Hints, Allegations and Things Left Unsaid (Except By Me)

Sometimes, there's a man. Sometimes, there's a man... Well, I lost my train of thought here, but I done introduced it enough.

(The Big Lebowski. Greatest movie ever EVER ever. Don't argue with me.)

Sometimes there's a man, and sometimes there's a catch-all blog post. Here goes:

Seldom Blues Space for Rent
The space once occupied by the Frank Taylor joint (get it? like "Spike Lee joint"? Ohhh how I'm in a mood today...) has become prime property up for grabs, and several prominent local restauranteurs are eyeing it like a pack of hungry wolves. The Vicaris, who own the Andiamo Restaurant Group, want to open a second location of their Novi-based upscale Mexcian eatery Rojo Mexican Bistro (note: their Andiamo on the Riverfront, located inside the Ren Cen, is their highest-grossing location--little wonder they'd want to see a second restaurant in the same building). Matt Prentice wants to open another fish house, though promises it will be distinctly different from his Northern Lakes Seafood Co. in Bloomfield Hills. Rumor is that the brokers of the space really want to see a seafood restaurant in this location, but there are also hush-hush hints that an old Detroit dining institution may be returning in a renewed form...many would be excited to see this happen, though I regretfully cannot tip my hand here. Hyde Park Prime is another name thrown in the mix, which was supposed to open in aught-eight in Bloomfield Hills though it ultimately never did. The overall consensus is that this is a killer space that can make killer money if managed properly. Read between the lines if you will; I only said what I said.

Two New Spots in Greektown
And neither of them are Greek. Five Guys Burgers and Fries on Monroe St. will open March 29, offering "the best $5 burger a man can eat" according to GQ. Just down the street Red Smoke Barbeque is taking shape nicely...looks like a trendy-but-not-in-that-way-that-Slows-is-trendy kind of place. Like, traditional southern "trendy"...something that would be a happenin' spot in Charlotte, NC. The true test of a BBQ joint is its ribs (sorry, but Slows fails there)...I'm curious to see what Red Smoke can bring. Yee-haw!

Speaking of BBQ (and Slows)
There is also going to be a new BBQ joint on Woodward at Adams; construction is currently underway but a source tells me that when he walked by and inquired about the renovation he was told, "You know Slows? It'll be like that, only better." Sounds like someone got ahold of the Open Pit recipe and is having their way with it!

(Proof) Space Has Been Leased Out to an Eastside Bar
Perhaps Dooley's, or some other big eastside joint. I...you know, the jokes just write themselves here. I almost feel like it's beneath me. Take a heaping helping of the White Trash Trifecta (muffin tops, tramp stamps, and skunk streaks), throw in some T-tops and mullets, be generous with your cracks on Tigers fans, and set it to a soundtrack of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Kid Rock. Though I will say--those eastside bars know how to promote themselves and always get a strong crowd. Now give me the beat boys and free my soul, I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away...

Some Detroit Restaurant Week Updates
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has agreed to participate in the Detroit Restaurant Week Press Conference April 13, 2010. “Detroit Restaurant Week highlights the many fine establishments we have in our city -- where a plate can be found for every palate,” said Mayor Bing. “As more people look to spend their money locally, I welcome them to Detroit, and invite them to discover the rich flavors and tastes we offer here, not only during Detroit Restaurant Week, but every day.” The press conference will be held at 10 a.m. and attened by media, representatives from the participating restaurants. Details about the location will be announced at a later date. Also, DRW, the participating resturants, and the event producer Paxahau Event Productions were recognized at the Downtown Detroit Partnership's annual luncheon on March 4, 2010. Also also, I get to preview five more restaurants and you're jealous.

There's probably more. In fact, there's most assuredly more. But that's what the quote-unquote neeeeeews is for, and I don't want to put anyone out of a job.

