Joe Foodie

Spice up your Christmas at Moti Mahal

Although this Royal Oak restaurant opened less than a year ago, the Ullah family has been serving Indian food for almost 40 years.

Holiday stress got you down? Does the thought of having to prepare an entire Christmas feast have you freaking out? Take a step back and breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Moti Mahal has you covered. The restaurant will be open 5-9 p.m. Christmas Day, offering its full menu for your dining pleasure. For patrons who don't want to leave their warm, cozy abodes, delivery is also available ($40 minimum). Joe Ullah's family has been in the restaurant business for close to 40 years. His grandfather opened Taj Mahal in Berkley, one of the first Indian restaurants in Michigan, in the early 1970s. Ullah's father, Abdul, opened the original Moti Mahal in 1981 in Royal Oak, serving naan and other Indian dishes until the restaurant location was …

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Inn Season Cafe: Not Just for Vegetarians

Open nearly 30 years, all-vegetarian restaurant focuses on fresh, full-flavored food.

American culture is so engrained with the idea of meat and potatoes for dinner that many people are uncomfortable with the idea of a vegetarian menu. Take away the meat and you are left with a plate of spuds. Imagine a place that takes those plain old potatoes and turns them into something magical. Imagine that same place will not only make you forget about meat, but may make you question why meat plays such a prominent role in our day-to-day eating habits. Inn Season Café has been open for nearly 30 years. Snugly positioned at the corner of Fourth Street and Knowles, Inn Season creates some incredible dishes using an all-vegetarian, almost entirely organic, vegan menu. Let me stop for a second and remind you that I am, in fact, a …

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Tongue Thai'd: Serious Heat, Serious Flavor

Focused on fresh food and flavorful sauces, Tongue Thai'd twists your perspective on Thai and is a welcome addition to the Royal Oak restaurant family.

I have to be honest. Having read through reviews of Tongue Thai'd in a strictly cursory manner, I figured I was going to a Thai restaurant with superior food.   Upon entering, the "still under construction" decor immediately endeared me to the Woodward Avenue spot. It is obvious that remodeling is going on, but that's unimportant.  The music was lively and techno-ish – very different from the ethnic/J-Pop style of music played in most Thai restaurants. I was immediately greeted by hostess/waitress Lorelei followed by the owners Natalie and Mario Araquil. You see, Tongue Thai'd has three employees – Natalie and Mario (husband and wife) and Lorelei, who they brought in from Las Vegas. It is truly a mom and pop restaurant of the most …

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