Kitchen Confidential Detroit

My favorite Editor Who I Don't Work For But Am Still Fond of Regardless wrote a story on my future husband (the "fuck-up pantry guy," and I'm pretty sure he's accepted my marriage proposal though he was a bit coquettish about it...don't worry, I'll break him), and it's on the cover of this week's Metro Times. Check it out: "Sharp Young Things."

Bravo to Michael Jackman for a killer story, even though I don't work for him.

Michigan Beer Dinner at Grange Kitchen and Bar

I've been meaning to write about Ann Arbor's Grange Kitchen and Bar for awhile now. Five months, to be exact. I had great ideas on how I was going to present my experience of their fall menu and talk about their committment to sustainable cuisine with an entirely locally-sourced, organic menu and so on...

Well, it ain't fall anymore. Sometimes things slip by despite my best efforts. Perhaps you've noticed, but I'm kind of a busy lady. Ah well.

The least I can do for penitence is to feature their upcoming Michigan Beer Dinner on March 24th.

Chef Johns combines his critically acclaimed menu with the best beer Michigan has to offer, creating beer-food pairings that simply can’t be missed by beer lovers or anyone who enjoys the compliment of food and drink together. $50pp including beer. Tax and tip not.

Grange hosts a number of different themed dinners and monthly events that are worth checking out; the upcoming Slow Food "Ark of Taste" dinner is also particularly noteworthy. See more of their events here; and maybe one day I'll get around to writing that review of the place. (I even have a draft started and all the pictures uploaded, I swear! Even the intro is done!)

Real Detroit Weekly: Gus O'Connor's

Fair warning: Irish hospitality often comes in the form of Jameson shots.

“As a public house we feel we’re more than just a neighborhood bar,” says Executive Chef and General Manager of Gus O’Connor’s in Rochester, Michael Keys. “A public house is a spot where everyone is comfortable and feels welcome. We’re a meeting place for the whole community.”

Talk about true Irish hospitality — as soon as I walked in the door, I was invited to join a group already sitting. Within minutes I had a pint of Magners Irish Cider in front of me, a true Irish cider that until recently wasn’t even available in Michigan. This stuff is Veuve Clicquot compared to Strongbow’s Tosti Asti Spumante — real cider, not that sugary kids' stuff. I followed this with a shot of Jameson (this is how the Irish say hello and goodbye), which was followed by a perfect pint of Guinness. Well, hell, when in Dublin …

Read the rest of the article here.

Real Detroit Weekly: Phat Sammich

Calories? Pshaw. I laugh in the face of calories.

"If you ask proprietor Jeff McArthur why he named his newest restaurant Phat Sammich, he’ll give you a simple answer: 'Because the sandwiches are so good they’re sammiches, and because they’re phat!'

'The sandwiches at Phat Sammich are so big they topple over. To properly eat them, you have to crush them down. Goodbye, polite nibbling: I dove right in, my hands and face a mess of sauce as Jeff and I talked shop. Jeff is the kind of guy who grins ear-to-ear when he starts talking about food. This exuberance is reflected in the youth-influenced menu: ingredients include Doritos, Funyuns and grilled cheese. Yeah, the Heart Attack, which is an eight-ounce burger loaded up with bacon, Funyuns, lettuce and tomato, is smushed between two Grilled Cheese Sammiches. Believe it..."

Read the rest of the article here.

Yelp Drinks: Week-Long Happy Hour

Week-Long Happy Hour?!?!? I'm speechless!

Mostly because I don't want to sound like a total alcoholic.

Cheers!

WHO: Yelp is a local business review site that connects people with great small businesses in Metro Detroit. Locals all throughout Southeastern Michigan have been writing reviews of their favorite watering holes, restaurants and even auto mechanics and dentists.

WHAT: Metro Detroit Yelp has identified 10 of buzz-worthy bars in the area and partnered with them to present Yelp Drinks. The special promotion is a week-long happy hour featuring half-off drink specials. Participating locations will feature up to 3 adult beverages for 50% off throughout the promotion.

WHEN: Monday March 1st – Sunday March, 7th, 2010

Notes:
1) Yelp Drinks prices are good all day Monday through all day Sunday while supplies last.
2) Please tip on regular price.
3) Please consume responsibly.

