The Best Dishes Eater Detroit Ate in August #DetroitFood

The yakisoba at Sakazuki in downtown Detroit. | Serena Maria Daniels

Spicy yakisoba downtown, pork floss buns in Novi, green zebra tomatoes in Grand Rapids, and more

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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Yakisoba at Sakazuki

1265 Washington Boulevard, Detroit

Let’s not underestimate the satisfaction derived from biting into a spicy snack that prompts a little sweat on your brow, followed by the refreshing release found when sipping on an icy cold beer, sake, or fruity cocktail. A recent meetup at Sakazuki, the new Japanese-style pub situated on the street level of the Book Tower, revealed one such option, the yakisoba noodles available during happy hour for $6 and as a full serving for $10. The yakisoba smacks you in the face with a fiery kick that can make your eyes water depending on your tolerance for spice. At Sakazuki, the noodles are tossed in a wok with some oil and an umami-rich yaki sauce punctuated by Fresno peppers and then topped with fried panko, Tokyo scallions, and red pickled ginger. The balance of flavors provides a heat that pairs well with any of the pub’s selection of sake-by-the-glass, Japanese beers, and fun and fruity cocktails like the Hello, Kat — made with tequila blanco, Midori, lime juice, vanilla, and matcha. What I loved about this snack was the fact that as hot as that first bite might have been, it only lasts momentarily, kind of like the first few nibbles of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos that I inevitably can’t get enough of. Pair it with a twist-off can of subtly tropical Nihonsakari and your evening is off to a fire start. — Serena Maria Daniels, Eater Detroit editor

Serena Maria Daniels

Serena Maria Daniels

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Moose Pastry & Tea

42130 Grand River Avenue, Novi

I recently took my dog on a hike through Maybury State Park, and afterward, I hit up Moose Pastry & Tea, a Japanese-inspired bakery run by Taiwanese chef Douglas Chou. I spent $22 on a deep-fried hot dog bun, a bao croquette with fried mashed potatoes and hoisin sauce, raisin bread made with red wine and sesame seeds, a matcha and red bean bun, and a yakisoba dog (stir-fried noodles in a hot dog bun). Rounding out my haul was my favorite dish, a pork floss bun that reminded me a lot of a Thai moo yong sandwich I tried in Los Angeles, made with bologna, pork floss, mayonnaise, and sweet custard. The bun at Moose is much more restrained, with the soft, squishy bun dusted in meaty, salty pork floss and the center filled with what I’m assuming to be Kewpie mayo because it was so darn sweet. The croquette bao bun with fried mashed potatoes, vegetables, and hoisin was also stellar — crunchy, salty, and an oddly fresh snacking sandwich. The yakisoba dog was just as wild and filling as you’d expect a spaghetti sandwich to be. Novi is home to a significant Asian American population, with plenty of Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, and Chinese-owned restaurants worth dining at. I’m going to start making weekly trips (with my dog, of course). — Danny Palumbo, Detroit-based freelance writer

Danny Palumbo

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Jajangmyeon (with rice instead of noodles) from Seoul Myeon

1446 W. Maple Road, Troy

On a sister adventure, we tried to eat at our usual spot in Troy, Umai Cafe, but on arrival we discovered it had closed early. It was 6 p.m. and we were really hungry. Luckily, my sister was quick to do a Google search and found Seoul Myeon, which it turned out was having its soft opening when we arrived. The Korean restaurant has several classic dishes, and the kimchi, along with everything else on the menu, is made in-house. My favorite dish was the jajangmyeon, which has an interesting history as a dish on its own. Jajangmyeon is a Korean Chinese noodle dish, originally from Incheon, topped with thick chunjang (a Korean paste adopted from Chinese cuisine that is made from fermenting black soybeans in salt, wheat flour, and caramel), diced pork, and vegetables. The Korean version features a darker, sweeter sauce, distinguishing it from its Chinese counterpart. My sisters and I ordered the hearty, sharable jajangmyeon with rice instead of noodles and it was amazing. — Rosa Maria Zamarrón, freelance photographer

Rosa Maria Zamarrón

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Michael Goessman

Green zebra tomatoes at Café Mamo

1601 Plainfield Avenue NE, Grand Rapids

Every year as August gives way to September, Café Mamo in Grand Rapids celebrates tomato season by featuring summer’s most cherished farmstand-find on every single menu item. Café Mamo chef-owner Michael Goessman recalls that the idea was born a few years back when friend and West Michigan farmer Josh Kessler called and joked, “We are buried in tomatoes over here — what about doing a tomato-only menu?” Done, Goessman replied, and “Tomato Week” was born.

I was in Grand Rapids for the beloved restaurant’s tomato week this year, and the green zebra tomatoes dish, served with cucumbers, a cannellini bean puree, and dusted with sesame seeds, cumin, and chile, was not only my favorite bite of the meal — but of the month. Goessman uses beans from Carlson-Arbogast, a centennial farm in Montcalm County, topping the lemony, hummus-like puree with alternating wedges of Kessler’s juicy, green tomatoes and crisp, peeled cucumbers. “I liked the idea of camouflaging green tomatoes and cucumbers together, there is textual contrast, variations of sweetness, and a waterfall of juicy veggies,” says Goessman, who named the restaurant after his grandmother, “Mamo,” for instilling in him the importance of supporting local farms. “Green zebra tomatoes are one of my favorite bites of summer,” Goessman says. “When they are perfectly ripe, they can almost taste like green Kool-Aid.” I’ve never been one to drink the proverbial Kool-Aid but count me among Café Mamo’s many fans. — Stacey Brugeman, Fresh Coast Correspondent

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