The Stand One of Year's Best New Dining Spots; Bistro Joe's Great For Everything; Rock City Gets More Love

Sylvia Rector writes about The Stand Gastro Bistro in Birmingham this week, the newest venture of chef Paul Grosz, who is also the chef/owner of Detroit's Cuisine. She feels strongly that the restaurant is going to be receiving a lot of praise come awards season, and for good reason, "From its warmly sophisticated dining room and stylish bar to its French-influenced modern American dishes, this place deserves a spot on your must-go list for fall." She raves about the refined but comforting food, and talks about the restaurant's dual goals-to serve the younger, louder crowd in the bar section, while providing a quieter, fine dining experience in the dining room. [Freep]

Jumping on The Stand bandwagon right behind Sylvia Rector is Molly Abraham, who declares, "It takes only a glance at the imposing office building on the corner of Woodward and Maple to know the new restaurant on its first floor is not going to be some cute little café. No, the Stand Gastro Bistro is a major production, from its stunning Victor Saroki-designed setting to the talent in the gleaming open kitchen." and she's suitably impressed enough to give the brand new establishment four stars out of four. [Detroit News]

Aaron Egan at Metro Times describes his experience at Bistro Joe's of Birmingham (yes, it is inside of gourmet grocery store Papa Joe's) in glowing terms, gushing not just over the food, but over the kind and knowledgeable servers and food runners at the market restaurant. He describes the experience as similar to Parisian street dining, and as "an innovative, thoroughly global gourmet experience." which he claims is perfect for a quick break from afternoon shopping, a business lunch, a family meal, and anything in between.

Strictly Detroit's Olivia Vizachero takes a moment this week to talk about the The Finnigan sandwich at Foran's Grand Trunk Pub. The majority of her post talks about Houdini (she explains that she has Halloween on the brain), but then she launches into a description of the "melty, delicious dish", a grilled chicken sandwich with mozzarella on Avalon Bakery bread. She insists that it's worth a try, and throws in a celebrity endorsement for good measure: "Trust me; it's magical. Houdini would approve."

Apparently Chevy Detroit does food reviews, and this week Cara Boyer gives her opinion of Hamtramck's Rock City Eatery, which she loves according to her descriptions. Boyer is a fan of the low prices, changing menu, and comforting classics like the mac & cheese that comes in Parmesan bowl, "That's right, an edible bowl made of crispy cheese, filled with pasta and cheese sauce. This dish is what dreams are made of!" Oh, and she really likes the pie too, no surprise there. [Chevy Detroit]

· First Look: The Stand in Birmingham is a Must-go for Fall [Freep]
· Standout: Variety and imagination combine to grand effect in Gastro Bistro [Detroit News]
· Bistro Joe's Top of the Market [Metro Times]
· The Finnigan @ Foran's Grand Trunk Pub [Strictly Detroit]
· Rock City Eatery: Mac & Cheese to Duck Fat Fries [Chevy Detroit]