Buzz

Supino tops 2013 Zagat rankings for area restaurants

Detroit Free Press Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Now the whole world knows what we've known since first trying a slice of Supino's delectibly, one-of-a-kind, thin-crust pizza way back in, um, early 2009.

That's because Zagat's elevatred the casual Eastern Market storefront pizzeria to number one in its Detroit-area restaurant rankings for 2013.

An excerpt: It was Supino Pizzeria at Eastern Market, where owner Dave Mancini makes fabulous thin-crust pizzas and serves them in a bare-bones dining area with about 20 seats and not a tablecloth in sight.

The lack of décor, though, clearly doesn't bother his customers, who rated his food an average of 29 points out of a possible 30.

Read the rest of the story here.

Slows' Yardbird to face off for best U.S. sandwich in August

Detroit Free Press Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Here what Adam Richman said on his Travel Channel food show last week about what is now one of America's most talked about sandwiches:

"(It's) a sandwich to be savored. It's unlike any sandwich found anywhere," Richman said during the episode, adding that the Yardbird will be moving on because of the "depth of flavor and special blend of seasoning."

The Travel Channel series, which airs at 9 p.m. Wednesdays, has scheduled the finals -- a national battle where the Yardbird will face nine other regional winners -- for Aug. 15.

We'll get some carryout from Slows and be tuning in.

Check out the rest of the story here.

Corktown gets front page love in the News

Detroit News Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Nice to see a major feature on one of our neighborhood gems -- Corktown -- in one of the Detroit dailies. So what if we were there first -- about seven years and a month or two earlier. But who's bragging? Love the deep(ish) dive and the awesome quotes. Kudos.

An excerpt:

Among the new business owners are Jason Yates and Deveri Gifford, who opened a breakfast spot, the Brooklyn Street Local.
The Canadian couple chose Corktown after staying at Hostel Detroit and realizing the neighborhood was "the perfect spot" for their restaurant.

Fellow business owners have been overwhelmingly supportive.

"It's a collaborative effort, rather than competitive," Yates said. "It's fun because we're all doing this at the same time."

Read on here.

Dave Mancini talks Supino, and "infectious Detroit spirit," in GQ

GQ Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Chef Dave Mancini takes us on a tour of his favorite food places, including the Sunday Dinner Company on the East Side and Pupuseria Y Restaurante Salvadoreno in Southwest Detroit. Totally awesome piece in GQ. Go here for more awesome.

New York Mag tells readers where to go, what to do in Detroit

New York Magazine Tuesday, March 27, 2012

New Yorkers considering a weekend jaunt to Detroit were just given a head start by New York Magazine, which directs people to a tasty list of places to eat, play and stay while they're here.

It's a nice list, including outsider art installations like Heidelberg and Hamtramck Disneyland, quirky food and drink stops like Lafayette Coney Island and Cafe D'Mongo's, and lodging options at the Book Cadillac, Hope and Folly and the Inn on Ferry St.

Read all about yourselves here, Detroit.

Corktown innovators get 'buzzed' on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe'

MSNBC Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The top of our Monday morning is given a rousing head start whenever Detroit doers get their due in the national media. This time during a caffeinated discussion on how innovation is changing the social landscape and putting juice into the economy in Michigan and Ohio. With a special focus on what's happening in Corktown, around the intersection of Michigan and 14th St. and beyond.

We've got video. Watch it here.

Bizarre Foods' five top moments in Detroit

Travel Channel Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Andrew Zimmern came to Detroit for a recent episode of Bizarre Foods, which airs on the Travel Channel. He visited some of our best soul kitchens, hung out with the Mower Gang, had ghost pepper pizza on Bangladesh Avenue and went to Dearborn to celebrate the end of Ramadan.

That guy puts some crazy stuff in his mouth. Check out the results here.

Hey, let's get married in Detroit

HuffPost Detroit Tuesday, February 21, 2012

On Valentine's Day in HuffPost Detroit, we found this timely story with slideshow on some excellent locations in Detroit to get hitched. Also timely is an exhibition at the Detroit Historical Museum called "Saying I Do: Metro Detroit Weddings." Go see it: it's up through May 24.

Find those cool Detroit wedding locations here.

Curbed checks out Detroit Soup's two-year anniversary bash

Curbed Detroit Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Nice to see Curbed Detroit's Sarah Cox (who authors Model D's 'Imported to Detroit' series) getting out on the town and reporting from some of the city's most unique party spaces. Like this one in the former Jam Handy building on East Grand Blvd, which hosted the recent two-year anniversary of Detroit Soup. Take it away, Sarah:

"Detroit's totally cornered the market on that unfinished, do-we-even-have-a-permit-to-be-here look for big events. And we love it! Why wait til renovations are done to show off a structure? Hell, most places look best stripped down (we love these brick walls!), so bring on the space heaters." She even waxes for half a sentence on our own Next Big Thing event last October at the David Whitney Building.

