
Feeding Our Faces and Washing It Down
When we’re ready to chow down, it’s all a matter of good taste
Best restaurant for general excellence
Tribute, Farmington Hills
Best restaurant ambience
The Whitney, Detroit
Best place to have dinner before a show
Small Plates, Detroit
Best place for nightcaps after the show
The Whitney, Detroit
Best dessert presentation
The Whitney, Detroit
Best place for live entertainment while you dine
Andiamo
Best Sunday brunch
Pronto!, Royal Oak
Best place for fast service
National Coney Island
Best place for a business lunch
Capital Grille
There’s a not-so-subtle scent that hangs in the air at the fine Troy meat house The Capital Grille, mixing with the Pavlovian aromas of flame-licked dry-aged beef, crisp-coated crab and lobster cakes, single-malt scotch, rare wines, and the fragrances favored by metrosexuals and fashionistas. It’s the smell of power, and no other metro Detroit steakhouse has more of it. Here’s where the movers shake, build bridges, bond, break bread, behold and are beheld. And “capital” in the name doesn’t just refer to one of its early locations in D.C. It’s what drives the core clientele.
Best wine list
Tribute, Farmington Hills
Best beer selection
The Berkley Front, Berkley
Best authentic international cuisine
La-Shish
Best local food product
Sanders Hot Fudge
Best sweet shop
Astoria Pastry Shop
Best place to eat after hours
National Coney Island/Lafayette Coney Island

Best view from a restaurant
The Rattlesnake Club
Technically speaking, the view from The Rattlesnake Club in Stroh River Place is neither sweeping nor lofty. But views are more than what you see. Say what you will about high-rises or tony suburban bistros, nothing in metro Detroit quite compares to the riverfront. Some appetizer, this idle, postcard scene: Young trees and a lawn-like riverbank where Canada geese loiter. The honk of tugboats. The looming vision of great freighters. Across the water lies Windsor’s low-slung skyline, to the right are Detroit’s old cement silos and its newer glass silos, the Renaissance Center. This is the view. Raise a toast.
Best microbrewery
Royal Oak Brewery, Royal Oak
Best fish market
Superior Fish Company, Royal Oak
Best gourmet market
Papa Joe’s
Best service, impeccable
The Lark, West Bloomfield
Best coffee
Starbucks
Best independent coffeehouse
Java Hutt
Best French
Cuisine, Detroit/The Lark, West Bloomfield
Best ice cream
Ray’s, Royal Oak
Best Sommelier
Madeline Triffon
Of course we’re pleased that Hour Detroit’s own wine columnist, Madeline Triffon, was selected for this honor, but it’s no surprise. Triffon, whose trademark warmth and openness entirely contradict the image of the sniffy wine steward, has a worldwide reputation as one of the leading oeno authorities. Her résumé includes the unique accomplishment of becoming the first woman in the country to earn the designation Certified Master Sommelier, she’s now wine and beverage director for Unique Restaurants, she learned her chops at the old London Chop House, and she has the skill and rep to work anywhere in the world. But she’s stayed with Detroit — and we’re delighted to claim her.
Best margarita
Agave, Detroit

Best martini
Blue Martini, Birmingham
Best romantic restaurant
Café Cortina, Farmington Hills
Best Chinese
P.F. Chang’s
Best Greek
New Parthenon, Detroit
Best Indian
Priya, Troy
Best Italian
Andiamo
Best Japanese
Benihana
Best Korean
New Seoul Garden
Best Mexican
Xochilmilco, Detroit
Best Middle Eastern
La-Shish
Best Thai
Rexy’s Bangkok Cuisine, Royal Oak
Best Vietnamese
Annam, Dearborn
Best vegetarian menu
Inn Season, Royal Oak
Best steakhouse
Ruth’s Chris, Troy
Best diverse, eclectic menu
Sweet Lorraine’s
Best seafood
McCormick & Schmick’s, Troy
Best soup
Zoup!
Best stadium food
Comerica Park
Best soul food
Beans & Cornbread, Southfield
Best pizza
PizzaPapalis
Best burger
Red Coat Tavern, Royal Oak
Best barbecue ribs
Boneyard
Best Coney Island
National Coney Island
Best carry-out
Pronto!, Royal Oak
Best deli
Zingerman’s, Ann Arbor
Best wine store
Merchant’s Fine Wine
Best fine spirits shop
Merchant’s Fine Wine

