The Detroit Foodie

Artichoke Spinach Flatbread
Rosemary confit tomatoes, Boursin spread

Seasonal Popcorn
Candy apple dusted popcorn, salty pistachios

Winter Spaghetti
Fried brussels sprouts, pancetta, Bleu cheese, butter, crushed pine nuts, fresh lemon

Sopressata Ciabatta
Pickled fennel, baby arugula, smoked Gouda, lemon caper aioli

Pepita Quinoa
Toasted pumpkin seeds, roasted yellow beets, feta, honey crisp vinaigrette, pesto crostini

The Michigan
Apple pie bread pudding, warm vanilla bourbon sauce and cinnamon cream

Mackinaw Sundae
Warm fudge brownie, vanilla ice cream, cayenne & salted caramel whipped cream

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Photo Credit: MetroTimes

After receiving a lovely sampling of Chinese black teas, it is my duty as your fellow Detroit blogger to spread the word on the awesomeness of Joseph Wesley Black Tea.

First things first, the branding & package design of this local tea vendor is just exquisite. Attention to detail is evident at every level…from the box the teas arrived in (filled with shredded black paper resembling dried tea leaves) to the logo, canisters, informational brochures, lovely embossed tags, etc. Secondly, the loose leaf teas are divine!

This Detroit-based company, spearheaded by Joe Uhl, was built on the principles of passion, craft and care. Every harvest, Joe travels to India and China to work directly with the region’s black tea growers to ensure a quality product from start to finish.

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N0. 03  -  C L A S S I C   C H I N E S E

An organically-certified tea with a smooth earthy flavor, it is hand-harvested from the mountains of Zhu Jia Jian Island (off the Pacific Archipelago).

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N0. 04  -  D I A N   H O N G   C O N G F U

At the foot of the Himalayas, the great tea masters of the Yunnan Province have been hand-crafting some of the world’s most unique teas for centuries - including the Dian Hong Congfu. It’s my personal favorite, due to its complexity & sweet fruit flavor!

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N0. 06  -  B A I   L I N   C O N G F U 

Thought to be the most famous of all black teas, the Bai-Lin Confu is a lovely tea that is highly aromatic with floral undertones and a rich bold flavor.

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N0. 07  -  L A P S A N G   S O U C H U N G

A traditional and classically made Lapsang Souchung that actually comes from the famed Wu Yi Gardens. This mild tea tastes similar to chamomile, with hints of smoky flavor.

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Where to buy Joseph Wesley Black Tea? Online, The Handmade Co, Pure Detroit (all locations), Urban Bean Co, Fresh Farms Market, and Cafe Jorge.

Dave Mancini is the mastermind behind Detroit’s best pizzeria (Supino’s), and he will be hosting a kick-ass dinner this Friday Nov 22nd at Hamtramck’s newest hotspot pop-up venue, Revolver. Tickets will sell out fast, reserve your spot here. If you haven’t already seen the mouthwatering 5-course menu, check it out below.

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—ONE—

(zuppa di aglio con crostini)
Garlic soup with crouton and butter enriched pasture-raised chicken liver (“faux gras”)

Vegetarian Option: Substitute chicken liver with sauteed mushroom

—TWO—

(lasagne di coniglio)
Braised rabbit layered between sheets of crespelle with herb-laced balsamella

—or—

(chitarra con cacio e pepe)
Guitar-cut pasta with cracked black pepper and greens in a cream sauce (vegetarian)

—THREE—

(insalata arugula)
Arugula salad with squash seeds, pomegranate, pear and parmigiano

—FOUR—

(pollo agrodolce)
Crispy-skinned pasture raised chicken quarter braised in extra-virgin olive oil and served with a crabapple gastrique over coarse polenta

—or—

(sformato di spinaci)
Spinach soufflé with Jerusalem artichoke (vegetarian)

—FIVE—

(dolci gelato di mele arrosto con brutti ma buoni e caramella)
Roasted apple gelato with ‘ugly but good’ walnut meringue and caramel sauce

Local food vendor Sister Pie will be making a limited batch of THANKSGIVING themed pies. Each of pie will highlight seasonal flavors, local ingredients (when possible), and handmade all-butter crusts. Most importantly, the pies are dee-lish! Sister Pie is offering five different pies for Thanksgiving: Salted Maple Pumpkin, Apple Sage Gouda, Cranberry Crumble, Brandy Pecan, Brussels Sprouts & Sweet Potato (savory).
 
FYI: Click here to place your Sister Pie order by November 22nd.

Jessica’s Natural Foods

I have to admit, I’m not the biggest granola fan…BUT, this local company really knows how to make amazingly delicious granola. My two favorites are Motor City Crunch (a delectable chocolate hazelnut combo) and Almond Cherry (just enough sweet, crunch, and deliciousness).

