boagman

Ah, well, I consider a salad course to be different from an appetizer course. Can't much argue about the cheese plate, however, even if I wouldn't appreciate said cheese plate. That's very much an appetizer, and inherently meant-to-be-shared. I'd have *certainly* ordered the wagyu tartare or the smoked salmon in its stead, however, as cheese and I really don't get along all that well (exception: pizza, or pizza-esque things [thai chicken "pizza", e.g.]). Still, I mean, three people for under $50 with all of that *quality* food, and what I'm assuming was good service. Ask them if they're considering opening a branch in the Detroit area for me, will you?

Mother of *PEARL*, that is cheap. Three of you? I mean, yes, granted, the appetizers aren't there, but entrees, dessert, salad, non-alcoholic beverages, etc., and the tab was under $50 before gratuity? I'm not sure that you could find this kind of pricing structure had you "dined" at stinking Applebee's. Guess they're looking to build their client base. Sounds like they're doing a bang-up job of it. I'd be there in spades if I had any reason at all to visit KC. I kid you not: I'm literally shaking my head at how inexpensive that is.

It's a bigger shame that you didn't have the option of walking 100 yards or so to Diamond Jim Brady's Bistro, where I can practically guarantee that you would have been *far* more pleased than you were at Steve and Rocky's. If you get back in this area and need to eat in the Novi area, I'd recommend that highly. I've never been disappointed at DJB's even once. Is it going to compete on the same plane as Charlie Trotters or something? No, but if you're wanting great food, service, and good innovation for your money, without going ballistic on the wallet, you can't do much better than DJB's. I really hope you'll give it a shot if/when you get back to this area.

UE, got a question about this: is the consomme meant to be taken simultaneously with the other ingredients, or separately from them (i.e. alternate a bite with a sip)? I assume that it's not meant to be poured over the other ingredients, as if that were the case, the kitchen would have taken the initiative to do that before it arrived at the table. While that looks good, the Malted-Ginger Root Cake both sounds *and* looks more intriguing. But then, I'm kind of a sucker for good chocolate ginger.

UE, got a question about this: is the consomme meant to be taken simultaneously with the other ingredients, or separately from them (i.e. alternate a bite with a sip)? I assume that it's not meant to be poured over the other ingredients, as if that were the case, the kitchen would have taken the initiative to do that before it arrived at the table. While that looks good, the Malted-Ginger Root Cake both sounds *and* looks more intriguing. But then, I'm kind of a sucker for good chocolate ginger.

I'm *so* glad to hear this. I'm right with you on their all-made-in-house soups. Though I might not care for every soup offering they have, usually I can find something among the four daily offerings that I like, and I always do. The sandwiches are very, *very* good, aren't they? Not only are they reasonably portioned (which, yes, is a very good thing), but they're also reasonably *priced*. Last time I stopped by the Stage Deli in West Bloomfield, my corned beef on rye with cole slaw and Russian dressing was $11.75. And that's *without* tax. Thus, if you want this sandwich to go, your carry-out price will be an eye-popping $12.46. For a sandwich (and 1/4 of a pickle). Yes, it's a darned *great* sandwich, but I mean, really. Couple that with dining in, and a beverage, and you got it: you're at $20 for a sandwich and a drink (though the service there is so consistently bad, it's hard to tip the usual amount). My personal favorite sandwich from Weekday Cafe is the cranberry turkey. That is just a wonderful flavor explosion. Couple that (or a half sandwich) with some of their soup, and you'll leave satisfied on many levels. The desserts are also very good, but I often either don't have room, or they don't have anything that would really appeal to me (their chocolate cakes go quite fast, from my experience). More often than not, though, I have their weekly fish special, which is always under $10, correctly prepared, with a wonderful veggie of the day (carrot slices cooked in real maple syrup [which, at $38 a gallon, ain't cheap], fresh broccoli with hollandaise sauce [which my folks *love*, but I can't eat hollandaise], zucchini with onions and bell peppers, etc.), and your choice of starch. Yummo. See, now you've gotten me all hungry, and it's 1:14AM! Nuts!

I looked today, and noticed an appropriate update which *greatly* clears up the whole lunch scheduling puzzle. Clarity is a good thing. Thanks for clarifying both here, and on the website. I'll have to swing by for lunch one of these days soon. Lunch is always a good way of "testing" whether a restaurant is good enough to invest an evening with, especially on the high end of the culinary scale. Well done. It's a shame that I'm too late this year for the garden parties...