When we’re looking to buy
For the material girls (and guys)
Best women’s clothing store
Nordstrom, Troy
Best plus-size clothing store
Lane Bryant
Best vintage clothing store
Mother Fletcher’s, Ferndale
Best men’s clothing store
Nordstrom, Troy
Best place to be fitted for a suit
Men’s Wearhouse
Best place to buy a hat
Henry the Hatter
Best place to find one-of-a-kind dresses
Shapes, Birmingham
Best place for cutting-edge fashions
Tender, Birmingham
Best lingerie store
Victoria’s Secret
What could be more luscious than a nubile model with long, slender legs, perky breasts, full lips and a come-hither look? That model in lacy panties and bra, of course. Best lingerie award goes to Victoria’s Secret, the store for women and the men who love them — and whose catalogue is considered required “reading” by those same men. Store and catalogue carry outwear and scents, as well as the silky-smooth, pretty undies slipped into by women of all sizes. It’s not uncommon that we wear sensibly priced outerwear and splurge a bit on the under-lovelies. It makes us feel our true beauty and — the good part — power.
Best place to buy jeans
Gap
Best shoe selection
Nordstrom, Troy
Best antique shopping
Royal Oak
Best gift-wrapping service
Marshall Field’s

Best gift registry
Marshall Field’s
Best place to shop for local crafts
Michael’s/Pewabic Pottery
Best place to buy a wedding ring
Tapper’s, West Bloomfield
Best jeweler
Tapper’s, West Bloomfield
Best custom jeweler
Wachler & Sons, Birmingham
Best window display
Noir Leather
Readers may have been sucked into a time warp that’s taken them to the Noir Leather of pre-1998, before owner Keith Howarth moved the business to its current location at the corner of Fourth and Center in Royal Oak. Those were the days when the windows were dressed with live models acting out skits of bondage and S&M, while crowds gathered out into Main Street, disrupting the flow of traffic and causing the police to get involved. These days, things are much milder at Noir — a rack stacked high with stripper shoes, a couple of mannequins sporting skimpy leather accessories, etc.
Best resale/consignment store
Salvation Army
Best personalized service
Nordstrom, Troy
Best place to buy kids’ clothes
Old Navy
Best home decor store
Home Expo
Best place for an unusual furniture selection
Bright Ideas
Best used record store
Record Time
Best rental movie selection
Blockbuster
Best new book selection, independent
Bookbeat, Oak Park
Best new book selection, chain
Borders
Best used bookstore
John K. King
Best magazine selection
Borders
Best place to spend $1
Dollar Tree
Best place to buy a greeting card
Hallmark
Best independent hardware store
Frenz & Sons, Royal Oak
Best independent pharmacy
Birmingham Drugs
Best place to buy electronics
Best Buy
Best optical shop
DOC
Best place to buy toys
Toys R Us

