Baconfest Michigan Returns to the Royal Oak Farmers Market on Saturday, June 1

Last year’s sold-out smash hit Baconfest Michigan returns on Saturday, June 1, 2013 from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Royal Oak Farmers Market, and we only have two words for you: MORE BACON!

What started as just a spark in the eyes of two serious lovers of salted and smoked pork has turned into a full-blown phenomenon. It probably goes without saying, but it turns out people really like bacon. “Baconfest 2012 was an overwhelming success for us and our participating restaurants,” says festival co-producer Matthew Peach. “This year will have more restaurants, increased space to accommodate more guests, two musical acts and even more Michigan based products. Which all means more bacon goodness here in the Great Bacon State!”

In 2012 Baconfest brought together some of the top restaurants in metro Detroit – including the Rattlesnake, Green Dot Stables, Forest Grill, Café Muse, Toasted Oak, One-Eyed Betty’s and Grange – as well as popular local breweries Kuhnhenn, Dragonmead, Jolly Pumpkin and North Peak for a sold-out crowd of 1,400, and these places brought their bAcon-game. We had a huge variety of bacon-infused dishes from 37 different restaurants, even places that butcher and smoke their own, and were the first Baconfest in the country to also have vegan bacon (from Seva in Detroit). We were floored (and so were you based on how you all waddled out of there), and now we can’t wait to do it again!

This year some 2,000 people with a passion for pork will come together at the Royal Oak Farmers Market for Baconfest Michigan 2013. We’re adding more space and more restaurants this year, which means – you guessed it – more bacon! Baconfest will continue to bring together the very best of all things bacon – inventive dishes and drinks with bacon as the theme as well as official merchandise and demonstrations from some of metro Detroit’s most bacon-loving chefs!

There will also be live music from Detroit favorites the Gia Warner Acoustic Trio and the Reefermen during the event and a competition between the restaurants for “Best of Fest,” selected by our secret panel of judges, and a “People’s Choice” fan favorite! (Winners will receive a framed certificate and supreme bragging rights for a whole year.)

General admission tickets go on sale at noon on February 1, 2013 at www.BaconfestMichigan.com. Regular admission tickets are $50 each and include full access to Baconfest booths as well as three drink tickets. VIP tickets are already sold out! Please note, Baconfest Michigan is a 21+ event.

Official sponsors of Baconfest Michigan 2013 and participating restaurants are still being finalized. Follow Baconfest Michigan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/baconfestmichigan and on Twitter @baconfestmi for updates. Also keep an eye out for Baconfest Traverse City, coming this fall!

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[Real Detroit] Super Bowls for the Super Bowl

There are two requirements that must be met to make for ideal football-watching foods: they have to be easy to make and they have to be easy to eat. Pizza, burgers and brats are always good go-tos because, (a) easy to make (or order and have delivered), and (b) easy to eat. But doesn't that get a little stale, year after year after year serving the same-old, same-old? Just because you're a football fan doesn't mean you're a savage. This Super Sunday, surprise your guests with gourmet fare that is (a) easy to make, and (b) so easy to eat. Even the bowl itself is edible. Enjoy these super bowls this Super Bowl! | RDW 

Bacon Bowls
Everything is better with bacon; even serving ware! Here's a recipe for a breadless BLT. Hey, it's even gluten-free!

Read on for this and other recipes.

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[Real Detroit] Buffalo Wild Wings

Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

You guys. We just went to the new Buffalo Wild Wings in Greektown. It is the largest Buffalo Wild Wings in the world.

IN THE WORLD.

It is everything you have come to expect from your local BW3: beer, wings and sports. Baskets of crispy-fried wings smothered in luscious spicy garlic sauce served piping hot with a 22-ounce glass of Michigan craft on draft, while "the game" plays on overheard flatscreen TVs.

So many games! So many flatscreen TVs!

What sets this BW3 apart from its suburban brethren (sidebar: why "BW3"? Where does the "3" come in? There are only two "w's" in "Buffalo Wild Wings," so why is it called "BW3"?), aside from the fact that it is the largest BW3 IN THE WORLD, is the general sense of being totally over-the-top – it is SO MUCH Buffalo Wild Wings, a Buffalo Wild Wings in the most extreme form, that it is like a Buffalo Wild Wings theme park, a rollercoaster ride of its own inherent BW3-ness. So strap in.

