Downtown Detroit, as any resident will tell you, is rapidly changing. Dan Gilbert has taken over the streets and buildings, plastering them with video cameras and murals, and arresting suburban teens for graffiti. I’m not going to talk about “New Detroit” or gentrification, because that’s what not the Burger Club is for (although there certainly is some of that kind of thing going on). regardless of how you feel about it, the Gilbert empire, crawling across the many parking lots and skyscrapers downtown, brings in a lot of business.
The city center is once again bustling, with employees everywhere from Quicken Loans, various startups, and think tanks that occupy prime office space. Though some of the club are lucky enough to work downtown, and experience the city life daily, the rest of us just come in for an occasional visit – for an event, a baseball or hockey game, or a concert. Downtown Detroit is, for us, a special place to go, with a lot of different experiences to be had.
Sometimes you want lunch at the divey-but-excellent Checker Bar . You might crave hanging out with the weirdos, hipsters and Mr. Mongo himself at D’Mongos (described by a close friend as”The Applebees of dive bars” due to the collection of tchotchkes on the walls). You can go ice skating at Campus Martius, watch the Tigers, or gorge yourself at Texas De Brazil. Sometimes, you just want a good beer.
That’s where Foran’s Grand Trunk comes in.
Located on Woodward Avenue, just shy of Jefferson Avenue and the Detroit river, Foran’s surroundings are fantastic. A few steps away, Campus Martius serves as the main gathering point for downtown in winter and summer. The Spirit of Detroit statue, often dressed up in Detroit and Michigan sports jerseys, is a block away. Hart plaza, across from the statue, provides an excellent view of Windsor and the river. This really is THE space to be in downtown Detroit – you can pick a direction, walk 100 yards, and find something excellent.
The burger club has gotten into the habit of coming together at the last minute – due to our varied schedules, it can be a struggle to gather people for drinks and food. This time, we were able to gather a large group and enjoy the sights of the city as well. We had a short tour of the guardian building, probably one of the most interesting and beautiful interiors in Detroit, and got a great view of the city’s skyline. After riding the elevators down, we strolled across the street and entered Grand Trunk.
Their decor brings together early 1900’s charm, a bit of Detroit ephemera, and a lot of brick and wood. The look works in a way that doesn’t feel too much like a trendy gastropub- it feels like an institution. And it is – The building was built in 1879 and used as a jewelry store, then the Grand Trunk Railroad ticket office in 1911, and finally a pub in 1935, which it remains to this day. You can feel the history seeping off of this place, which just the right amount of reverence for the past and balance with the beauty of modernity. That said, the cohesiveness of the theme fell short of its goal (especially in the back room).
Several of the group used the word “Rustic” when it came to Grand Trunk’s decor – but it doesn’t necessarily amount to anything. Phil described it as “Random Rustic” with a loose railroad theme. A few of us thought the tables made of doors were a cool addition, but what was the point? We sat in a section directly next to an old kitchen vent hood, with a few random objects laying on it, and frankly, looking a little dusty. Gross.
With a large group, we often choose to come at off-times, so restaurants can accommodate us. Foran’s had no issue doing this – their gigantic back room was plenty of space to fit all 12 members who attended. It did feel a bit cut off, as you have no view of the bar, or the kitchen, or any goings-on. Its just you, the servers that come out to your table, and the “Random Rustic” theme surrounding you.
The service speed was good, for what we made our server deal with – Tuck’s late arrival and stacking of glasses, the odd combinations we requested, the sheer number of things to remember or write down when a group this size each orders burgers. For the most part, she hit the mark in getting things right.
The kitchen, unfortunately, didn’t hold up their end of the bargain. Consistency in our burgers was widely variable. Mine came out a touch over I ordered, but still juicy. A bite of Alice’s burger, however, ordered medium, was dry and had a strong char on it. We both ordered the same burger, but the taste was remarkably different. That char wasn’t positive, as you might expect it could be – it overpowered the other ingredients and even the beefy flavor.
