Research and reserve for Restaurant Week - from your phone!

Tonight begins the highly anticipated 10-night spring edition of Detroit Restaurant Week.

Our fair city’s Restaurant Week has understandably grown leaps and bounds since it’s inception in 2009.  Last fall nearly 85,000 diners took advantage of the fixed price menus to sample the world-class cuisine available at some of Detroit’s finest dining establishments. Restaurant Week Spring 2011 is expected to attract even more diners, as good news spreads fast.

Chances are, if you read this blog and live in the Detroit metro area, you’ve been anticipating Restaurant Week with great excitement and salivation – planning a meal or five at some of the best 18 restaurants in the city.

Well, your planning just got much easier! There is actually an android app that can help you easily navigate your culinary adventures over the next few days – all from the convenience of your phone!

The Detroit Restaurant Week App, developed by Chris Risner, provides access to the menus, addresses, phone numbers and web sites of all participating restaurants, and gives you a simple way to make reservations through OpenTable. You can even read reviews via Yelp to help you make the sometimes difficult decision about which restaurant to choose.

And yes, the app is FREE! The app is only available for Android users – for now. Risner – a Detroit-based developer – plans to port it to other devices and expand to more cities before the fall restaurant week season.

Tomatoes Apizza actually has two location, both in Farmingtom Hills. I choose to review the 14 Mile location because I’ve had pizza from both, and prefer it. Could it have something to do with the coal-fired pizza oven? (The more southern location, on Halsted, uses a brick oven.) Maybe! Or perhaps it was because the pizza I had at the Halstead location was part of a pizza buffet, so not made to my specifications and sitting out a bit.

Coal-fired pizza oven - Tomatoes' secret in plain view!

In any event, let’s skip to the chase. This Tomatoes Apizza is located in a ho-hum strip mall, not unlike thousands of strip malls in the burbs. You might pass it thinking it’s a dry cleaner if you’re not diligent. The inside is equally non-descript – the only truly remarkable feature about the ambiance being the stacks of white bags of coal in the lobby area. When you walk in, you will see these bags – at first glance looking like stack and stacks of bagged potatoes – and the large oven that will be perfecting your pie just behind the counter.

On the walls of the entryway, you’ll see among the faded photos a written history of this pizza, which traces the craft of arguably the first pizza baker in the US (Frank Pepe from West Haven, Connecticut) all the way to Tomatoes Apizza owner Mike Weinstein, who learned how to make pizza from someone who learned how to make pizza from Frank. That’s an impressive pedigree! And to have traveled across space and time to a suburb in Michigan, of all places!

The dining room is simple and stark, but what the atmosphere lacks in charm is made up for by the warmth of friends and families gathering over a really great meal. Oh, and the classic jazz that always seems to be playing – love that touch.

On to the food: There’s a simple salad bar, providing an adequate complement to the pizza – some olives and pepperoni thrown on there, and a classic balsamic dressing (and ranch for those so inclined). I like creating my own salad, though some might think this gives a “Big Boy” feel to the dining experience.

Now, to clarify, you will not be getting the Detroit-style thick square pie at Tomatoes Apizza, but rather an ultra thin – almost cracker thin – crust more typical of “New York” style pizza.

Charming oblong shape of a Tomatoes Apizza pizza gives a hand-crafted effect!

Personally, I find a super-thin crust makes a great base for a more sophisticated pizza – really lets the flavor of the toppings take center stage, making the crust more of a vehicle than a main event. And in this case, with such high quality toppings at Tomatoes Apizza, this is what you want!

One of the most charming traits of the Tomatoes Apizza pizza is the way it is served: it comes out on a cookie sheet rather than a round pizza pan, in an imperfect oblong shape. This, to me just highlights the home-made aesthetic of this exceptional pizza.

And the taste? Well, frankly, this is one of the favorite pizzas I’ve had so far, not just in Detroit, but in life. Ever. I love the simple, elegant toppings of the color-themed styles they have created – such as White: mozzarella, tomato, basil, garlic…just a stunning combination of classic Italian ingredients that was destined to meet on a pizza and live happily in your mouth.

