[Model D] Corktown will soon have another spot for breakfast, lunch and brunch at La Villa

Corktown will have another new breakfast, brunch, and lunch spot opening, and this one is right next to Mudgie's Deli.

La Villa is a new concept by sisters Sarrah Willoughby and Rai Jackson. Opening later this fall, La Villa will offer an alternative twist on breakfast and lunch fare.

Read more.

[HOT LIST] Mother's Day brunch

Honest John's Mother's Day special. Photo via Pure Detroit.

A not-quite-comprehensive but still exhaustive list of Mother's Day brunch offerings all around town (an expansion on this list for Real Detroit Weekly, with a few deletions and many more additions). I did not take the time to hyperlink all of these because I am not your mother; use the Google.

24 Grille – Detroit
Mother's Day brunch; all moms receive complementary mimosa with their meal.

5ive Restaurant – Plymouth
Create your own plated brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. $42.00 for adults; $15.00 (age 6-12). Ala carte menu available 5-9 p.m.

Big Fish - Dearborn
Big Fish is serving their dinner menu all day featuring vegetable poutine, lamb lollipops, dill salmon, grilled swordfish, lobster bisque and the taste of the Great Lakes.

Big Rock Chophouse - Birmingham
See flyer.

Bistro 555 - Detroit
Mothers Day brunch buffet and chef's stations 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. $29.99 adults, $14.99 kids.

Café Cortina – Farmington Hills
Festa Della Mama, 2-7 p.m.

Camp Ticonderoga – Troy
Regular menu + brunch items and homemade roast turkey.

Cliff Bell's – Detroit
Mother's Day brunch.

Cuisine – Detroit
Special three-course dinner menu, $45.00 per person.

D'Amato's
Three seatings – 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. – include a variety of appetizers, a salad and pasta station, an omelet and carving station, entrees, and a dessert station. Adults $32; children $10.

Fleming's Steakhouse – Birmingham, Livonia
Three-course brunch menu for $36.95 per person starting at 11:30 a.m.

Forest Grill – Birmingham
See flyer.

Honest John's - Detroit 
Bring your mom in on Sunday, May 12 and receive one free 40-oz. (Proof of maternal relation required.)

Hotel St. Regis – Detroit
Brunch buffet with live music. $39.95 adults, children 5-12 $14.95, kids 4 and under free. Complimentary mimosa for each adult.

Kona Grill - Troy
Enjoy a petite filet and lobster tail entree for $32.95 per person. Pair with sake sangria!

The Lark – West Bloomfield
Specialty menu offered plus fresh flowers for mom and champagne and sangria cocktails.

Majestic Café – Detroit
Brunch buffet. $22.95 for adults; $12.95 kids 12 and under. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

McCormick and Schmick's Seafood - Troy
All moms will enjoy complementary chocolate truffles on Sunday.

Mercy's Restaurant – Ann Arbor
Mother's Day brunch 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (includes cold buffet and choice of hot entrée). $25 adults, $10 kids 9 and under. Complimentary mimosa for all moms with buffet purchase.

MGM Grand Detroit – Detroit
Palette Dining Studio
Palette Dining Studio will offer a wide selection of upscale buffet items for Mother's Day, including NY strip loin, bone-in ham, baked whitefish provencale, and white chocolate strawberry cheesecake. $32 per person starting at 10 a.m.

Mitchell's Fish Market - Birmingham, Livonia, Rochester
Special three-course "Shrimp Sensations" menu ($21.99 per person) and the regular menu will be served.

Morels Restaurant – Farmington Hills
Morels will offer a marketplace and station brunch with carved prime rib, spring entrees, breakfast favorites, shrimp, salads, and incredible sweet table. Adults $36; kids $16.

Morton's The Steakhouse - Troy
Special three-course menu.

Northern Lakes Seafood Company – Bloomfield Hills
Mother's Day station brunch buffet 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. $36.95 adults, children 6-12 $15.95, children 5 and under free.

Ocean Prime - Troy
Brunch offerings from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and regular dinner menu.

Prime29 Steakhouse – West Bloomfield
Serving brunch and dinner.

The Rattlesnake Club - Detroit
Chef-carved prime rib, omelet station, kid's table and desserts galore with mimosa and Bloody Mary service, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Rugby Grille – Birmingham
Four-course prix fixe brunch menu for $65 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner beginning at 3 p.m.

Sajo's – Clinton Township
Mothers Day Buffet 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Carving Station with prime rib; bottomless mimosas included. $26.99 for adults; $12.99 for kids. Also serving a limited menu 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Santorini Estiatorio – Detroit
Mother's Day brunch 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m, featuring a variety items including a carving station and made-to-order omelettes. $25.95 for adults, $12.95 kids 12 and under. Regular dinner service starts at 4:30 p.m.

Sherwood Brewing Company - Shelby Township
See flyer.

Skyline Club – Southfield
Mother's Day brunch 11 a.m. Adults $44.95, children (6-12) $20.95, under 5 free. Business casual dress required; no denim allowed.

Toast - Birmingham
Open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., serving the regular menu as well as the special items below:

• Lobster Benny – Cold, smoked,butter poached lobster, English muffin, house Canadian bacon, asparagus, poached eggs and sauce nantua
• Greek Yogurt Pancakes with honey glazed apricots, chocolate cardamom sauce, sweet green tea chantilly
• Strata with challah with artichokes, mushrooms, mozzarella, cipollini onions, herbs and smoked tomato bearnaise
• Mac n' Cheese with fresh orecchiette, amazing cheese, maple pork belly, buttered crumbs
• Blueberry Cinnamon Roll with cream cheese caramel, pecans and lemon and ricotta semifreddo

Toasted Oak Grill and Market – Novi
Mother's Day Pajama Brunch with complimentary Mommy Mimosa for the moms and all kids in PJ's eat for free.

Tria – Dearborn
Mothers Day brunch in the Presidential Ballroom, $45 per person. Large parties welcome with reservations. TRIA breakfast 6:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. TRIA dinner 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Whitney – Detroit
Mother's Day brunch buffet 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Omelet station until 2 p.m., then pasta to order, carved prime rib and beef wellington. $59 for adults; $29 for kids.

Zingerman's Roadhouse – Ann Arbor
Brunch until 2 p.m.

[NEWS BITES] The Lunch Room in Ann Arbor opening restaurant in Kerrytown

About a year and a half ago, food cart culture was a hot topic around these parts -- How do we circumvent the laws preventing them from operating and become more like other cities where the mobile model has proven successful? How is the mobile model preferable for some start-ups in terms of lower barrier to entry and potential to evolve into brick-and-mortar (and is the latter even a feasible end-goal)? And let's not forget all the brick-and-mortars who got a bad case of the It's-Not-Fairs.

Since then the furor has died down and while we still have nothing in greater metro Detroit the mimics the food cart culture of Portland or the roaming herds of food trucks in Austin, but we're at least used to the idea now, and some of these concepts have successfully been able to spin their mobile start-ups into bonafide brick-and-mortars.

