Restaurant Review: Green Dot Stables

How Did I Miss This One?!!!

I missed this on two levels. 1. Somehow despite my repeated documented experiences on this blog, I have not yet mentioned this wonderful place. 2. I have lived in a suburb of Detroit for years and did not find this wonderful place until 6 months ago.

Good food and drink in a historic Detroit setting. Think old school 1960's that hasn't had an overhaul in a while. Old wood tables and chairs. A bar that is definitely vintage. Old saloon doors to enter the establishment. . . Decorations include old jockey and Detroit memorabilia including black and white photos at the horse races with some photoshop action adding green.

We have all had a burger. They are a staple of American cuisine and come in all sorts of varieties ranging from the classic versions (beef patty with cheese) to the more exotic versions with many offerings in terms of meats and toppings. Green Dot Stables has the whole gamut covered with their version of sliders. These little gems range in price from 2 to 3 dollars and I know I personally can not stop with just one. Choices, choices, choices. You can have a cheeseburger with onion and pickles, or other classic fare such as a BBQ Bacon with sweet potato and BBQ sauce. Vegetarian? You can have a grilled cheese, a Quinoa Burger with Kale and Chimchurri, or a Tempeh with wasabi mayo and Wakame Salad. You can even have a PB&J with peanut butter and raspberry chipolte jelly.

I can't stress the variety of choices. The menu currently boasts 21 (yes 21) different sliders to choose from including the "Mystery Meat". Mystery Meat you ask? Well that's a choice that changes weekly but I have personally experienced Goat with Habanaro Mango chutney and a Meatloaf made with a variety of meats topped with grilled onions and lime mayo recently. Sometimes it's duck, or braised short ribs, or even things way out like buffalo tongue and bull testicles.

I have to say that there was a time that I would look at a certain ingredient and say "no way" internally in my head. I might ask the waitstaff to hold an item or topping but I have learned that Green Dot knows what they are doing and I order them as is with reckless abandon. I will say that other family members that I frequent this place with do NOT do that. Cheeseburgers are always minus pickles or onions, etc. etc. But I have found that Green Dot balances flavors and that often it's a little symphony with a perfect mixture of savory and sweet, salty with heat. I recommend letting them do their thing.

So with so many choices, I have my own favorite list. Let's call it the Top 5 List. I will rank them in descending order like a countdown, so that there will be a little supsense as you get to my #1. Don't look ahead!!!! Wait for it.

Debra's Top 5 List  of Green Dot Sliders. . . . 

insert drumroll here

5. Coney Dog

Hot dog with venison chili and mustard. This was a recent discovery and it's a great interpretation of the Detroit classic taste with a twist. If you like Coneys it's worth a try.

4. Fried Bologna

Dearborn Brand Bologna with fried onions. It's a nice little piece of bologna (it may be a ring bologna) and they cook it to a really good texture with the thickness. They add some grilled onions and it's pure comfort food.

3. Fried Chicken

Fried Chicken with Sage Maple Syrup

Boneless chicken breast fried with Panko crumbs without being too dry. It's drizzled with sage infused maple syrup. It's a complex balanced treat and that maple syrup is a wonderful addition of sweetness with the herbs and the chicken. I know a lot of people that would rank this as their favorite Green Dot slider. I should put in a disclaimer that chicken is not my favorite choice in protein but I really think this is a great take on the slider.

2. Corned Beef

Wigley's corned beef with sauerkraut, pickles and a mustard ailoi. That mustard has a bit of heat and it balances with the sour flavors. The corned beef itself is some of the best I have had, with a buttery texture that just falls apart because it's so tender. Add a white bread slider bun and it's a perfect little meal.

1. Korean

Beef patty with peanut butter and kimchi. It's number one for a reason and while you may think initially that this makes no sense as a combination I think it's the best burger there. Of course if you don't know what kimchi is this may be a bit offputting, or maybe less. Kimchi is a Korean side dish made up of fermented vegetables and is typically spicy and pickled in flavor. Mostly I have had Kimchi with cabbage and I think this is what Green Dot uses. So again, this beef burger is topped with Kimchi and peanut butter and it's the bomb! Peanut butter, a new staple for burger toppings in my house even when we aren't at Green Dot!

