[HOT LIST] Detroit's most metal meals

In honor of Metallica being in town this weekend (METALLICA RULZ), and the longhairs who have flocked into town to see them, we're taking a look at Detroit's most metal meals. What makes a meal metal? Well, first, meat. Meat is metal. MEATallica. Really anything that's hardcore is metal. So, like, anything super-spicey is metal (but only if it has a cool name). BBQ is metal, because it is meat, and because it is southern, and the south is super-metal. And anything else reminiscent of head-banging and hangovers and motorcycles and Black Tooth Grins and blood and sweat and METAL is fucking metal.

Straying from the usual top 5 format here because making your own rules (even on a website where you already make all the rules) is also fucking metal.

#1 Guns + Butter Feed 'Em All
Did you miss out on the pop-up at Ponyride? Fuck it, that crowd was totally not metal anyway. Guns + Butter (metal and metal) will be at Orion all weekend serving "Eggs + Bacon," not quite the same Eggs + Bacon Vol. 2 from the Ponyride pop-up you saw Instagramed a thousand times by everyone in Detroit last month for those of you who live in Detroit and follow all of its people on Instagram, but a mighty fine one just the same. This one is made with fried egg and bacon hollandaise. Not only is Guns + Butter the best thing about economics, but it is also one of the coolest (and therefore most metal) things happening in Detroit right now.

#2 Slows BAR BQ Corktown, Feed 'Em All
For two reasons. Actually three. The first: because co-owner Phil Cooley curated all the food for your face at Orion Music + More so he knows what's up. The second: because they have a dessert called the Chuck Norris, and it will kick you in the face. Third, and there's a reason I waited to put this one last -- the Triple Threat. Applewood bacon, pulled pork and ham make for a pork orgy, a porgy if you will, and and AND, it will be available at the Feed 'Em All food court at Orion on a stick. That's right. Take something awesome, then put it on a stick. This version has ham, confit bacon and smoked pork butt ... ON A STICK. Metal.

This very week's specials at Green Dot.

#3 Green Dot Stables Corktown
There's not much you can write on a menu that is more metal than calling something "mystery meat." Green Dot Stables is best known for their cheap gourmet sliders and their cheap craft beer, but one important thing to mention is their weekly mystery meat special ... which sometimes is pretty tame (sometimes it's not even meat at all), but other times is camel, or lamb's neck, or bull testicles. This week all you headbangers are in luck 'cuz the meat of the week is wild boar, and wild boar is fucking delicious, and also one of the most metal of the animals in the edible kingdom. Also metal is the $5 Buffalo Trace pours. That's more fancy metal, mind you - to be really metal it would have to be Jack, and only Jack - but is it un-metal to enjoy a good deal on a fine beverage? No it is not.

#4 Las Cazuelas Grill Southwest Detroit
First of all, eating gas station food is totally metal. Pick up some smokes and a torta to go while you gas up the hog? Metal. Las Cazuelas Grill, located inside a BP station, has a full menu of Mexican items including tacos, burritos, tortas and more. Plus, you know, there's a huge metal scene in Texas and in Mexico City, so the cuisine already lends itself well to the music (and vice versa). I mean, Robert Trujillo and Chino Moreno and both of Mexican descent. So, you know: metal.

Hillbilly bennie. From @eatitdetroit Instagram feed.

#5 Foran's Grand Trunk Pub Downtown
Because you need a good basecoat for all that face-melting metal later in your day, start with brunch at Foran's Grand Trunk Pub. I'll save you some time: order the Hillbilly Benedict. Sausage, poached egg and cheese on an English muffin smothered in homemade sausage gravy. Order that with some breakfast shots (taste like pancakes! made with whiskey!) to start you day off the metal way. Because breakfast shots are fucking metal.

#6 Union Street Saloon Midtown
"Saloon" sounds totally metal, but what's most metal about this place is a little something called rasta sauce. And it is HOT. Like HOLYUNHOLYPEPPER hot. Get it on straight-up wings, or order the Dragon Eggs: chicken breast stuffed with gorgonzola cheese, battered and tossed in rasta hot sauce. Dragons are totally metal.

#7 Paradillas Patagonia Southwest Detroit
Flank steak and not a whole lot of English, this place strays from the usual Mexican fare of Mexicantown in favor of Argentinean-style STEAK (and in South American-sized portions). Please enjoy your very metal mound of meat.

