Pernoi’s plight

Only open since September, Pernoi – 310 E. Maple Road, Birmingham – has recently encountered some behind-the-scenes turbulence. Michelin-star chef, and restaurant partner, Takashi Yagihashi left the Birmingham restaurant to focus on his restaurants in Chicago. Pernoi partner Luciano DelSignore said in a statement that the restaurant will carry on with the duo’s original vision and that Yagihashi is always welcome back in the kitchen. “It was always a dream of mine to open a restaurant with my dear friend, Takashi, and it’s been a thrill to see the vision for Pernoi come to life. Mission accomplished,” he said. Considering the duo was the raison d’etre for opening, and dining at, the restaurant, will the menu morph into a DelSignore-focused cuisine? Word about town is there has been staff turnover, as well, with restaurateur/sommelier Mindy Lopez, most recently at SheWolf in Detroit, brought in to right the front of the ship. Pernoi recently launched a new cocktail and food menu at their bar, as well as relaxing the strict “jacket-required” policy for men to a more “jacket encouraged” attire. Stay tuned. Metro Intelligencer is a monthly column devoted to news stories, tidbits and gossip items about what's happening on the restaurant scene in the metro Detroit area. Metro Intelligencer is reported/created each month by Dana Casadei who can be reached at DanaCasadei@DowntownPublications.com with news items or tips, on or off the record.