Where to Eat in December: Basan Detroit, Forest, Oggi, and More

This izakaya-esque venture from the Four Man Ladder hospitality group (Grey Ghost, Second Best) debuted on the ground floor of the historic Eddystone Hotel in mid-November with the kind of buzz that felt like it came from the before times. The group recruited chef Eric Lees from Spiaggia in Chicago to head Basan’s kitchen, where Lees turns out lobster-yuzu bao buns and skewers of A5 wagyu beef from the robata grill. With Will Lee at the helm of the group’s drinks, you can bet that Basan’s cocktail program — overseen here by Detroit bar veteran Alex Kirles — is sure to bring the heat. The bright purple Ube-B cocktail has already emerged as an early Instagram star.

The big news out of camp Heirloom Hospitality is the forthcoming debut of Mad Nice: think coastal California chic vibes by way of Italy, anticipated to debut in late 2022. Until then, all eyes are on Heirloom’s other recent project, Cash Only, relaunched as a high-end supper club in the spring and turning out luxurious plates Friday and Saturday nights to complement the live entertainment and fancy dress code. Want to get snazzy and pretend you’re a glamorous Hollywood star for a night out in Detroit? Cash Only is about as close as it gets.

Just across 2nd Ave. from Mad Nice, you’ll find Season’s Market & Cafe, a long-awaited project from the folks who run the nearby Green Garage and El Moore Lodge. As with their sister businesses, sustainability is at the heart of Season’s Market’s offerings, showcased in the central Farmers Stand at the heart of the market as well as the curated dry goods that line its shelves. Grab a coffee or a smoothie from the cafe so you can sip while you shop from your neighbors all in one location.

Find more info here.

This community-driven Corktown cafe’s pandemic-led demise last year signaled just how bad the operating climate had gotten for area restaurants. Thankfully, owner Deveri Gifford couldn’t stay down long, as the Brooklyn Street Local reopened for regular business in early November with a more casual counter-service model and its beloved poutines and quiches intact. BSL has always been a home to up-and-coming pop-ups, even during its downtime, and that aspect of the business still remains.

Follow Brooklyn Street Local on Instagram for the latest.

With the beloved Lebanese restaurant Phoenicia closed for a long-needed kitchen renovation and remodel, where do you go for best-in-class Levantine cuisine in the northern suburbs and a taste of the Eid family’s trademark hospitality? One option is to trek across Woodward to the family’s modern Mediterranean restaurant Forest, which will be hosting a Phoenicia pop-up every Sunday and Monday while the flagship undergoes some maintenance. You’ll find the familiar faces of Phoenicia there twice a week, as well as a limited menu of the restaurant’s favorites. Though you could also go during Forest’s regular service hours for a more Italian-leaning dinner experience that is among the best in Michigan.

If you’re craving Phoenicia’s plump coriander-spiced makanek sausages drenched in pomegranate molasses, the crispy Samy-style baby back ribs, or the Eid family’s tangy tabbouleh, you could also make the trek down to Leila, the louder, hipper little sister to Phoenicia’s white tablecloth vibes. Leila builds on the Eid family’s recipes but attracts a younger and more diverse crowd, especially after dark when the bass really starts to bump and the Lebanita cocktails start flowing.

Another local culinary dynasty, the Yi family now offers Monday hours at their New Seoul Plaza Korean dining complex. That means you can get your K-BBQ fill at Daebak on Mondays and then head next door to Myomee Dessert Bar for an overflowing cup of bingsu. (Pro tip: Get the cookies ‘n’ cream flavor.) Recently, the plaza welcomed the permanent arrival of KPOP Station Michigan, the state’s only store dedicated entirely to K-pop music, further cementing New Seoul Plaza’s claim to being the hub of Korean culture in metro Detroit.

Earlier this fall, former Ochre Bakery chefs Talia Clark and Will Bedell began running regular Oggi pop-ups just a few doors down from where Bon Appetit magazine named their defunct bakery one of America’s best new restaurants in 2019. Operating out of a space informally known as “The Pantry,” Clark and Bedell have been most recently spending their weekends sending up classic American chain restaurants. Oggi Steakhouse featured full-on bloomin’ onions and loaded baked potatoes, while Oggi Garden offered minestrone soup as well as salad and breadsticks (though not unlimited) and other Italian-American classics. For its final weekend at The Pantry, Oggi will conjure Cracker Barrel vibes and home-style classics, cheffed-up Oggi-style. Dinner is served Saturday through Monday and then Oggi goes on a brief holiday hiatus before launching in an as-yet-undisclosed new location in January. Follow Oggi’s Instagram for announcements and details.

This demo kitchen that by day introduces Detroiters to vegan cuisine has been playing host to a buzzy monthly dining pop-up from chef Amber Beckem, inspired by some of the most groundbreaking hip hop and R&B. The Vinyl Tasting series features a set menu with individual dishes inspired by tracks from the record du jour. In October, that meant a slice of Sicilian-style pizza to send up Notorious B.I.G.’s “Unbelievable.” An Usher “Confessions” dinner in late October featured a spicy crab arrabbiata with bucatini to complement “Burn.” And Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke” took form as tempura okra, long beans, and eggplant with garlic aioli. The dinners work because, in the famous words of Stevie himself, “music is… a language we all understand.”

For future Vinyl Pairings announcements, follow Beckem on Instagram.

With the popularity of the Santa-themed Miracle pop-up leading to impossible lines at the few local places that annually host it, a group of local residents decided to try their hand at creating their own grassroots version of the holiday bar. Enter: Blitzen’s on Bagley, in the space that once housed Bagley Central. Filled with all kinds of kitschy decorations and serving seasonal drinks, the cozy gathering spot is helmed by InLaws Hospitality, who also run Green Dot Stables and Johnny Noodle King. For Blitzen’s, the InLaws have partnered with Nick Austin, best known as a radio DJ on WDET-FM, to manage the pop-up. Food from Detroit cult favorite Shell Shock’d Tacos and neighboring Goblin Sushi will be available. Blitzen’s is open 5 p.m. until midnight Thursdays through Sunday until the new year.

No reservations. Find more info here.