550. Sahara Mediterranean Grill – March 20, 2022 – Shelby Township, MI

Sahara Mediterranean Grill: SO worthy of a revisit!

I want to dine in this Shelby Township restaurant’s gorgeous dining room, with its sleek neutrals (white walls, black marble, black leather banquettes, gleaming gold accents, honeycomb-tile mosaic of white, black, gray, and gold), its glitz and glam (chandeliers of interlocking crystal-and-gold squares) and pops of color (chairs upholstered in turquoise velvet). I want to order a glass of wine and joke with the friendly and funny owner. And the food! I want to savor all of it: the kabobs and the kafta, the shawarma and the eggplant salad and the garlic sauce – lots and LOTS of garlic sauce.

I didn’t dine in during this visit to Sahara. I ordered carryout after a busy afternoon of errands and picked it up and wished I were dining in. But once I got home, I was totally content to be there with my stash of delicious food. The hummus was decadently rich and creamy and came in a much larger portion than I’d expected (it filled a standard-sized to-go container). The fattoush salad was fresh and flavorful, with deliciously zesty dressing. I especially loved it with the shawarma chicken add-on. That chicken was SO good! It was perfectly seasoned and perfectly tender.

My home is much less elegant than Sahara’s dining room, but Sahara’s food elevated my environment that Sunday evening.

45199 Market St.

Shelby Twp., MI 48315

www.saharagrill.com

543. Barleycorn’s Public House – January 12, 2022 – Shelby Township, MI

What a way to kick off my 2022 dining diary, with a visit to Barleycorn’s Public House!

The Shelby Township-based restaurant sure knows how to make a Wednesday night feel special! I dug its luxe yet inviting interior, its sage-colored walls, industrial-chic chandeliers, and brick-fronted bar with gleaming shelves of spirits, plants, and fancy knickknacks. I took a cozy seat at one of the wrap-around booths.

Barleycorn’s has an impressive bar selection, with a myriad of craft cocktails, beers on taps, and wines by the glass and bottle. I enjoyed a glass of pinot noir. And while I didn’t make it in time for Happy Hour, I appreciate that Barleycorn’s has a generous one. It runs from 2-6 p.m. on Sundays and Tuesdays through Fridays, and both food and drink specials are available, including a $10 Burger + Pint special.

Barleycorn’s food menu is a mix of starters, sandwiches, salads, flatbreads, and comfort-food-oriented entrées such as Fish and Chips, Brick Chicken (Chicken Marsala), Meatloaf, and Beef Tip and Portabella Gnocchi.

I opted for that Meatloaf, which was phenomenal! A rich gravy of caramelized onions and bacon jam coated the tender meat, which lay on a bed of creamy, smoked gouda-infused grits. Chunks of maple-glazed carrots were also infused with the delicious gravy. I know decadent isn’t the first word that comes to mind when you think meatloaf, but that’s what Barleycorn’s meatloaf is: decadent! It’s So. Very. GOOD. A girl could get used to eating such meatloaf!

And a girl could get used to visiting Barleycorn’s Public House. It’s a revisit-worthy type of place that can make any day feel like a singular treat!

50985 Hayes Rd.

Shelby Twp., MI 48315

www.barleycornspublichouse.com

505. 900 Degrees Pizzeria Bistro – March 30, 2021 – Shelby Township, MI

March 30, 2021 was momentous for me. Not only was it the day I visited Yell Sweets bakery, it was also the day I visited 900 Degrees Pizzeria Bistro . . . AND dined inside a restaurant for the FIRST TIME IN OVER A YEAR!!!

For someone who adores restaurants – especially locally-owned ones (hence, this blog), this milestone in the topsy-turvy pandemic voyage was a BIG deal. Being fully vaccinated gave me the confidence to eat inside restaurants again, and I was READY.

Driving to the restaurant on that fateful day, my stomach was aflutter with nerves as if I were going on a first date! And in a way, I was: it was my first date back with the indoor-dining experience.

Sitting down at a table inside 900 Degrees and taking off my mask was the oddest sensation. It all felt so wrong: to be sitting there with the air kissing my face, conversing with the masked server while I was sans face covering. I’ll never forget that initial mix of disconcertment and excitement.

It felt very full-circle to have my first meal back be with the same person I’d last dined indoors with: my friend Jessica (our visit to Guiseppe’s in Chesterfield was two days after the first recorded COVID-19 case in Michigan and four days before my personal lockdown began).

Once Jessica arrived at 900 Degrees and I started sipping my drink, I relaxed into the experience. By the end of our dinner, it felt totally normal to be doing this once-normal thing that had been made foreign by very unnormal circumstances.

