MGM Grand to open next week, will elevate Detroit’s dining scene

MGM Grand is getting set to open its doors next week, and foodies are already salivating over the Wolfgang Puck and Francisco Mina restaurants.

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Award-winning chef Michael Mina of San Francisco will debut two high-end venues: SaltWater, a fine-dining contemporary seafood restaurant with a stunning interior, and Bourbon Steak, an edgy space with an over-the-top menu starring Mina’s signature butter-poached, wood-grilled meats.

Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck will unveil Wolfgang Puck Grille, a casually upscale bar-and-grill concept. Open 24 hours, the Puck restaurant is designed to be more affordable, and its name alone is guaranteed to attract guests.

Veteran local restaurateurs are braced to lose customers to the newcomers initially, and many are already stinging from the loss of top chefs, cooks and servers who left for higher-paying casino jobs. But in the long run, most owners say they believe the casinos and their luxury hotels will attract conventions and tourism that will generate more business for everyone.

“In the short term, it’s going to be a bummer,” admitted Matt Prentice, whose Coach Insignia is on the 72nd floor of the Renaissance Center. “All the Detroit-area foodies will flock to the new restaurants to give them a try.”

But, he added, “I don’t see the casinos, long term, negatively affecting local restaurants. … I think they’ll be a welcome addition, and their hotels, too. Ultimately, when all 1,200 rooms at the three casinos are open, we’ll get some big conventions we’ve been missing.”

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