Inside Birmingham’s Funky, New Restaurant and Market

The corner of Maple Road and Peabody Street is once again coming to life next week with the opening of Hazel, Ravines and Downtown. Metro Detroit restaurant industry veterans-turned-restaurateurs chef Emmele Herrold and Beth Hussey will introduce their latest project to the public on Monday, October 29. Hazel, Ravines and Downtown, or simply HRD, is really a marriage of three spaces under one roof: a grab-and-go market and lunch counter, a restaurant, and an extensive private dining space.

By dividing the spaces, Herrold and Hussey aimed to create more flexibility in a huge 10,000-square-foot space that’s been historically challenging for other restaurants to make work. Ron Rea of Ron and Roman architects took the lead on the redesign. The new look combines the nicer finishes left behind by the Stand Gastro Bistro such as oak wood paneling and combined them with slightly funkier touches like big, round light fixtures and Roman shades that divide the room to make the massive footprint feel more manageable.

Customers will enter through a “grotto” space that features outdoor seating and step through the doors into the minimart selling various snacks, coffee, and sandwiches such as French tacos. They’ll then pass through into the 120-seat main dining room anchored by a central horseshoe bar. There are several flexible private dining spaces towards the back of the restaurant that are available for groups of up to 100 people. HRD is keeping things casual with large TV displays and colorful cafe window shades. Large clamshell art pieces are featured throughout the restaurant.

Chef Emmele Herrold’s menu likewise aims to hit several notes. It’s divided into dishes that are international, trendy, and familiar. Patrons can find Herrold’s twist on green bean casserole, a fried fish sandwich, and Georgian khachapuri on the menu. There’s even a trio of Argentinian grilled steaks and empanadas, inspired by Herrold’s experiences cooking with her brother-in-law. For dessert, HRD will offer a rotating selection of cake and ice cream (served in a cone on the side of the cake). Shellfish fans can also count on a raw bar for seafood towers and fresh oysters on the half-shell.

To drink, HRD offers a variety of wines arranged by descriptions like “Highfalutin Reds” and “Not Grape Wines.” There’s also plenty of beer and cocktails ranging from bloody marys to brightly hued pain killers. The bar also features a Jim Beam Highball machine for a fizzy cocktail. A portion of the $8 bill for the highball will be donated to the bartenders charity of choice.

HRD is diving straight in next week with lunch, dinner, brunch beginning all at once. Photographers Michelle and Chris Gerard visited the restaurant ahead of the opening. Take a peek around the renovation in the gallery below.

Michelle and Chris Gerard

Hazel, Ravines and Downtown is located at 34977 Woodward Ave. Suite 100; the market opens at 7 a.m. daily; open 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday.

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• Hazel, Ravines and Downtown Pushing For End-of-October Open Day [ED]
• All Openings Coverage [ED]