A look back at my 10 years producing Dine in the D -- that’s what’s on the menu for the 78th (and my final) edition of the Dine In The D Newsletter. (Hi, I’m Michelle!)

🍿 Appetizers

- 🍽️ Today is the last day to participate in Let’s Do Dinner Detroit, a restaurant week with special menus that help people in need with Forgotten Harvest.

- 🦃 Amp up your Thanksgiving with some Caribbean flavors. Chef Max Hardy from Coop shares some of the recipes in his cookbook with Bob Marley’s son.

- ☕ Mad Nice has expanded and is now operating a daytime cafe and retail space called Mad Nice Goods right next door.

- 📽️ A new bar and movie theater is opening up on Detroit’s east side. It’s a bar and microcinema called Fourth Wall, and its soft opening is on Nov. 16.

- 🎄 Cocktails & Cable Knits, the Union Joints (Fenton Fire Hall, Union Assembly, Union Woodshop), are getting dressed up for the holidays! The fun 50s/60s-inspired holiday takeover will launch on Nov. 22.

- 🎅 Speaking of holiday takeovers, Blitzen on Bagley is returning this season. You can enjoy the Christmas-themed bar all season long.

❤️ My love letter to the Detroit food scene

Hello fellow foodies,

This is a difficult blog for me to write ... because it will be my last for the Dine in the D Newsletter.

I have accepted another position as a senior video producer in the PR and commercial space, and will be moving on from reporting about all the wonderful happenings in and around Detroit -- and man, does this stir up a lot of emotions.

I first started working here on Aug. 11, 2013, and I was hired to specifically help launch “Live In The D” as a multimedia journalist. Back then, Guy Gordon and Karen Drew were hosting, and the show looked a lot different -- but Dine in the D was started pretty early on. I still remember walking up to Jay Kuhlman, our executive producer, and asking if I could take on the Dine in the D franchise and really develop it.

That was about half a year after the show started, and since then I have been producing Dine in the D to air every Friday. If you run the numbers, that puts me at well over 400 Dine in the Ds in the past 10 years, and I remember them all.

I deeply loved getting to talk with chefs and small business owners and witness their passion for food and hospitality. Cooking is something I like to do at home, and I cannot even begin to describe how much my skill has grown after working with many of the talented chefs and cooks in Metro Detroit.

Guys, we are so lucky to live in this area. I have traveled around, and our food scene is really top notch.

The restaurant industry has changed so much during my time reporting on it. Much like Detroit itself, it has gone through a renaissance. We have so many more options now! The diversity and quality of the restaurants popping up are fabulous. Desolate neighborhoods are now thriving with new businesses, and more and more chefs and restaurants are being recognized both nationally and internationally for their amazing work.

Watching these small businesses weather the pandemic was both inspiring and heartbreaking. While we lost some amazing places, I am greatly impressed by the flexibility and ingenuity of those that survived, and the new ones that opened up.

As reporters, we are in a way history keepers, and I am so honored I got to help chronicle this portion of Detroit’s history.

To all of you who have watched, read, and followed what I have reported, thank you. Your many messages have meant the world to me, and I love to see that others are just as invested in this community as I am.

Please join me and the “Live In The D” team at 11 a.m. on Friday for my final show.

Eat well my friends -- now and forever,

- Michelle Oliver, reporter on “Live in the D” for 10 years

🍽️ Here are some of my favorite places to Dine in the D

I thought I would leave you with a list of some of my favorite places to dine in Metro Detroit. I hope you enjoy it!

M Cantina - 13214 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI 48126

Anytime I move somewhere, I like to find a Mexican restaurant to frequent. When I lived in Dearborn, M Cantina was my spot. It is unlike any other Mexican restaurant I’ve ever been to. Owner and executive chef Junior Merino describes it as “Nuevo Latino. We take ingredients from anywhere in Latin America and we present them in a new style of presentation.” He’s a genius when it comes to mixing flavors. I always love trying whatever taco they have on special, and you must save room for both a drink (they have many mocktails too!) and dessert. Click here to read the full story.

Sylvan Table - 1819 Inverness Street, Sylvan Lake, MI 48320

When I have a special occasion or want to treat someone from out of town, I love taking them to Sylvan Table. I actually first met chef Chris Gadulka at Toast in Birmingham, and was very excited to see this humble but talented man take on this new opportunity. The restaurant is a restored 300-year-old barn, and the surrounding land they transformed into a farm to help supply the restaurant. As a result, their menu is “hyper-seasonal,” but they have some longstanding favorites like their wood-fired trout, and this time of year their life-changing short rib is back on the menu (it is seriously so good!). Click here for the full story.

