What do you get when you combine some of the best BBQ you’ve ever eaten with one of the worlds great automobile companies? You get the Hyundai #NAIAS Media Dinner at Slows Bar-B-Q in Detroit Michigan.

As a media outlet that covers the North American International Auto Show every year, Detroit Metro Mashup really appreciates this great kickoff event for the media preview days at the NAIAS. This year we decided to make certain that Hyundai, Slows, and the NAIAS all know about how much we enjoy and anticipate this dinner.

Not only is the food first rate, but Slows has one of the best selections of beer, including microbrew beers, in SE Michigan, along with a fully stocked bar. Another great thing about the Media Dinner is that it is served buffet style.

If you’ve ever been to Slows, you probably know that when you order a Reason sandwich with fries, or a full dinner of ribs, you get so much food that you are stuffed. With the Hyundai buffet, almost everything that you would normally purchase at Slows as a single meal is available for sampling. You can try a few baby back ribs, some pulled pork, some mac and cheese, grab a few dry rubbed ribs, scarf up some BBQ beans, slather some beef brisket in one of their many sauces…and then go back and load up again on your favorites.

Just above is Jason Rzucidlo from AmericaJR.com, enjoying the buffet and, just below, DMM’s own Shaun Kotlarsky doing the same.

Check out the good-looking food! And it tastes as good as it looks. We’re not taking bribes to promote Slows and they don’t advertise on our website; we were Slows fans before this event ever started and, frankly, we can’t wait for them to open their new restaurant in Pontiac!

Not only is the food and drink palate-pleasing comfort food for media mavens, this is an event where said social lubrication results in lots of introductions, photography discussions, and opportunities for media members to get to know one another, develop friendships, and germinate potential business opportunities. In the past, DMM has met representatives from Hyundai at the event, had dinner with and recommended beer to them, and had some fantastic discussions about cars, publicity, media coverage, and the logistics associated both with what they do and what the media have to accomplish to cover such a major event. We didn’t run across that group at the dinner this year, but we will never forget their hospitality.

In any case, I am confident that we at Detroit Metro Mashup can speak for all the media outlet attendees when we say thank you to both Hyundai and Slows for putting on this delicious and fun event every year.

We’re already looking forward to 2016!