Metro Detroit Dining

Downriver Chinese?

2008-08-28T07:01:39Z

Hi everybody!

I'm newish to the Detroit area, having previously lived in Toledo and Lansing in the past. I'm looking for good Chinese places in the downriver area (I live in Woodhaven,) that are not buffets or take out. I already love Hawaiian Island in Trenton, and am looking for more. Buffet suggestions are okay too, but I'd prefer sit down places.

Also, does anyone know of any good Indian or Mediterranean places too? I have a friend that comes down from Ann Arbor often and we are looking for new places to dine.

Thanks!

beer tasting!

2008-05-27T19:48:29Z

Please join us (Merchant's Fine Wine, Dearborn) for our "Taste of the Sunshine" BEER & FOOD (& wine & spirits) event....

DATE Sunday June 8, 3-8PM
PLACE Pavilion- Ford Field, Dearborn
EVENT DESCRIPTION
BEER! WINE! GOURMET FEAST! COCKTAILS! PRIZES! ANIMALS!
(Yes, the event is raising funds for the Dearborn Animal Shelter)
Tickets available at the store- either come in or phone!!
http://www.merchantsfinewine.com/upcoming_events.html

they will be doing a "special release tasting" at the event *at 4.30PM*
of 7 really unique and new beers from Italy. None have been seen here
before and this will be your chance to taste these.
Two of the beers have been aged in Barbera wine barrels, one is actually
made with Grenache grape must, one is a chocolate beer, one is a chestnut
beer, one is brewed with tea, and the last one is a spectacular saison.

Here's what else to expect from the beer tables (so far)....
Bell's, Stone Brewing, Dogfish Head, Avery, Heavy Seas, Sam Adams, Anchor
Brewing, Atwater Block, Motor City Brewing, Paulaner, Affligem, Duvel, La Chouffe
German beers, more Belgian beers, MEAD. And that's just a start!

eat_detroit @ 2008-03-22T10:31:00

2008-03-22T14:31:17Z

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080322/BIZ/803220368

Detroit's oldest Greek restaurant to shut doors
Owner, 80, will serve the last diners at the 107-year-old New Hellas Café on Sunday.
Jennifer Youssef / The Detroit News
On Sunday night, the last glass of wine at New Hellas Café in Greektown will be poured and sipped. The final "Opa!" will be shouted. And then the doors will close for the last time.

After 107 years in Detroit, New Hellas, the city's oldest Greek restaurant, will be only a memory.

Owner Gus Anton, 80, of Grosse Pointe said he can't keep up with the busy life of a restaurateur anymore and will shut down the popular business his father opened in 1901.

"I'm very sad, naturally," he said. "But at my age, what can you do? I'm old. I need the rest."

The 35 New Hellas employees will receive severance pay and, if the restaurant is sold, Anton hopes the staff will be hired back. For now, he isn't certain what will happen to the building once the restaurant is closed.

Anton was 20 when he started working for his father, James, a chef in Greece, at New Hellas. When James died in 1950, Gus took over and has been running it ever since.

"For 60 years, I've been here," Anton said. "I'll miss the restaurant, the employees and all the wonderful people who come here."

New Hellas Café was featured twice on the Food Network.

The restaurant also has been a stop for visiting celebrities, including comedian Bob Hope, chef Emeril Lagasse and actress Lainie Kazan.

New Hellas, which means Greece, has always been a part of 37-year-old Rosemary Tokatlian's life.

Her mother met her father there while her mom was an employee. The family goes to New Hellas regularly and Tokatlian has worked there off and on for 20 years.

She works as a hostess occasionally and considers the Antons her second set of parents. She teared up Friday at the thought the restaurant will be closed within a couple of days.

"It means the world to me," said Tokatlian of Grosse Pointe Park.

"It's a fantastic place with fantastic people. There's no collection of people like this anywhere else in the world."

Dino Mitropoulis, also known as Dino the Tailor, owner of the Birmingham store of the same name, first walked in New Hellas in 1968, the year he arrived in Detroit from his native Greece.