#8 Taqueria Mi Pueblo Southwest Detroit
For the more Mexican side of Southwest Detroit, hit up Mi Pueblo for all the offal you can eat. Beef is pretty metal to begin with, but beef head? SO METAL.

#9 Bucharest Grill Downtown
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the death by garlic shawarma at Bucharest Grill, one of Detroit's most famous sandwiches (if more on a local level than a national one). Their hot dogs are also mighty metal; try the 1920 Red Hot, a spicy old school hot dog served with grainy mustard.

#10 + 11 Lafayette + American Coney Island(s) Downtown
Why? Because you have to be fucking metal as hell to ingest this shit, especially at the ungodly hour most people go there.

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[HOT LIST] Movement off-site food guide

Photo from the Official Movement Facebook page.

I get a lot of emails asking me for recommendations - places to eat that are new and cool, places to eat for an anniversary/birthday/special occasion, places to get married, places to sightsee. Etc. While I don't have time to respond to each and every one of these requests (seriously, I get a lot), I do try my best to answer as many as I can, particularly for people coming in from out of town (I get a lot of those, too).

Last weekend the social media coordinator for Beatport got in touch asking for some recommendations within walking distance of the Movement festival grounds while she was in town. She wanted beer bars, a beer store, and a place to get some of that oft-cited Detroit-style pizza that's been making some national waves lately. Which got me thinking: wouldn't it be nice if I had a list of places to go for ALL people coming into town for Movement? Even semi-local people who might not be as familiar with the area immediately surrounding the festival grounds?

Indeed it would. So here you go.

Note: this year, the boys of Bailout Productions invite you to take Refuge at the Rhino Bar. I recommend you do so.

#1 Foran's Grand Trunk Pub/MotorCity Wine Downtown
If it's beer you seek, to Foran's Grand Trunk Pub you should go. They were the first bar in Detroit to switch over to all Michigan craft taps and have a huge selection of craft beer by the bottle too. For Movement they usually have a few coordinating parties, plus they are also open for Saturday and Sunday brunch. *AND* they sell beer to go, *AND* they are all of five minutes walking distance from the festival grounds. Expect heavy Midwestern bar food: burgers, corned beef, deep fried pickles, deep fried pickle corned beef burgers (actually you would have to special request that, but they would totally do it), etc. Upstairs is MotorCity Wine, and this will be its last year in this location. Take advantage: yes it's a wine bar and as such they have a fantastic selection of wine, beer, cheese and charcuterie, but it's also a live music venue with events planned all Movement weekend. (Pro tip: Monday's "House Gallery" is free and goes on all day.)

Ribber at Bert's. Photo from @eatitdetroit Instagram feed.

#2 Eastern Market Eastern Market
Walkable for those who really enjoy walking (for everyone else, there's Uber), Eastern Market is pretty much the second-greatest thing about Detroit. The first greatest is the Riverfront, which, as a festival attendee, you are already familiar with (though if you need a break during the day, a jaunt down the RiverWalk and maybe even a guided bike tour with Wheelhouse Detroit -- they have special Movement tour packages for the weekend -- will offer some scenic solace). Eastern Market is quickly becoming Detroit's alternative arts district. Once home to many, many, many many manymanymany raves in the '90s (and maybe possibly this is occasionally still known to sometimes happen), Eastern Market is more legit with all the same grit. The Red Bull House of Art and the newly-opened Inner State Gallery both have Movement-partnered programming for the festival, while Supino Pizzeria, Russell Street Deli, and the market's Saturday food truck rallies and ribbers outside of Bert's Marketplace are all on the master Detroit bucket list.

#3 Niki's Pizza Bricktown
For Detroit-style pizza, another bucket-lister, the biggies really require you to have a car and drive a bit (Buddy's Pizza being THE biggie). However, Niki's Pizza in Greektown will give you a good Detroit-style deep dish fix, and they're open until 4am on weekends. There is a Greek version of their pizza with feta cheese, black olives and lamb, which is sort of an extra-Detroit version of the Detroit pizza since we have such a strong Greek culture here. I mean, it's in Greektown, you know? Loco Bar and Grill serves meh Meximerican food next door but is also open until 4am which makes all the difference.

Sweetwater wings. Photo from @eatitdetroit Instagram feed.

