashi in 2003 for Tribute and Jimmy Schmidt in 1993 for the Rattlesnake Club). Hell, if it weren’t for Coney dogs and Phil Cooley’s Corktown metro Detroit might as well just be Ann Arbor’s country cousin for all the recognition it gets from national tastemakers.

Read more.

[Metromix] ZIN Wine Bar

French Chicken. All photos by VATO for Metromix.

Plymouth’s Grape Expectations closed their doors on December 31, 2011. After three weeks of interior overhauling it reopened again on January 21, 2012 as ZIN Wine Bar and Restaurant. Much like Grape Expectations, ZIN is a wine bar, but that is where the similarities cease. ZIN is a totally new approach to the wine bar-restaurant concept, not just to Plymouth but to all of metro Detroit.

Partners Jorge Manzano and Steve Papas worked closely with previous owner Lisa O’Donnell to make it a smooth transition between Grape Expectations and ZIN. They hired Executive Chef Justin Vaiciunas in May 2011 so he could start developing the menu and get a feel for the Plymouth clientele … a strategy which has worked well for them, as regular customers were slowly introduced to Vaiciunas’s inventive yet unfamiliar techniques and started to get excited about the new concept.

Hop Aboard! Michigan's Best Breweries on Metromode

"Since the Stroh's Brewery opened in 1850 in Detroit, Michigan has had a booming beer industry. Beer has always had a way of keeping the economy chugging along, as it continues to do even now. Michigan is the sixth-largest state for craft breweries, a local industry that just keeps growing.

'Currently there are nearly 90 craft breweries in the state of Michigan producing hundreds of different styles of handcrafted beer. Michigan's brewing industry contributes more than $24 million in wages and has a total economic impact of over $133 million annually.

'2009 has been a big year for Michigan beers. The winners of the 2009 Great American Beer Festival (the Emmy Awards of beer) were just announced in September, with Great "Beer" State brews sweeping up seven medal competitions. October brought the inaugural Detroit Beer Week, a celebration of local brews with coordinating events held all over Metro Detroit, followed by the first-ever Harvest Beer Festival hosted by the Michigan Brewer's Guild and featuring over 40 Michigan breweries inside Detroit's Eastern Market..."

Read the rest of the article here, and be sure to check out the inaugural Harvest Festival at Eastern Market this Saturday!

Breweries, Microbreweries, and Brewpubs, Oh My!

Last night I was enjoying some brews at Liberty Street Brewing Company in Plymouth, and one of the partners, Josh Traylor, was kind enough to break down for me the difference between a brewery, a microbrewery, and a brewpub. I suspect that this is information that could be useful to many of my readers (seeing as how most of us use the terms interchangeably), so I decided to share this info with you. Ah, the things I do.

Also thanks to the Michigan Brewers Guild for putting out a publication called Michigan: The Great Beer State (published by Hour Custom Publishing, and you can totally tell), whose 2009 edition also offers a great breakdown of the differences which I am now about to copy verbatim.

A brewery can sell beer both in their own tavern as well as through retailers across the state. Breweries are limited to one tavern per company.

A microbrewery is limited to brewers under 30,000 barrels of annual production. Microbreweries can sell beer in both their own taverns or through retailers across the state. They are not limited in the number of taverns they may operate.

A brewpub can only sell its beer inside its own establishment, including beer-to-go. It also may include a liquor license and offer a full-service bar.

These defintions are based on the State of Michigan licensing qualifications, and if you ask me some of the restrictions are a bit arbitrary (a brewery can only have one tavern but a microbrewery can have a limitless number?), but no one asked me.

Now cue the music for The More You Know.

Upcoming Dining Events

There are a number of great dining events coming up in the next several weeks, and I will be keeping you updated along the way. Starting tonight, check out Detroit Synergy Group's newest food-focused social outing, "Diner's Club." From there enjoy wine tastings, wine pairings, and winemakers' dinners to your heart's content.

