Carter's Restaurants - 22990 Outer Dr, Dearborn, MI 48124 - (313) 277-9033

General thoughts - I love these types of restaurants where it's all counter seating. The whole building, inside and out, is white.You know everyone that works there and they know you. There are always the regulars that are there every morning by 8am and do not leave until almost 11am. There's something comforting about walking in and seeing the same people. Carter's used to be a chain but are now individually owned and operated. The first picture is the outisde. As you can see, the window has the sign for cheap (and yummy) burgers. The second and third pictures show the interior.

Foods tried - Breakfast Special, Cheese omelette, Fried egg sandwich, Cheeseburger, Fries, Boston cooler, Strawberry malt

Thoughts -

1. Breakfast Special - It is only available until 11am, and at $3.25, you can't beat the price for what you get - 2 eggs any style, hash browns, 2 slices of bacon, 2 slices of buttered toast. With a nice hot cup of coffee, you can't ask for a better start for your day. I guess this is one of those seemingly foolproof meals that any diner makes, but maybe it's the taste left on the grill from years of cooking on it that makes this Breakfast Special better than the others. I've been to places where the hash browns aren't cooked through, and this place definitely knows how to cook a breakfast properly (if that made sense at all). As you can see from the picture, it's actually a "reenactment" of what it actually looks like. The spots on my knife isn't junk leftover from the previous user of the knife but from me taking a couple bites of the food before I remembered to take the picture. And you can see I also "rearranged" the toast so the piece that I already ate half of is in the bottom. I would think that's a excellent proof that it's very delicious.

2. Cheese omelette - Another yummy offering from Carter's. This time I remembered to take the picture before I started to eat it. I also enjoyed this a lot because the eggs are not rubbery like some omelettes can be. Omelettes seem easy to make but it is an art and I cannot tell you how many times I've tried and failed. As you can see, it also comes with hash browns, 2 slices of bacon, and buttered toast. The bacon is well done and brittle to the touch like I asked for it. It's just my preference.

3. Fried egg sandwich - One day I decided to be adventurous and I thought I'd try something new just for once. The fried egg sandwich, however, doesn't come with bacon. It is exactly what it is, fried egg in between 2 slices of extra heavily buttered toast. I did order bacon separately that time so i can make a bacon and fried egg sandwich. I love when the eggs are cooked over easy because of the taste of the toast and egg yolks together when the yolk breaks. There's just something deliciously satisfying about that.

4. Cheeseburger - I think the cheeseburger is pretty good for the price. The patty isn't the biggest, but it is cooked right. Topped with some grilled onion (you have to ask for it), it's actually quite yummy. Being the experienced cooks that they are, of course all the burgers are cooked to order. If you order it deluxe, it come with fries and coleslaw.

5. Fries - Carter's serve skinny fries. You would think it's easier to burn those becaue they're so thin but they make some dang good fries - Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. It's not expensive and you get a healthy portion of it.

6. Boston cooler - This is one of the easiest drinks to make and yet I've never had it until I was 28 years old. It is literally a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with Vernor's (similar to a root beer float). I've had it with regular and diet Vernor's and they both taste good. It is an awesome summer drink. The simplicity of this drink makes me smile. :-)

7. Strawberry malt - This is the reason you go to a place such as Carter's. Although these have become more common over the years and served in various chain restaurants, the ones that come from soda fountain shops like Carter's just seem to taste better. Maybe because of the nostalga factor? Either way, they're served in the very recognizable cone shaped glasses and you are given the leftovers. Love it!

Final thoughts - Was it Very Yummy in My Tummy? Yes. Will I be coming back? The short answer is yes. The long answer is that this is one of those restaurants I like coming back to again and again because the food is good and it's something I don't want to see go away. It is an institution to the area. This restaurant has been there for well over 50 years, I would love for it to be here for another 50.

Sanka Tei - 39520 West 14 Mile Road Commerce Twp, MI 48390-3908 - (248) 960-3363

General thoughts - I found Sanka Tei from when I decided to drive around where I work to see where I can grab lunch from. This place is about as non-descript as it gets. Even though they have a few tables, all its foods are served in toss away plastic or styrofoam containers. Based on its take out menu, other than the restaurant's name, the next biggest words are "Take Out Sushi" so it should come as no surprise the containers are all disposable. There are 2 people running the restaurant, 1 makes the sushi/takes orders, and the other is the chef. I'm guessing they're a couple. It's not a very big place, but for a place this size the menu selection is quite good.

