NYT Frugal Traveler Visits Dearborn; Bartender Marlowe Johnson Joins Standby Team

EATER TRACKING — Detroit City Distillery's head bartender Marlowe Johnson is leaving to join the team at forthcoming Belt Alley venture Standby. [Metro Times]

FOOD MEDIA — Continuing his tour of Metro Detroit, New York Times Frugal Traveler Seth Kugel visits Dearborn in his most recent column. The write gets a rude awakening at Dearborn Meat Market when he attempts to order a single kafta kebab. "No! You're not hungry! Come back another time," Hussein Saad tells the writer, shooing him away. (Spoiler: Saad later offers to give him one on the house.) Sheeba Restaurant and Tuhama's also make Kugel's list of inexpensive dining options. [NYT]

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH — John's Grill on West Chicago gets some love in a thoughtful profile that looks at how owner John Trpcevski has created a positive culture in his restaurant. "I think everybody looks at John like a father figure," says customer Herman Blair. [Freep]

CROWDSOURCING — Redline Brewing Company in Burton, Michigan is attempting to get back on track after a fire burned through the business just one week after opening. Tenacity Brewing in Flint is hosting a fundraiser on October 20 from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. with 100 percent of tips going to Redline (the owners cover the taproom on Tuesdays). [Hour Detroit]

POP-UPS — Hamtramck pop-up dining restaurant Revolver is launching a new vegetarian and vegan series on Sundays. Chef Rhoda St. Luce will be cooking Caribbean-inspired fare at the first event on October 25. [EaterWire]

CHARITYWIRE — Detroit Lions team members including Sam Martin are serving 9-inch personal pizzas at the Bigalora Wood Fired Food Truck on October 20 inside Eastern Market's Shed 2. Fifteen percent of the proceeds will be donated to Game On Cancer. The event kicks off at 10 a.m. with players on-site from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. [EaterWire]