Emmele Herrod of One-Eyed Betty’s & Ocean Prime’s Matt Strabbing

Their stylish menus are enticing enough to attract a loyal clientele of discriminating diners, but no matter how expert they are, restaurant people like to take a break from their own kitchens for a taste of someone else’s cooking
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> EMMELE HERROLD, executive chef at ONE-EYED BETTY’S, says when she gets away from her duties at the Ferndale restaurant, she likes to go to the Bronx Bar in Midtown Detroit “for an amazing cheeseburger.” Other destinations include the Pita Café in Southfield “for de-boned chicken, mujaddara, and all the garlic sauce I can eat!” She also likes the Neapolitan pizza at Pizzeria Antica Fellini in Royal Oak, and Ernie’s Market in Oak Park “for the best $5 sandwich a girl could ask for.”

> MATT STRABBING, executive chef at OCEAN PRIME in Troy, doesn’t hesitate in naming his top choice. “The Jolly Pumpkin in Traverse City is by far my favorite place on earth,” he says. “It’s a micro-brewery and micro-distillery with great sandwiches. When I’m there, I’ll get a beer-sampler flight focusing on IPAs, and either the Reuben or pulled-pork sandwich.” Closer to home, he enjoys the Forest Grill in Birmingham for its charcuterie, the Sagebrush Cantina in Lake Orion, the Rusty Bucket in Bloomfield Hills, and Town Tavern in Royal Oak. “I typically order sandwiches and ‘apps,’” he says. And of course, he’s looking forward to the upcoming opening of the Jolly Pumpkin in Royal Oak.