[NEWS BITES] Chef Kate Williams leaving Rodin for new pursuits

Dance party at Rodin.

Chef Kate Williams is leaving Rodin to pursue some new ventures, which are still on the DL but one of them is going to be SO AWESOME YOU GUYS I CAN'T WAIT TO TELL YOU.

Kate and Rodin owner Torya Schoeniger wanted to go in different directions with the restaurant/bar. As a French-trained chef, Kate understandably wanted to focus more on the dining end of the business, but with a tiny kitchen she was limited and both she and Torya said she couldn't do what she really wanted to do there, which was basically to have a full restaurant. The parting of ways is wholly amicable and you can expect to see some changes at Rodin soon - different food and more music being the biggies.

Rodin first opened its doors for Noel Night last year on December 1, with a grand opening on 12/12/12. After nearly a year in business, Torya and her team have had time to settle into the Midtown nightlife market and see what their clientele most demands and best responds to. Torya wants to transition the nighttime hotspot to have a greater emphasis on live music. And with a one-year anniversary coming up, you can bet there's going to be one hell of a party.

Rodin will still serve food, but the food will be less preparation-intensive and more along the lines of heavy snacks - think cured meats, cheese boards, pickled vegetables, and raw seafood, similar to this. They'll still have all the great cocktails, unique wines, and craft beer you love, and the sexy mid-century Parisian cafe-meets-urban industrial chic atmosphere that makes it such a delightfully unique space in Detroit.

Kate is officially done at Rodin this week. I'll have more details on some of her upcoming projects soon but SERIOUSLY YOU GUYS THIS ONE THING IN PARTICULAR THAT I KNOW ABOUT IS GOING TO BE AWESOME. And keep an eye out for Rodin's one-year anniversary party; I'll be sure to remind you!

[EID Feature] Sexy Time in Ann Arbor: Lena + Habana

All photos by Nicole Rupersburg.

Two of my favorite people in restaurateuring (actually, it would probably be safe to say that these guys ARE my two favorite restaurateurs, the end) have opened yet another business in Ann Arbor (two, really) and it looks like they've got yet another winner(s) under their belts.

Greg Lobdell and Jon Carlson of 2Mission Design and Development have been on a tear here, there and everywhere. Jolly Pumpkin is expanding their Dexter brewing facilities (so Ron Jeffries can keep brewing unicorn tears and more of it) and they'll be opening a third Jolly Pumpkin Cafe soon (this one in Royal Oak). Together they own more than a dozen restaurants and bars in Royal Oak, Ann Arbor and Traverse City, and they're not slowing down any time soon.

Meet Lena (Lay-na), the team's newest venture and Ann Arbor's latest in cosmopolitan Latin-fusion cuisine. The place is total sexy time with a stripped-down aesthetic and an emphasis on clean, curved lines. From the Jetsons-inspired ceiling-mounted fireplace (get your own for a mere $8,500) to the curved wall and sparse west coast palette (save for the very very green exterior), this place just oozes sexy savvy chic. Oh, Ann Arbor, you.

But that's not all: in the basement is the newly-relocated and revamped Habana. It's still everything that it was before (Latin-inspired food and drink, salsa dancing, nightclub on weekends), only better. Sexier.  And minus the "Cafe." (The old Cafe Habana space, in the basement of Blue Tractor BBQ + Brewery, is now Mash, a whiskey and beer bar which admittedly fits the BBQ joint above it a bit more naturally.)

Lena and Habana are both Latin-inspired concepts but the similarities end there. They are otherwise as different as night and day, black and white, below ground and above ground. Where Lena upstairs is light and airy with an open floor plan awash in natural sunlight, breezy like an outdoor cliff-side patio on the Baja Peninsula, Habana is its dark underbelly. Literally. Located beneath Lena, Habana is dark and cavernous, an ultra-sexy nightclub carved out of the earth in the footprints of former secret vaults found beneath what was once Cunningham's Drug Store.

