Dates in Detroit : Dime Store

Last Saturday, I awoke with the spontaneous idea that we should go out for breakfast. My husband is well conditioned for this type of situation, so he was quick to produce a list he had found of recently opened restaurants.

And that my friends is how we came upon: Dime Store

Nestled in the heart of downtown Detroit, inside the historic Chrysler House Building (formerly the Dime Building, where it gets its name), is this gem of an American eatery.

The Dime store is a cozy and vibrant brunch bar with a vintage feel that pays homage to its namesake, the dime. They serve "scratch-made" breakfast and lunch, as well as an after-work drinks and bar bites menu.

As it was a Saturday, the place was bustling, but we were quickly seated at a table straight out of the 1950's.
Our waiter welcomed us with the phrase, "We serve breakfast and lunch all day, eat all of it!" No kidding!

As we browsed the menu, a few things stood out to me. They paid attention to the little details: from the locally sourced Zingerman's coffee, to the housemade ingredients, and creative combinations of traditional plates with an upscale twist. The walls were tastefully accented with chalkboard decor and dime-themed art. Staff were warm, friendly and gave off the feeling that they were just as excited to be there as we were!

We decided to start with two cups of the delicious coffee, followed by an order of  brioche french toast with bacon for me and the duck bop hash for him (see below for pictures with descriptions).

Oh, the coffee! It was a delicious medium roast blend with a smooth finish. So good!

What can I say about french toast, besides the fact that I love it. Here are the details that stood out about this particular dish: the brioche bread made it both crispy and dense in the right way, the 'real' maple syrup added richness, and the bacon was thick cut and not over-done (hallelujah!)

Dime store is popularly acclaimed for their use of duck confit in recipes, and this hash was no exception. The potatoes were cooked to perfection with just enough seasoning, the fried egg and spicy korean glaze complimented well, but the duck confit was the star. I have never ordered duck before, and I was lucky to sample a taste. It was a melt-in-your-mouth experience, with a hint of caramelized sweetness at the end. If that makes no sense to you, go and try it for yourself, it was so very good!

Overall our first experience at Dime Store, left us wanting to come back for more! It's a quick hop across the river on 719 Griswold, and is open weekdays (8am-9pm) for breakfast, lunch, and bar bites after work; as well as  Saturday  for all-day breakfast or lunch (10am-2pm).

Check out their Website or Facebook page for upcoming events, current hours and menu offerings.

Essex County Wine and Dine

One of the special outings that my hubby and I enjoyed a few times this summer was heading down the highway to the shores of Lake Erie.

If you're not from around here, then let me quickly introduce you to Essex County, the southern-most part of Ontario. We are made up of  roadside farm stands, bountiful wineries, bike trails, greenhouses and natural beauty all surrounded by freshwater lakes and steeped in history.

The north shore of Lake Erie is home to several wineries which benefit from the longest growing season in Ontario. The warm summer heat, combined with the cool lake breeze, allows for a bountiful harvest of robust grapes and full-bodied wines.

In this post, I will highlight two wineries that I particularly enjoy for the atmosphere and wine selection. However, I would recommend making the trip and deciding for yourself!  The summer months are particularly full of opportunities to head to the county for a festival or special event. In addition, many of the wineries offer complimentary wine tastings and if you are up for adventure you could join a wine tour! (See below for websites)

Viewpointe Estate Winery is definitely on our list of favourites because of their wine selection and picturesque setting. I tend to enjoy wines on the sweeter end of the spectrum, and so the Viewpointe Auxerrois, keeps us coming back time and again. They also serve dinner on Friday nights and lunch throughout the week, so we love to go and enjoy a relaxed meal on their patio.
Check them out at: http://www.viewpointewinery.com/

Who can resist this view!

A newer winery to the scene is Oxley Estate Winery a converted farm land, complete with barn! I had heard word of this winery several months ago, and sampled some of their offerings at the local farmer's market, so I knew we had to go! They too have a restaurant which serves lunch on the weekends and dinner on Friday and Saturday, so we took a little jaunt out to Oxley a few weekends ago. We were pleasantly surprised by the variety of wines, modern yet rustic feel and adorable patio area where we could enjoy a glass with dinner.
Check them out at: http://www.oxleyestatewinery.com/

Though the weather is starting to grow cold, the wineries are still open for business. Many have fall-themed events, so check out their websites and Facebook pages for updates.

For more information on the area and wineries, check out this website: http://winecountryontario.ca/lake-erie-north-shore-pelee-island/

If you love to hop on your bicycle and travel through the countryside while stopping for a sip along the way, then a Wine Trail Ride is for you! Check out the amazing bike tours by WindsorEats: http://windsoreats.com/wineride/

Welcome Fall, Welcome All!

As summer gives way to fall and the air picks up with a crisp, cool breeze, a new season of flavours and smells takes over my senses and gets me a little excited.

In short, I love fall.

I love the sweeter scents, the richer flavours, the bounty of foods and the cozy sweaters. Don't get me wrong, this girl loves summer with a passion...but fall is the foodie season that I love most!

So it makes sense that the winds of change lead me back here...

Its been a big year for me. There have been moments of change and times of growth. I've been busy with so many different things, that I couldn't take the time to sit and type these words with energy. 

Here are the highlights since we last spoke, in no particular order: 
- I traveled to Colombia (yes, South America) and there attended dear friends' wedding, met kindred spirits from around the globe, rappelled down a 400 ft waterfall and I still don't know how to speak Spanish.

- I've traveled to the Great Smokey Mountains and deepened my love for the  South.

- My love and I traveled back to the place where our marriage started, and enjoyed a vacation in one of my favorite spots, the Gulf Coast of Florida.

- I fulfilled my dream of starting my own private practice (on the side), and still love the challenge of balancing all that comes with working for myself.

- I helped to create a cookbook for my place of work, which was a massive labour of love, but an accomplishment that I am very proud of!

- I sampled new restaurants both at home in Windsor and abroad, which I can't wait to share!

-I've matured in my cooking/baking...okay, mostly cooking. I can now proudly say that I have not yet gluten-ized (fairly certain that is not a word) my dear friends. 

-I've hosted parties, brunches, a baby shower, and varied groups of friends and family in our home.

- I've deepened friendships, I've become more settled in my home, my new church, my place of work, my family and my marriage...

And so here I am, trying to keep a little blog alive with a refreshed perspective.

I hope you like the new look, its a bit more modern and clean. The content will follow suit as well, with a few more pictures and maybe a few less words (hard for a speech pathologist, I must admit).

The first entries to follow will be some of my favourite fall recipes and two wineries that we enjoyed this summer. Can't wait to share it all with you!

Beautiful Colombia

Fresh Colombian oranges

Colombian coffee, straight from the source!

Gulf Sunsets

My guilty pleasure: Southern Fried Okra!

One of my favourite places on earth