The Apparatus Room

The Apparatus Room Downtown Has Made Key Updates to Its Space and Menu | Eater Detroit

"Reopened after a brief hibernation with a refreshed menu and updated design inside the former Detroit Fire Department headquarters, this hotel restaurant now features a seafood raw bar with daily crudo, red swimming crab, and East- and West-Coast oysters, and places greater emphasis on locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. Opened in 2017 under chef Thomas Lents (formerly of Chicago’s two-Michelin-starred Sixteen) and led since 2023 by chef Reece Hogerheide (previously at the Daxton Hotel), the kitchen has moved from artful, ticketed multi-course presentations to a more rustic approach that lets local produce shine — examples sampled at previews include rice-flour–dredged fried cauliflower flavored with gochujang, broccolini with bagna cauda, and dishes featuring ingredients from Detroit-area farms like Fisheye and Moraine Park Farms. The roughly 4,600-square-foot interior retains its U-shaped bar, white subway tile, and warm natural tones, while a local design firm expanded the lounge, opened up the kitchen, updated equipment, and added reclaimed furnishings sourced from a Hamtramck shop; the updates are part of a $4 million investment in the property. As a hotel restaurant it offers food and drink through much of the day, with breakfast items such as shakshuka and sausage strudel as well as lunch and dinner service." - Serena Maria Daniels