White, Green and Classic with Anchovies

There is also Red (red sauce and parmesan), Green (mozzarella, spinach, garlic), and Classic (red sauce and mozzarella). Of course you can add to these basic pies any combination of classic ingredients like pepperoni or green pepper or olives – and also a few less common toppings such as bacon or cherry peppers.

I’ve been to Tomatoes Apizza three times, and so far my favorites are White (as-is), and Classic with added mushroom and sausage. But I look forward to experimenting with even more combinations!

Chocolate Piadina. Ugly? Yes. Delicious? Hell yes!!

I’d be sadly remiss in my recommendation duties if I did not mention the Chocolate Piadina. Basically what amounts to Nutella (or reasonable facsimile) wrapped in pizza dough, this homely little treat will knock your socks off! Please don’t eat here without having one. I promise you will be writing me weepy letters of gratitude for having obeyed my instructions in this matter.

In summary, if you are in the area, you are doing yourself a grave disservice by not dining at Tomatoes Apizza at your first available opportunity.

One of the grandest accolades proudly displayed by the Tomatoes Apizza website comes from Alan Richman of GQ magazine, who named their pizza, “One of the 25 best pies on Earth.” That’s quite an endorsement! And while my pizza sampling experience may not be as wide as Mr. Richman’s, his proclamation validates my own hunches.

Tomatoes Apizza

29275 West 14 Mile Road
Farmington Hills, MI
(248) 855-3555

My company recently moved to downtown Detroit, and my coworkers and I have been having a great time sampling nearby lunch spots. Detroit’s Mexicantown, a very short drive away, has a lot to offer, but I just want to offer a quintessential gastronomical adventure: lunch and dessert in under an hour.

Detroit Mexicantown - La Gloria Pastry Cases

This trek focuses on the most touristy area of Mexicantown – that little three-block section of Bagley between Grand Blvd. and I75/I96 as it heads into/out-of Canada. (Does anyone besides me find it funny that Mexicantown is within view of the Bridge to Canada?) But I’d like to point out that all of Southwest Detroit has a wealth of authentic, affordable Central American eateries, and that Mexicantown is so much more than the restaurants catering to suburbanites in this little stretch. I chose Lupita’s to review here because I feel it’s more indicative of what the rest of Southwest Detroit has to offer, and probably the best food in this otherwise bending-to-the-masses collection of eateries.

If you’d rather stray off the beaten path, try heading west on Vernor for the spots locals prefer (La Tapatía and Los Altos on Vernor, Los Gallos on Dix, and Pupusería y Restaurante Salvadoreño on Livernois). Keep an eye out for taco trucks!

Taqueria Lupita’s

At my first trip to Lupita’s about a year ago, my party was the only one dining, but perhaps the word has gotten out – as dozens of Yelp reviews would suggest – because Lupita’s is always humming at near-capacity around the lunch hour.

Lunch special! Note the courteous butcher paper, protecting your tacos from sogginess

Of course their lunchtime success could be because of the $3 lunch special, served up in minutes so you can still make it to the bakery and back to work in under an hour! Yes, that is not a misprint: for $2.99 you can get two taco-truck-esque tacos, with a choice between 6 different fillings (Al Pastor pork being my fave), sprinkled with cilantro and onion, and accompanied by a large helping of rice and beans (not refried, to my delight). Absolutely scrumptious as well as being an irresistible bargain. If there’s one thing I love more than delicious, authentic ethnic food, it’s delicious, authentic, dirt-cheap ethnic food.

With this nearly perfect lunch, you’ll also get a very generous sampling of salsas with your obligatory pre-meal tortilla chips (house made). Their menu certainly extends beyond tacos – I can vouch for their tamales and enchiladas -  but you really can’t go wrong with the tacos at lunch.

They also have Jarritos – the Mexican soda pop that comes in a variety of exocitc flavors like guava and mango, and Horchata - a milky sweet drink that, in Mexico, is made from rice, vanilla, nuts and cinnamon.

