nosh

dining in the d

Le Petit Zinc

Creperie & Café

M

y friend Francine chose a
ing ingredients in the center.
delightful restaurant for our
We shared a “chef ’s special” dessert
lunch this summer. Though
crepe, finding bliss in every mouth-
new to me, Le Petit Zinc Creperie &
ful of fresh strawberries and honey.
Café has been in business for years.
The coffee Susan praised with its
This bright and charming French
“dark honey and cinnamon notes”
restaurant, “hidden” in
comes from Ann Arbor-based
Detroit’s Corktown neigh-
Mighty Good Coffee Roasting
borhood, is on Trumbull
Company.
Street, between West
Sorel has an interest-
Lafayette and Howard. It
ing background. She and
truly was surprising to find
her Parisian ex-husband,
the little building with pri-
Charles Sorel, formerly
vate patio in an urban area.
owned restaurants in Paris,
When my good friend
New York and Rio.
Esther Allweiss
Susan arrived on the very
Leaving Brazil to rejoin
Ingber
Contributing Writer
same Tuesday for her own
Karima’s widowed mother
first-time visit, we had to
in Detroit, the Sorels opened
say: “What were the
Le Petit Zinc in 2009
chances?”
in her mother’s own
The comfortable
building. The couple
French dining at
1055 Trumbull
decided Detroit need-
Le Petit Zinc won’t
Detroit, MI 48216
ed a mid-range dining
disappoint anyone
(313) 963-2805
option that wouldn’t
in the mood for
www.lepetitzincdetroit.com require an extensive
classic dishes like
$$½ out of $$$$$
kitchen. Crepes and
Ratatouille ( five-
other French special-
vegetable stew) or
ties filled the bill.
Salade Nicoise (tuna,
The four Sorel
string beans, tomatoes, anchovies,
offspring live with Charles in
potatoes, olives and hard-boiled eggs
Paris. When Karima Sorel goes for
over mixed greens).
extended visits, co-owner Scott
These are two of the café’s most
Rutterbush and dedicated staff hold
popular items, according to Le Petit
down the fort.
Zinc co-owner Karima Sorel. She
Le Petit Zinc is open 10 a.m.-4
also recommends Le Petit Dejeuner
p.m. daily, except 9-3 for the busy
(baked eggs served with croissant
Sunday brunch.
or baguette, Brie, fresh fruit, mixed
The cheerful dining room features
greens, broiled potatoes), Saumon
colorful artwork on yellow walls with
Fume et Epinard (smoked salmon,
green-trimmed window frames. Two
spinach, hard-boiled eggs), Assiette
hand-crocheted window panels come
de Fromage (cheese plate) and Citron from Brazil. Craft paper-covered
Sucre (lemon-sugar crepe).
wooden tables with straight chairs
My delicious choice was Feta et
stand on painted terra-cotta tiles.
Epinards — a thick, sweetish crepe
Typical of French neighborhood bars,
stuffed with fresh spinach, feta and
patrons’ wear and tear on the zinc
mushrooms. Naturally, this healthy
metal bar top gives it a unique texture.
choice justified sharing dessert: a thin
There’s still time to enjoy the shel-
crepe rolled around chocolate and
tered garden patio built around a
bananas. No regrets.
classic, multi-level fountain. Flowers,
Another day, Susan and I both
vegetables and herbs grow around the
chose Salade de Poulet. Somewhat like patio’s perimeter.
Nicoise, it features roasted chicken.
When Francine and I sat at our
Our beautifully arranged plates had
umbrella table, we felt perfectly at
tomato and potato slices bookmark-
peace with the world. •

Le Petit Zinc

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jn

August 31 • 2017

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