Immigrant-owned restaurants in metro Detroit you should have tried by now

By Metro Times editorial staff on Fri, Dec 8, 2017 at 7:09 pm

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Bolero
51 W. Forest Ave., Detroit; 313-800-5059
The owners of Vicente’s Cuban Cuisine debuted their new restaurant this month. Located in Midtown, the eatery is influenced by many countries in South America. Their menu, which includes specialities such as ceviche, tapas, and paella, makes this obvious.
Photo via Tom Perkins

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Boostan Cafe
3470 Holbrook Ave., Hamtramck; 313-456-8100
A regular topic of debate among Hamtramck's residents is which of the city's many Mediterranean eateries make the best sandwiches and cheap plates. Topping many Hamtramckans' lists over the last year is Boostan Cafe at Holbrook and Conant. When it comes to the Mediterranean standards, the tiny carryout restaurant's sandwiches are indeed among the best. But Boostan is perhaps at its best when it gets weird. Beyond Mediterranean sandwiches, the Yemeni-run restaurant rolls into its pitas the flavors of Yemen, Egypt, and the U.S.
Photo by Tom Perkins

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California Burgerz
12045 Conant St., Hamtramck; 313-703-8000
Modeled after California’s In-N-Out Burgers, California Burgerz delivers a short, but meat-filled menu. The hamburgers range from the single-patty burger with classic toppings to a burger that looms high with four patties. Owner Hani Omasan has the meat ground and potatoes cut in-house.
Photo via Facebook

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Dae Jang Keum
2947 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy; 248-509-7150
This Korean restaurant offers a sleek, modern atmosphere and staples like barbecue, bibimbop, and banchan. Plenty of grilled meat, soups, and stews round out the menu.
Photo via Tom Perkins

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El Rey de las Arepas
7701 McGraw St., Detroit; 313-307-2210
El Rey de las Arepas is really La Reina — the queen. That's Zoraida Gutierrez, from Caracas. Her son Rayner, owner of the first Venezuelan restaurant in the area, says Zoraida begins work every morning at 7 to start on the arepas, cachapas, and pabellones with which the family intends to make its mark on the Southwest Detroit restaurant scene. The handrail and steps leading to the door are painted in the colors of the Venezuelan flag (red, blue, yellow), the walls are brick red, the pretty plates are multicolored, Caribbean music plays gently, the service is ultra-friendly.
Photo via Facebook

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Maty’s African Cuisine
21611 Grand River Ave., Detroit; 313-472-5885
Maty’s African Cuisine brings West African flavors to Detroit. Some of the dishes on the menu include grilled lamb shanks, grilled tilapia, stuffed chicken, and more.
Photo by Tom Perkins

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Oaxaca
1985 E. Wattles Rd., Troy; 248-528-0462
Oaxaca is known as the "Land of Seven Moles," and the complex sauce is the region's culinary lifeblood. Metro Detroit, conversely, might as well be known as the "Land of Little Mole," and none of Oaxaca's dishes are well represented here. That's why a restaurant called "Oaxaca" in Troy caught our attention. Oaxacan-native siblings Juan, Maria, and Carmen Velasco opened the restaurant in September 2015, and the compact menu holds several of the region's dishes, including tlayudas, molotes, and mole.
Photo by Tom Perkins

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Mocha Cafe
9335 Conant St., Hamtramck; 313-974-6073
The restaurant's name comes from the town of Mocha in Yemen. Mocha Café has captured a younger generation that grew up on burgers, shakes, and fries. The difference is that menu items are prepared in a way that's still respectful to those who eat only halal meat.
Photo by Scott Spellman

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El Barzon

3710 Junction St., Detroit; 313-894-2070
Owner Norberto Garita’s food is sterling on both a Mexican and Italian menu, and it's all the more welcome for being a bit startling. As fans know, Garita is from Puebla, considered by natives to be a star region of Mexican cuisine. Garita worked at Tony II Posto in Southfield for eight years, before opening El Barzón in 2006. There he mastered the Italian regime. So mole poblano and flan coexist happily with saltimbocca and tiramisu.
?Photo courtesy of El Barzon

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