Mark's Carts in Ann Arbor, more than anywhere else in metro Detroit, has acted as something of a mobile-to-permanent food business incubator. After a successful first season when Mark's Carts opened in 2011 (as well as, admittedly, a catering business that took off stronger and faster than the owners expected), eat catering and chef services was able to open their own small retail space where they serve hearty home-cooked foods for lunch and dinner carry-out, and also have the large kitchen space in back for their catering.

Now Mark's Carts has a brand new graduate to the brick-and-mortar program. The Lunch Room, a vegetarian and vegan restaurant, has announced they will now be opening their own restaurant in Kerrytown. And before Mark's Carts they originally started as a pop-up, so there's a feather in the cap for that food business trend too. The full press release is copied below; they hope to open in June.

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This spring The Lunch Room will become the second business from Mark’s Carts to move to a permanent, year-round location (the first was eat, in the fall of 2011, to 1906 Packard). The award-winning vegan eatery will take over the space last occupied by Yamato restaurant at 403 N. Fifth Ave. on the west side of Kerrytown Market & Shops, nestled between Everyday Wines and Zingerman’s Events (formerly Eve’s). Projected to open in June, The Lunch Room will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and Saturday and Sunday brunches. Proprietors Phillis Engelbert and Joel Panozzo are seeking to create an establishment that will be noteworthy for its hearty and delicious plant-based food; compelling, attractive interior and exterior design; and spirited ambience that includes live music. The Lunch Room is grateful to Trillium Real Estate for their assistance in securing such a prime downtown location.

“Kerrytown Market & Shops is thrilled to welcome The Lunch Room to our community,” stated Karen Farmer, Manager of Kerrytown Market & Shops. “We’ve patiently waited for the right fit, and feel we’ve got that with Joel and Phillis. Their wonderful food and positive energy will make them a great addition to our unique collection of local businesses.”

The restaurant will provide Ann Arbor with exciting new vegan fare and will greatly increase the city’s vegetarian cuisine offerings. The restaurant menu will feature new entrees such as veggie burgers, tacos, roasted root veggie pasties, tempeh reubens, and udon noodle seitan stirfry -- as well as many of the items that made the food cart famous. There will be rotating dinner specials including pizza; paella; mac & cheese; veggie sushi platter; panang curry; Cuban black beans & rice, and breaded seitan cutlets with rice, broccoli & gravy. Among the new breakfast and brunch offerings will be breakfast burritos, French toast, cauliflower-spinach frittata, potato pancakes with applesauce & sour cream, oatmeal-fruit-granola platter and more. A bakery display case will show off The Lunch Room’s cookies, pies and pastries. The restaurant will also sell fresh-squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies, coffee, root beer floats and Boston coolers, and coconut-milk ice-cream sundaes with hot fudge and other homemade toppings.

The Lunch Room promises to become a destination not only for its food, but also for its decor. Adam Smith and Lisa Suavé of Synecdoche (Si-NEK-duh-kee) “simultaneous understanding” are designing the space as a showcase for their dynamic modern architectural style that accentuates materials, space, and light. Holders of Master’s degrees in Architecture from the University of Michigan’s Taubman College, the pair were the 2011 winners of the Young Architects Forum of Atlanta for a temporary outdoor installation called Edge Condition. They will work in conjunction with Lunch Room co-owner and graphic designer Joel Panozzo and plant artist Andy Sell (aka Foraging Florist) to create a bright and beautiful space, incorporating  and blending elements of indoors and outdoors, to enhance the dining experience.

The Lunch Room got its start as a “pop-up” restaurant in the fall of 2010, when next-door neighbors and vegan foodies Engelbert and Panozzo began serving 5-course meals on their signature cafeteria trays to private parties of 40-60 people in retail locations throughout Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. In April 2011 The Lunch Room joined the inaugural group of food carts at Mark’s Carts, selling sandwiches, salads, entrees, soups and baked goods from a cute, wood-paneled food cart. During its two seasons as a food cart it gained a reputation for making nutritious, delicious food that happened to be vegan yet appealed to people of all eating persuasions. The Lunch Room became most famous for its BBQ tofu sliders, banh mi chay (Vietnamese baguette) sandwiches, loaded nachos, Saturday brunch plate, cookies and ice cream sandwiches, as well as for being a place where smiling proprietors greeted customers by name and created a community spirit.

The Lunch Room serves plant-based foods made from scratch from fresh, high-quality ingredients. It makes every effort to use products from local vendors and to use locally grown, seasonal vegetables and fruits. Many of its menu items are gluten-free and the proprietors make every effort to accommodate guests with any food allergy.

The Lunch Room food cart was recognized in annarbor.com in July 2011 for achieving profitability after just five weeks in business. That October The Lunch Room won an Awesome Award from Ypsilanti’s iSPY Magazine. In June 2012 The Lunch Room received another honor: Best Food Cart in Washtenaw County in Current Magazine’s Readers’ Choice competition. It was recently favorably reviewed in Current Magazine’s Vegetarian Odyssey.

[HOT LIST] Biscuits and gravy

The Hillbilly Bennie at Mae's.

Somewhere inside of me there is a fat girl just dying to get out. (She's been making some progress too, but more on that perhaps another time.) Biscuits and gravy are a relatively new discovery to me. Years ago the whole concept of biscuits slathered in sausage gravy and served like slop on a plate just didn't appeal to me and I refused to eat them. Then one day I said WTF and tried some and it was love at first clogged artery. (Turns out Southern-style food is pretty much my favorite.)

I exercised a little bit of leeway on this list. Though my preference lies with sausage in my gravy, there are some places making a fine veggie version; and while others have a form of biscuits and gravy on their menus under "bennies," I decided anything with a biscuit base and gravy on top counts.

Oh, and all of these places (at least in the top 5) make their own biscuits from scratch, which is very important in the biscuit/gravy quotient so that the biscuit has those slightly crispy edges (not all soft like Wonder white bread) and can hold up to a gravy soaking.

#1 Mae's (Pleasant Ridge)
Here it's called a Hillbilly Bennie, and it is the most wonderful and amazing thing you could possibly stuff in your taste hole. Fresh, flaky buttermilk biscuits topped with -- get this -- Southern fried chicken, poached eggs, sausage gravy, shredded cheddar and Frank's Red Hot. I hope your head just exploded because mine did the first time I had this.

#2 The Root (White Lake)
They don't usually do brunch. In fact since they opened in May 2011, they've hosted exactly one brunch -- on Black Friday. At this brunch they had biscuits and chorizo gravy, all made from scratch. It was phenomenal. (And spicy! I love spicy.) It was so phenomenal I begged (*whined) Executive Chef James Rigato to do it again this year. So he is. Please go, and enjoy.

#3 Imperial (Ferndale)
What luck would I have to happen to stumble in to Imperial in Ferndale early on a Sunday afternoon when they were testing out their new brunch menu! Behold: biscuits and spicy chorizo gravy topped with fried eggs and served with fresh fruit. If you want kick up the flavor of something (anything), put an egg on it. Try it with their Hair of the Dog special -- Bloody Mary, shot of tequila, smoky treat and a match. 'Cuz that's how they roll here.