#4 Sweetwater Tavern Bricktown
Detroit's most famous wings are at Sweetwater Tavern, all of five minutes walking distance from the fest. All-natural Amish chickens (Amish chickens taste better! Because they're Amish!) delivered daily from Eastern Market are marinated for 24 hours and rubbed in their secret blend of spices and seasonings. Go there. Get wings. The end. The beer selection sucks but if you like ice cream drinks, try the hummer (it's got booze and is also a Detroit "thing").

#5 Roast Downtown
If you have time for a proper dinner, or really just want to experience the very best dining Detroit has to offer, hit up Roast in the Westin Book Cadillac. It's a Michael Symon restaurant and it is outstanding - excellent beer list (do be sure to try some Jolly Pumpkin, Michigan's all oak-aged Belgian-style sour beer producer -- also available at Foran's), excellent bites (the Roast burger, the sweetbreads, the marrow, the everything), excellent cocktails (I hold them personally responsible for two of the worst hangovers I've had in the last two years), excellent space. And not exceptionally expensive; you can totally share apps and walk out spending the same you would in any other bar. Just excellent, all around. 24grille in the same building is also very, very good, only slightly less very, very good than Roast. If you need some quiet time on Sunday, check out the build-your-own Bloody Mary bar at the Motor Bar on the second floor.

Bubbling under Greektown Casino (Greektown - Market District food court for fast, Brizola for fancy), the Detroiter Bar (Bricktown), SkyBar Lounge (Downtown), Golden Fleece (Greektown), Jacoby's German Biergarten (Bricktown), Lafayette Coney Island (Downtown), American Coney Island (Downtown), Tom's Oyster Bar (Riverfront), Greenwich Times Pub (Downtown), Fountain Bistro (Downtown), Pegasus (Greektown), Red Smoke (Greektown), Buffalo Wild Wings (Greektown), Five Guys Burgers and Fries (Greektown)

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[Real Detroit Weekly] Where's the (Corned) Beef?

Corned beef dinner at Dick O'Dow's. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

"Irish cuisine" might sound like a bit of an oxymoron – they basically just boil everything for eight hours and then pile it all together on a plate. But, you know, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Take corned beef, for instance: brined then boiled for several hours until it turns the angry pink of a third-degree burn* but tender and juicy when properly sliced or chopped up and thrown into a hash, corned beef is the cornerstone of Irish cuisine. And, because metro Detroit is multi-cultural and we are lucky to have such diversity, the many Jewish delis in the area also slice up a mean kosher nosh of corned beef with their knishes. While some say the brines differ slightly between the two cultures, Irish pubs and Jewish delis alike will go through thousands of pounds of this stuff this week alone. But enough kibitzing; cead mile failte!

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*Note: Probably would have been funnier if I had said, "...the angry pink of a drunken Irishman." Oh, hindsight.

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[HOT LIST] Detroit Beer Week 2012 (again)

Once again, I am extremely anal. To wit: when events are not announced and promoted with appropriate lead time and then compiled in one place (if it's a series of coordinating events), I get anxious. And so I'm following up last week's Detroit Beer Week Hot List with yet another one as several more coordinating events have been announced since last Thursday.

Also I've been, like, SUPER busy with other stuff and, you know, I don't get paid for this.

Okay, so everything from last week plus these new announcements and updates.

TONIGHT
New Belgium Tap Takeover at One-Eyed Betty's 
Wednesday, 10/24
Yes, this was actually supposed to happen on Monday, but because of an eff-up on the distributor's end it didn't. So it's happening tonight. All your New Belgium favorites like Fat Tire and Shift, plus the extremely rare Lips of Faith Series (and I'm told La Folie alone is worth it -- SOUR POWER!).

Jolly Pumpkin / Leelanau Brewing Happy Hour at Slows Bar BQ
Wednesday, 10/24 4-7 p.m.
DID SOMEONE SAY SOBREHUMANO???? And also Baudelaire Series iO Saison, Leelanau Brewing's Whaleback White and Petoskey Pale Ale, and the jolliest of pumpkins (according to the Wall Street Journal and Serious Eats: Drinks anyway), La Parcela. Try them in flights, or just pound the shit out of some Sobre. Yeah, yeah, it's not the seasonal trend right now, wah wah, but for real once it's gone it's GONE. That is until I convince my friend Ron to brew it again.