This meal at 900 Degrees was everything I’d hoped it would be! It started off with a shared Caprese, which was excellent with its fresh mozzarella and flavorful tomatoes and basil. Then I had the very fresh, very tasty house salad. My entree was the Pappardelle al Ragù di Agnello, a delicious melding of thick egg noodles and tomato sauce rich with ground lamb and flavor. My meal finished with a delectably creamy tiramisu.

Seeing lamb ragu on 900 Degrees’ menu made my entree choice an easy one – it’s one of my go-to dishes. But as I review the menu, I’m reminded of how many enticing choices the Italian bistro has. Its specialty is pizzas cooked in its wood-fired oven, and the menu reflects that: there are 20 different types of pizza on the current menu. Choices range from Pesto to Calzone to Fig & Pig (a tantalizing mix of mozzarella, burrata, prosciutto, fig jam, and crushed walnuts). The menu also boasts hefty pasta and meat-centric sections, featuring dishes such as Lasagna al Forno, Lobster Ravioli, Branzino alla Griglia (grilled sea bass), and Vitello Saltimbocca (veal layered with prosciutto, sage, and white wine sauce).

As I drove home from dinner that night, I couldn’t stop thinking about how special that meal at 900 Degrees Pizzeria Bistro felt. I told myself, “I never want to forget this feeling!” And I haven’t. That first night back inside restaurants reminded me that having the ability to dine out is truly a privilege. I don’t want to take that privilege – or the fact that I’m still here – for granted.

50925 Hayes Rd.

Shelby Twp., MI 48315

www.900pizzeria.com

504. Yell Sweets – March 30, 2021 – Shelby Township, MI

I have such sweet memories of Yell Sweets! The Shelby Township-based bakery makes PHENOMENAL cupcakes, which I learned from my March visit.

I went to Yell Sweets to purchase a birthday gift for a friend – and a gift for myself (because I couldn’t leave that bakery without something for little old me, as well!). The timing of my visit was fortuitous because it was a Tuesday, and Tuesdays at Yell Sweets are $2 cupcake day! Once I learned that, I asked the kind staff member assisting me to please add more cupcakes to the for-me pile.

That for-me order consisted of Peanut Butter Cup, Strawberry Crunch, Banana Pudding, and Carrot cupcakes. I purchased nearly the same order for my friend, swapping the Carrot cupcake for a Solder Boi (a red-white-and-blue-hued melding of cherry, blue raspberry, and vanilla flavors).

All four of the cupcakes I got were AMAZING, so it’s hard to pick a favorite. If I had to, I’d go with the Carrot, which was a super-moist carrot cake cupcake dotted with raisins and nuts and slathered with Yell Sweet’s oh-so-good cream cheese frosting. The Peanut Butter Cup also stole my heart with its rich chocolate cupcake and swirl of peanut butter frosting topped with a bunny-shaped, peanut-butter-filled chocolate candy (love that finishing touch!). The Strawberry Crunch was a tasty melding of strawberry-and-vanilla marbled cake, cream cheese frosting, and a strawberry crumb crust. And the Banana Pudding cupcake wasn’t messing around with its sumptuous banana pudding center!

These flavors are only a drop in the bucket when it comes to Yell Sweets cake offerings. Check out the bakery’s website for more enticing choices and for pictures of its pretty cupcakes and elaborate custom cakes.

14142 Lakeside Blvd. North

Shelby Twp., MI 48315

www.yellsweets.com

485. Lula’s Café – November 5, 2020 – Shelby Township, MI

Yay for Lula’s Café!

The Shelby Township-based restaurant/coffee shop serves an assortment of caffeinated beverages and meals that are both healthful and decadent (see the Buddha quinoa bowl with its goat cheese, egg, and assortment of veggies and the “Chocolate” Pudding made from avocado, cacao, and maple syrup). It boasts breakfast-centric items such as the goodness-laden Acai Bowl and hearty Breakfast Burrito, plus protein-and-plant-packed bowls, salads, wraps, and smoothies.

The café’s interior is minimalist-chic with its predominantly black-and-white color palette and exposed-bulb lighting, but it also manages to feel cozy and welcoming, with homey touches such as chalkboard menus and a profusion of potted plants. The staff member who assisted me augmented those welcoming vibes with her kind and conversational demeanor; she made me feel at home at Lula’s, even though I was there for only a few minutes.

I contemplated lingering longer when I saw Lula’s patio. With its cheerful lime-green chairs and strands of overhead lights, it enticed me to sit and stay a while. I almost did! But after hours of running errands, my home’s pull exuded more power.

