Destination Downriver

(upbeat rock music) - [Tom] On this awesome episode of "UTR," our destination is Downriver for a delightful dairy, Kate's cool kitchen, and a plethora of parks.

Heck, we'll even have some heartfelt, homemade Hungarian, and get down and lounge "UTR"-style.

Get ready to explore the cool people, places, and things that make Southern Wayne County a great place to live, work, stay, and play.

- [Pure Michigan Announcer] Pure is what you make of it.

It's taking it all in and never taking anything for granted.

The sun sets, the moon rises, and you realize the end of one perfect summer day is the beginning of another.

Pursue your pure in pure Michigan.

- [Stahls Announcer] A visit to the Stahls Auto Collection will take you back to a time when cars were more than just a way to get around, a fantastic assortment of gas pumps, neon signs, and automated music machines dating back 150 years that must be seen and heard.

Info at stahlsauto.com.

- [Midland Announcer] Brought to you by Midland, Michigan: a Great Lakes Bay region community.

Visit gogreat.com for more info.

- I've been around the world, but there's one place I keep coming back to, and the more I explore, the more I realize it's the place to be.

I'm Tom Dalton, and this is "Under the Radar Michigan."

(upbeat rock music) You know, when a lot of people think of Downriver, they think of big industry, which is absolutely true.

But without big industry, we wouldn't have all the things we need to live, thrive, and survive.

But when I think of Downriver, I also think of big fun.

That's right.

If you haven't been Downriver lately, you're missing out on great walkable downtowns, tons of waterfront to wander, countless awesome eateries to explore, and every kind of shopping you're sure to love.

Not to mention the mindset here.

Everyone is in it together and ready to show you all the amazing things they have to offer.

Yep, Downriver is a great place to live, work, play, and raise a family.

It's also become a destination for people who want to expand their experience with adventure, and we're about to give you some, so hold on to your official snappy "UTR" hat, 'cause here we go.

But first, a quick reminder that the Downriver area is located south of Detroit, north of Toledo, east of Ypsilanti, and west of, well, Canada.

Now, remember way back when ice cream came from cows just down the road a piece and you could get milk delivered right to your doorstep?

Well, unless you're as old as I am, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about.

But if you are, old as me, that is, get ready for a blast from the past, because Calder Dairy right here Downriver not only makes some of the best ice cream and dairy delights you'll ever devour, they really do still deliver right to your door.

I stopped by Calder's Flat Rock store on Telegraph Road to find out more from farm manager and diehard dairy devotee Nicky Noble.

Nicky, my first question for you is does anybody even have a milk chute anymore?

I mean, do they make them?

- Some old houses still do have them.

Yes.

- Yeah, when I was a kid, I used to in the morning run to the milk chute and open the little door to see the eggs and the milk and the butter.

So, it's so nostalgic that you guys still do that.

But I want to start with I absolutely love Bill Calder's story.

The fact that it's right after World War II, it's 1946.

He gets out of the Air Force, takes his one little bonus check that he had, buys an old paint truck, I guess?

- [Nicky] A laundry truck.

- An old laundry truck, and started this.

- He started delivering milk.

- That's true?

- Yeah, it is true.

It's a true story.

The first day, I think they brought home $17, and it just grew from there.

- And then he eventually bought a farm.

- The farm was supposed to be a retirement home for them to retire to.

Of course, that never has happened.

It's been a working farm, but basically what happened was the neighbors told them, "Well, buy some cows to eat the grass."

And it all started from there.

And before we knew it, John was milking cows.

We now have a herd of 165 cows on the farm.

- 165?

- Yes.

- Oh, do you name 'em all?

- Yes.

We do.

Honestly.

- Seriously, that's awesome.

- [Nicky] Yep.

- [Tom] But you can bring your family there, you can see the cows, you can actually see the whole process.

It's a real working farm, right?

- It's a real working farm.

We're open to the public from 10 to eight every day.

You can self-tour, you can see the cows being milked at four o'clock, and you can see where your milk's coming from.

- And when did you start making ice cream?

Or is it just a natural progression, just like, "Well, we already have the milk"?

- [Nicky] We've been making ice cream for a long time.

The ice cream is actually made on the farm.

- How long have you been?

I noticed your accent doesn't sound Downriver.

Did you come all the way from over the big pond just to come here?

- Originally from England, but I did live in Spain and South Africa before I came here.

- And you picked the Downriver area.

See, told you this is a cool place.

I've always wanted to milk a cow.

If you just had a cow here... - Well, just so happens... Got one outside.