*chirp* *chirp*

The Fate of Taste Pizzabar

Photo by Sean Gabriel Photography

I do hope that this is premature, and that the issues that plagued Taste Pizzabar have since been resolved and the place is staying open after all. After opening in January to much local excitement and in a flurry of strategic marketing, and receiving rave reviews for their phenomenal food and eclectic atmosphere (service was always a bit hit-or-miss, but at just now 6 months of being operational one could conclude that these are still simple growing pains; the restaurant has barely had time to find its legs, though it was popular from the very start), I've heard rumors of the semi-official kind that Taste will be closing.

The reasons are even more disheartening--management involved in illegal activities, stealing money and so forth, ultimately leading to owner Dale Daniels having to terminate several employees including upper management. Though I've not been able to speak with Dale himself to confirm why closing is necessary since the bad eggs have been weeded out (it would seem that the major problems had been solved and they can now continue to operate their normal business), I hope that my own information was incorrect and that they will indeed still be serving pizzas into the wee hours as before.

However, this doesn't look likely. Staff has already been slashed to the absolute bare bones and as of a week and a half ago, patronage has seemed to respond in kind. The Friday night trance DJs are gone, as are apparently the customers. It is sad to see yet another otherwise great restaurant suffer the fate of bad management, and it makes my heart ache for Daniels, whose dream of owning his own place has effectively been crushed.

In a way, this one also hits me a little close to home. Since they opened, I've been involved and in some ways have been a bit of a buzz-creator. I covered them in Real Detroit the weekend after they first opened. I gave them high marks both here and in D-Tales, which was then reported back to me as being a big source of traffic (which I believe, because at the time I was told this the person didn't even know I was the author of these blogs). The following month I organized a Detroit Synergy Supper Club with them. I convinced my friend who organizes the Detroit Guerrillas to hold an event there. Most recently I featured them in an article on Detroit's new gourmet pizzerias in Model D. In a way, I almost kind of felt territorial about the place--as if it were my discovery, my baby.

For me, this isn't just the loss of a top-rate pizza place--and I LOVE PIZZA--nor is it the sad failure of a person I've come to be quite fond of; I almost feel as if it were a personal failure, too.

But...as of right now, at this very moment, Taste remains open. Perhaps it won't be for much longer...or perhaps Fate has been a little kinder than has been previously reported to me and the waters have parted and the skies opened, allowing this clever little "pizzabar" to remain open, hopefully for many years to come.

Let's hope so.

Lots of New Developments; Here's a List

Originally published in D-Tales here; edited for content.

...Level: This new martini bar will inhabit the former site of the once-popular Buzz Bar, which shut down for some damn reason or another, who can keep track anymore? So much for the rumored reopening...but I will always welcome a new martini bar. The sign says "Opening Soon," but you never really know what that means in this city. I'm still waiting on that new French restaurant right across the street.

Mercury Coffee Bar: Phillip Cooley (who, with his brother, owns Slows Bar BQ and half a block of Corktown) and Todd Wickstrom, co-founder of Heritage Foods USA and former managing partner at Zingerman's Deli, have teamed up to create Mercury Coffee Bar in Corktown. This two-floor building will have seating for about 50-60 diners, and will serve fresh-baked pastries and sandwiches made with ingredients supplied by local urban gardens and Michigan farmers. The idea is to create more jobs for locals as well as to drive economic development using food. With the recent shift in Detroit backs towards more agrarian roots and urban gardens cropping up all over the east side and Midtown, there's no time like the present. Mercury Coffee Bar promises to be the first wave of a sure new trend in Detroit: one that focuses on the highest quality ingredients and promoting the local agricultural economy.

Tre Monti Ristorante: This newly-opened Italian-esque restaurant behind the San Marino Club in Troy is open to the public, unlike the Club it is adjacent to. Some interesting things about San Marino: it is the oldest constitutional republic in the world and boasts the smallest population in the Council of Europe as well as one of the highest Gross Domestic Products per capita in the world. Membership to the San Marino Club in Troy is open only to those of San Marino descent. Which makes me wonder how many there could possibly be in Michigan, but apparently there's enough.

