Hour Detroit | January 2024

LUXURY RETAIL

HOUR DETROIT

BEST NEW SHOPS

ARTS, EVENTS & DEVELOPMENT

2024 PREVIEW

RESTAURANT REPORT

INSIDE ANDIAMO

JANUARY 2024

DETROITERS 01.24

Dan Campbell DETROITERS OF THE YEAR

H O U R D E T R O I T. C O M

$5.95, JAN. 2024 HOURDETROIT.COM

THE LION KING HAS CONQUERED THE CITY’S HEART WITH HIS WINNING WAYS

12 MORE DETROITERS WHO ARE ENRICHING LIFE IN THE CITY

Featuring Thayer Coggin

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GORMAN’S DESIGN CENTERS

Michigan’s recognized leader for quality home furnishings and interior design.

A store full of ideas for the way you want to live.

Gorman’s offers a one-stop resource for your home furnishings solutions. World class furniture, lighting, art, rugs, window treatments and accessories from the BEST 100 Brands. Plus, experienced, professional interior designers to help you put it all together. Furnishing your home has never been easier.

Add Gorman’s National Low Price Guarantee, Gorman’s “MUST BE RIGHT” policy, and there’s no reason to shop anywhere else. Gorman’s has it all.

Over 80 years of furnishing Michigan’s Finest Homes.

The best service, selection and savings are at Gorman’s Design Centers.

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Strategic corporate solutions are our business.

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We offer commercial payments and investment banking as well as employer from our industry experts.

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Securities products and services such as investment banking and capital raising are offered by KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. and KeyBank National Association are separate but affiliated companies.

Securities products and services: Not FDIC Insured • No Bank Guarantee • May Lose Value All merchant services, credit, loan and leasing products are subject to collateral and/or credit approval, and terms of service. SBA Preferred Lender.

Banking products and services are offered by KeyBank National Association.

Key.com is a federally registered service mark of KeyCorp. ©2024 KeyCorp. KeyBank is Member FDIC. 210827-1217128

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VOLUME TWENTY NINE | ISSUE ONE PUBLISHER: Jason Hosko EDITORIAL EDITOR: Kate Walsh DIGITAL EDITOR: Christina Clark ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Jack Thomas EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Juliana Lumaj COPY EDITOR: Olivia Sedlacek CONTRIBUTORS: Megan Anderluh, Scott Atkinson, Paris Giles, Natalia Holtzman, Ryan Patrick Hooper, Michelle Kobernick, Mickey Lyons, Jim McFarlin, Sarah Steimer, Megan Swoyer, Cambrey Thomas, Lauren Wethington, Dana White DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Lindsay Richards SENIOR PRODUCTION ARTIST: Stephanie Daniel JUNIOR ART DIRECTOR: Steven Prokuda GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Keagan Coop, Kathryn Dave CONTRIBUTORS: Chuk Nowak, Ryan Olbrysh, Sal Rodriguez, Rebecca Simonov, Joseph Tiano, Brad Ziegler SALES DIGITAL SALES LEAD: Scott Drummond ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Cynthia Barnhart, Karli Brown, Cathleen Francois, Donna Kassab, Lisa LaBelle, Mary Pantely & Associates, Jessica VanDerMaas PRODUCTION PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: Jenine Knox SENIOR PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: Jill Berry PRODUCTION ARTIST: Jonathan Boedecker ADVERTISING COORDINATOR: Amanda Kozlowski GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Jim Bibart IT IT DIRECTOR: Jeremy Leland HOUR CITY STUDIOS GENERAL MANAGER: Nick Britsky VIDEO PRODUCER: Nicole Toporowski VIDEOGRAPHER: Heather Moody DIGITAL DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL STRATEGY: Travis Cleveland DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Matt Cappo SR. DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST: Luanne Lim DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT SPECIALISTS: Jim Bowser, Connor McDonald DIGITAL MEDIA ASSISTANT: Robyn Banks CIRCULATION CIRCULATION MANAGER: Riley Meyers CIRCULATION COORDINATORS: David Benvenuto, Susan Combs, Cathy Krajenke, Rachel Moulden, Michele Wold MARKETING & EVENTS MARKETING & EVENTS MANAGER: Jodie Svagr MARKETING & EVENTS COORDINATOR: Jaime Presnail COMMUNICATIONS & PR LEAD: Regan Wright MARKETING & EVENTS INTERN: Josephine Smith MARKETING RESEARCH MARKETING RESEARCH DIRECTOR: Sofia Shevin MARKETING RESEARCH COORDINATORS: Alyssa Fueri, Kristin Mingo MARKETING RESEARCH SALES COORDINATOR: Alexandra Thompson MARKETING RESEARCH SALES ASSISTANT: Theresa Lowery PRS GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Kendra Okamoto MARKETING RESEARCH INTERNS: Emily Crisenbery, Caroline Johnson, Kelley Pham BUSINESS CEO: Stefan Wanczyk PRESIDENT: John Balardo DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS: Kathie Gorecki ASSISTANT OFFICE MANAGER: Natasha Bajju SENIOR ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATE: Andrew Kotzian ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATES: Samantha Dick, Kate Manley, Austin Schmelzle DISTRIBUTION: Target Distribution, Troy 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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New for 2024!

Two Course Pre-Theater menu before all evening performances.

Menu specially designed to get you to the show on time.

Two course dinners from $39.

Reservations recommended.

Join us in The Ghostbar for After-show Desserts

Pastries, Flaming Desserts and specialty beverages.

Available for evening performances.

Dessert reservations recommended.

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

32 Detroiters

32

Detroit has talent like no other city.

This year’s list of outstanding residents features a Broadway playwright and a music producer, as well as the planners behind Detroit’s blossoming riverfront and exciting downtown events. You’ll also find leading women at Michigan Central and the man commanding Ford Field’s home team — plus, leaders of a boxing gym (that is not just a boxing gym), a lawyer, a diversity trainer, and a bishop.

Waajeed’s Underground Music Academy is mentoring the next generation of music producers in Detroit.

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01.24

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

Agenda

Up Front

62 CULTURE CALENDAR

DEVELOPMENT 16

Jack White reissues, a Detroit Opera debut, jazz at the Fisher, and jokes from Ms. Pat.

A new bridge, new skyscrapers, and more 2024 developments in Detroit.

63 EVENTS PREVIEW

BURNING QUESTIONS 18

Concerts, theater, festivals, comedy, and other events to pack your 2024 docket.

Local experts share their predictions for metro Detroit this year.

64 IN MEMORIAM

PROFILE 22

An homage to two legendary Motor City musicians we lost in 2023.

How Channel 7’s blight buster became a private investigator.

65 RECREATION

BOOKS 23

Buzzed gaming is a recipe for fun at these metro Detroit barcades.

A new must-read collection of short stories — all set in Dearborn.

Food&Drink

24/Seven

69

I N E E D M Y S PAC E 26

This newly restored Bloomfield Hills master suite has a closet fit for a queen.

ANNIVERSARY 27

Detroit’s Shinola Hotel turns five this month.

Here’s how it came to be.

RETAIL 28

Luxury shopping locations in metro Detroit grew last year — here are six notable places to spend your money.

16

MI STYLE 30

A leading local PR firm owner with outfits that impress.

68 DRINKS

A look at how mocktails have improved with age.

69 RESTAURANT REPORT Learn how Joe Vicari built his dining empire.

72 SUSTAINABILITY

A new book highlights the organization that helped grow Michigan’s “local food” culture.

14 E D I TO R’ S L E T T E R 75 R E STAU R A N T L I ST I N G S, RECIPES & DINING N EWS 92 M I D N I G H T H O U R

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96 T H E WAY I T WA S

Mayor Coleman A. Young, 1974

FOOD COURTESY OF JOE VICARI RESTAURANT GROUP INTERIOR JOE TIANO HUDSON’S RENDERING COURTESY OF POPHOUSE

12/7/23 8:49 AM

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01.24

THERE ARE NO LIMITATIONS TO

Dreams

Behind the Scenes THE HOUR DETROIT EDITORS work on their list of Detroiters all year long, starting with the moment the January issue goes to press. “We are looking for people who have done something monumental during the calendar year,” says Editor Kate Walsh, noting that could be tackling a specific project, adding to a body of work, or celebrating a major anniversary. “I have had Mark Wallace [left], president and CEO of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, on my short list for a while, but it wasn’t until I went to the grand opening of the Uniroyal Promenade in late October that I knew this was the year. Being there with so many Detroiters (including Mayor Duggan) celebrating the completion of the 3.5-mile east riverfront after 20 years was such a special moment.” The stars also aligned for our November photo shoot with Wallace.

“The weather was perfect, and the sun was in the right spot [to shoot under the Belle Isle bridge],” says photographer Chuk Nowak.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better situation.”

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Natalia Holtzman WROTE “DECONSTRUCTING DEARBORN,” ON PAGE 23 “I can’t wait to visit Flyleaf in Grosse Pointe Farms, a cafe, bar, and bookstore that offers all three of my top three favorite things: coffee, wine, and books. If I haven’t visited yet, I’m just worried I’ll never leave.” Natalia Holtzman is a freelance writer based in Michigan. Her work, which tends to focus on the arts, has appeared in publications such as Bookforum, Literary Hub, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and others.

Michelle Kobernick

WROTE “LOCAL INGREDIENTS, NATIONAL ACCLAIM,” PAGE 69 “The recent Book Tower building is an exciting project that reminds me of my childhood. My parents explained how it was once the tallest Detroit skyscraper. It’s exciting to imagine it thriving again with new retail outlets and five unique restaurant concepts to choose from.”

Michelle Kobernick has worked in the food industry since 2005. She is a graduate of the Schoolcraft College culinary arts program and holds a master’s certificate in food writing and photography from the University of South Florida.

She shares her passion for cooking and good food working as a private chef, writer, photographer, and organic gardener in metro Detroit.

Joseph Tiano

PHOTOGRAPHED “I NEED MY SPACE”, PAGE 26 “Brine Oyster House in Grosse Pointe had my attention from first sight during development.

Extremely well-executed New Orleans/French Quarter architecture meets elevated oyster bar.

William J. Thomas Studios and Patrick Thompson Design executed this exciting new project beautifully.” Joseph Tiano is a metro Detroit-based photographer specializing in interior spaces with a focus on design and architecture. Photographing beautiful spaces born from the collaboration of craftspeople and artists is something he’s grateful for every day.

BTS CHUK NOWAK CONTRIBUTORS COURTESY OF CONTRIBUTORS

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01.24

E D I T O R’ S L E T T E R

New Year’s Eve is traditionally the time to usher out the old and welcome the new.

But here at Hour Detroit, January is when we celebrate the past, present, and future. Our annual Detroiters list features individuals who have made a significant impact on our region during the last year. Some made contributions specific to 2023, but most have been doing it for years and we are confident will continue to do so in the years to come.

These honorees represent several sectors that make up the fabric of our city and metro Detroit, including the automotive industry, music, art, theater, sports, religion, law, education, and conservation. They are making our city a better place by beautifying our historic buildings and riverfront parks; by dedicating time to educating our youth and building bridges among diverse communities; and with their words on the page and their wins on the football field.

In this issue, we also look back at our favorite new shops of 2023, plus some musical legends we lost. Our forwardthinking stories include downtown developments that are opening in 2024 and arts and culture events to look forward to. And, as has been the tradition for the past several years, we ask local experts to answer our burning questions for the year and see how they fared in 2023.

A newer January tradition of mine is to begin the year by noting events in Detroit history that are having anniversaries. Here’s what we have to celebrate and/or learn from:

255 years ago: A British lieutenant named George McDougall purchased Wahnabezee (Swan Island), now

known as Belle Isle, from Ojibwa and Ottawa leaders for eight barrels of rum, three rolls of tobacco, and six pounds of vermilion paint and a wampum (1769).

175 years ago: Detroit held the first annual Michigan State Fair (1849).

125 years ago: Ransom E. Olds opened Detroit’s first automobile manufacturing plant on West Jefferson Avenue near Belle Isle (1899).

110 years ago: Ford Motor Co. announced it would begin paying employees $5 per day, which equals about $150 in today’s wages (1914).

100 years ago: The 33-story Book-Cadillac Hotel opened its doors (1924).

65 years ago: Motown Records — initially named Tamla Records — was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. (1959).

60 years ago: Ford debuted its first Mustang (1964).

50 years ago: Gerald Ford (who was raised in Grand Rapids and was voted MVP for the 1934 University of Michigan football team) was sworn in as the 38th president of the United States; he was the first and is still the only president from Michigan (1974).

40 years ago: The Detroit Tigers won the World Series in five games, defeating the San Diego Padres. Bless you boys (1984).

25 years ago: The New Year’s Monster Snowstorm swept through the Midwest, bringing up to about 17 inches of snow in metro Detroit and below-zero temperatures. This was the storm that shut down parts of the city for nearly two weeks (due to streets not being plowed) and caused over 7,000 Northwest Airlines passengers to be stranded at DTW, some for up to 11 hours (1999).

20 years ago: The Detroit Pistons defeated the Los Angeles Lakers to win the NBA championship (2004).

15 years ago: Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed a bill banning smoking in all workplaces, including restaurants and bars (2009).

10 years ago: Detroit exited bankruptcy (2014).

5 y ears ago: Dispensaries began selling recreational marijuana for the first time in Michigan (2019).

They say that history repeats itself. I’m praying that’s the case as far as having a sports champion in Detroit and that it’s not the case for a Monster Snowstorm.

Wishing you and yours a healthy and happy new year. Go Lions!

KATE WA L SH , EDIT OR KWALS H@HOU R-M EDIA.COM

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From Our Readers

“Selling Memories” (November issue): “The nostalgia, selection, and prices are as amazing as Sarge and Red (John and Dee). They treat our 7-year-old son like a celebrity, and we are forever grateful.” —@werners_journeys, Instagram “Coming Home to Cranbrook” (November issue) “What a great tribute to [Eric Saarinen’s] father’s and grandfather’s brilliance.”

—Christine Verdon, Facebook “Marvelous Marvin’s Mechanical Museum Faces Threat of Demolition” (online): “Where is the city to listen to the residents and preserve a cultural space?

Nobody needs another ugly shopping mall with unhealthy stores full of processed ‘food.’”

—Regina Cachan White, Facebook “The Future Is Electric at Cadillac” (video):“Looks like a fastback station wagon.

I love wagons, I love Cadillacs, but I don’t know about this look. Maybe it’ll grow on me — maybe!”

—@rmandsr1, Instagram

Hourdetroit.com Digital Extra Looking for a new activity to keep you busy in 2024? Axe throwing has become popular in recent years, with new axethrowing locations and leagues cropping up across the community. Get details on where you can play and what the sport entails at hourdetroit.com/axethrowing.

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

PORTRAIT BRAD ZIEGLER

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01.24 NEWS, NOTES, AND PERSONALITIES

Up Front D EV E L O P M E N T p. 16 B U R N I N G Q U E ST I O N S p. 18 D EVE L O P M E N T

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS

P R O F I L E p. 22 B O O K S p. 23

In its 2023 fall report, the Downtown Detroit Partnership announced there were 47 projects in the pipeline, under construction, and complete. Here’s a look at some of the most exciting projects coming to Detroit. p. 16

HUDSON’S RENDERING SHOP ARCHITECTS

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Up Front

DEVELOPMENT

2024 AND BEYOND The Gordie Howe Bridge, Hudson’s, and a new high-rise at the former Joe Louis site are all scheduled to open this year.

Plus, Hart Plaza gets a facelift.

BY JULIANA LUMAJ

PROJECT:

THE RESIDENCES AT WATER SQUARE

WHAT IT IS: Just over 40 years after the first two Riverfront Towers were constructed, Detroit will finally have another riverfront high-rise to move into. The 25-story Residences at Water Square is on the verge of opening on the former Joe Louis Arena site. This month, the Sterling Group is set to complete 500 studio and one-bedroom units and two-bedroom penthouses with floor-to-ceiling windows that provide stunning views of the city and river — and our neighbors in Windsor, Ontario. The building’s website showcases renderings featuring modern apartments with custom Italian cabinetry and closet systems, quartz countertops and backsplashes, and touches of Detroit’s industrial style with exposed ceiling vents. And unlike in similar apartment buildings in other major cities, in-unit washers and dryers are available (yes, even in the studios). Other amenities include work-fromhome spaces, pet-grooming stations, and a rooftop terrace and sky lounge 300 feet above the ground.

The building is conveniently located steps from the RiverWalk, and it’s within walking distance of the GM Renaissance Center, Hart Plaza, Campus Martius Park, and many other downtown spots.

WHERE: 222 Third St. WHEN: February 2024 HOW MUCH: $40.3 million PROJECT:

HART PLAZA

WHAT IT IS: At the center of Hart Plaza’s $9 million renovation — funded by President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act — is the restoration of the 1981 Horace E. Dodge and Son Memorial Fountain. The iconic structure is composed of 300 jets that are supposed to perform 33 different spray patterns. However, it’s been unable to put on a proper show for years, only turned on occasionally for events — in 2013, it made headlines after scrappers stole the copper wiring from its control room. Now, in just a few months, the fountain will return to its former glory once new lighting and

nozzles are installed, the plaza is waterproofed, columns are pressure-tested, and other renovations are made. The plaza’s restoration also includes repairing the amphitheater’s seats, which have deteriorated over the years as water has leaked into the substructure and damaged the marble slab material. Depending on how the water leakage is resolved, the slabs could be replaced with either stadium seats or grass. Other technical aspects of the plaza will also be addressed, such as updating the fire alarm systems and replacing plumbing.

WHERE: Hart Plaza WHEN: April 2024 HOW MUCH: $9 million

 The 25-story Residences at Water Square will offer splendid views from the former Joe Louis Arena site.

In 2025, downtown Birmingham will be home to Michigan’s first full-service RH (formerly Restoration Hardware). 

Coming to Birmingham — Finally!

After four long years, downtown Birmingham will be home to Michigan’s first full-service RH (formerly known as Restoration Hardware) gallery. The first three levels of the mammoth four-story building will serve as a showroom to display lighting, furniture, and textiles, while a restaurant is planned for the fourth level, where guests can grab a glass of wine to enjoy as they browse the decor.

Although the Birmingham City Commission approved the final site plan in 2021, the exterior design was altered a year later to give the building a unique appearance not shared with any RH building in the world. Unlike the many other locations that sport a red-brick look complemented by black-framed windows, the RH in Birmingham will be constructed with tan bricks from Denmark and appear more illuminated with clear, frameless windows.

Where: 300-394 S. Old Woodward Ave. When: March 2025 How much: $140 million

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Up Front  The 22-acre Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park will include an animal-themed playground, basketball courts, and a water garden.

PROJECT:

HUDSON’S SITE

WHAT IT IS: Detroit’s Hudson’s site is not only one of the most anticipated developments of 2024 — after breaking ground in 2017 — but also a symbol of the city’s rejuvenation efforts, as countless other downtown projects followed in its wake. One of the development’s two buildings was projected to be the tallest structure in Detroit at 800 feet, then at 900 feet with an observation deck, before it was brought down to 684 feet. Although its height will be second to the Renaissance Center’s, this doesn’t impair the elegance of the structure’s glass facade nor negate the availability of 1.5 million square feet of office, retail, hotel, and residential space, which contains 97 luxury condos. Development plans also include an interior gallery for displaying art and a modern, vibrantly green outdoor plaza that welcomes guests.

WHERE: 1208 Woodward Ave. WHEN: Sometime in 2024 HOW MUCH: $1.4 billion PROJECT:

GORDIE HOWE INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE

40,000 commuters and tourists cross the Ambassador Bridge daily. The Gordie Howe International Bridge’s six-lane structure, which stretches from southwest Detroit’s Delray neighborhood to west Windsor, will incorporate a multiuse path for pedestrians and cyclists separated from traffic with concrete borders.

(Cyclists especially will appreciate that it connects the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail in Ontario to the Iron Belle Trail in Michigan.)

However, don’t forget your passport or ID! You won’t be able to walk across the border without it. At press time in early December, the bridge had reached its full height of 722 feet, more than half of the 216 stay cables had been installed on the U.S. and Canadian towers, and the bridge’s composite deck over the river (made with a blend of recycled plastic and reclaimed wood fibers) was half complete.

WHERE: The Michigan entrance ramps will be on I-75 in southwest Detroit.

WHEN: End of 2024 (but “may see movement in the schedule,” according to the WindsorDetroit Bridge Authority) HOW MUCH: $5.7 billion PROJECT:

WHAT IT IS: The construction of what will be the

longest cable-stayed bridge span in North America has been going on since 2018, and the end is near.

The project was conceived to improve travel efficiency at the Windsor-Detroit Gateway (the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel and the Ambassador Bridge), the busiest commercial land border between the U.S. and Canada — on average, over

THE RESIDENCES @ 150 BAGLEY WHAT IT IS: Just a short walk from Comerica Park, Ford Field, Little Caesars Arena, and the Fox Theatre in the neighborhood near Grand Circus Park sits the former United Artists Building, now transformed into an 18-story residential structure. The Residences @ 150 Bagley has 148 one- and two-bedroom apartments — 20 percent of which are designated for affordable housing.

A neglected building that has been essentially vacant for around 50 years (owned by the Ilitch family organization since 1997) will now have several luxury floor plans for residents to choose from with a plethora of amenities, including large black-framed windows, high ceilings, large kitchen islands, and over 10,000 square feet of retail and dining space on the first floor. Behind the project is the Bagley Development Group, an African American-led team working to revive structures in a way that stays true to Detroit’s legacy. During this endeavor, they combated skepticism while making it a point to hire Black contractors and subcontractors.

WHERE: 150 Bagley St. WHEN: Spring 2024 HOW MUCH: $80 million

 The Gordie Howe International Bridge will be the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DEVELOPERS

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Coming in 2025 Park Avenue Building What it is: Initially targeted for demolition in 2014, the Park Avenue Building was the last “dangerous” downtown building designated by the city of Detroit, and for good reason. Not only would chunks of brick and limestone fall onto the sidewalk, but shards of window glass would fly off as the wind blew. However, the historic structure is making a comeback after decades of neglect and will transform into a mixed-use site. For the 115,000-square-foot, 12-story building, developer Infinity Homes & Co. has planned up to 10,500 square feet of retail space between the first floor and lower level. There will also be 80 residential units, consisting of studio and one- and two- bedroom apartments, 20 percent of which are designated for affordable housing. The historic building’s facade is also getting a facelift and will be entirely refinished — creating a fresh, lessdangerous look. The site is located across from Grand Circus Park and is a stone’s throw from Cliff Bell’s.

Where: 2001 Park Ave. When: 2025 How much: $22 million

Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park What it is: In October 2023, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy celebrated the completion of the East Riverwalk. Next up is the transformation of the West Riverfront Park into an exciting and interactive destination, to be renamed the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park. The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy has led this project since 2017 after purchasing the land a decade earlier and formed an advisory team made up of 21 locals to understand the community’s desired outcomes, such as creating a connection between the city and the river. Of the 22 acres available, 2.5 acres will be utilized to construct the Huron-Clinton Metroparks Water Garden, the first Metroparks location in the city of Detroit. Within the garden will be the Barbara Erb Cove (the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation provided a $3 million grant to create

this special corner of the garden). There, visitors can touch the water, closely observe the fish and native plants, and learn about the local wildlife. Water vessels will also be available to allow guests to explore this section of the park further.

Other areas of the park will include the William Davidson Sport House, with two basketball courts; the Delta Dental Play Garden featuring various animal-themed play structures, including a 20foot bear with a slide; and the DTE Foundation Hill — a large lawn designated for events.

Where: Detroit riverfront When: Second quarter of 2025 How much: $75 million

Henry Street Apartments What it is: In 2018, the Detroit City Council voted to create the Cass Henry Historic District to protect several century-old buildings from being torn down by Olympia Development.

Now, the seven buildings that make up this district are being restored, creating 170 residential units, about half of which will be designated for affordable housing. Additionally, existing residents will be able to continue renting at or near their current rental rates.

Found along Henry Street and Cass Avenue, bounded

by Second Street and the I-75 service drive, the apartments will be a quick walk away from Little Caesars Arena, and residents will also enjoy a green space designed around the affordable residential community that enhances the beauty and livability of the area.

Where: South side of Henry between Cass and Second When: Winter 2025 How much: $70.5 million

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Up Front

2023

Hindsight

By Jack Thomas

LAST YEAR wasn’t a big election year in Michigan, but there were many issues at stake. With a newly blue-majority state Legislature, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was able to make progress on key campaign promises — repairing roads, restricting gun access, and protecting abortion rights. Here are the six burning questions we asked at the beginning of last year revisited:

Did we see a fullblown recession in 2023?

Last January, there was a lot of murkiness surrounding this question. The International Monetary Fund predicted an imminent global recession in 2023. Yet Wayne State University economics professor Michael Belzer begged to differ, telling Hour Detroit, “Unless something bad happens, I don’t personally think we’ll really get into a full recession [in 2023].” He appears to have been right.

At publication time (December 2023), there was no recession. However, the onset of the latest IsraelHamas conflict on Oct. 7, 2023, combined with Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine, had many leading U.S. and U.K. financiers worried that the resulting instability could contribute to a recession.

Additionally, many metrics say there’s a decent possibility of a recession in 2024 — a 50 percent chance, according to event forecasting site Kalshi.

2024 PREVIEW

6 Burning Questions for 2024

Did the pain at the pump return?

Make no mistake — 2023 was not the cheapest year for gas, but it was considerably gentler on the

Local experts share their predictions for metro Detroit this year

BY JACK THOMAS WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY KATE WALSH ILLUSTRATIONS BY RYAN OLBRYSH

2024 IS HERE, and election season will be upon us this fall. You might be thinking about (or avoiding the thought of) the upcoming presidential election. But remember: State and local politics can be just as juicy.

There are many twists and turns ahead this year, including the departure of a big-name senator and a big last name that’s being resurrected in a bid for Oakland County executive. Unions are organizing; there are efforts to decriminalize a long-illicit substance and an initiative that would change elections as we know them. And how could a 2024 predictions column be complete without talking about the Lions’ chances in the postseason?

For the fifth year in a row, we spoke with experts around Michigan to make sense of it all.

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Up Front CAN DAVID COULTER BE DEFEATED BY A PATTERSON? It’s unlikely.

L. BROOKS Patterson, the late Oakland County executive, was an outspoken fiscal conservative who famously delighted in bashing the city of Detroit.

In contrast, his Democratic successor, David Coulter, favors regional cooperation. Since his 2019 appointment and subsequent election in 2020, Coulter has championed the expansion of Oakland County’s public transit options and promoted a state-funded investment project in downtown Pontiac. Yet the county has maintained the AAA bond rating first achieved under Patterson in 1998.

In July 2023, Mary Margaret Patterson announced she was running for her late father’s position. She’s been critical of Coulter’s Pontiac project and believes municipalities should individually vote on whether they want to pay certain taxes (like the 2022 countywide SMART millage, for instance). A former teacher and business owner, she’s never held a political position. “The difficulty for her is going to be her inexperience as a campaigner, and Coulter has

WILL MICHIGAN BACK A NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE? Maybe.

FIVE U.S. presidents have won the election and lost the popular vote, the two most recent being George W. Bush in 2000 and Donald Trump in 2016. A growing number of states are trying to take things in a more democratic direction by entering the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, in which participating states agree to award their electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote. As of November 2023, national popular vote legislation had passed in 16 states and Washington, D.C., amounting to a collective 205 electoral votes out of 538 total.

Last June, members of Michigan’s majorityDemocratic House Elections Committee approved Bills 4156 and 4440, which would allow Michigan to join the compact. Will the bills make it any further? “I’m not sure if there is the appetite from citizens or the political muscle behind that initiative to make it happen,” says Lansing-based Democratic consultant Adrian Hemond. “It’s not a top-of-the-list issue for most people.”

Additionally, even if Michigan and other states enter the compact, Dulio says there could be more obstacles. That’s because the U.S. Constitution places responsibility on the state legislatures to dictate how electoral votes are distributed.

“This would not be through an action of the state Legislature — it would be through a vote of the people, which is arguably more democratic,” Dulio says. “I think there are constitutional questions about how it would be adopted. There are going to be opponents that would sue based on the constitutionality of an interstate compact.”

the advantage of incumbency,” says David Dulio, a political science professor at Oakland University.

1992, when Brooks Patterson took office, was the last year to date that Oakland County voted red in the presidential race — but he would go on to win six more times in his near 30-year reign. Does the Patterson name have the same crossover appeal in 2024?

“There are a lot of voters in the region that look back on her father’s leadership very fondly.

And I think there’s a sentiment that things ran a lot better when he was county exec,” says Jason Cabel Roe, former executive director of the Michigan Republican Party. “I do think that the changing demographics of Oakland County are fueled by younger and immigrant voters that don’t have the same attachment to Brooks Patterson that some of the older voters do. I think Coulter will take advantage of that.”

ALMOST ANY THING would be better than 2023, when only one Detroit sports team, Detroit City Football Club, made it past the regular season — and only by the skin of its teeth. This year, our experts are expecting more, beyond the Lions, who at press time were 9-3 and closing in on a playoff berth.

Ryan Ermanni, a reporter and anchor for Fox 2 Detroit and a co-host on the Woodward Sports Network on YouTube, predicts the other teams making it past the regular season will be the Red Wings and the HOW MANY OF Tigers. Nolan Bianchi, OUR LOCAL a staff writer for The SPORTS TEAMS Detroit News covering sports, picks the Red WILL MAKE IT TO Wings and DCFC. THE POSTSEASON? “The Red Wings have Three. supplemented their youth with a solid veteran cast, and the Tigers appear to sensibly be doing the same, while playing in a stinky division,” Bianchi says. “At least one of those teams will hang on and do the dang thing.” He goes with the Wings over the Tigers because “it’s easier to make the NHL playoffs.” Ermanni says of the Tigers, “They will be a better team [than last year], and they play in one of the worst divisions in baseball.” Both men agree that the Pistons are not contenders. “They are doomed,” Bianchi says.

But back to the good news. How about those Lions? Will they make it to the Super Bowl?

“There’s nothing this team could do that would surprise me,” Bianchi says. “They’re just a regular smart, physical, contending football team that’s dynamic on offense and can stop the run on defense — which means they have as good a shot as any other top seed to go all the way.” Ermanni says: “I think they will make it to the Super Bowl! Yes, don’t rub your eyes — you read that correctly! Call me crazy, but why not!”

wallet than the previous year. As our experts predicted last January, Michigan gas prices did not return to 2022 highs. When we pulled prices from AAA in early November 2023, the state average was $3.44 for a gallon of unleaded gas. That’s down about 79 cents from the same time in 2022, a year in which prices reached a record-breaking high of $5.22 per gallon.