My lunch from Lula’s, the Southwest salad (sans cheese), was AWESOME with its ample chunks of tender grilled chicken, turkey bacon, corn, diced red onion, and avocado on a bed of fresh spinach and drizzled with creamy chipotle dressing. This was my second time eating the salad; a friend had brought me carryout from Lula’s back in September. Because somewhere doesn’t count as a new-place visit unless I go there myself, I had an excuse to again eat from Lula’s – which I’m more than happy to have done!

45271 Market St.

Shelby Twp., MI 48315

www.lulas-cafe.com

457. Vast Kitchen and Bar – January 7, 2020 – Shelby Township, MI

Vast Kitchen and Bar = my first culinary crush of 2020!

I thoroughly enjoyed my dining experience at this Shelby Township-based restaurant. Everything about it was fantastic: the ambiance, the service, the drinks, the food. I’m all about starting a new year off strong, and Vast helped me to do that, transforming what would have otherwise been an ordinary Tuesday night in early January into a gastronomical voyage!

Walking into Vast, I instantly felt at home. Its interior exudes modern class and coziness with its rich red walls, dark leather booths, glossy wood finishes, and rows of backlit bottles gleaming above the bar.

The server who waited on me and the friend I dined with at Vast made the place feel even more welcoming. Friendly, helpful, and professional, she provided excellent service. A former waitress, I can’t help but be attuned to the level of customer care provided at a restaurant; it can truly make or break a meal for me. Thanks to our server at Vast for helping to make the experience awesome!

On to the drinks! From Vast’s selection of signature cocktails, I selected the Tradition in Fashion, an amped-up Old Fashioned that was perfection with its bourbon melded with raw sugar, cherry liqueur, and black walnut-flavored bitters. I enjoyed it so much that I ordered a second (twist my arm!).

Superior ambiance, service, and drinks: I was already swooning over Vast at this point. And then came the pièce de résistance: the meal I ordered as my entrée, the Signature Meat Loaf.

This meat loaf is by far THE BEST I have ever had. Drenched in gravy, served on a bed of mashed potatoes and creamed corn, it was rich, tender, flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness – and topped with delectably crispy-battered onion rings, to boot. It was SO SO SO SO GOOD.

According to Vast’s menu, this meatloaf is crafted from a mix of meats: ground beef, pork, and veal. And according to my taste buds, it’s crafted from PURE MAGIC.

Besides offering that mythic-level meatloaf, Vast’s dinner menu contains a collection of upscale appetizers (see the Tuna Poke Bowl, Pei Mussels, and Beef Carpaccio), burgers, salads, steaks, seafood dishes, and other hearty entrées. I doubt I could go there and order anything other than that Signature Meat Loaf as long as it’s on the menu, but I can see how dishes such as the Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna and the Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Pasta would be just as tempting.

Vast Kitchen and Bar, it’s official: I’m in crush with you! Thank you for being you and for providing such a top-notch dining experience.

52969 Van Dyke Rd.

Shelby Twp., MI 48316

www.vastkitchenandbar.com

207. Filippa’s – November 3, 2016 – Shelby Township, MI

I’ve been curious about Filippa’s for a long time. Several of my coworkers from my longtime serving job that I held in my late 20s had previously worked for years at that restaurant, and stories they told about the place – legends, really – piqued my curiosity. A few of my other server friends now work there, and I knew that they were happy with the place and that it was supposed to be quite a classy establishment.

(Tangent: if you’ve ever worked in a restaurant, you’re familiar with how intertwined the server network can be – everyone works with someone who knows someone they worked with at that other place . . . the interconnections never ceases to amaze me!).

Random fact: Teen Mom aficianados may also remember Filippa’s as the restaurant where Tyler proposed to Catelynn back in like Season 1 (yes, I used to be a devotee of that show). A friend who was working there that day said they filmed their entrance through the restaurant door alone like three times. Teen Mom gossip!

Last Thursday, I was definitely not at Filippa’s for a Catelynn/Tyler spotting. I was there to celebrate my friend’s upcoming nuptials. A group of us ladies had appetizers and drinks there before moving on to a wine-and-painting bachelorette soiree.