Tre Monti is the result of a longtime desire to extend the Club's cultural heritage, and is said to highlight the cuisines of tiny San Marino, the landlocked enclave republic completely surrounded by the rolling hills of Italy. The cuisine is shockingly similar. But, the decor is bright and welcoming and the fare sounds tasty enough, though pretty painfully basic. Some standouts include osso buco and involtini with prosciutto and mozzarella--again, nothing too fancy, and certainly not the work of a Chef de Cuisine, but I'll spare my judgement until I actually dine there. In my experience, it is oftentimes these non-flashy restaurants owned and operated by a long tradition of families from the Mother Country featuring menu items that sound pretty basic and simple that are the ones you'll rave about for years afterwards as being one of the most flavorful meals you'd ever experienced.

So Many Rumors...

Originally published in D-Tales here.

This weekend was full of interesting tidbits for me. I got the scoop on a lot of future goings-ons, so much so that I'm not even sure I'll remember it all and some of it I can't even repeat (which is going to kill me, btw--so when I finally am officially able to talk about it and the post starts with "I ALREADY KNEW THIS" you'll know that was this stuff I'm NOT talking about here).

I have to run off to work in a hot second so I'll keep this one limited to the dining rumors:

First, I wondered the other day what exactly the new Michael Symon restaurant inside the Book-Cadillac would be--I got the answer. (Admittedly this information was likely readily available online, but I didn't feel like looking for it. So there.) It will be called Roast and it will be a steakhouse. Very beefy. Can't wait.

Second, there is a new French restaurant opening soon across the street from Buzz Bar (or, what used to be Buzz Bar and still has the Buzz Bar sign but is not in fact open). It was supposed to open July 1st--that's what the sign said--but the inside is still looking pretty gutted. These things never happen on time anyway. My question: classic French or French fusion? And who's the chef? Please please please let it be Shawn Mac...I'd really like to see him land on his feet and stay in the city post-AV.

Third, apparently the owner of the Good Girls Go to Paris crepe stand is already talking about opening a second location in Eastern Market, possibly even with a little cafe area where people can sit and eat their crepes. Instead of doing what I did, which was stop by on my way to work and eat this overflowing crepe from a paper plate while doing 80 on the Lodge. Hey, I never said I make the best decisions, I just have the best taste. The crepe was wonderful, btw. I had the "Fay"--bananas with pecans, caramel, brown sugar, whipped cream, and lots of real butter. OMFG so good. Elegant in its simplicity, as crepes should be. The crepe shell was perfect, too--doughy and slightly sweet. It is my personal goal to sample all the crepes and give a full report afterwards. This will be possible only on Fridays and Saturdays when their hours are more conducive to my schedule (open until 2:00AM, that is).

Hm, what else? I think that's everything food-related that I am allowed to share. The rest will eat at me until I'm finally able to repeat it.

Heh..."eat" at me. Punny!

R.I.P. Asian Village

Originally published in D-Tales here.

This one hurt.

Effective yesterday, Asian Village is closed for good (or for God knows how long until GM decides to lift their "We no likey" decree and allow AV to continue to operate, assuming that the owners would even be interested in continuing to do so at that point).

See apparently wha' ha' happened wuz The Powers That Be (in this case, General Motors as the leaseholders of the building AV was in) decided that they didn't want a nightclub operating that close to (a) their building and (b) their Riverfront, which they are supposedly developing (with partners) with even more overpriced condos that no one can afford to buy and will be reduced to 1/3 of the original asking price after sitting empty for the first 3 years a la the Skylofts et. al. in Royal Oak , aka Loftapalooza.

