The 2008 Tastes of Detroit Food Tour

Greetings my fellow foodies.

I had some trouble with my choices this year. The biggest LAN yet, coupled with the ideal of not duplicating any restaurants combined to narrow the choices down quite a bit. I'm always trying to raise the bar as far as meeting my criteria.

In case you aren't familiar with the Tastes of Detroit Food Tour, the premise is simple: Every year I try to pick 3 restaurants to take everyone to. I have a certain set of standards that I try to adhere to:

• The restaurant must be unique.
• The restaurant must have some compelling theme or specialty that makes it truly a step above the normal establishment. This can be service, a menu item, decor, price, character, etc.
• The restaurant must able to at least try to introduce people to something they've never had before.

I love Detroit, and there is a huge variety of cuisine to be had here. I try to introduce out-of-towners to a side of Detroit that they may not have realized could be found.

To sign up for the food tour, you simply post in this thread that you are interested, and what visits you are interested in. I need to get a count so I can call ahead for reservations.

The food tour can be expensive. I would recommend allocating at least $25 for yourself for your meal and tip. Definitely more if you will be quaffing fine ales or spirits.

None of the restaurants have any special attire requirements. They're all casual.

On with the list:

THURSDAY, JUNE 19
XOCHIMILCO MEXICAN RESTAURANT
A Detroit staple for two generations. Xochi's is a place that families make a tradition out of. Mostly authentic, yet with items that cater to the American palate, you can find dishes that most other "Mexican" restaurants don't carry such as Mole and Nopalitos.

FRIDAY, JUNE 20
SALA THAI DETROITOf the four family-owned Sala Thai restaurants in the Detroit area, the one downtown in Eastern Market is the flagship. Very authentic, fresh, and delicious, I think Sala Thai represents some of the better Thai food in the Metro area. Also, it's big enough for all of us.

SATURDAY, JUNE 21
HU HOT MONGOLIAN GRILL
While not 'actually' Mongolian food (no horsemeat or stuffed prairie dogs, etc.) This place wins on character and value. You have a buffet of raw meat and veggies, you fill a bowl with things and sauces and spices, and you hand it to a scenester to have him cook it on a giant round piece of steel while you watch. It's fun, all you can eat, and relatively cheap.