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.  

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

Detroit Impressions

Extremely interesting article on the "Detroit Brand". Makes me even more proud to say "I live in in Detroit"!

The Detroit Brand

Detroit Makes the list of America's Top 10 Downtowns

Detroit Downtown Ranked Among America's Top 10 Downtowns!

We love Detroit! 

What is your favorite thing(s) about downtown Detroit? 

What is your best Detroit memory?

The Spiral Collective

4201 Cass Ave
Detroit, MI 48208

 

 

 

     I came across the Spiral Collective about a year and a half ago on one of my many trips to Avalon bakery (here!). A large group had gotten in line just before my friend and I so we decided to wander the few shops surrounding the bakery. Quite often, I had noticed the Spiral Collective on my trips down Cass and frequently wondered what it was. With a significant line continuing to form at Avalon, I decided to check it out. 

     Spiral Collective was NOT what I expected at all. I was expecting a small, lack-luster gift-shop-esque type of shop, not 4 equally diverse shops sharing a common space. The Spiral Collective is composed of: Source Booksellers, Tualni Rose gift shop, Textures by Nefertiti, and the Del Pryor art gallery. While I don't like to play favorites (okay, that's a lie, I love playing favorites) the Del Pryor art gallery blew me away. Never in my life at the young age of 21 have I ever felt even remotely persuaded to buy an $800 piece of art off the wall of a gallery. All of the art was absolutely gorgeous and made a lasting impression on me. Source Booksellers provided books on everything from zen gardens to the history of Detroit. Tualni Rose and Textures while both being a bit pricey, sold some typical Detroit "staples" like t-shirts, but also a numerous amount of goods like candles and bags made by local Detroiters. The owners are extremely knowledgeable not to mention friendly. I could barely go a few steps before I would find myself locked in another conversation with one of them about anything from Detroit's current economic state, to what is the best yoga position to open up your lungs before running, to what kind of oil combination was used in that candle.

    While the 4 shops are definitely the main focus of the Spiral Collective, what really draws me to this place are the free classes they have on Saturday mornings. Based on the number of the week classes vary between things such as Tai-Chi and yoga. Belly-dancing is offered on the months with a 5th Saturday! The classes are about an hour long and fit for all ages and fitness levels. My advice? Go for the art, stay for the Tai-Chi, leave when the line at Avalon is gone. 

PEACE.LOVE.DETROIT

-Amy