Taken directly from the website under the "General Info" tab, under "Commonly Asked Questions": "What days does The Whitney close for business? Generally, Memorial Day, The Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Day and New Years day. Please contact us regarding specific holiday closings. The Whitney is not open for lunch but is available during daytime hours for special events and luncheons. The Whitney is open for luncheon during the month of December." So, um, from this I can deduce that The Whitney isn't open for lunch except during the month of December? Is that accurate? That's not the story I've been reading. Menu does look interesting, though.

When I went there, that's what I had, as it pretty much does just pop off the menu. I must say that the description of it lured me into thinking it would taste differently than it did. It was very, very good, but not really what I was expecting. The one thing I would have changed about the sandwich was the thickness of the lamb itself. It was sliced so thin that the flavor of the meat was hard to decipher from the sauce in the sandwich. When I have lamb, I like its taste to shine on through like a National guitar. As I said in another thread, Fiddleheads impressed me. Nothing more so than the service and ambience. The food all sounded good, and what I had, I enjoyed. I really do need to drop in there again relatively soon. Ignore something, and it'll go away and all that.

Leonard, I always appreciate your sharing with the rest of us here. Five Lakes is one of those places that I've actually been inside, but was pretty turned off by the youth/immaturity of the hostess when I was there, so much so that I didn't bother to stay, and haven't been back. Sounds like I'm missing out. Thanks for the review!

As an update to this thread that I've started, I wanted to tell about my experiences at Fiddleheads and Steve's Back Room. Fiddleheads was, indeed, a very nice surprise. I went for lunch one day a month or so back, and I had a sandwich which sounded better on the page than it was, but it was still quite tasty! I know that sounds like sort of a back-handed compliment, but it's really not meant to be. I enjoyed what I had and was impressed with the level of service. I also liked the restaurant's lighting. I'll go back. Steve's Back Room was tried tonight, and certainly falls into the category of the thread. For $9.34 out the door, I had bread with a delicious light oil-based dipping sauce, and lamb schwarma with noodle rice. The lamb schwarma was good, but not exceptional (but at $6.95, it was plenty good), and the noodle rice was functional. Again, the service was good once they realized that I was there. The next time I go I'll probably try something that doesn't involve the lamb being cut into cubed pieces, as the flavor of the meat was a bit lacking due to this. Next time, I'll probably try the lamb curry. The ladies at the table adjacent to mine were raving about Steve's, and you can really sense the freshness. Definitely a family-oriented place, and definitely affordable. If I don't sound as "Yippee!" about Steve's as I do about Fiddleheads, please remember that I'm still somewhat new to Middle Eastern cuisine, and I'm still training the palate a bit. Certain things like hummous just aren't going to do a thing for me, but I do like many of the things that go into their cuisine, so I'm still working on sampling. To those who recommended these: thank you.

I can imagine that on a weekend evening it might be hard to get a table...I think even Brandon himself told me that! However, on a weekday evening, it wasn't crowded, and again: the fare was *excellent*! Recommended. How are things at The Whitney shaping up?

Holy cow, folks. I was going to go to Weekday Cafe tonight for dinner, and when I got there, I found out that they were on vacation, so I had to think on my feet. Since Eastpointe and Grosse Pointe Farms aren't too far from each other, and I needed to go that way anyway, I decided to go to Bambu. Superior choice. Brandon's still got it, folks. There were three chalkboard specials: 1. Slow braised beef short rib with smashed potatoes and asparagus at $17 2. Lamb shank with veggies in a red wine au jus with whipped potatoes at $16 3. Seared sea scallops, asparagus, and goatscheese darphan potatoes at $18 I was actually in a mood for beef, so I went with choice #1. All the specials came with a house salad with choice of house-made dressing (I went with the raspberry-honey, which was very nice, and not too overpowering), and upon request, a basket of bread, with butter. My short rib of beef was the best beef dish I've eaten in at *least* three years. Yes, I was hungry, but this thing was just heaven on a plate. The very definition of fork-tender, the first bite practically exploded in my mouth with deep, rich flavor. The beef had *just enough* fat left on there to really enjoy, as well as the potatoes, and the carrots, and tomatoes (can't remember what else). I literally used the bread to sop up every last morsel of the gravy I could get, it was that good. Heck, had there not been other diners there, I may very well have licked the stupid plate. Then, dessert. Oh! Holy cow! The server (who was decent) told me that they had one dessert: creme caramel, and I asked how much it was. In all honesty, I'm more of a chocolate guy myself, but you never know...sometimes a nice creme brulee or flan or creme caramel will really hit the spot. She checked on the price, and it was $5. I decided to go for it, if only to support Brandon's efforts. WORTH EVERY STINKING PENNY. The creme caramel was absolutely *beautiful* (I actually took two pictures of it on my cell phone, but don't know how to upload them). It came with fresh blackberries, raspberries, and sliced strawberries, some thin, delicious sweetbread/cookie thing, and some crystalized caramel on the top. This thing was a site to behold. Eating it was honestly stratospheric...the flavors meshed so well, the berries were right at the peak of freshness/juiciness, and the different textures really complemented each other. The server was at another table trying to sell the dessert, and I chimed in to help out, indicating that it was fantastic, and inherently sharable. They were *very* impressed as well. Folks, I was out the door for $28, tax and tip included (no beverages, just water). For what amounts to two home runs (entree and dessert), to me, that's a bargain. And this without even ordering the to-die-for crab cakes that he's known so well for! Hie thee to Bambu, and order the specials. You won't be disappointed. This is actually the first time I've had one of his entrees that wasn't a seafood entree, and now I'll be torn, since the beef was just so delicious. Fan-stinking-tastic.

