Pie-eyed — The folks at the long-running tap house, Motor City Brewing Works, have fired up a new pizza oven. Now you can have hand-made food to go with the spot's craft brews. Choose one of eight kinds of pies based around fresh, locally grown ingredients — including the "Danimal," a pizza named after one-time MT scribe Dan DeMaggio, with olive oil, tomatoes, caramelized red onions, artichoke hearts, gorgonzola and fresh basil — or create your own. Stop on Wednesday nights for This Week in Art, with work from Giles Rosbury (Oct. 31), Eligah Boykin (Nov. 7) and John Linardos (Nov. 14). All the way at the back of the parking lot, at 470 W. Canfield, Detroit; 313-832-2700.

Buffet's back — Bengal Masala Café, which moved into an old Hamtramck greasy spoon a few years ago, will offer an expanded lunch buffet starting Nov. 1. Expect three vegetable entrées, three meat entrées, soup, salad and bread for less than $7. Though the spot already serves up generous orders, the buffet offers a good chance to try a variation of entrées for a nice price. Available Tuesday through Saturday, at 9335 Conant St., Hamtramck; 313-871-2711.

A cut above — Morton's steakhouse in Southfield will mark 15 years in November, showing that the spot is a survivor, enduring declining expense accounts, hard times and months of roadwork. Though you'll have to dig deep, it's worth it. At 1 Towne Square, Southfield; 248-354-6006.

EAT THE PAGE

Isabel Cruz grew up in Los Angeles where she was surrounded by Cuban, Mexican, Thai and Japanese cuisines. When she opened her first restaurant in San Diego, she fused Latino flavors with those of the Pacific Rim relying on mangoes, limes, coconut, chile peppers, mint, ginger, and cilantro, creating her own style of healthful, vibrant, bold-flavored dishes while replacing some of the fat that is frequently found in Mexican food. The photos and the recipes in her book, Isabel's Cantina (Clarkson Potter, $27), are guaranteed to stimulate your taste buds and your culinary imagination.

A TASTY BEVERAGE

The zombie cocktail was invented around the late 1930s at Hollywood's Don the Beachcomber restaurant and celebrated throughout the peak of America's Tiki Culture in the '50s and '60s. A typical recipe calls for equal parts white, golden and dark rums, apricot brandy, pineapple and papaya juice. Finish it with a dash or two of grenadine, fruit garnish and then top with high-proof rum that can be set on fire for effect. Made right the zombie is equivalent in alcoholic strength to about three standard cocktails. No wonder it's named after the undead.

IT WORKS

Now that the seasons are changing and the weather is getting colder, it's time to bake bread. The aroma permeates the abode and fresh bread soothes the soul. Bread machines are fine, but there is no substitute for kneading the dough by hand. The cool surface of a marble bread board keeps the dough from sticking. The marble also provides a good-looking surface for serving your bread. Add some cheese and grapes – and a bottle of wine — and celebrate autumn. Sur la table, the gourmet cookware store located in the new Mall at Partridge Creek sells them for about $40.

Know of any new restaurants, special dinners or food-related events? Let us know. Send materials two weeks in advance to Food Stuff, Metro Times, 733 St. Antoine, Detroit, MI 48226, e-mail mjackman@metrotimes.com, or call 313-202-8043.