BEST OF EVERYTHING filar4W3 81y fac. Lunches • Dinners • Sunday Brunch • Cocktails Beautiful Banquet Facilities 725 South Hunter Birmingham Reservations 642-6900 •SALLiffilooN • PIANO ENIEPTAINNIENt • A Mexican Restaurant Broadens Its Horizons • • The Best in Dining CARL' S DANNY RASKIN Local Columnist HOUSE CHOP 3020 Grand River 833-0700 Free Parking Nationally known for serving 4-H Prize Blue Ribbon Steak and Chops. Finest Seafood and Liquors. Private Dining Rooms for Banquets and Parties Serving daily from 11:30 — Sunday from 2 p.m. T All beef aged in our own coolers ROYAL EAGLE DINING IN OLD WORLD ELEGANCE Enjoy European Cuisine Dinners Sunday 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wed. thru Sat. 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. 6-Course Gourmet Table Service Brunch Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. children $1295adults $795 • 8 & under THE ROYAL EAGLE 1415 Parker, 1 Blk. East of Van Dyke & 21/2 Blks. N. of Jefferson In Historic Indian Village 331-8088 Closed Mon. and Tues. Reservations Suggested Restaurant AT APPLEGATE SQUARE Northwestern Hwy. at Inkster Rd. Southfield Dining and Cocktails For Dinner Reservations: 353-2757 EARLY DINNER SPECIALS MONDAYS THRU SATURDAYS 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. •Fresh Whitefish With Raspberry Buerre Blanc • Chicken Breast & Artichoke Hearts With Linguini Marinara • Petite Frog Legs, Roadhouse Style With Homemade Tartar Sauce •Grilled Provimi Calves Liver With Sauteed Onions 95 Dinners Include: Soup du jour, tossed salad, potatoes, fresh vegetables and French bread and butter 1 COUPON 20% OFF FOOD BILL 4 [Monday Thru Friday 6 p.m. to Closing With This Coupon • Does Not Include Early Dinner Specials • Does Not Include Alcoholic Beverages Offer Expires May 29, 1988 FRInAY MAY_20 1988 JN here's a new look at Casa Armando's on Orchard Lake Road between 12 and 13 Mile .. . and it has nothing to do with interior or exterior remodeling. Armando's is still a Mex- ican restaurant . . . but you might say its south of the border fare now plays second fiddle to what is presently prepared and served. As you walk in, a lighted and refrigerated showcase displays beautiful steaks, king crab legs, flounder, shrimp, baby ribs, etc. All are prepared fresh .. . on a new bricked open hearth chargrill broiler . . . where customers can watch their lunch or dinner being cooked . . . It is most interesting to see your food being readied in such cleanliness . . . under a modern stainless steel overhead hood . . . and behind a partial glass enclosure .. . fronted by a tiled counter where waitpersons pick up the food. The preparations are in Mexican, Cajun or American style . . . to the preferences of customers . . . and very tasty. I had the chargrilled fresh tuna . . . a tender and delicious piece of fish . . . Others in our party enjoyed Cajun baby ribs, prime rib of beef, chargrilled chicken, surf and turf of king crab legs and tenderloin, filet with chicken enchilada and chicken chimichanga. At another table were whitefish almondine, stuffed flounder and chicken Ran- chera (marinated charbroiled chicken breast topped with cheese and sauce.) This is Casa Armando's third anniversary . . . Owner Armando Galan opened his 160-seat previously all- Mexican restaurant on May 6, 1985 . . . featuring its quaint Mexican motif of white stucco walls and rustic overhangs with clay eaves in the dining room and lounge. The counter tile is the same design style and color as on Casa Armando's tables and his lounge bar . . . Wooden beams from floor to ceiling assist in giving it an authen- tic Mexican cantina look. The custard flan with cinnamon-caramel topping is an oft-ordered dessert of heavenliness. Our waiter, Steve Jones, is only 18 years old . . . but already so knowledgeable .. . courteous and efficient . . . Unlike many others his age, Steve is very polite and most eager to obtain further knowledge . . . This is a great trait in young folks especial- ly . . . Those who think they know it all never seem to go very far. Armando Galan is a nice, honest guy trying hard to make a living . . . This new dimension in dining that has seemingly pushed his Mex- ican creativeness to a side has already received wide acceptance. It seems like this could be the great shot Armando has been looking for . . . everyone who knows him hopes so .. . for their sake as well as his . Three years . . . and this may be it . . . the missing din- ing link Casa Armando has needed. SECOND ANNUAL din- ner by Michigan Cancer Foundation, "Under the Moonlight" recently at Westin Hotel, set a record for attendance . . . with over 1,300 . . . plus a whopping $300,000 going into the MCF coffers. Black tie as usual except for the smattering of those who say no even though their doll of the evening is wrapped in lovely elegance. It was an overflow crowd .. . with tables in'‘ back of Renaissance Ballroom almost set against the rear walls. David Hermelin gets better as master of ceremonies . . . I remember when he had to shout to get attention . . . No more . . . Dave's witty ver- biage, poised presence and en- thusiasm have become en- joyable attributes. After Dave, Justice Dennis Archer gave invocation and then dinner . . . Cold salad, chicken Wellington with Madeira sauce, asparagus spears, zucchini topped with carrot souffle, strawberry pastry and coffee or tea .. . Followed by Eddie Jaye with puppet Carlton Crow and the soupy singing of Andy Williams. Marcia and Gene Ap- plebaum were dinner co- chairpersons . . . Jody and Don Petersen honorary co- chairpersons . . . Biggest stars of the evening were those 1,300 people and that $300,000 . . . Mona Rappaport and her California tan look- ing so good with handsome, smiling hubby Dan Rap- paport, Helen Zuckerman always so sweet; Iry Dworkin reminiscing of yesteryears at the Jewish Community Center on Woodward and Hazelwood . . . He and wife Olga make a beautiful couple . . . You don't find them much sweeter than Doreen Hermelin . . . Stuart Gorelick quietly taking over everything in sight businesswise; Bruce Rosen at the first of two consecutive black tie events . . . He's former chief barker of Varie- ty Club of Detroit, whose event was at Westin next evening. CHARLIE PAPPAS, co- owner of Rialto Restaurant, Woodward just south of Nine Mile, was recently honored as 1988 Business Person of the Year by City of Ferndale Chamber of Commerce. He and brother Frank have owned Rialto since April 1, 1960. Adversities in business have tried to toss Charlie in- to business doldrums, but he always kept fighting back .. . One incident had a car out of control crashing through a window and fatally injuring a customer . . . In 1984, a shootout by police left two men dead and fatally injured a waitress. In both instances, Rialto Restaurant had to be closed for a while. Smooth sailing certainly hasn't always been a forte for Rialto Restaurant . . . and it is with a praiseworthy note that they have been able to bounce back . . . Charlie and Frank are a couple of very fine persons . . . and big credits to the restaurant game. Rialto trademarks have been cleanliness, good service and good food at moderate prices. Tabs at Rialto have always been quite low . . . But Charlie has taken an even bigger step in the maintenance of the fine business owned by he and brother Frank . . . All prices have been dropped from breakfast to dinner . . . a sort of "thank you" to everyone for their cooperation in sticking with them throughout the years. Rialto has been a Ferndale landmark since 1926 . . . On its municipal sign outside on Woodward were the words .. . "Congratulations Charlie Continued on Page 60