[Real Detroit Weekly] Brownie's on the Lake

(Photo by Nicole Rupersburg)"Earlier this year when the Andiamo Restaurant Group announced they would be re-opening the iconic Joe Muer's seafood restaurant in downtown Detroit, the positive response and excitement over the resurrection of this Detroit staple was so overwhelming that the Vicari brothers decided to try their hand at another metro Detroit institution: Brownie's on the Lake.'Brownie's was formerly located where the Beach Grille is now...

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Speaking of pizza...

(Photo by David Landsel)The Buddy's feature from Tuesday reminded me that it was high time for one of my favorite Detroit pies: Pepperoni, straight out of the coal oven at Tomatoes Apizza in Farmington Hills. (14 Mile E of Middlebelt, you're welcome.)It is presented here. Without further comment. Because, really, what more can be said? Wait, I know -- it only cost $8.99. That is something that should be mentioned. Look at the detail and quality...

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[Real Detroit Weekly] Coo-Coo for Cupcakes

Photo by Nicole Rupersburg"There we were: four frenzied foodies, two photographers and a writer staring down over 70 sexy cupcakes, each more visually tantalizing than the last.'Before us were fudge-covered, sprinkle-splattered representatives from seven different local cupcakeries: Cupcake Station (Birmingham), Rockin' Cupcakes (Rochester), Just Baked (multiple locations), Cupcakes & More (Detroit – Renaissance Center), Cup.Cake (Royal Oak),...

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[EID Feature] Buddy's Pizza: A Detroit Original

Photo by Nicole RupersburgDetroiters just don't know how lucky they are when it comes to pizza. Everyone knows of the New York vs. Chicago style pizza debate, but really neither can compete with Detroit-style deep dish. Those squares of thick, crispy, crunchy, grease-soaked heaven are something New Yorkers and Chicagoans can't even hope to understand. And Buddy's Pizzeria started it all.This year Buddy's is celebrating their 65th anniversary at their...

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[HOT LIST] Breakfast

Russell Street Deli (Photo by David Landsel)Monday morning again. You're at your desk, nibbling on something un-awesome, pretending like you're working. At least you can dream of a real breakfast, right? For this installment of the Hot List, our soon to be super-indispensable weekly look at the best food and drink Detroit has to offer, we pick five spots that are really floating our boats right now, breakfast-wise. Don't see your favorite spot...

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[Metromode] Bohemian Rhapsody: Metro Detroit's Coffee Chemists

My latest article on Detroit's fast-maturing coffee scene appeared June 23 in Metromode. Here's a taste (or is it a sip?) -- NicoleIf 'Ethiopian Harrar' is an integral part of your early morning ritual, then you already know about Chazzano Coffee in Ferndale. And you also know that when first roasted this particular coffee has notes of juicy blueberry which after a week will evolve to luscious dark chocolate.''I've created monsters!' jokes Frank Lanzkron-Tamarazo, owner and roaster at Chazzano Coffee. 'They want coffee that's been roasted the same...

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[HOT LIST] Coffee

Cafe Con Leche, Detroit (Photo by David Landsel)All this talk about coffee giving you the DT's? Us too. And while it has most definitely been established that there are plenty of people roasting it, brewing it and serving it in and around Detroit, who's doing it best? Why, we'll tell you, in our inaugural Hot List, one in a series that will highlight the best food and drink in Metro Detroit.#1 Commonwealth Birmingham The 2010 debut of this truly...

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[New York Post] The new Detroit cool

This past week, I explored Detroit's hippest 'hood -- Corktown -- for the New York Post. The article was 'liked' over 1,300 times on Facebook! -- Nicole"IN most cities, the opening of a youth hostel might not be all that big a deal. But Detroit isn't most cities, and in an era when most of the news is bad, new things, positive things — well, the locals pay attention.'A lot of it was about being in the right place at the right time. Hostel Detroit...

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Thistle Coffeehouse: Coffee Culture and Community in Midtown

Nicole RupersburgI first heard about Thistle Coffeehouse from Pastor Brenda Jarvis (of Riverside Community Church) and her son Kevin at a large group dinner at the Whitney in October 2009. What they told me sounded too good to be true: a third-wave coffeehouse offering free WiFi, free printing, late-night hours, student art showcases, in DETROIT. I immediately went home and wrote my then-editor at Model D, telling her how exciting it is and how we...

