DETROIT – A new restaurant has recently opened up in Corktown and people are already buzzing about it. Located in the modern boutique hotel, Trumbull and Porter, the Red Dunn Kitchen is doing a modern take on classic American and French cuisine.
The hotel used to be a Holiday Inn before Trumbull and Porter moved in. It was built in the 1960s to be a hub of activity after many people were leaving the city, in honor of this, Trumbull and Porter wanted keep some of it's history. In the original hotel, the space that is now the Redd Dunn Kitchen was another restaurant they called the Steakroom. They decided to keep it a restaurant, but wanted to come up with a new name. Hanging on the walls of the old hotel were some original water color paintings, one of which was a picture of the Red Dunn rooster, and they decided to name the restaurant after it, Red Dunn Kitchen.
Both the restaurant and the hotel have a very modern, urban style with industrial looking lights and a reclaimed window allowing you to peak into the Kitchen . The theme of the place is "Made in Michigan" so much of the decor is made by Michigan craftsmen and artisans using locally sourced materials.In the lobby of the hotel there is a giant poem written by Michigander, David Blair. The poem celebrates Detroit and Michigan in general, and is the perfect greeting for the hotel and restaurant. In the poem there is a line, "I stay , even when I go" and they have turned that line into their motto, encouraging people to come, have a good time and leave with some memorable experiences.
One way they create some of these memorable experiences is through their food. Executive Chef Jay Gundy likes to wow his guests by preparing food they are familiar with in a new and inventive way, like a 28 day aged steak served atop of broccoli hummus with bone marrow and cremini mushrooms. While most people know and enjoy a steak, aging it makes it even more tender and give it a unique flavor, almost as if it was lightly topped with bleu cheese. The menu changes frequently to seasonal local produce, in keeping with their made in Michigan theme.
If you are interested in trying out the Red Dunn Kitchen they are located on the corner of Trumbull and Porter in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.