terapinchef

Heard some interesting things about Bambu, it turns out a woman I used to work with is married to a good friend of the chef. She started to tell me about the type of food that he was doing, but not being much of a foodie, she got me kind of lost. From what I understood I took it to be kind of a pan asian fusion style? If anyone can clarify it would be appreciated as I had been thinking about checking it out, but would like some more information as fusion has a tendancy to confuse and disappoint me .

And just in case anyone from the culinary devoid eastern part of the city (speaking mostly of my fellow macomb county people here...) gets hungry for some Latin spice...Most people who live in the area know of a place called Plaza de Mexico, or Plaza for short, that occupies a tiny building on 9 mile just a west of I-94. Also notable (although technically in Wayne County) is a place called Sierra Station on Mack down near the Detroit border, near Tom's Oyster Bar and the Village Idiot Bar (sorry don't know the exact cross streets) and for drive through, there's a decent little place on Harper between 9 and 10 Mile called El Charro.

Don't forget about Primo's Pizza on Adams just north of woodward....I can't remember if I mentioned it or not before but the House of Ruben at 16 mile just west of Van Dyke does a decent sandwich also

That's it, M'dears! If that place is everything that I remember it being it is out of this world!!!Highly recommended to anyone that happens to find themselves in this strange little corner of the world...along with the nachos at a place called Sunrise Sunset Cafe

Speaking of that cool little corner of Charlevoix and Wayburn there used to be a killer little creole place on the corner there that served awsome little portions of sandwiches soups (read po' boys and gumbo) for rediculous prices. Anybody know if it's still around? It's a little out of my current traveling range....

Help! I'm addicted to Szechwan Sausage! Can anybody help me find/develop a recipie for this wonderful sweet/salty/spicy concoction? Even Chef Brian didn't have a good recipie...Please Helpp!!!!

Upon recommendation of the author, I revisited a former favorite sandwich spot...and found that his assesment of the Bread Basket Deli to be correct. After paying $9 for a Ruben, I found that it truly was one of the most tasteless corned beef sandwiches I had ever encountered, and I therefor retract my earlier reccomendation and apologize to anyone I may have led astray...

Don't take this the wrong way, I LOVE Union Street, I had one of my favorite meals of all time there, but let me say this... Last time I was there I took my girlfriend after she got out of class at WSU. After paying for the parking in the lot that is next to the restaurant (closest available parking and $5 to boot) we went in and asked for the warmest table in the house as she was quite cold from walking across the campus for parking situations. They sat us NEXT TO THE FRONT DOOR. We then proceeded to pay around $85 for an appetizer, two entrees, and a single beer each. As much as I love this place I think that it would cost $15 just to go have a beer there by the time you are done with parking, etc. As I currently work there, I can let you know that the menu hasn't changed extensively since 2 years ago...a few dishes are done slightly differently now but most of them stay the same, with the exeption, of course of the dessert menu. This is easily explained. The "servers" at the restaurant are first year culinary students, and for those of you who don't know what that means, most of them are pretty much afraid to tie their shoes without asking someone if they are doing it right. This could help explain the problem. Also with your inquiring about the Mexican dinner...Tuesday nights are, for those of you who are not familiar with the school, International Dinner nights. This is a seperate class who are in the school Monday and Tuesday and do service for a different country/ethnicity every week for 5 weeks, until another class takes over. The students that you see there during the day for the most part are not there during the evening, and as they are first year students and have not had the class yet, have no idea what is going on (see above) As far as Steve's Backroom is concerned... I do consider myself a lover of middle eastern food. I have worked for several Lebanese men and have had wonderful meals prepared by their wives and always search out middle eastern restaurants, especially in the summertime. I have eaten at Steve's original (and currently only) location twice and at their former place on the Nautical Mile several times. While I do appreciate that fact that I can go to most grocery stores and purchase their wonderful hummos, I have to say that hands down the Cedar Gardens has every dish that I have tried at both places beat. It is small, and the service is typically okay at best (I have found this to be common at most restaurants in this genre) but the food is o u t s t a n d i n g!

