Hour Detroit // January 2022

POLITICS PREVIEW 7 BURNING QUESTIONS ANSWERED

SUSTAINABLE SUSHI A CURATED EXPERIENCE IN CLAWSON

MODEL MONIQUE POUR

THE TRENDSETTER SHARES HER STYLE SECRETS

JANUARY 2022

 Aspiring restaurateur and pandemic-inspired TikTok star Jon Kung

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COMING SOON

SIX DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS OPENING THIS YEAR

Detroiters Meet 2022’s Hour

Mike Duggan, Dan and Jennifer Gilbert, Shirley Woodson, Jon Kung, and eight other metro Detroit dwellers making Motown better, more interesting, and more fun

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AM

HOUR D E T R O I T

VOLUME THIRTY ONE | ISSUE ONE

BEST of

DETROIT 2022

Cast your votes fo Best of Detroit sta PUBLISHER: John Balardo

INTERIM EDITOR IN CHIEF: Kathryn Walsh

SENIOR EDITOR & DIGITAL CONTENT COORDINATOR: Emma Klug NEWS & FEATURES EDITOR: Steve Friess

ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Rachael Thomas, Ashley Winn COPY EDITOR: Olivia Sedlacek

EDITORIAL INTERN: Juliana Lumaj

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Lindsay Richards ART DIRECTOR: Keagan Coop

FEBRUARY 1 EDITORIAL DESIGNER: Michaela Bunger

CONTRIBUTORS: George Bulanda, Jennifer Conlin, Tammy

Coxen, Heather Gatley, Dorothy Hernandez, Ryan Patrick

Hopper, Kailey Howell, Rachel Idzerda, Lindsay Kalter, Matt

LaVere, Ryan Olbrysh, Sal Rodriguez, Rebecca Simonov, Mark Spezia, Sarah Steimer, Hayden Stinebaugh, Megan Swoyer ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Jason Hosko PUBLISHING AND SALES COORDINATOR: Kristin Mingo

at HourDetroit.co

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Cynthia Barnhart, Regan Blissett,

Karli Brown, Lisa LaBelle, Maya Gossett, Donna Kassab, Mary Pantely & Associates

OUTREACH SPECIALISTS: Paige Fritts, Alice Zimmer IT DIRECTOR: Jeremy Leland DIGITAL DIRECTOR: Nick Britsky DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Matthew Cappo WEB PROJECT ASSISTANTS: Mariah Knott, Luanne Lim, Bart Woinski DIGITAL MEDIA COORDINATOR: Travis Cleveland VIDEO PRODUCER: Ken Bowery VIDEO EDITOR: Ryan Mitchell PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: Jenine Rhoades SENIOR PRODUCTION ARTISTS: Stephanie Daniel, Robert Gorczyca

Cast your votes for the Best of Detroit starting

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ADVERTISING COORDINATOR: Erica Soroka GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Jim Bibart PRS GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Alexa Dyer DIRECTOR OF AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT: Michelle VanArman CIRCULATION MANAGER: Riley Meyers CIRCULATION COORDINATORS: Barbie Baldwin, Elise Coyle, Cathy Krajenke, Nia Jones, Rachel Moulden MARKETING & EVENTS MANAGER: Melissa Novak MARKETING & EVENTS COORDINATORS:

FEBRUARY 1ST

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Kelsey Cocke, Drake Lambright MARKETING RESEARCH MANAGER: Ana Potter MARKETING RESEARCH ASSISTANT: Gabby Hejnar MARKETING RESEARCH SALES COORDINATOR: Hannah Thomas MARKETING RESEARCH COORDINATOR: Georgia Iden DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS: Kathie Gorecki ASSISTANT OFFICE MANAGER: Natasha Bajju

at HourDetroit.com

SENIOR ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATE: Andrew Kotzian ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATE: Estefano Lopez ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT: Samantha Dick DISTRIBUTION: Target Distribution, Troy HOUR MEDIA CEO: Stefan Wanczyk | PRESIDENT: John Balardo 575 0 N E W K I N G D R I V E , T R OY, M I 4 8 0 9 8 T E L E P H O N E : 2 4 8 - 6 9 1 - 1 8 0 0 FA X : 2 4 8 - 6 9 1 - 4 5 3 1 E M A I L : E D I T O R I A L @ H O U R D E T R O I T.C O M O N T H E W E B : H O U R D E T R O I T.C O M To sell Hour Detroit magazine or for subscription inquiries: 248-588-1851

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H OUR DE T R O I T.C O M

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01.22

CONTENTS I S S U E T WO H U N D R E D N I N E T Y E I G H T

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Aspiring restaurateur and pandemic TikTok star Jon Kung has landed a mini streaming series and a book deal — plus a spot as one of this year’s Hour Detroiters.

26 Hour

Detroiters 2022

History-making politicians.

Record-breaking philanthropists and their lieutenants. A searing hot TikTok sensation and an unlikely multimedia star. An awardwinning architect.

A community organizer and a doctor addressing key post-pandemic needs. Here are 13 people who make Motown better, more interesting and more fun.

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H OUR DE T R O I T.C O M

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COVER, PORTRAIT SAL RODRIGUEZ

12/10/21 2:42 PM

Connoisseur or just cannabis curious?

We got you.

Ann Arbor Hazel Park anewstandard.com

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12/1/21 3:19 PM

01.22

CONTENTS I S S U E T WO H U N D R E D N I N E T Y E I G H T

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Up Front BURNING 10 QUESTIONS

Can Whitmer win again? Will Detroit embrace recreational pot shops? Do any pro sports teams score a winning record? An expert panel predicts.

66 THE POWER OF WORDS

A local singer shares her her journey to becoming an “affirmation musician.”

24/Seven

Food&Drink

I NEED MY 20 SPACE: ARMINA KASPROWICZ

68 SCOTCH SEASON

The holidays are behind us, but ‘tis the time to get into a different kind of the spirit.

This interior designer mixes beauty and practicality to create an efficient home office.

SKI YA LATER 22

69 FARMACY TO TABLE

Farmacy Food is not a restaurant, a caterer, or a cafe — it’s all of the above.

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70 FLOWER POWER

A longstanding staple in many cultures, hibiscus is popping up in everything from drinks to donuts.

A new year calls for a new look, so here’s our take on one of this season’s most popular styles — après ski.

71 RESTAURANT REVIEW: SOZAI

Leave your preconceived notions at the door and take one of 13 seats at this Clawson newcomer’s custom-built sushi bar.

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Art and fashion take over at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Plus, our 2022 arts preview.

Here’s what to expect at local ski areas this year.

Plus, the best sledding hills in metro Detroit.

COMING SOON 16

The model and creative director works her magic in front and behind the camera.

62 CULTURE CALENDAR

64 SNOW NEWS IS GOOD NEWS

Hubs for innovation, recreation, and social justice — plus Amazon! — highlight a busy 2022 ahead of openings.

MI STYLE: 21 MONIQUE POUR

Agenda

77 R E STAU R A N T L I ST I N G S 93 M I D N I G H T H O U R 96 T H E WAY I T WA S 1984, Plymouth Ice Festival

FOOD HAYDEN STINEBAUGH ILLUSTRATION RYAN OLBRYSH FASHION JOHNNY DUFORT/COURTESY OF MIU MIU

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01.22 From Our Readers

LOOKING FOR A

REAL ESTATE AGENT?

Behind the Scenes CATCH HIM IF YOU CAN. Photographing Mayor Mike Duggan amid his many engagements was an exercise in time management, but photographer Sal Rodriguez finally got his 15 minutes with His Honor. “Before the mayor came into the room, his assistants literally gave me a list of things he dislikes the most, and guess what? Photos were at the top,” Rodriguez laughs.

“Thanks for posting this (‘The Way It Was — Detroit’s Chinatown, 1962,’ November). That’s a picture of my family’s store, Wah Lee, in old Chinatown. We also owned Chung’s, which moved from the old Chinatown to the new Chinatown, in 1960. I am currently writing a memoir about growing up at Chung’s, that mentions this move.”

—Curtis Chin, hourdetroit.com “[Allie McGhee] inspired me to keep going in the creativity of my art (‘A Cranbrook Exhibit Tracks the Artistic Evolution of the Prolific Allie McGhee,’ November).”

—Dawud Shabazz, hourdetroit.com

L U X U R Y R E A L E S T A T E. R E D E F I N E D.

“The most incredible dinner I’ve ever had in Michigan (‘The Dixboro Project Brings a Big Vision to a Small Washtenaw County Village,’ November).”

—tonka_lelcaj, Instagram

Follow us online at hourdetroit.com or on social media: @hourdetroit @hour_detroit @hourdetroitmagazine

CONTRIBUTORS

248.289.0660 tushar@tvahomes.com www.tusharvakhariya.com 210 S. Old Woodward Suite 200 Birmingham, MI 48009

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WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2022?

Sal Rodriguez

PHOTOGRAPHED “HOUR DETROITERS” (PAGE 26) “Finally being able to use my partial season Tigers tickets.

I had to push back the last two seasons because of the pandemic. Is it too early for me to call it? The Tigers will make it to the postseason in 2022!”

Born and raised on Detroit’s East Side, Sal Rodriguez is known for a unique style that he puts to work for clients as varied as Red Bull, General Motors, and Hour Detroit.

Sarah Steimer

WROTE TWO “HOUR DETROITERS” PROFILES (PAGE 26) “In 2022, I’m looking forward to hosting flawless dip parties and manifesting a chance encounter with Céline Dion.”

Sarah Steimer is a Chicagobased freelance writer and editor. Her work has appeared in publications such as Chicago magazine, The Takeout, and Columbus Monthly.

Dorothy Hernandez EDITOR AND WRITER FOR THE FOOD & DRINK SECTION (STARTING ON PAGE 67)

“I am excited for the opportunity to contribute to Hour’s Food Section — which was always my favorite section of the magazine.” Dorothy Hernandez is journalist based in metro Detroit who frequently writes about food for both local and national publications, including Eater, Thrillist, and Midwest Living.

She was managing editor of Hour Detroit from 2015 to 2017.

BTS SAL RODRIGUEZ CONTRIBUTORS COURTESY OF CONTRIBUTORS

12/8/21 10:19 AM

01.22 NEWS, NOTES, AND PERSONALITIES

Up Front 2022 PR EVI EW

A LOOK AT THE YEAR AHEAD Will Whitmer be reelected? Will any Detroit team have a winning record? Will the Joe Louis Greenway (pictured here in a rendering) really start coming to fruition? Sit down and soak up our special section greeting the new year.

7 B U R N I N G Q U E ST I O N S p. 10 6 B I G O P E N I N G S p. 16

RENDERING COURTESY OF CITY OF DETROIT

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Up Front

2022 PREVIEW

7 Burning Questions for 2022 Will Gretchen Whitmer be reelected? Will Detroit allow recreational pot shops to open? How will Coleman Young II and once-nemesis Mike Duggan get along? Our panelists make their predictions.

BY STEVE FRIESS | ILLUSTRATIONS BY RYAN OLBRYSH

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEARS get the most ink, but a year like 2022 has the potential to set the tone and direction for the entire decade in Michigan. The governor’s race, which once seemed like it would be a referendum on whether Gretchen Whitmer had fulfilled her 2018 promise to “fix the damn roads,” will instead

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largely be a public judgment on her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Redistricting will also kick in, potentially giving certain parties and certain current officeholders happiness or heartburn. And changes on the Detroit City Council, as a result of the 2021 elections, promise to make life interesting for Mayor Mike Duggan.

For the third consecutive year, Hour Detroit assembled a crack panel from around the state and across the political spectrum to offer predictions on how it will all shake out. It’s a somewhat thankless task, but they had as much fun making these guesses as we think you’ll have reading them.

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Up Front

1. HOW WILL DETROIT CITY COUNCILMEMBER COLEMAN YOUNG II AND MAYOR MIKE DUGGAN GET ALONG? Super duper!

YOUNG, THE SON of the city’s first Black and longest-serving mayor, took some brutal shots at Duggan, now the city’s second-longest-serving mayor, during their 2017 faceoff. Now Young will be an at-large member of the Council — that is, elected by the entire city — and will have to work either with or against Duggan. How’s that going to go?

Swimmingly! “I think they’re going to get along just well, I really do,” says radio host Mildred Gaddis. “People are going to be surprised that the relationship is better than people believe it is.” Says Hazel Park City Councilmember Luke Londo: “He and Mayor Duggan share a lot of the same priorities, including vaccinating residents, breaking down barriers with the police, and continuing to move the city forward. It won’t be all sunshine and roses, but it will be productive.”

Columnists Darren Nichols and Nancy Kaffer, who interviewed Young for the Detroit Free Press, en route to the paper’s endorsement of his candidacy for City Council, say the 39-year-old former state senator has matured into a calmer, less bombastic politician. “Does he challenge the mayor on some of the things that he is doing?

Yes, he will,” Nichols says. “To me, the question becomes, Do you get a softer, gentler legislator that criticizes the mayor in a more pragmatic way? The question is what the style will be.” Kaffer agrees: “He’s a very personable, friendly guy, and Mike Duggan is obviously an extremely savvy politician who knows he needs a supportive council. Both of these guys are too professional.”

That’s not to say there won’t be disputes.

Young is part of a progressive shift on the council in a city that also overwhelmingly reelected a decidedly pro-business moderate to the top job. “You’re going to see issues raised that you wouldn’t have seen in previous councils,” podcaster Jer Staes says. Young and Duggan will “have to feel each other out quite a bit” on issues such as overcharged property taxes. But, Staes says, Young is “a smart politician. He knows how to horse trade. He’s in the catbird seat to win a lot of concessions.”

There’s another obvious reason for Young to tone it down and get into Duggan’s good graces: He’ll almost certainly run to replace Duggan, if the popular

DUGGAN COURTESY OF THE CITY OF DETROIT YOUNG COURTESY OF COLEMAN YOUNG

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incumbent chooses not to run again in 2025 or 2029. “Coleman Young is going to put that into his calculations,” GOP strategist Dennis Darnoi says. To that end, Democratic strategist Joe DiSano says, “Spending four years being the anti-Duggan, when the public has overwhelming rewarded Duggan, is simply silly.”

THE INCREASINGLY conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule in 2022 on cases from Texas and Mississippi involving laws restricting the legal right to abortion. If they do away with Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark case that found a constitutional right for a woman to terminate her pregnancy, our panel says, it will be a political atomic bomb in favor of the Democrats, the likes of which have been rarely seen in American politics. “Michigan would presumably revert to its previous 1931 law, which bans abortion except when the woman’s life is at risk,” urban policy expert Tom Ivacko says.

“In such a scenario, I would expect a very large Democratic turnout, although GOP voters might also be extra motivated to maintain control of the 2. IF ROE V. WADE legislature, too. Either IS STRUCK DOWN, way, abortion rights DOES THAT would be a key issue, if IMPACT THE not the key issue, in the 2022 ELECTIONS 2022 elections.”

IN MICHIGAN? Londo, a former GOP Uh, yeah. staffer, doubts there’s an upside for Republicans.

“You’ll see Oakland County become firmly blue, Grand Traverse and Isabella back in the blue column, and even counties like Midland, Bay, Calhoun, and Macomb coming way closer than they ever should,” he says. “This could be the single biggest driver for Democratic turnout we’ve seen in a generation.” Darnoi agrees, noting that the GOP is poised to have a wave year — unless this happens. “It takes the conversation off the economy, off education, off Gretchen Whitmer.”

Kaffer is more circumspect, though. The outcome depends on new redistricting maps — which had not been approved as of press time — because the current ones are heavily gerrymandered to bolster and protect Republican majorities in the legislature. Fairer maps would be big for Democrats, who would need to take control in Lansing in order to legalize abortion. “If we have different maps that more accurately reflect the political breakdown of our population, then yeah, I think Roe being struck down may actually make a difference.”

Meet the Experts Dennis Darnoi is a Republican political consultant based in Farmington Hills.

Joe DiSano is a Democratic political consultant based in Lansing.

Mildred Gaddis is host of The Mildred Gaddis Show on KissFM (105.9) as well as a longtime fixture on Black talk radio in Detroit.

Matt Grossmann is a political science professor at Michigan State University in East Lansing.

Adrian Hemond is a Democratic political consultant and CEO of Grassroots Midwest, based in Lansing.

Tom Ivacko is executive director of the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Nancy Kaffer is a columnist and member of the editorial board for the Detroit Free Press.

Luke Londo is a member of the Hazel Park City Council and a former staffer for Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and U.S. Rep. Dan Benishek — both Republicans.

Darren Nichols was a longtime City Hall reporter for The Detroit News and is now a contributing columnist for the Detroit Free Press.

Jer Staes is producer and host of the Daily Detroit podcast.

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Up Front

2021

Hindsight WE ASKED MOST of the same panel to weigh in last January on a range of questions about 2021, and unlike in 2020, when they failed to predict a global pandemic or mass racial unrest, our gang didn’t fare too badly.

Here’s a review:

Where will Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s approval rating stand by January 2022?

Our experts uniformly predicted she would remain “above water,” meaning that her favorability would be higher than her unfavorability. She has — but only barely.

In the most recent poll as of press time, Whitmer was at 47.9 percent viewing her favorably, down from 58.7 percent one year earlier. Her unfavorables, at 38.3 percent in September 2020, had climbed to 46.3 percent. Still, 47.9 is higher than 46.3, so we were right.

What will John James do?

The consensus last year was that the only Michigan man ever to lose backto-back U.S. Senate races would spend 2021 casting about for something else to run for or, perhaps, move into national or state party leadership.

That did not happen.

James has made no moves toward any 2022 runs and was most recently in the news for launching a political action committee called Mission First, People Always in March 2021 to raise money for conservative candidates. It appears to be a low-key operation, though, with just 186 Twitter followers and nothing new on its website since the launch.

Oakland University’s David Dulio probably came closest here when he said, “I could see him just going back to his business career and having had enough of politics for a while.”

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3. DOES GRETCHEN WHITMER GET REELECTED? Probably, but it’ll be close.

OUR ORIGINAL QUESTION was actually “Gretchen Whitmer versus James Craig: Who wins?” but that had to be amended, because some of our panelists aren’t entirely sure the former Detroit police chief will be the Republican nominee. While Craig is clearly the frontrunner and establishment favorite to take on Whitmer — he’d raised $1.4 million as of late October, including maximum contributions from former GOP Govs. John Engler and Rick Snyder — many say he’s been a lackluster campaigner and has yet to answer for a big spike in violent crime plaguing the Motor City.

There is room, then, for another hopeful to build a following. Darnoi, for instance, suggests that auto dealer Kevin Rinke, who has said he is willing to self-fund his campaign to the tune of $10 million, could turn out to be “Michigan’s Glenn Youngkin” — that is, a wealthy first-time Republican candidate who muscles out a favored Democrat for the gubernatorial seat, as the Virginia governor did in 2021.

Still, Darnoi — and almost every other panelist — believes Whitmer will win, regardless of her opponent, perhaps in a close race. The skyhigh popularity she enjoyed at the height of the COVID-19 crisis in 2020 has waned considerably, but she has a stunning $12 million campaign war chest and doesn’t need to waste it on a primary, while the Republicans duke it out. She also has history on her side: Michigan has not failed to reelect an incumbent governor since Engler unseated Democrat James Blanchard in 1990.

Both DiSano and Kaffer believe Whitmer faces a stiffer challenge, in part because, after a 2020 of bold fiats aimed at diminishing the spread of the pandemic, she spent 2021 avoiding hard choices and relegating decisions about mask and vaccine mandates to localities. In doing so, she “undercut her hard-earned COVID fighter credentials,” weakening herself with her base, DiSano says.

Agrees Kaffer: “She’s more vulnerable than she has to be.”

That being said, none of the current GOP contenders seem likely to unseat an indefatigable and savvy campaigner who will be able to tout the billions she’s gotten from Washington to fulfill her “fix the damn roads” pledge from 2018.

Also coming to fruition on Whitmer’s watch was bipartisan auto-insurance reform and a recovering post-COVID economy.

Craig is “just not a very well-vetted candidate, not a candidate that has a lot of experience, not a candidate that comes with a built-in fundraising network,” Democratic consultant Adrian Hemond says. “It’s not impossible for him to win, but he’s gonna need those tailwinds” from an

anti-Democratic wave election to win. Some believe Craig — a Black law-and-order conservative with roots in Detroit — can dent Democratic loyalty among Detroit voters, but Nichols is dubious.

“Republicans also are discounting the groundlevel chatter among the minority masses who are living in some of the worst neighborhoods in Detroit, where James Craig is not very popular,” he says. What’s more, Craig may need to become more “Trumpy” — that is, openly question the results of the 2020 election and align with the anti-immigration, anti-diversity credo of the 45th president — and that would turn off independent suburban voters, Staes says.

Michigan State University political scientist Matt Grossmann is our only panelist predicting a Whitmer loss. “It will be a referendum on the national Democrats, and history suggests that you go toward the Republicans,” he says, adding that the winners of 18 of 20 of the past Michigan gubernatorial elections were of the opposite party of the sitting president. His caveat: Craig, who he also thinks will get the nod, hasn’t shown himself a worthy opponent yet. “I’m not that impressed so far.”

4. HOW ABOUT JOCELYN BENSON AND/OR DANA NESSEL? Depends on Whitmer.

WHITMER’S FATE is largely seen as a bellwether for that of Secretary of State Benson and Attorney General Nessel, Nichols and others say. If the national mood is so sour for Democrats that Whitmer is booted, the other two statewide constitutional officers have little chance of survival.

If Whitmer prevails, so too will the rest of the ticket, although most panelists say Benson is safer, if only because the Republicans seem set to nominate one of two wildly right-wing, very Trumpy candidates in either GOP activist Kristina Karamo or state Rep. Beau LaFave. Karamo, who has the Trump endorsement, recently spoke at a conference for adherents of QAnon, a cultlike right-wing movement steeped in disinformation and conspiracy theories, Darnoi says. In another year, Benson might have had to deal with criticism of how the Department of Motor Vehicles has functioned, but her willingness to stand up to Trump’s WHITMER COURTESY OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN

12/9/21 9:07 AM

Up Front

Will Detroit Police Chief James Craig still be in charge by 2022?

Two of our folks — Democratic political operative Joe DiSano and podcaster Jer Staes — both thought Duggan might fire Craig if the chief’s resistance to police reform amid the Black Lives Matter movement and/or the soaring crime rate in the city became too politically hot. Others figured he was safe and unlikely to depart. Nobody suggested what actually happened: He retired of his own volition and became the Republican front-runner to take on Whitmer for governor in 2022.

Who will be affected most by congressional redistricting?

debunked claims of voter fraud in Michigan in the 2020 election are probably going to be the more germane issue, Kaffer says.

Nessel may struggle more, the gang thinks. Of the three, she is the most stridently progressive and prevailed in the trio’s closest race in 2018, so a red wave could be bigger trouble for her, especially if she faces a rematch against former Michigan House Speaker Tom Leonard, Darnoi says.

“Tom Leonard has a really credible claim as to why he might be in the best position to challenge her, and now she has a record that conservatives can really dislike,” Darnoi says. The trouble for Leonard, though, is that Trump has endorsed Matt DePerno, who has vocally backed the former president’s untrue claims about the 2020 election, and “if Tom has to outflank the insanity and inanity of Matt DePerno to get the GOP nomination, he’s going to struggle in the general,” Londo says.

DiSano is an outlier on our panel, saying Benson is more vulnerable because of the DMV drama. Nessel, he says, is a more dogged, confrontational, and thus more effective campaigner.

5. DO ANY RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA SHOPS OPEN IN DETROIT THIS YEAR? Unlikely.

DETROIT HAS STRUGGLED since the legalization of nonmedicinal pot as Duggan and the Council attempt to create a framework for issuing licenses that gives advantages and opportunities to minorities, long-term residents, and those whose lives were disrupted by prosecution for weedrelated crime. A court rejected one such plan as unconstitutional, leaving the state’s largest city unable to partake in the marijuana gold rush.

“I don’t see it happening in 2022 because I don’t think the political will is there,” Nichols says.

“They are concerned with the lack of minority participation in the industry. That’s a very big issue, but the question becomes, How do you change it?” Staes agrees that figuring out a scheme that accomplishes that and passes legal muster will take more than another year. “The big hang-up is how to craft a system that includes legacy Detroiters and people of diverse backgrounds without running afoul of the court,” he says.

Darnoi, however, is more optimistic. “They’re really behind all the other communities, but the opportunity is there and the money to do it is certainly there, so yeah, it will be done in this upcoming year.”

And Londo, the councilmember, has a snarky ulterior motive for rooting against Detroit working things out: “I hope not, because Hazel Park is grateful for the continued business of Detroit residents who seek our multitude of superior marijuana products.”

The group agreed metro Detroit would suffer, because the census would result in Michigan losing one of its 14 seats in Congress and said seat would come out of southeast Michigan. The state did lose a seat, but the redistricting commission hasn’t finalized any new maps, and litigation over whether the city of Detroit retains two minority-majority districts is still unclear at press time.

Will we hear much from Gary Peters again before 2026?

Everyone thought so, given how he eked out a win over James, by 1.7 percentage points, to earn a second term, after spending his election cycle having to remind everyone who he is because he has one of the U.S. Senate’s lowest profiles. He did enjoy some attention as the chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and he certainly appeared a bit more on cable news than before. If he shows up on the campaign trail for Whitmer and other Democrats in 2022, he’ll seem to have learned his lesson about staying in the news, but at the moment, Michiganders could be forgiven if they’ve gone back to asking, “Gary who?”

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Up Front

Will Mayor Mike Duggan be reelected?

Yup. As predicted, he’s only the second Detroit mayor ever to win three or more terms.

That’s why he’s on this month’s cover, as one of Hour Detroiters.

What does Justin Amash do next?

A year ago, this was actually an interesting question. Amash was the OG Liz Cheney — a lifelong Republican who couldn’t stomach Donald Trump’s takeover of the party. By the time he voted to impeach Trump in December 2019 over his efforts to solicit Ukraine to dig up dirt on Joe Biden, Amash had left the GOP. Then, he decided not to run for reelection and briefly flirted with a bid for the 2020 presidential nomination of the Libertarian Party.

In the end, he just left office quietly. Our panel thought he might end up at a think tank, but there’s no indication that’s the case. A “Coming soon” sign greets visitors to Amash’s website, and his political involvement appears to be limited to tweeting about D.C. dysfunction and questioning the constitutionality of federal vaccine mandates.

Will Line 5 actually be shut down?

Our panelists were dubious, and rightly so. There’s been little movement on the issue, even with a Democratic presidential administration more sympathetic to the desire of close ally Whitmer to stop fuel flowing through the Straits of Mackinac. Enbridge, which owns Line 5, got Trudeau in Canada to invoke a 1977 treaty requiring the U.S. to keep the 68-year-old pipeline operating, for now, and enter binational negotiations about its future.

An April assessment by the U.S. House found that moving fuel without the pipeline would require 2,100 tankers and 800 railcars, calling into question the environmental benefit of its closure. And there’s one other concern: Shutting down the pipeline would send the Upper Peninsula’s energy prices soaring, at a time of already high costs and inflation.

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THE PANDEMIC that dominated the news in 2020 and 2021 will morph into an endemic virus that requires vigilance and regular booster shots, but it won’t be the mass killer it has been — at least in the U.S. “It will still be a part of our lives, and I believe that we’ll still be wearing masks,” Gaddis says. Kaffer agrees. “It will become just one more risk that you manage, like you do all the other risks in your life.”

Politically, “the salience will continue 6. WHAT IS to decline,” Grossmann COVID-19 BY says. It will be a THE END OF presence in the 2022? A dull governor’s race, because headache. so much of Whitmer’s bid for a second term will rely on what people thought of her leadership in the crisis, Darnoi and others predict, but the voters will be looking backward at the events and policies around COVID, rather than ahead.

“COVID-19 will still be on the radar by the end of 2022, but after nearly three years, it will have faded in terms of dominating headlines,” Ivacko says. “The 2022 election outcomes will be the hot topic — including what they mean for Trump and his hold on the GOP looking toward 2024.”

If it’s not, though — if COVID resurges and continues to cause a large amount of death and economic pain — then, DiSano warns, “Democrats are dead in the water. That’s the simple answer.”

7. WILL ANY MICHIGAN PRO SPORTS TEAM HAVE A WINNING RECORD IN 2022?

Think soccer!

MOST OF OUR PANELISTS heard this question, thought of the pathetic 2021 performances of Detroit’s entry in the four major sports leagues — the Tigers, Lions, Red Wings, and Pistons — and groped for some optimism. Both Nichols and Ivacko, for instance, say the Tigers, who finished strong last year, will “get over the hump in 2022, and it will be a fun summer at Comerica,” as Ivacko puts it. Hemond thinks the Pistons might “crack .500.” And Londo laid down a marker that could haunt him when Hour Detroit revisits these answers in January 2023: “Mark my words — the Red Wings will have a winning record and make the playoffs.”

But there actually is an easy answer to this question, one that only Londo and Staes went for: Detroit City Football Club. The team, which turns 10 this year and has never had a losing record, was the National Independent Soccer Association’s 2021 champ. Londo admits a slight conflict of interest — he owns a share of the team — so let’s just go with Staes on this: “It’s fun to be a Detroit City FC fan, and more people should be one because we can have a local sports team that won’t make us cry in our beer every week.”

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12/6/21 12:14 PM

Up Front

2022 PREVIEW

COMING SOON

Hubs and havens for innovation, recreation, and social justice – plus mixed-use affordable housing and Amazon – highlight a busy 2022 of openings

BY STEVE FRIESS | ILLUSTRATION BY HEATHER GATLEY

Another year, another litany of new construction projects coming to fruition. For a city that, not long ago, was a development inertia wasteland, Detroit is now such a busy place for construction that it’s impossible to keep up with all of it — or when it’s supposed to be done. That’s what we’re here for! Here are six of the most interesting (to us!) projects expected to open in 2022.

PROJECT:

JOE LOUIS GREENWAY

WHAT IT IS: A planned 27.5-mile biking and

hiking loop around metro Detroit, starting at the Detroit Riverfront and passing through Dearborn, Hamtramck, and Highland Park. A mere idea in 2007, it will begin to take official shape this year.

WHAT OPENS IN 2022: By fall, three pieces of the JLG are expected to be accessible to the public: a half-mile segment between Tireman Avenue and Joy Road, in Detroit that includes landscaping and stormwater management, which is half the planned segment between Joy and Warren roads that is expected to be done in 2023; a 1.6-mile segment of Joseph Campau Avenue between Carpenter Avenue and Hamtramck Drive in Hamtramck; and the Southwest Greenway, a below-grade 0.67-mile path stretching from Bagley Street to Jefferson Avenue to connect Corktown to the West Riverfront. Eventually, that segment will terminate in Wilson Centennial Park, which won’t open until 2024.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “This is popping out in multiple spots this year,” says JLG Project Manager Christina Peltier.

“As more pieces come online each year, it’ll start to connect.”

PRICE: Overall, the JLG will cost as much as $210 million. The full Warren-Joy segment will cost $14 million, the Southwest Greenway is a $6 million project, and the Hamtramck bike lanes came in at about $409,000.

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JOE LOUIS GREENWAY COURTESY OF CITY OF DETROIT DREAMTROIT COURTESY OF KRAEMER DESIGN GROUP LOVE BUILDING COURTESY OF DESIGNING JUSTICE, DESIGNING SPACES

12/8/21 10:44 AM

Up Front

PROJECT:

FORD’S MOBILITY INNOVATION DISTRICT

WHAT IT IS: A “walkable” 30-acre Corktown campus an-

chored by the renovated, iconic Michigan Central Station that will serve as the legendary automaker’s hub for research and development for a range of new mobility products, from self-driving cars to non-gas vehicles. In all, the district will offer more than 1 million square feet of commercial space and host some 5,000 workers.

WHEN: Two buildings — the Book Depository and the Bagley Mobility Hub — are expected to be open by summer. The Book Depository is an Albert Kahn structure, originally used as a post office and then as the school district’s books warehouse but which has been vacant since a 1987 fire. It stands adjacent to the defunct train depot and, after renovation, will boast shared workspaces, a rooftop lounge, a library, and formal meeting rooms. The six-story, 440,000-squarefoot parking hub, at the corner of Bagley and Wabash streets, will have space for 1,253 cars and an autonomous vehicle testing area and e-bike and e-scooter stations.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “The Book Depository is going to be the heart of the innovation district, a mixed-use makerspace for partners to come in and solve problems,” Mary Culler, now president of the Ford Motor Co. Fund, tells the Associated Press. “This project is really pivotal for Ford and the city.”

PRICE: $740 million for completion of the entire complex.

The Bagley Mobility Hub will cost $44.9 million; the automaker has not broken out the cost of the Book Depository renovation. Ford is expected to tap some $250 million in tax incentives from federal, state, and city sources to offset the cost.

PROJECT:

LOVE BUILDING

WHAT IT IS: A 25,000-square-foot Core City reconstruction, at

Grand River Avenue and 15th Street, of a notoriously muralcoated 100-year-old building that was long an artist colony. It was bought for $1 million by the international social justice nonprofit Allied Media Projects, and when finished, the four-story Love Building — so named because the word was spelled out in sign language across the old structure, in one of the murals — will include office space for a quintet of Detroit nonprofits, a deli counter and cafe, a multipurpose community room, a pocket park, and an amphitheater.

