Plus restaurant openings and foodie tales from my Italian honeymoon-- that’s what’s on the menu for the 67th edition of the Dine In The D Newsletter. (Hi, I’m Michelle!)

🍿 Appetizers

- 🐟 Friday at 11 a.m. for “Dine in the D,” we are heading out to the lake, Cass Lake that is. I have a place serving up fresh fish like walleye and perch on their giant outdoor patio overlooking the water. Don’t miss it as we Dine in the D at Fork n’ Pint.

- 🍕 The winner of our Detroit Style Pizza bracket has been announced -Do you agree with the results? While you’re at it, do you know the history of Detroit Style pizza?

- 🍝 Have you seen the new dishes at Andiamo? All 5 of their locations are now featuring new, more modern Italian dishes designed by Certified Master Chef® Daniel Scannell.

- 🥧 Achatz Handmade Pie Company has come out with a new flavor, just in time for the 4th of July, it’s Rock n’ Rye. They describe it as having “a rich silk filling, and topped with fluffy whipped cream both bursting with Faygo’s classic flavor, Rock & Rye.” If you want to try it, it will be at all their stores on June 30th and you can place a pre-order now.

- 🍴 Paesano Restaurant & Wine Bar in Ann Arbor is changing hands. The longtime favorite Italian spot was recently sold to the Buhr Family, another popular name in the Ann Arbor food scene. The press release says they plan to keep things largely the same.

- 🍽 A new restaurant is opening in Midtown this Friday, and it is all about giving its employees a second chance. Vigilante Kitchen+Bar is serving up elevated Midwestern cuisine alongside recovery support for its staff. It will be taking the place of the old Smith & Co.

🍝What my trip to Italy taught me about food

Hello fellow foodies,

In case you didn’t know, I was off all last week to go on my honeymoon to Italy, and it was AMAZING!

I don’t where to begin.... it was magical, everything I thought it would be, and more.

Italy is a beautiful country and I was very fortunate to get to see a lot of it. We started off in Tuscany, then spent a couple of days at the Cinque Terre along the coast, and ended our trip in Venice.

One of the main reasons we chose to go to Italy was the food, and it did not disappoint.

In Tuscany, we actually stayed at a vineyard and olive oil press and took a cooking class. At the cooking class, we learned how to make pasta and biscotti. Now Mark and I actually have made pasta before, but there we learned that the type of pasta you want to make determines the type of flour you want to use. For long tagliatelle pasta, you actually want to use the slightly rougher semolina flour so the texture of the noodle helps grab ahold of the sauce. Then for sauces and ravioli filling, she had us using fresh zucchini, these small tomatoes that were not quite cherry tomatoes (I’ve not seen anything like them in America), lemon zest, and anything else that was fresh from the garden.

That was actually a trend throughout the whole trip, everything was fresh. All the restaurants always had specials of what came in that morning, and the menus were quite seasonally driven.

Each region also had its own style of cooking. In Tuscany, they were known for their steaks, pasta, and wild boar. I had this potato and rosemary stuffed tortellini with a wild boar ragout-style sauce that was outstanding! The Cinque Terre is known for its lemons, pesto, and focaccia, and there we got the best dessert of the trip, a tasty lemon tart. Venice is known for its seafood and Cicchetti, small pieces of toast topped with meats or seafood, and garnishes like mini open-faced sandwiches. There we got the best calamari I have ever had in my life at this little shop called “Fried Land” in an alleyway.

Of course, you can enjoy pasta, pizza, and gelato in every region, so we had a big helping of all of that.

In Italy, they really care about what they eat. They love to source fresh, local, and high-quality ingredients. A chef once told me that Italian cooking is all about keeping things simple and letting the ingredients speak for themselves, and I have to agree, that is what I experienced.

One simple appetizer we kept getting, again and again, was prosciutto and melon. It was so refreshing! Just thinly shaved prosciutto draped over a fresh slice of cantaloupe. A little salty, a little sweet, and perfect in the heat. I plan to make it a lot this summer.