Foods tasted - Curry rice with breaded pork, spicy tuna roll, spicy yellowtail roll, Katsu don, Kakiage udon

Thoughts -

1. Curry rice with breaded pork - It's very good. I like that the curry is very thick. Some places has very watery curry and that's flat out gross. The breaded pork wasn't tough and the breading isn't burnt. It has pieces of carrots and potatoes in it.

2. Spicy tuna roll - I just wanted to test something simple since I've never been there before. The fish was fresh, but my favorite part is that instead of the usual spicy mayonnaise (which add tons of calories), the spiciness comes from hot sauce poured directly onto the rice.

3. Kakiage udon - It's udon with vegetable tempura, seaweds, and 2 pieces of fish cakes. There wasn't a large amount of tempura but it was sufficient. The bowl looks smaller than it really is so I guess it was worth the $7 I spent on it. Sanka Tei's broth is good, but I have yet to decide which Japanese restaurants (of the ones I have reviewed so far) has the best one. *I only have the stock picture here because I forgot to take pictures the last time I was there but this is pretty close to the real thing.

4. Spicy yellowtail roll - I thought I'd give some different foods a try just to see (for my now third visit). The yellowtail is also fresh and the hot sauce was also poured onto the rice instead of the spicy mayonnaise. See above for pictures along with the spicy tuna roll.

5. Katsu don - Since the curry rice was good, I wanted to taste another dish that I often order at a Japanese restaurant (also for the third visit). It came with 2 pieces of raddish (which unfortunately I don't eat), a slice of honey dew (for dessert), and a small bunch of spaghetti noodles mixed with mayonnaise. I'm guessing it's suppose to be their version of coleslaw? Katsu don is basically a breaded pork cooked with sauted onions on top of a bed of rice with a cooked egg on top of it (I still can't figure out how they do the egg to get it to that consistency) and a sweet sauce. There's more than enough for a second meal.

Updated 9/21 - Yakisoba, Bibimbop, Squid and masago roll, Miso soup

Thoughts -

1. Yakisoba - If it's up to me, I usually get Yakisoba versus Yakiudon, which is the same stirfry dish but with fat white noodles instead of the skinner soba noodles. Yakisoba consists of pieces of cabbage, pork, carrots, and pickled red ginger stir fried in a teriyaki type sauce. I like that the noodles and the pork are not over done and the cabbage is not mushy. I also like that they put a generous amount of sauce in it, which is convenient for the reheating so that the noodles do not become dry as it is being reheated.

2. Bibimbop -  This is another knockout dish from Sanka Tei. The dish contains shiitake mushrooms, carrots, sunny side up egg, thin slices of beef, sesame oil, shreds of daikon, pickles, seaweed, and a delicious sweet and spicy sauce on top of a bed of white rice. The presentation is great for a takeout dish like this. I also love that this sauce is spicy in addition to being sweet, which is what most restaurants serve alongside their bibimbop. This is one of those dishes where you pretty much have to mix everything together, egg yolks, sauce, and all in order to fully enjoy it. It does come with a side of miso soup. It's too bad that since this restaurant is mostly a takeout restaurant that they do not serve Dolsot bibimbop (bibimbop in a burning hot stone bowl). The difference besides the burning hot stone bowl is the bits of rice that are deliberately burnt from being in the bowl. It adds additional texture and taste to a bibimbop that you otherwise wouldn't have. I definitely would order this again.

3.  Squid and masago (smelt roe) roll - This simple roll is only $3.25! The quality of both the sqauid and masago are great. It is a great alternative to the spicy tuna or spicy yellowtail roll. This roll made me want to order more squid nigiri (individual sushi pieces) the next time I eat at a Japanese restaurant.

4. Miso soup - I love the simplicity of miso soup - broth, miso paste, seaweed, cubes of tofu, scallions. I love the salty taste of the miso soup, the softness of the tofu, the taste and texture of the seaweed and the scallions. Fortunately, this is one of those soups that every Japanese restaurant can make correctly.