Was there any movement on red flag gun laws?

At the start of 2023, the passage of red flag gun laws seemed possible — new research had been published that showed these types of laws were effective, and Michigan’s House and Senate had a blue majority following the previous November election.

Then, in February, a mass shooting took place at Michigan State University, which was yet another reminder of the feeble protections afforded to students and the general public from gun violence.

In May 2023, Whitmer signed into law three bills that place stricter limits on guns for “red flag” individuals. The laws allow firearms to be confiscated from people deemed to be an immediate threat to others or themselves via an “extreme risk protection order,” issued upon court-approved request from a police officer, health care provider, family member, or spouse.

How did metro Detroit districts address school security?

Just as our experts predicted in January, metro Detroit schools continued to have an all-over-the-`map approach to school security in 2023, when the two-year anniversary of the Oxford High School shooting fell.

For the 2023-24

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school year, the state allocated a budget of $328 million for mental health and safety improvements in schools. Oxford Community Schools continued to expand on its high-security practices, including implementing a 24/7 weapon detection system, updated visitor management software, visible ID badges for staff and students in grades six through 12, more visits from weaponsniffing dogs, and geofencing technology.

Elsewhere in Oakland County, the Troy School District hired its first director of safety, and both Farmington and Berkley school districts significantly increased their number of cameras and purchased new security software. More than half the school districts in Macomb County approved risk and vulnerability assessments, aimed to help pinpoint and remove risks related to school shootings, among other threats.

The vast majority of Detroit public schools have metal detectors, but this is nothing new — in the ’80s, Detroit became the first school district in the country to implement their use on a wide scale.

Did the “damn roads” get fixed?

Political consultant Jeff Timmer predicted Whitmer would have an easier time pushing through her roads agenda in 2023, thanks to a Democratic majority in the state House and Senate. However, he noted that the process of repairing Michigan’s decaying roads might take longer than a year to complete.

At the time of publication, many significant metro Detroit highway construction projects were in progress or completed. Key segments of the I-75 modernization proj-

WILL WE SEE EVEN MORE UNION ACTIVITY IN MICHIGAN THIS YEAR? Definitely.

2023 WAS A big year for unions in Detroit and beyond. In November, the United Auto Workers members voted to approve contracts with General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis that included wage increases and additional benefits for the first time in over 20 years.

“Clearly the UAW is going to step up its organizing activities [in 2024], but a lot of those activities will be focused in areas outside the state,” says labor expert Marick Masters, a business professor at Wayne State University.

On the heels of its historic wins, the UAW announced plans to expand its ranks at nonunion automakers. The announcement had a preemptive impact: Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai all announced wage increases shortly after the UAW reached its first tentative agreement with GM. At the time of publication, the Detroit casino workers’ strike had freshly ended after 47 days. MGM Grand Casino workers represented by the Detroit Casino Council voted to ratify a new five-year contract that included historic pay increases and more job protections. Union workers at MotorCity Casino and Hollywood Casino at Greektown approved their contracts two weeks prior.

“We’ve said all along, this is not just the Big Three,” UAW President Shawn Fain said in a Nov. 8, 2023, Facebook livestream, referring to other unions. “Though our industries might be very different, our issues are the same. They are the issues of the working class. These members are using the working class’s most powerful weapon — the strike — to take on the most powerful opponents of economic justice: the billionaire class.”

In the wake of notable victories, there may be more union activity in metro Detroit “parallel to the level of contract expirations you have,” Masters says. The repeal of Michigan’s “right-towork” law goes into effect this February. For over a decade, the law weakened unions by allowing employees in unionized workforces to forgo paying union dues.

“I think unions are making an effort across the board to be more successful and organizing workers,” Masters says. “I would expect that you would see an increase in organizing activity as you have in the past couple of years, at least based on certification elections and other indicators of unions making a stronger effort to organize.”

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WILL PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOMS BE DECRIMINALIZED ACROSS MICHIGAN? No.

WHO WILL TAKE DEBBIE STABENOW’S PLACE IN THE SENATE? Who knows?

A YEAR AGO, U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow announced she would not be seeking reelection in 2024 for a seat she’s held since 2001. Subsequently, several notable candidates have jumped into the race.

When it comes to the Democratic primary winner, the experts Hour Detroit spoke with seem to agree on one person: Elissa Slotkin, the centrist, ex-CIA House rep who was the first Democrat elected to Michigan’s 8th District since 2001 (due to congressional redistricting, she now represents the 7th District). “She can raise money like nobody else in Michigan, it seems, and she’s proven to be a tough campaigner,” Dulio says. Other Democratic hopefuls include Hill Harper, an actor and lawyer who has positioned himself as a progressive, supporting issues like universal health care and a ceasefire in Gaza. Harper received an endorsement from Wayne County Executive Warren Evans.

The Republican primary is murkier. Hemond thinks former Detroit Police Chief James Craig has the best chance of securing former President Donald Trump’s endorsement. “He’s never said anything mean about Donald Trump, which means he’ll get the endorsement,” Hemond says. However, Craig disappointed his supporters in his 2022 gubernatorial bid — he was disqualified because he didn’t have enough valid signatures to get on the ballot (instead, his nominating petition contained thousands of forged signatures).

Moderate Peter Meijer announced his candidacy last November. He voted to impeach Trump when he was U.S. representative for Michigan’s 3rd District. “I don’t understand the theory of the case,” Hemond says. “There’s already a nonTrumpy candidate in the primary in the form of Mike Rogers.”

Rogers is a former mid-Michigan congressman and former FBI agent who has been Trump-critical in the past but has made efforts to appeal to Trump supporters in his current bid for senator. Roe says Rogers’ past criticisms were “mild” compared with Meijer’s impeachment vote. “I don’t know that they rise to the level that it is going to repel Trump loyalists from his candidacy,” Roe says. “Having served in a swing congressional seat for many years, he knows how to win tough races.”

A FEW POLITICIANS and activists have made efforts to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms and other naturally occurring psychedelics at the state level. This endeavor includes a group gathering signatures for a ballot proposal this November, as well as Senate Bill 449, introduced by state Sen. Jeff Irwin, a Democrat from Ann Arbor. The bill was still in committee at the time of publication.

Luke Londo is mayor pro tempore of Hazel Park, where mushrooms were decriminalized last September, along with other entheogens — naturally occurring psychedelic substances like ayahuasca and the peyote cactus, which have historically been used in spiritual or ritualistic contexts.

Londo champions their decriminalization and favors legalization as well. He has a rare position for an elected official; he’s open about his use of psilocybin mushrooms, which he says have helped treat his depression and anxiety.

Although it’s near and dear to him, he doubts the issue will make it to the House floor or the ballot in 2024. He says entheogens lack the “charm offensive” backed by monied interests that cannabis — first legalized for medical use in 2008 and subsequently for recreational purposes in 2018 — had. “[They were] able to move the needle by introducing it lightly through medical. And then people were able to understand that it wasn’t this massive bogeyman that they’ve been telling us it was for the last multiple decades,” Londo says.

And it should be noted that cannabis dispensaries aren’t popular everywhere in metro Detroit — last November, Birmingham, Grosse Pointe Park, Rochester, and Keego Harbor all shot down proposals to allow recreational sales within their city limits. Londo says there’s even more stigma attached to psilocybin mushrooms.

“You would need to run a solid informational campaign, showcase the studies showing the massive benefits for not only medical use but spiritual use,” Londo says. “While I genuinely don’t believe that we’re going to see entheogens or psilocybin decriminalized next year, I could not hope more that I am completely wrong.”

ect have been all but finished, including the new high-occupancy vehicle lane between 12 Mile Road and South Boulevard. Repairs and rebuilds are in varying degrees of progress on local segments of I-696, I-275, and I-96. An ambitious $3 billion rebuild of a large I-94 stretch in Detroit is expected to begin this spring.

Still, Michigan’s roads and bridges received D and D-plus grades, respectively, in a May 2023 report from the American Society of Civil Engineers. These grades mean roads and bridges were “mostly below standard, with many elements approaching the end of their service life.”

While the report acknowledges that Michigan’s roadways have improved within the past five years, the state “cannot sustain progress or seriously reduce investment gaps without greater predictable funding.”

Did Michigan students bounce back from the setbacks of the pandemic?

Mirroring a nationwide trend, Michigan’s student body fell behind in academic proficiency post-2020 and has since found it hard to get back on track. Last January, education expert Amber Arellano predicted a full recovery in 2023 was “unlikely,” and she was right — we still have quite a hill to climb in 2024. Results from the spring 2023 Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (better known as M-STEP) showed that Michigan students’ academic proficiency, across the state and across socioeconomic class lines, is still significantly down from where it was pre-pandemic. However, average test scores rose in 15 out of 20 categories between 2022 and 2023.

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Up Front

PROFILE

UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION

Former Channel 7 reporter Ronnie Dahl has turned her research skills into the foundation for a career as a PI

BY J I M M CFARLIN | PHOT O BY BRAD ZIE GLER

IN A FACEBOOK POST she wrote shortly after making the most dramatic career shift of her life, Ronnie Dahl shared her list of the “top 5 reasons why leaving TV news to become a private investigator is the best decision ever”: “1. Save money on hair 2. Save money on makeup 3. Save money on clothes 4. Spend more time with dog 5. Get to utilize my kick ass investigative skills to help people!”

Far beyond the monetary advantages, reason No. 5 motivated Dahl, one of Detroit TV’s most recognizable faces after her 12 years as an investigative reporter for WXYZ (Channel 7) and reporter for Fox 2 Detroit, to drop the mic and become a licensed private investigator.

“People were like, ‘What are you doing?’” she acknowledges, adding, “I miss what TV used to be. It became a fight every day getting stories on the air. But to see how many people we helped — that’s a cool thing.

“Most PIs come from law enforcement. I was lucky because I know [Fox 2 Problem Solver legend] Scott Lewis. We’d worked together; he knows I don’t like BS and where journalism is today. He told me, ‘You’ll never regret it.’

And business is good.”

If you’re envisioning a glamorous, trench-coated sleuth photographing cheating spouses, look again. Dahl does most of her work at home on her computer with her dog, Trixie, alongside. A self-confessed “weird” research freak, she frequently retrieves and analyzes documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.

 Dahl offers “boutique” investigation services, including background checks and research for criminal and political cases.

“I don’t think people realize there are many areas to the private investigation world,” Dahl says. “I focus on criminal defense and political investigations because that’s where I feel comfortable. I know FOIA, the court system, how to get records. I know my wheelhouse, so I’m not going to take money to do something I don’t know. I don’t take child custody or divorce cases.

I’m a boutique [business].”

By “boutique,” Dahl means her range of services is limited: Beyond criminal and political cases, she does background checks and document retrieval — and has even taken on a missing persons search. So far, many of her clients have been relatives of incarcerated people seeking new information to exonerate their loved ones.

“Did you know incarcerated people cannot put in a FOIA?” Dahl asks. “So a lot of what I do is put in FOIAs for people. If you don’t have somebody on the outside advocating for you, it can be so hard.”

She empathizes with people going through tough times. Born Rhonda Mae Dull in tiny Tiffin, Ohio, the youngest of nine children with her twin sister, Wanda Kay, she grew up with a single father who worked two jobs to support his family. At her first job, on a North Carolina radio station, “they said, ‘We can’t have somebody named Dull on the air,’” she recalls. “They wanted to call me ‘Barbie Belinsky.’ ... [Instead,] I kept my nickname, Ronnie, but spelled my last name D-A-H-L.” Dahl was still under a TV contract when she launched her PI career, so she learned the ropes by working gratis for a local investigator who still assigns her the occasional case. Her years on Detroit TV screens helps, and as she notes on her website, ronniedahlinvestigations.com, “Female investigators are often underestimated, which works to your benefit!” She also gained visibility co-hosting the 2022 podcast CrimeCasters Network revisiting unsolved cases from her past.

Another job also proved helpful in her work as a private investigator: She was a regional public information officer for ATF, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, from 2016 to 2020. “I got their Twitter pages up and running in Detroit and Chicago, handled their social media, worked to recruit new agents,” she explains. “I never shot a gun before working for ATF. People just assumed because I was a reporter in Detroit, I owned one.”

The stories she did for Channel 7 covering declining Detroit neighborhoods still resonate with her. “Blight is one of the biggest reasons why people leave the city,” Dahl believes. “But there are people who care, and when they get involved in their neighborhoods, it helps keep crime down.

People called me ‘Blight Bitch,’ and I’m proud of that. Fighting blight made me a better reporter.”

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BOOKS

Deconstructing Dearborn

Ghassan Zeineddine’s new volume of short stories is a tragicomic valentine to the city’s diverse Arab American community

BY NATALIA HOLTZMAN

“I TELL JOKES NONSTOP. So many of them do not land,” says Ghassan Zeineddine, whose debut short-story collection, Dearborn — which is both moving and funny, tragic and comic — was recently published to great acclaim.

In real life, Zeineddine says, his friends and his wife usually “just roll their eyes” and dismiss his “silly jokes.” But on the page, Zeineddine’s wit is irresistible, even — or especially — when his subject matter is at its most sincere.

Dearborn, which has garnered starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus Reviews and was named a best book of September 2023 by The Washington Post, comprises 10 stories, each based in the city of Dearborn and, in particular, the Arab American community that has made that city its home.

In story after story, Zeineddine displays both humor and a profound sympathy for his subjects, writing with subtlety and nuance from the points of view of men, women, and genderqueer characters, whose sexual orientations and degrees of religious devotion vary widely.

In “Marseille,” a 99-year-old Titanic survivor recounts her emigration from a small Druze village; in “Yusra,” a butcher from east Dearborn spends his Fridays in Hamtramck, where he

 Zeineddine, who hails from Washington, D.C., says he “mythologized” Dearborn for years. He finally got to see it in person after taking a teaching job at U-M Dearborn.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GHASSON ZEINEDDINE

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won’t be recognized, dressed as a woman. In heels, clip-on earrings, and a hijab, he stops for iced coffee and red velvet cupcakes, which he carefully maneuvers past his niqab. “If I’ve got frosting on my mustache,” he says, “no one can see it.”

Most of Zeineddine’s stories focus on Lebanese Americans (his own family background is Lebanese), but Iraqis, Syrians, and Yemenis also appear.

The book is as diverse as the town. This range of voices and experiences represented in Dearborn was intentional, he says: “I think it’s really important to show that there’s no one Arab American experience.”

The book, he adds, is “just a representation of Dearborn, not the representation.”

With his family, Zeineddine recently moved from Dearborn to Ohio, where he teaches creative writing at Oberlin College.

He says comedy is his “way of approaching serious matters.”

“I tell my students this sometimes: If you make a reader laugh — and it’s hard to do that — sometimes they might be willing to go wherever you want to take them.”

Zeineddine’s storytelling is so seductive, and his sense of absurdity so acute, he’s able to lead readers in all sorts of directions, many of them unpredictable. In “The Actors of Dearborn,” for instance, we meet Uncle Sam, who years ago changed his name from Samir and festooned his home with American flags and banners stamped with the logos of the Lions, Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings.

After 9/11, we learn, Samir “nearly lost his mind, chewed his nails until they bled, could hardly sleep anymore, and spent every waking hour terrified that the government would accuse him of supporting terrorist organizations,” revoke his citizenship, and deport him. His new name and his flags are an attempt to prove his “patriotic fervor” to anyone who might be watching — and, as Zeineddine shows, someone is watching.

The story is set in 2019, when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were a common sight in Dearborn and a constant source of fear and anxiety for many residents.

Zeineddine depicts that atmosphere of uncertainty with tremendous sensitivity. At the same time, though, he seems to gently tease his characters: Against Uncle Sam’s very real fear of persecution is poised the absurdity of his chosen name — and his flag collection.

“I’m able to maybe navigate terrain that might be difficult to navigate if it weren’t for comedy,” Zeineddine says. But, he adds, “I want to make it clear that I’m not romanticizing Dearborn. I mean, I love the city — I’m so deeply obsessed with it, and I find it just so unique.”

Zeineddine, who was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up both there and in Saudi Arabia, didn’t actually visit Dearborn until he landed a teaching job at the University of Michigan Dearborn. In his mind, though, he had “mythologized” the city for years.

“When I was writing these short stories, I really wrote them from this deep love for the community,” Zeineddine says. “But having this deep affection for the community doesn’t mean that you can’t also acknowledge faults in the community. … It’s just a matter of, you’re capturing the atmosphere in the city, and this is what you’re seeing.”

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

Icon Anti Aging Grand Openeing Photographs by Annabelle Saco

Receptionists; Genevieve Yaldoo and Meagan Azzo

Paige Yousif, Lauren Haboosh, and Amra Omerovic

Krista Ferguson and Dr. Alex Zayid

Nicole Zayid, Shahad Jonna, Hiba Hakim, and Mary Shabo

Nicole Zayid, Dr. Alex Zayid, and Hiba Hakim

Amra Omerovic, Paige Yousif, Bianca Hakim, and Lauren Haboosh

Candice Jankowski and Dr. Alex Zayid

Dr. Alex Zayid and Bianca Marras

Dr. Amae Spa Open House Photographs by David Kasenow

Kristina Gjelaj, Marina Djelaj, Saduf Uddin, Brenda Houser, Dr. Azhar Ali, and Jamie Sanocki

Romina Guri and Klouliana Marku

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Mary Jo, Erica and Jamie

Jamie Ruppuon, Dr. Azhar Ali, and Nancy Ruppuon

Jessica Schroeder and Josie Wheeler

Marina Djelaj, Tonina Moceri, and Kristina Gjelaj

Jillan Gallant and Kelsey Hall

Dr. Amae Spa Open House

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01.24 MAKING THE MOST OF LIFE IN METRO DETROIT

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R E TA I L

A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS Metro Detroit has increasingly become a destination for luxury brand stores — some of them Michigan firsts. Prepare to be amazed. p. 28

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If walls could talk: The jumping-off point was the wallpaper (Bowood by Colefax and Fowler) for the master bedroom and some of the hallways. “Its age is historically relevant to the house,” Yellen says.

Cue the colors: “I’m into unique color palettes. This space is a different look and not for everyone,” she says.

She chose two Farrow & Ball paint shades, Yeabridge Green (the paint company’s team was inspired by an 18th-century Georgian farmhouse in Somerset, England) and Churlish Green (named in reference to a simple peasant life). “I didn’t want to see another white dressing room,” she says.

The Churlish Green was used on the exterior of the built-ins, and the Yeabridge Green, which echoes the leaf color in the wallpaper, is on the interiors. Churlish Green shows up on the bathroom cabinetry, too.

I NEED MY SPACE

Suite Dreams A master suite, with sumptuous dressing rooms, is the crown jewel in this historic Bloomfield Hills home

BY MEGAN SWOYER | PHOTOS BY JOE TIANO

WHEN IT CAME TO purchasing her historic Bloomfield Hills home and turning the master suite into the space she desired, Sissy Yellen had to practice the art of patience. First, the 1917 Georgian colonial, a landmark property along the Woodward Corridor, went off the market just as she and her husband, Brandon, were prepared to purchase it. When they bought it a year later, they waited another six months to make changes.

“The master suite hadn’t been touched since the 1980s,” says Yellen, an interior designer who runs her business, Sissy Yellen Living, from a recently built studio on her home’s property. “It needed attention aesthetically.”

Yellen’s personal style is classic. “I just love symmetry,” she says, “and I love chintz and traditional patterns.”

She called on CBI Design Professionals in Bloomfield Hills and worked with architects Rob Clarke and Amanda Fox. Franklin-based Dana Jacob Designs assisted with hard finishes such as tiles and inlays.

“We removed an exercise room, and we changed the layout of the master closets. We also added a sitting room, which used to be a hallway, and altered the master bath entirely,” Yellen says. “Thank God my husband doesn’t care if I use a floral motif. He says he feels at home and cozy.”

The overall goal for the couple — who are parents to three girls — was to have “modern amenities with an uber-traditional, maximalist aesthetic,” Yellen says.

“I am truly in love with this home’s soul.”

Here, she shares more about her long-awaited dream space.

Guiding light: Yellen commissioned Coleen & Co. of California to create custom lighting, including pendant fixtures and two hallway lanterns. Sconces are by Julie Neill for Visual Comfort & Co., from City Lights Detroit at the Michigan Design Center in Troy.

Painterly palace: All the trim work and the full wall of paneling in the master bath are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Ivory Tusk (semigloss). The ceilings are awash in Benjamin Moore’s Simply White.

Handbag hangout: Lovely shelving showcases Yellen’s purses. “I’m happy to invest in handbags that make me happy — and they’re not what everyone is using or is popular at the moment. I love quality, and I will always go back to them.”

Initial this, please: Yellen had the hardware on the center island engraved with her initials. “I love monograms and like to sneak one into every bedroom or bathroom.”

Play space, too?: The Yellens’ daughters, ages 5, 3, and 1, are often “caught playing in the dressing room,” Yellen says.

Material girl: Yellen was insistent on marble, “a traditional material,” she says, and especially loves Crema Marfil, “a warm, beige marble” she used on the vanity and closet island and throughout the master bath.

Marvelous millwork: Choosing the millwork was a collaborative effort, Yellen says. “I told the folks at CBI that I wanted certain motifs repeated throughout, like cut circles and paned millwork on the glass. I love the window mullions and planned for the cabinets to wrap around them. My painter essentially came in after the cabinets were installed to make it look seamless.” The arch-style window mullion is one of Yellen’s favorite designs.

“Millwork is what makes the space timeless, classic, and traditional,” she says.

Under foot: Professional Rug Works in Troy does most of Yellen’s carpet work. “Mine was not an easy install, because it goes on forever.”

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ANNIVERSARY

Shine On

How a downtown hotel owned by a watch company came to be

 The T.B. Rayl & Co. building was constructed in 1915 and was restored to house the Shinola Hotel.

BY MEGAN ANDERLUH

IN THE JUST OVER 10 YEARS since it was founded, Shinola — the Detroit-based lifestyle brand known for its watches, bikes, leather goods, and more — has become nationally recognized for its superior craftsmanship and classic style. So maybe it should come as no surprise that the brand’s foray into hospitality, the Shinola Hotel, feels equally timeless as it marks five years of operation this month.

The idea for the hotel dates back to the early 2010s, when prominent real estate firm Bedrock identified “this need for a world-class hotel that befitted the world-class city of Detroit,” says Andrew Leber, vice president of hospitality at Bedrock. “We didn’t necessarily say it had to be a Shinola hotel at the time; we just knew that the market in the city needed it.” Serendipitously, Shinola founder Tom Kartsotis was dreaming up a hotel concept for the brand at the same time.

Together, Shinola and Bedrock found the perfect site at 1400 Woodward, a Bedrock property.

Construction of the 129-room hotel — made up of two renovated historical buildings, along with new structures, and encompassing several restaurants and other businesses — which began in late 2016 and took two years to complete, generated a perceptible buzz around the city. “When we launched [in January 2019], we were so busy because everybody wanted to be part of it,” Leber says.

“Detroiters want to see Detroit succeed.”

The hotel’s prominent position on Woodward Avenue and the careful restoration of two pieces of Detroit history also contributed to the fanfare. The larger of the two buildings was built in 1915 to house the T.B. Rayl & Co. hardware store; the other, a former Singer sewing machine company store, was constructed in 1936.

“The adaptive reuse of the legacy buildings, in addition to the newly constructed buildings, really blends the old and new in ways that we try to do in PHOTO COURTESY OF SHINOLA

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the retail context and also fits with where the Shinola brand is and where it’s going,” says Shinola CEO Awenate Cobbina.

Though by no means the only hotel operating or in development in Detroit at the time, the Shinola Hotel gained attention for its support of local makers and for the novel idea of expanding a well-known lifestyle brand into a hotel concept. The hotel’s designers, operators, and food and beverage teams focused on partnering with local businesses and creators, from using mattresses supplied by metro Detroit-based Serta to placing an eye-catching piece by Cranbrookeducated artist Nick Cave in the lobby.

For the hotel’s developers, bringing the Shinola brand into the world of hospitality was a matter of building on the company’s emphasis on highquality craftmanship. The focus was “on the worker, on manufacturing, creation, the hands-on tactile experience,” says Sergio Maclean, who along with his wife, Audrey Laurent, is behind the hospitality company Mac&Lo, which up until November 2023 was the operating partner of the hotel.

After only five years of operation and weathering a pandemic just a year after opening, the Shinola Hotel has garnered accolades including recently being named one of Travel + Leisure’s 500 best hotels in the world and making Condé Nast Traveler’s list of the top 15 hotels in the Midwest. But the accomplishment many of the Shinola Hotel’s chief contributors are proudest of is living up to the nickname “Detroit’s Living Room,” or, as Leber puts it, being “a place where every single person could feel comfortable.”

“We knew that the trick was that ‘gateway to Detroit’ message,” Maclean says. “You hear a lot of ‘Let’s bring Detroit back.’ But then you live in Detroit and you’re like, ‘We don’t have to bring anything back.

We just have to celebrate what is happening already.’”

“This isn’t as much about [Shinola] as it is bringing a piece of Detroit and Michigan to the world,” Cobbina agrees. “I really think the hotel adds to everything that is happening and that people are doing in Detroit, and hopefully it’s a positive addition to that ecosystem.”

 The 129-room hotel sits on Woodward and Grand River.

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RETAIL

GRAND OPENINGS

Our six favorite additions to the shopping scene

BY JULIANA LUMAJ

Christian Louboutin

T WO YEARS AGO, globally renowned fashion leader Hermès took a chance on Michigan and opened its first store in metro Detroit at the Somerset Collection in Troy. In 2022, Gucci followed suit, opening its first men’s store in the state (also at Somerset) and its first store in Detroit. Since then, the Michigan firsts have not slowed down, expanding luxury shopping opportunities and eliminating the need for a day trip to Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. Here are some of the highlights of the past 14 months.

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Christian Louboutin

The instantly recognizable red-soled heel stepped into the Somerset Collection in November 2022, revealing a mesmerizing store designed with an eclectic flair. The iconic crimson shade, in the form of a fish-tile mosaic, is slathered across the entrance, creating an exciting ambiance as customers walk into a store divided into three sections featuring men’s and women’s shoes, including heels, boots, sneakers, and loafers displayed on pedestals and open shelves. Although Christian Louboutin is most famous for its footwear, the Italian trendsetter also offers handbags, backpacks, and other accessories at this location.

2801 W. Big Beaver Road, Level 1, Troy; 231-237-8523; thesomersetcollection.com

Balenciaga

Last February, the popular brand founded by late designer Cristóbal Balenciaga acquired a new home at the Somerset Collection. At the 3,600-square-foot store, Detroiters can find Balenciaga’s iconic spandex Pantaleggings with attached heels — made popular

by Kim Kardashian — as well as a wide selection of handbags and crossbody bags displayed near its collection of shoes. Prices range from $350 to $12,500. Like Balenciaga’s flagship location in London, the store was designed with a “raw architecture” concept, which simulates the appearance of corroded concrete and invokes an industrial edge. 2801 W. Big Beaver Road, Level 1, Troy; 947-225-2727; thesomersetcollection.com

PHOTOS (BOTH PAGES) COURTESY OF RETAILERS

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24/Seven

CB2

Crate & Barrel’s sister brand opened its downtown Birmingham doors in February 2023. The nearly 6,000-square-foot store features modern and contemporary decor divided and displayed by room type, like a bedroom design with a chic downtown Detroit vibe, featuring white walls complemented by neutral midcentury-modern furnishings. Indecisive shoppers unable to choose the right centerpiece for their dining table or accent chair for their living room can be assisted by professional designers at no additional cost.

This is CB2’s third location in the Midwest and is part of the $17.5 million redevelopment of the historic Maplewood building, originally constructed in 1889. 100 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248-230-8800; cb2.com

CB2

Vuori

Dior

The French fashion house’s Somerset Collection store, which opened last March, was designed mostly with creams, whites, and other neutral tones and is embellished with textured finishes like grass cloth, plush rugs, and dimensional European print. Divided into separate men’s and women’s areas, the store also has a VIP lounge designated for private fittings that stands out with blush toile walls adorned with custom, handsculpted porcelain floral art. Women’s and men’s accessories — an array of jewelry, handbags, and other leather goods — are tastefully laid on open shelves and encased in chic glass displays.

Customers will appreciate the racks of ready-towear outfits, perfect for quickly finding something for an event in downtown Detroit or brunch in nearby Birmingham. 2801 W. Big Beaver Road, Level 1, Troy; 248-230-9500; thesomersetcollection.com

CB2

Last June, this California-based, climate neutralcertified company joined the Somerset Collection’s roster of athletic clothing stores, like Allbirds and Lululemon, as part of the retailer’s efforts to open 100 locations by 2026. Shoppers can expect to find collections curated with a mixture of athletic and loungewear mostly made of recycled materials, such as plastic water bottles. The retailer maintains its California vibe by displaying various desert plants throughout the space and offers a diverse selection of jumpsuits, dresses, and yoga accessories, as well as menswear like fleece hoodies and moisture-resistant shirts. 2800 W. Big Beaver Road, Level 2, Troy; 714-452-2778; thesomersetcollection.com

Diptyque

Stepping inside the French luxury fragrance and design house is like visiting the Paris apartment of a friend — one who prides themselves on presenting a stylish home with an alluring scent.

The boutique at the Somerset Collection opened in June and offers various signature French scents in different forms, including perfume, candles, hair mist, soap, and lotion. Many of its collections are inspired by nature, such as Philosykos, which incorporates different aspects of a fig tree, such as its leaves, bark, and fruit, to create a fresh and energetic scent. As you peruse Diptyque’s products, you’ll notice a fireplace that creates a cozy ambiance contrasted by concrete columns honoring Detroit’s industrial era. 2800 W. Big Beaver Road, Level 1, Troy; 248-983-4693; thesomersetcollection.com

Vuori

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MI STYLE

QUEEN BEE Brittni “Bee” Brown is on everyone’s “people to watch” list, and she can help you get there, too

BY PARIS GILE S | P HOT O BY SAL RO D R I G U EZ

FORGET A THOUSAND WORDS — in Brittni Brown’s world an image is an epic poem.

The work that the publicist-turned-personal brand strategist — known affectionately around town as “Bee” — does with brands, organizations, and individuals is ultimately about storytelling.

At Brown’s The Bee Agency in Detroit, fashion — more expressly, honing a signature style — is central to the soup no matter the client.