WHEN: Move-in expected July 2022. The project was originally slated for completion in September 2021 but was delayed by supply chain woes.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “We envisioned a building that’s a hub for social justice organizing and organizations that share a common core of values,” Jenny Lee, co-executive director for Allied Media Projects, tells Model D. PRICE: $12.8 million PROJECT:

DREAMTROIT

WHAT IT IS: A mixed-use development with 81 apartments, as well

as 38,000 square feet of commercial space, in the Northwest Goldberg neighborhood. It stands on the site of a storied car factory, built in 1908, whicj once rolled out Ford Model Ts. The building, in recent years, has housed Recycling Here, which will remain in the complex, along with a coffee shop, a smoothie bar, OSI ART APARTMENTS COURTESY OF CITY OF DETROIT AMAZON DISTRIBUTION CENTER COURTESY OF STERLING GROUP

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 Osi Art Apartments will bring sleek affordable housing to the Woodbridge neighborhood‘s West End Gallery District.

an event space, and an expansion of the Lincoln Street Art Park.

Of the 81 units, 58 will be available to people at various ranges of income below the area median — with a preference given to artists interested in establishing “live-make” spaces.

WHEN: The plan is to start offering residential leases in August and be fully open by October.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “Everybody stepped up. This is a passion project for not only the owners, but also the general contractor, the architect, everyone,” says developer Matthew Naimi, who also had a brain tumor removed in 2021.

PRICE: $24.6 million, including $2.26 million from the Detroit Housing for the Future Fund. The original cost, about $20 million, has risen due to supply chain challenges and additional work required, as discovered amid construction, Naimi says.

PROJECT:

OSI ART APARTMENTS

WHAT IT IS: A colorful, four-story, 30-unit housing complex at 3820

Grand River Ave., in Woodbridge, where half the units are set aside for people with household incomes of less than $60,000. The Osi also will boast 5,000 square feet of rentable commercial space. It’s part of the West End Gallery District, a collection of art galleries, retail, restaurants, bars, and mixed-use housing developments. It was previously a partially demolished building.

WHEN: Scheduled for completion by end of 2022.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “We like to think we have been a very positive sign of impact ion Woodbridge, with others pushing for redevelopment opportunities since our project was announced and gained momentum,” says co-developer Roderick Hardamon, CEO of Urge Development Group.

PRICE: About $7 million, which includes a $470,000 investment and $4.2 million in financing from the Detroit Housing for the Future Fund.

PROJECT:

FORMER MICHIGAN STATE FAIRGROUNDS

WHAT IT IS: 142 acres, of which 78 are now leased to online shopping

behemoth Amazon, for a 4 million-square-foot distribution center that will employ some 1,200 workers.

WHEN: Expected to open in July.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “This development schedule — in under two years — is exactly what was envisioned when we started,” Luke Polcyn, an economic adviser to the mayor, tells Hour Detroit. “So it’s very exciting.”

PRICE: $400 million, none of which is covered by any tax incentives or public money.

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The

Seen

A monthly feature highlighting events, promotions, and opportunities of interest to Hour Detroit readers.

Capital Stoneworks Metro Detroit Grand Opening Photographs by Lindsay Schweikert

Don Alfred, Dan Dowling, Nick Phillips, and Greg Kevorkian

Mandi Sawatzki and Nicole Hornung

Scott Albaugh, Greg Albaugh, and Scott Albaugh Jr

Sean Buback, Greg Kevorkian, Brandon Hornung, Nick Maiorana, and John Pitcher

Hill Orthopedics and Pensler Vein and Vascular Surgical Institute Grand Opening Photographs by Jaxen Klein

Brian Howard and Anne Howard

Mark Ryan and Anna Pantuso

Wendy Nienhouse and John Nienhouse

William Davidson, Dr Derek Hill, and Alan Klein

Dr. Abrou, Be MediSpa Grand Opening Photographs by Lindsay Schweikert

Sara Abrou, and A. Edward Abrou MD

Navin Abro, Andy Abro, A. Edward Abrou MD, Neal Abro, Nawal Jabrou, Inim Kanona, Joanne Sandiha, and Natalia Arabo

Rosie Lea and Lourdes Shamoon

Sarah McIntee PA-C, Nada Kinaya, and Michelle Strzelczyk

Premier Jet Services Grand Opening Photographs by Lindsay Schweikert

Ahmad Taylor, Andrea Dunham, and Joe Brown

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Alex Decker and Shelby Olivier

Casey Gould, Josh Birmingham, Kevin Johnson, Jacie Hogan, and Brandon Cardona

Marsela Gjoni, Kristen Fitzpatrick, and Toni Streit

12/6/21 3:50 PM

01.22 MAKING THE MOST OF LIFE IN METRO DETROIT

24/Seven M I STY LE

MODEL BEHAVIOR Model/creative director Monique Pour demonstrates versatility in both her work and her wardrobe p. 21

I N E E D M Y S PAC E p. 20 M I ST Y L E p. 21 FA S H I O N p.2 2

PORTRAIT MATT LAVERE

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24/Seven The right light Armina Kasprowicz’s favorite lighting source is the white floor lamp in front of the desk, from Visual Comfort. “It shoots light up to the ceiling and also onto the desk.” She also loves the task lighting above the table, from Flos. The floor lamp next to the cabinet is from Arteriors and features “beautiful iron — a textural feel.”

The table lamp is from Arteriors as well. 

“I believe our environments should create a sense of well-being.”

The white stuff “I like to use white because it’s sleek, fresh, contemporary, and functional and allows me to see colors that I’m working with,” Kasprowicz says white also creates a timeless feel. “And I can change out accessories easily, because of the white backdrop.” 

Gotta love art “I surround myself with pieces of art that I love. I’m very visual.”

The small artwork is from Serena & Lily, while the green painting is from the Soicher Marin Gallery. The blue vases are from Tozai Home. The black marble disc is from Judy Frankel Antiques, in Troy. 

Quick change The designer opted to forgo built-in shelving and chose furniture-style shelving, from Ikea, that has a variety of spaces to hold small and larger items, like wood containers and file bins. “The space may become something else someday, so I wanted to keep it easily transformable and didn’t want to invest in built-in cabinets.” 

—ARMINA KASPROWICZ

In the mood The designer had a large mood board created by an upholsterer who attached fabric to a panel, on which Kasprowicz pins inspirational elements, from fabric swatches to paint colors to you name it.  Desk deets “I work at a desk that’s basic; it’s from Ikea. I love the frosted glass top.” Since the photos shown here were taken, Kasprowicz has added another desk, to create a larger surface. “That way, I can spread out samples, drawings, and more.”  Reflect on this Kasprowicz chose a glossy finish for her round table (Saarinen Dining Table from Design Within Reach) because “it reflects light.” The cabinet doors also have a lacquer finish, which bounces light around the space. More reflections come from the four acrylic Ikea chairs around the table. “I cover them sometimes, in the winter, for a cozy feel, with throws from Outpost Original.” 

I NEED MY SPACE

Is creating an efficient home office one of your New Year’s resolutions?

Mix beauty with practicality, says this designer.

BY ME GAN SWOYE R

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THE ARTISTRY OF WORK INTERIOR DESIGNER Armina Kasprowicz, owner of Armina Interiors, adores her lower-level home office/studio. “This space suits me (and my dog, Ludo) perfectly,” she says. “My team is remote, so we mostly meet either at trade shows or on the computer.” Kasprowicz, who’s based in Rochester Hills, says she was very close to renting studio space, right before COVID-19 hit. “But I’m glad I didn’t. I have the flexibility to work whenever I want, with no distractions.”

Beyond the many objets d’art in her studio, including her cherished architectural, cube-like wall sculptures by Kaiser Suidan, one of the space’s special highlights is its accent on organization. Her orderly attributes come with the territory of having to juggle many projects and clients at once.

“I’ve set my studio up so that it supports my process but doesn’t sacrifice

 File style Kasprowicz purchased large wood filing bins at The Container Store.

“They’re nice and heavy, and I like that I can place project names on them.”

aesthetics. I believe our environments should create a sense of well-being.”

With Ludo at her feet and a cup of Italian Lavazza coffee close at hand, Kasprowicz does her best thinking in this space. “Sometimes I sit here and do nothing, and ideas come,” she says. “The studio inspires me and relaxes me.”

We peek inside the designer’s pretty lair to discover everything from the elements that make up her systematized and structured work process to her treasured adornments.

OFFICE MARTIN VECCHIO/COURTESY OF ARMINA KASPROWICZ

12/8/21 10:53 AM

24/Seven

“My personal style is dependent on my mood, honestly. I don’t think I identify with one thing.”

–MONIQUE POUR

Pour poses at coworking space Bamboo Detroit, wearing a suit from local boutique Shy vs Bold. 

MI STYLE

COVER GIRL

Model and creative director Monique Pour works her magic on and off camera

BY R ACH AE L THOMAS P H O T O BY M AT T L aV E RE

WHEN IT COMES TO MODELING, Monique Pour considers herself a “shape-shifter.”

The Liberian-born 23 year old started modeling at age 14 and has since gone on to do a range of commercial, editorial, and runway work. But she says it wasn’t until she moved to Detroit, around 2017, that she got serious about it.

In addition to working with brands and photographers local to the Motor City, Pour has modeled in New York and Chicago and was signed to A.I. Model Management, in 2020. She also made a cameo in Vogue, last year, modeling a look from Deviate’s fall 2021 collection, for an online story about the Detroitbased unisex brand.

When she’s not posing for the camera or serving looks on the runway, Pour is helping the next generation of models build their own portfolios and find agency placement, through her budding creative agency, Buzz Files (which Pour plans to officially launch this spring), and serving as chief operating officer of Click, a new mobile search engine that allows freelancers and entrepreneurs alike to connect, set up portfolios, and book jobs directly on the app.

Here, she dishes on her own look and provides some insight into her modeling career.

MAKEUP KIARA BINION STYLING STEPHANIE BEDELL

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My personal style is … Dependent on my mood, honestly. I don’t think I identify with one thing.

Some days you can see me in some [Air Force] 1s, baggy pants, and an oversized sweater. The next, you can see me wearing leather pants and heels.

My signature look is … Very minimal, as far as makeup and jewelry. I like to have all the attention on my cheekbones and my face, so everything is super clean. My favorite local shops/brands: First one is Deviate. I love them; they’re so amazing.

Bare by Shanna has the most awesome loungewear.

The jewelry company Vajzë, I love working with [the owner, Valentina Juncaj]. Also, Zayd Collection, Haus of Sy, Down to the Wire, and Apparrallel — I really like them, too. A memorable modeling experience: A recent one would be the Maison Black show [last October, in Detroit]. It was so crazy because just walking out on the runway, I could feel the crowd. And getting interviewed afterwards, and being called “that girl,” … and being referred to as Naomi Campbell. It made me think, “Wow, that

must mean I have something here. I just have to keep working at it.” My tips for posing: One thing I would say is very important is understanding what the concept is. Once you understand the concept, you’re better able to embody the character.

It’s like acting, in a way. You’re not there for the camera; the camera is there for you. So, constant movement is key. Who inspires my creative process: [Model and actor] Alyssia Rogers; she’s my mentee. We’ve been working together for a year, and seeing her grow has been very inspiring. Other creatives who inspire me are [photographers] Dionta Jones, Sarah Fleming, and Alessandro [UribeRheinbolt] — they are all on the Buzz Files team.

Their art, their photography just tells a story, and you can tell that they are aiming toward shooting things with substance and meaning. What’s on my playlist: Steve Lacy, Rihanna, Slim Thug, Beyoncé, and Tyler the Creator. Mostly Rihanna though — a lot of Anti vibes. New year, new … Blessings.

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24/Seven

 Rib-Knit Fisherman Beanie in Sunset, $20, at Carhartt; carhartt.com

FASHION

Ski Ya Later

Our picks for apparel, outerwear, and accessories to create looks inspired by the winter sport

BY RACHAEL THOMAS

AT ITALY’S SNOWY DOLOMITES, models donned colorful puffer coats and pants, ski suits, and balaclavas along with crocheted bikini tops, satin slip dresses, and sheer knits for Miu Miu’s fall/winter 2021 ready-to-wear film. While we may not throw on those thinner layers to hit the slopes or brave a Michigan winter’s day, we can appreciate the warmer options. Here, we’ve pulled some items to help craft your own ski style — or looks for the après-ski activities.

 Jacquard Knit Sweater, $70, at Zara; zara.com

Solid Color Sunglasses in Blue, $30, at Zara 

 Tory Sport Color-Block Hooded Down Jacket, $498, at Tory Burch; toryburch.com

Women’s Snowfield Waterproof Boots, Tall Insulated, in Black, $169, at L.L. Bean; llbean.com 

 Apres Ski Down Jogger in Shasta Purple, $149, at Athleta; athleta.gap.com

 Colorful Fringed Scarf, $40, at Zara

 Tory Sport Reversible Nylon Fleece Pullover Jacket, $328, at Tory Burch

 Sheepskin Bluetooth Earmuff in Chestnut, $115, at Ugg; ugg.com

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 Louis Vuitton Polar Flat Half Boot, $1,360, at Louis Vuitton; louisvuitton.com

 Krystal Puffer Tote in Red Gradient, $80, at Ugg

RUNWAY JOHNNY DUFORT/COURTESY OF MIU MIU PRODUCTS COURTESY OF RETAILERS

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FOR DIGITAL ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS CALL 248-268-8026 COMPASSMEDIA.COM CompassDigital_FP_HD.indd 1

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Make & Model | Promotional Content

2022 Lincoln Aviator Flying First Class Style icon. Super-luxurious family hauler. Lincoln’s spacious, smooth-riding, three-row Aviator SUV offers comfort in the extreme. BY HOWARD WALKER.

T

o quote the Dublin-born poet, playwright and manabout-town Oscar Wilde: “Let me be surrounded by luxury, I can do without the necessities.”

Had Oscar not shuffled off this mortal coil at the turn of the 19th century, he could well have been referring to the benchmark in mid-to-large SUV luxury that’s the 2022 Lincoln Aviator.

Here is a vehicle that spreads style and opulence around its cabin like a drywaller spreads spackle. If Lincoln’s designers could have gotten away with hanging a crystal chandelier from the rearview, or wrapping the shifter in ermine, I’m sure they would have.

The entire cabin, with its oh-so-cool mid-century modern vibe and cues from landmark Lincolns past, continues to set the Aviator apart from the crowd. Here you’ll find acres of hand-stitched leather, burnished metal, rich open-pore timber and mind-boggling attention to detail.

And the seats - ooohhh the seats. The front pews are available heated and vented, with 30-way power adjustment.

They make a La-Z-Boy feel like a wooden barstool.

Behind them are available second-row captain’s chairs, which slide back to give stretch-out legroom. And while most third-row seats in the Aviator’s class are best-suited to pet Chihuahuas and newborns, there’s a goodly amount of space back there.

For me the Aviator’s enduring appeal is still the way it looks. Gaze at it in profile and that slanty roofline, those gorgeous creases and exquisite detailing make it a style stand-out. Daniel Craig in a Brioni tux doesn’t look this dressed-to-thrill.

And it drives as exquisitely as it looks. The standard 3.0liter 400-hp twin-turbo V-6 is among the most potent engines

in its class. And mated to a light-switchfast 10-speed automatic, it lunges off the line like Usain Bolt in the 100-meter dash.

Want more hot sauce, then check the box for the Aviator Grand Touring hybrid. It couples the same V-6 and 10-speed, but adds to the mix a 100hp electric motor and big battery pack. Combined, it delivers 494-hp and a honking 630 pound-feet of torque. There are Peterbilts with less muscle.

Talking of silence, piloting any Aviator is like driving from inside a bank vault. At 75mph on I-75, Marcel Marceau, or snoozing kittens create more of a ruckus.

And in keeping with Lincoln’s “quiet comfort” mantra, the Aviator has the uncanny ability to turn any potholed

Detroit blacktop into a pool table. Air Glide suspension with big air bladders in place of coil springs smooths and smothers.

For 2022, Aviator is available in a quintet of models, kicking off with the $51,465 Standard and ascending through the Reserve, Grand Touring, and Lincoln Black Label to the fancypants Lincoln Black Label Grand Touring, which will set you back close to $90,000.

But what you have with this latest Aviator is, for me, the perfect-size luxury, three-row SUV with all the bells, whistles, quality and craftsmanship of the flagship Navigator.

It’s one Aviator that will definitely take you up, up and away.

Lincoln of Troy 1950 W. Maple Rd, Troy, MI 48084 248-643-6600 www.lincolnoftroy.com PHOTO COURTESY OF LINCOLN MOTOR COMPANY

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HOUR

DETROITERS 2022

PHOTOS BY

Sal Rodriguez

History-making politicians. Recordbreaking philanthropists.

An unlikely multimedia star and a Tiktok sensation. An awardwinning architect. A community organizer and a doctor addressing key post-pandemic needs.

Here are 13 people who make Motown better.

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12/10/21 1:36 PM

The Organizer

The end of the COVID-era eviction moratorium pushes thousands to the brink of homelessness and propels Tenesa Sanders and Detroit Action into the streets

BY ASH L EY WI NN

n August, when the COVID-era residential eviction moratorium expired, the potential homelessness crisis in metro Detroit was among the worst in the nation.

Members of some 110,000 metro Detroit households told the Census Bureau they were at risk of losing their homes, in mid-September.

So, Tenesa Sanders and her organization, Detroit Action, raced out into the community to spread the word that rent assistance was out there to help.

“People often don’t find out about resources available to them until they expire, and they miss out on help they could’ve gotten,” she says.

As the housing organizer for the social justice nonprofit, Sanders, 48, launched a door-knocking campaign to distribute information about rent, utilities, and eviction assistance programs. Detroit Action and four other nonprofits shared an $80,000 grant from the National Low Income Housing Coalition to do this work.

The effort appears to have worked; by early October, according to the Census Bureau, members of about 21,000 households said they were on the brink of eviction. That’s less than one-fifth of the earlier figure.

Sanders became a community organizer by

accident. The Berkley High School graduate had worked at a car dealership, until fibromyalgia flare-ups caused persistent employment struggles.

The 2008 death of her husband added to the financial hardship and left her and her five kids “kind of a little homeless.” After years relying on the hospitality of friends and relatives, one friend persuaded her to attend a meeting that Sanders thought would help her obtain free housing.

Instead, it was a meeting for Detroit Action.

“When I got there meeting, it wasn’t about getting houses,” she says. “But I gathered that they were building power in the community, and that connected with me.” While she didn’t get a free house, Sanders did eventually find a place in her native Detroit and began volunteering at Detroit Action. Years later, she landed a paid staff position.

Sanders says the anti-eviction information campaign will continue into 2022 alongside her usual work informing residents about property tax exemptions and other forms of relief. “In my heart, it’s about people not being put out of their homes or, if they have to be, then at least helping them pick themselves back up,” she says. “That’s my happiest place — seeing a person’s story become a victory, not a demise.”

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The Groundbreaker Abdullah Hammoud, 31, is elected the first Muslim and Arab mayor of Dearborn

BY S TEVE F RIE S S

he city of Dearborn has long held a special place for American Muslims. A town first associated with the rise of Ford Motor Co. and long inhospitable to people who were not white or Christian, it has in recent decades been better known as boasting the largest and most diverse Muslim and Arab populations per capita of any U.S. city.

It’s also home to the nation’s largest mosque, the Arab American National Museum, and some of the country’s most acclaimed and delicious Middle Eastern cuisine.

Now, at long last, Dearborn has its first Muslim mayor in Abdullah Hammoud, the son of Lebanese immigrants. The 2021 elections actually saw the election of the first three Muslim mayors in Michigan — Bill Bazzi, 58, of Dearborn Heights and Amer Ghalib, 41, of Hamtramck are the other two — but it’s Hammoud, at 31 already a veteran of two terms in the Michigan House, who emerges as a rising Democratic star and focus of national media attention given Dearborn’s prominence.

“The symbolic capital of Arab America, Dearborn, Michigan, finally has an Arab American mayor to speak on behalf of this unique population,” Sally Howell, director of the Center for Arab American Studies at the University of Michigan Dearborn, told CNN. “Representation matters.”

Hammoud, whose wife was expecting their first child in December, spoke to Hour Detroit days after his easy victory about his plans for his city, the significance of his election, and his intentions to represent more than his own ethnic or religious community. (This conversation has been edited for space and clarity.)

When did you decide you were interested in politics? The first campaign I ever worked on was

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actually 20 years ago. There was a candidate for mayor by the name of Abed Hammoud who ran against then-Mayor [Michael] Guido. That was the year of 9/11, and he was unsuccessful in that endeavor. But I never imagined a career in politics.

My first passion was medicine. That didn’t pan out. I got my master’s in public health and got waitlisted for medical school for a few years. In 2015, I was a senior health care strategist for Henry Ford Health System when I lost my brother unexpectedly from a seizure. He was 27 years and nine months young. At that moment, I really reflected on my purpose. A few months later, I decided to pursue a life of public service and try to give back to my community.

You were elected in 2016 to the Legislature where you were, at the time, the only Muslim serving.

Did you feel pressure to represent? That was the

election Trump won and, in his first month of office, put forth the ban on travel [to the U.S. by people from several Muslim-majority nations].

Protests at the airport erupted, and there was certainly the pressure that you’re no longer just representative for the city of Dearborn but this burden that you represent all Muslims across the state as the only Muslim in office. I tried to build bridges across various ethnicities and religious people so we would have allies willing to stand up.

Did you run for mayor of Dearborn because it was frustrating to be in the minority in Lansing? Well,

I saw ways in which the mayor’s office could have addressed issues, and that power wasn’t utilized.

I pursued the mayor’s office because, yes, we can work without as many roadblocks in place because of the partisan politics and being in a minority in Lansing. I’d rather be an executive of a city that can build an administration that truly delivers and helps improve the quality of life.

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What’s first on your agenda? We have roughly

35,000 homes in Dearborn, and this summer 20,000 experienced some degree of flooding.

So that’s top of mind. Be it retention basins or rain gardens, fixing some of our crumbling infrastructure is No. 1. Another major issue is speeding, reckless driving, and car theft. We have one of the most polluted ZIP codes in the whole state with asthma rates three to four times the average. We have high property taxes that are pushing young families out of the city.

Your election is one of many firsts for Muslim Americans in recent years, including the first federal judge, the first Oscar and Emmy winners, the first Muslim women in Congress, and the first Cabinet appointee. Are we seeing a shift in the roles Muslims are pursuing? You know, for children of immigrants,

success was defined financially, so you traditionally pursued the pathways of engineer, lawyer, or doctor. As the Muslim community matures, though, we are branching out to all facets of American society. You need to be in the media, in the arts, in politics. There is this urge to demonstrate that Muslims are as American as anyone else, that we can participate and be a voice not only for Muslims or any ethnic group that we are a part of but for the entirety of the districts that we represent.

Are you surprised it took this long for Dearborn to elect a Muslim mayor? Dearborn is unique. We’ve

only had six mayors in our history, and the last three reigned for a fairly long time. This is the first time in the last 35 years the seat has been open.

But our success isn’t tied strictly to just winning the Muslim vote. We won across the whole city.

It’s also a city where, when Muslims first achieved political power on City Council, right-wing activists claimed Dearborn was coming under Sharia law.

Did such accusations play a role in the 2021 race?

Not that I experienced. More than anything, my campaign wasn’t about breaking barriers. We never ran to be the first; we ran to be the best with concrete plans, ideas, and solutions to the most challenging issues facing the city.

Were you the target of any Islamophobia during the mayoral campaign? I’d be lying to say there

were no dog whistles that the Arab Muslim candidate will only represent the Arab Muslim community. That’s why we ran on a message about helping working families all throughout the city.

That tended to come up often, the idea that we have to demonstrate that we are for all people and not one subset of the community. This town demonstrated we are willing to elect an individual based on the direction they want to lead, no matter the direction in which they pray. That’s a very powerful message.

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The Billionaires With a stunning $500 million pledge, Dan and Jennifer Gilbert reveal hopes for all of Detroit, not just downtown — starting with paying off back taxes and reviving an HBCU

BY S TEVE F RIE S S

ennifer Gilbert is still not OK with this. When I first requested an interview with her back in March as she handled most of the speaking duties at the announcement of the Gilberts’ $500 million pledge to Detroit, I imagined a glossy, stylish fall cover that introduced a longenigmatic presence to the public and brought readers inside the life of a busy working mother of unimaginable wealth. It seemed appropriate, given that her husband, Rocket Companies board Chair Dan Gilbert, still visibly struggled to speak and walk following his May 2020 stroke, forcing his press-shy life partner to step cautiously into the limelight in the service of explaining their philanthropic goals. We all knew lots about Dan Gilbert — billionaire entrepreneur; redeveloper of so much Motor City real estate that folks now dub downtown Detroit “Gilbertville;” on-again, off-again employer of LeBron James as owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers — but shouldn’t everyone know about the contributions to his fortune and

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status provided by his spouse of nearly 30 years?

Dan Gilbert, I am reliably told, was all for his wife’s close-up. But creeped out by the mere notion of her face on the cover of a magazine, she killed the idea. In fact, in late November, when we finally “met” on a Microsoft Teams video conference — because, seriously, how do we do a 2022 Hour Detroiters issue without the couple who made a mind-bending, record-breaking gift to Detroit? — she was able to see me and my unkempt desk, but alas, my screen was filled with nothing but a black box with her name on it. I ask why, and she replies, “Today, this is the way I am most comfortable.” Later, I try again to understand this tension between needing to be more public and preferring a dentist visit to being subject to journalist inquiries, and she answers: “I tend to be more private. That being said, I know that there is a responsibility that comes along with what we have, and so it’s one of those things that my mom always said, ‘You’ve got to get comfortable in the uncomfortable.’ And that’s where I’m living right now.”

Actually, the Gilberts live right now at the levers of extraordinary philanthropic power being pulled to transform the long-struggling city of Dan’s birth. Jennifer Gilbert, 53, runs the Gilbert Family Foundation (GFF), which is to say their private giving, and Dan, of course, founded the now-public mortgage lending behemoth that begot a litany of other enterprises and, more relevant to this topic, the Rocket Community Fund (RCF). Their much-vaunted decadelong $500 million pledge — a carefully orchestrated media rollout that involved exclusives to The New York Times and CBS This Morning — includes $350 million from the family’s largesse and $150 million from RCF, so really, in essence, it all flows from the same source: them.

The move was, in part, born out of introspection forced upon the Gilberts by Dan’s stroke — he says he’s making great progress and in October even gave a talk for the Forbes Under 30 Summit in Detroit — as well as the pandemic lockdowns and the Black Lives Matter protests. “That all provided the space and time to not only think about but really talk about how we wanted to move forward and really helped shape our thoughts and, ultimately, the gift,” Jennifer says.

Dan Gilbert, who turns 60 this month, believes his wife is coming into her own in the wake of his illness.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the way she has responded,” he says via email. “She has always been intimately involved with so many facets of everything for years.

I couldn’t ask for a better sounding board, partner, and confidante. She’s especially done a remarkable job in the last couple years with the businesses and Gilbert Family Foundation — I’m going to have to take notes from her.”

Of the $500 million promised, as of the end of 2021, only about $40 million of it had been allocated. That includes about $15 million earmarked in that initial March 2021 announcement to pay off back property taxes for the 20,000 low-income Detroit homeowners, many of whom saw their credit ratings destroyed by debts they wouldn’t have even had if they had known how to sign up for the city’s tax abatement program. So far, the Detroit Tax Relief Fund, as it is called, has helped about 2,500 homeowners, with roughly another 4,000 cases in progress and an ongoing information campaign trying to encourage others to apply. The other $25 million has not been broken down by project but includes funding to revive Detroit’s dormant historically Black college or university (or HBCU), the Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design, as well as a program called Neighbor to Neighbor in which people go door-to-door throughout the city assessing what unaffordable home repairs residents need help with.

Indeed, rather than just dump truckloads of cash into the city’s coffers, the Gilberts say they will dole out the funds over years after consulting with local community leaders and activists. Among PORTRAIT COURTESY OF DAN AND JENNIFER GILBERT

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those who admire the approach is Mayor Mike Duggan: “I think the way Dan and Jennifer Gilbert have framed the foundation is just terrific. They are totally focused on longtime Detroiters who want to stay in this community, who want to live in quality neighborhoods and don’t want to have the burden of back taxes. And Dan grew up in Detroit and was very successful in life, and he is trying to level the playing field so kids growing up in Detroit have that same opportunity. Their contribution has been enormous.”

When announced in March, the Gilberts’ promise was the largest-ever single gift in Michigan history — in June, a group of anonymous alumni gave $550 million to the Western Michigan University Foundation — and, so far as anyone can tell, is still the largest ever to any American city. “It is a number — and a big number — and we wanted to make sure that it was impactful,” Jennifer Gilbert says of how they came to that figure. “But more importantly, we wanted to make a significant long-term public commitment so that we could build a vision, grow a team, and help our partners grow with us. Being clear about the monetary commitment allows us to plan, helps our community partners plan, and allows us to engage openly and consistently with community members and our ongoing commitment. So, is that dollar amount arbitrary?

I wouldn’t say it’s arbitrary by any means. But we feel that that is a significant amount to really achieve what we’re trying to achieve.”

The couple have come a long way from their initial meet-cute in the breakroom of Rock Financial, the mortgage firm Dan Gilbert started in 1985 with his brother, Gary. Jennifer, then a 22-year-old Michigan State University graduate from Huntington Woods struggling in the early1990s recession to launch an interior design career and visiting the office to work on a freelance project for Gary, spotted Dan, then 29, preparing to tape a radio advertisement. “He and I struck up a conversation, and we became friends and actually dated on and off for the next couple of years,” says Jennifer, whose father was a designer for General Motors Co. and whose mother sold Mary Kay cosmetics for years. “While the design business remained stalled, the mortgage business was really taking off, so I applied for a job as a mortgage banker at Rock Financial and started in the winter of 1992. So our friendship, it started before I actually started working there.”

Back then, Rock Financial was years away from becoming the online mortgage pioneer that would make the Gilberts billionaires and decades from the point where Dan Gilbert would relocate the firm, then known as Quicken Loans, from Livonia to CONTINUED ON PAG E 3 2

THE NATIVE A longtime “Sim City” gamer, Darnell Adams wants to build the real Detroit anew

BY STEVE FR I ES S

s a kid in the ’90s, in the east-side neighborhood now known as Ravendale, Darnell Adams coped with the deterioration of his block by retreating into virtual worldbuilding in classic computer games like “Sim City.” His parents, a city firefighter and a Chrysler line worker, encouraged that hobby because at least it kept him off the increasingly dangerous streets of the oncemiddle-class area they moved into in the ’80s.

“There were times we would literally be running up and down the street to get home because here comes another car down the street just shooting randomly along the street,” says Adams, 35. “As a kid, you really don’t understand what you’re experiencing. You don’t understand why your mom and dad say you can’t ride your bike outside, you have to ride in the yard. You have to skate in the basement, but you can’t skate outside. We didn’t understand — it was frustrating not knowing why.”

In September, Adams landed the opportunity to reverse the declines of so many nooks of Detroit like his when Dan and Jennifer Gilbert tapped him as director of community initiatives at the Gilbert Family Foundation. In that role, he is unusually well positioned to guide the Gilberts and boss Laura Grannemann as they decide how to deploy the $500 million, decadelong pledge. While clearly well intentioned, none of those other three have actually lived the nightmare of dangerous urban decay. “I believe the disparities I experienced as a kid needed a solution,” Adams says. Or, as Jennifer Gilbert says: “Darnell has the relationships and the experience. He’s the right person to head this up successfully.”

By the time he aggressively sought out the job, he’d earned his chops. Adams, who graduated from Michigan State University with an urban planning degree, spent nearly five years working for the Detroit Land Bank Authority, overseeing its blight removal and new homeownership projects.

There he came to understand, as he puts it, “many of the systems that we are dealing with” and that the Gilberts hope to create a more prosperous and equitable city.

Adams appreciates that the Gilberts pledged the money without specifying how it will be used.

“Most Detroiters have this perception that there’s always an agenda, but we literally just want to work with partners to identify where we can provide access to economic and social opportunities for Detroiters,” he says. “We are working on housing. We are providing stability to the housing crisis that people are living with. And we’re also building additional tools and opportunities for Detroiters that don’t exist today. That is beautiful and that’s how it should be.”

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CO NTIN U ED FROM PAGE 31

Detroit to begin an almost singlehanded downtown revitalization. She just thought he was witty and smart, she says.

For much of the time Dan Gilbert was building their fortune, Jennifer was raising their five children, who now range in age from 15 to 25. “For 15 years, I was a stay-at-home mom, and that was the role that I chose and loved doing,” she says.

“As time went on, I think my role evolved to really contributing more in the space of the design of the buildings.” She now runs two companies, the design studio Pophouse and Amber Engine, a tool for suppliers to keep track of sales and other product data across several online e-commerce sites.

Yet it is in philanthropy where she’s making her biggest mark on their behalf, starting years ago with a focus on raising money and awareness for neurofibromatosis, a rare genetic disorder diagnosed in their eldest son, Nick, when he was 15 months old. NF tumors grow on nerves throughout the body, and Nick has faced repeated hospitalizations and surgeries throughout his life. The Gilberts, then, founded NF Forward, a nonprofit that has raised nearly $40 million for neurofibromatosis research.

