From soccer practice to grocery runs, the Chevy Trailblazer is designed to make your everyday outings a breeze.
There’s nothing that makes a meal taste better than a little sunshine along with it, and the summer months provide plenty of it. If you’re heading out for a meal or cocktail this weekend, consider heading to one of Metro Detroit’s newest eateries or breweries.
No matter what cuisine you crave, you’ll find something to satisfy your taste buds at one of the Motor City’s newest restaurants of summer 2015. Bring your appetite!
The Current, 24026 Jefferson Ave., St. Clair Shores, is an American fusion restaurant with a variety of Michigan draft beers on tap. The waterfront restaurant is all about supporting local, from craft cocktails to fish from the Great Lakes to art from the Detroit Artists Market adorning the walls.
The menu is full of appetizers, soups and salads, as well as a selection of lunch and dinner items. Try the Blackened Steelhead BLT (blackened steelhead trout with bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo), Baja Chicken sandwich (grilled chicken breast with lettuce, pico de gallo and chimichurri) or a Sirloin (with your choice of two sides, along with soup or salad).
River Rouge Brewing Company, 406 E. 4th St., Royal Oak, is a recently opened nano-brewery with a great selection on tap. Try the Hazelnut Brown Ale, Mango Explosion (a fruit ale), River Rouge IPA or Stencel Stout Extra Vanilla Coffee.
The brewery doesn’t serve food, but it’s a great place to grab a few brews and relax with friends this weekend. River Rouge Brewing Company is open from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Having just celebrated its grand opening yesterday, now is the time to check this place out.
The Detroit Bubble Tea Company, 22821 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, opened its doors at the end of May after much anticipation. The company was awarded “Best Sweet Treat” and “Best Drink” at Royal Oak’s Arts, Beats and Eats festival last year, and I can attest that the product here is a quality one.
The menu allows you to choose your drink, with options including slushies, organic iced teas, milk teas and smoothies. You then choose your flavor, such as bubble gum, pineapple or cookies and cream, and lastly add your topping, either tapioca pearls or flavored popping pearls.
I’d recommend a green tea-lemonade-peach popping pearls combo. You can also pick up a snack while you’re there, like gluten-free French macarons or Sweet Magnolia’s vegan cupcakes.
Brera Pizza & Salad Co., 1002 S. Military St., Dearborn, promises “the best authentic Italian food west of the Mediterranean,” which is a pretty bold claim. The menu allows you to create your own pizza, salad or wrap, or choose from a selection of signature items.
Pizzas include the Caribbean Jerk BBQ (topped with bell peppers, applewood bacon, grilled chicken, mozzarella, shaved red onion and mozzarella), The Salty Grandma (piled with sliced olives, artichokes, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, feta and red sauce) and Queen Margarita (with fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil and red sauce).
If you’re looking for a salad, consider the Kale and Quinoa (with almond vinaigrette, feta, pickled cranberries and oranges), Roasted Beet (crispy beets tossed with fennel oil, arugula, balsamic vinaigrette and goat and feta cheese spread) or Healthy Burrito (romaine, black bean, fried red onion, smoked chipotle dressing, cilantro, avocado and grilled chicken). Wraps include The Koi Pond (grilled shrimp, cabbage, oranges, peppers, tofu, field greens, soybeans and sweet soy chili vinaigrette) and Toasted Caesar (parmesan cheese, herb crouton and classic dressing).
Chartreuse Kitchen and Cocktails, 15 E. Kirby St., Detroit, was nearing its opening date by mere days when we featured our spring roundup of new restaurants, so it fell under the “coming soon” section. Now, you can finally reserve your table!
The décor is almost as awesome as the menu, which is constantly changing, depending on what is fresh and found locally at the time of your visit. While you’re there, you may find items like Grilled Cap Steak, Pan-Roasted Skuna Bay Salmon, Warm Red Cabbage or Spring Pea Ricotta on the menu.
To stay up-to-date on the latest offerings, keep an eye on the Chartreuse Facebook page.
As always, there are several local restaurants, breweries and more in the works. The following are a few that are slated to open at some point this summer:
- Mabel Gray, 23825 John R., Hazel Park, the second restaurant from The Root’s chef James Rigato
- Roak Brewing Co., 330 E. Lincoln, Royal Oak, a brewery that will (hopefully!) be opening its doors next week
- Woodpile BBQ Shack, Clawson, 303 S. Main St., Clawson, because barbecue
- Townhouse, which has a location in Birmingham, is in the process of building a second spot in Detroit
- Black Rock Bar and Grill is a sizzling steakhouse with locations in Novi and Hartland, with one coming soon in Canton
If you thought your summer couldn’t get better, I’m here to tell you that it can, simply by checking out one of the above new eateries of southeast Michigan. Enjoy!