This is really quite unfortunate. For the year that they have been open, Asian Village has struggled. First having to shut down the Pacific-Rim-themed coffee shop, then temporarily shutting down the Asian cafeteria, and never quite getting around to opening the Asian-themed market. Then Fusia cut back their hours, then hired on a brilliant new chef--Shawn Mac from Twingo's and boocoo (and no it's not his fault any one of these places shut down--someone accused him of having poor management skills and advised him to stay in the kitchen where he belongs. Well, write this down for future reference: Mac never managed any of these places and only ever acted as the sous/executive chef with the responsibilities those titles entail. The issues that shut each of these places down fall on the heads of others, not him. All he ever did was design award-winning menus that garnered acclaim in culinary magazines), and began to get some much-needed recognition. Then Scott Hummel came on board as the event planner and AV started hosting high-profile, well-received events. Then Jay Noonchester and his friends started having club nights, called Sutra, there every Saturday, which then branched into Fridays (separate of Noonchester & Co.). Then GM got pissed and shut them down, citing zoning issues.

Now, I'm not in disapproval of zoning laws. Nor am I arguing that AV had a very clearly-defined identity as a restaurant(s) (it didn't, and it changed frequently). But I will say that, despite the lack of consistency in branding, AV finally found a niche that worked. And I will also say that, while they were not "zoned" for a nightclub, COME ON. This wasn't some booty-shaking, wet-T-shirt-contest-having, college night with girls in bikinis, lines of 18-to-21-year-olds wrapped around the building and hoopdies in the parking lot blaring gangsta rap fratboy thug fest. This was a lounge, where wealthy young doctors, business owners, lawyers, and NFL players hung out and sipped $30.00 glasses of whiskey. And I know you can't say "this kind of club is okay, but this kind isn't." However, this was a restaurant which simply chose to host special events. No different that any other restaurant that might bring in a DJ or band and charge a cover to see them after a certain time. Sure, it might be a sneaky little loophole, but there it is. Mon Jin Lau gets away with it. So does Crave. So does Oslo. So does Fishbones. La Dolce Vita. Andiamo. And countless others. What was different for AV was the fact that they were on GM's lease and their operations did not fit in GM's carefully monitored mold.

I've documented in detail what I have seen as the rise of Asian Village. I've seen it transformed from being on the brink of bankruptcy with constant rumors of financial struggles and being near closing. I've watch it shift from its original incaranation and conception to what it has since become. I've watched it from being near-dead on a Friday night and closing at 9:00PM to being the latest hotspot in Detroit and packed past 2:00AM, listened as the buzz grew louder, even helped people pick out outfits to wear there on a Saturday night. I've hosted events there and have been treated wonderfully and had top-notch experiences. I feel an affinity towards much of the staff there, having known a number of them from various places before. I watched as the owners slowly got their proverbial shit together and finally put the RIGHT people in the RIGHT places, setting themselves up for success. And I watched as those many moves and difficult decisions and restaffing and reconceptualizing slowly but surely began to pay off.

All to be shut down in the end, right at the point that they were finally making all the right moves, on track to become a Detroit success story.

This, to me, is very sad. Disappointing, really. Ironic, no doubt (the timing, that is). And completely unnecessary.

What, it isn't enough that businesses in Detroit already have to shut their doors due to flagging business even though they've been around for decades, now we have to start shutting down the successful ones that might actually attract the kind of moneyed, youthful clientele that the city actually needs if it has any hope of becoming the revitalized, rejuvenated, and culturally thriving destination city that it hopes to one day become?

What, GM gets their panties in a bunch because of "zoning issues" (underlying implication--they don't want club rats dirtying up their Gold Coast) and completely shuts it down???? No warning, no slap on the wrists, no "no more nightclub, no-ah-ah," no second chance, no opportunity to get proper zoning, they just shut the fucker down?

This has nothing to do with low food and liquor sales or mismanagement (even though quite the argument can indeed be made that there were too many cooks in the kitchen whose names were on the business loan and not one of them agreed on anything and damn near drove the place into the ground on multiple occasions--only to survive time and time again). This has everything to do with the city's largest corporate entity throwing its weight around and decreeing what businesses can and cannot operate in the city--what does and does not suit them.

