PAO restaurant in downtown Detroit, noted for its Pan-Asian cuisine, recently received huge accolades for its interior design and space.

For People magazine’s 50th anniversary and its 2024 Beautiful Issue, the editors at OpenTable and People named “The 50 Most Beautiful Restaurants in America.” PAO landed at No. 22 on the list.

“Original details from the 1920s-era Detroit building combine with a new mezzanine and glass garage-style doors,” OpenTable said of PAO.

The collaboration sought out and chose the beautiful restaurants in each state noting them for many design aspects.

“These super-stylish stunners deliver unforgettable dining experiences,” according to People magazine.

“Located in the historic Michigan Oriental Theater, PAO Detroit has always been a special project for our team,” said Joe Barbat, chairman and CEO of Barbat Holdings, PAO’s owner. “This accolade not only highlights the restaurant’s beauty but also enhances the storied legacy of this iconic building in downtown Detroit.”

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PAO’s menu features a variety of small and large plate items such as Pao Pao shrimp, tuna carpaccio and lo mein mein noodles.  More recently, PAO added a six-course rotating tasting menu that’s offered every Wednesday featuring bluefin tuna tacos, sesame chicken dumplings, tuna carpaccio and shoyu lamb chops.  Two menu options are offered at $50 and $65 per person. Also on Wednesday is PAO’s “Sip & Share” with half off small plate appetizers and signature cocktails from 5-11 p.m.

Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press.

SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN — Steady rain showers will move into southeastern Michigan on Thursday as cooler temperatures settle in the region, according to the National Weather Service.

Showers will move into southeastern Michigan along and south of Interstate 94 toward the Ohio border during the morning hours with temperatures in the 50s across the region, according to the weather service.

The showers will steadily move north and engulf the metro Detroit area by the afternoon hours when the rain becomes more widespread with highs only reaching the low 60s, according to the weather service.

Showers will continue throughout the afternoon and evening hours, before leaving southeastern Michigan sometime around 8 p.m., according to the weather service.

Friday will be clear and sunny across southeastern Michigan with highs touching the mid 60s, according to the weather service.

More rain is expected Saturday across southeastern Michigan with spotty showers throughout the afternoon hours, according to the weather service.

There will be lots of sunshine with highs reaching 70 degrees Sunday across southeastern Michigan for Mother’s Day, according to the weather service.

A Detroit man was sentenced to prison Wednesday for a fatal drug distribution scheme on the city’s east side that resulted in overdoses and at least one death last year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.

Lavante Brown, 30, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison before U.S. District Court Judge Bernard Friedman. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death on May 16, said Dawn Ison, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, in a news release.

Brown was the last of seven defendants in a drug conspiracy that resulted in overdoses and at least one death, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

“These defendants believed that they could take over areas of our city, destroy neighborhoods, and risk others’ lives with impunity,” Ison said. “But these sentences should serve as notice that federal law enforcement will not stand idly by while drug dealers do harm to our community.”

An FBI probe found that a group of dealers operated an on-demand drive-thru for drugs, including crack cocaine, heroin and fentanyl, on Yacama Avenue on Detroit’s east side.

Customers bought drugs by driving to the street, where they were served at their car window with drugs at any time of day, as many times as they could afford, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. The incessant drug activity plagued residents and resulted in home abandonments, said prosecutors, who added that the abandoned homes were used to further drug distribution.

“Drugs sold from Yacama caused many overdoses, including at least one fatal overdose,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Brown was among six others across Metro Detroit who pleaded guilty to offenses related to the sales of controlled substances on Yacama:

• Anthony Foster, 38, of Detroit pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance; he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
• Willie Swift, 58, of Detroit pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance; he was sentenced to over 10 years in prison.
• Terrance Hall, 34, of Eastpointe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
• Dana Hudson, 46, of Detroit pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to five years in prison.
• David Terry, 41, of Harper Woods pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to over four years in prison.
• Justin Fields, 33, of Rochester Hills pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance. He was sentenced to one day of custody with credit for time-served, followed by three years of supervised release.

“Today’s sentencing marks a significant victory in our relentless fight against opioid trafficking and its devastating impact on our community,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, special agent in charge of the FBI in Michigan.

“This case sends a strong message that we will not tolerate activities that endanger our citizens’ lives and will continue to work tirelessly to hold those responsible accountable. I commend the diligent efforts of the FBI’s Oakland County Gang and Violent Crime Task Force in bringing these criminals to justice.”