If you’ve yet to venture to Detroit’s Mexicantown and are looking for a restaurant to sample, Taqueria Lupita’s is a great way to break in. Of the restaurants in this touristy stretch, it’s one of the more authentic. The only drawback – to my mind – is that there is no beer or wine (which sadly means no sangria).

La Gloria Bakery

The best part about this little unpretentious bakery, within sight of the highway and just a short walk from Lupita’s, is gazing upon all the many enticing creations in their old-fashioned wooden pastry cases, all vying for your sweet tooth’s attention. Each pastry at La Gloria Bakery is more seductive than the last. Tarts, empanadas, scores of cookies, classic churros, breads, tortillas, and chuckle-inducing concoctions, like brownie rats.

Brownie Rats!

Once again, I can’t say enough about the value of La Gloria Bakery. While admittedly the shortening component of many of the sweet items renders them less flavorful than the baked goods I’m more accustomed to (made with butter), you can’t beat a giant cookie for fifty or seventy-five cents, and their churros are indisputably perfect. And though I haven’t had them myself, many people swear by the unbeatable quality of their flour tortillas.

There are other impressive bakeries in Detroit’s Mexicantown, but none offer the old-school ambiance afforded by La Gloria Bakery’s huge wooden pastry cases, brimming with eye-catching goodies. Pick up a churro for a truly authentic treat, the perfect conclusion to your indulgent Mexican food foray.

Enter Detroit Brunch. A similarly brave enterprise involving two students serving up vegan deliciousness from their basement apartment near Wayne State University.

Full disclosure: I’m not a vegan, but I enjoy vegan dining options. I find vegan meals very agreeable to my feeling of health and well being.  I prepare a lot of vegetarian and vegan meals at home, so love it when I can actually get some food out that fulfills my goal of trying to eat more on the healthy end of the spectrum.

Here’s the deal with Detroit Brunch:  it’s only once a week (Sunday), you order online well in advance (by Friday night), pick up only and cash only, and the menu options change each week. Sounds pretty restrictive, I know, but believe me, you DON’T want to miss this brunch.

Crys and Liz, the Brunchettes, hard at work.

I ordered the scrambled tofu with breakfast potatoes and the biscuits with white-bean-tempeh gravy and sweet potatoes. For one thing, the quality was out of this world. I have had a LOT of tofu scrambles over the years, having spent quite a bit of time in tofu-crazed parts of the country (West Coast). And I can say with complete confidence that Detroit Brunch’s tofu scramble was on par with the best tofu scrambles I’ve ever had. The gravy – of my God! I have to get that recipe! Sage-y,creamy, hearty, and dare I say it? Even  better than “real” gravy! And the breakfast potatoes were also divine. Crispy browned edges mixed with a velvety insides,  and oh so flavorful.  As good as it gets. The scramble was served with flawless Avalon bread.

The only thing I can find to say on the detracting side is that the biscuits could have been better, but honestly I’ve only ever made biscuits with butter and milk or buttermilk  (being the true Southern girl that I am), so not altogether sure how one would make biscuits of the vegan variety, so perhaps this is not a fair criticism. It could very well be that this is the pinnacle for vegan biscuits.

And another thing, the quantity! I got two items, and what I received was enough for three and a half people, easily. Generous to the point of being questionably sustainable…We couldn’t finish, and ate the rest later in the day. In any Pacific Northwest restaurant I would’ve gotten 1/2 the food for twice the price.

So what I am trying to say here is: get to Detroit Brunch. Ordering is easy if not a little on the low tech side, but who cares.  It’s tucked away, so be warned when you pick up you’re going to feel like you are in a secret society – a secret society of yumminess.

Enter Foodsurge, a solution by a Detroit-area innovation team that calls themselves The Beet Squad.  Foodsurge uses social media fueled-tools to connect people with fast, nutritious meal options we can all get behind.

As a yexti.tv entry, Foodsurge has risen to be among the top two candidates in a competition whose winner gets the money and support to turn their idea into a reality. (The other top contender is a group from San Francisco that calls themselves the Udon Project.)

