The March Hit List: Prime + Proper, Detroit Institute of Bagels, Khom Fai, and More

All eyes may be on Heirloom Hospitality’s sparkling new Mad Nice restaurant this month, but older sister Prime + Proper is making its own case for “new Detroit institution” status six years in. Recession? If the crowded weekday dining room at this luxe Capitol Park steakhouse were an economic indicator, it’d say, “What recession?”

Improbably busier than ever under relatively new executive chef Anthony DiRienzo, P+P isn’t slowing down. Turns out Detroit really loves a place with proper caviar service, decadent raw seafood platters, and dry-aged steaks treated and presented like Boucheron jewelry. But it’s not all sparkle and smoke;  dedicated staff remain the true stars of this luxe fine-dining dance, delivering service that shines a level or two above the norm.

Detroit is a city of second chances and comeback stories. So it’s fitting that this decade-old Detroit bagel institution that shuttered its flagship Corktown location amid the pandemic has found new life for itself and the former Ochre Bakery space it now occupies in Core City.

Since reopening in mid-February, the Institute has been offering its trademark chewy New York-style bagels, schmears, and sandwiches for carryout only, but that will soon change as the business gets its footing in the new space and expands to full service. For now, order online and enjoy in the adjacent Core City park. Few things make for a perfect spring day like a Lew Silver sammie on a sesame bagel and the warm sunshine on your face.

Find more info here.

All the way on the other end of the dining spectrum, Shun Ramen & Sushi quietly opened its doors in the old Chen’s Noodle space in Madison Heights last summer. Owned and operated by Malaysian father-son duo Weng and Kevin Chai, Shun delivers affordable sushi rolls and spot-on bowls of piping hot ramen out of a no-frills space with high-top seating.

Truth be told, there’s not much need for atmosphere when the food is this good. Weng, the elder Chai, once ran a sushi restaurant on Long Island, and Kevin spent a month in Osaka studying one-on-one with a ramen master, who taught him the craft of the unctuous 24-hour ramen broth and how to make springy noodles in house. Those skills are on full display;  a subtle smoke flavor permeates the shoyu, and the creamy vegan ramen is just as hearty as traditional tonkatsu. If you’re looking for spice, try the tantanmen for a Japanese take on Sichuan dan dan noodles. Milder palates will find solace in the Tawainese-style beef soup, a holdover from the space’s previous iteration.

No reservations. More info here.

Finding a great restaurant meal in the far northern suburbs can be challenging, but for decades the Sonjeow family has been making it a little easier. Brothers Chris and Isaiah Sonjeow come from a long line of Thai chefs, and since 2010 have been carrying the family torch with this effort in Macomb. A 2020 renovation expanded the dining room, adding high ceilings and an upscale touch to the interior.

Here, traditional pad thai and other takeout staples share space with fun, Thai-inspired riffs on poutine (waffle fries topped with massaman curry beef), fish tacos (with panang curry aioli), and spicy crab rangoon (spiked with Sriracha and ghost pepper). The heat goes down better with well-crafted margaritas or tiki-inspired cocktails from the full bar.

We couldn’t mention dining in Detroit’s far northern suburbs without mentioning The Meeting House, Jason Mood and chef Christopher Johnson’s decade-old Rochester hot spot, known for its legendary brunch. This New American bistro builds on the foundational years the proprietors spent at the iconic Beverly Hills Grill, updating that experience with a more modern menu that blends influences as disparate as Italy and the American South. On the plate, that means dishes like honey-balsamic braised short ribs served atop soft polenta with figs, and shrimp bucatini undergirded by tasso ham and okra. Reservations available for parties of six or more, and you’ll need ‘em especially for weekend brunch.

Earlier in his career, chef Amado Lopez worked for James Beard-awarded chefs Charlie Trotter, Rick Bayless, and Shawn McClain, all of whom ran rarified restaurants at the upper echelons of Chicago dining. So it came as a bit of a surprise to Lopez that his own recent recognition from the James Beard Foundation (as a 2023 semifinalist in the Emerging Chef category) came only after trading the pressure cooker of fine dining for a humble taco pop-up turned permanent fixture in the quaint suburb of Berkley.

In-the-know food types have been making the pilgrimage for Lopez’s takes on taqueria classics since he began his taco takeovers of Atomic Dawg in 2020. Last year, Casa Amado took over Atomic Dawg completely. The single-page menu is made up almost entirely of tacos, quesadillas, and — a holdover from the Atomic days — Sonoran-style hot dogs. Order your at the counter and find a seat upstairs in the cozy wood-paneled dining room.

No reservations. Find more info here.

Puebla-born chef Junior Merino is another culinary star hiding in plain sight in a Detroit suburb not exactly known for its Mexican culinary offerings. Named an official Ambassador of Gastronomy and Tourism by Mexico City in 2011, Merino first made a name for himself as “The Liquid Chef” in New York City’s mixology movement of the early aughts. Since 2017, he and his wife and business partner Heidi have run an exceptional, off-the-beaten-taco-path Nuevo Latino street food restaurant in Dearborn.

Most recently, M Cantina made waves for banning children from its dining room in an effort to offer child-free, reservations-only dining for adults. The good news for families? You can still get Merino’s chicken tinga empanadas and duck carnitas tacos to go.

While we’re on the theme of national stars hiding out in the suburbs, we might as well make a stop at Clawson’s Sozai, where former Seattleite and sustainable sushi pioneer Hajime Sato churns out omakase for the people beginning at 5:03 p.m. every Tuesday through Saturday. The unconventional opening time sets the tone for the unconventional sushi that you might be served during your chef-guided meal at Sato’s counter, where farm-raised bluefin tuna might be followed by Great Lakes walleye or an unagi substitute made from catfish. A newcomer to the Great Lakes region, Sato recently made the Beard awards’ semifinalist list in the nationwide Outstanding Chef category. Take a three- or four-hour journey into ethically raised and harvested seafood to find out why.

Call 248-677-3232 for reservations.

Marrow chef-partner Sarah Welch recently returned from a month-long honeymoon in Southeast Asia with her husband, Mink executive chef Cameron Rolka, and you can bet that culinary postcards from their adventure through South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam will begin arriving on their respective restaurants’ menus soon.

In the meantime, Welch is planning to host fellow Bravo Top Chef alum Sara Hauman of Portland’s Tiny Fish Co. for a special collaborative dinner at Marrow on March 22. In addition to regular dinner service and hosting guest chefs, Marrow also plays host to rotating workshops, including an upcoming kimchi and pickling workshop and a dumpling class with local food influencer MyThy Huynh.

Known for consistently raising the level of craft and service in every one of its beverage-driven properties around the city, the Detroit Optimist Society hospitality group took a sharp left toward a no-fuss shot and beer bar with its latest venture. The group brought new life to the old Casey’s Pub with the Last Chance Saloon, which opened a few months back and describes itself as “your dad’s ‘70s hangout.” There’s no reinvention going on here. Just good Wisconsin old fashioneds and Harvey Wallbangers, $4 canned beers, and $5 shot-and-beer combos to get you through the end of the day without having to think too hard.