L.A. Coney @ 1700 E. McNichols, Detroit. 7 out of 10.

This past Friday's visit took me back to the 48203 zip code, which is fairly central. Most of the restaurants fall somewhere between Woodward and I-75, but there are a handful of restaurants that lie just east of I-75. One such restaurant is L.A. Coney -- not only is it east of I-75, but it is also south of McNichols (6 Mile).

Since I was on the phone talking to a buddy about his impending move to North Carolina, I spent some time driving around the area. Some of the larger landmarks are Second Ebenezer Church, as well as the Highland Park water reservoir. Further south on Dequindre, I saw some artistic paintings on former businesses, including what appeared to be a Paul Revere / Grim Reaper almagamation.

Driving back toward the highway, I wasn't sure what to expect from looking at the outside of LA Coney, but I hoped for the best. The name itself seems like an oxymoron. How could something from L.A. also be from New York? As I entered, I noticed an overwhelming menu, including the obligatory Coney dog. But also on the menu were salads, burgers, chili, nachos, sandwiches, fish, chicken, quesadillas, pitas, subs, pancakes, omelettes, wraps, milkshakes, cookies, and cake. Dang, kid. Fortunately to my left there was a large illuminated billboard with only 6 items on it, so I chose one of them: a chicken quesadilla. 

 

Slightly different than most of the other Detroit restaurants I had tried, I would classify LA Coney as fast casual, along the lines of Chipotle or Five Guys. You order your food and pay for it at the front counter, and then they bring it to you. Then you clean up the table yourself before you leave. Without me asking, a waitress brought me a glass of ice water, which I thought was a nice touch. No un-biodegradable styrofoam here, folks. A few minutes later, my quesadilla was in front of me. I masticated it slowly, enjoying the flavors of cheese, chicken, green peppers, onions, and tomatoes on a flour tortilla. All while watching the Wendy Williams show and Access Hollywood Live (with Billy Bush!).

Keeping this review short, I give L.A. Coney a 7 out of 10. The only areas that they could improve would be making the restaurant feel more cozy inside, eliminating the glass between you and the servers (necessary at night in this neighborhood), and simplifying the menu. Overall, the food was good, the staff was very friendly, and the place was pretty busy. Plus, they have a drive-through, and they gave me a menu to take with me in case I would like to place a to-go order.

Hashbrowns Café @ 19458 Conant Street, Detroit. 9 out of 10.

This week my quest for good restaurants in north Detroit compelled me to return to the east side, where last time's experience was less than stellar. My first destination was Yiu Chan Carry Out on 7 Mile. Unfortunately, they were not open for lunch, and neither is the place across the street from them. I learned this as a white Chevy Tahoe attempted to run me over and then illegally passed another car while running a red light.

My next stop was Hashbrown's Café. I had seen it on Google Maps and had seen it on my way to Yiu Chan. I was excited as I pulled into the parking lot, hoping this was a restaurant with good service and not just a person handing me food from behind a glass wall. As I entered, I noticed there was no glass!

I had my choice of sitting at the bar or sitting at a booth. Since I was solo, I chose the bar. The menu featured a good variety of breakfast and lunch items, but I opted for breakfast since I wanted to try the namesake hashbrowns. I ordered them with turkey bacon, egg whites, and wheat toast. I was glad to see that they serve turkey bacon since I don't eat swine. When offering toast, the waitress asked, "White, wheat, or Texas?" I thought this was a unique touch.

While I waited, I listened to some rap music emanating from the 1990's Sony boombox, and I watched Wendy Williams talk about how red leather pants are back in style on the small TV in the corner. The decor was a mix of yellow, purple, and red -- even the bar stools featured these colors, alternating. Everything was very clean, and even though it was cold outside, it felt warm inside. The only negatives were that an edger and a snowblower were being stored right next to the bar in the customer area, and some of the ceiling tiles were stained from water leakage. But overall, a very pleasant ambience.