And the thing is, the Gilberts are clearly far from done. Forbes estimates he is the world’s 23rd wealthiest person, worth $30 billion as of early December. In 2012, they promised to give away at least half their wealth before they die as signatories of Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, and Warren Buffett’s Giving Pledge. As they wrote then: “It has been exciting more than words can express to live in this great country and start, develop, and grow businesses. It will be even more exciting to deploy the wealth these businesses create to improve our world, which we feel confident will be a much better place in the years and decades ahead.”

To some, the donations, eye-popping though they are, are a mere self-aggrandizing fraction of the enormous wealth the Gilberts have acquired thanks to tax breaks and the city’s willingness to virtually give away prized real estate to Gilbert for redevelopment. The Gilberts shrug off such criticism, refusing to respond directly. Yet I also ask Jennifer Gilbert why, unlike most megadonors, they’re not plastering their names on hospital wings, graduate schools, or really, anything beyond their foundation itself. “None of what we do is for accolades and ego,” she says. “Ultimately, if putting our name on something exponentially grows the impact, we will consider doing it. But if it’s for the sake of having our name up somewhere, we’re not interested in that. That’s not our goal. And that’s not what we’re looking for.”

Jennifer Conlin contributed to this report.

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THE IDEALIST At 29, Laura Grannemann is a young woman in a hurry — to solve poverty and blight

BY STEVE FR I ES S

he importance of her work became particularly, emotionally clear one afternoon in March 2018 when Laura Grannemann sat in Pearlie Mack’s tiny living room with Pearlie, her children, and a passel of boisterous grandchildren to watch a four-minute video featuring Pearlie that Quicken Loans Community Fund — now called Rocket Community Fund (RCF) — created to promote its Make It Home program. Mack had lived in the house for five years and faithfully paid her rent only to discover her landlord was in foreclosure for failing to pay property taxes and she’d soon have to move. To the rescue came Grannemann’s team along with the nonprofit United Community Housing Coalition to pull the house out of the foreclosure auction and let Mack buy it for a mere $3,500.

“It felt like just an incredible, empowering moment with a lot of agency for her to be able to take care of her family and her grandkids. And you could see this idea of intergenerational wealth literally playing out before you,” says Grannemann, 29, who as RCF vice president of strategic investments manages that and myriad other philanthropic programs. “You really see it when it becomes personal for each individual family.”

It is likely Grannemann, who oversees the day-to-day decisions related to the Gilbert Family Foundation (GFF) and RCF’s joint $500 million pledge to the city of Detroit, will have endless opportunities for moments like that. The East Lansing native arrived at what is now Rocket Companies as a summer intern at age 22 and parlayed that into a job that eventually led her to persuade CEO Dan Gilbert in 2015 to organize his heretofore peripatetic philanthropic efforts for maximum impact as what’s now the RCF as well as a separate GFF. RCF focuses primarily on housing and employment-related issues, whereas the family’s fund takes on a wider range of philanthropic interests of personal importance.

“I’ve long prided myself on being able to find exceptional talent, and Laura is really the embodiment of that,” Dan Gilbert tells Hour Detroit. “In the last seven years, she has come a long way, and she’s an amazing partner to Jennifer and me as we work to invest $500 million into Detroit. She’s second to none in being able to take an impossibly complex issue and work toward a solution and getting partners and stakeholders to buy into that vision and join alongside us.”

Grannemann graduated from Georgetown University in 2014 expecting to make use of her international relations degree and her fluency in Mandarin by heading to southwest China to do research focused on educational inequities among Chinese ethnic minorities there. She returned to Michigan, took a job as an intern for Gilbert, and realized that she could “be part of something bigger” if she focused on addressing inequities in her home state. As the nation’s leading mortgage lender and Detroit’s largest private employer, she realized, the company and its affiliates had an unusual ability to find solutions to blight, home repair needs, and foreclosures in Detroit.

“Systemic change is the thing that excites me,” she says.

All of that led directly to the March 2021 announcement of the half-billion-dollar pledge to Detroit and Grannemann’s role leading a team of 40 who “spend our days thinking about what our goals are, what our vision is, and then we engage with many, many partners across the city to figure out where we can find mutual goals that will help both the partner and ultimately our community.”

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ll the threads of my life have been about art and its ability to connect and create ways of showing the beauty, the history, and the necessity of all art but particularly Black art.” So wrote the legendary Shirley Woodson, in her 2021 Kresge Eminent Artist statement. And there is no questioning her multigenerational, multicultural, and multiracial impact on Detroit’s artist community and beyond.

The 85-year-old Detroiter has worn many hats during her 60-plus-year career — painter, educator, gallerist, curator, advocate, and mentor among them. She says she traces her passion for the arts back to the earliest days taking special art courses in elementary school and at the Detroit Institute of Arts. She would continue pursuing this craft through high school, during which she received a gold medal from Scholastic for a street scene she painted of downtown Detroit; earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Wayne State University; and studying at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

“I did collage, I did drawings, I did paintings in oil and then acrylic, and then wash,” Woodson says of her developing art style. “Especially after I got out of college, I wanted to really extend materials and explore. And I think that led to the brightening of my color palette.”

Indeed, bright colors, rich textures, and abstract human figures have all become part of Woodson’s signature art style, evident in works like her 1970 oil painting “Aretha the Queen,” her 2002 acrylic painting “Bathers in Yellow Landscape,” and her 2012 collage “Evening Glow.” Woodson was establishing herself as an artist during the height of the Civil Rights and Black Arts movements, working alongside fellow local art legends Allie McGhee and Charles McGee as part of a group called Arts Extended. She went on to co-found the Michigan chapter of the National Conference of Artists, the country’s oldest organization focused on nurturing and developing Black visual artists.

Today, her artwork can be found in more than 20 permanent collections across the country, including at the DIA and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

“I’ve been able to keep the connections going because people are involved in all of it,” Woodson says of her longevity. “You find yourself meeting other artists, exchanging ideas, and you realize it’s not [one] thing — it’s all the things. It is all in our culture. … I feel at this point in my career, I’ve [done] some more of those things that I’ve always wanted to do.”

As an educator, Woodson spent more than five decades teaching art in Detroit and Highland Park. Her educational impact was clear, in part, last fall during her exhibit, Shirley Woodson: Why Do I Delight, at the Detroit Artists Market, which

The Artist

Six decades into a legentary career, painter and educator Shirley Woodson has accomplished a lot but still has more ahead, including a new DIA show — and maybe a few rap songs

BY R AC H A EL TH OMAS

featured Woodson’s pieces alongside artwork paying tribute to her by her proteges Elizabeth Youngblood, Dwight Smith, Kimberly Harden, Peter Crow, Beverly Watson, and Najma Ma’at.

“That was wonderful,” Woodson says. “These were former students of mine, and they are now my colleagues. So, that was very gratifying.”

Woodson says she still learns every day and creates all the time. “I feel very fortunate that I’ve been able to maintain all of my interests,” she says.

“I did not do it alone. I had a very supporting family, supporting friends and colleagues.” And she’s still receiving accolades: Last fall, the city of Detroit announced she was an inaugural recipient of the Detroit ACE Honors, which recognizes folks who have contributed 25 years or more to the city’s arts

and culture. She has some exhibitions in the works for 2022 — one of them is now on display at the DIA through June: Shirley Woodson: Shield of the Nile Reflections, which features pieces referencing the belief that the Nile River holds healing benefits for people of African descent. She also hopes to work on publishing her poems and take some much-deserved time off.

Perhaps 2022 will be the year Woodson meets someone who can create the sounds for the two rap songs she’s written over the past couple of years — which she was inspired to do after listening to some Snoop Dogg and British rapper Tinie Tempah.

“I can’t quite catch the beat,” Woodson says. “I try to keep the words, and I figure one day I’ll meet somebody; they’ll put all the notes that go with it.”

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The Threepeater Mayor Mike Duggan’s electoral romp to a historic third term shows nobody has a firmer grip on the Motor City

BY J EN N IF E R CONLIN

hat November morning after Mike Duggan soundly defeated Anthony Adams to remain mayor of Detroit, administrators cheerfully greet one another in the hallways of his office in the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center. Behind a closed door, the sounds of laughter, cheering, and clapping are heard as staffers simultaneously celebrate a colleague’s birthday and their leader’s

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decisive victory (nearly 76 percent of the vote), making him only the second mayor in city history to be elected to a third term. The first, of course, has his name on the building.

Meanwhile, sitting in his office in front of a wall of windows overlooking the Detroit River, the mayor is back to work, uncovering the circumstances behind an illegal dump site. “I am not worried about an individual pile of garbage; I am worried about why that garbage is there,”

says Duggan, 63, looking both gruff — his usual visage — and invigorated less than 12 hours after delivering his acceptance speech at the N’Namdi Center for Contemporary Art in Midtown.

“So today,” he continues, “we went down a checklist, and I learned we are down eight DPW [Department of Public Works] crews that are removing garbage. Why? Because we have not been able to fill eight CDL [Commercial Driver’s License] positions. Why are those positions not filled? Because HR has a class going on right now. The way business works is the same way that government works. If the HR department can’t hire drivers, the only thing the people in the neighborhood know is that the illegal dump site has been there for five days and the city didn’t come. Their assumption will be that the city didn’t care. So, my job is to fix systems.”

He pauses briefly, then moves to a question about whether Detroit should allow the licensing of recreational marijuana stores. “I only want it if we can be assured Detroiters can own their fair share of those businesses,” he says. An ordinance giving special licensing preferences to residents who have lived in the city for more than 10 years was blocked by a federal judge in June, and a new approach has yet to be announced. They’re working on it, he insists.

It’s the attention to detail and a keen awareness of racial justice — necessary for the first nonBlack mayor in almost a half-century — that has turned Duggan into a once-in-a-generation politician, says Stephen Henderson, who hosts Detroit Today on WDET and is a Pulitzer-winning former columnist for the Detroit Free Press. “He is most comparable in that way to Coleman Young,” Henderson says. “Detroiters say, ‘I know that guy. He comes around.’ People have not said that about many people. He is just a very skilled, very experienced politician. He understands how to clear away all of the rivalry and racial and cultural clutter and get people to focus on what he is doing for the city.”

Fortunately, for Duggan, the campaign was a cakewalk. His opponents failed to make much hay out of controversies that Henderson says merely made him politically stronger. Most recently, critics accused him of inside dealings when he used city resources to solicit donations for a Wayne State University program run by Sonia Hassan, whose status as his girlfriend was not public knowledge until the scandal broke. In April 2021, state Attorney General Dana Nessel declined to bring any charges against Duggan in the matter, and voters similarly shrugged it off in August. In September, he married Hassan.

Henderson says Duggan’s transparency appeals to voters: “He had the fortitude to say, ‘This is what I am doing with my life. I am marrying her.’

He is not apologizing for it or hiding from the

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shame one might associate with it. Detroiters are very forgiving.” Also, these flaps seem milquetoast compared to the corruption committed by past Detroit politicians, namely former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, Henderson says.

Another case in point cited by Henderson is the fact that Duggan has paid no political price for the controversy that led to a federal probe into bidrigging by the Detroit Land Bank Authority and Detroit Building Authority regarding demolitions of blighted houses. In fact, voters overwhelmingly restored Duggan’s authority over the program in a November 2020 referendum. “All sorts of people who don’t like the mayor thought he would never get that passed,” Henderson says. “But again, Mike said, ‘We made mistakes, and we are doing it differently now. We are going to take down these abandoned houses.’ It worked because everyone in Detroit knows what it is like to live near an abandoned house.”

Given his overwhelming first-place finish in August’s nonpartisan primary, Duggan refused to debate Adams, 65, a local attorney and onetime deputy mayor under Kilpatrick. Instead, he applied his war chest of millions of dollars to reminding residents of the city’s progress since he took office in 2014: guiding a bankrupt city to solvency; tearing down 19,000 abandoned homes and rehabilitating another 9,000; creating a program that led to 4,100 residents getting jobs at a Jeep plant; landing a deal to transform the old Michigan State Fairgrounds into a massive Amazon facility; and for the last two years, fighting a global pandemic that hit people of color and, in turn, a large part of Detroit, the hardest.

Hakim Berry, the city’s chief operating officer who also worked for Duggan in his prior role as president and CEO of the Detroit Medical Center, recalls being doubtful of Duggan’s style early on. “When I first met him, I thought, ‘This guy is not a CEO; he is not hierarchical enough,’” Berry says. “He would walk the halls and talk to everyone. As a manager and administrator at the DMC, I used to cringe when someone told me they spoke to the CEO directly about a problem.

I knew he would soon be telling me to help that person. He has always been a roll-up-yoursleeves guy.”

A Duggan mayoralty nearly didn’t happen but for the effort of Cynthia Pasky, now board chair for the Downtown Detroit Partnership and cochair of the Mayor’s Workforce Development Board, who first met Duggan when he was a Wayne County prosecutor in the 2000s. In June 2013, Duggan dropped out of the mayoral race because of a filing error related to his residency, but Pasky announced she would lead a write-in campaign for Duggan in that summer’s primary.

He got 52 percent of the vote as a write-in candidate and went on to defeat Benny Napoleon

in the November election.

So why does a stocky white man from the suburbs keep winning elections in a city that is 77 percent Black? “He does what he says he is going to do,” says Pasky, the CEO and president of Strategic Staffing Solutions. “He gets out of the car, goes into barber shops, shakes hands, and talks to people.

But more importantly, he hears them.”

Pasky believes anyone but Duggan would have found the city’s problems insurmountable, but Duggan went to work restoring basic services, including streetlights and bus routes, and overseeing the emergence from bankruptcy with the deftness he applied to turning around the moribund DMC. The pandemic presented Duggan with yet another unprecedented crisis. Berry, who leads the city’s COVID-19 testing and vaccine operations, believes they have been successful because Duggan leveraged his national prominence and connections to top Democrats.

“His objective was getting help for Detroiters and making sure we could open the city back up so people wouldn’t miss a beat in their services,” Berry says. Early in the crisis, the mayor called the CEO of Abbott Laboratories when he needed testing machines to get the police and first responders back to work. And in January 2021, he called Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the White House to get vaccines administered at Detroit’s TCF Center (now Huntington Place). “When FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] visited, they were taken aback to see it was a drive-through center. We ended up being one of the first in the country to do that,” Berry says.

On a personal note — and the taciturn mayor rarely gets personal in interviews — Duggan admits the hardest part of the pandemic for him was the isolation from his constituents. “I am somebody who feeds off every week sitting in a living room in a neighborhood and listening to their aspirations and their pain,” he says. “I have not been able to do that for the last year and a half.”

In his third term, Duggan can look ahead to a good problem that rarely visits any mayor: big piles of federal pandemic relief money that must be spent by 2024. Detroit received the fifth highest allocation of government funds — $826.7 million — of all U.S. cities.

The Detroit Future Fund, as Duggan dubs it, will help tick off a long list of items on his to-do list: clean out 80,000 vacant properties, create waterfront parks and improve vacant land, provide skills training and a path to well-paying jobs, and reduce violent crime. But Duggan also knows he must be careful to comply with all federal regulations: “I don’t want Republicans coming in here in two years and saying we misspent any money,” he says. (One Republican who will, no doubt, be watching closely is Duggan’s

former police chief, James Craig, now a GOP candidate for governor. Of that candidacy, Duggan would only say, “I’m voting for the Democrat.”)

As resounding as Duggan’s electoral mandate is, he needed the support of the Detroit City Council.

Six of the nine council members starting in 2022 are new, including Coleman Young II, Duggan’s opponent in a contentious 2017 mayoral campaign.

“This man is as corrupt as the day is long,” Young told The Washington Post during that race.

Duggan seems unbothered and eager to cooperate, having congratulated Young on his 2021 victory. “He ran a campaign that was about including everyone,” says Duggan, who hopes part of his own legacy will be that he improved the tone of politics in the city. “I wanted to change the us-versus-them hateful campaigning where you ran against the suburbs, people who don’t look like you, immigrants, or Lansing. People should campaign on what you can do for people and what you stand for.”

Young, in turn, expressed gratitude to Duggan: “He reached out to me with an olive branch after the election four years ago, and he didn’t have to do that. We have sat down and talked to one another on many occasions. But if I think he is doing something that is not in the best interest of my constituents, I am going to fight like hell to defend them and do what is best.”

Anika Goss, the CEO of the nonprofit development think tank Detroit Future City, warns that Duggan has higher expectations placed on him now that he’s entering a rare pantheon of city leaders. “A third-term mayor can change the entire narrative of what Detroit is and what it can be,” she says. “We want this to be a place of opportunity, a place where you can build wealth for you and your family, raise children that can matriculate in school, grow up in a great neighborhood, and go on to a four-year institution or certification training program.”

Goss is excited to work with Duggan for another term but thinks a fourth would be too much for any mayor of Detroit. Pasky, who propelled Duggan into office, agrees: “He will have given a big portion of his life to public service by the time this term ends and should have the chance to do something else. But his third term will not be long enough. Four years will go by quicker than any of us would prefer.”

Duggan laughs about the speculation that he may seek a fourth term, insisting he hasn’t thought that far ahead. Given his consumption with the minutiae of his job, Berry says, he can’t imagine where the mayor would even find the time to think about it. “He checks and validates everything and will even ask me back at the office why a pothole has not been fixed.” Duggan says that’s not entirely true: “I usually call from the car.”

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was sitting somewhere yesterday looking at a workstation — at all of the cables that connect from the PC, the monitor, the keyboard, everything else — and it was a kind of a spaghetti-looking mess,” says Rainy Hamilton Jr. “As architects, we like to take those puzzle pieces, that spaghetti, and try to bring some order to it. And we’re doing that in a context.”

Hamilton and his firm, Hamilton Anderson Associates, are puzzling together pieces of Detroit’s past and future to either birth or revitalize buildings across the city. He says history and context always fuel the first step of the design process in architecture: You look at the fabric of what’s already there — be it an existing building or a vacant piece of property — and ground it in what is needed today.

Hamilton’s own past clearly influenced where he is today — and where he hopes to be in the future. A native Detroiter, he found his calling early and stayed on that path, excelling at art, science, and model-building at a young age. But the context that kept him in Detroit was mutual support between him and the city.

Hamilton initially remained local in an effort to stay close to his mother after his parents divorced. He attended University of Detroit Mercy and was drafted into work at a firm with two of his professors. Hamilton then moved to SmithGroup, where he spent three years before striking out on his own — and even then, his former boss at SmithGroup offered him a safety net: He was told he would be welcome back if his independent work didn’t pan out.

Of course, Hamilton was successful. Now, 28 years later, Hamilton Anderson handles some of the highest-profile architecture and design projects in Detroit including The Hamilton Midtown Detroit, winner of a 2021 Detroit American Institute of Architects Award for Historic Rehabilitation. The organization’s jury for the award said, “The Hamilton perfectly exemplifies the dynamic future of Detroit while simultaneously acknowledging and preserving this piece of its glorious past.”

Hamilton says his team combined new features and amenities with some of the classic ornamentation of the building — such as the marble stairway and terrazzo floors — letting “history speak” in a way that creates a rich environment for the tenants.

This is the more obvious way The Hamilton

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The Visionary Award-winning architect Rainy Hamilton Jr. is drawing up the physical future of Detroit

BY SA R A H STEI MER

Midtown (not named for him) combines the past with the present. The arguably more impactful way is that it helped to relocate its previous tenants and offered them a spot in the updated building — at the rent they were originally paying, plus a slight percentage increase and only allowing for small incremental rent increases going forward.

“That kind of effort just excites me, especially

in the era of George Floyd and all of the injustice that we see across the country,” Hamilton says.

“These projects are important to our mission.

I use this corny expression, and I’m sure my staff is tired of hearing me say it, but as a native Detroiter, to be able to rebuild Detroit one home, one block, one neighborhood at a time is exactly why Hamilton Anderson is here and exactly why we’re headquartered here.”

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The Legal Eagle

From the Underwear Bomber trial to MSNBC fame to podcast stardom, former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade is conducting a surprising, new second act

BY AS H L EY WINN

arb McQuade is as surprised as anyone else by the turn her life has taken since former President Donald Trump forced her to quit her job, as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan.

The gig as a University of Michigan Law School professor is a somewhat predictable next act, but her ascent to national media stardom? “One thing just led to another,” she muses.

Losing her post wasn’t a shock; presidents usually purge the top prosecutors appointed by predecessors of a different party. But the onset of the Trump administration brought forth a litany of legal dilemmas and questions — and McQuade, 57, quickly became such a regular, popular presence on MSNBC, that the liberal cable news network hired her as an on-air contributor and columnist.

In 2021, she added yet another moniker: podcast host. She launched #SistersInLaw, in March, with three other MSNBC legal analysts: Boston Globe columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr, former U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance, and brooch aficionado Jill Wine-Banks — the only woman on the Watergate prosecution team. Their hourlong dissections of the week’s law-related news also

gives McQuade a chance to reveal little-known tidbits about her own life. Listeners have heard much about her die-hard devotion to the Lions and the Michigan Wolverines; her husband, also a federal attorney, who had to work out of the Toledo, Ohio, office while she was a U.S. prosecutor, to avoid nepotism issues; her various experiences testifying before Congress; and her most high-profile case, the prosecution of the “Underwear Bomber,” a Nigerian terrorist who tried to sabotage a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit, on Christmas 2009.

While she openly progressive, she is also meticulous, in her legal analyses on TV and elsewhere, in her avoidance of political rants. “I’m explaining complicated legal concepts, to help people to make their own educated assessments,” she says. “I see it as an extension of my teaching work, and I find it very rewarding.”

She’d rather take action than be mired in the left-right fray, she says. In May 2021, bouncing off her dismay about the 2020 murder of George Floyd, by a Minneapolis cop, McQuade established the Community Policing Innovations Initiative. The program provides grants to police departments, for training programs on how to improve interactions

with communities of color.

Dozens of regional departments have expressed interest — and 10 have, thus far, shared $500,000 in grants — a reflection of the credibility McQuade built in her seven years as U.S. attorney. “Because of my law enforcement background, I’ve spent a lot of time with police chiefs and know that, while there are officers who aren’t in it for the public’s best interest, most care deeply about serving their communities the best they can,” she says.

And there’s more to come, this year. In 2022, the organization will evaluate the impact of its first round of grants, by measuring reductions in crime and civilian lawsuits against police departments. If the data indicate success, McQuade plans to dole out even more grants to public safety departments across southeast Michigan.

As for her own future, McQuade has no plans to return to the judicial system and has rebuffed efforts to encourage a run for public office.

“Politics requires too many compromises and too much energy spent defending yourself from false, frivolous, and ill-intentioned allegations,” she says. Instead, she’s sticking to the tried and Blue: “For now, I’m enjoying the work I’m doing at the University of Michigan.”

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The Healer Dr. Herbert C. Smitherman Jr. is on the front lines of overcoming misinformation and mobility issues to get homebound Detroiters vaccinated against COVID-19

BY L I N DSAY K ALTE R

n the divisive COVID-19 vaccine debate, Americans have generally fallen into three groups: “Yes, please,” “Hell no,” and “Maybe if I have to.”

Dr. Herbert C. Smitherman Jr., however, is a champion for a fourth, less-noticed group — those who want the shots but can’t go out to get them.

Detroit has an estimated 40,000 people who cannot leave their homes due to age, disability, transportation issues, or illness. Smitherman,

38

president and CEO of the nonprofit Health Centers Detroit Medical Group, saw a looming problem and got to work early on solutions.

“I knew there would be people who were particularly vulnerable,” says Smitherman, 61, a Wayne State University School of Medicine professor and vice dean of diversity and community affairs. “The question was, How do we do outreach with them? Some of the households do not have landlines or internet.”

In April and May, the Detroit Area Agency on

Aging made contact with groups already providing help for the homebound, such as vendors delivering meals and supplies, and recruited them to pass along information about Smitherman’s in-home vaccination program. Health Centers Detroit trained home nursing services on how to administer the vaccines, too. Because the program used trusted in-home agencies, Smitherman says, residents were more comfortable asking for and permitting help.

Of the 820 people contacted in the initial wave of outreach to offer vaccinations, 418 were receptive.

By now, more than 600 homebound residents are fully vaccinated. It’s not a gigantic number, but it’s a start — and word of mouth is creating more interest. “Neighbors are seeing the cars show up and say, ‘What’s going on? Did something happen?’” Smitherman says. “We’re getting about 20 to 30 calls per week from people interested in

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getting a shot.”

None of this is surprising given Smitherman’s background. His mother was a school principal and his father a groundbreaking organic chemist involved in the development of several Procter & Gamble products, including Crest toothpaste and Folgers coffee. Both were advocates of public service in the Cincinnati neighborhood where he grew up. The Smithermans helped maintain a neighborhood garden, his father started a baseball team for local kids, and a homeless teen came to live with his parents and four siblings.

“It was always a given that we would all go on to get an education, but our parents modeled that it’s not only about education,” Smitherman says, noting his father was the first Black person with a doctorate hired by P&G. “Their thinking was, once you get that degree, how are you going to serve your community and your country?”

Though he was a gifted musician with skills on clarinet, flute, and saxophone that earned him scholarship offers, his father persuaded him to pass by paying for his Northwestern University education in hopes he’d take an interest in applying his math and science skills. It worked; Smitherman fell in love with biological sciences and went on to pick up a medical degree at the University of Cincinnati and a master’s in health services administration at the University of Michigan. He’s lived here ever since.

His research has long focused on health issues related to underserved populations with poor access to proper health care, so the question of COVID vaccinations for homebound Detroiters fit squarely in his bailiwick. He believes the program is more effective than one the city launched in June in which officials cold-called, texted, and doorknocked to reach unvaccinated residents. “For the seniors who do have telephones, they are often not answering telephone calls from people they don’t know, as they shouldn’t,” Smitherman says.

Ronald Taylor, president and CEO of the Detroit Area Agency on Aging, agrees: “Dr. Smitherman has served as an advocate and cheerleader to get people vaccinated. He was able to secure the vaccine and provide the training, and was able to walk with us in regard to serving as our medical advisor. He’s been key in making this happen.”

The program is now administering boosters in addition to giving participants their first and second doses.

Herbert Knight, a 74-year-old homebound resident with two knee replacements, got his shots at home and is now awaiting his booster, says his caregiver, Michelle Morton. “A lot of people don’t want to go out, can’t go out, can’t barely walk,” Morton says. “It’s a beautiful thing to do for people.

More people need to know about it.”

THE REVITALIZER Pamela Martin Turner breathes new life into the North End with a $50 million affordable housing project

BY SA R A H STEI MER

f I can make a difference for even just one person, that’s what excites me,” Pamela Martin Turner says.

Given her involvement in helping to build or develop what she estimates to be as many as 400 units of housing in Detroit, it’s likely she’s helped far more than just one person.

Martin Turner is the president and CEO of Vanguard Community Development Corp., a community service and development organization with a mission to help revitalize the city’s North End. She’s been involved in community development in Detroit for three decades, returning to her hometown after spending time on the East Coast — first getting her law degree at George Washington University and then working in Boston as a tax lawyer. All that led to a chance to attend the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

There, she studied issues of poverty and community development. It was the late 1980s and early 1990s, and she saw reason to bring her newfound skills to helping Detroit. Upon her return, Martin Turner worked in philanthropy and funding, then segued into working as the CEO of a few nonprofits and grassroots organizations. She ultimately found herself at what would become Northstar Community Development Corp.

“It was really satisfying work,” she says. “It made a difference in Detroit — you could see it and touch it, and the people in the community got an opportunity to work and be a part of the projects and really get the experience of changing their community.”

She’s now been at Vanguard for the last seven years and is in the midst of a $50 million multifamily development in the North End that will include senior apartments and townhomes.

The project includes funding from Avanath Capital Management LLC, which is led by her former University of Michigan classmate Daryl J. Carter. Martin Turner brought the project to Carter’s attention.

“There are lots of ways to do community development, but housing development can be very powerful,” Martin Turner says. Her theory is that it’s very difficult to be a good citizen, a good spouse, a good worker, a good parent, or a good student if you don’t know where you’re going to lay your head at night — or if the conditions are substandard or dangerous.

“If we want people to live to their highest potential, we have to be able to provide decent, affordable, safe housing,” she says.

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ife has not felt real for professional chef Jon Kung for nearly two years. Not just because a global pandemic has distorted reality but because of the 37-year-old’s whirlwind success as a “food content creator.”

In May 2020, the Detroiter started posting brief cooking lessons on TikTok to help other people through the tedium and inertia of COVID-19 lockdowns. “A lot of people were just helping each other out, so I started filming awkward things like, ‘Here’s how you can stretch a can of beans as long as you can because who knows when we’re allowed to shop again,’” says Kung, who identifies as nonbinary. It was the best they could do, given that their own planned Eastern Market restaurant got put on indefinite hold when the pandemic hit.

Kung would go on to use TikTok for videos about everything from their favorite cookbooks and healthy snack alternatives to anime- and mangainspired dishes (think: Jon’s Mapo Tofu Curry inspired by Bea from the Pokémon universe). And Kung’s astonishing 1.5 million followers on the platform can’t get enough, liking their content more than 22 million times. Kung also shot a five-episode cooking series last spring for the anime streaming service Funimation — Naruto Ramen Chowdown with Chef Jon Kung — and secured a book deal.

While Kung says they didn’t set out to become a social media influencer, the position has allowed them to share experiences from growing up in Hong Kong and Toronto as well as the intersections of food, culture, and identity. “People were starting to become interested in not just my content but my story and who I was as a person,” they say. “And they started relating to the fact that I am a Chinese American, brown person trying to rediscover my culture through food as a medium. … And now, it’s [about] trying to set an entire vibe, whether it be teaching somebody a fun way to cook something or [communicating] the idea of cultural exchange being a good thing and something that should be embraced.”

Kung made their livelihood cultivating communities through food long before they found internet fame. After moving to Detroit in 2007 for law school, Kung sought out traditional Chinese dishes they enjoyed as a child and came to realize the city’s Chinese community was culinarily

40

The Influencer

Jon Kung, an aspiring restaurateur and pandemic-inspired TikTok star, went from underground dinner club purveyor to streaming series star and author

BY R AC H A EL TH OMAS

underserved. Around three years later, they began cooking professionally and started hosting popups around Detroit in former foodie haunts like the Harlequin Cafe, Gold Cash Cold, and Lady of the House. For years, Kung put on secret dinner parties for ticket-buying guests in their Eastern Market studio. “The food scene was so young, and the city was so ready for more people and more options,” Kung says. “The people were always here.

We just needed more options to serve them.”

And serving Detroit and beyond is what Kung will continue to do — even though they say they’re still waiting for someone to barge through their doors and say, “Just kidding!”

Kung plans to finish their book in 2022 and, hopefully, move closer to opening that restaurant in Eastern Market. “Sharing the food, sharing this with the rest of the world, I didn’t know it was a dream of mine,” Kung says. “But I’m so happy doing it.”

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wind buffering trees can maximize heat loss or natural seasonal heat gain.

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The end result? A healthier — and, therefore, more beautiful — you.

Pilates Fitness & Physical Therapy Center

Orthopaedic Knee Specialist Michigan Knee Institute 1135 West University Dr., Ste. 450 Rochester Hills, MI 48307 248-650-2400 hello@michigankneeinstitute.com michiganknee.com

Can I achieve better health through Gyrotonic®?

A: It’s no secret that the healthier we are, the more beautiful we feel. But have you considered the importance of your spinal health?

Your spinal cord is like an information highway that delivers nerve signals between your brain and the rest of your body. If your spine is stressed, strained, or injured, it’s going to impact other bodily functions such as your digestive and emotional health — and this can leave you feeling

Q:

improvements in pocket depth around the teeth,” he says.

Interdental soft-pics and gum stimulators can also be very beneficial when used regularly.

Whatever method you choose, try to practice interdental cleaning as often as possible.

Healthy gums and a healthy mouth are the keys to a healthier body!

What are the benefits of outpatient knee replacement surgery?

A: Nearly 900,000 knee

Q:

Nothing beats traditional flossing, and you should make it a priority at least several times per week. As an alternative on the days when you don’t floss, Dr. Joseph Nemeth recommends using a water irrigator (such as the Waterpik). “They’re safe, effective, and offer a number of oral health benefits, including deep interdental cleaning and

heavy, down, and unmotivated.

One of the best ways to take care of your spine is through Gyrotonic®.

“Similar to how Pilates focuses on the core and breath work, Gyrotonic exercises correct dysfunctional patterns of the skeletal and muscular systems while simultaneously promoting energy flow throughout the body,” says Ron Jegadeesh, Pilates instructor, physical therapist, and owner of Pilates Fitness & Physical

Ron Jegadeesh, PT, MBA Certified PMA, Polestar Pilates, Stott Pilates, Gyrotonic, and Gyrokinesis Instructor 17418 W. 10 Mile Rd. Southfield, MI 48075 248-552-1012 pilatesfitnessevolution.com ron@pilatesfitnessevolution.com

We’re planning on building our next home. When is the best time to get an interior designer involved?

A: According to Merien Daka, the best time to get an interior designer involved is during the beginning architectural phases. Daka says her company, Merien Daka Design Group, classifies itself as interior architects. “Architecture has a significant meaning to us because, as the designer on a project, we’re visualizing the final product and each individual detail,” she says. “(Being involved from an early stage) enables us to make proper adjustments, whether they’re

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related to window placement based on custom built-ins, wall buildout accents, niches, or furniture locations that are used to determine electrical locations, specialty electrical location callouts, corridor widths, or ceiling details.”

