Restaurant Quest: Luisa’s Artisanal Street Food in Ferndale
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Aug. 6, 2024)
Ferndale, MI – Louisa’s Artisanal Street Food in Downtown Ferndale focuses on fresh-made Italian flavors, and an eclectic mix of beverages that makes it a fun and delicious spot for lunch or dinner.
I recently had dinner with a friend, dining inside the cozy strip of a restaurant that has just a few small tables in an artistically decorated space. I went back a few days later because I was craving more, and I enjoyed the outside dining area along the side of the building.
My friend and I got a few items to share, starting with a cascione.
Cascione is unleavened flat bread that is stuffed with fillings and griddled. We split the loaded chicken which had mozzarella, peppers, onion, and mushroom. This was ridiculously good, hence the second visit. For my second trip I had the Steak, which was packed with thin-sliced meat and lots of cheese. And I had it all to myself!
We also had potato dill soup, which has a rich creamy texture and a bright dill flavor.
And we tried the smoky mole chili with corn dumplings, made with roasted chilies, green peppers, black beans, perfectly tender braised beef, and topped with mozzarella. The flavor was the kind of flavor that leaves your tongue wanting more. It was truly a dish made with expertise and love.
For my second visit I tried the mushroom and shallot dumplings which had fresh sauteed mushrooms with spinach and tomatoes in a rich shallot butter. This also was amazing.
We were impressed with the beverage selection as well. A cooler full of unusual choices makes it easy to try new things. I opted for fire-brewed root beer, while my friend had Michigan-made Leelanau Cherry Sweet Tea. For my second visit I enjoyed a refreshing coconut water.
It was also fun to meet Luisa, the owner of the restaurant and the woman behind the amazing recipes!
Other intriguing menu items include chicken salad, Wellness salad with beets, pumpkin seeds, sweet potato and greens, and a “non-chicken” salad made with chickpeas.
There are also piadinas, which are flatbreads that have been serves in Romagna Italy since the middle ages. Choices include grilled cheese and ham, Mediterranean chicken, tuna melt, vegetable, breakfast and more.
Luisa’s is located at 22815 Woodward Ave in Downtown Ferndale, near Detroit Bubble Tea. Learn more or order online at https://luisastreetfood.com/.
Oakland County Times is on a QUEST to enjoy every local restaurant in Oakland County. This long-term project is a labor of love, supported by our friends at White Castle. White Castle is a family-owned company that is proud to be one of only 20 large employers to make the Fortune Best Places to work list in 2022. With steam-grilled sliders, crispy golden french fries, fantastic slides like onion chips or fried clams, and the best chocolate shakes, White Castle is a by far our top choice for a fast food meal. Check out their website at www.WhiteCastle.com.
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