Bites: May 2015

News and notes about the metro Detroit food scene from Molly Abraham and the Hour staff.
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Artistic Pop-Up

The Detroit Institute of Arts, of all places, has joined the pop-up restaurant craze. During the Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo in Detroit exhibit, the museum is offering sustenance at a little Mexican cantina, Azul, with tacos, salsa, guacamole, tortilla chips, and Mexican beers and margaritas, in addition to its regular dining options in Kresge Court and DIACafe. The appropriately decorated pop-up will be available through July 12. Its name, the Spanish word for blue, refers to the color of the house where Kahlo grew up, now a museum …

 

New Use for Olde Space?

It was a valiant effort, but Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe couldn’t quite make it on the corner of Woodward Avenue and Watson Street in Detroit. The gourmet grocery closed in February of last year after a short run. Now the new owners of the Art Deco building — which also includes apartments — hope to bring a restaurant or even two to the space. American Community Developers Inc. believes that while Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe failed to attract attention, the time is ripe for another try, given the recent flurry of activity in Midtown …

 

Warm Reception 

Fans of the big juicy hamburgers and chili at the late Howell’s Bar in Dearborn, and prior to that at the also late, lamented Sully’s Blues Bar, can take heart. Though Howell’s was destroyed in a fire last year, ex-Sully’s and Howell’s grill man Jimmy Lessnau is serving up his burgers, fried chicken, and other favorites at the O’Kelley Lounge, 23663 Park St. in Dearborn. The burgers are as good as Howell’s and the place does a Polish Night menu on Tuesday, and blackened catfish and other items during the week …

 

Street-Savvy Seafood

Roberts Restaurants Group has marked another milestone. Streetside Seafood in Birmingham has achieved the 20-year mark. It’s the smallest of the six restaurants in the fold that includes Bill’s in Bloomfield Hills, Town Tavern in Royal Oak, Café ML and Roadside B & G in Bloomfield Township, and the granddaddy of them all, Beverly Hills Grill in Beverly Hills.