Daka Design Group breaks the design process into four different steps: pre-design, design, project management, and installation.

They begin by learning about their client’s needs, wants, lifestyle, personal style, and aspirations,

to gain an understanding of how each space will be utilized. This helps them put together an overall conceptual design, including all exterior design selections and interior design choices.

“We take full responsibility over managing each subcontractor and vendor, to ensure our designs are being executed as specified.

We oversee the entire installation — from furniture, rugs, art, and wall décor pieces to the final accessories,” Daka says.

Merien Daka Design Group Merien Daka 187 S. Old Woodward Ave., Ste. 250 Birmingham, MI 48009 248-804-1411 meriendakadesigngroup.com merien@mdakadesigngroup.com

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THE FACES OF

ADVANCED DENTISTRY DR. AZIZA ASKARI & DR. EDWARD ESSAYAN — COMFORT DENTAL SPA 33966 WEST 8 MILE RD., STE. 104, FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48335 | 248 -306-8907

Comfort, convenience, commitment, and compassion are the cornerstones of Comfort Dental Spa, Dr. Aziza Askari, and Dr. Edward Essayan.

Dr. Askari bases her recommendations on each patient’s individual needs, desires, and circumstances. She’s dedicated to meeting patients’ goals with warmth and compassion. Dr. Askari loves her work and is passionate about providing the services her patients want and need to stay healthy. She enjoys helping people with TMJ disorder solutions, sleep apnea treatments, and

migraine relief. Getting you — and keeping you — out of pain is her greatest reward.

Dr. Essayan taught graduate orthodontics at Detroit Mercy.

Helping general dentists become licensed orthodontists enabled him to pass on his expertise. He specializes in all phases of orthodontic treatment, from early and two-phase treatment for kids to orthodontics for teens and adults, Invisalign clear aligner therapy, and jaw surgery. Whatever your family’s orthodontic needs, he’ll help you find your happiest smile.

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THE FACE OF

CANNABIS MARKETING MIKE BERRO — QONKUR MEDIA 856 E. 9 MILE RD., FERNDALE, MI 48220 | 313-936-2100 | QONKUR.COM

Meet the 25-year-old taking the cannabis industry by storm. Mike Berro, CEO of Qonkur Media, is creating a buzz in the cannabis industry. Berro and his team create smart and strategic digital presence solutions for cannabis brands in more than eight states.

“We offer the total package for marketing services when it comes to meeting present and future clients’ needs,” Berro says. “Our growth has been exponential since we opened in 2018, and we’re excited to see where it takes us and how our growth will impact the future of the cannabis world.”

Qonkur Media is Michigan’s largest cannabis marketing agency. Its services are all provided in-house at QonkurPlex, an 18,000-squarefoot creative studio. Qonkur currently manages $10M+ in client ad spending, and employs over 40 team members who are frequently recognized for their achievements by publications such as the Metro Times, Exeleon magazine, and Ad World Masters. Learn more at qonkur.com.

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THE FACE OF

THE ORCHARDS OF MICHIGAN ALI SALAMI — THE ORCHARDS OF MICHIGAN 25800 NORTHWESTERN HWY., STE. 720, SOUTHFIELD, MI 48075 | 248-569-8400

New to the area, but experienced in the healthcare industry, The Orchards Of Michigan is proud to call Detroit home. Formerly known as Advantage Living Centers, The Orchards Of Michigan is ready to take on the legacy and move forward with a commitment to the excellence of quality care.

As one of the area’s most respected nurses and a passion for senior care, Ali Salami RN, LNHA, The Orchards Chief Director of Nursing, has had 12 years of experience in the field. Among many

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accomplishments in his career, including launching a telehealth program within the buildings, leading 12 facilities through a pandemic has been the most challenging.

Looking forward into the future of The Orchards Of Michigan, Ali is excited and hopeful to continue with advanced medical technology and education within the buildings. Bringing not only excellent quality care to the residents, but comfort and ease of mind for their loved ones.

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ARCHITECTURE

MIRA — MICHIGAN RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTS MIRA OFFICES AT PARTNR HAUS, 2139 COLE ST., BIRMINGHAM, MI 48009 | MICHIGANRESIDENTIALARCHITECTS.COM

Michigan Residential Architects (MIRA) is a groundbreaking community of design professionals. Its purpose is to support and inspire quality design work with the most influential and talented professionals and industry partners in Michigan.

MIRA partners include: (1) John Allegretti FAIA, LEED-AP, Allegretti Architects; (2) Kevin Akey, AZD Associates Architects; (3) Alexander Bogaerts, Alexander V. Bogaerts + Associates; (4) Sarah Bourgeois AIA, Sarah Bourgeois Architects; (5) Louis DesRosiers AIA, DesRosiers Architects; (6) Elaine Keiser AIA, NCARB, Elaine Keiser Architect Inc.; (7) Eric De Witt AIA, Lucid Architecture; Mathison Mathison Architects (8a) Thomas

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R. Mathison FAIA, (8b) Evan T. Mathison]; (9) Michael Poris AIA, McIntosh Poris Associates; (10) Joseph Mosey RA, Joseph Mosey Architecture Inc.; (11) Brian Neeper AIA, Brian Neeper Architecture; (12a) Victor Saroki FAIA, (12b) Alexander Saroki AIA, Saroki Architecture; (13) Robert Sears, Sears Architects; (14a) Nick White AIA, LEED-AP, (14b) Nick Liebler AIA, LEEDAP, White and Liebler Architects; (15a) Don Paul Young AIA Emeritus, (15b) Todd Mitchell Young AIA, Young & Young Architects. (16) Mark Johnson, Mark Johnson and Associates. Background photo: James Haefner. Michigan State Historic Preservation Office.

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INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN MIRA — MICHIGAN RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTS MIRA OFFICES AT PARTNR HAUS, 2139 COLE ST., BIRMINGHAM, MI 48009 | MICHIGANRESIDENTIALARCHITECTS.COM

Michigan Residential Architects is a groundbreaking community of design professionals. Its purpose is to support and inspire quality design work with the most influential and talented professionals and industrypartners in Michigan.

MIRA interior designers include: 1) Molly Thomas and Caryn Satovsky-Siegel (R), Alexander V. Bogaerts + Associates; 2) Amy Miller Weinstein, AMW Design Studio; 3) Armina Kasprowicz, Armina Interiors; 4) Barbi Stalburg Kasoff, Stalburg Design; 5) Bob Schaerer, Schaerer Architextural Interiors 6a) Howard Davis, 6b) Michelle Davis, 6c) Jamie Jordan, Davis & Davis Interiors; 7a) Heather Duggan, 7b) Kristin Smith,

Heather Duggan Interiors; 8a). Lucy Earl 8b). Nicole Withers 8c). Rachel Keena, Jones-Keena & Co. 9) Shelley Knudson and Kali Weber (R), Chatham House Interiors 10a) Rita O’Brien, 10b) Colleen O’Brien-Seitz, Rita O’Brien Design Group; 11) Merien Daka, Merien Daka Design Group; 12) Jane Synnestvedt, Jane Synnestvedt Interior Design Inc; 13) Kevin Serba, Serba Interiors; 14) Colleen Farrell, Colleen Farrell Design 15) Missy Walters, Studio M Interiors Interiors. Background photo: James Haefner. Michigan State Historic Preservation.

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PROMOTIONAL CONTENT

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THE FACE OF

LEGENDARY PATIENT EXPERIENCE DR. MARK BOUCHILLON — REDWOOD DENTAL 13403 E. 13 MILE RD., WARREN, MI 48088 | 586-979-2800 | WARREN.SMILEPARTNERSUSA.COM

Dr. Mark Bouchillon, D.D.S., has been providing legendary patient experiences for more than 30 years.

In 1982 he founded Redwood Dental, and has grown it from a single private practice in Warren to 13 locations across metro Detroit. Redwood Dental operates as a unified group of doctor-led practices that are committed to Dr. Bouchillon’s vision of providing comprehensive, legendary care for their patients and communities.

Today, Redwood Dental has evolved into Smile Partners USA — a unique, doctor-focused management support organization that offers back-office resources and services to independent private dental practices and boutique group practices. By embracing Dr. Bouchillon’s vision, the Smile Partners network has grown to include over 70 offices throughout Michigan, Illinois, Georgia, and Alabama.

Dr. Bouchillon is still passionate about practicing dentistry and elevating patients’ smiles. Forming life-long relationships with his patients, he’s seen firsthand how a strong, beautiful smile can unlock self-confidence and a healthy lifestyle 49

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INVESTIGATIONS & BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE KEVIN M. CRONIN, PRINCIPAL, FORTARIS CAPITAL ADVISORS 6632 TELEGRAPH RD., STE. 245, BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48301 | 248-410-3839 | FORTARISCAPITAL.COM

Kevin M. Cronin is a highly credentialed business and security executive who provides his clients with best-in-class corporate investigations, business intelligence, and security advisory services.

After more than 20 years of government service, Cronin transitioned his law enforcement career to the private sector, specializing in risk management and corporate security including corporate whitecollar investigations, business intelligence, crisis management, threat

and risk assessments, surveillance, counter-surveillance measures, executive protection, and security services for domestic and global clients. He has successfully led numerous criminal and corporate fraud, espionage, embezzlement, theft, insider trading, and cyber security investigations, assuring his clients access to world-class expertise to help mitigate the significant risks of today’s volatile business environment.

Cronin holds an MBA from Michigan State University.

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THE FACE OF

METRO DETROIT HOME LOANS MARIA LABIE — INDEPENDENT BANK 201 WEST BIG BEAVER RD., TROY, MI 48084 | 248-952-4914 | MORTGAGEMADESIMPLE.NET

Are you looking to purchase or build in 2022? A moment with Maria Labie will define the moment you can achieve more. Whether you’re in Birmingham, Midtown Detroit, or Macomb Township, Maria is opening doors and creating oppor-tunities for her clients.

As an accomplished mortgage and home loan executive, Maria has assisted thousands of homebuyers, families, and investors in finding the perfect loan product for their long-awaited property.

From new construction financing, to medical professional loans;

from first-time buyers to lending for vacation homes, Maria and her team have the experience and dedication to ensure that your home purchase is aligned with the best loan program to suit your individual needs.

Maria is always a call or click away. Get in touch today, so she can assist you with a loan product that personally serves you.

Maria Labie can be reached at 248.952.4914 mlabie@ibcp.com Mortgagemadesimple.net 51

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CANNABIS CULTIVATION CARE SASHA SOKOLOVSKYY AND KRYS WDOWIAK

2325 ALGER DRIVE, TROY, MI 48083 | 248-509-GROW | YOURTRIMMERS.COM

Mary Jane’s Friends & Co. are pioneers in the service sector, Krys and Sasha offer one of a kind experience tailored to their client’s needs.

“We are the first-of-its-kind, best cultivation company out there” says Sasha Sokolovskyy who owns the business with Krys Wdowiak.

Cannabis cultivation operations require a ton of hard work, skilled labor and organization. With the industry growing at such a rapid pace in Michigan, many cultivators find themselves in a dire need of quality help that is not easy to find. Mary Jane’s Friends & Co. is the professional

service company all cannabis cultivators can rely on, because they provide the highly trained, skilled and professional personnel this industry demands. With more than 20 years of combined industry experience and expertise, and currently servicing more than 150 local cultivators, they have curated a company for all growing needs.

Manicuring, bucking, defoliating, pruning, transplanting and complete cleaning are just some of the services offered by Mary Jane’s Friends & Co.

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THE FACE OF

ORTHOPAEDICS JEFFREY H. DECLAIRE, M.D., F.A.A.O.S. — ORTHOPAEDIC KNEE SPECIALIST 1135 WEST UNIVERSITY DR., STE. 450, ROCHESTER HILLS, MI 48307 | 248-650-2400 | HELLO@MICHIGANKNEEINSTITUTE.COM MICHIGANKNEE.COM

Board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopeadic knee specialist Dr. Jeffrey H. DeClaire and the team at Michigan Knee Institute are committed to improving patients’ mobility and quality of life by utilizing advanced technology and the most innovative minimally invasive procedures and treatment options.

For over 25 years, Dr. DeClaire has been an international leader in the advancements and innovations in outpatient partial and total knee replacement surgery. By implementing a combination of robotic

technology and minimally invasive techniques he performs most knee replacement procedures on an outpatient basis.

Michigan Knee Institute is a state-of-the-art medical facility providing patients with the best possible outcomes for injured and damaged knees. The practice offers full-service treatments, including minimally invasive partial and total knee replacements, robotic knee surgery, outpatient knee replacement, cartilage restoration, and arthroscopy to help get patients back on their feet and back to their active lives.

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THE FACE OF

PERIODONTICS JOSEPH R. NEMETH, D.D.S., MaCSD NEMETH & KATRANJI PERIODONTICS 29829 TELEGRAPH RD., STE. 111, SOUTHFIELD, MI 48034 248-357-3100 | DRNEMETH.COM

Dr. Joseph Nemeth has been committed to providing exceptional periodontal (gum) care for over 25 years.

A pioneer in the application of innovative technological advances to current periodontal practice, Dr. Nemeth treats gum disease, bad breath, missing teeth/bone loss, and other issues using minimally invasive procedures.

“The goal is to help our patients achieve a healthy mouth and healthier body via the most state-of-the-art periodontal treatments available,” he says. “Our staff is dedicated to maximizing the health of our patients’ teeth and gums through individualized treatments and personalized care.”

Dr. Nemeth is passionate about educating his patients on the systemic links between gum disease and other illnesses. Alzheimer’s, heart disease, asthma, and many forms of cancer are just a few of the health issues that can stem from untreated gum disease. Visit drnemeth. com today for a full list of services designed to keep your mouth and your entire body healthy.

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THE FACE OF

PLASTIC SURGERY DR. ELAN REISEN — STAR PLASTIC SURGERY 44050 W. 12 MILE RD., NOVI, MI 48377 | 248-735-3800 | MYSTARDR.COM

Your health and beauty are in exceptional hands with Star Plastic Surgery in Novi. Dr. Elan Reisin, M.D., F.A.C.S., and his team of surgeons have completed more than 15,000 cosmetic surgeries. Dr. Reisin, medical director at Star Plastic Surgery, is a multiyear Hour Detroit Top Doc honoree. Dr. Reisin is board-certified in plastic and reconstructive surgery, and has received numerous national awards.

After five years of serving as an attending physician and teaching surgical residents at the prestigious Georgetown University Hospital

Department of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Reisin decided to create Star Plastic Surgery, a pre-eminent, state-of-the-art AAAHC surgical center and medical spa.

As a member of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Dr. Reisin has traveled internationally to learn from top plastic surgeons. He has also given back through philanthropic trips to the Dominican Republic to treat children with congenital and traumatic deformities.

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THE FACE OF

TITLE INSURANCE JENNIFER BEGOLE BUNTING — OLD WOODWARD TITLE AGENCY 470 N. OLD WOODWARD AVE. SUITE 250A, BIRMINGHAM, MI 48009 | 248-988-0000 | OWTITLE.COM

Closing on a property is stressful enough. At Old Woodward Title, we streamline the process, offering proprietary products and services for both the residential and commercial real estate markets.

Led by industry veteran Jennifer BeGole Bunting, the firm delivers an agent-centric, service-driven experience with a team that

brings decades of industry know-how and a level of professionalism that cultivates long-lasting partnerships with leading real estate professionals.

When you partner with Old Woodward Title, we will exceed your expectations - every step of the way.

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PROTECTING YOUR REPUTATION AND LIVELIHOOD DERRICK GEORGE — GEORGE LAW

444 S. WASHINGTON AVE., ROYAL OAK, MI 48067 | 248-470-4300 | GEORGELAW.COM

Whether you’re facing a criminal or family charge, or have a pressing legal matter regarding your business, George Law, headquartered in Royal Oak, provides the strong counsel you need. From the moment you retain their counsel, they become partners in your case.

The George Law team, which works throughout metro Detroit and statewide, knows a legal problem can affect all aspects of your life, including your family and your employment. They’ll manage your legal issue so you don’t have to deal with the stress and worry.

Clients come from all economic and geographic backgrounds, but they’re all looking for the same thing: the best possible legal outcome. To that end, at George Law most cases are handled by multiple attorneys and staff members, led by Derrick George. This ensures you have well-versed, knowledgeable advocates fighting for you 57

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TOP DOGS AT DOBI REAL ESTATE DOBI REAL ESTATE 2211 COLE ST., BIRMINGHAM, MI 48009 | 248-385-3350 | HELLO@WEAREDOBI.COM

When DOBI Real Estate launched in the summer of 2018, the vision was to offer Realtors the services they needed to enable growth in their business. The collective culture and workspace have much to do with that. DOBI Real Estate refers to its top producers as “Top Dogs.” These are the agents who are constantly hustling, growing their business, and mentoring others.

Real estate is a relationship-based business. DOBI’s Top Dogs

know the value of the collaborative and supportive culture the company has developed, and they’ve seen their business thrive from it.

The faces of the Top Dogs at DOBI include (from left): Ryan French, Jen Stillwagon, Saverio Montalto, Marian Grout, Ryan Nelson, Lucine Tarman, George Thomas, Vic Simjanoski, Debbie Nelson, Rebecca Sokol, Craig Joeright, Marisa Thomas, and Lisa Lipari.

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KIDSGALA | WHITE PARTY FUNDRAISER Join KIDSgala, a David C. McKnight foundation, for its seventh annual fundraiser. This nonprofit organization, created in memory of Nicole Marie Burton, provides gifted celebrations for children who experience life-altering disabilities and illnesses. We are dedicated to bringing joy among children and their families in a unique way, tailored for their specific needs. Our fabulous event will be held at The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham on Saturday, Jan. 22, from 7 p.m. to midnight. Guests will enjoy the exquisite customized decor showcased by Emerald City Designs. There will be a hosted bar to accompany the gourmet cuisine. The evening’s emcee is Fox 2 News anchor Jay Towers, with entertainment by Jared Sykes. Features include 52-card raffles (win a lease on new Cadillac and more), silent auctions, as well as an exhibition of vacations, which will be available for purchase.

Please visit kidsgala.org for admission, attire, and sponsorship details.

STATE BAR OF MICHIGAN | BUSINESS LAW SYMPOSIUM Our fourth annual State Bar of Michigan Business Law Symposium will be held in person at The Detroit Club on Thursday, Jan. 20, from 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. It also will be accessible for virtual attendees via livestream. Please join us, as this year’s function will feature 40 presenters, with dialogue on the business of law firms. The format will consist of lectures, roundtable discussions, and guest participation. All venue amenities will be available, which includes a cigar lounge, as well as an open bar and strolling dinner throughout the event.

To learn more about the program, registration, and/or sponsorships, visit bizsymposium.com.

Learn about local non-profits, the work they are doing in our community, and ways you can help their causes in the digital edition of Give.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOUR MEDIA SPONSORED EVENTS AND SEE PHOTOS FROM THOSE EVENTS, VISIT

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01.22 ARTS, CULTURE, AND MORE TO DO IN METRO DETROIT

Agenda MUSI C

TRUEST SELF

As an “affirmation musician,” local singer-songwriter Toni Jones encourages self-reflection and moving with intention p. 66

C U LT U R E CA L E N DA R p. 62 A RT S P R EV I EW p. 62 R E C R E AT I O N p. 64 M U S I C p. 66

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JANUARY 2022

Culture Calendar

Our carefully curated guide to the month in arts and entertainment

BY RYA N PATR I C K H OO PER

 The work of emerging Black photographers from across the country, including Detroit, is now on display at the DIA.

VISUAL ARTS

Art and Fashion Invade the Detroit Institute of Arts Fashion and photography has been in focus at Detroit’s

2022 ARTS PREVIEW

From exhibits from outer space to the return of music festivals, presenting our must-see list of cultural happenings through summer

BY RYAN PATRICK H OO PER

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premier arts institute, lately. The touring exhibition of Kwame Brathwaite’s Black Is Beautiful photography wraps up this month (you can read Hour’s coverage of it in the

October 2021 digital edition), highlighting his role in bringing Black models into the mainstream, via largescale photography. The DIA will build on that momentum with The New Black Vanguard: Photography Between Art and Fashion. On display now through April, it features fashion editorials, color portraits, and conceptual images, by 15 emerging Black photographers, curated

by New York cultural critic Antwaun Sargent.

The exhibit features more than 100 images from photographers across the globe, but for this Detroit stop, it’s undoubtedly citycentric. Local photographers like Bre’Ann White and Justin Milhouse are featured, alongside Ohio native Adrienne

FEBRUARY

The Henry Ford, in Dearborn, is leaving this planet behind with Apollo: When We Went to the Moon. The traveling exhibition uses more than 100 artifacts to explore the cultural, technological, and political context of the moon landing. Apollo will feature real pieces from the Apollo 11 lunar module, as well as scale models of the command module and the lunar rover. A trip down memory lane for aging astronauts who remember touching down in their living rooms; an exhilarat-

Raquel’s images of Detroit-born rapper Lizzo, for the pages of Playboy magazine.

The New Black Vanguard is on display now through April 17, at the Detroit Institute of Arts. The exhibition is free with museum admission. dia.org THEATER

Broadway in Detroit Breaks a Leg, in January

Fans of musical theater are in for a thrilling – and potentially exhausting – January.

Broadway in Detroit has three powerhouse shows scheduled for the month, which will kick off with Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Jan. 4-9, at the Fisher Theatre). A jukebox musical told from her first hit, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”

ing and interactive exhibit for the next generation of

Later in the year, The Henry Ford will welcome another touring exhibition that’s perfect for kids and adults alike.

Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume will explore the craft behind the looks of some of Disney’s most beloved characters. Look for that exhibit to open at the museum in June.

space rangers.

Apollo: When We Went to the Moon opens at The Henry Ford, on Feb. 19 and runs through May 8.

MARCH

One of the greatest local live performances you can

(written when she was just 17), through her breakthrough solo effort, Tapestry.

Beautiful is one of the best examples of the current Broadway trend of utilizing a singular catalog. to tell a larger story. The longrunning Hairspray (Jan. 18-30, at the Fisher Theatre) exudes a similar 1960s musical vibe, bringing the film originally directed by John Waters to the big stage. The blockbuster stage production of The Lion King (Jan. 27 -Feb. 20, at the Detroit Opera House) rounds out the month, bringing the classic Disney story to the stage. The massive show has been seen by more than 100 million folks, to date.

Find out more about all three musicals at broadwayindetroit.com.

see comes courtesy of the National Arab Orchestra, led by founder and musical director Michael Ibrahim.

As part of the University Musical Society’s spring programming in Ann Arbor, the orchestra (which is based in Detroit) will perform with Lebanese singer Abeer Nehme, to explore the classical canon of Arab music alongside contemporary pieces from Arab composers. To see them at Hill Auditorium — the Albert Kahn-designed music venue that offers some of the best acoustics in the Midwest — is a major bonus.

The National Arab Orches-

FASHION COURTESY OF THE DIA NATIONAL ARAB ORCHESTRA COURTESY OF NAO

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Agenda

On My Playlist

The museum will also exhibit the first U.S. solo exhibition of Canadian artist Nep Sidhu. It’s called Percussion in Shadow & Dimension. Inspired by the writings of jazz musician Faruq Z. Bey, Sidhu explores a host of media, including painting, sculpture, textiles, and video, to explore the genres of jazz, hip-hop, and techno, as well as ideas like community memory and healing.

Healing Room and Percussion in Shadow & Dimension are scheduled to open in April, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, and run through August; mcontemporaryart.com

Detroit’s My Brightest Diamond Looks Back with Something New LIVE MUSIC

The Sphinx Organization Celebrates 25 Years of Diversity in Classical Music

Detroit is lucky to have the Sphinx Organization.

The classical music nonprofit has helped build pipelines for young Black and Latinx musicians to find their way into careers in classical music (both on stage and behind the scenes). It’s an important mission, as it’s one of the many arts and culture sectors lacking diversity. This month, the Sphinx will host its 25th annual competition, in which emerging musicians between the ages of 18 and 30 perform on stage, for nearly $100,000 in cash prizes – including the Robert Frederick Smith

tra with Abeer Nehme will perform on March 19, at Ann Arbor’s Hill Auditorium.

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra will welcome back conductor Peter Oundjian for three days of its Voices of America performance, which celebrates diversity in classical music.

The show highlights varying voices, including those of Joan Tower and William Grant Still. Program standouts include a new work by Joel Thompson, inspired by James Baldwin’s Notes of a Native Son. Voices of America will show at Orchestra Hall, across three performances, March 11—13.

Prize. This $50,000 firstplace award also comes with a host of solo appearances, accompanied by major orchestras. The competition approach adds something extra attractive for patrons who may not normally attend classical music performances but are interested in seeing what the next generation of performers are bringing to the table. Sit on the edge of your seat all night, to see who takes home the big prize.

The 25th annual Sphinx Competition finals concert takes place at Orchestra Hall, on Jan.29. Tickets, which are sold on a paywhat-you-can basis, are available at dso.org.

Over a decade ago, in 2011, Detroit-based artist Shara Nova (who records as My Brightest Diamond) released “I Have Never Loved Someone.” It’s a song that still pops up on my playlist years later — and apparently, it’s stuck in the mind of the artist, too.

Nova recently released an updated version she recorded live, in August 2019, with the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, in Denmark. Nova brought Detroit with her, enlisting Lydia Cleaver — a harpist and longtime educator at Cass Tech — to perform with her. The haunting song lives on with this beautiful live rendition that is my must-listen for the month.

“I Have Never Loved Someone,” by My Brightest Diamond is available on all streaming platforms, alongside the rest of her catalog.

APRIL

Detroit artist Tony Rave will bring his latest show, Politics as Usual 2, to Ferndale’s M Contemporary Art, which has positioned itself as the home for some of the region’s most talented, provocative, and boundary-pushing visual artists working today. Rave will exhibit work that he

MUSIC COURTESY OF MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND EXHIBIT COURTESY OF NEP SIDHU MOVEMENT BRYAN MITCHELL ALBUM COURTESY OF YANN TIERSEN TEMPTATIONS MATTHEW MURPHY

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JULY

The Mo Pop music festival returns in 2022, with new digs. Formerly hosted at West Riverfront Park, the indie music showcase will head down the river, to Historic Fort Wayne. The venue has been attracting increasing levels of attention, from city officials and concert promoters alike, as Detroit’s new hot spot for large-scale cultural events.

The two-day Mo Pop music festival takes place July 30-31, at Historic Fort Wayne, in Detroit.

MAY

Ryan Patrick Hooper is the host of CultureShift, on 101.9 WDET, Detroit’s NPR station (weekdays, from noon to 2 p.m.).

created after receiving a $1,500 grant through artist McArthur Binion’s recently established arts foundation.

Tony Rave’s Politics as Usual 2 opens at M Contemporary Art gallery, in Ferndale, in April.

MOCAD will launch into spring with four new exhibits — including two we’re highlighting here — with a musical focus. Multifaceted Detroit artist Sterling Toles will bring his Healing Room to the museum, in his first solo exhibition in his hometown. It’s billed as an “interactive experience, where visitors will engage with sounds from Detroit.”

City. German electronic music pioneer Kraftwerk will take the stage with its 3D touring production, at the Masonic Temple, on June 4.

French musician and composer Yann Tiersen will tour behind last year’s album Kerber, stopping at the Crofoot Ballroom, in Pontiac, on June 16; themasonic.com and thecrofoot.com

Another must-see exhibit is Don Kilpatrick’s Process Progress. Set to open in March, the show will feature relief prints from handcarved woodblocks, alongside urban landscape paintings of Detroit, New York, and Tokyo. Process Progress opens at M Contemporary Art gallery, in Ferndale, in March.

If you were a Detroit festival over the past two years, you were canceled. That will change throughout 2022, as many music promoters predict a return to normalcy in the large-scale festival market. The city’s signature electronic musical festival, Movement, will once again kick off the summer season of big productions, on Memorial Day weekend. While a lineup has not yet been announced, festivalgoers can expect a mix of local and international talent, anxious to return to the stage. A host of after-parties taking place throughout the city will make this feel like a 24/7 affair, for more than three days.

Detroit’s Movement electronic musical festival returns to Hart Plaza, May 28-30; movement.us

JUNE

Smaller-scale concerts will dominate Detroit’s cultural happenings this summer, with a duo of international acts arriving in the Motor

AUGUST

The Temptations musical already made its mark on Broadway, when it opened there in March 2019. Now, Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations will find its way to the city that birthed the iconic Motown group. It will arrive at the Fisher Theatre, for a three-week run, on Aug. 9.

The jukebox musical is based on a book by original Temptations member Otis Williams. It was turned into a stage production by Detroit’s own Dominique Morisseau, who received the MacArthur Genius grant, in 2018, and currently works as the executive artistic producer for the Detroit Public Theatre.

This hometown stop of Ain’t Too Proud is one of the most anticipated theater events to be taking place in Detroit this year.

Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations will run Aug. 9-28, at the Fisher Theatre; broadwayindetroit.com SEPTEMBER–DECEMBER EVENTS NOT AVAILABLE AT PRESS TIME

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and snowboarding,” says Pam Hoye, Midwest senior communications manager for Vail Resorts, which purchased Mount Brighton in 2015. “We want to be leaders in welcoming new people into the sport and to be inclusive to anyone who wants to join us.”

Rental equipment can now be reserved online, saving time upon arrival. Also new is EpicMix, an online interactive map that will help guests navigate the hills.

WHAT ELSE: Mount Brighton offers 24 trails, with a longest run of 1,252 feet and a 230-foot vertical drop.

About 40 percent of the trails are intermediate, 30 percent are beginner, and 30 percent are advanced.

There are two terrain parks, including one on which ski and snowboard lessons are offered to children ages 5-12. Other adult, child, and private lessons are available, along with a racing program.

Mount Brighton also has a ski shop and restaurant. mtbrighton.com; 810-229-9581

Alpine Valley Ski Area

LOCATION: 6775 Highland Road, White Lake WHAT’S NEW: Alpine Valley has a new groomer with

RECREATION

SNOW NEWS IS GOOD NEWS What to expect this year at local ski areas

 At Mount Holly Ski Resort, après-ski comes in the form of a tasty treat from Fenton’s Crust Bakery.

In an effort to be more inclusive, Mount Brighton Ski Area is offering Epic Season Passes at 20 percent off. 

enhanced terrain park capabilities, along with 10 new snow guns with larger barrels, chairlift updates, lodge renovations, and a partial remodel of the bar.

A revamped rental room offers more efficient traffic flow and better fitting service. A new cafe, selling Caribou coffee and other specialty drinks, was set to open in December.

Alpine Valley’s ski school has been restructured under a new director, and there is a new ski shop.

WHAT ELSE: Alpine Valley offers 25 runs, including

BY MARK SPEZIA

FOR SIX DECADES, four venerable ski and snowboard venues have been a godsend for metro Detroit skiing enthusiasts, longing for a quick escape to the slopes.

Although Mount Brighton, Alpine Valley, Pine Knob, and Mount Holly have been operating for a combined 248 years, that doesn’t mean they’re not constantly upping their respectives games. Here is a rundown of what you’ll find and what’s new at each location, in 2022:

Mount Brighton Ski Area

LOCATION: 4141 Bauer Road, Brighton WHAT’S NEW: Mount Brighton is celebrating 60 years,

with a 20 percent reduction in its Epic Season Pass price. The Bunny Hill Basics program returns, offering new skiers access to Bunny Hill chairlift and Magic Carpet runs, rental equipment, and teaching station for one reasonable price.

“The [Epic] price reset signifies our commitment to increasing accessibility and engagement in skiing

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SKIERS COURTESY OF PURE MICHIGAN SNOWBOARDER COURTESY OF VAIL RESORTS

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Agenda There’s nothing better than spending a snow day at a local sledding hill. 

11 beginner, eight advanced, and six intermediate, with the longest at nearly 2,000 feet. There is a 300foot vertical drop. A total of four terrain parks are offered along with child, private, and group lessons.

Alpine Valley also features The Hornet’s Nest Bar and ski and snowboard rental.

“We place a huge emphasis on beginner skiers, teaching them the necessary skills and teaching them well, so they are confident enough to tackle the bigger slopes Up North or out west,” says Alpine Valley marketing manager Alexandra Kosik.

“We encourage families to spend the time together at our resort.” skialpinevalley.com; 248-887-2180

Pine Knob Ski Resort

LOCATION: 7778 Sashabaw Road, Clarkston WHAT’S NEW: Pine Knob has added two automatic

snow guns to its fleet of more than 100 snowmaking machines. A new heated patio facing the hill features ski racks and a firepit.

WHAT ELSE: Pine Knob boasts 17 runs with 50 percent classified as intermediate, 25 percent as beginner, and 25 percent as advanced. There is a 300-foot vertical drop, and its most challenging run, The Wall, features nearly 200 feet of vertical elevation and has a slope angle of around 35 percent. Pine Knob also features three terrain parks (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) and has a ski and snowboarding school and a racing program.

