Jamilah Jackson elbows onto turf typically occupied by Eater Detroit, Metro Times and food writers at the daily papers, though they don't necessarily have as much street-level credibility.
Hungry yet? (Photos: Starter's Bar and Grill)
Her focus at The Neighborhoods, a lively city information site, is "Detroit's hottest dish" -- lamb chops, an "almost necessary addition to local menus" that Jackson says "has moved from pricey entrée to toplining happy-hour specials."
We visited five restaurants across Detroit – Crab House Detroit downtown, the original Starter’s Bar and Grill on Plymouth Road on the west side, Southern Fires Bistro in Islandview, Pegasus Taverna in Greektown and Byblos Café and Grill in Midtown – to sample chops and ask about their cultural significance in Detroit.
The writer also checks out a Russell Street butcher shop that she says delivers an astonishing 100,000 pounds of lamb to local restaurants each week. "WHAT?" reader Mike Verano tweets.
Starter's lamb chop singles, $4 each.
After her tasty sampling tour, the chops chomper says Starter's ranks "on top based on the [house-made] 'zip' sauce alone." The restaurant -- founded by Bob Saad and now managed by son, Ali -- also has spots in Midtown, Dearborn and Harper Woods.
"Did we miss anyone?" asks the site, which gets tweet-shouts for Flood's Bar and Grille, 731 St. Antoine St.; and D and D Cuisine, 17521 Livernois Ave.
