In the shadow of the Ambassador Bridge, surrounded by the remnants of riverfront industry, Johnny Noodle King stands out in bright red. The new hot spot isn’t exactly on the beaten path but I think that’s what makes Detroit unique. Entrepreneurs are taking risks and stimulating growth in parts of the city that a lot of people would never consider. Their strategy works because the quality of food attracts customers who are unlikely to just be passing by.
The restaurant’s exterior is basic but inside it has the shiny diner look. Unlike most diners, you will find no burgers on the menu. Instead it’s gourmet Japanese food. I’ll call it gourmet, Danny and I never had Japanese food before and felt like our meals were quite fancy. The menu is soup based with a few side options. Since we weren’t familiar with the cuisine we ordered blindly and lucked out. Admittedly I was a little leery of the fish roe but the combination of ingredients was delicious. As usual trying something new paid off and I really enjoyed the Seafood Shio.
Since I haven’t harassed any servers recently, I decided to ask our waitress, Tiffany, four quick questions:
Do you live in Detroit?
I do. Corktown.
What do you like about living/working in the city?
I love the feel of the city, there is no place like Detroit.
Is there something not so great about living/working in Detroit?
I don’t really have any negativity about it.
What’s your favorite item on the menu?
The Pho and the mushroom salad because I love mushrooms.
CarrieDaway 