- Well, as luck would have it, Cinnamon the cow stopped by the store that day to fill out some paperwork, so I decided to give her a hand.

(cow vocalizes) Or two.

Okay, so this is my first rodeo, just to let you know.

Is there any special technique I need to know about?

I mean, I warmed my hands.

(laughs) - It's a big thing.

Basically, what you're going to do is you're going to take her teat, and you're going to squeeze some milk down and then squeeze it out.

- Squeeze it down, oh, so down and out.

Like... - Down and out.

Okay.

- Down and out.

Oh my gosh, there comes some.

(upbeat banjo music) Look at me milking.

- [Nicky] You're doing it.

Well done.

- [Tom] I keep hitting my shoe.

Oh my gosh.

- There.

- Good girl, Cinnamon.

- [Nicky] Well done.

- [Tom] Can I do a chocolate cow next?

- [Nicky] We can go to the farm and get one.

(Tom laughs) - [Tom] Well, after that fine example of how not to milk a cow, I took it upon myself to do a little shopping in the store, because after all, I do live a little far for home delivery.

So, I grabbed a cart and gathered up a heaping helping of Calder Dairy delights to share with my entire family.

Hmm.

Chocolate milk.

- [Cow Handler] Ya!

- If you're looking for an old-school dairy experience, jump into the Downriver time tunnel, take a trip, and treat your taste buds to Calder Dairy in Flat Rock or down on their farm in Carleton.

And who knows?

When you're my age, you just might be telling your kids about it.

Oh, and you might want to eat your ice cream at the store 'cause it'll probably melt.

Bonus.

Well, in the vernacular of current kid-speak, if you're down with down-home cooking, you gotta come Downriver to Kate's Kitchen 'cause the food here is downright awesome.

True that.

That's right.

Er, I mean, right that.

If you're looking for real food cooked by real people who really love what they do, this is a place you need to park your palate.

Now, at first glance, it looks like just a little unassuming diner tucked away on Huron River Drive in Flat Rock, but once your taste buds take a tour of their menu, you'll be a fan.

Since way back in 1979, Catherine Zornischenko's family has been holding down the fort, rolling out the dough, and serving up sweet and savory selections fit for bonafide foodies like you and me.

I'm trying not to get a big head when I say this, but I've never planned on going to a restaurant before where more people were more excited than us coming here.

- Well, that's wonderful to know.

- [Tom] I don't know what you're doing.

- That is wonderful.

- We're going to find out, but oh my gosh, people were- - That's wonderful.

"Oh, you're going to Kate's.

Oh my gosh.

Oh my gosh.

Oh, their lemon merengue pie.

Oh, you gotta try this.

You gotta try that.

They're the sweetest people.

It's such a cute little place."

And this all started like in 1979 with your mom in a basement or something?

- Yes, it did.

Actually, at the time, I was waitressing at a little restaurant up on the corner, who ended up being my future mother-in-law, her pie-maker quit, and I was waiting tables, and I was 15 at the time.

- Said, "Do you know how to make pies?

No, well, but you're going to learn."

- No, I did.

I said, "My mother makes pies."

And I came home and I told my mother.

I said, "Mama, they need pies," and she started.

She made the fruit pies, and my dad made the pudding in the basement of our house right here on Arsenal.

- Wow.

- And then the health department got wind of that, and then they bought this building.

- Then there was a raid.

- Well, yes, exactly, and then they bought this building, which happened to be vacant at the time, so it worked out quite, quite well, yeah.

- How long have you been in this cute little building?

- [Catherine] Since 1979.

- [Tom] In this building since '79.

- Since 1979.

- Oh my gosh, so you kind of grew up- - Pretty much.

- In this.

- Yes.

Yes.

- So, that's why you're so good at what you do.

You've been doing it for a while.

I've been doing this show 13 years.

I still am terrible at it.

- Well, with the help of very, very talented people.

It's not me.

There's many talented people here.

- Well, I was gonna say.

- It's just not me.

- I was gonna say that for a place this size, there's a lot of people back there working real hard.

I noticed the majority of your kitchen is girl power.

(palms slap) So, you go, girlfriend.

Hey, what I was gonna ask you, what is the secret of a really good pie crust?

- [Catherine] Lard.

- Lard?

L-A-R-D?

- Didn't you see our sign over there?

- What does it say?

- Well, you'll have to see it.

It's on the other side.

"They're happy because they eat lard."

- Oh, that makes sense.

So, but besides pies, you guys do breakfast and lunch, right?

- Yes, mm-hmm, and Richard has been with us for over 30 years, and he has probably made every breakfast that's gone out of here for the last 30-some years.

