COMM - UNITY FIVE THINGS YOUR KIDS WILL LOVE FOODIE Seafood Fare for the Stomach and Soul Detroit Seafood Market channels bygone era of genteel social mobility in Downtown Detroit. By Esther Aliweiss Ingber elicious, made-from-scratch cuisine served at a res- - )itaurant with a social conscience. I like that combina- I tion at the Detroit Seafood Market. The restaurant and adjoining Ultra PV Lounge are tucked away on Randolph Street in Downtown Detroit's Paradise Valley, a nostalgic renaming of the vest-pocket Harmonie Park. Paradise Valley — the "PV" of the lounge's name — recalls a prosperous era for black Detroiters in the district bounded by Gratiot, Vernor, Brush and Hastings streets. During the 1920s '50s, Paradise Valley offered unprec- edented economic and cultural opportunities, including a jazz-infused nightlife. Urban renewal sadly destroyed the cohesive community. Nigerian-born entrepreneur and CEO Kenny Akinwale hopes to recreate some of the excitement of those hal- cyon, Paradise Valley days with his Ultra PV Lounge. The eclectic, club-like setting attracts the neighborhood's professionals as well as urban dwellers. Akinwale made major renovations to the lounge, such as installing steps that lead to a cozy space upstairs. Black-and-white photos of jazz greats adorn the walls, while vivid artwork on the main floor depicts good times in the old neighborhood. Guests sit in striped pillow- back booths, or interact with each other at the hand- some back-lit bar or make moves on the dance floor. Live music is offered several nights a week, both here and in , a - . The herb-crusted rack of Iamb, above, is a customer favorite. Detroit Seafood Market & Ultra PV Lounge 1435 Randolph Detroit, MI 48226 (313) 962-4180 www.thedetroitseafoodmarket.com $$$ out of $$$$ the restaurant. Beverages and appetizers in the lounge are half-off from 4-7 p.m. weekdays. When he opened Detroit Seafood Market at the site of the former Detroit Fish Market last year, Akinwale wisely retained executive chef Leonardo Vulagi, a graduate of New York's prestigious Culinary Institute of America. The decor is minimalist with bare tables and blue- and green-striped upholstered chairs, or snazzy booths that have high, butter-colored, curved backs.Tied-back blue curtains separate five private dining areas along a brick wall. The room's focal point is the mural of a blue-eyed swordfish leaping out of a foamy sea. Customer favorites, according to Akinwale and Vulagi, include broiled Florida snapper, grilled salmon, herb- crusted rack of Iamb, and broiled Chilean sea bass, prepared pan-Asian style, and stacked on whipped garlic-mashed potatoes. I was delighted after trying stuffed Atlantic salmon topped with lemon beurre blanc sauce ($24), and the luscious-tasting "famous lobster mac and cheese" came home with me. The paella, a Spanish rice dish, which comes in two sizes at diriner, with choice of seafood, chicken and sausage, or vegetarian treatment, looked amazing. Sunday brunch, by reservation only, is popular from noon-4 p.m. The choices are plentiful, tending toward Southern-style favorites. Cost is $25, adult; $14, ages 6-14.R Kick Off the Season with the Maccabeats FLIP YOUR LATKES IN THE AIR LIKE YOU JUST DON'T CARE! The a cappella group that's brought millions of families together around the light of YouTube is coming to town. See The Maccabeats, a 14-member student group from New York's Yeshiva University, that thrilled kids (and their parents) — and rose to viral stardom with "Candlelight," a Chanukah music video that parodies Taio Cruz's "Dynamite" (and was one of the most-viewed holiday videos last year), the"Purim Song," set to Pink's "Raise Your Glass," and "Lecha Dodi," sung to the melody of Leonard Cohen's"Hallelujah"— live in Detroit. Bring the kids for an interactive Havdalah perfor- mance and reception at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 ($18/advance tickets for members; $18/advance for non- member under 30; $25/advance ages 30 and up), or at 11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 4. (Free to members; $5/kids and $10/adults, non-members.) Congregation Shaarey Zedek, 27375 Bell Road, South- field. (248) 357-5544; shaareyzedek.org . LITTLE WOMEN The beloved March sisters, based on author Louisa May Alcott's own family growing up during the Ameri- can Civil War — who dealt with issues as relevant today as they were when her book was published in 1868 — come to musical life in Forever After Productions' magi- cal Little Women. Thursday-Monday, Dec. 1-5. $15. The Village Theater at Cherry Hill, 50400 Cherry Hill Road, Canton. (734) 453-0088; foreverafternow.com or canton-mi.org/villagetheater. NOEL NIGHT BAR FLY Mojitos Served Atop Warring Ivories BAR FLY HIT PARADE • On The Spot Impression: "I love 526 Main and Tequila Blue. It's a lot of fun to have a dueling piano bar in town," says Kate Windemere of Royal Oak. • Drink Cost: Average drink cost is between $3-$9 • Clientele: Early 30s and up. No dress code. The night we went, people dressed between semi-casual to dressed-up. (When Tequila Blue turns into a nightclub and the dueling piano players are performing, people tend to dress to impress.) • Music: Wed.