My food arrived, and I began to drool. The photo doesn't do it justice. I started with the turkey bacon, savoring every bite. Then I tried the hashbrowns, which were peppered with delicousness. The egg whites and the toast were nothing special, but they still tasted good. I saved some turkey bacon and hashbrowns till the end, and then I realized how full my stomach was. I forgot to ask for iced tea (which my wife loves), but I suspect they don't have it fresh-brewed. Also, I didn't have time to check the menu for omelettes, but if they do, they should be featured more prominently on the menu. I talked to the owner a bit, who thought I might be writing for a newspaper. He said they've been open for 12 years, which is amazing considering the volatile economy. I give Hashbrowns a 9 out of 10. With good service and good food, Hashbrowns is one of the best so far!

Courtesy of Google Street View

Lou's Deli @ 8220 W McNichols, Detroit. 7 out of 10.

This was my first Detroit restaurant visit on a Saturday. I woke up early and began riding my bike from my northern suburb residence toward downtown Detroit. Two hours later, I was looking over the Detroit River into Canada. This was all in preparation for the Iceman Cometh race next weekend in Traverse City. On my way back home, I became famished and wanted to stop somewhere to eat. I pushed myself to make it back to McNichols to try a restaurant that's in my target reviewing area.

This breaks my pattern of west side, east side, central, but Lou's Deli was convenient. Before stopping, I didn't realize that Lou's is actually a chain. There are also locations on 7 Mile in Detroit and on 9 Mile in Southfield. Their slogan is the chipper "Lou's Deli, good for the Beli."

Since I was on my bike and forgot to bring a lock with me, I took my front wheel off and left my bike in the entryway.

Guy named Tony jokingly said, "What if someone rides away on your bike doing a really long wheelie? Or what if they're really good at riding a unicycle?"

They lady behind the counter told me that their corned beef is really good, but I opted for a turkey reuben instead. The sandwich was pretty large, and it came with pickles on the side and my choice of dressing. I chose the Russian dressing, which is akin to thousand island. And it was delicous, with a layer of bread between the turkey and the sauer kraut.

Overall I give Lou's a 7 out of 10.  The food was really good, but it was served on a small styrofoam tray and my cup was also made of styrofoam. Also, it was a negative that this is a chain and that the employees were behind Plexiglas. On the positive side, there was plenty of seating at the booths, and the employees were very friendly and helpful. One of them even swept the floor while I was there. Next time I'll be heading back to the east side. Really.

Hook Fish and Chicken @ 10600 W 7 Mile Rd, Detroit. No tables.

Following my pattern, I returned to the west side, zip 48221. This time my destination was Hook Fish and Chicken (across from Home Depot), not to be confused with Captain Hook Fish and Chicken one block away. As I entered, I noticed plenty of seating to wait for your order. However, there were no tables to sit at. The employees were behind bulletproof glass, but the back area was well lit and the windows were not tinted, so it was easy to see the man with a Jamaican accent man behind the counter.

The fish menu was vast and there were almost too many options to pick from. However, I felt like eating chicken, but I only saw wings and gizzards on the menu. I'm not sure if they have drumsticks or chicken breast, but I sure felt like eating some. So instead of chicken, I ordered the salmon sandwich. Even though there were two Kool-Aid options, the only cups I saw were styrofoam.

My order only took about 10 minutes to arrive, and waiting wasn't too bad. The ambience was kind of nice. As soon as my food was ready, I drove it back to work to eat. Now my car and my office smell like fried fish. Not really a problem, though.

I took a bite of the salmon, and it was delicous. I devoured the rest of it, save for the tails. Much better than the tilapia I had from Bosco. As usual, the part that makes it a sandwich is that two slices of bread are included. Some lettuce or tomato would be an improvement.

I give this restaurant a 5 out of 10 overall. This is because of Hook's lack of tables, the bulletproof glass, the distance away from my work, and the styrofoam to-go packaging. However, the food tasted great, and the Kool-Aid was a nice touch even though I didn't drink any. Next time, I'll be headed to the east side.

