BEST OF EVERYTHING I
OF SOUTHFIELD
Invites You To Enjoy .. .
FREE DINNER
WITH PURCHASE OF DINNER OF EQUAL OR GREATER VALUE
GOOD 7 DAYS A WEEK
SATURDAY SEATING PRIOR TO 6 p.m. OR AFTER 8:30 p.m.
(EXCLUDING SEA BASS, LAMB CHOPS & LIQUOR)
MOST DINNERS $6.95 TO $10.95 • PRESENT COUPON • EXCLUDES HOLIDAYS
Expires 2/8/90
FABULOUS
SUNDAY BRUNCH $7 50
PER PERSON • LIMIT 10 PEOPLE
L WITH COUPON • EXCLUDES HOLIDAYS •
Expires 2/8/90
25060 SOUTHFIELD RD (1 Block North of 10 miie)557-8910
Fresh Meat Shoppe & Restaurant
r
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WHOLE SLAB
BABY BACK RIBS
16 OZ. N.Y.
STRIP STEAK
$2" OFF $1" OFF
Reg. $12.95
IN
L. Expires 2-9-90
Reg. $7.95
j L Expires 2-9-90
JN j
DINNERS INCLUDE: SOUP OR SALAD, POT. OR RICE, ROLLS & BUTTER
NOW OPEN SUNDAYS 12 to 8
HOURS: MON. THRU SAT. 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Dinner Served Mon-Sat. 4 to 9, Sun. 3 to 8
34731 GRAND RIVER, East of Drake Road
473-8400
(IN THE WORLDWIDE CENTER)
4CY144,4e
OurW mor
greatest "7::
CD Natural -••m.
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FAMILY ITALIAN DINING & PIZZA
4033 W. 12 MILE, 3 Blks. E. of Greenfield
Berkley
PIZZA-IUBS-RSH
HOMEMADE GAMIC BREAD
548-3650
ROUND PISA
SQUARE PIM
'SMALL OR LARGE SMALL-MED-LARGE
1 OFF
ON FOOD PURCHASES
OF $6 OR MORE
DINING ROOM, CARRY-OUT
Expires December 31, 1990
• BANQUET ROOMS • BEER • WINE
• COMPLETE CARRY-OUT • COCKTAILS
68
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1990
A Popular Troy Restaurant
Has Outlasted 3 Predecessors
DANNY RASKIN
Local Columnist
B
ack in September
1983, three previous
restaurants had tried
their luck at the Top Of Troy
Bldg. Concourse locale on Big
Beaver just west of 1-75.
And it was with reserva-
tions that some thought
number four had a possible
chance of making it.
However, they were very
much in the minority and
Nicky's is still going as strong
as ever . . . Partners Nick
Sorise and John Reaser have
proven what the others
couldn't . . . that customer
satisfaction and good food
together with operational
teamwork are an unbeatable
combination in the
restaurant game.
Nick and John's immediate
foresight was to gut the
Bonaventure, Sydney's and
Kogy's . . . with seating for
256 to include a bar-lounge
area for 55 and a shuttered
room opened when needed,
with its own sound system.
The transformation at
Nicky's by designers Ron Rea
and Howard Ellman is still an
elegance of today very hard to
beat . . . with its neon
lighting, laser beam rays on-
to tables from pinpoints to
sprays, live greenery, mirrors
galore, high gloss laminate,
grays, burgundys and browns,
thousands of feet of brass on
railings and elsewhere, etc.
The bar-lounge on a lower
level is elegant with its etch-
ed glass illuminated by blue
neon, the highly styled laser
beams and other beauteous
appointments.
Nicky's also provided what
none of the other three had
the foresight to do . . . a dance
floor . . . which has had some
of this area's finest top-40
groups playing for listening
and dancing.
The food at Nicky's has
always been among its main
fortes and the successful six
years have borne out Nicky
and John's contention that if
the best couldn't be gotten, it
wouldn't be served at their
establishment.
Today, Nicky's is experien-
cing another change . . . not
in the decor . . . the warm in-
timate elegance is not to be
touched.
The something different at
Nicky's is the very innovative
addition of gourmet pizzas
and pastas to accompany its
fine contemporary American
cuisine.
