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[jdmessner]

I was quite shocked and broken hearted to see that my all time favorite coney dog place was shut down by the health department and the site of a civil rights protest. Lafayette Coney Island is a historic Detroit institution.

I am not a person who gets super uptight about germs. I have been known to frequent places on occasion where there may or may not have been certain issues, but I was willing to take my chances. But this sounds like a different situation. It seems to be an ongoing problem and probably not a surprise to the owners. These kinds of conditions don't just happen overnight. It was interesting to note that after they were originally shut down, they reopened just a few hours later and then had to be shut down a second time.

I guess I never thought of food violations being a matter of civil rights. I can understand the outrage. However, one of the protesters implied that they were tired of people coming in from the suburbs, opening businesses and exploiting people in the inner city. I do not think that rhetoric applies here. This is not a new restaurant, Lafayette Coney Island has been in the same location and run by the same family for over 75 years. The man who organized the protest also had some valid points about setting up a sanitation rating system based on health inspections. I thought his speech sounded very politically motivated and self serving. But even if you take those elements out of the equation, and as much as I would like to support the restaurant owner, these are still flagrant violations. Is food safety a matter of civil rights when it comes to gross negligence?

Here is what was reported in the Detroit Free Press
https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/09/09/detroit-lafayette-coney-rally-health-violations/68112648007/

Local Fox News Coverage. Feel free to remove if the post is not not appropriate
https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/clean-it-up-or-shut-it-down-protest-held-outside-closed-lafayette-coney-island-for-rat-droppings

[urnmor]

I like you over the years probably have eaten at places less then desirable especially overseas and i am sure some places in the States.  That said i do not want additional rating systems as I have my own.  As most restaurants do not let you see their kitchen I rate their bathrooms.  I figure if they can’t them clean for their customers then neither do they have clean cooking area.  Just my opinion

[ylr]

I guess Remy and friends were trying to expand?   

[BigDave83]

I have also eaten and enjoyed food from places that I am sure didn't meet certain requirements. I guess there has to be a point that things need to change with in the business.

People seem to try to make everything political or self serving to a point these days. If a few don't like something then to them nobody should like it.

I hope the owners of the establishment can get things righted and back open. 75 years is a long time to be in business in the same place so there has to be a loyal customer base even with prior violations many of those people overlooked them and continued to support them.

[elenis]

I was quite shocked and broken hearted to see that my all time favorite coney dog place was shut down by the health department and the site of a civil rights protest. Lafayette Coney Island is a historic Detroit institution.

I am not a person who gets super uptight about germs. I have been known to frequent places on occasion where there may or may not have been certain issues, but I was willing to take my chances. But this sounds like a different situation. It seems to be an ongoing problem and probably not a surprise to the owners. These kinds of conditions don't just happen overnight. It was interesting to note that after they were originally shut down, they reopened just a few hours later and then had to be shut down a second time.

I guess I never thought of food violations being a matter of civil rights. I can understand the outrage. However, one of the protesters implied that they were tired of people coming in from the suburbs, opening businesses and exploiting people in the inner city. I do not think that rhetoric applies here. This is not a new restaurant, Lafayette Coney Island has been in the same location and run by the same family for over 75 years. The man who organized the protest also had some valid points about setting up a sanitation rating system based on health inspections. I thought his speech sounded very politically motivated and self serving. But even if you take those elements out of the equation, and as much as I would like to support the restaurant owner, these are still flagrant violations. Is food safety a matter of civil rights when it comes to gross negligence?

Here is what was reported in the Detroit Free Press
https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/09/09/detroit-lafayette-coney-rally-health-violations/68112648007/

Local Fox News Coverage. Feel free to remove if the post is not not appropriate
https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/clean-it-up-or-shut-it-down-protest-held-outside-closed-lafayette-coney-island-for-rat-droppings

I think people just like to find things to protest about sadly. Unsanitary restaurants need to be corrected no matter the racial or social or economic make up of the community. It sounds like people are just trying to politicize this, but I don't really see the need for this whole grading card system. Either the restaurant passed or it didn't. If it is a big issue the health department will shut it down. My wife runs one of the cafeteria's at Honda, and the health inspector will find something to ding you for. Usually for my wife when they can't find anything else to complain about they tell her to replace her cutting boards because they seem to need to have some kind of requirement. In the past they asked my wife for record of the last time she tested the temperature in the dish washer to ensure it was sanitizing things well, and it was actually an education point for my wife, because she hadn't realized that was something she needed to test. Things like rodents and the like is one of those instant shut down kind of things and it is sad that the family cares so little at this point that they are running into issues like that.

[Bentley]

What is the one right next to it?  It will see its business go up!

[Bar-B-Lew]

I will be out there in October to go to a Van Gogh exhibit at the art museum and visit Motown amongst a few other things for a few days on my trip through Pittsburgh and Cleveland.  I plan to have a few coneys (it has been 19 years since I had one in Detroit) and some Detroit pizza too.

[jdmessner]

What is the one right next to it?  It will see its business go up!

The one next to it is American Coney Island. Food saftey inspectors have given it a clean bill of health. It was opened in 1917 by a Greek immigrant. Lafayette was opened some years later by the brother of the American founder. The article below explains the rivalry and a bit of the history.

Here is my favorite quote from the story: When talking to Lafayette devotee Trey Slominski about why he chooses Lafayette’s coney dogs, he said, “It’s a family tradition. Never been to American and never will. I once tried to walk inside of American and my dad grabbed me by the arm and said, ‘We are Lafayette people, son.’ It’s in my blood.”

https://opportunitydetroit.com/blog/coney-showdown-american-vs-lafayette/

Bar-B-Lew - Let me know when you are going to be there, I am taking some time off in October. If the dates line up I would love to join you for a coney dog or some Detroit pizza.

[Bar-B-Lew]

I am driving to Detroit from Cleveland on Oct 25 and will be there thru the evening of Oct 27 leaving the next morning to head back to Pittsburgh for the weekend before I head back to Eastern PA on Oct 31.  Probably available late afternoon and evenings of those days.  There is potential I am going to the Wings game on the 25th.

[jdmessner]

I am driving to Detroit from Cleveland on Oct 25 and will be there thru the evening of Oct 27 leaving the next morning to head back to Pittsburgh for the weekend before I head back to Eastern PA on Oct 31.  Probably available late afternoon and evenings of those days.  There is potential I am going to the Wings game on the 25th.

Something around those dates might be doable. The wildcard is that I may have a new granddaughter due around that time.

It sounds like a great trip! The hockey game should be fun. They have a new arena for the Wings and Pistons. I have been there for a basketball game but not for hockey. It is a nice facility. I am hoping to check out the Wings training camp in the next few weeks. It is only about 20 miles from where I live.

[jdmessner]

Great news! Sounds like Lafayette will be back in business soon. What do you think Lew? Do you feel lucky?

https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/movies/2022/10/14/lafayette-coney-island-detroit-reopen-closed-inspection/69563053007/

[jdmessner]

Great news! Sounds like Lafayette will be back in business soon. What do you think Lew? Do you feel lucky?

https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/movies/2022/10/14/lafayette-coney-island-detroit-reopen-closed-inspection/69563053007/

UPDATE: They passed the inspection and will reopen today!!

[Bar-B-Lew]

Great news! Sounds like Lafayette will be back in business soon. What do you think Lew? Do you feel lucky?

https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/movies/2022/10/14/lafayette-coney-island-detroit-reopen-closed-inspection/69563053007/

coneys and buddy's pizza are on my to do list.  just let me know in advance what you want to do so i don't go there before we meet

[Bentley]

You will REALLY like Buddy's!