Thus, the reason it's called "Michigan's Best." Not "Detroit's Best."

Well, I've never had better. My folks have never had better, and they've traveled western Europe extensively. This is a place that has been around for 60-odd years (with only three owners), using the same recipes, the same fresh ingredients, etc. since its inception. *Could* there be better F&C somewhere else? I suppose, but I've never had the pleasure, though I wouldn't mind being proven wrong. As well, almost *every single person* I send to this place ends up in agreement. It is what it is. I'll put it this way: I lived in Chitown for three and a half years (back in school). I loved, and still love, that town, food included. As can be expected, I ate a great deal of deep dish-style pizza while I was there (side note: I believe the best Chicago-style pizza is at the original Gino's East), and while I had many good pies, none held a candle to the pizza served at Loui's Pizza in Hazel Park, Michigan. Yes, they're different types of pizza, but overall, Loui's rules the pizza category with an iron fist. And I *lived* in Chicago! I'm always open to be proven wrong, and I'm brutally honest about my opinions. If something's better, I'll say it. However, in the case of SS's F&C, it was the best I'd ever had in my life, and trumped a long-shuttered F&C joint that I remember eating at as a child. The recipes at SS's are well-protected for a reason... If you get around to the Detroit area for any reason, give me a heads-up, and I'll buy. The restaurant itself is painfully antiquated, but if you truly are a *food* lover, that's something that you'll get over for the sake of its wonderful fare.

I'll accept that it's probably an okay fish & chips joint, but it doesn't sound as though places like it are likely to cement Detroit's "restaurant city" reputation. ← I recognize that second quote as being from the Metro Times. Actually, they have a very strange system when it comes to their food critics. With this particular author, I've noticed that her opinions are almost *completely* the opposite of mine. The problem, aside from my obvious disagreement with her on this particular place (amongst many others), is that they have a bunch of different people who review for them, with no real standard from one to the other as to what they're expecting, or any real "bar" to achieve, or not achieve. With so many reviewers, it's not really possible to understand what's being evaluated or not. I'm far more inclined to take the word of "Hour," or the Free Press, or many others. Metro Times is just too discombobulated to present a real restaurant review. I'm not saying that SS's F&C would knock everyone's socks off if they want a good, overall seafood restaurant. However, if they're in the mood for deep fried seafood, there's none better anywhere.

I'll agree that the list is painted with a *very* wide brush, but let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater here: Scotty Simpson's F&C is an absolute gem, and shouldn't be so utterly dismissed. Actually, McCormick and Schmick's isn't exactly what I'd call a great place, either. Overpriced, stuffy, and pretty dishonest to claim that they receive their fish *daily*. Garbage. I know it isn't true. Still, that list is most definitely *not* put together by critics...it's a general population thing. "Vote for your favorites!" To be fair, when Chicago enlisted the help of its "Tribune" readers back in the 90's to try to discover the best hamburger in the city, the paper received *tons* of people who wrote in the national fast food chains like McDonald's. Does that make Chicago any less of a restaurant city? As a post-script, Pete Miller's Steakhouse's billiard room won that little contest (and deservedly so), but it was a place that the critic chose out of ten suggestions from the locals. Just letting you know that these kinds of things aren't exclusive to Detroit, and also that it doesn't mean that just because a F&C joint makes it on there, that it's automatically worse than McCormick and Schmick's. I'd eat at SS's forever before I go back to M&S...but they're quite different experiences/draws, too.