Witch's Hat Tap Takeover at Foran's Grand Trunk Pub
Wednesday, 10/24 5-7 p.m.
You know, you have to kind of love a brewery that lends itself so well to the season. You'll love the tap handles even more (pssst...made by the Glass Academy). For this they'll have their Train Hopper IPA (6.9% ABV), Big Doedish DIPA (9.0% ABV), Edward's Portly Brown (5.5% ABV), Royal Rumble Double Red (a double Red Ale brewed on Friday the 13th and with Blood Oranges and heavily hopped with Warrior and Chinook hops), and Ryeizenbock (8+% ABV; a beer brewed specifically for the Brewed In Michigan Beer Festival in Milford, a Weizenbock brewed with rye malt).

Jolly Pumpkin Happy Hour at Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company
Thursday, 10/25 4 p.m.
La Parcela, Weizen Bam and De Viento on tap. Now THESE guys "get" sour power. (De Viento is their partnership brew with JP.)

Founders Tap Takeover at Slows Bar BQ
Thursday, 10/25 4-7 p.m.
Some of the biggies: Breakfast Stout, Pale Ale, Imperial Stout, Devil Dancer, Backstage Series 2011, Backstage Series 2012 -- Frangelic Mountain Brown, and the highly exalted KBS. KBS barrels last for about six seconds when it's released so this is a rare opportunity for this rare beer.

Bell's Tap Takeover at Mercury Burger Bar
Thursday, 10/25 5 p.m.
They'll have This One Goes to 11 Ale, Debs' Red, Hell Hath No Fury, Black Note, Third Coast Old Ale, Best Brown, Sparkling Ale, Oberon, Oarsman, Octoberfest and Kal-Haven Ale. Black Note, This One Goes to 11 and Sparkling Ale being the ones for which that most bricks will be shat.

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[HOT LIST] Detroit Beer Week 2012

The fourth annual Detroit Beer Week launches today and since I'm really anal about having events listings in one easy-to-find place as a quick and easy resource for anyone who is interested, here are all of the coordinating Beer Week events that have so far been announced.

Also, 313ale, the official beer of Detroit Beer Week, is back this year at several participating DBW venues. The first kegs will be tapped tonight at 5:01 p.m. (1701 military time, the year Detroit was founded). 313ale is a 100% Michigan session IPA (a collaboration brew between several local brewers and the DBW team using hops grown in St. Clair Shores).

Big Tent Revival at One-Eyed Betty's
Thursday 10/18, 9:30 p.m.
There will be live music with Jennifer Westwood and the Waycross Georgia Farmboys and local brews like Detroit Bohemian, Rochester Mills Mills Pils, and Arcadia Starboard Stout on tap.

Atwater Block Tap Takeover
Friday 10/19, 4 p.m.
Atwater is taking over the block! This Friday Atwater (Block) Brewery will be taking over the taps of two of their neighbors on Joseph Campau, first with a happy hour tap takeover at The Rattlesnake Club from 4 to 7 p.m., then Andrews on the Corner from 7 p.m. to close.

Tashmoo on the Road: Blocktoberfest at Atwater Brewery
Saturday 10/20, 12:00 p.m.
Saturday's 15th Anniversary Bloktoberfest party with Tashmoo Biergarten will feature food from Corridor Sausage Co., Porktown Sausage, Treat Dreams, Avalon International Breads, and Peoples Pierogi Collective. Atwater will also be releasing their Dunkel as a celebration of 15 years of making German-style beers (or, as the cool kids now say, biers).

New Belgium Tap Takeover at One-Eyed Betty's
Monday 10/22
The brewery with the best marketing strategy in possibly the country will officially start making kegs available in the Michigan market on Monday, and to celebrate Betty's is hosting a New Belgium tap takeover featuring popular New Belgium brews Fat Tire, Ranger, Triple, Shift, and the highly allocated Lips of Faith Series (a line of craft beers that celebrate experimental recipes and unique collaborations) including Biere de Mars, Peach Porch Lounger, Cocoa Mole and La Folie.

DBW Complement/Contrast Beer Dinner at Kuhnhenn Brewing Co.
Tuesday 10/23, 6:30 p.m.

Theme: The Egg

Chicken, duck, quail, ostrich, fish, pterodactyl; the common theme of this dinner is egg. Each dish will feature egg in its preparation, and then be served with two beers, showing the complementary and contrasting flavors between beer and food. Owner John Lowman and Chef Brian Pierce from the Wrought Iron Grill in Owosso are bringing their culinary show on the road. Taste their delicious creations alongside the award-winning beers of Bret and Eric Kuhnhenn of Kuhnhenn Brewery in Warren. Enjoy a Fluffer Session IPA as a reception beer, before heading down a road of gastronomic exploration.