The building itself dates back to the late 1800s (possibly as far back as 1860), when it was home to the department store Mack and Co. When the store shut down, the top floors were removed and it became Cunningham's (1940). That store closed in 1973, replaced by a flower store briefly and then the Greek restaurant Parthenon in 1975, which closed in April of this year after more than 40 years of service.

The renovations were fast and furious (the Parthenon wasn't the cleanest of places, and the basement was pretty much dirt). During the renovation process, secret chambers were found behind the walls of the basement running under the sidewalks of the city; the walls were blown out and those chambers are now lounge areas. As for the very very green exterior, it is a faithful recreation of the original Cunningham's Drug Store facade; metalwork, awnings and all.

Lena is conceived to be a culinary experience inspired by the foods and traditions of Latin America and influenced by contemporary American cuisine. Chef Gabriel Vera is from Ecuador but uses French techniques with his own spin. He also recently represented Team Michigan at the Culinary Olympics in Frankfurt earlier this month -- this guy ain't no Tex-Mex joint line cook.

The menu is tapas and tacos with items like roasted corvina (an excellent fish from the coast of Ecuador you won't find anywhere else around here), an excellent selection of ceviche (try the sampler), traditional items like Caldo de Bolas (shredded beef soup), tostones, Spanish yapingacho (potato cakes stuffed with queso blanco, avocado, peanut sauce and chorizo), giant broiled Spanish sardines (not the kind that come in cans), 58-day-aged NY Strip steaks, a primarily Latin American wine list, and a huge emphasis on craft cocktails made with fresh-squeezed juices and house-made infusions. Plus rotating Jolly Pumpkin handles and Brazilian-style Chopp beer (light and dark) brewed especially for Lena and Habana.

I could use more words to say all of these things in more detail, but I'm going to let pictures do the talking here.

The bar at Habana.

Former secret vault made lounge.

House-infused vodka.

Ceviche sampler.

Want to see more? View the Flickr set here.

[EID Feature] Amore à Detroit

All photos by Nicole Rupersburg.

Valentine's Day. It's meant to be a day for romance (and a nice little retail push after the six-week-long post-holiday slump), not a day for neurotic meltdowns. If you're a "we," here are some swoon-worthy date ideas (or at least not the stale old dinner-at-a-fancy-restaurant formula) to impress her, him or them (hey, who am I to judge?). Ditch the impossible-to-get reservations and try out one of these alternative 100% Detroit dates* instead. (You're welcome.) If you're a "you," buck up buttercup; you answer to no one. XOXO

The ice rink at Campus Martius.

Get Outdoorsy
Take advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and head over to one of the city's truest treasures, Belle Isle Park. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (who also designed New York's Central Park), it's the largest island city park in the country and home to breathtaking landmarks like the beautifully restored James Scott Memorial Fountain and the Albert Kahn-designed Belle Isle Casino, Aquarium (recently reopened for one day during the annual Shiver on the River), and Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory--home to one of the largest city-owned orchid collections in the country. Wander through the Conservatory to see all the colorful flowers in bloom, then head over to the Detroit Riverwalk, a beautiful walk even in frigid weather (and maybe especially so--colder weather means fewer people and more seclusion). End it all with ice skating at Campus Martius--all the inevitable tripping over and gripping onto to each other, falling and laughing is sure to induce romantic inclinations.

Get Arty
A date at the Detroit Institute of Arts may be tres cliché, but it got that way because, quite simply, it works. Start with coffee and a casual lunch at the Rowland Cafe inside the stunning art deco Guardian Building (and hey, since you're there go visit our friends at Pure Detroit), then head over to the DIA and, as their slogan goes, "go wonder around." Afterwards have dinner and cocktails at Cliff Bell's, Detroit's premiere jazz lounge--a fully-restored 1930s art deco nightclub in an Albert Kahn-designed building, and hands-down the best live venue in Detroit for anything from jazz to techno to burlesque. It also happens to be one of the best restaurants and craft cocktail bars in the city. For a slightly different speed, check out the Raven Lounge and Nightclub for Detroit's best blues and some serious soul food. And for lovers of classical music, a box seat at the DSO has no comparison (Mozart and Mahler plays Valentine's Day weekend).

Get Dirty
Valentine's Day at the Dirty Show is a Detroit tradition, though admittedly it's not for everyone. If you don't mind the sight of some prominently-displayed no-no parts, this annual erotic art exhibition is one of the largest erotic arts exhibitions in the world. Come for the art, stay for the performances; there's always plenty of aerial acts, burlesque shows, and appearances from some of our favorite local performers (like Satori Circus). Afterwards ... well, how do you top the Dirty Show? Lucky for you it's open until 2 a.m. so you don't actually have to, but if you get your fill of ... NAKED PEOPLE??? !!! ... then the only way to go is even dirtier. Catch a metal show at Blondie's. Dance to hardcore industrial at the Leland City Club until 4 a.m. (du ... du liebst ... du liebst mich). Or perhaps you're feeling a bit more refined: have a Date With the Dames at the Park Bar (the Detroit Dizzy Dames, that is, for some classic burly-q), then enjoy a nightcap at the Valentine Vodka distillery and martini lounge and soak in the speakeasy-meets-boudoir atmosphere with dramatic red velvet drapes and a prominent painting of the brand's saucy pin-up girl in ravishing red. (Granted, Valentine Vodka is in Ferndale, but for the namesake alone it's worth looking outside of the city.) Keep with the theme of the evening by ordering a Dirty Detroit martini (made with McClure's brine).

Get Sweaty
Now now, naughty monkey ... what I mean by that is, find your inner salsero. Is there anything sexier than the salsa? (Yes, the tango, but good luck finding a regular tango night 'round here.) Check out the listings on Salsa Detroit and bachata your butt over to the nearest Latin night. When in doubt, hit up Vicente's Cuban Cuisine, where their large selection of spicy Spanish and Cuban tapas and mojitos will provide all the fuel you need to burn up the dancefloor.

Dinner and a Movie
You just can't beat the classics. Sure, it's not all wine and roses, but neither are actual relationships--for couples a little more established (or those with a mutual fondness for indulging their inner child), sometimes the most important thing is just to have a little fun together. Catch a classic film at the historic Redford Theatre (in Detroit), an arthouse flick at the Detroit Film Theatre (while patiently awaiting the days until Corktown Cinema is up and running; LONG LIVE THE BURTON!), or something big budget and flashy at the Ren Cen 4 Theatre inside the Renaissance Center. Afterwards hit up the Cadieux Cafe for strong Belgian beer, steamed mussels and feather bowling. Alternatively, you can get some gourmet sliders and have a state-of-the-art cinema experience at the Emagine Theatre in Royal Oak, then bowl at the 16-lane upscale Star Lanes, all in the same building. It's the Taj Mahal of movie theatres and I don't feel bad about including it here. It's a good theatre. And thorough.**

Take a Staycation
Book a fancy room, raid the fridge and minibar, rent a movie (what kind of movie is all up to you), order room service and stay in your PJs (or birthday suits) all day. Or, if you feel so inclined, get all fancy and have dinner at one of the hotel's renowned fine dining restaurants. The AAA four-diamond scores for 2012 were just released last month; on the list was the MGM Grand Detroit as well as Saltwater, the Michael Mina restaurant on the property; MotorCity Casino Hotel, as well as its signature restaurant Iridescence (Hour Detroit's "Restaurant of the Year" in 2011); and the Westin Book Cadillac (alas Roast was not bestowed the four diamonds, but it doesn't need them).

Stay Home
A home-cooked dinner (might I suggest lamb chops), wine (Bowers Harbor Vineyard 2008 2896 Langley for a killer example of a Michigan Merlot/Cab Franc), candles, music (Chopin is always a good go-to) -- a special night doesn't have to be spent amongst swarms of other people. Heck, some people might even be happy with pizza, beer and a sci-fi flick. (What?) Point is, quality time doesn't have to mean quality money. Happy Valentine's Day, lovelies!

