arts & life

fressing
with fishman

Among the top 10 best new restaurants, according to the Detroit Free Press: Chartreuse, Townhouse Detroit, Forest and Mable Gray.

Coming To Birmingham?

A

n April 1 dead-
Townhouse on Pierce
line for bistro
Street. His Asian bis-
license applica-
tro concept had been
tions to the Birmingham
approved in 2014 in the
City Commission pro-
former Corner Bar space
vides some insight into
at The Townsend, but
what might be coming
Sasson did not move for-
to Birmingham soon.
ward at the time.
Ryan
The city can approve
The BonGiovanni
Fishman
two licenses each year;
family, known for Luxe,
there were five applicants
Market North End and
ahead of the deadline this year.
Salvatore Scallopini, applied for
If approved, there are still more
a bistro license for BonGiovanni’s
hoops to jump through — docu-
Raw Bar & Grill, a proposed sea-
ments must then be submitted to
food restaurant and raw bar that
the planning department within
would be nestled between Luxe
120 days to move forward.
and Salvatore Scallopini on Old
Applicants included Toshi, a
Woodward.
Japanese/Asian fusion restaurant
The final application was for
planned prospectively for two
a members-only tapas concept
spaces — the soon-to-be former
known as the Apiary Honey,
Cosi (which shutters its doors
which would occupy the former
April 25) or the former Centigrade church at 191 N. Chester St. A
space — both on Old Woodward.
hearing was scheduled for this
There’s another restaurant
week and will designate which two
concept from Jeremy Sasson,
applicants move forward to the
SHO, just a few doors north of
planning department.

TOP METRO DETROIT
RESTAURANTS
The Detroit Free Press last week
announced its 10 best new res-
taurants, and named the win-
ner of its coveted Restaurant of
the Year. This year the top title
went to Chartreuse Kitchen
& Cocktails in Midtown’s Park
Shelton Building (15 E. Kirby
St). Rounding out the list were
Townhouse Detroit (dubbed
“the year’s most extravagant new
restaurant”), Ron Bartell’s Kuzzo’s
Chicken & Waffles, the newly
revamped Forest in Birmingham,
Standby in Detroit and Mabel
Gray in Hazel Park.

PANERA IN DETROIT
Panera Bread is now open in
the Renaissance Center, mark-
ing its first foray into the city of
Detroit. The 4,400-square-foot
space opened to the public last
Thursday. It will seat 70 and
employ some 30 people. The res-

taurant is located on Level A of the
GM Wintergarden and faces the
Detroit River.

NEW KROGERS ON TAP
Kroger has announced plans to
invest $180 million dollars in new
marketplace stores, fuel centers,
renovations and expansions, as
well as add 1,000 jobs across the
state this year. The grocer is add-
ing three new stores in Royal Oak
(12 Mile Road and Stephenson
Highway), White Lake Township
and Shelby Township. Eleven
stores will get a facelift, and the
company plans to continue grow-
ing its online ordering/in-store
pickup service ClickList launched
last year to 22 stores across the
state.

WELCOME TO AMERICA
Smoke’s Poutinerie is crossing the
border. The Canadian chain with
more than 100 stores started with
exports on the West Coast last

year and has announced plans to
open three Michigan locations in
Detroit, Ann Arbor and Lansing.
The restaurant is known for its
hand-cut French fries covered in a
signature gravy and cheese curds,
but traditional poutine isn’t your
only option. With more than 30
varieties, look for everything from
chicken fajitas to Philly chees-
esteak and a veggie nacho poutine.
No timeline has been announced
for those locations yet, but at least
one store is expected to open in
the calendar year.

MAZEL TOV TO …
Happy birthday to Liz Dulberger,
Nicole Miller, Jake Friedman, Jeff
Zeman, Jason Brown, Lindsay
Shaw, Chen Cole, Jodie Schram,
Jared Boschan, Wilson Sarkis,
Bruce Marwil, E.J. Levy and my
amazing, talented, inspiring (and
beautiful) wife, Jordan.

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86 April 14 • 2016