Today on the Bite Tonight: Central Kitchen + Bar
One of the newest occupants to Downtown Detroit is Central Kitchen and they’re bringing all kinds of buzz to the food scene. With a menu featuring contemporary American cuisine emphasized by blending inventive flavor ideas with seasonal and local ingredients, Central Kitchen offers something for everyone. To ensure only the finest components go into each recipe, Central Kitchen incorporates local businesses including Avalon International Breads and Corridor Sausage Company as well as Zingerman’s Coffee. A couple of my work friends, Anna and Emma, and myself decided to experience what all the hype was about. See how they ranked.
Atmosphere: 4 out of 5 bites
Price: 4 out of 5 bites
Quality/Taste: 4 out of 5 bites
Service: 4 out of 5 bites
Wow Factor: 4 out of 5 bites (unique twist on classic dishes and decor)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dark Horse Raspberry Ale: Light bodied, easy drinking ale. Real raspberries late in fermentation are used, giving this beer a mild fruit flavor while keeping a very balanced malt profile. Perfect for Summer and refreshing. Nice if you want a fruity ale that’s not super sweet.
Baby Kale Salad: Roasted red pepper, farro, gruyere cheese, Prosciutto, sweet Romano vinaigrette. Light, yet filling. The farro was new to me, but it was delicious. The saltiness from the cheese and Prosciutto was nice against the sweet and creamy vinaigrette. My new favorite salad!
Fig Flatbread: Fig jam, crispy brussel sprouts, goat cheese, balsamic reduction. Really nice balance of sweet, crunchy, and creamy. I really liked the crispiness and slight bitterness of the brussel sprouts. The goat cheese was mild, but still had a slight tang that complimented the sweetness of the fig jam. The fig jam was almost sticky from the caramelization. My only complaint was that the flatbread was more of a thin, crispy cracker, than a flat bread. I would’ve liked a thicker canvas.
Carnitas Tacos: Slow cooked pork, chayote slaw (fruit belonging to the gourd family), crema, tomatillo salsa, queso fresco. The pork was lightly seasoned and moist. The real flavor came from the condiments. The chayote slaw had a nice crunch and sweetness that went well with the heat from the salsa. The coolness from the queso fresco and crema really tied the whole taco together. I was really impressed.
Service was very good and our food came out right away. With music, a modern dining room, and very nice outdoor seating area, Central Kitchen is the perfect spot to enjoy a nice lunch or after work cocktails. Happy Hour is Monday-Friday 3-6 P.M. and offers food and drink specials. With a Sunday brunch menu coming soon, there is no other place you need to go to!
