COMMUNITY

FOODIE

FIVE THINGS YOUR KIDS WILL LOVE THIS MONTH

Birmingham has a Barrio?

Barrio Tacos and Tequila repairs the dearth of
respectable Mexican cuisine north of Vernor Hwy.

By Jeff Hermann

hen it comes to Mexican and Latin food,
Barrio Tacos and Tequila
most local options are of the (long gone, but
203 Hamilton Row
sadly influential) Chi-Chi's variety — where
Birmingham, Ml 48009
refried beans and Spanish rice are requisite sides
(248) 593-6060
with any meal. Of course, there's always Mexican
barriomi.com
Town, which provides a little more authenticity,
$$ out of $$$$
but surprisingly not much variety despite the num-
ber of restaurants there.
Last summer, the Dali Restaurant Group, hop-
chunky, with a little spice — and the caramelized
ing to mirror the success of its other Birmingham
pineapple-serrano salsa were highlights at my
offerings, Chen Chow Brasserie and the Hamilton
table.
Room, threw a sombrero in the ring and opened
The menu also encourages drinking. In addition
Barrio Tacos and Tequila. The restaurant's Mexican
to several very good margaritas — there's a tequila
fare manages to be both streetwise and casual, yet
list 95 offerings strong. These are sold as shots (you
obviously fussed over by Executive Chef Ham-
can ask for your drink in a snifter, which is nicer
mond Lawton.
for sipping) and 250m1 (just over a cup!) servings.
Lawton is a South Texas native who grew up
Prices range from $5 to $115 a shot.
with the flavors of Mexico. Learning his trade at
There is a selection of different tacos to choose
culinary school and various kitchens, he ultimately
from (three tacos per dish), including chorizo,
honed his interest in Latin fare with the highly
carne asada and mahi mahi, and two vegetarian
respected Southwestern chef Stephen Pyles.
tacos — mushroom and goat cheese or avocado
It's apparent upon entry that Barrio is designed
with green rice and black bean reduction.
for a gathering.
Elote Mexicano, a grilled
Walking inside
"street-style" corn on the
leads you
cob, is a popular and sweet
directly to the
side dish; and the Naranja
long, festive
la Batata, slices of sweet
bar, framed
potato with a citrus-chipotle
by graffiti-like
glaze, goes well with any
wall murals,
main course.
which help
Well-made and fairly
generate a
m -
priced Mexican food is
vibe of cool-
enough to draw attention
ness. Around
and crowds, and Barrio hits
the corner,
the mark on both fronts. RI;
tables and
J
several high-
96
back booths
make up the
dining area,
which gets plenty of light and fresh air
(weather depending) from the tall, roll-
up windows running the length of the
room. Couples, small parties and fami-
lies manage to mingle without stepping
on one another's toes.
Lawton's dishes are traditional but
creative, and strongly encourage social
eating — i.e., sharing. Three versions
of guacamole (traditional, cucumber,
and mango) and six different salsas, all
tempting, offer interesting ways to pair
Top: Barrio's dining room. Bottom: Barrio's Huevos Rancheros,
topped with fresh diced veggies.
sweet and savory. The traditional guac —

la ian, ur t

W

Lel

JUKEBOX

Travelin' Through Slices of American Life

Blitzen Trapper: American Goldwing Album Review

By Natalie Sugarman

litzen Trapper is a band whose sound contin-
ues to expand and evolve with every album it
releases. American Goldwing is the group's sixth
studio album and has an earthy sound that fuses
rock 'n' roll, country, bluesy Southern rock — and a
bit of folk.
The eclectic group of musicians that makes up
this creative outfit are Eric Earley on guitar/vocals,
Eric Menteer on guitar/keyboards, Michael VanPelt
on bass, Marty Marquis on guitar/keyboards/vocals
and Brian Adrian Koch on drums/vocals.
American Goldwing takes you on a journey
through the dusty roads and highways of life with
a reminiscing presence illuminated through story-
telling lyrics, rock guitar, glimmers of guitar finger
picking, blues harmonicas and rolling slide guitar
— all of which evoke a sense of Americana.
On the band's bio page,
from its current label
Sub Pop, Earley
explains that his
brother used to
have a Honda
Goldwing motor-
cycle they kept
in their backyard.
At one point, when
Earley was a young
kid, he got on his
brother's bike and pre-