I unfortunately didn’t take any photos of the restaurant’s interior, but the bar area where we sat was quite swanky. I was told the restaurant had recently underwent renovations, and they apparently went well; the place gives off a very solid, polished vibe. The bar area was busy, most likely due to the happy hour specials; every day from 3 to 6 p.m. there are half-off appetizers, $5 glasses of wine and martinis (of the latter, I had a delightful chocolate one), and $3 draft beers and well drinks. I’m not sure whether the Cajun steak bites I ordered qualified as a half-off appetizer, to be honest; I was having so much fun, I didn’t pay attention. But damn, was that steak juicy and flavorful! Two-thumbs-up to the notion of stopping by Filippas’s for some post-work drinks and grub when you have the chance.

45125 Mound Rd.

Shelby Twp., MI 48317

www.filippas.com

174. Las Tortugas Taqueria – April 30, 2016 – Shelby Township, MI

Utica represented on 100 Places in the D! Or so I thought. On Saturday, in a fit of desperation, I went on Yelp to find a new place to visit. It was the last day of April, and I needed to hit my quota of going to at least one local place located within a new-to-the-blog city a month. I’d procrastinated on it all month. Plus, I was in a lazy-day Saturday mood and didn’t want to drive far. Las Tortugas Taqueria was the first result to pop up for nearby Utica restaurants. Because it had excellent ratings, because Utica has never been represented on the blog, and because Mexican food is very high up on my Favorite Things in Life list, I decided to give it a whirl.

It wasn’t until writing this post and looking at the Mexican restaurant/market’s website that I realized that Yelp had posted inaccurate address information. Drats! I thought that looked like Shelby Township! In Yelp’s defense, when I then Googled the street address, half the resulting entries also had Utica as the city of origin. The restaurant must be right on the cusp. Still, since the business website has the city listed as Shelby Township, that’s what I’m going with. I’ll have to hit two new cities this month to compensate.

Oh, well. Life is too short to worry about exactly where on the map such phenomenal Mexican food originates. Because let me tell you, Las Tortugas Taqueria’s food is excellent! So, so, so, so GOOD. OK, I was at a high level of hangriness when I took my first bite of the tamales I’d ordered. I’d put off lunch for wayyyy too long, so that it was practically dinnertime, so any food I’d put in my mouth at that point would’ve tasted pretty great by default. But even so, this is some exceptional Mexican food! It’s the real deal. And look at how much food they give you! Look at these two tamales in the photo above – they’re huge! All that food for only $7.99! Much love, Las Tortugas Taqueria, much love. I have to be grateful for the city mix-up – otherwise who knows when I would’ve found you!

Marked by a simple red-and-white exterior sign, Las Tortugas Taqueria stands out from its neighbors in the tired-looking strip mall in which it’s located in more areas than its awesome food and great prices. Its tiny interior houses both a restaurant and a market, with seating area on the left and grocery offerings on the left. It’s impressively clean and organized and has a great vibe. It’s obviously run by people who care, and I love that as much as I love those tamales!

46691 Van Dyke Ave.

Shelby Twp., MI

www.lastortugastaqueria.com

138. Art and Jake’s – September 12, 2015 – Shelby Township, MI

Art and Jake’s! So many of my coworkers from my last restaurant job used to frequent and talk about this bar – I think they were going to the Shelby Township, Mound Road location rather than the Washington Township one. Then a location opened up in the last year on 23 Mile Road in Shelby Township. One of my good friends from my former server gig works there, and I got to see her there yesterday.

This bar is great! I was really impressed with the inside – it’s a large, spacious, gorgeous sports bar. There’s a patio that’s enclosed by glass doors and containing seating areas with gas-lit flames coming out of the tabletops(!), making the patio area suitable seating even in cold-weather months. And the food is awesome! I had the Rocky Mountain burger, which is decked with bacon, Gouda cheese, spicy aioli, and breaded, fried jalepeños (amazing)! The menu is extensive and features specialty pizzas and burgers; sandwiches and wraps; wings and bar appetizers; signature entree salads; steaks and ribs; and even traditional Macedonian and Serbian dishes.

14741 23 Mile Rd.

Shelby Township, MI 48315

Locations also on Mound Road in Shelby Township and in Washington Township.

www.artjakes.com

120. Pancake Factory – May 16, 2015 – Shelby Township, MI

The Pancake Factory’s Southwest Garden dutch baby

The Pancake Factory is a bustling East-Side breakfast and lunch place with quick service and some pretty delectable menu items. I got the Southwest Garden dutch baby pancake; just look at that bad boy – loaded with cheese! I’d love to follow my sweet-tooth urge the next time I visit and order the cinnamon-glazed apple pancakes or sample some of the amazing-sounding crepe varieties (peach! banana-and-Nutella!).

13693 23 Mile Rd.

Shelby Township, MI 48313

http://www.pancake-factory.com