Bean and Leaf

At the Bean and Leaf Cafe on Main Street. in the Royal Oak area, you can get some great coffee, free wi-fi, tasty treats and a very comfortable place to hang out, read a book, study or whatever. 

The beverage variety is healthy (to say the least):  you can get anything from a Frappe, Smoothie, Ginger Jasmin Tea and of course, butt kicking coffee.
The staff is very friendly, its very open and spacious and your laptop will be very happy (lots of power out-lets and did I mention the free wi-fi). 
Adding to that local flavor of the place is some great photography and art on the walls all by local artists. 
Now - I've become a pseudo local here - come here a couple of times and you will be as well. 

Just a person recommendation here:  if you want some Rocket Fuel to get your day started or just keep your day going - get the Black Eye - two shots of Espresso with really good light roasted coffee - percolatingly happy.




















Go Local!

Bean and Leaf Cafe
106 S Main St
Royal Oak, MI 48067
(248) 586-9602
www.mybeanandleaf.com

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Lentl Soup and Shawarmas in Birmingham, MI

So we decided to try out this middle eastern place in Birmingham, MI called the Pita Cafe.

For those that have been around for a while in the Detroit Metro area and are familiar with the now extinct La Shish Restaurant chain: the menu, the logo and the food will be familiar to you.

Whereas it hasn't been the best middle eastern fare I've had in the region (nothing up to the La Shish standard), further visits are deserved to give any readers a fair assessment.  But - if the fact that I'm willing to go back and eat there again is a vouch for a thumbs up "review", then definitely check this place out.

For our first foray, we ordered the Shish Combo.  We're both not big eaters so this one dish was enough for both of us.

The crushed lentl soup that comes with it is good - flavorful but not really impressive it will satisfy any Lentl craving you may have.  Devour it with the hot fresh bread that comes to your booth (or table) and you'll be happy.
The main entree plate is loaded some very tasty Lamb Shish Kafta, Chicken Kababs and Lamb Kabobs served with rice, grilled vegetables and a very healthy portion of ground garlic paste.  Everything was tasty.  The rice with roasted almond slivers, the grilled veggies, the meats - everything had great flavor without being over-powering.  If you're brave, are in a garlic understanding / loving relationship, or you just don't care, have everything with a healthy covering of the ground garlic paste.

We also tried their fresh juices - the mango smoothie I had was very good but I cannot say for the others - too many choices - not enough space in my tummy :)

Value for money - for sure - everything is very reasonably priced to almost being cheap - entree's range from $8.00 + and their sandwiches are about $4.00 to $5.00.
SO if you're in the area, crave something new or middle eastern, I'd recommend trying this place out.  I'll be going back there!

Go Michigan!  Go Local!

Pita Cafe Of Birmingham
237 N Old Woodward Ave
Birmingham, MI 48009
(248) 645-6999

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Bangkok Cuisine is an Addiction....

Now, there are a lot of great Thai restaurants in the Detroit Metro area and I've barely scratched the surface but Bangkok Cuisine happens to be favorite these days and often my preferred place for Thai even if it's out of the way from where I may be. 

Pad Thai, Fried Rice or Drunken Noodles are standard fare at most Thai places but even these are amazing at Bangkok Cuisine restaurants.  My recommendations:  you've got to try the Crispy Rolls, the Nong Tong for appetizers and the Pad Bai Gra Prow or Gang Dang as curry dishes.  Other's we've been with have ordered the Pad Kee Mao, the Masaman Curry dish and the Pa-Nang curry dish - everything has been phenomenal.

The prices?  Very good!  Most Lunch entrees range from $7 to $10 and dinner portions are from $11 to ....  value for money? absolutely!  You can have an amazing meal with two or three dishes, have left overs for late night nosh or next day's lunch and spend about $25 to $30 dollars.

A word about the spice:  unless you have an amazing tolerance for chili pepper, stick to medium to medium+ - anything hotter will make you turn orange to red but oh you'll enjoy it SOOO much!!!

They have several locations throughout (all of them great) but the one's I've gone to consistently are:

Rexy's Bangkok Cuisine
30923 Woodward Ave
Royal Oak, MI 48073-0923
(248) 288-0002
http://www.rexysbangkokcuisines.com/

and

 

Bangkok Cuisine Express
43237 Garfield Road
Clinton Twp, MI
(586) 226-8000‎
http://www.bangkokcuisineexpress.com/

They also have a website where you can view all locations and get a preview of their Menu and Prices at http://www.bangkokcuisine.net/

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Ajishin - Best Udon Bowl I've ever had...

So - we got addicted to Ajishin's Udon Bowl and sushi the moment we went on encouragement from a coworker of ours.  It became a weekly thing.  A hot bowl of Udon soup and a couple of slices of Tuna later - I was in heaven.

Its not a big restaurant seating perhaps 70 at max - lunch time, if you don't get in at the right window, prepare to wait a good 30 to 45 minutes.

You won't find any teriyaki this or fancy on the menu but everything on it is excellent.  I've had the Maiko (highly recommended by me) which is the Udon bowl with shrimp, tempura and seaweed.  The bowl comes piping hot and is full of "stuff" - this isn't a weak ho-hum noodle soup dish - oh no - finishing this to the very last drop will leave you very happy, very full and very addicted.  Also on the menu is the curry rice and man is it flavorful.  Good amount of curry and pork all over rice.  Great stuff.

The Sashimi pieces are huge with generous amounts of wasabi stuffed into the rice (packing enough kick to clear out your nasal passages).  I'll usually get a couple of slices of Tuna or Salmon from their sushi / sashimi list and that will pretty much do me in for a meal a half.

If  you've got the capacity for it - order their special which is usually a big bowl of Udon with tempura and chef's special rolls for that day.  I've yet to be disappointed.

I'd really recommend checking this place out yourself BUT be warned - you will keep coming back because the food here is delicious.

Ajishin

42270 Grand River Avenue

Novi, MI 48375-1836

(248) 380-9850

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Fork, Spoon, and Chopsticks ...

Get some sushi and piping hot Udon bowl at Ajishin in Novi, MI.

Settle in for some amazing Pizza at the Green Lantern in Madison Heights, MI.

Want a great burger - Red Robin may be a chain but their Mushroom Swiss burger is a craver's dream.

Ever had potato bacon pancakes and meat loaf that will melt in your mouth topped with sauted mushrooms and an amazing amount of gravy on top?  Go to Richter's Chalet in Dearborn, MI for some and bring your wheel barrow.

Ever been to Bastone in Royal Oak, MI - have their Double Coffee Stout

Check out the very flavourful Portal at the Copper Canyon Cafe in Southfield, MI

The IPA at the WAB in Ferndale, MI is yum

also

The Detroit Brewing Company has an Stout as well and some great nosh.

My point is this - the Detroit, MI area may be one of the most under-rated but amazingly diverse cities in the US to not only go out and enjoy but also to eat from practically every cultural pallate.  Driven by locals who frequent often or by word of mouth, these places get you out of nowhere and make you keep coming back for more.

Even in this bleak economy and most of all in this city, you'll still find these places bustling and happy keeping local businesses alive and local hunger at bay :)

Bring your hunger and thirst and your sense of fun - there's an adventure to be be had here...

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