Grandma Bob's
Could anything sound more comforting than a pizza at grandma’s? Nah, we don’t think so either…
We visited Grandma Bob’s, a new Detroit-style pizzeria downtown with a bountiful menu featuring plenty of vegan eats and adult milkshakes. Yes, you read that right. Grandma likes to get saucy! Grandma, you are now speaking our language. No really, please adopt us.
The inviting name, the alluring menu; to say that we were geeked for this union with our soon-to-be adoptive grannie was like saying puppies might be mildly excited to naw on your new shoes.
The first glance at the building’s façade amped up our anticipation level even more. It's re-imagined garage vibe, adorned with exuberant, vivid paint just screamed joy. The interior offers a laid back atmosphere - warm, familiar, and unfussy. While the bar was inviting, we felt an inside table was a more spacious and sensible accommodation for the vegan feast we were about to order.
Our first order of business? Ordering that boozy vegan milkshake we had spied online. We went with Vegan Fernet Menta, featuring a mind-blowing blend pink vanilla ice cream and fernet menta (minty liqueur) topped with chocolate chips, pistachio dust, and whipped cream. Holy mouthgasm! I love, love good eats, but very rarely to I equate mouthfeel to this level of ecstasy. Every sip was rich, velvety perfection (with just enough minty spirit to make it enjoyable). Every. Single. Sip. And take it from us, order this first. There was something virginal, almost soothing, about a clean palate and this shake. Plus, there’s no risk of pie and sticks crowding out the essential belly real estate needed for thicky, dreamy milkshakes. Priorities, folks. Priorities.
With every last single ounce of willpower I had, I put down the milkshake and picked up the chef’s recommended chorizo quesadilla. And WOW. Corn, poblanos, a buttery blend of plant-based cheeses makes this appetizer a must try! These baked beauties didn’t need any sauce, but we enjoyed the flawlessly blended lime cilantro crema and tomato chipotle sauces all the same! This was clearly the chef’s reco for a reason!
In a veiled attempt to balance out the shake and quesadilla, we next enjoyed the cashew Caesar salad. Since this is our all-time favorite salad, we order every chance we get. Michigan greens and crusty house-made croutons made this a perfect light complement to our starters and the carby bread to come.
I’ll fess up, I love cheesy bread as much as the next guy but I rarely order because it’s often just over priced pizza dough without toppings. Regardless, in the name of thoroughness, we ordered. After this beautifully prepared dish hit our table, misanthropic Mary was soon eating her words and the pillowy soft bread. Paired with a savory house-made marinara, we found ourselves in what can aptly be described as carb heaven.
I will say this about Grandma Bob’s, the pizza choice is not an easy one! This vegan will never complain about gourmet pizza options galore, each sounding more tasty than the last. Our selections: Chicken Gyro and Big Mack. The veganized versions of these pies featured all the savory flavors of their meat counterparts, with clever and tasty vegan meat and cheese accommodations. The Chicken Gyro, mildly flavored, featured flawlessly prepared tempeh, briny olives, and fresh dill. (We are so ordering extra tempeh next time!) The Big Mack, perhaps our go-to gourmet pizza order, didn’t disappoint with Impossible crumbles, house-made thousand island, pickles and lettuce.
Grandma Bob’s - all the gourmet tastes, but none of the fuss. You have grandkids, errr fans, for life.
