Photo courtesy of Wright & Co.
Wintertime is a great time to stretch your wings when it comes to cooking–there seem to be more hours available for watching television cooking shows, experimenting with new recipes and finding winter-appropriate vegetables to add to everyday dishes for nutrition and some unique flavors.
Wintertime vegetables are full of texture, interesting colors and hearty possibilities. These winter veggies include everything from nutrient-packed kale to peppery radishes to versatile Brussels sprouts. So whether you have a refrigerator full of carrots, Swiss chard or radicchio, you have the makings for a fabulous meal.
Metro Detroit chefs are winter vegetable fans, and they produce some of the most creative ways to serve these as both main and side dishes. Sometimes, they are served whole. Other times, they have been shaved, sauteed, chopped for salads or used in soups. Basically, wintertime veggies are a great way to eat a variety of both attractive and delicious plates.
As always, check the menus to make sure these seasonal delights are in stock. Also, with the pandemic, check ahead on social media or by calling the individual restaurants to make sure they are open during the pandemic or that coronavirus hasn’t affected their individual hours.
Here are five places to check out Brussels sprouts and other winter favorites with your family or favorite vegetarian.
Wright & Company
Everything is done to perfection at this longtime downtown Detroit favorite. You will want to order everything on the menu, but save room for its great crispy Brussels Sprouts, which are made with sweet chili sauce, Rice Krispies, Thai basil and mint. That may sound like a wild combination, but there is a good reason why this is a regular item on its dinner menu–you have to try it to believe it.
Selden Standard
Vegetables get the royal treatment at this Midtown restaurant. You will have to make a choice between many great dishes, such as the Roasted Carrot Salad featuring dates, pistachio dukkah, urfa pepper and lemon yogurt. There also are favorites including its Roasted Cauliflower, featuring Tonnato, pine nuts and anchovy breadcrumbs. Another rave is the Squash Angolotti with brown butter, parmesan and pepitas.
Rock City Eatery
You’ve probably heard about its amazing mac n cheese as well as its tempting desserts, especially the pies. But you also will love its wintertime veggie options. Its Brussels Sprouts come with Thai basil, peanuts, scallions, smoked tomatoes, lime and nuoc cham. There’s also the Greek Carrots which are lemon-roasted carrots with feta, calamata olives, tzatziki, roasted chickpeas and oregano.
Bogart’z Food & Spirits
If you haven’t heard of this restaurant before, head out to Detroit on Mack Avenue just across from Grosse Pointe. Order the Pub Style Fish & Chips, which features beer-battered cod and French fries, which are delicious enough. But it also comes with roasted Brussel sprouts, which are the talk of the town. Another favorite is its asparagus medley.
