2007 Tastes of Detroit Food Tour

primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' BoopinDetroit, MI Icrontian
edited June 2007 in Community
I have finally, after much deliberation, decided on our stops for the 2007 "Tastes of Detroit Food Tour".

1: PASSAGE TO INDIA

Last year, Raj Mahal made a big splash on the food tour. People who either had a bad experience with Indian cuisine or who had never tried before really enjoyed the wonderful food prepared by Raj and his wife. This year, we are going to my other favorite Indian restaurant. This place really immerses you in the Indian culture. I'm telling you, walking through the door is like stepping through a wormhole to Calcutta. You TRULY feel like you are in India when you enter this place.

The service, in typical Indian fashion, is brusque and professional. Don't expect smiley happy waiters. This food is authentic and excellent, and the staff knows it. You must try the poori (round puffy bread) as it is the best I've had at any Indian restaurant, almost as good as homemade. The vindaloo is fiery, the makhani is sweet and creamy, the biryani is an explosion of flavor.

Passage to India
Berkley, MI
20 minute drive from Icrontic HQ
Attire: Casual
Price: Moderate. Expect $20 plus tip


2: WOO LEE GARDEN

Next we will be going east. Far east to exotic Korea. Korean dining is a wonderous experience. I can emphatically say that the greatest single meal I ever had was a Korean meal.

You will be seated at a table with a grill built in to it. You will have a huge array of small bowls laid in front of you. Each bowl will be filled with a single appetizer. This is called kimchee. Kim Chee proper is actually cabbage fermented in hot chili oil. This itself is a magical experience, but the whole spread of all these small dishes is also called kimchee. In some bowls you
will have tiny dried fish. In some you will have shredded cucumber with sugar and a slight kiss of vinegar. In another you may have a small omelette with chunks of fresh chives. All of it is delectable.

You will approach the buffet table. You will grab a plateful of raw, marinated meat. Chicken, Pork, Seafood, Beef. You will bring it back to the table and the waitstaff will cook it for you at the table.

Close your eyes and savor this fantastic meal. You can savor it as much as you want - this is all you can eat.

Oh joy. I can barely wait.

Woo Lee Garden
Southfield, MI
30 minute drive from Icrontic HQ
Attire: Casual, most patrons are business casual so you may look out of place in cutoff shorts and a dirty tshirt, but they won't ask you to leave
Price: Modest. All you can eat is generally $17. Worth the price of admission.

3: RED COAT TAVERN

For our third stop, we will be visiting The Red Coat Tavern. Ironically I had mentioned that a "burger joint" would very likely not be a part of our food tour unless it was the best or most unique burger I've ever had. Well, I'm going to throw my bet on the table and say Red Coat Tavern is, while perhaps not THE best burger I've ever had, the uniqueness and menu rank it high enough to be included on the tour.

The Red Coat Tavern is a mockup of a British pub. While they do offer some authentic British fare such as Scotch Egg (something that is hard to find around here, trust me), they specialize in burgers. Big, delicious, USDA prime black angus beef, cooked exactly to order, with a huge variety of custom toppings. You want smoked Gouda and a big raw red onion slice? No problem. Perhaps you'd prefer bleu cheese and blackened onion with a hint of cajun spice. They have a MENU of custom toppings with a small postscript at the bottom, to the effect of "we'll put anything you want on your burger. Anything. Just try us.".

The only thing I cannot recommend is the chips (french fries). They are overpriced and mundane. They seem like they came out of a freezer bag and they cost over $4 for a smattering. Skip the fries. Trust me.

Red Coat Tavern
Royal Oak, MI
20 minute drive from Icrontic HQ
Attire: Completely casual. Pub.
Price: Modest. Burgers start at $8, imported beer is pricey but good. Expect $20-$30 per person with tip and drinks


4: THANG LONG

The only stop making a reappearance. Last year, not everybody got to go to this Vietnamese delight, but everyone who went loved it. Vietnamese food is completely unique. There is nothing else like it in southeast asian cuisine. As I did last year, I highly recommend either a Bun dish or one of two "Hanoi thick sauce" dishes - either catfish or pork. Delectable.

