The Best Dishes Eater Detroit Ate in July #DetroitFood

Stacey Brugeman

Pan roasted rainbow trout Up North, an award winning barbacoa taco in Clinton Township, and Taiwanese shaved ice in Auburn Hills

With the Eater editors dining out several times a week, we come across lots of standout dishes, and we don’t want to keep any secrets. For this recurring feature, we highlight the best things that the Eater Detroit team ate. Check back monthly!

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Bulgogi fries from Black Ginger

1331 Trumbull Suite 100

When I heard there was a new Korean spot in Detroit I had to go try it. Black Ginger first opened in May by Owner Harold Kim, a Korean American who grew up in the metro Detroit area. Chef Jorge Morales is at the helm who has experience working in restaurants in New York city, Philly, and Ann Arbor. What caught my attention immediately were the bulgogi fries. It reminded me of a take on chili cheese fries but made with the perfectly marinated bulgogi instead. Bulgogi consists of thin slices of sirloin most commonly marinated in soy sauce, sugar or honey, sesame oil, garlic, onion, and often pureed Asian pear and is commonly served at Korean barbecue places. Black Ginger’s rendition did not disappoint. With a heaping portion of thick-cut fries and a generous portion of flavorful beef and veggies on top, I could easily eat the whole thing by myself as a main dish but it is also great for sharing. A welcomed addition to southwest Detroit. — Rosa Maria Zamarrón, freelance photographer

Rosa Maria Zamarrón

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Barbacoa taco from El Taco Dojo

41770 Hayes Road, Clinton Township

Since 2018, I’ve been asked to participate as a judge for the popular, annual Taco Showdown contest at Eastern Market. It’s my way of offering some of my expertise as one of the very Latinx food writers in the Midwest to help spread la buena palabra about our region’s burgeoning taqueria scene. This year was a special treat when I had the chance to try the barbacoa taco from El Taco Dojo out of Clinton Township. While many contestants of the bracket-style contest tend to try to impress judges with beautifully plated presentations or intriguing ingredients, Dojo’s entry stood out for simply getting to the task of showcasing an iconic Mexican dish that is a tad less common to come by in metro Detroit. Barbacoa, or pit-cooking, is traditionally a labor-intensive, days-long process. Its origins date back to the Taíno indigenous community of the Caribbean. In pre-Hispanic Mexico, the Mayans began steam-cooking whole animal meat like lamb or goat in underground ovens that were covered with the leaves from maguey plants. But in Macomb County, if a taquero wants juicy, flavorful barbacoa to sell to the masses, they have to come up with present-day solutions. Dojo’s David Salazar’s taqueria uses the sous-vide method to slow cook a blend of seasoned chuck roast, short rib, and beef cheek — if he can source it — in a 175-degree water bath over a 24 to 36-hour period. The result is a complex symphony of spice and subtle tanginess that is amplified by one of four signature salsas made in-house — all tucked into a warm corn tortilla. — Serena Maria Daniels, Eater Detroit editor

Serena Maria Daniels

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Pan Roasted Rainbow Trout at the Riverside Inn

302 River Street, Leland

During a recent meal at Leland’s Riverside Inn, the pan-seared rainbow trout entree caught my eye. It felt fitting, seated just footsteps from a freshwater river, to order fish. The dish ($35) has a striking presentation with the fish tail still on, but is otherwise kept simple. “I really wanted to let the trout shine,” executive chef Jeff Wong says of the fish he gets from Harrietta Hills trout farm, an hour south of the restaurant. Wong pan sears the trout until the skin is golden brown; flips it to let the flesh finish cooking underneath that hot, crisped skin; and dresses the dish with brown butter, capers, sliced lemon, and house- baked croutons. “It’s kind of in the vein of a picatta style, with the capers and the lemon and the butter,” the chef says. Wong, who grew up in Chicago and worked for the Boka Restaurant Group, relocated to his wife’s Leelanau County a few years back. “We are so close to so many great freshwater fish we should definitely celebrate that,” Wong says. — Stacey Brugeman, Fresh Coast Correspondent

Stacey Brugeman

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Chilaquizza from Grandma Bob’s