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[Real Detroit] Buddy's Restaurant + Pizzeria

Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

Buddy's Restaurant + Pizzeria is Detroit's original original. This is where "Detroit-style deep dish" was born over 65 years ago, and it is Detroit's most famous pizza. How famous is Buddy's famous pizza? Well, it's been covered by the New York Times and New York Post and Food Network and Food + Wine and GQ and Oprah Magazine and Parade Magazine and Zagat. That famous.

If you don't know what Detroit-style deep dish is, you must be new here. It is those dense square pizzas with the crispy edges where the cheese bubbles over and fuses to the sides. It is a heavy, industrial-grade pizza that perfectly suits our industrial-sized Detroit appetites. It is the pizza of the people – not the fancy, dainty pizzas with toppings that had to clear customs, but simple, hearty pizza for the working man. Buddy's Pizza is Detroit. Detroit is Buddy's Pizza.

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[Model D] Greektown Casino opens Brizola and new Market District food court

Greektown Casino hasn't had a proper fine dining establishment since the Alley Grille closed in 2009, and they've never had one located on the main gaming level. Enter the newly-opened Brizola.

Located on the main floor of the casino, Brizola was formerly the nightclub Eclipz Lounge (sidenote: we’re not sure what the thing is with the "z" either).

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[Model D] Maccabees at Midtown opens quietly, gains buzz fast

There aren’t many new restaurants in the Midtown/Corktown/Downtown neighborhoods that open nowadays without a whole lot of fanfare, often months in advance starting from the day the concept is announced. But Maccabees at Midtown, which officially opened on Dec. 30, opened like a phantom; without any major announcements or media coverage it sprang forth into existence and started serving what the locals already seem to agree is some pretty phenomenal food.

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[HOT LIST] Valentine's Day

Because it's never too early to start planning (and also and also and also FIRST), here is a preliminary list of events and other points of interest for celebrating (or actively anti-celebrating) this Valentine's Day.

#1 Clubhouse BFD V-Day B-Day, Feb. 14
Don't have it in you to face down yet another Valentine's Day alone? So don't. Join all of your beeriest of friends for a BIRTHDAY celebration at Clubhouse BFD ... a b-day that juuuuuuust so happens to fall on V-Day. But don't focus on that: instead, focus on how this place was just named by DRAFT Magazine as one of the 100 Best Beer Bars in the country. See? Don't you feel better already? Where there's beer, you're never alone.

#2 Single's Night at 8 Degrees Plato Beer Company, Feb. 14
Again: where there's beer, you're never alone. 8 Degrees is hosting a Valentine's Day Single Mingle Thursday, Feb 14th from 9:30 to 11pm. 15 single guys and 15 single ladies plus 6-8 beers to taste. Oh, and pizza. $15 per person. Reservations required please.

#3 The Dirty Show, Feb. 8-16
Early word on the Dirty Show this year is that there is a particular piece debuting that show producer/mastermind Jerry Vile has called "the most important thing the Dirty Show has ever done." (I've seen it, and it is truly a groundbreaking moment for the 14-year-old show. For naysayers that dismiss the Dirty Show as mere smut, this piece by Gregory de la Haba truly embodies that intersection of erotica and high art.) Also: boobs. The burlesque performances alone are worth the price of admission (even if you're a straight girl/gay boy who just likes the pretty costumes and is impressed by the caliber of performances). But the question REALLY is ... will Roxi be there???

#4 Detroit Passport to the Arts presents Detroit Loves Cinema, Feb. 14
A red carpet, a screening of Oscar-nominated shorts, and an afterparty at the newly-renovated Detroit Historical Museum. For couples looking to do something besides the usual dinner-and-a-movie, this is the ticket. You do not need to be a Passport holder to attend this event; click the link for ticket info.

#5 The Brunch Underground presents Dinner Theatre at Planet Ant, Feb. 16
The lovely folks of the Brunch Underground have partnered with Planet Ant for a dinner theatre combo, $30 individual/$55 couple which includes your theatre ticket, dinner AND drinks. And here is the menu: Parmesan risotto with braised short ribs, red wine reduction and a horseradish gremolata. An arugula radicchio salad with celeriac, apple and toasted walnut, in a creamy dressing. Individual pots de creme, with whipped cream. Herbed cheese popcorn for all! Also includes a champagne pomegranate punch and a pear rosemary cocktail.

