NEW ERA, MONDAY AT 10 A.M. ON
"LIVE IN THE D."
>>> WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO
CELEBRATE NATIONAL BLACK
BUSINESS MONTH.
TODAY, FOR DINE IN THE D, WE’RE
HIGHLIGHTING ONE THAT LIKES TO
PROMOTE OTHER BLACK BUSINESSES
AS WELL, KIM.
>> Kim: GET READY FOR DELICIOUS
COMFORT FOOD AND A FRIENDLY
ATMOSPHERE.
MICHELLE OLIVER IS TAKING US TO
MIDTOWN TO DINE IN THE D AT THE
BLOCK.
♪
#.
>> Michelle: WITH MOUTH WATERING
WINGS AND A RELAXED VIBE, THE
BLOCK WILL MAKE ANYONE FEEL LIKE
THEY’RE PART OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> WE CAME UP WITH A CASUAL
CONCEPT OF THE BLOCK WHICH HAS
COMFORT FOOD.
WE THINK OF OURSELF AS A CHEERS
ATMOSPHERE WHERE WE KNOW YOU BY
NAME.
WE’RE PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> Michelle: OWNER STEPHANIE
BIRD AND HER FAMILY BUILT THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> MY FATHER AND HIS PARTNER
DEVELOPED THE ENTIRE BLOCK, THE
PHYSICAL BLOCK.
THAT’S THE BACK STORY.
THIS WHOLE PHYSICAL BLOCK IS A
LABOR OF LOVE FOR MY FAMILY.
SO WE THOUGHT, WHY NOT CELEBRATE
THAT?
>> Michelle: AND THEY LIKE TO
USE THEIR BUSINESS TO HELP BUILD
UP OTHER BLACK BUSINESSES.
>> IT’S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO BUY
BLACK AND SUPPORT BLACK.
WE WANT TO SUPPORT THAT, TOO.
THE FOUNDER OF ELLIS ISLAND TEA,
THEY’RE OLD FAMILY FRIENDS, AND
WE’VE KNOWN ABOUT ELLIS ISLAND
TEA FOR YEARS AND IT’S HIGH
QUALITY.
AND SHE HAS A NEW TEA OUT AND
THAT’S WHAT WE’RE USING IN OUR
NEW COCKTAIL.
>> Michelle: IT’S FULL OF
CLASSICS.
>> WE’RE CASUAL AMERICAN DINING
WITH A FINER TWIST
SO WE HAVE SOME OF OUR HIGHEREND
DISHES LIKE OUR SHRIMP AND GRITS
AND CAJUN SHRIMP PASTA AND ALSO
CHICKEN WINGS AND BURGERS.
>> Michelle: YOU CAN DINE ON THE
PATIO OR GRAB THE FOOD TO GO,
LIKE I DID.
♪
ALL RIGHT, LET’S SEE WHAT WE HAVE.
THIS IS A PEAR SALAD WITH CHEESE
AND CANDIED WALNUTS.
NEXT IS A SANDWICH. THIS IS THE SALMON BLT SANDWICH
THIS IS THE SALMON BLT SANDWICH
WITH A SWEETER BREAD AND CITRUS
A
AIOLI.
IT’S A DIFFERENT TAKE ON A BLT.
THEY’RE FAMOUS FOR THEIR WINGS.
INSTEAD OF TRYING THEM LIKE A
LOT OF PLACES DO, THESE ARE
WHOLE WINGS THAT THEY BROKE.
NEXT THE CAJUN MASS TA.
THERE’S SO MUCH CHEESE ON THIS,
YOU SEE IT MELTED OVER
EVERYTHING. THIS CAJUN PASTA HAS SHRIMP AND
THIS CAJUN PASTA HAS SHRIMP AND
CAJUN SPICE SAUSAGE.
AND WE HAVE A PEACH COBBLER
CHEESECAKE.
NEXT TIME YOU’RE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, SWING ON BY THE
BLOCK.
>> Kim: OH, THAT LOOKS SO GOOD!
WE HAVE OUR MICHELLE OLIVER WITH
US.
FIRST OF ALL, HOW GOOD WAS ALL
THAT FOOD?
>> Michelle: IT WAS DELICIOUS.
I LOVED THAT CHEESECAKE DESSERT
AT THE END AND THE PASTA WAS
REALLY GOOD.
THEY SENT ME HOME WITH THE
SALMON BLT.
>> Kim: THAT IS MY GO-TO ORDER
THERE.
I LOVE THAT PLACE.
WE LOVE THE FACT THAT THE BLOCK
IS SUPPORTING BLACK BUSINESSES.
TELL US ABOUT THE BRANDS THAT
THEY SUPPORT.
>> Michelle: YES.
SO I THOUGHT I WOULD PARTICIPATE
IN YOUR EARLY HAPPY HOUR WITH
SOME RED WINE OF MY OWN.
I DON’T NEED ANYTHING TOO FANCY
BEAT THE BLOCK --
[OVERLAPPING SPEAKERS]
>> Michelle: YEAH, IT’S A GOOD
RED WINE FOR $3.
AND THEY PROMOTE BLACK BRANDS.
IT’S WEEKDAYS FROM 3:00 TO 6:00,
AND ALL BLACK-OWNED BRANDS ARE
$5.
THEY HAVE THE McBRIDE SISTERS
ESTATE WINE ROSE.
AND THEY HAVE UNCLE NEAR’S
WHISKEY.
HE WAS A FORMER SLAVE AND TAUGHT
JACK DANIELS HOW TO MAKE
WHISKEY, SO IT’S GOTTA BE GOOD.
AND THEY HAVE A LOCALLY OWNED
BLACK BUSINESS, ELLIS ISLAND
TEA, IN THEIR COCKTAILS.
>> Kim: SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.
YOU MENTIONED THE WHOLE BIRD
BRINGS IS -- BIRD FAMILY IS IN
ON THE BUSINESS.
>> THE FIRST RESTAURANT THEY
OPENED WAS FLOOD, AND THEY HAVE
THEIR ROOTS IN THIS BUSINESS.
AND LIKE YOU MENTIONED, THEY’VE
ALSO DEVELOPED THE ENTIRE BLOCK
OF WOODWARD BETWEEN ALEXANDRINE
AND CELADON ON THE WEST SIDE.
THEY MANAGE THE THEATER, THEY
HAVE THE BLOCK, AND THEY HAVE
OTHER GREAT STORES THERE BUT
DON’T NECESSARILY OWN ALL THOSE
STORES, THEY RENT THEM OUT.
FLOODS BAR & GRILLE, THAT’S THE
SPOT, SO THEY KNOW WHAT THEY’RE
DOING.
AND REMIND US WHERE THE BLOCK IS
LOCATED.
>> Michelle: IT’S LOCATED AT
3919 WOODWARD AVENUE, KIND OF
BETWEEN MIDTOWN AND DOWNTOWN
DETROIT.
>> Kim: IF ANYBODY HAS AN IDEA
FOR YOU, WHERE YOU SHOULD GO AND
TRY OUT, WHAT CAN THEY DO?
>> Mitch: SO WE HAVE A GROUPON
FACEBOOK CALLED DINE IN THE D.
JOIN THAT, LET ME KNOW.
I LOVE LOOKING AT THE PICTURES
YOU SEND.
LET ME KNOW IF YOU’VE TRIED A
PLACE I’VE TRIED OR IF I SHOULD
CHECK OUT YOUR FAVORITE SPOT.
>> Kim: ALL RIGHT, MICHELLE,