the fly trap in ferndale, and other MI eateries

[shugah]

i saw the fly trap (a finer diner) on diners, drive-ins, and dives on food network the other day and have added it to my list of places i have got to check out! the food looks to be teh total yumm-ness! any MI DUers have a review of the place?

i really enjoy the rare occasion that i find a restaurant that is not a chain that has some character, a reputation, a unique flavor or culinary approach, good old fashioned home-cooking, something new, something different, any combination thereof...and, of course, really good food.

what are your favorite places to go for breakfast/lunch/dinner out?

[TahitiNut]

1. I'm quite fond of D'Amato's in Royal Oak

They've changed chefs twice in the past year. Prior to the first change, their Cavitappi was to die for ... rich, thick garlic/cheese sauce with a flavor that floored me. Then came the first changeover - yech. Then came the second and it's not the same but lighter ... still very good.

The menu is "Michigan Meets Northern Italian" ... somewhat unique in this state. It's cusisine more easily found in SoCal or the Bay Area ... and surprising to find here.

Only slightly pricey ... dinners run in the $teens with a couple in the $twenties. Worth it.

[shugah]

4. "Michigan Meets Northern Italian"

i can't wait to check it out!

:hi:

[book lady]

2. We stopped at the Fly Trap on a Saturday a little after 5pm

but they told us they were closed...they close at 5pm on Saturday and Sunday but are open until 9pm on weekdays. We are going to try again during the week. I like 'Blue Nile'(ethiopian fare) on 9 mile in Ferndale, Grape Leaves (mediterranean fare)on Maple and Coolidge, in shopping center. Bagger Dave's in Berkley is a nice hamburger type place too.

[shugah]

3. yeah, close at 5 pm :-(

that's going to make it inconvenient...

thanks for the other suggestions! grape leaves definitely going on my list of places i want to try!

[noonwitch]

5. Andiamo, Roma Cafe, La Dolce Vita,

Andiamo in Warren has entertainment and excellent food and wine selection. The service is terrific, too.

Roma Cafe in the Eastern Market is an old-fashioned italian place. They're expensive, like Andiamo, but the food is good, too.

La Dolce Vita, on Woodward just north of McNichols, has the best brunch. It's a gay-friendly place, too. I found it when I lived in the neighborhood.

If I have the time, I like to eat at Pronto in Royal Oak. Unfortunately, their service is as slow as their food is good, so it's not a place to take little kids to. Margerite's on Woodward and Catalpa is pretty good mexican food, and Rexy's Bankok diner in the shopping center at Woodward and 13 is the best Thai food around.

[TahitiNut]

6. "the best Thai food around"??

Well, hell ... I gotta try that. It's right in my neighborhood. I'd love to munch down a Thai "salad" ... it's been a long time.

[shugah]

7. i'm going to try margerite's for sure

i have not been able to find any decent mexican or even tex-mex since i left texas, and i'd be so happy to find some! in fact, i wish we'd gone there today instead of to the fly trap.

thanks for the suggestions!

[shugah]

8. my review of the fly trap

it took way too looooooooooooooong to get something to eat there. i anticipated it might be crowded (around noon-thirty), and it was. we were seated fairly quickly - only had to stand out in the cold for about 5 minutes. but after we ordered it took over 45 minutes to get our food. the place isn't big enough that there were that many orders before us that we should have to wait that long.

the salmon burger is excellent. the lemongrass pho bowl has a very good broth, but the veggies are way overcooked, and lacking flavor. and, of course, the french fries were cold. plus, my soda was flat.

not worth the wait. :-(

[shugah]

13. i had lunch at pronto the other day

you're right - very yummy chow! i had the chicken salad.

we were there after the lunch rush, so the service was good, and prompt.

[1gobluedem]

9. Ann Arbor is bursting with great local restaurants

My favorites are Northside Grill for breakfast, Red Hawk for lunch, and Argerio's Italian Restaurant for dinner. And there's Zingerman's of course and Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burgers which was also recently spotlighted on Diners, Dives, and Drive Ins.

I'm not a big fan of Indian, Thai, or Sushi but there are tons of those restaurants too. And a new Cuban place. All in all, too many great local restaurants to list.

[dragonlady]

10. Don't forget Seva! Excellent vegetarian food

We make it a point to go there every time we get to Michigan. With a big ice cream cone from the Washtenaw Dairy for dessert.

[noonwitch]

11. I haven't been there in a while, but Seva is really good.

I don't get to AA much these days. They can meet anyone's food needs-they have total vegetarian, vegan, and food that has cheese in it for non-vegetarians like me who just want a light, healthy meal.

[shugah]

12. i did see blimpy burgers on DD&DIs

i don't eat beef, so it didn't really appeal ... even my son, who is a great fan of teh burger was not overly enthused about that one.

we do get over to ann arbor from time to time - they have that anime store, so next time we are heading in that direction, i'll note your suggestions. thanks!

[TahitiNut]

14. Well, we finally went to Como's in Ferndale on Friday night.

Awesome. (Camp. Wacky. Circus.)

The food is ordinary, at best. I'll probably think of it as a place for pizza - on the patio, when it opens for spring. I had the veal parmesan. Eh. Nothing to write home about ... but nothing really wrong with it, either.

But ... the PEOPLE! I was in Hog Heaven! Old. Young. Straight. Gay. Black. White. Brown. Single parents. Couples of all kinds. I met the owner -- 47 years of professional people orientation - and her granddaughter.

For fruit cake folks as strange and bizarre as me ... it's wallow-worthy. I'll definitely be back, maybe monthly.