#6 Anti-Valentine's Party at Whiskey in the Jar, Feb. 19
Who says Valentine's Day is for lovers? Haters unite! Elsewhere in Hamtramicka, the second-annual Anti-Valentine's Party will happen at Whiskey in the Jar. Bring a photo of your ex to throw darts at.

#7 Lobster Lovers Valentine's Day at Tom's Oyster Bar, Royal Oak, Feb. 14
Lobster specials and flaming Spanish coffees.

#8 Pete's Chocolates Company, Feb. 9-14
Ah yes, you also need a gift. Skip the mass-marketed over-priced chocolates and keep it local. Pete's Chocolate Company is a small-batch artisan chocolatier that specializes in hand-rolled truffles made with the finest ingredients. Pete will be at several events leading up to V-Day, so you can place your orders and pick-up at various locations in Ferndale and Detroit (check the schedule for where he'll be and when).

#9 VLNTNSDYMRKT at Pot + Box, Corktown, Feb. 14
POP-UPS! Detroit loves a pop-up. Especially one with a theme. This pop-up is happening at the eventual home of Pot + Box in Corktown, and will feature a number of Detroit vendors (including Pete's Chocolate Co.) selling gifts and goodies ideal for V-Day.

#10 Valentine's Package at Weber's Inn, Ann Arbor, Feb. 15-17
Maybe a staycation is in order? Weber's Inn in Ann Arbor is offering a whole hotel package that includes the room, champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries and a long-stemmed rose. The recently-renovated rooms are quite nice, the facility rather modern, and there's a very popular indoor pool-slash-pseudo water park that is especially popular in the winter. Plus the food at the attached restaurant(s)/bar(s) is excellent.

Bonus round:
Gourmet Valentine's Day Dinner for Two at the Produce Station, Feb. 14
If you're lazy, and I am most certainly that, Chef Steven Grostick has what you need for a perfectly romantic Valentine's Dinner for just the two of you to enjoy at home ... with no mess to clean up afterwards! $60 includes a salad to share, two entrees, two desserts, chocolate-dipped strawberries, two long-stemmed roses, and an optional cheese board (for an extra $20). Let the professionals worry about the food; you worry about the rest.

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The Week We Ate (The EID Week in Review)

YOU GUYS. Takashi. Back in Michigan. One night only, at Bacco, cooking the classic hits of Tribute. (Plus he plans on opening a second location of his Chicago casual noodle shop Slurping Turtle in Ann Arbor. It's a far cry from Tribute but I'll take it.) [Freep]

MUDGIE'S NOW SERVES ALCOHOL. Michigan beer and wine, specifically. (Also don't miss their five-year anniversary party on February 9, where everyone is going to be.) [Thrillist]

You've heard of the Battle of Lafayette? Lafayette Coney Island and American Coney Island, that is. Nate Skid has the REAL scoop on the so-called "war" (and how American is, by pretty much any standard, totally dominating it). [Crain's]

Looks like the Oakland is getting their very own single barrel bourbon batch from Buffalo Trace! (They don't do this for just anyone. In fact, that don't do this for many places at all. As your attorney I advise you to go drink the shit out of it once it's ready.) [Oakland FB]

In brunch news, starting tomorrow Maria's of Royal Oak will serve a VERY cheap brunch (also: Maria's of Royal Oak apparently exists), and One-Eyed Betty's has a brand-new brunch menu that includes a pork belly poutine omelet. Really. I will not shut up. YOU shut up. No, I'm totally serious, look at the menu yourself. [Maria's RO FB / OEB FB]

Baconfest Michigan tickets go on sale next Friday! "Boo hoo, it sold out, waaaaaah, you guys are jerks for selling out an event and not sitting on tickets so that last-minute assholes like me can finally get around to deciding to buy some, how dare you" is a line of logic we are not amenable to. (Yes, we really did get emails like this last year.) Get your damn tickets. Also, they might just make great Valentine's Day gifts. [Baconfest Official]

Woodbridge gets Woodbridgier with the Woodbridge Community Garden next to the Woodbridge Pub. [Curbed Detroit]