Read the whole piece here.

Eastern Market reinventing itself with more than food

Detroit News Tuesday, February 07, 2012

The Detroit News reports: "A $3.9 million upgrade has begun of Eastern Market's Shed 5, which is the heart of the market's plant and flower business. The upgrades will include a commercial-grade kitchen aimed at upstart local food producers.

"Among the entrants in the farmer's market area are a self-described hacker space, a letterpress storefront and an art gallery. Plans are under way to build a community kitchen aimed at small-scale food entrepreneurs, and construction of a 40,000-square-foot fish farm inside a former city sewage facility may begin soon."

More, we say, more, more, more. Read the rest of the article here.

'9 Businesses' highlights indie Detroit entrepreneurship

Vimeo Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Screened last week at Eastern Market's Signal Return, the short film 9 Businesses aims to give a taste of how small business energy can help catalyze, revitalize and inspire neighborhood life.

Need some inspiration? Watch this.

Upstart Boat Magazine creates Detroit issue

The Guardian UK Tuesday, November 29, 2011

It was a lazy month for London ad agency owners Davey and Erin Spens. The pair, fascinated by magazines and travel, took an unusual vacation -- renting an office in Sarajevo, bringing their two coworkers along to pen a magazine offering readers a true glimpse of the formerly war-torn city.

After some help from writer Dave Eggers, who introduced the first issue of Boat Magazine with one of his short stories, the pair are at it again. They came to Detroit to produce their second issue -- a $12 "antidote to lazy journalism," printed on beautiful matte paper, with an article from Jeffrey Eugenides and interviews with Ben Wallace, Alex Winston and Jessica Hernandez.

We found one excerpt, a photo essay on Detroit food, in The Guardian:

We headed down there on a Saturday morning to find a bustling area filled with vegetable stalls, and thousands of people from all over Detroit and the surrounding states shopping for produce for home or business. The must-haves are the ribs from Berts, but we were as taken by the market across the freeway, with its walls painted in murals of meat, fish and cheese, which are sold inside.

Buy it here.

Detroit, an artistic paradise

Los Angeles Times Tuesday, November 15, 2011

This LA Times' trip to Detroit found an "artistic haven" of old structures, committed art dealers and vibrant examples of how community and culture intersect.

From the DIA, which the writer calls "America's most overlooked major museum," to the sculpture park outside the College for Creative Studies, and even a stop at Heidelberg, this travelogue details a city teeming with creativity. Russell St. Deli, Cafe D'Mongo's, Cass Cafe, and yes, Slows, were a few of the destinations the LA Times raved about.

Excerpt:

When I asked his inspiration, Guyton responded with questions of his own: "What is art today?" "Does it have to be in a museum?" "How do you revitalize a neighborhood?" "How do you get people to come to Detroit despite what they've heard?"

One of Guyton's motifs is New York taxis, painted on plywood boards. "A lot of people think you have to go to New York to make it," he said. "I'm saying I can make it right here, and I will. Watch me. I'm just getting started."

Find out more here.

Record amount of diners swarm fall Detroit Restaurant Week

Detroit Restaurant Week Tuesday, November 15, 2011

There's just no stopping Detroit Restaurant Week.

Event producers Paxahau reported that the 10-evening dining promotion lured 36,046 gourmands to 21 restaurants across the city of Detroit, an 18.4 percent increase over 2010. It's the second-largest tally ever for the $28 prix fixe dining bonanza, which has counted 150,000 customers since launching five years ago.

"We are pleased the enthusiasm Metro Detroiters have for Detroit Restaurant Week has continued to grow over the years," said Jason Huvaere, Director of Detroit Restaurant Week. "It has been a terrific way for our community to experience the tremendous fine dining restaurants Detroit has to offer. With each campaign we hope we’re developing a new crop of customers who will frequent the restaurants all year long."

Stay tuned for the announcement for a Spring 2012 Detroit Restaurant Week date and more here.

Downtown GAR building gets a makeover

Detroit Free Press Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Downtown Detroit's castle, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Hall at Cass and Grand River Avenue, will be renovated into creative offices for Mindfield, according to the Freep.

After purchasing the GAR building from the City of Detroit for $220,000, developers Tom and David Carleton and Sean Emery said they hope to open in 2013 after a $2 to $3 million renovation. In addition to offices for Mindfield, a boutique media production firm with offices on Library St., the building will include retail and restaurant space, as well as a Civil War memorial to honor the building's history.

Excerpt:

Designed by architect Julius Hess in the castle-like Romanesque style popular in the day, the GAR Building was built in 1899 as a meeting hall for Union Army veterans. As those veterans died off, the building took on other uses, but closed more than 30 years ago.

Find out more here.

Dining : Buzz