UPDATE (Aug. 16) -- Slows BBQ's much touted Yardbird sandwich made the Travel Channel's top three in a contest for "Best Sandwich in America". But it didn't capture the top spot, the Detroit News reports.
The top honors wen to DiNic's Roast Pork of Philadelphia. The Yardbird consists of chicken breast, mushrooms, cheddar cheese, apple wood bacon, mustard sauce and a poppy seed bun. Yum.
It's been a given that any out of town news outlet that samples Detroit culinary offerings always goes ga ga over Slows Bar BQ on Michigan Avenue in Detroit.
Well, not so fast.
The New York Food Journal recently spent a weekend sampling foods around town and gave a thumbs up to some restaurants, but Slows wasn't one of them.
In a posting entited "Beyond the Five Boroughs: The Foods of Detroit", the Journal wrote of Slows:
Unfortunately, the food was disappointing. The meat was fine but most items were too dry. To be fair, we arrived late in the evening and perhaps some slow-cooked items had sat too long. But given the high praise from every direction, we expected better.
The Journal gave a thumbs up to American Coney Island on Lafayette, describing the dogs this way:
It is impossible to eat a Coney Island dog without making a mess. The hot dog itself is lightly grilled and is topped with the chili, which is sweet and creamy. The bun tastes more like white bread than the average hot dog bun, which is good because its main function--and it's a pretty important one--is to sop up the chili that is bound to slip off the top as you eat. The onions and yellow mustard add a distinctive character. We ordered some fries as an accompaniment, which proved useful for going after the chili that the bun didn't catch. Washed down with some Labatt Blue, it made for a satisfying meal.
As an aside, the Journal described the coney dogs as being all beef. There may be some all-beef dogs served at some joints, but not at Lafayette and American coney islands downtown. The dogs are a mix of beef and pork.
The Journal also gave a thumbs up to Taqueria Lupita's in Mexicantown, writing this about the tacos:
Some of the fillings were unexceptional, like steak that was nicely seasoned but too well done. Others were excellent. Chorizo with egg was a standout, with complex flavor and a nice marriage of textures. Tacos al pastor, with pulled pork, were nice and juicy. Pork jowl was meaty with a light sweetness and a pleasingly springy texture. The tacos were simply presented and topped with fresh cilantro and onion.
And the Journal was quite pleased with Al-Ameer Restaurant in Dearborn, calling the falafel "spectacular."
