I did not feel like any of the limited usual Belleville options so my husband suggested here. I figured why not.
The decor here is trashy faux Texan. A lot of tin and a neon sign stating *Don't mess with Texas*. Children are apparently allowed to run wild without a word said about it. Our table and the drinks menu on it were sticky and our waitress was a study in how to accomplish the barest minimum without a hint of friendliness.
The food was ok. I guess I have odd expectations. For instance when I ask for a sweet potato with butter, cinnamon and sugar I do not expect to have to dump out a good quarter cup of cinnamon sugar onto a bread plate to make it edible. Who puts that much raw sugar on their sweet potato?
We had to wait forever for bread and when we got it it was very doughy and clearly undercooked, by the time we got it we were leaving at any rate. Refills were like pulling teeth and finally a manager got me more, my husband however, never got any despite his glass going empty for over 15 minutes after my refill..
The fried shrimp was your average selection but tasty with the cocktail sauce, my husband seemed to enjoy his grilled. The steak medallions were cooked to order and had an optional garlic butter sauce that I liked but my husband was not jazzed about at all, they were just ok. The BBQ chicken breast was a throwaway, very bland BBQ and rather forgettable, served cold to boot.
I got a huge pile of mashed potatoes doctored up with bacon and cheese, they were cold though. My husband opted for the au gratins and he was less than impressed. Just not what I know as au gratin more like a slightly cheesy and undercooked scalloped.
Overall just not anything that will have us rushing back. Fairly typical chain, not cheap either. Good portions but not done with any quality.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Asian Fuzion Cafe - Ann Arbor, Michigan
I know, I know, fusion sucks right? Eh maybe usually. I liked it here though.
The waitress Amy was on the ball. I asked about the special wonton noodle soup that I had seen online on their menu and she explained it was a lunch item but that they would be happy to make it up for us no problem. Definitely happy news.
In a flash we had tall glasses of ice water and a pot of hot tea.
We ordered a bit of everything as we were starving. We got eggrolls, potstickers, the wonton noodle soup and some basil fried rice.
The eggrolls were odd, stuffed with meat very similar to a potsticker. Tastyish but just not expected. I noticed after they also have veggie eggrolls which may be more my thing. My mom really liked the eggroll we got though.
The potstickers were standard and therefore tasty. I am a huge fan of fried dumplings and these met my expectations and I quite enjoyed.
The soup was huge, more than enough for two and leftovers. Full of chicken broth, egg noodles, wontons, bok choy, crab, fish balls, shrimp, cilantro, scallions and shallots. The broth was excellent and it made a great share.
The basil fried rice was my favorite item. Basil, peppers, onion and juicy chunks of chicken in a very zesty version of fried rice. It was absolutely delicious. Definitely a nice plate, plenty for two to share if they include an app.
We ended up taking home a lot of leftovers, plenty for each of us to have more of everything.
The owner was there and swung by for a really nice chat. I like that. Our waitress was also super attentive and friendly. Overall, it was a good value for solid and tasty food. I will go back.
The waitress Amy was on the ball. I asked about the special wonton noodle soup that I had seen online on their menu and she explained it was a lunch item but that they would be happy to make it up for us no problem. Definitely happy news.
In a flash we had tall glasses of ice water and a pot of hot tea.
We ordered a bit of everything as we were starving. We got eggrolls, potstickers, the wonton noodle soup and some basil fried rice.
The eggrolls were odd, stuffed with meat very similar to a potsticker. Tastyish but just not expected. I noticed after they also have veggie eggrolls which may be more my thing. My mom really liked the eggroll we got though.
The potstickers were standard and therefore tasty. I am a huge fan of fried dumplings and these met my expectations and I quite enjoyed.
The soup was huge, more than enough for two and leftovers. Full of chicken broth, egg noodles, wontons, bok choy, crab, fish balls, shrimp, cilantro, scallions and shallots. The broth was excellent and it made a great share.
The basil fried rice was my favorite item. Basil, peppers, onion and juicy chunks of chicken in a very zesty version of fried rice. It was absolutely delicious. Definitely a nice plate, plenty for two to share if they include an app.
We ended up taking home a lot of leftovers, plenty for each of us to have more of everything.
The owner was there and swung by for a really nice chat. I like that. Our waitress was also super attentive and friendly. Overall, it was a good value for solid and tasty food. I will go back.
Bread Basket Deli - Ypsilanti, Michigan
Closer to me which makes this my new go to Bread Basket Deli!
The manager was extremely nice as were both the other staff we met. We showed up slightly before they opened for the day in a bit of a snow squall in between yet another round of tests at St Joes for my mom. They let us in right away and even got our food ready in record time.
I had my usual #3 and thought the quality was stellar. Thinly sliced corned beef in huge quantity made delicious with the fat all rendered into it, a thick slice of buttery swiss, crunchy creamy cole slaw and a bit of zippy russian dressing all bundled into three pieces of toasted bread. I could only eat half but the other half reheated nicely for later.
My dad got a tomato stuffed with tasty tuna salad. It was gigantic, definitely enough for two meals. It came with gherkins, black olives, banana peppers and a hard boiled egg garnish on a bed of lettuce.
My mom had a pastrami reuben which she declared *the best*. Of course she could hardly eat any of it at one time but it was a perfect all day munch on type sandwich.
The potato salad was better here than in Livonia but I'm still not doing cartwheels over it, I am really picky though. I don't care, I am so in love with the giant sammiches that I would not have room for it anywho. The delicious Topor's new dill pickle made up for it, all cucumber-y snap. Yum. My dad prefers the old dills and they are excellent too.
I will definitely be back. I am so excited they opened one up here!
The manager was extremely nice as were both the other staff we met. We showed up slightly before they opened for the day in a bit of a snow squall in between yet another round of tests at St Joes for my mom. They let us in right away and even got our food ready in record time.
I had my usual #3 and thought the quality was stellar. Thinly sliced corned beef in huge quantity made delicious with the fat all rendered into it, a thick slice of buttery swiss, crunchy creamy cole slaw and a bit of zippy russian dressing all bundled into three pieces of toasted bread. I could only eat half but the other half reheated nicely for later.
My dad got a tomato stuffed with tasty tuna salad. It was gigantic, definitely enough for two meals. It came with gherkins, black olives, banana peppers and a hard boiled egg garnish on a bed of lettuce.
My mom had a pastrami reuben which she declared *the best*. Of course she could hardly eat any of it at one time but it was a perfect all day munch on type sandwich.
The potato salad was better here than in Livonia but I'm still not doing cartwheels over it, I am really picky though. I don't care, I am so in love with the giant sammiches that I would not have room for it anywho. The delicious Topor's new dill pickle made up for it, all cucumber-y snap. Yum. My dad prefers the old dills and they are excellent too.
I will definitely be back. I am so excited they opened one up here!
IHOP - Ypsilanti, Michigan
3/5/2010
The only IHOP I like, we have been here before but only during late night hours on weekends.
We went in last night following my massage. I had a massage so James got to pick our dining choice. He is a huge fan of breakfast and so he picked here.
They have a special running on loaded home fries. I got the home fries with a lot of chunks of sausage and cooked onion topped with country gravy and cheese with scrambled eggs and a side plate of pancakes. A bargain at 5.99. I thought the eggs were decent zipped up with a touch of cholula and tabasco, the home fries were good and different, the pancakes were nice enough with four syrups to pick from. I wish they had real maple syrup but its just not that type of place.
