Detroit restaurant responds after critical Free Press review

Brian Adelman, Michael Abrams and David Pittaway | Owners of Empire Kitchen and Cocktails

Over the past few years we have watched Detroit make a new name for itself. Companies have moved their businesses downtown, retail businesses have popped up, a new arena has opened and new restaurants have been born. Young professionals to empty nesters and students alike are rushing downtown to live and enjoy this excitement. We all are so lucky to have the opportunity to witness Detroit’s comeback.

But we were truly disappointed, both for ourselves and our city, to read Mark Kurlyandchik's review of our restaurant, which in our opinion, read more like a tear-down of Detroit and its budding renewal than about hamburgers and macaroni and cheese. The author seems to have an agenda of using his journalistic platform to judge what types of businesses or menus should be deemed acceptable in the scheme of Detroit's renewal.

We grew up in metro Detroit, planting our roots here with our families. We currently own and operate 32 Five Guys Burgers and Fries, along with operating nine other bars and restaurants in the past. It was only a matter of time before we created Empire Kitchen and Cocktails and became a small part of Detroit’s historical resurgence.

Empire Kitchen and Cocktails is everything we dreamed it would be. Garage doors opening onto a nice-sized patio on the corner of Woodward and Erskine; a long white marble bar with plenty of black leather stools to make enjoying pizza and a beer that much more comfortable; and lastly, we hired a seasoned Culinary Institute of America trained chef, Aaron Lowen, who makes a mean mac and cheese, a mouth-watering burger and some of the best chicken wings in Detroit. With the help of designer Ron Rae, Empire Kitchen and Cocktails emerged into what we had envisioned for “our” Detroit restaurant.

In the last two months, we have been overwhelmed by the support of Detroit businesses, the residential community and patrons coming downtown to enjoy Detroit. Each and every one of our customers is our utmost concern. Every night we stop by the tables and talk to our patrons about their meals, our menu options and "approachable" atmosphere.

Professional, constructive criticism is what we use as teaching lessons with ourselves and our staff; we all grow and learn from what we hear every day we are in business. But the Free Press' review was so mean-spirited that we felt it was unprofessional.

We just want everyone to know that we feel Detroit is made up of many types of people, and our menu offers a variety of choices for everyone. For those of you who have dined with us, we appreciate your patronage and look forward to serving you again. For those of you who have not visited us, we ask you to please judge for yourself. Try the food and enjoy the atmosphere, and then form your own opinion. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, but one opinion is not going to stop us from serving Detroit’s restaurant scene.

Brian Adelman

Michael Abrams

David Pittaway

Owners, Empire Kitchen and Cocktails