Mudgie's.

#4 Mudgie's (Corktown)
Mostly known as a sandwich shop, Mudgie's also serves a Sunday brunch. (Which will maybe one day include booze?) The biscuits are Jesus Christ these could break your fucking teeth maybe not the best, but the gravy? *GASP* You know what? Skip the biscuits and eat this gravy like a delicious, hearty, slightly spicy stew. Loaded with spicy sausage and vegetables without any of that thickening agent non-flavor flavor, the gravy alone eats like a meal. Only at, you know, like 8 thousand million trillion times the calorie and fat gram count than, say, beef stew. Which is why it's better if you just don't count it.

#5 Russell St. Deli (Eastern Market)
They serve breakfast Monday through Friday but it is usually only on Saturdays when you'll see the biscuits and gravy special pop up. And Saturdays usually come with a ridic wait time (wait until winter when all the stroller jockeys stay home; much more navigable then). But if you see their biscuits and gravy on the special board, get them. Two big, beautiful biscuits served with a bowl of slightly spicy gravy, plus this place is Detroit bucket-lister so two birds, etc.

Honorable mention: PJ's Lager House. Their biscuits and gravy are vegan and damn tasty; you'll know it's not pork sausage, but you won't care.

Bubbling under Toasted Oak Grill + Market (Novi), Hudson Cafe (Detroit), The Fly Trap (Ferndale), Kate's Kitchen (Flat Rock), Sam's Ferndale Grill (Ferndale), Cadillac Square Diner (Detroit), Mr. Mike's Grill (Westland), Toast (Ferndale), Emagene's Biscuits and Gravy (Ecorse), Charlie's Restaurant (Madison Heights), Mel's Grill 2 (Clarkston), Clawson Grill (Clawson), One-Eyed Betty's (Ferndale), Hilton Road Cafe (Ferndale), Bob Evans (various locations)

[NEWS BITES] Dave Gilbert leaving Forest Grill; Great Lakes getting retail sales license; Griffin Claw announcements; more

The Cafe con Leche del Este pop-up is now open in the Mies van der Rohe shopping plaza in Lafayette Park at the corner of Lafayette and Orleans. This pop-up was the collaborative effort of several organizations including the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation and rogueHAA, a volunteer design and architecture group (co-founder Melissa Dittmer lives in Lafayette Park, as does anybody who's anybody. Yeah, I said it.). If all goes well, this could become a permanent second location for Jordi Carbonell and wife Melisa Fernandez, owners of Cafe con Leche in Southwest Detroit.

Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe is open and has a selection of craft beers and wines, but if it's variety you crave and increased options you desire, you'll be as thrilled to know as I was that the Great Lakes Coffee bar in Midtown is getting a retail sales license and you will soon be able to buy all your beer and wine at the same place you drink it. There is increasingly less reason to ever go anywhere else in Midtown.

This was on the hush-hush but apparently Downtown Publications already blurbed it so I guess the cat's out of the bag: Forest Grill's Executive Chef David Gilbert, a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation's "Best Chef: Great Lakes" earlier this year, is leaving the Birmingham restaurant and opening his own restaurant with his wife in Grosse Pointe Park. There is no name for the restaurant yet but Gilbert says it will be French-inspired food at moderate prices. Couple this with Mindy Lopus's recent announcement of the four ventures she plans in GPP and it looks like the Park is going to be the place to be come 2013. Birmingham is going all eastside!

At a beer tasting and construction update held at Big Rock Chophouse last night, it was announced that the new Griffin Claw Brewing Company in Birmingham is slated to open in April 2013. All production brewing will be moved over to GC with all-new brewing equipment (built here in Michigan in Lake Orion) and increased capacity for distribution. They will produce four year-round plus rotating seasonal beers in 16-oz cans for retail sales in addition to supplying other restaurants and their own brewpub and the Chophouse. Brewmaster Dan Rogers, Michigan's most award-winning brewer, will continue overseeing all production using some of Big Rock's most popular recipes as well as some new ones he has developed. Griffin Claw will feature indoor seating for 150, an outdoor beer garden that seats 75, and a very beer-friendly menu (think sausage, and lots of it).

Santorini Estiatorio in Greektown is getting ready to open soon, though I have not yet been able to confirm an official date.

And in news that will surely break a lot of hearts, the Fuddruckers on East Jefferson in Detroit has closed.

Up-and-coming chef Justin Vaiciunas done up and went. He has left Zin Wine Bar in Plymouth and is spending the winter out west in ski resort country. We can only hope he proves prodigal and returns.

Cork Wine Pub in Pleasant Ridge should be added to the list of brunch n00bs: they now serve brunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Sunday.

St. Cece's Pub in Corktown now serves a regular dinner menu, which features items like homemade soups; their course-ground Black Angus chuck, brisket and short rib signature burger; pulled pork sliders; salads; as well as whatever specials they might be running. They are now open Monday through Wednesday 5 p.m. to midnight (kitchen closes at 9 p.m.), Thursday through Saturday 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. (kitchen closes at 10 p.m.), and closed Sundays. Tuesdays are pop-up takeover days.

This actually happened late September, but Chou Anime Cafe in Midtown has closed after barely four months in business. The concept may not have appealed to everyone -- and there was a lot of eyebrow-raising and media gawking that amounted to little more than "ISN'T THIS BIZARRE AND CRAZY???" -- but it was also a very singular Detroit thing. As the only Japanese-style maid cafe in the country (and no, it was not akin to a Hooters for basement dwellers; think of it more like a daily tween Halloween, or cosplay for the initiated), it had the potential to really be something cool and unique -- sure, not for everyone, but then again what is? Metro Detroit has a pretty strong anime and gamer underground (not to mention two very prominent annual events, Motor City Comi Con and Youmacon, which was just held this weekend), but apparently not enough to keep the business open. Which leaves me pondering: what exactly is our criteria for deciding which new businesses to support and which to shun? Is the concept of 16-year-olds in frilly girlie costumes drawing Pokemon characters in chocolate syrup on your saucer really so alienating? Did it suffer from being too niche? Did the food suck? Hell, I never even had the chance to get over there myself, despite my own fascination with it and having enough understanding of anime culture to not find it off-putting. And I loved the ethnic diversity of all the maids and butlers, showing at the very least that nerd culture is color-blind. I suppose there isn't too much more to say on it, so allow this to be a eulogy for owner Oneka Samet's effort at making Detroit just that much more unique.

[NEWS BITES] O'Toole's gets in the craft beer game, plus new brunches and businesses

Since Facebook is now burying posts unless you pay for them, I want to make sure nothing important gets missed (or also gets buried in the Week We Ate). Here are some of the most important of the important things you need to know, tasty little news bites for your gray matter.