Dennis Julian's Coney Island @ 5 W 7 Mile Rd, Detroit. 2 out of 10.

This week's visit took me to another restaurant on 7 Mile Rd, but this time was more centrally located. Before I begin the review of Dennis Julian's Coney Island, I must mention that I first stopped at National Bakery at 736 East State Fair. Although they don't serve lunch or have tables to sit at, they have a great selection of baked goods. As I entered, a young lady appeared and greeted me. I asked her what the healthiest item was, which turned out to be an oatmeal raisin cookie. I took it with me, scarfing down half of it on my way to my next stop.

Although I'm not sure who Dennis Julian is, there is a restaurant with his name at the intersection of 7 Mile and John R. I had high hopes, as this was the first coney island type restaurant to try for this blog. However, upon entry, I noticed a putrid, sulfur-like scent. And to my chagrin, the employees were located behind bulletproof glass. I perused the elevated menu. My typical go-to at a coney island is breakfast food, but I was really feeling like a turkey sandwich this particular day. So I ordered a turkey sandwich plus swiss cheese. Then I took a seat and pondered playing Cruisin' USA, an arcade favorite from my youth. A construction worker beat me to it. Some fleas flew by. Then I decided to use the restroom, which requires a key of course. As I approached, it was obvious that the sulfur-like smell was emanating from the bathroom. I entered and held my breath. Flipping the light switch did nothing, so I managed with the crack of light peering under the door. As I went to exit, I noticed there was no interior door handle -- I had to scrape my way out with my fingernails on the edge of the door that I hadn't fully closed for this very reason.

I returned the bathroom key. The lady behind the glass asked me, "Was it clean in there? I just cleaned it an hour ago." 

My food was ready, so I retreated to my booth with it and water in a styrofoam cup. Biting into my sandwich, the turkey was slimy with oily swiss cheese melted onto it. Not the best turkey sandwich. While eating, a youngster said to me, "Music/movies new?" I think he was trying to sell CD's and DVD's, but I could barely hear him. I thought, "Shouldn't he be in school?"

This was closer to my work than most other Detroit restaurants, but based on the horrific smell and dripping turkey, Dennis Julian's gets a 2 out of 10.

Asian Corned Beef @ 2847 E 7 Mile Rd, Detroit

This week I had another opportunity to try a restaurant in Detroit. My last visit took me to the 48221, so this time I decided to head east to the 48234. I got on I-75, exited at 7 Mile, and started driving east. At the intersection of 7 Mile and Conant, I spotted a restaurant named Asian Corned Beef, with smaller letters below adding, "And Seafood."

At first I thought this was a to go restaurant, but upon entry I noticed two tables and four chairs. Not large enough to take your department there for lunch, but enough to suffice for a two-person escapade. As I looked up, a face appeared behind one inch thick bulletproof glass. She asked how I had heard of her restaurant, so I politely replied, "Google Maps."

I began to peruse the sampling of food laid out behind deli-style glass. I was told that they are known for their egg rolls, of which I counted six different types on display. So I ordered a "grill chicken" eggroll and a "corn beef & swiss" eggroll, plus macaroni salad and a can of Ohana raspberry lemonade. My wife would be saddened to know they do not serve iced tea.

A gentleman behind the glass alerted me that my food was ready, and he kindly rounded (up?) my total to the nearest dollar amount. Not a big deal, but it could add up if eating there often. So I put my cash into a revolving door, and my lunch promptly appeared.

I took a seat and took a bite out of the grill chicken egg roll, but to my dismay the chicken tasted more like fake chicken I used to get at the supermarket. The corned beef egg roll, on the other hand, was delicious. It was like a deep-fried Reuben sandwich. The macaroni salad was just ok, and I was disappointed that it was served in a bowl made of styrofoam. As I ate, a lady tried ordering some food, and the voice behind the glass asked, "Why you whispering?"

