Food

Freakin’ Unbelievable Burgers to open in Farmington Hills

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September 26, 2013

Freakin' Unbelievable Burgers, a Flint Township gourmet burger restaurant that has landed on best burger joint lists and been called one to watch in the fast-casual restaurant concept, is opening its first metro Detroit location in Farmington Hills in late November. Founder and president Brent Skaggs, who operates two other separate restaurants besides the Flint Freakin' Unbelievable Burgers, says Farmington Hills was chosen for a foray into metro Detroit for a number of reasons. "We are franchising the concept. We started that in July this year. We wanted to go into a metro market," says Skaggs, who opened the Flint Township store in 2012. "We felt like Detroit metro was a great place and as we started looking around we found that Farmington Hills had the traffic counts, the demographics and we just liked the feel of the city." He is hoping to have a freakin' unbelievable experience by besting nearby national burger chains, including Five Guys and Smashburger, with his selection of Angus beef burgers that come with a selection of 43 toppings, served on a brioche bun. "We definitely will have competition, but we are a Michigan-based company so we're excited," he says. Freakin' Unbelievable Burgers is getting noticed nationally. It ranked 12th on fastcasual.com's Top 100 America's Top Movers & Shakers at the National Restaurant Association convention in Chicago, and industry publication, BurgerBusiness, called the restaurant one of the top new burger joints in 2012. The second Freakin' Unbelievable Burgers will move into a former Burger King on Orchard Lake Road and be renovated to fit the fast casual concept, an upscale version of fast food. Think Panera Bread, Skagg says, counter service in a sit-down arrangement. "The materials we use in the booths are nicer; so is the type of lighting. It's really a place you can sit down, watch a game, get a cold beer, a glass of wine…There's china, real forks. There's no tipping," Skaggs says. "It's a place you can get a burger fast and to go if you want, or to stay and enjoy if you want." Once opened, the restaurant will employ 20 full-time employees, Skaggs says, and 20-30 part-timers. Source: Brent Skaggs, president and founder, Freakin Unbelievable Burgers Writer: Kim North Shine

Latest in Food

Holy Cannoli’s expands to OU campus

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Arts & Culture

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September 26, 2013

The reach of Holy Cannoli's family recipe for sweet-filled Italian pastry is expanding once again. The downtown Rochester bakery that opened in 2010 first expanded to a second store in Berkley in April, then started selling its goods last week on the campus of Oakland University. Traditional cannoli and cannoli chips will be sold at the coffee shop inside OU's Human Health Building on Squirrel and Walton roads. Holy Cannoli's, which come in several flavors, are also on the menu at D'Amato's in downtown Royal Oak, and can be found at Eastern Market on Saturdays and the Bank of Antiques store in Washington Township. Source: Nicole Franey, co-owner, Holy Cannoli's Writer: Kim North Shine

Dearborn’s Arab American National Museum to sponsor culinary tours of Eastern Market

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Community Development

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September 19, 2013

This fall, grab a taste of Middle Eastern cuisine (and its ingredients) at Detroit's Eastern Market. Excerpt: "The YallaEat! Culinary Walking Tours kick off Tuesday and will be held on selected Tuesdays and Saturdays in September and October. "Yalla" means "let's go" in Arabic. Organizers say the goal of the free, guided tours is to share the story of Arab Americans in the Detroit area. Participants will visit Middle Eastern businesses that are family-run and founded by immigrants — while snagging some free samples and shopping." More here.

Top metro Detroit chef brings Marais to Grosse Pointe

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Arts & Culture

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September 19, 2013

The soon-to-open Marais is transforming a corner in Grosse Pointe's Village business district into a little slice of France. The restaurant is in the final prep stage before opening day, including painting, decorating and awaiting a health department inspection. Last week walls blocking the renovation work were taken down, revealing intricate woodwork painted in a chocolate brown, ornate copper lanterns and plenty of windows looking out on a dining room with rich dark woods and a neighboring bar with banquettes, tables and tables and bar stools. The feel is French and the food will be influenced by the land of fine wine and cheese. What's making Marais the next "it" restaurant is not necessarily the decor but the husband-wife team behind it: David and Monica Gilbert. He is the former chef at award-wining Forest Grill and she was the accomplished general manager of that Birmingham establishment. The couple live in Grosse Pointe and are part of a restaurant renaissance for locals who have long bemoaned the limited options for a meal out. City inspections on Marais are done, and once a health department inspection is complete Marais should open next week, Grosse Pointe City Manager Peter Dame says. The opening is coupled with a new gated parking lot that has room for more cars and does away with meters. It opened this week. Dame says the the credit or cash parking system will allow "visitors to the Village and to the new restaurant to stay as long as they like without any need to run out and add money to the meters or risk getting a ticket," Dame says. The city has also made improvements to the district, which is weathering the closures of some of its largest storefronts, including Border's, Ace Hardware and the Gap. The changes, decorative lighting, landscaping in alleys, brick-columned fencing and a brick trash enclosure to hide trash bins, are meant to make downtown attractive not only to customers but potential businesses. Source: Peter Dame, Grosse Pointe City Manager Writer: Kim North Shine

Food Truck grants heat up business plans

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Arts & Culture

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September 19, 2013

Two metro Detroit food trucks are sharing in state economic development grants meant to support a burgeoning industry in Michigan. The $77,775 in grants awarded by the Michigan Economic Development Corp., which predicts food truck businesses will be a $2.7-billion industry by 2017, went to Southfield-based Detroit Pommes Frites and Plain and Fancy Food from Pontiac. With matching grants from each winner, a total of $144,246 is being invested in the 10 food trucks. The grants are part of the 2013 Mobile Cuisine Startup Program, which is designed to help new or growing businesses that "offer easily accessible and unique food options to patrons in public spaces and contribute to the local economy by working with other local businesses and farms. The intent of this program is to assist with community and economic development by increasing pedestrian traffic in downtowns and traditional commercial cores," according to the MEDC announcement of the winners. MEDC president and CEO Michael Finney says "today's grants will help food entrepreneurs from around the state launch their business ideas, grow, and create jobs in Michigan." Other winners included MI Fresh Start in Traverse City, The Organic Gypsy in Kalamazoo, Roaming Harvest in Interlochen, Dia De Los Tacos in Marquette, Taco Now in Flint and Pure F2T in East Lansing. Source: Kathy Fagan, Michigan Economic Development Corp. Writer: Kim North Shine

Birmingham eatery Luxe Bar & Grill adds Grosse Pointe Farms location

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Arts & Culture

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August 22, 2013

Luxe Bar & Grill in Birmingham has opened a new restaurant in Grosse Pointe Farms, bringing its neighborhood bar meets upscale feel to the east side. Luxe, known for its burgers and favorites like onion rings and Luxe garlic wings, moved into the space that was formerly Lucy's, once a local go-to until it was sold and quality declined. The newest Luxe moves into the toniest of the Grosse Pointes, down the street from the former Detroit Free Press Restaurant of the Year, The Hill Seafood & Chop House, and the prior Hour Detroit Restaurant of the Year, Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe. According to Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce President Jennifer Boettcher, Luxe describes itself like this: "Luxe Bar & Grill is the neighborhood spot that serves quality food, drink and atmosphere - without pretense. At every crossroad, quality and taste are the priority. We believe the character of a bar is its patrons and we welcome all seeking good company and friendly conversation to enjoy our charmed local bar." Writer: Kim North Shine Source: Jennifer Palms Boettcher, president/executive director, Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce

Happy’s Pizza chain rolls out new pub concept

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Arts & Culture

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August 22, 2013

Happy's Pizza has opened a new pub-style restaurant in West Bloomfield as it explores moving from a mostly take-out, small dine-in establishment to a full-service sports bar and family restaurant. The nearly month-old Happy's Pizza and Pub opened at 7170 Orchard Lake Road and is more than 4,000 square feet filled with over 40 TVs, two of which are projection, screens, and seats for 246. "If someone wants to watch a Lions game, a Tigers game, a Red Wings game, this is the place to do it," General Manager Bobby Dalou says. And, he says, Happy's promotes a family restaurant by offering a menu that can feed four for $20. The menu includes ribs, chicken and seafood. The new pub and restaurant was originally a Happy's Pizza. It expanded into an adjoining business next door and was renovated to include a large restaurant inside and an outdoor patio with room-size windows opening between the two, says Dalou. "It's a good vibe, a good feel." The first Happy's Pizza and Pub opened in Mt. Pleasant in March and has been a success. The company was founded in 1996 by Happy Asker, with the first pizza store in northeast Detroit. It has grown to more than 100 locations. "We were mostly a come-in, come-out [eatery]. We wanted to try something different," Dalou says. "So far it's working out great."

Bye Bye Brooklyn, Hello Detroit

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Arts & Culture

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August 15, 2013

Business-minded couples getting squeezed out of Brooklyn are taking the combo of affordable rents and the supportive arts-minded communities of Detroit and its close-in city cousins. Excerpt: When Sandi Bache Heaselgrave and Andy Heaselgrave made the well-worn migration from New York City to Detroit, they didn't realize they'd be starting a trend... But when the couple, who worked in the photography industry, decided to leave in 2010, they were the first of what would become six couples (and counting) relocating from the tiny enclave of Red Hook, Brooklyn, with entrepreneurial pursuits in mind.... So when Ann St. Peter, owner of Pinwheel Bakery, offered to let them open in the front half of her shop in Ferndale, the couple jumped. Bache Heaselgrave had planned to sell Pinwheel pastries anyway. She spent $35,000 renovating the space, buying her equipment and giving the shop an airy feel. She also took over responsibility for sales so St. Peter could focus on pastries instead of running a retail location. Bache Heaselgrave increased prices and improved the coffee, becoming the only café in the Detroit area to sell Portland, Ore.-based Stumptown Coffee Roasters. More here.

