Dan Campbell, chef de cuisine at SaltWater in Detroit, works the typical hours of a busy chef and says, “It can be hard to find the time to go out and receive the same pampering you’re used to delivering. At the end of a long week or on the odd day off, the best-sounding meal is usually something simple, comforting, and enjoyed in your own home.” Still, he has some favorite haunts, including Pi’s Thai in Hazel Park, for its “legendary Tom Yum soup and homemade spring rolls.” He also likes Falaffel King in Royal Oak, which he calls “fresh, cheap, and really tasty,” and the “real” tacos al pastor, lengua (tongue), and cabeza — “yes, that’s cow’s head” — at Taqueria Lupita in Mexicantown. “Pho Que Huong, tucked away in a mini-mall in Madison Heights, serves Bahn Mi sandwiches like I remember from the West Coast and, of course, Pho. For dessert, bread pudding at Mudgie’s in Corktown or, on a hot summer night, anything from Ray’s Ice Cream in Royal Oak.”
Quattro Cucina Italiana chef de cuisine Joe Cosenza and his wife just became parents of a baby boy, so they’re finding their nights out even more of a treat. “When I’m not working, my wife and I love to eat pizza a lot. Currently, our favorite is Tomatoes Apizza in Farmington Hills. They have the best pepperoni. It ‘cups’ a little while it cooks to hold in the rendered fat from cooking in the oven.” Authentic tacos are also on their menu. “After spending so many years in Chicago, I got hooked on tacos from my favorite taqueria while walking home from work. Now, to satisfy the craving, we like to hit El Barzon for the al pastor tacos and a plate of barbacoa.”
|
|
|
