Plus, Jody Trierweiler, our Health and Fitness Expert, shares what she enjoys on her “Cheat Days” -- that’s what’s on the menu for the 61st edition of the Dine In The D Newsletter. (Hi, I’m Michelle!)

🍨What do you have for your ‘cheat days’?

All this week on Live in the D we’ve had the immense pleasure of having our Health and Fitness Expert, Jody Trieweiler as our Guest Host. She is always upbeat and positive and has a very practical approach to health and fitness. If you’re a longtime reader of this newsletter, you’ve heard her advice before about how to choose healthier options when you are dining out, and sharing some of her favorite dining spots that have healthier options. I was curious, however, what does she have on her “cheat days?” Does she even believe in such a thing? So I asked if she could blog about her “cheat days” and here is what she had to say:

Though I eat healthy about 80% of the time, I do indulge in the other 20%. I don’t have a set day or pattern, but when a craving strikes, sometimes I indulge. You might consider it a “cheat”, or “cheat day”.

For example, last Saturday morning I went to a workout class, and on the way home I stopped at Chez Pierre et Genevieve in Bloomfield Hills for some authentic French chocolate croissants. They are quite authentic, light, and flaky with a distinct buttery taste. The chocolate almond croissant is a bit sweeter and the toasted almonds provide a lovely crunch. I enjoyed the croissant with a decaf cappuccino on my back porch as I listened to the birds singing.

When I decide to indulge, I want things like homemade Italian pasta from Salvatore Scallopini, or frozen custard only available in the summer at Erma’s Frozen Custard. Authentic and homemade foods using high-quality ingredients are what I gravitate towards when I’m looking for a “cheat meal”. I never feel guilty and it’s so much more enjoyable than having a packaged cupcake from the grocery store. Lower-quality foods are never as satisfying.

Another thing I consider to be a “cheat” or indulgence is alcohol. I enjoy a fine wine or a glass of Prosecco with a splash of cherry Grenadine. I’ve also been known to order a dirty martini with Tito’s vodka.

I think the key is limiting the indulgent foods to only 20% of the time or less, and packing the other 80% with nutrient-dense foods and lots of vegetables especially.

If you want more from Jody Treirweiler, follow her on Instagram, and visit her website. Plus, she will be Guest Hosting with Tati Amare on Live in the D tomorrow at 11AM.

🍣Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with these tasty restaurants!

The month of May is also Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and a fun way to celebrate these many cultures is by enjoying their various cuisines! So I rounded up a list of 10 places for you to try.

New Age Noodles - 143 N Main St, Mt Clemens, MI 48043

If you want a taste of something new and different, a fusion of Asian flavors, then head on over to New Age Café. Joshua Prakobkij, the owner, started cooking at an early age with his grandma and worked his way to be the Sous Chef at Prime and Proper. Since his father and grandmother always wanted to open up a restaurant, and he wanted to work closer to home, he partnered up with his family to open up New Age Café. There, Josh put his experience with fine dining to good use. While some of the dishes he makes are family recipes from Thailand, he likes to add his own spin to things. On the menu is a selection of rice plates, stir fry, noodle bowls, and more, pulling inspiration from across Asia. Click here to see the story of how they got started in Clinton Township.

Momo Cha & Bangkok 96 Street Food at Detroit Shipping Company- 474 Peterboro St, Detroit, MI 48201

The Detroit Shipping Company is such a cool place with multiple award-winning food concepts all under one roof. If you love dumplings as much as I do, you need to check out Momo Cha. They specialize in Nepalese dumplings and snacks, making everything from scratch. When ordering their dumplings you can pick your protein (they do have a vegetarian option), the chutney or dipping sauce, as well as how they are prepared (steamed, pan-fried, deep-fried). Bangkok 96 Streetfood also calls Detroit Shipping Company home, and like their name implies they offer more street food than their traditional Thai restaurant counterpart, like their Pad Thai roll, which turns the classic Thai dish into something similar to a sushi roll.

Black Pine Tree Sushi - 18700 Eureka Rd, Southgate, MI 48195

This sushi bar in Southgate offers all your traditional rolls and many fun signature rolls and specials, like the Black Pine tree with is a panko fried roll with eel and cucumber, topped with smelt roe, Japanese mayo, and eel sauce. They have hot entrees for those who don’t like sushi, like their yaki soba, pan-fried noodles with vegetables and your choice of protein, or the classic Korean Bulgogi. Customers rave about their gyoza, which is a great way to start off your meal.