Clockwise starting from top left: Corned Beef, Korean, Fried Bologna and "Mystery Meat": Meatloaf made from a variety of proteins with Grilled Onions and Lime Mayo

Burgers are the main reason to visit Green Dot but I would be remiss if I didn't talk about the other aspects of this place. Besides burgers there are also hearty soups to choose from including recently a spicy hot clam chowder that had bacon and sirachi sauce in it along with some diced potatoes. Hearty wonderful soup. What's a burger without fries? Well they have a few choices of different varieties of flavors added to thin crispy fries such as Cajun or truffle herb. There are also salads and while if you are having a burger you probably aren't completely health conscious, the kale salad is very good with quinoa and lemon vinaigrette.

Cocktails. This is definitely a place to also have a drink. Sure they have a good variety of beer but you should have a cocktail. To me, with the history of this place (The Purple Gang uses to hang out here and if they were the ones to keep Detroit supplied with alcohol during the Prohibition perhaps we should salute them), it's almost mandatory. Cocktails are in the $3 range so I've tried quite a few. Mint Julep is a classic with the jockey theme. I recently had a rum spritzer with rum, ginger ale, grapefruit soda and mint. Quite refreshing. There is also a Mystery Cocktail offered each week.




There are often little surprises as Green Dot. Of course with mystery meats and cocktail offerings each week, there are going to be surprises. I have visited quite a few times (we won't try to add the visits up) for lunch, dinner, just the middle of the day. . . Recently while at lunch, the waitstaff mentioned a "special appetizer". Special appetizers?!!! Since when. It was this little whimsical artichoke heart, stuffed with an artichoke kale dip and topped with a fried tortilla chip thing. So cute and so delicious. By the way it was a dollar!

If you haven't been to Green Dot, I suggest you go but it's going to take some planning on your part. With food and prices like this, this place is hot. You can never anticipate if it's going to be crowded at off hours but it's a given that in the evening or lunch that this place may involve a two hour wait. On a Friday or Saturday night there is a little annex to drink at picnic tables while you wait and often it's entertaining to hear the improvised names for parties as they are called to come eat (one day the theme was cereals. . . Captain Crunch, Smurfberry, etc.). They do not take reservations and your whole party must be present. Strategies? 1. Wait for a horrible snowstorm of which we have had plenty this year. They might be empty at 2PM due to bad weather. 2. Go at 11:30 sharp on a weekday. You may be the first one there for lunch. 3. Call and see what the line looks like and then rush over if it's a slow day, 4. Put your name in and drive around for a bit.

It's worth it. 

Michigan Central Station

A Beautiful Detroit Treasure

Ravaged by Time and Neglect but Solid

This has been a building that has remained standing although the wear of the years of abandonment and neglect are visible, even from the outside facade. The Michigan Central Station was built in the early 1900's and designed by the same architects of the celebrated, and still operational, Grand Central Station in New York. The Michigan Central Station is a monument to a different time, when trains were the primary mode of transportation and commerce.

One of the windows that flanks the main entrance, chains are attached to open them up for cooling the lobby.

Michigan Central Station Facade

I have always had an interest in this building that probably borders on obsession. In the mid 1990's I was going to school at Wayne State University, pursuing a degree in fine arts, and took some friends up on the offer to tour the building when we should have been attending our drawing class. Apparently it was a rite of passage, according to the professor when he asked us where we were the next day, to skip class and tour the train station. it was accepted and celebrated, as were playing hooky to go to the DIA or some other place to admire objects of beauty.

Michigan Central Station Lobby, facing Southwest.