The Pine Knob Lodge boasts three fireplaces, two restaurants, and the Off The Wall Lounge. skipineknob.com; 248-625-0800

Mount Holly Ski Resort

LOCATION: 13536 Dixie Highway, Holly WHAT’S NEW: Mount Holly’s map has changed this

season, after the addition of a new run (Snowway) between Pine Run and Grant’s Trail. Woods have been cleared for more skiable terrain between Glacier Gap and Aurora Pass. A 700-foot tow rope has been added to the Slalom run on Mount Holly’s expanded terrain park.

Snowmaking capacity has increased after crews spent the off-season building 10 new snow guns.

With fewer indoor dining restrictions, more guests will discover the Mount Holly Coffee Bar, which opened last year and features items from Fenton’s renowned Crust Bakery.

WHAT ELSE: Mount Holly has southeast Michigan’s biggest vertical drop (350 feet) and is the only area venue with a high-speed chairlift. There are 21 runs, with the longest measuring 1,300 feet. Overall, 39 percent of the terrain is classified as advanced, 39 percent as intermediate, and 22 percent as beginner.

The resort has a significant ski and snowboarding school and racing program.

A 4,200-square-foot heated patio, equipped with a firepit, faces the slopes. The Lift Lounge is located inside the Bavarian-style lodge. skimtholly.com; 248-634-8269 SLEDDING ISTOCK/IMGORTHAND

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10 Great Places to Sled Snowy Ridge Sledding Hill The attraction of Snowy Ridge is that it’s made specifically for sledding and features a long, fast slope. Expect a few bumps along the way. 753 Welch Road, Commerce Township; commercetwp.com; 248-926-0063 Shiawassee Park The hill features a 400-foot run and the convenience of a fenced-off walking path, in the middle, with hay bales for a safe ascent to the top. Expect higher speeds when the snow is packed down. Intersection of Shiawassee and Powers Roads, Farmington; ci.farmington. mi.us; 248-474-5500 Stony Creek Metropark Sledding hills are at the Gladeview and West Branch picnic areas. Gladeview’s hill is the larger, steeper, and faster option and includes a marked-off area, allowing sledders to safely return to the top. West Branch’s hill is best for families with young children. Restrooms are available at both hills.

4300 Main Park Road, Shelby Township; metroparks.com; 586-781-4242; admission is $10 per car.

Kensington Metropark Kensington boasts convenience and variety, with toboggan runs and different sledding hills for all skill levels, all located at the Orchard picnic area. Toboggans must be standard, with attached padding on the seat. A hill for the youngest sledders has padded trees for safety.

4570 Huron River Parkway, Milford; metroparks.com; 810-227-8910; admission is $10 per car.

Lost Lake Nature Park The hill is fast and smooth, from one of Oakland County’s highest points, and is well-maintained, thanks to a live-in caretaker.

A warming shelter and a safe walkway back up the hill are offered, along with night sledding on certain days. 846 Lost Lake Trail, Oakland Township; oaklandtownship.org; 248-651-4440 ext. 299, to confirm the hill is open.

Middlebelt Hill (Hines Park) Three sides of this smooth, fast hill are perfect for sledding, and all three have their own walkways to return to the top. There is a staircase to the top and gazebo. 28558 Edward N. Hines Drive, Westland; waynecounty.com; 313-224-7600

Rolling Hills Park The hill is 70 feet wide and features a 275-foot run, with a safe stopping area at the bottom. What sets it apart, however, is a warming lodge with a fireplace. For $3, you can rent a tube. 7660 Stony Creek Road, Ypsilanti; washtenaw.org; 734-484-9676 Beverly Hills Village Park The east side of the hill is smooth and fast, but with a gradual drop. The west side drops quickly, then flattens out on a plateau, before descending again. There are stairs to the top. 18801 Beverly Road, Beverly Hills; villagebeverlyhills.com; 248-646-6404 Civic Center Park The larger of the two hills has a reputation for being smooth and fast. In the middle is a walking path, to help sledders return safely to the top. 360 W. 13 Mile Road, Madison Heights; madison-heights.org; 248-589-2294 Brandon Township Community Park What makes this hill unique is a motorized lift that transports sledders to the top. It operates from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., on Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on and Saturdays and Sundays.

Sledding is also available when the lift is closed. 1414 N. Hadley Road, Ortonville; brandontownship.us; 248-627-2851

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Agenda  Through her music, singer-songwriter Toni Jones encourages folks to affirm themselves.

THE WAYS IN WHICH you speak over yourself hold true power — Toni Jones may know that better than anyone.

While running her former life-coaching business, the 39-year-old Southfield native says she noticed her clients were having trouble integrating simple healing and wellness practices into their busy lifestyles.

The solution: “affirmation music.”

What started as songs Jones wrote just for her clients turned into several EPs and albums available on numerous streaming platforms — Affirmations for the Grown Ass Woman released during Women’s History Month in 2019; Affirmations and Chill released May 2020 to get people through quarantine; I See Me Mantras released on World Mental Health Day in 2020; and Get Cha Mind Right/ The Mental Health Mix Tape released in 2021. Having coined the title “affirmation musician,” Jones blends her “genre-infused” sounds (which she says vary from rock and gospel to R&B and spoken word) with messages on life, love, claiming your space, and protecting your peace. Jones says her latest album, Me VS Every Me “Affirmations of Self Love,” is about being your purest self and winning the battle with negative inner dialogue.

Here, Jones shares how you can move with intention throughout this year and beyond.

What do you want people to take away from your music?

We’re in this era of self-care, self-love, and cultivating a relationship with ourselves. The core requirement of having a healthy relationship with yourself is how you talk to yourself. You’re saying you’re constantly having these inner conversations in your mind — whether it’s about money, the government, racism, your body, what happened five years ago — what are these inner conversations that you have on a loop that are creating feelings of defeat, powerlessness, and so on?

So, what I want people to take away from my music is when they push play, they get to revolutionize and transform that inner conversation.

day. Affirmations and self-love are ushering people more into the present moment and saying, “OK, what do I need today? I can’t depend on the world. I can’t depend on everybody outside of me to determine how I bring peace to myself. I have to determine that and I have to listen to myself.”

How do you encourage people to stop negative self-talk and start their healing journey?

Some people may read this article and say, “I don’t even know what affirmations are.

Where do I even start with affirmations?” I will say that the first start is pay attention to what you are saying that you don’t want to say anymore. Write that down. Because when you write that down, you bring awareness.

You’re practicing the muscle to be self-aware of what’s going on in your inner being. Having a mental health therapist is so important, because they are trained in holding space for your inner self. Also, affirmation music is a testament not to just my talent, but to the research that backs up the power of music and how it has a medicinal legacy of rewiring your nervous system.

MUSIC

THE POWER OF YOUR WORDS

A local singer-songwriter shares her journey to becoming an “affirmation musician” and how to set intentional goals in 2022

BY RACHAEL THOMAS | PHOTO BY JOE ALISA

And how can people set intentional goals for their lives in the new year?

I have to be mindful that everyone is on a different level. So, I do my best to create something that can be universally used. No matter where you’re at in your personal relationship with yourself, I would say the first thing [is to ask yourself]: What do you want?

What do you truly want? And feel the resistance that comes up like, “Oh, that’s not realistic. Oh, that’s not possible. I don’t have enough money.” Just really pay attention to what counters that when you pay attention to what you want in this life. So, before you set intentions, before you start these affirmations, get grounded and clear about what you want in this life.

That is a great point of entry for intentional living in 2022 and beyond.

Learn more about Toni Jones at iamtonijones.com.

We’ve reached new levels of survival mode these past three years. Why are affirmations more important now than ever before?

It’s not only our inner voices we’re dealing with — we’re dealing with the outer voices of the world.

No matter what channels they’re coming from, it’s too much. And now we’re at a point where the only way to survive is to pay attention to what’s going on inside you and how you actually want to care for it. You’re more conscious of the virus and what the media is saying, what politicians are saying, what your family is saying, what your friends are saying, and what your own intuition is saying. So, now it’s about choosing what brings you peace for the day — not for the next five years, but for the

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Your New Feel-Good Playlist Affirmation musician Toni Jones recommends songs from her latest album, Me VS Every Me, to get you through any situation For inspiration: “Talk to Me Nice” To let out a good cry: “I Forgive”

To rest: “Inner Breakfast” To encourage your personal growth: “Innercise”

A pick-me-up: “Better Love”

ALBUM COURTESY OF TONI JONES

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Enjoy a Scotch at home, at a local saloon, or at a Burns Night celebration. Go to detroitscots.com for more.

DRINKS

Scotch Season Now is the time to get into the spirit

BY TAMMY COXEN

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JANUARY IS THE MONTH of Burns Night, an annual celebration of the famed Scottish poet commemorated by reciting poetry, eating haggis, and toasting with Scotch. Even if this holiday isn’t high on your list of winter festivities, drinking this spirit should be. Joe Kakos, co-owner and whiskey expert at Kakos Market, in Birmingham, agrees.

“People associate Scotch with cooler weather,” he says. “It feels like a big, warm hug, when you drink a dram of Scotch.”

Scotch whisky is one of the progenitors of American whiskey, as early Scottish settlers in the U.S. brought their distilling knowledge with them. While many of the techniques are the same, the finished product is quite different. One of the reasons for this is the use of malted barley, rather than rye or corn, as Scotch’s chief grain.

And even among Scots, individual producers vary tremendously, with different regions of the country producing quite different styles of whisky.

Laith Jarjosa, managing partner of Super Fine Wine & Liquor in Canton, says sometimes, people get scared of Scotch. “They might have had something from Islay [a rocky island off the southern coast of Scotland] that’s peaty and smoky, that they hated, and think every Scotch is like that.

We make sure to guide them to a good starter Scotch they’ll enjoy.”

One of the best ways to explore Scotch is to go to a bar that specializes in it, offering a chance to try different styles, without having to invest in entire bottles. And one of the best places in metro Detroit to do that is the Butter Run Saloon, in St. Clair Shores, which boasts the largest selection of whiskey in Michigan.

David Harden opened the Butter Run Saloon in 2012, after noticing that metro Detroit didn’t have any whiskey bars. He started collecting different products and grabbing new bottles, as they came out, and his saloon currently boasts a menu with more than 400 different Scotches and around 1,300 whiskeys total. “To me, Scotch is a lot more fun than bourbon, because there are so many different profiles, where there’s just not as much difference between bourbons.”

Once you find a Scotch you like and want to own, that’s where stores like Kakos Market and Super Fine Wine & Liquor come in. Both pride themselves on offering not just an impressive selection, but also a knowledgeable staff. Kakos Market, which is coowned by Joe’s brother Giovanni and was founded by their parents 47 years ago, has seen many changes in the Scotch industry. “Right now, Scotch companies are trying hard to garner a younger demographic, through better price points, younger Scotches, and Scotches with interesting finishes,” says Kakos.

Much like Burns himself, who came from a humble background, some of the best Scotch selections and most knowledgeable Scotch salespeople are hidden away behind unassuming exteriors. “We just look like a regular wine shop, on the outside,” Jarjosa says.

Scotches to Try:

Benriach Cask Edition Single Barrel “The store hand-picked this cask-strength single barrel. It’s finished in a red muscatel wine barrel, giving it notes of chocolate cake, gooseberry, and cherry compote, layered with toasted honey nut brittle.”

–Laith Jarjosa, Super Fine Wine & Liquor

Auchentoshan Three Wood “This Lowland Scotch is my personal favorite right now. It’s triple distilled and aged in bourbon, oloroso, and Pedro Ximénez sherry barrels that give it a unique flavor profile.”

–Joe Kakos, Kakos Market

Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 “This rum barrel-finished Scotch is one of our most popular Scotches right now. It’s got vanilla and toffee and a fruity finish.”

–David Harden, Butter Run Saloon

SCOTCH ISTOCK/LUCENTIUS BOTTLES COURTESY OF SUPER FINE WINE & LIQUOR, AUCHENTOSHAN, AND BALVENIE

12/9/21 11:37 AM

Food&Drink

PROFILE

FROM ‘FARMACY’ TO TABLE Farmacy Food is not a restaurant, a caterer, or a cafe — it’s all of the above and more, says chef Phil Jones

BY D O RO TH Y HE RNANDE Z P H O T O BY R EBE CCA SIMONOV

CHEF PHIL JONES IS a soft-spoken, modest man.

But when he starts talking about overly processed food, prepared in a “thoughtless” and “callous” manner — the kind of meal he intercepted once at a summer youth camp — his usual genial demeanor is replaced by frustration mixed with fury. The bagel sandwich wrapped in plastic had a couple of slices of lunch meat, melted cheese, and slices of cucumber “swimming in something,” he recalls. “And I bring up the melted cheese part because it wasn’t a hot sandwich.” The cheese had melted because the sandwich had sat out beyond the appropriate amount of time for the food to be safe to eat.

It’s this type of institutional food, as he puts it, that Farmacy Food, which was founded to address the lack of affordable and healthy food, aims to disrupt.

“We’ve seen what the food system has done to itself and to people, and we don’t want to play that game,” he says. That means eliminating overly processed food as much as possible, he says, and “playing up to ancestral traditions that are not just healthy but healing, too.”

He says Farmacy Food is not a restaurant, caterer, or cafe — “we’re all the above.” The healthy meal service company is based at Marygrove Conservancy, on the northwest side of Detroit, and recently expanded to the Michigan Life Sciences and Innovation Center in Plymouth.

Farmacy Food offers healthy prepared foods with a global spin, such as Oaxacan chicken rice bowls and salmon croquettes with fonio, an African heritage grain. And the healthy take doesn’t just stop at entrees; even ranch dressing gets a nutritious upgrade with the addition of turmeric, which turns it a vibrant yellow, and Farmacy Food’s most popular dressing, the black-eyed pea vinaigrette, packs a punch of protein. Farmacy Food also recently partnered with a

 Chef Phil Jones is the chief culinary officer of Farmacy Food, a healthfocused hybrid food concept that aims to disrupt institutional food.

TO VIEW THE MENU, PLACE AN ORDER, AND LEARN ABOUT SMART FRIDGES — WHICH MAKE NUTRITIOUS MEALS READILY AVAILABLE — GO TO FARMACYFOOD.COM

company to distribute a healthy beverage with lemon balm, aimed at reducing stress and anxiety.

“All of our flavors are based in ethnic foods. And we want to pay tribute to other cultures, because we’ve been given this western notion that other cultures are less than civilized. … We want to normalize [these foods].”

Jones is a veteran of Detroit’s food scene, having worked at restaurants like The Rattlesnake Club and Fishbones, before dedicating himself to building more equitable food systems in the city of Detroit, from being a founding member of advocacy organization Detroit Food Policy Council to working with chefs to transform food headed toward landfills, for the Make Food Not Waste community (Editor’s Note: Dorothy Hernandez is on the board of the nonprofit Make Food Not Waste).

Farmacy Food has gone through three and a half business models in a couple of years, he says, but the company’s new foundational approach “is much more sustainable and much more viable, as an option to make these communities stronger.”

“It became clear that we needed to be something else. And this is where the meal packs and meal subscriptions and all these things started becoming a focus of our work,” Jones says. After they made their home base at Marygrove Conservancy, their work deepened. “It made more sense to create a relationship with folks on food, as opposed to selling certain products. We started looking at what the needs were for the population, the folks that we wanted to serve.

And we figured that food needs to be done a different way. So, while we’re still working to do that retail and meal subscription thing, our focus is now really on service, seeing the people in our community.”

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Food&Drink  Drink up: Get your fill of hibiscus from bottled beverages, like Ellis Isle’s teas, or make your own infusion with a mix, like Camp Craft’s Hibiscus Ginger Lemon Cocktail Kit.

Hibiscus Donuts

Yellow Light Coffee and Donuts is known for its creative flavor combinations, with birthday cake and brown butter plantain among the staples. But on occasion, it will showcase hibiscus in equally creative applications, such as its coconut donut, bathed in a rosy hibiscus glaze or a justas-rosy hibiscus lime. Call ahead or peep the shop’s social media profiles, to make sure it’s got these sweet treats on the menu, since they are sometimes a special flavor of the day.

Hibiscus-flavored donuts, $2.35 each, at Yellow Light Coffee and Donuts, 14447 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit

Bad Luck Bar’s Star Elixir

Blending tart and sweet notes with a bit of effervescence, the Star Elixir features hibiscus-infused Reyka vodka, watermelon shrub, lemon, raw honey, Peychaud’s bitters, and soda, finished off with a flourish of melon and mint popping sugar. Star Elixir, $25, at Bad Luck Bar, 1218 Griswold St., Detroit; 313-657-9177

Pink Tickler Wheat Ale

RETAIL

Flower Power A staple in various cultures, ranging from South America to West Africa, hibiscus is finding its way into everything from drinks to donuts

BY DOROTHY HE RNANDEZ | PH O T O BY R EBECCA SI MONOV

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Ellis Isle Tea Wet Shuga

Ellis Isle Tea’s hibiscusbased tea is derrived from a family recipe and has generated a lot of buzz in the past several years, including for nabbing comedian Kevin Hart as an investor. Since its founding

by Nailah Ellis, Ellis Isle Tea has grown from a small business, slinging tiny batches from the back of a car, to a nationally known tea brand. The Wet Shuga (Ellis Isle’s O.G. tea) combines hibiscus, rosehips, and mint with naturally sweet, cold-pressed cane juice. Wet Shuga, $4 each, at Target or Amazon

Hibiscus Lemonade and Sugar-Free Iced Tea Palmer Park carryout restaurant Pink Flamingo to Go specializes in healthy farm-to-table meals, like rice bowls with braised greens and miso soup with lemongrass, the perfect complement for its hibiscus lemonade and sugar-free iced tea. The former is made from cold-pressed lemons, hibiscus tea, and cane sugar, while the latter is a cozy mix of tea with cinnamon and ginger. Hibiscus Lemonade, $5.50; Hibiscus SugarFree Iced Tea, $4.75, at Pink Flamingo to Go, 17740 Woodward Ave., Detroit

This fruity and floral, tart hibiscus wheat ale is the most popular selection at Pontiac’s Exferimentation Brewing Company. The brewers played around to figure out the right amount of hibiscus to put in the beer — and once they did, they doubled it for good measure.

Pink Tickler, $4.50 or $7.50, at Exferimentation Brewing Company, 7 N. Saginaw, Pontiac; 248-919-7869

Hibiscus Ginger Lemon Camp Craft Cocktail Kit

Infuse your spirit of choice with Camp Craft’s Hibiscus Ginger Lemon Cocktail Kit, a spicy, floral, and tart blend, that features hibiscus, ginger, lemon, and infused non-GMO vegan sugar. The kit includes one jar and serves eight, but can be used twice, for a total of 16 servings. Hibiscus Ginger Lemon Cocktail Kit, $25, at City Bird, 460 W. Canfield St., Detroit; 313-831-9776; citybirddetroit.com

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Food&Drink

Chef Hajime Sato prepares a platter with nigiri and rolls.

The omakase chef’s choice menu is only available at the bar. 

R E STAU R A N T R E V I E W

In Chef Sato We Trust Leave your preconceived notions at the door, and take one of 13 seats at the custom-built sushi bar at Sozai

BY D OROTH Y H ER NA ND EZ | PH O T OS BY H AY D EN STI NEBAUG H

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Food&Drink

 Sato tries to use local fish when possible, such as smelt oroshi nanban (fried Lake Erie smelt with ponzu, sesame oil, and grated daikon).

The Japanese cheesecake is a delightful study in contrasts, with its rich and decadent flavor in a light and airy cake. The housemade sesame crackers add a sweet and savory crunchy element to the dessert. 

MIDWAY THROUGH OUR DINNER at Sozai, a sustainable sushi restaurant in Clawson, a jaw-dropping sashimi course comes to our table.

Slices of tiger-orange char, thick triangles of skipjack — dark red in the middle, gray on the outside, signs of a well-executed sear — and coins of ankimo (monkfish liver pate) are artfully arranged on a wooden platter. A verdant seaweed salad, crisp julienned cucumbers, and batons of pickled carrot punctuate the plate.

This is the kind of sustainable sushi — made with seafood raised and caught responsibly in a way that does not hurt the environment — chef Hajime Sato is trying to introduce to diners in his new home state of Michigan.

“Some people tell me, ‘You don’t have California rolls; you don’t have cream cheese,’” says Sato, who ran and operated sustainable sushi restaurant Mashiko in Seattle for 25 years before moving to

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 The Pure Michigan roll is an ode to the Great Lakes State, with walleye, cucumber, and tempura onion.

Michigan a couple of years ago so his wife, who was battling cancer, could receive treatment. “Some people get mad and call me names and leave — that’s fine. They can go somewhere else. But if they’re open to new things, then I’m more than happy to explain.”

We take sushi for granted, but it wasn’t so long ago that it was “exotic.” In the 1960s, Kawafuku Restaurant, which is considered by many to be the first sushi restaurant in the U.S., opened in Los Angeles. Not long after, Tokyo Kaikan was one of the restaurants to lay claim to the California roll, which brought sushi to the mainstream.

Sozai offers safe bets like tempura and chicken karaage and rolls with more familiar ingredients like avocado, cucumber, tuna, and cilantro. But to fully witness Sato’s mastery (and that of his fellow sushi chef, Brian Agacinski), you need to sit at one of the 13 seats at the custom-built bar and order the omakase, which is only available at the bar. The

seats are often occupied, if that’s any indication, so call ahead. The sustainability dedication goes beyond seafood — the bar is made from reclaimed wood from abandoned homes. Sato collaborated with Ferndale’s Wall Woodworking to design the sleek light and dark wood bar and countertop, which also has a glass case where you can see all of the seafood that will go into your meal.

According to the State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, global consumption per capita of seafood is expected to rise by 2.2 pounds per person by 2030. Amid increasing demand as well as the growing threat of climate change, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N. says nearly 35 percent of all catches are being sourced at “biologically unsustainable levels.”

Sustainability also means using fish not usually synonymous with sushi. For example, instead of freshwater eel, which is endangered, Sato makes an unagi alternative with invasive blue catfish from fisheries dedicated to restoring balance to the waters.

Sato is also trying to raise awareness of the omakase concept, which isn’t as common in Michigan as it is in New York or L.A. As my friend and I take our seats at the bar, other than her shrimp and scallop allergy, our minds and stomachs are open.

The meal begins with a hearty miso soup. I’m normally not a fan of miso soup because I’ve had a lot of disappointing bowls, or as Sato puts it “basically MSG, scallions, and some cubes of tofu.”

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Food&Drink

SOZAI 449 W. 14 MILE ROAD, CLAWSON 248-677-3232 OPEN 5-9 P.M. TUE -SAT SOZAIRESTAURANT.COM

 An omakase dinner is based on what the chefs curate for the meal. Pictured here: Lake Erie smelt; squid and shishito; and a platter with tuna, Boston mackerel, spot prawns, uni, albacore, sockeye salmon, scallop and skipjack tuna.

Sato saves fish bones and simmers them for hours for the stock. The miso soup will change based on what’s available. Today, there are chunks of tofu, potato, and onion in a rich halibut stock.

This is the traditional way to make miso soup in Japan, says Sato, who hails from the Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo. His parents were often away at work, so he spent a lot of time watching his grandmother cook with whatever was available (this is his cooking philosophy to this day: What would Grandma do?).

The soup is followed by bowls of toothsome squid lightly marinated in soy and spiced up with shishito peppers (this comes in a bowl that Sato created himself), and the poke of the day, which brings my friend back to a trip she took in college to Hawaii. The poke is made with ono — a mild and delicate fish from Hawaii that is deemed one of the best choices for seafood by the Monterey Bay Aquarium — embraced by seaweed and garnished with macadamia nuts.

The highlights of our sashimi course include fresh Spanish mackerel that doesn’t have that dreaded fish-oil taste that comes with fish that’s past its prime, and a soft and delicate Alaskan marbled king salmon. For the fish plate, we are served halibut again, this time as lightly charred and tender halibut cheeks with blanched spinach in a miso- and sesame-laced sauce.

Omakase is a curated experience, and chefs even change direction midway. And it’s rarely the same experience twice.

I return the following week with new companions who can eat shrimp and scallops and settle in for another ride. Our meal starts again with miso soup, but this time I notice different vegetables such as pieces of eggplant. A bowl of sake-poached East Coast oysters follows, the sake lending a whisper of acidity. The nigiri platter this time boasts Canadian spot prawns two ways: fresh and translucent butterflied shrimp and then golden and crispy fried heads in all their savory glory. Another treasure on this platter are the fresh scallops, the sweet flesh opened like a book and with a morsel of rice inside. The highlight is the house-cured salmon roe, the marinade so potent that after I eat a single bead with a few grains of rice I could’ve walked away satisfied.

We also see some local seafood with fried Lake Erie smelt, served cold with the crispy exterior tamed by a flavorful sweet ponzu sauce. The meal crescendos with a showstopping fried halibut collar smothered in an umami-rich mushroom gravy.

Between the two meals, the highlight for me was

Omakase is a curated experience, and chefs even change direction midway. And it’s rarely the same experience twice. a small roll that was stunning in its simplicity — and one that seemed to be made for me. Hiramasa, tempura onion, and jalapeno were rolled into nori.

One bite, and I am convinced of Sato’s sushi sorcery.

“I’ve never made this roll before,” he says, and I have never felt more seen.

You can also confidently place your trust in Sato, a certified sake adviser, to make sake recommendations to pair with your meal. I know little about sake, but I know what I like in white wine: crisp, dry, and no sweetness. From these few adjectives, Sato and our server suggest the equivalent in sake with clean and classic flavor

profiles. The biggest surprise is the Nanbu Bijin Junmai. I was put off by the sweet description, but Sato says it is a personal favorite and that I should try it. He was right, again.

Running a sustainable sushi restaurant in his new home state far from the Pacific Northwest, where he formed longtime relationships, is hard, Sato says. But “at this moment, I want to be on the right side of history. I want to know that I did OK when I was alive. Do I have a bright future because [I’m] one person doing a little restaurant in Michigan? I don’t know. But knowing what I know … I wish more people would pay attention.”

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Restaurant Guide Wayne

vas, and the Babo Burger. 15 E. Kirby St., Ste. 115, Detroit; 313-974-6159. B,L,D daily.

Baker’s Keyboard Lounge $$ SOUL FOOD • This iconic lounge serves soul food: beef short ribs with gravy, creamy mac and cheese, collard greens, and sweet cornbread muffins. 20510 Livernois Ave., Detroit; 313-345-6300. L, D Tue.-Fri.

Al Ameer $$ LEBANESE • This Lebanese restaurant is a recipient of the prestigious James Beard America’s Classics Award.

The Al Ameer platter is perfect for sharing: two grape leaves, two fried kibbeh, chicken shawarma, tawook, kabob, kafta,and falafel. 12710 W. Warren Ave., Dearborn;313-582-8185. 27346 Ford Road, Dearborn Heights; 313-565-9600 L,D Mon.-Sun. Amore da Roma $$ ITALIAN • Guy Pelino, Roma Café’s chef, took over the ownership reins of this restaurant on the edge of the Eastern Market. He retained the menu, adding a charcuterie board and updating the wine list, and didn’t change the character of the old-school restaurant, known for its steaks and pastas. 3401 Riopelle St., Detroit; 313-831-5940. L,D Tue.-Sat. Antonio’s Cucina Italiana $$ ITALIAN • The Rugieros have impressed restaurant guests for decades with authentic cuisine. Signature dishes include Gnocchi Rita and Chicken Antonio.

There’s a full bar and a very extensive wine list. 2220 N. Canton Center Road, Canton; 734-981-9800. 26356 Ford Road, Dearborn Heights; 313-278-6000. 37646 W. 12 Mile Road, Farmington Hills; 248-994-4000. L,D daily.

COVID-19 UPDATE Many establishments are still adjusting to the latest changes in safety protocols.

Please call the numbers listed here to verify hours and space availability.

Apparatus Room $$$$ NEW AMERICAN • The Foundation Hotel’s restaurant, the Apparatus Room, once housed the Detroit Fire Department headquarters. The cooking of chef Thomas Lents, who earned two Michelin stars while at Chicago’s Sixteen, is refined and highly skilled. A separate Chef’s Table restaurant offers a pricey but delicious option. 250 W. Larned St., Detroit; 313-8005600. D Wed.-Sun.

Avalon Café and Bakery $$ ORGANIC BAKERY • The bakery’s mini-empire includes a café on Woodward Avenue in Detroit. Its bread is also the basis for dishes such as Avocado Toast with tahini, thinly curled cucumbers, lime, and chili flakes. Vegetarian fare includes a grilled veggie sandwich with portobello mushrooms, zucchini, and goat cheese.

Meatier highlights include a turkey and gouda sandwich, and BLTA with cider house bacon. 1049 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-285-8006. B,L daily.

Babo $ NEW AMERICAN • This café settled into the Midtown Park Shelton building in July 2019, serving elevated comfort food made from local, small-batch producers.

The self-described gourmet diner offers espresso drinks and such dishes as Avocado Toast, Kimchi Patatas Bra-

Dog-friendly

Barda $$$$ ARGENTINIAN • Barda brings a new cuisine to metro Detroit. True to Argentinian culture, the restaurant celebrates traditional meat dishes. For starters, Carne y Hueso, meaning Flesh and Bone, features a mold of finely chopped beef tartare topped with spicy horseradish alongside a dense bone filled to the brim with buttery marrow. Tira de Asado, a classic Argentinian short rib dish, arrives on a plate in a coriander-pepper crust. And Inch-thick slices of rare Bife, or strip loin steak, lie on a bed of melted butter infused with chimichurri. 4842 Grand River Ave., Detroit; 313- 952-5182; bardadetroit. com. D Thurs.-Sun. Bash Original Izakaya $$ JAPANESE • From the proprietor of Canton’s popular Izakaya Sanpei, comes a Japanese pub located in Woodbridge. Occupying the former home of Katsu, Bash maintains much of that eatery’s Asian-inspired décor, such as hanging lanterns and bamboo shades. Bash’s drink menu focuses on Japanese craft beer, while the food menu of small plates and sashimi includes Gyoza, Tempura Udon, and fried octopus balls called Tako Yaki.

5069 Trumbull Ave., Detroit; 313-788-7208; L Wed.-Sat. D Tue.-Sun.

Atwater in the Park $ GERMAN • At this casual spot, traditional German-style beer is the beverage of choice. Chef Chris Franz’ noteworthy menu is compatible with such additions as a platter of local bratwurst and other sausages teamed with housemade red cabbage and sauerkraut, plus amazing potato pancakes and daily soups. 1175 Lakepointe St., Grosse Pointe Park; 313-344-5104. L,D daily.

Family-friendly

Baobab Fare $$ AFRICAN • With his New Center restaurant, Mamba Hamissi urges diners to venture into culinary territories they’d otherwise evade, like the Mbuzi starring a goat shank that is slow-roasted until the meat is so tender that it slides off the bone with ease. 6568 Woodward Ave., Ste. 100, Detroit; 313-265-3093. L,D Tue.-Sun.

Valet

Reservations

01.22 YO U R C O M P R E H E N S I V E RESOURCE FOR DINING OUT IN METRO DETROIT

Brooklyn Street Local $$ BREAKFAST/BRUNCH • This Corktown spot serves breakfast, lunch, and brunch with fresh, locally grown, and organic ingredients. It lists its sources on a chalkboard and offers plenty of dishes that are vegan and vegetarian-friendly. Poutine — hand-cut fries, cheese curds, and mushroom or beef gravy — is the tip-off that the proprietors are from Canada. 1266 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-262-6547. B,L Thu.-Fri., BR Sat.-Sun. Bucharest Grill $ MEDITERRANEAN-AMERICAN • This bustling casual sandwich shop, now with five locations, is a cult favorite with its fresh Mediterranean fare, notably the best chicken shawarma wrap sandwiches in town. We’re serious.

See bucharestgrill.com for locations and hours.

Cadieux Café $$ BELGIAN • This institution was like a slice of home for early Belgian immigrants. They serve up four varieties of mussels, and a wide range of hearty dishes such as Belgian Rabbit, but there also are classic sandwiches. 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit; 313-882-8560. D daily.

Café Nini $$$ ITALIAN • This intimate spot offers well-prepared food that includes eight appetizers, a dozen pasta dishes, and 11 main plates, notable among which are tournedos di vitello — medallions of veal filet in a fresh mushroom sauce. The wine list is impressive as well.

98 Kercheval Ave., Grosse Pointe Farms; 313-3083120. D daily.

Cantoro Italian Market and Trattoria $$ ITALIAN • A restaurant inside the market serves great traditional Italian food. Do not miss the tagliatelle alla Bolognese: wide pasta with a meat sauce made of ground veal, beef, sausage, and pancetta. A delicious Italian feast you can conveniently pick up on your way home. 15550 N. Haggerty Road, Plymouth; 734-4201100. L,D Tues.-Sat., L Sun.

Besa $$$ EUROPEAN-INSPIRED • This modern fine-dining eatery takes its name from Albania — where the owners trace their heritage — and means “pledge of honor.”

Choose from starters such as roasted olives, fried calamari, and double-cut lamb chops. 600 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-315-3000. D Mon.-Sat.

Capers $$ STEAKHOUSE • This is the type of place longtime Detroit natives describe like an old friend. On Gratiot Avenue between Seven and Eight Mile roads, this place has been packing them in for nearly 40 years. There’s a massive a-la-carte menu items such as BBQ babyback ribs and potato skins, but the main draw is steak by the ounce, at market price. 14726 Gratiot Ave., Detroit; 313527-2100. L,D daily.