And thas sum buuuuuuuuuuuuullshit.

Asian Village was, to me, symptomatic of New Detroit. It struggled at first, and initially people didn't quite know what to make of it. But eventually people got more open-minded and decided that they actually kind of liked this new place, and started to check it out with a newfound sense of curiosity and appreciation.

Only to get shat on by the likes of GM.

The closing of AV is akin to New Detroit taking a step backwards. If we can't even keep these new, ambitious businesses open and protected from closure by special interest groups, how exactly is this city supposed to rebuild? Especially when the special interest group is GM, and part of the reason we need to rebuild is because they had to go and get themselves bankrupt and a whole lotta people lost their jobs. And now they're making the decisions on which businesses stay and which close? All based on their greed for overpriced waterfront property that they don't want sullied by the presence of club-goers (which was less the 1515 Broadway crowd and more the Crave the Sunset crowd--in other words, the kind of people who have money, want to spend it, and should be encouraged to spend it in the city, and hell, might even be the ones who could afford said overpriced waterfront property)?

Asian Village was exactly the kind of high-end, upscale, trendy place that New Detroit needs to reidentify itself. And now it's gone. Not because Detroiters have no taste, or because they didn't "get" the concept, or because it was too upscale, or because people couldn't afford it, or because it didn't live up to its hype--it's gone because a greedy corporate entity deemed it so.

I think Miss Janet said it best when she asked, "What have you done for me lately?" (The City of Detroit asks GM.)So long, AV. We tried.

And good luck to the hard-working, talented people who now find themselves unemployed.

Adventures on a Friday: A Tale in Two Parts

Originally published on D-Tales here.

Part One: Asian Village, Mezzanine, and Lunch at Vicente's

It's been a busy week for D-Tales, so I'm playing Blogger catch-up now. But still I would like to share with my readers my adventures from last Friday, as they were...adventuresome.

The day started out with me taking an injured friend to work so he could tie up some loose ends. While we were in the area, I decided I wanted to get some coffee at the Kawaiian Cafe inside Asian Village. I had read about it repeatedly on the website (as recently as earlier that same week) and wanted to check it out, figuring this would be my perfect opportunity.

Except for that it's apparently been closed for, like, almost a year. Okay, not quite that long, but a pretty long time. The website had never been updated to reflect this closure (ditto with the closing and reopening of Asian Marketplace, the lunch spot). So THEN what should happen I KID YOU NOT just a few days later???? The website gets shut down for a day, and then totally revamped and now NOT advertising businesses that no longer exist.

:/

I was just bummed I couldn't get my coffee.

BTW, I've heard rumors for some time that Asian Village is hurting for business (hence the closures), but most recently I've started hearing about some improvements in patronage. I don't know if Detroiters have simply FINALLY caught on to the coolness that is (every OTHER trendy Asian place in the outlying suburban areas are considered THE places to hang out--Chen Chow in Birmingham, Sakana in Ferndale, Mon Jin Lau in Troy, Crave in Dearborn...Detroiters seemed to have missed the boat on the 18,000 sq. ft. trendy Asian MegaPlex right here on the Riverfront, but they're putting on the life preservers and trying to swim to catch it now). I always attributed it to a problem with advertising--as in, complete lack thereof. Other people cited reasons as simple as parking dilemnas (there is valet service there, but it's expensive--$5.00 before 9:00PM, $10.00 after). But now that Fusia is getting some good buzz and the new lounge Sutra is open (Saturdays only; $10.00 for girls, $20.00 for guys; tables with Ketel One bottle service and admission for 5 people $225.00) and being promoted by my fave Jay Noonchester, things are apparently looking up for AV.

Just the other day, a friend of mine told me that Saturday nights at Asian Village was the new hot spot for black people. She said it seemed like every friend that called her up was either already at or on their way to AV. She also said, "You know us black people--we find a new place we like and suddenly it's the hype place to be." So apparently catering to a more diverse crowd...or, really any crowd at all, aside from the GM Ren Cen workers and business travelers staying at the Marriott...was a wise business maneuver for AV. Now BRING BACK THE COFFEE!!!!!