In those days, it was easier to get into the train station as there wasn't any security and there wasn't a fence of barbed wire surrounding the structure. We simply walked in, not knowing or fully appreciating that in the future things would not be so easy. Even in those days, I wouldn't go as far as to say it was safe but it was an adventure and we were young and carefree. It was a hot day and the air inside the building was stuffy and overbearing. There were remanants of grander days still evident at that time. If you went up to the 7th floor or above, you could still see panels of thick marble lining the walls. Phones still stood in the bay of telephone booths in the lobby and the benches still stood as sentries. However, neglect and abandonment were apparent. Water had already damaged the plaster and tiles from the soaring ceilings, leaving piles of the materials on the floor among the puddles. Evidence of fires were found on many of the floors, from little fires folks had made to stay warm while they took shelter here. Lower levels were stripped of anything of value.

All that is left of the marble that used to line the halls,
intricately pieced together to form this shape.

Climbing up the roof was a long process with 18 flights of stairs and you couldn't help but feel winded once you reached the top. I remember we discovered a control room in the top of a tower and old train tickets. The stairs were rickety and I recall standing on the very edge, feeling more than slightly precariously balanced, and marveling at the city below my feet. Standing at that precipice was a celebration of the past and the future.

My friends returned to the Train Station often so I guess my obsession was not quite on par with some of my classmates. They explored the basement at all its levels and even slept on the roof one night to watch the fireworks on the Detroit River. Apparently I was not as adventurous. I had seen the building and loved it but did not have a need to return day after day as there were other things to explore and experience.

From inside the ticket booth, looking east.

In the mid 90's Raves were the late night parties of choice. Often held in abandoned buildings they Bankle Building on Woodward often, and other sites across Detroit, including one infamous night in a meat packing plant in Eastern Market. These events were promoted in an underground fashion, by word of mouth, and took place in the early hours of the morning. We would start out the evening in places like St. Andrews and the State Theater (now the Filmore) and then find out where the rave would be later that night. We used to go to the Then in 1993 a Rave was scheduled to happen in the actual train station and the news went viral . . . rumors flew, MTV would be there, it was expected to be a huge event, etc. etc. Sadly the Fire Marshall shut it down almost immediately and I never did get to visit the train station with the bright lights and strobes. that would have smoothed out the scars of the neglect and abuse.

Fast forward a few years. I went to grad school, got a real job, got married and started the pretenses of an adult life. It had been years since I was able to devote multiple hours to art and I wanted to return to it, in some form of media, if not metalsmithing which had been my passion (replace with "devotion") in college. I began exploring more digital forms of photography and took a course at the local community college and discovered a new means of expression. I traded in my old SLR camera for a new digital camera and learned Photoshop.

Of course, venues to photograph came up. The train station was mentioned but now it was a little more difficult to get in as a fence surrounded the property but it was not impossible. However, there were horror stories of camera being taken at gunpoint and I wasn't sure I could justify at that point in my life doing things like that even if I wanted to return.

The building itself seemed to have a renaissance if not a restoration. There remained interest in the building by many and every so often I would find an old print of the building or a book that spoke of its former grandeur. I was not the only one that thought of the building as a beautiful monolith as evidenced by those who became urban explorers who braved the challenges to take images of the ruins. It was celebrated when it became a backdrop for a chase scene in the Transformers movie. 

The building remained visible and prominent in both traveling by on the way to or back from other adventures, as well as in my mind. I wanted to go back but it was not possible. Until more recently. . .

Every year we drag our kids to some destination and take a bunch of photos for the annual Christmas card. Yes, I partake in that tradition and it started years ago when the kids were both small. Yes, I know there are a lot of people that do it and it's kind of lame but it's a once a year thing and is a milestone every year. We try very hard to make the photos a little different and pick a new place every year. There has been the local train station in our own hometown, a vintage truck, and the kids sitting on Santa's lap warped and superimposed on our own ornament hanging off our Christmas tree one year. One day I plan on taking all of the images and putting them together in a multi panel frame as it really marks a definitive passage of time and growth. For Christmas 2012, we went to Michigan Central Station and while you couldn't get in, the facade itself held promise. Tall grass had been planted across the street and made for a beautiful foreground while Christmas lights in the shape of snowflakes hung in the large windows.

