[DET]Definitive Food Experience-your choice

[Naftal]

Hello-I'm curious, If you were to describe the one essential food related experience that a person should have if he/she is to experience this region, What would it be?I realize that limiting it to 1 or 2 is difficult, but lets try. For the record,my choice would be a hot dog at National Coney Island.

[san]

naftal,

i am shocked and disappointed that you chose national over lafayette- to me there is absolutely no comparison. coneys aside, i like zingerman's deli in ann arbor- everything else i can think of can be found in most other major cities. actually slows bar bq would also be a must-visit. and the redcoat tavern for a consistently solid and well prepared meal. and some kind of detroit pizza, whether it be buddy's or lui's. if only one, though, my vote is for lafayette coney island.

[cinghiale]

to me there is absolutely no comparison

Agreed.

I hit either Bray's or Miller's Bar every time I fly into Metro. And if I can swing it on the way back down from Up North, I take the long way back to Metro and stop at Greene's. But hey, I like burgers, and Detroit's way rock.

[Alex]

The Coney Island certainly is a Detroit institution, but I've never been a fan, so I can't speak to the great Lafayette vs. National controversy (although most of the press I've read about this favors the former).

Therefore, I vote for:

1) in Hamtramck, either Under the Eagle (my preference) or Polish Village Cafe, for great Polish food in the great Detroit-area melting pot city;

2) in the Wayne State area, the ur-dive bar with great burgers, Bronx Bar;

3) in the vicinity of Corktown, as san mentioned, Slows Bar BQ, for the quintessential Detroit experience of an oasis in the midst of decay (we miss you, Tiger Stadium).

Review/info links:

Hamtramck

Bronx Bar

Slows

[Naftal]

naftal,

i am shocked and disappointed that you chose national over lafayette- to me there is absolutely no comparison.  coneys aside, i like zingerman's deli in ann arbor- everything else i can think of can be found in most other major cities.  actually slows bar bq would also be a must-visit.  and the redcoat tavern for a consistently solid and well prepared meal.  and some kind of detroit pizza, whether it be buddy's or lui's.  if only one, though, my vote is for lafayette coney island.

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san-Thanks for your insights I am willing to agree that either national or lafayette should be a required stop for any foodie in the Metro area. I feel that both are the best examples of the most original food item that we have.If the Vernor's plant was still on Woodward, that would have been my second choice. Also, I agree with you about zingerman's. It is a wonderfully unique experience.I did not mention it because I am trying to limit things to Wayne,Oaklan, and Macomb Counties.

[Naftal]

The Coney Island certainly is a Detroit institution, but I've never been a fan, so I can't speak to the great Lafayette vs. National controversy (although most of the press I've read about this favors the former).

Therefore, I vote for:

1) in Hamtramck, either Under the Eagle (my preference) or Polish Village Cafe, for great Polish food in the great Detroit-area melting pot city;

2) in the Wayne State area, the ur-dive bar with great burgers, Bronx Bar;

3) in the vicinity of Corktown, as san mentioned, Slows Bar BQ, for the quintessential Detroit experience of an oasis in the midst of decay (we miss you, Tiger Stadium).

Review/info links:

Hamtramck

Bronx Bar

Slows

←

Alex- Have you ever been to the Third Street Saloon by Wayne State? At one time they were my favorite dive bar. But, I have not been there for a long time and they might have cleaned themselves up a bit

Edited March 7, 2009 by Naftal (log)

[Naftal]

to me there is absolutely no comparison

Agreed.

I hit either Bray's or Miller's Bar every time I fly into Metro. And if I can swing it on the way back down from Up North, I take the long way back to Metro and stop at Greene's. But hey, I like burgers, and Detroit's way rock.

←

cinghiale-I will be the first to admit that I don't travel much. So I am unfamiliar with the unique qualities of a Detroit burger , please enlighten me

Edited March 7, 2009 by Naftal (log)

[Alex]

The Coney Island certainly is a Detroit institution, but I've never been a fan, so I can't speak to the great Lafayette vs. National controversy (although most of the press I've read about this favors the former).

Therefore, I vote for:

1) in Hamtramck, either Under the Eagle (my preference) or Polish Village Cafe, for great Polish food in the great Detroit-area melting pot city;

2) in the Wayne State area, the ur-dive bar with great burgers, Bronx Bar;

3) in the vicinity of Corktown, as san mentioned, Slows Bar BQ, for the quintessential Detroit experience of an oasis in the midst of decay (we miss you, Tiger Stadium).