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Beer, Burgers & B-Dubs for a Cause: BRU Fest!

On June 18 at 7 p.m. BRU Fest, a charity event benefiting the Children's Leukemia Foundation of Michigan, will be held at the Royal Oak Farmers Market. I'll go head an copy the full press release below (because, really, why take the time to effectively re-write it?), but what's most interesting about this event is that it is a charity fundraiser that is actually affordable. CLFMI Director of Special Events Jackie McIntosh says, "It was important...

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[Real Detroit Weekly] Danny's Irish Pub

Nicole Rupersburg     For the latest edition of Real Detroit Weekly, I head out to Ferndale, where I learn that cool and trendy aren't necessarily the same thing -- Nicole"25 years ago, Ferndale wasn't the charming community full of cute boutiques and cozy brunch spots with forward-thinking community organizations, arts programs and edgy theatre troupes that we know it to be now. 'People told me not to buy a bar here because it wasn't...

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[944 Detroit] Morning, Noon and Night! Frita Batido's

"Chef Eve Aronoff has an infectious energy. She is fun, wacky, light-hearted and makes one feel instantly comfortable in her presence without even trying. Her latest restaurant venture, Frita Batidos in downtown Ann Arbor, reflects her welcoming spirit, seemingly as effortless as her naturally gracious demeanor.''I wanted it to be super casual,' she explains. 'I’m a very informal person … [Frita Batidos] has the conviviality and warmth I wanted...

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[EID Feature] Royal Oak's Bastone Complex (4 unique businesses, 1 unique chef)

Chef Robert Young doesn't want his picture taken. Why? "Because my face is blotchy and I look fat in pictures."Robert is the Executive Chef who oversees operations of the four distinctly different entities that make up the Bastone complex in Royal Oak: Bastone Brewery, Vinotecca, Cafe Habana, and Commune. Originally from the U.K., Robert has worked in kitchens since he was 14 and has been with Bastone et.al. for a year and a half now. And what he...

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[Real Detroit Weekly] Brunch of Champions

"To paraphrase Joyce Kilmer, I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as brunch. Maybe it's because you can only get it once (sometimes twice) a week. Or maybe it's because it's the only time it is socially acceptable to binge-drink before 3 p.m. in polite company. Or maybe it's just because we love eating breakfast foods at non-breakfast times. Regardless, brunch is not a meal. It is an art. Here's some of our faves..." Read the full article...

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[944 Detroit] Cork Wine Pub

To view this article you must view the PDF by clicking here.Here is also the full text of this brief "Inside Dish" piece:Birmingham, Royal Oak, Ferndale…Pleasant Ridge?  Thanks to the newly-opened Cork Wine Pub, this stretch of Woodward that was previously a dead zone is now the new “it” place to be, and with good reason: while there are no shortage of bars, clubs, lounges, and restaurants in the surrounding areas, there are few that truly cater to an adult crowd with a sophisticated palate.  “This is a place adults can go to and enjoy...

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DishKin: Local Entrepreneurs Launch All-Food Answer to Groupon

Dishkin's Donny Minchillo / Photo by Nicole RupersburgBy now you’re familiar with Groupon. Living Social. Half-Off Depot. Hour Detroit’s Deal du Jour. Fox Detroit’s version, the upcoming Free Press version … let’s face it, there’s a TON of copycat discount sites styled after Groupon that follows the same business model – give them your email address, they send you daily emails with discounted deals, and you buy these deals at half off or more from...

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Real Detroit Weekly: Penny Black

"In light of the Slows phenomenon, metro Detroit is giving Mizzourah a run for its slow-smoked, dry-rubbed money. The newest addition to this upscale BBQ trend is Penny Black in Rochester.'See, that was a great intro. But I ALSO could have said: in light of the upscale Mexican phenomenon, metro Detroit is giving chi-chi Mayan Riviera all-inclusive resort restaurants a run for their dinero (and incidentally, their dinners). The newest addition to...

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