Late last year, a colleague at detroit.eater.com asked if I’d participate in their annual “year-in-review” survey. Questions included the best single meal, top newcomers, and places visited again and again in 2014.
Those were some tough calls — especially trying to come up with repeat visits. Outside of ones that are walkable (Town Tavern near my office in Royal Oak and the best shawarma ever at Bucharest Grill at Park Bar near my wife’s office), I couldn’t come up with more than a handful of places that could be considered in “the rotation.” Perhaps Bigalora, El Barzon, or the Grand Trunk Pub?
That has nothing to do with places not being worthy of repeat visits; it’s just a happy dilemma to have a bounty of good choices.
Like an Oscar winner listing people to thank, I just know I’m going to leave someone out … but here’s a short list:
Consider newer “finer dining” options like Wright & Co., Bistro 82, Selden Standard, Antietam, Top of the Pontch, and Aqua. Then think of the wonderful standbys and semi-recent newcomers: The Root, Roast, Torino, Bacco, The Whitney, Joe Muer Seafood … the list goes on.
Take the anticipated dent in the pocketbook down just a notch, and there’s The Stand, the dearly departed Kiernan’s Steak House in Dearborn, Angelina’s Bistro, Craft Work, La Feria. …
Add to those the ever-growing list of places I keep saying I have to get to: Rock City Eatery, Gold Cash Gold, Republic in the GAR Building, Cuisine (I know, right? I can’t believe I’ve never been there!), and Sarap’s next pop-up.
Although the term “most anticipated” is getting to be as overused as “foodie,” the list is expanding. I can’t wait to see what Sandy Levine comes up with at Chartreuse, or if Guns & Butter is ever going to open a brick-and-mortar site. Then, our 2015 “Savor Detroit” series starts up in April (visit savordetroit.com to see if seats are still available). And I’ll vow to keep an eye out for who’s the guest chef at Revolver.
And of course, I’ve got to book a return trip or two to our pick for the 2015 Restaurant of the Year. As you might imagine with all the options, the choice wasn’t easy.
With any luck, a bunch of the new, fairly new, and tried-and-true will make next year’s choice equally tough.
P.S.: OTHER STORIES AND KUDOS
Enough restaurant raving; we actually do have other stories in this issue, including Bob Seger at 70, a whole lotta preachin’ going on, ballroom dancing, men’s styles, and a chat with fashion icon and Detroit native John Varvatos.
We’re also pleased to note that “Trauma and Triumph,” the cover story of our 2014 Health Guide written by Oakland University’s Garry Gilbert, is being honored by The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons with a 2015 Media Orthopaedic Reporting Excellence (MORE) Award. The award ceremony is in Washington, D.C., in April. Home subscribers should take note: A new Health Guide is scheduled to be shipped along with your April 2015 issue of Hour Detroit.
|
|
|
