Bistro Joe's Suggests Good Things For Downtown

Chef Jacques Van Staden isn't talking too much about his plans for food at downtown's upcoming Papa Joe's. But the hints he leaves in interviews and reviews for Birmingham's new Bistro Joe's sound pretty promising.

He told the Freep's Sylvia Rector that he has created seven original dining concepts that will be sprinkled throughout the First National Building's main retail space on Campus Martius. And Papa Joe's co-owner Tony Curtis used typically exaggerated language to describe his vision for the new downtown eatery.

"It's going to be totally over the top ..something the whole city hasn't seen yet," Curtis told Rector. And Curtis suggested as much to Crain's Detroit Business' Nate Skid, promising that a very Bistro Joe's-esque experience is planned for the downtown eatery.

Papa Joe's Detroit location is aiming for an early 2014 opening, and construction looks to be plugging right along. The menu and theme for the seven dining concepts? Still in development.

Skid was impressed, however, and he seems to expect that Van Staden will bring the same level of excellence to the new store. For the best preview of the future Papa, head up Woodward to Bistro Joe's.
· A wife's ultimatum brings prestigious chef to new Bistro Joe's [Freep]
· First look: Bistro Joe's in Birmingham offers eclectic, globally inspired menu [Freep]
· Bistro Joe's: An unexpected hit in the most unlikely of places [Crain's]