Five Lakes Grill owner and proprietor chef Brian Polcyn makes frequent visits to the Provençe region of southern France, where he has found culinary inspiration for his regional menus. And so it comes as small surprise that the grill is kicking off its 2006 calendar of events with French Provencal dinner. On Monday, April 10, the grill will feature this six-course meal for $65, with wine packages available. At 424 N. Main St., Milford. Call 248-684-7455 for reservations.
Detroit's eastern riverfront is going through a massive transformation from gray, hulking industrial waterfront to verdant, park-filled pleasure center. Perhaps hoping to make a little "green" of their own, the people behind new eatery Currents have moved into River Rock Café's old spot, one block east of the Renaissance Center. Billed as "Detroit's newest dining and entertainment venue overlooking the Detroit River," the restaurant had a "soft opening" during the recent Super Bowl, but will have a grand opening for the public on Saturday, April 1, with live music, food and potables. Offering a mixture of British pub grub and American tavern fare, as the weather warms up the restaurant's open deck is sure to appeal to downtown diners. At 673 Franklin St., Detroit; 313-259-4800.
Eat the Page
Cornbread Nation 2, The United States of Barbecue (Chapel Hill, $17.95, paperback), edited by Lolis Eric Elie for the Southern Foodways Alliance, is one of a series showcasing the best of Southern food writing. This one focuses on Southern barbecue, with more than 40 articles by different authors. "We Didn't Know from Fatback, a Southern Jewish Perspective on Barbecue" begins: "There is no stronger test of an observant Jew's commitment to his or her faith than the aroma that wafts over East Memphis from .... slow-roasting pork ribs." Now that's different.
A Tasty Beverage
This is the season when many people find themselves between a winter holiday somewhere warm and summer afternoons sitting at a friend's pool or a picnic at the lake. What do you miss the most — other than warm sunshine, of course? Perhaps a tropical rum drink? You need not wait for the latter. Pick up a bottle of Goslings Black Seal rum, a dark Bermudian brew that can be found at lost local liquor stores for about $15. Throw in splash of fresh orange juice and a squeeze of lime juice. It will make the wait more bearable.
It Works
An indispensable utensil for any serious cook is a wok, the perfect pot for stir-frying, due to its sloping sides. There are nonstick woks, stainless steel woks, electric woks and others that are unnecessarily expensive and do not function as well as the basic hammered steel or carbon steel ones available at the Wok Shop in San Francisco (wokshop.com). This 35-year-old family-run business specializes in the sale of all sorts of hard-to-find items used in Asian cooking. E-mail them for straightforward advice in making your selection.
Know of any new restaurants, special dinners or food-related events? Let us know. Send comments to [email protected]
