Pizza Minus (Some of) the Guilt: Lighten Up with a Flatbread

By: Toni Cunningham | January 24, 2014
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For those of you still adhering to your vow to eat healthier this year, I applaud you. You may or may not have cut a few of your favorite foods out of your diet in order to reach your goals. Since everything is good in moderation, I suggest ditching that tactic and seeking out healthier alternatives instead.

Take, for example, pizza. If you were crazy, er, strong willed enough to nix it from your diet, you’re probably craving an alternative. That alternative is the flatbread, which can be found at plenty of Metro Detroit restaurants. Check them out:

Blackfinn, 530 S. Main St., Royal Oak, has six different flatbreads on the menu, including Sausage and Pepperoni, Barbeque Chicken, Roasted Vegetable, Buffalo Chicken, Shrimp and Pesto, and Margherita.

Each flatbread is served on Mediterranean lavash, and in case you hadn’t heard, the Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest ones out there.

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If you want to get your flatbread for the best price possible, head to happy hour from 4 p.m to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, when they’re just $6 a pop.

24grille, 204 Michigan Ave., Detroit, is Detroit’s only champagne bar, located inside the Westin Book Cadillac building. The dinner menu includes four different flatbreads, including Margherita, BBQ Chicken, Mushroom, and Philly (of the cheese steak variety).

Personally, I’ve never met a BBQ Chicken anything I didn’t like, but that’s just me.

PizzaPapalis, with several Metro Detroit locations, takes a different approach when it comes to flatbread. Here, flatbreads are served in sandwich form instead of the typical thin pizza.

Your choices include Chicken De-Lite “Full” (grilled marinated chicken breast, lettuce, tomato, mozzarella cheese and ranch dressing), Classic Turkey (with honey mustard, lettuce, onion and tomato), The Roman Club (turkey, bacon, Canadian bacon, lettuce, tomato, spicy chipotle mayo and provolone cheese), and Buffalo Chicken (with provolone cheese, chipotle mayo, lettuce, onion, tomato and jalapeno).

Sterling’s Bistro, 13905 Lakeside Cir., Sterling Heights, is big on seasonal flavors and fresh ingredients, and that applies to the menu’s selection of flatbreads.

The flatbread pizzas include Chicken Feta (with pesto, Greek marinated chicken, feta cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions and tzatziki sauce), Pesto Mozz (basil pesto, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, basil and roasted garlic), Apple & Brie (mushrooms, balsamic onion, roasted red peppers and roasted garlic), and Steak & Bleu (angus rib eye, bleu cheese, mushrooms, balsamic onion, tomatoes and garlic).

Kona Grill, 30 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, is a restaurant/sushi bar hybrid, and there are plenty of unique flatbread options on the menu. Your options include Pepperoni, Grilled Veggie, Margherita, Steak, BBQ Chicken and Grilled Apple + Brie.

The BBQ Chicken (with red onion, cheddar, gouda and cilantro) and Grilled Apple + Brie (with red onion jam, figs and toasted walnuts) are only available on the dinner menu, so keep that in mind.

During happy hour (3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday), all flatbreads are half off. Cheap food and drinks? I’m there.

5ive Restaurant, 44045 5 Mile Rd., Plymouth, has signature flatbread pizzas on both its lunch and dinner menus. There are six different varieties to choose from, including three vegetarian choices (Mediterranean, Tuscan and Caprese), as well as two omnivore options (Black ‘n’ Bleu with beef tips and Southwestern with marinated chicken).

Here’s something to look forward to: if and when the weather ever warms up again, you can enjoy your flatbread on the outdoor terrace around a fire pit.

Flatbreads are a delicious alternative to your typical pizza pie, and they can even be folded into sandwich form. Plus, you can convince yourself that it’s (sort of) better for you. Win, win!

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