This trip has reinvigorated my passion for cooking, and I really want to utilize the fresh local produce we have around us. I am also going to be keeping my eye on what’s on special at our local restaurants.

Eat well my friends!

-Michelle Oliver

Reporter on the 11 AM show, “Live in the D.” Follow me on Facebook and Instagram to message me and for the latest stories I am working on.

☀️8 restaurants perfect for patio season

It’s officially summer! With the warm weather rolling in and the bad air quality rolling out (keep your fingers crossed🤞), it’s time to dine outdoors! So many restaurants have beautiful patios and many more have been added in recent years, so here is a mix of some new spots and some old favorites.

Aspen - 20333 Hall Rd, Macomb, MI 48044

This place will be sure to cool you off! The whole restaurant is designed to feel like a ski lodge up north, and that styling extends to their large outdoor dining space. Their menu has a bit of everything with sandwiches, salads, seafood and a large helping of comfort food. This is just one of several places our April Morton is covering in an upcoming piece on new patios in the area. Be sure to watch Live in the D at 11 AM on Thursday, July 6th for the full story on this place, and other patios you can enjoy!

BrisaBar - 800 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48226

Imagine sitting in the sun with your toes in the sand, sipping on a refreshing drink... Now this may sound like something you’d be doing in Miami’s South Beach, but you can actually do it in the heart of Detroit. The place is called BrisaBar and it recently opened up for the season at Campus Martius. BrisaBar has a large covered bar decked out in bright pink with hanging florals and greenery walls to be on theme. Their menu is full of sharable dishes and light bites as well as some seafood entrees. For the full story, click here.

Palio - 347 S Main St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

This longtime Italian restaurant in Ann Arbor has a beautiful rooftop patio you can enjoy in the warmer months. The rooftop is so big it actually has its own menu and name, Palio Del Sole. Catch amazing views of the bustling street below as you enjoy a plate of pasta (they have several on their menu). With a glass of sangria in hand, it makes for a lovely summer evening.

Pinky’s Rooftop - 100 S Main St Rear, Royal Oak, MI 48067

If your idea of a fun night out includes eye-catching craft cocktails and the perfect background for your next Instagram photo, then you need to check out Pinky’s. This rooftop bar is a favorite for girls’ night out and bachelorette parties. Besides cocktails, they also serve up a selection of salads, small plates, and sandwiches. If you are in the mood for brunch, they dish that up as well on Saturday and Sunday. Click here for the full story.

Supergeil - 2442 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216

With an eclectic menu ranging from a Mediterranean-inspired fish dish to some Georgian soup dumplings, plus a sophisticated cocktail program to match, Supergeil has all the ingredients for a fun night out. The name comes from a German word that means super cool, or trendy. This year they have big plans for their large outdoor space. There will be a shipping container bar that will serve raw oysters. They also plan to host events like BBQs and movie nights with a big projector. For the full story, click here.

15th Street Tavern - 10081 S Ortonville Rd, Clarkston

One of the largest outdoor patios in the area is at 15th Street Tavern. Located in Clarkston, they recently expanded their already large patio, and offer some cool lounge seating. Known on social media for their creative cocktails and large portions of mouthwatering bar food, you’re sure to be satisfied here!

Mike’s on the Water - 24600 Jefferson Ave, St Clair Shores, MI 48080

This place seems like it has more outside seating than indoor seating with its giant patio and rooftop bar! Nestled in the heart of the marinas in St. Clair Shores, you can definitely bring your boat to this place. They’ve landed on our Vote 4 the Best list before, and make a mean lobster roll. See the full story on this place here.

Detroit Fleat - 1820 E 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale

If you like trying new food, head to Detroit Fleat in Ferndale where they have a large patio and a rotating group of food trucks. Regularly on the menu, you can get some of their tacos, or try their popular buttermilk fried chicken sandwich. You can even place your order online using your phone to really minimize contact! Their outside dining area is brightly colored with some great spots to get a good selfie. With a couple of drinks and some great eats, it’s a really fun atmosphere.

✍️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.