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MAINSTREETS

Birmingham

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I

town might give the impression its
streets fold up come dusk. To refer to it
as just a suburb would be a slight to its
big-city trappings that provide its singular
character — a sense of some place rather
than anyplace — replicated nowhere else.
Indeed, in this geographically sprawling
region of ours, downtown Birmingham
maintains its allure, putting on a fresh face
every now and again — the addition of
outdoor seating at many restaurants, for
example— pulling in even the most far-
flung among us.
Citified, chic, cozy, convenient. No won-
der parking is at a premium.

DINING
Snacking, supping or sipping is never a
problem in these parts. In fact, so exten-
sive and varied are the choices that if you
leave hungry you only have yourself to
blame.
For dependable, uncomplicated
eats, make like the locals and head to
Greek Boys Coney Island (154 S. Old
Woodward, 248-540-8780), Olga's (138 S.
Old Woodward, 248-647-2760) or Greek
Islands (221 Hamilton Row, 248-646-
1222). And no mention of come-as-you-
are dining is complete without acknowl-
edging the original Hunter House (35075
Woodward, 248-646-7121).
When lunch or dinner — and now
breakfast — calls for something a
little more up-market, Forte (201 S. Old
Woodward, 248-594-7300) impresses with
its eclectic interior and equally diverse
menu. Across the street, the perennial
favorite 220 (220 Merrill, 248-645-2150)
offers the best of all worlds, from its
sometimes raucous bar and spirited Art
Deco-inspired dining room to — weather
permitting — glorious outdoor dining,
the perfect perch from where to enjoy
the sublime Tuscan Chicken Salad while
watching the passing parade of swells.
New to the dining seen is Forest Grill
(735 Forest Ave., 248-258-9400), the lat-
est restaurant from chef extraordinaire
Brian Polcyn and located in Birmingham's
burgeoning Triangle District (bounded by
Maple on the north, Lincoln on the south,
Adams on the east and Woodward on the
west). The contemporary interior, cre-
ated under the direction of Victor Saroki,
melds high style with a coziness you'd
expect from a local neighborhood haunt.
But most neighborhood places don't serve
up food like this: gourmet pizzas cooked

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October 23 • 2008

main

in a clay oven, house-made charcuterie,
an appetizer of lobster tacos or tomato
soup in puff pastry, plus traditional bistro
dishes prepared with local ingredients.
At the cozy-yet-animated Streetside
Seafood (273 Pierce, 248-645-2150)
and equally uproarious Mitchell's Fish
Market (117 Willits, 248-646-3663), the
fare, obviously, is befitting of Poseidon's
table, while carnivores in the group can
feast on perfectly marbled and aged
steaks and thick chops at sleek Cameron's
Steakhouse (115 Willits, 248-723-1700),
or clubby Fleming-'s Prime Steakhouse
and Wine Bar (323 N. Old Woodward,
248-723-0134).
The portions are plenty and drinks are
easy on the wallet at longtime dining spot
Peabody's (34965 Woodward, 248-644-
5222), still serving up its thick-and-juicy
prime rib, and equally thick, and creamy,
Swiss onion soup.
A mile or so east of downtown, the Eton
Street corridor is home to the lushly land-
scaped and richly appointed Big Rock
Chop House (245 S. Eton, 248-647-7774),
located in Birmingham's former train
station; and a true neighborhood diner
if there ever was one, the always friendly,
always satisfying Whistle Stop (501 S.
Eton, 248-647-5588), where there may
be a line for a table weekend mornings,
but diving into a plate of cinnamon roll
French toast or eggs cooked just right is
well worth the wait.
Ethnically speaking, Birmingham gives
foodies of all stripes a wealth of choices.
There's the fare of the Emerald Isle at
Dick O'Dow's (160 W. Maple, 248-642-
1135), while Salvatore Scallopini (505 N.
Old Woodward, 248-644-8977), now serv-
ing beer and wine, and Brooklyn (111
Henrietta, 248-258-6690) have earned a
loyal following with traditionally prepared
pasta and veal dishes, and wood-oven
cooked pizzas, respectively.
When the flavors of the Far East call,
a couple of good, casual bets include Sy
Thai (315 Hamilton Row, 248-258-9830)
and Tokyo Sushi & Grill (225 E. Maple,
248-258-6501), while the stunning Chen
Chow Brasserie (260 N. Old Woodward,
248-594-CHOW) makes a bold statement
with its impressive menu and gorgeous
interior.
And naturally, flavors of the Middle
East abound, from the convivial Pita Café
(239 N. Old Woodward, 248-645-6999)
and splendidly renovated and reinvigo-

rated Elie's (263 Pierce, 248-647-2420),
complete with full bar, to the white table-
cloth, sophisticated Phoenicia (588 S. Old
Woodward, 248-644-3122) presided over
by its genial, dapper, mustached owner,
Sameer Eid.
For a truly delightful meal, both in
terms of ambience and food, the clubby
Rugby Grill, inside the richly appointed,
chichi Townsend Hotel (100 Townsend,
248-642-5999) is where power brokers
begin and end their days, while mid-day
it's the provenance of the ladies who lunch.
There's no denying the appeal of a
frothy latte or fresh brewed cup of coffee

to start the day, or simply recharge the
batteries. But break things up a bit with a
healthful, flavorful, fresh-squeezed juice
or nutrition-packed elixirs at Beyond
Juice (270 W. Maple, 248-594-7078), or
the smoothie station inside Aunt Olive's
Good Food to Go (525 N. Old Woodward,
248-593-0364).
Lastly, you'd be remiss to end a meal
or pass on an opportunity to simply treat
yourself without indulging in the fine
pastries and baked goods from Canella
Patisserie and Creperie (300 Hamilton
Row, 248-203-9704), Townsend Street
Bakery (175 Merrill, 248-644-6506), or