Zalman’s is a small diner off of Woodward Ave. next to The Kingsley Hotel. They are open 7 days a week from 6:00am to 10:00pm. On Google they have a rating of 4.1 stars, but I visited Zalman’s to see if the rating fits. Along with being a restaurant they also have a quaint bakeshop with little sit down tables. As soon as I entered the restaurant I felt as though I had walked into a time machine. Zalman’s has a sense of familiarity as your grandmother’s house would.
When I read the website I assumed the dishes at Zalman’s were mostly American food, however when I got there I was proved wrong by their variety of cuisines. Zalman’s offers a wide variety of food such as salads, burgers, naan, grilled cheese, pasta, shrimp and grits, reubens, meatloaf, and many more. Unless the restaurant is busy, the hostesses tell you to choose your own seat to your liking.
I ordered a Woodward SmashBurger, fries, and my friend and I split a raspberry-vanilla cupcake from the bakery. As soon as I got my dish I noticed the appearance right away. The portions at Zalman’s are definitely bigger, so I had some to take home. However, what I noticed was that the burger looked as if it was homemade, instead of something produced in a factory. It didn’t have that low quality you often see in fast food restaurants. Everything in the burger felt very organic, and when asked about allergen concerns my waitress actually told me that everything they serve is made from scratch in their kitchen, even the sides and bakery items. You can definitely tell that this is true and applies to their food, it is very thoroughly cooked using taste-effective techniques, not the easy techniques. The burger was very good but I really liked the way it was cooked. The edges of the burger were crispy but not burnt. My favorite out of my meal was the fries, they had a cleaner, healthy taste and didn’t feel like it was a bunch of junk food like McDonald’s or Burger King would.
Overall, I loved the interior of the restaurant the most. All of their dishes and cups were simple and had their logo displayed on it, while the decoration of the building was very pleasing and a classic style. I definitely would recommend this restaurant to people visiting Bloomfield and highly recommend to those who have kids or allergies.
Zalman’s is a finalist for HOUR Detroit’s Best Diner, if you vote for them you are entered in a raffle for a giftcard for the restaurant! You can enter at www.zalmans.com.
