Detroit – where Middle Eastern, Greek and Polish food traditions reign (almost) supreme (and the coney Dog is still King)

Detroit – where Middle Eastern, Greek and Polish food traditions reign (almost) supreme (and the coney Dog is still King) July 8, 2010

Posted by Eli in : Coney Island, Food Article, Michigan Food, Stories , trackback

Today the Detroit Free Press, or as adoring Michiganders refer to it – The Freep, published a slide show that had my heartstrings a’ strumming and my belly a’ aching.

Faygo! Sliders! Greek Salads! Ray’s Ice Cream!

Can life’s moments (pre-LA) be so intrinsically tied to the cuisine of a city? You know when John Cusack arranges his records autobiographically in High Fidelity? I can do that with coney island meals. Most of all my amazing nights, high school shenanigans,drug and booze experimentation and sexual experiences…all come with an accompanying pita, greek salad or chili cheese fries.

A secret all Michiganders share (along with being able to point out on their hand where they were born), is the secret of the Coney Island. We will gladly talk to blank faced ‘outsiders’ about the glory that is “The Coney Island” until we get stopped by this statement “ok, I get it, coney islands are cheap, open late with greasy food. We have those too. They are called diners.”

But no my dear friend from out of state. No, you do not quite understand the coney island for the same reason you cant point out where you are from on your own hand.

Go to any Coney Island at 6am and you will see it packed with seniors eating early bird breakfasts, business men and woman grabbing a quick coffee and bite before heading to a generic office building downtown or along 696. Check in at a Coney at noon and you will see it packed to the brim with nurses, construction workers and teens on high school lunch breaks grabbing burgers, gyros and that classic beet filled Greek Salad. And peek into a Coney Island after 1am and you’ll surely see punks, goths, skaters, kids violating their curfew, club goers drunkenly pounding chicken finger pitas and everyone cheering each time an order of Saganaki flame tickles the ceiling.

Some of the best conversations, laughing fits and wild nights I’ve ever had occurred or culminated when packed 4-6 deep into a booth wolfing chicken finger pitas (with honey mustard), slurping enormous fountain pops (YES – pop) and ordering saganaki just because fire is even more cool when you’re wasted.

So what’s your favorite Coney Island moment and your favorite Coney Island food?

Entire FREEP Slide show here: http://bit.ly/aLK0X6

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