My husband had a Colorado omelette with no onions, which is holy stuffed with meat. Bacon, sausage, shredded beef and ham with cheese and green peppers. Instead of the salsa he asked for sour cream and they brought him three containers of it no charge. He also upgraded his pancakes to the strawberry cheesecake varietal and was very pleased with them.
Our waitress was sweet and our service was good. There were sticky table issues though. Sorry but I hate getting sticky and as it is a pancake place they should know this could be a problem and wash better between patrons.
All in all, a decent stop. Not mind blowing but solid and nicely priced.
The only IHOP I like, we have been here before but only during late night hours on weekends.
We went in last night following my massage. I had a massage so James got to pick our dining choice. He is a huge fan of breakfast and so he picked here.
They have a special running on loaded home fries. I got the home fries with a lot of chunks of sausage and cooked onion topped with country gravy and cheese with scrambled eggs and a side plate of pancakes. A bargain at 5.99. I thought the eggs were decent zipped up with a touch of cholula and tabasco, the home fries were good and different, the pancakes were nice enough with four syrups to pick from. I wish they had real maple syrup but its just not that type of place.
My husband had a Colorado omelette with no onions, which is holy stuffed with meat. Bacon, sausage, shredded beef and ham with cheese and green peppers. Instead of the salsa he asked for sour cream and they brought him three containers of it no charge. He also upgraded his pancakes to the strawberry cheesecake varietal and was very pleased with them.
Our waitress was sweet and our service was good. There were sticky table issues though. Sorry but I hate getting sticky and as it is a pancake place they should know this could be a problem and wash better between patrons.
All in all, a decent stop. Not mind blowing but solid and nicely priced.
Nu Wave Fish & Chicken - Ypsilanti, Michigan
The prices here are reasonable and the food is good. They run nice deals on bigger portions, making it great if you are sharing with a crowd carry out style.
They have coupons and will often let you have food at the coupon prices even if you don't possess one before you go in, just ask because they are pretty nice. They also will generally give you some coupons to take home too.
They have very nice chicken, decent catfish (I prefer the place down the street) and shrimp. I have not tried the ocean perch or whiting because I am not a fan of either anywhere. I think the crispy yet juicy chicken wings are my personal faves but I would have to say as a general rule I find the chicken here to be the superior option to the seafood, given the choice.
Fries, slaw and bread are nothing to write home about. We like getting the chicken to go on its own instead, delaying the heart attacks and saving some calories by eating it with our homemade veggie or salad type sides at home.
Give it a whirl if you are nearby, it makes a quick dinner at reasonable prices.
They have coupons and will often let you have food at the coupon prices even if you don't possess one before you go in, just ask because they are pretty nice. They also will generally give you some coupons to take home too.
They have very nice chicken, decent catfish (I prefer the place down the street) and shrimp. I have not tried the ocean perch or whiting because I am not a fan of either anywhere. I think the crispy yet juicy chicken wings are my personal faves but I would have to say as a general rule I find the chicken here to be the superior option to the seafood, given the choice.
Fries, slaw and bread are nothing to write home about. We like getting the chicken to go on its own instead, delaying the heart attacks and saving some calories by eating it with our homemade veggie or salad type sides at home.
Give it a whirl if you are nearby, it makes a quick dinner at reasonable prices.
Grape Expectations - Plymouth, Michigan
I will confess that I love Grape Expectations more when they have a deal. Luckily the daily $5 a glass happy hour works for me, if you are not into wine they also have $1 off beers and 25% off mixed drinks. If you are feeling like a midweek night out, you can take advantage of the half off bottles of wine on Wednesdays with the purchase of an entree.
As I am usually a single glass type of girl with a non wine drinking partner, I love places that have good wine by the glass. It is hard to come by fresh, quality wine of good variety when you drink in this manner but it is no problem at all at GE.
I have found both the cutting board option and the cheese plates to be tasty. I also have enjoyed the chicken bistro and Italian vegetarian paninis. I will give a shout out to the la forestiere pizza with the variety of mushrooms and goat cheese as well as the apparently popular pear, gorgonzola and walnut which has already been mentioned by others.
Is it spendy? Well I would not come here ravenous or anything but it is a great place to come and enjoy a casual lighter nosh and glass of tasty wine if you are at all worried about your wallet. It is not cheap per se but for what it is it is not outrageous either. Give it a try for happy hour and judge it for yourself. You will find tasty things at a variety of price points. I will grant the fancy special meals are indeed a bit steep but a panini is not.
Oh and the desserts are very nice according to friends, but once I have had the wine its off limits for me sadly.
As I am usually a single glass type of girl with a non wine drinking partner, I love places that have good wine by the glass. It is hard to come by fresh, quality wine of good variety when you drink in this manner but it is no problem at all at GE.
I have found both the cutting board option and the cheese plates to be tasty. I also have enjoyed the chicken bistro and Italian vegetarian paninis. I will give a shout out to the la forestiere pizza with the variety of mushrooms and goat cheese as well as the apparently popular pear, gorgonzola and walnut which has already been mentioned by others.
Is it spendy? Well I would not come here ravenous or anything but it is a great place to come and enjoy a casual lighter nosh and glass of tasty wine if you are at all worried about your wallet. It is not cheap per se but for what it is it is not outrageous either. Give it a try for happy hour and judge it for yourself. You will find tasty things at a variety of price points. I will grant the fancy special meals are indeed a bit steep but a panini is not.
Oh and the desserts are very nice according to friends, but once I have had the wine its off limits for me sadly.
Taqueria Alameda - Westland, Michigan
3/11/2010
I finally made it over here with my husband. I had promised to save this one for a time when he could come with me so it took a minute as he works teh crazy hours.
I really liked the tacos in here. I had some of my standby Al Pastor and of course I had to sample some of the cabeza, which indeed was the best version I have had. If you have not yet delved into this taste sensation I have to urge you to give it a whirl here at least. If you do not like it here then it is not the thing for you anywhere. Such richness.
James got the taco combo and I ended up stealing his beans. I did not feel guilty a bit as they are not his thing. He has no clue what he is missing really. He enjoyed his rice at least.
I like the atmosphere here, friendly and fun. Definitely like you are in someone's kitchen, you are nearly tempted to ask to pitch in and help. It's that kind of authentic.
James likes the grocery items a lot and had fun browsing while we waited and after we were done. We also plotted what we will try on the next trip, a great sign for my husband that he really did like it. This is strictly standard behavior from me though, I am always thinking a meal ahead.
We did not have room for dessert but as this is not too far from us I am sure we will get around to it. We will definitely be back.
I finally made it over here with my husband. I had promised to save this one for a time when he could come with me so it took a minute as he works teh crazy hours.
I really liked the tacos in here. I had some of my standby Al Pastor and of course I had to sample some of the cabeza, which indeed was the best version I have had. If you have not yet delved into this taste sensation I have to urge you to give it a whirl here at least. If you do not like it here then it is not the thing for you anywhere. Such richness.
James got the taco combo and I ended up stealing his beans. I did not feel guilty a bit as they are not his thing. He has no clue what he is missing really. He enjoyed his rice at least.
I like the atmosphere here, friendly and fun. Definitely like you are in someone's kitchen, you are nearly tempted to ask to pitch in and help. It's that kind of authentic.