I am glad that it seems AV is no longer two weekends away from shutting down.

But I'm still pissed I ended up with a crappy Mocha Frappuccino bottled thing from CVS.

So, from the ill-fated attempt at getting coffee in AV to lunch at Vicente's Cuban Cuisine. But first, my friends and I decided to drop in and say hi to our friend Joe Posch, owner of Mezzanine, a high-end modernist furniture and home accessory store located at Grand River and Broadway. Tres chic.

The store is actually located on the second floor, and you have to call for the elevator operator (an older woman named Jean, I believe, who has apparently been doing this for some several-odd decades). This is one of those super-old-fashioned elevators (with an operator! who operates!), iron grate and all. Plus, in true old-fashioned form, Jean smokes as she operates. For one brief second it was like living in the '50s...if in the '50s a twenty-something woman who was single with no children could wear pants with a T-shirt in public and be accompanied by her two best openly gay male friends, that is. Other than that, just like it.

Mezzanine was a visual treat--it's a very trendy place in a very trendy space (Joe was fortunate to be able to have his store occupy the corner of the building, so it features ceiling-high windows over two full walls; very trendy and loft-like, which is actually great for the store because browsers are able to envision what the products might actually look like in their own modern Detroit loft home). The merchandise is all exactly the kinds of things I gravitate towards in the CB2 and Chiasso catalogues, only at Mezzanine the merchandise is a little less mass-produced and thus a little more expensive. The store has a very nice set-up, with small home accessory items on display with the larger items and the furniture, so everything has a very "livable" look to it--actually, it felt more like a showroom than a store. In fact, it reminded me a lot of several fully-decorated model lofts I had seen on previous loft tours, as if someone could buy the whole entire space outright and move right in without having to change very much about the set-up to make it a true home. There are a number of different artistic and eclectic modernist pieces on display for your purchasing perusal, but no giant warehouse with bin numbers a la IKEA or walls of miscellaneous knick-knacks 5-deep. This is a great place to go for your contemporary home décor needs, and I'm fairly positive that it is the only store of its kind in Detroit. (Bureau of Urban Living is more accessory and less furniture, though those who would shop at one would certainly shop at the other.)

After oohing and ahhing at pretty things we can't possibly afford, we bid Joe adieu and headed over to Vicente's for some late lunch.

I love Vicente's; I just think it is a wonderful place with a very unique vibe and some very tasty food. Friday and Saturday night salsa dances are a must-see at least once for all metro-Detroiters. Plus, love all the flavored mojitos.

Lunch at Vicente's is a different vibe. The Cuban music isn't blaring, the dancefloor isn't packed, and there is a minimal crowd dining. It's a nice, relatively quiet place to go for lunch (at least at 3:00 in the afternoon it is--I can't speak for the common lunch rush).

I've dined there numerous times before, and I typically opt for the diverse Tapas menu over a single full entree--you get to sample a larger selection of items for a little more bang for your buck. I heartily recommend the Gambas al Ajillo (shrimp marinated in garlic, olive oil, and white wine with lemon juice, crushed red peppers and parsley--so simple, yet so good, and be sure to sop up the remnants with some crusty bread) and the Calamares Fritos (calamari in a lemon butter sauce--when done right, the edges of the calamari have just the slightest crispness, which is a fantastic contrast to the creamy garlic butter).

To try something a little different, I ordered the Surtido de Espana--a basic meat and cheese plate (I know! as many times as I've been there and I've NEVER ordered it!). Manchego cheese, serrano ham, cantimpalo chorizo and marinated olives were served to me on one very greasy plate. Now, individually these are all very greasy items (especially the cheese and chorizo sausage)--when put on the same plate and served at room temperature after being chilled (read: sweat), it was pretty much just a pool of mixed grease on a plate. Still tasty, though, but at $10.95, not a very good value. Oh, but the olives--yeck. The marinade was apparently some kind of mayo base--yeck, yeck, yeck.

