Beer, here | Normally, we’d write about an event as it drew a bit nearer, but with the Sixth Annual Detroit Fall Beer Festival, you have to be something of an early riser. Tickets for this festival go fast, so fast, in fact, that the thirsty throngs would be wise to rush to the website and see if any are still available when this hits the streets. Why? Because it’s one of the largest all-Michigan beer tastings around, one of four sponsored by the Michigan Brewers Guild, but the only one that takes place in Autumn, when the snap is in the air and beer goes down quick. It takes place 5-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, and 1-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at Detroit’s Eastern Market; tickets available at mibeer.com/detroit-fall-festival.
Plymouth rocks! | Here’s something unusual: We called the new restaurant in Plymouth called Barrio Cocina y Tequileria. It opened two weeks ago, and we asked co-owner Dean Rovinelli if we could inform our readers about it. He told us not to! Not because Rovinelli wasn’t rightly proud of his popular new eatery, but because he wanted a bit more time to iron out some of the fine details a new establishment always has to deal with. We put in another call, and he told us that the informal embargo was now lifted, which really goes to show you how serious the management is. The restaurant is at 555 Forest, where the Zin Wine Bar used to be, and it features what Rovinelli calls authentic Mexican cuisine, all made fresh, with all meat slow-cooked, product brought in fresh daily, chips that are organic and GMO-free and fried on-premises, and more. The menu includes such “street tacos” as carne asada, al pastor, pollo, carnitas, chorizo, and hongos, and the selection of drinks takes up just as much menu space, with Latin American-themed craft cocktails, a selection of margaritas, and not just Mexican and Michigan beers, but a good selection of New World wines. We hear it’s busy, but worth the wait, at 555 Forest Ave., Plymouth; 734-738-6754; barrioplymouth.com.
Belgian brewfest | October will be a special month at Royal Oak’s Bastone Brewry. They’ll be featuring some German-inspired specials, such as warming baked white onion soup with Muenster and Jarlsburg cheeses ($5.95), sauerbraten with gingersnap sauce, potato salad and braised root vegetables ($17.95), and wild mushroom stroganoff with herbs in a brandy cream ($15.95). You can also get a special limited-edition beer mug for just $8 and fill it with any of Bastone’s craft beers, including their Rocktoberfest Lager, for $1 off the regular price, all October long. Bastone is at 419 S. Main St., Royal Oak; 248-544-6250; bastone.net.
October surprise | OK, maybe it’s not a surprise at all. But if surprise brings tingles of delight upon discovery, so does the Oktoberfest at Kuhnhenn Brewing Co., taking place this week. The crew at Kuhnhenn will set up a tented biergarten Friday night and Saturday, featuring a lineup of limited-edition, rare, cellared drafts brought up from the basement for fall revelers. Costumes are welcome, and a costume contest will feature prizes. Saturday’s fun includes a fund-raising Dunk-a-Gnome tank. Food will be provided courtesy of “Dan the Smokin’ Man.” There’ll be live music too, from Delilah DeWylde & the Lost Boys (Friday) and the Orbitsuns (Saturday). It all happens 5 p.m.-midnight Friday, 11 a.m. -midnight Saturday, at 5919 Chicago Rd., Warren; 586-979-8361; kbrewery.com.
Success on Yemans Street | We heard some good news from Matt and Corrie Tinker, the couple we interviewed a few weeks ago about their fixed pop-up space on Yemans Street in Hamtramck. They tell us their Friday event was a huge success. “Everybody loved Yemans Street, and Jay Gundy did an amazing job on the food and presentation. It was a really good time. Everyone had nothing but great things to say about their whole experience. We are super excited to tell you that we’ve had chefs reaching out to us left and right.” Last we heard, the two were putting together new menus and new dates. See yemansstreet.squarespace.com to stay apprised. mt
Know of any upcoming food or dining events? Let us know! Email [email protected].