"I tasted the lamb chops and I said 'OK, this is where I come to eat the lamb chops.' I eat lamb chops there just maybe a month ago. Still the best lamb chops in the state," said Mitropoulis, 65. "I've known Gus when he was young and good looking, and that, my friend, was a long time ago. He's just like all good Greek businessmen who work very hard. They do it because they love this country and what it's done for us."

Longtime customer Becky Pinterich of Dearborn has been coming to New Hellas with her family for 35 years and says there is no other Greek restaurant of its caliber anywhere in Detroit. The family gathered together for their last meal at New Hellas on Friday night.

"This is the last hurrah," said Pinterich, 66. "We're thrilled for Gus and Zoe, but we're real sad."

Vassos Avgoustis, 70, opened his restaurant, Cyprus Taverna, next door to New Hellas in 1992. He got his start in the restaurant business by working as a waiter for Anton in 1982.

"It's a shame actually because this restaurant started Greektown," he said.

"It's going to be a loss because it's very famous. Hopefully the new owners will keep it going."

Detroit News Staff Writer Louis Aguilar contributed to this report. You can reach Jennifer Youssef at (313) 222-2319 or jyoussef@detnews.com.

yelp.com

2007-10-09T18:24:10Z

Hi everyone, I just wanted to pimp out yelp.com here. I joined a month or so ago and I've found it to be a great resource for restaurants as well as all sorts of other stores. But I feel like the Detroit listings aren't as expansive as I'd like, so if more Detroit people join and add reviews of their favorite places, yelp will become a more valuable resource.

that is all.

and this sounds like an awkward product placement by someone that's been hired by yelp to go "undercover," but I promise it's not. I just really like yelp. I'm almost a yelp-obsessive, to tell the truth. ;)

~elisa

eat_detroit @ 2007-05-10T16:52:00

2007-05-10T20:53:04Z

are there any excellent hole-in-the-wall type places that i should give a try?

preferrably around metro-detroit, i'm from the garden city/westland area but will travel.

chinese new year

2007-02-13T01:12:19Z

i'd like to buy some baijiu for a chinese new year party.

can anyone point me to a liquor store or asian grocery that would carry baijiu?

any tips about buying baijiu?

thanks, and happy new year.

eat_detroit @ 2006-09-08T23:51:00

2006-09-09T03:51:52Z

eat_detroit @ 2006-08-04T14:26:00

2006-08-04T18:26:38Z

does anyone know where i can find FRUIT SOUP?

veg & non-veg in AA/Ypsi

2006-08-02T22:09:07Z

Is there some place both a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian can get an excellent meal in Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti? The best I'm coming up with is La Shish, which is good but I'd like choices. Pizza House is tastey but noisy. Any really good Thai/Chinese? Do any of the pub-like places serve good veg & non-veg food? Anything upscale serve both?

grr!!!

2006-07-20T19:45:07Z

Agave closes in rent fight BY SYLVIA RECTOR
FREE PRESS FOOD WRITER
July 19, 2006

Agave adjoined the Whitney. (SYLVIA RECTOR/Detroit Free Press)
Agave restaurant in Detroit abruptly closed over the weekend after its landlord, Bloomfield Hills attorney Eliot Charlip, obtained a District Court eviction order against the business in a financial dispute. Charlip, who was at the property at 4265 Woodward on Tuesday afternoon, said Agave's owners brought in a truck late Saturday and Sunday and loaded it with furniture and equipment.
Agave owner George Mugianis of Farmington said he chose to move out rather than continue to deal with "an unreasonable landlord." He said the dispute stems in part from Charlip's refusal to make repairs.
Mugianis also said he and his partners are looking for a new building to reopen the contemporary Mexican restaurant elsewhere in the city.
Charlip says he hopes to find a new tenant for his site.

eat_detroit @ 2006-07-18T10:42:00

2006-07-18T14:43:16Z

where can i get the best brownies?

i am really craving some and there is no way in hell i'm cooking in this heat.

