One of Detroit’s biggest restaurant openings of the year, Marrow is set to arrive this week in West Village. Chef Sarah Welch confirms to Eater that the combination restaurant and butcher shop will host its official opening on Sunday, October 7.
The meaty new restaurant, located at 8044 Kercheval Ave., is owned by managing partner Ping Ho of the Royce and and chef Greg Reyner of Cafe Muse. Welch, who was previously executive chef at Republic and Parks & Rec Diner, is running the kitchens. In 2015, she was named Eater Detroit’s 2015 Chef of the Year. Marrow will occupy two spaces inside the renovated Garland Building. The space on the east end of the building will feature a restaurant and patio area while the bar, wine retail, and butcher shop will occupy the space next door.
The restaurant will draw on Ho’s experiences as a child visiting wet markets in Singapore and preparing meals with those fresh meats and vegetables. Both sides of the business will work in tandem to help introduce customers to less familiar cuts of meat sourced from locally-raised animal with the long term goal of building market for those cuts. “The restaurant will take those scarier items and create them into something that’s really comfortable for people,” Welch says. That means diners can expect a whole lot of offal and trim on the menu prepared in enticing ways.
The roughly 80-seat restaurant features an open kitchen layout complete with an indoor charcoal grill. Roughly 10 seats will face the action. A large, counter-height communal dining table runs through the center of the space. It will serve the dual purpose as a butcher block for breaking down whole animals when the restaurant isn’t open for service and as seating for large groups when Marrow is open. “We’re putting a lot into a very small space, so cross utilization and maximizing space has become our main goal,” Welch says. Marrow has also incorporated reclaimed church pews into the space for banquette seating.
A small, paved patio area between the restaurant and Sister Pie will be open in nice weather for customers. The team plans to add flower boxes and a firepit sometime next year (A gravel section is reserved for people living in the building’s upper apartments).
Welch’s menu will change with the season and is dependant on the cuts coming out of the butcher shop. Diners can expect options like beef navel and duck liver yakitori, pig skin popcorn, roasted bone marrow, marrow croquettes, and dumplings. Welch also plans on including some egg dishes and vegetable dishes in the rotation. Customers can mix and match small plates or choose from small, medium, and large coursed meals.
Joining Welch is head butcher Nicholas Ponte, general manager Amanda Franke (formerly Arbor Brewing Company), and beverage director Lisa Balagna. Balagna is spearheading the cocktail menu which will be complemented by wines selected by Ping Ho. Welch says that the bar menu will also be rounded out by local beers and ciders.
Marrow is expected to begin soft services on Thursday, October 4 ahead of the official opening. The butcher shop opening will follow within the next two weeks. The restaurant will be accepting some limited reservations, but plans to keep a large portion of the seating open to walk-ins.
Marrow is located at 8044 Kercheval Ave. 1B; restaurant opens 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday (Closed Tuesday); website.
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