Thursday, February 14, 2013

Ocean Fish and Chicken @ 3732 E 8 Mile Rd, Detroit. No tables.

Last week I tried a restaurant in a new zip code that was a bit far from work. Also on the east side, this week's restaurant is on 8 Mile so it faces stiff competition from fine dining across the street in Warren such as Long John Silvers, Taco Bell, and KFC.

However, my original destination was not Ocean Fish and Chicken, but instead it was Omega's Ham & Corn Beef Restaurant, R.I.P. Not to worry, Omega's is being replaced by a used car lot, which is really lacking in the area since I passed only 10 used car lots on 8 Mile. The building must have been broken into recently as there was a sign that stated, "If you wanna get into the building, try to but I will get you & you are recorded from Detroit Police Department stupid rapper." Stupid rapper indeed.

Not to be deterred, I pressed on to Olympic Coney Island, and, my luck, it was out of business, too! In its place stands Ocean Fish and Chicken, as well as Shark Tech Repair Center. Ocean is a similar establishment to Bosco, one of the first restaurants I reviewed. You can buy fish or chicken, and they will fry it. Or you can bring fresh-caught fish, and they'll fry them.

Upon entering, I noticed that the employees were behind glass, a typical sign of a Detroit restaurant that's open late. Most of the menu prices were overwhelming, so I ordered the lunch special, which was a very reasonable price. I was told the food would take about 20 minutes to prepare, and it did. However, 20 minutes seemed a little excessive for something that's called the lunch special -- how would you know to call ahead when the restaurant's too new to be on Google Maps or in the Yellow Pages? As I waited, I stared at Shark Tech, perplexed as to why it offered cell phones as well as soaps for sale. And what is black soap? In addition, there was a small ice cream area, but I neglected to look at the flavors. Since no additional employees were available, I assume the Ocean Fish proprietors are also experts in computers, mobile phones, and ice cream.

At one point a customer argued with the kid behind the counter (kind of jokingly) that she should get a discount because she had placed an order for four people that day. "Don't I even get a free pop? Where's your manager?" To which he replied, "He's on vacation," ignoring his Dad who was visible in the back room.

Eventually my food was ready, so I departed due to the lack of tables to eat at. When I got back to my office, I noticed the food was packaged in Styrofoam, which my city refuses to recycle. Also, there were many, many packets of hot sauce, tartar sauce, and ketchup. The lunch special included two whiting fillets, five wing dings, five shirmp (sic), and fries. Instead of the shrimp, I got an extra five wing dings. It was way too much food for me, but the fish was very tasty, the wing dings were tender, and the fries were delicious. Even though the food was good, because of the long wait time, the lack of seating, and the environmentally unfriendly packaging, I give Ocean a 4 out of 10. I'm excited to try another Detroit restaurant next week, hopefully!





View of front from 8 Mile Rd

View of inside facing the restaurant part

Mobile Phone / Computer Accessories part of the store
Ice Cream!!!

Soaps?











The whole package
Fish, Chicken, & Fries



What a deal!
Brochure

Friday, February 8, 2013

Marcus Hamburgers @ 6349 E McNichols Rd, Detroit. 8 out of 10.

After having a tuna salad sandwich on the west side last time, I was determined to return to the east side, albeit to an all new zip code for this project: the 48212. Sounds kind of New York City-ish, doesn't it? In reality, it's the zip code that contains Hamtramck, but north part of this zip code is technically Detroit. Confused yet?

The odd part about this area is that there are only about 5 restaurants listed on Google Maps. A drive through the neighborhood reveals much abandonment, but also a lot of industry. Not great for residential development, but the industry can help a lunch restaurant thrive. And Marcus Hamburgers is a restaurant that thrives. Located just east of the railroad tracks that lead to Alro Steel and the Warren Truck Assembly Plant (aka Dodge City), Marcus is a small diner-style restaurant that opened in 1929 in this very same location. Upon entering, you immediately need to decide whether you are going to go left or right. I opted for the left, but I'm not sure quite why. As far as seating, there is no decision to make -- only bar stools are available.

Even though Marcus is a full-service restaurant, you get a feeling that one of their strengths is speed. When I got there, I forgot I had a 1pm meeting back at the office, but it was no problem. Menus were already available on the counter, and the specials were on the wall. The specials, and the menu in general, were very beef-centric, making me think that urban ranching may have a place in Detroit. The specials were meatloaf, Salisbury steak, and beef tips with noodles. After considering the tuna salad sandwich (I didn't see a chicken sandwich on the menu), I was convinced by the friendly waitress to order a hamburger instead. It arrived within five minutes, with the mashed potatoes I ordered. Even though it looked unconventional (Belle Isle to 8 Mile calls it harmonica-shaped), it tasted delicious, and so did the mashed potatoes and gravy. I would definitely go back to Marcus, and I give it an 8 out of 10. The only drawbacks were that their to-go packaging is not very environmentally-friendly, and no table or booth seating is available. Also, there are many "dinners" on the menu, but don't be fooled -- Marcus closes at 4pm. I guess that's when it's time to get outta Dodge.








Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Belle Isle to 8 Mile: An Insider's Guide to Detroit


Thanks to Krista and Justin, one of my favorite gifts that my wife got for her birthday is the new book Belle Isle to 8 Mile: An Insider's Guide to Detroit. It's an in depth, up-to-date manual for places to go in Detroit, organized by parts of the city. In addition to chapters like "Downtown" and "Midtown," my interest was piqued specifically by chapters 8 and 9, "Upper East Side" and "Near West Side," respectively. The former contains two of the zip codes which I've been trying restaurants in, while the latter contains the other two zip codes I've been focusing on.

The book is a great resource because it not only features bars and restaurants, but it also has shopping, services, cultural attractions, entertainment, recreation, sites to see, and points of interest.

You can check it out at belleisleto8mile.com