Although it’s a 20-minute drive from downtown, Mabel Gray is worth the trip. In a tiny space in Hazel Park, a suburb just north of Detroit, chef James Rigato has carved out a reputation for smart, inventive takes on the foods and flavors of his native Michigan. Fish sauce, spice and fermented flavors play major roles, creating wine-pairing challenges that sommelier Rachel Van Til (a W&S Best New Sommelier 2016) handily takes on. Her weapons: full-bodied, high-acid whites and umami-rich reds, like Slovenian sauvignon blanc, Michigan bubbles and Arnot-Roberts North Coast Trousseau.
23825 John R Rd., Hazel Park, Detroit, Michigan
American
248-398-4300
This story appears in the print issue of August 2017.
Like what you read? Subscribe today.