Good Eats: Le Petit Zinc in Detroit
Posted by Brandon | Filed under food, life
Cr: Brandon Edward Miller
We recently discovered a wonderful new spot in Detroit to enjoy authentic French fare including crepes, salads, sandwiches, and coffee. Le Petit Zinc is a peaceful oasis nestled on the edge of Corktown which quickly transports you from downtown Detroit to a cafe in a francophone outpost. The dining room is brightly painted and cheerful; the outdoor patio area is tastefully landscaped and comfortable. The crowd is as diverse as Detroit and the service is friendly, even when the place is hopping. The pace is . . . well, French! So sip your coffee and relax–your food will come when it’s ready. If you’re really in a rush, there’s always Au Bon Pain.
More on this “tres bon” cafe, after the jump . . .
Cr: Brandon Edward Miller
This is owner Charles Sorel’s first venture in Motown, which is his wife’s (Karima, who is responsible for the colorful murals decorating the walls) hometown. Sorel, who was born in Martinique, raised in Paris, and has lived in Brooklyn and Brazil, is confident that his new venture will be a success.
Le Petit Zinc is French slang for a local bar. Often times, in France, neighborhood bars cover the bar top in zinc metal. Overtime the wear and tear on the metal gives the bar top unique textures as each patron literally leaves their mark. Our Petit Zinc offers comfortable classic French dining. We welcome you to be yourself, bring your family and friends to leave your mark! –Le Petit Zinc
Le Petit Zinc is located at 1055 Trumbull (don’t turn prematurely into their neighbor’s hard-to-back-out-of parking lot; there’s plenty of street parking on Howard St., near the cafe’s entrance!) It seats about 30 inside, with room for another 30 or so in the patio area.
Cr: Brandon Edward Miller
The menu is simple but presents many choices for the long-lost francophile. I settled on a smoked salmon baguette with hard-boiled egg, a macchiato, and a crepe with nutella. The sandwich was tasty — the crispy baguette could have easily come from a little Parisian bakery. Sandwiches and savory crepes are served with a small mixed green salad. I was jealous of my neighbors with the ratatouille crepe–they reported that it was delicious–but it didn’t feel right to order both a sweet and a savory crepe.
Cr: Brandon Edward Miller
The menu includes a variety of sweet/ dessert crepes with prices ranging from $3.50 to $5.50 (try the citron sucre or the nutella crepes), savory crepes (including goat cheese and ham and cheese), a half dozen salads (the poulet roti looked great), “classics” (looked like a greatest hits list of apps — from charcuterie to a cheese plate), sandwiches, and beverages (the coffee is of the good, Euro-trash variety and they also have Coca Cola bottled in Mexico, made with real sugar). They also serve breakfast.
Cr: Brandon Edward Miller
The kitchen seemed a bit overwhelmed when we visited, but it was well worth the wait. And it’s the kind of place where it’s nice to slow things down a bit and sip your coffee and visit with your table-mates. Some recommend coming before noon or after 2:00 pm for a more leisurely visit. Our server was very friendly (in more than one language) and attentive. Our fellow diners were agreeable too — one couple graciously offered to move to accommodate our larger party. They don’t have a liquor license yet, but you are free to bring in your own bottle of wine and they’ll open it and serve it for you. The prices are very reasonable — the menu tops out at $7.95, and most main course items are around $6. A macchiato for $2.50! Heaven.
Le Petite Zinc is open Monday through Saturday, 9:00 am to 10:00 pm and Sunday 10:00 am to 10:00 pm. Bon Apetit!
Le Petit Zinc Brings Charm to Corktown, DetNews
Related posts:
- Good Eats: What Crepe? in Royal Oak
- Stuff to Do: Autumn Wine & Crepe Tasting
- Stuff to Do: the Monet to Dali Exhibit @ the Detroit Institute of Arts (Part I)
- Get out there and explore Metro Detroit’s cultural treasures . . . for free!
- Good Eats: TK WU in AA
Tags: cafe, Detroit, french, good eats, le petit zinc, restaurant
7 Responses to “Good Eats: Le Petit Zinc in Detroit”
-
Tim Marks Says:
June 15th, 2009 at 8:37 amThis one sounds great. We’ll have to give it a try!
-
DominiqueKing Says:
June 15th, 2009 at 9:57 amOK, Tim…so when are we going?
-
Brandon Says:
June 15th, 2009 at 11:56 amIt’s quite a special place — and needs to be supported! Today is the perfect day to sit in their garden, sipping coffee and waiting for a crepe. Enjoy!!
-
jb Says:
June 16th, 2009 at 3:58 pmWhat a fantastic find! Thanks for sharing…making plans to go immediately
-
Jackie Says:
July 1st, 2009 at 6:21 pmJust been! It’s as wonderful as you say. There isn’t anything on the menu that I wouldn’t adore! Had the ham & brie crepe and a strawberry & chocolate crepe - no problem with 2 crepes! Can’t wait to go back!
-
Brandon Says:
July 1st, 2009 at 7:16 pmHey jb and Jackie,
Glad to hear some more positive reports — I haven’t had a chance to make it for a return visit in awhile.
Keep an eye out for a new post on What Crepe? in Royal Oak — another great new spot in the area.
-
Good Eats: What Crepe? in Royal Oak | the urbane life Says:
July 7th, 2009 at 6:08 pm[...] check out my related post on Le Petit Zinc in Detroit.
