Centaur

Centaur

2233 Park Ave. 

 

     One of main reasons I love Detroit, is because it is so eclectic. While the city offers it's far share of dive bars that at night are so alive and welcoming and in the day leave me thinking "we went THERE?!", there are also a good number of places I like to go when I have on a pair of high heels and my hair has seen a brush that day. Rare occasions like this must not be wasted. On these occasions, I like to stop by Centaur. 

    The first time I went to Centaur was on a whim. I had never been there before, but I was always attracted to it from the outside at least and decided to give it a try. Centaur incorporates a great art deco flair prompting the whole place to remind me of an Ayn Rand novel or a Fritz Lang film. My favorite part of the building design is the nearly floor to ceiling windows that line the front. When the weather is nice, the windows are opened to the street drawing in the frequent passerby. 

    While the design and futuristic art deco feel of Centaur are definitely cool, I have to admit, I was more impressed by their martini menu. While the place markets itself as a martini bar, I was expecting a list of 5-10 different choices, while all with their own twist, pretty similar. Surprisingly, I was met with a list of 30 different choices ranging everything from gingerbread to wasabi. I love Vernor's so I decided to go with "the Detroiter", a combination of Vernor's, vanilla vodka and spiced rum. Perfect. I also tried the plum, Blue Dragon (blueberry, raspberry and Red Bull), and cider per my fellow martini connoisseurs. All delicious.

     Check out Centaur next time you head to the Fox theater, a Tigers game (the dress code is a little more low-key on these days), or if you're like me, the next time you decide to actually brush your hair.

PEACE.LOVE.DETROIT

-Amy 

Seva

Seva

66 E. Forest

     I had been meaning to check out Seva since it opened in late January. Last weekend the opportunity arose to meet an old friend and I decided I was feeling adventurous and recommended we try Seva. After stumbling around block for a bit longer than anticipated I found the entrance to Seva. Good thing there was sign or else I would have completely missed the place. The entrance to the restaurant is on the side of the building instead of in front and shares a space with a few other small places. I had the issue of, "I can see inside the restaurant but I don't know how to get in!"... Maybe that's just my blonde side showing. 

  Upon entering Seva I realized, similarly to a majority of the other places I have visited in Detroit recently, it was not what I expected at all. The only thing I knew about Seva before I got there was that they had vegan paczki on Paczki day and that I MUST try the General Tso's cauliflower. Based on this information, I was expecting earthy, low light and vegetables upon vegetables. Well, I was right about the vegetables, in the wrong way, but the interior of the place was very industrial. Lots of stainless steel, floor to ceiling windows, modern art and a huge bar. Not the earthy, hippie-haven I was some what expecting.

   After spending probably a bit too much time conversing with my dining partner about how this place was definitely not what we expected (3 times our waitress came and asked "are you ready YET?" only to be met with our "Oh my gosh! Sorry! We haven't even looked at the menu!" Thankfully she was a good sport about it.) we ordered off the entirely vegetarian and mostly vegan menu. When our food arrived a few minutes later, I again was completely surprised. I ordered the General Tso's cauliflower per the previous recommendation and was expecting cauliflower with some spices... Not this... 

Not only was this way healthier than your run of the mill Chinese take-out General Tso's chicken, but infinitely better tasting. While I'm no food critic, although I may pretend to be, everything tasted extremely fresh. The cauliflower tasted as if it had been fried that day, not weeks ago then reheated. I was also completely blown away by my friend's "green smoothie" which he was kind enough to let me try and same thing... light, fresh, none of that powdered nonsense. 

 Only downside to Seva, I guess besides the hidden entrance, is that the menu is a bit limited, so if you're picky you might want to check out the online menu before heading over. Other than those two minor details... Seva! Keep up the FANTASTIC work. 

PEACE.LOVE.DETROIT

-Amy

Cadieux Cafe

Cadieux Cafe

4300 Cadieux 

      It's a Wednesday night, trivia ends and local bar starts to die down. It's midnight but you aren't ready to call it a night. Look no further than Cadieux Cafe! This past week, I was lucky enough to head back to Cadiuex Cafe after a 10 year(?) hiatus. I was pleasantly surprised that even on a Wednesday night the place was still significantly full, there was a list still forming for karaoke and groups were still starting new games of feather bowling.

     It's hard for me to pick one, or even two things to me that stand out as great and unique about Cadieux Cafe simply because everything is. Immediately upon walking in you can sense this place is not your usual run of the mill bar, restaurant, cafe... whatever you want to call it. The place is divided into two halves, the restaurant/bar area and the feather bowling lanes. The first half is dark, but homey with an Old Eastern European feel, which unfortunately, I did not get a picture of. Walk through a door in the wall and emerge on the other side squinting to the brightly lit feather bowling lanes. Take advantage of playing feather bowling! Cadieux Cafe is the only place in the US you can play. Go with people who know how to play or make up your own rules! I ended my night at Cadieux by splitting a pitcher of Belgian beer (pitchers are $8 after 10pm... who can say no to that?!) and karaoke to what else besides "Don't Stop Believin'". 

   Although I didn't get a chance to try them, Cadieux is also known for their mussels. ...I guess I'll just have to go back again. 

     So, if you're looking for a place to go "after hours" on a weeknight, play a game you can't play anywhere else in the US or meet some great people, check out Cadieux Cafe. 

 PEACE.LOVE.DETROIT.

-Amy

P.S. Check out the video below. Anthony Bourdain from "No Reservations" on the Travel Channel came to visit Cadieux Cafe.