Metro Times: Covers

Issue of 10/14/2009

Cover Story:

The MT dining guide
by Michael Jackman
Haute cuisine and hoodies; chefs who press flesh; serving the freshest; dozens of eateries to spice up your list.

Features:

A fresh niche by Michael Jackman
Farm-fresh dining on the grow
Detroit City Council Candidate Questionnaire: Alberta Tinsley-Talabi by Metro Times staff
Detroit City Council Candidate Questionnaire: Andre Spivey by Metro Times staff
Detroit City Council Candidate Questionnaire: Brenda Jones by Metro Times staff
Detroit City Council Candidate Questionnaire: Charles Pugh by Metro Times staff
Detroit City Council Candidate Questionnaire: David Jonathan Cross by Metro Times staff
Detroit City Council Candidate Questionnaire: Fred Elliott Hall by Metro Times staff
Detroit City Council Candidate Questionnaire: Jai-Lee Dearing by Metro Times staff
Detroit City Council Candidate Questionnaire: James Tate by Metro Times staff
Detroit City Council Candidate Questionnaire: JoAnn Watson by Metro Times staff
Detroit City Council Candidate Questionnaire: Kenneth V. Cockrel Jr. by Metro Times staff
Detroit City Council Candidate Questionnaire: Kwame Kenyatta by Metro Times staff
Detroit City Council Candidate Questionnaire: Lisa Howze by Metro Times staff
Detroit City Council Candidate Questionnaire: Mohamed Okdie by Metro Times staff
Detroit City Council Candidate Questionnaire: Raphael B. Johnson by Metro Times staff
Detroit City Council Candidate Questionnaire: Saunteel Jenkins by Metro Times staff
Detroit City Council Candidate Questionnaire: Shelley Iris Foy by Metro Times staff
Detroit council consultations by Curt Guyette
18 candidates x 13 questions = too much for the paper alone
Puttin' off the ritz by Michael Jackman
Why 2009 is the year you can have your haute cuisine and your hoodie too
Stick it in! by Corey Hall
This guy made a highly watchable feature comedy film on luck, couch change, Detroit blue-collar spirit and a chunk of his intestine
The Don of Detroit by Travis R. Wright
Even a behind-the-scenes dude called Hex Murda needs some love
Working the room by Michael Jackman
A musing on chefs who press the flesh
Your guide to dining by Michael Jackman
A breakdown of more than 100 Detroit-area restaurants for your culinary pleasure

Columns:

Comics (Comics)
It's Miller time! by Jim McFarlin (Idiot Boxing)
Classic Detroit TV show is back, mustache intact; plus, horror in the midnight hour wants you!
Letters to the Editor by Metro Times staff (Letters to the Editor)
True value by Travis R. Wright (Lit Up)
This Crawford guy says get off your ass
Motor City Cribs by Doug Coombe (Motor City Cribs and Rides)
He's just one of the artists coming to Hex Murda's aid
Free Press mess by News Hits staff (News Hits)
The tangle of leaks, lies and text messages
School rivalries by News Hits staff (News Hits)
The fight between Bobb and Detroit board may have implications across the state
Night and Day by Megan O'Neil (Night and Day)
Dumbing way down by Jack Lessenberry (Politics and Prejudices)
Michigan needs a better-educated workforce, so why cut the schools budget?
Heavily bound by Dan Savage (Savage Love)
Submissive boyfriend is willing to pack on pounds. Isn’t that unhealthy?
Slammin'! by D'Anne and Laura Witkowski (Wonder Twins)
The Wonder Twins know there are eight million stories in the naked city

Reviews:

Music/Books:
Masters of the Burial - Amy Millan Reviewed by Laura Witkowski (Record)
In and Out of Control - The Raveonettes Reviewed by Bill Holdship (Record)

Movies:
The Boys are Back Reviewed by Corey Hall (Movie)
Still Walking Reviewed by Corey Hall (Movie)
A Serious Man Reviewed by Jeff Meyers (Movie)

Restaurants/Places:
La Saj Lebanese Bistro Reviewed by Mel Small (Restaurant)
La Saj’s menu covers the usual suspects in the Lebanese kitchen. The appetizer sampler ($23.95), which can easily satisfy four, includes a silky hummus, suitably smoky baba ghanoush, vegetarian or meat-stuffed grape leaves, fried kibbeh stuffed with meat, onions and pine nuts, falafel, labneh (house-made yogurt), a fresh but a bit drippy tabbouleh, and cheese and vegetables. Unlike many of its competitors, La Saj wisely serves the meza on separate small plates instead of a large platter where the ingredients tend to run into one another. With warm puffy pita rounds and their accompanying sharp garlic sauce, the sampler makes for a splendid start to the meal. Mains average around $14, with lamb preparations, such as grilled lamb steak kastalata, at the high end of the price continuum. As with most Middle Eastern spots, La Saj is vegetarian-friendly. One of the best bets is madjara, an earthy mélange of lentils and cracked wheat. The Awadas are also children-friendly, offering gastronomically challenged youngsters all-American chicken tenders and even hamburgers. The small wine list, beginning at $20 for a decent Chateau St. Michelle Riesling, covers most price levels. The fact that the list is disproportionately red (including some from Lebanon) comes as no surprise, since, in general, the assertively seasoned Middle Eastern cuisine can overwhelm whites.