*Note: some of these might not be doable on a Tuesday, but are perfect for weekend celebrations.
**Any opportunity I have to quote the Big Lebowski makes me happy.

[Real Detroit Weekly] Sangria Tapas Cafe and Sky Club

Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

"Owner Luigi Cutraro remembers when he first opened the doors to Sangria 12 years ago. At that time, Royal Oak was a hub for locally – and independently – owned businesses, defined by its countercultural ethos and its growing visibility as a vibrant downtown destination. Now, Royal Oak is becoming more 'corporate,' he notes – as Ferndale becomes the new champion of the quirky and independent, long-time Royal Oak mainstays like Sangria struggle to differentiate themselves from the increasingly homogenized look of Main Street.

'Luckily for Sangria (and Luigi), its long history and continued popularity place it far ahead of its other competition. First, as a salsa club: Salsa Wednesdays and Latin Thursdays with DJ Cisco in the Sky Club are just as popular as ever, particularly with metro Detroit's large salsero community. But we already know about the salsa, and there isn't anything new that can really be said about it. Except that in the past 12 years since Sangria opened, there have been 27 salsa clubs that have opened and then closed. Sangria was the first and is the only one still left. And also that DJ Cisco has been the resident DJ here for the past 12 years since they opened, an almost unheard-of length of time for any DJ to have a residency in one place (if for no other reason than that most clubs don't survive that long)..."

Read the rest of the story here.

Want to see more? Check out the Flickr set here.

944 Detroit: Club Sushi

Photograph by Scott Spellman for 944 Detroit.
"Pulsing electronic beats. Strobing lights. Breathtakingly beautiful people. Bodies gyrating on the dance floor. Raw fish.

'This may sound like a which-one-of-these-is-not-like-the-other riddle, but for some reason, sushi has become synonymous with phrases like 'exclusive nightclub' and 'ultra-lounge.' The hottest trend in metro Detroit right now is rolled up neatly in rice and presented with a side of sake martinis and techno. Oysters may be an aphrodisiac, but sushi is sexy. Here, 944 names the best places to break out the chopsticks and bust a move..."

Read the rest of the article here.

Real Detroit Weekly: Oslo

"Previous owners shut down this Detroit staple in '07, much to the dismay of sushi fans and techno freaks all over the metro area who knew this as the place to go. Current owners Kat Lemos and mother Lumpai Rossbach reopened this downtown hotspot and now, after three years, Oslo is once again one of the top venues for techno and hip-hop shows, and also one of our favorite sushi and Thai places.

'Sushi was always been Oslo's claim to fame and with a new sushi chef on board – Josh Taylor, who previously worked at Tom's Oyster Bar in Royal Oak – it will continue to be a strong draw with inventive, unique rolls only found here. Taylor has been here since the beginning of the year and brings to Oslo a fresh, unique take on contemporary sushi along with the passion and enthusiasm for food and drink that Kat looks for in her staff. Try the Tandoori Roll, a baked roll made with cream cheese, salmon, crispy tempura flakes and sweet curry sauce. It's almost as rich as a dessert with a delicately sweet curry scent. Skip the California roll – you can get those at Kroger..."

Read the rest of the article here.

Real Detroit Weekly: New Year's Eats

7 in West Bloomfield

To celebrate its one-year anniversary (they opened 12/1/2010), 7 in West Bloomfield is offering an all-inclusive evening of dining and dancing for only $60 per person (and that includes tax and tip). The four-course meal runs from 9 to 11 p.m. (limited seats are available). The upscale appetizer buffet will have shrimp cocktail, smoked salmon, oysters Rockefeller, sushi, assorted cheeses, fruits and vegetables and a gourmet salad display.Options for the sit-down entree selections include filet mignon, pan-seared Chilean sea bass and lemon chicken piccata, all served with loaded whipped potatoes and a vegetable medley. And, of course, be sure to save room for dessert. There will also be party favors, a champagne toast and balloon drop at midnight, late-night snacks and a DJ spinning all night long. Cash bar; VIP booths and bottle service available. Call 248.737.9777 to reserve yours in advance.

Bookies Bar & Grille

Downtown Detroit's favorite entertainment destination bar, Bookies Bar & Grille, will be popping bottles precisely how you'd expect them to: with lots of music and booze. For their New Year's Eve party they are offering a $50 ticket, which includes an open bar from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. (four hours to drink $50 worth of booze? EASY) as well as a late-night coney dog buffet, champagne toast and balloon drop at midnight, and three floors of the hottest hip-hop, dance, house and top 40 mash-ups featuring DJ Technician and DJ Salvador Rivera. Watch the ball drop in Times Square on their HD TVs and 16-foot projection screen. Reserved seating and coat check is available, and a four-course prix fixe dinner menu is also offered for an additional $30 (not including tax or tip). Tickets can be purchased at bookiesbar.com.

Fishbone's

If Greektown's Monroe Street can substitute for the raucous French Quarter in Virgin on Bourbon Street (you'll only know that movie because it was filmed in Detroit, and not for any other reason), then Fishbone's Rhythm Kitchen Cafe is a wholly acceptable fill-in for the candy-colored hedonistic Creole vibe conjured by Mardi Gras. Fishbone's is a Detroit-styled homage to the voodoo jazz of the Bayou, complete with plastic beads and krewe masks. If you're looking for a New Year's Eve that requires a little less planning and preening — something as easy as, well, the Big Easy — head to Detroit's own Fishbone's. Enjoy their usual selection of fresh seafood and sushi as well as steaks, pastas and Creole cuisine, then kick back when the Brian Sheehan Band kicks off at 10 p.m., playing classic rock, new wave and original cuts on what is rumored to be a "sparking" guitar.

Gaucho SteakHouse

The only authentic Churrascaria in metro Detroit, this Brazilian steakhouse offers the kind of dining experience you won't get anywhere else. Your meal is presented in the Brazilian and Portuguese "rodizio" style where "gauchos" (meat carvers) bring a seemingly endless stream of fire-roasted skewered meats to the table (16 in all) and shave off unlimited portions to your pleasing — use the green and red chips to signify when you're ready for more or when you're throwing in the meat towel. Beef ribs, baby back ribs, lamb leg and chops, rump roast, bottom and top sirloin, chicken, sausage, pork tenderloin and more await you, along with their gourmet 30-item salad bar with accompaniments such as smoked salmon, salami, asparagus, and grana padano (a hard cheese similar to parmesan). The prix fixe menu is always $43.99 per person, and they will be open until midnight on New Year's Eve.

Bourbon Steak inside MGM

There are few other restaurants in metro Detroit that come even close to matching the atmosphere of sophistication and distinction of Michael Mina's Bourbon Steak inside the MGM Grand Detroit. This is not the kind of place you visit unless you have extra money you don't want anymore; that being said, the exceptional staff ensures that your experience is well worth the splurge. If you're after something a little more champagne and charcuterie and a little less bump and grind this New Year's, Bourbon Steak's indulgent tasting menu is calling to you. This special menu is $100 per person with an an additional wine pairing available for $50 per person (tax and tip not included). Start with an amuse bouche of caviar parfait, first course choice of lobster bisque or steak "Oscar," entree choice of prime rib or curried lobster thermidor and a Knob Creek malted milkshake with chocolate ice cream sandwich and salted bourbon caramel for dessert. Truly spectacular wine pairings include Moet & Chandon Cuvée Dom Pérignon 1992 and Louis Carillon Puligny-Montrachet Burgundy 2006. Dinner service is offered 5 p.m. to midnight and reservations are required.

