Catering to Dad — Father's Day dining possibilities abound. The folks at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse wanted to remind us of their Father's Day celebration, which includes early hours and a brunch prix fixe menu. It's $32.95 per diner (plus tax and tip), and entrée choices include a filet mignon frittata, an asparagus, Swiss and lump crab frittata, filet Benedict and more. They'll open at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 19 and serve the menu until 3 p.m. They're at 323 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham (248-723-0134) and 17400 Haggerty Rd., Livonia (734-542-9463).
There's also a special daddy deal on offer at MGM Grand Detroit Casino's Palette Dining Studio. They'll have a special Father's Day menu available 10 a.m.-10 p.m.: For $28 per person, diners can enjoy such dishes as grilled lamb, crusted whitefish, lobster pasta salad, even chocolate fudge cupcakes, all prepared by award-winning chefs. They're at 1777 Third St., Detroit.
The wags at Camp Ticonderoga say, "Do Dad a favor: Don't cook for him." Naturally, they recommend you bring in the fam for a U.P. Scramble, prime rib, a turkey dinner or something else off their hearty menu at 5725 Rochester Rd., Troy; 248-828-BUCK.
Even Bastone Brewery has a pitch, offering "a beer to please every dad this Father's Day," ranging from Monumental Blonde, an American-style light beer with soft malt and hop flavors, to Witface, a Belgian style white ale brewed with orange, lemon and coriander, and on to Dubbel Vision, a Belgian-style amber brewed with dried dark fruits. Purchase a growler or drop in at 419 S. Main St., Royal Oak; 248-544-6250.
Washtenaw wine — The Chop House is hosting a wine tasting series this summer, three separate dates to show off its newly renovated La Dolce Vita Lounge. The next event is at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at the Chop House, 322 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; reservations required at 888-456-3463; $29.95 per person, all inclusive.
Market rebound — The Eastside Farmers Market, formerly known as the East Warren Avenue Farmers Market, is open for business again, providing vendors of local produce and artisanal items with a place to hawk their wares. With the exception of July 2, the market will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday until Oct. 1. This is the market's fourth season, and it has moved to a more visible space: the parking lot of Mack Alter Square at the southwest corner of Mack Avenue and Alter Road. With a mission to support small-scale urban gardeners and independent producers, expect products from Grown in Detroit, Callie's Sweet Breads, For Goodness Sake Natural Foods and more. Vendors can accept cash, credit, debit cards, Bridge Card EBT benefits, WIC Project Fresh coupons, Senior Project Fresh/Market Fresh coupons, and Double Up Food Bucks for qualified purchases. For more info, find the market on Facebook.
Will they have salted too? — In other news, eager to fill a void in Detroit, the Detroit Institute of Bagels aims to offer Detroiters the doughy treat that seems to be a largely suburban phenomenon. Based in Corktown, you can find out more about this new business at detroitinstituteofbagels.com.
Food/Thought — How could we have been unaware for so long as we consumed the earth's resources with reckless abandon? Michael Nischan's Sustainably Delicious: Making the World a Better Place, One Recipe at a Time (Rodale Books, $35) offers responsible sourcing ideas and recipes for fresh, sustainable foods, heritage beans, fruits and vegetables and meats and seafood that taste better than the mass-produced agribiz products. The photo that accompanies the "forager's frittata" highlights the mushrooms and wild greens and slab bacon that are available at farmers' markets. The smothered pork chops refute the idea that sustainability sacrifices flavor.
Bottoms Up — With the glut of syrupy sodas stuffed into convenience store coolers, the market for soft drinks is finally expanding to cover those of us looking for something sweet and carbonated without having to chew through the ubiquitous high fructose corn syrup or ingest artificial laboratory-developed sweeteners. GuS sodas are made with real juice and flavor extracts, and lightly sweetened with natural cane sugar. A 12-ounce bottle contains just about the same amount of calories as 8 ounces of regular soda. We're particularly fond of the grape and black currant flavor.
The Works — Sonofhibachi! No, its not Italian for sonofabitch. Hell, no. It's a very cool portable grill that folds in half, making it easily transportable. We haven't seen these in years, so we were happy to find that they're still available. If you want to be ready to grill anytime, you'll be happy too. View sonofhibachi.com to get an understanding of just how much you need one of these bad boys for picnicking and camping. The chimney effect helps build fires fast. When you've finished cooking, closing the unit extinguishes the coals, making them usable on your next outing.
Know of any upcoming food or drink events? Let us know! E-mail [email protected] or call 313-202-8043.
