Four Days of Leftovers from Lefty's Lounge

It was a little after 1:00AM yesterday this morning when I decided I needed pizza. Bad. I had heard about Lefty's Lounge, a sports bar located on Cass in the University District, and that they had some incredible deals on food--good food. Tales of a $6.00 pizza big enough for three people to eat and still have leftovers whispered through my head, and thus my mission to find this cheap, mutant pizza began.

$5.95, to be exact. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after 5:00PM, Lefty's Lounge offers a giant single-item pizza for only $5.95. Only $0.95 more than a Hot 'N Ready from Little Caesars and about 1,000x more tasty. For $5.50 all day Friday-Sunday you can also get a burger and domestic beer, $0.50 wings, and $2.00 domestic drafts. Every day of the week they've got awesome food and drink specials, and they offer free Wi-Fi in addition to their 14 big-screen TVs (if you're into that whole "sports" thing). They've got a full menu of classic bar food including daily soups and salads, and all of it is cheap and pretty damn good.

I don't often have need for a sports bar but I do often have need for cheap, tasty pizza; Lefty's Lounge is my new favorite spot for this and other greasy-good bar food. So how was the pizza, you ask? I burned my mouth eating it because I gorged myself on it so hastily. And I have enough leftover for lunch and dinner today and lunch tomorrow. Crust--chewy. Cheese--gooey. Pepperoni--crispy. Sauce--spicy. Overall--good.

Plus, the deep-fryer and pizza oven is open 'til close--perfect for the after-bar munchies. Because some days are foie gras days, and some days aren't.

Irony at the Red Coat Tavern

I love the Red Coat Tavern. Always have. There's just something so terribly precious about it ("precious" as in "gimmicky"), but it's also a damn good place to get a beer and burger.

After nearly 40 years in business and opening sister restaurant Zinc Brasserie in West Bloomfield in 2004 (which has been voted to have the "Best Brasserie Burger" by the Free Press), Red Coat is still one of the most popular casual restaurants in Oakland County, always packed with a line at the door, and still sporting the same Olde Tyme décor as it has for...well, ever. Dark and dingy and fabulous, the red lights and plaid carpet are garish but make the place what it is. This isn't a trendy lounge atmosphere (unlike sister restaurant Zinc); it's a place to get some authentic, high-quality tavern-style grub.

The beer list is one of the best in the area (in my immediate mind, second only to the Berkley Front and Cadieux Cafe), featuring labels from the UK, Scotland, Brazil, and Belgium. This is where I first discovered Delerium Nocturnum, a strong Belgian brown ale, and I've stuck with it ever since.

And while the many other offerings on the menu are noteworthy--including traditional Euro-style dishes such as English Prime Rib with Yorkshire pudding and Scottish smoked salmon, as well as two different kinds of Clam Chowder and a hearty French Onion Soup--at the end of the day, this is a burger joint. Choose from 5 different breads (like onion rolls and pumpernickel), 8 different cheeses (like Muenster and Smoked Gouda), 20 different toppings (like burnt onions and avocado), and a variety of cuts to create your own ground beef masterpiece. Red Coat is also the only restaurant in Michigan to offer the very lean Piedmontese beef, clocking in with fewer fat grams than chicken or salmon (only 2 grams of fat per serving). The leanness gives it a little less flavor, but you can make up for that as I did by adding on a thick slice of Smoked Gouda and what must have been a 1/4 lb. of crumbled Bleu Cheese.

And that's where the irony comes in: order the lowest-fat meat on the menu, then slather it in high-cholesterol, high-fat cheeses. And it was goooooooood.

Red Coat Tavern is eclectic; you know when you first walk in and see the shaky statue of the British Red Coat and are told that it will be at least a 30-minute wait for a table, then see rich old people and trendy young people scarfing down their infamous burgers in the antiquated (that's a nice way of saying old and dingy) dining room, that this isn't going to be your average dining experience. It is creative and adventurous and just plain tasty, without all the bells and whistles of other restaurants that go for image over quality.

They also serve food until almost 2:00AM, which makes it the perfect place to hit after the bar.

A Slice of Life and Cheesecake at SPICE

There was recently an article in the Detroit Free Press about Charles Walker, Jr., owner of the recently-opened SPICE Restaurant located at 18354 Fenkell at Grand River. I typically don't go for the sob-story School of Hard Knocks type of journalism, but when that "school" is actually the Culinary Institute of America my interest is much more readily piqued.

