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.