Midtown Detroit's medical center area has a new dining option.
The Half-time Café is now open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday in the lobby of the Wayne State University School of Medicine's Mazurek Medical Education Commons, located on the south side of Canfield Road, just east of John R Road.
"We try to do everything fresh. That's the goal around here," said owner Adam Mahdawiyan.
The restaurant has no fryers or freezers, and everything is made on site. Menu items include a variety of meat and vegetarian-friendly options, including breakfast wraps, deli sandwiches, macaroni and cheese (with optional veggie and protein additions) and soups, plus Caribou Coffee, organic loose leaf tea, freshly squeezed orange juice, hearty bean and grain salads, hummus and other dips, and to-go snacks such as pistachios, fruit and nut cups, granola bars and frozen yogurt (with toppings, including fresh-cut fruit).
The restaurant's name is inspired by the WSU medical students' studying habits. The owner was told they spend the majority of their time outside of class in the adjacent Shiffman Medical Library.
"We figured they study here. They live in the library. They need a half-time," Mahdawiyan said.
Mahdawiyan also owns Detroit's La Palma, a Mediterranean restaurant just west of the Half-Time Café, on Canfield.
He was among the interested restaurateurs asked in January to present his idea for the space to a committee of School of Medicine students and staff, who had considerable input in crafting the menu and final say on who received the space.
"They wanted everything as healthy and as fresh as possible," he said.
He has already named one sandwich after a student. The "Salmon Sarah" is $7.49 and includes salmon, cucumber, lettuce, tomato and lemon dill mayo on a bakery-fresh bun. The main menu is written on chalkboard paint, allowing Mahdawiyan and staff to change and refresh the menu based on client feedback.
Construction started in June and health and electrical inspections were completed in October. Mahdawiyan, a building contractor with a background in engineering, designed the new space using modern, vibrant décor and finishes.