SPICE is a pretty standard Detroit diner; they pull a large carry-out business and offer such popular neighborhood fare as fried fish and chicken, house-smoked chicken and ribs, burgers, fries, salads, and a much-touted cheesecake. It's a soul food spot with a CIA designation, and an owner who truly had to overcome a number of difficult personal obstacles in order to realize his dream.

A diner with a chef who trained at the CIA? I'll stand behind two sheets of bulletproof plexiglass for that. Read the full article here; during a time when there is so much negativity in the news (well, moreso than usual, and in regards to Detroit especially), it's refreshing to hear such an uplifting story. And now I really want that cheesecake.

New Businesses Open, Opening, Re-Opening

Now open: The Fort Shelby Doubletree Suites. Another salvaged historic hotel, significantly less buzz. This guy likes it. With this new hotel comes a new restaurant, Finn & Porter, which offers contemporary surf & turf as well as a sushi bar and the trendy "Round Bar Lounge" (it's a bar that's round; Park Bar regulars are familiar).

Now open: The Next Level Martini Bar & Grill, a new martini bar on Larned across from Opus One. Will it or won't it? Well, considering the only website I've seen any talk of it so far has been, well, mine, it's not looking very hopeful for this place to beat out those 95-in-5 odds (95% of new businesses fail within 5 years). But it might be pretty cool; do try to check it out.

Re-Opening: Bookie's Tavern. They had to move out of the Book Building--'cuz, you know, it's getting repoed or condemned or abandoned or something--so know they are relocating to Cass at Columbia by the long-ago-abandoned Chin Tiki. Which means: more annoying sports people in even closer proximity to Fox Town. They will be reopening in February. Local boozehounds breathe a sigh of relief.

Almost Open But Not Quite: The new kitchen inside Cliff Bells. Personally, I can't wait to see what kind of menu they create for one of the coolest venues in Detroit. I pray it extends beyond classic bar fare and goes for more of a hip, jazzy jazz club vibe. I don't really know what that means, either, but maybe they do.

That's it for now. Toodles.

Majestic Cafe Offers Recession-Buster Sundays

I remember a conversation I had with "Papa" Joe Zainea a while back...this was summer of 2007, when the economy was certainly shaky but not nearly on the level it is today. He told me that the secret to the Majestic Theatre Complex staying in business over 60 years has been their ability to adapt to changing times.

As it is, the 5-part (6, if you count the new Alley Deck attached to the upstairs Magic Stick) business caters to a multitude of tastes--bistro-style dining in the Cafe-cum-art-gallery, bowling in the historic Garden Bowl, indie rock upstairs, arty rock in the Theatre, pizza by the slice at the Sgt. Pepperoni's counter, and 5 different bars to whet your whistle at--making it Detroit's one and only entertainment complex and one of the biggest promoters of Detroit artists, musicians, and non-profit events (their logo appears as a sponsor for just about every non-profit happening in the city).

But times are once again changing, and the Majestic Cafe is changing with them. They now offer recession-buster Sundays, when diners can buy one entree and receive a second entree of equal or lesser value for free (with coupon). Additionally, the Cafe will now be closed Mondays and Tuesdays through the winter, but on Wednesdays diners can enjoy "Americana night" which features comfort foods like chicken pot pie and meatloaf for only $9.95, and Thursdays bring a complete lobster dinner with sides for less than you'd expect.

You gotta hand it to Papa Joe--after 60 years in business, he knows how to ride out a recession and keep his business ahead of the curve. The coupon is available for download on the Majestic's website, or you can just print this one here:

Oh, Sushi: O Sushi

O Sushi opened their second location in Dearborn last week, and I--never one to miss out on a grand opening of anything--stopped by for a few to check out Dearborn's latest Japanese-inspired offerings.

O Sushi is located at 22431 Michigan Avenue in Dearborn, making in the third sushi restaurant along that half-mile strip of Michigan Ave. (the other two being restaurant-cum-nightclub Crave Lounge and family-friendly area favorite Kabuki Sushi). The original O Sushi location in Canton is popular among locals, but the competition in Dearborn is most certainly fierce.

But their location couldn't be any better: situated in a prominent corner of a building on the edge of the street, drivers immediately see the signage as they pass by. The interior is small and brightly-lit, welcoming to more of a eat-and-run lunch/dinner crowd than the stay-and-socialize crowds drawn in predominantly by Crave and, to a lesser extent, Kabuki.