-Sat. begin- ning at 8 p.m., 526 Main fires up the dueling pianos, playing a mix of classic hits from the early '60s-present day. Upstairs at Tequila Blue, (Thurs.-Sat. at 10 p.m.) turns into a nightclub playing dance music du jour. • Bar Appeal: Great for a date. • Accessibility: Metered parking on the street and in parking lots. • Queue Factor: $10 cover Wed.-Sat., but if you eat in the restaurant upstairs, $10 is deducted from your bill. • Location and Hours: 526 S. Main St., Royal Oak (on the corner of Main St. and 5th) (248) 591-9000.526 Main: Mon.-Sat. 11-1:30 a.m., Sun. noon-1:30 a.m.Tequila Blue: Mon.-Sun. 4 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Kitchen for both restaurants closes at 11 p.m. 6 December 2011 1 itm THEM Dueling Pianos at 526 Main and Mexican fare upstairs at neighbor Tequila Blue offer something for everyone By Natalie Sugarman oyal Oak is certainly known for its great selection of res- taurants and bars, and the newest edition to its downtown mix is the dual restaurant and entertainment venue 526 Main and Tequila Blue. The American grill-style bistro 526 Main plays host to dueling pianos; head upstairs and you'll stumble upon Tequila Blue, which features an upscale Mexican restaurant that turns into a nightclub Thursday through Saturday night at 10 p.m. "I think that 526 Main and Te- quila Blue bring a very unique and fun element to Royal Oak," says 526 Main staffer Sean Cherry. "Downstairs you have the piano bar; that's a lot of fun, and upstairs you have an upscale restaurant that's great to take a date to:' American grills are not uncommon, especially in Royal Oak. The novelty at 526, of course, are its dueling pianos, which seem to be non-existent in Detroit; there are less then 20 piano bars in the entire state. 526 Main is open seven days and features dueling pianos Wednesday through Saturday from 8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. It also features live music, such as Thornetta Davis, Vinyl Underground and Paul Vomhagen, on Tuesdays and Sundays. Its menu is pretty eclectic, with choices ranging from baby back ribs and garlic lime chicken to brick oven pizza and a variety of sandwiches. Naturally, they have a full bar and offer happy hour specials Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. For a taste of Mexico, be a contrarian and head north (in this case, upstairs) to Tequila Blue and experience the upscale cantina's Mexican-inspired decor and Latin cuisine. The menu features classics like tacos, burritos, enchiladas and tosta- das. But, the kitchen also offers its own signature dishes. such as Chicken Milanese, Steak Tampiquena and Alahambra Cabarones. The main attraction, though, is its full bar with more than 50 different kinds of tequila. RT R More than 40 Midtown Detroit cultural venues — including the Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Science Center, Detroit Historical Museum and more — will open their doors free of charge during the 39th Annual Noel Night, a Cultural Center-wide"open house:' Also on-hand: horse-drawn carriage rides; family craft activi- ties; 120 music, theater and dance groups (check out the Blind Boys of Alabama); plus plenty of food and shop- ping. 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3. Activities take place in and around Midtown Detroit's Cultural Center institutions, primarily between Cass and John R and Kirby and Willis. Free shuttle service is offered between participating venues. For details and parking info, call (313) 420-6000 or visit detroitmidtown.com . CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE The stage of the Fox Theatre is transformed into a winter holiday wonderland for eight performances of Cirque Dreams Holidaze, Tuesday, Dec. 13- Sunday, Dec. 18. Ornaments come to life, gingerbread men flip mid-air and toy soldiers march on thin wires in this elaborate, fantastical circus created by Neil Goldberg, creator of Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy. $20.50-$65.50. Fox Theatre, Detroit. (313) 471-6611 or (800) 745-3000; olympiaentertainment.com or ticketmaster.com . HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS In its world-famous tradition of ball-handling wizardry, basketball artistry and some of the most original family- friendly thrills to be found, the original Harlem Glo- betrotters will celebrate its 86th consecutive year in 2012. We can help their newly signed rookie class (including 1ff the world's tallest pro basketball player, the shortest Globetrotter ever and the team's first female in 19 years) kick off its 2012 World Tour 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 26. $17-$125. Palace of Auburn Hills, 6 Championship Drive, Auburn Hills. (800) 745- 3000; ticketmaster.com or palacenet.com . — By Lynne Konstantin www.redthreadmagazine.com