Excursion: Le Petit Zinc

On a tip from Detroit's HOUR Magazine, I recently visited Le Petit Zinc, a new-ish cafe in Detroit. Venturing into an unfamiliar area, I found Le Petit Zinc in the most unexpected building in a most unexpected neighborhood - It inhabits part of a squat brick building on the corner of Trumbull and Howard in the quiet and aptly named West Side Industrial neighborhood, on the south edge of Corktown. Blink and you might miss the painted sign clueing you in...

The entrance to Le Petit Zinc is off a fenced-in courtyard, complete with a gurgling and tiered stone fountain and mismatched tables and chairs. The patio currently serves as overflow and will, no doubt, be hopping as the weather continues to warm. The inside seats only around 30 - about 10 at the Paris-inspired zinc bar, and 20 or so at wooden tables with simple and sturdy wooden chairs. The decor is lively and slightly bohemian, with bright yellow walls, floor length green velvet drapes, and french-inspired murals on the walls. Of course, a flat screen TV in an upper corner broadcasts the soccer (or is that football?) game.

Water is served in wine bottles and coffee in sturdy ceramic cups with tiny spoons. One can watch chef/owner Charles Sorel and two or three others preparing the food just behind the bar. And the menu? French favorites - salads, baguette sandwiches, and crepes, both sweet and savory. You can even order ratatouille! I had the savory Fromage de Chevre et Epinards (spinach and goat cheese) Crepe. It was served with a mixed green salad, as all Le Petit Zinc's savory crepes are, and it was delicious. The crepe itself was light, and the filling did not rely too heavily on the goat cheese, but was accented with a generous quantity of pine nuts. And, of course, the coffee was rich, always a must at breakfast or brunch.

In this recession time, I would be remiss not to at least touch on the cost, which is, I have to say, surprisingly reasonable. My crepe was $6.75 and my coffee $2 (It's worth it - trust me), for a total bill of under $10 in all, quite a steal these days for food so fresh and fantastic.

If you are in the Detroit area, don't miss Le Petit Zinc. It is easy to get to (just off the Lodge), and even easier to appreciate as a hidden gem of Detroit.