O'Toole's is getting into the craft beer game with the intention of being, and I quote from a third party, "the best craft beer bar in Royal Oak." The O'Toole's in Waterford always did well with their Michigan craft handles and O'Toole's founder Keith Wadle, who still owns the Royal Oak location but has since sold off his share of the Waterford restaurant and bar, has taken a serious interest in bringing that culture to his Royal Oak spot. They're redoing the bar with a new look and a brand-new start-of-the-art tap system. They just added 20 tap handles and will soon be adding 20 more, and if you think it's going to be all Sam Adams and Oberon, think again: they're getting brews like Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA and Odd Side Ales Citra Pale Ale (Imperial Beverage is treating them well and will continue to do so).

After a more than two-year delay, Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe in Midtown will open for business this Saturday with a wide selection of artisan items from local producers.

Tomorrow during the Villages Fall Festival, new permanent businesses will be announced that will be opening soon in the burgeoning neighborhood. Stay tuned.

Brunch! And stuff!
In the past two weeks there has been MUCH brunch activity. (It *is* the most important meal of the week.) To wit:

*Green Dot Stables is now open Sundays noon to 6 p.m. (or whenever whatever game is done but the kitchen is nixed at six) serving items like breakfast sliders and Vermont poutine. What is Vermont poutine, you ask? Hell if I know but I WANT IT.

*Pizzeria Biga in Royal Oak will soon be serving brunch both Saturdays and Sundays.

*Local Kitchen + Bar in Ferndale is now serving brunch both Saturdays and Sundays.

*The Sugar House in Corktown is now open at noon on Saturdays and Sundays and serving a special "Eye Opener" menu that includes bagels from Detroit Institute of Bagels.

*Crispelli's Pizzeria and Bakery in Berkley now serves a daily breakfast and will start serving weekend brunch this weekend (with breakfast pizzas!).

*Tashmoo Biergarten in West Village will host a post-Beer Fest Brewer's Brunch this Sunday featuring  biscuits and gravy from Corridor Sausage and many more brunch-tastic items that make me want to test my own limits and see just how many brunches I can consume this Sunday. This will also be their last day of the season.

*Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Co.'s Midtown coffeehouse and bar is now serving vegan breakfast sandwiches from vegan pop-up and catering company Chartreuse, and will host a full-blown brunch with them on November 10.

Plus in extra Great Lakes Coffee news, they are now open on Mondays until 11 p.m.

[HOT LIST] Mother's Day brunch

Brunch at Beverly Hills Grill. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg. 

Easter brunch is pretty much a practice run for Mother's Day brunch. If the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, the way to mom's heart is through fancy brunch buffets and prix fixe menus. The more she raves about how nice the place is and how you're spending too much money on her, the more you win. Here are some of metro Detroit's best for Mother's Day brunch!

[HOT LIST] Easter buffet

Some days you just feel like the odd man out.

From what I understand, most of the first round draft picks for Easter brunch this Sunday, April 8 are already booked. (And so I apparently need to run the Mother's Day brunch hot list, like, next week.) If you're anything like me and don't know what you're doing until about an hour before you actually do it, here are some second- and third-round picks for Easter brunch buffets (and also dinner! and also one that isn't so much a buffet as it is a prix fixe menu!) that are still accepting reservations, in no particular order than the one I just happened to copy and paste them in. (Do you like how I worked a sports reference in there? Because Thursday is Opening Day? ... Baseball has drafts right?)

[HOT LIST] Saturday brunch

The King's French Toast at One-Eyed Betty's. Covert cell phone photography by Nicole Rupersburg.

"Brunch is not a meal. It is an art." - Nicole Rupersburg

(Yeah, I just quoted myself.)

Sunday brunching is indeed sacred ... but why should it only be on Sundays? Do not most working adults also have Saturdays off from work? Would not most working adults enjoy a Bloody Mary or four on Saturdays, when they still have another day of weekend left to look forward to? Too often I find myself in search of SATURDAY brunch only to be disappointed by the lack of options. This week's Hot List is as much for me as it is for you.

#1 One-Eyed Betty's (Ferndale)
Sure sure, it's new and right now I'm all "Ohmygod go there right now" every five minutes because the novelty hasn't worn off yet and I totally own that. BUT. The best thing to happen to Ferndale since the year 2011, OEB is a beer drinker's bar and the kind of comfortable yet stylish neighborhood joint that really works best in Ferndale. They serve food that fits the beer drinker's demographic, asking themselves with every menu item "WWHSE?" (What Would Homer Simpson Eat?) They also serve Ferndale's most famous brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. - specifically, the Cinnamon Roll French Toast made famous at Club Bart and reborn at Betty's. Also check out the King's French Toast (a bacon, banana and peanut butter French toast sandwich with maple syrup) and the German Breakfast, a meat and cheese platter served with baguette and whole grain mustard (a traditional breakfast in - you guessed it - Germany, but totally uncommon 'round here). In addition to around 150 beer selections, they also serve proper brunch beverages: bottomless mimosas ($12) and $5 Bloody Mary bars served tableside.

The Count Of... Crepe at What Crepe? Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

#2 What Crepe? (Royal Oak, Birmingham)
Because it's freakin' good, that's why, and now there's two of them. (A third in Grosse Pointe will be coming soon). Every day is brunch at What Crepe? (also the lesser-known brinner) with some of the best crepes this side of the Atlantic. Delicate crepe shells are stuffed full of exceptionally high-quality ingredients and exquisite flavor combinations, and they've got a great little wine and cocktail list to go with it. The place has a chic, somewhat dramatic European vibe (and you know that totally means it's sophisticated) and the food is top-notch. One crepe might cost you up to $14 but it is more than enough for a meal and worth every penny.

Hillbilly Benedict.

#3 Foran's Grand Trunk Pub (Detroit)
As is this case with most awesome places, people finally figured out this place was awesome (my bad) and now it is ruined. Except on Saturday mornings. Brunch is served on Saturdays AND Sundays, but while Sundays are usually a shitshow of Detroit's crusty-eyed hungover finest, on Saturdays Foran's is a secret retreat, open for brunch and slinging drinks at 9 a.m. and utterly unknown to the outside world. Enjoy it while it lasts. Order the Hillbilly Benedict (sausage, poached egg and cheese on English muffin and smothered in sausage gravy) and fill up on your choice of Bloody Marys or mimosas - $7 for the first, $1 for each additional. (As long as you drink 6 or fewer this is a better deal than most bottomless prices. And if you drink more than 6 you're a fucking champ.)

#4 Vivio's (Detroit)
Actually the breakfast food kind of sucks. Actually all of the food kind of sucks (except the mussels, which totally do NOT suck). And they like to claim an infamous Bloody Mary mix, rather generously referring to it as the "World's Best" ... it is not. BUT. There are few Saturday morning experiences in Detroit more necessary than a Bloody Mary breakfast at Vivio's. Whether observing the pre-game tailgating rituals of Lions fans or just starting out a leisurely Saturday at Eastern Market, putting in a solid Saturday morning session at Vivio's should be on every Detroiter's bucket list. They open at 8 a.m. and serve their Bloody Marys the proper way - with a shot of beer.

