all's fare
plates
Adventures
In Dining
Cost-cutting options at some
local favorite restaurants.
BY LISA BRODY
We all enjoy eating out; but with the economic
downturn, it's more difficult to do so as often as
we might like. To help, many restaurants are
offering special enticements:
Morton's the Steakhouse is "shaking
things up" during happy hour. In Southfield,
free steak sandwichs are offered; and in Troy,
Wasabi Korean &Japanese
there is a large selection of $5 appetizers
Cuisine is a hit for
Cultural Center patrons.
9-11:30 p.m., including three prime cheese-
(make a meal of them!) from 5-6:30 p.m. and
burgers, four filet mignon sandwiches, mini
crab cakes, iceberg wedge bites and more. At
both locations, choose from Morton's Steak &
Seafood Dinner for Two, at $99.99, which fea-
BY DAVID MOSS I PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAAN
Above: Bibimbab is a Korean mainstay.
tures choice of salad, a filet for each diner, two
seafood options and a choice of two desserts.
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in
A dining spot located in the high-
ceilinged first floor of the 12-story
Park Shelton condominium complex,
just north of the Detroit Institute
of Arts and across the street from
the Detroit Historical Museum in
Detroit's Cultural Center, is receiv-
ing its fair share of traffic these days,
thanks to the flavorful creations of
Wasabi Korean & Japanese Cuisine.
The restaurant's decor extends
a stylish and industrial welcome
to patrons walking in the door.
Complementing the modern black
tables and chairs are silver accents
— aluminum trim on the walls, tinsel
adorning the sushi-bar area and metal
menu covers. The dining room is
small and unpretentious, with seating
for about 60. Youthful servers — and
owner Chul Kang — briskly move
from table to table, making suggestions
and whisking away plates between
courses.
We started the evening with some
sushi. All of the obvious choices are
available: California rolls and rolls con-
taining yellowfin tuna, salmon and red
snapper, among others. There is plenty
of fresh nigiri — sticky rice topped
with a single slice of fresh salmon,
tuna or other ocean delicacy. For the
more adventurous, there are several
sushi/sashimi combination plates. Our
Alaskan roll with fresh salmon and
cucumber was fresh and delicious.
B6 •
APRIL 2009 • IN
platinum
For our next course, we chose a plate
of vegetable gyoza, five quick-fried, cres-
cent-shaped dumplings served piping
hot with a slightly sweet sauce. Other
appetizers include a grilled chicken
yakitori, skewered and served with a rich
teriyaki sauce; delicious steamed wasabi
shumai; and vegetable tempura with dip-
ping sauce.
One of the fun things about Wasabi
is the ability to choose from a broad
selection of both Korean and Japanese
dishes. Bibimbab, a Korean mainstay,
is a mixture of vegetables and rice
served atop thinly sliced beef, chicken
or tofu, with a fried egg on top. The
dish is served in a dolsot, which the
menu describes as a stone pot that
keeps its contents hot longer than in
a traditional bowl. A hot chili paste is
served on the side so that diners can
add as much spice as they wish.
Other entrees include chicken, beef
or salmon teriyaki, as well as several
other beef, chicken or vegetarian dishes.
For our entrees, we chose a Chicken
Yaki Soba, pan-fried noodles with
chicken and fresh vegetables in a
slightly sweet and smoky sauce from
the Japanese menu; and L.A. Kalbi,
tender beef short ribs marinated in a
slightly sweet Korean barbecue sauce.
This dish was presented beautifully
and garnished with fresh fruit. All
entrees are served with a warming
bowl of miso soup as a starter and a
small salad.
Desserts at Wasabi are nothing
if not unique. Try the green tea ice
cream, or throw caution to the wind
and sample the tempura cheesecake.
To the delight of Park Shelton
residents and Cultural Center workers,
Wasabi delivers. There's even a meal-
plan card, with $250 worth of food
available for a prepaid $150. Wayne
State University students and DIA
staff have been signing up.
For those of us coming from the
suburbs, there is free parking in the
Park Shelton's parking structure. At
the time of our visit, there was no
liquor license. •
Birmingham and Livonia is offering a special
prix fixe menu. It includes a starter, choice of
entree of filet mignon Vigneron, spicy grilled
shrimp or Cabernet braised New Zealand lamb
shank (the menu may change in the spring),
plus side dish and dessert, all for $35.95 per
person. Big Rock Chophouse in Birmingham
is offering three-course $15 lunches and
three-course $40 dinners for its Big Rock
Rewards members — and membership is free.
Mitchell's Fish Market in Birmingham, Livonia
and Rochester also is offering a three-course
meal of favorites, for $19.95; enjoy a salad,
entree and dessert. Entrees include lobster
and shrimp cakes, shrimp and scallop mixed
grill or Asian salmon duo. Bacco Ristorante
in Southfield also has lowered its prices and
reduced its portions. Now, enjoy three courses
for what a single entree alone formerly cost,
Wasabi Korean &
Japanese Cuisine
along with various gratis accompaniments.
Also on the table: half portions of wine at half
the price of a full glass. Wolfgang Puck Grille
15 E. Kirby St.
in the MGM Grand Detroit also is feeling the
Detroit, MI 48202
economy's pinch; Sundays-Thursdays the res-
(313) 638-1272 • wasabidetroit.com
taurant is offering a three-course tasting menu
for $35, with choices for the first and second
Appetizers : $5 and up
courses and a chocolate torte for dessert. In
Nigiri Rolls: $3 and up
the Tavern dining area of the restaurant, prices
Sushi Rolls: $6-$14
have been lowered across the board, with all
Entrees: $10-$15
15 items on the menu now under $20. After an
extensive renovation, Maria's Restaurant in
Hours:
Monday-Friday: 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
Saturday: noon-10:30 p.m.
Sunday: noon-10 p.m.
West Bloomfield has reopened. In addition to
keeping all of the house specialties, Chef Artie
Oliverio has added more value-oriented meals
and dishes with lighter sauces and vegetarian
options. Bon appetit.