Course 1 - Ceviche
w/ Tangerine Wit and Penetration Porter

Course 2 - Scotch Quail Egg
w/ 9 (Nine) and White Devil

Course 3 - Curried Deviled Egg
w/ DRIPA and Anneliese Amber

Course 4 - Smothered NY Strip
w/ Export Stout and Aldebaron

Course 5 - Creme Brulee Bread Pudding
w/ Creme Brulee Java Stout and Play in the Hay

Reception Begins at 6:30 pm
Tickets are $55 - pay in advance or on the day of the event.
Dinner seating is strictly limited to 70 guests - RSVP today at 586-979-8361.

93.9 The River Live Music Session and Beer Ranger at One-Eyed Betty's
Wednesday 10/24, 4 p.m.
Live music and New Belgium's beer rangers from 6 to 8 p.m. with tastings and swag.

Hit the Bricks! BRIK Red Red Brick Bike Ride (starting at Nancy Whiskey)
Wednesday 10/24, 5 p.m.
This event starts with a bike tour of the city's brick streets brought to you by BRIK RED beer, a fine product of MillKing It Productions. Meet at Nancy Whiskey at 5ish -- the ride departs at 5:30 p.m. sharp and will attempt to get 12 or so miles of bricks (and maybe a couple BRIKs) in before the sun sets at 6:30 p.m. No skinny tires, no skinny jeans, no skinny lattes, no cost to ride but you must be responsible for your own bike and well-being. Don't have a bike? Rent one from Wheelhouse Detroit.

Afterwards hang out at Nancy Whiskey for some beer can chicken and the Orbitsuns.

Bell's Takeover at Green Dot Stables
Wednesday 10/24, 5 p.m.
David Munro is busy this week. Bell's is hosting an event at Green Dot Stables, owned by one of the nicest guys in Detroit and located in one of the most stylish neighborhoods IN THE WORLD. On draft: This One Goes to 11, Hopsoulution,  Cherry Stout,  Golden Rye Pale Ale.  In bottles: Two Hearted, Double Cream Stout.

Motor City Bike and Brew Tour with Motor City Brew Tours
Wednesday 10/24, 5:30 p.m.
Learn about Detroit's brewing past and present with Motor City Brew Tours. You will see former brewery sites in downtown Detroit and bike by the new generation of breweries. This is a 9-mile tour route for all biking abilities. Ticket includes guided bike tour with support staff, historical overview at each brewery site, two Atwater beers and pizza. Please note - "BYOB" - Bring Your Own Bike. Tickets $29.99 each; space is limited.

Bell's Tap Takeover at Foran's Grand Trunk Pub
Friday 10/26, 3 p.m.
Featuring:
Black Note Stout 11.5% ABV
This One Goes to 11 Ale 11% ABV
Sparkling Ale 9.0% ABV
Golden Rye Ale 6% ABV
Deb's Red Ale 5.8% ABV
Hell Hath No Fury Ale 7.7% ABV
Cherry Stout 7.0% ABV
Special Double Cream Stout 6.1% ABV
Hopsoulution Ale 8% ABV
Oatmeal Stout 7% ABV
Best Brown Ale 5.8% ABV
Oberon Ale 5.8% ABV
Pale Ale 5.2% ABV
Two Hearted Ale 7% ABV

4th Annual Michigan Brewers Guild Detroit Fall Beer Festival
Friday and Saturday 10/26-10/27
You don't actually need me to explain this, do you? Saturday is sold out but as of THIS SECOND there are still tickets left for Friday. And here is the beer list.

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[Metromode] Beer + Bikes: A Match Made in Heaven

In recent years, cycling culture in metro Detroit has gone from nearly nonexistent to explosively popular, with significant cycling infrastructure being added in major metropolitan centers and small towns alike. At the same time, the same thing has been happening with craft beer culture, evolving from the niche realm of beer geekdom to mass consumption. Coincidence? Never. As bike culture and beer culture have grown exponentially in Michigan, they have also been growing together, in a symbiotic relationship of fun.