I forget how long he's been here.

- What do you open, like, you know, in the morning, then you're done at two.

- Well, but, no- - You're not done at two.

- No, they're still going till late in the evening.

- [Tom] And early in the morning.

- And start in early morning.

- People don't realize a place this good, this kind of quality food, how much work and love goes into, because you have to love what you do.

- Yes, but I'm beginning to think that we are a dinosaur because everything we do now is all handmade.

Nobody does this anymore, and people don't understand why they have to wait for things.

They want it now.

They're so used to getting it now, but here, someone actually has to make it.

We have to brown the sausage and get the milk hot for your gravy.

Someone actually has to make the dough for your biscuits and put in all that delicious lard in the biscuits, and they have to bake for 25 minutes.

You have to wait for us, you know?

And when you come in the door, we don't have tons and tons of meat fried up.

- Right, everything's made to order, made fresh.

- When you come in, you order it.

You know, it's like you do at home, and if you're not willing to wait, then maybe, you know, perhaps you shouldn't come to Kate's.

- I've never gotten so much excitement from people.

- Well, that's wonderful to hear.

- Saying, "Oh my gosh, you're going to love Kate's."

You know?

Everybody wants to know, they want me to tell 'em afterwards what I thought, so I've got like 25 people I have to call back, tell 'em, "It was great, it was great.

The pastry's great.

I love the pie.

She was really nice."

- I hope so.

- Well, you know us on "UTR."

There's only one thing we we like better than talking about food, and that's tasting it, and boy did we.

Can you say "Feeding frenzy?"

So, after several heaping helpings of home cooking, we administered heartfelt hugs to all and continued on to our next adventure.

If you're looking for real food that'll make you feel good inside, outside, and even all the way home, consider a caravan to Kate's Kitchen in Flat Rock.

No matter how far, trust me, the food will be worth the drive.

Oh, and as far as our next adventure, after what we just ate, uh, that would be a nap in the car.

Nightie-night, bunny rabbit.

You know, in Southeast Michigan, our metro parks are absolute natural gems, and in the Downriver area, they've got a whole treasure chest full.

Look at that water.

And I ain't kidding.

Here in Southern Wayne County, they've got no less than four huge metro parks.

There's Lower Huron, Willow, Oakwoods, and Lake Erie.

And if you want to enjoy the amazing natural beauty this entire region has to offer, these fantastic four are for you and yours.

What's to do, what's to know, and where do you go?

Well, get ready to start Googling because Amy McMillan is here to help us all partake in this plethora of popular parks.

Amy, how did you get so lucky to have four metro parks down in this area?

I mean, some people just want one and you have four.

Did you win a contest?

- Well, you know, it's a combination of good luck and good planning.

People who came before me who put all of our properties together had this insanely great vision of serving Southeastern Michigan, the Downriver area, and connecting one to another, and voila.

Here we are.

- Well you guys are so lucky, because- - We are.

- If COVID did one good thing, it was it made people rediscover the outdoors.

- You are absolutely right about that.

They did everything from being out on their bicycles to hiking with their kids, to swimming, fishing, playing golf.

It's been a great reconnection for folks.

- But to have this much green space in this area, I mean, how many acres roughly do you have?

- So, the system overall has 25,000 acres, but about 7,000 of that are in our four Downriver parks.

- Wow, well, let's go through the parks, because you have three if by land and one if by sea, right?

- Yes.

More or less.

- Sort of?

- And they're all connected to one another.

- Yeah, I noticed that, too.

I looked on a map, because I'm smart.

and I noticed that they start northwest of here and then they cascade down until you get to Lake Erie.

- Yeah.

We go from Lower Huron to Willow to Oakwoods, and then all the way Downriver to to Lake Erie, and each of these parks are connected by a non-motorized trailway, so if you want to ride your bike all the way down there or hike or run, you can do that and leave your car in the parking lot.

It's an incredible experience.

- That's amazing.

Well, what makes each park unique, do you think?

- So, I think there is something absolutely unique about every single park we have in here in the south.

What's unique about each park is different at all times of the year, right?

So, in the spring for me at Lower Huron, it's the redbuds.

We have this spectacular collection of redbuds.

When you come to Willow, we have our pool here, we have disc golf, we have a golf course at Willow.

And then Oakwoods is, Oakwoods, you have to be really deliberate about going to, right?

'Cause it's a little bit off the beaten path.

It's easiest just to go in and go, "Oh, there's the nature center.

That's Oakwoods."

And the nature center is awesome.

We have a great kayak launch near the nature center.

And then, of course, Lake Erie is right on the Great Lake.