Daily life and its upkeep
Taking care of business
Best art fair
Ann Arbor Street Art Fair
Best place for shoe repair
Franks, Birmingham
Best place for car repair
Autometric Collision
Best limo service
Metro Cars
Best florist
Viviano Flower Shop
Best caterer
Forte Catering, Troy
Best tailor
Antonio Rimanelli, Grosse Pointe Woods/ Eddie’s Alterations, Royal Oak
Best divorce lawyer
Henry Baskin, Birmingham
Best-kept secret in town
Spa Julianna
The secret’s out. Spa Julianna, tucked away in downtown Plymouth, offers a day spa experience that rivals some of the finer destination spas in the country. From the elegantly appointed marble lobby to the cozy robe and slippers provided to guests when they arrive, no detail is overlooked here. The facility offers numerous water treatments, including immersion hydrotherapy baths and underwater light therapy, as well as Vichy shower treatments. Of course, there’s the usual array of massages, body treatments, facials, manicures and pedicures, but there’s something different about the atmosphere in Spa Julianna. It really feels like a haven from the harried world outside.
Best plastic surgeon
Dr. Gregory C. Roche, Bloomfield Hills
Best funeral home
A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Directors
Best pet-grooming service
Petsmart
Best barbershop
Borics
Best hair salon
Kaleidoscopes
Best day spa
Spa Nordstrom, Troy
Best yoga studio
Namaste Yoga, Royal Oak

Best place to exercise
Life Time Fitness
Best car wash
Jax
Best dry cleaner
Quality Cleaners, Royal Oak/Wesch, Birmingham
Best highly anticipated annual event
North American International Auto Show
Best veterinarian service
Deporre Veterinary Hospital, Bloomfield Hills
Best charity event
North American International Auto Show Charity Preview
Best new trend
Kindness/metrosexuals/leg warmers
Local Characters, Local Color
Folks who keep life interesting
Best choice for a celebrity dinner companion
Steve Yzerman, Detroit Red Wings
Best choice for a political dinner companion
Gov. Jennifer Granholm
Best-looking TV personality
Carmen Harlan, WDIV
Best author
Elmore Leonard
Best hero
Steve Yzerman
Best style icon
Jon Jordan
Best publicity hound
Geoffrey Fieger, Fieger, Fieger,
Kenney & Johnson, Southfield
Best “star” of a local TV commercial
Bill Bonds, Gardner White Furniture Co.
Best church choir
Kirk in the Hills, Bloomfield Hills/Shrine of the Little Flower, Royal Oak
Best maitre’d
Jim Lark, The Lark, West Bloomfield
Best chef
Takashi Yagihashi, Tribute, Farmington Hills
Best quote
“It’s long gone!” — Ernie Harwell

When we come out to play
Kicking back and chilling out
Best next local band to make it big
The Von Bondies
Best place to throw a party
Roostertail, Detroit
Best place to learn to dance
Arthur Murray Dance Studio
Best jukebox
Gusoline Alley, Royal Oak
Best club
Envy, Detroit
Best bar
Royal Inn, Royal Oak
Best neighborhood for bar-hopping
Royal Oak
Best male gay bar
Pronto!, Royal Oak
Best lesbian bar
Stiletto’s, Inkster
Best “gentleman’s club”
Flight Club, Detroit
Best pick-up bar
220, Birmingham
Best hotel bar
The Corner Bar at the Townsend Hotel, Birmingham
Best bowling alley
Garden Bowl, Detroit
Best concert venue
DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston
Best public art
‘Memorial to Joe Louis,’ aka ‘the Fist’
Most folks just call it “The Fist,” but the sculpture at Woodward and Jefferson representing Joe Louis’ fist (and arm) is technically titled Memorial to Joe Louis, in honor of the heavyweight boxer who grew up in Detroit. Since the bronze-and-steel work by Robert Graham was unveiled in 1986, it has sparked controversy. Some believe it represents Louis’ — and the city’s —fighting spirit. Others see it as a grim symbol of the violence that has plagued the city for decades. In February, two nitwits doused the sculpture with white paint, which was quickly removed. Like it or not, “The Fist” appears here to stay, as resolute as the man’s spirit it signifies.