What I get most excited about when I go there are the Plantanos Maduros (fried sweet plantains)--the sweet plantains (pungent mini-bananas) get a little caramelized as they are fried, so the edges get crisp, the sugar caramelizes and enhances the naturally sweet flavor, and they are just simply YUM-MY. Much like the majority of Vicente's menu, the motto at work here is "the simpler the better," and it works oh so well.

For dessert, we opted for some Tres Leches (three milk) cake--white cake made with evaporated milk, condensed milk, and then soaked in good old-fashioned liquid milk. The cake is actually not made in-house but is brought in from a bakery in Mexicantown (not...remembering...the name...), so you have to try to get it when it's fresh. It is most certainly a different experience--the cake is beyond moist, given that it is still dripping with milk, but it is very light and flavorful and...cold.

We left there full and bloated and ready for a nap time. My ambition earlier in the day was to take a walk to enjoy the beautiful weather, but I quickly gave up on this when the temperature dropped 20 degrees, the wind started gusting 30+ mph, and the Weather Channel was reporting a storm blowing in...so I decided to get rested up for the big night I had ahead of me and took a lengthy nap

....

Check back soon for Part Two: The Dossin Great Lakes Museum and Cuisine! But first, gotta go pay the bills and make some dolla dolla bills y'all...

Remembering Twingo's

The other night I was out at Tuesday Nights Doggystyle at the Park Bar and got into a discussion about Detroit's favorite former Euro Cafe, Twingo's.

Ah, what a great spot that was. The vibe was just so terribly, terribly eclectic, and the food was fantastic. It appealed to both the artsy Midtowners and suburban food snobs alike. With Depeche Mode on the speakers, local art adorning the walls, and a menu to rival any big-city bistro, Twingo's just had a vibe that was unique unto itself and Detroit. Oh, and the Steak Au Poivre with gorgonzola butter? Tres magnifique.

I thought the prices were very reasonable for the caliber and quality of the restaurant, though that was the subject of some debate. Comparable to places like Union Street in pricing, only far superior in quality and presentation, and with a French-heavy wine list with few selections topping $30.00, the Twingo's experience was a real value, and a great way to endcap an evening at the Theatre.

And people loved it. Twingo's was all the rage when it was open before...then it closed. And it was sad. Then it reopened! New management, a remodel, and still a great menu...so what happened to close it down once again, and apparently once and for all?

John Lopez is what happened. He's the guy who was hired on to manage Atlas Global Bistro a few years back and almost got them closed down. (Two years later and they're still paying up back taxes that went unpaid during his tenure there.) Then Twingo's reopened, and hired him on--purportedly he's a great ideas guy, but not so great with the whole "business" aspect. Not too long later and Twingo's closed its doors, and why? Back-owed taxes. Either Lopez isn't aware that these are things that need to get paid and he, as the general manager, needs to make sure they get paid, or he just doesn't like to pay them. (Incidentally, this is the same reason the Buzz Bar closed--and has still not reopened.) Regardless, John Lopez seems to have the Midas Touch of Death for any restaurant that takes him in. I feel bad for the next sucker who hires him based on his "impressive" resume without doing a thorough background check--it's not just his bad luck that keeps getting restaurants closed around him. I mean really, at one point does it stop being everyone else and start being you, John?

[SIDEBAR: Agave was another one of Lopez's great ideas--and I'm not being facetious, it really was great, and apparently their closure had little to do with his management...some pissing contest with the landlord, or something. It would be great to see that place reopen. Lopez really is a great ideas guy...just not so good at making like a manager.]

The loss of Twingo's saddened me deeply. This really was one of Detroit's dining gems. I suppose we can only hope for a third-time's-the-charm scenario, but from what I understand it isn't very likely. I guess I'll have to find somewhere else that makes a panna cotta with Faygo sauce. *Sigh*

Plaka Cafe: Still Open, Still Disgusting

Originally published in D-Tales here.

