Astro Coffee

Astro Coffee

2124 Michigan Ave.

    I checked out Astro Coffee last Friday armed with a backpack full of Biochem notes and a head heavy from a late night study session the previous evening. I was bored with my recent rotation of Bigby and the school's libraries as well as in need of a definite caffeine fix. Astro seemed like the kind of place that would break up the monotony. 

   Astro is pretty much what I expected, which is a good thing. Lots of wood and brick as well as a huge wall covered in chalkboard paint behind the counter listing drinks of the day and what was baked that day. Per usual, I asked the guy working behind the counter for his opinion on what his favorites on the menu were. He suggested the Somalian blend. He explained to me that it was a dark roast with hints of red wine. Sign me up! I paid and stood waiting at the counter for a few minutes before he assured me he would bring my coffee out to me once it was done brewing. It was then I noticed he had a single white, ceramic cup with a filter in it brewing my coffee. I had a quick moment in my head where I said "Aw, I feel so special! Coffee brewed just for me!"

    I found a seat in the front window facing the old Michigan Central Station and took in the atmosphere of the place before diving into an afternoon of protein structures. Everything in Astro seems unique. Everything from the tables to the flower pots has it's own unique "one-of-a-kind" charm. My favorite piece was definitely the gigantic American flag hanging on the wall across from the cash register. Against the brick wall it looked like a piece of art.

   A few minutes later, the the unknown barista (haha) brought out my coffee (insanely strong, but so good) and studying commenced. Despite how badly I needed to study, it was no easy task at Astro. Everyone seemed to know each other and it was pretty noisy. While I didn't get too much studying done, it was great to see such a sense of community in a place that is only 6 or 7 months old. So overall, not the best place to study, but a great place to meet someone new or bring an old friend and mull life over with.

  Next time you're in Corktown, whether it be Mudgie's (see previous post!), Slow's BBQ (Astro is 2 storefronts down) or the newly opened Sugarhouse bar, take a few minutes and check out Astro.  Ask the barista what they suggest. You might just discover a new favorite. Discover Astro.

PEACE.LOVE.DETROIT.

-Amy 

P.S. Check out Astro's blogspot here!

Mudgie's

1300 Porter St  Detroit, MI 

 

 

      According the Mudgie's website, the deli has "the best sandwiches in Detroit". Usually I would disagree with such lofty statements, but this one, I have to agree with. Mudgie's gave this Detroiter one of the best sandwiches I have ever eaten, by far the best I've ever had within the city. Mudgie's for me ranks up with New York's famous Carnegie deli. No... I'm not exaggerating.

      I visited Mudgie's for the first time this weekend after one of my best friends and fellow Detroit enthusiast recommended it. After a great day on Belle Isle (visiting North America's oldest aquarium! amongst other things) Mudgie's struck our small group as a good place where we could sit down and catch up while not standing out in our, what turned out to be unnecessary, winter layers. 

      The inside of the deli is cute for lack of a more appropriate word. There are about 20 small 2-6 person tables and you get the feeling you are sitting in someone's kitchen. No uniformed-employees, no flat-screen TVs playing football games with out of state teams and no one ever really pays attention to, just laid back, casual employees jumping to tell you their favorite thing on the menu. I ended up going with the Madill sandwich. Turkey, bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato, home-made garlic mayo (!) and melted pepper jack cheese. Highly recommended is all that I can say. I mean, the sandwich made the Detroit Free Press' list of "Detroit's Top 21 Sandwiches". As I said, the best sandwiches in Detroit is no exaggeration. 

      The only downside to Mudgie's is they are a bit on the pricey side. For the 4 of us, it ended up being about $50 and that was just for sandwiches. The price in my opinion however, is worth it. I will gladly pay $10 for a sandwich that takes me over a half hour to eat solely because I want to savor every bite.

      For your next date, head to Corktown and skip the common choice of Slow's. Trust me, it's a lot more appealing to see your date eating a sandwich from Mudgies after a brief wait as opposed to waiting multiple hours to see them lick Slow's North Carolina BBQ sauce off their forearm from elbow to wrist.  ...unless you're into that.

PEACE.LOVE.DETROIT.

-Amy