Armed with a new state-of-the-art kitchen, The Apparatus Room’s executive chef, Rece Hogerheide, returned in February with a menu that highlights hyperlocal produce and evokes the collective Midwestern memory. A friend and I went to check it out.
Hogerheide knows how to make you eat your vegetables. The salads at The Apparatus Room, the signature restaurant at Detroit Foundation Hotel, are always exceptional, made with fresh and flavorful greens — a testament to the seasoned chef’s selective sourcing practices: Many of the ingredients are grown in Michigan, some in gardens under 5 miles away, within city limits (Fisheye Farms, Featherstone Garden). And our server steered us right when she recommended the crispy cauliflower — an umami delight consisting of deep-fried cauliflower bites tossed in sweet and spicy gochujang sauce, drizzled with stripes of cooling lime crema and draped with pickled red onion.
The raw bar section promises the allure of seaside dining — with lobster and bicoastal oyster offerings — but my companion and I settled for something a little closer to home, so to speak: the smoked whitefish dip. Hogerheide pays a heartfelt tribute to the ubiquitous Up North snack you might see advertised on gas station signs along the highway. The generous helping is served with crunchy sourdough points, crackers, and tangy hot dilly beans. It added a touch of summertime to an otherwise gloomy day in March. I’d love to try his take on a pasty.
The standout entrée for us was the gnocchi. At first glance, it was like peering down at a French onion dip. The gnocchi is topped with a white sauce, garnished with thinly sliced chives and four crinkle-cut house-made potato chips. I fondly recalled my grandpa watching sports over onion dip and a Manhattan.
The gnocchi was exceptional — the dumplings were tender, with just the right amount of bite. And the Mornay sauce, velvety with lots of aged white cheddar, was balanced with the right touch of sweetness from the caramelized onions.
Following numerous courses expertly paired with wines by sommelier Alex Sachanko, we ended with some coff ee and a dessert designed beautifully by pastry chef Brandon O’Sullivan: the Drift Away. A scoop of coconut banana ice cream on top of cashew crumble, stuck with a mini sesame bar, appears to “drift away” on the plate from a row of sake-soaked pineapple slices, leaving a tasty trail of raspberry lime coulis in its wake.
This story originally appeared in the June 2025 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Click here to get our digital edition.
|
|
|
|
|
|