Bobcat Bonnie’s $ GASTROPUB • The menu is eclectic, with fried goat cheese, Buddha bowl, vegan tacos, and BBQ bacon meatloaf. The weekend brunch with a Bloody Mary bar and all the classics is a hit. See bobcatbonnies.com for locations and hours.

Caucus Club $$$ TRADITIONAL AMERICAN • The reborn spot emphasizes service and a traditional steak and seafood theme, with such tasty signature dishes as wood-grilled ribs, prime rib, and steaks.150 W. Congress, Detroit; 313-9654970. D daily.

Brome Modern Eatery $$ BURGERS • This healthy spin on a classic serves neverfrozen, grass-fed, antibiotic-free, organic burgers.

There’s beef, chicken, haddock, and vegetarian dishes — but no pork, as the restaurant is halal. There’s also a cold-pressed juice bar. 22062 Michigan Ave., Dearborn; 313-996-5050. L,D Mon.-Sun.

Central Kitchen & Bar $$ CREATIVE COMFORT • The space facing Campus Martius is done up in gray and white under industrial light fixtures. Crowd-pleasers include buttermilk fried chicken, filet and frites, burgers, and salads. 660 Woodward Ave., Ste. 4A, Detroit; 313-963-9000. D Thu.-Sat., BR Sat.-Sun.

E N T R É E P R I C ES

$ Affordable (less than $12)

$$ Moderate ($13 to $20)

$$$ Expensive ($21 to $30)

$$$$ Very Expensive (more than $30)

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R E STAU R A N T L I STI N G S 0 1. 2 2

RECIPE

BANGKOK 96 STREET FOOD’S

GLUTEN-FREE CRISPY BROCCOLI

Add flavor to your leafy greens with a dish from this Detroit eatery RE CIPE F ROM BANGKOK 9 6 STR EET FO O D | PH OT O BY KA I L EY H OWEL L

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Ingredients:

1 broccoli crown 9 oz Thai Feast Tempura mix ½ cup water 1 cup cooking oil for frying

Dipping sauce: ½ cup mayo 2 tbsp ketchup 1 tbsp lime juice 2 tbsp cane sugar

Directions:

Heat cooking oil in a medium saucepan.

To make the batter, combine the tempera powder and water. Stir and set aside.

When oil is ready, dip the broccoli florets into the batter and shake off excess batter. Deep fry battered florets on medium heat, for about a minute or until golden and crisp. Rest the fried broccoli on a plate with a paper towel, to absorb the oil. Combine the sauce ingredients for a sweet and tangy dip.

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Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails $$ NEW AMERICAN • While the menu rotates, there are generally five “cold” starters, five offerings from the “vegetables”category, and six “hot” items that could be considered main dishes, including duck confit and Lake Superior whitefish. The wine list is brief and esoteric. 15 E. Kirby St., Detroit; 313-818-3915. D Tue.-Sun. Chili Mustard Onions $ VEGAN • This is Detroit’s only Coney Island with a vegan menu. Choose from traditional favorites including the Coney Dog, Southwest Nachos, and chili fries, complete with owner Pete LaCombe’s secret vegan “cheeze” sauce. 3411 Brush St., Detroit; 313-462-4949.

L Wed.-Sat. City Kitchen $$ AMERICAN • The emphasis is on fresh fish and seafood here, but also on the locals — especially lake perch.

There are also such dishes as Cajun tenderloin tips and a few good angus burgers. 16844 Kercheval Ave., Grosse Pointe; 313-882-6667. L Mon.-Fri., D nightly.

Cliff Bell’s $$ EUROPEAN-INSPIRED • This restored Art Deco hotspot offers small plates such as oysters with cava granita and a salmon croquette. Large plates include sesame soy glazed shiitakes and summer stir fried vegetables with coconut rice. Jazz prevails on the bandstand.

2030 Park Ave., Detroit; 313-961-2543. D Wed.-Sun. Common Pub $ GASTROPUB • Fans of Atlas Global Bistro, which shuttered in 2013, should be happy to learn that some of the principals may be found at this spot in the Belcrest Apartments. The well-edited menu includes duck rangoon and a burger. 5440 Cass Ave., Detroit; 313-2858849. L Tue.-Sat. Coriander Kitchen and Farm $$ GASTROPUB • At this Jefferson Chalmers eatery, guests can rent fire pits and roast housemade marshmallows to make s’mores, or sip mugs of Hot Buttered Rum. By day, grab a picnic table and dip hunks of grilled flatbread into creamy fish dip made with smoked white fish and lake trout and seasoned with herbs from the farm. 14601 Riverside Blvd., Detroit; 313-822-4434. D Fri.-Sun. Cork & Gabel $$$ EUROPEAN-INSPIRED • This Corktown eatery takes the form of a 4,450-square-foot renovated beer hall and is an ode to filling European staples. Try the chicken marsala, featuring a pan-seared 7-oz. chicken breast, sauteed wild mushroom blend, wild rice, seasonal grilled vegetables, cooked in a Lombardo Ambra Sweet Marsala wine sauce. Simply delicious! 2415 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-638-2261. D daily.

Cuisine $$$ EUROPEAN-INSPIRED • Cuisine offers a romantic, white-linen experience with the level of food, service, and ambience one might call more “timeless” than “trendy.” Examples of the expertly prepared fare include the Alaskan halibut as well as the Diver Scallops featuring corn risotto, creamed leeks, and citrus butter. 670 Lothrop Rd., Detroit; 313-872-5110. D Tue.-Sun. (Note: not wheelchair accessible.)

Dakota Inn Rathskeller $ EUROPEAN-INSPIRED • The sausages are the kind that snap when you cut them. The combo plate features one bratwurst and one knack-wurst, served with hot German potato salad and sauerkraut. And yes, sing along with the schnitzelbank song. 17324 John R St., Detroit; 313-867-9722. D Thu.-Sat.

Detroit Club $$$$ FRENCH-AMERICAN • The formerly shuttered Detroit Club was magnificently restored before reopening in 2018 — and now, the public is invited. It now operates as a boutique hotel, serving a light breakfast and full lunch and dinner. The old dining room, known as the Grille Room, looks very much as it did more than three decades ago. The food is excellent, as is the service. 712 Cass Ave., Detroit; 313-338-3222. D Wed.-Sat.

dozen for later. 3454 Bagley St., Detroit; 313-843-5056.

B,L daily.

Fishbone’s Rhythm Kitchen Café $$ NEW ORLEANIAN • New Orleans dishes including jambalaya, and fried catfish beignets. Come for breakfast, lunch, dinner, happy hour, or carry-out. 400 Monroe St., Detroit; 313-965-4600. 29244 Northwestern Hwy., Southfield; 248-351-2925. 23722 Jefferson Ave., St. Clair Shores; 586-498-3000. L,D (downtown), B, L,D Southfield and St. Clair Shores. BR at all three.

Detroit Shipping Company $ FUSION • This bi-level destination, created out of shipping containers, offers a variety of food options ranging from the Caribbean-fusion dishes at Coop to Thai fare from Bangkok 96 and more. 474 Peterboro St., Detroit; 313-462-4973. L Sat.-Sun., D daily.

Flowers of Vietnam $$ VIETNAMESE • Chef and owner George Azar transformed a former Coney Island into an industrial-cool destination, but the neighborhood joint vibe remains.

The menu is shaped around Azar’s appreciation of Vietnamese food, with a very personal twist. 4440 Vernor Hwy., Detroit; 313-554-2085. D Thu.-Sun.

Detroit Soul $ SOUL FOOD• A hidden gem on the city’s East Side.

Detroit Soul serves its namesake with a healthy twist.

Owners Sam Van Buren and Jerome Brown draw from the recipes of their grandparents, who relocated to Detroit from Alabama in the 1940s. The turkey and collard greens are savory standouts and yams are a sweet treat. This is the kind of place that every soul-food lover must visit. 2900 E. Eight Mile Road, Detroit; 313-3665600. L,D Tue.-Sun.

Folk $ AUSTRALIAN • A charming Corktown storefront dishing up an all-day brunch menu. It’s an offshoot of the Farmer’s Hand grocery and farmers market. The menu focuses on beautifully plated dishes like salads, quiche, and sandwiches, all beautifully plated and nutritious.

Infused milks and frothy lattes are well sought after, too.

1701 Trumbull Ave., Detroit; 313-742-2672. BR Wed-Mon.

Detroit Vegan Soul $ VEGAN • The popular spot offers your classic soul food favorites but with plant-based twists — mac and cheese, maple-glazed yams, collard greens, and interpretations of catfish and pepper steak. 8029 Agnes St., Detroit; 313-649-2759. L,D Tue.-Sat., L,D Wed.-Sat. 19614 Grand River Ave., Detroit; 313-766-5728.

Dime Store $ BREAKFAST/BRUNCH • This popular breakfast and lunch spot adds just the right retro touch to a contemporary American menu typified by fresh, hearty omelets and Benedicts early in the day. 719 Griswold St., Ste. 180, Detroit; 313-962-9106. B,L Mon.-Sun. Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe $$$ GASTROPUB • A jazz club with top guest musicians and an American bistro menu in a traditional interior. Starters include shrimp pico and pan-fried calamari. Main entries include a beef short rib. 97 Kercheval Ave., Grosse Pointe Farms; 313-882-5299. L Tue.-Fri., D Tue.-Sat. El Asador Steakhouse $$ MEXICAN • A concentrated cuisine with little modern flairs that also stays faithful to traditional Mexican cooking. Don’t miss the Camarones en Salsa de Langosta: breaded shrimp stuffed with cheese, fried to a golden dark brown, and topped with a lobster cream sauce. It’s a delicious dinner spot you don’t want to miss and an unassuming Latin-American find in Detroit’s Springwells Village. 1312 Springwells St., Detroit; 313297-2360. L,D Tue.-Sun. El Barzon $ MEXICAN-ITALIAN • Norberto Garita prepares Italian and Mexican cuisines alongside his wife, Silvia Rosario Garita. Authentic Mexican entrees include enchiladas with a homeade green sauce made with tomatillo, jalapeños, and roasted poblano pepper, while the Italian influence takes the form of spaghetti carbonara and Suppa di pesce (seafood soup). 3710 Junction Ave., Detroit; 313-894-2070. D Tue.-Sun. Evie’s Tamales $$ MEXICAN • This Mexicantown restaurant makes some of the best tamales around. Pork or chicken is jacketed with sturdy masa, a dough of ground corn, and then wrapped in a corn husk and steamed. Eat in or order a

SPOTLIGHT

Eatori Market

SPECIALTY GROCERY This stylish spot overlooks downtown’s Capitol Park. The menu has steamed mussels with leeks, garlic, and fresh oysters.

International flourishes abound with truffle aioli for the burger. 1215 Griswold St., Detroit; 313395-3030. L,D daily. $-$$

Ford’s Garage $$ BURGERS • Henry Ford’s legacy is celebrated on Dearborn’s main thoroughfare. There are at least 12 variations on the classic American burger here. Try the Ford’s Signature, featuring a half-pound of grilled black angus beef, aged sharp cheddar, applewood-smoked bacon, and bourbon BBQ sauce. Other appealing dishes include shrimp mac and cheese, and chicken wings.

21367 Michigan Ave., Dearborn; 313-752-3673. L,D daily.

Giovanni’s Ristorante $$$ ITALIAN • This old-school Italian restaurant offers housemade pastas, including an outstanding lasagna.

Elaborate veal and seafood dishes and desserts like orange Creamsicle cheesecake round out the delicious menu. 330 Oakwood Blvd., Detroit; 313-841-0122. L,D Tue.-Fri., D Sat. Grandma Bob’s $ PIZZA • If you’re wondering what that psychedelic building on Corktown’s Michigan Avenue is, it’s a pizzeria known as Grandma Bob’s. Chef Dan De Wall, previously of Wright and Co., offers a small, delicious menu of pies, including sausage and pistachio with ricotta cheese and thyme. Or try the Big Mack — the vegan pizza version of the popular burger. 2135 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-315-3177. L,D Fri.-Sun. Grand Trunk Pub $ NEW AMERICAN • Breads from Avalon Bakery and meats from Eastern Market anchor the hearty fare, which pairs well with a selection of Michigan beers. wwStaples include a reuben with Poet Stout Kraut and the Ghettoblaster beer-battered fish and chips. 612 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-961-3043.; BR, L, D, Fri.-Sun. The Greek $ GREEK • Plaka Café was a presence on Monroe Avenue for years, and now its space is in the hands of the founders’ children. Notable dishes include spinach pie, lamb chops, and New York strip steak. 535 Monroe Ave., Detroit; 313-209-6667. L,D daily.

Green Dot Stables $ NEW AMERICAN • The menu of sliders — with 20-plus eclectic bun toppings, including Cuban, Korean, and “mystery meat” — packs in fans. Local beers are spot-

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lighted along with chicken paprika soup, a nod to the neighborhood’s Hungarian origins. 2200 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit; 313-962-5588. L,D daily.

Grey Ghost $$ NEW AMERICAN • The cuisine at this Brush Park hotspot isn’t easily defined, but the results are original and well-prepared — for example, the duck breast with cheese grits and fried shallots and pork tenderloin with gruyere spaetzle and dill pickle mojo. 47 Watson St., Detroit; 313-262-6534. D daily. BR Sun. Highlands $$$ STEAKHOUSE/NEW AMERICAN • Occupying the top two floors of the Renaissance Center, Highlands comprises three separate concepts. A steakhouse of the same name provides a high-end dining experience, while the more casual Hearth 71 serves locally sourced dishes cooked over an open fire. The third concept within the space is the appropriately named High Bar, where guests can choose from a vast collection of spirits and decadent desserts. 400 Renaissance Center, Floors 71 and 72, Detroit; 313-877-9090; D Tue.-Sat. The Hudson Cafe $ BREAKFAST/BRUNCH • The fresh, well-prepared fare from the kitchen of this breakfast/lunch spot has creative takes on the eggs Benedict theme, red velvet pancakes, and apple-walnut stuffed French toast, as well as lunchtime sandwiches and salads. 1241 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-237-1000. B,L daily.

Hungarian Rhapsody $$ HUNGARIAN • This Downriver restaurant offers authentic Hungarian dishes, such as chicken and veal paprikas, beef goulash, and palacsinta (crêpes). 14315 Northline Road, Southgate; 734-283-9622. L & D Tue.-Sun. Ima $ JAPANESE-INSPIRED • Japanese-inspired fare with a Midwest emphasis. Ima tacos trade the traditional shell for a slice of jicama-stuffed spicy shrimp, roasted tofu, or garlic chicken. Appetizers include edamame, dumplings, and clams. 2015 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-5025959. 4870 Cass Ave., Detroit; 313-883-9788. 32203 John R Road, Madison Heights; 248-781-0131. L&D Daily Ivy Kitchen and Cocktails $$$ NEW AMERICAN • This Black-owned restaurant was founded by Nya Marshall to bring fine dining to the East Jefferson Corridor where she grew up. The spot serves New American fare with international influences in a modern, elevated space bathed in neutral tones. The Mezcal Wings with pickled jalapeño and cilantro bring a Mexican kick, while dishes like the Shrimp Linguine Pomodoro contribute European flavors. 9215 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit; 313-332-0607; L Fri.-Sat., D Wed.-Sun.

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

Jolly Pumpkin $$ BREWERY • Jolly Pumpkin’s brews rule the offerings,

80

Lovers Only $ BURGERS • The star at Lovers Only, located in downtown Detroit’s Capitol Park, is pasture-raised beef from Ferndale’s Farm Field Table, used to make its standout burgers. Other key ingredients, including baked goods, are local as well. There’s also craft cocktails and beer. 34 Grand River Ave., Detroit; 313-986-1174. L,D daily.

Karl’s $$ AMERICAN • The luncheonette is part two of the Siren Hotel’s partnership with Lady of the House Executive Chef Kate Williams. Inspired by the East Side bakery of the same name that Williams’ great-great grandparents once owned, the menu features diner staples. 1509 Broadway St., Detroit; 313-855-2757. B,L,D daily.

Lucy & the Wolf $$ SPANISH • This Anglo-sounding restaurant offers very good Spanish-inspired tapas dining. Standouts include a fire-roasted jalapeño cheese spread, shrimp tacos, and a grilled flank steak in chimichurri sauce. 102 E. Main St., Northville; 248-308-3057. L Sat.-Sun., D Thu.Sun.

Karl’s Cabin $$ AMERICAN • Dishes from their currently rotating drivethrough menu such as pecan crust walleye and beef tenderloin tips with sautéed shrimp and bearnaise sauce surpass typical roadhouse food. 6005 Gotfredson Rd., Plymouth; 734-455-8450. L,D daily.

The Kitchen by Cooking with Que $$ VEGAN • This eatery created by Detroit-based cooking blogger Quiana Broden serves lunches of smoothies, salads, and sandwiches. Broden also often offers live cooking demonstrations. 6529 Woodward Ave., Ste. A, Detroit; 313-462-4184. L Tue.-Sat., D Fri. Kuzzo’s Chicken and Waffles $ SOUTHERN COMFORT • Several recipes, including a signature thin waffle, are family-owned at ex-NFL player Ron Bartell’s spot. Think comfort food kicked up a notch: fried catfish, salmon croquettes, shrimp and grits, and biscuits. Drink the Kool-Aid, too. 19345 Livernois Ave., Detroit; 313-861-0229. B,L,D Tue.-Sat., B,L Sun. La Dolce Vita $$$ ITALIAN • Traditional Italian cuisine is key at this Palmer Park hideaway. Recommended is the lake perch in white wine sauce, the veal scaloppine with artichokes, and the lasagna. 17546 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-865-0331. D Tue.-Sun., BR Sun. La Lanterna $$ ITALIAN • The founder of Da Edoardo, the first Edoardo Barbieri, started it all in 1956 with a restaurant called La Lanterna. Now his grandchildren have revived it.

Although the white and red pizzas — like Margherita, Liguria, and Da Edorado — dominate, there’s more, including a number of elegant pastas like the Lasagna Alla Bolognese. 1224 Griswold St., Detroit; 313-9628821. L Wed.-Sun. Le Culture Cafe $$ SOUL • Eastern Market’s Le Culture Cafe is bridging fine-dining with comfort food. Start with the Maryland crab cakes, then the Mamba Chicken Pasta or the Catfish Po-Boy. 1452 Brush St., Detroit; 313-285-8137. L Sun., D Fri.-Sun.

2012

Joe Muer Seafood $$$$ SEAFOOD • This reborn Detroit legend is stellar for a romantic evening or a quiet business lunch or dinner.

Located on the main floor of the GMRenCen, it has sweeping views of the Detroit River and a menu that walks the line between old-time favorites and hipper Asian-influenced seafood, sushi and raw bar. There’s also a Bloomfield Hills location. There are reminders of the past as well: white-bean stew, smoked fish spread, creamed spinach, and stewed tomatoes. A true Detroit classic. 400 Renaissance Center, Ste. 1404, Detroit; 313567-6837. L, D daily, BR Sun. 39475 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills; 248-792-9609. L,D daily.

sage — and tabbouleh made of parsley, cracked wheat, and spices. The beer and wine lists offer plenty of options to accompany any meal. 1245 Griswold St., Detroit; 313-816-8100; D Sun., L&D Mon.-Sat.

along with other Northern United Brewing Co. beverages, such as North Peak and Jolly Pumpkin artisan ales.

Pizzas with creative toppings abound. 441 W. Canfield St., Detroit; 313-262-6115. 419 S. Main St., Ste. 9, Royal Oak; 248-544-6250. D daily.

London Chop House $$ STEAKHOUSE • The kitchen turns out classics like oysters Rockefeller, French onion soup, and sautéed perch.

This is the place to come when you need to satisfy a craving for steak in elegant surroundings with hospitable service. 155 W. Congress St., Detroit; 313-962-0277. L Mon.-Fri., D Mon.-Sat. Leila $$$ LEBANESE • The restaurant from the proprietors of Birmingham’s Phoenicia is named after the owner’s mother — just one facet of the establishment that pays homage to family traditions and heritage. The menu includes various Lebanese dishes, from falafel to Leila’s Bolognese, featuring spaghetti, pine nut, and basil. Other menu items include sujuk — a spicy Armenian sau-

SPOTLIGHT

Johnny Noodle King

JAPANESEINSPIRED This noodle shop offers bowls topped with pork belly, confit chicken, and tofu as well as seaweed salad and gyoza. There are several fusion bowls as well, like the Southwest topped with shredded chicken and housemade crema. 2601 W. Fort St., Detroit; 313-309-7946.

L,D daily. $

Lumen Detroit $$ NEW AMERICAN • A contemporary American menu and a Victor Saroki setting make the restaurant overlooking downtown’s Beacon Park one of the best of recent entrants onto the scene. Appetizers such as freshly made pretzels prelude main courses such as salmon with chimichurri herb sauce. 1903 Grand River Ave., Detroit; 313-626-5005. L Fri.-Sun., D. Wed.-Sun. Mario’s $$$ ITALIAN • This Midtown Detroit classic dates to 1948.

Linen-covered tables, framed paintings on wood-paneled walls, expert waiters clad in black tie, and tableside preparation survive here. Italian dinners always begin with an antipasto tray and continue through soup, salad, pasta, and entree. 4222 Second Ave., Detroit; 313-8321616. L,D daily.

Marrow $$ NEW AMERICAN • This West Village restaurant and butcher shop hybrid is an ode to meat, especially unusual cuts. Diners must walk through the butcher shop, bypassing cases of pastrami and sausage, before entering the restaurant. Offerings include seasonal pork yakitori and local duck breast as well Mapo Mushroom.

8044 Kercheval Ave., Detroit; 313-652-0200. D Thu.-Sun. Maty’s African Cuisine $$ WEST AFRICAN • A small storefront in the Detroit Old Redford neighborhood is decidedly Senegalese. Fataya, a deep-fried pastry with savory fillings, are reminiscent of an empanada. The star of the show is the whole chicken with yassa. 21611 Grand River Ave., Detroit; 313472-5885. L,D daily.

M Cantina $ MEXICAN • Nuevo Latino street food is the premise at this surprising spot where everything from the tortilla chips to the salsas are made in-house in the open kitchen. Juices are freshly squeezed and the menu of tortas, tacos, tapas, and salads from the kitchen of Heidi and Junior Merino from Hawaii and Mexico is distinctive. 13214 Michigan Ave., Dearborn; 313-3999117. L,D Tue.-Sun. Mercury Burger & Bar $ BURGERS • This Corktown joint seats 70 around the zinc-covered bar set with Mercury (Liberty) dimes. The burger is available in a variety of iterations, such as Southwest Detroit with a chorizo slider, jalapeno, Müenster cheese, tortilla strips, and avocado. 2163 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-964-5000. L,D daily.

Michigan & Trumbull $$ ITALIAN-AMERICAN • After a successful four-month

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Ottava Via $$ ITALIAN Chef Ariel Millan sends out great thin-crusted pizzas as well as interesting small plates typified by bruschetta, calamari, roasted garlic, and whipped goat cheese to be spread on paper-thin crostini. 1400 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-962-5500. L,D daily.

run at Fort Street Galley, Michigan and Trumbull left the nest in January, making it one of the latest in a long line of Detroit-style pizza joints to open in the area. Not your traditional carryout joint, Michigan and Trumbull is housed in a sleek, refurbished car-repair garage. The menu features square, deep-dish pies with Detroitinspired names, such as Packard Pepperoni and Woodward White. 1441 W. Elizabeth St., Detroit; 313-637-4992; L,D Wed-Sat.

Pao Detroit $$$ FUSION • Visit this upscale Pan-Asian fusion restaurant for Asian-themed cocktails and dishes, such as creamy rock shrimp, charred octopus, filet mignon, and orange sesame salmon. Based in the former Michigan Oriental Theater, the interior combines new and old. 114 W. Adams Ave., Ste. 200, Detroit; 313-816-0000. L Sun., D Wed.-Sun.

Mi Lindo San Blas $$$ MEXICAN • Heaping platters of seafood such as shrimp, octopus, and scallops, tell the story at this spot that brings a corner of Mexico’s seaside Nayarit region to southwest Detroit. On weekends when live music is added, the tables are often pushed back to create a dance floor. 1807 Livernois Ave., Detroit; 313-789-5100.

L,D daily.

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

Monarch Club $$$ NEW AMERICAN • At the 14th floor of the revamped Element Detroit Hotel located at the Metropolitan is the Monarch Club. It’s one of the most recent rooftop bars to open in metro Detroit and serves a variety of delicious small plates along with classic cocktails. 33 John R St., Detroit; 313-306-2380. L Sun., D Mon.-Thurs.

Mootz Pizzeria & Bar $$ ITALIAN-AMERICAN • Bruno DiFabio, a six-time World Pizza Games champ, rejects the label New York-style for his fare. “It’s authentic New York pizza,” he says. In a hurry? Grab a slice from Side Hustle, Mootz’s by-the-slice counter next door. 1230 Library St., Detroit; 313-2431230. L Fri.-Sun., D Mon-Thu.

Park Grill $$ MEDITERRANEAN • Mediterranean fare gets a Balkan spin. The menu offers tasting plates, pita-wrapped sandwiches, and salads, as well as entrees including chicken and beef shawarma, beef and pork kafta, lemon-pepper pork tenderloin, and lamb chops. Service is friendly and informal. 15102 Kercheval Ave., Grosse Pointe Park; 313264-1997. L,D daily.

Motor City Brewing Works $ BREWERY • Just 15 mostly nontraditional pizzas on excellent, chewy crust, and the option to build your own pie with various toppings. Plus, salads from locally grown greens to accompany the house-brewed beers.

470 W. Canfield St., Detroit; 313-832-2700. L,D daily.

Mudgie’s Deli $ DELI • Seats are often filled in search of the O’Leary (pastrami, Swiss, and greens) or the Brooklyn (beef brisket, bacon, and beer cheese). The dinner menu features meat and cheese boards as well as build-your-own sandwich options. It’s a delicious place for a meal any time 1413 Brooklyn St., Detroit; 313-961-2000. L,D Mon.Sat., BR Sun. Nico & Vali $$ ITALIAN • This eatery offers favorites with unexpected twists. The artichokes and chilies appetizer boasts battered and fried artichokes with Fresno and jalapeno peppers, tossed with fresh basil in white wine. Popular choices include the Whitefish Filet. It’s a classic Italian spot with an update that’s worth a visit. 744 Wing St., Plymouth; 734-207-7880. L Thu.-Sat., D Tue.-Sun. Norma G’s $ CARIBBEAN • Lester Gouvia, the Trinidadian chef who brought us the famed food truck, opened a full-service restaurant under the same name. Stop in for a plate of Chicken Pelau: a tasty blend of rice, diced chicken, squash, peppers, and golden-brown baked chicken. 14628 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit; 313-290-2938. D Tue.-Sat. Nosh Pit $ VEGAN • This vegan staple has been dishing up delicious plant-based takes on classic deli sandwiches for years. Try the latkes with banana jam, the housemade Coney Carrot Dog with all the traditional toppings, like diced onion and yellow mustard. It just might best the original! A new location opened in Royal Oak in May. noshpitdetroit.com for locations. L,D Thu.-Sun.

2018

Parc $$$ NEW AMERICAN • Excellent food, exceptional service, and a crisp and formal but distinctly unstuffy atmosphere set this Campus Martius gem apart. Appetizer highlights include a bright and fresh tuna tartare and wood-roasted oysters. Creamy roasted garlic butter and lemon add a zippy touch to the roasted oysters. Main courses are exceptional, including an interesting blend of Italian food, wood-grilled whole fish, and organic Scottish salmon. There’s also a large selection of dryaged gourmet steaks, wood-grilled and served tableside.

The wine selection is impressive and caters to a diverse set of price ranges and wine drinkers, so you won’t be disappointed with any bottle here. 800 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-922-7272. L,D daily. BR Sat.-Sun.

SPOTLIGHT

Roast

STEAKHOUSE Meat is the main focus at chef Michael Symon’s restaurant at the famous Westin Book Cadillac Hotel, as underscored by the rotisserie slowly roasting the “beast of the day.”

1128 Washington Blvd., Detroit; 313-961-2500.

D Tue.-Sat. $$$

Pegasus Taverna $$ GREEK • The cry of “opa!” resounds in St. Clair Shores at the second edition of the longstanding Greektown restaurant. The resturant boasts an extensive menu, from moussaka and spinach pie to gyros and roast lamb.

24935 Jefferson Ave., St. Clair Shores; 586-772-3200.

558 Monroe St., Detroit; 313-964-6800. L,D Tue-Sun. The Peterboro $$ ASIAN-FUSION • A contemporary take on AmericanChinese fare gives new life to the cuisine with robustly spiced dishes, including an “absurdly delicious” cheeseburger spring roll and a take on almond boneless chicken. 420 Peterboro St., Detroit; 313-833-1111. D Mon.-Sat. Pho Lucky $ VIETNAMESE • This charming Midtown Vietnamese spot serves authentic fare emphasizing pho. Bowls of spicy broth with noodles, round steak, and meatballs come in several variations. Other noteworthy dishes here include summer rolls and crisp spring rolls. Look for Asian beers and robust Vietnamese coffee. 3111 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-338-3895. L,D daily except Tue. when it’s L only.

PizzaPlex $ ITALIAN • This pizza isn’t just authentic, it’s certified.

PizzaPlex earned the title of Vera Pizza Napoletana, or real Neapolitan pizza, from Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana in Naples. Try the Margherita. Topped with mozzarella, basil, and EVOO, there’s nothing like a classic. 4458 Vernor Highway, Detroit; 313-757-4992. L Sun., D Wed.-Sun.

Polish Village Café $ POLISH • The “Polish plate” includes stuffed cabbage, pierogi, kielbasa, sauerkraut, and mashed potatoes and gravy. The dill pickle soup and city chicken are standouts, too. A Polish staple in Detroit, where there aren’t too many. 2990 Yemans St., Hamtramck; 313-874-5726.

L,D daily. Not wheelchair accessible.

Portofino $ ITALIAN • This big waterfront spot in Wyandotte is both a local hangout and a restaurant with a menu that’s surprisingly ambitious. It offers a number of fish and seafood dishes, from lake perch to coconut shrimp and fried calamari, as well as steaks. Nearly every table in the restaurant has a river view. 3455 Biddle Ave., Wyandotte; 734-281-6700. L,D Tues.-Sun.

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

2019

Prime + Proper $$$$ STEAKHOUSE • Downtown Detroit dining gets a major shot of glamour with this over-the-top steak and seafood emporium on the corner of Griswold and State streets. Although red meat, from prime dry-aged Tomahawk ribeye to Wagyu strip is the focus — and yes, there’s a burger made with a dry-aged butcher’s blend — oysters, king crab, and caviar are not far behind. An elegant white and gold setting backgrounds it all. The niceties are maintained by an impeccably dressed staff. 1145 Griswold St., Detroit; 313-636-3100. D TueSun., BR Sun. Prism $$$ NEW AMERICAN • Greektown Casino-Hotel’s renamed eatery is located off the main casino. ,The menu features local ingredients, steaks, and fresh seafood. 555 E. Lafayette St., Detroit; 313-309-2499. D Wed.-Sun. Rattlesnake Club $$$$ NEW AMERICAN • This restaurant on the river remains one of the most appealing spots in town. The casually elegant space offers a range of appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Dishes that typify its style include seared diver sea scallops, an 8-ounce filet, and a 16-ounce porterhouse. 300 River Place, Detroit; 313567-4400. L,D Tue.-Sat. Red Dunn Kitchen $$ NEW AMERICAN • The Trumbull and Porter hotel’s spiffy restaurant is an ambitious undertaking, offering three meals a day. Chef Jay Gundy’s style is best experienced at dinner, with a la carte offerings such as foie gras-stuffed quail, smoked and marinated salmon collars, braised lamb leg, and bacon-wrapped duck breast with polenta.

1331 Trumbull Ave., Detroit; 313-887-9477. B,L,D daily.

Red Smoke Barbeque $$ BARBEQUE • At Red Smoke, hickory and applewoodsmoked ribs, pulled pork, apple-smoked, all-natural chicken, and an array of classic sides are served out of one of the most attractive two-story buildings that are still standing on Monroe Street. 573 Monroe St., Detroit; 313-962-2100. L,D daily.

Rocky’s of Northville $$ NEW AMERICAN • Menu includes shrimp cocktail, salmon pate, and broiled Great Lakes whitefish. Also look for chipotle honey-glazed salmon. 41122 W. Seven Mile Road, Northville; 248-349-4434. L Mon.-Fri. Roman Village $ ITALIAN • The Rugiero family has been serving authentic Italian cuisine since 1964. They’ve launched three additional Antonio’s Cucina Italiana locations.

Roman Village is the original and features their signa-

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ture gnocchi Rita. 9924 Dix Ave., Dearborn; 313-8422100. L,D daily.

that it is moving Detroit into a new era in which upperend dining with starched linen and tuxedoed waiters doesn’t hold much interest anymore. Chef Andy Hollyday, a multiple James Beard semifinalist, does farm-totable scratch cooking with ideas borrowed from around the world. A key to his cooking is the wood-fired grill.

This spot has garnered national attention. 3921 Second Ave., Detroit; 313-438-5055. D Thurs.-Sun.

