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give your mother
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FACIALS
MASSAGES
MANICURES
FOODIE
r/P DICURES
isn't an eatery in New Orleans,
but it's the best place in Metro
Detroit to sample the Crescent City's
authentic cuisine. Crawfish or shrimp
etouffee (stew), jambalaya, and
red beans and rice are some of the
staples.
I've returned many times to this
notable restaurant-bar on Woodward
Avenue, north of Nine Mile Road in
Ferndale, and count myself lucky
when I snag the free parking space in
front. Hooray — the street-side patio
is back for the season!
Inside is a timeless-looking din-
ing room with 20-seat bar. Colorful
paintings and posters of jazz musi-
cians and dancers brighten the dark-
paneled walls. According to Howe's
Bayou owner Michael Hennes, the
restaurant's handsome reproduction
tin roof ceiling is stamped with a
150-year-old pattern.
"People tell me this is what you'd
see in New Orleans," he said."We've
got the old shotgun feel of a restau-
rant in an Eastern or Southern city,
such as Philly or Savannah:'
Detroit native Hennes, an English
major at Wayne State University,
was a consultant when Tom Brandel,
former owner of Tom's Oyster Bar,
put together Howe's Bayou in August
1999. The gregarious Hennes took
over in the late 2000s.
Cajun and Creole are terms often
used interchangeably when describ-
ing Louisianan food, but they're not
exactly the same. As one difference,
Creole cooking uses tomatoes, while
"proper Cajun" cuisine would not.
Loosely defined, Hennes said that
Creole cuisine is "city food, pertaining
to the city of New Orleans, and it was
traditionally served in fine houses:'
Cajun pertains to the entire region.
It's the "country food" brought south
by French-Canadian arrivals from
Canada.
The delectable Howe's Bayou's
menu reflects years of collaboration
between Hennes and Executive Chef
Rafael Branhan. For more authentic-
ity, Hennes said, "Other chef friends
from New Orleans have lent some
time in our kitchen:'
For starters, nothing satisfies me
better than the crawfish bisque, ac-
companied by usually moist corn-
bread. Smooth and delicate, the light
pink soup leaves a slight tingle at the
back of the throat. Others swear by
the gumbo here.
Howe's Bayou
By Esther Allweiss Ingber
ti
TAMARA'S GIFT CERTIFICATES MAKE THE PERFECT GIFT.
•
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■
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I/
Don't forget to schedule an appointment for Prom, Graduation and other Special Occasions
TAMARA
SPA WEL LNESS
ax. rej uvenaIe. re-jai c e
35200 Northwestern Hwy.
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
248-855-0474
www.tamaraspa.com
OPEN 7
DAYS A
WEEK
ELTON JOHN
AND TIM RICE'S
ay 22 - June 7, 2015
set to a melodious score with an eclectic mix of musical styles
– from Reggae, West African and Indian to Motown and Pop
including award-winners "I Know the Truth" and "Written in the Stars"
Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Tim Rice
Bock by Linda Woolverton and Robert
Falls and David Henry Hwang
Directed by John Luther
11
Tickets $20 - $24 I
Order by phone or online
All seats reserved Visa and Mastercard accepted
This show is rated PG
,
415 S Lafayette Ave Royal Oak
CO-SPONSOR
ti ent 248-541-6430 Stagecrafters.org
Sorry, no refunds or exchanges
44 May 2015 I IttD
Tnra
owe's Bayou (what a great name!)
Small plates include Andouille
sausage-encrusted pan-fried oysters,
served with Cajun remoulade; excel-
lent flash-fried calamari with pepper-
oncini relish; and tenderloin tips in
Voodoo sauce.
The savory Voodoo sauce is
comprised of "chicken stock, fresh
rosemary, lots of Worcestershire
sauce and cream in two different
reductions," Hennes said.
After trying a serving of surpris-
ingly light-tasting alligator sausage
bites, sauteed with peppers and
onions in white wine, Hennes told
me"a farm in Louisiana harvests the
alligators and makes the sausage
Among the more popular entrees
are Mississippi farm-raised catfish,
either mustard-fried in corn meal or
blackened. It's served with dirty rice,
one of the menu's plentiful side dish-
es. Additional choices include collard
greens, garlic-mashed potatoes and
butter beans. Atchafalaya Chicken
features a chicken breast rubbed
with citrus and cardamom spices.
I really enjoyed my Voodoo BBQ
Shrimp, marinated and grilled
shrimp skewers served over warmed
mixed greens and veggies. The same
entrees, in different-sized portions,
are offered at lunch Monday-Satur-
day, and at dinner, which starts at 4
p.m. daily.
A veggie choice is among the
menu's 12 traditional New Orleans-
style sandwiches. They're served on
a French loaf over Southern slaw
with house-made potato chips. More
items for vegetarians are coming.
Finish things off with a down-
home dessert, such as peach cobbler
or bread pudding.
Howe's Bayou offers small batch
and single-barrel Bourbon whiskies,
boutique wines and cocktails that
include Mint Juleps and Hurricanes.
Michigan draft beers and imports are
available. Direct from New Orleans
are the Arbita brand brews. They
include Turbo Dog, a dark beer, and
Strawberry Harvest Lager, which will
be available through the summer.
Hennes and company work hard
to present true Cajun/Creole cuisine,
and their passion is appreciated.
HOWE'S BAYOU
22848 Woodward
Ferndale, MI 48220
(248) 691-7145
www.howesbayou.com
$$1/2 out of $$$$