Some awesome facts about Jessica’s Natural Foods Granola:

a.) Gluten-free

b.) No GMOs or Artificial ingredients

c.) Highly addictive….I could eat the whole bag in one sitting, it’s THAT good!

d.) Stop by your local Whole Foods and pick up a few bags : )

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SWEET Artisan Marshmallows

Handmade marshmallows? Yessir. SWEET is known for making artisanal marshmallows that are tasty, airy, and unique! No artificial ingredients of any sort are used in these handcrafted delectable sweets. Be sure to support this local business by ordering a few boxes for upcoming holidays, birthdays, and special occasions. Flavors I would HIGHLY recommend getting: 1.) Hibiscus 2.) Lemon 3.) Chocolate Cake 4.) Lavender

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McCabe’s

A local Midwest company, McCabe’s strives to give you THE BEST possible product that is both healthy & delicious. Love the fact that they focus on using ALL natural ingredients! Olive Oil, Honey, Dried Fruit, Sunflower Seeds, etc…no chemicals or artificial fillers in these granola mixes. Out of all the flavors, my two favorites are True Original and Delta Blueberry. The best way to enjoy these delicious treats: straight out of the bag, sprinkled on top of ice cream, or mixed with yogurt for a light snack! : )

FYI: Buy McCabe’s granola mix at Krogers & Whole Foods.

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Looking for more awesome food vendors, check out this list!

If you’re looking for a great place for lunch on this dreary windy Friday, then stop by at Trinosophes (pronounced TREE-NO-SOFS) between 11am-2pm!

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Parsnip Cauliflower Soup with Beet Crisps $5
Served with Bread & Herbed Butter
 
Salad $10 
Zucchini Potato Latkes with Smoked Michigan Lake Trout Salad 
 
Lemon Grass Rice Noodle Bowl $10
Pork Belly or Fried Tofu, Garlicky Collards, Butternut Squash, Scallion 

****Both pork broth and non-pork broth contain fish sauce.
 
Kimchi Rueben Sammy $8
Corned beef or Brinery tempeh, Housemade Kimchi, Masdaamer Swiss, Chili Mayo

-Add side of Salad Greens for $2

Stop by Cliff Bells on Monday (October 28th) at 7pm for a wonderful pop-up dinner hosted by Native Kitchen, Guerilla Food Cart, and Social Sushi! There will be a live dj set accompanying the dinner, along with a full menu of amazingly prepared dishes.

Check out all the details here!

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The Detroit Area Art Deco Society will be hosting its third annual Wine Stroll with the theme of Art, Architecture and Great Wines at variety of Detroit restaurants and historic venues on Saturday at 1pm.

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Stop by the DIA on Saturday between Noon and 4pm for a Sugar Skull making workshop in preparation for Dia de los Muertos. Also, be sure to visit all the beautiful ofrendas on display at the museum!

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This will be the last event of the season! Enjoy authentic Thai & Laotion cuisine at the Midwest Buddhist Meditation Center Marketfrom 10am-1pm on Sunday. My favs are their highly addictive Fried Plantains (with hints of toasted sesame & coconut) and Spicy Papaya Salad, A-M-A-Z-I-N-G-!

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Part of the Detroit SOUP neighborhood series, Sunday’s soup dinner at 6pm will be taking place 19120 Grand River Ave (in Grandmont-Rosedale). This special installment of Detroit SOUP will also feature a Halloween theme. As usual, $5 gets you soup, salad, and a vote!

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Every Sunday from 5pm-10pm, Motor City Wine hosts a rotating guest list of pop-up dinners, carefully curated by local chefs.

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Two guys cooking vegan & vegetarian pizzas out of Woodbridge Pub every Sunday evening from 5-10pm. Check their FB page for the weekly changing menu : )

After much hype surrounding Ottava Via, we finally decided to see for ourselves what this Italian Restaurant/Pizzeria had to offer. First impression, love how they transformed this former bank into a beautiful restaurant with an open space, rustic feel, and pretty sweet patio. But, they seem to have opened on the ever growing Mich Ave retail front to be part of the trendy Corktown movement, rather than trying to be a great food establishment.

Prices were fairly reasonable, service was good, but the food was disappointing! Instead of focusing on one vision for their restaurant, they’ve decided to position themselves as a tapas bar AND a charcuterie place AND a pannini shop AND a pizzeria AND an Italian Restaurant AND the list goes on…in the process, the food quality has suffered.

From what we sampled the Caprese Salad (made with their homemade Mozzarella) left little to be desired, Ragu alla Bolognese was all around repulsive (the meat tasted old & the sauce was sour - def NOT a good sign), while the Pizza Rustica (Potato, Pancetta, Egg, Rosemary and Smoked Provolone) was just okay. Although arugula was not an ingredient topping, a HUGE heaping of it was thrown on top of the pizza…why???

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Location: 1400 Michigan Ave Detroit, MI 48216 | Phone: (313) 962-5500