Rose’s Fine Food $ BREAKFAST/BRUNCH • The menu is straightforward, based mainly on fresh ingredients and from-scratch preparation. Breakfast eaters can choose from a variety of egg dishes, such as the ESD (egg sandwich of the day). For lunch, there’s a selection of creative sandwiches. 10551 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit; 313-822-2729. L Mon, Wed-Sun.

Seva Detroit $$ VEGETARIAN • Seva offers such dishes as black bean and sweet potato quesadillas, gluten-free options, and colorful stir-fries — some vegan as well as vegetarian.

There’s also a full bar as well as a juice bar. 2541 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor; 734-662-1111. 66 E. Forest Ave., Detroit; 313-974-6661. L,D Mon.-Sat.

Rusted Crow $$ ECLECTIC AMERICAN • Calamari flash fried served with caper aioli sit alongside spinach artichoke dip. Craft cocktails utilize house spirits. Try the Rosemary’s Baby, made with Detroit Steam vodka and ginger beer. 78 W. Adams Ave., Detroit; 313-782-4751. L Sat.-Sun., D Tue.-Sun.

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

San Morello $$$ ITALIAN • This Italian gem serves pizzas, pastas, and wood-fired dishes that draw inspiration from the coastal towns of Southern Italy and Sicily out of the Shinola Hotel. Think Tartufi Pizza with fontina and black truffle, handcrafted by James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Carmellini. 1400 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313209-4700. D daily.

The Sardine Room $$$ SEAFOOD • A seafood restaurant and raw bar, The Sardine Room is fresh, fun, and energetic, with a clean-line décor and a menu full of surprises. For starters, there is a Seafood Louie featuring jumbo lump crab, shrimp, egg, avocado, tomato, and bibb lettuce. Worthwhile is a grouper sandwich that’s available seared, pan-fried, or blackened. 340 S. Main St., Plymouth; 734-416-0261. D daily, BR Sun. SavannahBlue $$ SOUL FOOD • Highlights at this upscale soul food restaurant include the twice-dredged fried chicken and the shrimp and grits. Accompaniments include yam casserole, catfish fritters, and a Georgian Hummus that substitutes black-eyed peas for chickpeas. There’s also a great bar. 1431 Times Square, Detroit; 313-926-0783. D Mon.-Sat., BR Sun. Savant $$$ FRENCH • In a cozy-yet-upscale interior with leather couches and an open kitchen, Jordan Whitmore and Rebecca Wurster, formerly of Apparatus room, serve up rotating European-inspired menu items, including Champagne Chicken, an Apple and Arugula Heirloom Salad, Calamari, and — for vegan diners — Ratatouille Confit. 51 W. Forest Ave., Detroit; 313-285-9294. D Fri.-Sun. Scotty Simpson’s Fish & Chips $ SEAFOOD • Head to this Brightmoor spot for perfectly prepared fish and chips. The key to Scotty’s longevity is the batter that coats the cod, perch, shrimp, chicken, onion rings, and frog legs. 22200 Fenkell St., Detroit; 313-533-0950. L,D Tue.-Sat. Second Best $ RETRO AMERICAN • The talents behind nearby Grey Ghost have unveiled a second, more casual spot with a retro spin in Brush Park. The menu of lighter dishes includes the Yogi Gyro with roasted root vegetable and coconut tzatziki, and fried chicken sandwiches that accompany drinks that were popular more than a few years back. 42 Watson St., Detroit; 313-315-3077. L Sat.-Sun., D nightly.

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

2016

Selden Standard $$$ NEW AMERICAN • What sets Selden Standard apart is

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2020

SheWolf Pastificio & Bar $$$ ITALIAN • Chef Anthony Lombardo takes fresh and housemade to a new level with this Midtown restaurant that serves only dinner from a menu inspired by Italian cooking specific to Rome. Milling all of his own flour for his pastas, breads, and polenta in house, Lombardo, well known as the former executive chef at Bacco, serves a selection of simple but elegant regional Italian dishes.

438 Selden St., Detroit; 313-315-3992. L Wed. Thu., & Sun., D Wed.-Sun.

SPOTLIGHT

Union Street

NEW AMERICAN The extensive dinner menu includes such tasty highlights as fried calamari, pistachioencrusted salmon, a J.L. Hudson Maurice salad, filet mignon, fish and chips, “dragon eggs,” chicken wings, and several vegetarian options.

4145 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-831-3965.

L,D daily. $$

Slows Bar BQ $$ BARBEQUE • The brick-and-wood original in Corktown gained a following for its pulled pork, ribs, and chicken.

They expanded with a “to go” spot in Midtown, as well.

This is a true Detroit classic in every sense of the term.

Corktown location: 2138 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-9629828. D Wed.-Sun. Slows To Go in Midtown: 4107 Cass Ave., Detroit; 313-309-7560. L,D Wed.-Sun. Smith & Co. $$$ NEW AMERICAN • This Cass Corridor bar and restaurant is housed in the old Smith Welding Supply & Equipment Company building — hence cement ceilings and exposed brick that evoke an industrial vibe. The menu features small plates, sandwiches, and entrees such as Mushroom Toast; Braised Lamb Shank; the Fried Chicken Bowl with sweet sesame sauce and kimchi; and the Smith Burger, soy-ginger marinated and topped with a fried egg. Beverage options include craft beer, wine, and fresh takes on classic cocktails. 644 Selden St, Detroit; 313-974-7100. D daily, B,L,&D Sun. Standby $$ NEW AMERICAN • The libation menu — categorized by spirit — is longer than the food menu, but both food and drinks are equally emphasized. The fare ranges from small plates of marinated olives and tamari eggs to entrees such as pork skewers and their house cheeseburger. 225 Gratiot Ave., Detroit; 313-241-5719. D Thu.Sun. Not wheelchair accessible.

Street Beet $ VEGAN • The popular vegan pop-up Street Beet has landed a permanent spot at Midtown’s 3rd Street Bar, serving up plant-based riffs on quintessential fast foods.

Try the Kentucky Fake Chicken sandwich, with fried tofu, pickles, and spicy mayo, or the Taco Hell Crunchywrap, with walnut chorizo and cashew nacho cheese. These faves and additions like the BBQ Fake Chicken are available via counter service, carryout, and online ordering. 4626 Third Ave., Detroit; 313-6381480; D Wed.-Sun. Supino Pizzeria $$ ITALIAN • Relax with one of the town’s best thin-crust pizzas — they come in more than a dozen variations,

with or without red sauce. A few dishes from the La Rondinella menu made the list as well, such as paninis, salads, and small plates such as polpette and three delicious salads. Beer, wine, and cocktails add to the appeal. 2457 Russell St., Detroit; 313-567-7879. L,D Tue.-Sun. Sweet Soul Bistro $ SOUL FOOD • The large menu includes homages to Detroit musicians, from Stevie Wonder Wonderful Wings to Aretha Franklin Catfish Bites. Also notable are the crab cakes. In the evening, the bistro transforms into a club. 13741 W. McNichols Road, Detroit; 313- 862-7685.

L,D daily.

Takoi $$ THAI • Thai-Laotian fare might seem out of place in Corktown, but virtually everything on the menu has distinction. There’s a depth, concentration, and balance between heat and coolness, the range of spices, the delight of moving from one superb bite to the next.

2520 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-855-2864. D Mon.-Sat. Tap at MGM Grand $ SPORTS BAR • More than 40 HD flatscreen TVs for sports fans, plus sports memorabilia. The menu features comfort food and pub classics: burgers, wings, and house nachos. Pizza and more upscale entrees are also available, as are more than 50 beers. Bring your family and friends for a very entertaining night on the town. 1777 Third St., Detroit; 313-465-1234. D daily.

Traffic Jam & Snug $ GASTROPUB • Michigan’s first officially designated brewpub is fresh and eccentric. Though limited, the menu is diverse, with options like chicken and basil egg rolls for a starter, black bean burrito, roasted and shaved spiced lamb, and deep fried fillets 511 W. Canfield St., Detroit; 313-831-9470. L Sat.-Sun., D Fri.-Sun. Trattoria Serventi $$ ITALIAN • The brick pizza oven turns out an array of thin-crust pizzas and there’s an interesting daytime menu that offers a real bargain. In the evening, such dishes as Scallopini Style veal, and Gnocchi alla Palmina, recalling chef Aldo Ottaviani — who was instrumental in setting up the original Andiamo menu — typify the style.

20930 Mack Ave., Grosse Pointe Woods; 313-886-9933.

L,D daily.

Urban Ramen $$ JAPANESE-INSPIRED • Urban Ramen serves bowls of steaming broth filled with house-made, springy ramen noodles topped with fixings like bamboo, egg, pork chashu, and sesame seeds. The menu also includes poke, salads, and sides such as garlic edamame and Japanese fried chicken. 4206 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-285-9869. L,D Mon.-Sun. Vertical Detroit $$$ WINE BAR • This wine-centric restaurant puts the focus on pairing Chef Alex Knezevic’s innovative cuisine with owners James and Rémy Lutfy’s nationally recognized wine program. The menu emphasizes locally sourced protein, seafood, and produce. A must-try for any wine enthusiast. 1538 Centre St., Detroit; 313-7329463. D Wed.-Sat. Not wheelchair accessible.

Vicente’s Cuban Cuisine $$ CUBAN • An evening at this lively spot is more than just Cuban and Spanish dining. Appetizers and tapas include the outstanding Tapa de la Casa, pork leg marinated in mojo; a Spanish chorizo and fresh mushrooms concoction with garlic lemon sauce; and empanadas, a Cuban turnover filled with ground beef or chicken. 1250 Library St., Detroit; 313-962-8800. L,D daily.

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Vivio’s Food & Spirits $ SANDWICH/DELI • This Eastern Market classic has been run by the Vivio family for more than 40 years.

Sandwiches and burgers are mainstays, but diners also appreciate the steamed mussels. 2460 Market St., Detroit; 313-393-1711. L,D Mon.-Fri., BR,L,D Sat., L Sun. The Whitney $$$$ NEW AMERICAN • The historic 1890s mansion is still going strong. The menu is typified by classic beef Wellington, wrapped in spinach, prosciutto, and pastry; and pan-roasted Scottish salmon. Tableside cooking, by reservation only, is an optional feature. Don’t forget The Katherine McGregor Dessert Parlor for a sweet treat.4421 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-832-5700. D Thu.-Sun and high tea Sat.-Sun. Wine Dotte Bistro $$ WINE BAR • This interesting wine bar and restaurant offers a view of the Detroit River. The menu includes coconut shrimp, lobster tails, tenderloin medallions, and lamb chops. The wine is displayed in a cabinet across one wall and it’s the main focus. 2910 Van Alstyne St., Wyandotte; 734-556-3195. L,D Tue.-Sun. Wright & Co. $$ NEW AMERICAN • The collaboration between chef Marc Djozlija and Dave Kwiatkowski of the popular Corktown craft cocktail bar Sugar House gives new life to the second-floor space in the Wright Kay building. Small plates such as tuna tartare with pickled pears, and pork belly sliders with tomato jam and sriracha aioli are the focus. 1500 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-962-7711. D Mon.-Sat., BR Sun.

RECIPE

C O M PA R I ’ S O N T H E PA R K ’ S

SPICED OLD FASHIONED

Kick it up a notch this winter, with this flavorful cocktail from a Plymouth favorite R ECI P E F RO M COM PARI’S ON THE PARK | PHOT O BY KA I L EY H OWEL L

Ingredients:

1/2 oz spiced simple syrup Splash of water 2 1/2 oz Buffalo Trace bourbon 2 dashes Angostura bitters Orange peel

Spiced Simple Syrup Equal parts water and sugar Cinnamon sticks Allspice berries Cloves Black peppercorns Star anise

Directions:

Muddle orange peel with spiced simple syrup*. Add a splash of water. Pour Buffalo Trace and Angostura bitters into a vessel. Add ice, stir well, and strain into old fashioned glass or boomba, over ice. Garnish with orange peel and maraschino cherry. *Simple syrup: Boil sugar and water. Add spices.

Reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 4-5 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool. Strain through fine mesh, removing all solids.

Yum Village $ AFRO-CARIBBEAN • The former food truck opened a full-service restaurant in the North End in 2019. The space is bright and fun with wooden tables, mismatched chairs, and a colorful, geometric paint job. And the food is just as bold. The restaurant serves up piquant dishes like Lemon Pepper Jerk Chicken. 6500 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-334-6099. L,D Mon.-Sat.

Oakland 168 KTV Bistro $$ PAN-ASIAN • Don’t judge by 168 KTV Bistro’s unassuming strip mall location. It’s a unique experience that meshes food, karaoke, and pop party culture into a onestop destination. The dining room offers dishes blurring the lines. Standouts include stir-fried snow pea leaves with garlic and stir-fried udon. The traditional Korean noodle dish chap chae is a strong option. 32415 John R Road, Madison Heights; 248-616-0168. D daily.

220 Merrill $$$ NEW AMERICAN • The menu includes apps and small plates as well as crispy Key West shrimp, pan-roasted sea bass, and fried calamari. There are heartier entrees as well, like the braised beef short ribs. 220 Merrill St., Birmingham; 248-646-2220. L,D Mon.-Sat. BR Sun. Adachi $$$ JAPANESE-INSPIRED • Heading the kitchen is Lloyd Roberts, who has trained in the kitchens of celebrity chefs such as Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Nobu Matsuhisa. Here, soy truffle broth is ladled over pork dumplings reminiscent of coin purses, and miniature tacos are filled with lobster, tuna, or vegetable pickings. 325 S. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham. D daily, L Mon.-Fri. Andiamo Restaurants $$ ITALIAN • Steak and Italian pasta are the focus, but

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Big Rock Chophouse $$$ STEAKHOUSE • This old railroad station is a great setting. Portions range from a dainty filet to a huge porterhouse. There are also a variety of small plates to choose from, including tuna tartare, crab cakes, mac and cheese, and more. 245 S. Eton, Birmingham; 248-6477774. L,D Mon.-Sat.

dessert is also impeccable. The more casual but as just delicious spots are known as Trattorias. See website for hours and locations; andiamoitalia.com Anita’s Kitchen $ LEBANESE • With pita pizzas and lamb chops, the Lebanese food here is some of the best around. And there’s vegetarian and gluten-free fare, too. Healthy, nutritious, and delicious. See website for locations; anitaskitchen.com

Bistro Joe’s $$$ GLOBAL • Part of Papa Joe’s Gourmet Market, Bistro Joe’s is in a mezzanine overlooking the open kitchen and market. There is an eclectic list of dishes like Spicy Tuna “tacushi,” steamed mussels, and tasty flatbread pizzas. 34244 Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248-5940984. L,D Tue.-Sun., BR Sat.-Sun.

Antihero $$ JAPANESE-INSPIRED • This Izakaya — a Japanese pub-style bar or eatery — opened in fall 2018. Its food is focused on small plates along with an endless array of craft cocktails, beers, and more. 231 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale; 248-307-7383. D Wed.-Sun. Assaggi Bistro $$$ ITALIAN • Seasonal offers encompassing rustic Italian, country French, and authentic Lebanese are all created in the open kitchen. Standouts include Moroccan duck legs, porcini-dusted day boat sea scallops, and cioppino (seafood stew). 330 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale; 248584-3499 D Tue.-Sun. Bacco $$$ ITALIAN • Chef-owner Luciano Del Signore’s pastas are like pure art. Try the Strozzapreti Norcina: Italian sausage, truffles, tomato, and white wine, tossed in hand-rolled pasta. From local grass-fed beef to sustainably farm-raised sea bass to a fresh caprese, the ingredients are top-end. Based in the heart of Southfield, Bacco is a true Italian gem in the suburbs. And the desserts, are not to be missed. 29410 Northwestern Hwy., Southfield; 248-356-6600.L Mon.-Fri., D Mon.-Sat. Beans & Cornbread $$ SOUL • Upscale soul food is the premise at Beans & Cornbread: wings, Hoppin’ John, catfish, and a gravysmothered pork chop. Tempura-battered fried shrimp comes with a choice of cocktail or spicy BBQ sauce, and there’s a notable Louisiana-style gumbo to boot. 29508 Northwestern Hwy., Southfield; 248-208-1680. L,D Tue.Fri., D Sat.-Sun. BR Sun. Bella Piatti $$ ITALIAN • The location right across from the Townsend Hotel has inspired a number of visiting celebrities, professional athletes, and film crews who stay there to check out the Italian fare at this restaurant. The menu of such dishes as Gemelli pasta with fresh tomato sauce, salmon baked with spinach, kalamata olives, white wine, and tomatoes, and tagliatelle Bolognese stands on its own. It’s one of our true favorites in the area in terms of Italian restaurants.

167 Townsend St., Birmingham; 248-494-7110. L,D Tue.-Fri., D Sat. Beverly Hills Grill $$$ NEW AMERICAN • Breakfast near noon is compatible with the Grill’s dawn-to-dark schedule. Fare includes crab cake Benedict, corned beef hash with poached eggs, and omelet du jour. There are plenty of lunch and dinner options, typified by black bean chili, Caesar and spinach salads, and a notable burger. 31471 Southfield Road, Beverly Hills; 248-642-2355. B,L,D daily.

Bi Bim Bab $$ KOREAN • Though sushi and a small selection of Japanese entrees share the bill here, it’s Korean food at center stage — on barbecue grills, on which meat and seafood are grilled to order. Or come for the restaurant’s namesake. 43155 Main St., Novi; 248-348-6800.

L,D daily.

84

SPOTLIGHT

Bigalora: Wood Fired Cucina

ITALIAN The pizza concept from chef Luciano Del Signore, a fourtime James Beard Award nominee, features small plates, fresh pastas, wood-roasted meats, and a range of distinctive Neapolitan pizzas.

See website for locations; bigalora.com $$

Café Cortina $$$ ITALIAN • Selections include prosciutto di Parma stuffed with greens and mozzarella; squid sautéed with fresh pomodori; gnocchi with porcini mushrooms; and meaty prawns finished with lemon, white wine, and herbs. For dessert, try the crepes 30715 W. 10 Mile Road, Farmington Hills; 248-474-3033. L,D Mon.-Fri., D Sat. Café ML $$ NEW AMERICAN • Café ML is contemporary in décor and its “globally inspired food.” Such dishes as short rib steamed buns, Chinese chicken salad, Singapore street noodles, and Korean fried chicken share the menu with burgers, steak frites, and fresh seafood. Garage doorstyle windows open onto the patio on warm days.

3607 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Township; 248-6424000. D daily.

Capital Grille $$$ STEAKHOUSE • Hand-cut, dry-aged steaks and fresh seafood dishes are the stars at Capital Grille. The restaurant’s outstanding wine list features over 350 labels.

The setting is appropriate for both business lunches and social events and includes well-appointed private dining rooms. 2800 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy; 248-6495300. L,D Mon.-Sat., D Sun. Casa Pernoi $$$$ ITALIAN • Three months after its grand opening, what once was a multi-hyphenate concept, blending French, Asian, and Italian cuisine, soon defaulted simply to a cuisine most familiar to chef Luciano DelSignore: Italian.

Housemade pastas rolled by hand, chicken parmesan, and a meaty branzino typify the menu. A cannoli cake layers sweet ricotta atop a spongy cake and a base of dark chocolate reminiscent of a Nestle Crunch Bar. 310 E. Maple Road, Birmingham; 248-940-0000 Churchill’s Bistro & Cigar Bar $$$ TRADITIONAL • You can buy your cigar and smoke it, too. Plus, there are dry-aged steaks, pan-roasted sea bass, seasonal East Coast oysters, and lamb chops, among other options. A full bar boasts a large selection of whiskey, scotch, and bourbon — and plenty of wine.

116 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham; 248-647-4555. L Mon.-Sat. D daily.

Como’s $$ NEW AMERICAN • This Ferndale favorite reopened in May 2019 under the ownership of Peas & Carrots Hospitality with a trendier, fresher look. The warm, homey feel is still intact, but it’s ditched the old menu for — among other things — chef Zack Skylar’s square, deep-dish, Detroit-style pizza that’s leavened from a sourdough starter as opposed to commercial yeast.

22812 Woodward Ave., Unit 100., Ferndale; 248-6774439. L,D daily.

Crispelli’s Bakery Pizzeria $ ITALIAN-INSPIRED • This hybrid offers artisanal piz-

zas from a brick oven, salads, paninis, and soups. A bakery offers crusty breads, desserts, and meals to go. Two patios add to the appeal. See website for locations; crispellis.com Culantro $$ PERUVIAN • Native Peruvian Betty Shuell brings a taste of her home to Ferndale. The casual, homey, seatyourself establishment is named after an herb that is often used in preparation with the more familiar cilantro.

An especially notable dish is Pollo a la Brasa, marinated chicken served with French fries, rice, and a variety of Peruvian dipping sauces. 22939 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-632-1055. L,D daily.

Diamond’s Steak & Seafood $$$ STEAKHOUSE • Now with a second location in Royal Oak, this Howell-based restaurant is the perfect location for New York strip steak, fresh gulf shrimp, or a classic cheeseburger. The Royal Oak location also sports the highly anticipated lush rooftop bar called Pinky’s that opened this spring. Aptly named, it’s painted in rosy hues and features a whimsical floral mural.

There’s a buffet-style brunch at both Diamonds locations on weekends. 100 S. Main St., Royal Oak; 248-2915201. D daily; 101 W. Grand River Ave., Howell; 517-5485500. D daily.

Eddie’s Gourmet $$ NEW AMERICAN • Chef Eddie Hanna’s gourmet diner is a simple concept that works to perfection.

The menu offers standard selection of breakfast items, burgers, sandwiches, and lunch specials, but the real draw is the counter-side gourmet and pasta specials.

Offerings include Veal Marsala and Chicken Milano 25920 Greenfield Road, Oak Park; 248-968-4060. L,D Mon-Sat. Elie’s Mediterranean Grill/Bar $$ LEBANESE • The lamb and chicken shawarma, shish kafta, kibbee nyeh, and other Lebanese dishes are emphasized by the décor, including photomurals of old Beirut and strings of blue beads cascading from the ceiling. A fun place to frequent for a quick lunch or a night out with friends. 263 Pierce St., Birmingham; 248-6472420. L,D Mon.-Sat. The Fed $$ GASTROPUB • An attractive restaurant with great food and a delightfully refreshing atmosphere. The menu crosses boundaries, from tacos and wood-fired dishes to assorted flatbreads and fresh sushi rolls. The bright and airy bohemian-chic interior is also Instagrammably beautiful. 15 S. Main St., Clarkston; 248-297-5833. D daily, BR Sat.-Sun. The Fly Trap $ ECLECTIC AMERICAN • This “finer diner” typifies fashionable Ferndale with its tin ceiling, red-topped tables, and counter with swivel stools. It offers sandwiches, salads, pastas, and omelets. 22950 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-399-5150. B,L Tue.-Sun., D Tue.-Fri. Forest $$$ EUROPEAN-INSPIRED • The menu is brief but designed to let the kitchen assemble sharp flavors from various farm and market ingredients. Try the delightful Mandilli pasta with pistachio pesto and Tuscan kale, and the understated “Farm Egg.” 735 Forest Ave., Birmingham; 248-258-9400. D Mon.-Sat. BR Sat. Garage Grill & Fuel Bar $$ NEW AMERICAN • The car-themed rooms of a former 1940s gas station are as fresh and appealing as the dishes themselves. The kitchen serves up a variety of seafood starters and “full-size sedan” entrees, as well as

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pizzas. 202 W. Main St., Northville, 248-924-3367. L,D nightly, BR Sat.-Sun.

pura. 411 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak; 248-677-1236.

L,D Mon.-Sat.

Gran Castor $$ LATIN STREET • From the duo behind hit spots like Vinsetta Garage and Union Woodshop comes this vibrant Latin-American café and restaurant.Diners can choose to sit behind one of the two bars, a cozy café, or in the 245-seat dining room all decked in colorful textiles. At Gran Castor, the dining room is equally as decadent as the food and drinks served. Grab a $5 margarita between 4 p.m.-6 p.m. daily. 2950 Rochester Road, Troy; 248-278-7777. D Mon-Sun.

Kruse & Muer $$ SEAFOOD • The menu features seafood — lobster and shrimp in saffron cream — and pastas, pizzas, and sandwiches. There’s also beef, chicken, and a children’s menu. 327 S. Main St., Rochester; 248-652-9400. L,D daily, BR Sun. There’s also: Kruse & Muer Roadhouse, 801 S. Lapeer Road, Lake Orion; 248-814-9500. L,D daily; Kruse’s Deer Lake Inn, 7504 Dixie Hwy., Clarkston; 248795-2077. 134 N. Adams Road, Rochester Hills; 248-3752503. L,D daily; and the latest addition, Kruse & Muer on Woodward, 28028 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak; 248-9652101. L,D daily.

Hazel, Ravines & Downtown $$ ECLECTIC • This is an inventive, casual and fine-dining eatery, grab-and-go market, and bar all in a 10,000-square-foot space in downtown Birmingham.

The restaurant itself offers three menus. Hazel focuses on comfort food. Ravines is for the seasoned traveler.

While Downtown appeals to food-trend-followers. HRD is the ultimate neighborhood hangout. 1 Peabody St., Birmingham; 248-671-1714. B,L,D daily.

Lao Pot $$$ CHINESE • In early December, the owners of Madison Heights’ international market 168 Asian Mart opened Lao Pot, which specializes in Chinese Hot Pot cuisine.

Hot Pot is a traditional method of cooking, using a pot of simmering broth, which sits in the center of the dining table. Lao Pot allows diners to customize and cook their meals right at their tables, combining great food and a memorable experience. 32707 John R. Road, Madison Heights; 248-689-9888. L,D daily.

Honcho $ LATIN FUSION • From the owners of Vinsetta Garage and Union Woodshop, this restaurant can be described as “Latin food that speaks with an Asian accent.” Menu items include a chicken burrito fried and tossed in a soy fish sauce and Korean pork tacos, featuring Woodshop pulled pork tossed in Korean BBQ sauce and topped with toasted sesame seeds and Malay radish slaw. 3 E. Church St., Clarkston; 248-707-3793. L,D daily.

Hong Hua $ CHINESE • One of the best area restaurants dedicated to Asian food offers some rare delicacies — shark’s fin and bird’s nest soups, fresh abalone — as well as more customary items. One signature dish is stir-fried yellow grouper fillet with vegetables. 27925 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills; 248-489-2280. L,D daily.

Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse $$$$ STEAKHOUSE • This plush modern steakhouse offers dry-aged prime and Kobe-style wagyu beef in a fun, clubby setting. An extensive wine list accompanies the restaurant menu that also features platters of chilled fresh seafood. 201 S. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248-594-4369. D daily. 17107 Haggerty Road, Northville Twp.; 248-679-0007. D Tue.-Sat. Imperial $ MEXICAN-INSPIRED • The menu offers Californiastyle tacos on soft tortillas, including lime-grilled chicken, carnitas, and marinated pork, as well as slow-roasted pork tortas, and guacamole. 22828 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 248-850-8060. L,D daily, BR Sun. J-Bird Smoked Meats $$ BARBEQUE • Offering wood-smoked meats served with the traditional sides of cornbread, buttermilk slaw, and mac and cheese, popular dishes include the Three Meat Sampler and JBird Gumbo, as well as St. Louis Ribs and old-fashioned JBurgers. If you love meat, this is your place. 1978 Cass Lake Road, Keego Harbor; 248681-2124. D daily. BR Sat.-Sun. Kaizen Ramen $ JAPANESE • A downtown Royal Oak space with exposed ductwork, orange booths, and a lively, floor-toceiling, black-and-white robot mural may not seem like the obvious choice for authentic Asian noodles. But this casual spot offers a variety of vegan and meat-based ramen dishes, as well as gyoza, poke, spring rolls, and karaage — Japanese-style fried chicken. Don’t skip out on desserts like mochi ice cream and cheesecake tem-

La Strada Dolci e Caffé $ ITALIAN • A slice of European elegance offers an impeccable little menu of Italian dishes and rich coffees and espresso. Paninis, delicious fresh green salads, hearty minestrone soup, pastas, pizzas, and decadent and artistically crafted pastries are prettily served and very tasty. 243 E. Merrill St., Birmingham; 248-480-0492.

B,L,D Tue.-Sat., L,D Sun.

SPOTLIGHT

Market North End AMERICAN Joe and Kristin Bongiovanni opened this eatery just across the street from the family’s existing restaurants, Salvatore Scallopini and Luxe Bar & Grill. It represents a younger, more casual alternative to the cult-favorite classics, with a serious kitchen that offers traditional American dishes as well as hints of global influences.

474 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248-7124953. L,D daily. $$

Lelli’s Inn $$ ITALIAN • Dinners begin with an antipasto tray, creamy minestrone, salad, side dish of spaghetti, and then — nine times out of 10 — a filet mignon with zip sauce.

885 N. Opdyke Road, Auburn Hills; 248-373-4440. L Mon.-Fri. D daily.

Loccino Italian Grill $$ ITALIAN • Loccino is a “family-friendly” yet upscale Italian restaurant. Choose from fresh seafood, steak, chicken, and veal dishes, plus traditional pastas, pizzas, salads, and more. They also offer happy hour specials from 3-7 p.m. weekdays. A great special occassion place or delicious workday lunch spot for whevener you need a break from the office. 5600 Crooks Road, Troy; 248-8130700. L Mon.-Fri., D daily.

Lockhart’s BBQ $$ BARBEQUE • The heart of this joint’s authentic barbecue is the dry-rubbed meat smoker, which can smoke up to 800 pounds of meat at a time. Choices such as pork ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, burnt ends, and chicken are served atop butcher paper on metal trays for the true experience. 202 E. Third St., Royal Oak; 248584-4227. L,D daily. BR Sun. Loui’s Pizza $ ITALIAN • Sure, you can now get a Michigan craft beer, but not much else has changed. And that’s a good thing.

Parties dine on square pizzas with crisp crust that’s faintly charred around the edges. Hailed by food critics and Detroiters alike as arguably one of the most classic Detroit style pizzas in the city — so it’s well worth a trip.

23141 Dequindre Road, Hazel Park; 248-547-1711. L, D Wed.-Sun. Luxe Bar & Grill $$ NEW AMERICAN • The simple menu at this Grosse Pointe Farms joint offers burgers on brioche buns and interesting salads and sides, as well as entrees typified

by wild-caught salmon, prime filet, and Greek-style lamb chops. 525 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248792-6051. 115 Kercheval Ave., Grosse Pointe Farms; 313924-5459. L,D daily.

Mabel Gray $$$ NEW AMERICAN • Chef James Rigato produces some masterful dishes on this tiny menu, which does not miss a beat. The menu includes a multi-course tasting option, as well as a daily listing of changing items that never disappoint. It’s a fine dining experience that is certainly worth a visit. 23825 John R Road, Hazel Park; 248-3984300. D Tue.-Sat. Mad Hatter Bistro, Bar & Tea Room $$ ECLECTIC AMERICAN • The whimsical setting inspired

by Alice in Wonderland welcomes far more than the teasipping set with burgers and sandwiches, rabbit Porchetta, truffle risotto bites, and baked brie with pistachio, honey, and pomegranate. There are also pastries, of course. 185 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248540-0000. L,D daily, BR Sat.-Sun. Tea by reservation.

Lower level not wheelchair accessible.

The Meeting House $$ ECLECTIC AMERICAN • This eclectic American menu includes lobster fettuccini, steak frites remarkably close to those at Paris bistros, and housemade potato chips with a hot Jarlsberg dip. Or, try the roasted carrot risotto made with house labneh, pistachio, pomegranate gastrique, and Za’atar. 301 S. Main St., Rochester; 248-7594825. D daily, BR Sat.-Sun. Mesa Tacos And Tequila $ MEXICAN-AMERICAN • The two-story setting includes balcony seating in a big, open room where the bar gets equal time with the kitchen. The pop-Mexican menu — which includes gua- camole, burritos, and the titular tacos — is backed up with an array of tequilas. 312 S. Main St., Royal Oak; 248-545-1940. L & D daily.

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

2008

Mon Jin Lau $$ ASIAN-FUSION • Explore such dishes as Singapore noodles, combining chicken, shrimp, chilies, and curry with angel-hair pasta; Mongolian beef; or seared scallops with corn chili sauce and a side of fried taro. The patio opens up and the dining room transforms into a dance floor for weekly events. 1515 E. Maple Road, Troy; 248-689-2332. L Mon.-Fri., D daily.

The Morrie $$ NEW AMERICAN • Music and munchies can be a great combination when served in the right proportions. Such offerings as the smoked chicken wings, Teriyaki salmon and Baja sweet potato tots, as well as the requisite burger and steak, appeal to a wide demographic. The rock’n’roll-themed eatery also brought its much-loved American dishes and cocktails to Birmingham in 2019.

511 S. Main St., Royal Oak; 248-216-1112. D daily. 260 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248-940-3260. L,D Mon.-Fri., B,L,D Sat.-Sun. BR Sat.-Sun. Oak City Grille $ NEW AMERICAN • This downtown Royal Oak spot bridges the gap between bar food and upscale dining.

Order a dressed-up sandwich or burger, or elevate your dining experience with an 8-ounce filet mignon or lamb chops. The friendly price range makes anything possible. 212 W. Sixth St., Royal Oak; 248-556-0947. D daily.

