Food Tour.

[CB]

Will we be having another schedule of preplanned dining establishments?

If so, does Detroit happen to have a good mongolian bar-b-que?

[GHoosdum]

Mmm... Josephine's...

[CB]

No, sir. I was not impressed.

[GHoosdum]

That's what she said.

[QCH]

If my plans hold true... There will be a two hour dinner break on Friday and Saturday. I hope there is plans for a food tour. Heck, I'll go back to that Indian place again and That Thai food was "Spot On". :thumbsup:

[primesuspect]

The very first "mongolian style" barbecue* originated here in Michigan - just four miles from my house to be exact. However, it has grown into a corporate chain behemoth and is overpriced for what you get.

On the other hand, a different place sprung up to take the place of the "original" Mongolian Barbecue. It's slightly cheaper, and it has the words "Hu-Hot Mongolian Grill" printed in large, friendly letters on the front of the building.

It doesn't meet my specs for the food tour, and as such won't be part of the "official" tour, but it is definitely there, available, inexpensive, and nearby for all who wish to partake.



*The reason I say "Mongolian style" is because no actual nomadic Mongolian would have any clue what these people are doing. Real Mongolian barbecue generally consists of lamb chunks sandwiched between hot rocks, or gutted marmot (prairie dog) which is cleaned, dressed, and re-stuffed with the organs before being spitted and grilled. I don't think the American palate is up to par for this kind of authenticity. So these restaurateurs made up a lovely, romantic, and wild image of Mongolian warriors grilling meat and vegetables with a variety of tasty and trendy sauces over their shields, packaged it up, branded it, and employed emo kids with sticks to cook for the masses.

[GHoosdum]

Our "Mongolian" BBQ has been employing illegal immigrants with sticks, rather than emo kids.

[primesuspect]

I'll wait for Thrax or Nomad to pipe in on this one... They know what I mean...

[CB]

It doesn't meet my specs for the food tour, and as such won't be part of the "official" tour, but it is definitely there, available, inexpensive, and nearby for all who wish to partake.

There are specs?



*The reason I say "Mongolian style" is because no actual nomadic Mongolian would have any clue what these people are doing. Real Mongolian barbecue generally consists of lamb chunks sandwiched between hot rocks, or gutted marmot (prairie dog) which is cleaned, dressed, and re-stuffed with the organs before being spitted and grilled. I don't think the American palate is up to par for this kind of authenticity. So these restaurateurs made up a lovely, romantic, and wild image of Mongolian warriors grilling meat and vegetables with a variety of tasty and trendy sauces over their shields, packaged it up, branded it, and employed emo kids with sticks to cook for the masses.


I understand that very little of the ethnic food we get in the states is anywhere near authentic, but at least TaHan was staffed by real asian people, some of whom might actually have been mongolian decended (I'm not very good at identifying asian ethnicities, and I never bothered to ask)... The best cook was this really old asian guy who would throw your food artfully around on his big grill, and swing the bowls like a dancer.


:sigh: I'm gonna miss that place... :(

[Buddy J]

So there is a bd's (http://www.gomongo.com) close by? Because I like bd's. It's like Chili's but more fun.

[primesuspect]

BD's started in Royal Oak yeah... The "original" just closed and moved a few hundred feet south to the trendiest part of the block.

http://www.gomongo.com/community/article.php?x=5

[Thrax]

Mongolian BBQ is pretty good, but not like the original. :) It's not good enough to be on the food tour, imo, but anyone who wants to go, I will gladly lead there for a meal.

[jared]

MMmmm this sounds all too tasty. I am going to have to bring a lot of green so I can try everything under the sun up there.

Being from Texas we have the best damn mexican food you can imagine but other than that nothing to brag about....

/me looks at the counter in his sig

cheers :cheers2:

[Nomad]

Mongolian is great, but quite expensive. Go at lunch though, it's like $8 instead of $14.

[primesuspect]

There are specs?

Oh yes.

Your quote in the second paragraph helps understand at least a part of my very demanding standards for what makes the cut:

I understand that very little of the ethnic food we get in the states is anywhere near authentic

That's one of them. See, Detroit may not have much going for it, but one of the riches of this region is in its huge cross section of global culture. Detroit is extremely ethnically diverse, and one of the many treasures resulting from this diversity is a spectacular rainbow of cuisine.

Since people from all over the world are coming HERE, of all places, I feel that it is somewhat important for me to consider myself an ambassador of my hometown. Therefore, I have taken it upon myself to introduce outsiders to one of our hidden gems: our amazing diversity of wonderful food.

Detroit was, I believe, the first city in America with an authentic Nepali restaurant. We have the largest Arab community outside of the middle east. We have one of the three large Hmong communities in the US. Our pan-Indian cuisine is second only to probably the UK.

So, one aspect of the "specs" of my food tour are that the restaurant I choose must have some character that the majority of the attendees has never experienced before. I am not here to take people to get burgers - unless it is unquestionably the most unique or best burger they have ever had, or the restaurant itself possesses this same quality.