To quote the Foodsurge  mission:

Foodsurge is a platform that creates the connections between local producers of real food and area restaurants in order to create the quick, fast meal options the foodie community wants. Let’s group restaurants, farms, growers and eaters to create a better system that provides real, healthly and quick food options for everyone.

Similar to group buying sites, Foodsurge connects people with providers by using a voting-style method that ensures demand and availability for both parties.

Foodsurge 30 sec (Original Music – version 2) from Gary Wohlfeill on Vimeo.

Naturally, Detroit’s emphasis on food as a way to reinvent itself makes this project the perfect venue to bring attention to the intentions of the progressive Detroit Foodie Community. Don’t wait to cast your vote, as voting ends tomorrow! Show you support for this idea by going to yoxi to register for an account, and HERE to vote for Foodsurge/Beet Squad!

Learn more about the project by reading this story from the Detroit News Hub….and spread the word!!!

Right there on Mack Avenue, near the Original Pancake House and right by a cute yarn shop, is the delightful storefront of DiNoto’s Genuine Italian with a welcoming red awning.

Cheerful storefront is your first clue that this is gonna be some swell pizza.

When we entered Dinoto’s we were confronted with a promising aroma and friendly service. A young woman was working the counter, answering our questions, when owner-operator Pino DiNoto emerged from the kitchen and insisted we sample one of his famous “S” cookies – a cakey, buttery sugar cookie with a delicate layer of frosting. His thick Italian accent immediately charmed us and gave an aura of authenticity to the pizzas we were about to sample.

Family photos proudly on display are more evidence of a strong tradition behind DiNoto's

We decided on two small pizza and a side order of cannelini beans and took a walk around the neighborhood while our pizzas were being prepared. To be clear, DiNoto’s does carry out only. For some reason, even though I’d read some Yelp reviews before going, I was a little surprised to realize this, but it didn’t really matter in the long run.

Our two pizzas were Pino’s White Vegetable Pizza and the Sicilian Pizza. Pino’s White vegetable pizza is described as “light and delicious – without sauce, topped with oven roasted veggies, olive oil, herbs and Romano cheese.” This was Michael’s favorite. It had tomato, onion, and thinly sliced yellow squash. Indeed light and garlicy. My only regret was that there was not more of a tang to it, to balance the flavors. I think had the tomatoes been in season this would have done the trick, but we all know fresh tomatoes this time of year aren’t always the best tasting.

Pino's White Vegetable Pizza

The Sicilian was my favorite, also very simple, with crushed tomatoes that had a serious depth (almost as if they were mixed with sun-dried tomatoes) and herbs, olive oil, garlic with a light sprinkling of Romano cheese. Tangy and delicious.

DiNoto's Sicilian Pizza

This isn’t the Detroit pizza style with the thick crust, but a medium-to-thin crust, with an unobtrusive, delicate flavor that really highlights the toppings. Don’t expect gobs of melted cheese, either. Just a slight dusting of Pecorino-Romano actually makes this pie a healthier option than some grease laden varieties we’re accustomed to. We did  happen to pick pizzas that were vegetarian, but mostly because there is a wide variety of vegetarian options that just looked so yummy and different. They also have a pie with prosciutto and arugula, the Gambino’s Favorite, which is calling my name for another visit.

I read rave reviews about the meatball sub, so next time I go I will try a different kind of pizza, for some variety, and this highly recommended sandwich. Their menu also has some fantastic looking pasta dishes and salads. One thing is for sure, if I lived closer I would be making more trips to DiNoto’s and probably buying too many of those delectable S cookies in the process.

Cute, homey counter area. Note the stacks of 'S' cookies on left!

Overall, the unique, authentic quality of the pizza combined with the quaint atmosphere and exceptionally welcoming service can’t help but endear you to this place. I can see why DiNoto’s is a favorite pizza stop for Detroiters. As it stands, my only regret was that I could not enjoy the pizza fresh from the oven with a nice glass of Chianti (this is the kind of pizza that screams for wine over beer!). Since we simply couldn’t wait for the drive home to lose that hot-out-of-the-oven experience, we had to eat it in the car!