It's incredible in every single way.

We have these gorgeous nature trails there that wind their way through the marsh.

And we have the Marshland Museum there, and the golf course at Lake Erie.

There is just something for everybody to do every day of the week, every week of the year.

- Okay, so the four parks are?

Hit me.

- Okay.

Lower Huron, Willow, Oakwoods, and Lake Erie Metro Parks.

- Yeah, if you need a new place to go where you want to be outside, these four parks are just stellar.

It's a great place to go.

A great place to take your family.

I might not leave today.

I might just stay here all day.

You got plans?

- You and me both, yeah.

- Okay.

- I think.

Yeah.

- Did you bring a picnic?

- I didn't, but you know, there are some really great little places to eat throughout the Southern District where our four parks are, so I might hit one of those and come on back.

- Bonus.

- [Amy] Yeah.

- Well, this segment and these picturesque parks are proof positive that you don't always need to go north in Michigan to find natural beauty and fun.

So, next time your family needs to do a little bit of nature bathing, stop by the Downriver Metro Parks.

They've got all the blue and green you'll ever need.

Now, if you're a student of music, you know that the "Hungarian Rhapsody" is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written for the piano.

Ah, but if you're a student of food, you know that the Hungarian Rhapsody Restaurant makes beautiful music for your mouth.

Yep, if you're looking for authentic Hungarian cuisine, consult the masters at Hungarian Rhapsody on Northline Road.

It's the best of Budapest right here in Southgate.

And even if you're not Hungarian, you will be by the time you leave this place.

Steve and Darlene Szatmari, along with their daughter Jennifer, fulfilled a lifelong dream to open a restaurant.

And for the past 30 years, they've been sending people home happy and full of homemade Hungarian.

But I wanna start off by saying (speaks Hungarian).

(Steve speaks Hungarian) - That was nice Hungarian.

You said that perfect.

- Did I say it perfectly?

I just asked him how he is.

I love your story.

I love how you guys met.

You were a CIA operative in Europe, right?

No, no.

Tell the story of how you met, because it's so sweet.

- When I was 18, for graduation present, my parents wanted to take me to Europe to meet all our relatives, so we get to Hungary, Budapest, and we are at the hotel, and we go out for dinner.

There's the 18 of us having dinner, and Steve brings out all the soup, okay?

And the soup was not hot enough.

My father has to have hot soup.

- So, he was this young attractive waiter, right?

- Very much so.

- May I just say something?

You know, in Europe in that time, we had to serve from a silver tureen individual.

French serve everything.

- So, he served all the soup to all 18 of us, and my father tells him, "Son, this is not hot enough."

He had to take all the soup back into the kitchen (Tom laughs) and he brought it back out, and I didn't know this till afterwards, but he even put my father's spoon over the fire (laughs) so it would be hot enough.

- But it was love at first bite.

- [Darlene] I told my mother at that point, I said, "He's the one."

- This must warm your heart to have come so far and built something like this and become such a part of the community down here.

I mean, you've been on our list for probably two years now because of all the things people have said about you, all the emails we've gotten, just because everything is with love.

Everything is authentic.

And speaking of authentic, the tablecloths here, explain these tablecloths.

- This is all, of course, from Hungary as handmade.

It's a so-called Kalocsa style.

- [Darlene] From the Kalocsa region in Hungary.

- [Steve] And then we have to put glass top on it because, of course, it wouldn't look good with the goulash and the chicken paprikash spilled on it.

- Paprika does, yeah, it'll do a number on this.

- Yeah.

- A wonderfully sweet paprika is one of my all-time-favorite spices.

- You know, that's two Hungarian.

That's the reason they even spell it in Hungarian, the word paprika.

Two Hungarian created.

They took the heat out of it, and they created a paprika.

- Did I say (speaks Hungarian) right?

- Yeah, very good.

Yeah, very good.

Very good.

Very good.

- Well, I've been practicing.

- Very good.

Yeah, very good.

- Stepping in here, it's almost like I feel like now I have been to Hungary, because it's so, just the way this place is decorated and all the authentic artifacts and art that are in here.

And you're right, I can tell when I walked in, I saw both of you standing at tables.

That's the sign of a good restaurateur, somebody who actually checks on their guests, makes sure that they're welcome and everything is good, so, bravo.

- Thank you.

- Thank you very, very much.

- I'd like to talk more, but (speaks Hungarian).

(Steve speaks Hungarian) (Tom and Steve speak Hungarian) Did I say it right?

- Yes, you did.

- Excellent.

- I just said I'm very hungry and I'm very thirsty.