Ocean Prime $$$$ SEAFOOD • An upper-end steak-and-fish place and a popular business lunch site. The menu features naturally harvested fresh fish and prime aged beef. Don’t miss

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RECIPE

ONE-EYED BET T Y ’S

CHICKEN TCHOUPITOULAS

Enjoy this savory, gluten-free dish from the Ferndale restaurant R ECI P E F ROM ONE - EYE D BE T TY’S | PHOT O BY KA I L EY H OWEL L

Ingredients:

2 lbs tricolor fingerling potatoes 8 oz fresh Hungarian yellow peppers 2 lbs boneless skin-on chicken breast, pounded thin 12 oz Tasso ham, diced 4 oz Cajun seasoning 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped Olive oil Salt and pepper

Hollandaise Sauce: 10 tbsp unsalted butter 3 large egg yolks 1 tbsp lemon juice

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Directions:

Peppers: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place peppers on ungreased baking sheet and cook in oven for 12 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. Once cooled, slice into ¼-inch rings and set aside.

Potatoes: Cut potatoes in half, lengthwise, and place in a bowl. Toss with 3-4 tbsp olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Place on ungreased baking sheet and cook in oven for 18-20 minutes, or until fork tender. Remove and set aside to cool.

Chicken: Pound chicken until even in thickness. Use half the Cajun seasoning to coat both sides of chicken breast, and set aside.

Hollandaise Sauce: On low heat, melt butter and set aside. In blender, on medium-high speed, blend egg yolks and lemon juice for 30 seconds, until light and airy. Turn blender speed to low, and while blender is running, slowly drizzle in melted butter, until proper consistency. Turn off blender and taste. Add salt or more lemon and blend, until desired taste.

Assembly:

In medium sauté pan on medium heat, with a light amount of olive oil, sauté chicken breast. Turn every few minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

In separate sauté pan, heat 4 tbsp olive oil on medium-high heat. Add potatoes, peppers, and Tasso ham. Toss until heated throughout, then add remaining Cajun and toss again.

Place potato-pepper-ham blend on large serving dish. Top with cooked chicken. Evenly pour hollandaise sauce overtop and garnish with chives. Serve and enjoy!

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the chocolate peanut butter pie or the carrot cake. A tried-and-true metro Detroit spot. 2915 Coolidge Hwy., Troy; 248-458-0500. L Mon.-Fri., D daily.

One-Eyed Betty’s $$ ECLECTIC AMERICAN • Picnic-style tables and blackboards lettered with scores of brew choices add a beerhall sensibility to this popular spot. The kitchen delivers New Orleans-themed dishes such as po’boy sandwiches and Cajun chicken and sausage as well as a mouthwatering bacon burger. Weekend brunch features delicious housemade doughnuts. 175 W. Troy St., Ferndale; 248-808-6633. D daily, BR Sat.-Sun. Otus Supply $ NEW AMERICAN • This Ferndale stunner has delightful food, superb service, and one wild look. The menu offers eight main courses and shared plates, as well as pizza and sandwiches. Can’t-miss: The housemade rigatoni made with Italian sausage and shredded boar.

There’s also a concert venue called The Parliament Room. 345 E. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale; 248-291-6160.

D Mon.-Sat. O.W.L. $ MEXICAN-AMERICAN • This Royal Oak spot offers 24 hours of sustenance. Step up to the counter and order from the letterboard menu before grabbing a stool at the counter or along the window ledge. Dishes here include such diner musts as eggs, sausage and potato hash, burgers, and chicken wings as well as tacos and nachos served from the open kitchen. 27302 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak; 248-808-6244. B, L,D daily.

the restaurant now offers “Fancy Ass Hash Browns” with caviar and fried chicken with spicy tomato ranch.

The desserts are really worth a try. 241 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale; 248-850-7420. L,D Mon.-Fri, B,L,D Sat.-Sun.

ates to enjoy and feel comfortable in. 273 Pierce St.Birmingham; 248-645-9123. L Mon.-Fri., D daily.

Take Sushi $$ JAPANESE • Crisp salads, miso soup garnished with the tiniest dice of tofu, sashimi and sushi, oversize bowls of soba or udon noodles, and all the familiar — and some not-so-familiar — entrees, combine together to make this spot special. 1366 Walton Blvd., Rochester Hills; 248-652-7800. L Mon.-Sat., D daily.

Quán Ngon Vietnamese Bistro $ VIETNAMESE • This gem of a bistro in a hand-some space adds to the local Vietnamese offerings. Dishes such as cha gio (elegant little eggrolls), bun bo nuong sa (grilled steak atop angel-hair rice noodles), and banh mi made with fresh ingredients. 30701 Dequindre Road, Madison Heights; 248-268-4310. L,D daily.

Tallulah Wine Bar & Bistro $$ WINE BAR • Understated décor and a pared-down menu of seasonal dishes make this spot a Birmingham classic. The kitchen turns out dishes like Lamb Belly Ragu with housemade pasta; and Alaskan Halibut with mushroom ragu and asparagus. Wine is served by the glass, the pitcher, or bottle. 155 S. Bates St., Birmingham; 248-731-7066. D Mon.-Sat.

Redcoat Tavern $ BURGERS • The half-pound choice beef hamburger is always atop the list of local favorites. But a low-fat, highflavor Piedmontese beef one is tastier than the original.

This is the place for your burger craving. 31542 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak; 248-549-0300. 6745 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township; 248-865-0500. L,D Mon.-Sat. Rochester Chop House $$ NEW AMERICAN • Two restaurants in one; Kabin Kruser’s and the Chop House. There’s a throwback roadhouse-style feeling about the Chop House, which has a menu divided between red meat and fresh fish and seafood. Signature dishes include calamari, Maryland jumbo lump crabcakes, and a large selection of aged steaks, rack of lamb, and steak/seafood combinations. 306 S. Main St., Rochester; 248-651-2266. L Mon.-Fri., D daily

SPOTLIGHT Phoenicia $$$ LEBANESE • This long-standing upscale Lebanese eatery has clean, contemporary lines that complement the French door-style windows. Don’t miss the morel mushrooms or roasted garlic cloves with tomato and basil as an appetizer. The menu expands to unexpected items such as baby back ribs and single-serving-sized local whitefish. 588 S. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248644-3122. L Mon.-Fri., D daily.

Polka Restaurant & Beer Café $$ POLISH • Servers in traditional garb greet you near original murals, and light woodwork is enhanced with painted floral panels. Try the dill pickle soup, city chicken, and beef short rib, plus other favorites like pierogis, schnitzel, stuffed cabbages, and several kielbasa styles.

2908 E. Maple Road, Troy; 248-817-2601. D Tue.-Sun. Pop’s For Italian $$ ITALIAN • It doesn’t sound fancy, but this Ferndale restaurant serves well-prepared, Italian dishes paired with an ambitious wine program. The fairly brief menu starts with a list of Neapolitan pizzas, then moves to pastas, but has all the classics to hit the spot. There are charcuterie boards and Italian desserts, too. 280 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale; 248-268-4806. D Tue.-Sun.

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Ronin $$ JAPANESE • The sushi menu, ranging from spicy tuna rolls to yellowtail and salmon eggs and well beyond, is augmented by a concise menu of cooked fare. Front windows open onto the sidewalk, making the cocktail lounge open-air during the warm months. 326 W. Fourth St., Royal Oak; 248-546-0888. D daily.

Rugby Grille $$$$ NEW AMERICAN • At the Townsend Hotel’s upscale restaurant, the classics remain, including boned-at-thetable Dover sole and hefty steaks. The eatery also introduced a new menu last year. Michigan-produced ingredients from local farmers and ranchers are still a focus here. 100 Townsend St., Birmingham; 248-642-5999.

B,L,D daily.

Silver Spoon $$ ITALIAN • This quintessential slice of Italy features excellent food, knowledgeable staff, and friendly service.

Try the bucatini made with pancetta, onion, red wine, and fresh tomato sauce. Also worth trying: saltimbocca alla Romana, or veal scaloppini sautéed in white wine. A truly delicious place for any kind of outing. 543 N. Main St., Rochester; 248-652-4500. D daily.

Prime29 Steakhouse $$$$ STEAKHOUSE • The 29-day aged prime beef, including the 24-ounce tomahawk bone-in rib-eye, still stars here.

There’s also Chilean sea bass, Loch Duart salmon, and lamb chops with lobster fried rice. The service is notable, as is the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator.

6545 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield; 248-7377463. D daily.

Social Kitchen & Bar $$$ NEW AMERICAN • The energetic Birmingham spot allows guests a view of the kitchen action. It has a creative and varied menu typified by falafel lettuce wraps, fried chicken sandwiches, crispy Brussels sprouts, and salmon with braised lentils, crispy kale, and a mustard vinagrette. 225 E. Maple Road, Birmingham; 248-594-4200. L Mon.-Fri., D daily, BR Sat.-Sun.

Public House $$ SMALL PLATES • This Ferndale classic once known for its sliders recently received a menu update courtesy of executive chef Nick Erven and head chef Jasmine Hughes. While old favorites like deviled eggs are still present, they’ve been updated with pork rind, and

Streetside Seafood $$ SEAFOOD • Small and cozy yet sophisticated, the restaurant has a pared-down menu of fresh fish and seafood on a seasonal menu. There are always two soups: a bisque and a chowder. Favorites include the smoked whitefish melt at lunch. A delicious restaurant for all pal-

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ASIAN FUSION Adachi chef Lloyd Roberts has brought his refined yet imaginative pan-Asian cuisine to Bloomfield Township. More casual than Roberts’ first local outpost, Zao Jun boasts an eclectic menu, influenced by traditional East Asian traditions as well as New Age techniques.

Alongside an extensive drink menu of wine, beer, sake, and Asianinspired cocktails, Zao Jun offers creative dishes such as Duck Macao, Kani Crab and Green Apple salad, and Mongolian Beef.

6608 Telegraph Road., Bloomfield Twp.; 248949-9999. D daily. $$

Three Cats Restaurant $ BREAKFAST/BRUNCH • Formerly a small café serving customers of the boutique Leon & Lulu, Three Cats is now a full-fledged restaurant and bar. Located in the former Clawson movie theater next door to the shop, the spot serves small, simple plates, including vegetarian and vegan options for brunch, lunch, and dinner.

The beverage menu features local selections, such as vodka from Ferndale’s Valentine’s Distilling Co. and wines from grapes grown on the Leelanau Peninsula.

Patrons can even take home the colorful, quirky chairs or tables they’re dining at, as most of the furniture at Three Cats Restaurant is available for purchase. 116 W. 14 Mile Road, Clawson; 248-288-4858. L,D Mon.-Fri., B,L,D Sat.-Sun. Toast, A Breakfast & Lunch Joint $ BREAKFAST/BRUNCH • It’s fun, it’s breezy, and the food at Toast, A Breakfast & Lunch Joint is very, very good. The house specialty smothered burrito has plenty of fans, as does huevos rancheros: fried eggs upon corn tortillas, pintos, and cheese. Toast, a Neighborhood Joint, the spinoff of the Ferndale original has a more elaborate setting pairing ’50s retro with sleek contemporary in a pair of rooms. The new menu features twists to comfort food. 23144 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-398-0444. L daily, B Sat.Sun. 203 Pierce St., Birmingham; 248-258-6278. B,L Mon.-Sat., B,L Sun. Toasted Oak $$$ BRASSERIE • The menu revolves around the charcuterie sold in the market next door and a list of hot grill items, such as grilled steaks with béarnaise sauce. In 2019, the restaurant earned a Wine Spectator magazine award for its outstanding wine program. Plus, just across the lot is Twelve Oaks Mall, should you fancy an evening of shopping and dinner. 27790 Novi Road, Novi; 248-277-6000. B,D daily, L Mon.-Fri. Townhouse $$$ NEW AMERICAN • This popular Birmingham spot for comforting New American dishes has several exceptional offerings on its menu, such as the specialty 10 ounces of 28-day dry-aged beef hamburger on brioche. 180 Pierce St., Birmingham; 248-792-5241. L,D daily, BR Sat.Sun. 500 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-723-1000. L,D Mon.-Sun. BR Sun. Union Woodshop $$ BARBEQUE • Part of the ever-growing Union Joints restaurant group, this is a self-described wood-fired joint, where pulled pork, ribs, chicken, and beef brisket come from the smoker, and Neapolitan-style crispcrusted pizzas from the wood-burning oven. And definitely check out the mac and cheese. There’s also a

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J. Baldwin’s Restaurant $$$ NEW AMERICAN • The menu showcases talented chef Jeff Baldwin’s contemporary American food: cedar-planked salmon, chicken fettuccini alfredo with pesto, and herb-crusted chicken, with housemade breads. The desserts include chocolate bumpy cake, spiced carrot cake, apple cobbler, chocolate mousse layer cake, and banana foster bread pudding. 16981 18 Mile Road, Clinton Township; 586-416-3500. L,D daily, BR Sun.

delicious kid’s menu for any youngsters in your party.

18 S. Main St., Clarkston; 248-625-5660. D Mon.-Fri., L,D Sat.-Sun. Vinsetta Garage $$ NEW AMERICAN • This restaurant, which is housed in a vintage car-repair shop, offers well-prepared comfortfood classics such as burgers served on pretzel buns, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, pizzas, and roast chicken. A restaurant that pays true homage to the city of Detroit. 27799 Woodward Ave., Berkley; 248-548-7711. L,D daily.

Mr. Paul’s Chophouse $$$ STEAKHOUSE • This bastion of red meat as well as classic dishes is still going strong. Try old-school tableside presentations such as Chateaubriand and Caesar salad. There’s a solid selection of fresh seafood and pasta, too. The founding family still runs the place and emphasizes great hospitality and a heckuva good time.

29850 Groesbeck Hwy., Roseville; 586-777-7770. L,D Mon.-Fri., D Sat.

Voyager $$ SEAFOOD • Fresh seafood with emphasis on oysters is the premise in this hard-to-find location. The space entails convivially close quarters for such dishes as peel-n’-eat shrimp, chili crab spaghetti and grilled swordfish. The premium bar offers short but notable lists of beer and wine as well as craft cocktails. 600 Vester St., Ferndale; 248-658-4999. D Tue.-Sat. Yotsuba Japanese Restaurant & Bar $$ JAPANESE • The semi-circular sushi bar is the center of this restaurant. Sushi chef Bobby Suzuki has a loyal following for his precise nigiri rolls. There are also tatami rooms and conventional seating. 7365 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township; 248737-8282. 2222 Hogback Road, Ann Arbor; 734-9715168. L,D daily.

Macomb Butter Run Saloon $ GASTROPUB • Solid American fare that’s beyond bar food (although their burgers are certainly noteworthy).

There’s escargot, perch, steaks, and a huge whiskey selection — 900 at last count. 27626 Harper Ave., St. Clair Shores; 586-675-2115. L,D daily.

Da Francesco’s Ristorante & Bar $$ ITALIAN • Da Francesco’s has been around for more than 15 years, but its massive new facility is packing in the crowds offering an upbeat modern twist to traditional Italian dining. 49521 Van Dyke Ave., Shelby Township; 586-731-7544. L,D Tue.-Fri., D Sat., L,D Sun. Detroit Fish House $$ SEAFOOD • This restaurant feels like a true coastal eatery, serving an extensive menu of fresh fish and seafood in a well-designed setting. Choose from a wide variety of fresh fish and meaty seafood, ranging from salmon to Lake Superior whitefish. 51195 Schoenherr Road, Shelby Charter Township; 586-739-5400. L,D Mon.-Sat., D Sun. Gaudino’s $$ ITALIAN • The trend toward combining a food market with a restaurant has a good example at this spot. It offers imported pastas and sauces, plus a butcher counter with sausages and a wine assortment. The menu offers pasta and pizza, salads, and entrees, including a Chicken Milanese. 27919 Harper Ave., St. Clair Shores; 586-879-6764. L,D Tue.-Sun. Isla $$ FILIPINO • Dishes at this Filipino restaurant, formerly sheltered at Fort Street Galley, are reflective of the culinary traditions of the founders’ Iloilo City hometown. Annatto is used to punch up the color of Chicken Adobo, the unofficial dish of the Philippines, and juicy mangoes complement sweet and savory dishes. 2496 Metro Pkwy, Sterling Heights; 586-883-7526. D Tue.Sat., BR Sun.

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SPOTLIGHT

Cardamom INDIAN Check out the Hyderabadi Biryani — chicken, goat, and vegetable dishes in which the rice is first cooked then baked.

All the Indian favorites are available at Cardamom, such as Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Rogan Josh, and warm, fluffy, made-fresh garlic naan. It’s the ideal spot for when you’re craving the classics. 1739 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor; 734-6622877. L,D Tue.-Sun. $$

Sherwood Brewing Co. $ GASTROPUB • Quality local ingredients raise Sherwood’s fare to well above “elevated pub grub.” Some notable choices include the hearty House Beer Chili, savory Better Made-crusted fish and chips, and spicy Buffalo Mac. Homemade extends to dessert, including Cashew Outside Cookies. This isn’t just bar food,it’s elevated bar food. 45689 Hayes Road, Shelby Township; 586-532-9669. L,D daily.

Steakhouse 22 $$ STEAKHOUSE • The late Nick Andreopoulos once spent time as a “broiler man” at London Chop House.

His family stays true to those roots at this American steakhouse with a casual, neighborhood feel. They offer an array of well-prepared angus steaks, plus seafood and pasta dishes. With the sizable lunch and portions offered at Steakhouse 22, good luck saving room for dessert! 48900 Van Dyke Ave., Shelby Township; 586731-3900. L,D daily.

Testa Barra $$ ITALIAN • The newest spot from talented chef and restaurateur Jeffrey Baldwin and his wife, RoseMarie, offers modern Italian fare in a lively, upbeat setting. Pastas are made in-house. 48824 Romeo Plank Road, Macomb Township; 586-434-0100. D nightly D Tue.-Sun. dessert!

48900 Van Dyke Ave., Shelby Township; 586-731-3900.

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Twisted Rooster $$ SPORTS BAR • This “Michigan-centric” chain (Chesterfield Township, Grand Rapids, and Belleville) has takes on classics, with mac & cheese variations and steaks with “zip” sauce. 45225 Marketplace Blvd., Chesterfield; 586-949-1470. L,D daily.

Vast Kitchen and Bar $$ NEW AMERICAN • Chef Nicole Justman heads the kitchen at this fresh spot that brings a touch of Birmingham to Shelby Township. A contemporary menu at Vast Kitchen and Bar includes ginger-crusted salmon and filet mignon. 52969 Van Dyke Ave., Shelby Township; 586-991-6104. L,D Mon.-Sat. Waves $$ SEAFOOD • Seafood covers most of the menu at this Nautical Mile favorite. It’s a tough task choosing between such popular appetizers as Cuban-spiced crawfish tails, crispy grouper nuggets, and plump steamed mussels. Entrees include al dente pastas and several choices from “over the wave,” such as lamb chops and New York strip steak, plus lump crab cakes, and beer-battered cod. 24223 Jefferson Ave., St. Clair Shores; 586-773-3279. L,D daily.

Washtenaw Bellflower $$$ NEW AMERICAN • TA restaurant housed in a former exchange of the Michigan Bell Telephone Company, Bellflower answers Ypsilanti’s call for fine dining with an adventurous flair. Boudin sausage with roasted okra, baked oysters, and ginger ale or Coca-Cola-roasted beets showed up on early menus as chef Dan Klenotic’s way of straddling the line of creole tradition and an imaginative style that is entirely his own. 209 Pearl St., Ypsilanti. L,D Mon.-Sat., L Sun. Black Pearl $$ SEAFOOD • This seafood and martini bar is especially popular during patio season. But step inside for a host of craft cocktails, then stay for dinner. A seafood-dominated menu includes a notable roasted scallop dish. The Pasta Gone Bayou is also worth a try, with shrimp, chicken, andouille sausage, and a Cajun cream sauce. And make sure to order dessert. 302 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; 734-222-0400. D daily.

Blue LLama Jazz Club $$ CREATIVE AMERICAN • Come to this swanky jazz club for the music, which includes headliners such as the Grammy-nominated Ravi Coltrane Quartet, but stay for Chef Louis Goral’s delicious food. Try the crispy foie gras PB&J with Marcona almonds and strawberry jam. There is also a delicious Sunday brunch with decadent orange blossom beignets and strawberry pancakes. 314 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; 734-372-3200. D Wed.-Sat., BR Sun. The Blue Nile $$ ETHIOPIAN • The real treat of the meal at this quaint Ferndale restaurant is that it’s scooped up with a spongy bread called injera, and all the lentils, often seasoned with an Ethiopian spice mixture known as Berber, and vegetables are equally delicious. 221 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor; 734-998-4746. D Tue.-Sun.545 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale; 248-547-6699. D daily.

The Common Grill $$ SEAFOOD • Owner and chef Craig Common’s skilled work has drawn the attention of the now shuttered Gourmet magazine and the James Beard House — as well as the Purple Rose Theatre crowd. This mainstay is best known for fresh oysters and seafood, but all the fare at The Common Grill is expertly prepared. A triedand-true foodie destination with a range of desserts, including coconut cream pie, lemon pudding cake, and cherry cobbler. 112 S. Main St.,Chelsea; 734-475-0470.

L,D Tue.-Sun., BR Sun. Grange Kitchen and Bar $$$ NEW AMERICAN • If the charm of the brownstone storefront is what brought you in, the restaurant’s regionally sourced ingredients will make you stay.

From fried pig head to pig-ear salad, every scrap of the hog is used, reflecting a philosophy of sustainability.

118 W. Liberty St., Ann Arbor; 734-995-2107. D Mon.Sat., BR Sun. KouZina Greek Steet Food $ GREEK • The Greek “street food” at this Ann Arbor spot comes in lamb and beef, and chicken. Try the lentil soup for a delicious lunch or go for something more filling like falafel. Either way, you can’t go wrong with this excellent spot. 332 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; 734-9975155. L,D daily.

Mani Osteria & Bar $$ ITALIAN • This popular casual restaurant infuses freshness with lower prices than most osterias in the area. It’s

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a well-rounded blend of modern, eclectic Italian with classic standbys. The pizzas are hot, fresh and perfectly executed to suit your tastes. 341 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor; 734-769-6700. L Tue.-Fri., D Tue.-Sun., BR Sun. Miss Kim $$ KOREAN • This spinoff from the Zingerman’s mini empire comes courtesy of chef Ji Hye Kim and is a go-to spot for healthy Asian eats. Kim often incorporates ancient Korean culinary traditions, such as rice syrup and plum extracts, into her dishes. Some of the restaurant’s standouts include the Wasabi Sugar Snap Peas and Korean BBQ Ssam Plate — just to name a few of them. 415 N. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor; 734-275-0099. L,D Tue.-Sun.

vores alike. Standouts include the Tandoori Lamb Chops marinated in creamy yogurt, spicy ginger, and fresh garlic, which is best eaten with the restaurant’s flavorful, chewy garlic naan served fresh and hot. 307 S. Main St., Ann Arbor;734-663-1500. L, D daily.

Slurping Turtle $ JAPANESE • This fun, casual Ann Arbor restaurant, owned by celebrity chef Takashi Yagihashi, offers plenty of shareable dishes, such as hamachi tacos and duckfat fried chicken. But the star at Slurping Turtle is the noodle (Yagihashi’s “soul food”), which is made in-house daily on a machine imported from Japan. 608 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor; 734-887-6868. L,D daily.

Seva Ann Arbor $$ VEGAN • Seva offers such dishes as black bean and sweet potato quesadillas, gluten-free options, and colorful stir-fries — some vegan as well as vegetarian. There’s also a full bar as well as a juice bar serving creamy smoothies and dense shakes, fresh-squeezed juices, and craft mocktails. Choose from one of the most extensive vegetarian menus in the Detroit area. 2541 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor; 734-662-1111. L,D daily.

The Boro Dining Room and Bar $$$$ NEW AMERICAN • Much like the restaurant’s ambience, the cuisine at The Boro is both refined and relaxed.

The Grilled Bone-In Pork Loin typifies the vibe. In flavor, the pork is reminiscent of a slab of tender brisket at a family barbecue. The loin is sweetened with a smattering of St. Louis-style barbecue glaze. In presentation and accoutrements, though, the dish is worthy of whitetablecloth status. 5400 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor; 734669-3310; theborotogo.com. B,L,D daily.

Shalimar $$ INDIAN • Offering North Indian, Tandoori, and Mughlai dishes, Shalimar is suitable for carnivores and herbi-

Vinology $$$ ECLECTIC • Natural brick walls blended with darkwood booths and tables lend warmth to the dining room

SPOTLIGHT

Paesano

ITALIAN With a friendly waitstaff and decked in vibrant colors, this lively restaurant is not to be missed. The innovative menu changes seasonally.

Must-tries have included the pasta carbonara, featuring shrimp, duck bacon, and Italian greens, as well as beet and ricotta gnocchi with brown butter.

3411 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor; 734-9710484. L,D daily. $$

at Vinology, while tall ceilings contribute to the restaurant’s spacious feel. The menu draws on assorted cuisines to produce dishes such as Vegan Dumplings, Short Rib Tacos, Fig and Gorgonzola Flatbread, and Filet Mignon with black truffle garlic butter and burgundy reduction. As implied by the name of the venue, the wine list here is incredible. Try a bottle off of its New or Old World Cellared Collection. 110 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; 734-222-9841.L Mon.-Fri. D daily.

Zingerman’s Delicatessen $ SANDWICH/DELI • Zingerman’s Delicatessen is a household name for Michiganians, and a must-try staple in Ann Arbor. The temptations at Zingerman’s are endless: fresh breads and a menu of filling sandwiches, olive oils and housemade balsamic vinegars, chilies, and mustards. 422 Detroit St., Ann Arbor; 734-663-3354.

B,L,D daily.

Zingerman’s Roadhouse $$$ CLASSIC COMFORT • This eatery celebrates American food from various cities. From fresh Maryland crab cakes to the delicious delicacies of New Orleans, every last bite of the country is represented here. The buttermilk biscuits are beyond-this-world. 2501 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor; 734-663-3663. B,L,D daily.

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The thing that makes a huge difference in managing arthritis through exercise is the kind of exercise you do. When incorporating movement with arthritis, it’s crucial to maintain proper joint alignment while minimizing any potentially damaging forces. Pilates and Gyrotonic® stimulate joint surfaces, which is what makes them so effective in managing arthritis pain.

“Stimulating joint surfaces results in the production of synovial fluid,” says Ron Jegadeesh, physical therapist and Pilates instructor, and owner of Pilates Fitness & Physical Therapy Center in Southfield, “and synovial fluid is essentially the motor oil of the joints.”

Pilates, especially when using the reformer, is ideal because it works with structured, intentional, and informed movements. The Pilates reformer machine was developed as a rehabilitative tool to help strengthen muscles safely so they can more effectively support joints. It consists of a bedlike frame with a flat platform on it, called the carriage, which rolls back and forth on wheels

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within the frame. The carriage is attached to one end of the reformer by a set of springs that provide differing levels of resistance as the carriage moves along the frame. Rather than focusing on weight-bearing movements, body weight and the resistance of the springs make the carriage more or less challenging to move.

There are a wealth of exercises that can be performed on the reformer to promote length, strength, balance, and flexibility. The exercises allow those with arthritis to move their joints in safe and controlled angles that would otherwise create pain or discomfort. An individual’s work on the reformer can be tailored to meet their specific needs. “By working in a pain-free range of motion, our goal is to strengthen the muscles around the problem joint areas,” Jegadeesh says.

“This, in turn, provides support when these joints are called upon to perform a task.”

Similarly, the movements incorporated in Gyrotonic are designed to articulate the joints while strengthening the surrounding muscles.

The Gyrotonic method incorporates original and unique movements to increase range of motion, improve strength, stimulate the nervous system, and open energy pathways. Each movement seamlessly flows into the next, so the joints progress through a natural range of motion without any compression or jarring.

In fact, with the first circular movement of Gyrotonic, joints are gently stretched and

lubricated, creating space and allowing for delicate and rehabilitative movement. Meanwhile, the overall musculature is strengthened to protect and stabilize the joints.

Both Pilates and Gyrotonic allow for aligned movement and proper biomechanics in a low- or no-impact environment, giving those with arthritis the ability to move and rehabilitate their joints.

The end result? More movement, less pain, and potentially slower progression of the arthritis. It’s truly a win-win-win.

Pilates Fitness & Physical Therapy Center Ron Jegadeesh, PT, M.B.A. Certified PMA, Polestar Pilates, STOTT PILATES®, GYROTONIC®, GYROKINESIS® Instructor 17418 W. 10 Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48075 248-552-1012 ron@pilatesfitnessevolution.com pilatesfitnessevolution.com

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Hope Shines Celebrity Lip Sync Battle P H O T O S BY DANIE L MOE N

THE NEW DAY FOUNDATION FOR FAMILIES hosted a lip sync battle with local celebrities, on Oct. 21, at The Fillmore Detroit. Celebrity guests — including WDIV’s Kim DeGiulio, former Detroit Tigers player Andy Dirks, former Detroit Pistons player Earl Cureton, and 104.3 FM’s JoAnne Purtan — staged performances for a panel of judges. Proceeds from the event benefited the nonprofit, which helps families facing cancer overcome financial barriers to treatment.

1. Ken and Candy Keaser, Gina Hoenshield 2. Andrew Eubanks, Kyle Emmi, Blaine Fowler, Matthew Laurinec, Andy Burnett 3. Hannah Schmidt, Claire Little, Erin Nicole, Taylor Kanigowski, Emma Seidel 4. Devin Gardner, Heather Blasko 5. Josh Landon, Justin Rose, Evrod Cassimy 6. Megan and Andy Dirks, Barb Rill 7. Robert Kelly, Clarita Creech Kelly, Judith and Earl Cureton, Dr. Sharon Blackshire-Tubie, Sharon Varano 8. Donna, Dick, and JoAnne Purtan, Jessica Purtan Harrell, Jill Purtan Stone, Mark Stone 9. Nick and Jordan Sloney, Kim DeGiulio, Kevin Yarows

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VARIET Y CHILDREN’S CHARIT Y OF DETROIT hosted its annual gala on Oct. 22, at The Townsend Hotel, in Birmingham. Guests enjoyed dinner and a show by Mark Randisi and The Motor City Horns. Lila Lazarus, an Emmy Award-winning news anchor and health reporter, served as the event’s master of ceremonies. The evening benefited Variety’s core programs, which provide support to children with unique and special needs.

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1. Max and Debra Ernst 2. Carol Williams, Tom Friesen, Karen and Chris Gaudette, Rita and Tom O’Brien, Renee McLeod, Jerry Volas 3. Matt and Noelle VanDyke 4. Laurie Fischgrund, Lois Shaevsky, Rhonda Sabatini, Lila Lazarus, David King 5. Susan Norton, Patty Whitney, Kathy Broock 6. Doug Czajkowski, Linda Schliesinger, Diane Farver 7. Jim Scavitt, Randy Ortiz, Paul Sabatini 8. Lois Shaevsky 9. Mallory Johnson, Robert Hymes, Jessie BeldElliott, Corissa Bakko, Ven Johnson 10. James Danley, Mariah Grumblatt

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1. Beth Griffith-Manley 2. Evrod Cassimy 3. Brittni Bee Brown, Nicole Gize 4. Angye Ennis, Chrystal Wilson, Beth Griffith-Manley, Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, Patty Turner, Shirley Radden 5. Randy Henry 6. Benita Hughes, Tonya Michelle

PH O T OS BY L IN DS AY S CH W EICK ERT

WDIV LOCAL 4 MORNING NEWS anchor Evrod Cassimy held an event for his new album, E3, on Oct. 30, at Emagine Royal Oak. The evening was hosted by radio personality Kirby Gwen and included a performance by Cassimy and Beth Griffith-Manley, who was a finalist on NBC’s The Voice. To celebrate the release of his new album, Cassimy donated more than $30,000 to Detroit students.

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1984

“EVERYONE COMPLAINS ABOUT THE WEATHER, but nobody does anything about it,” Mark Twain was fond of saying, though the quote originated with fellow writer Charles Dudley Warner. In winter, when whining about the weather reaches a fever pitch, the maxim assumes particular relevance. Unless you can escape to sunnier climes, there’s no point in complaining. So rather than kvetching about snow, ice, and shoveling, savvy souls know how to make the most of winter’s offerings. Visitors to the Plymouth Ice Festival, now in its 40th year, certainly don’t give the cold shoulder to winter. Each year, dozens of large ice sculptures adorn the winsome streets of downtown Plymouth, celebrated for its charming shops and restaurants. Settled and incorporated in the 19th century, Plymouth became a city in 1932. Crowds are drawn to the festival to ogle the sculptures and partake in related activities, as well as dine and shop. Here, the 1984 sculpture “Puff the Magic Dragon,” named after the 1963 song by Peter, Paul, and Mary, and created by about 70 students from Oakland Community College, shows the mythical creature surrounded by human figures. Apparently, even Puff’s fiery breath couldn’t melt the ice. This year, the Plymouth Ice Festival will be held Feb. 11-13 (more info at plymouthicefestival.com). But those still intent on carping about the cold should remember what Irish author Oscar Wilde wrote in his touching children’s story “The Selfish Giant,” about a behemoth who transforms from cruel to kind. “He [the giant] did not hate the winter now, for he knew that it was merely the spring asleep, and that the flowers were resting.” —George Bulanda

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The Way It Was

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