FYI, Emily's is no more. ← Really? When did she go? ← Several months back...looks like September of last year. Rick Halberg (owner/proprietor) has completely gotten out of the restaurant business (Emily's in Northville closed, along with the new and more casual [but still very good] Tutto Bene in Farmington Hills operated by, oddly enough, his daughter Emily) and is now working for Hiller's, a local upscale grocery store chain, as their food director (forgive me if that title isn't correct). Here's a link: http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=9624 Hope that helps. It was a sad day for the local restaurant scene, but imagine the coup that Hiller's pulled to get him!

FYI, Emily's is no more.

If you're willing to accept the recommendation of a guy who hasn't had your particular dish, but has tried said restaurant *lots* of times, Chef Ed's Weekday Cafe in Eastpointe serves Chicken Mole, and they do it from scratch, just like they do everything else. I'm not a real "bean guy," so Chicken Mole doesn't really appeal to me on any real level. However, most everything I've eaten at Weekday has been very, very good. They do so much right at this little mom and pop joint that I'd be very surprised if the Chicken Mole wasn't good as well. I could continue to elaborate, but there's no need: just go and try it. Take someone with you, and enjoy! Chef Ed's Weekday Cafe is on 9 Mile Road about 1/4 mile east of Gratiot. With only 16 seats, it's small...but worth any wait you'll have to endure. Soups are all made in-house (right down to the stocks), they roast their own turkey breasts every day, when Ed gets bored he makes the house-made desserts, etc. Just go!

Boy, howdy, Rick Halberg wanted a pretty penny to dine there, though. I could never quite muster the gumption to pay his fare, since it seemed to be an almost "Are you *kidding* me?" priced menu for just about every living thing on there. Sure, it was probably well-prepared by a knowledgable kitchen, but when the average entree price is $36 or so, you're looking at a pricing structure that makes even the best customers of The Lark take pause. Emily's was *extremely* pricey. In fact, I'd say that, pound-for-pound, it was the most expensive restaurant in the state, and that includes Tribute, Tapawingo, and The Lark. I suppose that there are those who would call me common for saying so, but I still have to factor cost into the equation of where I'll go, and where I won't. Emily's just never quite made me want to commit to it, and I don't really regret not going. I think Rick Halberg just wanted *out* of the restaurant business, else why shutter *everything*, including the always-packed Tuto Bene in Farmington Hills? I can understand blaming the economy for the closing of Emily's, but Tuto Bene was just on fire out of the blocks, and he chose to let that die, too. I wish him well, but it did seem like he kind of left the business with a snide attitude, one that people (like me) who appreciate really good food sort of felt attacked by.

Hmm. Well, it's hard for me to get up the gumption to drive all the way out there (approx. 30 minutes) for, well...Chinese. I guess my experience with most Chinese places is that there really isn't much differentiation between one and the next. Exceptions, of course, can be made (and some are quite nice), but it'd have to be something really exceptional to get me to drive back to Ny's neighborhood for Chinese food. Any recommended dishes?

::sigh:: I'm kind of down on Novi ever since Ny's Thai Cafe changed ownership, and I miss Pany...*badly*. It's hard to get my gumption up to drive all the way out there from Ferndale for much less. I agree about Steve & Rocky's, though. That place basically does the impossible in my eyes: it has made redemptive the location that formerly was a (::shudder: Fuddruckers. Thank heaven they redeemed the location itself.

This is true...I do know that Carolina-style BBQ sauce is vinegar-based. I didn't question whether vinegar was an acceptable ingredient in sauce (obviously, it is, and more than that, it's necessary). I was simply remarking that the first actual solid food-type thing named in the sauce was the *fourth* thing listed. To me, BBQ sauce needs to have some kind of actual solid food form within the first couple of ingredients to be something that I'd find acceptable as something I want to eat/ingest. Preferably, the first ingredient, thankyouverymuch. To be fair, though, I don't much care for Carolina-style, and in fact have quite the sweet tooth, but that doesn't mean that I want my BBQ sauce to be a host bottle for HFCS. Quite to the contrary: I want a sauce whose flavor comes from *real* ingredients *first*. That's not so wrong, now, is it?

On a hunch, while walking through a store today, I happened upon an endcap of Open Pit "BBQ Sauce." Quotes deserved. Ingredients list: HFCS, water, distilled vinegar, tomato paste...and I just shook my head. It took until the *fourth* listed ingredient to actually find some kind of "food." Ick.