Mint 29 Draws Good Reviews From Patrons

DEARBORN, MI — One of Dearborn’s newest restaurants is drawing excellent reviews from patrons. Mint 29, located on Michigan Avenue just west of Oakwood, has earned a four-and-a-half star rating after 31 reviews on Yelp.com.

“Who orders fish for lunch at a new restaurant...I do,” wrote Janet M. of Ann Arbor in a July 21 review on Yelp. “Gamble paid off...because the trout was awesome! It was perfectly cooked, seasoned, and the broccolini on the side was delicious.”

Mint 29 opened about two months ago. About two years ago, Kasey Chammout, owner of LaPita and other landmark restaurants in Dearborn, started renovating the building for his new venture. Chammout and his general contractor, Billy Salameh of Rock Commercial Construction, along with their landlord Todd Alcodray, tore out a chunk of the original building to make room for a patio and eventual seating area at the site, which sits at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Monroe Street.

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From there, preserving the structure, which was originally a bank, seemed to prove difficult. Issues included making sure the second-floor mezzanine was structurally sound and finding a route for the ductwork. “It was challenging,” says Chammout. “But we felt an obligation to restore a part of Dearborn’s history.

“I’m an old-timer,” adds Chammout. “I started with The Salad Bar, then LaPita, and Ciao—I’ve been doing this for a long time. I always love to invest in Dearborn.”

Patron are clearly enjoying Mint 29. In an Aug. 6 four-star review, Sami A. of Flint wrote that his steak was undercooked and sent it back. After apologies from staff, it worked out well for him.

“The steak tasted great and that's all that ultimately matters,” Sami wrote. “I watched other food items being served to others also and everything looked great. I'll definitely be back!”

Domenic C. Dearborn gave the restaurant five stars in a June review. “Have genuinely enjoyed each of the four times I've been here,” he wrote. “The food is on point, it's sort of a surf n turf-kind-of-thing with a nice variety of options. Every single app is tasty. Vanessa makes killer craft cocktails and is able to amend them to meet your fix.”

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