Apparently their location and quick-serve vibe has done them well--on only their third night of being open, the bustling little restaurant was half-full and there was a constant stream of carry-out orders being placed. Not only do people know they're open; there is also an excitement in scoping out the new sushi joint.

As well there should be. I sampled very little of the menu, but was pleased to find a nice assortment of nigiri and specialty rolls. Sadly, such distinctly non-traditional Japanese ingredients such as cream cheese and jalapeno peppers were found in abundance on the menu (something which always makes me cringe), but O Sushi compensates for these more Americanized tastes by also employing generous use of eel sauce, masago and tobiko (varieties of roe, or fish eggs), kampyo (marinated pumpkin skin), and oshinko (Japanese pickled radish). At O Sushi, East does indeed meet West.

For my first experience at this hopping little Japanese diner (as it would best be described), I tried some hamachi (raw Yellowtail) and the Kiss of Fire roll. The Yellowtail was mild and delicate...the Kiss of Fire was not. Made with tempura shrimp, spicy tuna, avocado, jalapeno pepper, then covered with crunchy tempura flakes and hot sauce on top, this roll was a crackling sensation on the tastebuds...and a little rough on an empty stomach, truth be told. Though far from a "traditional" Japanese roll, with a very obvious American flair, this roll was still a palatable explosion of flavor, with drastically different yet complimentary textures and just enough spiciness to balance the otherwise mild fish and avocado. I enjoyed this roll very much...though my enjoyment was a little bit less an hour later.


Other roll options include all the standards (California Rolls, Tuna, Spicy Tuna, Cucumber, etc.), but also a few surprises. The Mexican Roll is a unique approach to "fusion" cuisine, and the cleverly-named 007, Saturday Night, and White Christmas Rolls are all creative combinations of culturally traditional and borrowed flavors. Michigan even has its own roll, as does Chicago and Philadelphia. And if you like spicy, well...the Devil, Kiss of Fire, Fireball, and Cobra Rolls await you. You can begin your meal with their "Fire Cracker" appetizer, O Sushi's take on cream cheese poppers which include spicy tuna. Prices are standard: $3.95-$9.95 for a regular roll, $9.95-$13.95 for specialty.

Service is still...well, working out the "kinks." My waitress (and the only Caucasian on staff) seemed unsure of herself at every step, in likely part due to her constantly being barked at by the sushi chef and head waitress, screwing up everything she could then failing to present herself to correct her mistakes. As I write this a week later I'm willing to bet even now she no longer works there. The rest of the staff exhibited the utmost professionalism and attentiveness, with an obvious shared concern over the image and success of their establishment.

The décor is simple yet inviting; delicate Japanese floral wallpaper, bamboo accents, buttery yellow walls, modernist "Oriental"-style chairs in dark wood, a granite sushi bar, bright lights. In time they will also have a liquor license and will offer a full drink menu--I'm interested to know if that drink menu will go more by way of Mai Tais and Asahi or Mango Liquer and sake, but time will tell.


Overall, I was pleased. O Sushi has no pretenses about it, which is a nice change of pace in this increasingly trendy sushi-bar-meets-ultra-lounge world. A great place for a quick lunch or to pick up dinner on your way home, the fast service is met equally with quality flavors and creative craftsmanship. Third time's the charm, eh Dearborn?

Prestigious Chaine Dinner Event

The Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, a membership-based gastronomic society which joins amateurs with professionals in the culinary world, is hosting a very prestigious dinner at Iridescence inside Motor City Casino (best restaurant in the city hands-down, and one of the only restaurants in the area befitting such a high-profile and, yes, perhaps somewhat stuffy organization) on Sunday, January 25th beginning at 5:00PM. Tickets are reasonably priced (considering) at $130.00 each, excluding tax and gratuity.

The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs have been promoting the culinary and hospitality arts and enology since 1950, with roots dating back to 1248, based on the traditions and practices of the French Royal Guild of goose roasters. We are lucky to have one local chapter here in Michigan, though our presence sadly pales in comparison to many other states. The Chaîne promotes people in the industry as well as those who simply appreciate it, elevating all to the level of conoisseurs. Consider it like the Masons for foodies.

If you're interested in learning more about the organization or simply just eager to dine with some of the most knowledgable gourmets at one of the finest restaurants in Michigan, this is one pilgrimmage you need to make. Membership in the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs is by invitation only, so if you're serious about joining the most prestigious gastronomic organization for amateurs and professionals in the world, best you start the elbow-rubbing here.