2135 Michigan Avenue

A delicious way to enjoy an innovative take on a Detroit-style pizza, while supporting a local charity is to hit up Grandma Bob’s for its monthly Spread Dough chef takeover charity event. For July, I marveled over the talents of Carlos Parisi of Aunt Nee’s, who introduced Detroit to his take on the spot’s Detroit-style pizza: the Chilaquizza — inspired by the chilaquiles his mother taught him to make as a child. Chilaquiles are a common breakfast staple in many Mexican households and consist of fried tortillas sauteed in salsa roja or verde and can be topped with crumbles of queso fresco, crema, maybe a sunnyside egg or a protein like pulled chicken. Carlos says his mom’s chilaquiles, prepared pastel Azteca-style with her salsa verde, still stand out from any others he’s tried. For the Chilaquizza, Parisi used his mom’s recipe — a blend of tomatillos, cilantro, onion, and serrano peppers — as the base sauce, followed by a layer of rich Muenster and mozzarella cheese. He then added shredded chicken thighs marinated in Aunt Nee’s salsa rojo, followed by crumbled Aunt Nee’s tortilla chips, and a drizzle of creamy green salsa whose bright hue and consistency comes from the emulsification of charred poblanos, jalapeños, garlic, onion, spices, and oil. To drink, I ordered the aptly named Chef Carlos’ GOAT Juice, a tamarind tequila-based cocktail also designed by Parisi, which with the use of ginger, orange, apple, and tamarind soda, added brightness and warmth to the meal. Proceeds from each pizza and cocktail created for the fundraiser went to Make Food Not Waste. The Chilaquizza is no longer available for the Spread Dough, but keep an eye for what’s next when chef Mike Ransom of Ima takes the helm on August 27. — Courtney Burk, Detroit-based freelance contributor

Courtney Burk

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Meatballs from Marrow

8044 Kercheval Avenue

I don’t get out enough to enjoy lunch at a restaurant. I’m usually assembling some nonsense that came from a box left on my doorstep whenever hunger strikes while working from home. Luckily, I was able to check out Marrow’s new lunch menu during a visit with my mom in July, where I tried an underrated gem on the neighborhood butcher shop and restaurant’s menu: the meatballs. No spaghetti or marinara sauce necessary here, the meatballs at Marrow come four-per-serving and are simply tossed in harissa and nestled on top of herb yogurt. Chef Sarah Welch tells me that her team puts all of the butcher trim into the grinder, allowing each type of protein to intermingle and providing the ideal base. The ground meat is then bound together with cheese, milk-soaked breadcrumbs, and egg. The meatballs are then hard-roasted to order, resulting in a dense, never-crumbly exterior and rich and juicy interior. A light, yet meaty way to hit the spot on an afternoon with mom. — Serena Maria Daniels, Eater Detroit editor

Serena Maria Daniels

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Rich Boi shrimp masala with masala kettle chips from Khana

Location varies

Maryam Khan’s last few pop-ups have felt like pure summer, with her bright and flavorful food being served on the gorgeous patios of SheWolf and the Congregation. The best bite I had? The shrimp masala Rich Boi. Part lobster roll, part po’ boy, the Rich Boi is a grilled, split brioche bun stuffed with a creamy, succulent shrimp masala and sweet corn esquites. It came with a side of kettle chips dusted in masala, which are habit-forming — warm, sweet, earthy, and slightly spicy. The potato slivers themselves are fried to perfection, with each one packing a nice little fatty pop of oil. Chips and a sandwich are a heartfelt summertime nostalgia, and this brought me back to being a kid who just hopped out of a pool and plopped onto a dry towel. Maryam’s got some interesting things in the works in August. In particular, she’s having a tinned fish party at Secret Bakery on Saturday, August 17. The catch? No tins — she’s olive oil-poaching her own tuna steaks for the event. It should be another excellent summer affair courtesy of one of Detroit’s brightest chefs. — Danny Palumbo, Detroit-based freelance writer

Danny Palumbo

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Fatima Syed

Taiwanese shaved ice at Oakland Tea House

3081 Walton Boulevard, Auburn Hills

Imagine the joy of savoring Taiwanese shaved ice, a dessert that finds exactly the right balance of refreshment and flavor. The secret of this harmony lies in its versatility and the varied assortment of toppings. Fresh fruits such as mango, lychee, and berries lend their juicy sweetness, while red beans and chewy boba add a delightful, earthy contrast. Every bite is a complex mix of textures and flavors, from the chewy boba and fruit jelly to the rich drizzles of condensed milk and fruity syrups — all mingling playfully atop a mound of freshly shaved ice. During the summer, Oakland Tea House serves this very special treat. Only available for dining in and priced at $13, the shaved ice here includes one free topping, with additional toppings at an extra cost. The ice has a fine, fluffy texture that melts in your mouth, making it ideal for hot days. While I usually choose mango, this time I tried the mixed berry topped with red bean, condensed milk, boba, and lychee jelly. The rich taste of the condensed milk, combined with the airy texture of the ice helped me achieve peak summertime refreshment. — Fatima Syed, freelance photographer

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