Thang Long
Madison Heights, MI
10 minute drive from Icrontic HQ
Attire: Very casual. Wear shorts and sandals, it's fine.
Price: Easy peasy. Entrees start at $5. Woot.


As with last year, I need to get your confirmation in by June 15, as I need to make reservations or at least give these poor people some advanced warning that a party of 20-30 might show up.


Bon Appetit!
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Comments

  • KwitkoKwitko Sheriff of Banning (Retired) By the thing near the stuff Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    I'm in!
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    So much for losing weight !!!
    Wait...I don't care how much I weigh...so much for losing a few inches ;)

    I am in :D
  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    IN.... Oh, I'm IN!!! :D
  • DogDragonDogDragon Jacksonville, Fl Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    I'm in Eating_Wolfman.png
  • jaredjared
    signs up.

    This is going to be ****ing leet! Damn, I love food :D
    College Station, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    signs up.

    This is going to be ****ing leet! Damn, I love food :D
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    What's the schedule for the location visits?
  • KwitkoKwitko Sheriff of Banning (Retired) By the thing near the stuff Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    No plan to hit the crepe place again?
  • CycloniteCyclonite Tampa, Florida Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    Hell... yes...
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    No plan to hit the crepe place again, at least not on the official food tour
  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    I purposely left a 2 hour window for dinner... I hope that works for the trips. I was planning for the food tour, oh, I was planning. :D
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    Food tour info has been added to the calendar
  • drasnordrasnor Starship Operator Hawthorne, CA Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    I'm in.
  • NomadNomad A Small Piece of Hell Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    Did you get the two pound hamburger at Red Coat?
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    I will be attending at least Woo Lee and Passage to India.

    Brian, as with last year you're going to have to advise me on food choice, specifically at Woo Lee. I have never eaten Korean food before, and to be honest the idea of eating fermented cabbage has never been hugely appetizing to me. I have promised myself I'd be open minded about it, however, so I'll be there and I'll give it a go.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    It's awesome. You'll love it.

    put yourself into my tender, caring hands. I will gently carry you upon the winds of deliciousness into realms that you have barely imagined....
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    It's awesome. You'll love it.

    put yourself into my tender, caring hands. I will gently carry you upon the winds of deliciousness into realms that you have barely imagined....

    Brian, I like you and all, but I am definitely straight.
  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    put yourself into my tender, caring hands. I will gently carry you upon the winds of deliciousness into realms that you have barely imagined....
    Is that a quote from John Peters?
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    I might have to pass... most of those places will put sledge up in a ICU for a few days...
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    QCH2002 wrote:
    Is that a quote from John Peters?

    OH YUO HAD TO GO THERE DIN'T YOU?
  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    OH YUO HAD TO GO THERE DIN'T YOU?
    :bigggrin: It's getting to that time of the year... just wanted to "warm" people up!!! ;D
  • AnnesAnnes Tripped Up by Libidos and Hubris Alexandria, VA Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    edit: My bad, Prime. I will be going to all four places.

    *wonders if she should make a "buy a beer for StainMeNow" sign-up thread for the Red Coat*
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    To everyone:

    Please don't post "I'll go to all the ones I'll be there for". I have too much to do to check everyone's various schedules to see which restaurants people can go to, etc.

    If you can't go to all four, please list specifically which ones you are going to. Thank you! :)
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    All four. Who wants to chow down with Thraxy? :D
  • MAGICMAGIC Doot Doot Furniture City, Michigan Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    all fou fo'sho
  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    I'll check with Techno... but I'm planning on all four. The sunday one will be the question mark.
  • CycloniteCyclonite Tampa, Florida Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    I'm ready to get fatter! All four!
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    RyderOCZ wrote:
    I am in :D
    I shall amend this..I want and plan on all 4

    However, I have volunteered to take Gargoyle and Stainmenow to the Airport Sunday night. Gargoyle's plane is at 7:11pm which means airport arrival by 5:30-6:00 normally (unless he wants earlier or later to "cut it close")

    My participation Sunday night will depend on that schedule ;)
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    The only place I would go to.. is the place your going to the night before I get there :(
  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    You must go to Thai place.... no worse than some of the mexican I've had in Tijuana. ;D
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    I'm sure if it was a snake and all that, but where is this calendar?
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