Bucharest Grill and Park Bar

The Bucharest Grill and Park Bar are a pair of harmonious roommates, sharing a lovely ground floor residence located at 2040 Park Ave.  Step up to the Bucharest Grill counter to order your food then take a seat in Park Bar, order a beer and wait for your meal to be served.

Bucharest Shwarma!

I will start with the shwarma.  In my opinion, one of the most crucial elements of a tasty wrap, shwarma, rollup, what have you - is certainly the pita.  Bucharest just knocks it out of the park.  So starchy and soaked with delicious shwarma juices, the casing for this tasty treat definitely exceeded my standards.  The vegetables were all grilled and fresh.  The sandwich was absolutely packed with rice, fried potatoes, the juicy and delectable pieces of chicken breast along with the veggies, garlic and hummus.  Bucharest really knows how to pack a punch into a wrap. And the accompaniments were equally as satisfying...

Restaurant Experienced - Red Smoke Barbeque

If you are from the area and you consider yourself educated in the finer styling of barbecue in Detroit, then Red Smoke is a must-EAT.  As the city of Detroit begins to rebound, new restaurants like Red Smoke are going to open and challenge the status quo.  For five years, it was prudent to point beef brisket-seeking visitors to the city of Detroit towards Slows Bar B Q on Michigan Avenue.  With few competitors willing to stand in the ring, Slows has championed the most scrumptious compilation of barbecue flavors seen in Detroit since it opened in the Corktown neighborhood in 2005.  However, Red Smoke in Detroit's Greektown neighborhood is the new kid in town, and he is about ready for everyone to know his name!

Bringing with it a new flavor and a youthful spirit, Red Smoke has officially submitted a claim for the throne in the realm of Detroit barbecue.

Pictured above is the Triple Play, straight off of the Red Smoke menu.  The tenderness of the three meat dishes can be summed up quite simply: I did not need a knife.  By simply setting the side of my fork atop the tender breast of chicken and applying little more pressure than provided by the weight of my right arm, the delicious meat, wrapped tightly with sticky, crunchy skin, came melting off the bone.  The chicken was far and away the highlight for me.  The consistency of the pulled pork was almost incomparable.  I am not sure I ever really understood the notion of melting in your mouth until now.  The beef brisket had ideal texture and flavor to compliment the rest of the meal. In the end, the portions were too much for me to (def)eat in one sitting and I was forced to sacrifice substantial quantity in order to fight another day. 

OFFICIAL iEATdetroit BBQ POWER RANKINGS

Rank	Restaurant
1	Red Smoke

So, this marks the first entry into the Detroit BBQ Power Rankings.  Each time I review a restaurant, it will be inserted into the Power Rankings chart that corresponds to the type of food served at the restaurant.  Restaurants will be able to appear on more than one Power Rankings list.  For example, the Hamburger Power Rankings might include restaurants that will also be competing for the #1 spot on the Steakhouse Power Rankings list.  All aspects of a restaurant will be taken into consideration.  The food, the service, the atmosphere, location and price are all things that go into my decision.  As of today, there is one list, with one restaurant.  I guess I better get eating!

Detroit Restaurant Week

Just a reminder that Detroit Restaurant Week is under way.  Started on Friday April 20th, 2012 and ending on Sunday April 29th, Restaurant Week is a favorite tradition of mine.  I always believe in trying new things... When better than now?  The deal is simple. $28 per person for a three-course meal at one of twenty-one participating restaurants.  Drinks, tax and gratuity are not included.

Check out the website for Restaurant Week.  Here are the participating restaurants.  Call now for reservations or book a table through Open Table.  It might be easier to find some openings during the week but I would not hesitate to make a reservation.
I tried to get to one of my favorite spots last weekend but there were simply no tables available at any restaurants.  Which made me feel like this:

The face of disappointment

If 1950s era settings and formal dining is what piques your interest, take an adventure to The Caucus Club.  Two beautiful dining rooms, classic booths and the incredible wooden bar set the mood.  Oh, and some awesome food.  At one time the host to many advertising executives, Motor City bigwigs and lawyers all trying to make deals, the Caucus Club was a men's only dining room until 1971.  It was also the first paying job of Barbara Streisand who used to sing in the back room starting in 1961. If you go, try the Bullshot, the house specialty drink. It is a mixture of beef broth, vodka and spices invented in 1952 and guaranteed to put some hair on your chest.  The Caucus Club, in the historic Penobscot Building, has some particularly tantalizing photographs of some of the Restaurant Week offerings online. Thanks to MLive.

Pesto grilled chicken breast over vegetable marinara on the Restaurant Week Menu

"Detroit is a city that has seen many changes. The Caucus Club is a tribute to history. A place that is consistent on quality and service. A great place for business lunch, romantic dinner or a stop before the theatre, opera, sporting events or a night at the gaming tables." -- Tribute to the Caucus Club website.

Eat well everyone!