James likes the grocery items a lot and had fun browsing while we waited and after we were done. We also plotted what we will try on the next trip, a great sign for my husband that he really did like it. This is strictly standard behavior from me though, I am always thinking a meal ahead.
We did not have room for dessert but as this is not too far from us I am sure we will get around to it. We will definitely be back.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Pia's - Taylor, Michigan
3/12/2010
Pia's is a solid three. I think the pizza is probably the way to go and I have a feeling if we go back that is indeed what we will get.
This time, however, we both had pasta dinners. They came with garlic rolls and butter and your choice of soup or salad. The garlic rolls are good, next time we may opt for a cup of sauce to dip into though. The minestrone my husband had was canned flavored and utterly forgettable. The plain salad I had with the house made Italian dressing was a much better choice.
It was a bit of a wait for the entrees but they kept us in bread and pop so I was totally fine. The waitress was uber apologetic and generally on the ball so it was hard to be annoyed at all.
I opted for the chicken piccata. It had a lovely brothy lemon butter sauce, lots of my fave artichokes, plenty of capers and quarters of button mushrooms. The chicken was in huge chunks and had very nice flavor. The fettuccine it was served on top of was flavorless and past al dente and the sauce was not really working with it. If I got it again I would either ask for angel hair or a different side altogether.
My husband had the fettuccine alfredo with shrimp. Again he really enjoyed the sauce and the shrimp part but found the pasta itself a bit underwhelming. Of course he thought they should have doled out more shrimp too but he needs to wrap his head around the fact that five is pretty much a standard with pasta really. I wish he would just order chicken instead.
The atmosphere is nothing to rave about, a bit old and run down feeling. It is very family friendly even in the smoking section bar area so if you do not like kids you might want to avoid Pia's altogether.
We each finished all of our entrees except for the meh pasta. Usually we have leftovers when we go Italian but not here.
We also decided we had enough room for dessert. I highly recommend the cannoli, it was fresh and crisp, richly stuffed with a thick vanilla filling and garnished with lots of chocolate chips.
Like I said, we will be back I think, but we will be getting pizza and of course more cannoli.
Pia's is a solid three. I think the pizza is probably the way to go and I have a feeling if we go back that is indeed what we will get.
This time, however, we both had pasta dinners. They came with garlic rolls and butter and your choice of soup or salad. The garlic rolls are good, next time we may opt for a cup of sauce to dip into though. The minestrone my husband had was canned flavored and utterly forgettable. The plain salad I had with the house made Italian dressing was a much better choice.
It was a bit of a wait for the entrees but they kept us in bread and pop so I was totally fine. The waitress was uber apologetic and generally on the ball so it was hard to be annoyed at all.
I opted for the chicken piccata. It had a lovely brothy lemon butter sauce, lots of my fave artichokes, plenty of capers and quarters of button mushrooms. The chicken was in huge chunks and had very nice flavor. The fettuccine it was served on top of was flavorless and past al dente and the sauce was not really working with it. If I got it again I would either ask for angel hair or a different side altogether.
My husband had the fettuccine alfredo with shrimp. Again he really enjoyed the sauce and the shrimp part but found the pasta itself a bit underwhelming. Of course he thought they should have doled out more shrimp too but he needs to wrap his head around the fact that five is pretty much a standard with pasta really. I wish he would just order chicken instead.
The atmosphere is nothing to rave about, a bit old and run down feeling. It is very family friendly even in the smoking section bar area so if you do not like kids you might want to avoid Pia's altogether.
We each finished all of our entrees except for the meh pasta. Usually we have leftovers when we go Italian but not here.
We also decided we had enough room for dessert. I highly recommend the cannoli, it was fresh and crisp, richly stuffed with a thick vanilla filling and garnished with lots of chocolate chips.
Like I said, we will be back I think, but we will be getting pizza and of course more cannoli.
Thai Cafe - Plymouth, Michigan
After reading Brian D's review that this was the same menu and ownership as the uber drooled about Thai Taste, I was very excited. I really wanted to try Thai Taste but frankly I am rarely able to just go traipsing about the greater Detroit area. I knew it would be a minute before I finally made my way over there.
I finally get what Dea says about pad see ewe. Normally I find it a bit boring as it seems to be what most people who have just moved on from Pad Thai gravitate towards. I have eaten a lot of it through sharing and am generally bored with it. This pad see ewe however was absolutely beautiful with the thick and delicious noodles. Great flavor and so freaking satisfying.
I also ordered some of my standby fave green curry, it is a dish I often get to test the waters and see if a Thai place is really going to make me happy. Mmmmm spicy with peppers and onions but really full of good balanced flavor, it made me very happy indeed. It was a nice pick so I did not go into total carb overload.
The place is vaguely claustrophobic. The temperature can also vary, when we got there and it was empty it was a bit chilly but as people swarmed in it got a bit hot. Service was also a tad slow as it got busier. I don't really mind in a place like this, it is kind of par for the course.
All in all I am very impressed. To think I am in Plymouth all the time and I did not swing by. I really owe you one Brian :).
So westsiders, save some gas mileage and sniff around in your own backyards for a change. Contrary to popular belief, all the good food is not just found in the northern or eastern burbs. You do not have to hike around. Discover your own gems.
I finally get what Dea says about pad see ewe. Normally I find it a bit boring as it seems to be what most people who have just moved on from Pad Thai gravitate towards. I have eaten a lot of it through sharing and am generally bored with it. This pad see ewe however was absolutely beautiful with the thick and delicious noodles. Great flavor and so freaking satisfying.
I also ordered some of my standby fave green curry, it is a dish I often get to test the waters and see if a Thai place is really going to make me happy. Mmmmm spicy with peppers and onions but really full of good balanced flavor, it made me very happy indeed. It was a nice pick so I did not go into total carb overload.
The place is vaguely claustrophobic. The temperature can also vary, when we got there and it was empty it was a bit chilly but as people swarmed in it got a bit hot. Service was also a tad slow as it got busier. I don't really mind in a place like this, it is kind of par for the course.
All in all I am very impressed. To think I am in Plymouth all the time and I did not swing by. I really owe you one Brian :).
So westsiders, save some gas mileage and sniff around in your own backyards for a change. Contrary to popular belief, all the good food is not just found in the northern or eastern burbs. You do not have to hike around. Discover your own gems.
Plaka Mediterraen Grill - Plymouth, Michigan
3/13/2010
I stopped back in for some carry out and I am glad I did. I took it to my parents this week as they are still both recovering from their illnesses and I am still doing some errands and house chores for them. I thought it would be nice to have a nosh I did not make while I was there.
Service was friendly and pretty fast to boot which was good as I never love waiting.
I decided to get my father and I a plaka trio platter to split as neither of us were hugely hungry. As he cannot eat salads and is limited on green veggies, I ordered the hummus and rice sides for us. My mom wanted a gyro with a side of roasted veggies. I asked for an extra side of tzaziki (one comes with the platter) and one of garlic sauce. I also requested an extra pita for my dad just in case.
I get it back to their place and was amazed by the size of everything. The gyro was stuffed full. Our box of meats was chock full of gyro meat as well as two sizeable skewers of souvlaki, one chicken and one tenderloin.
The tenderloin souvlaki is just not something I would have ordered unless it came in a combination. Surprisingly it is my fave thing here. I really liked dipping it and the other meats into the super tasty tzaziki a lot. The chicken was moister this time and the gyro meat was in thick slices that had been finished on the grill. My father really hogged that. My mom could not finish her gyro but happily had some for later.
