A few nights ago my husband and I were treated to an unexpected surprise. We were invited to dinner at some of our favorite friends’ new home (being a chef seems to limit one’s in-home dining invitations!). They live in Detroit, in a beautiful, sprawling Tudor built in the 1920’s. They don’t have kids, and I was immediately struck by the sense of everything being in its place, with no Legos to step on and no Hogwarts robes strewn across the dining room table. We were served champagne on the first floor, then given a tour of the lovely place, and then treated to some delicious aged cheddar, French Camembert, and fresh baguette, along with grown up conversation! So it started off really well!
They had decided to take us out to dinner, and the plan was to return to their home for dessert. We headed out to Hamtramck to a little restaurant called Maria’s Comida (http://mariascomida.com/) on Joseph Campau. Like all the favorite Taste-full Tours spots, this place would likely go un-noticed by many, and I was intrigued!
We had reservations, and I’m guessing that when our friend called to make them it may have sounded surprising to the owners. The little place was not crowded, and was clearly occupied by “regulars” who seemed a bit confused by our presence.
Now let me clarify – this place has been in business for about three years, has received good reviews from Molly Abraham and others, and has a Schoolcraft (and multiple restaurant) trained Executive Chef. It is not undiscovered, nor is it inexperienced. But from the moment we walked in we were treated with extremely gracious service. The owners all came over to our little table to meet us, learned our names, and wanted to know how we had learned of them. It was not gratuitous or uncomfortable, overbearing or intrusive. They were just nice. They were proud of their food (both the server and owner had a hard time narrowing down the menu to their favorites – they seem to like it all!) and truly hopeful that we would enjoy it as well.
As for the food, it was exceptional. Quite honestly, I am not an easy dinner date. I rarely have a meal that I don’t want to “fix”. But EVERYTHING we had was delicious, perfectly seasoned, and prepared properly.
It’s an unusual blend of cuisines. The place started as strictly Mexican fare, but now they have added an Asian twist. I had read some reviews of the menu before we arrived, and some folks seemed confused (and annoyed) by this. But when you think about it, it makes sense. There are a number of ingredients and spices that carryover well on both sides of this equation, and I think it’s pretty logical. Plus, it was just really good.
Our favorites were the house made guacamole and salsas, the Asian baby back ribs, the fish tacos, and the amazing Tres Leche Cake – moist and delicate, with a hint of cinnamon. Oh, and the spicy-sweet chicken wings were great too. We left feeling happy, satisfied both physically and mentally. It feels so good to support local businesses that are so good at what they do, in such an unimposing way. I highly recommend you visit them soon!
We returned to our friends’ house in a bit of a food coma. We had delicious coffee (I am a terrible coffee maker – we didn’t learn that in school and I don’t have an aptitude for it so I appreciate a good cup!) and believe it or not, CAKE. My husband was thrilled (he would live on cake if he could); I was dismayed! I didn’t want to enjoy it, but alas, it was really good.
They had picked up this nice little cake from Hermann’s Bakery in downtown Royal Oak and we were all a bit skeptical – Hermann’s is old school, and I’m not sure how fast the turnover is there. Plus, it was only $12.50! That kind of price couldn’t possibly produce a good cake, could it? Well, as if the culinary gods were smiling upon us, the damn cake was delicious. I really tried not to eat it, but it was light and not too sweet and very fresh. It was layers of yellow and chocolate cake with white butter cream icing and some sort of crunchy bits on top. It tasted like somebody’s mom made it (in a good way). Now I have another good source for a local product, and one at an affordable price!
So I would like to thank our friends for a lovely evening and the equivalent of 3 lovely meals. It was truly a culinary adventure with good conversation, much laughter, and pure enjoyment of food. It reminded me that it’s not always important that I MAKE the food – it’s the SHARING of good food that is the magic part. The appreciation of something beyond “filling” – the awareness that the food was prepared in the joyful hope that someone will really enjoy it – that’s what matters. I can relate.
All that being said, I have an announcement to make: the Taste-full Tours blog is taking a little summer hiatus. I am so grateful for all of the kind remarks and comments that I have received – as I am not really a writer I am glad people seem to enjoy the information and stories I share. But the “other” Laura and I are going to turn our summer energies into exploring new venues, creating new tours, and spending some quality time with our families – and no doubt, SHARING good food with people we love. In the meantime, please email us if you discover any little culinary spots you feel are “tour-worthy”! We’d love to hear about them! And if you haven’t done so, (or even if you have) join us for a tour. It’s a great way to spend a day!
Have a great summer everyone, and we’ll be back in the fall!
