D is for: Detroit

Photo Coutesy: Karl Mondon

Soooo….I’m *finally* getting caught up. Both with my blogging and life in general.

Ok, that’s a blatant lie.

I have a mountain of laundry at home, my gym card has a thick layer of dust on it, and I’ve only cooked twice in the last two weeks…neither of which made it to the blog.

But I promise I will get there. Eventually.

In the meantime, I’ll share with you the third and final installment of my MLB Postseason Food Adventures. This one took us to the lovely city of Detroit, Michigan. Just as with Cincinnati and St. Louis, Detroit isn’t traditionally known to be a destination for foodies. But thanks to Detroit product (and kickball captain) Sam Brown, we got some great recommendations during our short stay in the Motor City.

If you ever find yourself in D-town for a baseball game, I recommend checking out Bucharest Grill, just a few blocks away from Comerica Park. It’s actually a bar as well, and serves food pretty late, so it’s a good spot before or after games. Their signature menu item is the Schwarma, and the Bucharest Schwarma is the way to go (pictured on the left). It’s grilled marinated chicken, cabbage, tomato, pickles, fries, garlic sauce and spices all wrapped up in a warm pita. A caution…it’s HUGE, and extremely garlicky. (Always good when you’re about to interview vampires…not so much when you’re interviewing professional athletes, but oh well.) Loved the curly fries too.

Since the games were on so late, our only chance at a real dinner was the first night after the Giants held a workout at Comerica Park. I had received mixed reviews about Roast, as some of my co-workers ate there when the A’s were playing Detroit. But ultimately, it’s been named Best Restaurant in Detroit by the Detroit Free Press, and Chef Michael Symon has won a James Beard Award. But what sealed my decision was receiving an email from my friend Tom Holy, begging me to eat there. Done and done.

This also happened to be the same day I ate that gigantic schwarma for a late lunch around 4PM, so even at 11PM, I wasn’t incredibly hungry. For that reason, I elected to get the bacon lardon salad for my entree (bottom right), which was so simple but sooooo good. Frisee, crispy pig ears, and a perfectly poached egg. If I could eat this every day for breakfast and not weigh 200 pounds, I would. We loaded up on sides like padron peppers, whipped potatoes, roasted cauliflower, and my favorite…fried brussels sprouts. (And if you frequent this blog, you know how much I heart brussels sprouts). Everyone more or less enjoyed their meals, and the prices were extremely reasonable. Definitely recommend this place if you’re looking for a nice dinner in Detroit. (And as an added bonus…they not only knew how to make a French 75, it was on the menu! Bonus points in my book).

Before Game 3, I set out on my own to explore Detroit’s Eastern Market, which is sort of the equivalent of the Ferry Building in San Francisco. Unfortunately, I arrived towards the end around 2PM, and many of the vendors were packing up for the day. But it was still fun to see and I enjoyed some fresh, hot apple cider as I walked the one mile to Comerica Park.

Right across the street, is Russell Street Deli, which was recommended by my friend Sam. I sat at the little counter facing the window, which made for great people watching. I made friends with the guy sitting next to me, and he explained how the market was once a cover for the mafia in Detroit. They have several homemade soup options each day. I couldn’t decide which soup to order, so the friendly waitress was nice enough to bring me a couple samples to help me choose. I went with the split pea, which was piping hot and hit the spot on a brisk fall day. I loved the addition of cumin, and it inspired me to make my own sometime this winter. They are also well known for their corned beef, and I selected the Reuben, which had Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing on grilled rye. It was hearty and filling, and I didn’t even come close to finishing it.

Slow’s Bar-B-Q is pretty universally known as the best you can get in Detroit. Though admittedly, after checking out the BBQ in Kansas City, St. Louis and Austin this year…Slow’s simply doesn’t stack up to the likes of OK Joe’s, Pappy’s and Salt Lick. However, with that said…it is still excellent, and definitely a destination if you’re in Detroit. The boys got ribs, brisket and pulled pork. I went with the Yardbird (bottom left), which was Amish pulled chicken breast and sauteed mushrooms drenched in a mustard sauce and topped with melted cheddar cheese and applewood bacon and served on thick toasted bread. Gotta say…as sandwiches go, I loved this one. A lot. Maybe it was the chicken and mustard sauce that was reminiscent of my sandwich at Ike’s, or maybe the thick bacon slices, or perhaps the fact I hadn’t eaten yet that day…but I gobbled this down in about two minutes flat. Sort of unimpressed with the sides, but the mac ‘n cheese was the favorite among the table.

To the dismay of Sam and many other Detroit food connoisseurs, I’m sorry to report I did *not* try a Coney Dog. I equate this to Cincinnati’s Skyline Chili, which I also missed on my whirlwind playoff trip. My co-workers did manage to try this Michigan delicacy…and for those wondering, it’s basically just a hot dog with an all-meat chili, onions, and mustard. Just as with the Skyline Chili, I think my stomach was thankful for this omission in my Detroit food adventures.

After that, it was off to Game 4…and you know how this story ends. A clean sweep by the Giants…culminating in a second World Series title in 3 seasons and another confetti-filled parade down Market Street on Halloween. It was an exhausting month, but a fabulous experience…and yet another reminder that I’m very lucky to do this for a living.

For me, there isn’t really an off-season. But my life will hopefully slow down a little bit. I will be in the studio a lot, hosting SportsNet Central shows, hopefully tackling that laundry that’s currently occupying my room, and definitely getting back in the kitchen. Go Giants!