The side containers were heaped to the brim. The rice and veggie containers were so full they nearly spilled out by opening them up. The hummus was a deep portion, way more than I was expecting. There was so much food we could not eat it all. It made for lovely sharing.
The rice was delicious with a bit of garlic sauce and the veggies were perfectly done and thoroughly enjoyed. The hummus got a bit of olive oil drizzle and was happily shared by all.
My only complaint about here is the pita chips always seem too oily to me. Just heavy. Not that my dad minded at all. I stuck to the regular pita myself though.
Go on and give this place a try. Fair warning, come hungry or be prepared to share.
I stopped back in for some carry out and I am glad I did. I took it to my parents this week as they are still both recovering from their illnesses and I am still doing some errands and house chores for them. I thought it would be nice to have a nosh I did not make while I was there.
Service was friendly and pretty fast to boot which was good as I never love waiting.
I decided to get my father and I a plaka trio platter to split as neither of us were hugely hungry. As he cannot eat salads and is limited on green veggies, I ordered the hummus and rice sides for us. My mom wanted a gyro with a side of roasted veggies. I asked for an extra side of tzaziki (one comes with the platter) and one of garlic sauce. I also requested an extra pita for my dad just in case.
I get it back to their place and was amazed by the size of everything. The gyro was stuffed full. Our box of meats was chock full of gyro meat as well as two sizeable skewers of souvlaki, one chicken and one tenderloin.
The tenderloin souvlaki is just not something I would have ordered unless it came in a combination. Surprisingly it is my fave thing here. I really liked dipping it and the other meats into the super tasty tzaziki a lot. The chicken was moister this time and the gyro meat was in thick slices that had been finished on the grill. My father really hogged that. My mom could not finish her gyro but happily had some for later.
The side containers were heaped to the brim. The rice and veggie containers were so full they nearly spilled out by opening them up. The hummus was a deep portion, way more than I was expecting. There was so much food we could not eat it all. It made for lovely sharing.
The rice was delicious with a bit of garlic sauce and the veggies were perfectly done and thoroughly enjoyed. The hummus got a bit of olive oil drizzle and was happily shared by all.
My only complaint about here is the pita chips always seem too oily to me. Just heavy. Not that my dad minded at all. I stuck to the regular pita myself though.
Go on and give this place a try. Fair warning, come hungry or be prepared to share.
Angelina Italian Bistro - Detroit, Michigan
3/16/2010
This place has such a lovely bar area happy hour.
I used to work down the street and met an old work mate as this is her new fave haunt. I have been wanting to try here so I was more than game to make the trek when our schedules both finally cleared enough.
Tuesday through Thursdays happy hour runs from 5-7 pm. Fridays and Saturdays it is 4-6 pm. The bar is pleasant and there seems to be a few people wanting to take advantage of the deals (steals) but we managed to snag seats.
Of course they feature cheaper drinks. Four dollar 20 oz beers including many faves from Detroit area breweries, mostly Motor City Brewing (5 of theirs) but also one each from Detroit Brewing and Atwater.Three dollar wells, four dollar wines and a five buck martini du jour. Sadly I had to stick to iced tea. The upside though, was it was very tasty tea.
We noshed on some of the lovely appetizers but not all of them. The list is quite long and happy. They are all priced between four and five dollars and are great for a light nosh as you chat
The pesto marinated chicken skewers were happily dipped into tasty cheese sauce and were served with field greens. The crispy calamari was perfectly cooked and I really liked the the horseradish marinara, it was my fave of the appetizers. The salumi plate was a treat with very good salami, genoa ham and house made mortadella. The pesce plate was a no brainer pick as I cannot go wrong with hot smoked trout or cold smoked salmon, the whitefish sausage was a new thing for me and I liked it.
Everyone was very friendly and welcoming. My tea was kept filled and I was surprised at how smoothly it all ran. A good happy hour is hard to come by really but here it is beyond merely good.
Street parking is plentiful and the area is safe, trust me, do not let the Detroit locale scare you off a bit. I can't wait to return for some pasta with my husband soon.
This place has such a lovely bar area happy hour.
I used to work down the street and met an old work mate as this is her new fave haunt. I have been wanting to try here so I was more than game to make the trek when our schedules both finally cleared enough.
Tuesday through Thursdays happy hour runs from 5-7 pm. Fridays and Saturdays it is 4-6 pm. The bar is pleasant and there seems to be a few people wanting to take advantage of the deals (steals) but we managed to snag seats.
Of course they feature cheaper drinks. Four dollar 20 oz beers including many faves from Detroit area breweries, mostly Motor City Brewing (5 of theirs) but also one each from Detroit Brewing and Atwater.Three dollar wells, four dollar wines and a five buck martini du jour. Sadly I had to stick to iced tea. The upside though, was it was very tasty tea.
We noshed on some of the lovely appetizers but not all of them. The list is quite long and happy. They are all priced between four and five dollars and are great for a light nosh as you chat
The pesto marinated chicken skewers were happily dipped into tasty cheese sauce and were served with field greens. The crispy calamari was perfectly cooked and I really liked the the horseradish marinara, it was my fave of the appetizers. The salumi plate was a treat with very good salami, genoa ham and house made mortadella. The pesce plate was a no brainer pick as I cannot go wrong with hot smoked trout or cold smoked salmon, the whitefish sausage was a new thing for me and I liked it.
Everyone was very friendly and welcoming. My tea was kept filled and I was surprised at how smoothly it all ran. A good happy hour is hard to come by really but here it is beyond merely good.
Street parking is plentiful and the area is safe, trust me, do not let the Detroit locale scare you off a bit. I can't wait to return for some pasta with my husband soon.
Pollo Chapin - Detroit, Michigan
So cheap and so damn tasty!
I did not go artery friendly here in the least. I needed carbs and fat and all things evilly delicious. We thought about burritos or tamales but we ultimately decided we would just indulge ourselves with fried chicken. We figured if it rocked we would come back and try other things.
The chicken noodle soup has a full bodied broth filled with plenty of curly egg noodles, chicken pieces and veggies. It is very impressive indeed. Filling too as a good chicken noodle is.
I also really loved the pickled zippy carrots from the container with the peppers. I haven't had pickled carrots like that since I was younger and these brought back especially fond memories. I am a sucker for carrots.
The fried chicken is crispy, juicy and perfectly spiced. Deliciously meaty. I agree with Allen that Three Brother's chicken is mighty good but I do have to respectfully say this is even better than that in my own humble opinion. This has better flavored flesh for my palate, the chicken itself tastes amazing, not just the skin.
The mac and cheese was a hit with both of us. I loved the jalapeno bits a lot. It was creamy with that little kick that balanced it out. Plain mac and cheese is just not my thing, usually I have to put hot sauce on it to make it happy. This was perfect as is, which is a huge treat.
The remolacha salad with beets really works for me. I am a huge fan of beets and this was just like a surprise party in my mouth. I did not expect it to be this tasty at all. Zesty and happy. It was a perfect match with fried chicken and mac and cheese, it sort of cut the heaviness of everything with a bit of zip.
Everything in here is bargathon priced. The service is home-like and friendly, very welcoming. Overall, it's a very nice experience.
If this place were in the burbs, everyone would be packed in here and you would never get a seat. Come down to Detroit already 'burbanites, the food is worth it and it is not as scary as you would think.
I did not go artery friendly here in the least. I needed carbs and fat and all things evilly delicious. We thought about burritos or tamales but we ultimately decided we would just indulge ourselves with fried chicken. We figured if it rocked we would come back and try other things.
The chicken noodle soup has a full bodied broth filled with plenty of curly egg noodles, chicken pieces and veggies. It is very impressive indeed. Filling too as a good chicken noodle is.
I also really loved the pickled zippy carrots from the container with the peppers. I haven't had pickled carrots like that since I was younger and these brought back especially fond memories. I am a sucker for carrots.
The fried chicken is crispy, juicy and perfectly spiced. Deliciously meaty. I agree with Allen that Three Brother's chicken is mighty good but I do have to respectfully say this is even better than that in my own humble opinion. This has better flavored flesh for my palate, the chicken itself tastes amazing, not just the skin.
The mac and cheese was a hit with both of us. I loved the jalapeno bits a lot. It was creamy with that little kick that balanced it out. Plain mac and cheese is just not my thing, usually I have to put hot sauce on it to make it happy. This was perfect as is, which is a huge treat.
The remolacha salad with beets really works for me. I am a huge fan of beets and this was just like a surprise party in my mouth. I did not expect it to be this tasty at all. Zesty and happy. It was a perfect match with fried chicken and mac and cheese, it sort of cut the heaviness of everything with a bit of zip.
Everything in here is bargathon priced. The service is home-like and friendly, very welcoming. Overall, it's a very nice experience.
If this place were in the burbs, everyone would be packed in here and you would never get a seat. Come down to Detroit already 'burbanites, the food is worth it and it is not as scary as you would think.
Rebecca's Family Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor - Northville, Michigan
I was not expecting much, especially after I walked in. I had heard there was good food here from a friend and did not consult yelp (gasp).
Upon seeing toys, trains and toddlers overwhelming the smallish interior, my husband was breaking out into a cold sweat. He suddenly had visions of bad chicken nugget type cuisine and obnoxious unsupervised kids running through his head. I had to hold his hand firmly to prevent him from bolting.
Turns out the food is good and on this occasion the parents were keeping their kiddos in check. His before caffeine scowl probably did the trick at any rate, it belies the softy that lurks underneath his menacing exterior and tends to keep children effectively at bay.
This place features from scratch soups. That is happy for both of us. They have a great variety of sandwiches, salads and breakfast items.
On this occasion we stopped in for breakfast. It was a tough call for him between sweet potato pancakes and cinnamon raisin french toast but ultimately the rarer pancakes won out. He was definitely a fan. They were sweet yet not overwhelming and I think I was lucky to even get a bite.
I went for the omelet and it was stuffed full of happy veggies I got to pick myself. Utterly delicious. I was also quite happy with my perfectly toasted toast that was delicately buttered to boot. Nothing makes me sadder than soggy or burnt toast.
We will back to give lunch or dinner a whirl.
Upon seeing toys, trains and toddlers overwhelming the smallish interior, my husband was breaking out into a cold sweat. He suddenly had visions of bad chicken nugget type cuisine and obnoxious unsupervised kids running through his head. I had to hold his hand firmly to prevent him from bolting.
Turns out the food is good and on this occasion the parents were keeping their kiddos in check. His before caffeine scowl probably did the trick at any rate, it belies the softy that lurks underneath his menacing exterior and tends to keep children effectively at bay.
This place features from scratch soups. That is happy for both of us. They have a great variety of sandwiches, salads and breakfast items.
On this occasion we stopped in for breakfast. It was a tough call for him between sweet potato pancakes and cinnamon raisin french toast but ultimately the rarer pancakes won out. He was definitely a fan. They were sweet yet not overwhelming and I think I was lucky to even get a bite.
I went for the omelet and it was stuffed full of happy veggies I got to pick myself. Utterly delicious. I was also quite happy with my perfectly toasted toast that was delicately buttered to boot. Nothing makes me sadder than soggy or burnt toast.
We will back to give lunch or dinner a whirl.
Atlantis Restaurant - Plymouth, Michigan
It was like Jekyll and Hyde.
I think the main issue with this visit was with the waitress, first she tried to seat our party of four at a table for eight. Odd. Then it is like pulling teeth to get anything off the authentic Mexican menu, which is what we came in for. At one point she tells us they don't have the authentic stuff, then it that they have it but it is limited. Finally one of the chefs come out and verbally go over the authentic menu with us, resulting in a miscommunication that has us overrun with food.
Don't get me wrong, the Mexican food was great, yay for tacos, and I appreciated the effort but I cannot recommend it to anyone not totally familiar with the menu already. I also gathered from the waitress they are not going to be featuring the authentic Mexican after they transition. I could be wrong, it was a very confusing experience. My dad seemed puzzled by the bill so I think they charged more this time too.
I will give our waitress that she was very friendly and brought out the good salsas and tried to make up for the confusion. It worked to perk us up but wouldn't have if we had been stuck with the Ameri-Mex.
My husband had an Italian trio as he could not wrap his head around ordering from memory. His lasagna was good, the spaghetti just ok and he was quite disappointed in the alfredo. Quite a carb fest so he had plenty for two plus meals though.
James and I split a cannoli for dessert. They gave us two smaller ones. Excellent. We also had a replacement server in the middle of our meal that had his act together. I think we would have done better if we had started with him.
I think I will just head over to Taqueria Alameda or La Casita next time I want a taco nearby. I will go back to Atlantis to sample the chicken piccata sometime though. I am just disappointed in this place. I don't know if the food was worth the hassle and I don't know if they will even have what I like next time I visit.
I think the main issue with this visit was with the waitress, first she tried to seat our party of four at a table for eight. Odd. Then it is like pulling teeth to get anything off the authentic Mexican menu, which is what we came in for. At one point she tells us they don't have the authentic stuff, then it that they have it but it is limited. Finally one of the chefs come out and verbally go over the authentic menu with us, resulting in a miscommunication that has us overrun with food.
Don't get me wrong, the Mexican food was great, yay for tacos, and I appreciated the effort but I cannot recommend it to anyone not totally familiar with the menu already. I also gathered from the waitress they are not going to be featuring the authentic Mexican after they transition. I could be wrong, it was a very confusing experience. My dad seemed puzzled by the bill so I think they charged more this time too.
I will give our waitress that she was very friendly and brought out the good salsas and tried to make up for the confusion. It worked to perk us up but wouldn't have if we had been stuck with the Ameri-Mex.
My husband had an Italian trio as he could not wrap his head around ordering from memory. His lasagna was good, the spaghetti just ok and he was quite disappointed in the alfredo. Quite a carb fest so he had plenty for two plus meals though.
James and I split a cannoli for dessert. They gave us two smaller ones. Excellent. We also had a replacement server in the middle of our meal that had his act together. I think we would have done better if we had started with him.
I think I will just head over to Taqueria Alameda or La Casita next time I want a taco nearby. I will go back to Atlantis to sample the chicken piccata sometime though. I am just disappointed in this place. I don't know if the food was worth the hassle and I don't know if they will even have what I like next time I visit.
Anthony's Gourmet Pizza - Ann Arbor, Michigan
Upon Dan's suggestion I gave Anthony's a shot the other night.
My husband and I are both fans of Chicago stuffed so that is what we ordered. As the carnivorous option contained his kryptonite, mushrooms, we created our own meaty feast. He is anti fennel so we skipped the Italian sausage and went for pepperoni, canadian bacon, hamburger and ham. We were told it would be a thirty minute wait and the guy was dead on.