Final thoughts - Was it Very Yummy In My Tummy? I like it more and more each time I get food from there. Will I go back? I would, especially when I'm craving rice/noodles at work since it's only a mile away. I don't know if I would drive from home for it. I think they're starting to recognize me as they threw in a spicy tuna roll for free today. Score! As with other restaurants, I'll update with more pictures as I go back.

Union Street - 4145 Woodward Ave. Detroit MI 48226 - Phone: (313) 831-3965

General thoughts - I've been there many times and have never had a bad meal there, I honestly don't know if it's even possible. The best thing about going the night we did was that they served $5 martinis and $5 appetizers. The atmosphere is very cozy, awesome place to go for a night on the town. And unlike a bunch of other restaurants in Detroit, this one does open on Monday nights.

Foods tasted - Mac & Cheese w/ Wings, Lobster and shrimp Casino, Blackened (Tilapia?) with Jambalaya

Thoughts -

1. Mac & Cheese w/ Wings - This was one of the $5 appetizers. Honestly, 2 orders of this and I would've been a perfectly happy camper. Their wings were not those scrawny little things and the mac & cheese was delicious and not over done where the cheese starts breaking down. Like the apptizer "menu" says, it came with a lemon tequila BBQ sauce. Couldn't quite taste the tequila or lemon distinctly, but the bottom line is that those 2 elements made normal BBQ sauce that much better.

2. Lobster and shrimp Casino - I honestly don't think I found any actual pieces of lobster, but it does come with a lot of shrimp. Perhaps they used the lobster in form of a lobster broth to cook the pasta in? I don't know, but either way, it was THAT good. I love cooking but there's no way I can imitate that. It had a lot of shitake mushrooms and garlic in it, that's for sure. The sauce was very buttery. It was well worth every penny.

3. Blackened (Tilapia?) with Jambalaya - This one isn't on the regular menu, it was a Chef's Special. It's not even on the website's menu anymore. There was a good amount of blackening seasoning on the fish, and the rest of the components in the jambalaya was very good as well. I'm a person that loves salt, but quite honestly, this dish was a bit too salty even for me. I'm sure for someone out there, it's just right.

Final thoughts - Was it Very Yummy In My Tummy? Yes. Will I go back? For sure. I really like the feel of the place. It's a great place to go before a Detroit Symphony Orchestra concert because it's right down the street. It's slightly dark in the restaurant, but not in a bad way at all. It's a great date place. As always, I'll put more pictures on this the next time I go.

O'Sushi Japanese Restaurant - 22431 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI (313) 562-4166

Again, no picture. If you Google map it, it still shows the old gelato place that was there before O'Sushi.

General thoughts - I've been there at least a hundred times and I always leave very satisfied. It is at a great location with an attached parking lot, whereas their competition (less than 2 blocks away) is at the corner of a big street but the parking situation is hideous. O'Sushi is known for their very innovative an appetizing rolls. They of course have the standards - Spicy tuna, Philadelphia, Spider, etc. But it also has a lot to choose from that is far from the ordinary. They has an O'Sushi roll that is wrapped in cucumber slices instead of your standard seaweed, they have a White Christmas roll that is baked and is top is treated with a blowtorch. The possibilities are endless. They also have the standard udon, teriyaki, tempura, and even some Korean dishes which are really yummy as well.

Foods tasted - Unagi Nigiri (eel sushi), Chicago roll (has multiple kinds of fish in it), Spicy scallop roll, Philadelphia roll, Yum yum roll (deep fried and has avocado, cream cheese and other things in it), Tempura udon.

Update on 9/8 - here's a picture of all the rolls + nigiri minus the yum yum roll (will add it the next time I eat it) From top to bottom - Chicago roll, Philadelphia roll, tuna avacado roll, salmon roe nigiri, unagi nigiri, salmon nigiri

Thoughts

1. Philadelphia roll - I like that it is made with raw salmon instead of smoked salmon like other places does. Not that it's expensive to begin with, but the raw fish makes it worth the cost. Since it's made with the same salmon that they use in the nigiri, needless to say the salmon in this roll is very fresh.

2. Tuna avacado roll - We were just looking for something simple, and since neither of us are crazy about cucumbers, this is perfect. The tuna is blood red (which indicates freshness) as I would expect from O'Sushi and the avacado is also fresh.

