Friday, January 09, 2009

Must See TV: No Reservations (Detroit)

Hmm... From my keyboard to Anthony Bourdain's ears maybe? This is what I wrote in December 2007:
Just in case Anthony Bourdain is looking for a place to shoot next, I'd like to recommend Michigan. From pierogies in Hamtramack to pasties in the U.P., we have plenty of food and culture - and "no reservations" are required.
And this is what the Free Press wrote today:
Chef and culinary adventurer Anthony Bourdain, visiting Detroit this week to film part of an episode for his Travel Channel series “No Reservations,” says “the city fathers are not going to be happy” with the places he has chosen to feature in the show. [...]

“I’m not interested in places where we sell each other cheeseburgers,” he said. “I’m interested in places where people make things, and where Mom and Pop businesses grow up around those businesses to feed the people who make the things. … And Detroit is full of those,” he said.

Among the places he visited, he said, are Hamtramck’s Polonia restaurant, where he had “fantastic” duck’s blood soup, and Family Donut Shop, where he tried paczki as well the phyllo-wrapped pastries called bourek.
The "city fathers" may not be happy, but Hamtramck and other suburbs are "Detroit" in my mind. We're all one big family.

And although I'm not too crazy about the title of the three-city episode featuring Baltimore, Buffalo and Detroit, the “Rust Belt show, I have no doubt Bourdain will portray us realistically, rust and all. That's what I love about his show. He gets down and dirty and shows us the heart of the areas he visits.

BTW, it's due to air early next summer.

5 comments:

Lew Scannon said...

I'm sure the city fathers would prefer one of the more tonier places where everything is overpriced that make Detroit appear more upscale than it really is, but for original food, I'd take a mom and pop place serving traditional ethnic cuisine over one of the other places any day.

Anonymous said...

There was an old lady in Au Train who made pumpkin bread whenever she needed casino money..... never have I had anything like it before, and I am sure I never will again.

She's been gone awhile now. It's a shame.

Kathy said...

Lew, I agree. Whenever my husband and I find ourselves in a strange city, we always ask a local person where the best place to eat is, and it's usually much cheaper too.

JollyRoger, that lady probably took her recipe to the grave too. What a shame. I love anything made with pumpkin. If by chance she left her recipe behind, point me in the direction, okay?

Raoul Duke said...

Polonia Restaurant was a destination:

http://hamtramckstar.com/index.php/lunch-at-polonia

Kathy said...

Raoul, thanks for the link to Polonia. I loved the picture of Bourdain with Zamir. Can't wait to see the show.