Haiti relief, Comet Burgers and Rad Chinese Food

Of course you all know by now that a disastrous earthquake struck Haiti this week toppling buildings and burying thousands.  There have been many relief efforts launched in support of those enduring the tragedy and I would like to provide a link to one of those for the 5 people that read my posts.  So in case you missed the other 1,000 links to donate for Haiti relief Google has made it possible to donate to both UNICEF and/or CARE and has links for other ways to help out.

I had an opportunity to visit Comet Burger in Royal Oak for lunch on Monday and was pleasantly surprised.  I had envisioned slider sized hamburgers that were in essence balls of grease... and I wasn't disappointed at all!

I order one of the lunch combos (available with 1, 2, and 3 burgers) with 3 burgers and fries with a Coke.  I sat at the diner counter and read the recent issue of Rolling Stone (excerpt from Patti Smith book is totally rad) while my taste buds were treated to the classic combo of burgers, fries and pop.  The burgers at Comet come plain but you can add ketchup and mustard.  I have never witnessed such a fluffy and light yet greasy bun either... how do they do that?  I could have had more salt with my fries, but then again the salt shaker was right in front of me.

After my visit I read some reviews online about the Comet Burger establishment that criticized the service.  I realize that it is normally a post-bar food joint and I was dining mid-day with no more than two other patrons, but the service was fantastic with a smile.  

The decor inside the Comet Burger is 50's diner-esque with Warhol like pictures of Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe on the aqua-blue walls.  I didn't really walk around the restaurant that much but noticed both bar and booth seating.

Overall I would say I had a positive Comet experience but I think I will have to venture in there again after bar hours to get the real atmosphere.  If you're looking for a solid, larger than average, slider(s) mid-day or late I say Comet is the place to go in Royal Oak.  I hear competition at Telway is stiff!

Today I am sitting in a Dunkin Donuts on Van Dyke in Detroit writing to you while I wait for a call from the ABC Warehouse that is installing my wife's Christmas present (a lot late I know).  The automatic car starter that we bought was one of the higher end ones that has start confirmation on it so that was pretty expensive.  Plus she has a 2010 Nissan which requires another part (foreign cars only) that cost an extra $90.  

The installation takes 3 hours so I had some time to walk around.  When I saw this sign I loved it.  I still love it now but I really loved it then.  It screams authentic.  Apparently there is another one in Bloomfield Hills, that's the original one.  The Van Dyke location only shows up on google maps, not yahoo.  Clearly Yahoo is the classier search engine.

A night out at the Royal Oak Brewery

This Sunday night we treated ourselves to a night out at the Royal Oak Brewery in downtown Royal Oak.  Participants included myself, my fiance and my youngest brother who attends Kettering University in Flint, MI. but spends his work term in Novi, MI.

Being a Sunday I knew we were not going to get crazy but I also knew that I had a hankerin' for some of their tasty craft brews.  Apart from the beer we also went for some food, which again I was pleasantly surprised with.  The night went down as follows...

My brother arrives at my apartment around 8pm and we head out to the brewery located at 215 E. Fourth St.  We brave a late winter blizzard to get there and shuffle in to the place.

We are immediately seated, it's not very busy but there are a few brave souls.  I went with the Northern Light as my first beer.  A light and crisp taste temptation.  This is the rich man's light beer and I am loving in, very refreshing.  My brother, now of legal age, went with the same.  My fiance went with the root beer.

Now on to the food.  My fiance loves the personal pizzas there and I will say I am a huge fan as well.  But on this night I was feeling burger.  The brewery attacks burger lovers from a few angles.  You can go with the old stand-by Royal Oak Burger, no thrills, just a great burger with all the trimmings.  Then they have the Dagwood.  I half pound burger smothered in BBQ sauce and topped with an onion ring (my brother's burger of choice).  I had a very tough decision before me.  I had to choose between two burgers tied to a night out.  The first, Hair of the Dog, throws the kitchen sink at you with bacon and a perfectly fried egg.  Tempting, but a little too much for me that day. I went with the Hangover.  Even though I was not currently suffering from the ailment, the combination of two 6 ounce patties and a special sauce was irresistable.  I will say that the Hangover burger tastes as good as it sounds and I was more than pleased.  In fact I will go to say that I have never had a bad meal at this establishment.

The night was capped off with a couple different brews.  My brother opted for Pappy's Porch Sippin' Porter, a stellar choice as snow was still falling outside.  I went for the Brewhouse ESB and was not dissappointed.  I only wish I had the means and the time to sample all of their offerings... over and over.

On top of the great beer and food, service was top notch, which was reflected in the tip amount I left on the check.

It seems as though I am not the only one who holds the Royal Oak Brewery in such high regard.  Take a look at this article by Ron Arnold on examiner.com.

Thanks Royal Oak Brewery for a great night out!