Foodle

With style and soul, Enomah debuted in Detroit’s Harmonie Park this year with sushi, elevated comfort food and colorful craft cocktails. This is the second venture for LaDonna Reynolds, who also owns Good Times on the Ave. Enomah is open for dinner Thurs.-Sat. and brunch on Sundays. Read the full review in today’s Detroit News 🐉💙🧡 @enomahdetroit #detroitrestaurants #restaurantreview Less

I can’t pinpoint the dish that first made me fall for @spoonandstable .

My earliest dinner there, four years ago, was on a hot late summer night, a month after I had moved eastward from the Bay Area. The ceilings were extraordinarily high; the steel bar counter seemed to run forever; all life flowed from a bright open kitchen, where nothing (openly) misses a beat; and my dining companion, a former colleague who shall remain nameless, ordered a margarita while he perused the menu for half an hour.

Because this was a Gavin Kaysen restaurant, I expected — and received — the hedonistic cues of a decorated chef in Daniel Boulud’s orbit: a surfeit of dressy components finishing the entrees; the rebellious, barely opaque fish cookery; the thin but potent sauces, like the Americane, throttled with butter. Spoon had the soul of a French-leaning New American restaurant, but in guise it leaned Midwestern. Which meant service without the (overt) airs — not like at Cafe Boulud, which I had visited as a wide-eyed, culturally-hungry student, when Kaysen was there. That’s when I realized that there was a totem pole of diners; that a maître d’s could sneer at you and still make a positive impression; and that you could pretend to be a critic — scribbling notes on a card — seeding a fantasy that would eventually come true.

Before that fantasy did, I had already found the grace notes of a restaurant where hospitality mattered. In turn, I showed affection by haranguing patient, kind servers with my unsolicited feedback on dishes both terrific and almost so.

Over the years, I’ve re-ordered only a handful of them — mostly for visiting guests — because the thrill was always the rotation: lamb two-ways; gnudi in a potent broth, crowned with purple radishes; crudos under a hail of granita; that sweet corn ravioli with nasturtium-sunflower seed pesto; roasted grouper with smoked scallop XO; and Alexandra Motz’s desserts, including a spumoni and a savory-ish cornmeal-strawberry tart that stands among the best sweets I’ve had all year.

Seventy-six dinners in, I still can’t name the dish that hooked me. But I can name the place. Thank you, Spoon, for the memories. Less

Last week, after a long day packing up the house, we went to our dear Michelin-starred @tailupgoat, two blocks away.

We had completely forgotten it was Restaurant Week. @jillmarietyler found us a lovely table, and we had what may have been the best of all the many wonderful meals we had at this charming neighborhood spot, where Chef Jon Sybert’s cooking has shone through the years.

Plus the usual tiptop service - how lucky we were to have Tail Up Goat in our own backyard.

#tailupgoat #dceats #restaurantweek #michelinstar Less

Tucked away on Johns Bridge Road in #JohnsCreek, @alzeinshawarma has been a go-to for years when it comes to bold Middle Eastern flavors. Their take on broasted chicken—a crispy classic with roots tracing back to Muslim communities in New York in the 1960s—makes this spot a must-try. Alongside #KarachiBroast, it’s one of the area’s top choices for this style of chicken.

Of course, Al Zein isn’t just about the chicken. Their shawarma brings an authentic Arabic touch, and even their cole slaw hits different. Add in their social media buzz (yes, the famous “Ashley” video), and it’s clear why this restaurant has earned loyal fans. Johns Creek is carving out a quiet reputation for hidden food gems, with Al Zein standing tall among the best.

#AtlantaFood #MediterraneanEats #AtlantaRestaurants #SyrianCuisine #BroastedChicken #ShawarmaLovers #FoodieATL #EatLocalATL #HiddenGemEats #JohnsCreekEats Less

Thanks to @luke.fortney of @nytcooking for recommending these noodles! I ran over to College Point, Queens when I saw them.

My friend @dandanzou66 said they’re just like the ones her mom makes back in Chengdu. She was super excited that the owners are from her parents’ village. It was so fun to watch them speak in their dialect together.

@littlepeppernyc folks, check it out!

#nycchinesefood #sichuanfood #sichuannoodles #queensfoodie Less