Daily Detroit

Detroit is having a moment — and Sunda New Asian wants to be part of it.

On today's Daily Detroit, I talk with restaurateur and CEO Billy Dec about why he chose to open Sunda's newest location in the District Detroit, right across from Comerica Park.

We get into his intentional path from Chicago to Nashville to Tampa and now Detroit, and why this city's spirit reminds him of Chicago's rise some years ago.​

Our conversation touches on the generational ties between Michigan and Chicago, the data and "tea leaves" that pointed toward Detroit's growth, and the role of private investment and gritty civic pride in making it all real.

Billy also shares with me how his Filipino roots, Southeast Asian travels, and a lifetime in hospitality show up in the design of Sunda's new space — from the island bar with "flower rain" overhead to the sake wall inspired by a hidden Tokyo spot and capiz shells over the sushi bar.

It's a look at Detroit's current wave of development through the eyes of someone betting on the city, and bringing a deeply personal food story along for the ride. Plus, we talk about the dishes from Longevity Noodles to a Sweet Potato Caterpillar, and drinks like their Lychee Martini and Ube Espresso Martini.

Key topics:

• Why Sunda's expansion from Chicago to Nashville, Tampa, and now Detroit has been very intentional.​

• The long-running Michigan–Chicago connection in hospitality and how loyal guests moving back home helped pull Sunda to Detroit.​

• What Billy saw in Detroit's data and "on the ground" energy that convinced him the city is in a historically significant moment.​

• The impact of private investment, local developers, and a unified civic spirit on Detroit's growth.​

• How the new Sunda space in District Detroit was designed: island bar with a disappearing wall, floral installation blending Sampaguita, cherry blossoms, and Michigan's apple blossom, and an immersive sake wall.​

• The influence of Billy's Filipino heritage and Southeast Asian travels on Sunda's design and menu philosophy.​

• Why he wants Detroiters to "backpack through" Southeast Asia via the menu — and maybe book a real-life trip after.

Sunda New Asian: https://www.sundanewasian.com/detroit

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On today's Daily Detroit, Jer talks with chef Craig Lieckfelt, the culinary mind behind Guns and Butter, about his return to Detroit for a March residency at the Detroit Foundation Hotel and why this city keeps calling him home.

They dig into the origins of the Guns and Butter pop-up concept, how it helped pioneer a now-standard model for chefs without big backing, and the economic idea behind the name itself.​

Craig shares his passion for Great Lakes cuisine, from Upper Peninsula walleye and whitefish caviar to the blue-collar Coney Island culture that shaped his food memories growing up in Michigan.

He also talks about how time in New York, Tokyo, France, and the Bay Area deepened his craft while widening his sense of responsibility around food insecurity and community.​

The conversation gets into why Detroit's grit, expectations, and global contributions make it a uniquely demanding place to "make it," and why Craig feels he cooks his best food here.

You'll also get a preview of what diners can expect from the Guns and Butter experience at the Detroit Foundation Hotel, from the stunning apparatus room and open kitchen to a chef residency program that continues to elevate Detroit's place on the culinary map.​

If you check out Guns and Butter at the Detroit Foundation Hotel this month, we'd love to hear what you think—drop us a line at [email protected] or 313-789-3211.​

Welcome back! Jer and Devon are highlighting places we've been and stories around Metro Detroit...

01:29 - Checker Bar in downtown Detroit is back!

03:14 - Devon is a fan of Mint 29 in Dearborn

04:59 - Remembering long gone Dearborn establishments like Dearborn Music, Wonderland Music, and Hewitt's

08:26 - Devon's obsessed with his Ninja Luxe coffee machine. What local roaster beans should he get?

12:36 - Bonus where we've been: Dessert Oasis in Ferndale

14:24 - Michigan is suing Kalshi to keep their sports product out. Is it gambling like the AG says? We discuss our opinions

20:35 - Should first floor offices be allowed in downtowns? Northville may ban them.

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Today's story rundown:

00:56 - Travel and Leasure names Detroit the most underrated city who everyone should visit at least once

05:41 - Rail survey says: More trains!

09:22 - Eastside news: City will start repairing and installing seawalls in Jefferson Chalmers to help with flooding; and new life for the St. Jean boat launch

13:31 - Dutch Girl Donuts is adding a second location on East Grand Boulevard 15:31 - Detroit City airport upgrades are coming

17:44 - Do we need a new set of ordinances for after hour joints

22:53 - Michigan Central to open a new work and collaboration hub, "The Mezz"

Trivia on 313 Day - sign up! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1984004859944?aff=oddtdtcreator

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On today's Daily Detroit, we are at TechTown with guest Danielle Daguio, engagement manager with Keep Growing Detroit, to talk about how Detroiters are literally taking food into their own hands.

From backyard plots to porch planters and community farms, the Garden Resource Program is helping nearly 3,000 gardens grow across Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park with seeds, plants, soil testing, tools, and year round support.

Danielle explains what it means to build a food sovereign city and why so many people have turned to growing their own food in the wake of the pandemic, grocery price spikes, and concerns about what is in our food.

She shares how Keep Growing Detroit is lowering barriers for new growers by timing seed and plant distributions with the seasons and offering practical classes that make it easier to get started and keep going. ​

We also dig into the cultural side of gardening. Danielle talks about reconnecting with family foodways from New Jersey to the Philippines and how growing certain crops can become a way to remember loved ones and keep traditions alive.

