Mich. Ave. Moves Into Ford Field; Rap & Noodles Tonight

BRUSH PARK — During baseball season, there's already an active Corktown-to-Downtown stream of sports fans who hit up the old Tiger Stadium neighborhood for drinks and pre-game eats before trucking over to Comerica Park. For hungry or thirsty Detroit Lions fans who want a taste of the buzzy Corktown culinary scene, it looks like that journey will no longer be necessary. Michigan Ave.'s most popular barbecue joint, Slow's, is already a Ford Field favorite, and their neighbor, The Sugar House, posted a photo of their attractive new Ford Field booth this afternoon. If you like waiting in line and drinking high-end cocktails while watching a struggling football franchise, the Detroit Lions have got your back. [Facebook]

ROYAL OAK — We're still not necessarily sold on Lock & Key, the speakeasy-centric cocktail lounge that recently opened to great media fanfare behind Main Street Royal Oak's longtime restaurant, The Oxford Inn. But the fanfare continues, and the discovery that their appetizers are partly fashioned by The Root of White Lake's head chef, James Rigato, makes a visit slightly more appetizing. Just slightly, however. [Freep]

CORKTOWN SHORES — It's not like there aren't already dozens of reasons to visit Green Dot Stables, but the return of their monthly Rap & Noodles music-fueled celebration tonight — complete with special guest Dave Mancini of Supino — should be convincing enough. The event, which has no cover, provides a wealth of umami-style noodle dishes and offers $2 Sapporo beer, starts at 9 p.m. and runs through 2 a.m., because it's not like anybody does any real sort of working on late summer Fridays, anyway. Right? [Facebook]

MIDTOWN — Rodin keeps pulling customers in on a regular basis, and the big reveal of their crafty Happy Hour menu might keep up more of the same kinds of crowds. French fries, Lyonnaise potatoes and a grab-bag of daily cheese selections show the bar's French influences, while the clever Rodin Coney Dog, topped with rabbit chili, brings a French flair to the Motor City classic. Detroit was originally the site of a French fort, after all, which makes these rather cheap evening choices a fitting tribute to the city's heritage. The new Happy Hour menu is available from 5 to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. [DetNews]

METRO DETROIT — Since there's really only roughly more than a week left in the unofficially-but-actually-official summer season, it's only natural that folks are trying to get people out on to restaurant patios before fall weather is here and patios become cold places full of dead leaves. Nicole Rupersberg of Eat it Detroit / ModelD / assorted other food-related things offers up her contribution today, with a top-five listicle of the best new patios in the metro area. Her tips are valid — the patios at El Barzon and Brooklyn Street Local are pretty great — but some of the commentary ("Get ready to love [St. CeCe's Pub] even harder with their fab bum-proof patio. You know what I mean" | "The subtlely (sic) bum-proof patio at the Jefferson House - featuring a plexiglass partition just high enough to keep Detroit's vagrant population from intruding on your meal") leaves something to be desired. Nevertheless, there's gold in them there patios, and for ideas, Rupersberg's your well-informed lady. [EatItDetroit]