122543 Thu Mar 04 00:18:48 -0800 2004 15 8 Midwest 0 666411 I just moved to Farmington Hills for work and am seeking recommendations from chowhounds in the Midwest for Chowish delights this side of the universe. I am not particularly fond of fast food and love any type of cuisine and seeking recommendations for all price range. Please let me know too what to order per restaurant recommended. I will drive to seek good food. I would appreciate any help in finding good places to buy fresh meat, fruits and vegetables. Thu Mar 04 00:18:48 -0800 2004 0 Nyufoodie 1 666413 As a NYC chowhound, I know you'll appreciate the fact that there is a Nepali restaurant in your area (at least I think it's close by...) Apparently Dearborn is a treasure trove of pan-arab cuisine... I myself will be out there this weekend to sample some Iraqi fare - I'll post my report when I'm back to Brooklyn. In Ann Arbor, there's a very good Jamaican place that does jerk pork (a rarity in the jerk joints in NYC), and Zingerman's deli - although the most expensive sandwich you're likely to have outside of db Bistro's burger - is really quite good. Blimpy Burger is a must try - be sensible and get a double on subsequent visits - the first time around at least go for a quad, if not the quint. Enjoy the Soup Kitchen Intl. aspect of ordering there... But as I've only been out that way for a grand total of four days of my life, I can't comment on everything... Link: http://www.everestexpressusa.com/ Thu Mar 04 08:23:13 -0800 2004 666411 0 Lambretta76 2 666493 are you talking about bev's caribbean? after all these years i still haven't gotten there, although i should really try harder since i park in that general area often. there is a new jerk place that opened up on campus, on thayer st across from hill auditorium and the mlb. i've been eagerly awaiting its debut, and last week they finally had the door wide open -- unfortunately i'd already gotten my friday lobster bisque from le dog, so i haven't tried them yet. i'll try to get there tomorrow and post something on it, although i have almost zero experience with jerk so probably can't render any cogent opinion other than "it's good". but i will say this: the menu looks great. (but $2 for a 10 oz ting? oy. you can go get a grapefruit jarritos over at sabor a block away for half the price for twice as much beverage.) Link: http://www.jerkpit.com/ Mon Mar 08 11:20:19 -0800 2004 666413 0 erin p. 1 666415 Welcome to Detroit!!! Where did you live in NYC, and what sort of foods and restaurants did you enjoy? I was born and raised in the city, and now live in Kalamazoo, 2 hours west on I-94. You should search for a recent post I started titled "Detroit Chowhounds" to find some recommendations for restaurants. Fresh meat, seafood and veggies are easier to come by in Detroit area than great restaurants. If you want an experience similar to what you might have found in NYC, drive down to Eastern Market some Saturday morning. It is nicer later in the year when farmers are in the stalls, but even now the wholesale vendors have the best and freshest produce and fish you will find. There are numerous Arabic halal butchers in the market area, and once you get comfortable with the difficulty of communicating sometimes, and the standoffishness of some of the vendors, who are really wholesalers, not customer oriented retailers, you will be able to get wonderful chicken, lamb and beef. Anybody can tell you how to get to Eastern Market (I-75 south to Mack; left to Russell; right to the market area). You should also go to the retail store for R. Hirt Jr. Co., a wonderful cheese and specialty foods store in the market. They are one of the wholesalers I go to on my frequent trips to Detroit for products for my store. Just down the block from Hirt is a great wine shop, called Cost Plus, but not part of any chain. There is also an old, traditional, red sauce Italian restaurant in the market, Roma Cafe. Not a trendy place, but great veal and pasta dishes. You should also visit Rocky's Peanut House, for fresh nuts and candies and specialty foods and dried fruits. The absolutely best prices on bulk candies are found here, and you if you cannot find the candy you like, you don't need it!! They fresh roast peanuts all day and the other nuts are great too. Finally, for an experience and smell you might not soon forget, go to Capital Poultry across the expressway from Rocky's. Turkeys will be waiting in a pen to be