Ferndale-based Chazzano Coffee filling cups in four states

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Arts & Culture

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August 15, 2013

When Frank Lanzkron-Tamarazo started Chazzano Coffee in 2009, roasting beans from a hole-in-the-wall office in Farmington Hills and then moving as he grew into a larger light industrial park, he expected to land maybe 20 wholesale accounts. He's far exceeded that number, reaching 170 wholesale outlets for the coffee he roasts himself and distributes only in small batches to keep it fresh, but he's built a business that is 70-percent retail based. He sells in Michigan and three other states. "It's amazing. I had about three accounts before we opened the cafe coffee roastery in Ferndale. Those accounts led to more and more, and right now the 170 whole accounts…restaurants, cafes, speciality markets like Whole Foods, Randazzo's, Plum Market, Holiday Market," Lanzkron-Tamarazo says. Dozens of offices order his coffee, as do coffee club members who receive deliveries of special roasts on the 1st and 15th of each month. During the last year, the former synagogue cantor's coffee began filling the cups in Illinois, Iowa and Kentucky, and unexpectedly the roastery in a not so attractive part of Ferndale drew more customers than it had room for. So within a year Chazzano will be moving into a much larger space, likely in Ferndale, with a bigger cafe and roasting area, more parking and more space for retail. "We're kind of special because I roast all the coffee fresh to order when I get the order," he says. "We call each of our 170 wholesale accounts each week. We keep the orders small so that the coffee doesn't get a chance to lose its freshness." Any coffee around more than 2 - 2 1/2 weeks old is ground and donated to a homeless shelter. His wife, Lisa, made a delivery of fresh roasted beans and a brewing part to a Bowling Green, Ohio cafe yesterday. "My whole goal in the beginning was getting better coffee when you go out. I can't stand going to an awesome restaurant, where the food is fantastic and the service is great and the coffee is lousy. It makes no sense. "Once they start serving my coffee, then they become retail customers…then at home, then at a favorite restaurant, then to the office," he says. As grateful as he is for the growth and business expansion he knows he wants to limit it. "We're really a boutique roastery. We're different than any other roaster around. We're always going to make sure we're small enough so that there's quality." Source: Frank Lanzkron-Tamarazo, owner, Chazzano Coffee Roasters Writer: Kim North-Shine

Detroit Sandwich Co. to open take-out shop in Farmington Hills

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Arts & Culture

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August 1, 2013

Mark Friday - great name, huh? - has a family history in the restaurant business and a love for Detroit. That has brought him to the place of opening the Detroit Sandwich Co. next week in Farmington Hills. The Detroit Sandwich Co. at 29801 W. 9 Mile Road will add to the takeout options for the Farmington-Farmington Hills area with a menu that includes a turkey chipotle sandwich, chicken sliders, pasta and meatballs, a signature meatball sandwich, lobster ravioli and a chicken bacon salad. "I'm always tempted to add more things, things I love, but we don't want to do too much. We want to put out quality food. If you do too much it can bring down quality," Friday says. The Italian side of the menu comes from Friday's Italian heritage - he's part Italian and African-American with a 100 percent Italian grandmother. He and his wife have been dreaming of restaurant ownership for a while. They looked into a Subway franchise, but "it's like being a manager while you raise the money. There's no creative freedom." "My wife and I have prayed on it and it kept growing and growing," Friday says. He almost signed a deal for his business to be located in a spot near downtown Farmington. It would have required a loan and a major renovation. When the deal fell through, he happened to spot the perfect space down the road, no loan required, minimal renovations and with a feel that matched his vision. "It's a really good space for us to start and learn and grow and open up locations," says Friday, who is training four employees this week in preparation for opening day. Initially the Detroit Sandwich Co. will be take-out only and then add delivery, he says. The cozy spot with a 20 by 19-foot kitchen, an 8 by 9-foot walk-in kitchen and a 14 by 9-foot counter has fresh colors of paint on the walls. It will have digital menus on TVs and and be decorated with vinyl wall coverings showing downtown Detroit's skyline. "I used to live in Detroit. I love the city. I go downtown when I can," says Friday, who sees the city and the burbs as one Detroit. "I chose the name because I want to support the city even though i can't open up in the city yet." Writer: Kim North Shine Source: Mark Friday, owner, Detroit Sandwich Co.