metro >> dining around the d

MEX

T

he fun of being at MEX, a
Mexican bistro and tequila
bar in Bloomfield Township,
starts before the friendly servers drop
off a menu. This "upscale, contemporary
Mexican restaurant:' as Cutting Edge
Cuisine owner/entrepreneur Zack Sklar
described it, offers innumerable visual
delights from the outside looking in.
Just as with his first venture, Social
Kitchen and Bar in Birmingham, Sklar
came up with a colorful, eclectic decor in
collaboration with prestigious restaurant
designer Ron Rea.
The magenta awning is next to a huge,
non-opening wooden door that makes one
think of the entrance to the Land of Oz.
Guests actually enter through one of the
panels. An unattached, fluorescent green
wall is beside the building.
The bar, front and center, has several
antique-style mirrors hanging flush to the
ceiling. Most walls are white, but one with
magenta wainscoting has gold-framed
windows providing kitchen views. A
brick wall has shelves of hot sauce bottles.
Patrons also see starburst and crystal
chandeliers, short lengths of nautical rope
with tiny light bulbs, sheer draping over
beams and framed pictures of textured
greens against a green wall. Most of the
restaurant's glass garage-style walls open

up during warm weather, but it looks more
like an atrium right now
Tables are bare wood, and the floor
boards are reclaimed wood from Detroit
homes. Seating choices include curvy,
tufted booths in silver or gold, truly fit for
royalty. The cool-looking, hooded French
Porter chairs at the ends of a long table
were "traditional in wealthy
homes to lend privacy for conver-
sations," explained Jaimee Tepker,
director of training at MEX.
The glass-enclosed second
level looks down on the main
floor. The white walls here
have black outlines of books on
shelves, broken up by framed
color portraits of smart-looking
barnyard animals.
Decor is not the only attrac-
tion at MEX, wildly popular
since opening in September at
the site of a former Big Boy res-
taurant. Chef Sklar, a graduate of Culinary
Institute of America, writes the menus
and approves the food in a kitchen headed
by Executive Chef Mark Baririch. Other
names to know at MEX include General
Manager Nina Brinker and Assistant
General Manager Bill Butler.
Most of the menu is gluten-free, and
"everything is made in-house. That's what's

kind of great about a chef-owned com-
pany:' Tepker said.
Sandie Landau of Beverly Hills said,
"MEX is a place I can go with my vegan
granddaughter Erica:' who likes to create
a personalized Salad Bowl from a long
and varied checklist of choices. Similarly,
weekend diners are welcome to make
their own choices for a Breakfast
Skillet.
Chips and salsa are not
complimentary here, but these
have their fans, as does the
guacamole. Among the entrees,
Tepker said the bestsellers are
Chicken Quesadilla, Fajita Bowl
and, at dinner, Al Pastor Tacos.
Their main ingredients are pork
and roasted pineapple. Veggie
tacos are another good choice.
The flour tortillas ($13) are
filled with bell pepper, zucchini,
onion, roasted tomato, corn,
mushroom and spinach; add Soyrizo (soy
chorizo) for $2 extra.
The most popular dessert is Tres Leche
Cake, a traditional soaked sponge cake
with berry compote garnish. Avocado
Icebox Cake and Fried Ice Cream are other
good choices.
Debbie Aronson of Bloomfield
Township dubbed her Egg Sandwich de

MEX in Bloomfield Township

Social as "spectacular." Comprised of fried
eggs, guacamole, tomato, cheddar, bacon
and hot sauce (she had put on the side),
Aronson praised the combination of fla-
vors and textures.
I highly recommend the lunch I had
recently. It started with a prettily gar-
nished and satisfying black bean soup,
which was made from chorizo, sweet pota-
to, chilies, tortillas, guacamole and crema.
My next course was Fish Tacos, including
grilled mahi-mahi, cabbage slaw, spicy
peanuts and corn. It came with cilantro-
lime rice, an addition I'll have to try at
home, and refried beans.

❑

MEX

6675 Telegraph Road
Bloomfield Township
MI 48301
(248) 723-0800
www.mexbloomfield.com
$$$ out of $$$$$

CELEBRATE
•
WITH 1:

Saturday, March 15th
at Congregation Beth Ahrn

8:45pm Maariv followed by

megillah reading
and the excitement of dueling pianos

No charge and open to the community.
Costumes invite

30,7

A.

awdslimamilgoliu

Sunday, March 16th
at Congregation B'nai Moshe

waisima

tarn: Tv- al

9:00am Shacharit including
megillah reading (approx. 9:45am)
and followed by breakfast

•

11:30 a.m.

for all ages

including a special " kiddy carnival"
for children ages 5 and under
Open to the community at no charge.

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March 13 • 2014

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