Brown, who was named one of the “top 25 African American PR millennials to watch” by HuffPost in 2017, says she’s very hands-on with her clients. Think mood boards, makeup consultations, stylist pairings, and shopping trips. But ultimately, “I’m never going to take someone out of their style,” she says.

You’ll know her by her Mia Farrow-esque pixie cut.

And you’re likely to spot her in a pair of leopard-print glasses and a blazer in some juicy, dopamineinducing color paired with jeans. She also loves a smartly styled graphic tee. Basically, Brown is the epitome of power dressing for the millennial woman and, like other 20- and 30-something professionals, is unbothered by passe ideas that say that femininity and strength must compete and that fashion is frivolous. “If I’m showing up to do a certain job, I’m gonna do it and I’m gonna look fly,” she says.

When the Romulus native was a broke college student at Eastern Michigan University (where she founded the school’s Fashion Week) going on job interviews, she knew she had to look the part, even if she was working with a barely-there budget. And so, she’d go treasure hunting at thrift stores and consignment shops. “I don’t think it’s how much you spend on something that defines your style. It’s the effort, it’s the thought, the creativity that goes into it that sets you apart from anyone else.” The range of shops Brown frequents may have broadened, but that spirit of piecing together a look and locking in one’s own unique brand continues.

Here, Brown — whose clients have been featured in Essence, on the Today show, and in other national media outlets — shares more about what inspires her, what sets her off, and the staples that should be in every professional woman’s wardrobe.

 Posing in her office space, Brown wears a Yunclos women’s twopiece double-breasted suit and Steve Madden classic patent leather black pumps. Hair by Jazmine Nicol and makeup by Ashley Tolliver Beauty.

The people I credit most for my introduction to style are … My mom and my dad. I remember when I was younger, my mom would always want to put me in lace, and I was like, “I hate this. Why are you doing this?” It didn’t make sense to me then, but now it does. [It was about] femininity and class. … My dad is also a dresser. I did not see my dad in a pair of jeans until I was [in my] early 30s.

When I get dressed in the morning, I want to feel … Comfortable.

I love clothes because … It sets the tone in how you operate throughout the day.

One trend I’d like to see come back around: I am on the hunt for Guess jeans. Now, I know I can get some Guess jeans, but you remember the jean outfits we used to wear with the jacket and the colors, like pastel colors? I’m on the hunt to find that.

My fashion pet peeve is … When people tell you you can’t wear white after Labor Day. Three staples that should be in every professional woman’s closet are …

A solid black dress, a pair of pumps that make you feel like “I’m the baddest thing walking” (ones that make you feel powerful, sexy, bold), and the third piece, something that shimmers.

What I draw inspiration from: One of my favorite movies is Boomerang, so I’m really stuck in the early ’90s; that’s my favorite era of fashion. … That was my first example of seeing women who looked like me just dressing top to bottom on screen. The ’90s and the Harlem Renaissance, those are two of my favorite eras. … I take some style inspiration from Kim Kardashian — very sleek, chic, and minimalist — Zendaya, and Teyana Taylor.

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photos by chuk nowak

2024

EXECUTIVES IMPROVING THE MOTOR CITY. A groundbreaking playwright and a dj nurturing the next generation. detroit’s unofficial social director. a BOXING GYM CHANGING LIVES. mICHIGAN’S FIRST FEMALE BISHOP. a COMMUNICATOR TACKLING dei AND A SUPERSTAR ATTORNEY. tHE COACH BRINGING HOPE TO DETROITERS. tHESE 13 PEOPLE are moving metro detroit forward — in every way.

BY SCOTT ATKINSON, BILL DOW, PARIS GILES, RYAN PATRICK HOOPER, JIM MCFARLIN, SARAH STEIMER, CAMBREY THOMAS, JACK THOMAS, AND DANA WHITE

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Detroiters

To meet more women doing great things at Michigan Central, go tom. o hourdetroit.c

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12/6/23 4:01 PM

The dream team Mary Culler, Carolina Pluszczynski, and Melissa Dittmer Michigan Central

BY dana white

T

Dittmer (left), Pluszczynski (center), and Culler pose at Newlab at Michigan Central, a full-service innovation hub for startups that inhabits the former Book Depository building.

he lights are back on at Michigan Central Station. After decades of looming over Corktown, a sad skyline all its own, the massive 1913 train station glows with new purpose: as the soaring centerpiece of the 30-acre Michigan Central innovation district, bankrolled

by Ford Motor Co. with a big assist from founding partner Google.

An executive cohort of accomplished women is helping to lead the charge, unafraid to take chances, break down silos, move at the speed of change, and get results. As Carolina Pluszczynski, Michigan Central’s chief operating officer and head of innovation services, puts it: “We have a powerful team, we have a great culture, and we’re getting stuff done.”

In a big way — not the least of which is the meticulous restoration of the station’s Beaux-Arts architecture. When the reborn Michigan Central Station opens this year, its lower level and surrounding outdoor spaces will be open to the public, while its 18-floor tower will house offices, shops, and, eventually, a hotel and restaurants.

All that won’t be complete by the ribbon cutting, but it will be close enough to realize the vision of Bill Ford, executive chair of Ford Motor Co. Ten years ago, Detroit was coming out of bankruptcy, and it felt like things were turning around. But driving down Michigan Avenue to his office, he’d always pass the crumbling, roofless Michigan Central Station.

Longtime Ford executive Mary Culler was his chief of staff at the time. “He said, ‘That train station would be such an amazing place for us to think about doing something really creative and unique.’ He understood that regardless of how Detroit came back, that building was going to loom over the city as a reminder of just how far it had fallen.”

The two were already brainstorming how to move Ford Motor Co. into a greener future, creating new, low-carbon ways to move people and goods.

“We were going to Silicon Valley, we were going to Austin, we were going to all these places,” Culler says. “And it was very clear that we were going to cede the mobility future to someone else if we didn’t double down on making Detroit a real hub for innovation.”

Ford rolled the dice. In 2018, he bought Michigan Central Station and its equally forlorn neighbor, The Book Depository, which had been gutted by fire in the 1980s, about the same time the train terminal was shuttered. The two languished side by side until Ford stepped in.

He named Culler director of the billion-dollar Michigan Central innovation district, which has been called the most important and transformative economic project in Michigan, if not beyond. Does Culler agree?

“Without a doubt. It’s going to be an incredible game changer for the city and for the region.” And it took a company like Ford Motor Co. “Nobody else would do this. Nobody.”

This confidence comes in handy for a project this big, which involves coordinating a complex network of public and private entities, from the grass roots to the governor’s suite. The mother of three holds a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University, and she worked high up in the Environmental Protection Agency before joining the administration of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley to work on economic development, which she calls her “passion.” She’s held various roles at Ford for the past 20 years; she now runs the Ford Motor Co. Fund, the company’s philanthropic arm, in addition to Michigan Central. This makes sense, since the project has socioeconomic goals.

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Njia Kai

the-box thinking, says Josh Sirefman, Michigan Central’s CEO. “Pulling people together, figuring out problem-solving — it’s amazing how difficult doing something new like that is.”

This success is a testament, he says, not only to the “amazing, accomplished women working on this project,” but to “all of them working together as a team. And that’s what Michigan Central is all about.”

The Michigan Central innovation district is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Co. with nonprofit status, meaning it can tap public funds. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is more than willing to provide them; in 2022, she announced the state would invest $126 million in the project. Inspired by Ford’s investment, the city of Detroit spent $6 million to refurbish Roosevelt Park, long known as Michigan Central Station’s “front lawn.” Creating and keeping new talent is baked into the plan. In September 2023, a Youth Drone Demo Day attracted nearly 300 schoolkids to the park, where they flew drones and learned about future career options.

The design of spaces inside and out is the purview of Melissa Dittmer. Newlab was still under construction when she joined the Michigan Central team in 2022 as head of place.

The well-respected architect and urban planner was previously chief design officer at Bedrock, so she knows a thing or two about the restoration of historic buildings and public engagement. She ensures the Michigan Central project is transparent and inclusive, pointing to the Bagley Mobility Hub as an example. The innovation district’s only built-from-scratch structure, it provides parking spaces and charging stations for bikes and scooters. But it doubles as a community engagement center and a public art venue and will eventually connect the innovation hub to the rest of the city via the new Southwest Greenway and Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park.

“We have a really special condition here right now where we have public-private partnerships working together at all scales of government and a lot of stakeholders who are really invested in this,” says Dittmer, who is determined to learn from the city’s past to imagine its future.

“The goal is to plan for what works now and will continue to work in the future. … There are way too many incidents and situations that one can point to in the planning history in other cities which seemed right at the time but then became the next generation’s problem.” Then the visionary in her kicks in. “I don’t want to design places and spaces to become 21stcentury cities; I want them to leap over into 22nd-century cities.”

The Place-Maker

but he wanted community to be at the center of it,” Culler says. “It wasn’t technology for technology’s sake, but it was about how you make people’s lives better — how do you ensure that whatever is being created and developed, that it’s going to be used by people and that it is going to lift communities up?”

When Culler went to assemble her team, she turned to Carolina Pluszczynski, a Ford veteran.

The onetime English major at the University of Michigan Dearborn never thought she’d be a COO in the tech world.

“My sweet spot is understanding technologies and how to apply them to businesses,” Pluszczynski says. She plays “matchmaker” between the startups and corporate sponsors.

“Corporations aren’t used to working with startups, so we help figure out how to create those relationships.”

Pluszczynski started at Ford 25 years ago and moved across departments, from product development to marketing. She spent two years in the mobility division, planning new initiatives and collaborating with every department. She calls it “learning the big machine,” and those lessons earned her the connections and credibility she would need to effect change on a large scale.

Seeking a tech tenant for the Kahn building, Pluszczynski and Culler visited Newlab, an innovation hub in the old Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York. They convinced its co-founder David Belt to open a Detroit branch. In five years, Newlab and Ford Motor Co. transformed the 270,000-square-foot concrete shell filled with sodden schoolbooks into Corktown’s answer to Cupertino, but with a focus on mobility. Sunshine pours through a new atrium skylight. Spaces are configured for every task, from workstations for “hot desking” to soundproofed phone booths to meeting and conference space. Inventions are displayed throughout, and the surfaces are raw and industrial.

“We kept it gritty feeling because it’s where we want the innovation to happen,” Pluszczynski says. “We want people to build things.” For that, there is a huge makers’ lab complete with everything needed to whip up a prototype in a wide variety of materials.

At Newlab, sharing is caring. “Nothing is proprietary,” Pluszczynski says. “Nobody gets exclusivity,” not even Ford. (A goal of Michigan Central is to be independent someday.) In this “open platform” approach, ideas cross-pollinate and blossom into innovative solutions.“It’s no longer like, you go into your office and close the drapes and work for 18 months and then out comes a new product.”

This kind of innovation can only happen in an “ecosystem” of top talent and top technology operating in places designed to support out-of-

NKSk Events + production

BY Cambrey Thomas

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D

etroit summer is a sundrenched season of festivals and music. It’s food trucks, yoga in the grass, and toes in sand at the urban beach. Across all six of Detroit’s downtown parks, which boast a combined 4 million visitors annually, there is something for everyone — even those who prefer a Detroit winter with ice-skating and hot chocolate.

This is no surprise to the Detroit-born Njia Kai of NKSK Events + Production.

Kai has spent her career place-making for Detroit’s most iconic downtown parks and directing the city’s largest festivals. The best part, according to Kai, who’s just wrapped her 12th year heading the African World Festival, is seeing people enjoy themselves downtown. “We’re not in Detroit because we have to be here,” she says. “We choose to be here because Detroit is special. The people in Detroit are special.”

Creating a mise-enscene is a skill Kai mastered when she switched from prelaw to filmmaking at Howard University. Little did she know that her ability to set a scene and frame people together would change the landscape of how Detroiters gather. The Cass Technical High School grad enjoyed a burgeoning film career on the East Coast, where she notably served as camerawoman on Julie Dash’s 1991 Daughters of the Dust, a film added to the Library of Congress in 2004 — the same year she began programming events at Campus Martius Park.

Years before becoming Detroit’s unofficial social director, Kai spotted a classified ad seeking a production coordinator for the Detroit Festival of the Arts and the University Cultural Center Association, the organization that would merge with the New Center Council to become Midtown Detroit Inc. Kai spent the next 24 years with the festival, ultimately becoming its director, a role in which she served until she was asked by then-Detroit 300 Conservancy President Robert Gregory to consult on the opening of a new park.

In Swahili, the word for path or road is njia. Justice Augustus Woodward would not have known this as he

Detroiters planned an early Detroit, after the fire of 1805, with Campus Martius at its center. As the city rose from its ashes, the site became a gathering place and home to the city’s point-of-origin stake, charting out the mile roads and marking the beginning of the main arteries of Woodward, Michigan, and Gratiot avenues. More than a century later, through times of civil unrest and a decline in manufacturing industries, Campus Martius shrunk to the size of a traffic island as many residents left the city and warned others about crossing certain mile roads. Kai, with a genuine love for Detroit, understood the image and assumptions she had to work against and curated events for the kind of city she knew Detroit could be.

David Cowan, the Downtown Detroit Partnership’s chief public spaces officer, remembers the early days of the park well. “When Campus Martius Park opened, you saw a change in the perception of downtown because there was now a shining jewel in the center,” he says.

“When there’s a park in a public space, it’s not about the design — it’s about who’s using it and for what. It’s always been a peopleforward approach to public space, and Njia is part of the reason why we embodied that early on.”

For Kai, this meant giving people a reason to come downtown and stay, breaking down barriers with engaging activities that reinforced community. These ranged from lunchtime exercise classes to Friday concerts and family-friendly performances. “At one point, we were producing 15 weeks of summer series for the downtown parks, where we had events happening just about seven days a week with at least 20 events a day,” she says.

Cowan recalls how Kai was a pillar of the community when he was growing up in Detroit’s Green Acres. “Njia brings her magic to whatever she does and in whatever area she does it in,” he says.

“It’s her production acumen,

her relationship skills; it’s her ability to be creative and problem-solve. Producing events is a really tough job, especially when you make it look effortless.”

When programming, Kai is mindful about reaching people from every community and connecting them over a shared love of the arts. She applied this same thinking when the Downtown Detroit Partnership tapped her to direct its opening schedule for Beacon Park in 2017, and she, in turn, tapped the young dancers of the Detroit Windsor Dance Academy to perform. Debra White-Hunt, artistic director of the academy, remembers how excited the dancers were to be invited, as if Kai were shining a spotlight and inviting others to share it with her.

“Her power,” White-Hunt says, “is that she can just flow.”

Kai has spent her career place-making for Detroit’s most iconic downtown parks and directing the city’s largest festivals.

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The fighter

Joumana Kayrouz the law offices of joumana kayrouz

BY Jack Thomas

Kayrouz has one of the most recognizable faces in metro Detroit. Here, she’s pictured at her Bloomfield Hills home.

L

ast Halloween, a certain costume trend seemed to be in. Parties were filled with gold blond wigs, jet-black pantsuits, and dark purply lipstick — an instantly recognizable homage to Southfieldbased attorney Joumana Kayrouz. Her image is imprinted into the psyche of Detroit, thanks to years of sustained multimillion-dollar billboard advertising.

She’s lovingly embraced the meme, sharing many of the costumes to her Instagram story, just

as she’s rolled with the punches thrown at her since she became a fixture on our highways — to date, she has appeared on over 750 buses and 250 billboards, and in 2014, she commissioned the largest outdoor marketing campaign in the history of Michigan advertising.

“All the other law firms were investing their money in TV and radio,” says Bill Dobreff, a Sterling Heights lawyer who’s shared cases with Kayrouz and represented her for nearly 10 years.

“She went out and did these giant highway signs,

and that’s what built the empire. It was a brilliant marketing technique. And all the other injury law firms tried to follow suit.”

Last year, she celebrated the 20th anniversary of her law firm, which specializes in personal injury, bankruptcy, criminal, and family law and has offered immigration services since 2018. Since she opened shop, Kayrouz and her staff have closed or settled over 10,000 cases and won about half a billion dollars in legal funds on behalf of clients.

Around 2000, she launched an Arabic-language

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program on 690/680 WNZK-AM, aimed at helping working-class immigrants — mostly non-English speakers — navigate the American legal system as well as everyday issues like credit cards, mortgages, and insurance. She’s still on air more than 20 years later, with a full hour on 102.3 CINAFM every day of the week except Saturday.

Kayrouz was born and raised in Lebanon and immigrated to the U.S. with her then-husband when she was 21, with just $1,000. She completed her bachelor’s degree at Southern Connecticut State University, received a master’s of ethics from Yale University, and obtained her Juris Doctor from Wayne State University in 1997. It’s an impressive feat of upward mobility, which she says was made possible through devotion to her Christian faith.

From afar, she may “come across like a movie star,” Dobreff says. Despite her larger-than-life image, with clients “she’s personable. She cares, and people trust her.”

“A lot of people give us lawyers a bad rap — you hear the lawyer jokes and all that,” Kayrouz says.

“Some lawyers are unethical; it is true. But it is through the power of lawsuits that we make laws change.”

She herself has helped change laws through advocacy, writing to Michigan legislators in favor of two bills that passed in 2013. Public Acts 218 and 219 prohibit “ambulance chasing,” preventing personal injury lawyers from using a third party to solicit recently injured clients. However, 10 years after they took effect, the laws “don’t have a lot of teeth,” she confesses, due to lack of enforcement.

Kayrouz approaches personal injury law with a larger picture in mind. “Our purpose is to prevent injury in the future, … causing people to rethink the way they are doing business, causing the companies to rethink the products they are putting out,” Kayrouz says. “But when that fails, what else can we do? We get money for our injured clients.”

Her compassion extends to her personal life. The mother of two daughters gave a sizable donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in 2014. The previous year, she launched the Joumana Kayrouz Foundation, which has helped fund an overhaul and rebuilding of an emergency room in Zahlé, Lebanon, as well as the creation of an ear, nose, and throat clinic. Locally, in addition to pro bono work, she gave substantial support to Garden City Hospital, which opened a new birthing center in 2014.

In 2019, Kayrouz was admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court Bar, an honor that still makes her light up. As Chief Justice John Roberts swore her in, she says her “entire life up to that point flashed” before her eyes.

“Here was this little girl who came from the Middle East, from a developing country,” Kayrouz says. “I had all the reasons not to make it. I’m a foreigner; English is my third language. This little girl made it there.”

Waajeed

The Producer and Educator

Underground music academy

BY Ryan Patrick Hooper

W

hy do we think of Detroit as an alltime great music city?

For Waajeed, the secret weapon has always been education. The producer and DJ is woven into the musical DNA of Detroit many times over, coming up with J Dilla under the tutelage of Amp Fiddler and going on to become an electronic music staple in the city and highly respected overseas.

Of course, there’s always so much talent to point to in the Motor City. But if you ask Waajeed (who was born Robert O’Bryant), it’s about teaching the next kid up. The not-so-sexy day-in, day-out hard work and belief that the next generation of musicians will be the greatest to carry the torch.

For decades, it was the public schools bringing world-class music education to young Detroiters. You still see it today with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Civic Youth Ensembles. And the jazz community has undoubtedly taken the idea of mentorship like its scripture.

Now, Waajeed is taking it on himself, with Underground Music Academy, to build the future leaders of electronic music through education and mentorship.

Like the jazz stalwarts, electronic musicians in Detroit have always looked after their young.

The academy is in a humble three-story building at 2990 E. Grand Blvd. that Waajeed has been working

Waajeed at his Underground Music Academy in Detroit. The building formerly housed a chapter of the NAACP, where he attended events as a child.

on himself in between DJ gigs everywhere from Japan to Los Angeles. On his Instagram page, you’ll see him sanding floors and installing doors, skills that were passed on to him by his father, who owned a construction company in Detroit.

“I could definitely hear my father finessing my carpentry skills as I go,” he laughs.

The building has a killer location and an important history. Formerly home to the Detroit branch of the NAACP, it’s about a mile from the Motown Museum and two doors down from the headquarters of the legendary electronic collective Underground Resistance and its techno museum.

Last year, the academy celebrated its official ribboncutting, opening to the public with workshops and a popup shop with merch and records. This spring and summer, you’ll see more workshops and online classes announced.

The academy has been a very grassroots effort for Waajeed and his small crew, who have invested about $500,000 of their own cash into the project. The rest of the funds have been a mix of proceeds from selling merch and records and donations from individuals and philanthropic organizations.

“I’ve been traveling for more than two decades DJing, lecturing, producing,” he says.

“But every time I get on the plane, I fail to see people that look like myself. I wanted to create a place that produced those people. If we can produce cars in the D, why shouldn’t we be able to pro-

duce opportunities for people to be their best selves?”

That’s what makes Waajeed’s mission something more than just to create a technical academy. There have been one-off workshops and weeklong classes as the academy grows, but Waajeed and his team are taking a spiritual approach, too — addressing life itself for young Detroiters who may not get direction like that elsewhere in their lives. There’s a heavy focus on civil rights and social justice as well.

“You can go anywhere, and they can teach you how to use a drum machine,” he says.

“That’s a strong suit of ours, too, but I’m looking at not only educating but actually changing the system of disruptive and oppressive practices.”

As the academy grows in scale and scope, it will no doubt attract global attention. Waajeed, however, is more focused on the work being done on the ground here in Detroit. That includes educating the next generation and making sure Detroiters themselves understand the city’s critical role as a breeding ground for electronic music as a global export.

“People honor and respect this place every year during Movement, when people fly from all over the planet to see what we’re doing here,” he says, referencing the massive electronic music festival that takes place every Memorial Day weekend at Hart Plaza.

“I think it’s just as important that we start recognizing ourselves and celebrating our own.”

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The Lion King

Dan Campbell Detroit Lions

BY Jim McFarlin

Campbell is pictured here at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field during a Sept. 28 game this season. The Lions beat the Packers 34-20.

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Detroiters D

uring a Detroit Lions road game last month inside the cavernous Caesars Superdome, Fox TV commentators couldn’t help mentioning the huge swaths of Honolulu blue and silver mixed in among the New Orleans Saints’ black and old gold.

The same was true in Tampa Bay, where an estimated 25,000 Lions jammed the lower bowl of Raymond James Stadium, effectively negating any Buccaneer home-field advantage.

And in Green Bay. And Baltimore.

Soldier Field in Chicago? Overbearing.

It’s Detroit vs. Everybody these days, and Lions fans are traveling en masse because they love what they’re seeing.

The most explosive big-play offense in the NFL. Four consecutive wins by two touchdowns or more. Best late-season record since 1962. National TV and radio debates about their position in the playoffs, which would be their first appearance since 2016.

And in the minds of Detroiters, there’s only one person at the center of the renaissance: Lions head coach Dan Campbell.

Known alternately, and affectionately, as “The Dude,” for his uncanny resemblance to Jeff Bridges’ character in the ’98 film classic The Big Lebowski, or “MCDC” for Motor City Dan Campbell, a play on the band AC/DC, referencing his continuing passion for heavy-metal rock at age 47, in just three short years after convincing Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp he was the man to resurrect her moribund franchise, Texas native Daniel Allen Campbell has become nothing short of a Detroit icon.

After a humbling same-old-Lions record of 0-10-1 to begin the 2021 season, the power of his intense personality started to kick in, with the team winning three of its last six games. Football fans around the world were able to get an up-close look at that intensity in the summer of 2022, when the NFL Network preseason series Hard Knocks featured Detroit.

Suddenly, Campbell became a household name and the Lions became the most talked-about team in the league … in a good way.

The Lions stumbled out of the cage again at 1-6 in 2022. But the team managed to turn the tide when they

beat Green Bay at Ford Field on Nov. 6 and finished the season with a winning record of 9-8 after beating the Packers, again, on the last day of the season, just missing a playoff spot but also denying the hated Packers a postseason.

Looking back at the roller coaster ride, Campbell sounds almost philosophical. “Everything that happens happens for a reason, and it helps you grow,” he says. “And if it doesn’t, it’s because you don’t know how to grow. We’ve taken our lumps, and we are the better for it.”

In the process, Campbell has galvanized this city’s long-suffering fan base into a frenzy not seen since … its last championship in 1957? That may be stretching it, but for a franchise that boasted one of the NFL’s greatest runners in Barry Sanders and a Hall of Fame wide receiver in Calvin Johnson to have won only one playoff game since 1991 is the height of hopelessness.

Hopefully, not anymore. Is a winning culture being established here?

“Look, we’ve been doing this for three years, so I guess at some point you get good at it,” Campbell reflects.

Yet when it’s suggested he’s the reason for the Lions’ resurrection, he demurs.

“I think it’s us collectively,” he counters. “What we’re about, our style of play — I think it’s all of us, you know?

I mean, certainly, I’m proud of the way our guys practiced and prepared, the coaching staff and everything. I have a hand in it, but so does everybody else.”

Jared Goff, Lions quarterback and the No. 1 overall NFL draft pick in 2016, whose career blossomed notably this season, would disagree. “Obviously, he’s very passionate,” Goff says. “He cares about us, leads by example. He’s the heartbeat, the moral compass of our team. He’s our leader.”

Indeed, watching the burly, bearded 6-foot-5 Campbell during a game, staring at the field dressed in a ball cap and tight T-shirt, you might mistake him for an injured lineman eager to get back in the game. He prowls the sidelines like … well, like a lion. A restless, hungry lion.

That intensity has been on display in Detroit since his now-legendary first press conference after landing the job in January 2021. Campbell pulled absolutely no punches.

“This place has been kicked, it’s been

battered, it’s been bruised,” DC said of the MC. “I can sit up here and give you ‘coach-speak’ all day long. I can say, ‘Hey, we’re going to win this many games.’ None of that matters, and you don’t want to hear it anyway. You’ve had enough of that s---, excuse my language.

“Here’s what I do know: This team is going to take on the identity of this city.

This city’s been down, and it found a way to get up. So, this team is going to be built on ‘We’re going to kick you in the teeth. And when you punch us back, we’re going to smile at you. When you knock us down, we’re going to get up.

And on the way up, we’re going to bite a kneecap off.’”

Campbell knew whereof he spoke: Few fans recall that he played tight end for the Lions before turning to coaching. “I remember his last three years as an active player, 2006, ’07, and ’08,” says Mike O’Hara, a former Detroit News sports writer who has covered the Lions for more than four decades. “He only played one game in ’08. He got hurt opening day, and that effectively ended his career. He was in training camp with somebody in ’09.”

That was the aforementioned New Orleans Saints, where Campbell served as an assistant coach for five seasons, honing the leadership skills he would eventually bring back to Detroit.

However, previous to that, as a player, he suffered a serious knee injury in training camp and spent the entire season on injured reserve. The Saints won the Super Bowl that season, but Campbell did not receive a championship ring.

He plans to correct that oversight with the Lions.

Meanwhile, he has become so colorful that USA Today’s For the Win in 2023 ran a feature ranking his 13 best quotes.

“You have to give [general manager] Brad Holmes a lot of credit because he’s provided the players,” O’Hara says, “but Dan has provided the coaching, the style, all of that.

“Every coach has his own way. Like Monte Clark [Lions head coach from 1978 to 1984] once told me, ‘Most of these guys, when they become head coach, they get a new hairstyle and their voice goes down two octaves.’

There’s none of that two-octave stuff with Dan. He’s genuine.”

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Dominique Morisseau

The storyteller

Morisseau at Detroit Public Theatre, where she serves as executive artistic director.

detroit public theatre & acclaimed playwright

BY Ryan Patrick Hooper

D

ominique Morisseau isn’t the type of playwright to shush you in a theater.

Her “rules of engagement” printed in the programs of her shows spell out her style.

“You are allowed to have audible moments of reaction and response.”

“My work requires a few ‘um hmmms’ and ‘uhn uhnnns’ should you need to use them.”

“This can be church for some of us, and testifying is allowed.”

Morisseau landed on those “rules” after seeing what — and who — wasn’t represented on the stage and in the audience. As a young actor studying at the University of Michigan, she didn’t come across a lot of roles for Black women. So, she started writing those roles herself. The actor and writer had transformed into

a playwright, set-designing a world of theater with more diversity on the stage and in the seats.

Twenty years or so later, Morisseau’s vision of theater has made her one of the great playwrights of our time. She became a MacArthur fellow in 2018, a designation better known as the “genius grant.” In 2022, she saw two of her shows run simultaneously on Broadway, one set in a Detroit auto plant in 2008, the other a musical about The Temptations. Both received Tony nominations (11 for Ain’t Too Proud, and three for Skeleton Crew). Each show took home one Tony Award.

Her range as a playwright keeps growing, too. Last fall, Morisseau wrapped a preBroadway run of her latest musical, Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical, focused on the Black-centric music and dance show born in the 1970s.

Other plays in Morisseau’s Detroit Project — in

addition to Skeleton Crew — include Detroit ’67, which masterfully explores the 1967 rebellion through the eyes of young Detroiters living through the moment, and Paradise Blue, a celebration of the city’s historic Black neighborhoods like Black Bottom and Paradise Valley. All three of the plays have been staged in Detroit and around the country.

Like an heirloom necklace, her hometown of Detroit stays close to her heart. Even as the rest of the world applauds her work now.

“I’ve been doing this for decades,” Morisseau says, pointing out the years of hustle that many don’t see

before the awards and acclaim. “I don’t spend much time thinking about the accolades.”

There’s still too much work to do, she says, including back home.

This year, Morisseau plans on spending more time in Detroit, “as much as possible,” she says. The reasoning is simple: to keep growing the city’s theater scene. She currently serves as the executive artistic director for Detroit Public Theatre in the Cass Corridor neighborhood.

“She believes a worldclass city deserves a worldclass theater, and her leadership is a big part of what has made Detroit Public Theatre

a reality,” says Courtney Burkett, one of three founders of Detroit Public Theatre.

This month, DPT will stage work by another Detroit-raised playwright, Pearl Cleage — her play Blues for an Alabama Sky, set during the Harlem Renaissance on the cusp of the Great Depression.

Morisseau is also opening a creative arts residency, set to debut this spring. Not far from the Irwin House art space and the Motown Museum on Grand Boulevard, the residency will, Morisseau feels, help give space, time, and resources to the next generation of the city’s artists.

“While her work is being produced on Broadway and on regional theater stages around the world, she remains deeply rooted in the Detroit community and is an advocate and collaborator to many Detroit artists,” Burkett says.

“Detroit is always going to be my home, and I’ll always want to be here,” says Morisseau, who adds that her toddler “just seems happier” in her hometown.

Whether it’s for her own kin or the next creative class of artists in Detroit, Morisseau is setting the stage for the Motor City’s ascension as a great theater city of the Midwest.