PARTICIPANTS:

Ashley's Bar & Grill (Westland)
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Bell's Two Hearted (reg: $4.50, $2.25 during Yelp Drinks Week)
Long Island Iced Tea (reg: $6, $3 during YDW)
Stella Artois (reg: $5, $2.50 during YDW)

Babs’ Underground Lounge (Ann Arbor)
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Pomegranate Martini (reg: $7, $3.50 during YDW)
Lemondrop Martini (reg: $7, $3.50 during YDW)
Draft Beer (reg: $5, $2.50 during YDW)

The Bosco (Ferndale)
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
French 75 (reg: $8, $4 during YDW)
Booberry (reg: $9, $4.50 during YDW)
Melonade (reg: $7, $3.50 during YDW)

D'Amato's and Goodnite Gracie's (Royal Oak)
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Key Lime Martini (reg: $10, $5 during YDW)
Pomegranate Martini (reg: $10, $5 during YDW)
Sour Raspberry Martini (reg: $10, $5 during YDW)

Mind Body & Spirits (Rochester)
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
All Organic Beers (reg: $4, $2 during YDW)
Bottles of Organic Wine (reg: $26-45, $13-22.50 during YDW)
MBS Mojito (reg: $7, $3.50 during YDW)

Rochester Mills Beer Company (Rochester)
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
16 oz. Wits Organic Beer (reg: $4.50, $2.25 during YDW)
Mills Mojito (reg: $6, $3 during YDW)
Mills Martini (reg: $9, $4.50 during YDW)

Rosie O'Grady's (Ferndale)
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Car Bombs (reg: $8, $4 during YDW)
Absolut Bloody Mary (reg: $5.50, $2.75 during YDW)
Malibu & Pineapple (reg: $4.50, $2.25 during YDW)

Sidetrack (Ypsilanti)
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Pint of Huma-Lupa-licious (reg: $4.25, $2.13 during YDW)
Chocolate Martini (reg: $6.75, $3.38 during YDW)
Glass of House Cabernet (reg: $6.75, $3.38 during YDW)

Woodbridge Pub (Detroit)
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Pint of Ghettoblaster (reg: $4, $2 during YDW)
Mark West Pinot Noir (reg: $8, $4 during YDW)
Bloody Mary (reg: $6, $3 during YDW)

Detroit Restaurant Week Spring Edition Announcement!

nomnomnomnomnomnomNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM!!!!!!!!!!!

Ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for...

(Or, at least, the moment I'VE been waiting for, and that's really all I care about.)

Detroit Restaurant Week has announced their dates for their Spring Edition!

I feel like Stevie Nicks. "I can't wait, I can't wa-ait!"

Hard to believe it's been almost 6 months since the last one, eh? Damn near took me that long to recover, too. Oy...my cholesterol hurts just thinking about it. And, also, liver.

The fine folks at Paxahau and the Downtown Detroit Partnership are once again bringing you 10 days of fine dining at an even finer value for the second edition of the hugely successful Detroit Restaurant Week, April 16-25, 2010. The concept remains unchanged: 17 restaurants all offering special prix fixe menus at $27 for 3 courses.

But wait, there's more!

Beginning in March, I will once again be giving you weekly DRW menu previews from select participating restaurants. Need a little refresher course from last year? Feel free to peruse:

DRW Preview #1: Andiamo
DRW Preview #2: Cuisine
DRW Preview #3: Iridescence
DRW Preview #4: The Whitney
DRW Preview #5: Atlas Global Bistro
DRW Preview #6: Detroit Fish Market

Menus will be changing to reflect seasonality; check back here weekly for regular updates!

PS, I'm soooooooooooooooper excited about this, if you couldn't tell!

For your reading pleasure, here is the official release:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Historic Roma Café in Eastern Market will be the newest eatery to join the Detroit Restaurant Week (DRW) lineup when Paxahau Promotions Group dishes out a second serving of fine dining paired with exceptional value for the Spring
Edition—Friday, April 16 through Sunday, April 25.

“We were thrilled when Roma Café signed on,” said Jason Huvaere, Detroit Restaurant Week Executive Director. “They will be a fantastic addition to an already
stellar list of restaurants. I think their unique Detroit history and classic Italian fare will make them a foodie favorite.”

Roma Café has been serving traditional Italian cuisine since 1890. Considered the oldest restaurant in Detroit, the iconic establishment began as a boarding house for farmers. They received a hot meal and a cot, but word quickly spread about how delicious the meals were, prompting the expansion of services and opening of Roma Café.

“We at the Roma Cafe are so excited to be a new partner in this spring's Detroit Restaurant Week,” said Janet Sossi Belcoure, third generation owner of Roma Café. “As Detroit's oldest restaurant, we look forward to sharing our food and history with our guests during restaurant week.”

