arts & life din i n g around the D A few of the sliders available at Green Dot Stables Green Dot Stables N ow that Passover found potential in the is over and bread abandoned bar. It’s close is back in season, to their Johnny Noodle have I got a fun place for King Asian restaurant on you! West Fort Street; the cou- Many of the delicious ple also own Huron Room menu items at Green Dot in southwest Detroit. Stables, located west of The casual, hip Green Esther Downtown Detroit, are Dot Stables has a stone Allweiss served inside soft little and brick exterior with Ingber white buns — “sliders” in green-painted cedar Contributing Detroit parlance — mak- Writer shakes. A brown horse ing it very nice having figure atop the roof is a chametz back. tipoff to the equestrian According to General Manager theme inside. Races worldwide Matt Trupino, the former Green are broadcast continuously, and Dot Bar that operated here on names of famous jockeys and tiny West Lafayette at 14th Street had club helmets decorate eaves. Horse a shady reputation. He and server photographs hang in the dining Erin Brigges say current custom- room and hand-painted murals ers have shared stories with them decorate walls leading to a back about Green Dot being an after- patio bar. hours spot popular with cops and Les Molnar, head chef at Green illicit lovers, and it possibly was a Dot Stables, graduated from Le brothel. Fire eventually shuttered Cordon Bleu College of Culinary the building, which was construct- Arts in Chicago. His cooking ed in 1970. credentials include Brasserie That was then. Four years ago or Ruhlmann in Rockefeller Plaza so, as part of the new Detroit ris- (New York City) and Town Tavern ing, Jacques and Christine Driscoll and Roast locally. Molnar’s menu for Green Dot is filled with eclectic delights, often combining unexpected ingredi- ents. They’re affordable, too, at $2 or $3 each. The same prices apply to bottles of beer, drafts, certain cocktails, wine (except for a $15 sparkling bottle) and non-alcohol- ic beverages. “We want you to try a bunch of things you never tried before,” Trupino said. Several sliders qualify as cus- tomer favorites. The Korean, for example, gets its name from the kimchi (fermented cabbage) that pleasantly balances peanut butter on a beef patty. I enjoyed crunchy panko-coated fried chicken in sage syrup. My Black Bean slider had a tomato slice and avocado sour cream. Mystery Meat is a popular, rotat- ing slider. The first time I ordered it, I got shredded beef brisket with a cheese-mustard sauce. Yum! On another visit, the special slider consisted of shred- ded alpaca (llama) shoulder with banana quinoa and paste of arbol and guajillo chiles. Things I liked included both Green Dot soups. Chicken Paprikas has spaetzle noodles and sour cream; New England-style Clam Chowder includes potato, bacon and cream, with a kicky sriracha sauce squiggle on top. The lemony kale salad is made with quinoa and shallots. Iceberg Wedge includes tomato, red onion and bacon lardons in Thousand Island-bleu cheese dressing. Corktown Smore is a heated cin- namon-Nutella-fluff slider. My friend Carolyn Silverstein of Franklin recommended getting the thinly cut truffle fries. Order them light on the truffle-herb sea- soning — otherwise, they can be rather salty. As an exception to the rule, fries are shareable. The five L’CHAIM For those who appreciate wine and spirits, here are some fun options: • Wine Tasting in Guardian Building: This wine tasting event is a fundraiser for Pontiac’s Furniture Bank, which helps homeless families in the area get back on their feet. 7-10 p.m. May 7. $50. 500 Griswold, Detroit. (248) 332-1300, ext. 209. • Gin: The Original Flavored Vodka at Grosse Pointe War Memorial: A cel- ebration of this botanical spirit includes six samples and is guided by sommelier 58 May 5 • 2016 * Green Dot Stables 2200 W. Lafayette Detroit, MI 48334 (313) 962-5588 www.greendotstables.com $ out of $$$$ NEW CHICKEN JOINT IN CLAWSON News To Use CINCO DE MAYO MARGARITA MEX in Bloomfield Hills has created a one-of-a-kind margarita that will be available only on Cinco de Mayo. The margarita is made with premium 110-proof Herradura Silver Tequila then mixed with fresh-squeezed citrus, Cointreau and agave nectar and served in a 24-ounce copper pineapple. The $100 drink is sharable between two or three people. Proceeds from the margarita (after cost) will be donated to Heart 2 Hart, a nonprofit serving varieties include Cajun, Venison, Chili, Cheese and Le Poutine. The restaurant-bar is open daily, except on major holidays, and offers free lot parking. There may be a wait on weekends. As the website states, “We are a first-come, first-serve for complete parties kind of joint.” Meanwhile, Green Dot’s influ- ence is growing. With onsite assistance from Jacques Driscoll and Chef Les, two Malaysian busi- nessmen who approached them recently opened Green Dot Stables Kuala Lumpur. Reportedly, Malaysians are crazy for burgers. Atomic Chicken opened its first location last week in Clawson. The restaurant is a carryout- only shop inside the former Faym-Us Chicken and Seafood on Main Street and features several different styles of chicken sandwiches and chick- en and waffles dishes including tikka, buttermilk fried and Japanese fried chicken. homeless and needy communities in Detroit. Once the pineapples run out, the beverage may still be purchased for $50. Michael Schafer. 7-9 p.m. May 14. $45. 32 Lake Shore, Grosse Pointe Farms. (313) 881-7511. • Whiskey Experience at Eastern Market: Angel’s Envy, Dalmore, Elijah Craig, Four Roses and Balvenie are some of the brands represented during the evening. Proceeds benefit the Luella M. Harden Foundation, which raises money for college scholarships and the Leukemia Society. 6:30 p.m. May 20. $80-$100. Shed 5, 2934 Russell, Detroit. eventbrite.com. MOTHER’S DAY OPTIONS Here are some places nearby to take mom for brunch on Sunday: • Andiamo Bloomfield Township: 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. $29.95 adults, $14.95, ages 7-10. 6676 Telegraph, Bloomfield Township. (248) 865- 9300. • C.A.Y.A. Smokehouse Grill: Buffet brunch includes eggs and French toast, cold salads, carved meats and desserts. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $24.95, $19.95 11 and younger. 1403 S. Commerce, Wolverine Lake. (248) 438-6741. • Community House: Breakfast and lunch items include cinnamon apple French toast, seared Atlantic salmon, chicken Florentine and more. 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. $35, $12 ages 4-11. 380 S. Bates, Birmingham. (248) 644-5832. Habib’s Cuisine ARAB FOOD WALK Yalla Eat! Stroll down Michigan Avenue in Dearborn, visiting more than a dozen Arab- American food establishments like Mocha Cafe, Sheeba, Habib’s Cuisine and more. The two-and-a-half hour tours include free admission to the Arab American National Museum, 1 p.m. May 7, 10 and 14. $20, $15 for museum members. Start at the museum, 13624 Michigan, Dearborn. (313) 582-2266.