Inside, looking out, main entrance.

I must have mentioned it in passing but I verbalized to my husband that I wanted to go inside. He had heard about the train station for years and my adventures but I think it might have been the first time that I said I was going to try and figure out how to get in there again. It wasn't totally out of left field, as photography had become an important hobby for me and we had traveled both near and far for images in the past few years, including many local jaunts to Detroit to capture shots that included neglect and abandonment. In any event, I say a lot of things and I can't recall exactly.

My husband apparently heard me and worked to make the my "dream come true". A photo from our Christmas card shoot was hanging framed in his office and one of the guys my husband does business with mentioned that he was working on the restoration of the building. Long story short, my husband coordinated with this individual to get me into the train station one day this summer. "Coordination" probably doesn't cut it as it really was a few people that worked together to make that happen. It was a spur of the moment thing after it was arranged and I met the contractors by the station and was allowed past the barbed wire.

Facing East, to the right is where you would catch the train.

I thought that I would only be permitted to view the lobby and was grateful for this opportunity whatever the limits and boundaries. I was given a hard hat and a reflective construction vest (what a sight to see - I'm glad there are no pictures for blackmail) and started snapping away. I think they must have wondered about me, laying on the floor for better angles, switching lenses and hauling that backpack. . . Then one of the gentleman I was with asked me if I would like to have a tour.

I did not anticipate that they would explore the whole building with me, all the way up the top level of the main part of the building (the office towers have stairs that are too rickety to travel at this point). It was a HOT day, and the air does not circulate in the building. By the time we made it to the top floor of the main part of the structure we were all soaking with sweat but it was worth it.

Signs of Work

To rebuild sometimes you have to destroy, or in this sense at least do some demolition. I recently read a book which mentioned the Indian deity of Shiva, who creates rebirth through tearing things down to rebuild in a purer form.  Everywhere there were signs of the work that was being accomplished. Shovels and cords, ladders and workmen. From what I understand they are clearing floor by floor, shoving debris down a chute that leads to the basement and then it is hauled away. In many ways the building looked to be less damaged that it had almost twenty years ago as the debris was cleared away and a bare structure was often visible with promise of things to come. Bright light streamed though the gaping holes that once held windows and the floors were often bare, devoid of the years of damage that once fell upon them. While the scars were clearly visible it looked cleaner than it had in the past and the foundation to rebuild was there. A blank canvas ready to be redecorated and repurposed. There was talk of restoration, an art gallery, restaurants and living spaces.

Evidence of Rebirth

I fully appreciated the views this time. I completely took in what I was given as a gift to see. While this might seem overly dramatic it's the truth. I savored every minute of my time there and took over 280 shots so I wouldn't miss anything. From these images I edited over 50 of them to mark this day and this time. My hope is one day Michigan Central Station will be completely restored and return to it's former glory, and my photos will serve as a reminder of how things can be saved. I am also hoping it will be a lesson that we must treasure our history and set a policy to care for things before they fall into ruin.

Window framing the Ambassador Bridge to Canada and St. Anne's, looking south.

There are so many interesting articles about Michigan Central Station that can provide you with more information and photos of how it used to look in its heyday.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_Central_Station
http://www.historicdetroit.org/building/michigan-central-station/
http://www.historicdetroit.org/galleries/michigan-central-station-old-photos/

For more of my photos of my day there please visit my Flckr page.

Brewster Projects: A Visual Legacy

A History of Public Housing

 
Last weekend we went to Flower Day in Eastern Market, located Detroit. It's a thriving community, with suburbanites (including myself) traveling down to partake in fresh produce from local farmers as well as antiques and good food (food trucks!). Flower Day is probably the busiest day of the year, a celebration of impending summer and the hope that only flats of new flowers can bring.

In contrast, on this route, we always pass the monolithic structures that are the remnants of a long ago housing project that sits along I-75. Officially this development was called the Frederick Douglass Homes and was the largest rental housing project in the City of Detroit, with different phases of construction spanning from 1935 through 1955. It was really celebrated, with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt breaking ground for the first phase of the development.
 