DiNoto’s Genuine Italian Carry Out

20223 Mack Ave.
Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236
Phone: (313) 884-5030

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Especially cool to see the food scene getting some well-deserved attention. Most notably the Atlantic gave the Detroit restaurant scene a healthy dose of recognition for it’s use of made-in Michigan products.

Two other examples are the NY Times article on Slow’s BBQ, and Grist’s highlighting the community organizing around urban gardening projects. The author noted about Detroit: “food has emerged as the key motivating force of Detroiters’ efforts to re-imagine their town as a thriving, livable place.”

Well said.

Now I know the nay-sayers like to scoff that urban farming is no golden ticket for Detroit, but I say give it a chance. In the face of non-existent job opportunities, Detroiters are creating their own. And we don’t know where that will go. Imagine if we bought even 25% of everything we ingest from local sources, what would that look like? I think it would create jobs and also have significant quality-of life-impact, as food connects people to each other as one of the most basic elements of our humanity.

Greening urban spaces, not only through urban gardening, but by creating sustainable, usable green spaces in the city CAN change the city.

For added inspiration, check out this TedX video about greening the ghetto by Majora Carter from the South Bronx whose commitment to urban renewal has truly made a difference.

Food can really lead the way for a better city, not just for Detroit, but for people everywhere. I believe that Detroit  is experiencing economic realities that will likely befall many cities in years to come. And our survival tactics can serve as a road map for the future.

More than the bright-clear sky and wear-your-hoody weather, a sign of approaching fall is the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte! Nothing says “You’d better buy some Halloween candy” like picking up a Pumpkin Spice Latte before your weekend errands.

Oh, and don’t forget their limited edition Hot Caramel Cider – particularly if you’re not interested in a wallop of caffeine. The Hot Caramel Cider is a treat worthy of calorie expenditure. Kids love it, too!

So I urge you to drive on by the ubiquitous multi-national corporates and buy Michigan, not just because it’s the right thing to do for your state and neighbors, but also because Biggbly just flat out offers a better beverage! (AND because these seasonal sippables will be gone before you know it!)

A true suburb in the classic sense, Madison Heights was incorporated in 1955 when suburban living became the craze across the country. And its architecture reflects the evolution from classic suburb to current big-box-store-anchored strip mall paradise – although they do boast a majority of privately owned businesses

The Green Lantern Lounge shares its birthday with the city itself, having been opened by Thomas and Irene Vettraino in 1955. To this day their daughter, Marlene Spreitzer, uses the same recipe that made their pizza legendary throughout the metro Detroit region. There is a location now in Royal Oak, but of course we had to travel to the original site to see what this pizza was all about.

I’d like mention that while researching their website, I got a chuckle out of the very honest writing – not typical marketing stuff. For instance they admitted that their chicken was dry, and that the place was smoky – even the non-smoking part. I found that approach very refreshing.

Stepping inside the Green Lantern Lounge on a cold winter day felt very right. The restaurant exudes warmth, and – as the name “lounge” would suggest – it’s appropriately dark and smoky. A fantastic stamped tin ceiling and dark woods created comfort and coziness for the nearly-at-capacity pub-like space. We went on a Sunday afternoon, and the sports-watching clientele were deep into their pitchers of beer and focused on the drama of the game.

Cozy, pub-like atmosphere makes for a good pizza-eating environment.

This isn’t a place where there is a sports bar in one section and an eating area in another (à la Sheild’s). The whole place is pretty much a bar atmosphere. Fine by me, but I didn’t happen to see kids around, so not so sure about the whole family dining thing.

Dining room detail.

So we got beer, as this is the kind of place where beer is a requirement, and ordered the traditional thin crust (they also have a thick pie on the menu, but the thin is what they have been serving for over 50 years) with some of our favorite toppings (olives, sausage, mushroom, onion). We also got a salad – Greek this time – as is our tradition (a nod to our struggling arteries).

Greek salad – generous portions!

I can not complain about the service. Very prompt and attentive. Nor can I knock the beer or Greek salad – not a GREAT salad, but certainly better than o.k., with a generous amount of toppings.  And honestly the pizza had this sort of pizza-oven taste that I can only describe as being the way pizza was meant to taste – the quality of flavor that comes from a well-worn oven that has had years of use – a sort of seared-oregano infusion that only some rare pizzerias can deliver.

