Coney Detroit

NBC's Today Show Put Coneys to the Test

In all the excitement about having Ann Curry and Al Roker of NBC's Today Show in Detroit recently, the real point of their visit has been obscured.

They were in Detroit to settle, once and for all, the debate about Detroit's classic Coney dogs, specifically, American vs. Lafayette.

Roker said, "To be frank, Ann, this was a doggone tough assignment!" He really did.

American's Grace Keros said, "It's a friendly rivalry, it really is, even though we still claim our product's better, because it is."

Lafayette's Ali Al Homi said, "They like the food, they like the service, they like Lafayette the best."

Curry did not say much.

After sampling each dog, Roker made his decision.

He declared them both to be the best.

A New, Familiar Old Story

We read in the Livingston County Daily Argus and Press a story that sounds vaguely familiar somehow.

It is about a family that emmigrates from Greece to Michigan and opens a small clutch of restaurants.

Since arriving from Kalamata, Greece in 1969, Stamatopoulos family has opened several restaurants. They now have Coney Island resataurants in Pinckney, Dexter and Jackson and pancake houses in Saline and Tecumseh.

The reporter, Christopher Behnan, interviewed Bob Stamatopoulos over Coneys at the family's newest venture, the Pinckney Diner. The restaurant, which Behnan says is the town's new hot spot, created an estimated 35 jobs.

Coney Flats -- a New Twist

Leave it to Michigan, where Coney Island is a food and not a place, for people to innovate and invent with one of the favorite local foods.

We have seen (and eaten) Coney dogs, Coney pizza, Coney tacos and Coney Island potato chips.

In East Lansing, we found another variation at a place called Flats Grille, "Home of the flat sandwich."

The eatery is located at 551 E. Grand River Ave., just next to Flat, Blackand Circular, a record store, at 541.

In Flats Grille, you can order all manner of sandwiches and a pretty good shake.

The Coney Flat is unlike anything we've seen before. It is basically a cut-up hot dog with a beany chili inside a folded flour tortilla. The concoction is cut into wedge-shaped pieces and looks for all the world like a quesadilla at a Fourth of July picnic.

We gave Flats points for creativity and initiative and suggested that, for true Detroit authenticity, they find a beanless chili. Onions and mustard would help. too.