Bill’s Ham Place

My brother was in town for a couple days so we decided to get breakfast. We wanted something quick so we stopped in to this local dive breakfast/coney place in Lincoln Park. I remember stopping in to Bill’s Ham Place located on Southfield Rd, growing up and always liked it. Check out how this trip turned out.

Service: 4 out of 5 stars

Quality/Taste: 2 stars

Atmosphere: 4 stars (Friendly & authentic coney feel)

Price: 3 stars

Wow factor: 2

Western Omelette: Huge helping of eggs, ham, green pepper, onion, and cheese. This was enough for two and everything you would expect from a coney breakfast. Pretty spot on.

Tip: Order the hash browns well done.

I went with the Corned Beef Sandwich: Thinly sliced corned beef on an onion roll. I added a slice of Swiss cheese. It was good, but unlike the omelette, the portion was lousy. I decided to order it because it was marked “Famous” on the menu. More like disappointing. It still tasted good, but I scarfed it in seconds. For around $7, it was not worth it (the cheese was an extra 80 cents).

Check out what Ma made for breakfast a couple days later. Best of both worlds:

Corned Beef Hash with a fried egg: A great idea for leftover corned beef and it’s way better than the stuff out of the can. Brown potatoes and saute with onions and corned beef and top with a fried egg. When you break the yolk it creates a delicious, rich sauce that melts all over the potatoes.

OK, back to Bill’s. The waitress was friendly and made conversation the whole time in between greeting and waiting on her other tables. Bill’s Ham Place is a great breakfast and coney spot, but if you’re looking for a huge, stacked deli sandwich that they are “famous” for, try Hops & Barley or Wheat & Rye.

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Gregorio’s Italian Restaurant

Josh and I decided to stop in to Gregorio’s Italian Restaurant. Gregorio’s is located in Wyandotte on Biddle. This small, cozy restaurant has been making favorites for locals since 2003. Check out our visit.

Fried Ravioli: The ravioli was lightly breaded, golden brown and tasted pretty average.

For dinner, we tried one of the specials: The Bocci: Sacchetti cheese filled pasta with Alfredo sauce and chicken. We were able to customize this dish which is always a plus. It originally came with marinara, but the Alfredo sauce was the way to go. We also added the chicken. The cheese filled pasta was tender and tasted good with the Alfredo sauce. There was only a few strips of chicken which was a little dry.

If you visit their website, you can sign up for the email club and view weekly promotions. I was really impressed with the website as well. It’s user friendly and has some great pics. However, the website looked better than the actual restaurant did. The decor was outdated and the place was very small which means there wasn’t much privacy. The prices were a little on the high side, also. Our special was orginally $13.99 and for cheese filled pasta, that seems a little steep. After adding Alfredo sauce & chicken to our dish, it came to $20, which wasn’t worth it. The service was great, but next time I’m craving Italian, I’ll stick to Antonio’s or Olive Garden.

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Bourbon’s on Sycamore

Yesterday my brother, Jason and I wanted to grab lunch @ Coastal Thai in Wyandotte, but we found out that it doesn’t open until 4 pm, so we went a few doors down to Bourbons on Sycamore. I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and I’m glad fate directed us to try out Bourbons.

Fried Brussels Sprouts: Brussels Sprouts marinated in Balsamic Vinegar and flash fried. The Balsamic was a nice touch to the brussels sprouts. The only thing I didn’t like was that the brussels were a little on the burned side. Flash fried is defined as cooking at a high temperature for a minimal amount of time: 15 seconds or so. Judging by the color, I don’t think these brussels were cooked for only 15 seconds. Regardless, I respect the idea and the light crispy texture of the brussel leaves. It was very interesting and like nothing I’ve ever had.

Blackened Salmon Wrap with Dill Mayo & Tempura Purple Sweet Potato Fries: The salmon was served on a spinach wrap which was the first thing that caught my eye. The dill mayo was cool & refreshing, yet subtle. I ordered a side of pickles (because I love them) and they added a nice crunch to this light wrap. Now, when I ordered the purple sweet potato fries I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The tempura batter was light and combined with the sweet potato, had an elephant ear flavor. The sweet potato wasn’t too rich, but perfect. It was delicious! When you go to Bourbons on Sycamore, you have to order these! And tell them the Eat Food Detroit blog sent you.

Bourbons on Sycamore is new to Downtown Wyandotte, but they fit right in. The food was unique and our server was on point. Bourbons brings that neighborhood bar feel with an upscale flavor experience. They have seasonal draft beers (some of which were unavailable), but my brother was able to find a couple he liked. The place was decorated with holiday swag and flat screen TVs making it a warm, cozy atmosphere.

