The east-side neighborhood of Jefferson-Chalmers is rapidly changing -- a topic covered by Deadline Detroit -- and is displaying the typical signs of such activity, at least in 21st-century Detroit. Two restaurants are planned to open later this year, one at the riverfront.
Canals around Alter Road will be the view from one of the two new restaurants planned for Jefferson-Chalmers. (Photo: Nancy Derringer)
Model D reports Coriander Kitchen and Farm, located at the site of the former Fisherman's Marina at the foot of Alter Road, has an undetermined opening date. Run by Alison Heeres and Gwen Meyer, who also operate a kayak livery out of the same site, Coriander Kitchen and Farm will offer a farm-to-table experience, supplied with food from their garden near Eastern Market.
Also on the drawing board:
A few blocks away from Norma G’s, Alma Kitchen is looking to open its doors this September in the historic Kresge Building on Jefferson Avenue at Lakewood Street. The fusion restaurant, owned and operated by catering veterans Gary Mui and Alicia Sanchez, will offer a mix of Chinese-American and Mexican-American culinary traditions.
Norma G's is, of course, the last new restaurant on Jefferson, It's owned by Lester Gouvia and serves Caribbean-inspired cuisine, backed by a full bar.
Both plans are ambitious:
Coriander Kitchen and Farm’s owners also plan on doing things their own way, with a business model that combines home-grown Detroit produce with an optional kayaking trip. From their marina location on Riverside Boulevard, they’ll be offering farm-stand and to-go meals like deviled farm eggs, Moroccan lamb shank, and summer squash carpaccio with anchovy to kayak enthusiasts and other hungry patrons. They'll also sport a full bar.
As with the other two restaurants, Meyer and Heeres are committed to hiring heavily from the neighborhood. They’ll also be serving breakfast, lunch, and, dinner, hoping to fill a niche for a breakfast-and-coffee spot that Jefferson Chalmers currently lacks.
Adjacent to Grosse Pointe Park and just a short drive from downtown Detroit, Jefferson-Chalmers has been poised for a comeback for a while now. With increased attention from city government, the neighborhood has seen new businesses, rising real-estate values and other positive signs in recent years. Longtime residents have shown some suspicion that the changes will benefit the greater number of residents, however.