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Amanda Case (left) and Khali Sweeney with DBG Executive Director Jessica Hauser, who serves as a liaison between DBG and Purdue researchers and assists with data collection and analysis, in one of the classrooms where youth programming occurs.

The educators Khali Sweeney & Amanda Case Downtown boxing gym

BY Scott Atkinson

I

n 2013, Amanda Case was flipping through a magazine — this magazine, in fact — when a particular article caught her attention. Case, a native of Royal Oak then starting her first year as an assistant professor teaching educational psychology at Wayne State University, was intrigued by an article about a boxing gym that wasn’t really a boxing gym.

The Downtown Boxing Gym was exactly what Case was looking for: a place where students were being educated outside of a traditional classroom.

She began studying its methods and has published academic papers and given presentations at conferences about the gym. “I think it’s safe to say that I have largely built my career around this partnership,” says Case, now an associate professor of counseling psychology at the Purdue University College of Education.

The gym’s founder and CEO is Khali Sweeney, a Detroit native who grew up on the city’s east side. He started the Downtown Boxing Gym in 2007 with a simple idea: Kids would come to box and would get help with their schoolwork in the process. The school has since grown from residing in a leaky former car wash to inhabiting a polished, 27,500-square-foot space once occupied by a bookbinding factory. Every weekday, kids sign in, drop their phones at the front desk (“The outside world stays outside,” Sweeney says), and line up in the gym, which serves about 250 kids in a given week. They’re surrounded by sports equipment — punching bags and two boxing rings, yes, but also a rotating climbing wall, weights, soccer nets, and chessboards. But first things first. The gym’s motto is “Books before boxing,” so

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Detroiters the kids do their homework before moving on to footwork.

Each of the students has an individualized education plan, developed for them when they came into the gym for the first time. An academic staff of 14 (including nine certified teachers) awaits them as they break off to go to various spaces — classrooms, tutoring rooms, study spaces, a reading lounge.

DBG also has a brand-new science, technology, engineering, and math lab. There, kids can learn how to program robots, use a 3D printer, or, as Halloween approached, discover the density of pumpkins — before carving them into jack-o’lanterns.

“We live in a tech-based world,” Sweeney states.

“We want to get our kids introduced to it, exposed to it, get them familiar with it, so they can go into the tech industry.”

They also have free time, when they can choose to do just about anything (boxing, say). Yet lots of these kids, most of them Black and Latino, many of them poor, many of them once, like Sweeney, more worried about being tough than being smart, are in this other space doing, well, nerd stuff.

“We don’t even have to coax them,” Sweeney says. “They love it.” And love yields results: Over the past 15 years, 100 percent of DBG’s kids have graduated from high school.

The year 2023 was a big one for the gym, too. It was one of three winners of the 2023 Library of Congress Literacy Award, which came with $50,000. Even more, DBG and Purdue University just received a $2 million, five-year grant from the National Science Foundation to study the longterm impacts of the gym’s STEM research program. The study’s principal investigator is Case.

“How we prepare students, and especially Black and Latinx students, for STEM is a huge point of conversation because we don’t have enough qualified STEM workers and are projected to have even a larger shortage in the future,” Case says. “Part of the reason is because we’re not attracting all students of color to those fields. So what the grant is trying to do is to look at how this pretty unique setup that the gym has … might actually create opportunities to reach students who otherwise wouldn’t seek out STEM learning opportunities.”

Sweeney and Case make an interesting pair.

Whereas Case has a wall full of diplomas and awards in her office, Sweeney’s background is a bit different.

As a younger man he’d been in more fights than he could count, had seen people shot, and was doing as many pushups as he could each day.

Prison seemed inevitable; he figured he might as well be ready, though it was for a destiny he couldn’t predict at the time. As he told CNN, which named him one of its Heroes in 2017, “I had a guy shoot [at me] 26 times. The reason he didn’t hit me — it was for me to be here for these kids.”

That was before the gym, before he realized he could use boxing as a ploy to get kids off the streets and invested in their education. It was before a family member pulled him aside and told him that there were other people, lots of people, who didn’t live the way he lived, and that those who did were mostly dead. Sweeney brushed the person off, but there came a point where he didn’t just notice the kids in his neighborhood; he recognized them. They were kids who weren’t scared to fight, who weren’t scared of anything, except maybe a book.

And so, at age 38, he took what money he had, rented a space, and called it a boxing gym. He’d go to the park and start shadowboxing, and before long, kids would come up to him, asking him if he boxed or who his favorite fighter was. He did box, he would tell them. In fact, he had a gym, and they could come for free. They just had to do their homework first.

Case’s research has shown that a big part of what makes the Downtown Boxing Gym successful is its intentional focus on building relationships and the fact that its founder is someone all the kids can relate to.

DeShawn Beal is one of those kids. When he was in sixth grade, “I was into things — gangs, fighting, guns, all that type of stuff,” he says.

“Khali saw me running from school one day. … He told me why school is important and why I should be in school every day instead of running the streets.” Beal ended up joining the program and staying in it through 12th grade.

Today, Beal is a 2023 graduate of De La Salle Collegiate High School in Warren. He attended via a scholarship program through DBG and maintained a 4.3 GPA while taking Advanced Placement and college-level classes. His plans are to become an aerospace engineer.

Looking at Sweeney is like staring at a parked Ferrari with the engine on. His energy damn near hums, and yet when he speaks, it’s with a soft, sure voice. Sweeney can box, but his demeanor suggests that he doesn’t need to. It suggests, in fact, that you could take as hard a swing as you like for all he cares, but when you’re done, he’ll ask you if you wouldn’t mind tutoring a kid? He is determined to use his power to expand the program and eliminate the waiting list, which had more than 2,000 young people in Detroit on it at the time of publication.

The Downtown Boxing Gym team is looking to franchise, to teach others how to do what they do, but they’re taking it slow. What Sweeney does can’t exactly be taught. You have to find those people, the ones who are willing to put in the time, to be obsessed with every detail.

During a recent tour, Sweeney sees a puddle on the floor; he stops to place plastic cones around it so no one slips. The tour resumes, detailed but quick. There is so much work still to do.

A

t a time when it seems like the title of activist can be procured with little more than a social media handle, it’s refreshing to know of someone who is actually doing the work.

Siham Awada Jaafar has been advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion for more than two decades — or, more to the heart, working to improve the ways in which we communicate. Her annual Images & Perceptions Diversity Conference celebrated its 20th anniversary on Oct. 18, 2023, at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn.

Jaafar is deliberate about inviting a diverse group of speakers and attendees from an array of sectors, including law enforcement, education, journalism, and health care, to have raw, honest conversations.

“The conversation every year seems to be even more important than the year before,” Jaafar says just after 2023’s conference. “People need a safe space to be able to congregate and be with individuals who are likeminded and who understand — and are there to educate themselves and be a part of the solution.”

Every year, Jaafar and her committee put together a speaker and panelist lineup that reads like a who’s who in metro Detroit. Among this year’s participants were Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, University of Michigan law professor Barbara McQuade, Attorney General Dana Nessel, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald, Detroit Police Chief James White, and dozens more.

The Rev. Wendell Anthony, president of Detroit’s NAACP chapter and pastor of Fellowship Chapel, captured the 700-person audience’s attention early when he read a poem he had recently written called “Images,” which included references to the less than twoweek-old Israel-Hamas war.

Jaafar calls Anthony, who has been a participant at the conference for 11 years, her personal hero.

The day was filled with sessions that tackled topics such as “Trust Building & Law Enforcement”; “Fairness, Equity & Our Civil Liberties”; and “Equity & Balanced Justice.” There were no breakout sessions, though; Jaafar believes in

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everyone gathering in one space, receiving the same information.

The inaugural Images & Perceptions Diversity Conference took place in 2002, just months after 9/11. Jaafar, a Michigan native of Lebanese descent, recalls that people were angry and confused and struggling with how to ask (and answer) the right questions. “I thought, ‘We need a space where people can come together and they can ask the challenging questions,’” she says. Just 80 people attended that first conference, but they walked away with the tools to be better able to have meaningful conversations. “I thought, ‘This is magic.’”

McQuade attended that first conference and has continued to participate every year. The former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan says, “If we’re going to live in a country that has such rich diversity, it’s very valuable to learn to appreciate cultural sensitivities and differences. It is more important than ever to recognize our common humanity.”

About Jaafar, she adds, “I have a great deal of respect because of her leadership in the community. She is a communications professional, and I think it shows in the way she’s able to facilitate dialogue across difference.”

Jaafar radiates a palpable amount of positive energy.

Day-to-day, she heads 3D Consulting and Communications, which brings diversity training to companies and organizations. Jaafar is also president of the Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center, which mediates conflicts, whether between relatives or between police and community. In 2022, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer reappointed Jaafar to the Judicial Tenure Commission, charged with ensuring that the judicial community is conducting itself in a fair and effective manner. Jaafar was initially worried whether she, lacking a legal background, made sense as a member of the committee. Ultimately, she says, “The layman’s perspective is very important. I see things a little bit differently than maybe a judge or a lawyer would.”

The conversation around diversity, equity, and inclusion has shifted in recent years, spurred in large part by the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements.

Jaafar says it used to be about a celebration of differ-

Jaafar is pictured in her office at the Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center, where she serves as president.

ent cultures. Now, the stakes feel higher, and queries about cause and effect are at the forefront. The approach may have changed, but Jaafar’s passion and commitment remain steady, even while some suggest that the pendulum has swung too far to the other side, where filling quo-

tas supersedes all.

To that, Jaafar rebuts, “We’re not asking for any favors. We just want a fair playing field and to make sure that everybody who wants to have that opportunity has that opportunity.

Fairness is the only ask, and I don’t think it’s too much.”

The bridge builder Siham Awada Jaafar 3d Consulting and communications

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Perry, the bishop of Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, in her office at The Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Detroit.

The Unifier

Bishop Bonnie Perry Episcopal Diocese of Michigan

BY Sarah Steimer

I

n the moments before a press conference begins at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Royal Oak, Bonnie Perry is orchestrating the scene. The sprite-size bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan is loading a speech onto her iPad. She’s greeting and thanking those who showed up. She’s verifying the order of operations and sharing anecdotes

about her dog, an Australian shepherd named Tali. (“She’s drop-dead gorgeous.”)

Perry is president of End Gun Violence Michigan, and today its members are calling for the passage of legislative bills that would prohibit anyone convicted of domestic violence from purchasing or possessing firearms for eight years after completing their sentence. As

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Detroiters preparations for the event continue, the person in charge of the sound system notes that the volume seems low.

“It was loud when I was using it,” the bishop calls out.

“Yeah,” comes the response. “We had to turn it down.”

Those in the room this sunny September morning chuckle, along with Perry: The selfprofessed extrovert has an undeniable presence that, frankly, doesn’t need to be mic’d. Sure, she’s running a serious press conference on a serious topic, but she’s going to do it while wearing purple socks dotted with images of Tali and her previous dog. She quips that she’s just glad her socks are matching.

The bishop can easily become the focal point in a room. Consider her resume. Born in San Diego, she holds a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York City (where she met her wife, Susan Harlow), as well as a Doctor of Ministry. She’s headed three churches in New Jersey and, after moving to Chicago, spent 27 years as rector of All Saints’ Episcopal Church, co-founding the Diocese of Chicago’s Crosswalk initiative, a 4-mile procession against gun violence. She’s the first female and first openly gay bishop in Michigan, not to mention an internationally recognized sea kayak coach and guide.

“She’s relatable, kind, thoughtful — a pleasure to work with,” says the Rev. Chris Yaw, the rector from St. David’s in Southfield, one of the 77 congregations in the southeastern region of Michigan that Perry leads. “She’s a dynamo.”

She’s also the definition of an active listener.

The all-female slate of speakers at the press conference includes retired Indianapolis Episcopal Bishop Cate Waynick and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow. They share their deeply personal experiences with domestic violence and death of a loved one, which could have been prevented by stricter gun laws. Perry peppers the speeches with an emphatic “Yes!” that ripples out into the crowd of nodding heads and affirmative murmuring. And even though she’s likely heard their stories before, Perry becomes visibly moved. She gives people the space to share, helping give life to stories that will draw in and connect their audience. This is her strength in the face of challenge: encouraging people to share their gifts, inspiring them with hope, and then watching change spring forth.

Perry hadn’t planned to focus on gun violence when she arrived in Michigan; she did not want to impose her own agenda when she was elected bishop in 2019. She wanted her congregants to let her know what would be important.

Then came the mass shooting at Oxford High School on Nov. 30, 2021.

Perry began reaching out to local leaders to see what could be done and was connected with strategic consultant Ryan Bates. The two helped spur the coalition that would become End Gun Violence Michigan, for which Bates now serves as an organizer.

But just as Perry and others were launching a ballot initiative to create gun safety laws in February 2023, a mass shooting occurred at Michigan State University. Other domestic shootings followed in the community, one of which involved Bishop Waynick’s brother, who shot and killed his wife. The couple were parishioners of Perry’s diocese.

“Each time I think that maybe I shouldn’t be doing this, it keeps moving closer,” Perry says.

Some religious leaders might shy away from getting involved in such a hot-button, highly politicized movement. For Perry, the decision was obvious.

“How do we take our values and put them in action and not be limited to a confined group who are just ‘church folks’?” she asks. “I want folks who don’t hang out in faith communities to know this is part of being a believing Christian.”

In speeches, she points out that her Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist, Jewish, and Catholic colleagues — “We never agree on anything” — all believe that sensible gun laws are necessary. And within her own diocese, where politics can vary and even some members of her clergy own guns, there’s an acknowledgement that something needs to change.

“I think you make common ground where you can,” she says. “And for our elected officials to know that people who lead communities of faith — well, we’re with you on this and we actually want you to do this. This is what we elected you to do.”

One such politician is McMorrow, who has worked with the bishop on lobbying for gun control and emphasizes how Perry’s passion has helped drive the movement. “She’s reaching out to people in the faith community to say, ‘We are called upon to be of service to others,’ which is very different than when I see people kind of weaponizing religion to hurt other people or to use it as an excuse to do nothing,” McMorrow says. “It’s really, really important to have somebody like her in this work.”

Perry has also empowered her clergy to step up and play an active role in the mission to end gun violence. Yaw’s congregation, for example, worked with local law enforcement to put together a gun buyback program that brought in more than 350 weapons. “We wouldn’t have done that if Bonnie hadn’t pushed us toward thinking about gun violence,” he says. “She

wanted us involved.”

Perry does not believe in sitting back and waiting for someone else to act. Driven by optimism, she always sees an opportunity either to speak out or to roll up her sleeves.

“Part of why we put together End Gun Violence Michigan is because I have hope that we can always do something,” Perry says. “As a person of faith, resurrection means there’s always something more. And that’s my theology.

But I feel like my theology is sort of useless if I don’t act on it.”

While all eyes may be trained on her magnetic energy, Perry is busy asking questions and making connections. She’s endlessly curious about other people and can quickly pick up on how someone’s skills can be put into action for the greater good. It’s why her ministry could be better described as engagement rather than preaching.

“Relationships are far more likely to fuel a long-term movement than positional authority,” Perry says. “That’s the energy that fuels something: My relationship with you will fuel that. And the way you tend that is to tend to the whole person.”

Perry’s is a different type of religious leadership — or any kind of leadership, for that matter. She spends far less time on high and more time among people; she relishes her place in the crowd and wants others to feel seen and connected. And to have fun in the process: “I am convinced that if we use the gifts God has given us, then it gives us joy.”

She finds Michiganders to be dynamic, caring, and gracious. “I revel in who they are,” she says.

The social diversity in the region and the tension it creates fascinates her: labormanagement disputes, swing-state issues, racial divides. And long before she moved to Michigan, Perry was drawn to its geographic diversity, kayaking along the Pictured Rocks, paddling down the Detroit River, and teaching lessons around Belle Isle.

Perry likes to use the analogy of kayaking to explain faith: There’s this awe of what’s around you when you’re out on a boat, she says.

Spirituality is awe. Then there’s the agency: the gifts and talent necessary to move your boat gracefully. But there’s also an acceptance of not being in control, though it’s not a passivity. And all three of those elements — awe, agency, and acceptance — work in conjunction, she explains.

“I see my role as finding out what people’s gifts are and saying, ‘Go.’ I get ideas, but none of it’s going to work if it’s just me. I can get people excited, but it’s never going to be long term if it’s not living out someone’s passions.”

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Mark Wallace

the beautifier Wallace sits under the Belle Isle bridge on the newly opened stretch of the Detroit Riverwalk he helped bring to fruition.

T

Detroit Riverfront Conservancy

BY Bill Dow

he year 2023 marked the 20th anniversary of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy’s transformation of the riverfront.

What was once an unsightly industrial wasteland along the banks of the city’s international waterway is now a beautiful attraction that has drawn 3 million visitors annually and $2 billion in private and public investments.

In the past three years, it has earned consecutive USA Today readers’ choice designations as the best riverwalk in America.

The man who has led the monumental charge — and challenge — of the redevelopment for the past nine years is Indian Village resident Mark Wallace, president and CEO of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy.

“My goal working in Detroit has always been to raise the quality of life for people in the city, and I like to find things with potential and help them be transformed,” says Wallace, whose resume includes jobs as a Detroit high school teacher, a real estate project manager and director for Hines Interests LP, leasing director for the GM Renaissance Center, and an assistant project manager for the Detroit Riverwalk.

“The Riverwalk represents one of the most profound transformations of a

cityscape anywhere in the country, and it includes a significant improvement in environmental conditions, because every project we touched is a brownfield site,” Wallace says. “But most importantly, it has brought diverse populations together to interact while spending time in beautiful natural spaces.”

The nonprofit was launched in 2003 under the leadership of Faye Nelson, its inaugural president and CEO, and board Chair Matthew P. Cullen, with three founding partners: the city of Detroit, General Motors Co., and The Kresge Foundation, which provided a $50 million matching grant that helped land an additional $110 million from a broad

coalition of supporters.

In total, since 2003, the conservancy has invested more than $300 million and expanded the original 3.5mile vision to add an additional 2 miles of river walkway stretching westward to the Ambassador Bridge.

Under Wallace’s leadership, the conservancy completed the east riverfront in October 2023 and instituted interactive innovative programming for visitors that includes, among other things, a fishing fest for children, a riverfront run, and seasonal activities. It also moved forward with the 2-mile westward expansion, which included building a river boardwalk next to the private, gated Riverfront Towers, a vital connection to

the 22-acre Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park projected to open in the second quarter of 2025.

Made possible by a $50 million grant from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, the park will include a 5-acre playground, a water garden that provides direct access to the river, a sport house with basketball courts, and a huge lawn for special events, free concerts, and movies.

Wallace expects that the park will draw “at least 1 million visitors annually.”

Last May, the conservancy opened the half-mile Southwest Greenway trail that provides a critical connection from Ford Motor Co.’s Michigan Central campus, Roosevelt Park, and Corktown to the west riverfront and Ralph

C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park.

Meanwhile, Wallace is focused on completing the last section of the Riverwalk, which will connect Wilson Park to Riverside Park at the Ambassador Bridge.

“Twenty years ago, I don’t think most people believed what the Riverfront Conservancy envisioned was possible,” says Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “For 300 years, Detroit had a working industrial riverfront that was almost entirely inaccessible to the public. It’s all anybody, including myself, ever knew.

Today, thanks in great part to Mark’s leadership and his ability to forge sustaining partnerships, Detroit families will be able to enjoy a truly world-class riverfront for the next 300 years.”

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2024

FIND THE FACES OF: ADVANCED DENTISTRY ............................................ 50 AESTHETIC SURGERY ................................................ 51 ANTI-AGING .................................................................52 CANNABIS BUSINESS ................................................53 CUSTOM FRAMING .......................................................54 CROWNS SAME DAY ..................................................55 EYELID SURGERY ........................................................56 LEGENDARY DREAM BUILDERS ..............................57 ORTHODONTICS .........................................................58 PLASTIC SURGERY ....................................................... 59 TAX LAW...................................................................... 60

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THE FACES OF

ADVANCED DENTISTRY DR. AZIZA ASKARI & DR. ROBERT GUINDI – COMFORT DENTAL SPA, DEARBORN FAMILY SMILES, AND LIVONIA FAMILY SMILES 33966 W. 8 MILE ROAD, SUITE 104, FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48335 | 16979 FARMINGTON ROAD, LIVONIA, MI 48514 | 5005 SCHAEFER ROAD, DEARBORN, MI 48126

Committed to helping their patients achieve and maintain healthy and confident smiles, Dr. Aziza Askari and Dr. Robert Guindi devote themselves to providing dentistry that’s effective, tailored, and quality-focused.

Dr. Askari delivers a wide range of general dentistry services, ranging from dental implants and cosmetic procedures to sleep apnea and TMJ treatments. She’s meticulous about helping her patients optimize and love their smile, and is renowned for her ability to put people of

all ages and oral health conditions at ease.

Dr. Guindi, a skilled dentist with more than 38 years of experience in the field, received his D.D.S. from the University of Detroit in 1985. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the practice, and devotes himself to helping patients achieve their healthiest, most confident smiles by providing care that puts their comfort first.

Whatever your family’s oral health needs, this multidisciplinary team is here to help!

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2024

THE FACE OF

AESTHETIC SURGERY DR. MUNE GOWDA, F.A.C.S. 26850 PROVIDENCE PKWY., SUITE 125, NOVI, MI 48374 | 248-305-8400 | 3270 W. BIG BEAVER ROAD, SUITE 415, TROY, MI 48084 | 248-530-0000 | GOWDAMD.COM

Dr. Mune Gowda, F.A.C.S., is a best-in-class, board-certified plastic surgeon and a leader in the field of rhinoplasty, with expertise in preservation techniques and Piezo technology.

His dedication to preserving the natural structures of the nose while achieving stunning results has made him a sought-after specialist in the field.

For qualified patients, Dr. Gowda utilizes the precise and gentle-natured Piezo technology, which ensures minimal trauma during surgery — resulting in faster healing times and enhanced

patient satisfaction. Dr. Gowda’s meticulous approach, combined with his artistic vision, has earned him a reputation for creating natural-looking, harmonious, and beautifully proportioned noses.

Dr. Gowda has earned numerous awards and honors for his surgical excellence. He primarily operates in his certified, state-of-the-art surgical center located inside his Novi office in the Ascension Providence Hospital Medical Building. His in-office surgical facilities are fully accredited and equipped with the highest-quality technologies and equipment.

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PROMOTIONAL CONTENT

2024

THE FACE OF

ANTI-AGING DR. ALEX ZAYID — ICON ANTI-AGING AND AESTHETICS 555 S. OLD WOODWARD AVE., SUITE 700, BIRMINGHAM, MI 48009 | 248-436-4002 | ICONANTIAGING.COM

Dr. Alex Zayid has become the face of anti-aging in metro Detroit, due in large part to his training and board certifications in preventive, aesthetic, metabolic, and regenerative medicine.

Dr. Zayid’s tailored strategy has transcended the traditional idea of “anti-aging” by fusing both an aesthetic and metabolic approach to slow or prevent the symptoms of aging. Dr. Zayid has always had a clear understanding that achieving this relies on a spectrum of care that begins from the inside out.

Dr. Zayid’s passion for the field of anti-aging was born from his firsthand experience witnessing the general apathy toward patient complaints of fatigue, weight gain, and low libido. For far too long, these complaints were simply dismissed as “status quo” for their age. Dr. Zayid’s proactive approach has given his patients control over their lives again and created solutions to symptoms many thought they would have to permanently live with.

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2024

THE FACE OF

CANNABIS BUSINESS MARK SAVAYA — LEAF AND BUD 14470 LIVERNOIS, DETROIT, MI 48238 | LEAFANDBUD.COM

Mark Savaya is the visionary behind Leaf and Bud, an indoor cannabis-growing and processing company based in Detroit.

With a passion for horticulture and a deep understanding of the cannabis industry, Savaya has established Leaf and Bud as a leader in the field. His brand-label cannabis, called the Mark Savaya Collection, features a hybrid strain that’s exclusively available at Leaf and Bud, a growing chain of centers offering medical and recreational cannabis in the Michigan area. Products include edibles, concentrates, topicals, oils, and more.

Through innovative cultivation techniques and state-of-the-art technology, Leaf and Bud produces high-quality cannabis products.

Savaya’s commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility is reflected in the company’s energy-efficient operations.

Leaf and Bud’s success has earned the company recognition, and it’s been featured in various publications. The company’s growing and processing facility was also covered in local news, further solidifying Leaf and Bud’s presence in the cannabis market.

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PROMOTIONAL CONTENT

2024

THE FACE OF

CUSTOM FRAMING ART BASHI — THE ART OF CUSTOM FRAMING 3863 ROCHESTER ROAD, TROY, MI 48083 | 248-435-3726 | ART@FRAMINGART.NET | FRAMINGART.NET

Art Bashi and his team of experts will change your thoughts about custom framing, offering possibilities far beyond the basics. At The Art of Custom Framing, you can design your space with artwork from their gallery, featuring over 40 local artists, or preserve your artwork. But that’s just the beginning.

They showcase one of the state’s largest and most diverse moulding selections, including hand-painted, leather, and acrylic options. Add the ability to print on various substrates such as glass, metal, tile, and wood, and creating unique

custom designs becomes attainable.

Bashi has transformed The Art of Custom Framing into the premier destination for all your decorating needs. His design specialists have the experience to take on projects from concept to completion for homes or businesses of any size, whether they’re family photos, treasured heirlooms, memorabilia, or historical artifacts.

The Art of Custom Framing believes your imagination should have no boundaries.

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PROMOTIONAL CONTENT

2024

THE FACE OF

CROWNS SAME DAY DR. DOLORES J. BARAN, D.D.S. AND ASSOCIATES 1103 N. MAIN ST., SUITE A, ROYAL OAK, MI 48067 | 248-548-1440 | ROYALOAKSMILES.COM

Cerec Technology is a CAD system that can make a patient’s crown or cap in the same visit — meaning there’s no need for messy impressions or painful temporaries that don’t stay in place. Dr. Dolores J. Baran has been successfully using this technology for more than 15 years.

“Dedicated,” “innovative,” and “astute” are words patients have used to describe Dr. Baran.

A graduate of the University of Michigan School of

Dentistry, Dr. Baran and her team perform most dental procedures in the office, including root canals, dental implant placement and restoration, and the removal of wisdom teeth. Dr Baran, who is well known for her cosmetic work (such as veneers and invisible braces) has been having success with treating patients who have migraine headaches with Botox.

Call today to schedule a consultation appointment.

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2024

THE FACES OF

EYELID SURGERY CONSULTANTS IN OPHTHALMIC & FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY, PC 29201 TELEGRAPH ROAD, SUITE 324, SOUTHFIELD, MI 48034 | 248-357-5100 | EYELIDPROS.COM

The physicians at Consultants in Ophthalmic & Facial Plastic Surgery — Drs. Nesi, Gladstone, Black, Nesi-Eloff, Schlachter, and Beaulieu, and physician assistant Lindsay El-Awadi — are proud to be known as the “Eyelid Experts.”

Representing the gold standard in eye plastic surgery, these doctors have developed and improved techniques to provide the results patients seek when it comes to plastic surgery in the delicate areas around the eyes and forehead. Their advanced training, together with

the personal care and attention provided to patients, is obvious from your first visit.

Outstanding results, faster healing, long-lasting benefits, and happy patients are what the team strives to achieve.

They offer upper and lower eyelid surgery and the removal of eyelid “bags.” State-of-the-art endoscopic brow- and forehead-lift procedures accomplish the rejuvenation many patients can’t get from eyelid surgery alone. When you choose the Eyelid Experts, you’ll “see” the difference!

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PROMOTIONAL CONTENT

2024

THE FACES OF

LEGENDARY DREAM BUILDERS MOCERI COMPANIES 3005 UNIVERSITY DRIVE, AUBURN HILLS, MI 48326 | MOCERI.COM

For four generations, the Moceri name has been synonymous with residential real estate excellence. Moceri has developed custom homes, as well as multifamily and senior living communities, and continues to build innovative residential real estate developments across southeast Michigan.

As the fourth generation of sons moves to make an impact within the family company, the Moceri standard of unwavering attention to detail and world-class

craftmanship is seamlessly carried on today. Dominic F., Dominic M., Paul, and Nico hold roles covering all aspects of the business — from planning to development, management, and finances.

Following in the footsteps of their fathers, the Moceri men continue to be Michigan’s Legendary Dream Builders, adding to the more than 55,000 residences the generations before them have built.

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PROMOTIONAL CONTENT

2024

THE FACES OF

ORTHODONTICS DR. JAMIE REYNOLDS, DR. JENN BONAMICI — REYNOLDS ORTHODONTICS FOUR LOCATIONS IN METRO DETROIT: NOVI, ROCHESTER HILLS, TROY, WEST BLOOMFIELD | 248-344-8400 | MYAMAZINGSMILE.COM

When reflecting on memorable customer experiences, a visit to the orthodontist might not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, Dr. Jamie Reynolds and Dr. Jenn Bonamici are changing that perception with their innovative approach to patient care and the customer experience.

A nationally recognized orthodontic teacher, Dr. Reynolds and his team deliver world-class orthodontics using stateof-the-art Damon System braces and Spark aligners. These technologies not only enhance comfort and aesthetics, but

they also yield life-changing results in fewer visits.

One distinguishing aspect of the practice is its commitment to ensuring that financial considerations never hinder the delivery of quality orthodontic treatment. Dr. Reynolds is a co-founder of OrthoFi, a company dedicated to making orthodontic treatment more affordable through flexible financing options. Additionally, the practice is actively involved in charitable initiatives, including Smiles Change Lives and Smile for a Lifetime, and it has developed its own charitable program, Project Mariposa.

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2024

THE FACE OF

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

Your health and beauty are in trusted hands when you choose Dr. Elan Reisin, M.D., F.A.C.S., and his team of surgeons at Star Plastic Surgery in Novi. A multiyear Hour Detroit Top Doc honoree, he’s board-certified in plastic and reconstructive surgery, and has received numerous national awards. Dr. Reisin, who serves as medical director at Star, and his team have completed more than 20,000 cosmetic surgeries.

Dr. Reisin spent five years as an attending physician, and

taught surgical residents at the prestigious Georgetown University Hospital Department of Plastic Surgery before creating Star Plastic Surgery, a pre-eminent, state-ofthe-art AAAHC surgical center and medical spa. He’s a member of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and has traveled internationally to learn from top plastic surgeons, while also partaking in philanthropic trips to treat children with congenital and traumatic deformities in the Dominican Republic.