Stephen Johnson launched the Motor City Tour Company in 2009 as Motor City Brew Tours, offering guided brewery tours (with samples) by bus. Each tour would hit three different breweries, and was more than just a standard-issue pub crawl: designed for people with a real passion (or at least sincere interest) for craft beer, the tours also included a meet-and-greet with the brewers themselves and a behind-the-scenes walk-through of the brewing facilities. As Motor City Brew Tours grew, Johnson began offering different kinds of tour packages: first walking tours, then biking tours.

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[HOT LIST] Saturday brunch

The King's French Toast at One-Eyed Betty's. Covert cell phone photography by Nicole Rupersburg.

"Brunch is not a meal. It is an art." - Nicole Rupersburg

(Yeah, I just quoted myself.)

Sunday brunching is indeed sacred ... but why should it only be on Sundays? Do not most working adults also have Saturdays off from work? Would not most working adults enjoy a Bloody Mary or four on Saturdays, when they still have another day of weekend left to look forward to? Too often I find myself in search of SATURDAY brunch only to be disappointed by the lack of options. This week's Hot List is as much for me as it is for you.

#1 One-Eyed Betty's (Ferndale)
Sure sure, it's new and right now I'm all "Ohmygod go there right now" every five minutes because the novelty hasn't worn off yet and I totally own that. BUT. The best thing to happen to Ferndale since the year 2011, OEB is a beer drinker's bar and the kind of comfortable yet stylish neighborhood joint that really works best in Ferndale. They serve food that fits the beer drinker's demographic, asking themselves with every menu item "WWHSE?" (What Would Homer Simpson Eat?) They also serve Ferndale's most famous brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. - specifically, the Cinnamon Roll French Toast made famous at Club Bart and reborn at Betty's. Also check out the King's French Toast (a bacon, banana and peanut butter French toast sandwich with maple syrup) and the German Breakfast, a meat and cheese platter served with baguette and whole grain mustard (a traditional breakfast in - you guessed it - Germany, but totally uncommon 'round here). In addition to around 150 beer selections, they also serve proper brunch beverages: bottomless mimosas ($12) and $5 Bloody Mary bars served tableside.

The Count Of... Crepe at What Crepe? Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

#2 What Crepe? (Royal Oak, Birmingham)
Because it's freakin' good, that's why, and now there's two of them. (A third in Grosse Pointe will be coming soon). Every day is brunch at What Crepe? (also the lesser-known brinner) with some of the best crepes this side of the Atlantic. Delicate crepe shells are stuffed full of exceptionally high-quality ingredients and exquisite flavor combinations, and they've got a great little wine and cocktail list to go with it. The place has a chic, somewhat dramatic European vibe (and you know that totally means it's sophisticated) and the food is top-notch. One crepe might cost you up to $14 but it is more than enough for a meal and worth every penny.

Hillbilly Benedict.

#3 Foran's Grand Trunk Pub (Detroit)
As is this case with most awesome places, people finally figured out this place was awesome (my bad) and now it is ruined. Except on Saturday mornings. Brunch is served on Saturdays AND Sundays, but while Sundays are usually a shitshow of Detroit's crusty-eyed hungover finest, on Saturdays Foran's is a secret retreat, open for brunch and slinging drinks at 9 a.m. and utterly unknown to the outside world. Enjoy it while it lasts. Order the Hillbilly Benedict (sausage, poached egg and cheese on English muffin and smothered in sausage gravy) and fill up on your choice of Bloody Marys or mimosas - $7 for the first, $1 for each additional. (As long as you drink 6 or fewer this is a better deal than most bottomless prices. And if you drink more than 6 you're a fucking champ.)

#4 Vivio's (Detroit)
Actually the breakfast food kind of sucks. Actually all of the food kind of sucks (except the mussels, which totally do NOT suck). And they like to claim an infamous Bloody Mary mix, rather generously referring to it as the "World's Best" ... it is not. BUT. There are few Saturday morning experiences in Detroit more necessary than a Bloody Mary breakfast at Vivio's. Whether observing the pre-game tailgating rituals of Lions fans or just starting out a leisurely Saturday at Eastern Market, putting in a solid Saturday morning session at Vivio's should be on every Detroiter's bucket list. They open at 8 a.m. and serve their Bloody Marys the proper way - with a shot of beer.