You will hear about the Gathering of Growers series based on the Anishinaabe 13 moon cycle, cooking classes that highlight Filipino, Venezuelan, Puerto Rican, and African American crops, and the annual tour that showcases unique gardens across the city.

If you want to plug in, volunteer, or sign up for classes, visit their site here or follow Keep Growing Detroit on Instagram and Facebook.

Feedback as always, dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211. Follow Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942

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Jer Staes is joined by co-hosts Devon O'Reilly and Norris Howard for a wide ranging talk about food, faith, politics, and Detroit's future.​

• Devon went to Dearborn for Mayor Abdullah Hammoud's Unity Iftar dinner during Ramadan and talks about what Iftar is, who was in the room, and how it felt to see an Imam and a priest share very similar prayers.​ The crew gets into why learning about other cultures in Metro Detroit can break down fear and hate, and why showing up when you are invited matters.​

• Jer visited the new Detroit 75 Kitchen brick and mortar spot, talks about the giant portions, the menu, the space, and why it feels like the start of a bigger concept.​

• Norris checks in after a whirlwind trip to Washington, D.C. for the State of the Union, riding the underground tram at the Capitol, and trying to talk with members of Congress while votes keep getting moved around.​ The table digs into the "weird" mood in D.C., the feeling that we are at the end of an era, and how broken national leadership and media bubbles spill down into local politics.​

• We respond to listener feedback on Michigan's slide in education and economic numbers, why covering bad data is not "being negative," and a listener question about Chinatown gets into a bigger conversation about population loss and where capital follows growth — and that the city has lost a lot of the middle class since 2000, a fact that continues even with recent popultion upticks. That loss has real impacts on what businesses can survive in that aftermath.​

• ​We close on the tight Michigan governor's race, why early polls show a true toss up, why no major candidate is dropping out, and what Governor Whitmer's low key State of the State might say about her next move.​​

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Today, we're talking about the future of Midtown. Getting details on that new Chinatown project (and a whole lot more) with the executive director of Midtown Detroit, Inc.

You'll learn a lot about this series of Detroit neighborhoods in this conversation and what's ahead for an area of Detroit so many people have so many connections to.

More show notes to come.

Feedback as always, dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211.

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Ferndale Pride isn't just a single day in May. It's a months-long celebration of joym community, and giving back that has its roots in a meeting at Soho 16 years ago.

In this episode, I talk with Ferndale Pride executive director and longtime listener Julia Music about how the festival started, why it has always been free to attend, and how it has already given more than $500,000 to charity while centering downtown Ferndale businesses.​

Julia walks us through what to expect on May 30 in downtown Ferndale: three stages, Reading with Royalty, 220 vendors, nine food trucks, and a footprint stretching along 9 Mile from Woodward to Livernois.

But before the big day, there's a full calendar of events designed to both build community and raise the funds needed to keep Pride accessible.​

You'll hear about the Small Packages cigar-box art auction at Detroit GT Studios, Soho Leather Weekend, Junk Jewels' allergy-friendly treats at Urbanrest, and the "Out of the Closet and Onto the Dance Floor" party that invites you to finally wear that wild outfit hiding in the back of your closet.

We also dig into Hot Daddies, the Cougar Hunt (a true "coalition of cougars"), Pistons Pride Night, a psychic self-care evening at Boston Tea Room, and the always-popular Pokémon trivia night at B. Nektar.

More: https://ferndalepride.com/

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New polling of Michigan voters shows a massive gap between how people feel about the state and where we actually rank.

We dig into why voters think Michigan is middle‑of‑the‑pack while we're near the bottom on reading, income, and unemployment, the huge awareness gap on data centers (4 in 10 Michiganders haven't even heard of them), and what it all means for the 2026 governor's race where a new poll puts former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan in the lead (in contrast to earlier ones, putting him at just 20%).

The poll we reference is by the Glengariff Group, commissioned by the Detroit Regional Chamber, and can be found here: https://www.detroitchamber.com/feb-2026-michigan-voter-poll/

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Today, we are at the table in Techtown for a fast‑moving conversation on how Metro Detroit goes out now.

We start with the closure of Mutiny Bar and ask if Detroit's modern tiki bar era has quietly ended, even as tiki continues in places like San Diego and Palm Springs.​

Norris shares a visit to Bastille Bar, praising it as a no‑frills "it's just a bar" hangout, while the crew argues that happy hour has effectively shifted to 3–6 p.m. thanks to changing work patterns and school pickups.

Devon then delivers an ode to the hotel bar via Four Vagabonds at the Dearborn Inn, celebrating it as a hub for travelers' stories and local recommendations.​

We close with a debate over whether it's time to ditch third‑party delivery apps like DoorDash. We saw a number of restaurants pull the plug on delivery services, so we're asking if you are, too.

Here's the rundown:

02:13 - Mutiny Bar is done: Is Detroit's age of Tiki bars over?

06:49 - Where we've been: Bastille Bar

09:11 - Has Happy Hour moved to 3pm?

10:01 - An ode to the Hotel Bar (Four Vagabonds)

12:13 - Where we've been: Mexico City Mexican Restaurant

15:00 - Vote for us for Metro Detroit's best podcast on Hour

17:37 - Is it time to break up with delivery apps like DoorDash? Some Detroit area restaurants are pulling the plug on delivery

Feedback as always, dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211.

Follow Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942

Or sign up for our newsletter: https://www.dailydetroit.com/newsletter/