Dining in is interesting, there are three tables and some odd lounge area with varying magazines. It is also very warm so be warned, I doubt I will be dining in come July personally.
While we waited we took a tour of the mini mall. It is very convenient as all the stores are interconnected. Brazamerica, Copernicus and By The Pound all provided us with plenty of interesting products to entertain us for the half hour. The wait added rather than detracting from the experience.
We got back just in time to feast on our pie. Meaty layers topped with gooey cheese and a dense deep red spice laden sauce. The giant height crust was deliciously crisp. One downside was the bottom was greasy but really what can you expect with all that meat. I could only eat a piece and a half before I cried uncle, James ate two and a half. It's extremely filling and we were both pleased.
We swung by my parents on the way home with treasures from shopping and the rest of the pie. They both enjoyed a piece and still we were left with two for James' breakfast. That is great value.
We will be back for more sampling as will my parents.
My husband and I are both fans of Chicago stuffed so that is what we ordered. As the carnivorous option contained his kryptonite, mushrooms, we created our own meaty feast. He is anti fennel so we skipped the Italian sausage and went for pepperoni, canadian bacon, hamburger and ham. We were told it would be a thirty minute wait and the guy was dead on.
Dining in is interesting, there are three tables and some odd lounge area with varying magazines. It is also very warm so be warned, I doubt I will be dining in come July personally.
While we waited we took a tour of the mini mall. It is very convenient as all the stores are interconnected. Brazamerica, Copernicus and By The Pound all provided us with plenty of interesting products to entertain us for the half hour. The wait added rather than detracting from the experience.
We got back just in time to feast on our pie. Meaty layers topped with gooey cheese and a dense deep red spice laden sauce. The giant height crust was deliciously crisp. One downside was the bottom was greasy but really what can you expect with all that meat. I could only eat a piece and a half before I cried uncle, James ate two and a half. It's extremely filling and we were both pleased.
We swung by my parents on the way home with treasures from shopping and the rest of the pie. They both enjoyed a piece and still we were left with two for James' breakfast. That is great value.
We will be back for more sampling as will my parents.
Haandi Cuisine of India - Livonia, Michigan
I met some old friends here for a nosh the other day. They are regulars and I wanted to give it a whirl. My knowledge of Indian food is sketchy at best but I liked what I tried here.
Going off of Allen's review on Yelp, I suggested we try the mirch. Excellent call. Spicy indeed which I quite like but my one friend needed more than a bit of strawberry lassi to recover, the expression on her face was priceless. If you don't like heat skip this app, I will give the restaurant credit that they warn you first.
We decided on one veg entree and one meat to share, portions are generous and it was more than enough for three. The aloo baigan was a lovely combo of flavors and very nicely spiced. I love eggplant at any rate. It was a hit with all three of us. The chili chicken was quite garlicky and therefore happy. I found it very tasty but I did not get much of it as it was clearly the most popular dish of the three.
I will be back at some point to try the buffet but I need to hit some other Indian fare first.
Going off of Allen's review on Yelp, I suggested we try the mirch. Excellent call. Spicy indeed which I quite like but my one friend needed more than a bit of strawberry lassi to recover, the expression on her face was priceless. If you don't like heat skip this app, I will give the restaurant credit that they warn you first.
We decided on one veg entree and one meat to share, portions are generous and it was more than enough for three. The aloo baigan was a lovely combo of flavors and very nicely spiced. I love eggplant at any rate. It was a hit with all three of us. The chili chicken was quite garlicky and therefore happy. I found it very tasty but I did not get much of it as it was clearly the most popular dish of the three.
I will be back at some point to try the buffet but I need to hit some other Indian fare first.
Zingerman's Roadhouse - Ann Arbor, Michigan
Seriously good eats at seriously high prices.
I have been mulling a review here for awhile. I don't usually come here with James as he hates the prices but I have swung by quite a few times with my money is no object parents who adore the place.
As a foodie-ish type person I admire the quality of the ingredients and the taste. The atmosphere and presentation are a little less wow. Charming but kind of claustrophobic really, maybe it is all the people. Waiting is not my fave thing either so I come at odd hours or make a reservation.
I love the rotating cheese board as an app, getting to pick from a good variety of just amazing cheeses, plus knowing that after I can swing by their shop and get more if I particularly liked them. Always a great selection and just a very nice option.
The BBQ fresh oysters have such great flavor and the shrimp and crab puppies or maize and blue puppies are sinful but fun. The sweet potato fries are indeed all that people rave of.
I personally like the macaroni and three peppercorn goat cheese, but I advise splitting it as the whole dish alone is overwhelmingly rich. My husband really liked the pimento cheese and bacon version of macaroni, he also does not love his arteries obviously.
I love the beef brisket and the buttermilk fried chicken and usually split one of those with my mom (after the apps it works). My dad loves the BBQ pork or ribs. The braised greens and the grits with cheddar are very good indeed. The creamy mushroom soup is always amazing.
I almost forgot: at lunch a must is the peacemaker po'boy sandwich with fried oysters (happy hurrah), pickled green tomatoes, cabbage and mayo. Heaven, no words.
They have a stellar caipirinha in here as well as a drink called a papa doble with lime and grapefruit juice, simple syrup and maraschino liqueur that I really liked. Possibly the best cuba libre ever too as I am normally not a fan. Not cheap but wow the drinks pack a punch and are made with top notch ingredients like everything else here.
Service is friendly and knowledgable but while some find it a bit pretentious I recognize the true enthusiasm for the food and appreciate it. This place is great with a few people to share stuff with as you can try more.
I have yet to make it to dessert.
I have been mulling a review here for awhile. I don't usually come here with James as he hates the prices but I have swung by quite a few times with my money is no object parents who adore the place.
As a foodie-ish type person I admire the quality of the ingredients and the taste. The atmosphere and presentation are a little less wow. Charming but kind of claustrophobic really, maybe it is all the people. Waiting is not my fave thing either so I come at odd hours or make a reservation.
I love the rotating cheese board as an app, getting to pick from a good variety of just amazing cheeses, plus knowing that after I can swing by their shop and get more if I particularly liked them. Always a great selection and just a very nice option.
The BBQ fresh oysters have such great flavor and the shrimp and crab puppies or maize and blue puppies are sinful but fun. The sweet potato fries are indeed all that people rave of.
I personally like the macaroni and three peppercorn goat cheese, but I advise splitting it as the whole dish alone is overwhelmingly rich. My husband really liked the pimento cheese and bacon version of macaroni, he also does not love his arteries obviously.
I love the beef brisket and the buttermilk fried chicken and usually split one of those with my mom (after the apps it works). My dad loves the BBQ pork or ribs. The braised greens and the grits with cheddar are very good indeed. The creamy mushroom soup is always amazing.
I almost forgot: at lunch a must is the peacemaker po'boy sandwich with fried oysters (happy hurrah), pickled green tomatoes, cabbage and mayo. Heaven, no words.
They have a stellar caipirinha in here as well as a drink called a papa doble with lime and grapefruit juice, simple syrup and maraschino liqueur that I really liked. Possibly the best cuba libre ever too as I am normally not a fan. Not cheap but wow the drinks pack a punch and are made with top notch ingredients like everything else here.
Service is friendly and knowledgable but while some find it a bit pretentious I recognize the true enthusiasm for the food and appreciate it. This place is great with a few people to share stuff with as you can try more.