3. Salmon roe nigiri - This is one of my favorites. I know it sounds kind of cruel that I feel like I'm eating Nemo's cousins, but strangely I like that fishy salty taste. As with "grown" salmon, the eggs are suppose to be bright orange (which they were). O'Sushi is also pretty generous with the amount of salmon roe it puts into the salmon roe nigiri which I like a lot.

4. Salmon nigiri - I know I'm totally just rehashing this, but I cannot stress enough how fresh this restaurants' fish are. I know this is just a piece of salmon and rice, but bad sushi really does leave a bad taste in your mouth. This one is far from it.

Thoughts -

1. Unagi Nigiri - John and I both love the eel sushi with the sweet sauce on top. The eel is cooked and delicious. There's really no need to dip in the soy sauce, but I love soy sauce. And of course with lots of wasabi.

2. Chicago roll - It's a great value for $9.95. 4 types of fish inside seaweed and rice into 8 pieces. The chefs do not skimp on the fish, and each fish taste really fresh - which is the key for all sushi. There's no fancy sauce or anything that's on top on it or in it, it's a roll that is for people looking to fully enjoy the raw fish and nothing else. It is one of our new favorites.

3. Spicy scallop roll - It's an 8 piece roll with fresh scallops mixed with masago (smelt roe), topped with a spicy mayo. It has a nice little kick to it, I like it. It's always nice to be able to have something as simple as spicy scallop that features 1 item to go with the fancy Chicago roll that has everything but the kitchen sink in it.

4. Yum yum roll - It looked interesting so we had to try it. It happens to be on sale as well, so that never hurts. The deep frying had melted the cream cheese a bit and it made it sweeter than when it's cold, so that's a pleasant surprise. It does have avocado in it and it was fresh (not mushy).

5. Tempura udon - This is one of my all time favorites. It's a large bowl of noodles in a hot broth with 2 tempura battered fried shrimps and 2 slices of tempura battered yams. SOOO GOOD! I especially love this dish in the winter when it's freezing outside it really warms me up. They give you a red pepper flakes type season to go with it in case you like the broth spicy. I like it when the shrimps and yam have been sitting in the soup for awhile and the batter starts to break off. The batter carries a little bit of taste from the shrimps and yam which seasons the noodles. However, I think the next time I go, I'm going to tell them to put the tempura stuff on the side because I want to have the option of eating them while crunchy if I happen to be in the mood for it. But I order this every time I go almost without fail.

Final thoughts - Yummy In My Tummy? For sure. If it wasn't, I wouldn't keep going back. Their staff is super friendly and they know me by name and vice versa. They do have a liquor license, so I suppose if you want to drink a JD while eating sushi, you can (although I don't recommend it). They do have sake. Once again, I passed out after the huge meal. Surprise surprise!

Ajishin - 42270 Grand River Avenue Novi, MI 48375-1836 - (248) 380-9850

General thoughts - I go to Ajishin mostly for 1 thing because it's just that good. It's weird the only day they're closed is on Tuesdays. It's a very small restaurant with less than 50 seats so there's always a wait. Unless it moves to another location it can't really expand because it's at the end of a strip mall. If you're into manga (Japanese comic books), they have plenty for you to read while you wait.

Foods tasted - Ajishin udon, salmon avacado roll

Thoughts -

1. Ajishin udon - The reason I keep coming back to this is because not only is it economical (less than $8) but the portion is huge. In addition to the noodles, it has half of a hard boiled egg, crab meat stick, seaweeds, some tempura crumbs, scallions. I love the broth at Ajishin, it's hard to describe it but you can tell it didn't come from a pack of soup mix.

2. Salmon avacado roll - The most important thing to check for when eating sushi of course is the freshness of the fish and in this case avacado. The salmon was bright orange (indicating freshness), and the avacado wasn't brown (if it's been sitting out for a long time). The sushi chef is working nonstop, so obviously Ajishin is doing something right. :-)

Final thoughts - Was it Very Yummy In My Tummy? Of course, that's why I keep going back. Will I go back? See previous sentence. Most of the time there's a short wait, but since I usually go alone I can walk right up to the sushi bar and sit right down and get served right away.

Pictures

Per my readers' request, I have started to post pictures of the foods I tasted as I go back to these restaurants. So today I've updated the O'Sushi post with pictures of various yummy foods. I'll put whichever post I update on top so you can find it easily. I'll put in a new post when I add more pictures so you'll know where to look. :-)