Also in the "off-the-beaten-path" type places...if you are ever on the West side of Detroit, Schoolcraft college, well known for their Culinary program, does a lunch service tuesday through friday that will blow your mind, led by CMC Dan Huglier and serving quality food at prices that will blow your mind...they seat at 11:45, 12, and 12:15, your best bet is to call ahead. (the dessert selection from the pastry shop is incredible, and if I remember correctly, you get your choice for something like $1.95) Also for a nicer dinner at still reasonable prices (all entrees below $20 last time I checked) is Fiddleheads on 13 mile just east of Greenfield. New chef Tim Voss has been making some changes at this restaurant so look for new things if you have been there before.... The Onion Roll Deli on Woodward just north of 11 mile is famous in the area for their Ruben's, but for my buck I offer two alternatives to my most favorite sandwich...O'Hara's is located on 10 mile road West of Gratiot and is a bar...but a bar that is so well known for their Rubens I find it hard to believe they actually have a bar clientele that doesn't come just to eat! Also a top in my Ruben list is the Bread Basket, a tiny place located on 8 mile road between Telegraph and Grand River...Found out about this place a few years ago and was so highly recommended that I went to search it out from St Clair Shores (Warning: both of the above places require a hearty appetite as the serve a truly formidable sandwich!) Also notable: Cedar Gardens, located at 9 mile and Mack near the Shores Theater and the (in)famous Travis Burger serves Middle Eastern food that will blow away anything from Steve's Backroom, and they are in the same area. Across the street is a tiny place called Sy Thai Shores (to differentiate it from their location in Birmingham) that serves great Thai food, especially for the area in which it is located. Speaking of Middle Eastern food, there is a small place downtown called Byblos, I believe it to be on Palmer very near Wayne state that I recommend on the strength of the only meal I have had there, if anyone can comment further I would appreciate it... Sorry for being so lengthy but I have to congratulate you on what may easily become my favorite thread on all of Egullet!

Not being from Chicago, I'm not sure that I can comment with any kind of accuracy on this subject, but I'm pretty sure that I know the reason that there is no signature hamburger in Chicago despite being the home of the slaughterhouses of old. The reason is that they were too busy perfecting a bovine sandwich of a different kind, the legendary ITALIAN BEEF! *cue the ray of sunshine falling from the heavens on a dripping delicious pile of god-sent goodness*

All right, I confess, I read the whole thread word for word....couldn't help myself, it brought back some creat memories (and possibly inspired the creation of some new ones). But I cannot believe that no one has mentioned what I believe is truly the most effective and sensible method for butter/brownies. Using a double boiler technique, your butter would never rise above a safe temperature, therefor no danger of burning the special ingredients (an easy thing to do when otherwise occupied ) Allow this to work for an hour or so to ensure maximum extraction, then strain and mold into loaves/sticks/cubes/whatever you want. Use in any recipie involving butter or oil. NO more crunchies in your brownies. Not so great on pasta, though, if I remember correctly.

This thread is incredible, I am amazed that it is so large! I recently finished Chef Polcyn's class (I am a student at Schoolcraft College) and have cooked many things out of the book. It is truly an incredible experience to be involved in the world of Charcuterie, and invokes feelings of nostalgia. Congratulations to the authors and kudos to all of you for your passion and dedication to the pig!

[i can verify that Tim Voss has been working at Fiddleheads (13 & Greenfield, for those of you who don't know) since just before New Years, and that they are happy to have him.

While times are tough everywhere, things have been exceptionally rough in MI. As mentioned in other posts, several prominent restaurants have been closed/converted, and I know that there are several prominent chefs who have been relocated, possibly to less conspicuous places. It would be nice to have a thread to keep track of such things...I know that both BooCoo's Shawn Mac and Forte's Tim Voss have left their former residences to take up shop somewhere else. Any other massive changes taking place, or information as to the whereabouts of the aforementioned? Any news in general related to new blood coming in/old regimes leaving?