New in town —The historic Maccabees building on the Wayne State campus boasts a “new” American restaurant, Maccabees at Midtown, that serves lean Angus steak burgers, bountiful mixed green salads and homemade potato pancake sandwiches. And to wash down the variety of gastronomic delights, the restaurant has a full bar with an assortment of domestic and local beers on draft, as well as such specialty drinks as the self-explanatory “Whiskey in a Jar” and the gin lover’s French 75. They also have a weekend brunch menu with breakfast sandwiches, steak and eggs and brioche french toast stuffed with vanilla mascarpone cheese and Granny Smith apples. Happy hours are 4-7 p.m. on weekdays. Drop in at 5057 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-831-9311.
It means style —A co-worker raved about a restaurant called Panache, which has been open for about a year in Plymouth. Stylish and hip, the place serves lunch and dinner complete with sushi and cocktail options. The two-level restaurant has a bar on each floor. At 447 Forest Ave., Plymouth; 734-386-8447; panache447.com.
In the name of love — Morelsrestaurant is offering a “Lover’s Feast” for this coming Valentine’s Day. The prix fixe five-course menu has a choice for vegetarians, and guests can add a Michigan wine package, specially paired with each course. Choices include oysters Rockefeller, ricotta gnocchi, seared scallops, USDA Prime tenderloin, cheese and spinach ravioli, and much more. The meals begin promptly at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15 and Saturday, Feb. 16, at 32729 Northwestern Hwy., Farmington Hills; reservations for the “Lover’s Feast” at 248-254-3840; $40 plus tax and tip, $30 for additional wine package.
Getting chili out —Here’s a mouthful: The Eighth Annual Fire & Ice Chili Cook-Off Pub Crawl Fundraiser!It’s going to be heating up Mount Clemens this week, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31. Chef John Thomas of Madison’s Pub is preparing to defend his chili crown. After the cookoff, the pub crawl continues into the night. Tickets for the cookoff and crawl are $15 for one, $25 for two. Each participant receives a wristband good for a taster-sized chili at each establishment. The first 350 registrants will also receive free souvenir chili pepper party beads. Tickets are now available at the participating establishments, including Mount Clemens’ Bath City Bistro, Buffalo Wild Wings, Detroit Pub, John Barleycorn’s, Little Lorraine’s, The Mitt, Madison’s Pub, Orleans Billiards Café, The Rec Bowl, Seeburger’s Cheeseburgers and Your Mothers Bar. All proceeds will benefit both the Anton Art Center and the Mount Clemens Goodfellows. For more information, call 586-469-4168 or see downtownmountclemens.com.
Winter reading —Just a reminder: Get those seed catalogs while you can. You may not be able to plant that garden yet, but you’ll be that much more ready after an order or two. One of our favorites is from J.L. Hudson, Seedsman. Have a look at jlhudsonseeds.net.
Know of any upcoming food or drink events? Let us know! Call 313-202-8043 or email [email protected].
Dinner: A Love Story
by Jenny Rosenstrach
Ecco, $29.99
We live in a world filled with distractions: social media vying for your attention, engaging video games that are hard to abandon, fast-breaking worldwide news, all in addition to work and school. How can you get a family together? Jenny Rosenstrach feeds ’em! Dinner: A Love Story is her effort to bring families together over meals. The recipes are tempting and uncomplicated, not unlike hundreds of other cookbooks. This book differs with its emphasis on getting families together to cook and eat as a unit, a notion sometimes lost in the daily fray.
THE WORKS
First thing in the morning, nothing beats a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice — not from concentrate. It’s easier to have than you think. With the push of a button, Cuisinart’s Compact Juice Extractor turns fruits and vegetables into healthy drinks. Try kale with its nutritional value and its health benefits, beets and carrots with their natural sugar that will turn tart into sweet, and limitless combinations of fresh fruits and vegetables to make delicious drinks and sauces. The compact unit is perfect for a small kitchen. We found this one at cooking.com for $99.95.