#5 Cafe Muse (Royal Oak)
Admittedly their food is probably the best of all, but it gets stupid-busy and it's hard to justify waiting two hours in line for a damn omelette. (But they do open at 7:30 a.m. 7 days a week, so you could always get there stupid-early and beat the crowds. This is a great plan both for early risers and for those of you STILL awake.) Also the mimosas are not bottomless, but they are made with fresh-squeezed orange juice. However, please see once again how their food is the best of all. (Including their pancakes, but also everything else: Cafe Muse is the house that brunch built, after all.)

Bubbling under Beverly Hills Grill (Beverly Hills), the Emory (Ferndale), PJ's Lager House (Detroit), the Bronx Bar (Detroit), Inyo (Ferndale), Honest John's (Detroit), Toast (Birmingham), Atlas Global Bistro (Detroit), Cafe Habana (Royal Oak), Dino's Lounge (Ferndale)

[HOT LIST] Pancakes

Red Velvet Pancakes from Hudson Cafe. Photo by Alyse Hinton.

Today is National Pancake Day! So it seems only fitting for a Pancake Hot List. For most people pancakes might come out of a box with instructions reading "just add water," but these pancake places make everything from scratch using fresh butter, cream and fruit ... and they also get a bit creative in their toppings. From the griddle to your gullet, here are the places that treat pancakes as more than just a simple starch.

The Dutch Treat. Photo by Eat 

#1 Original Pancake House (Birmingham, Grosse Pointe Woods, Southfield)
Any place with that kind of name simply has to top any good "best pancake" list, lest it fail to live up to its own moniker. That smell you smell? It's the smell of baking eggs. Despite having over 100 franchised locations of this very traditional pancake house throughout the country, this third-generation family-owned chain is still just as committed to using the highest-quality ingredients and making everything from scratch in each kitchen - no dry mixes, nothing frozen. The Original House of Pancakes is known for their signature baked pancakes - the Apple Pancake (baked with Granny Smith apple slices and cinnamon glaze), the German Pancake, the Dutch Baby (a smaller version of the bowl-shaped German pancake), and specialities like the Dutch Treat - a Dutch Baby filled with macerated strawberries and sliced bananas. They also serve a variety of other forms of pancake, from Swedish to buckwheat to sourdough.

#2 Cafe Muse (Royal Oak)
First things first: THEY SERVE DINNER. And have, for like two years now. You should totally check it out sometime, it's all the reasons you love their breakfast/lunch only better because it's dinner and there's wine and a more diverse selection of tasty animals. That being said, not a whole lot has changed on the breakfast menu over the past several years (going back to the time when it was located in half of the space What Crepe now resides in), and it hasn't needed to. These are certainly "fancy pancakes," but they're also some of the best. The Wholewheat Pancakes topped with house-made granola are terrif, but it's the Ricotta and Lemon Pancakes with house-made blueberry maple syrup that's the real knock-out.

Coffee Cake Pancakes at Mae's. Photo by Eat It Detroit.

#3 Mae's (Pleasant Ridge)
The place is as adorable as the couple that owns it, but a top-notch breakfast joint can't be all curb appeal. Mae's backs up its pinch-its-cheekiness with killer (no but seriously, pretty much every dish has a stick of butter in it) breakfast and lunch items made from scratch every single day in their tiny kitchen. Wife-owner Jessica McCarthy is particularly hardcore about her buttermilk pancake batter (she's hardcore about all of her food, but even more especially the pancake batter): made daily from scratch, her batter is thick like cement. (Once one of her cooks tried to thin it out and she made him throw it away and start over.) The result? Thick, fluffy, hearty, flavorful pancakes that don't even qualify as being in the same food group as the wibbly-wobbly rubbery discs you get at a coney island.

#4 Hudson Cafe (Detroit)
Still the new kid on the breakfast block, the Hudson Cafe on Woodward in downtown Detroit made a fast name for itself with their Red Velvet Pancakes - a huge stack of fluffy, ruby red pancakes flavored with rich cocoa and then drizzled with absolutely decadent cream cheese icing. They make everything from scratch and the in-house bakery always has some tasty temptation in the display case at the grab-and-go coffee bar (liiiiiiike Red Velvet Cupcakes), but for those of you who prefer the savory over the sweet they have a fantastic selection of Variations on a Theme by Eggs Benedict (that incorporate things like smoked ham, pulled pork and chorizo).

#5 The Pantry (Sterling Heights)
The Pantry is a long-time breakfast staple of the East Side. Like so many other favorite breakfast haunts, this place will have a line out the door on weekends of people anxiously awaiting one of their massive cream cheese-stuffed and fruit-covered crepes (the Apple Crepe is one of their most popular items, but they also serve Sour Cream Crepes and Cheesecake Crepes), or one of 12 different varieties of pancake which includes Potato, Buckwheat and Buttermilk, but also Sweet Potato and Fresh Georgia Pecan. They also serve house specialties like the German Pancake and the Banana Nut Surprise (a baked pancake stuffed with sautéed bananas and pecan pieces caramelized with brown sugar).

Bubbling under The Breakfast Club (Farmington), Clawson Grill (Clawson), Toast (Ferndale, Birmingham), The Breakfast Club (Madison Heights - no affiliation with Farmington), Gramma's House of Pancakes (Eastpointe), Whistle Stop Restaurant (Birmigham), Recipes (Troy), D'Amato's (Royal Oak), Star Diner (Allen Park)

[Metromix] Mae's

Mae's Bacon Butter Burger Deluxe. Photo by VATO for Metromix.

It’s not quite Ferndale but it’s so close it should be counted among Ferndale’s notorious teeny-tiny diners famous for breakfast and lunch. Mae’s in Pleasant Ridge has been open two years in April under the ownership of the snarky yet adorable husband-and-wife team Sean and Jessica McCarthy. Eating here is like going to Grandma’s if Grandma were an effortlessly cool twenty-or-thirty-something who smokes and swears and does cool artsy things without being self-important about it. It’s a mom and pop shop for the Facebook-and-iPad generation.

The Mood:
It’s retro hipster chic inside Mae’s. The walls are adorned with vintage signs from Detroit brands like Vernors, Faygo and Wonderbread, some dating as far back as the 1920s. The vintage décor pairs well with the original teal-blue 1950s soda shop stools, chairs, and chrome tables with laminate tops. “All the furniture is original [to the restaurant],” Sean says. “We didn’t have to come up with a design concept!” Glassware and plates are mismatched and kitschy. On one wall you’ll find chalkboard specials and a collection of black and white photographs spanning three generations of Jessica’s family. The photos—some art, some personal, all professional-quality—were taken by Jessica, her brother, their dad and their grandfather, all of whom were photographers. As far as looking at other people’s family photographs go, these are actually fascinating, and lend a very personal feel to the place. And on any given day, this 42-seat breakfast nook is populated by our skinny-jeaned, shaggy-haired, horn-rimmed, mustachioed, plaid-adorned friends who believe Beirut is a band first, the name of a shawarma shop second, and a Middle Eastern capital city a distant third.