It wasn’t an isolated incident, either. Several members reported that pervasive char and marked their scores accordingly. Others reported their burgers undercooked. Scott and Lindsay, who ordered patty melts, reported that the sogginess of their bread was too much, and very preventable with different technique or an additional cheese barrier.
For the most part, however, people enjoyed their burgers. Bonnie and Jeff liked the corned beef on the Foran burger, which added a different layer of flavor. The bacon-blue cheese combo on the Cow Catcher was smoky, sweet and pungent, blending together into a great burger (when the patty was cooked correctly.) The buns, baked by Golden Wheat (Another Hamtramck specialty!) and topped with poppy seeds, were highly regarded and held up to messy ingredients, even Bonnie’s sloppy coleslaw.
Sides at Foran’s include deep fried green beans, deep fried pickles, sweet potato fries, regular fries, onion rings, and a slew of other appetizers. The green beans and pickles had distinctly different batters – a cornmeal based batter for the beans, and a sweeter and craggier flour batter for the pickles. The chef has certainly put some thought into these, and the dipping sauces served alongside were an excellent complement to the crunchy vegetables.
Foran’s has a lot going for it. They have a premium location, great beer list, and a clear historical place in Downtown Detroit. They have an extensive menu that will appeal to most people without scaring anyone way. They have good service and a place to serve big groups of people. But in the rest of their endeavors, they’re always just ALMOST there – everyone’s burger should have been as good as mine, and cooked correctly to order. Technical problems with soggy patty melt bread can be quickly sorted out. Their decor can use a rethinking (and a dusting). A serious concerted effort should be made to put together a theme that means something, or evokes actual nostalgia, or abandons nostalgia altogether for a unique look.
Don’t get me wrong – Foran’s is a good place to go, and if you’ve read our archives, you’ll know that it has a lot more to it than some other burger places. Foran’s pops up right in the middle of our ratings, for burgers and for overall rating. With a few further steps, I’m confident they’d move up the scale.
Ratings:
Burger: 3.79
Service: 4.16
Atmosphere: 4.09
Value: 3.33
Overall Rating: 3.817
Alice – “Too meaty/charred for this reformed vegetarian.” 4/5
Bonnie – “Foran burger was good. Corned beef went well with the burger. Subbed Coleslaw, made it a very messy burger. The bun bottom did not hold up. I couldn’t get a good taste of the patty because there was so much other stuff on it. Great slaw! “ 4/5
Brett – “The burger came out pretty standard, I asked for it cooked medium, and it came out more well done. Overall, average, and I’d come back for food, but also the great beer menu.” 3.5/5
Erik – “Cool door tables. Great beer menu! Simcoe silly 16 oz for $5.50 (mistake?)” 4.5/5
Jack – “Rustic burgers, Great location.” 4/5
Jeff – “I love Grand Trunk Pub
Give me beers, give me burgers
Corned beef tops it off”5/5
Lindsay – “The patty melt was good, but not enough onion. They should have paused before putting the burger on the bread, because it got soggy. Cheese could have been better. The bread was good, though. Don’t blame the toast.“ 2.5/5
Phil – “There are cabinets full of ‘Grand Gear’. I have never nor do I hope to ever see someone wearing a “Grand Truck” shirt. This place offers little more than good location and a lack of anything weird or offensive. Stick to business lunches and happy hour. Low music volume – a plus.” 3/5
Rachel – “Burger was slightly undercooked – but better than overcooked” 3.5/5
Sala – “It was a burger. Price may have been a little steep – $15 with fries. We had a nice table.” 3/5
Scott –
“Grand Trunk serves burgers
Served on soggy toasted bread
But the beer is good.” 4/5
Foran’s Grand Trunk Pub
612 Woodward Ave. Detroit MI 48226
(313) 961-3043
Motor City Burger Club 
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