You might say that now
Nicky's is a two-fisted
restaurant in one . . . Or that
something has been
established to bring out the
casual flair that many diners
of today want.
These are not your ordinary
gourmet pizzas . . . The crust
is almost as thin as the paper
you are holding.
We tasted the Key West
(Florida rock shrimp, pesto
and parmesan cheese with
mozzarella), Florentine
(spinach and goat cheese with
mozzarella), and California
(broccoli, yellow squash,
tomato sauce, white cheddar
cheese and mozzerella) . . . I
can't get over the beautiful
tastes and their togetherness
. . . nor the ability to pick
them up, as thin as the crusts
are.
The pastas are also in their
own class . . . egg linguine
(smoked salmon, red onion,
caper and caviar), basil fettuc-
cine (vegetables, olive oil and
herbs), spinach fettuccine
(shrimp, scallops, clams and
olive oil), wild mushroom
linguine (chicken, wild
mushrooms and cream, and
egg fettuccine (goat cheese,
shitake mushrooms and sun-
dried tomatoes).
The old favorites, roast rack
of lamb, veal chop, veal Oscar,
chicken picante, whitefish,
are all there, too, for dinner
. . . joined by broiled sea
scallops, catfish Creole plat-
ter, grilled turkey breast, beef
tenderloin, etc.
Executive Chef John DiCic-
co spent six years at the
Golden Mushroom working
with Brian Polcyn, now ex-
ecutive chef at Pike Stret
Restaurant in Pontiac; Chef
Bill Wolfe in Florida; Chef
Greg Upsher, Heritage House
in Ann Arbor; Chef Chris
Hessler, Lochmoor Country
Club; and Chef Andy Kile
who recently left La Bocosse
. . . All trained under Master
Chef Milos Cihelka at the
Golden Mushroom in every
kitchen status.
While at the Golden
Mushroom, John won two
bronze, two gold and two best
of show awards at culinary
arts salons when they were
held at Cobo Hall.
After a year at the former
Benchmark in the Michigan
Inn, he became the stalwart
so many people have enjoyed
at Nicky's the past three
years in June.
But this is John's first at-
tempt at making pizzas .. .
and his culinary expertise
takes over with winners .. .
As a young boy, he made
pastas and sauces, but that
was it.
Not on the menu but always
available are those filets and
New York sirloins . . . both cut
at Nicky's.
Another great feature is
Nicky's also making its own
bread now.
With John is Night Chef
Marty Elias . . . He opened
Elizabeth's-On-The-Lake in
1987 and followed with stints
at Hotel St. Regis, Lachmoor
Country Club, City Club and
Old Heidelberg which he also
opened . . . Marty's kitchen
know-how has been a mighty
boon to the goodness at
Nicky's.
The pasta we enjoyed was
one John came up with as a
special of the day . . . no name
. . . peapods, artichoke hearts,
roasted pine nuts, sundried
tomatoes and egg noodles.
The gourmet pizzas and
pastas now at Nicky's have
Pizzas and pastas
have been added
to Nicky's fine
menu.
become immediate sensations
. . . so fresh . . . made to order
. . . and only virgin olive oil
(you can't get any better)
used.
Nicky's is open six days .. .
Monday, 11 a.m. to midnight;
Tuesday through Friday, 11
a.m. to 2 a.m.; and Saturday,
6 p.m. to 2 a.m.
It's
now
like
two
restaurants in one . . . with
very capable employees who
add much to the come-again
atmosphere at Nicky's . . .
Carl Bobier, general manager
and day manager; Jon McIn-
tosh, evening manager; Linda
Caruso, evening hostess there
when Nicky's originally open-
ed; and others who make up
the fine operational
teamwork.
So nice to enjoy an evening
at Nicky's . . . with its light
gray tablecloths and napkins,
oversized white plates that
show off the colorful food
presentations.
Nicky's is not to be
misconstrued as being turned
into an Italian restaurant .. .
far from it . . . Just a new
dimension in dining has been
added to give customers
another option.
The large kitchen is clean
as a whistle . . . very little
freezer space now . . . so much
fresh food and almost