It's (speaks Hungarian).

(Steve speaks Hungarian) - Ah.

- Well, after muddling through what little Hungarian I did know, it was time for me to dive into some authentic European platefuls, and I'm telling you, this is creative and complex comfort food that comes from the heart, soul, and heritage of this hardworking Hungarian family.

I just love stories like this, people who come to this country, realize the American dream, and then, lucky for us, prepare food that we dream about having again and again.

Bonus, if you've got a hankering for some old-world wonderful, dine at Hungarian Rhapsody in Southgate.

Your inner Hungarian will hug you for it.

Now, finally, you're going to meet a really cool couple that opened just the kind of place they were looking for, which means now they don't have to look for it anymore.

Bonus.

It may sound confusing, but you heard right.

Carol and Vincent Lewis were driving all over Metro Detroit to find the kind of fun, food, and entertainment they were looking for, but they're Romulans, which may means they live in Romulus, so they decided to open The Upscale Warehouse Lounge.

It's a hip and happening night spot right here in their own hometown, and boy, are the locals loving it.

The Upscale Warehouse Lounge in Romulus really is the kind of place you need to trek to if you're looking for some cool inner space, and who knows, you might even see a rising star or two.

Oh, and the food and cocktails are also out of this world.

You must have to be really cool to have a place this cool.

I'm guessing you guys are pretty cool.

- Oh, of course.

(Tom laughs) And no doubt about it.

Can't you see?

- Well, actually, I'll be honest.

In the 13 years I've been doing the show, I've been to a lot of cool places, and when we walked in here, this place has am, bi, and ance.

This is so awesome.

- [Carol] That was the goal.

That is absolutely the goal.

This is what we wanted.

We wanted to bring this ambiance.

Well, I'll call it an experience.

- I've heard wonderful things about the food.

Are you guys trained chefs, or you just watch a lot of cooking shows?

- Lookie here, lookie here, lookie here.

(laughs) Listen here.

I have taken culinary courses.

- [Tom] Well then, you must just be a natural cook.

- I am.

On our dinner menu, we have catfish, chicken wings, collard greens, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese.

- See, my mom is from the South.

- Everybody just craves over the cornbread, and it's 'cause it's like a cornbread with a butter-honey sauce on it.

- [Vincent] And the music, you gon' get contemporary jazz, you gon' get some blues- - A little bit of everything.

- [Vincent] You gon' get some jazz, you gon' get some R&B, you gonna get some Motown.

So, throughout the night you gon' say, "Ooh, that's my song."

- And then you gonna start doing this.

(chuckles) Everybody gon' start doing it.

I don't care what race, what color, whatever.

One song gon' hit you, you gon' start, yeah, uh.

- If you're a member of the human race, this music will get you.

- [Vincent] Yes, it will.

- What do you guys love about the area, about the people, about Romulus?

- Romulus people don't leave Romulus.

Every time we talk to people, it's just generations and generations and generations.

Like Carol had said, when we was putting this place together, people would stop in all the time saying, "We are so happy you guys are doing something with this building on this side of the town."

But when you talk to people, they got years and generations.

They just don't leave.

Romulus people love Romulus, and now that we are moving in Romulus, our kids is in Romulus, all of our kids are in Romulus, and we just love Romulus.

Romulus is the place.

- Well, since you're Romulans, live long and prosper.

(Vincent laughs) Or is that Vulcans?

- I don't know if I can do it.

- I think that's Vulcans.

- Okay, I got you on that.

Look at that.

Look at that.

Look at that.

Ah, gotcha.

(laughs) - I'm not much of a Trekkie.

I think that's Vulcans.

(laughs) So, next time you're in the mood to explore new worlds and boldly go where cool people have gone before, plan your next five-year mission to discover the Downriver area.

I guarantee it'll be an enterprise that will surprise and delight you.

Kirk out.

Er, uh, I mean Tom out.

Darn it.

- [Pure Michigan Announcer] Pure is what you make of it.

It's taking it all in and never taking anything for granted.

The sun sets, the moon rises, and you realize the end of one perfect summer day is the beginning of another.

Pursue your pure in pure Michigan.

- [Stahls Announcer] A visit to the Stahls Auto Collection will take you back to a time when cars were more than just a way to get around, a fantastic assortment of gas pumps, neon signs, and automated music machines dating back 150 years that must be seen and heard.

Info at stahlsauto.com.

- [Midland Announcer] Brought to you by Midland, Michigan, a Great Lakes Bay region community.

Visit gogreat.com for more info.

(upbeat rock music) (dramatic instrumental jingle)