slaughtered and the smell of death and butchering is prevalent. The cases are full of fresh chicken and chicken parts, including a case full of chicken feet. It doesn't get any fresher than this in a city! Out in the burbs you can find many stores for fresh produce. Van Born Market, Papa Joe's, come to mind. Others will be more familiar with the current restaurants and upscale groceries. If you like Mideast foods, go to any restaurant in Dearborn on Warren Avenue, one of the largest Arab populations in US is in Dearborn. For the best corned beef sandwich, go to Star Deli on 12 Mile Road just west of Telegraph. Carry out only, but it is the best in the city. Try the Corned Beef Special. From my experience in NYC, the corned beef and pastrami are excellent at Katz's and 2nd Ave Deli, but the bread sucks. You will find very good meats here, with fresh cut warm crispy Jewish rye, not something out of a plastic bag. I cannot understand why such terrible bread is used for such wonderful meats in NYC! For the best burger, Miller's Pub on Michigan Ave east of Telegraph in Dearborn. And seeing as how you live in Farmington Hills, make a point to go to Greene's hamburgers on 10 Mile and Orchard Lake Road. I have been going to Greene's since I was a little boy at 7 Mile and Schafer. They used to cost 5 for $1! We call them sliders, and they are a thin, smashed pattie of meat, with a pile of grilled onion, on a small greasy bun. Similar to White Castle I guess, but I have never eaten White Castle. Last time I was there the quality seemed to be slipping, I know the owner has sold the place. The place has survived a long time, with a Wendy's right across the street. I hope it is still open and doing it right. For the quintessential pizza experience, visit one of the many Buddy's Pizza, including one on Northwestern Highway just east of Orchard Lake Road. This is the original Detroit deep dish pizza, and it is great. Nothing like Chicago deep dish, and from my experience, NYC pizza is all about thin, thin crispy crust. There are many other styles of great pizza in Detroit too, so check out prior posts about this. While downtown at Eastern Market, go to Lafayette Coney Island to discover what a real hot dog tastes like. NYC has terrible hot dogs, and Lafayette will open your eyes to that fact!! I have never had a great hot dog in NYC, whether from a street cart or the highly regarded Gray's Papaya. I am going to NYC again soon, and if you have any recommendations for where to get a great hot dog, please let me know. In fact, come to think of it, if you have any ideas or recommendations for foods I should seek out on this trip, email me with your ideas. The trip is only for food, we do not go to plays or ball games or anything else that may cause us to miss one more great Chinese dumpling or a fine dinner. So any ideas would be appreciated. You should also plan a trip to Chicago which is 4-1/2 hours west on I-94. The Chicago Chowhound board is a great resource and you may find that Chicago offers as much and more of what you used to be able to get in NYC. I enjoy Chicago very much, and go often because I am only 2 hours away. The variety of ethnic foods and markets is wonderful. If you lived in Manhattan, I think you will find it is more difficult to find the variety of fresh, authentic ethnic restaurants and foods in Detroit area. But there are pockets of such foods, and upscale markets thrive in the area in which you live, so you should be able to satisfy your cravings after a bit of searching and visiting different areas. Hope this helps - and good luck!! Thu Mar 04 08:37:18 -0800 2004 666411 0 cappy 2 666419 I will vouch for all of the above comments. Roma Cafe also has a great salad and strip steak. Check out both Coney Islands downtown. Try Traffic Jam and Snug on W. Canfield near Wayne State University. Great desserts. I believe they have a website. Eastern Market is great. Lots of import stores too with good olives and oils for cooking if you are into that. Ann Arbor does have quite a few great chow places. Search this site for some recent reviews over the past year. Don't forget to check out Zingerman's in Ann Arbor. Thu Mar 04 14:13:07 -0800 2004 666415 0 bdcbbq 2 666456 I'm from Manhattan - East Village. Just Northeast of Katz Deli. When visiting New York you should check the East Village and the Lower East Side for some great eats. The restaurants I liked varied in cuisine and price range. Like I like