An Arab food tour of Dearborn, Michigan
DEARBORN, MICH.-Most people associate Dearborn with Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford since he was born near here, but food lovers know this Metro Detroit city as a mecca for Arab food.
You can explore Warren and Michigan Aves. on your own or join the Arab American National Museum for its Yalla Eat culinary walking tours in the fall or spring. There are five running from Sept. 17 to Oct. 1.
Dave Serio, a 30-year-old, Detroit-born American of Lebanese descent, takes me on an off-season, personalized tour. He’s an educator and public programming specialist with the museum and curates an Arab film festival.
The museum is the only one dedicated to telling the stories of Americans of Arab descent, from the first wave of immigration in the 1880s through 9/11 to now. Don’t miss the sobering “stereotypes room.”
This is a great starting point for any food tour because a giant map shows all 22 Arab countries. There are 10 in Africa and 12 in Asia with a shared language (Arabic), shared history and culture, and are members of the Arab League.
Religion is not a defining factor, says Serio, and “we never use the term Middle Eastern — it’s inaccurate.”
The museum started Yalla Eat (yalla means “let’s go”) food tours three years ago and hosts six in the fall and six in the spring. You can always pick up the free brochure/map at the museum, or find it online at arabamericanmuseum.org/yallaeat .
“Obviously the best way to learn about a culture or a people is through food,” declares Serio. “It’s one of the easiest ways. It’s one of the most accessible ways. Besides, food tours are trendy.”
Dearborn is about 40 per cent Arab with about 40,000 people from a variety of countries such as Lebanon and now Syria.
From the museum, we cross the parking lot to Dearborn Fresh. It’s full of Arab food, but also a Tim Hortons and a sushi counter with shawarma beef sushi rolls.
Exploring supermarkets is something food-obsessed travellers always do.
From here, we wander Michigan Ave., stopping at Sheeba Restaurant for Yemeni food that’s stillrare in Toronto.
Seltah is an assortment of root vegetables served bubbling hot in a clay bowl with whipped fenugreek, tomato-garlic hot sauce (sahawiq) and minced jalapenos to stir in. It’s Yemen’s national dish.
Next we eyeball Lebanese and kafta burgers at the Arab-owned Good Burger, and the traditional Lebanaese offerings at Habib’s Cuisine before making a Yemeni sweets pitstop at Mocha Cafe.
Khaltah, explains owner Fawzy Alghazali, is a mix of halvah and harsiah and is the most popular sweet in Yemen. We enjoy it over cardamom-scented Yemeni tea.
“Everybody that tries Yemeni food loves it,” says Alghazali, pointing out that Mocha is named for a port city in Yemen famous for coffee distribution.
Mocha’s first branch, it turns out, is Hamtramck, a small city that is (oddly) almost completely within Detroit and has become a multicultural food destination.
There’s no time for Hamtramck. We’ve still got to explore Warren Ave. in Dearborn.
At Lebon Sweets, the sweet and sticky Lebanese kanafa on a bun blows my mind. We have a meat feast at Iraqi Kabob, Sudani peanuts at Hashem’s nuts and coffee gallery, and homemade ice cream at the crazy crowded Shatila Bakery.
Food tours are tougher than you might imagine. You’re usually full after the second stop but keep eating.
We wrap up at Al Chabab Restaurant with a Syrian feast starring kabob karaz. Famous in Aleppo, it’s a stunning dish of beef in an unusual cherry sauce.
Serio and I have both learned a lot and eaten new things. He actually works in a Coney Island restaurant, serving the city’s signature hot dog topped with chili, yellow mustard, raw onions and sometimes cheese.
That’s a whole other food exploration.
Jennifer Bain was hosted by Visit Detroit, which didn’t review or approve this story.
When you go
Do this trip: The Arab National Museum in Dearborn (part of Metro Detroit and home to the Henry Ford Museum) is open Wednesday to Sunday. It has fall/spring Yalla Eat $25 (U.S.) culinary walking tours. For fall they’re running Sept. 17, 20, 24, 27 and Oct. 1. For self-guided tours, the museum (13624 Michigan Ave.) has a free map at arabamericanmuseum.org/yallaeator at its admission desk.
Michigan Ave. eats: Sheeba Restaurant (13919 Michigan Ave., sheebarestaurant.com); Good Burger (14311 Michigan Ave., goodburgerrestaurant.com); Habib’s Cuisine (14316 Michigan Ave.); Mocha Cafe (14456 Michigan Ave., mimocha.com).
Warren Ave. eats: Lebon Sweets (13743 W. Warren Ave.); Hashem’s (13041 W. Warren Ave., hashems.com); Iraqi Kabob (13650 W. Warren Ave.); Shatila Bakery (14300 W. Warren Ave., shatila.com); Al Chabab Restaurant (12930 W. Warren Ave.)
Get there/around: Delta flies direct to Detroit from Toronto, but you can also drive, or take the train from Toronto to Windsor and then grab a cab across the border. You’ll need a car to explore Metro Detroit.
Stay: MotorCity Casino Hotel (2901 Grand River Ave., motorcitycasino.com) in downtown Detroit. It’s locally owned by Little Caesars Pizza co-founder Marian Ilitch. You can bypass the casino if it’s not your thing, and just enjoy Iridescence restaurant, Assembly Line Buffet, the food court, spa and fitness centre. I caught Jamey Johnson at the Sound Board concert venue in the hotel. There’s free parking, free Wi-Fi and a taxi stand outside. (It’s not easy to simply hail cabs in Detroit.)