Best pool hall
5th Avenue
Best place to see a first-run movie
Uptown Palladium 12
Best place to see an art film
Landmark Main Art Theatre, Royal Oak
Best stage for local music acts
Magic Bag, Ferndale
Best community theater
Stagecrafters, Royal Oak
Best casino
Greektown Casino, Detroit
Best museum
Detroit Institute of Arts
Best indoor tennis court
Franklin Athletic Club, Southfield
Best place for pick-up basketball
Life Time Fitness
Best public golf course
Shepherd’s Hollow Golf Club, Clarkston
Best indoor driving range
Mulligan’s Golf Center, Auburn Hills
Best outdoor driving range
Carl’s Golfland

Where we earn our daily bread
Dream jobs, fat paychecks and office space
Best company to work for
Compuware Corp.
Best city to work in
Detroit/Birmingham
Fisher Building
Best architectural edifice
Albert Kahn’s towering Fisher Building in the New Center is possibly Detroit’s grandest edifice. Commissioned by the Fisher brothers (of “Body by Fisher” automotive fame), the building — complete with an ornate theater — opened in 1928. But many don’t know that the Art Deco monument wasn’t even finished. The design called for two additional towers, but the Crash put the kibosh on that. Regardless, the building capped by a golden tower that looms over Grand Boulevard is a majestic sight. Just taking in the intricate ceiling decorations in the arcade is awe-inspiring.
Best elevator
Renaissance Center, Detroit
Best place for a midday break
Somerset Collection, Troy
Best or most coveted job
Mayor of Detroit/Chairman of Ford
Call us simple. Personally, we would rather be a goalie for the Wings or Bob Seger’s piano player — but Detroiters must like a challenge. Readers chose as the ultimate occupations in the metro area the leadership of a troubled city (where were you all during the last election, by the way?) or a rebounding automotive giant. Given our choice of the two positions, though, we know which one we’d take: While Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick earned a healthy $176,176 for his efforts in 2003, Ford Motor Co. Chairman William Clay Ford Jr. — though declining a salary and contributing his $1.5 million bonus toward the college education of Ford employees’ children — holds tens of millions of dollars in company stock.
Best local corporate logo
Ford Motor Co.
Best local ad campaign
Ford Motor Co.
Where we rest our weary bones
Decent digs and harmonious ’hoods
Best place to live downtown
Riverfront Apartments, Detroit
Best suburb
Birmingham
Best place for a condo or loft
Birmingham

Best example of urban sprawl
Novi
Best example of racial harmony
Southfield
Best street corner
Woodward and Maple, Birmingham
Best city to get arrested in
Detroit/Ferndale
Detroit Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings won’t comment on why readers chose Detroit as one of the two best places to be thrown in the clink, but Police Chief Mike Kitchen in Ferndale — which shares the honor with Detroit — has a few thoughts on the subject. “This isn’t weird,” he says. “It’s happened to us before. We’ve been voted best city to be arrested in by other publications. We’re kind, compassionate, caring and quick. Or maybe it’s just because everyone’s partying in Ferndale before they’re arrested and are in a good mood. We don’t mistreat anybody. And we serve good prisoner food. We cater it. Well, it’s not exactly that, but I’ll tell you this: We don’t make our own bologna sandwiches. And we have a sense of humor.”
Best place to see or be seen
Birmingham
Best Up North destination
Traverse City
Talking heads, disembodied voices & ink-stained wretches
Media mavens
Best local newspaper
Detroit Free Press
Best local radio station
WDET, 101.9 FM
Best local TV news
WDIV, Channel 4
Best local radio news
WWJ, 950 AM
Best local source for international news
WDET, 101.9 FM
Best local TV anchor
Carmen Harlan, WDIV
Best local talk-radio host
Mitch Albom, WJR
Best local sportswriter
Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press
Best local sportscaster
Bernie Smilovitz, WDIV
Best traffic reporter
Dennis Neubacher, WJR and WXYZ
Best local weather forecast
WDIV, Channel 4
Best local traffic report
WWJ, 101.9 FM
Best local radio DJ
Dick Purtan, WOMC
Best radio voice
Dick Purtan, WOMC
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