Metro-Detroit Black Business Alliance Pushes Back on Proposed Grading System #DetroitFood

With no such grading system in place in Philadelphia, two sources are pulling inspiration from NYC’s letter grades for rankings of their own. | Mario Tama/Getty Images

Plus, all grilled cheese all the time in Parker’s Alley

The debate over whether restaurant owners in the city should have to display color-coded signage showing whether they’ve met food safety codes has heated up. In a Facebook post dated July 25 and signed by 34 area businesses, The Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance informed the Detroit City Council that it needs some time to study the proposed ordinance to see how it might affect small business owners.

According to BridgeDetroit, MDBBA president and CEO Charity Dean says that several members say the proposed ordinance amounts to a “scarlet letter,” pointing to the many ways restaurants have struggled to bounce back in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Council Member Scott Benson is in favor of the ordinance, saying it will let customers whether a dining establishment meets health code standards. The City Council is expected to consider approval of the ordinance once it reconvenes from summer recess on Sept. 5.

Better Half

Downtown’s Parker’s Alley has a new eating option in Better Half Grilled Cheese, a window-only walk-up spot that formerly sold pretzels as Twist. According to its Instagram account, Better Half quietly opened about two weeks ago featuring outlandish varieties of the quintessential kiddie food, such as grilled mac and cheese, pizza cheese, and bacon with onion jam.

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A post shared by Better Half Grilled Cheese Co. (@betterhalfgrilledcheese)

Better Half is the sister walk-up window of Olin, an American-Mediterranean brasserie that opened in September 2020 in the former PuppetArt Theater building at 25 E. Grand River Ave. near the Shinola Hotel. Back in February, the Twist Facebook page posted an announcement saying it was going into hibernation and by April 15, it was announced that Better Half would be arriving in its place this summer. Under its previous iteration, Twist featured takeout soft pretzels, cocktails, and ice cream floats. In addition to fancy grilled cheese, Better Made also sells cocktails to go, boozy popsicles, beer, and lemonade.

from Eater Detroit - All