Read more.
(Note: be sure to click through the photo gallery for descriptions of the dishes.)

[HOT LIST] Ferndale

Pete Steffy of Pete's Chocolate Co. at the Rust Belt Market. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

In a major upset that majorly upset city residents, #8 seed Ferndale massacred its CoD competition for "neighborhood of the year," becoming the first-ever winner of the prestigious fake Curbed Cup trophy. I haven't exactly been quiet on my feelings about Ferndale (also here, and all over the Facebooks), so I figured heck, let's trot this topic out for one more go-round before I've tired myself out on it. In honor of the first-ever winner of the prestigious fake "neighborhood of the year" award from Curbed Detroit, here's a look at some of Ferndale's best (by category). Some new (as of 2011), some old (as of before 2011), some borrowed (from Pleasant Ridge, which should really count as Ferndale anyway) and some blue (yep, it's that same picture from inside Red Hook again, but I like it oh so very much).

Red Hook. Photo by David Landsel.

#1 Coffee
As in, wake up and smell the. Chazzano Coffee Roasters has been around for a few years now and is still roasting and brewing some of the best coffee in Detroit. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Frank is not a roaster, he's a wizard. The Red Hook brought Portland's Stumptown Coffee Roasters into town (the first to do so since Commonwealth in Birmingham started roasting all their own), and more importantly brought back a storefront for Pinwheel Bakery. And the old sleeper AJ's Music Cafe continues to be a world-class coffee house in the traditional '90s sense with live indie music and a Guinness World Record.

#2 Breakfast, Brunch and Brinner
Ferndale is home of the teeny-tiny diner where everything is made from scratch and breakfast is king. The Fly Trap, Toast, Pete's Place, Hilton Road Cafe, Mae's (technically in Pleasant Ridge but SRSLY, it's Ferndale) - none of these are just diners, just plain old regular greasy spoon fuel stops for your food tank. These are houses of comfort food worship, and is there a comfort food MORE comfy than brunch? I think not.

#3 Lunch and Dinner
The one arena in which Ferndale falters a bit is in non-brunch dining. But things are starting to look up, and there are definitely a few favorites that have sprung up over recent years. The Emory has killer burgers and even more killer beer list (also an amazing Spanish coffee, check it). Torino Espresso + Bar - which could also go into almost every single other category on here (they serve illy coffee and Avalon pastries for breakfast) - has fantastic paninis as well as artisan cheese and charcuterie platters (any time is the right time). Rosie O'Grady's has bloody good burgers and pizza (they make their own pizza dough and sauce, and grind and patty their own burgers). Food trucks are also becoming a thing in Ferndale, with Jacques Tacos and Taco Mama taking the lead on that. Speaking of tacos, everyone's looking forward to Woodward Imperial opening in the coming months (the owner recently informed me he is just waiting on his liquor license and it will, he hopes, be open in 30-60 days ... they're gonna do tacos, in case you didn't get that from the context).

B. Nektar. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

#4 Food shops and whatnot
B. Nektar Meadery continues to kill it with crazy-awesome new releases like the drunky Funky Monky and wicked Zombie Killer, while their empire continues to expand across the States and their tasting room hours recently expanded to every Friday (5:30 to 10 p.m.) and Saturday (1 to 7 p.m.). 8 Degrees Plato Beer Company just opened in the fall and I love them already. The Rust Belt Market also opened this year and gave the world a much-needed and appreciated outlet for Rock City Pies, Pete's Chocolates and Perkins Pickles.

#5 Cocktails
I'm running out of ways to talk about craft cocktail culture in metro Detroit. (See: Hour. 944. NY Post. Eater. Metromix past and future. Ambassador. Couldn't even conjecture how much here and on Facebook.) Suffice it to say, it is a thing and these places are doing it. The Oakland is just OMFG NFW F-YAH. Valentine Vodka is the best vodka in the world, so if you're a vodka drinker you're in the right place (mix it with McClure's Bloody Mary mix for the best thing ever). And Torino Espresso + Bar does craft cocktails (house-made infusions and fresh ingredients with a culinary approach) with an Italian twist. Between these places, B. Nektar and the beer list at the Emory, Ferndale is pretty much a one-stop drinking destination. Because no one drinks wine anymore.

Bubbling under Grasshopper Underground, Sakana Sushi Lounge, Howe's Bayou, Treat Dreams, Danny's Irish Pub, Assaggi Bistro, Anita's Kitchen, Inyo, Christine's Cuisine, Dino's Lounge

[Real Detroit Weekly] Brunch of Champions

"To paraphrase Joyce Kilmer, I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as brunch. Maybe it's because you can only get it once (sometimes twice) a week. Or maybe it's because it's the only time it is socially acceptable to binge-drink before 3 p.m. in polite company. Or maybe it's just because we love eating breakfast foods at non-breakfast times. Regardless, brunch is not a meal. It is an art. Here's some of our faves..."

Read the full article here.

Frittata: I just paid $21 for a brunch with no booze.

Frittata in Clawson is cute. It's tiny and quaint and charming and cute, like rainbows and kittens and butterfly kisses. See, look:

^Cute, right? Totally. I thought so too. I saddled into my seat and promptly ordered a mimosa, it being the Lord's day and all -- "How about a virgin mimosa?" our server joked. Yikes...I'm not down with virgin anything, so how about you just bring me a coffee instead. (My friend: "You want to go to Black Lotus after this and get a beer?" Me: "Eat quickly.") After making amends with the idea of a mimosaless brunch, I began to study the menu -- true to its name, there's a whole lot of frittatas on the menu. What is a frittata? you may find yourself wondering. Let's pretend for one second we leave in a world without Wikipedia and allow me to tell you: it's like an omelette. Or a quiche. Or a strata. There's eggs. There's some other junk mixed in with the eggs, which can be cheese or vegetables or various pork products (and who doesn't like those? [vegetarians excluded]). Cooking preparations and primary ingredients differ slightly between these various items but ultimately they're all egg-based all-inclusive breakfast dishes, the morning equivalent of a casserole.

^Check out this lounge area, TOTALLY cute. I mean, just really precious and adorable. I want to pinch its cheeks it's so freakin' cute.

^And the stamped paper on the table!!! Cute, right? I mean, really. It's total puppies, which is a term I will now use to describe all things exceptionally cute much like "titties" is used to describe things that are awesome.

So getting back to the frittata. There are lots of options and they all sounded delish; I went with the day's special, the BLT frittata -- pancetta, asiago cheese, roma tomatoes, and a garlic aioli. The frittata itself is pan-fried then baked...and it is a whole lot of grease-soaked egg-loaf, lemme tell ya. This is how I discovered I am not a super-fan of frittatas. Not the fault of the restaurant, certainly not, no...but the fact that it cost $11 was.