I have yet to make it to dessert.
Addis Ababa Ethiopian Restaurant - Plymouth, Michigan
I feel sad reviewing this place too poorly as it just opened and I am hoping they work out all the kinks. I really am happy to see a place like this move into Plymouth and I do want them to succeed.
The food was just bland, fresh and well prepared but without any depth of flavor. I am sure that this is because they are trying to appeal to a Plymouth type crowd. Unfortunately they are not going to convert any locals to loving Ethiopian food without actually giving them the benefit of the doubt and presenting their A game for better or worse. I say bring on the spice and stop trying to dumb down the food.
Service was friendly but you can tell they are still trying to find a groove. The atmosphere is nice and the pricing was reasonable. All these things are pretty meaningless though if the food is not pleasing and interesting.
I will return after allowing them some more time to settle in. I think I will make more of a point of assuring them that the so white she is nearly blue chick (me) can handle more spice.
The food was just bland, fresh and well prepared but without any depth of flavor. I am sure that this is because they are trying to appeal to a Plymouth type crowd. Unfortunately they are not going to convert any locals to loving Ethiopian food without actually giving them the benefit of the doubt and presenting their A game for better or worse. I say bring on the spice and stop trying to dumb down the food.
Service was friendly but you can tell they are still trying to find a groove. The atmosphere is nice and the pricing was reasonable. All these things are pretty meaningless though if the food is not pleasing and interesting.
I will return after allowing them some more time to settle in. I think I will make more of a point of assuring them that the so white she is nearly blue chick (me) can handle more spice.
M & M Cafe - Dearborn, Michigan
After reading the great reviews on Yelp I had to come in and sample it for myself. Not really too much new to say but much thanks for the tip and here is my two cents for the record.
Lemon chicken seems to be a universal fave but I was skeptical about it. I am not usually a chicken cutlet lover but I did trust the people who have said it was worthy. This was a delightful surprise. Juicy with nicely prepared mushrooms and one of the best lemon butter sauces I have tasted.
My friend got a greek salad that was absolutely beautiful and tasted every bit as good as it looked. Crisp greens and really delicious beets. It definitely was not the straight out of a can type beet. The veggies were plentiful and the dressing had a just right snap to it, homemade for sure.
The atmosphere is cozy and laid back, the staff efficient and warm. Easily missed on Michigan Ave, it is worth the patience to look. It will be crowded but go ahead and wait. A place like this is a rarity.
Lemon chicken seems to be a universal fave but I was skeptical about it. I am not usually a chicken cutlet lover but I did trust the people who have said it was worthy. This was a delightful surprise. Juicy with nicely prepared mushrooms and one of the best lemon butter sauces I have tasted.
My friend got a greek salad that was absolutely beautiful and tasted every bit as good as it looked. Crisp greens and really delicious beets. It definitely was not the straight out of a can type beet. The veggies were plentiful and the dressing had a just right snap to it, homemade for sure.
The atmosphere is cozy and laid back, the staff efficient and warm. Easily missed on Michigan Ave, it is worth the patience to look. It will be crowded but go ahead and wait. A place like this is a rarity.
Supino's Pizza - Detroit, Michigan
I quite enjoyed this pizza, a thin crusted delight. I am not a huge pizza person, I never have been, but I do know what I like and this passes my test easily.
My husband and I of course could not agree on a pizza so we opted for two ten inchers. He went basic with a pepperoni, I wanted the Supino. We also ordered a salad with lemon basil citronette.The pizzas both had great crusts, plenty of ingredients and were perfectly cooked.
I really enjoyed the garlic, olives, chili oil and ricotta on my Supino. Surprisingly I also enjoyed the sauce, which I am usually not a huge fan of, it allows the ingredients to really shine rather than being the dominating flavor. My choice appalled James who thought the flavor combo was wretched.
My husband liked the pepperoni a lot, they certainly did not scrimp on it either. He said he would have preferred a little more zip to his sauce but like I said, he went basic so you need a bit more pep in the sauce maybe for his palate. I personally did not notice a problem at all but his taste in pizza and mine is totally different. He did like the pizza at any rate, especially the crust.
The salad was full of good greens and the veggies were fresh. I adored the dressing but James was iffy on it. He lives on ranch so I would take his opinion on a vinaigrette type dressing with a grain of salt. Next time I think I will get the red wine vinaigrette and he will probably still vetch.
We were full and I even took some home myself as I ate most of the salad. Nice place, we will be back when we visit the market again.
My husband and I of course could not agree on a pizza so we opted for two ten inchers. He went basic with a pepperoni, I wanted the Supino. We also ordered a salad with lemon basil citronette.The pizzas both had great crusts, plenty of ingredients and were perfectly cooked.
I really enjoyed the garlic, olives, chili oil and ricotta on my Supino. Surprisingly I also enjoyed the sauce, which I am usually not a huge fan of, it allows the ingredients to really shine rather than being the dominating flavor. My choice appalled James who thought the flavor combo was wretched.
My husband liked the pepperoni a lot, they certainly did not scrimp on it either. He said he would have preferred a little more zip to his sauce but like I said, he went basic so you need a bit more pep in the sauce maybe for his palate. I personally did not notice a problem at all but his taste in pizza and mine is totally different. He did like the pizza at any rate, especially the crust.
The salad was full of good greens and the veggies were fresh. I adored the dressing but James was iffy on it. He lives on ranch so I would take his opinion on a vinaigrette type dressing with a grain of salt. Next time I think I will get the red wine vinaigrette and he will probably still vetch.
We were full and I even took some home myself as I ate most of the salad. Nice place, we will be back when we visit the market again.
Que Huong Restaurant - Madison Heights, Michigan
Sometimes you have to make the trek. After months and months of wanting to visit I finally did.
We were torn on what to get so we had some dishes here and took home some banh mi for later. I was absolutely starved for Vietnamese so we were greedy. I figured it took me long enough to get out here, you never know when we will get it together to make it back, even though we have found it more than worth the trip.
My Dea inspired pick was a lovely portion of bun thit nuong. Delicious grilled pork and sparkly fresh veggies, rice noodles, wonderfully balanced flavors with the sauce. Yes I am drooling at the thought still, it is just a perfect spring/early summer type meal. It offered a bit of everything to tease the palette, spicy, salty, fresh, mmmm. The pork was just incredible.
We also ordered some com chien XO. Mmmmm more great pork, shrimp and egg with fried rice and XO sauce. It was my husbands pick and I was amazed with how tasty it was, again nicely spicy but with a lot of depth. It is the kind of dish where you notice all the flavors in every bite and you do not get bored a bit.
Sometimes my husband shocks me, I expected to love it here but I figured he would not at all as he has not sampled Vietnamese since he was a kid and was not a huge fan then. He is becoming more open thanks to consistent experimentation based on things I have discovered. It goes to show you that people can learn as they expand their horizons with good natured encouragement. A good lesson I think, if he can branch out, anyone can.
We both got grilled pork bahn mi to go and even a few hours later it was beyond stellar. Bargain priced, same great pork, fresh herbs and crispy veggies, it was so flavorful. The sauce, oh so sweet and addictive and the bread was perfect. I want one of these once a week.
Yes we will be back despite the hike and traffic issues and the fact going there is a giant pain in the butt for us. Thanks to Dea in particular as I stole most of her pork laden faves to try :). I did not go for her avocado milkshake though as I so do not need any more fat in my life LOL.