Halfway through, a stranger sat at my table and asked me, "What do they call that? Pita bread?" I said yes and continued, while she asked me if I worked for GM and what I was doing in the neighborhood. She then proceeded to tell me to get my business done and keep it moving to stay safe. I felt safe until she said that, other than that the people serving me were behind bulletproof glass.

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best, I give this restaurant a 6 out of 10 for lunch. Its proximity to the suburbs, quick service, and great corned beef were all pluses. Next time I might try the turkey sandwich -- and a turkey Reuben egg roll would be a great addition to the menu.

Bosco Fish & Seafood @ 16227 Livernois Ave, Detroit

In my last entry, I should have mentioned that I will rate each restaurant on a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the best. At the end, I will rank the restaurants from first to last. This could take years....

Bosco Fish & Seafood sits right across the street from the University of Detroit Mercy and is adjacent to a liquor store. My hope was to find restaurants that I can sit down and eat at, but unfortunately Bosco has no tables to eat at. My lunch clock was ticking and the drive was further than I thought, so I quickly evaluated the menu and placed an order to go. As the name implies, the majority of menu items are seafood. The guy behind the counter asked me if I needed help, and he proceeded to stare at me, so I felt a little rushed to order. I asked what they're known for, and he said catfish. I don't eat shellfish or bottom feeders, so that was a no. The next suggestion was tilapia or whiting (also saw salmon and cod on the menu). Now at this point I noticed that the prices were dirt cheap. Like cheaper than McDonalds, which scared me a little. I asked if they fry all their fish, and they said they could bake it instead, but it would take more time. Tilapia was the more expensive of the two sandwich options, so I ordered a fried tilapia sandwich, which comes with french fries (I opted out of the fries).

Now it was time to settle in for the wait. Even though there were no tables, there were chairs to sit in while you wait. As I waited, I noticed there were some other customers who called their orders in, which is probably a better option if time is a concern. They were wearing t-shirts that encourage you to get your prostate checked. One of the ladies told the man behind the counter, "I'll check your prostate. Don't be scurred." After they left, the man joked to another man, "No way. I ain't havin' her check my prostate."

Also while waiting, I noticed that Bosco has a variety of grocery store items for purchase, from paprika to grits. After eight minutes, my food was ready, so I took my sandwich stuffed in a styrofoam box back to work. When I opened the box, the meal was essentially three pieces of fish and two pieces of wheat bread with tartar sauce and hot sauce on the side. I assembled my sandwich and scarfed it down. It tasted pretty good. A little on the salty side, but still good.

Due to the distance from work, the lack of tables, and the styrofoam packaging, I will not be returning to Bosco. On a scale from 1 to 10, I would rate Bosco a 3.

On a side note, I drove by another Detroit restaurant called Inuendo to see if it was open. I had read that Inuendo is a night club with predominantly gay customers, but I still wanted to see if they served lunch. Unfortunately, they do not.

North Detroit Restaurant Blog

My last blog entry of any type was 1 year and 13 days ago. Since then I've gotten married, which is awesome! In addition, I've started exercising and eating healthier, which includes finding healthy restaurants to eat at. I know plenty of good restaurants in Ferndale, Royal Oak, Birmingham, and even downtown Detroit, but I don't know many in north Detroit, which is near where I work. As I visited Denver a few weeks ago and ate at Snooze, it made me realize how rarely I eat in the Detroit city. And Detroit could really use more revenue (and more good, reasonably priced restaurants).

So an idea was spawned. I get an hour for lunch eat day. What Detroit restaurants could I drive to, eat at, and drive back from all within an hour? This limited my restaurant blog to the following zip codes: 48221, 48234, and 48203 (excluding Highland Park). This is roughly the area bounded by McNichols (6 Mile Rd), 8 Mile Rd, Meyers Rd, and Van Dyke Ave.

A list of 38 restaurants was formed, so let's get this party started! Bon Appétit!

Image from Google Maps - copyright 2012 Google.