TJHarris

Thirteen are in Detroit proper. Thirty-seven are in Tri-County Area. Five are in areas slightly further out (Ann Arbor and Tecumseh) There are also several fine houses across the Detroit River in Windsor, which is geographicly closer than most of the Tri-county area to downtown Detroit. To the best of my knowledge these are all scratch houses.

Wife likes the instant on of gas. Marital compromise. Oops...Real men don't give in to wives...

I'll start: 1. The Lark 2. Tribute 3. Coach Insignia 4. Rugby Grill 5. Forte 6. Shiraz 7. Small Plates 8. The Whitney 9. Zinc 10. Shiro 11. Crush 12. Crave 13. The Rattlesnake Club 14. The Hill 15. Bambu 16. Hong Hau 17. Mon Jin Lau 18. Fiddlehead 19. Vie Nove 20. Assaggi 21. Northern Lakes Seafood 22. Iridesence 23. Five Lakes Grill 24. Little Italy 25. Bucci 26. No. VI Chop House 27. Mario's 28. Nomi 29. McKinnon's 30. Giovanni's 31. Carl's Chop House 32. 220 33. Big Rock Chop House 34. Il Posto 35. D'Amato's 36. Cafe Cortina 37. Cuisine 38. Bacco 40. The Earle 41. The Earle Uptown 42. The Lord Fox 43. The Fox and Hound 44. The Sea Grille 45. Evan's Street Station 46. Mediterrano 47. Camaron's 48. Mitchell's Fish Market 49. Andiamo 50. Loon River Cafe 51. Paint Creek Grill 52. Seldom Blues 53. La Musique 54. Sweet Georgia Brown 55. Fishbones These are all locally owned. And there are more.

I doubt it. Convention-goers rarely use public transportation, even in cities (e.g. Chicago) with excellent public transit options. They walk to what's close by, and they take cabs to what isn't. They're usually on expense accounts. ← Maybe we should get some cabs. Detroit is the largest city I know of where you can wait on a busy corner for HOURS and not see a cab.

I will second the nomination of the Roland. Very little hard stuff and no mush. The liquid they are packed in seems to be very light in flavor.

FG; I have to agree with your evaluation. I, myself, recently purchased a grill from Wal-mart. A larger grill, branded Uniflame (a division of Blue Rhino, the people who do the propane tank exchange), that kicks tail. I paid $208 on sale. I would compare cooking ability to be very favorable to many Weber or Ducane grills at four or five times the cost. I suppose the long term difference may be in durability, but I can buy four of these and in many cases come out ahead.

Let me be the first to say "Welcome! Dante". I believe that "white" cheddar on packaging tends to be a marketing tool only. The general American population is acustomed to cheddar being orange/yellow. The many of the earlier, higher quality cheddars to show up on the market were natural colored. Now, I believe, many consumers equate white cheddar with higher quality cheddar.

I hate to bring up a film that featured Rosie O'Donnel in a leather bustier but... Exit to Eden had a scene featuring Dana Delany's bossum, a stick of butter, cinnamon and a croissant. Very, very, very HOT!

This is a direct Thomas Keller influence. He discusses this technique at some length in either TFL or Bouchon Cookbook. Sorry but I can't remember which exactly. As was stated above, keeps surface moiste but allows some liquid to reduce out.

I would go a step beyond and say that BOH people tend to have generally addictive personalities as well as being emotional and even often manic.

I agree 500000000000000000000% But, now the question becomes: How do we go about changing the situation you have discribed so well? ← I think that the first thing that needs to happen is a clean-up of city hall followed by a wholesale effort to clean up the neighborhoods. When the Superbowl was here, a great deal of effort went into cleaning the areas visible to the expressways leading to the stadium from the airport. It was a very superficial effort but a start. I think the city could then benefit from an aggressive PR campagain that stresses the positive attributes of the area. I think that these are all easy things to say need to happen but in reallity, will be very difficult to make happen until the residents of the city demand better from their government and their neighbors.

I have lived in and around Detroit for most of my forty years. On three different occasions I have lived outside of Michigan for limited periods. Those of us who live here know the great things that the city has to offer. Great museums, amazing theater (second most active professional theater community in the US after NY), excellent local music scene and more. Unfortunately, what the area lacks is a positive image in the national media. Outside of the area, you seldom see a news story about Detroit unless it is about five children dying in a fire because their mother dropped the crack pipe on the carpet or random drive-by shootings. Until we can change the national image of the City of Detroit, we won't be able to attract the larger convention business and certainly not recreational tourism and the ability to grow into a great restaurant city that goes with it. It doesn't matter how many great things there are to see and do here until we can show the rest of the country that this isn't "The Great Urban Wasteland".

I am a pro and have been in the game for more than 20 years. I will admit that when I have the rare opportunity to dine out at a Restuarant, I tend to be critical. When I am at someone's home, you can serve me pancakes and bacon or a pot roast or grilled cheese sandwiches and Campbell's Tomato Soup and I will be happy. We come to dinner to be with friends and family. We work in the trenches everyday. The opportunity to hang-out and enjoy people is what really matters to most of us on the rare day off.

Village Corner in Ann Arbor has a very respectable cheese selection. I also do recall a number of Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Indian) Markets around Ann Arbor but can't for the life of me remember details. Busch's Markets are big supermarkets (locally owned) that seem to be a little more quality driven than most.

If it is your own kitchen, then no. If you are starting in someone else's kitchen, in an entry level position, dress as the other plebes.

This show is such a train wreck that I find it painful to watch. I know that the guests in the dining room are aware of the situation but I still can't help but feel frustrated for them. I just don't see how the teams can't get anything out of the kitchen. I have seen kithens crash and burn under pressure but never anything this excruciating. GR is a bit on the rough side but I have worked for worse.

FSD-Hoffmaster Flatpack napkins These come flat and unfolded so that you can fold like a linen napkin for attractive place settings.

Thank you, everyone! I have moved on and am doing well with freelance and contract work for several caterers.

Good Rule of Thumb for any egg product, whether cooked or raw, is three days. Much beyond that and you are asking for trouble.

Well, the owner hasn't been able to make good on what is owed to me, so I turned in my keys and left. Which brings up my next question: Anybody know who in SE Michigan is looking to hire a chef?

Thanks for the input everyone. You are making the pending decision much easier.

From a professional and ethical standpoint, what are your obligations to an establishment when your pay-check and those of your staff are repeatedly bouncing? I have never walked out on a job before, but I don't see the point of giving notice if I can't get compensated for my efforts. From a financial standpoint(gas is running $3.49/gallon), my commute is costing me. I would be better off sitting on the davenport and watching the soaps.

I met my wife while I was a hotel pastry chef. She was the hotel's reservation department manager. The staff enterance was by the pastry kitchen. I saw her coming and going everyday. A friend locked us in the pastry kitchen walk-in cooler until we made a date. We have been together for 14 years and married for nearly twelve.

I really get stoked on seeing a dining room full of people enjoying what we have created for them. The rush of service is cool. Every day is a new adventure. New people, new products, New ideas to explore.

Good Question, FG! I have a seven yr. old and a nine year old. I have been trying to figure out the balancing act for some time now. For me it seems to come down to having a very dedicated and understanding wife and trying to make the most of every minute you have with the kids.