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2024

THE FACE OF

TAX LAW JOSEPH A. PETERSON — PLUNKETT COONEY 38505 WOODWARD AVE., SUITE 100, BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48304 | 248-433-7158 | JPETERSON@PLUNKETTCOONEY.COM | PLUNKETTCOONEY.COM

When high net worth individuals, families and their businesses find themselves in trouble with the IRS or state, they turn to Plunkett Cooney senior attorney Joe Peterson to help make things right.

Joe leads the firm’s Tax Law Practice Group, and for years he has successfully guided countless clients through the proverbial maze of traps and pitfalls inherent in the federal and Michigan tax systems. His tax controversy and resolution practice includes audit defense, collections, and

litigation. Joe routinely negotiates outstanding tax issues through penalty abatements, lien removal, discharge or subordination, offers in compromise, and installment agreements to settle tax balances.

You don’t have to face the IRS or state alone. Joe will review your case and walk you through the options available to settle your debt with the IRS or state. An expert at resolving the tax issues, he can help you get back on the right track and secure your financial freedom.

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01.24 ARTS, CULTURE, AND OTHER THINGS TO DO

Agenda C U LT U R E CA L E N DA R p. 62 I N M E M O R I A M p. 64 R E C R E AT I O N p. 65

ARTS & EN TERTAI N M EN T

JAZZ HANDS Head to the Fisher Theatre this month to see the Blue Note Quintet, led by pianist Gerald Clayton. Plus, mark your calendars for the top arts and culture events of 2024. p. 62

GERALD CLAYTON PHOTO BYOGOTA

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Agenda  Spain’s Compañía Nacional de Danza’s staging of Carmen takes place at the Detroit Opera House on Wednesday, Jan. 17.

JANUARY 2024

Culture Calendar Our carefully curated guide to the month in arts and entertainment

BY RYA N PATR I C K H O O PER

COMEDY

Coming into the new year with a laugh

For years, Patricia Williams (aka Ms. Pat) couldn’t find a job because of her lengthy arrest record. So, she went with what she was good at — making people laugh. She’s turned her time behind bars into sharp standup material, becoming one of the brightest comedic talents working today. I’ve never missed Ms. Pat when she comes to Detroit.

And every time she lands back here, the shows get crazier (like the last time she performed at Music Hall, calling out people in the crowd and ripping their outfits to shreds) and the venues get bigger (I first saw her at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle). Her fan base has grown quickly with the help of her hit sitcom, The Ms. Pat Show, on BET+. When you see her live, you see why she is a star — but be ready to become the butt of a joke if she

2024 EVENTS PREVIEW

Mark your brand-new calendar with the dates for these must-do events in metro Detroit this year COMPILE D BY LAU R EN W E THINGT ON

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catches you tripping.

Ms. Pat is performing at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 12. Tickets are available at musichall.org.

DANCE

Detroit Opera does Carmen through dance

Here at Hour Detroit and in this column, we’ve been major boosters of what’s happening at Detroit Opera under the creative direction of Artistic Director Yuval Sharon and Associate Artistic Director Chris-

tures beloved music, electrifying performances, and a timeless story of good versus evil. $59+. Detroit Opera House, Detroit; broadwayindetroit.com

FEB. 23 MUSIC JAN. 24-FEB. 18 THEATER Wicked: Telling the tale of The Wizard of Oz from the perspective of a misunderstood Wicked Witch of the West, this musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman is the fourth longest-running show in Broadway history. Boasting three Tony Awards, seven Drama Desk Awards, and one Grammy Award, Wicked fea-

Blake Shelton: The country superstar and former The Voice coach will embark on the second half of his wildly successful Back to the Honky Tonk Tour this winter with support from singer-songwriter Dustin Lynch and The Voice alum Emily Ann Roberts. Shelton’s most recent album, Body Language, was released in 2021 and featured hit singles “Happy Anywhere” and “Minimum Wage.”

tine Goerke. In March, I’m extremely excited for Sharon to direct Europeras: 3 & 4, a wild collage concept by pioneering composer John Cage that blurs the lines between where one opera ends and another begins. This month, I’m focused on dance.

Detroit Opera has been rounding out its performance schedule with creative approaches to dance, like this one: Spain’s Compañía Nacional de Danza’s staging of Carmen, one night only on Wednesday, Jan. 17. Choreographer Johan Inger’s reimagining of Georges Bizet’s opera sees the production through the eyes of a child. This will be the only U.S. performance of Inger’s Carmen during the company’s North American tour,

so don’t miss it.

Tickets for Carmen at the Detroit Opera House on Jan. 17 are available at detroitopera.org.

MUSIC

Live music at the Fisher Theatre — glad we’re seeing more

The Fisher Theatre is the de facto home of Broadway in Detroit, so (pretty much) every touring Broadway musical makes a stop at the historic theater inside Detroit’s art deco masterpiece skyscraper the Fisher Building. But it’s actually a quiet month for Broadway. The touring show of Wicked, landing at the Detroit Opera House on Jan. 24, is simply too big for the Fisher’s stage. Instead, at the Fisher, we’re treated to live music — a

$49+. Little Caesars Arena, Detroit; 313presents.com

MARCH 5-17 THEATER To Kill a Mockingbird: Harper Lee’s beloved Pulitzer Prizewinning novel about a falsely accused Black man and the lawyer who attempts to clear his name comes to life in this stage adaptation by Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin.

Directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, the heart-wrenching production will feature Emmy Award winner Richard Thomas in the starring role of Atticus Finch. $46+. Fisher Theatre, Detroit; broadwayindetroit.com

MARCH 23 MUSIC Olivia Rodrigo: At just 20 years old, singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo has achieved what most artists can only hope to accomplish over the course of an entire career: three Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles, two Billboard No. 1 albums, five multiplatinum certifications

throwback to how the theater functioned decades ago, when performers like Sammy Davis Jr. and David Bowie would grace the stage. The 85th anniversary of the legendary jazz record label Blue Note will bring the Blue Note Quintet to the Fisher on Jan. 19. The show will feature a band led by pianist Gerald Clayton, running through Blue Note’s historic catalog but also the new generation of songs, too. If you’ve seen a Broadway show at the Fisher, you already know the venue sounds great.

Now experience live jazz at the height of the art form and expect the same sonic immersion.

Tickets for the 85thanniversary Blue Note tour are available at broadwayindetroit.com.

from the Recording Industry Association of America, and three Grammy Awards.

The pop star’s 2023 album Guts was lauded by critics and fans alike for its diverse, genre-bending sounds and its catchy lead singles “Vampire” and “Bad Idea Right?”

Singer-songwriter Chappell Roan will open the show when the superstar comes to Little Caesars Arena. Sold out.

Little Caesars Arena, Detroit; 313presents.com

APRIL 6 MUSIC Bad Bunny: Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny has taken the world by storm

CARMEN COURTESY OF DETROIT OPERA HOUSE WICKED JOAN MARCUS OLIVIA RODRIGO COURTESY OF 313 PRESENTS

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Agenda

Day weekend since 2006, this annual festival celebrates Detroit’s revered place in techno and electronic music history by bringing together an expansive bill of DJs, artists, and innovators. Last year’s event featured six stages and more than 115 artists, in addition to art installations, vendor markets, and interactive pop-up entertainment zones. While the lineup for this year’s festival has not yet been announced, fans should expect to see some of the biggest names in electronic music. Cost TBA. Hart Plaza, Detroit; movementfestival.com

Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World is a multimedia show by the Javaad Alipoor Company

ON MY PLAYLIST

Speaking of Blue Note … check out Jack White’s reissues from the label

I’m at your service, ready to bring you new music — or old music that’s being presented in a new way — every month as part of our Culture Calendar. This month, let’s stay thinking about jazz and highlight the reissues of Detroit-centric jazz albums from Jack White’s Third Man Records in collaboration with Blue Note

Records. They’re under the banner of the 313 Series partnership, focused on citythemed records.

There have been five announced since last year, including trumpeter Donald Byrd’s jazz-funk odyssey Electric Byrd, Thad Jones’ excellent Detroit-New York Junction from 1956 (a true hard-bop classic by yet another trumpeter with Detroit roots), and Grant Green’s Live at Club Mozambique, which features recordings of the iconic guitarist performing live

since his studio debut just six short years ago. His third album, 2020’s El Último Tour Del Mundo, became the first Spanish-language album to top the Billboard 200 list.

The artist also boasts three Grammy Awards, five Latin Grammy Awards, and seven Billboard Music Awards. Hear hits like “I Like It” and “Dakiti” when the phenom’s Most Wanted Tour makes a Detroit stop this spring. $206+.

Little Caesars Arena, Detroit; 313presents.com

APRIL 11-13 MUSIC Tchaikovsky and Dvorák: Detroit Symphony Orchestra

principal cellist Wei Yu will take center stage for stirring renditions of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s beloved Variations on a Rococo Theme and Antonin Dvorák’s boisterous Sixth Symphony.

Audiences will also get to witness the Orchestra Hall debut of groundbreaking South Korean conductor Shiyeon Sung — the first female conductor to win first prize at the prestigious Sir Georg Solti International Conductors’ Competition. $19+.

Orchestra Hall, Detroit; dso.org

over two nights in Detroit in 1971. Maybe it’s your first time hearing these records; maybe you’re rediscovering and dusting off old favorites. Either way, Third Man Records has reissued these records with a lot of love, all handpicked by Don Was and available now.

Learn more at bluenote. com/announcing-thethird-man-blue-note313-series.

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JUNE 22 COMEDY

Directed by Jenn Thompson, the sunny show will charm fans old and new with sensationally catchy songs and a touching message about what it really means to have a family. $30+. Fox Theatre, Detroit; 313presents.com

MAY 3-5 THEATER

RECORDS COURTESY OF BLUE NOTE ANNIE COURTESY OF 313 PRESENTS MOVEMENT DAILY BEST LEANNE MORGAN COURTESY OF ARTIST & BRANDS MARATHON COURTESY OF THE DETROIT FREE PRESS

AUG. 30-SEPT. 2 ART/MUSIC Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats, and Eats: Hundreds of thousands of Michiganders flock to Royal Oak every Labor Day weekend for this annual celebration of art, food, and music. Expect to see hundreds of bands, ranging from local talent to internationally touring acts, along with local and national fine artists and dozens of delicious local food options. The fest also offers kid-friendly activities, pop-up vendors, and alcoholic beverages. Cost TBA. Downtown Royal Oak; artsbeatseats.com

SEPT. 22-JAN. 5, 2025 ART

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

Annie: One of the most enduring and beloved stage productions of all time, this musical by Tony Award winners Charles Strouse, Thomas Meehan, and Martin Charnin tells the story of an orphaned 11-year-old girl desperate to find her family in Great Depression-era New York City.

town Ann Arbor; theannarbor artfair.com

MAY 25-27 MUSIC Movement: Held in Detroit’s Hart Plaza every Memorial

Leanne Morgan: Just Getting Started: In her inaugural Netflix comedy special, I’m Every Woman, Tennesseeborn comedian, actress, and author Leanne Morgan draws hilariously from her experiences as a wife, mother, and grandmother. Her popular online stand-up special, So Yummy, has racked up more than 50 million views on YouTube and even landed Morgan a role alongside Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon in the upcoming Amazon Studios film You’re Cordially Invited. $58+. Fisher Theatre, Detroit; broadwayindetroit.com

JULY 18-20 ART Ann Arbor Art Fair: Featuring nearly 1,000 artists and spanning 30 city blocks, this summer tradition in downtown Ann Arbor is made up of three separate events: the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Original; Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair; and Ann Arbor State Street Art Fair. As the largest juried art fair in the country, it draws artists from around the U.S. displaying works in a variety of mediums, including paint, ceramics, glass, jewelry, and sculpture. No cost. Down-

Dining with the Sultan: The Fine Art of Feasting: View more than 200 pieces of dining-related art from Arab, Persian, Indian, and Turkish cultures at this upcoming Detroit Institute of Arts exhibition. Illuminating the significance of food and entertaining in Islamic cultures across the globe, the display will feature lush paintings, ornate dishes and glassware, and even historical cookbooks. No cost with general museum admission. Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit; dia.org

OCT. 18-20 RECREATION Detroit Free Press Marathon: Offering races for all ages and skill levels, this annual event features a competitive 1-mile run, a 5K race, a halfmarathon, and a full marathon.

There’s also a Kids Fun Run, a Disabilities Division run, and a marathon relay that encourages participants to work in teams. Cost TBA. Downtown Detroit; freepmarathon.com

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IN MEMORIAM

Where Credit Is Due

A farewell to two musical figures who passed away in 2023, both 81, both underappreciated in their time

BY RYAN PATRICK HOOPER

HONORING THE DEAD is a thankless task. There will always be a name forgotten, someone who wasn’t included but should’ve been.

There’s always a lot of “should’ve been.”

We lose so many in a year who don’t generate a headline. In the creative class, it’s an epidemic. Those deaths ripple through the scene that knew them directly, but even the most “in the know” haven’t heard of them across town. That might be a Detroit thing, with so many creative pockets that don’t connect to one another.

But it’s also just the life cycle of most artists, who end up being a coral reef to the creative scene — each helping to build a beautiful ecosystem underneath the surface, but only a few making waves that bring notoriety and a notice in the paper when they die.

Two musicians we lost last year represent the luck, patience, and fight it takes to leave a lasting impact on this planet.

Detroit singer-songwriter Sixto Rodriguez, who died in August 2023 at the age of 81, spent decades convinced he’d never get his due. He worked construction around Detroit’s Cass Corridor neighborhood (including installing the roofing on my apartment building), a mysterious figure with a long duster jacket and a guitar strapped to his back.

Few knew that he had released two excellent albums back-to-back in the

 Sixto Rodriguez was the subject of the Oscarwinning Searching for Sugar Man documentary.

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Songwriter Barrett Strong co-wrote Motown hits like “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” made popular by Marvin Gaye. 

early 1970s — Cold Fact and Coming from Reality.

Those records did nothing locally or nationally but turned him into an international star in South Africa and Australia, where he was viewed as a Bob Dylan-like figure.

No one knew that in Detroit, including Rodriguez himself. Over a decade ago, however, those records started to resurface in the city’s music scene, with Rodriguez performing muchbuzzed-about shows in dive bars.

The 2012 documentary Searching for Sugar Man won an Oscar and made Rodriguez a bona fide celebrity, and he performed around the country and overseas to thousands of new fans. Songs written years ago, like “Crucify Your Mind” and “Hate Street Dialogue,” still felt shockingly fresh and relevant.

They only sound better as time goes on.

And yet Rodriguez stayed humble through it all, breaking his back building the Cass Corridor into Midtown while he waited patiently for his welldeserved turn in the spotlight. “I was too disappointed to be disappointed,” Rodriguez said of all those years in between during an interview on 60 Minutes.

For Rodriguez, his talent should’ve been recognized the day his debut album was released.

Similarly, Barrett Strong, the Motown songwriter who died last January, also at 81, should’ve been credited for the hit that built Berry Gordy’s empire without having to fight for it.

Strong was literally crossed out from songwriting credit for “Money (That’s What I Want),” the infectious hit that everyone adored and even The Beatles covered. Strong didn’t see much if any money from writing that hit single, which Gordy used to finance Motown.

Until the day he died, however, he was still making his case for what was rightfully his. But like Rodriguez, he didn’t let his misfortune derail him from a full life.

Strong teamed up with Norman Whitfield, writing hit songs that it seems like we’re all born knowing, such as “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” for Marvin Gaye and “Ball of Confusion” for The Temptations.

Like Rodriguez, Strong was forever humble. He once said in an interview, “We wrote maybe 300 songs, and we had 12 good ones.”

Fortunately for us — the lovers of great music and all things Detroit — both artists broke through, shared their music with the world, and got their flowers before their deaths. But throughout their careers, there was too much “should’ve been.”

And as for the musicians and artists who never got their notoriety during their time, they should’ve been honored, too. As we head into the new year, let’s work to leave the “should’ve been” behind.

And try to give flowers where flowers are due to those who are still with us today, before they wilt away.

BARRETT STRONG PICTORIAL PRESS LTD / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO SIXTO RODRIGUEZ MEDIAPUNCH INC / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

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Agenda

Sparks Pinball Museum in New Baltimore claims to have one of the largest pinball machine collections in the Midwest. That includes classics and vintage rarities. 

Barcade, Midtown Detroit

With a couple of dozen craft beers on tap and a selection of cocktails, Barcade is a high-end, pay-as-you-go haven full of vintage and new video, pinball, and driving games. Classics like Centipede and Ms. Pac-Man share space with brand-new technological marvels.

666 Selden St.; 313-285-9410; barcade.com/detroit

Offworld Arcade, Downtown Detroit

Upstairs from Checker Bar, Offworld Arcade has a devoted following of vintage ’90s arcade fans who come for the Baywatch, Simpsons, and Joust classics.

124 Cadillac Square; 313-961-9249; checkerbar.com

Grand River Ball Room, Downtown Detroit

 The neon-lit jukebox bar at Fraser’s Free Play Pinball Arcade, which offers unlimited play for just $15 or $20, depending on the day.

RECREATION

GAME NIGHTS

Remember when you used to hang out with your friends and play video games at the local arcade? Now you can do it with booze.

BY MICKEY LYONS

THE SUMMER I was 11 years old, my best friend, Emily, and I rode our bikes everywhere. To the swimming pool, to the tennis courts, across Farmington Road to visit friends, to the pharmacy to snag forbidden candy bars. Mostly, we rode our bikes a mile or so up the road to Tally Hall, the food court and shopping plaza at 14 Mile and Orchard Lake.

We spent every day we could of that one last glorious childhood summer standing on our pedals with the wind flying past us and the clack-clack of my loose bike chain providing an uneven soundtrack to our journey. We were there for the magical coinoperated treasure trove called Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum.

To my mind, Marvin’s was Disneyland and BobLo Island and Cedar Point all rolled up in one. It was Aladdin’s Cave of Wonders, with delights around every corner, all flashing lights and ping! buzz! clang!

After a quick lap around the food court, we’d settle on our favorite pinball games and get to work blowing through our stash of quarters scavenged from couch cushions and car seats.

My love of pinball games and video arcades was born during these hazy summer days and continued through college, where I worked at a bar that had two classic ’90s pinball machines: Bram Stoker’s Dracula and The Addams Family. No trip to East Lansing or Ann Arbor is complete for me without a stop at PinSPARKS, FREE PLAY COURTESY OF BARCADE BALL ROOM ADAM TABOR

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ball Pete’s. I don’t care how mature you think you are — when you’re standing in front of a bleeping, whirring machine with caroming silver balls, frantically smashing the paddles and trying to figure out where the ball went, you’re going to end up making some undignified sounds.

That’s what my sister and I experienced when I dragged her to Barcade in Midtown Detroit recently.

We snagged a Michigan-made beer and ordered some loaded tots. As we mounted the stairs to confront a giant lineup of pinball and video games, I spied it: my beloved Addams Family game. Once upon a time I was decent at pinball, but the years have dulled my reflexes, and I tanked my first game pretty hard.

Not to worry, as there were dozens of other games of chance and skill to try out. My sister’s spatial perception came in handy for leveling through Tetris, while my muscle memory did eventually kick in and help me out with a solid showing at Frogger. We were both equally terrible, if giggling like kids, at the Konami Bishi Bashi game with massive glowing buttons and nonsensical game scenarios. By the end of the night, we were down about $20 in tokens but significantly lighter in spirit. And in my dreams, the clangclang echoes of the pinball paddles turned into the clack-clack of a loose bike chain.

If you’re game, here are some of the metro Detroit bars with arcade games to indulge your playful side.

What the Ball Room — downstairs from Shorty Bell’s Pizza — lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality, with a dozen pinball games alongside foosball, SkeeBall, and indoor bocce, as well as an impressive selection of canned craft beer and cocktails, with DJs spinning vinyl regularly. 1260 Washington Blvd.; 313942-4522; grandriverballroomwix.com

Sparks Pinball Museum, New Baltimore

Billing itself as home to “one of the largest public collections of pinballs in the Midwest,” Sparks has some rare games from the 1980s as well as a solid selection of great new pinball and arcade games. Sparks is inside the Premier Entertainment Complex, so bowling and pool are also an option. 33151 23 Mile Road; 313473-9860; sparkspinballmuseum.com

Free Play Pinball Arcade, Fraser

Any barcade that boasts a 3-by-8-foot Hercules pinball machine is guaranteed to deliver a good time.

Fraser’s Free Play offers unlimited play for $15 or $20 (depending on the day) in addition to group reservations, a neon-lit jukebox bar, and more than 70 pinball, video, and arcade games, including foosball and air hockey. 34830 Utica Road, Ste. 100; 586-2047959; freeplaypinballarcade.com

 Besides pinball, Skee-Ball, and bocce, downtown Detroit’s Grand River Ball Room offers craft beer, cocktails, and live DJs.

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DINING &Marketplace NIGHTLIFE

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Indulge in our Winter Features Menu!

Shareable Entrèes ANNA’S WINTER SAMPLER

BREAKFAST NACHOS

GINGERBREAD FRENCH TOAST

CRAB CAKE BENEDICT

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01.24 AN EPICUREAN’S GUIDE TO THE REGION’S DINING SCENE

Food&Drink D R I N K S p. 68 R E STAU R A N T R E P O RT p. 69 R ESTAU R AN T R EP O RT

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

S U STA I NA B I L I T Y p. 72 R E STAU R A N T L I ST I N G S p. 75 D I N I N G N EWS p. 86

Lifelong Macomb County resident Joe Vicari has built one of the country’s largest restaurant groups. Here’s how he did it. p. 69

NORWEGIAN SALMON FROM THE STATLER COURTESY OF JOE VICARI RESTAURANT GROUP

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

Mingle Mocktails’ Cranberry Cosmo is a zero-alcohol version of the classic (made popular on Sex and the City) with cranberry, lime, and a touch of orange juice.

DRINKS

GROWING UP

No alcohol doesn’t have to mean low-quality ingredients

BY M ICK EY LYO NS

AS A LONGTIME veteran of hospitality and alcohol service, Emily Sweeney Handy knows more than most folks about choosing highquality drinks, either at a bar or a store. She’s also racked up plenty of experience sussing out no- or low-alcohol alternatives — especially since she’s seven months pregnant when she sits down to talk with Hour Detroit.

During her work as a craft bartender at The Fillmore and as an event coordinator and accounts payable specialist at Grand Trunk Hospitality Group, Sweeney Handy has witnessed the rise of the mocktail and the

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evolution of nonalcoholic spirits, beer, wine, and ready-to-drink cocktails. “Even before I got pregnant, I have never been much of a drinker,” she says. Now, she says, she looks for complex flavor profiles, and she has always tried to focus on quality over quantity in her drink choices.

The national zero-alcohol spirits category grew by more than 113 percent in 2021, while nonalcoholic beer, cider, and ready-to-drink cocktails grew by more than 30 percent, according to NielsenIQ data. A large part of that growth represents the variety now available to consumers. Just a few years ago, options for alcohol-free drinks for adults veered toward the sweet side, with a standard ginger-beer-andblueberry drink here or a funky lemonade there.

Says Sweeney Handy: “Mocktails are really prevalent, but you have to watch where you get them from, especially if you’re watching your sugar.” She has tried nonalcoholic drinks, including craft cocktails and wine, at spots all over town. The key to a good alcohol-free drink, just as with an alcoholic beverage, Sweeney says, is quality and understanding. The quality of nonalcoholic drink alternatives has increased

dramatically just in the last few years, but that doesn’t mean they’re a lot less expensive than their full-octane counterparts. Expect a spirit alternative to cost nearly as much as a similar alcoholic drink; Ghia, a top-selling nonalcoholic aperitif, retails at around $38, about the same as a premium bottle of Italian amaro.

As for understanding, a bartender’s experience and skill at melding flavors and textures can really help. Sweeney Handy has enjoyed nonalcoholic cocktails at several restaurants and bars, including Bumbo’s Bar in Hamtramck and Flyleaf in Grosse Pointe Farms. “After being a craft bartender for so long, I know it’s actually harder to come up with a nonalcoholic cocktail than it is an alcohol cocktail and have it layered and taste great,” she says. She has also enjoyed finding Wölffer Estate’s alcohol-free Spring in a Bottle sparkling rosé at retail stores and wine bars in town. “It hits different when you can go to a restaurant and have a nice nonalcoholic cocktail or beverage that people put thought into and that makes you actually feel like an adult,” she says.

For the sober-curious or the full-on “dryhards,” the array of ready-to-drink options is growing, growing, growing. Cans of no-gronis, faux-gronis, aperiti-nos, and nonalcoholic spritzes demonstrate that the nonalcoholic drink is all grown up. Most well-stocked liquor stores have a few bottles of nonalcoholic spirits like Seedlip or Lyre on hand to mix with tonic or soda. Pre-batched cocktails like Mingle Mocktails’ Cranberry Cosmo, with effervescence and citrus notes, mimic the popular drinks they’re based on and come ready to pour and serve. Hop water — citrusy, dry, or piney hopinfused carbonated water — is also readily available; Short’s Brewing Co.’s lemon-lime Thirst Mutilator is made right here in Michigan.

Dana Haddrill, a sales representative at Oath Distributing, works with retail stores to bring both nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages to consumers at liquor and grocery stores, and Ghia is one of her products. “When I started with Oath, I had to do some convincing with people to bring in NA beers,” she says. “And then the next week, they’re [saying], ‘I need five more cases of that.’ They’re definitely getting a lot more respect now.”

Haddrill and Sweeney Handy have both found that in just the last year or two, bartenders and retail vendors have become more willing to devote real estate, whether that’s on the store shelf or the menu, to nonalcoholic drinks. The faux-groni has now evolved into a drink that will hold its own against its liquor-intensive peers.

Says Haddrill, “If people aren’t doing something with NAs, they’re living under a rock.”

PHOTO MINGLE MOCKTAIL

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Food&Drink

The Statler’s lobster-topped Oscar Benedict, served with a side of asparagus.

R E STAU R A N T R E P O RT

LOCAL INGREDIENTS, NATIONAL ACCLAIM Joe Vicari’s thriving restaurant company is a family affair and one of the largest restaurant groups in the U.S. We checked in on the expanding empire, which naturally required plenty of eating.

BY MI C H EL L E KOBER NI C K

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 Andiamo’s lasagna alla Bolognese, made with Bolognese and besciamella sauces.

THE JOE VICARI Restaurant Group encompasses 25 restaurants in three states, but the flagship Andiamo in Warren is still the empire’s crown jewel. The facility includes an expandable banquet hall and an 800-seat entertainment venue, Andiamo Celebrity Showroom.

Also housed there, and bustling with action, is the Vicari commissary kitchen, which is nearly double the size of the restaurant’s kitchen. This hidden scullery is mission central, where dozens of staff members produce food for catered events along with the stocks, sauces, soups, and pastas for all the Michigan restaurants. The place bustles with action as chefs stand behind every station, hard at work chopping, stirring, packaging.

When they see restaurant manager Paula Marrs rounding the corner, a rousing song erupts from the group: “I love lasagna!”

“It’s lasagna Thursday, and they’ve been waiting on me,” Marrs explains.

“They’re making lasagna for all the Andiamos, including the one at the airport, today.”

She’s talking about the three women known as the “pasta ladies,” who have worked side by side for nearly three decades to hand-make fresh pasta for all the Vicari restaurants. They are Angelina Pascaretta, who learned how to make pasta growing up near Naples, Italy; Anna Peptitti, whose parents and grandparents taught her when she was a child near Rome; and Tonya Nikprelaj from Montenegro, a Balkan state north of Albania, who’s been with the company for over 30 years. The women make up to 600 pounds of pasta daily, creating as many as 15 iterations that rotate seasonally in the restaurants throughout the year. Today, the busy trio is spreading generous layers of bechamel, shredded mozzarella, Parmesan, and meat and tomato sauces in baking pans between thinly rolled sheets of pasta. They are laser-focused, mending gaps and sealing the corners in no fewer than 13 layers.

“She’s building the pasta all the way to the edge of the pan, and she won’t miss a spot,” Marrs says, referring to Peptitti. “Every bite needs to be perfection; that’s what we believe.”

This attention to detail has paid off in success and good press. In 2023, the food-service industry magazine Nation’s Restaurant News ranked Vicari as the 22nd largest privately held restaurant group by unit count in the U.S. There are five metro Detroit Andiamo locations and a sixth in Las Vegas — Andiamo Steakhouse. There’s even an Andiamo at the Detroit Metro Airport. The smaller Andiamo Bistro in Washington Township offers a fastcasual dining experience and specializes in flatbreads. Several other brands complete the Vicari universe, foremost being the venerable Joe Muer Seafood, which Vicari acquired in 2011. In 2020, Vicari acquired three spots in the suburbs and renamed them: Bronze Door in Grosse Pointe Farms (technically a revival of its original name), Birmingham Pub in downtown Birmingham, and Barleycorn’s Public House in Shelby Township. The Statler, a French-American bistro, opened in downtown Detroit in late 2021.

Wait, there’s more: two Vito’s Bakery locations in Macomb County, three

 Joe Vicari (center) poses with eight of his chefs. His restaurant group includes 25 eateries in three states.

family-friendly Country Inn restaurants, and seven 2941 Mediterranean Street Food locations. In addition, the Vicari Group operates five banquet centers along with one of the largest catering and event management companies in Michigan. And its food trucks cover some of Detroit’s biggest events.

The family-owned and -operated business has grown this portfolio using a tried-and-true formula. Whether it’s fast casual, family friendly, or five-star fine dining, guests are sure to slide into a warm, inviting atmosphere with consistently exceptional food and top-notch service. Everything is made in-house using the highest-quality ingredients. This philosophy was established when the first Andiamo opened in Warren in 1989 under the late master chef Aldo Ottaviani, who headed the kitchen for 22 years.

The Family

From left: Angelina Pascaretta, Tonya Nikprelaj, and Anna Peptitti, longtime pasta-makers at Andiamo.  .

A focus on authentic, high-quality food has kept the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group at the top of the Detroit restaurant game for over 40 years. Family is the heart of the enterprise, with Joe Vicari as founder and CEO; his wife, Rosalie, as chief operating officer; and his brother John as a partner

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Food&Drink  Norwegian salmon from The Statler, topped with lobster, sauce vin blanc, and herb oil.

in the Joe Muer Detroit location, The Statler, and Bronze Door. John is also overseeing the new Joe Muer in Nashville with a team of three others. Joe and Rosalie’s son Dominic is the operating partner at the Fenton Andiamo location and oversees the Joe Muer Bloomfield location. But they also consider every one of their 1,200 employees as family.