I am not one to bitch about prices. There are times when I will be disinclined to visit certain establishments because of one too many pricey bar tabs piled up that month (I love being a beer snob but gone are the days of $2.00 22-oz. drafts), but I would certainly never complain about prices as much as probably remark when things are LESS expensive than I expected (but the whole fine dining concept has changed drastically in this Free Bailout Market we now live in and people are now looking more towards upscale casual, which ultimately has the exact same price points as the fine dining concepts from which it was born but it's just packaged differently so people perceive it as being less expensive, but that is a whole different rant entirely and it just ends with me swearing a lot so I'll spare you this time around).

A couple of years ago I wrote a rant about this whole thing which you can read here; I would write it differently now -- first I wouldn't make jokes about Obama-head-shaped burgers because that was immediately pre-election in the height of Obamamania but the fervor and my irritation at it has since died; second I would make it a point that sometimes it IS necessary to talk about price as a foodie-slash-food writer but only in the context of value; third I probably wouldn't use quite so many variations of the word "orgasm" because really, I'm more clever than that. And I would probably be a little less high-and-mighty about the whole thing because I used to think I was a lot more funny and important than I do now, or at least I thought it was a whole lot more funny to act that way. But the "dough-faced boorish troll of a woman" part would definitely stay. Regardless, the overarching point would be the same.

That being said I am now going to bitch about prices.

That toast you see about? Cherry walnut toast served with blueberry butter and a fruit compote (I forget what kind of fruit it was, my bad; I should really start writing shit down). $3.25. For some goddamn TOAST. I could buy the whole goddamn loaf for that much and still have enough leftover for the Sunday edition of the Free Press. I could've gone to goddamn Leo's Coney Island and got the $2.99 breakfast special which comes with eggs, choice of meat, hash browns AND toast and STILL had enough leftover for a pack of gum. Was the toast good? Sure it was good, but it was also $3.25 and did not come with a happy ending so really, how good could it have been? The next time some toast costs me that much money it better be lighting my cigarette and promising to call me afterwards.

I walked out of there having paid $21 for a glorified omelette and some goddamn toast. Oh, and coffee. Not fancy coffee. Straight 'Merican brew. $21 and no booze or beejers; frankly, "cute" only carries so much weight in my book. I'd rather have a killer gutbomb breakfast in a miserably podunk dive than be overcharged for some fluffy eggs and TOAST. (PS, my friend's orange juice was probably a 5-oz. glass and put her back $5. In real-life terms, that's a pint of Founders.) Given the right situation in the right surroundings with the right kind of ingredients I may have been able to justify the expense because I would have seen the value in it (for example, shave some truffles all over that bad boy and I would have been willing to skip eating for the rest of the week). This lacked the value to justify the expense, and I left feeling weighted down, unsatisfied, and unfortunately sober. Not unlike most first dates really, but that's another story entirely.

3D + Wheelhouse Detroit Brunch Bike Tour

What varieties of flavors can you savor at the largest historic public market district in the United States? Join Discover Detroit Dining as we partner with Wheelhouse Detroit on a brunchtime bike tour of bustling Eastern Market and discover for yourself a whole new world of imported flavors, artisanal treats, and Detroit classics!

Join us Saturday, July 31 and experience Eastern Market as you never have before. We’ll start our tour at Wheelhouse Detroit, located in the Rivard Plaza on the beautiful Detroit Riverwalk, at 1:00PM. From there we’ll bike through the Dequindre Cut Greenway, a non-motorized urban recreational path which connects the Riverwalk to Eastern Market and still retains much of the graffiti art the Cut was previously known for.

Once at the Market, we’ll have plenty of time to peruse the variety of shops and vendors and don’t worry – bikes will be equipped with baskets so you can take your favorites home!

Make sure you bring your appetite: we’ll start at Gabriel Import Co. for a taste of the Mediterranean: a huge selection of imported olives float in massive jars of brine, and we’ll get to sample those along with feta cheese and a variety of meat, cheese, & spinach pies as well as tabbouleh and hummus with pita bread, all made fresh daily.

From there we’ll stop by R. Hirt Jr. Co., the specialty foods market which feels like an old-fashioned general store. They boast more than 300 different varieties of cheeses, several of which we’ll be sampling along with crackers and salami. A cheese expert will also be on-hand to explain the different varieties and help you pick the cheese that’s right for you.

And no brunch would be complete without Bloody Marys! Last on our culinary bike tour we’ll head to Vivio’s, a Detroit staple for 40 years which serves Bloody Marys properly, with a beer shooter. You can even buy their famous mix! While we’re there we’ll dig into their buckets of mussels, sampling 5 different varieties: traditional steamed with white wine, garlic & butter; Jamaican Jerk; Spicy Cajun; Pub-Style with Italian sausage, beer & red onion; and Tomato Basil with diced tomato, white wine & pesto. There will be plenty to go around! (Note: one Bloody Mary per person; buckets of mussels are shared.)

This all-inclusive package includes all of the tastings listed above as well as the guided tour for only $40 per person ($50 with bike rental). Tickets are available here through Wheelhouse Detroit.*

*Additional items throughout the Market can be purchased on an individual basis; be sure to bring cash. The tour will last approximately 3 hours. Parking is available in several nearby lots and structures. Please wear appropriate attire for outdoor biking/walking (tennis shoes; loose, comfortable clothing). Because of the limited number of spots available, refunds will not be issued. We reserve the right to reschedule the tour in the event of inclement weather. Please visit http://www.discoverdetroitdining.com/ for our complete Terms of Service.

Special Feature: Mother's Day Brunch

You people seem to like lists, so here's one. Please note: this is by no means a "comprehensive" list--more like a list of places whose mailing lists I've ended up on one way or another and a simple copy-and-pasting of information that was sent to me directly. So, any of you restaurants who want to end up on such a list later, add me to your mailing list, ciao. (Also note: anywhere that does a regular brunch WILL be doing a Mother's Day brunch, so it's just a matter of what they might be offering and at what price.)

First, let's start with a great one-stop resource for a whole list of different restaurants with Mother's Day Brunch menus via Open Table. Click here. (Yeah, I'm making you do some of the work this time, what're you gonna do about it hmmmm?)

Grange Kitchen + Bar (Ann Arbor)

Join Grange this Mother’s Day and enjoy a brunch
menu that combines an eclectic and varied mix of breakfast and lunch with
ingredients from the area’s local farms. Spare the kitchen and celebrate Mom
with Grange.

Sunday, May 9th
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Reservations
Recommended

Angelina Italian Bistro (Detroit)
Check their Announcements page on their website. In the future, dear restaurants, please make your menu is copyable and not an image file that can't be copied or saved, thanks.