Pho Lucky - 23838 Joy Rd, Redford Charter Twp, MI 48239 and in Novi and Midtown Detroit

This family-owned Vietnamese restaurant started as a small eatery in Redford and now has two more locations in Novi and Detroit. Pho, in case you don’t know, is a delicious Vietnamese noodle soup. It typically has rice noodles and a variety of meats (typically different cuts of beef) in a savory broth that takes many hours to make. It will be served with Thai basil, bean sprouts, cilantro, lime, hoisin sauce, and sriracha so you can customize the flavor to fit your tastes.

Shangri-La - 6407 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, MI 48322

This authentic Cantonese restaurant first opened its doors in 1995 and specializes in dim sum. Dim sum is a traditional Chinese meal made up of many small plates. The dishes come around on a cart and you select what you would like off the cart. The dishes are all meant to be shared by the table and include many buns and dumplings. Think of it like a traveling buffet. They also have a second location in Midtown.

Isla - 2496 Metro Parkway, Sterling Heights, MI 48310

Slick savory noodles topped with delicious grilled meat, and tropical frozen desserts packed with color and flavor are just some of the authentic Filipino dishes you can get at Isla. This husband and wife team loves using their culinary expertise to share food from their home country. The wife is an experienced pastry chef combining Filipino flavors like ube (a purple yam) with her traditional French technique, while the husband dishes up some savory rice and noodle bowls. I loved their Pancit Bihon, which is stir-fried rice noodles with fresh veggies that you can top with a grilled pork steak. For the full story, click here.

Miss Kim - 415 N 5th Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

“Food & Wine” magazine named this Ann Arbor Korean restaurant to their Best New Chefs list. Chef and Co-Owner Ji Hye Kim, grew up with her mom’s delicious home cooking and it inspired her to become a chef. Food is served family-style and is meant to be shared. Popular dishes include their Korean fried chicken, which happens to be gluten-free and can be dressed with a variety of sauces, and their kimchi fried rice which can be made with or without pork. Another favorite is Tteokbokki, sautéed Korean rice cakes tossed in a spicy and slightly sweet gochujang chili sauce with pork belly and a poached egg on top. For the full story, click here.

Neehee’s - 45656 Ford Rd, Canton, MI 48187, and 4924 Rochester Rd, Troy, MI 48085

With a space as brightly colored as their food, Neehee’s is sure to make you smile. It started off as a small concept in the back of a grocery store, but their food became so popular they moved into their own space in Canton and eventually expanded to a second location in Troy. They dish up Indian street food and have tons of dishes on their menu, all of which are vegetarian. I love their gobi manchurian, fried cauliflower in a spicy yet tangy sauce with onions and bell peppers.

New Seoul Plaza - 27566 Northwestern Hwy, Southfield, MI 48034

Whether you’re craving Korean BBQ, or a deliciously sweet bingsu, or you want to shop for some KPOP paraphernalia, New Seoul Plaza in Southfield has you covered. Located at the back of the building is their Korean BBQ restaurant called Daebak, which is a slang term meaning “awesome” in Korean. Korean BBQ is done quite differently than American BBQ. You are served a platter of uncooked meats and veggies and sit around a table with a grill built into the center. You cook up the meat and eat it as you go. They provide many small side dishes to eat with your meat so you can really enjoy it any way you want. After your meal, you can enjoy dessert at their dessert cafe, Myomee, which means “charming” in Korean. It’s a fitting name for the quaint cafe. They serve typical coffee drinks as well as bubble tea and the classic Korean dessert bingsu, a shaved frozen sweet cream topped with a variety of fruit and other goodies.

Ima Izakaya - 2100 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216

Ima is a restaurant where every dish is bursting with flavor. They have three locations, all with slight variations in the menu, but one thing they all have is noodles. You can indulge in a classic ramen bowl, warm up with some pho, or try a pan-fried yaki udon bowl. There are so many great dishes to try, you really can’t go wrong. They also allow you to customize your bowl and add your own protein, making it very vegetarian-friendly. At their Izakaya location, you can also enjoy skewers from their robata grill, as well ask some delicious cocktails.

✍️Can I take your order?

Hello! My name is Michelle Oliver. I am a reporter, and the resident foodie on our 11 a.m. lifestyle show, “Live In The D.” Every Friday, I will take you to “Dine In The D” at a different local restaurant, so make sure to watch.

Thanks for reading this newsletter! I’d love to hear about the restaurants you love in your city -- click here to submit an idea, or email me directly here.

By the way, we have a Facebook group for our “Dine In The D” foodies! Check it out here and join the conversation.