La Dolce Vita Archives - Detroit Duchess

Detroit Restaurant Week

Today kicks off Detroit Restaurant Week which runs through September 29, 2013. If you haven’t participated in Restaurant Week before and have no idea what it is, let me explain. During restaurant week a group of restaurants offers a fixed menu that you can try for a discounted price (usually $25-30 for a three course meal). Just click on the link above to check out the menus and make a reservation.

The following Detroit restaurants are participating in this year’s event:

24Grille, Westin Book Cadillac Detroit
Andiamo Detroit Riverfront, GM Renaissance Center
Angelina Italian Bistro, Downtown
Brizola, Greektown Casino Hotel
Cliff Bell’s, Downtown
Coach Insignia, GM Renaissance Center
Cuisine, New Center
Da Edoardo Foxtown Grille, Fox Theatre Building
Detroit Seafood Market, Paradise Valley
Fountain Bistro, Campus Martius Park
Guns + Butter, Shinola Detroit, Midtown
Jefferson House, Crowne Plaza Detroit
La Dolce Vita, Palmer Park District
Rattlesnake Club, Stroh River Place
Roast, Westin Book Cadillac Detroit
Roma Cafe, Eastern Market
Santorini Estiatorio, Greektown
Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria & Cucina, MGM Grand Detroit

You can read about my experiences at La Dolce Vita, the Rattlesnake Club and Santorini Estiatorio if you are interested in making a reservation. I’ve been to a number of these places in the past, but I haven’t tried Brizola or Jefferson House yet. Brizola is the newest restaurant in Greektown Casino and Jefferson House was recently opened in the revamped Pontchartrain Hotel.

The most exciting part about this year’s Restaurant Week is Guns + Butter. When I first made my reservation at Guns + Butter, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I just figured it would be a fun night out. Come to find out it is an exclusive pop-up restaurant that is darn near impossible to get a reservation to. Nathan Skid at Crain’s Detroit Business writes more about it here. This time it will be hosted at the Shinola retail showroom.

I am beyond excited for this and will detail the whole experience in a future post.

Are you excited for Detroit Restaurant Week? What restaurants are you planning to try out?

For more Detroit posts, click here.

Detroit Review: La Dolce Vita

A few weeks ago I took my Mom to La Dolce Vita in Detroit for brunch. I had been there once before with a girlfriend and loved it, so I thought it would be the perfect spot to take my Mom for her birthday celebration.

I love all things Italy, which is one of the reasons I love La Dolce Vita. For starters, it is a hidden gem in Detroit on 17546 Woodward. If you drove by the building on the street, you would have no idea it was there. It is only when you hit the gates that you can see its charm.

La Dolce Vita

One of the best parts about La Dolce Vita is the brunch, which includes amazing food and unlimited mimosas! My mother loved the ambiance and we had a great time. This is one place that I would love to take my husband to on a weekend. It opens at 11 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, but the key is to get there early if you want to get a table outside.

I enjoyed the Quiche of the Day, which was rich and filling:

Quiche of the Day

Since it was a birthday celebration, we splurged with a little dessert. I had the brownie, which also was made with peanut butter! It was so decadent and delicious!!

Brownie Dessert

La Dolce Vita reminds me of being in Italy, when my husband and I were there I feel like every place we ate had that hidden gem feel. La Dolce Vita has such a relaxed atmosphere when you enter the gates, like time has stopped while you are there. I’m also a sucker for anyplace that has bottomless mimosas!

La Dolce Vita is a great place to bring out-of-town visitors or that special someone on a lazy weekend morning. For more information, check out their website here.

You can make a reservation at La Dolce Vita by calling (313)-865-0331 or through Open Table.

Have you been to La Dolce Vita? What did you think of it?