O'Charley's in Belleville - avoid

2006-07-13T16:05:58Z

Below is a copy of a letter I sent to O'Charley's corporate HQ. We went here on a good recommendation but as you will see it was terrible:

I visited your resturant for the first time this past Monday evening. I was very disappointed in the food we received. To start, my fiance's soup was completely devoid of any flavor. For our main course, I had a burger, which I ordered medium rare. It arrived well done. I was surprised at this, as your menu goes through the trouble of listing and explaining the several different "doneness"es of beef, but my request for medium rare was completely disregarded. However, the patty was so thin I could see how it was over-cooked. There was barely anything to this burger.

My finace's main course, chicken fingers, were over-fried and dry as a bone. We were VERY disappointed in our meal - so much so that we just wanted to leave as quickly as possible. However, this proved impossible as our waiter took forever to bring us our check. As for the bill - I am ashamed of the price I paid for this completely sub-standard meal. It's sad to say that the best part of it was the salad, which was just a standard iceberg out of the bag salad I could have easily gotten from my grocery store.

I am completely dis-satisfied with our meal and will be sharing my experience with others. This was hands down one of the worst resturants I've ever been to.

Royal Oak Dinner Suggestion?

2006-07-07T18:55:25Z

A friend is visiting her family from out of town and we've decided the middle place for us to meet is Royal Oak. Neither of us are from here (I'm back in town after a 15 year absence, she's been living in London for 6 years). We'd like to go out for a nice sit down dinner, some place we can really talk, money isn't a big concern, but we're not looking to re-mortgage our lives either, (think 100 bucks for two before we get fussy, but less is always fine) and we'd like to have a delicious meal with decent service. We're both omnivores, the only thing we're not looking for is seafood since we're doing that Sunday. I would be really grateful for any tips. Thanks!

Decent Vegan Food in Detroit? How about Lobster?

2006-05-12T09:10:35Z

I recently moved back to the Detroit area after a good 18year absence, and I have no idea what's what. I have two occasions coming up I need to choose restaurants for, and would be super grateful for good advice.

1. Vegan dining - I need a half decent - preferably nice place to take a vegan. I'd be thrilled if it was a vegan restaurant, but some placenice with excellent vegan choices works too. Ideally this would be within 10 minutes of downtown Detroit, since my guest is staying at the RenCen. (Before coming back I was in NYC and San Francisco, so I realize I may have unnatural expectations, if it's not possible to find this, just let me know.)

2. Lobster. I have a lobster craving, and I can't get my brain around Red Lobster. Does anyone have a favorite seafood place with great whole lobster, maybe even someplace I could eat alone, since I don't actually know anyone here? I'm willing to sit at a bar and eat, or go at an off time. Location wise, I can go anywhere, but I'm starting from the Vernier/Mack area if that helps.

Thanks so much for any tips!

nepali food

2006-05-11T14:40:01Z

Has anyone tried KATHMANDU CHULLO in Royal Oak?

I know it is affiliated with Everest Express in Farmington.

detroit's strangest food

2006-03-23T12:54:47Z

my vote for detroit's strangest food : at the coney island on grand river just west of the grand river / mlk (mack) / trumbull intersection they serve a "fish dog", which is a fish stick in a hot dog bun with tartar sauce on it. well, they used to. i haven't been there in about 5 or 6 years.

i'd like to hear other people's ideas on detroit's strangest food.

Woodward Avenue Brewery

2006-03-07T07:01:24Z

Just wanted to let everyone know about the Woodward Avenue Brewery. I just visited for the first time today and was very impressed. They have lots of standard bar fare like burgers, plus lots of Mexican like quesadillas and burritos. There are also tons of vegetarian options for Mexican food plus three kinds of veggie burgers.

I just went today (Monday) and learned that every Monday after 4pm the items on the menu are all 50% off. I went with two other friends and our total bill was under $20! The normal prices on the menu were reasonable too. I also liked how they bolstered Michigan-made products like Sanders on their dessert menu and Michigan clove honey in their root beer.

The WAB is at Woodward and 9 Mile in Ferndale. I definitely recommend it.