We were torn on what to get so we had some dishes here and took home some banh mi for later. I was absolutely starved for Vietnamese so we were greedy. I figured it took me long enough to get out here, you never know when we will get it together to make it back, even though we have found it more than worth the trip.
My Dea inspired pick was a lovely portion of bun thit nuong. Delicious grilled pork and sparkly fresh veggies, rice noodles, wonderfully balanced flavors with the sauce. Yes I am drooling at the thought still, it is just a perfect spring/early summer type meal. It offered a bit of everything to tease the palette, spicy, salty, fresh, mmmm. The pork was just incredible.
We also ordered some com chien XO. Mmmmm more great pork, shrimp and egg with fried rice and XO sauce. It was my husbands pick and I was amazed with how tasty it was, again nicely spicy but with a lot of depth. It is the kind of dish where you notice all the flavors in every bite and you do not get bored a bit.
Sometimes my husband shocks me, I expected to love it here but I figured he would not at all as he has not sampled Vietnamese since he was a kid and was not a huge fan then. He is becoming more open thanks to consistent experimentation based on things I have discovered. It goes to show you that people can learn as they expand their horizons with good natured encouragement. A good lesson I think, if he can branch out, anyone can.
We both got grilled pork bahn mi to go and even a few hours later it was beyond stellar. Bargain priced, same great pork, fresh herbs and crispy veggies, it was so flavorful. The sauce, oh so sweet and addictive and the bread was perfect. I want one of these once a week.
Yes we will be back despite the hike and traffic issues and the fact going there is a giant pain in the butt for us. Thanks to Dea in particular as I stole most of her pork laden faves to try :). I did not go for her avocado milkshake though as I so do not need any more fat in my life LOL.
El Fuego Fresh Mexican Grill - Canton, MI
We had a coupon and were curious. We walked in last night and we were the only people in the joint. My husband gave me one of his looks but did not bolt.
We sat on an odd wooden platform at the center of the restaurant. It has rope laden wooden posts so it has the feel of a dock. Hmmmm. I know they have recently added seafood buckets to the menu but I still find it jarring to be frank. The walls are also nautical, with decorative fish, well all the walls but the back wall, which is covered in plastic as they apparently are still renovating.
The menu is pretty Ameri-Mex with odd items here or there to make you consider it a step above. Not wanting to dive into a 19-40 dollar bucket of seafood on an untried establishment I went with a more reasonable combo meal and my husband decided to order the steak and chicken fajitas. Safe.
The chips are cold and standard but the salsa is really delightful. Garlic, onion, cilantro and fresh tasting tomato. It is gringo done very well indeed, it tastes housemade. Want hotter? Ummm yeah that will take a minute. With a waitress running around like a chicken with their head cut off asking all and sundry on staff if they even have any.
My meal started with tortilla soup, full of nice chicken, cooked veggies, strips of tortilla, trace amounts of cheese and a delightful slice of fresh creamy avocado. I liked that it was a brothy version but I wish the broth was more flavorful. Overall it was fresh but bland.
It was followed by two small sized fish tacos, each with two itty baby sized pieces of fried fish. They were on cold tortillas and way oversauced but featured nice crunchy cabbage. The beans were typical refrieds but I liked them anyway. The rice is decent. There also is a little corncake that I really enjoyed a lot, just happy. Oh and did I mention that my meal came out in stages as did my husbands? Just odd overall.
My husband got no soup with his fajitas but he got a boatload of grilled meat and nicely cooked onions and peppers. His tortillas were also cold despite being carted out in one of those plastic warmers. There was a standard plate of fixings (including bagged type shedded mexi cheese) and he also got refried beans and rice. No corncake which made him sad. The chicken and steak were both seasoned a little bit and very tender. Nice enough but nothing that has you moaning in delight by any stretch. Plenty to take home though, we could have easily split his meal with an app or dessert and been full.
I spent my time musing about where they want to take this place. El Fuego doesn't scream seafood but the decor does. It is definitely a casual vibe but they are trying to sell 20 dollar plus seafood buckets, which is a spendy item to be carrying if they do not sell. I am just puzzled.
Service was fine, pricing ran odd but there are good values to be had. The 20% off coupons can be found in Thursday's Play and Go inserts in the local paper if you still have them around.
I will be back at some point because they have a shrimp cocktail concoction I want to sample but I was not in love here or anything. It was decent, not a chain and not a bad option for the area but overall it was just so very bland.
They are new yet though, I am hoping they get into a groove and find their niche. Mexican style seafood sounds promising but will people want to spend to get it? Will they realize they need to kick the flavors up a notch for their customers? We will see. It's Canton yes but even in Canton you need something more zippy than this.
We sat on an odd wooden platform at the center of the restaurant. It has rope laden wooden posts so it has the feel of a dock. Hmmmm. I know they have recently added seafood buckets to the menu but I still find it jarring to be frank. The walls are also nautical, with decorative fish, well all the walls but the back wall, which is covered in plastic as they apparently are still renovating.
The menu is pretty Ameri-Mex with odd items here or there to make you consider it a step above. Not wanting to dive into a 19-40 dollar bucket of seafood on an untried establishment I went with a more reasonable combo meal and my husband decided to order the steak and chicken fajitas. Safe.
The chips are cold and standard but the salsa is really delightful. Garlic, onion, cilantro and fresh tasting tomato. It is gringo done very well indeed, it tastes housemade. Want hotter? Ummm yeah that will take a minute. With a waitress running around like a chicken with their head cut off asking all and sundry on staff if they even have any.
My meal started with tortilla soup, full of nice chicken, cooked veggies, strips of tortilla, trace amounts of cheese and a delightful slice of fresh creamy avocado. I liked that it was a brothy version but I wish the broth was more flavorful. Overall it was fresh but bland.
It was followed by two small sized fish tacos, each with two itty baby sized pieces of fried fish. They were on cold tortillas and way oversauced but featured nice crunchy cabbage. The beans were typical refrieds but I liked them anyway. The rice is decent. There also is a little corncake that I really enjoyed a lot, just happy. Oh and did I mention that my meal came out in stages as did my husbands? Just odd overall.
My husband got no soup with his fajitas but he got a boatload of grilled meat and nicely cooked onions and peppers. His tortillas were also cold despite being carted out in one of those plastic warmers. There was a standard plate of fixings (including bagged type shedded mexi cheese) and he also got refried beans and rice. No corncake which made him sad. The chicken and steak were both seasoned a little bit and very tender. Nice enough but nothing that has you moaning in delight by any stretch. Plenty to take home though, we could have easily split his meal with an app or dessert and been full.
I spent my time musing about where they want to take this place. El Fuego doesn't scream seafood but the decor does. It is definitely a casual vibe but they are trying to sell 20 dollar plus seafood buckets, which is a spendy item to be carrying if they do not sell. I am just puzzled.
Service was fine, pricing ran odd but there are good values to be had. The 20% off coupons can be found in Thursday's Play and Go inserts in the local paper if you still have them around.
I will be back at some point because they have a shrimp cocktail concoction I want to sample but I was not in love here or anything. It was decent, not a chain and not a bad option for the area but overall it was just so very bland.
They are new yet though, I am hoping they get into a groove and find their niche. Mexican style seafood sounds promising but will people want to spend to get it? Will they realize they need to kick the flavors up a notch for their customers? We will see. It's Canton yes but even in Canton you need something more zippy than this.
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