Review/info links:

Hamtramck

Bronx Bar

Slows

←

Alex- Have you ever been to the Third Street Saloon by Wayne State? At one time they were my favorite dive bar. But, I have not been there for a long time and they might have cleaned themselves up a bit

←

I haven't been there, but I've been away from the Detroit area for quite some time. Back in the mid-70s, though, when I was living in Hamtramck, three other WSU grad students and I formed a bowling team. After league, we'd head to a corner bar on Conant (whose name I've long forgotten) to drink 25¢ shells of Stroh's and play game after game of air hockey. Good times.

[cinghiale]

cinghiale-I will be the first to admit that I don't travel much. So I am unfamiliar with the unique qualities of a Detroit burger , please enlighten me

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Maybe it's the fact that the shack/slider culture has remained vibrant. Maybe it's the true awesomeness of the Detroit slider. Dunno, maybe it's in the DNA. Me, a like a griddled burger. I never eat 'em grilled (out-of-house, anyway), and Detroit suits my fancy in that way.

Re traveling: When I travel, I just search the local board for burgers and always get plenty of recs (that's how I found Greene's, inter alia). Here are a few that remind me of my home state:

Vermont, near Vergennes ("Michigan" is what them theres call a Coney Island. The ones I've sampled are passable but nowhere near Lafayette OR National):

Vermont, Northern Kingdom:

New Haven, CT (the late, lamented Doodle, which IMO stood head and shoulders above Louis' Lunch):

North Jersey (steamed and amazing -- see here)

Washington, DC: The very personable Ollie makes a respectable burger. Way better than the product peddled at the sorely lacking outpost of the Billy Goat on Capitol Hill, which I sampled 30 minutes later.

Chicago: Muskie's is very Detroit, but their burgers didn't hold up. I also had a dog. It, on the other hand, fulfilled expectations. Maybe a Great Lakes dog/burger thing is going on.

Slightly closer to home -- Flint: Poor Halo has seen much, much better days. Reminds me of the same fate enjoyed by Lud's in Alpena, where I grew up:

And just in case you may have forgotten...

[Holly Moore]

Wow - I had no idea. Well eaten. And not a fancy glopped up half pound burger on brioche bun in the bunch.

[LaneL]

I am a Royal Oak local, and i would suggest first off right in-town, the Royal Oak Brewery. Fantastic beers, and a menu that is both american comfort food, as well as a twist on bar favorites. In addition to that the absolut best mexican in the area is Taqueria Lupita. $1 tacos and a meal for 2 under $20, is unbeatable, especially considering what is offered. Redcoat as mentioned above is great food and they usually have a few good micobrews on tap.

[Twohearted]

When I return home for the holidays there are a few places I simply cannot avoid:

1. Zingerman's: I eat here as much as I can while home. A trip to the Zingerman's Road House is an added bonus if I can fit it in to my schedule.

2. Red Coat Tavern: I've eaten here for years, grew up a few miles north on Woodward, have had friends work here and I still know the staff. It's a Detroit institution and is routinely regarded as the best burger in town. Personally, I always order the Piedmontese, fried pickles and a Long Island Ice Tea (the bartenders here make them extra special for us).

3. Hunter House: Between Greene's and Hunter House, either way you're going to experience the epitome of a Detroit slider. I'm a patron of Hunter House just because I grew up in Birmingham where one of their restaurants is.

4. Berkeley Front: This place is my all-time favorite bar. It's kind of like a beer garden, it's kind of like a dive and it's definitely local.

Honestly, I try really hard to hit up all these places when I'm back in Michigan. The other quintessential foods of the area are coney dogs (Lafayette is king), polish food (Hamtramck), various restaurants in Greektown, and some excellent middle eastern food (La Shish).

[Naftal]

Hello-Speaking of bars...Are there any other places(besides Bastone in Royal Oak)that brew real Belgian-style beer?

[Alex]

Honestly, I try really hard to hit up all these places when I'm back in Michigan.  The other quintessential foods of the area are coney dogs (Lafayette is king), polish food (Hamtramck), various restaurants in Greektown, and some excellent middle eastern food (La Shish).

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However, all of the La Shish locations have been closed for about a year. There was a Charlie's La Shish in Ann Arbor, which originally was part of the franchise but separated from it a couple of years ago. It's now renamed as Charlie's Mediterranean Cuisine.

[LaneL]

If you like quality beer i would suggest Dragonmead in Warren. Its just off 696.

http://www.dragonmead.com/Beers.html

Edit to say - They have a huge beer menu but no food besides bar snacks. They have a huge binder of take out and delivery places that you can order from.

Edited March 20, 2009 by LaneL (log)