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Wednesday, March 11th: Detroit Synergy Diner’s Club at Eph’s

The kickoff of for the NEW Detroit Diner's Club will be at Eph's on Woodward. Eph's features a daily array of great deli sandwiches named after legendary Detroit icons & landmarks, hot soups, plus a hot cup of Joe or a Fa! ygo. They're also well-known for their famous bread pudding & whiskey sauce. Scope out the great plethera of vintage signage, photos & maps that tell a story or two of old Detroit. So come join us for some great eats and conversation.

When: 6:30pm
Where: 608 Woodward Ave. located on the east side of Woodward just north of Congress in downtown Detroit. Look for the big pickle!
Parking is available onstreet or in nearby garages for a fee.

Cost is only $13.00 and includes:

1) Four small sandwiches from their most popular menu items on one plate:
• THE MABLE CLARK ~ An Irish Reuben Style Sandwich, it features corned beef, swiss, slaw, russian dressing on an onion roll
• THE DUBLIN GARDEN ~ Lettuce, Tomato, spinach, Mayo, Red Onion, Dijon, Sprouts , Havarti on whole grain bread
• THE WOODDBRIDGE ~ Just like the Dublin but add a generous amount of turkey
• THE CAMPUS MARTIUS ~ Roast Beef, Horseradish, Red Onion, Lettuce, on an Onion Roll

2) A Beverage of your choice: Bottle of Vernors, Stewarts Ginger Beer or orange soda, IBC Root Beer, or Coffee.

3) Tax and gratuity.

Tickets: Space is limited, so reservations MUST be made in advance. Tickets are available on the DSG store http://shop.detroitsynergy.org and must be purchased by 9:00PM on Sunday, March 8th; cash reservations must be received by 3:00PM Monday, March 9th. (Editor's note: there's always room for walk-ins; send a note to the email address below.)

Will there be anything else? We're told the bread pudding with whiskey sauce is TO...DIE...FOR... but you may be already stuffed so that is an optional dessert item if you have the room. We'll also be stopping by Cliff Bell's afterwards for some live jazz with the Scott Gwinnell Orchestra & cocktails with some cool cats. Cover is $5.00 at the door plus drinks, optional of course.

For more info, contact Steve Holowicki detroitdiners@detroitsynergy.org
For additional info, visit http://www.yelp.com/biz/eph-mcnallys-detroit

Where: Eph’s, Detroit
When: 6:30PM
Tix: $13.00 (must RSVP in advance to ensure availability)
http://www.detroitsynergy.org/

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Thursday, March 12th: Wine & Cheese Pairing at Vitner’s Wine Cellar

Wine and cheese pairing in downtown Royal Oak.
Come try four of our wines with four cheeses from around the world.
Relaxed environment....a great way to spend an early evening or start your night out.
Please contact us at 248-591-9463 to reserve a spot.

Where: Vitner’s Wine Cellar, Royal Oak
When: 6:00PM-8:00PM
Tix: $15.00
http://www.royaloakwinery.com/

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Thursday, March 12th: Rock ‘n Roll Wine, “Amplified” Wine Tasting at 336 Main

An “Amplified” wine tasting. Making wine more accessible, less pretentious, and more fun by pairing it with live music in interesting venues. On Thursday, March 12th, Rock ‘n Roll Wine gets shakin' at 336 Main---a club and martini bar in Plymouth. 336 Main offers a respite from the franchise pub and sports bar crowd by espousing the concept of keeping it casually upscale with quality beer, wine, liquor and excellent live entertainment. As usual, RnR Wine will be pouring a brand-new mix of the underappreciated, unusual, and just plain good wines from all over the globe.

One of 336 Main's regular entertainers, Rick Canzano, will be performing a wide mix of popular covers and original entertainment. Canzano is a dynamic live performer, who plays several instruments, and has honed his craft throughout the clubs of Detroit.

A $25 advance ticket lets you sample all of the music and wine that your heart desires. The cost goes up to $30 the day of the show.

Wine pouring starts at 6:30pm, live music begins shortly thereafter. See you there!