6 October 2011 I

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tended to race down the road and out of town. The
bike fell over and pinned Earley's leg beneath it. He
says that writing American Goldwing felt like "being
pinned beneath a giant motorcycle"and also "being
trapped in a small town."
The opening track,"Might Find It Cheap," starts
out with static-sounding rock guitars and then
busts into a rolling, funky kind of jam that will have
you nodding your head to the beat.
Harkening to that aforementioned escapism,
on track 5, "My Home Town;' Earley sings the lyric,
"Does a true heart change? Or does it stay the
same? Think I'll go on back from where I came." The
song comes in with a swirling harmonica and a
sound that would be comparable to Tom Petty with
a hint of Wilco.
Two tracks that stand out for me are "Girl In A
Coat" and "Astronaut."
The first is a love song with a deeply felt '60s and
'70s musical influence; it has a Dylan-esque edge
to it. "Astronaut" intros with piano and then makes
way for guitar and percussion, tying the song
together in a wistful and breezy way.
Blitzen Trapper offers up a picturesque album
with a storytelling appeal that often is found in
country music. The band hones in on that imagery
with finesse, creating a mini-novella with each
song. The themes range from a final high school
dance and good ole boys in the hills to the moment
the one you love walks away. IL, f

WIZARD OF OZ CHILDREN'S EXHIBITION

Follow the yellow brick road to the Henry Ford Museum for the
Wizard of Oz Children's Educational Exhibition. Fans of the film
can travel with Dorothy and Toto on an interactive, multi-sensory
adventure from the Gale farm to the Land of Oz.
Visit Professor Marvel's wagon, and create your own tornado.
Meet all of Dorothy's friends, explore Munchkinland, climb the
witch's castle and capture her broom from Winged Monkeys before
returning back over the rainbow. Oct. 1, 2011, through Jan. 9,
2012. Free with museum admission.
Greenfield Village, 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn. (800) 835-
5237; thehenryford.org .

CORN MAZE AND HARVEST DAYS

Wind your way through the gears of a tractor-shaped corn maze
that spells out "Maybury Farm"— whose annual corn maze's dead-
end paths are trickier than you might expect. Hop on a hayride to
the maze then back to the Welcome Center for hot dogs, treats and
drinks; pick out a pumpkin and fresh produce, and visit with the
farm's animals at the Corn Maze and Harvest Days. Public hours:
6-10 p.m. Fridays; 1-10 p.m. Saturdays; 1-7 p.m. Sundays,
through Nov. 6.
$8/person (tax-deductible); free, age 2 and under, on Sundays.
Maybury Farm, 50165 Eight Mile Road, Northville. (248) 374-
0200; mayburyfarm.org .

GAZILLION BUBBLE SHOW

Bubble artist Fan Yang holds 17 Guinness World Records, among
them having put 108 people inside a single bubble. See him turn
common soap bubbles into spectacular feats of bubble-istic art-
istry amid spellbinding lasers and lighting effects in the Gazillion
Bubble Show.
Produced by Tony award-winner Jon B. Platt (who brought us
Wicked and the Book of Mormon), David Letterman calls Yang "the
greatest bubble artist in the world."You really can't argue with
Dave. Friday-Sunday, Oct. 14-16. $25-$49.
Fisher Theatre, 3011 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit. (800) 982-2787;
broadwayindetroit.com .

MICKEY & MINNIE'S MAGICAL JOURNEY

It's that time again — mice on ice — as Disney on Ice returns to
Detroit. This year, the stars of the show are Mickey and Minnie, who
pack their bags for an adventure into the worlds of the Little Mer-
maid, the Lion King, Lilo & Stitch and Peter Pan in Mickey & Minnie's
Magical Journey. Wednesday-Sunday, Oct. 12-16. $18-$55.
Palace of Auburn Hills, 6 Championship Drive, Auburn Hills. (800)
745-3000; ticketmaster.com or palacenet.com.

HALLOWEEN HOOT

Designed for families with young children (read: not too spooky),
Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve celebrates its 30th annual Halloween
Hoot. Families are guided through a 45-minute tour of the nature
preserve's illuminated and pumpkin-lined forest.
They'll make stops along the way for skits with their favorite
storybook characters, followed by a campfire with cider and
doughnuts. Groups leave every 10 minutes starting at 6:20 p.m.
Friday-Saturday and 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21-23. $7/tickets must be
purchased in advance.
Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve, 333 North Hill Circle, Rochester.
(248) 656-0999; dinosaurhill.org .

BONUS: TRICK-OR-TREAT "ALTERNATIVE"

Not pounding the pavement this Oct. 31 but still looking to
feed the kids' sweet-tooth hankering? Perhaps a tour of Detroit's
legendary chocolatier, Morley Candy Makers, can fit the bill. Perfect
for all ages, the tour includes a history of chocolate, how it's made
and how Morley's got its start in Detroit.
Morley offers tours Monday-Friday (excluding holidays). Tour
times vary with production schedules, so advance reservations are
required. Who needs Hershey, Pa.?
Morley Candy Makers, 23770 Hall
Road (M-59), Clinton Township (800)
682-2760, ext. 2218;
sanderscandy.com .

— By Lynne Konstantin

www.redthreadmagazine.com