Food desert? Pure Detroit says pffffffft. Here's a list of grocery and specialty stores where you can buy actual food in the city of Detroit. See, we haven't yet been reduced to eating each other. [Pure D]

Speaking of Pure D, earlier this week was National Pie Day and they celebrated by covering Detroit's own appropriately-named Dangerously Delicious Pies Baked in Detroit. [Pure D]

Dan the Man. And his sentiments about what Michigan craft beer has done for the local food movement as a whole ring familiar. [B4B Connect]

Genji is now open in Little Tokyo. [Det News]

What Crepe? Ann Arbor aims for a Valentine's Day opening. Some of you will plan an elaborate evening of l'amour ... for the rest, no crying over crepes! [AnnArbor.com]

Beerie
Windsor wants in on the hot steamy Beer Fest action, so now they're holding their own this fall. (Don't worry, the date won't conflict with the Guild's Fall Beer Fest. You can go to BOTH!) [Windsor Eats]

Speaking of the Guild's Beer Fests, GR Beer Week planning is underway for February 18-23, culminating in Winter Beer Fest! [EID / GRBW / EIGR FBs]

A note to food and beverage writers: if you are not a beer writer, do not try to be a beer writer. It's embarrassing to all of us, and it just underscores how out of touch you actually are with this "trend." [Yahoo News / Fox News]

This one's better: Fox News names the top 10 restaurants to get great beer (rightfully) includes Slows. [Fox News]

Right Brain Brewery bottles hit the SE Michigan market over this week and that includes the GABF-winning Mangalista Pig Porter. [RB FB]

Which brings me back to Baconfest Michigan tickets go on sale next Friday! [Baconfest Official]

Eat It GR
Now live! Sort of. I'm currently half-assing a Facebook page and Twitter, while in the meantime focusing all of my west coast efforts on GR Beer Week. But hey, check out the sweet logo! [EIGR FB / Twitter / GRBW FB]

Random miscellany
~Well here's an obvious joke I'm going to make anyway: you think the "A" stands for "asshole"? [Eater]
~And Chef Eric from the Cook's House in Traverse City responds. [The Cook's House blahg]
~The War on Yelp (sponsored by Eater) continues, this time with a release of formal FTC complaints. [Eater]
~Some timely cooking advice. [Deadspin]

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To restaurants banning food porn phone photography: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

So apparently now restaurants are starting to ban customers from taking pictures of their food with their phones. This is of course happening in New York City, because if New York chefs weren't flapping their arms and stamping their feet over something they would probably be working somewhere in the Rust Belt where the chefs don't act like pampered princesses* and instead focus on their jobs, which is to put food on a fucking plate.

They're citing a diminishment of the overall dining experience as a result of "food porn" photography as their basis for the ban.

“Some people are arrogant about it. They don’t understand why. But we explain that it’s one big table and we want the people around you to enjoy their meal. They pay a lot of money for this meal. It became even a distraction for the chef,” said Moe Issa, owner of Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare.

HOW? HOW IS IT A DISTRACTION FOR THE FUCKING CHEF? WHY IS THE CHEF IN THE DINING ROOM BEING "DISTRACTED" AND NOT IN THE KITCHEN COOKING? TELL PRINCESS TO GET BACK IN THE FUCKING KITCHEN AND STOP LETTING HIS MEXICAN LINE COOKS MAKE ALL THE DISHES THAT HE THEN TAKES ALL THE CREDIT AND RECEIVES ALL THE ACCOLADES FOR.

It's not one big table. It's a series of small tables. Each having their own unique, individual dining experiences with different meals and different conversations and different priorities. One table might want a full course-out with a dozen different items all prepared by the Mexican line cooks chef. Another might just wants a few small plates over a bottle of wine. No two tables are exactly the same and no two tables seek the exact same dining experience, and you therefore cannot impose one overreaching rule across the board to universally govern all of these many-a-varied experiences.

Oh, flash photography is distracting? Really? Ruins the whole night for everyone, does it? So does that also mean you will no longer allow groups of friends to take pictures of each other documenting what is clearly an enjoyable experience, or else they wouldn't be taking the photos in the first place? Or couples celebrating an engagement, an anniversary, a night away from the kids? Or birthdays? Or families visiting from across the country all getting together for this one meal? You're also going to put an end to all of that too?