Now it's abandoned but not really forgotten although it is scheduled for complete demolition with the exception of the community center. Recently a graffiti artist took on the monumental task to tag these large towers. It's eerily quiet and large empty spaces surround these towers. There is a community center that is fully visible from the freeway that looks to be newer construction but long forgotten.

On a personal note. . . after coming across this side of the building and the graffiti, we found the word "Kuma" and "12-11", both significant in our personal life. Kuma was our first dog, a Japanese Akita. In Japanese, Kuma means "bear" and seemed the perfect name for a huge dog. 12-11 is an anniversary for us. What a coincidence to find it on the side of a building in Detroit and I can't help but wonder what it meant to the artist who tagged it. What is most interesting is the skateboard park near this building that is also abandoned. Barricades block the roads (although if I was determined I could go two tracking) into this abandoned community.

There are other reminders of the families that used to live here, including a playground near the lower story buildings, in overgrown fields. You can imagine sounds of children laughing, while their parents looked on from a nearby bench and it is really very sad.

Eastern Market Water Tower: Perspectives

Photo of the Day

Well I love Eastern Market for the food, especially on a Saturday but there are only so many photos of El Guapo Taco I can take for folks but I will tell you I enjoyed a Korean Beef  and a Pork Belly Confit taco today while others may have had some Adobe Chicken tacos minus pico.

I also love the abundance of fresh produce at a reasonable price. Fresh delicious strawberries for one dollar! Green and red grapes for $1.00 a pound (and we got to taste them first), and Kale for $2.50 a bunch.

While food is always a priority - because you know this is mostly a food blog - I really love to get some gritty pictures when we are out and about. I had photographed this water tower and dilapidated building from the south view previously - near what looks like the remnants of an old road and viaduct - but this was from the west side today. That's the thing about visiting the market; every time as you search for parking you are forced to take new routes and you see things from a different view.

This was my photo from last time:

I really like both images although they have different feels and tones. Sometimes when I come back to a place I see it in a whole new way and that's one of my wonders with photography. You can keep revisiting the same place and see new things.

Eastern Market and Reclaim Detroit

Food and Urban Kitchen Adventures

I love Eastern Market in Detroit and have come to see a few items we can purchase there as staples for groceries. This morning was a surprise impromptu trip because my husband had an ulterior motive which necessitated a trip to Detroit. Now the photos will make it look like we were there a long time but in reality it was about 30 minutes. Efficient shopping/tasting and then on to the main event.

Winter shopping at Eastern Market is a little bit different than Flower Day in the summer. You can see Bert's Marketplaces is still grilling BBQ outside but the line that spans for blocks in nonexistent. That is good BBQ if you are interested in some good smokey flavor and in the summer you can also enjoy karaoke as you sit down to chow. It's really an experience as you can see from this video. There is less traffic and easier parking once Christmas tree shopping is done and lots to still see and do as well as taste and eat and buy!

I think Eastern Market is fun for all the seasons. Yes, Flower Day in the Spring is a rejoicing event to welcome upcoming summer. I love buying pumpkins in the fall. Our family tradition is to pick out our Christmas tree and buy other assorted greens and wreaths in November. There is fresh seasonal produce all year and little shops, including antique stores to visit. I love Eastern Market.

Tacos!

El Guapo Grill - Food Truck

All of the vendors today had moved indoors and things had shifted but we found El Guapo so we could enjoy a little Mexican. El Guapo is the first food truck to grace the city of Detroit and has now brought upon a whole renaissance of food truck cuisine. You can find it around town, even in my hometown of Royal Oak, but it's still something I look forward to at Eastern Market. Today we enjoyed Aloha Mr. Hand (pork belly confit, pineapple salsa minus jalapenos), Braised Beef (with cheese, no salsa), Adobe Chicken (no salsa, can you tell husband likes meat and cheese only?), and Korean Beef (Caramelized Marinated Beef with Asian Slaw).  You can see from the photos these soft tacos are not very large but they pack a lot of flavor in their small package. Two of them are perfectly satisfying.