Besides the addition of Roma Café to the roster, and Spring-inspired menus to be offered by participating restaurants, the Detroit Restaurant Week winning recipe will not change.

Diners from across Southeast Michigan and Windsor will again be able to order a three-course dinner for an exceptional price of $27 per person (exclusive of beverage, tax and gratuity).

Detroit Restaurant Week Spring Edition will offer specially-priced dining at these fine restaurants:

24Grille – Westin Book Cadillac Detroit
Andiamo Detroit Riverfront – GM Ren Cen
Atlas Global Bistro - Midtown
Coach Insignia – GM Ren Cen
Cuisine – New Center
Da Edoardo Foxtown Grille - Foxtown
Detroit Fish Market – Paradise Valley
Forty-Two Degrees North – GM Ren Cen
Iridescence – MotorCity Casino-Hotel
Mosaic Restaurant - Greektown
Opus One - Downtown
Rattlesnake Club – Stroh River Place
Roast – Westin Book Cadillac Detroit
Roma Café – Eastern Market
Saltwater – MGM Grand Detroit
Wolfgang Puck Grille – MGM Grand Detroit
The Whitney – Midtown

Reservations for Detroit Restaurant Week Spring 2010
Organizers for Detroit Restaurant Week note that reservations are not required, however they are strongly encouraged so that restaurants can provide an outstanding experience for each guest. Huvaere said, “based on last year’s numbers and the fact that many of the restaurants recorded sellout evenings, it would be a good idea to make reservations sooner rather than later.”

To make a reservation, visit http://www.detroitrestaurantweek.com/ and click on the “Restaurant Page” to obtain contact information for each establishment. Reservations can be made by contacting the restaurants directly or through the Open Table link, which can also be found on the Detroit Restaurant Week - Spring Edition web site.

Menus for each restaurant will be available in the coming weeks.

Expectations High for Spring Edition of Detroit Restaurant Week
Last fall’s inaugural Detroit Restaurant Week served-up the city’s finest dining establishments on a silver platter. It pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into the greater Downtown Detroit economy in just 10 evenings. The reservation ledgers at the 17 restaurants were full about every night thanks to the more than 27,000 people who visited the establishments during the first DRW.

Amy Englebert of The Rattlesnake Club told organizers, “We sold out every night.” While Paul Grosz of Cuisine said Detroit Restaurant Week “is one of the best promotions I have ever been a part of…”

The greater Downtown districts of Midtown, Corktown, New Center, Downtown and Eastern Market jointly sponsored the inaugural Detroit Restaurant Week in 2009.

“The Downtown Detroit districts were pleased to underwrite this promotion last fall – and now continue the sponsorship again this Spring – because it brings thousands of diners to experience fine dining in Downtown, Midtown, Corktown and New Center,” said Ann Lang, President & CEO of Downtown Detroit Partnership. “And now we welcome the venerable Roma Café which has been a landmark in Detroit’s Eastern Market for over 100 years.”

About Paxahau
Paxahau Promotions Group, with its network of alliances and resources that span the globe, has earned the reputation over the past 12 years as a premier promotions organization. Established to promote electronic music, Paxahau has grown to become a year round event production company. In addition to producing the Movement Electronic Music Festival in Detroit, Paxahau has booked talent or provided production services for Motown Winter Blast; Red Bull Air Races; Comerica Cityfest; Arts, Beats & Eats; North American International Auto Show events; BravoBravo!; and the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel. Visit http://www.paxahau.com/ to learn more.

Real Detroit Weekly: Wolfgang Puck Grille

I'm still reeling over that bottle of Latour.

"Wolfgang Puck Grille is one of four “Grilles” in the Wolfgang Puck family of restaurants. The premise of the Grille is to incorporate a little of everything from all of the Wolfgang Puck menu concepts under one roof. The end result is an establishment that caters as much to the clientele looking for a simple pizza and beer combo before a Red Wings game as it does to the wealthy business types looking for Prime Rib with a bottle of Chateau Lafite Bordeaux.

'You can tell a lot about a place by its wine list: and this one is carefully separated into “Old” and “New World” categorizations, heavy on the big name French and Californian producers and runs the full gamut of styles and price points in between. The cheapest bottle is a Pinot Gris from California at $32 — the most expensive, a bottle of 1982 Chateau Latour Bordeaux for $2450. (Realistically expect a midrange of $60-80.)..."

Read the rest of the review here.