And if we're talking about things we find distracting that lessen the enjoyment of our dining experiences: Crying babies. Restaurants that think they're nightclubs. Asshole servers. Slow servers. Obtrusive servers. Crying babies. Adults who lack internal volume control mechanisms. Drunk people. Asshole customers having asshole conversations in the too-close tables because the restaurant is trying to cram as many bodies in a room as possible, effectively making everyone table-mates. Restaurants that try to cram as many bodies in a room as possible, effectively making everyone table-mates. Crying babies. Loud music. Shitty music. Loud, shitty music. Over-eager sommeliers. Sommeliers that don't want to be bothered. Having to wait for a table. Having to wait over an hour for a table. Being ignored by the bartender while waiting over an hour for a table. Crying babies. Miserable acoustics that make the drone of dinner conversation a fully surround-sound experience. Places that are library-quiet. Lighting that is too bright. Lighting that is too dim. Pampered princess prima donna precious snowflake chefs who let their Mexican line cooks do all the work while they give interviews with the New York Times. TVs. TVs everywhere. TVS EVERYWHERE. Crying babies.

Will you ban all of these things too?

Guys, how about you not try to impose your draconian dining room rules to govern what you think my dining experience should be under the pretense of what's best for me. Generally people cringe at laws being passed that limit their freedoms under the umbrella of what's best for them. The National Socialist Party did that a lot. Generally people cringe at anything that reminds them of the National Socialist Party.

Here's a thought: how about you do you and I do me? You worry about making the food and serving it to me and I'll worry about how, when and in what manner I will eat it.

Also, as someone who works in this industry and must regularly deal with befuddled restaurant owners who just don't "get" free advertising, I see so many ways in which owners absolutely, spectacularly fail at taking advantage of 100% at-no-cost-to-them opportunities at free publicity (in my line of work it is often a failure to return multiple calls requesting nothing more than a 20-minute interview). Allow me to break this down simply for all of you: THIS IS FREE PROMOTION. FREE. IT COSTS YOU NOTHING. OTHER PEOPLE ARE PROMOTING YOUR RESTAURANT FOR YOU AND ARE EVEN PAYING YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF DOING SO.

Now bring me some fucking food so I can take a dozen pictures of it at different angles with and without flash and upload them to Instagram to my 600+ followers and to Facebook to my 5,000+ followers and to Twitter to my 2,000+ followers all with the name of your restaurant tagged and linked to your own social media pages so all of my collective thousands of followers have a direct link back to you. YOU'RE FUCKING WELCOME.

*Except Chicago. Fuck Chicago.

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[HOT LIST] The 'Other' Corktown

Not Slows. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

This post authored by EID Co-Conspirator Stefanie Cobb. 

It should come as no surprise to anyone that white people love Corktown. If the mention of this neighborhood immediately prompted thoughts of Slows or really anything marinated, deep fried, and heavily seasoned with hipster, STOP. STOP NOW. It’s time to take a moment to commemorate our elders. Places that have yet to receive any hype from Martha Stewart Living, Food Network, or any other publication buzzing about Corktown. Their floors lack the track marks of young artists (aka twenty-somethings with a fine arts degree or who attended CCS for a year) seeking the recognition for their exceptional talents, or at least the opportunity to land a sweet bartending gig. Let us bring light to our weathered friends, those that seize the charm of the city and stand as the bare bones of the neighborhood. Acquaint yourselves with the “Other Corktown.”

#1 St. Cece’s Pub (1426 Bagley Avenue)
Note: Although entirely deserving as number one on this Hot List, beware that upon your visit, your vehicle may or may not being broken into with one fell swoop in broad daylight, with a screwdriver, in the middle of the parking lot. This is Detroit, friends. Hide yo shit. 

Editor's note: No but seriously, that actually happened to Stefanie when she was out "researching" this story. Stefanie, Eat It Detroit thanks you for your commitment to the brand.

Got Scotch egg?