And as with any family, there have been ups and downs. Barleycorn’s Public House in Shelby Township shuttered in 2022 (after just over a year in business) due to staffing issues. Joe Vicari was also partner at Rojo Mexican Bistro, a chain that filed for bankruptcy in 2016 after about eight years in business — but he left four years prior.

The restaurant business is challenging, but Joe Vicari relies on his family and staff. “You’re only as good as the people around you, and I try to empower the people running each restaurant,” he says. “I want them to think of it as their own and want guests to come in looking for them.”

Many have worked for Vicari for two or more decades, in multiple locations, and have grown professionally during their tenure. One of them, Mike Nowinski, was previously at Andiamo Bloomfield and helped open Joe Muer Detroit. He’s been the operating partner of the Detroit riverfront Andiamo in the GM Renaissance Center for 20 years. “When I met Joe, I was coming from the bar business, and he was very honest and trustworthy,” Nowinski says. “This is not an easy industry to get through, and he’s always been aboveboard and tremendously loyal.”

The Food

The Andiamo at the Renaissance Center offers stunning panoramic views of the Detroit River and the Canadian skyline. Barges regularly drift by. The food is equally mesmerizing. Specialties of the house include the burrata di bufala, buffalo burrata cheese drizzled with Calabrese hot honey, served with an arugula salad, toasted pine nuts, a grilled baguette, and baby tomatoes with balsamic pearls for an acidic burst of flavor. The Ragu di Vitello Bianco is a veal breast braised in a white veal sauce, cooked overnight with mushrooms, a hint of nutmeg, and fontina fonduta that’s served open-faced over strips of mafaldine pasta.

The rapini and salsiccia dish has a strozzapreti pasta, with Italian sausage, broccoli rabe, crushed red pepper, and Parmesan, and the Costolette di Agnello features three Moroccan-spiced lamb chops over Venere black risotto, surrounded by a red pepper emulsion, eggplant fritta, and an Egyptian mint accent.

Next door to the riverfront Andiamo, also in the Renaissance Center, is Joe Muer Seafood, with two exclusive wine rooms, live entertainment all week, and a wrap-around patio open during the summer, when the craft cocktails flow freely. The classic dover sole a la meuniere is expertly filleted tableside and has an essence of herbes de Provence, lemon,

and brown butter. The braised Wagyu short rib is rich in flavor and comforting, served alongside celery root, whipped potatoes, Swiss chard, and baby carrots with a choice of scallops or shrimp.

The Georges Bank scallops are dusted with fennel pollen and artfully arranged with sweet corn (seasonally), morel mushrooms, spring onion, petite Yukon Gold potatoes, and lemon oil.

At The Statler, chef Vincent Brady is newly settling back in as the executive chef. (He was filling in at Joe Muer and then Bronze Door.) He has served many roles within the organization, before opening this French-American bistro with certified master chef Daniel Scannell and Executive Corporate Chef Jim Oppat.

While there are several traditional French offerings at The Statler, Brady plans to update the menu, which will be finalized soon. “I’m big on seasonality as a chef, so I like to change things every two to three months,” he says. The menu will always feature a seasonal salad, like the cider-pressed fall apple salad with mixed greens, apple cider vinaigrette, sliced almonds, feta, and cranberries.

French staples include the time-honored country pate wrapped in bacon, with cornichons, pickled mustard seeds, cranberry compote, Dijon mustard, and sourdough, and the bouillabaisse Provencal, a traditional seafood stew with shrimp, scallops, lobster, and mussels, cooked in a flavorful saffron fumet broth.

Blendi Suvari, manager and managing partner of Birmingham Pub, has worked with the group since 1999. Born in Albania, he arrived not knowing a word of English and began as a busser. Soon afterwards, he worked his way into a chef role, then eventually became a manager.

“Joe gives people an opportunity who want one,” Suvaria says. “There are a lot of chains and restaurants out there, but if you want to become someone with him, you can.”

Birmingham Pub is a classic-style gastropub with a sophisticated twist. There are hearty starters like the handcrafted pierogi filled with whipped Yukon Gold potatoes, topped with crispy onions and decoratively garnished with sour cream, apple butter, and brown butter. There is the mushroom soup en croute, a hearty broth with a mix of forest

mushrooms, vegetables, and veal jus, capped with a puff pastry top. The Alaskan halibut sports a flavorful everything-bagel crust, arranged over grilled asparagus and crispy rice.

Craft cocktails are a house specialty. They include the seasonal spiced pear margarita with Altos plata tequila, St. George spiced pear liqueur, pear, lime, citrus agave, and apple tart salt foam.

A year-round favorite is the Pretty in Pink, with peach and orange blossom vodka, Aperol, and lemon-grapefruit seltzer.

The Future

So what’s next on the restaurant startup menu?

A carryout-style Andiamo concept, tentatively opening in 2024 near the Joe Muer in Nashville, and another Joe Muer Seafood in Boca Raton, Florida, planned to open in March 2025.

For Joe Vicari, the magic is still in the thrill and excitement of opening a new restaurant. That, and all the people he’s met along the way who keep him motivated. “The biggest thing I get out of this is the people I’ve gotten to know over the years that have been coming into the restaurants and are now friends,” he says. “It’s one of the better perks of being in the restaurant business.”

 The Statler in downtown Detroit is a French bistro that opened in 2021.

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 Shared Abundance tells the story of how the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, a Traverse City nonprofit, created a local food economy in Michigan that’s respected around the nation.

SUSTAINABILITY

Growing Stronger A new book celebrates the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities and its work in making northern Michigan a leader in the local food movement

BY M I CH ELLE KOBE RNICK

IT DOESN’T GET more local than Moomers Homemade Ice Cream on the west side of Traverse City. In a busy year, the creamery churns out 100,000 gallons of ice cream in over 150 flavors, such as Maple Walnut, Brownie Batter, and Cherries Moobilee. You can enjoy your confection in Moomers’ deck-wrapped parlor overlooking the 80-acre Plummer family dairy farm, a view complete with grazing cows to show you where your ice cream came from.

Moomers is a delicious example of how far the local food scene has come in Michigan. The state boasts one of the best examples of a “locally sustainable food economy” in the country. This means the residents consume fruits, vegetables, meat, cheese, beer, and wine grown and produced within 100 miles of where they live. It’s a rejection of the industrial food system (nicknamed Big Agriculture), which uses unsustainable methods, harmful chemicals, and enormous amounts of fossil fuels to transport these products around the globe.

But over the past 20 years, a handful of food activists have championed an alternative: Small Agriculture. Chief among them is the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, a nonprofit

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in Traverse City. A new book, Shared Abundance: Lessons in Building Community Around Locally Grown Food, takes readers through Groundwork’s two decades of helping create a local food economy that’s respected around the nation. In Michigan, a network of farms, restaurants, school districts, hospitals, and food pantries participate in this economy. Not to mention tourists: Visitors flock to the Traverse City region to sample delicious local foods as well as meet the people who grow, source, and cook them — along with the animals they’re sourced from.

This in turn encourages small farmers to stay in business — or get into it. According to Shared Abundance, local farm entrepreneurship has increased 36 percent in northern Michigan since 2002. Formerly known as the Michigan Land Use Institute, Groundwork has helped family farms forge the strategic business relationships they need to thrive, transforming an area once known for large commodity crops, like cherries (70 percent of the nation’s tart cherries are grown here), into the second most diverse agricultural region in the U.S. Shared Abundance is written by Diane Conners,

a former journalist turned local food advocate.

She recently retired as Groundwork’s senior policy specialist for food and farming, but she leaves behind this coffee-table tome, with stunning photography of farmers and food

by Beth Price. Seven chapters cover topics such as marketing and connecting; farm-toschool programs; expanding food access and distribution, including as part of health care; and the infrastructure that’s needed to support it all. Each chapter concludes with a “playbook” of strategies for building local food economies anywhere in the country, as well as a recipe from a local farmer or chef. Shared Abundance is the story of a community that connects people to where their food comes from.

As Conners writes: “This book contains 22 years of stories and lessons about building economy and community around locally grown food.” These lessons have never been more vital as we battle global warming, the rise of chronic diseases, and food insecurity.

“Renaissance” might not be too strong of a word to describe the revolution happening in the local Michigan food scene, but the “grow local, eat local” movement started in 1971 in Berkeley, California, with Chez Panisse, Alice Waters’ landmark eat-local establishment. Her goal was to share with guests the marvels of seasonal organic produce, harvested from local farms and her own backyard garden.

In Italy, Carlo Petrini founded Slow Food, an organization and movement dedicated to preserving local and regional cuisine. He was inspired by a protest against the first McDonald’s PHOTOS BETH PRICE

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opening in Rome. An antidote to fast food, Slow Food was founded in 1989, expanded internationally in 1992, and is now in over 160 countries.

In Detroit, award-winning chef Jimmy Schmidt was another steward of the farm-to-table culinary movement. He was building his menus at The Rattlesnake Club around locally sourced and responsibly raised foods in the 1980s, well before anyone else in the region.

The Michigan Land Use Institute was founded by journalist-turned-environmental activist Keith Schneider in 1995. At the time, gas and mineral companies were incentivizing struggling farmers to retire and sell their land rights, and Schneider’s group helped preserve open land from urban sprawl.

In 2002, the institute published The New Entrepreneurial Agriculture, a report about the northern Michigan farming landscape, written

by Patty Cantrell, founder of Groundwork’s food and farming program, and program director Jim Lively. They focused on the human stories behind small farms in the area, addressing their business hurdles at the community level. The authors also shared a vision for how small and midsize family farms could sustain themselves outside of commodity markets.

The report was the catalyst for creating the 2004 directory Taste the Local Difference. It was a marketing tool and guide for Michigan’s local food economy, highlighting local farmers in five counties, what they sold, and where they were located. Today, Taste the Local Difference, which is now a consulting, media, and marketing agency, covers all Michigan counties, offering business and marketing services and hosting an online directory of farmers and producers at its website, localdifference.org.

While commonplace now, direct business arrangements with farmers were rare two decades ago. Taste the Local Difference drew the interest of not just chefs and restaurateurs but also the medical community, local food pantries, culinary institutes, and public schools.

Over time, the Michigan Land Use Institute (which changed its name to the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities in 2015) broadened its scope to food in schools.

Recognizing that the people who were raising their kids in Michigan wanted them to eat healthier while feeling connected to the land and the community, it created a pilot program to connect local farmers with school districts, called 10 Cents a Meal for Michigan’s Kids & Farms. Every 10 cents a school spent on locally grown food for its meals was matched

by Groundwork, increasing the amount of Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables, and legumes in school lunches.

Meghan McDermott, deputy director at PHOTO BETH PRICE

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grants and collaborates with food pantries, churches, farms, schools, and other outreachfocused sites. It provides stipends and additional resources to 26 project sites across 10 counties to secure food access and work on other community initiatives in the northwest lower Michigan region.

In her prologue, Conners quotes writer, environmentalist, and farmer Wendell Berry: “People are fed by the food industry, which pays no attention to health, and are [healed] by the health industry, which pays no attention to food.” Groundwork aims to change that. In the chapter on culinary medicine, Conners describes Groundwork’s efforts to bring nutritious produce to people with health problems, especially diabetes. Working with health care groups like Munson Healthcare and its eight hospitals, these initiatives teach patients how to eat healthier,

Groundwork, saw the need for bringing local produce into schools just over a decade ago when she moved to northern Michigan from Chicago.

“When I came here, there were kids in the heart of Traverse City, with 97 percent qualifying for free or reduced lunch, who had never eaten a local blueberry grown down the street from where they live,” McDermott says.

Some of the most affecting passages in Shared Abundance describe how children prefer locally grown food because it’s tastier and they know who grew it. No wonder the 10 Cents program has been a huge success; it’s now administered by the state of Michigan, and in 2022, the program was approved for $9.3 million in funding with bipartisan support from the Michigan Legislature. The program matches grants, which provides opportunities for farmers like



Daughter and mother Aarie (left) trading processed, carb-heavy Nic Welty from 9 Bean Rows and Debra Wade of the Grand meals for those rich in nutritious in Suttons Bay, who gets stable Rapids-based Baxter Community local produce. year-round revenue from schools Center, which is supported by the 10 Cents a Meal program.

Above all, Shared Abundance is purchasing local produce. To help meet demand, Welty founded a about people making a difference: cooperative of 12 farmers growing farmers, of course, but also produce on farms that range from 5 to 75 acres to dietitians, chefs, food service directors, culinary handle ordering, invoicing, and distribution — the students, teachers, and doctors. Consider local-food ripple effect.

Dazmonique Carr, who owns a hyperlocal mobile That effect reaches commercial kitchens, grocery in Detroit called Deeply Rooted Produce. too. The Great Lakes Culinary Institute at She delivers food from six farmers within 10 Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City miles of her home to schools, private residences, buys large quantities of food. Its “plant slant” senior living facilities, and corner stores. With curriculum emphasizes working with locally help from the Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund, grown foods, with hopes that new chefs will enter she’s also buying lots in Detroit and turning them culinary jobs and create new restaurants using into urban farms, harvesting fruit trees planted this healthier mindset. by her ancestors who came from the South to Groundwork also serves as a resource to Detroit. improve food access for families in need. The “There are people out here who are homeless organization buys local produce and other foods and hungry who don’t know that there are to distribute at meal sites and food pantries mulberries free for them to grab,” she says. “We to support good nutrition. Using donations, have burdock root, borage, red clover, chicory, wild Groundwork distributes funds in small $2,000 carrot. … There is an abundance available to us.”

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Restaurant Guide Wayne

Bavarian soft pretzels. 1175 Lakepointe St., Grosse Pointe Park; 313-344-5104. L,D daily.

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.

Al Ameer $$ LEBANESE • This halal restaurant is a recipient of the prestigious James Beard America’s Classics Award. The Al Ameer platter is perfect for sharing: chicken shawarma, meat shawarma, tawook kabob, and two kafta served with hummus and salad. 12710 W. Warren Ave., Dearborn; 313-582-8185. 27346 Ford Road, Dearborn Heights; 313-565-9600 L,D daily.

Alpino $$ ALPINE This Alps-inspired Corktown eatery quickly became beloved after opening in 2022. The cozy interior evokes cabins and farmhouses from the European countryside. Order beers and wines from all over Europe, plus cocktails like the kaffeepause, their riff on an espresso martini made with brandy, house coffee liqueur, and demerara. Choice bites include the fondue, wiener schnitzel, or the chestnut gnocchetti, made with chestnut dumplings, wild boar sausage, apple, kale, morber, and fried sage. There are tasty vegetarian and vegan options, as well. 1426 Bagley St., Detroit; 313-524-0888. D daily, BR Sun. Andiamo $$ ITALIAN • Over the past three decades, Joe Vicari has established several Andiamo restaurants in metro Detroit, all inspired by the late master chef Aldo Ottaviani’s philosophy of seasonal, fromscratch cooking. The menus differ slightly at the different locations, but the constant is the fresh, housemade pastas — handcrafted by the trinity of “pasta ladies,” Anna, Tanya, and Angelina, who have carried on the tradition. The downtown Detroit location offers a breathtaking view of the Detroit River, while the Livonia location offers a comfortable and casual vibe. 400 Renaissance Center, Detroit; 313567-6700. D Mon.-Fri., L,D Sat.-Sun. 38703 Seven Mile Road, Livonia; 734-953-3200. D daily.

FEATURED

Amore da Roma

ITALIAN Guy Pelino, Roma Café’s chef, took over the ownership reins of this restaurant on the edge of Eastern Market.

He retained the menu, adding a charcuterie board and updating the wine list, while keeping the character of the old-school restaurant, known for its steaks and pastas.

3401 Riopelle St., Detroit; 313-8315940. 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. (Farmington Hills location temporarily closed Mondays) Apparatus Room $$$$ NEW AMERICAN • The Foundation Hotel’s restaurant, the Apparatus Room, once housed the Detroit Fire Department headquarters. Chef Rece Hogerheide’s cooking is refined and highly skilled — he was executive chef of the Daxton Hotel’s restaurant Madam, named 2023 Restaurant of the Year by Hour Detroit.

250 W. Larned St., Detroit; 313-800-5600. B,L,D Mon.Fri., BR,D Sat.-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 the Atwater Brat and other sausages teamed with sauerkraut, plus

E N T R É E P R I C ES

$ Affordable (less than $12)

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 bravas, and the Babo Burger. 15 E. Kirby St., Ste. 115, Detroit; 313-312-1493. B,L,D Tue.-Sat. B,L Sun. Baker’s Keyboard Lounge $$ SOUL FOOD • This iconic lounge features live music, along with beef short ribs with gravy, creamy mac and cheese, collard greens, and sweet cornbread muffins.

20510 Livernois Ave., Detroit; 313-345-6300. D Mon.-Fri. Baobab Fare $$ EAST AFRICAN • With his New Center restaurant, Hamissi Mamba urges diners to venture into culinary territories they’d otherwise miss, like the Mbuzi starring a goat shank that is slow-roasted until the meat is so tender that it slides off the bone. 6568 Woodward Ave., Ste. 100, Detroit; 313-265-3093. L,D Tue.-Sun. Barda $$$$ 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; barda-detroit.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, Teriyaki Udon, and fried octopus balls called Takoyaki. 5069 Trumbull Ave., Detroit; 313-788-7208; L Wed.-Sat. D daily.

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.

$$ Moderate ($13 to $20)

$$$ Expensive ($21 to $30)

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

Bobcat Bonnie’s $ GASTROPUB • The menu is eclectic, featuring fried goat cheese, fish tacos, Buddha bowls, and a barbecue bacon meatloaf — plus, plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. The weekend brunch, complete with a Bloody Mary bar and all the classics, is a big hit. See bobcatbonnies.com for locations and hours.

Bohemia $$$ NEW AMERICAN • The former member’s-only lounge in this restored Romanesque Revival in downtown Detroit is now a posh restaurant open to the public (the downstairs bar is also open to the public). The stunning dining room reflects the club’s history while staying fresh and modern with local art on the walls and an Instagrammable seating area in the middle of the dining room with plush couches and trees lined with lights.

The food is upscale but approachable such as the Nashville Fried Chicken and the lobster fettucini, which is worth every indulgent bite. 712 Cass Ave., Detroit, 313338-3222. D Wed.-Sat..

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 daily.

Bronze Door $$$$ NEW AMERICAN • One of the newest restaurants under the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group brand (in partnership with Tony Soave of Soave Enterprises) revives the well-known name of a Grosse Pointe staple from the mid-1900s. In the 1960s and 1970s, 123 Kercheval Ave. was home to the Bronze Door, which closed to make way for The Hill Seafood and Chop House. In 2021, it was born again as the Bronze Door, offering classic bistro fare like steak frites and house specialties such as Short Rib Alla Bolognese (braised beef short ribs, pancetta, roasted battuto, imported Mafaldine pasta, ricotta salata, and black truffle). 123 Kercheval Ave., Grosse Pointe Farms; 313-886-8101.

BR Sun. L Tue.-Fri. D daily.

Bucharest Grill $ MEDITERRANEAN-AMERICAN • This bustling casual sandwich shop, now with six 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. The former speakeasy serves 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; 313-8828560. D daily.

Café Nini $$$ ITALIAN • This intimate spot offers well-prepared food that includes eight appetizers, more than a dozen pasta dishes, and 16 main plates, notable among which are tournedos di vitello — medallions of veal filet in a fresh

$$$$ 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 4 mushroom sauce. The wine list is impressive as well.

98 Kercheval Ave., Grosse Pointe Farms; 313-308-3120.

D Tue.-Sun. Cantoro Italian Market and Trattoria $$ ITALIAN • A restaurant inside the market serves great traditional Italian food. Do not miss the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese: wide pasta with a meat sauce featuring ground veal, beef, sausage, and pancetta. It makes for a delicious Italian feast you can conveniently pick up on your way home. 15550 N. Haggerty Road, Plymouth; 734-420-1100. L,D Tues.-Sat., L Sun. Capers $$ 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, with items such as barbecue babyback ribs and potato skins, but the main draw is steak by the ounce, at market price. 14726 Gratiot Ave., Detroit; 313-527-2100. L,D Wed.-Sun. 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, seared scallops, and steaks. 150 W. Congress, Detroit; 313-965-4970. D daily.

Central Kitchen & Bar $$ CREATIVE COMFORT • The space facing Campus Martius is done up in gray and white under industrial light fixtures. Crowd-pleasers include buttermilk fried chicken, filet and frites, burgers, and salads. 660 Woodward Ave., Ste. 4A, Detroit; 313-963-9000. D Thu.-Sat., BR Sat.-Sun. Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails $$ NEW AMERICAN • While the menu rotates based on the season, its offerings always highlight the freshest local ingredients. Creatively prepared dishes range from cold starters to hearty entrees. But the Twice Cooked Egg is not to be missed. 15 E. Kirby St., Detroit; 313-818-3915. D Tue.-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. D daily.

Cuisine $$$ EUROPEAN-INSPIRED • Cuisine offers a romantic, white-linen experience with the level of food, service, and ambience one might describe as timeless rather than trendy. Examples of the expertly prepared fare include the Alaskan halibut, as well as the sea scallops, featuring creamed leek risotto. 670 Lothrop Rd., Detroit; 313-872-5110. D Wed.-Sat. (Note: Not wheelchair accessible).

El Barzon $ MEXICAN-ITALIAN • Norberto Garita prepares Italian and Mexican cuisines alongside his wife, Silvia Rosario Garita. Authentic Mexican entrees include enchiladas with a homemade green sauce made with tomatillo, jalapeños, and roasted poblano pepper, while the Italian influence takes the form of spaghetti carbonara and zuppa di pesce (seafood soup). 3710 Junction Ave., Detroit; 313-894-2070. D Tue.-Sun.

Dakota Inn Rathskeller $ EUROPEAN-INSPIRED • The sausages are the kind that snap when you cut them. The combo plate features one bratwurst and one knackwurst, 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.

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 dozen for later.

3454 Bagley St., Detroit; 313-843-5056. B,L Mon.-Sat.

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; 313-366-5600. L,D Tue.-Sun. 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. 19614 Grand River Ave., Detroit; 313-766-5728. L,D Wed.-Fri. (Takeout only; no phone orders).

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 Thu.-Tue.

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

2010

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.

Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe $$$ GASTROPUB • A jazz club with top guest musicians and an American bistro menu in a traditional interior. Starters include mojito shrimp skewers 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.

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 fatfried chicken and a burger. 5440 Cass Ave., Detroit; 313285-8849. L,D Tue.-Fri. D Sat.

Eatori Market $$ SPECIALTY GROCERY • This stylish spot overlooks downtown’s Capitol Park. The menu has steamed mussels with leeks, garlic, and toasted crostini. International flourishes abound with truffle aioli for the burger.

1215 Griswold St., Detroit; 313-395-3030. L,D daily.

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-ounce chicken breast, sauteed wild mushroom blend, wild rice, and seasonal grilled vegetables, cooked in a Lombardo Ambra Sweet Marsala wine sauce. Simply delicious! 2415 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-638-2261. D Wed.-Sat. BR Sat. B,L Sun.

Fishbone’s Rhythm Kitchen Café $$ NEW ORLEANIAN • Enjoy classic New Orleans dishes, such as jambalaya and fried catfish beignets. Come for 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 daily.

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 Tue.-Sun.

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; 313-297-2360. L,D Tue.-Sun.

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.

FEATURED

Coriander Kitchen and Farm

GASTROPUB At this Jefferson Chalmers eatery, guests can rent firepits and roast house-made 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 whitefish and lake trout and seasoned with herbs from the farm.

14601 Riverside Blvd., Detroit; 313-338-9466. L,D Wed.-Mon.

Folk $ NEW AMERICAN • 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 globally inspired 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. B,L 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, applewoodsmoked bacon, and bourbon barbecue 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 Thu.-Mon. 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.

Staples include a reuben with Poet Stout Kraut and the Ghettoblaster beer-battered fish and chips. 612 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-961-3043.; L, D, Tue.-Sun. BR Sat.-Sun.

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R E STAU R A N T L I STI N G S 0 1. 2 4 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.

a tantalizing selection of cocktails and mocktails, sake, beer, and wine to make it a true izakaya experience. 2100 Michigan Ave., Detroit, 313-306-9485. 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 Creamy Cajun Pasta contribute New Orleans flavors. 9215 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit; 313-332-0607; L Fri.-Sun., 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 spotlighted alongside Chicken Paprikas 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, eggplant tempura with cardamom hummus, baby leek, and sweet chili or lamb cordon bleu with roasted red pepper, Manchego, cornichon, and mustard seed. 47 Watson St., Detroit; 313-262-6534. D daily.

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 (currently closed but reopening soon) 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 Mon.-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. Iggy’s Eggies $ AMERICAN • Jammy-yolk egg sandwiches, breakfast burritos, and more are on the menu at Iggy’s Eggies’ walk-up window. You can also get Lovers Only’s famous Classic Smash burgers and fresh-cut fries at Iggy’s. Take your breakfast or lunch to a table at nearby Capitol Park for a true downtown experience. 34 West Grand River Ave., Detroit; 313-986-1174. B,L daily.

Ima $ JAPANESE-INSPIRED • This ramen hotspot has three locations and a Midwest emphasis. Ima tacos trade the traditional shell for a slice of jicama, stuffed with spicy shrimp, roasted tofu, or garlic chicken. Appetizers include edamame, dumplings, and clams. 4870 Cass Ave., Detroit; 313-883-9788. 32203 John R Road, Madison Heights; 248-781-0131. L,D daily.

Ima Izakaya $$ JAPANESE-INSPIRED • Chef Michael Ransom has slowly and steadily built up his local chain of noodle shops over the past few years, and his latest one takes it up a notch with the izakaya concept, the Japanese equivalent to a pub. In addition to the staple noodles and soups that put Ransom on the map, the menu also includes grilled skewers from the robata grill such as Kawahagi Trigger Fish Jerky and Mini Kurobuta Pork Sausages. There’s also

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2012

London Chop House $$ STEAKHOUSE • The kitchen turns out classics like oysters Rockefeller, French onion soup, and sauteed loup de mer with scallops. 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. D Mon.-Sat.

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: smoked fish spread, creamed spinach, and stewed tomatoes. A true Detroit classic. 400 Renaissance Center, Ste. 1404, Detroit; 313-567-6837. 39475 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills; 248-792-9609.

L,D daily.

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 Mixed Grill that offers a little bit of everything with shish kebab, tawook, and kafta. Other menu items include Kibbeh Niyee — fresh lamb, cracked wheat, and spice — 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 daily.

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

FEATURED

Maty’s African Cuisine

WEST AFRICAN A small storefront in the Detroit Old Redford neighborhood is decidedly Senegalese.

Fataya, deep-fried pastries with savory fillings, are reminiscent of an empanada. The star of the show is the whole chicken with yassa.

21611 Grand River Ave., Detroit; 313-472-5885. L,D Tue.-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,D Tue.-Sun.

Johnny Noodle King $ JAPANESE-INSPIRED • This noodle shop offers bowls topped with pork belly, confit chicken, and tofu, as well as seaweed salad and gyoza. There are also several fusion bowls like the Southwest, topped with shredded chicken and housemade crema. 2601 W. Fort St., Detroit; 313-309-7946. L,D daily.

Jolly Pumpkin $$ BREWERY • Jolly Pumpkin’s brews rule the offerings, 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., Royal Oak; 248-544-6250. 311 S Main St., Ann Arbor; 734-9132730. L,D daily (Detroit, Ann Arbor); L Fri.-Mon, D daily (Royal Oak).

Karl’s Cabin $$ AMERICAN • Dishes from their currently rotating drive-through menu such as pan-seared walleye and beef tenderloin tips with Cajun spice and gravy surpass typical roadhouse food. 6005 Gotfredson Road, Plymouth; 734-455-8450. L,D daily.

The Kitchen by Cooking with Que $$ VEGAN • This eatery created by Detroit-based cooking blogger Quiana Broden serves lunches of smoothies, salads, and sandwiches. Broden also often offers live cooking demonstrations. 6529 Woodward Ave., Ste. A, Detroit; 313-462-4184. B,L,D, Wed.-Sat. Kuzzo’s Chicken and Waffles $ SOUTHERN COMFORT • Several recipes, including a signature thin waffle, are family-owned at ex-NFL player Ron Bartell’s spot. Think comfort food kicked up a notch: fried catfish, salmon croquettes, shrimp and grits, and biscuits. Drink the Kool-Aid, too. 19345 Livernois Ave., Detroit; 313-861-0229. B,L,D Tue.-Sat., B,L Sun. La Dolce Vita $$$ 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; 313865-0331. D Tue.-Sun., BR Sun.

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,D Tue.-Sat. Lumen Detroit $$ NEW AMERICAN • A contemporary American menu and a Victor Saroki setting make the restaurant overlooking downtown’s Beacon Park one of the best of recent entrants onto the scene. Appetizers such as freshly made pretzels prelude main courses like the Honey Bourbon Salmon. 1903 Grand River Ave., Detroit; 313-626-5005. L Fri.-Sun., D. Wed.-Sun. Mario’s $$$ 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; 313832-1616. 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 from a sample tasting menu include Roasted Bone Marrow and Lamb Kefta. 8044 Kercheval Ave., Detroit; 313-513-0361. L,D Thu.-Sun. 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; 313-399-9117. L,D daily.

Mercury Burger & Bar $ BURGERS • This Corktown joint seats 70 around the zinc-covered bar set with Mercury (Liberty) dimes. The

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R E STAU R A N T L I STI N G S 0 1. 2 4 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.

Metropolitan Bar and Kitchen $$ LATIN • The business brings a bodega-style market along with a neighborhood restaurant and bar to West Village. The menu highlights local and seasonal ingredients in dishes like beet salad or the Metro “Mac” Burger. 8047 Agnes St., Detroit; 313-447-5418.

B Sat.-Sun. D Tue.-Sat.

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 daily.

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-theslice counter next door. 1230 Library St., Detroit; 313-243-1230. L Fri.-Sun., 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; 19350 Livernois Ave., Detroit; 313-832-2700. L,D daily (Canfield); L Sat.-Sun., D Wed-Fri. (Livernois).

Mudgie’s Deli $ DELI • Sandwich-lovers fill the seats for the House Smoked Pastrami Reuben 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. B Tue.Sat. L Tue.-Wed., L,D Thu.-Sat. 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; 734-2077880. L Thu.-Sat., D Tue.-Sun.

3200. 558 Monroe St., Detroit; 313-964-6800. L,D TueSun (Detroit); L Sun., D Tue.-Sun. (St. Clair Shores).

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

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 Wed.-Mon.