$1.5 million dollars in tax evasion later, and the Plaka Cafe is still open. Now, who knows how long this will last--the owners could go the route of La Shish and flee the country with a few mil. (Actually, they can't--they've already been arraigned and are currently out on bail--and I GAR-RON-TEE you they can't leave the country, much less the state.) When the feds raided the place in December of 2006, they found more than $700,000 in cash stashed away inside the restaurant. Further investigation yielded a decade's worth of unfiled taxes. If owners Thomas Karadimas and Constantinos Karadimas are found guilty of all pending charges, this will turn out to be the largest case of tax evasion in Michigan's history (take THAT, La Shish!).

Late-night drunken diners, fear not: Plaka Cafe remains open at this time, though one can always speculate if it will remain so if both owners end up in the clink. After an evening of heavy boozing, one can still hit up this 24-hour coney island for some of the best worst food in Detroit.

No, really, the food here is actually quite nasty, but since it is really one of the only late-night options in the city, they maintain a very steady client base of hungry drunks.

(WHY you wouldn't just hit up White Castle is beyond me. There's one on Michigan Ave., not too far west of downtown proper. If you're in Midtown, there's McDonald's. And don't give me that "I don't want to drive anywhere" crap--how the hell else are you getting home to the 'burbs?)

From the rumor mill: apparently Plaka, much like many of the other spots in Greektown, has rumored Greek mob ties...I know, I know, I've been flinging around a lot of mob accusations lately, but apparently if there's one thing that our culturally diverse metropolitan area is good at, it's crime syndicates and terrorist affiliations. I can't make this shit up, people. No wonder our local FBI branch needs a new building...

Also from the rumor mill: apparently there was a Blind Pig upstairs? As in, drinking in a public place illegally after hours and witnessing all sorts of illegal dealings in the form of gambling, drugs, and perhaps even prositution? I wanna see; I wanna see!!!!

La Shish No More

Originally published in D-Tales here; edited for content.

Popular Middle Eastern restaurant chain La Shish closed its doors yesterday. 11 metro Detroit locations, the Dearborn headquarters, and 305 employees were affected by this decision. After nearly 3 years of bad publicity and whispered ties to Hezbollah (defined by the American government as a Lebanese terrorist group), the chain finally went under due to nearly $12 million dollars in owed taxes.

When the feds raided the home and headquarters of owner Talal Chahine in April 2005 seeking evidence of tax fraud, Chahine fled the country with $20 million skimmed from the business to dodge his indictment, sticking his wife, Elfat Al Aouar, to face both the tax evasion charges as well as her own charge of immigration fraud (turns out that the marriage wasn't one based on love and committment--and I guess when you marry someone to help them get a green card, it's morally acceptable to bail on them when you're slapped with some serious federal offenses).

Since then, the restaurant chain has been at the center of some serious rumor-mongering, with the purported Hezbollah ties causing the most gasps. Just last week, El Auoar was sentenced to 90 days in jail for immigration fraud, to be served consecutively with an 18-month sentence for tax evasion. Her citizenship was, naturally, revoked. Ah, the things we'll do for love. Or, the things we'll do for a green card when your husband flees the country and leaves you standing there with a dumbfounded expression on your face as the feds raid your home.

[Edit]

Getting back on topic (I'm a big fan of the digressive rant), it's a shame La Shish had to close. This restaurant chain popularized Middle Eastern cuisine for the non-Middle Easterners of metro Detroit, and was quickly becoming a staple in the diet of many metro Detroiters (in the Free Press article, a woman is interviewed bemoaning her loss, saying "Now what am I going to eat?", and I know many others who will say the same). It was just one more thing that made our metro area more of a cultural melting pot...now it's just one more thing to give Detroit a bad rep.

I will miss the Fatoush, though.