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Southwest Chicken Salad

Recently, I went out to dinner for Jessica’s Birthday at Red Robin on Eureka Rd. in Taylor, MI and ordered the Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad. It inspired me to recreate my own version. Here’s a quick recipe for a delicious chicken salad:

What you’ll need:

1 boneless skinless chicken breast

1/2 can of corn

1/2 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)

1/2 diced red bell pepper

1/2 small white onion

2 green onions

1/4 cup shredded cheese (Mexican, Cheddar, or Colby Jack work best)

1/4 cup Tortilla Strips

2 cups Baby spinach

1/3 cup water

Prep

1. Add corn and veggies in a skillet with olive oil and a tablespoon of butter and saute on medium heat until soft.

2. While the veggies are cooking, season chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic and brown until juices run clear. This is a good opportunity to get a nice color on the chicken and if you have a grill that’s even better!

3. When the chicken is done, shred and sprinkle with taco seasoning. I usually sprinkle the chicken with a couple tablespoons from a taco seasoning packet then add 1/3 cup of water to the pan (or a little less).

4. Simmer until the water makes a sauce and taste. If you want more seasoning, add it. When you’re making single servings like this, it’s better to add a little at a time, then adding too much and over doing it. Let chicken cool before plating.

Dressing

You can always buy southwest ranch dressing, but I like improvising.

1. Mix 2 tablespoons ranch dressing, 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, & 3 tablespoons sour cream.

2. Taste. If it is too spicy, add more sour cream. If it’s not spicy enough, add more taco seasoning. If you like more ranch, add more ranch dressing! I don’t like a salad that is swimming in dressing, but if you do, double the recipe.

Tip: Substitute plain Greek yogurt for sour cream for a healthier alternative.

Build

1. Start plating spinach, making a bed for the rest of the ingredients.

2. Add corn mixture, black beans, shredded cheese, and chicken (add as much corn mixture or black beans as you like). Top with crunchy tortilla strips and dressing.

Alternatives: You can add whatever ingredients you like: olives, tomatoes, cukes, etc. Instead of shredding the chicken, you can just slice it.

It was delicious! You get crunchy, fresh, cool, creamy, spicy, and warm all in one bite.

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Hops & Barley

Located on Allen Rd. in Melvindale, Hops & Barley is a great spot to grab some good food and a cold drink. I made the mistake of going during the middle of the Detroit Lions game last Sunday, but I still received excellent service. The servers were on point, food was amazing, and they have flat screens everywhere for your viewing pleasure (even at each booth for closeups).

Pastrami Sandwich: Hot deli pastrami piled high on a bed of coleslaw, topped with melty cheese and Thousand Island Dressing served on an onion roll. The juiciest pastrami I’ve ever tasted! This monster sandwich was amazing and all for only $6.50.

Taco Salad: Juicy grilled chicken breast on top fresh lettuce, cheese, salsa, sour cream, and jalapenos. I personally prefer avocado and olives on my taco salad, but this bowl still gets an A-. It seemed as though the chicken was never ending and the portion was generous. The cook definitely didn’t skimp out on quality or quantity.

Hops & Barley has great food deals and even better drink specials. The atmosphere was loud, but the fans were in full effect making the visit fun and exciting. I give kudos to the servers because they were owning their tables, and seemed natural, not flustered even though the place was slammed. I’m making this my new spot when I want to catch a game without spending a ton.

Wheat & Rye

Wheat & Rye is a local favorite known for huge stacked sandwiches and great drink specials. My parents went there when they were younger and it’s a place I’ve visited a few times. Of course, the Allen Park location has been revamped since back in the day, but if you’re looking for a neighborhood place to relax and watch the game, check out Wheat & Rye and grab a burger!

Mom and I met a couple of her high school friends, Robin, Marcia, and Greg (Marcia’s husband). Mom and I split the stacked ham sandwich (Yes, it’s big enough to share)! I remembered my dad telling me stories about how big the sandwiches used to be and how inexpensive, but this one was still a good size for around $10 including tip.

Stacked Ham Sandwich: Virginia Ham piled on an onion roll served with a kosher dill pickle. The ham wasn’t your average deli thin sliced, it was thick cut, caramelized edges, and delicious. The only thing I didn’t like was that it was a little dry. I don’t really care for mayonnaise, but a little horseradish would’ve put this sandwich over the edge. I settled for good old yellow mustard.

The service wasn’t the best, but in my experience, bars and dives like the Wheat & Rye only have one or two servers/bartenders for the whole place so when it’s busy, your drinks will get neglected. I need lots of water when eating a salty ham sandwich, too. For a Wednesday night, the place was half full, but the Tiger’s were playing and it was all you can eat Spaghetti night! Check out the Wheat & Rye of you haven’t already for daily food and drinks specials. If you want a local bar that’s not too crowded to watch your favorite team, they have flat screens and Keno!

It was good to see you guys. Thanks Robin, Marcia, and Greg!

I have to go get ready for tonight, Josh bought me tickets to Dane Cook for my birthday ❤