2022

Oak & Reel $$ SEAFOOD • Despite a global pandemic threatening to derail his longtime dream, chef Jared Gadbaw brought his vision of a seafood-focused Italian restaurant to life in Detroit’s Milwaukee Junction neighborhood in fall 2020.

Oak & Reel’s resilience in the face of extreme adversity and its commitment to the vision of bringing diners impeccable dishes showcasing the freshest seafood, all presented with welcoming and knowledgeable service, is the reason we named Oak & Reel Hour Detroit’s Restaurant of the Year. The menu is seasonal and changes frequently. But in general, the crudos are pristine, the pastas are impeccable, and the seafood dishes are all well balanced and expertly prepared to accentuate the freshness and quality of the fish and shellfish. 2921 E. Grand Blvd., Detroit; 313-270-9600. D Thu.-Mon.

Michigan & Trumbull $$ ITALIAN-AMERICAN • After a successful four-month run at Fort Street Galley, Michigan and Trumbull became one of the latest in a long line of Detroit-style pizza joints to open in the area. Not your traditional carryout joint, Michigan and Trumbull is housed in a sleek, refurbished car-repair garage. The menu features square, deep-dish pies with Detroit-inspired names, such as Packard Pepperoni and Woodward White. 1441 W. Elizabeth St., Detroit; 313-637-4992; L,D Wed-Sun. Mi Lindo San Blas $$$ 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.

Norma G’s $ CARIBBEAN • Lester Gouvia, the Trinidadian chef who brought us the famed food truck, opened a fullservice 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.

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.

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 daily.

FEATURED

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 Detroit staple, where this cuisine getting harder to find.

2990 Yemans St., Hamtramck; 313874-5726. L,D daily.

Not wheelchair accessible.

Olin MEDITERRANEAN • Starters like the potatoes and artichokes “bravas” with harissa and black garlic aioli and paellas are inspired by Spain, but showcase Olin’s unique spin on these iconic dishes. 25 E. Grand River Ave., Detroit; 313-774-1190. D Tues.-Sat. BR Sun. 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.

Pao Detroit $$$ FUSION • Visit this upscale Pan-Asian fusion restaurant for Asian-themed cocktails and dishes, such as creamy rock shrimp, charred octopus, and filet mignon.

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 Tue.-Sun.

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

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 tartar and charred burrata. Main courses include an interesting blend of Italian food, wood-grilled steaks, and a red chilé short rib. There’s also a large selection of dry-aged gourmet steaks. 800 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-922-7272. L,D daily. BR Sat.-Sun. 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; 313-264-1997. L,D daily.

Pegasus Taverna $$ GREEK • The cry of “opa!” resounds in St. Clair Shores at the second edition of the longstanding Greektown restaurant. It boasts an extensive menu, from moussaka and spinach pie to gyros and roast lamb. 24935 Jefferson Ave., St. Clair Shores; 586-772-

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

2019

Prime + Proper $$$$ STEAKHOUSE • Downtown Detroit dining gets a major shot of glamour with this over-the-top steak and seafood emporium on the corner of Griswold and State streets. Although red meat, from prime dry-aged Tomahawk ribeye to Wagyu strip, is the focus — and yes, there’s a burger made with a dryaged butcher’s blend — oysters, king crab, and caviar aren’t far behind. An elegant white and gold setting backgrounds it all. 1145 Griswold St., Detroit; 313-636-3100. D daily, BR Sat.-Sun. Prism $$$ 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 $$$$ NEW AMERICAN • This restaurant on the river remains one of the most appealing spots in town. The casually elegant space offers a range of appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Dishes that typify its style include seared diver sea scallops, an 8-ounce filet, and a 16-ounce porterhouse. 300 River Place, Detroit; 313567-4400. D Tue.-Sat. Red Dunn Kitchen $$ NEW AMERICAN • The Trumbull and Porter Hotel’s spiffy restaurant is an ambitious undertaking, offering three meals a day. It 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. Private meetings and events only.

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, smoked whitefish pate, and broiled Great Lakes white-

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R E STAU R A N T L I STI N G S 0 1. 2 4 fish. Also try chipotle honey-glazed salmon. 41122 W. Seven Mile Road, Northville; 248-349-4434. L Tue.-Fri. D Tue.-Sun. 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 signature gnocchi Rita. 9924 Dix Ave., Dearborn; 313-8422100. L,D daily.

San Morello $$$ ITALIAN • This gem in the Shinola Hotel serves pizzas, pastas, and wood-fired dishes that draw inspiration from the coastal towns of Southern Italy and Sicily. The menu is handcrafted by James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Carmellini. 1400 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-209-4700. B,L,D daily.

The Sardine Room $$$ SEAFOOD • A seafood restaurant and raw bar, The Sardine Room is fresh, fun, and energetic, with clean-line décor and a menu full of surprises. Worthwhile is a grouper sandwich that’s available seared, pan-fried, or blackened. 340 S. Main St., Plymouth; 734-416-0261. D daily, BR Sat-Sun. Savannah Blue $$ SOUL FOOD • Dine on upscale soul food like the red snapper and the shrimp and grits. Shareables include 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 Tue.-Sat. 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 lighter menu includes corned beef Rangoon 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 daily.

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

2016

Selden Standard $$$ NEW AMERICAN • What sets Selden Standard apart is 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 daily.

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 and a juice bar. 2541 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor; 734-662-1111. 66 E. Forest Ave., Detroit; 313974-6661. L,D Mon.-Sat.

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

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

Townhouse $$$ NEW AMERICAN • The downtown hotspot in 2021 underwent an aesthetic overhaul of the space and menu designed to elevate the spot’s signature comfort food fare. Staples, like the burger and fries, remain on the menu, but there are also fine-dining-inspired additions, like the caviar-topped crispy potato dish and the A5 wagyu served with brioche, nori, capers, and truffle. 500 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-723-1000. L, D daily.

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. D Tue.-Sun. 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. This is a true Detroit classic in every sense of the term. Corktown location: 2138 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-962-9828. L,D daily. Slows To Go in Midtown: 4107 Cass Ave., Detroit; 313-309-7560. L,D Tue.-Sun.

Vertical Detroit $$$ NEW AMERICAN • This wine-centric restaurant puts the focus on pairing chef Matt Barnes’ 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; 313732-9463. D Tue.-Sat. Not wheelchair accessible.

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 Bloody Mary deviled eggs to entrees such as Thai pork skewers and the house cheeseburger. 225 Gratiot Ave., Detroit; 313241-5719. D Wed.-Sun. Not wheelchair accessible.

The Statler $$$$ FRENCH • A taste of Paris in downtown Detroit. This French-American bistro from the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group takes its name from the former historic Statler Hotel, which is now home to not only the bistro, but also City Club Apartments. Classic French fare (with some modern twists) such as seared foie gras mousse; Henri Maire escargots (wild Burgundy snails, garlic butter fondue, parsley, Pernod, and profiteroles); and bouillabaisse provence (seafood stew with shrimp, scallops, lobster, mussels, saffron broth, croustade, and rouille) typify the menu. The large, year-round open-air outdoor patio offers stunning panoramic views of the Detroit skyline and Grand Circus Park. There’s also a neighborhood market where customers can grab groceries and gourmet packaged meals on the go. 313 Park Ave., Detroit; 313-4637111. D daily, BR Sun. Supino Pizzeria $$ ITALIAN • Relax with one of the town’s best thincrust pizzas — they come in more than a dozen variations, with or without red sauce. A few dishes from La Rondinella (the previous longtime tenant at its Russell Street location) made the list as well — small plates such as polpette, and three delicious salads.

Beer, wine, and cocktails add to the appeal. 2457 Russell St., Detroit; 313-567-7879 (Russell St. location temporarily closed). 6519 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-314-7400. L,D daily.

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 Tue.-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. B,L,D daily.

FEATURED

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.

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.

Vigilante Kitchen + Bar $$$ MIDWESTERN-ASIAN FUSION • Housed in the former Smith & Co. space, the menu offers a variety of baos, bowls, salads, and desserts, with designated vegetarian and halal menus, and a zero-proof cocktail selection. A unique concept from executive chef Aaron Cozadd, Vigilante Kitchen + Bar employs industry workers dealing with addiction, providing them with recovery resources while still allowing them to advance their culinary skills.

644 Selden St., Detroit; 313-638-1695. D Wed.-Sun. 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. 3601 Twelve Mile Road, Warren; 586-576-0495. L,D daily.

The Whitney $$$$ NEW AMERICAN • The historic 1890s mansion is still going strong. The menu is typified by classic beef Wellington, wrapped in spinach, prosciutto, and pastry; and pan-roasted Scottish salmon. Tableside cooking, by reservation only, is an optional feature. Don’t forget The Katherine McGregor Dessert Parlor for a sweet treat.4421 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-832-5700. D Wed.-Sun and high tea Sat.-Sun. Wright & Co. $$$ NEW AMERICAN • The collaboration between Marc Djozlija and executive chef Kyle Schutte gives life to the second-floor space in the Wright Kay building. Small plates such as udon carbonara, Italian oyster mushrooms, and grilled sea scallops are the focus. The menu highlights seasonal dishes around a composed shared plates concept. 1500 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-9627711. D Tue.-Sun.

Oakland 168 Crab & Karaoke $$ PAN-ASIAN • Don’t judge by 168 Crab & Karaoke’s unassuming strip mall location. It’s a unique experience that meshes food, karaoke, and pop party culture into a one-stop destination. As the name suggests, seafood is the main attraction here, specifically the seafood boils, which come with your choice of seafood (crab, clams, lobster, etc.), with sauce, corn and potatoes. 32415 John R Road, Madison Heights; 248-616-0168. D daily.

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R E STAU R A N T L I STI N G S 0 1. 2 4 220 Merrill $$$ NEW AMERICAN • The menu includes apps and small plates as well as Wagyu beef carpaccio, ahi tuna tartare, and classic roasted oysters. There are heartier entrees as well, like the braised beef short ribs. 220 Merrill St., Birmingham; 248-646-2220. L, Mon.-Sat. BR Sat-Sun.

Birmingham Pub $$$ GASTROPUB • This stylish yet casual gastropub from the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group took over the former Triple Nickel space. True to its name, the restaurant’s bill of fare features pub classics taken up a notch, such as Alaskan cod butter roasted with everythingbagel crust and filet mignon with Parmesan truffle fries and zip sauce. There are also TVs at the bar so you won’t miss a minute of the game. 555 S. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248-885-8108. L Sun, Tue.-Fri., D Tue.-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; 248540-5900. L,D daily.

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. D Tue.-Sun.

Andiamo $$ ITALIAN • Over the past three decades, Joe Vicari has established several Andiamo restaurants in metro Detroit, all inspired by the late master chef Aldo Ottaviani’s philosophy of seasonal, from-scratch cooking.

The menus differ slightly at the different locations, but the constant is the fresh, housemade pastas — handcrafted by the trinity of “pasta ladies,” Anna, Tanya, and Angelina, who have carried on the tradition.

6676 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield; 248-865-9300. L Mon.-Fri., D Sat.-Sun. 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

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

2005

Bacco Restaurante $$$ ITALIAN • Chef-owner Luciano Del Signore’s pastas are like pure art. Try the Strozzapreti Norcina: Italian sausage, truffles, tomato, and white wine, tossed with hand-rolled pasta. From local grass-fed beef to sustainably farm-raised sea bass to a fresh caprese, the ingredients are top-end. Based in the heart of Southfield, Bacco is a true Italian gem in the suburbs. And the desserts are not to be missed. 29410 Northwestern Hwy., Southfield; 248-356-6600. L Tue.-Fri. D Tue.-Sat. Bella Piatti $$ 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. D Tue.-Sat. Beverly Hills Grill $$$ NEW AMERICAN • This Beverly Hills institution has built a loyal following over the years with its California vibe and dawn-to-dark schedule. These days they’re serving only dinner, but the restaurant still features the fresh and innovative fare that put it on the map.

31471 Southfield Road, Beverly Hills; 248-642-2355.

D Mon.-Sat. Bigalora: Wood Fired Cucina $$ ITALIAN • The pizza concept from chef Luciano Del Signore, a four-time James Beard Award nominee, features small plates, fresh pastas, wood-roasted meats, and a range of distinctive Neopolitan pizzas. See website for locations; bigalora.com

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 door-style windows open onto the patio on warm days. 3607 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Township; 248-642-4000. D daily.

FEATURED

Café Cortina

ITALIAN Selections include pro­sciutto di Parma stuffed with greens and mozzarella; squid sauteed 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 Sun., D Tue.-Sun.

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 wellappointed private dining rooms. 2800 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy; 248-649-5300. L,D daily.

Casa Pernoi $$$$ ITALIAN • Three months after its grand opening, what once was a multi-hyphenate concept, blending French, Asian, and Italian cuisine, soon defaulted simply to a cuisine most familiar to chef Luciano DelSignore: Italian. Housemade pastas rolled by hand, and a meaty branzino typify the menu. 310 E. Maple Road, Birmingham; 248-940-0000. D Tue.-Sat. Churchill’s Bistro & Cigar Bar $$$ TRADITIONAL • You can buy your cigar and smoke it too. Plus, enjoy dry-aged steaks, pan-roasted sea bass, 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,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 Sklar’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; 248-677-4439. L,D daily.

Cornbread Restaurant & Bar $$ SOUL • In 1997, Patrick Coleman melded his experience in fine dining with his grandma’s southern roots to create Beans & Cornbread Soulful Bistro. It racked up accolades and fans over the years, including Stevie Wonder and Thomas (Hitman) Hearns. Cornbread is the sequel to Beans and Cornbread, continuing the tradition of soul food with an upscale twist. Classics like catfish and a gravy-smothered pork chop endure.

29852 Northwestern Hwy., Southfield; 248-208-1680.

L,D Thu.-Tue.

Crispelli’s Bakery Pizzeria $ ITALIAN-INSPIRED • This hybrid offers artisanal pizzas 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, seat-yourself establishment is named after an herb that is often used in traditional Peruvian cooking. An especially notable dish is the Pollo a la Brasa, marinated chicken served with French fries, rice, and a variety of dipping sauces. 22939 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-632-1055. L,D daily.

Diamond’s Steak & Seafood $$$ STEAKHOUSE • This Howell restaurant is the perfect location for ribeye, fresh gulf shrimp, or a classic cheeseburger. Plus, weekends boast a buffet-style brunch. 101 W. Grand River Ave., Howell; 517-548-5500. L,D Tue.-Sat. Eddie’s Gourmet $$ NEW AMERICAN • Chef Eddie Hanna’s gourmet diner is a simple concept that works to perfection. The menu offers a 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 $$ LEBANESE • The lamb and chicken shawarma, shish kafta, kibbee nyeh, and other Lebanese dishes are emphasized by the décor, including photomurals of old Beirut and strings of blue beads cascading from the ceiling. A fun place to frequent for a quick lunch or a night out with friends. 263 Pierce St., Birmingham; 248-647-2420. L,D Mon.-Sat. The Fed $$ GASTROPUB • An attractive restaurant with great food and a delightfully refreshing atmosphere. The menu crosses boundaries, from shareables, like Spanish Octopus and Wild Mushroom Flatbread. Plus, the bright and airy bohemian-chic interior is highly Instagrammable. 15 S. Main St., Clarkston; 248-297-5833. D Wed.-Sat., B,L,D Sun.

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

2009

Forest $$$ EUROPEAN-INSPIRED • The menu is brief but designed to let the kitchen assemble sharp flavors from various farm and market ingredients. Try the delightful pastas, like the Bolognese and the agnolotti, as well as the understated Farm Egg. 735 Forest Ave., Birmingham; 248-258-9400. D Tue.-Sat. The Fly Trap ECLECTIC AMERICAN • This “finer diner” typifies trendy Ferndale with its tin ceiling, red-topped tables, and counter with swivel stools. It offers sandwiches, salads, pastas, and omelets. 22950 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-399-5150. B,L Tue.-Sat. Garage Grill & Fuel Bar $$ 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 pizzas. 202 W. Main St., Northville; 248-9243367. D Wed.-Sun., BR Sat.-Sun. 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

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R E STAU R A N T L I STI N G S 0 1. 2 4 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 Wed.-Mon.

fish and “Muer Traditions” such as Dover sole and Great Lakes Yellow Belly Perch. There’s also a raw and sushi bar as well as premium steaks. And make sure to save room for dessert, because the coconut cake is not to be missed. A piano bar adds to the vibe. 39475 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills; 248-792-9609. D daily.

Hazel’s $$ SEAFOOD • What was once multiple concepts under one roof named after the three neighborhoods that converged right where the restaurant stands (Hazel, Ravine and Downtown) is now simply Hazel’s. The casual and comfortable restaurant specializes in authentic dishes, drinks, and vibes from some of the country’s top seafood destinations. Here you’ll find dishes like Maine-caught lobster, Maryland Blue Crab, and more. 1 Peabody St., Birmingham; 248-671-1714. D Tue.-Sun., B,L Sat.-Sun.

Lao Pot $$$ CHINESE • In 2019, 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.

La Strada Dolci e Caffé $ ITALIAN • A slice of European elegance offers an impeccable little menu of Italian dishes and rich coffees and espresso. Delicious fresh green salads, pastas, pizzas, and decadent and artistically crafted pastries are proudly served and very tasty. 243 E. Merrill St., Birmingham; 248-480-0492. D Tue.-Sat. .

Hong Hua $ CHINESE • One of the best area restaurants dedicated to Asian food offers some rare delicacies as well as more customary items. One signature dish is King of the Sea: lobster chunks, scallops, and grouper with greens in a garlic sauce. 27925 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills; 248-489-2280. L,D Tue.-Sun.

Loccino Italian Grill $$ ITALIAN • Loccino is a “family-friendly” yet upscale Italian restaurant. Choose from fresh seafood, steak, and chicken dishes, plus traditional pastas, pizzas, salads, and more. They also offer happy hour specials from 3-7 p.m. weekdays. A great special occasion place or delicious workday lunch spot for whenever you need a break from the office. 5600 Crooks Road, Troy; 248-813-0700. L Mon.-Fri., 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.-Sun.

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; 248-584-4227. L,D daily. BR Sun.

Imperial $ MEXICAN-INSPIRED • The menu offers Californiastyle tacos on soft tortillas, including lime-grilled chicken, carnitas, and marinated pork, as well as slowroasted pork tortas, and guacamole. 22828 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 248-850-8060. L,D daily.

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, faintly charred around the edges. Hailed by food critics and Detroiters alike as one of the city’s most classic Detroit style pizzas, it’s well worth a trip. 23141 Dequindre Road, Hazel Park; 248-547-1711. L,D Thu.-Sun.

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

2002

It’s A Matter of Taste $$$ ITALIAN • With a patio that overlooks Union Lake, this Commerce eatery has a menu with offerings inspired by northern and southern Italy. Chef-owner Tom Traynor’s signature dish is crisped walleye, sitting atop jasmine rice, steamed mussels, Thai vegetables, and cilantro with coconut milk and red sauce. You also can’t go wrong with the fresh pasta, and classic cuts like the lamb osso bucco, filet mingon, or New York strip. 2323 Union Lake Rd., Commerce Charter Twp.; 248-360-6650. D Wed.-Sun. J-Bird Smoked Meats $$ BARBEQUE • Wood-smoked meats served with the traditional sides of cornbread, buttermilk slaw, and mac and cheese, are what’s on the menu at this meatlovers mecca. Other popular dishes include the Three Meat Sampler and JBird Gumbo, as well as St. Louis Ribs and old-fashioned JBurgers. 1978 Cass Lake Road, Keego Harbor; 248-681-2124. L,D Tue.-Sun. Joe Muer $$$$ SEAFOOD • The Bloomfield Hills location of the iconic restaurant continues the tradition of excellent food, service, and ambiance. The menu emphasizes classic fresh

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 Greekstyle lamb chops. 525 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248-792-6051. 115 Kercheval Ave., Grosse Pointe Farms; 313-924-5459. L,D daily.

Mabel Gray $$$ NEW AMERICAN • Chef James Rigato produces some masterful dishes on this tiny menu, which does not miss a beat. The menu includes a multi-course tasting option, as well as a daily listing of changing items that never disappoint. It’s a fine dining experience that is certainly worth a visit. 23825 John R Road, Hazel Park; 248-398-4300. D Tue.-Sat. Mad Hatter Bistro, Bar & Tea Room $$ ECLECTIC AMERICAN • The whimsical setting inspired by Alice in Wonderland welcomes far more than the tea sipping set with burgers and sandwiches. There are also pastries, of course. 185 N. Old

Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248-540-0000. B,L Thu.-Sun., D Fri.-Sat. Tea by reservation. Lower level not wheelchair accessible.

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 

2023

Madam $$$ NEW AMERICAN • Since opening in 2021, Madam has carved its niche with its global take on farm-totable cuisine, taking diners on a tour from Michigan to Asia to Europe. Staples from chef de cuisine Clifton Booth include mushroom dumplings, Spanish octopus, steak frites, and pasta dishes. 298 S. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248-283-4200. B,D daily, L Mon.-Fri., BR Sat.-Sun.

FEATURED

Lellis 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,D daily.

Mare Mediterranean $$$$ SEAFOOD • Inspired by restaurants in Sicily where the catch of the day is the basis of dinner, this sophisticated restaurant from Nino Cutraro and his partner offers the freshest seafood flown in from the Mediterranean several times a week. You select the type of fish you want from the market in front of the open kitchen and how you want it prepared (acqua pazza, salt baked, grilled, or pan fried).

Served table-side in glorious fashion, it’s a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. 115 Willits St., Birmingham; 248-940-5525. D Tue.-Sat. BR Sat.-Sun. 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; 248-712-4953. L,D daily.

The Meeting House $$ ECLECTIC AMERICAN • This eclectic American menu includes Gulf Shrimp Pappardelle, steak frites remarkably close to those at Paris bistros, and a house made soft pretzel with roasted jalapeno-goat cheese dip. Or, try the beef short rib with wasabi & basil mashed potatoes, tempura mushroom, and green curry coconut sauce. 301 S. Main St., Rochester; 248-759-4825. 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 guacamole, nachos, 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 lemongrass-basil Thai curry sauce. 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 and Detroit style pizza, 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; 248216-1112. D daily. 260 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248-940-3260. L,D daily.

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RECIPE

MAI TIK I’S

BIG SEXY GOOMBAY

P H O T O BY RE BE CCA SIMONOV

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces McQueen and the Violet Fog gin 1/2 ounce Flor de Caña (seco) 1/4 ounce Wray and Nephew (white rum) 1 ounce orgeat syrup 1/2 ounce lime juice 1 1/2 ounces mango juice 1 1/2 ounces guava juice 6 dashes angostura bitters Pebble ice G arnish: sugar cube, lemon extract, lime wheel, mint leaf

Directions

1. Add all of the ingredients, plus 8 to 10 ice pebbles, to a cocktail shaker. Shake well.

2. Pour out with ice into a mug. Add more ice to fill the mug and top with a mint leaf and lime wheel.

3. Add lemon extract to the sugar cube and place on top of the lime wheel. Light the sugar cube on fire and allow the sugar cube to burn out before serving/drinking.

MAI TIKI 231 W. NINE MILE ROAD, STE. B, FERNDALE 248-850-2534 MAITIKIBAR.COM

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12/6/23 5:11 PM

R E STAU R A N T L I STI N G S 0 1. 2 4 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 Tue.-Sun.

Public House $$ NEW AMERICAN/VEGAN • This Ferndale spot reopened under new ownership and with a refreshed look in late 2021. Standout selections include its burgers, shareable plates like char-roasted carrots, and craft cocktails and mocktails. It also features a special vegan menu and carries plenty of gluten-free options. 241 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale; (248) 654-6355. L,D daily., BR Sat.-Sun.

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 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 beer-hall sensibility to this popular spot. The kitchen delivers New Orleans-themed dishes such as Chicken Tchoupitoulas with tasso ham and bearnaise sauce, as well as a mouth-watering bacon burger. Weekend brunch features delicious housemade doughnuts. 175 W. Troy St., Ferndale; 248808-6633. D daily, BR Sat.-Sun. O.W.L. $ MEXICAN-AMERICAN • This Royal Oak spot offers sustenance for the early birds to the night owls. 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.

Phoenicia $$$ LEBANESE • This long-standing upscale eatery has clean, contemporary lines that complement the French door-style windows. Don’t miss the portabella 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-servingsized local whitefish. 588 S. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248-644-3122. L Mon.-Fri., D daily.

Pinky’s Rooftop $$ ECLECTIC AMERICAN • With its second-floor view of downtown Royal Oak, Pinky’s Rooftop is a go-to spot for a night on the town. The name hearkens back to a Detroit restaurant and speakeasy on the east side that was called Pinky’s Boulevard Club (and the fact that everything is pink). The playful and eclectic menu offers a taste of a little bit of everything, from Kasseri Saganaki to Red Chile Beef Taco. It’s part of the Adam Merkel Restaurants group, which includes Howell hot spots The Silver Pig, Cello Italian, and Diamond’s Steak & Seafood.

100 S. Main St. Rear, Royal Oak, 248-268-2885. D Tues.-Sun. Br. Sat.-Sun. Pop’s For Italian $$ ITALIAN • It doesn’t sound fancy, but this Ferndale restaurant serves well-prepared, Italian dishes paired with an ambitious wine program. The fairly brief menu starts with a list of Neapolitan pizzas, then moves to pastas, but has all the classics. 280 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale; 248-268-4806. D Tue.-Sun. Prime29 Steakhouse $$$$ 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 and black pearl salmon. The service is notable, as is the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator. 6545 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield; 248- 737-7463. D Tue.-Sun.

Quán Ngon Vietnamese Bistro $ VIETNAMESE • This gem of a bistro in a handsome space adds to the local Vietnamese offerings. Dishes such as cha gio (elegant little eggrolls), bun bo noug cha gio (grilled steak atop angel-hair rice noodles), and banh mi made with fresh ingredients.

30701 Dequindre Road, Madison Heights; 248-2684310. L,D Fri.-Wed.

FEATURED

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; 313-7231000. L,D daily.

Redcoat Tavern $ BURGERS • The half-pound choice beef hamburger is always atop the list of local favorites. But a low-fat, high-flavor 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 $$ NEW AMERICAN • Two restaurants in one; Kabin Kruser’s and the Chop House. There’s a throwback roadhouse-style feeling about the Chop House, which has a menu divided between red meat and fresh fish and seafood. Signature dishes include calamari, Maryland jumbo lump crabcakes, and a large selection of aged steaks, rack of lamb, and steak/seafood combinations. 306 S. Main St., Rochester; 248-6512266. L Mon.-Fri., D daily Ronin $$ 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.

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 Mon.-Sat. 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 fried chicken sandwiches, crispy Brussels sprouts, and salmon with braised lentils, crispy kale, and a mustard vinaigrette.

225 E. Maple Road, Birmingham; 248-594-4200. L Mon.-Fri., D daily, BR Sat.-Sun. Sozai JAPANESE • To truly experience Sozai, you have to reserve a seat at the custom-built sushi bar where chef Hajime Sato will curate a unique sustainable sushi dining experience called omakase. There’s also a menu offering crowd pleasers like chicken karaage and rolls featuring familiar ingredients with tuna, jalapeno and avocado. 449 W. 14 Mile Road, Clawson; 248677-3232. D Tues.-Sat. Streetside Seafood $$ SEAFOOD • Small and cozy yet sophisticated, the restaurant has a pared-down seasonal menu of fresh

fish and seafood. There are always two soups: a bisque and a chowder. Favorites include the oysters and bouillabaisse. A delicious restaurant for all palates to enjoy and feel comfortable in. 273 Pierce St. Birmingham; 248-645-9123. L Mon.-Fri., D daily.

Sylvan Table $$$ NEW AMERICAN • With a working farm on the 5-acre property, Sylvan Table isn’t just talking the farm-totable talk. The restored 300-year-old barn feels grand and vast when you step into the stunning space, but it is homey, welcoming, and inviting. The menu changes often to reflect what’s growing but some of the staples include the trout — seasoned with herb oil, salt, and pepper, cooked over a wood-fired grill, and served whole — and Chicken Under a Brick, which is cooked to charred perfection. 1819 Inverness St., Sylvan Lake, 248-369-3360. D Mon.-Sun. Take Sushi $$ JAPANESE • Crisp salads, sashimi, sushi, oversize bowls of soba or udon noodles, and all the familiar — and some not-so-familiar — entrees combine to make this spot special. The exceptionally warm service is unforgettable. 1366 Walton Blvd., Rochester Hills; 248652-7800. L,D Tue.-Sat., D Sun. 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 whole branzino with charred zucchini and romesco. Wine is served by the glass, the pitcher, or bottle. 155 S. Bates St., Birmingham; 248-731-7066. D Mon.-Sat. 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, as most of the furniture at Three Cats Restaurant is available for purchase. 116 W. 14 Mile Road, Clawson; 248-288-4858. L,D Tue.-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.

203 Pierce St., Birmingham; 248-258-6278. B,L daily.

Toasted Oak $$$ BRASSERIE • The menu revolves around the charcuterie sold in the market next door and a list of hot grill items. 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 Mon.-Fri., L,D Tue.-Sat. BR Sat.-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

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R E STAU R A N T L I STI N G S 0 1. 2 4 Detroit Fish House $$ SEAFOOD • This restaurant feels like a true coastal eatery, thanks to an extensive menu of fresh fish and seafood that ranges from salmon to Lake Superior whitefish — all served in a well-designed setting.

51195 Schoenherr Road, Shelby Charter Township; 586-739-5400. L Mon.-Fri., D daily.

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 delicious kid’s menu for any youngsters in your party.

18 S. Main St., Clarkston; 248-625-5660. D Mon.-Sun. Vinsetta Garage $$ NEW AMERICAN • This restaurant, which is housed in a vintage car-repair shop, offers well-prepared comfort food classics such as burgers, macaroni and cheese, pizzas, and brown sugar-glazed salmon. A restaurant that pays true homage to the city of Detroit. 27799 Woodward Ave., Berkley; 248-548-7711. L,D daily Voyager $$ 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, yellowfin tuna tartare, and halibut fish and chips. 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. Waves $$ SEAFOOD • Seafood covers most of the menu at this Nautical Mile favorite. It’s a tough task choosing between such popular appetizers as coconut shrimp, 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.

Macomb Andiamo $$ ITALIAN • Over the past three decades, Joe Vicari has established several Andiamo restaurants in metro Detroit, all inspired by the late master chef Aldo Ottaviani’s philosophy of seasonal, from-scratch cooking. Menus differ slightly between locations, but the constant is fresh, housemade pastas — handcrafted by the trinity of “pasta ladies,” Anna, Tanya, and Angelina, who have carried on the tradition. The Warren location is the flagship that started it all.