Supergeil - 2442 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, MI 48216

This restaurant has one of the most unique menus in the area, and I am here for it! It ranges from a Mediterranean-inspired fish dish to some Georgian soup dumplings. By the same creators behind Two James Distillery, the name comes from a German word that means super cool, or trendy, and was inspired by the owners’ trip to Berlin. They were staying in the Kreuzberg area, a neighborhood that is known for its large Turkish population, and that is where they tried a doner. Doner is a Turkish sandwich made with marinated meat on a verticle rotisserie. The bread is fairly light and it is packed with vegetables and herbs. It can be a bit spicy, but it is packed with flavor and straight-up addicting. Click here to learn more.

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

This is such a unique space with multiple concepts all under one roof. If you love Korean BBQ, then you need to go to Daebak. I strongly recommend you start your order with some Korean fried chicken wings and some soju, then you can dive into the main course and grill up however many meats you like! Afterward, head down the hall to Myomee to get a coffee and enjoy some bingsu (a Korean shaved ice dessert with lots of toppings). If you are a fan of KPOP, then you can also check out their K-Pop store in the old Jinji space! Click here for the original story, and here for the K-Pop store update.

La Feria - 4130 Cass Ave, Detroit, MI 48201

This is one of my and my husband’s favorite spots to go for date night. Everything here is small plates, so this is a great place to come to with a small group so everyone can try a bit of everything. While we do mix it up on occasion we always get their Patatas Bravas (fried potatoes with a spicy tomato paprika sauce and garlic alioli), Esparragos con Mojo (the best asparagus I’ve ever had grilled and covered in a red bell pepper and garlic sauce), Gambas al Ajillo (seared shrimp in a garlic and chili flake olive oil), Pincho Moruno de Pollo (Moorish-style chicken kebabs), and the Steak a la Pimienta (delicious steak with a craked pepper and brandy butter sauce). They also have a pretty terrific wine program. Click here to learn more.

Union Joints - Various Locations

Whether it’s the original Clarkston Union, their BBQ brand the Union Woodshop, the Union Assembly in downtown Detroit, their burger joint Vinsetta Garage, or their forrays into Latin American food with Honcho and Gran Castor - I know I am in for a solid meal and great atmosphere at any of the union joints. They really make me appreciate the business side of running a restaurant with such smooth operations at each of their places. Every one of them feels unique, the service is always good, and the food is always top-notch for the price. Also, they hands-down have the best mac and cheese in the area, it’s no wonder they built their business on it.

Baobab Fare - 6568 Woodward Ave Suite 100, Detroit, MI 48202

East African cuisine has come to Detroit, and you have to try it! Warm savory spices, lots of colorful fresh veggies, and tender, slow-cooked meats are some of what you will find on their menu. Since going there the first time, I have been hooked on their Samaki, a lightly fried white fish topped with tangy sauteed onions, but everything I’ve tried it is good. I love getting their passion fruit juice with my meal and their tamu, a sweet dessert pudding made from creamy avocados and passion fruit is a great way to end a meal. For the full story, click here.

Ima & Supercrisp - Various Locations

I put both Ima and Super Crisp on this list for one major reason, their fired Chicken sandwich. In the great chicken sandwich debate, this is my pick for the winner. The chicken is twice fried and incredibly crispy, if you get the spice it is full of flavor and the whole thing is so well balanced. The sandwich was originally on the menu at Ima, but when it became crazy popular they ended up opening up Super Crisp to serve the sandwich and other fast options. If you love chicken sandwiches, you need to try this one.

Dearborn Meat Market - 7721 Schaefer Rd, Dearborn, MI 48126

I believe it was Seoung Lee with Chow Down Detroit who told me about this place. When you first walk in, it looks like a regular meat market with al the display cases, but in the back is a large grill and a small restaurant filled with the most amazing smells. They have the best kafta (seasoned ground meat on a skewer) I’ve ever had, and all the skewers are cooked to order. For the full story, click here.

Noble Fish - 45 E 14 Mile Rd, Clawson, MI 48017

This is my favorite place to get sushi in Metro Detroit. It’s affordable and super fresh. I love the Alcapulco roll with tuna, avocados, spicy jalapeno, and fresh cilantro. You can order and dine in, but I typically get mine to go. It is inside a Japanese market, so you can also buy everything you need to make sushi yourself. My only recommendation is to order early, sometimes they get so busy they turn off ordering.