DETROIT (WXYZ) — “I’ve always been interested in food,” said Brendon Edwards.
As Brendon Edwards traveled and spent time in Mexico, Japan, and Chicago, he worked in restaurants bringing all those influences and kitchen experiences with him to Detroit.
“We’re making a lot of fresh food, a lot of stuff that is not easily found amongst many restaurants, even in the metro Detroit area,” said Edwards.
Edwards is the chef and co-founder of Metropolitan Bar and Kitchen in the West Village neighborhood.
The restaurant shares the space with a boutique market, making for a unique business partnership.
“The idea was to have a bar and kitchen space with a curated variety store to support it, and vice versa. So, to have specialty cocktails and things like that with the ingredients in the next space along with having the food preparation and having prepared foods and smaller options or similar cuisine over in this space,” said Ashley Price owner of Metropolitan Variety Store.
Metropolitan Variety Store opened last November, and Ashley Price says they’re learning as they go.
“Customers come in, we ask them what they need and if they’re looking for something we don’t have, then we add that to our list,” said Price.
Michigan-made products are market staples.
“We have bread from Rising Stars out of Centerline, we have Yum Village prepared food along with prepared food from our kitchen. We do only Great Lakes potato chips. Brown Dog ice cream from Oak Park,” said Price. “And I think that’s really important to keep a lot of our money here and have other people keep their money here with us and just have that keep growing.”
Back over on the restaurant side, Chef Brendon served up two of the vegetable-centric menu items – maduros tostadas and chili butter cabbage.
“We looked at how to make good fresh food, more flavorful, without adding all the salt and all the fat, and on top of having more traditional fare, like our burger,” said Edwards.
Customer feedback has been very positive since their December opening, according to Edwards.
“I feel like this is actually some of the better response and this is, I think, a little more true to where my heart lies than any of the other places I’ve been,” said Edwards.
The restaurant offers some unique and hard to get spirits along with a wine list he has procured. The dining space is intimate, with just 46 seats.
“You feel like you’re in a very comfortable homey spot that you can have a unique experience without breaking the bank. There’s only one thing on the menu that’s over $20,” said Edwards.