7096 14 Mile Road, Warren; 586-268-3200. L,D Mon.Fri., D Sat.-Sun. Bar Verona $$ ITALIAN • Modernized, made-from-scratch Italian favorites curated by Chef Salvatore Borgia as well as fresh craft cocktails fill the menu at this stylish eatery.

Homemade pastas, such as Giuseppe’s, as well as a selection of steaks and seafood dishes typify the contemporary approach to fresh and uncomplicated Italian cuisine. 59145 Van Dyke Ave., Washington; 586473-0700. D daily.

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 — over a thousand 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 by offering traditional Italian dining with an upbeat modern twist. 49521 Van Dyke Ave., Shelby Township; 586-731-7544. L,D Tue.-Fri., D Sat., L,D Sun.

FEATURED

Blue LLama Jazz Club

CREATIVE AMERICAN Come to this swanky jazz club for the music, featuring headliners such as the Grammynominated Ravi Coltrane Quartet, but stay for chef Louis Goral’s delicious food — steaks, seafood, and upscale Southernstyle fare 314 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; 734-372-3200. D Wed.-Sat.

Gaudino’s $$ ITALIAN • The trending market-restaurant combo has a good example at this spot. It offers imported pastas and sauces, plus a butcher counter with sausages and a wine assortment. The menu offers pasta and pizza, salads, and entrees, including Bistecca di Gancio, a sliced hanger steak with crispy Brussels sprouts and house bistro sauce. 27919 Harper Ave., St. Clair Shores; 586-879-6764. L,D Tue.-Sat Isla $$ 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.

L,D Tue.-Sat., BR Sun. J. Baldwin’s Restaurant $$$ NEW AMERICAN • The menu showcases chef Jeff Baldwin’s contemporary American food: cedarplanked salmon, Boom-Boom Shrimp, burgers, and salads. The desserts include chocolate bumpy cake and spiced carrot cake. 16981 18 Mile Road, Clinton Township; 586-416-3500. L,D Tue.-Sun., BR Sun. Mr. Paul’s Chophouse $$$ 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. Sherwood Brewing Co. $ GASTROPUB • Quality local ingredients raise Sherwood’s fare to well above “elevated pub grub.” Some notable choices include the hand-stretched pizzas, burgers, sandwiches and spicy Buffalo Mac. 45689 Hayes Road, Shelby Township; 586-532-9669. L,D Tue.-Sat. 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; 586-731-3900. L,D Tue.-Sun. 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. L Sun., D daily.

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.

Washtenaw Bellflower $$$ NEW AMERICAN • A restaurant housed in a former exchange of the Michigan Bell Telephone Company, Bellflower answers Ypsilanti’s call for fine dining with an adventurous flair. Boudin sausage with roasted okra, baked oysters, and ginger ale or CocaCola-roasted beets showed up on early menus as chef Dan Klenotic’s way of straddling the line of creole tradition and an imaginative style that is entirely his own. 209 Pearl St., Ypsilanti. L,D Mon.-Sat. Black Pearl $$ 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 caramel apple salmon dish. Non-seafood options include the eponymous burger, Asian chicken salad, and filet mignon. And make sure to order dessert. 302 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; 734-222-0400. D daily.

The Blue Nile $$ ETHIOPIAN • The real treat at this quaint restaurant is injera, a spongy bread used to scoop the meal, eaten with your hands in traditional style. The lentil dishes, often seasoned with an Ethiopian spice mixture called berbere, and the vegetables are equally delicious. 221 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor; 734-9984746. D Tue.-Sun. 545 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale; 248-547-6699. D Thu.-Sun. Cardamom $$ 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; 734-662-2877. L Sun., D Wed.-Sun. The Common Grill $$ SEAFOOD • Founded by Chef Craig Common, whose skilled work drew the attention of the now shuttered Gourmet magazine and the James Beard House, this mainstay was acquired in 2022 by Peas & Carrots Hospitality. Chefs Zack Sklar and Josh Humphrey kept most of the beloved restaurant’s menu, such as the expertly prepared oysters and seafood dishes, as well as the coconut cream pie. 112 S. Main St., Chelsea; 734-475-0470. L,D Tue.-Sun., BR Sat-Sun. Dixboro House $$$$ NEW AMERICAN • Much like the restaurant’s ambience, the cuisine at Dixboro House is both refined and relaxed. Chef Joe VanWagner’s elegant but approachable menu hosts rotating seasonal fromscratch dishes that highlight local ingredients—pizzas, salads, seafood, and steaks served in a rustic barn that once housed The Lord Fox, an iconic restaurant in Ann Arbor’s historic Dixboro neighborhood. 5400 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor; 734-6693310. L,D daily. BR Sat.-Sun. KouZina Greek Steet Food $ GREEK • The Greek “street food” at this Ann Arbor spot comes in lamb and beef, and chicken. Try the lentil soup for a delicious lunch or go for something more filling like the gyro bowl. Either way, you can’t go wrong with this excellent spot. 332 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; 734-997-5155. L,D Mon.-Sun. Mani Osteria & Bar $$ ITALIAN • This popular casual restaurant infuses freshness with lower prices than most osterias in the area. It’s a well-rounded blend of modern, eclec-

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R E STAU R A N T L I STI N G S 0 1. 2 4 tic 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,D Tue.-Sun. Miss Kim $$ KOREAN • This spinoff from the Zingerman’s mini empire comes courtesy of chef Ji Hye Kim, a James Beard semifinalist. Kim meticulously researches Korean culinary traditions and recipes to create her unique blend of modern Korean food highlighting Michigan vegetables, from housemade kimchi to the tteokbokki (rice cakes). Some of the restaurant’s standouts include a craveable Korean fried chicken and its plantbased counterpart the Korean fried tofu. 415 N. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor, 734-275-0099. L and D Wed.-Mon. Paesano $$ 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; 734-971-0484. L,D daily.

Seva Ann Arbor $$ VEGAN • Seva offers such dishes as black bean and sweet potato quesadillas, gluten-free options, and colorful stir-fries — some vegan as well as vegetarian. There’s also a full bar as well as a juice bar serving creamy smoothies and dense shakes, fresh-squeezed juices, and craft mocktails. Choose from one of the most extensive vegetarian menus in the Detroit area. 2541 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor; 734-662-1111. L,D Mon.-Sat. Shalimar $$ INDIAN • Offering North Indian, Tandoori, and Mughlai dishes, Shalimar is suitable for carnivores and herbivores 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 nachos and duck-fat 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.

DINING NEWS

What’s Cooking?

Metro Detroit food and beverage headlines

BY JAC K TH OMAS

Lady of the House Is Returning to Detroit Lady of the House, an award-winning restaurant by chef-owner Kate Williams, is returning to Detroit in 2024. Its new location will be in the Core City neighborhood, which has become quite the restaurant hot spot (home to Detroit Institute of Bagels, Barda, Puma, and more). Lady of the House was known for its Irish-inspired New American eats off an everchanging seasonal menu featuring local ingredients.

Its Corktown location shut its doors in early 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The restaurant was a James Beard Award semifinalist two years in a row — for best new restaurant in 2018 and best chef in 2019. Williams received another best chef nod in 2022. In the past few years, she also helped launch Candy Bar and co-founded the since-closed brunch joint Karl’s — both located inside The Siren Hotel.

Dutch Girl Donuts to Reopen this Spring Dutch Girl Donuts, a longtime Detroit donut shop on Woodward and Seven Mile, plans to reopen under new ownership this spring after it closed in the summer of 2021. The iconic bakery was purchased by Paddy Lynch, owner of Detroit’s historic bathhouse The Schvitz since 2017 and third-generation director of Lynch & Sons funeral homes. Jon Timmer, who previously worked in the kitchen for over two decades, will be returning to confect the original pastry recipes just as customers remember them. He’s the grandson of 1947 founders John and Cecilia Timmer, and the son of former owners Gene and Lauren Timmer.

Grosse Pointe Couple Buys Notable Northern Michigan Hotels and Restaurants Real estate owners Jon and Lauren Cotton of Grosse Pointe are buying up several northern Michigan

Yotsuba Japanese Restaurant & Bar $$ JAPANESE • The semi-circular sushi bar is the center of this restaurant. Sushi chef Bobby Suzuki has a loyal following for his precise nigiri rolls. There are also tatami rooms and conventional seating. 7365 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township; 248737-8282. 2222 Hogback Road, Ann Arbor; 734-9715168. L,D Tue.-Sun. Zingerman’s Roadhouse $$$ CLASSIC COMFORT • This eatery celebrates food from around the U.S., from the New Mexico black bean and hominy burger to the delicacies of New Orleans. The buttermilk biscuits are out of this world. 2501 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor; 734-663-3663.

B,L,D daily.

 Grand River Brewery (above and top) now occupies the former Black Lotus Brewing Co. space in downtown Clawson.

hotels and restaurants previously owned by Stafford Hospitality, the couple announced in November 2023. Their properties now include several restaurants along Lake Michigan’s Little Traverse Bay: Stafford’s Pier Restaurant, a Harbor Springs seafood spot; The Weathervane Restaurant, a longstanding Charlevoix lakeside bistro; and Petoskey’s Noggin Room Pub. The couple previously bought Hotel Iroquois on Mackinac Island in 2020.

Grand River Brewery Is Now Open in Clawson A brewery founded a decade ago in Jackson opened a new downtown Clawson location in early December. Grand River Brewery prides itself as a “farm to table, grain to glass operation,” featuring signature beers and spirits crafted in Jackson by head brewer Wyatt Andrew, like the Falcon Punch IPA and the La Boda, a Berliner Weisse.

The menu includes burgers and steaks made from locally butchered steer, plus housebaked breads, desserts, and more. It’s located at 1 E. 14 Mile, which formerly housed Black Lotus Brewing Co. and Pumachug.

New Downtown Detroit Eatery Where Steaks Are … Sexy?

Sexy Steak is expected to open in downtown Detroit early this year. It’s housed in the Grand Army of the Republic Building, a historic castlelike structure recently

mentioned in Hour Detroit’s November installment of The Way It Was. The menu will include halal steak cuts, seafood, and more. The building will also house a more casual concept, Sexy Burger, which will offer Wagyu burgers, pasta, salads, and other options.

Downtown Birmingham’s Mad Hatter Bistro Gets a Makeover The redesign and renovations for Bell Bistro (formerly the Mad Hatter Bistro) at 185 N. Old Woodward Ave. in Birmingham are nearly complete. It will feature a whole new menu, with New American-style fare, beer, wine, and cocktails. The dining room will have 64 seats (including nine bar seats) and — hopefully — expanded outdoor seating.

Longtime Downriver Butcher Shop to Close Next Month Ray’s Prime Foods, a longbeloved Taylor butcher shop on Eureka Road, expects to close Feb. 4 after 62 years of business. It was founded in Trenton in 1961 and once had a location in Ann Arbor’s Briarwood Mall. Owner Brent Martyniak told the Detroit Free Press the decision came after the store struggled to compete with supermarket and retail prices. Ray’s developed a reputation for selective sourcing and memorable service and even offered catering for large events like weddings.

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PROMOTIONAL CONTENT

Private Schools School Name

City

Website

Phone Number

Grades

Student / Teacher Ratio

Tuition Range

Academy of the Sacred Heart

Bloomfield Hills

ashmi.org

Infant to 12 - girls; Infant to 8 - boys

248-646-8900

12 to 1

Varies

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15 to 1

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delasallehs.com

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15 to 1

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Beverly Hills

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248-646-7717

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Birmingham

etonacademy.org

Grade 1 to 12

248-642-1150

10 to 1

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frankelja.org

Grade 9 to 12

248-592-5263

9 to 1

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Grosse Pointe Farms

gpacademy.org

Montessori Pre-K to K Grade 1-8

313-886-1221

7 to 1 6 to 1

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Pre-K to 12

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Oakland Christian School

Auburn Hills

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Pre-K to 12

248-373-2700

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Call for tuition

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Preparatory

Orchard Lake

stmarysprep.com

Grade 9 to 12

248-392-9280

15 to 1

$15,400 - $33,900

Regina High School

Warren

reginahs.com

Grade 9 to 12

586-585-0500

17 to 1

$12,410



The Roeper School - Lower School

Bloomfield Hills

roeper.org

Pre-K to 5

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9 to 1

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

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Birmingham

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Grade 6 to 12

248-203-7300

12 to 1

$28,900 - $31,350

St. Regis Catholic School

Bloomfield Hills

stregis.org

Pre-K to 8

248-724-3377

18 to 1

$3,700 - $7,700

University Liggett School

Grosse Pointe Woods

uls.org

Pre-K to 12

313-884-4444

8 to 1

$8,240 - $30,840

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ADVERTISEMENT IN THIS ISSUE | SCHOOLS ARE LISTED ALPHABETICALLY

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God, Family, St. Mary's

www.stmarysprep.com admissions@stmarysprep.com

A Co-Divisional Catholic High School

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PROMOTIONAL CONTENT

Private Schools

Individualizing a lesson, a class, an entire curriculum isn’t always easy. But it’s what we do. Our visionary founders discovered in the 1940s the power of a student-centric, collaborative education. Creativity, choice, independence, and free thinking guide an organic exuberance in our curriculum that is thoughtfully and deliberately connected to academic and life goals. Each path is different - and that’s what we love.

CAMPUS TOURS January 12 - 9:00 AM February 13 - 9:00 AM

Begin your journey at Roeper.org

@theroeperschool

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PROMOTIONAL CONTENT

Private Schools

OPEN HOUSE FAIR February 8, 2024 | 6:00 - 8:00 PM JOIN US FOR GRADES 1-8 FAMILY FUN ENROLLMENT FAIR!

Elective Demonstrations Curriculum Highlights Tours

Games Bounce House Fair Food

Register at gpacademy.org/family-fun-enrollment-fair 171 Lake Shore Road • Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236 • 313-886-1221

PRESENTS

Neighborhood

SPOTLIGHT

Neighborhood Spotlight features the top cities to move to in Metro Detroit and is hosted by the best realtors in the region.

Each of these realtors will draw upon their years of experience to showcase all the reasons to move to these cities such as the restaurants, schools, city amenities, and so much more. Check back often to see the new featured cities.

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What do you get when you cross Art, Outdoor Adventure, Swimming, and Science? A super, fun summer!

We welcome children aged 3-12 eager to play and explore their interests in a safe, caring environment.

Registration opens January 27 at 12:00 PM.

WATCH NOW

roepersummercamp.org

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TRU ST ED A DV I SORS

Let Our Experts Help You Make The Best Decision!

The better informed we are, the better the decision.

The good news is we live in Michigan, home to some of the most knowledgeable and educated experts in the world - including doctors, dentists, automotive leaders, business & real estate professionals to leaders and innovators in the arts, technology and many other fields.

Let’s look at a few.

Health: While the Motor City gets its nickname because of the area’s historical connection to the automobile, Southeastern Michigan takes a backseat to no one when it comes to top-rated medical care. We are home to the University of Michigan Health System, Beaumont Health, Henry Ford Health System, DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan and Saint Joseph Mercy Health System – all among the highest rated medical facilities in the country.

Canna-Business: Michigan is the nation’s second largest cannabis market in the country and projections are that these numbers will increase as the market in Michigan is expected to reach $2.5 billion by 2025.

Dentistry: Metro Detroit dental professionals are some of the best in the world and they all utilize the latest technology and treatments to create a beautiful and healthy smile.

In this issue of Hour Detroit we have assembled not only knowledgeable and reliable sources, but local experts who are available for a “follow-up” question or consultation to help you make not just a better decision, but the best decision.

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Q: How does a patient know if they’re a candidate for dental implants?

A: There are many factors dentists use to assess whether a patient is a good candidate for a dental implant. First, a review of the patient’s medical history must be completed. Although rare, there are situations that prevent the use of dental implants in patients. Secondly, a CT scan (CBCT) needs to be taken. This allows dentists to evaluate the patient’s jaw anatomy and determine the ideal implant position. Finally, dentists must evaluate the patient for possible problems that could predispose them to complications. This usually involves the use of special digital technology such as an iTero, or T-scan, which enables a dentist to verify the patient’s occlusion and biting force — considerations that could lead to decreased dental implant success and longevity.

Once a dentist takes all of these factors into account, a patient will be well-informed and confident in knowing whether they’re a good candidate for dental implants.

Oakland Family Dental Amanda M. Sheehan, D.D.S. 4626 W. Walton Blvd.

Waterford, MI 48329 248-674-0384 oaklandfamilydental.com

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Q: What are the benefits of hormone optimization therapy?

Q: What should I consider when looking for a new dentist?

A: Our hormones are responsible for much of how we feel, think and act. As we

A: When looking for a new dentist, it’s important to find out about their level of concern for their patients, their credentials, and their commitment to the profession.

Dr. Aziza Askari, who has a very strong commitment to and passion for her dental profession, has comprehensive training in full-mouth reconstruction including implants, oral surgical procedures, cosmetic dentistry, personalized smile makeovers, and sedation. She’s a graduate of the University of Sciences and the Temple University School of Dentistry in Philadelphia, and holds a combined D.M.D./MBA. Dr. Askari remains at the forefront of her profession by pursuing continuing education opportunities.

Recognized as a Top Dentist in Hour Detroit for many years, Dr. Askari is a member of many select dental organizations and has earned numerous certifications.

She’s a member of the AACD, and has training in sedation from the Dental Organization of Conscious Sedation; laser proficiency from the Academy of Laser Dentistry; Invisalign, implants, and Teeth-In-An-Hour from Nobel BioCare; and advanced aesthics from the Hornbrook Group. She also received an MAGD Mastership from the Academy of General Dentistry. Those accreditations mean Dr. Askari continues to seek medical and technological advances in her field so she can provide the best possible patient care.

age, many of these hormones decrease or become imbalanced, which may lead to fatigue, depression, low libido, weight gain and bone loss.

Often times these imbalances are missed because standard lab testing simply measures ‘normal ranges’ but do not find optimal levels for each patient.

This approach has left too many patients with more symptoms than solutions.

By optimizing our naturally occurring hormones to the levels we once had in our youth, we are able to prevent or even reverse the signs of aging.

For men, this means replacing testosterone, which is expected to decrease by 1% every year after age 30. This proactive therapy allows men to see noticeable changes in their mood, libido and weight within months of treatment.

In women, this means supplementing lost estrogen and progesterone to minimize menopausal symptoms and minimize signs of aging, including skin changes, weight gain, anxiety and fatigue.

Alex Zayid, MD is the medical director of ICON ANTI-AGING and AESTHETICS and a 2023 HOUR Detroit Top Doc.

Icon Anti-Aging & Aesthetics Alex Zayid, M.D. 555 S. Old Woodward, Suite 700 Birmingham, Mi, 48009 248-436-4002 Instagram: @dr.alexzayid iconantiaging.com

Comfort Dental Spa

Aziza Askari, D.M.D., MBA, M.A.G.D. 33966 W. Eight Mile Road, Suite 104 Farmington Hills, MI 48335 16979 Farmington Road Livonia, MI 48154 248-579-5012 comfortdentalspa.com

Q: Where is the best place to start when designing a room?

Q: What sets Leaf and Bud apart from other cannabis dispensaries in Michigan?

A: Designing a room can seem overwhelming, so the best way to enjoy the process and get the most out of it is to take your time and organize your thoughts. Consider what I refer to as the “Four Corners:” The architecture and desired aesthetic of the space (Form); the activities of the space (Function); how much one wants to spend on all design services, construction, finishes and furnishings (Economy); and time constraints and how long the solution needs to last (Time). Defining these considerations helps control budget and set priorities. Sometimes during this process, an important feature of the space or unique item will reveal itself as an “inspiration.” Incorporating it into the design solution will be easier having already considered the “’Four Corners.” Rather than making regrettable paint choices or furniture purchases, one can be assured that enough thought has been given to ensure a successful outcome.

Beautiful homes begin with a Gorman’s designer!

A: The Leaf and Bud cannabis dispensary in Detroit is the city’s largest and boasts a unique and modern design. Located on Livernois Avenue, this dispensary offers a sleek and welcoming atmosphere with neon-accented countertops and modern LED lighting, giving it a “nightclub atmosphere.”

Inside the 140,000-square-foot building, Leaf and Bud share space with Future Grow Solutions, featuring a state-of-the-art grow operation. Future Grow Solutions utilizes a system that accelerates cannabis plant growth, reducing the traditional vegetation cycle by weeks. Each tower houses 102 suspended plants surrounded by LED lights, making it one of Michigan’s largest vertical 360 grow operations. The entire process is computercontrolled and soil-free, providing a clean and efficient approach to cultivation.

This sets Leaf and Bud apart in Detroit’s cannabis market, offering a futuristic and welcoming experience for cannabis enthusiasts. Leaf and Bud has 3 locations: 23860 Sherwood Center Line, 14470 Livernois Detroit, and the newly opened 20801 Dequindre Rd. Hazel Park.

Gorman’s

Lisa Sager 27800 Novi Road Novi, MI 48377 248-344-0880 gormans.com

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Leaf and Bud

Mark Savaya, CEO 833-347-6275 leafandbud.com

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10.14.2023

Rhonda Walker Foundation 20th Anniversary Gala

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PH O T O S BY K EV IN B EA N

THE YEAR 2023 was a big one for Rhonda Walker: She celebrated her 20th year with WDIV Local 4, and her foundation celebrated two decades of empowering teen girls from the inner city to become future leaders through mentoring and the organization’s Girls into Women Program. The black-tie event on the 16th floor of One Campus Martius featured world-class entertainment, live music, fine cuisine, an open bar, and more.

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1. Antoinette and Kenneth Turner 2. Monica Murphy, Burt Jordan, Kimberly Stevens 3. Harriette and Dr. Ronald Gillum, Rhonda Walker, Jason Drumheller 4. RWF board members 5. Matthew DiDio and Angela Topacio-DiDio, Chris and Bob Stocki 6. Kacy and Cornelius Hare 7. Barbara Pilarski, Abby Pilarski 8. jessica Care moore, Shadia Amen, Ericka Stephens 9. Richard Wilson, Rhonda Walker, Darnell Blackburn 10. Keith Tomatore, Rebecca Walters, Peter King 11. Steve Kiefer, Blake Kiefer, Erica Kula, Amy and Mark Knoth 12. Letty Azar, Margaret Lane, Mikele Prokopovich, Krysta Grembo

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10.19.2023

Art & Fashion Show Luncheon with Neiman Marcus Troy PHOT OS BY HAILEY KASPER

A CURATED SELECTION of works from local artists, a runway show of the latest fashion trends, and some of the finest food in metro Detroit were on the menu at the Somerset Collection during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The event featured an entryway with linework by artist Mike Han and a three-course meal prepared by chef Anthony Lombardo of SheWolf and chefs John Vermiglio and Joe Giacomino of Grey Ghost.

This was one of three Uncork for a Cure events in October hosted by the Dynami Foundation, whose mission is to raise funds for scientific research, education, and patient support concerning breast cancer.

1. Laura Liras, Lisa Lipari 2. Anne Gryzenia, Lauren Cotton, Kelley Muzingo 3. Eric “El Cappy” Lowry, Takeisha Jefferson, Amelia Currier, Mary Wysocki, Mike Han 4. Mary Wysocki, Flora Migyanka 5. Norma Dorman, Shelly Freedman 6.

Gina, Lauren, Ava, and Maria Ruggirello 7. Erik Morganroth, Andrea Morganroth, Mara Moss, Lisa Nederlander 8. Kristin Meekhof, Karen MacDonald-Basile 9.

Michael Gray, Will Lee, Joe Giacomino, Anthony Lombardo, John Vermilgio 10.

Mary Anne Calzolano, Mischawn Fosse 11.

Laura Roulier, Christa McKindles, Kellie Ferrantino, Olivia Ferrantino, Marnie Alyea, Jill Davis 12. Tylear and Lael Jefferson

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PROMOTIONAL CONTENT

Charity Calendar FATHER OF THE BRIDE Jan. 10 - Feb. 4 mbtheatre.com Poor Mr. Banks! His jacket is too tight, he can’t get a cocktail, and he’s footing the bill — he’s the father of the bride. Stanley Banks is just your ordinary suburban dad; he’s the kind of guy who believes that weddings are simple affairs in which two people get married. But when daddy’s little girl announces her engagement, Mr. Banks feels like his life has been turned upside down.

DETROIT FASHION CHOICE AWARDS Jan. 28, 7 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. detroitchoiceawards.com Experience the glamour and excitement of the fashion world at the highly anticipated Detroit Fashion Choice Awards. This spectacular event brings together the city’s most talented designers, stylists, models, and fashion enthusiasts for a night of glitz, glamour, and celebration.

The Detroit Fashion Choice Awards is about more than fashion; it’s about recognizing the extraordinary talent and hard work of those who have shaped the industry. The Vanguard Honorees, true pioneers in their respective fields, are celebrated for their significant contributions and unwavering dedication to pushing boundaries and breaking barriers. Witness the heartfelt speeches and sincere tributes to these trailblazers as they’re honored for their invaluable impact on the fashion landscape.

YEAR IN CELEBRATION Jan. 26, 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. familyyouth.com The Year in Celebration event is Family Youth Interventions’ third annual gala fundraiser. All profits will go back to the youth the organization serves. Join them for an unforgettable evening filled with live music by local youth, an exciting raffle, and a chance to make a difference in the lives of runaway and homeless youth. The gala takes place at the prestigious Emerald Theatre and is exclusively for those aged 21 and up. A ticket to the event ensures an evening of enjoyment with access to the open bar, a delicious dinner, and all the exciting features of the night.

The Detroit Fashion Choice Awards is an event like no other — it’s a celebration of art, creativity, and innovation. Whether you’re a fashion enthusiast, industry insider, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of design, this is an experience you won’t want to miss. Get ready to be dazzled, inspired, and immersed in the world of fashion at the Detroit Fashion Choice Awards.

SOUP CITY Jan. 24 cotsdetroit.org/soupcity COTS Soup City, an evening of compassion and community, takes place on Jan. 24 at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. This is COTS’ signature fundraiser, dedicated to helping Detroit families break the cycle of generational poverty and homelessness. It’s also a celebration of family triumphs and partnerships built at COTS over the past year.

Enjoy a delightful soup stroll, savor exquisite dishes from more than 25 metro Detroit restaurants, and explore the COTS Art of Family gallery, which tells the stories of those who have overcome adversity through art, and aims to reshape perceptions about poverty and homelessness. In addition to the delicious food and inspiring art, enjoy live music and a silent auction. Your admission is more than a ticket; it’s an invitation to partner with COTS in Creating Opportunities to Succeed! For updated details, visit cotsdetroit.org/soupcit.

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HOUR DETROIT.COM

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MOCAD’s 2023 Gala + Art Auction PHOT OS BY K EVI N BEA N

THE MUSEUM of Contemporary Art Detroit hosted its 2023 Gala + Art Auction in celebration and support of the museum’s educational exhibits and art programs. The evening was presented by the A. Alfred Taubman Foundation and featured an online art auction, a five-star plated dinner with craft cocktails and signature hors d’oeuvres, live music by Detroit artist KESSWA, appearances by Detroit drag artists, and more.

The event also honored Melanca Clark, Linda Dresner, and Leni Sinclair, three women who have made extraordinary contributions to the arts in our area and beyond.

10 11 1. Angela Wisniewski-Cobbina and Awenate Cobbina 2. Leni Sinclair, Beyonce Sinclair-Woodward 3. Edith Briskin, Marsha Miro, Tom and Kathy Goldberg 4. David Rees, Rena and Mark Lewis, Marion Greenberg 5. Melanie Clark, Hedi Reijm 6. Linda and Ed Dresner 7. Allen Goldsmith, Sandra Seligman, Lynn and Bharat Gandhi 8. Troy Rushing, Miz Korona, Mike Donigan 9. Brad Schaible, Boswell, Jeff Newsom 10. Aphrodite, Jonathan Rajewski, Jewel Jubilee 11. Shelley Tauber, Jay Siefman, Joy and Allan Nachman, Linda and Rob Powers

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1974

A HALF- CENTURY AGO on Jan. 2, former state Sen. Coleman A. Young was administered the oath of office as Detroit’s first Black mayor by Michigan Supreme Court Justice John B. Swainson (left) and U.S. District Judge Damon J. Keith (far right) before a crowd of 2,000 people at Ford Auditorium and a live television audience.

Later that evening, Young attended an inaugural concert featuring the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Motown recording star and Detroit native Diana Ross.

Running on a promise to reform and fully integrate the Detroit police force, fight crime, and foster economic development, Young narrowly defeated Detroit Police Commissioner John F. Nichols in a hotly contested race while giving the growing Black community hope, power, and pride.

In his inaugural address, Young, a former Tuskegee airman, autoworker, and union activist, stated in part: “This city has too long been polarized. We can no longer afford the luxury of hatred and racial division. What is good for the Black people of this city is good for the white people of this city. ... I don’t give a damn whether [criminals] wear super-fly suits or blue uniforms with silver badges — hit the road!”

Although he was especially hailed as a great leader in the local Black community and would serve five mayoral terms over a 20-year period, Young was sometimes seen as a polarizing figure by many in the largely white suburbs.

Yet despite economic downturns and significant population loss, the dynamic trailblazer known for his colorful language, sense of humor, and political savvy helped shape the city with projects that included, among others, the Renaissance Center, Hart Plaza, the Millender Center, Joe Louis Arena, Stroh River Place, One Detroit Center (now the Ally Detroit Center), the General Motors Co. Poletown plant, and the Chrysler Jefferson North assembly plant.

Upon Young’s death in November 1997 at age 79 due to complications from emphysema, a lung disease, ex-Gov. William G. Milliken (1969-83), a Traverse City Republican who long before had established a friendly bipartisan relationship with Young, stated: “He assumed office when Detroit was in a state of despair and gave hope to thousands of Detroiters that their voices would be heard. He was good for the people of Detroit and Michigan.” —Bill Dow

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The Way It Was

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WALTER P. REUTHER LIBRARY, ARCHIVES OF LABOR AND URBAN AFFAIRS, WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY

12/6/23 10:03 AM

Exactly where you should be.

When you’re true to who you are, you’re true to where you are.

Come join us.

TraverseCity.com

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T U S H A R

V A K H A R I Y A

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A C H O

New Year. New Home.

248.786.7790 TUSHAR@TVARLA.COM | RENEE@TVARLA.COM 210 S Old Woodward., Ste. 200, Birmingham, MI 48009

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LUXURY HOMES INTERNATIONAL

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