#5 Cafe Muse (Royal Oak)
Admittedly their food is probably the best of all, but it gets stupid-busy and it's hard to justify waiting two hours in line for a damn omelette. (But they do open at 7:30 a.m. 7 days a week, so you could always get there stupid-early and beat the crowds. This is a great plan both for early risers and for those of you STILL awake.) Also the mimosas are not bottomless, but they are made with fresh-squeezed orange juice. However, please see once again how their food is the best of all. (Including their pancakes, but also everything else: Cafe Muse is the house that brunch built, after all.)

Bubbling under Beverly Hills Grill (Beverly Hills), the Emory (Ferndale), PJ's Lager House (Detroit), the Bronx Bar (Detroit), Inyo (Ferndale), Honest John's (Detroit), Toast (Birmingham), Atlas Global Bistro (Detroit), Cafe Habana (Royal Oak), Dino's Lounge (Ferndale)

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[HOT LIST] Made in Michigan gift baskets

Toasted Oak Grill's Michigan cheese platter. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

Putting together a good gift basket is like putting together a good mixed tape. There must be a rhythm, a theme. You must really think about what it is you're trying to communicate with this offering. Not only are your selections a reflection on you and your tastes, but they also reflect the relationship you have with the recipient: what do you really know about them and their tastes; what are you going to give them that says "I enjoy this and hope you will too?"

Now, there's the good ol' Harry and David gift baskets you can fall back on: order online and have it sent straight to your recipient without ever so much as touching the basket, much less actually sampling any of the products, or really even knowing what products are included. (It's about as personal as a Visa gift card. Hell, I'd rather have the gift card.) But a proper gift basket, one that you actually put a little bit of thought and effort into, that means something. (After all, the way to pretty much anyone's heart is through their stomach.) Gift baskets abound at markets and specialty stores during the holidays, but these places are going the extra mile with thoughtful gift baskets highlighting Michigan-made products that can be custom-made and shipped anywhere in the country.

(1) Toasted Oak Grill and Market (Novi)
Cheese and charcuterie: there's really no way to go wrong. With a wide selection of Michigan-made and imported artisan cheeses and full selection of charcuterie made in-house (sausage and salumi, terrines and patés), Toasted Oak's holiday platters (served with house-made accoutrements like bacon caramel and lavender honey) are a crowd-pleaser for when you need to bring a dish to share. For gift-giving, their Picnic Tote includes two Michigan wides, a tartan plaid picnic blanket, a Toasted Oak signature cheese board cut in the shape of the state of Michigan, a cutting knife and a wine key.

(2) Motor City Wine and Foran's Grand Trunk Pub (Detroit)
Technically two separate businesses but I'm clumping them together just so that I can sneak a sixth on this list without it being obvious. Upstairs at Motor City Wine, you can choose from pre-made baskets or order one custom. Choose wines from their affordable boutique wine collection (with plenty of Michigan wineries to choose from, including bubbly from L. Mawby to put you in the holiday spirit) and pair with their Michigan-made pasta and pasta sauce for a proper Michigan meal in a basket, or select from several varieties of chocolates, organic olive oil, olives, crispbreads and T-shirts. They can also include local cheeses and cured meats if you are able to keep the basket refrigerated. Order online or by phone for curb-side pick-up. Downstairs at the Grand Trunk Pub, their baskets include four assorted Michigan craft beers, a bottle of Faygo, and a couple of bags of assorted Better Made Chips for $20. Custom baskets also available; contact Suzanne at 313-961-3043.

(3) Three Little Birds Fine Foods (Northville)
As if Northville could get any more adorable, here's Three Little Birds. Their all-natural handmade granola is wheat-free, dairy-free, oil-free and cholesterol-free (as natural granola should be) and is available in an assortment of flavors. They also support other local businesses, such as with their Made in the Mitten Baskets which includes McClure's potato chips, Dave's Sweet Tooth Toffee, Matt's Mix all-purpose seasoning, their signature granola, and a Pewabic Pottery ornament. Order at 248-739-9199.

(4) Plum Market (Bloomfield, Ann Arbor, West Bloomfield)
Plum Market has arguably the most extensive and wide-ranging selection of Michigan-made products of any of the grocery stores and specialty markets in the metro area. Browsing their selection even in the comparatively selfish summer months will make you instinctively think "These would make great gifts!" (Seriously, hats off to whoever does their displays: they serve their purpose in making me want to buy everything.) They have a fantastic assortment of different gift baskets available (order online and ship anywhere); there's the old stand-bys of fruits and chocolates, but they also have themed baskets like "Gluten Free" and "Go Green." The Michigan Made basket is packed full of some of Michigan's best artisan food products, like Kelly's Karamels and Guernsey Dairy Hot Fudge.

