These days I keep stumbling upon new restaurants as I walk around downtown Detroit.
On Friday afternoon as I was cutting through the Chrysler House at Fort Street and Griswold, I discovered the two-week-old Dime Store.
Ann-Marie Murphy
Co-owner Ann-Marie Murphy calls it an "American brunch-bar," essentially because its serves typical breakfast and lunch fare and has a bar. Liquor service is expected to start soon when the owners finish up their paperwork with the state.
The place has got a hip Ann Arbor-like vibe. I didn't eat there, but the menu looks interesting.
It includes a duck reuben, a Korean barbecue sandwich, cheese steak sandwich, grilled chicken breast sandwich, pork, beef and veggie burgers and salads. Breakfast includes omelets, waffles, French toast and breakfast sandwiches: smoked salmon, tomato avocado, egg and turkey sausage with fried egg white.
Murphy is in business with her fiance Larry Kahn, who has done catering, and Jeff Alexander, who has managed restaurants including Max & Erma's, Cracker Barrel and Omelette and Waffle Cafe in Plymouth. The executive chef is Josh Taylor, who last worked at the Park Grill in Chicago.
Eggs Benedict with bacon, arugula and spicy hash.
Murphy worked on marketing projects for Dan Gilbert, and decided to hook up with one of his buildings. Gilbert owns the Chrysler House.
For now, Murphy says the hours are 8 a.m.-8 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. It's closed Sunday. The hours could expand eventually, she said.
In part, she said, the Dime Store name is a play off the old building, which was called the Dime Building. It's also a nostalgic nod to the days of dime stores such as Woolworth and Kresge.
Unlike some other restaurants that have moved into Gilbert buildings recently, she flew under the radar to do a soft launch with little publicity.
Vegetable hash is among the breakfast and lunch menu items. (Food photos from Dime Store's Facebook page)