Cuisine (Detroit)

May 9, 2010

First Course
(Please choose one)
Grilled Pear and
radicchio salad with candied walnuts
-or-
Cream of corn soup with crab
salad
-or-
Salmon Caesar with Cuisine smoked salmon

Entrée
(Please choose one)
Pecan coated whitefish with an apple slaw and citrus
butter
-or-
Beef tenderloin roasted with salsify potato salad and green
beans
-or-
Roast Chicken in a port wine shiitake sauce
-or-
Mélange of vegetables – 6 different preparations

Dessert
Strawberry sorbet
Or
Chocolate tart
$30.00 per person exclusive
of all beverages, tax and gratuity

Josephine Creperie & Bistro (Ferndale)

On Mother's Day Sunday May 9th, Josephine Creperie & Bistro will
be open
from 10:30 am – 8pm

Brunch
We will host a Brunch buffet from 10:30
am – 4:30pm
with seatings at 10:30 am, 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm
Our Brunch
Buffet Menu is listed below

Dinner
We will host an A la Carte Dinner
from 4:30pm – 8:00pm.
Our Dinner will feature all your favorites from our
dinner menu plus some fabulous Chef specials such as Steak au Poivre, Duck
Confit with Port Wine Sauce, Seafood Newburg Crepes and Creme Brulee.

Reservations are Required for both Brunch and Dinner

Mothers Day
Brunch Buffet Menu
Adults $21.95 kids 4-10 yrs $9.95 under 4 yrs free

Starters & Cold Items
Fresh Fruit Tray
Cinnamon Rolls
Veggie Pasta Salad with Cucumber Dressing
Spring Mix Salad with
Raspberry Vinaigrette
Vegetable Crudite with assorted Chef's Spreads
Cheese Pate with Fresh Breads
Seafood Pate with Fresh Breads

Hot
Items
Roasted Atlantic Salmon with Shrimp Newburg Sauce
Complete Omelet
Station
Eggs Benedict , Canadian Bacon and Hollandaise Sauce on an English
Muffin
Classic Scrambled Eggs,
Bacon
Country Style Potatoes
French Toast with Grand Marnier Syrup
Glazed Baked Ham
Maple Glazed
Carrots
Spinach Crepes~ Crepe stuffed with Spinach, Ricotta and Parmesan
Cheese

Sweet Table
Profiteroles with Vanilla Custard Creme
Espresso Brownies
Strawberry Cream Cheese Loaf Cake
Blueberry Loaf
Cake
Nutella Banana Crepes ~ Chocolate Hazelnut Spread with Bananas &
Whipped Cream
Lemon Tarts
Many More Chefs Specialty Desserts

Reservations required for Brunch and Dinner
Mother's Day Brunch
Buffet 10:30 am – 4:30 pm
seatings at 10:30am,12:30pm & 2:30 pm
Mother's Day Dinner A la Carte 4:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Please phone for
reservations

My new favorite place in metro Detroit which I just discovered this week:
Toasted Oak Grill & Market (Novi):

The Baronette Renaissance Detroit-Novi Hotel (27890 Novi Rd 48377) will host a
Mother’s Day brunch from 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 9. A Mother’s Day
dinner will be hosted by Toasted Oak Grill & Market from 3 – 9 p.m. that
evening.

Menu items will include an array of breakfast breads, danishes
and muffins; a cold table, which will include a display of imported and domestic
artisan cheeses, a selection of salads, smoked seafood and house made
charcuterie; a hot table of traditional and unique brunch items such as eggs,
hashes, bacon and sausage, breakfast potatoes, biscuits and gravy and Michigan
baked apples; omelet, pancake and waffle bars with assorted toppings; hot
entrees and sides including roast porkloin and Coq Au Vin; and a dessert buffet
of crème brulee, assorted tortes, cheesecakes and tarts, mini pastries,
chocolate mousse shooters, chocolate fondue and made to order Bananas Foster. A
fruit display including fresh sliced fruit and berries and yogurt parfait minis
will also be available. Bubbly champagne and bottomless mimosas will be
available for the adults and the children’s menu will include chicken tenders,
macaroni and cheese and hot dogs.

Toasted Oak Grill & Market will
host a Mother’s Day dinner that evening from 3 – 9 p.m. The three-course dinner
will include a special treat for mothers. Guests will be able to choose from the
following starters: Crispy Point Judith Calamari with lemon, zucchini, lemon
aioli and gremolata; Smoked Salmon Rillettes comprised of Pernod steamed and
smoked salmon with creme fraiche and accompanied by grilled country bread; Gulf
Shrimp Cocktail with gazpacho cocktail sauce; Grilled House-Made Kielbasa with
caraway beer mustard and warm potato salad; Pickled Spring Beets atop butter
lettuce with goat cheese croquettes, pistachios and orange vinaigrette; and
House Salad, seasonal lettuce, tomato, cucumber, shallot vinaigrette.

Entrée selections include Frites comprised of grilled Creekstone Farms
Bistro Tender with shallot butter and red wine sauce accompanied by frites; Pan
Roasted Amish Chicken with buttered turnips, green beans, grilled sweet onions
and pan jus; Wood Grilled Lake Huron Trout with frisee, spinach, spring peas and
mustard seed vinaigrette; and Creekstone Farms Filet Mignon with black truffle
butter and fingerling mash.

And to complete the meal, guest can enjoy
Butterscotch Blondie Brownie Sundae, with toffee chip ice cream, butterscotch
sauce, whipped cream, verjus cherries; Mud Pie with chocolate custard, chocolate
cookie crumbs, rocky road ice cream, hot fudge sauce, whipped cream, and double
chocolate cookies; Berries and Sabayon with seasonal berries, sweet marsala wine
and whipped custard sauce; or Key lime Pie with whipped cream and lime zest.
Ala carte selections at Toasted Oak Grill & Market on Mother’s Day
include Market Charcuterie Board including Chef's selection of charcuterie,
pickled vegetables, mustard and baguette toast; Market Cheese Board of Chef’s
selection of cheeses with seasonal compotes, crackers and baquette; and Chicken
Liver & Foie Gras Pate served with caraway onion jam and baguette toast.

For more information about the restaurant, please visit
www.toastedoak.com .

The cost of the brunch at The Baronette
Renaissance Detroit-Novi Hotel is $32.95 for adults and $15 for children ages
4-12, non-inclusive of tax or gratuity. There is no cost for children under four
years old to attend. The cost of the three-course dinner at Toasted Oak Grill
& Market is $35 per person, not inclusive of tax and gratuity. Please call
248-277-6000 for additional information and to make reservations for both
events.


About Toasted Oak Grill & Market
An original new
restaurant concept born and bred in Michigan, Toasted Oak Grill & Market
features an imaginative menu of American brasserie cuisine, created by Michigan
native Chef Steven Grostick, with an emphasis on all things local. Featuring a
fresh market and wine shop that spills into an inviting and cozy dining room,
Toasted Oak Grill & Market is located at the Baronette Renaissance
Detroit-Novi Hotel, 27790 Novi Road. For more information, please visit
www.toastedoak.com.

D'Amato's (Royal Oak)

Mother's Day is right around the corner and we'll be having one of our special
buffet brunches with 3 separate seatings at 10am, 12pm, and 2pm. After 12pm, our
full bar and bottomless mimosas/bellinis will be available for purchase. Price
is $26 adults, $8 children. Selections include an omelet station, crepes, fruit,
cheese, smoked bacon, salads, and much more. Book now as space is quickly
filling up. 248-584-7400