Enjoy it while you can: it's been open for over a year now and word is spreading fast about this place and their fantastic food. Owners Celeste Belanger and her brother Jerry (who is also the owner of Park Bar) know what’s up. Walking through the doors for the first time arouse similar emotions to what one would (presumably) feel after stepping off the Hogwarts Express … only better because they have Michigan beer on tap. St. Cece’s is a humble enchantment, the kind of bar to go to for contemplating life’s next move. The lighting is soft, the music is pleasant, and Celeste will see that your drink is full throughout your stay. The pub has also recently revamped their menu, adding items such as Duck Confit and Fried Green Tomatoes. None of this will matter after demolishing an order of their pork sliders. THEY ARE FUCKING AWESOME, YOU GUYS. Seriously, the sliders alone are worth a visit.

#2 McShane’s Irish Pub (1460 Michigan Avenue)
Formerly known as Hoot’s which was indeed a “hoot” (editor’s note: seriously, it totally was, kind of like this), their fierce new paint job isn’t the only radical change to the pub’s reopening. After switching owners, they have made what some claim to be a complete night to day transition (editor’s note: that wasn’t a race joke, really). They’re now fully equipped with sports bar pizzazz, meaning they’ve moved in some pool tables, offer free shuttles to the games, and have about 100 flat screen TVs. The bar scene is a little tricky to identify, but it certainly has yet to be gentrified by Detroit’s colonizing elite. (Probably because the words “sports bar” has them quivering in their Oxfords.) The menu is reasonably priced, with many choices and big portions. (Great burgers on buttered buns, and do try the stout cheddar spread.) Go there, get a burger, get a beer (they've got some pretty decent ones on tap), and take solace in knowing that you’ve found a place in Corktown that is not a hipster breeding ground. In other words, this is your chance to say you hung out here before it was cool.

McBurger.

#3 PJ’s Lager House (1254 Michigan Avenue)
If you live downtown or have at some point throughout your late teens or early twenties, chances are you already know what PJ’s is all about. For the newbies, there are certain things to expect after a visit. Expect to leave with muffled hearing, covered in sweat (not necessarily your own), and drunk. PJ’s is the Mecca of local rock/indie/punk/synthesizer-what-the-fuck-am-I-listening-to bands. Some bands will be great, some horrible, but all amusing nonetheless. The booze is cheap, the staff is attentive, and they offer some really tasty grub. Try not to let the grimy interiors discourage you from trying something on the menu because they totally know their shit (including vegan shit, and New Orleansian shit!). PJ’s is the golden mean of hipsters and everyone else … that is, as long as you love PBR.

#4 Casey’s Pub (1830 Michigan Avenue)
Casey’s is a true locals bar and definitely in the running for the crowning of Corktown’s most beloved burger, FOSHO. Their menu is pretty much limited to burgers, French fries, and wing dings, with a few other greasy goodies in between. The fun part is getting to watch the bartender (who will most likely be the only one running the establishment) flip patties while shooting the shit and tending to the thirst of the regulars. What makes this place so special is that it truly is a time capsule. The bar hasn’t changed since the day they opened and it’s clear they never intend to. It’s all very endearing how proudly they sit upon Michigan Ave. as they watch their neighborhood swiftly evolve. Although you may not receive the same treatment as the regulars, it is encouraged that you mosey in one afternoon to grab a cheap bite. Pro tip: build a rapport with the bartender, then order a stuffed burger. This thing makes Slows’ Special Purpose look like special ed. The beer selection pales in comparison to Other Corktown's other finest, but you can always get a Fat Tire and that doesn't suck.

#5 Nancy Whiskey (2644 Harrison Street)
Nancy’s claims to be “Detroit’s oldest party” and that may very well be true. This fossil of a dive bar takes satisfaction in having been around since the Prohibition days. They’ve also managed to overcome a major setback after being forced to close down in 2009 after a fire. The bar has been reopened for a few years now and seems to be regaining its appeal, as well as a loyal customer base. Many would also agree that Nancy’s is the party hotspot for game days and, of course, the Corktown St. Patty’s Day Parade (which is creeping up). They’ve managed to assemble a solid hipster crowd, probably due to their Wednesday night dollar PBR and three dollar Jameson shot special. If perhaps you’re able to splurge a little on your beer selection, know that they also carry a pretty good assortment of craft beer. Great hospitality (especially if you’re a newcomer), live blues on the weekends, and cheap drinks … how much more can you really want from a dive bar that was established over a hundred years ago?