Ok here's a wierd one

2006-03-06T15:45:16Z

Yesterday I was looking for a place to go to brunch in Novi. My friend suggested we go to the restaurant in Marshall Fields because she had been to the one at Oakland mall and believe it or not...they had great food. I was surprised as the rest of you, but dag this place was really freaking good! It's in the mall...whatever....but I had a really good "all natural" Turkey sandwich with blue cheese, avocado, lettuce, tom, and bacon. The fries were the best shoe string i've ever had and even the coleslaw was great. My friend had a quiche which she said was great. Lunch prices were around $8- $13 per entree. Way worth going to if you want something better than the food court when you are in the mall.

eat_detroit @ 2006-02-21T21:29:00

2006-02-22T02:29:25Z

we don't need any more monoliths of urban decay, white flight and city corruption in Detroit. [see: Belle Isle aquarium, Belle Isle zoo, Michigan Central, Tiger Stadium, etc...]

let's not allow the Detroit City Council to close the Detroit Zoo.

this petition may help, but lets keep talking about it after we sign it, kids.

http://www.petitiononline.com/detzoo/petition.html

2 Nights of Great Food!

2006-02-15T14:37:42Z

Monday Night I took a friends adivce and checked out Sushi House in Farmington. It's located just south of 9 Mile on Farmington Road in the Farmer Jack plaza. But let me tell you this is no strip mall food. This is some of the best sushi I've ever had. It smelled amazing when we walked in the door, as opposed to the fishy smell at Noble Fish. (I do like noble a lot aside from the smell of the joint)They give you super yummy miso and a salad when you come in. We ordered edemame,one huge shrimp and avacado tempura roll and then one other each and the bill came to 26 bux before tip. We were stuffed and everything tasted so good. I think i said, "this is so good" about 10 times during and after the meal. No joke. Totally worth the drive. Very good service. Good date place for sure.

Last night I decided to try another new-to-me place in Hamtramak, Polish Village Cafe. I was happy it wasn't over-run with the valentines crowd. The waitress was polish. The dill pickle soup was the best i've ever had and the Perogi did not dissapoint. Totally afordable. I think I walked out paying 7.50 after tip. And for the second day in a row I was stuffed! Very cute inside with red lights strung across the ceiling. Service was quick and the food came out very fast. Another great date place. Not fancy, but it doesn't have to be. It's great!

eat_detroit @ 2006-02-10T14:54:00

2006-02-10T19:56:19Z

can anyone suggest any good places to eat in southwest? i'm looking for little hole-in-the-wall type places that i probably would never go to unless someone suggested it.

there's this coney on vernor west of clark that i like, it's called columbo's. actually the food's not anything special, but my roommate and i can go there for dinner and our bill is $4.

Vietnamese restaurants?

2006-02-10T19:15:43Z

I've tried the restaurants in Ann Arbor, Ypsi, and Windson, but are there any good Vietnamese places in Detroit I should check out? I haven't been too impressed so far with the places I've tried-- they don't have the dish I'm looking for. Thanks!

Just an FYI

2006-01-04T15:58:46Z

Last night I went to Fiddleheads on 13 Mile in Royal Oak and my god it was SO good. I always pass by on my way home from work and it's always empty. That's most likely because it's 4:30pm. :-)
I got the duck ravioli with cubes of sweet potato, brussle sprouts, and minced apples that seemed to be soaked in vinegar. It was so good! And my friends mashed potatoes tasted like they had a full stick of butter in them, they were the best i've had in a long time. I went there with a friend just to check it out. It would be a great date place, it's more classy than I thought it would be. Entree's are from about 16-26 bux.

eat_detroit @ 2005-12-13T09:47:00

2005-12-13T14:51:14Z

Ok my friend is taking me out to dinner tonite. My choice. I want to go somewhere new in the Royal Oak, Ferndale, Southfield etc.. vacinity. Anyone have any suggestions of their favorite places? Any kind of food is fine. :-) thanks!

also: just found this link. it's great! http://www.michiganmenu.com/

I want your opinion

2005-12-09T14:25:35Z

I'm visiting my home, Detroit, after a long hiatus. I'm looking for recommendations on the hottest places to eat in the city (not the burbs). Any thoughts?