R
eady to venture out?
An outdoor destination
near Oakland County
has revived the carefree nature
of a late summer evening. Even
wearing masks, visitors should
feel refreshed after enjoying
some diversion in downtown
Northville.
In June, the city’
s Downtown
Development Authority unveiled
a reopening plan that “includ-
ed closing down two streets
to vehicular traffic: East Main,
between Center and Hutton, and
North Center, between Main and
Dunlap,
” said DDA Director Lori
Ward.
Permits allowed the expan-
sion of outdoor dining in the
city, including on the sidewalks,
parking spaces and roadway. On
the streets closed to traffic, called
a “social district,
” participating
restaurants sell alcohol in desig-
nated cups that can be carried to
the commons area for consump-
tion.
“Customers can get a drink to
go while waiting for a table and
sit out in our Town Square, Old
Church Square or on benches or
other tables and chairs set up by
the DDA,
” Ward said.
Popular restaurants within
the social district include Lucy
and the Wolf, City Grille, Table
5, Poole’
s Tavern and LeGeorge.
I made an online dinner res-
ervation for three at 160 Main,
a southern Italian restaurant.
Restaurant manager Miguel
Silvera found us an umbrella
table on the pretty European-style
brick patio.
Dining inside is available as
well. The second floorfeatures a
mural of Monte Cofano in Sicily,
where the restaurant founders
and cousins were born. They are
general manager Brian Maiorana
and Chef Salvatore Monteleone,
the culinary director.
Monteleone executes seasonal,
“from scratch” specialties with
Chef Richard Simmons, “Sal’
s
right-hand man,
” Silvera said.
The menu’
s pastas include the
Linguine Alle Vongole I ordered
with baby sea clams and white
wine sauce.
My guest ordered Saltim-bocca
with veal: Prosciutto di Parma,
sage, sauteed spinach in a white
wine butter sauce.
Silvera said other popular dish-
es include Branzino, house-made
ravioli and gnocchi, filet, seared
scallops and a Seafood Tower of
jumbo shrimp, East Coast oysters
and 4-ounce lobster tail.
Among the array of wine,
beer and cocktails, he singled
out a “friendly” drink called
Unexpected Revenue. The purple
floral concoction of simple syrup
and Creme de Violette liqueur
is served on a napkin imprinted
with a $100 bill.
66 | SEPTEMBER 17 • 2020
dining around the D
Nosh
160 Main
160 Main Street, Northville
(248) 773-7976
onesixtymain.com
*** ½ out of *****
D
etroit Institute of Bagels,
a popular Corktown
bagel shop, is shutting its
doors, and owner Ben Newman
confirmed to the JN he has decid-
ed to sell the business.
Newman and DIB were in the
process of working out an expan-
sion project between their build-
ing and nearby PJ’
s Lager House,
eventually receiving permits on
March 10.
Just a few days later, Gov.
Whitmer signed an executive
order closing restaurants and bars
over COVID-19 concerns, and
the plans folded.
“This was going to be a new
and exciting challenge that helped
realize the long-term vision for
the business of using bagels to
invest in our people, community
and future,
” Newman said in an
email. “But, right now and for the
foreseeable future it seems insane
to take out $1M+ loan to build
more capacity and seating.
”
Newman stated that without
the positive reinforcement of see-
ing people gather and converse
over bagels, his passion to make
bagels to realize a greater vision
had waned.
“
Additionally, I have aging
parents and a 10-month-old and
it’
s important to me for them to
be able to spend time together,
”
he said.
Newman also said it would
be silly to let a place with the
capacity to make bagels sit empty,
which is why he’
s exploring a sale.
He already had a few offers on
the business and building from
people he thinks will bring posi-
tive energy to the area.
“
As a neighborhood resident
and experienced bageler, I will do
my best to make sure whoever
takes it over is set up for success,
”
Newman said. “Nothing formal-
ized enough to share yet, but I
am confident the space will be
making great bagels again sooner
than later.
”
Newman, whose background
is in urban planning and food
service, wanted to use bagels to
activate a vacant building, create
a destination food business and
provide living wage jobs. One of
DIB’
s first events to generate pub-
licity was a fundraiser at the Isaac
Agree Downtown Synagogue.
Corktown had been the home of
DIB since 2013.
As for what’
s next for Newman,
he’
s keeping his plans close to his
chest.
“In the short term, I want to
continue to focus on family and
also make sure that the next
operators are off to a great start,
”
he said. “Long term, I am inter-
ested in finding new meaningful
ways to serve the community
beyond boiling bread.
”
O’
CONNOR REAL ESTATE
Dining in
Downtown
Northville
ESTHER ALLWEISS INGBER
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Detroit Institute of
Bagels Closes Its Doors
COVID-19 and family-related reasons
played a part in the decision.
DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER