Oakland County Restaurant Quest: Red and the Wolf in Clawson
(Crystal A. Proxmire, April 5, 2026)
Clawson, MI – Beautiful food and a beautiful atmosphere make Red and the Wolf in Downtown Clawson a very special place. The decor is rich with texture, the mysterious dark shades of haunted woods, and glimpses of romantic reds. And there’s even a room set aside with the vintage decor of a granny’s house. The food is equally fanciful, with each dish a journey in itself. The restaurant not only embodies the classic fairy tale, but also the nicknames of the owners – Heaven Cozadd being Red, and husband Aaron being The Wolf.
For my review I visited twice, once in person with a friend, and once for a carryout all to myself.
The friend and I started with the Blacked Arrabiata Shrimp, made with a red pepper sauce, house cheese blend, red onion, smoked jalapeno, fried garlic, and fresh herbs. The hearty bites of Oishii shrimp had just the right amount of punchy sauce to wake up the taste buds for the rest of the fine meal.
Also warming our bellies was the sublimely complex take on normally simple childhood classic. The Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup starts with a Shiitake miso base and is thickened with coconut cream. It’s served in a cup that invokes the memory of how most kids got their tomato soup growing up, along with their elevated version of it’s natural companion – the grilled cheese. Here is comes made with creamy, tangy Taleggio and basil chiffonade.
We also enjoyed the Beurre Noodles – Bucatini noodles with miso butter emulsion, garlic, and scallion. What could be more basic than buttered noodles? Yet, here they were magically elevated, while still being the simple comfort they’re intended to be.
The last of our shared delights was the Four Cheese Flatbread, topped with garlic oil, mozzarella, Munster, parm, tellegio, a sunny fried egg, and chili crisp drizzle. This too made the simple feel divine.
For my solo adventure, I had the Peruvian Grilled Chicken. This had a perfectly tender half chicken with Peruvian chili sauce, black garlic mash, sweet corn, fried ramen, and chili thread. I’ve already added this to my list of standards that I will gladly go back for again and again.
I also ordered the Szechuan Spare Ribs, which came coated in a peppercorn brown sugar dry rub with black garlic, served with Yuzu slaw topped with Thai basil, cilantro, mint, and togarashi ramen. Now that is a dish with enough heat to make a wolf howl at the moon!
Red and The Wolf is also known for their Baos – tiny gourmet sliders made with Bao buns. I had the Bao Burger, topped with American cheese, charred onion, pickles, and burger sauce. These are an adorable addition to the menu which probably go well with an evening of libations, or as something fun to order for the kids.
These are just some of the creative menu options. Other choices include the Elotes Caesar Salad, Confit Salmon, Lion’s Mane Ribeye, Imposter Burger and more.
Red and The Wolf is located at 110 East 14 Mile Road in Clawson. They don’t seem to have a website, but there is online ordering on Toast.
Oakland County Times publisher Crystal Proxmire is on a quest to try every restaurant in Oakland County, and to share that flavorful adventure with you! For our list of over 550 restaurants, organized by city, visit our RESTAURANT QUEST PAGE. And join in the conversation on Facebook to add your suggestions!
We are currently looking for a sponsor for this section. If you’d like to help feature local restaurants and have your business or group displayed prominently in this quest, message editor@oc115.com for details.