Bubbling under LJ’s Lounge (2114 Michigan Avenue), Corktown Tavern (1761 Michigan Avenue), O’blivion’s (1800 Michigan Avenue), Nemo’s Bar (1384 Michigan Avenue)

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The Week We Ate (The EID Week in Review)

Ice Cream Paflor.

Mudgie's is celebrating five years in business with a shiny new liquor license. [Det News]

Maccabee's in Midtown also received their liquor license this week. [Macabee's FB]

The Falling Down Beer Company and Ice Cream Paflor now has a sign. [FDBC FB]

Chef Adam Hightower is no longer with Gastronomy. There is no real word on what happened, where he's headed to next ... or what this means for Gastronomy. [Crain's]

"With credit to Eat It Detroit for breaking the story on Twitter since she was there when it happened and sent out Tweets minutes afterwards" ... is apparently too much to hope for. So Woodbridge Pub got robbed with an air rifle, I was there and saw this guy totally Krav Maga the punk kid trying to hold up the place, that part was awesome and let's not be scared to go to Woodbridge now because they have good beer. [Motor City Muckraker]

Here's a great story on the Two James Spirits Distillery, coming to Corktown this summer. [Crain's]

Detroit gets ready for our close-up. The North American International Auto Show is in town; lots to read about but here and here are specifically about food, hospitality and the stunning new special events space. Also, HOLY SHIT THE NEW CORVETTE OMGOMGOMG. [Crain's / Model D / Autoweek]

New food truck coming to Ferndale this spring: Don Lucho Taco Truck and Salsa, "authentic" Mexican with vegan and vegetarian options. [Prosper/Metromode]

I'd talk about the hot dogs and the cheap food and the local sourcing at the new Deputy Dogs Coney in Clawson, but I kind of got hung up on the last line about 14 Mile Rd. being one of the most-travelled roads in the state of Michigan. I do not want to call you a liar, sir, but I do not think that this is true. [Clawson Patch]

Mike Lodish of Lodish's Champion Brittle went from playing in Superbowls to making peanut brittle. [Metromode]

New in the brunch game: Ye Olde Saloon in Royal Oak. #allhailbrunch [Ye Olde FB]

Ann Arbor and beyond

The Wurst Bar is celebrating their one-year anniversary, and have also added late night food AND beer (AND beer) delivery! Also, Friday nights there are the best. That's not in the article, I'm just telling you. [AnnArbor.com]

Juicy Kitchen, a healthy cafe that also serves prepared foods like sandwiches to go, opens in A2 next week. [AnnArbor.com]

Beerie
~Is it just me or does it seem like one of these lists come out every three months? Eh. DRAFT Magazine names their 100 top beer bars for 2013; Ashley's Ann Arbor, Clubhouse BFD, HopCat and The Mitten Bar made the cut. [Draft Mag]
~Oskar Blues is expanding its distribution into Michigan. [Beer Pulse]
~Here is a teaser for the Michigan Beer Film, which is exactly what it sounds like. [Rhino Media]

Eat It GR

Beer City USA is in the running for being named Newsmaker of the Year by the Grand Rapids Business Journal for the explosion in the craft beer scene over the last year -- from six new breweries opening to the "Thank You, Beer" exhibit at the Grand Rapids Public Museum to, well, being named Beer City USA. [GRBJ]

Chicago is totally crushing on western Michigan's brewery scene, as well they should because their breweries blow. [Chicago Tribune]

Midwest Living also thinks our craft beer scene is totes amaze-bo. [Midwest Living]

Why is this happening in Chicago and not in Michigan where the majority of the cider is produced? You guys, we really need to stop letting Chicago take credit for everything. [Cider Summit Chicago / Vander Mill]

Beware the Curmudgeon. [Founders FB]

Easily one of the most amazing festivals/art events/community happenings you'll ever see. And it's free. And it's right here in GR. And TIME Magazine agrees, naming ArtPrize one of its five top festivals in the world for 2013. [TIME / MLive]

GR Beer Week is getting ready to launch Feb 18-23. [GRBW FB/Twitter/blahg]

Random miscellany 
~My new favorite thing discusses what we easily be my other new favorite thing if an when it indeed becomes A Thing. (Barrel-aged hot sauce, that is.) [FWF]

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