Where: 336 Main, Plymouth
When: 6:30PM
Tix: $25.00 advance, $30.00 at the door
http://www.rnrwine.com/

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Friday, March 13th: Vintage Rock Wine Dinner Featuring Mike Fleetwood Riesling and Doobie Red at Fleming’s

OPENING SONG
GROOVY GOAT CHEESE & OVEN DRIED TOMATO CROSTINI
Double Platinum Champagne Cocktail
An original creation by rock star mixologist Kim Haasarud,
author of 101 Champagne Cocktails

MEGA-HIT
ROCKIN' SHRIMP & BLUE CHEESE DIPPING SAUCE
served with spring greens and batons of carrots
MICK FLEETWOOD PRIVATE CELLAR,
Riesling Central Coast, 2005
This refreshing, off-dry 2005 Riesling crafted by Mick
Fleetwood is the winner of numerous awards and accolades.

CHART TOPPER
KILLER FILET MIGNON
served with sautéed chard, tomato and whole grain
festival fries
DOOBIE RED, North Coast Collectors Series, 2005
Having managed The Doobie Brothers for over 35 years,
B.R. Cohn Winery's Bruce Cohn named this Collectors Series after the artists.

ENCORE
SMOKIN' BROWNIE SUNDAE
dark chocolate brownie, fudge sauce, raspberry sauce,
chantilly cream, chopped candied walnuts
Coffee or Tea

Where: Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Birmingham
When: 6:30PM-9:00PM
Tix: $55.00 (excludes tax and gratuity)
http://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/

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Tuesday, March 17th: A Night in the Andes Wine Dinner at Forest Grill

Hour Detroit’s “Restaurant of the Year” presents “A Night in the Andes”
March 17th, 2009, 6:30 P.M.

Prepare to feast with Chef/Proprietor Brian Polcyn's and Executive Chef David Gilbert's collaboration as they bring you Latin America fare paired with award winning wines from Argentina and Chile.

Seating is limited for this event.

Lime Marinated Snapper
Avocado, Mango, and Green Papaya
Accompanied with: Trivento Torrentes, Mendoza Argentina 2007

Sopa De Quinoa
Roasted Sweet Peppers, Garlic, Poached Egg, and Pepper Broth
Accompanied with: Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Valley Chile 2007

Aired Dried Ham
Fried Plantains, Pickled Chayote & Bacalao Pebre Sauce, Queso Fresco shot
Accompanied with: Amelia (CYT) Chardonnay, Casablanca Valley Chile 2005

Slow Roasted Loin of Lamb
Poblano Peppers, Empanada, Raisins, Chimichurri
Accompanied with: Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec, Mendoza Argentina 2006

Braised Beef Cheeks
Smoked Tongue, Fresh Bacon
Accompanied with: Terrunyo “Peumo Vineyard,” Carmenere, Cachapoal Valley Chile 2006

Churros
Dulce De Leche, Tropical Fruit
Accompanied with: Concha Y Toro Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, Maule Valley Chile 2005

$85 per Person Plus Tax and Gratuity
Reservations are made with a credit card only.

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

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Friday, March 20th: Duckhorn Wine Dinner at The Reserve

This Event will Sell Out

Reception 6:30 pm

Passed Appetizers
2007 Duckhorn Vineyards, Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc
2006 Decoy, Napa Red Wine

Dinner 7:00 pm

Poached Butterfish
Baby Rocket and Fennel Salad, Dragon Fruit-Satsuma Vinaigrette
2007 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc

Foie Gras Cappuccino
Quinoa and Duck Breast
2006 Migration Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley

Intermezzo

Veal Loin
Quince and Lentil Ragout, Pancetta, Olive Puree
2005 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot Three Palms Vineyard

Dessert
“Rocky Road”
2006 Paraduxx, Napa Valley Red
Chocolate Barks and Bites

French Press Coffee Service
Bon Appetit
Executive Chef Brian Henson

Where: The Reserve at Big Rock Chophouse, Birmingham
When: 6:30PM-9:30PM
Tix: $150.00 inclusive of tax, tip, and valet
www.thereservebirmingham.com