Mongolian Barbecue and her clones (such as Hu-Hot) are definitely interesting dining experiences, but they can be had in other locales, such as Cincinnati, or any of the other "markets" where the franchises are located. It would be a fairly good bet to say that a corporate chain restaurant will never be on the roster for the food tour ;)

[GHoosdum]

Both of your criteria made sense. While I, and I'm sure CB, realized that the "Mongolian" BBQ was not authentically Mongolian cuisine, based upon our experiences with Ta Han being a unique restaraunt for our area and the reactions we've seen people make (not to mention the great quality of the food there) I think his natural assumption (and certainly my own) was that Mongolian BBQ was an uncommercialized and specialty cuisine item.

I, for one, certainly had never heard of BD's, nor had I even dreamt that "Mongolian" had been popular anywhere. To us, Ta Han was a niche restaraunt with a small and loyal clientele. I'm frankly floored that is not the case everwhere.

So I think that's why CB thought that "Mongolian" would be suitable for the food tour. ;)

[primesuspect]

Bah!

I **** ON YOUR MONGOLIAN BARBECUE. EAT MY TRENDILY FLIPPED AND FRIED **** WITH YOUR UNWORTHY SUGGESTION

I RESCIND MY OFFER OF TWO HORSES AND TWO LI OF RICE

RETURN MY DAUGHTER TO ME WITH GREAT HASTE. THE OFFER NO LONGER STANDS

[GHoosdum]

I'm sorry, sir, but your daughter has already been "used". As for the rest, I must admit I don't know what the hell you're talking about. I'm not a great lover of horses (that's CrazyJoe) and I don't know what the eff a "li of rice" is.

[Buddy J]

Silly Brian. bd's exists in only 11 states. It's like Tim Horton's (10 states and Canada). What may be commonplace, bland chains to you are wondrous to those of us outside the Midwest or Great Lakes region.

[Nomad]

Silly Brian. bd's exists in only 11 states. It's like Tim Horton's (10 states and Canada). What may be commonplace, bland chains to you are wondrous to those of us outside the Midwest or Great Lakes region.

Kind of like Sonics. It tempts us with its illusive appeal just south of Michigan in Toledo all the time with its Metro-Detroit commercials.

[primesuspect]

I am not disputing that BD's is a unique and cool place. I highly recommend that anyone who hasn't tried it make sure to make a trip during the LAN.

You are your own chef, so you can't really go wrong (oh wait - yes you can.. You can go very, very wrong - crawfish does not go with chicken and pork in a bowl with broccoli, lemons, an egg, and a carrot with red wine and bbq sauce poured on top).

However, I stand by my initial statement: it does not meet my stringent specifications for the food tour.

[Sledgehammer70]

Sonics can die.. lets get an IN-N-Out meal :) err.. maybe at SM LAN 2030 when they branch out that far...

Brian what was that place we all ate at the last day with the wraps etc... oh so good...d.d.....

[Nomad]

Hopefull your food tour doesn't have the same stringent specifications as your back massages.

[primesuspect]

All restaurants MUST provide happy endings!

[GHoosdum]

If they do, I'm definitely attending those stops on the food tour. For the food, of course!

[Cyclonite]

I can't wait! I have dreams about last year's tour.

[Buddy J]

Oh man. Don't knock Sonic until you've had it in Oklahoma. As the distance from their corporate epicenter increases, the food quality becomes less palatable. Lucky for me, their HQ is in Oklahoma City.

The best regional treat we have here is a burger/ice cream place called Braums. They won't expand anywhere that can't be serviced by a one-day drive from their company farm/ranch/ice cream factory.

/me is eating Sonic RIGHT NOW!

[primesuspect]

As an aside, it is interesting to note that one of the places on the 07 food tour actually is a burger place.... :eek3:

[MrBill]

I don't venture far outside of steak and baked potato or spaghetti. If it can breathe underwater, I don't eat it.

It'll be interesting to see the food tour list. Has it been posted somewhere?

[primesuspect]

not yet :ninja:

[Nomad]

As an aside, it is interesting to note that one of the places on the 07 food tour actually is a burger place.... :eek3:

Red Coat Tavern?

[primesuspect]

you guessed correctly.... :range:

[Thrax]

you guessed correctly.... :range:

Fish and chips for me, for sure.

[Nomad]

you guessed correctly.... :range:

Is that being honest? If you're being snooty, Red Coat Tavern is amazing.

[primesuspect]

I'm not being snooty. That's the place :shakehead

[Lincoln]

Brian doesn't snoot.

[profdlp]

Brian doesn't snoot.

;D ;D ;D

[sharkydart]

If they do, I'm definitely attending those stops on the food tour. For the food, of course!

"Uhh, Ma'am - where are you taking his happy ending? If he isn't going to have it, I will!"

I NEED that Vietnamese place to be on the list.