Sangria Tapas Cafe & Sky Club

SalsaDetroit.com, Metro Detroit Salsa, NuestroDetroit.com and Cuatro Cirios Tequila are bringing you the kind of New Year's Eve celebration you can step, twirl and cha-cha your way through with Salsa Explosion. Sangria Tapas Cafe and Sky Club will be doing what they do best: creating a sexy-as-hell culture of Latin food, music and dance in downtown Royal Oak. Four DJs will be spinning salsa, merengue, bachata, reggaeton and top 40 tracks to keep your pulse pounding and your hips swinging until 4 a.m. Tickets are $25 at the door or $15 in advance or with dinner purchase, and include continental breakfast. Three-course dinner packages include one tapa, entree and dessert and range from $30-50 (paella for two is $70 and includes two tapas and two desserts). Prix fixe dinner packages do not include tax or tip. Make reservations for one of three dinner seatings at 248.543.1964; tickets for the party afterwards are available through salsadetroit.com and sangriaroyaloak.com.

Tom's Oyster Bar

As luck would have it, New Year's Eve falls on a Friday this year. For those of you out there unfortunate enough to have to work that day, never fear: your after-work happy hour is continuing as scheduled at Tom's Oyster Bar in Royal Oak. From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. enjoy $4 martinis, $3 calls, $3 pints and $1 oysters. And since you're already here, stick around for their NYE lobster specials: an a la carte lobster tail dinner and a surf and turf with lobster tail and prime rib (specials will run 5 p.m. to midnight). They will still have the full board of fresh fish that they're known for, as well as their namesake selection of six different cold water raw oysters. They — you know, THEY — do say oysters are an aphrodisiac ... and who doesn't want someone to kiss at midnight? Just some things to keep in mind. You're welcome.

Andiamo on the Riverfront

The tricky thing about New Year's Eve is all too often trying to enjoy it safely. This year Andiamo on the Riverfront is offering guests a package that will allow them to pop bottles without worry and let the booze flow like water. Guests will start with a four-course dinner at Andiamo and afterwards enjoy the evening doing all of the pure and innocent things people do in hotels, such as play Yahtzee in a deluxe room at the Marriott Renaissance Center. Enjoy its stunning views of Detroit and Windsor, all for only $279 per couple (tax, tip and alcohol not included). Call 313.567.6700 for reservations. RDW

Originally printed here.

Real Detroit Weekly: Sangria Tapas Cafe

"Even the windows sweat at Sangria Tapas Cafe and the upstairs Sky Club. Come dancing during the cold winter months and the sheer amount of body heat steams the windows up so much, they drip.

'Sangria was really the first tapas restaurant/salsa club of its kind in metro Detroit, and at 12 years, it is arguably the oldest. Owner Luigi Cutraro hails from Sicily. He said he decided to open a tapas restaurant because 'the tapas format is not your everyday restaurant with soup-salad-entrée, which I find very boring,' he explains.

''In a tapas bar you order six, seven, 10 different tapas; sometimes order things you would never order like the octopus, which is only $6.95 and if you don't like it, you give it to your friend. The tapas format is more fun!'"

Read the rest of the article here.

Real Detroit Weekly: Vicente's Cuban Cuisine

"There is a stereotype regarding Latin culture that it is somehow inherently sexy — something about the sensual dance, spicy food and sweaty climate ... just think of the tango scene at the beginning of Mr. & Mrs. Smith (oh if only...).

'For five years, Vicente's Cuban Cuisine has been heating up Detroit with its unique Cuban dinner experience where visitors have an entire evening of dining and entertainment under one steamy roof. Guests come for traditional Cuban dishes like the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink Cuban paella with lobster, shrimp, calamari, scallops, Spanish sausage, chicken, clams, mussels, vegetables and Spanish saffron rice. Afterwards they burn off the calories by salsa dancing into the wee hours. Stereotype, meet even more awesome reality..."

Read the rest of the article here.