Pizza pie – olive, mushroom, onion and sausage.

BUT – we found the quality of toppings lacking. What could have been a stellar execution, with perfect sauce, buttery cheese, and classic crust with flawless texture, was marred by mediocre toppings that seemed perhaps a step above the chains – or maybe on par. We both said it at the same time, so my impression was not unique.

Portrait of a slice.

In any event, I can see why the Green Lantern is so beloved. If I lived closer, it would certainly be a regular stop, as I really appreciated the warm, intimate  ambiance, and now that I know their mushrooms are canned and their olives mushy, I would probably order a straight-up pepperoni and be very pleased. 

So if you like a pub atmosphere and a truly traditional pizza that has stood the test of time, the Green Lantern Lounge will hit the spot.

Green Lantern Lounge

28960 John R Rd.
Madison Heights, MI 48071-2819
Phone: (248) 541-5439

(another location at 4326 Rochester Road, Royal Oak)
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I have picked up a Shield’s pizza a time or three to bring home, and have always thoroughly enjoyed the warmish pizza at my own kitchen table, dutifully resisting the urge to break it out on the drive home.

But to give Shield’s a completely fair shake, I had to go in and have the entire dining experience.

Shield’s has several locations around Metro Detroit – four to be precise – and the one I’ve been going to is in Southfield. I’ve always appreciated the ambiance of the attached bar as I’ve gone in to pick up my pizza at the take-away counter. It seems darkish – the right lighting for a bar, in my opinion – and somehow cozy and intimate, like a place where you can hang with your friends and make new ones. The thing I like the most is that there’s plenty of Detroit pride on display, with Old English Ds and proud Red Wings emblems (a far cry from the brightly lit Pizza Papalis bar that wants to be in Chicago). Don’t go here thinking you’ll have a quiet, romantic evening. This bar’s for hanging out and catching the game.

But the dining room is another story. Very family friendly. In fact, there was a clown on duty that night, and I spent much of the evening dreading that it might come near my table and make me a balloon animal. But I think it sensed my clown aversion (and age inappropriateness) and thankfully stayed away.

The Pizza! Witness the Gold Medal specialty pie – highly recommended if you like a little spice in your life.

On to the pizza: as I’ve mentioned, the pies I’ve brought home were always darn good – more than adequate. With that characteristic Detroit-Sicilian square shape that produces those delectable carmelized cheese edges (that I’ve tried to capture on film here). In the past we’ve enjoyed our perennial make-your-own favorite – sausage, onion and mushroom – as well as their oh-so-delicious Shield’s Super specialty pizza (pepperoni, brick cheese, mushrooms, onions, green peppers and ham). But this time we went for the Gold Medal: brick and Romano cheeses, Italian banana peppers, sweet red bell peppers, topped with Italian pear tomatoes sautéed in garlic. And as if this were not enough to make you swoon: add the optional (but recommended!) Italian sausage and you’ve got a truly amazing pie, as everyone at the table agreed!

See those carmelized cheese edges? Perfect example of the Detroit-style breed! Best in show!

I would be remiss in my blogger-informant duties if I did not mention that Shield’s also has a fairly extensive non-pizza menu – including a better-than-average kid’s menu. I can not yet vouch for any of these items, but I have to say that the pasta and sub sandwiches on other people’s tables were looking mighty appetizing.

Bottom line: Shield’s pizza truly rocks and is an excellent specimen of the Detroit Pizza style. I have to stop short of saying that this pizza is better than Buddy’s – there is something about Buddy’s crust that is so far unparalleled in my pizza adventuring – but it is certainly on par with Buddy’s and without a doubt worth coming back for. Shield’s deserves all the praise it gets, and all the business you can give it. Bring the kids.

Shield’s of Southfield

25101 Telegraph Rd.

Southfield, MI 48076

248-356-2720

Other locations in Macomb Township, Rochester Hills, and Troy.

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