(5) Good Hart General Store (Good Hart)
Just north of Harbor Springs in the small coastal city of Good Hart, the Good Hart General Store is making some mean baskets. Available for shipping around the globe, the Pure Michigan Gift Basket features all Michigan-made products like maple syrup and goat's milk soap, and their Homemade Preserves basket features all of their own local fruit preserves made in-house. They can also make custom baskets, like the Virgin Mary Basket ($52) with McClure's Bloody Mary Mixer and Michigan pickled asparagus. Just add vodka! (Valentine, naturally.)

Bubbling under Western Market (Ferndale), Merchant's Fine Wine (Dearborn), Zingerman's Creamery (Ann Arbor), 8 Degrees Plato Beer Company (Ferndale), Chateau Chantal (Traverse City), Papa Joe's Gourmet Market (Rochester, Birmingham), Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace (St. Clair Shores, Troy, Clinton Twp.)

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[Real Detroit Weekly] Burger Bonanza

Attack! Slows' Special Purpose. (Photo by Nicole Rupersburg)

Eat It Detroit's own Nicole Rupersburg along with the Hungry Dudes' Joe Hakim ingested a grand total of 13 burgers in two days for Real Detroit Weekly. This not even a month after we went Coo-Coo for Cupcakes.  We would like our next feature to be about salad.

[From RDW]
There are few things more 'merican than hamburgers. And what do we, as Americans, do better than anything else? Make things bigger and better! Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, John Goodman and Super Bowl commercials. You get the drift. Well, we did a small-scale burger tour of metro Detroit, and here's a few unique (and some mammoth) burgers that we sought out. Sit back, loosen your belt and feast your eyes on the following. (It was a pun, just roll with it.)

Read the rest of the story here.

Want to see more? Check out the Flickr set here.

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[HOT LIST] Beer bars

Berkley Front (Photo by Nicole Rupersburg)

How much does Michigan love beer? Enough that our local brewers guild throws not one, but four annual festivals – the bare minimum, really, to accurately showcase the state's best suds. Perhaps you made it to Beer Fest in Ypsi this past weekend; maybe you're holding out for the fall event in Detroit (October 22, mark your calendars). Then again, who needs a festival to celebrate beer? Metro Detroit is filled with bars that show off the good stuff every day of the year. Here are five spots to sample.

#1 Roast Detroit
Downtown Detroit's best restaurant is known widely for top-notch cooking and cocktails, but it also happens to be one of the best places around town to drink beer, thanks to the expertise of Joseph Allerton, the restaurant's sommelier, He is prone to packing the very serious list with plenty of Jolly Pumpkin, which means we get to take all the gas money we used to spend driving over to the brewpub in Ann Arbor and spend it on beer, right here at home.

#2 Grand Trunk Pub Detroit
We'll always know it as Foran's, but they can call it whatever they want, really, as long as they keep more than a dozen awesome Michigan beers on tap at this perennially popular little bar that occupies an old railway station at the bottom of Woodward Avenue.

#3 Slows Detroit
One of the city's best-loved restaurants also doubles as a great beer bar, thanks to an incredible selection of taps that focuses on Michigan but doesn't mind wandering off the reservation to all sorts of places where good beer is made. At off-peak times, it almost feels like a friendly neighborhood hangout.

#4 Cadieux Cafe Detroit
The rumpus room of Detroit's Belgian community for decades, this old shoe-comfortable East Side spot is always a good time, whether you stop in for a bottle of Duvel on a rainy afternoon or drop by Tuesdays and Thursdays to watch the very serious league night action on the featherbowling lanes. Bonus: $8 pitchers after 10pm, Monday-Thursday.

#5 Berkley Front Berkley
There are places that have a lot of taps and a wide range of choices, and then there is The Front, a downtown Berkley staple known for having dozens of selections -- sometimes up to fifty -- on draft, plus a cask or two, if you're lucky. Local they've got, sure, but this is best treated as a place to come when you're in the mood to drink your way around the world from the comfort of your barstool. (The bottle selection is pretty ridiculous.)

BUBBLING UNDER Ye Olde Tap Room (Detroit), Woodbridge Pub (Detroit), Oak Cafe (Wyandotte), Sidetrack (Ypsi), Ashley's (Ann Arbor)

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