BEST OF EVERYTHING
Long-Term Friendship
Fires New Restaurant
DANNY RASKIN
Local Columnist
F
rom fighting fires in
restaurants . . . to co-
owning one with the
gent for whom he stood up as
best man at his wedding.
This is the new avocation of
Ron Poma, who, with Bob
Matley, now co-owns the
recently opened Marma-
duke's food and spirits opera-
tion on Haggerty Rd., just
south of 14 Mile in Farm-
ington Hills.
Ron is a former Dearborn
Heights fireman . . . and was
best man 17 years ago when
his partner of today . . . Bob
Matley . . . married Rose .. .
Folks will remember Bob
when he was an owner of the
Ram's Horn on 12 Mile and
Northwestern . . . in the days
of its prime . . . Bob left three
years ago and it seemingly
went downhill.
You might call Marma-
duke's casual dining in an
elegant atmosphere . . .
Neither fellow is superstitous,
so they opened their restau-
rant on Friday, May 13 in
the Country Ridge Commons
where Cindy and Bob
Schwartz have the popular
Cindy's Sundae Lovers spot.
Seating is for 125 in a fan-
cy place without fancy prices
. . . It's a plain, down-to-earth
family operation with paper
napkins and paper place
mats.
But the decor has much
elegance . . . with oodles of
glass block at the entrance,
art deco theme, fully-mirrored
wall, marble table tops, mar-
ble bar that extends more
than the usual so folks can
eat and watch television,
marble floors, carpeted dining
room of tables, etc. . . . There's
even a modern-looking juke
box where people can pick out
their own dinner music with-
out having to be subjected to
whatever comes over the
restaurant's system . . . The
chairs and vinyl-covered
booths are comfortably
padded. _
Colors are plain and simple
. . . peach and green . . . with
some sprinkling of cinnamon,
especially at the formica by
Marmaduke's booths.
Day chef is Dave Brach and
Steve Larson is evening chef
. . . with both concentrating
heavily on the presentation of
good food . . . Its big on
burgers and seafood . . . and
Dave makes over 20 gallons of
onion soup a week . . . Plus
the regular menu from steaks
to chicken to salads, etc. . . .
they always have about four
daily entree specials.
I had the Norwegian
salmon, which when poached
or broiled properly is an ex-
cellent dish . . . It was very
tasty with a freshness that
could not be questioned.
Where did Ron and Bob get
the Marmaduke's name? .. .
Simple . . . From the cartoon
Great Dane character . . .
Folks are already calling it
Duke's and Marma's . . . but
the fellows don't care as long
as they keep coming back.
Marmaduke's is open six
days a week, 11 a.m. to mid-
night . . . also serving wines
on draft or bottle, and
cocktails.
My waitress, Diane Steele,
has that great smile you like
to see in waitpersons . . . so
very personable, so efficient
and so pleasant . . . It's no
wonder customers who have
been waited on by this big
smile like to sit in Diane's sta-
tion . . . She always is in a
good mood . . . never bringing
her problems to work . . . and
does the right things at the
right times without having to
be told by Ron or Bob .. .
Whether it's toting one of
Bob's noted tuna sandwiches
or the specially-prepared en-
trees, Diane's hearty smile is
a wonderful beginnning.
Marmaduke's has the loca-
tion, the right food man in
Bob, proper host in Ron and a
couple of chefs who know
their job.
Ron and Bob have been
friends for many years .. .
Marmaduke's can do nothing
but cement their wonderful
relationship . . . This
closeness oozes out onto the
restaurant customer . . . and
can be the nucleous for a suc-
cessful endeavor.
WHILE in New York,
Larry Snider went to
Carnegie Deli and "fell in
love' with his salami sand-
wich . . . Thus began research
to find out who made their
salami and hot dogs.
Turned out that they are
manufactured by Isaac Gellis
Kosher Products . . . and he is
agog over the thought of in-
troducing a true New York
deli item to Detroit . . . with
the New York deli taste peo-
ple have loved for so many
years.
Larry is president of local
food broker Van Husen, Hall,
Stevens & Welch for Isaac
Gellis, which is extremely en-
thused about the Detroit area
introduction.
Isaac Gellis Kosher Pro-
ducts are now here at . . . Vic's
Fruit Market, 13 Mile and
Southfield in Southfield .. .
Oak Farms Fruit Market,
Coolidge and Nine Mile in
Oak Park (soon opening
another market on Grand
River off Orchard Lake Rd. in
Farmington) . . . and Nino
Salvaggio Strawberry Hills,
Middlebelt at 14 Mile in Far-
mington Hills.
A division of Mogen David
Meats, Isaac Gellis has been
making kosher products since
1872 . . . with 100 percent
pure beef, gentle hickory
smoking and a special blend
of flavorings . . . Its items are
under strict rabbinical super-
vision . . . and distinctive
with their slightly spicy taste
. . . plus standards, by the
way, that are even higher
than those set by the U.S.
government . . . all meat
byproducts, no non-meat
fillers, no artificial coloring or
flavors . . . and a very impor-
tant factor that no less-
expensive frozen beef is
allowed.
Isaac Gellis has both bulk
and retail products . . . 12
bulk and 10 retail items .. .
in various sizes and shapes.
Detroit is one of the nation's
largest and most proficient
deli locales . . . Now with the
introduction of Isaac Gellis to
this market, it will un-
doubtedly boom even bigger.
NATURALLY . . . John
Cetrone was behind the bar
during our recent visit to Ex-
calibur on Franklin and Nor-
thwestern . . . doing his bevy
of tricks . . . Double Exposure
Trio plays a lot of music for
dancing Tuesday through
Saturday.
All in all, Excalibur seems
to get better . . . and is much
more than just a place to see
and be seen . . . Now, with the
addition of Victor Dazbaz as
general manager, Excalibur
gives much more than before.
FEEDING 1,600 people on
a Saturday night is one thing,
but satisfying most of them is
another . . . This is the
reputation by Carl's Chop
House on Grand River, open-
ed in 1932 by Carl Rosenfeld
who, at 93 years old, still
comes in every Saturday eve
and many times when special
events draw folks downtown,
to help daughter-manager
Barbara Aronsson.
Unlike many restaurants
with a high-turnover rate,
especially among its waitper-
sons, the staff at Carl's Chop
House has remained loyal for
A SWEET
DEAL
OUT
A SUITE
PRICE,
YOUR RATE
INCLUDES: BREAKFAST FOR 2,
EVENING COCKTAILS, LATE NIGHT SNACKS
A weekend stay at the Compri Hotel includes all the "extras"
of trendy suite hotels—without the extra-high rates. For just
$59 per night you can enjoy:
■ Four-star, luxurious rooms, each with spacious sitting area,
remote control TV, desk and two phones.
■ Cooked-to-order breakfast, unlimited cocktails from 5-7pm, _
and late-night snacks.
■ Private exercise facilities, indoor pool, and whirlpool.
■ Exclusive Compri Club with comfortable lounging areas,
intimate bar, stocked library, and big screen TV.
Weekends at Compri—how sweet it is!
For reservations, call 1-800-4-COMPRI
Arro4e/fati
■
kCompri Hotel
Southfield/Detroit
26000 American Drive, Southfield, MI 48034
Directly Across from the American Center
(313) 357-1100
Based on double occupancy, with a maximum of 4 persons per room. Children under
18 stay free in paientS room and eat free. Limited availability Fliday, Saturday and
Sunday nights through September 6, 1988. Not available for gaups. Tax is not included.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
51