Tiny seafood restaurant and wine bar Mink is opening Wednesday in Corktown

From the women-led group that umbrellas some of the hottest restaurants in town — Folk Detroit, Marrow and Royce wine bar — comes Mink, a small hangout opening Wednesday in Corktown. 

With about two dozen seats, Mink is a casual place that focuses on seafood and wine. The name is a nod to Detroit's fur-trading past, and it has mostly bar seating overlooking an oyster-shucking station and small kitchen, with some tables on either end of the skinny space. 

At an event celebrating women chefs at the Jam Handy in Detroit earlier this month, Mink co-owner Ping Ho said she envisions Mink to be kind of the waiting room for another women-owned restaurant on this corner, chef Kate Williams' Lady of the House. It's a place where diners can get an aperitif and a few small bites while waiting for their table at Lady just across the street or other area restaurants. 

Besides Ho, other key players at Mink are Kiki Louya and Rohani Foulkes of Folk, a breakfast and lunch spot next door to Mink, and chef Sarah Welch who helms butcher shop and restaurant Marrow in West Village with Ho. 

A short menu during a recent soft open event had a variety of west and east coast oysters and a list of wines, sake, beer and cider. A preview dinner at Frame in Hazel Park this September included a seafood and vegetable platter, a chilled beetroot soup and a savory buckwheat pancake with caviar. 

A sign in the entrance at Mink says "seat yourself responsibly" this means don't sit two people at a four person table and don't leave one open seat between you and another at the bar. There are only around 24 seats here and with the team behind this beast it's sure to be a popular stop this fall and winter. 

Mink is at 1701 Trumbull in Detroit. 

mbaetens@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @melodybaetens