Soft Taco Superstars

During many food festivals and around town, El Guapo is busy. You can order quickly but you will be waiting for your fresh-made-to-order food. Today the lines were minimal and they didn't even have to call out numbers!

Mac and Cheese!

Mac Shack with Bacon

El Guapo has a sister food truck called The Mac Shack. It's a cute little pull trailer that looks kind of like a tiki hut with a thatch roof. It's a tiny little space but they have it down to be an efficient kitchen. My son is a big Mac and Cheese fan and the fact that you can add bacon only sweetens the deal.  Toppings are included in the flat price of $6.00 and he chose "The Bacon Made Me Do It' minus tomatoes and green onions. Yep, you guessed it, he just wanted bacon. Considering how our family often considers bacon as it's own food group, seasoning, main ingredient, complimentary flavor and dessert component, this is no surprise. I count down the days until Baconfest so I am not going to say a word.

Pho!

Beef Pho with Oxtail

The  surprise for me today was that the Mac Shack was also featuring Pho. I had recently read about the wonders of Pho in Hour Magazine. Pho is a Vietnamese street dish with French origins, noodles in a broth with meat, with lots of options. Pho may be a reference to the  French dish pot-au-feau, meaning "beef stew". Apparently locally Madison Heights Michigan is a huge mecca for Pho is all its varieties. This version came with beef and for an extra nominal fee, oxtail. Sprouts, Thai basil, green onions and jalapenos come in the side as additions. It was delicious! A little bit spicy with a sweetness that was both hearty and light if that makes any sense. I think I will be making a little trip to nearby Madison Heights to see what other flavors we can find.

Beignets!

Beignets

Who would think that you could get beignets out of a food truck?!!! At Eastern Market you can! Now, I have never been to New Orleans so I haven't had the originals but these are good. Think of a little fritter deep fried but lighter and more airy than a donut, sprinkled in loads of powdered sugar. For the complete experience you can also have chicory coffee or even a cafe au lait. My son bought the beignets with his own money. That should be a testament to their goodness.

Shopping for Good Stuff!

Zen Dressing and Fresh Kale

Okay so everything above is not exactly health food and surely loaded with calories and fat. So you will probably be surprised to know that I was on a mission to find kale. Kale? I know, you can't believe it but it's true. The local grocery stores, including Trader Joe's have not had Kale in weeks due to some frost in Arizona that killed kale and grapes and just devastated crops. I am happy to report that Easter Market vendors had plenty of kale although one guy did inform me this was a different variety than what they usually sell.

So why do I love kale? Well I love a very specific dressing that we also buy at Eastern Market with tahini in it that is used to make kale salad, which a vendor does sell besides the dressing, along with kale chips. There are two versions of the Zensational Dressing and I go with #2 that is a little sweeter and creamier. It's made by monks and students of the Detroit Zen Center so you know that you will feel more at peace after eating some. Kale salad consists of the kale leaves stripped of the bitter stems and then tossed with the dressing. See I do eat something healthy. I actually keep the dressing at work and bring in a bowl of kale for lunch and toss right before. I think I may have some tonight for dinner.

The Main Event Today 

Reclaim Detroit

Reclaim Detroit is a division of Focus HOPE in Detroit. Think a local Salvage Dogs. They reclaim parts of houses being torn down and you can buy lumber, hard wood floors, windows. . . you name it . . . for repurposing, carpentry or crafts, or for materials in rebuilding your own home. I am now the proud owner of a cutting board that is from end pieces of lumber from an old house in Detroit. 

Awesome Cutting Board

There are lots of reasons why these cutting boards are better, the are self healing because of the ends, keep your knives sharper longer, etc. I am going to go on record that I did not want this for any of those reasons. I wanted it because it was cool and had a history.

The Husband was originally going to surprise me with this for Valentine's Day but decided a tour of the facility was just as important as the gift. He was right! It was a delight to tour the warehouse and see all those remnants of history. I have all kinds of ideas swirling in my brain right now. I have plans!