Ryan Patrick Hooper

Special to the Detroit Free Press

A once-abandoned marina tucked away on Detroit's far-east side is coming to life with kayaks, paddlers and elaborate dinners – and plans for a permanent restaurant, bar service and retail.

A sold-out event earlier this month provided a sneak peek of the vision for the marina — formerly known as Fisherman’s — which Alex Howbert bought in 2015 to house his growing kayak tour company Detroit River Sports.

About 40 people attended the Paddle to Table event on a Sunday night in mid-July that featured two hours of canal and Detroit River kayaking, followed by a four-course, pop-up dinner served canal-side and prepared by future marina tenant Coriander Kitchen & Farm.

More:Belle Isle gets $750K for walking trails, renovation

The event launched — and ended — at the marina at Alter and Riverside, not far from the Detroit-Grosse Pointe Park border. The surrounding neighborhood feels a bit like a well-kept secret to some, with boat-heavy canals and tree-lined streets. Howbert says that the majority of people who attend his kayak tours don't realize a section of Detroit exists like this at all.

The evening started at about 5:30 p.m. with an introduction and basic safety instruction. Attendees were split into two groups of 20, with the tours combining two different sections of canals. After navigating some choppy waters on the Detroit River, guests dried off and were seated at large community tables set along the marina's canal.

Across a four-course meal, chef Alison Heeres served up family-style plates stacked high with Asian-inspired dishes that show off her knack for embracing seasonal ingredients.

Kicking off the dinner with a salmon and sweet pea dumpling topped with mint and finished with a ginger miso dipping sauce, Heeres followed up with a vegetarian-friendly tofu and whole radish kimchi dish — the type of veggie-heavy concept that could convert even the most die-hard of carnivores.

For the main course, Heeres served pasture-raised Michigan duck cured for a couple days with Asian flavors like szechuan peppercorn, all-spice seasoning and black cardamom before being smoked and finished with a sear on the grill.

The dish was served alongside a cold soba noodle salad topped with shiso sesame leaf — think a spicier, bolder basil — and a mushroom dipping sauce.

More:Please, no more downtown Detroit burger restaurants

Dan Forberg of Birmingham came with a group of friends. He described the food as “complex and flavorful,” adding that being able to interact with the owners of Coriander enhanced the experience.

“To hear firsthand their approach and how they think through each recipe and dish is really special,” says Forberg. “When you recognize the passion that they bring and that they express on the plate through the food and the flavors... that’s what makes this experience special.”

There are five more Paddle to Table tours scheduled on Saturdays running through October, including this Saturday. They tend to sell out quickly, and are currently BYOB. Howbert says a liquor license has been secured for the site and that he expects to start pouring beer at the marina by spring of 2018.

Upgrading a marina

Rehabbing and running the marina has been like a “dream come true” for Howbert.

“It’s a corner of the city that I’ve loved my whole life,” says Howbert, 36, who grew up in the area and raced sailboats along the river.

Howbert started the watersport outfitter with a $25,000 investment and 17 boats. Now, he boasts a fleet of 70 boats. While boat rentals proved popular, Howbert says he’s focusing on the guided-tour portion of his business. Ranging in price from $25 to $75, the guided tours of the historic canals and river regularly sell out.

The tours are peppered with information pulled both from the area’s history as a hub for Prohibition-era booze bootleggers as well as the current state of the robust ecosystem that has rebounded over the past decade. Wildlife such as blue herons, mink and beavers are a common sight.

“This river has been paddled for centuries,” says Howbert. “One of the most exciting things right now is that beavers are back after being gone for over a century. It’s a real testament to the health of the water and ecosystem here.”

Howbert declined to disclose the sale price of Fisherman’s. Public records listed on commercial real estate site LoopNet.com show that the marina sold for $270,000 in the fall of 2015 after being bought in a foreclosure auction for $69,500 and listed for $499,000.

More:‘Chef to the stars’ Max Hardy to open three Detroit restaurants

Originally built in 1964, the 4,000-square-foot marina was home to Tommy’s Boat Livery and offered boat rentals, bait for fishermen, grab-and-go foods and more. Howbert says it was a popular destination for fisherman due its access to the residential-lined canals surrounding Klenk and Harbor Islands that feed into the Detroit River. Additionally, there’s access to nearly 270 acres of riverfront parks nearby — prime fishing real estate.

Around 2008, the marina suffered fire damage and subsequently set empty for nearly a decade.

Howbert says the marina needs a “new everything,” including a new seawall. Howbert recently submitted plans to the city to begin work on the marina and is aiming to create a vibe that makes guests feel like they’re on vacation.

“I have a lot of days where I feel like I must be crazy,” says Howbert. “It’s a big undertaking, but everyday, people drop by and share their memories of this space. It’s exciting to know that there’s so many people excited to see that it’s going to open up again.”

Now with Detroit River Sports in its fifth year as a business and second season operating out of the marina, Howbert is hoping to offer even more than the marina once originally did — including up to six apartments available as short-term rentals on the second floor.

The other side of the marina will house Detroit River Sports’ operations as well as a new retail component that sells grab-and-go sandwiches, beer, bait and ice to cater to the fishing community.

Coriander partnership

Coriander Kitchen & Farm is a farm-to-table concept founded by Heeres and farmer Gwen Meyer, who is also Howbert’s wife.

With a half-acre farm just east of Eastern Market, Heeres and Meyer pride themselves on putting fresh food on the table often within hours of harvest — including the herbs, edible flowers and tomatoes used for the recent pop-up dinner at the marina.

“It’s very important for us to have a close connection between the farm and the kitchen,” says Meyer. “There has to be some time between when we harvest and when we serve, but specifically for this event, it’s really fun to have some items that we are harvesting day of.”

Heeres says she doesn’t write menus far in advance because “things can change on the farm on a day-to-day basis.”

Things are changing for Coriander, too. Heeres and Meyer are planning to move beyond the pop-up concept and open a brick-and-mortar restaurant in the marina sometime next year, though Howbert is cautious about putting an exact date on the opening.

Heeres and Meyer say the restaurant will offer a casual, accessible vibe with an abundance of outdoor seating directly next to the canal and a menu of fresh, bright vegetable-based dishes ranging from $12 to $18.

“The majority of the heavy lifting is still ahead of us,” says Howbert. “We’ve secured the liquor license. We’ve secured the spot. Now it’s time to put all the pieces together.”

Ryan Patrick Hooper is freelance writer and journalist who kayaks the Detroit River regularly.

PADDLE TO TABLE TOURS

Saturday, Aug. 5, Aug. 19, Sept. 16, Oct. 7

Prices start at $75, depending on type of boat used

First-time kayakers are welcome

Detroit River Sports also offers other planned and private tours

detroitriversports.com/tours/