EB: I love that the restaurant
community is extremely supportive
of each other, which is a tendency
in most cities but even more so in
Detroit. We all recognize that suc-
cess breeds success, so I hope that
every single place that opens in the
city is able to not only survive, but
thrive. The more creative restau-
rants that put serious deep thought
into their concepts, the better!

DIN: What has been the biggest
challenge over the last year?
EB: For me personally, I became
very accustomed to the way we
opened restaurants in Chicago.
We developed a system and every-
body had their roles. I moved to
a new city with a very different
small business climate and started
working with people that have dif-
ferent skill sets than I was used to.
It forces you to take off some hats
and put other ones on, which can
be tough at first, but it's the only
way we grow.

DIM How do you think Gold
Cash Gold can most impact the
community's success?
EB: I hope we bring more eyes
to the city and visitors notice some

of the other creative and like-
minded bars, coffee shops, clothing
stores, etc., that exist in Corktown.
I strongly believe that a rising tide
lifts all boats. Our hopeful success
should breed success for the dive
bar next door or shawarma joint
down the street.

DIM Do you have any favorite
items on the menu?
EB: Anything that's been pick-
led. We're a seasonal, from-scratch
kitchen, so when our local farmers
grow something that's really deli-
cious, we pickle it or preserve it in
some way so we can enjoy it year
round. We offer a daily batch of
seasonal pickled vegetables on our
menu. But our fried chicken mari-
nates in pickle brine, and some of

Now Open For Brunch

Yardbird Smoked Meats in Keego
Harbor now welcomes patrons
on weekends for Chef Jeremy
Grandon's Texas barbecue twist
on brunch and lunch, beginning
at noon Saturdays and 11 a.m.
Sundays.
From savory omelets such as a
three cheese or Spanish to sweet
Belgian waffles with seasonal
fruit jam and whipped cream and
Cornmeal Pancakes or a thick-cut
Texas toast French Toast served
with orange butter and maple
syrup, Yardbird's brunch menu has
what it takes to satisfy everyone's
appetite. Those craving "low 'n'
slow" smoked meats, a Yardbird
specialty prepared in-house, can
enjoy eggs and hash made with
brisket or salmon or a hearty Meat
and Potatoes offering with brisket,
bacon, andouille and potato hash
topped with an egg.
Original menu offerings include
two breakfast sandwiches found

only at Yardbird. The first is the
Mr. Crunch, a Texas toast grilled
cheese sandwich smothered in a
secret Yardbird sauce and a gener-
ous heaping pile of pulled pork and
then topped with an egg. The other,
Morning Glory, combines brisket,
andouille, egg, pickled jalapenos
and garlic mayo on a potato roll.
Yardbird Smoked Meats is
located at 1978 Cass Lake Road in
Keego Harbor. For more informa-
tion, visit yardbird.cool.

our desserts and drinks even have
pickled fruits as a component.
There are pickled items wherever
you look on our menu!

DIM Are there any other
Detroit-based restaurants that you
particularly admire?
EB: I love Katoi, which is
inspired by Thai street food. You
can find it at Two James Distillery
Tuesday through Saturday right
now, but they're opening their
own brick-and-mortar restaurant
just down the street from us on
Michigan Avenue.

DIN: What do you make of
Detroit's growing restaurant scene
and the many restaurants opening
or being planned in the city?

New Restaurants To
Look Forward To
Co-owner Daniel Kahn, son of
local cardiologist Joel Kahn, is
making plans for a new vegan
restaurant in Ferndale called
GreenSpace Cafe, currently under
construction on Nine Mile Road.
Daniel Kahn told Eater Detroit that
he knows how challenging it can be
to eat out as a vegan and he hopes
that GreenSpace Café will make life
a "little easier for this community
by offering a plant-based, oil-free
mend' Look for it to open the
beginning of March.
Peas & Carrots Hospitality,
owned by Chef Zack Sklar of
MEX and Social Kitchen & Bar
fame, is planning on opening two
new restaurants this summer in
Palladium 12, a movie and com-
mercial complex at North Old
Woodward and Hamilton in down-
town Birmingham: an old-school,
Brooklyn-style Italian restaurant
called Arthur Avenue and a yet-to-

DIN: What are your long-term
career goals?
EB: I hope to get to a point
where we're opening a new res-
taurant concept in the city every
six to nine months. Something
that a neighborhood can really
rally around, much like Gold Cash
Gold. My great-grandfather Morris
Samuels owned a deli/cafeteria in
Eastern Market — called Samuels
Bros. — for more than 50 years.
My uncle on the other side of the

family owns Star Deli in Southfield.
So deli is literally in my DNA.
Maybe that's next.

DIN: What would be your advice
to another former Detroiter look-
ing to start up a new project in
Detroit?
EB: Now is the time. Don't miss
the kind of opportunities that
exist here. The risk is worth it. In
many ways, Detroit allows you to
be exactly what you want to be.
All of my close friends — who I've
known since childhood — left to
Chicago, New York, Boston, LA,
etc., after graduating college in
2007. With the exception of one,
they're all back in Detroit, have
been able to work on projects that
would be near impossible in those
other cities and have found incred-
ible success doing so. The opportu-
nity is real. ❑

Gold Cash Gold
2100 Michigan Ave., Detroit
(313) 242-0770
goldcashgolddetroit.com
Hours:
Bar: Tuesday-Sunday: 11 a.m.-close.
Lunch: Tuesday- Sunday: 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Dinner: Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday: 5-11
p.m., Friday-Saturday: 5 p.m.-midnight.
Entrees run from $10-$21.

be-named French brasserie. Both
will occupy the former Chen Chow
Brasserie.

Valentine's Day Specials

Looking for a special place to take
your sweetheart? These local res-
taurants are offering specials for
the holiday.
Bistro 82, 401 S. Lafayette Ave.,
Royal Oak, will be offering special
menu items and featuring special
champagne selections for guests.
Call (248) 542-0082 for reserva-
tions.
2 Booli in Farmington Hills and
Troy is offering a $40 dinner for
two, including an appetizer, soup/
salad, entrees, dessert and a bottle
of wine from a pre-selected list.
The offer is good Feb. 13-15. Call
for reservations, (248) 994-0614.
Prime 29, 6545 Orchard Lake
Road in West Bloomfield, features
heartwarming specials Feb. 13-15:
fresh sucked oysters, champagne
mignonette, lobster martini with

truffled mashed Idaho potato,
Maine lobster tail, and lobster mac
and cheese as well as New York
strips, Alaskan King crab legs and
Baileys chocolate mousse with
wild berry compote. Call (248)
737-7463 for reservations or visit
prime29steakhouse.com .
Volare Ristorante, 49115
Pontiac Trail in Wixom, will feature
a special Valentine's Day menu,
including dry-aged prime 60-ounce
Tomahawk for two and lobster
prepared several different ways.
Finish your meal with a variety of
chocolate confections. Call (248)
960-7771 for reservations.
Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse,
42050 Grand River Ave. in Novi, is
offering a $49.99 five-course dinner
for two that includes one appetizer
to share, soup and salad, selected
main entrees and a dessert to
share. Add a bottle of house wine
for $10. Valid Feb. 13-15. Look for
online coupon or call (248) 305-
9888 for reservations.

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