The Polish Village Café in Hamtramck, MI

Where everyone knows your name 

if you’re of Eastern European descent

The Polish Village Café

     We wanted to visit an Eastern European neighborhood in the Detroit region and Neil had read about The Polish VIllage Café.  Located in Hamtramck, which is a city within the greater city (sort of like how Norwood is to Cincinnati), The Polish Village Café is one of a number of restaurants in the area that reflect that cultural background, but it’s considered the best.  Not only the food press feels this way, but other diners that stood and waited for over an hour also assured us it was worth it.

The Lively Dining Room

     It’s a long, narrow crowded basement dining room festooned with lights and lots of laughing – also shouting, but that’s a by-product like it or not.  It’s very much a neighborhood restaurant where the patrons and the staff have known each other for generations.  I had a challenging time getting the bartender’s attention, but he made an excellent Moscow Mule.  The staff was run off its collective feet, but the place kept moving.  The hostess and servers were friendly in a reserved fashion, although our server was bright and effervescent.

Polish Platter

     We asked the patrons at the next table, who were obvious regulars, for recommendations since we could tell the staff wouldn’t have time for such niceties.  We followed their cues and both ordered the Polish Platter.  They came with Dill 

Dill Pickle Soup

Pickle soup, which was light and cream based with shredded carrot and diced pickle.  It was both sweet and slightly sour because of the brine.  We really liked it.  The platter of food was large with a stuffed cabbage roll covered in a thick paprika sauce, mashed potatoes with brown gravy, sausage, homemade sauerkraut, and a cheese pierogi.  Neil wasn’t too impressed by the pierogi, but the rest of it was good, especially the sauerkraut.  It was lighter and sweeter than I expected. Though I thought everything tasted good, Neil used quite a bit of salt, which is unusual for him.

Dessert Crepes

     A variety of crepes was offered for dessert – two to an order.  We shared a cherry and a prune crepe; both were freshly made and very tasty.  Again, they were also lighter than I expected.  The prices are very reasonable and the bubbly atmosphere are major selling points, but I don’t know if I would’ve stayed if I’d known it was really a seventy minute, rather than thirty minute wait.

polishvillagecafe.us

 

Rose’s Fine Foods: How To Be Old School and Cutting Edge Simultaneously

The epitome of Detroit’s 

past and future food scene

     In a part of Detroit where every third house is abandoned with smashed out windows, there is a bastion of hope – politically, culturally, and racially – named Rose’s Fine Foods.  It’s a breakfast-lunch diner with rough wooden tables, sturdy chairs, and everything made from scratch.  It emanates a relaxed, earthy vibe for a broadly diverse clientele with service that’s intelligent and warm.  They actually pay their wait staff a living wage and the tips are donated to a different charity monthly.  Elements of the experience reminded me of Melt in Cincinnati’s Northside or The Electric Cheetah in Grand Rapids.

Big Girl Deluxe

     After discussing selections with our server, Neil ordered the Big Girl Deluxe, billed as a salad inside a sandwich.  The chicken really was succulent with herbed yogurt dressing, a piquant organic cheddar cheese slice and greens.  I had the 

Fancy Egg Sandwich

Fancy Egg sandwich, which had a fried egg, marinara sauce (almost a jam in texture), and melted cheddar though I didn’t notice it.  The most significant ingredient was the parmesan-breaded fried cauliflower that made it sing.  It may even have been marinated.  The side of grits was traditional, simple, and smooth; there were no fashionable ingredients added.  Both dishes were served on thick slices of homemade bread with slices of pickled turnip on the side.

Cry Baby Donut

     We wanted dessert because they’re all freshly prepared in their kitchen.  Neil liked the doughy, cake-like Cry Baby donut, which was maple with nuts.  He wished it had been more of yeast texture.  The donut flavor changes daily.  I had the Pear 

Pear Vanilla Cake

Vanilla cake, which was akin to a pineapple upside down cake..  It also was dense, but with just the right amount of caramelized fruit.  The coffee was really good too.

rosesfinefood.com   

 

El Barzon:Terrific MexiTali in Detroit’s Mexicantown

     El Barzon (to saunter or stroll around or the strap that yokes oxen to the plow beam), located in Detroit’s Mexicantown, features two menus:  one Mexican, the other Italian.  This is not a fusion concept, but rather two cuisines offered by the same establishment.  Pretty much everything, but the tortilla chips, is made in house.  It’s a place where you don’t park on the street unless you want the giant rottweiler next door barking crazily at you – was he named Satan?  I don’t know.  Instead, there was a parking lot behind the restaurant if you see the sign to turn into the alley.

The Mexican/Italian Interior of El Barzon

     Once we were in the quiet, darkened interior with Big Band and American Songbook standards sung by the great generation of saloon singers, we were treated to friendly, professional service and one-of-a-kind food.  We devoured the chips with the spicy red sauce and the lovely green sauce.  It was cream based and it had a smoothness that must have originated with a roux.  Yes, we had a second round of chips, which was a mistake when we saw the size of the entrée portions, but we didn’t go so far as to lick out the salsa bowls.

Tomato Pasta Soup

     We shared a tomato pasta soup, which was broth based with diced potato.  Surprisingly delicate, it was a nice way to prepare for the Chile Relleno with Beef and the special, which was Gnocci in Pesto sauce served with grilled chicken.  

Chile Relleno

The relleno was the best version of this dish I think I’ve ever had.  The batter was very light and was a complement, not an overwhelming blanket, to the vegetable that was cooked perfectly – neither tough nor falling apart.  The beef filling was generous and all meat.  The red sauce was sweet and smoky, the black beans creamy, and the rice freshly cooked.  It was a total winner!  The creamy pesto sauce was beautiful, thick, 

Pesto Gnocchi with Chicken

and plentiful.  The gnocchi were pillows filled with cream cheese.  It was a great touch, revealing ingenuity and effort.  Neil liked the chicken and thought the grill taste set off the smooth creaminess of the sauce very well.  I didn’t think the chicken was needed and one of the strips I ate was stringy.  Otherwise, this was really good.

     The parking lot attendant was friendly and shared his story as a Cuban refugee and it was fascinating.  It’s an unexpected and worthwhile place to visit, though it’s off the beaten path from the Detroit “that’s come back” according to the ads.

elbarzonrestaurant.com