Gramercy Tavern (New American), Tabla (New American Indian) and Fleur de Sel (Nouveau French Cuisine). For Spanish Basque tapas, check-out Pintxos in Greenwich St. near corner Spring St. For New American try the relatively New Hearth in the EV (12th St. corner 1st Avenue). For vietnamese cuisine I go to Saigon Grill for their bu loc lac two locations one in the upper east side and the other one on the upper west side. For Thai, I go to WOndee Siam on 9th Ave. bet. 52nd and 53rd St. By the way, would I have something close to a Chelsea Market or Dean and De Luca here in Farmington Hills? If, you are into food stores. DO not forget to visit Russ and Daughter's on East Houston St. for their pastrami salmon and creamed herring and other appetizers. Let me know if, you need more recommendations via cdl213@nyu.edu. Fri Mar 05 19:27:28 -0800 2004 666415 0 Nyufoodie 3 666650 Hey there! Thanks for that - I'm a foodie londoner who's coming over in summer - will definitely follow some of your tips! Wed Mar 17 12:54:41 -0800 2004 666456 0 Jj 1 666433 Cappy gave some great recommendations. In fact, he covered my old haunts in Eastern Market so well, I don't have much to add. In Eastern Market, there are a lot of meat places that will cut the meat for you. Some of them still cut from the "side of beef" rather than the primal cuts as received from an IBP or Monfort. There are also a lot of halal butchers who will do a lot of custome work for you if that is what you are interested. I also like Cattleman's. They are a few blocks away from the market. You walk into their store which is a huge walk-in. They have boxed beef. Pick out what you want and they will cut and wrap it and do all teh work for you. In Dearborn, there is an Italian market called Alcamo's that makes some great sausage. They also have a tremendous cheese selection, a fresh butcher shop, and a wide selection of pasta and olive oils. Alcamo's Market 4423 Schaefer Rd Dearborn MI (313) 584-3010 I like Bartz Bakery which is on Telegraph south of Ford Rd in Dearborn. I would strongly encourage you to visit the Public Market in Windsor, ON, especially as they have some pretty good butchers and some great produce. Also, there are a couple of nice produce houses right near Devonshire Mall in Windsor. As for restaurants, I will largely defer to those whose experiences are more recent than mine. I would recommend the following: Richter's Chalet 23920 Michigan Ave. Dearborn, MI 48124 Great German restaurant. The food comes very slowly but the sauces and soups are to die for. Beans & Cornbread: A Soulful Bistro 29508 Northwestern Hwy. (Sunset Strip) Southfield, MI 48034 Great upscale white tablecloth soul food. A little on the pricy side. Hope that helps. Thu Mar 04 19:41:38 -0800 2004 666411 0 jlawrence01 1 666443 In the Eastern Market one can't forget Rafel's spices which is just up the street from Rocky's. Follow your nose. For Indian food near Farmington Hills, try House of India on Orchard lake between 12 mile and 13 mile - on the west side of the street. Thai - Sukhothai on Greenfield just south of 696. Fri Mar 05 01:30:28 -0800 2004 666411 0 wolf 1 666452 Good suggestions all...a couple more in Ann Arbor, though: The Earle for provencal comfort food and great wine selection, Casey's Tavern for soups, meatloaf sandwich and the like; Zanzibar for more exotic fare and to escape the winter blues. In Ypsilanti, go to the Sidetrack for a burger and handcut fries and (if you're feeling froggy...pun intended...you'll understand when you get there) try some fried pickles. Really. Also somewhat chowish is a very bizarre place called Cafe Cadieux. Belgian food/beer hall and home of the [I think] only feather bowling lanes in the US. It's hard to describe in a post, so here's a link. Enjoy! http://www.freep.com/entertainment/newsandreviews/clubs/cadieux.htm Fri Mar 05 15:51:46 -0800 2004 666411 0 squirrel 2 666547 Cadieux Cafe rocks ! It's worth is for the feather bowling alone , but the mussels are terrific . So is the selection of Belgian beers . Wed Mar 10 21:02:38 -0800 2004 666452 0 GoalieJeff 1 666477 I can/could vouch for Miller’s sliders, but it has been a few years since I was traveling to Detroit. The places below I had copied down to visit, any feedback from Detroiters would be appreciated. Steve's Deli 6646 Telegraph Rd. Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 248-932-0800 Open 9 am- 8 pm every day http://www.metrotimes.com/metropolis/restaurants/review.asp?id=3689 Three, A Tasting Bar 63 Pitt St. E Windsor, ON 519-258-3303 Open Lunch 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; dinner seatings 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. http://www.metrotimes.com/metropolis/restaurants/review.asp?id=8277 Chris Marshall's BBQ 2300 S. Schaefer Detroit, MI 313-389-9602 http://www.metrotimes.com/metropolis/restaurants/review.asp?id=8057 for Brunch, Sweet Georgia Brown, http://www.sweetgb.com Sat Mar 06 23:07:03 -0800 2004 666411 0 Sweet Willie 1 666504 I lived in nearby Northville (and ann arbor) and worked in Farmington Hills during my Michigan days. I’ve been back home in NY for 5 years but I don’t think much has changed (I do get back to MI at least once a year and it always looks the same). Here are some recs to get you started: -Fresh Approach- Grand River in Farmington. Produce market, used to shop there occasionally, good quality, a bit more expensive I think than a regular supermarket and not as large. Cheaper than NY. -Hiller’s shopping center market, Northville. An upscale supermarket, on N. Center st. -Busch’s supermarket, 5 MI and Sheldon, Northville. One of the nicer supermarkets in the area, this is the place I dream about while I shop in my local Morton Williams. The type of place where they have thunder sound effects when the sprinklers come on to water the produce. Prepared food/restaurants: Dagwood’s: On Grand River in Farmington. Used to go for lunch, good sandwiches made with good quality ingredients. The Dagwood is good, obviously. Ah Wok, 9 MI and Meadowbrook in Novi. Best Chinese I could find in the area, favorites are Lo Mein and Honey Walnut Shrimp. There’s also a butcher in the same strip mall. Canton Thai Bistro: Favorite Thai, Canton Road. Angry Shrimp, Drunken Noodles. Everything is good here IMO. Pizza Cutter: Across from Hiller’s on Center in Northville. Pizza not bad, better than Little Caesar’s. Cheesy. I’ve never been but Café Cortina in Farmington Hills is highly rated for Italian. Diamond Jim Brady’s Bistro has a great burger in the Novi Town Center. Also agree on Bev's in Ann Arbor and Steve's Deli too. Mon Mar 08 17:30:16 -0800 2004 666411 0 nypb 2 666507 Just wanted to second a few of your recommendations. There is a newer Hiller's at 5 mile and Haggerty - very nice store. Holiday Market both in Canton at Lilley and Cherry Hill and in Royal Oak are great, too. Royal Oak also boasts a new Trader Joe's. The Westborn Market in, I believe, Berkeley is very good. I also second the rec for Diamond Jim Brady's in the Novi Town Center. Try the rope mussels appetizer and any of their great fish and seafood entrees. Tom and Mary Brady are very, very gracious hosts. D. Mon Mar 08 20:56:47 -0800 2004 666504 0 Donna - MI 1 666637 hey there. i'm a detroiter who's been living in park slope for the past 17 years. i visit detroit at least four times a year. here are some of my favorite places to eat: detroit's best pizza: loui's, dequindre just north of 9 mile road (ask for it "well done" for crispy-crust heaven) detroit's best pastrami sandwich: mr. fofo's, second, about a mile north of the fisher building (takeout only, i think...as a jew, i can honestly say that this african-american-owned establishment tops any of the local jewish delis i know of) detroit's best porterhouse steak: mario's, second and i-dunno-the-cross-street (the steak is like peter luger's only better, usually; and it comes with excellent salad, minestrone, and lasagna) detroit's best middle eastern: the flagship la shish on michigan avenue (everything i've had here is delicious...nothing in new york can touch it)...al berdouni's great, too detroit's best southern-style breakfast: betsy ross II, on john r near 12 or 13 mile (eggs, excellent crispy bacon, the "home toast," grits, the pancake-style "corn bread, hash browns with onions--one of my nyc pet peeves is that you can't get hash browns anywhere!...beware the too-salty country ham, though) good luck! e-mail me for more recommendations... best, m Tue Mar 16 19:25:59 -0800 2004 666411 0 matt w. 2 666640 Mmm , country ham . Apparently , you've never been down south . That "too salty " ham is regarded as a delicacy , along with red eye gravy ( which I personally can do without ) , I love their country ham , but to each his own . Aside from any LaShish locations , any of the Beirut Palace locations are damn good , too. Tue Mar 16 20:40:51 -0800 2004 666637 0 GoalieJeff