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March 02, 1990 - Image 74

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 1990-03-02

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

BEST OF EVERYTHING

THIS'
COMPLIMENTARY
DINNER MONTH!
CELEBRATE AT
THE ATRIUM CAFE.

4,

This month may not have a holiday—but
now you can celebrate anyway. We've declared
a Complimentary Dinner Month, just to get
a chance to meet you.
For a limited time, enjoy two delicious
entrees, but pay for just one.
And what entrees they are! Juicy
roast prime rib. New York sirloin. Grilled
Atlantic swordfish. Dig into the double-
thick lamb chops or savor our weekly
Chef's special menu.
You'll love the Chocolate Marquis
for dessert—but you'll want to come back to
sample the Strawberries Rebecca. Celebrate
at the Atrium Cafe.



4 *



For reservations call 879-6612.

ATRIUM CAFE

AT THE

GUEST QUARTERS'

SUITE HOTEL
TROY

In the Northfield Hills Corporate Center,
at the Crooks Road exit of 1-75.
879-7500

•.

t..

.



r

-.A

< - •

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9

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Good at the Atrium Cafe
Restaurant for one
complimentary entree
with the purchase of one
entree of equal or
greater value.

Offer expires April 14, 1990.
Sales tax applicable on total dinner value.
DJN 3-2-90

00 OFF

ON YOUR NEXT TRAY

MEAT OR DAIRY

OR NG/

HAVING A
PARTY?
LET US
CATER TO
YOUR NEEDS

14

• Minimum
8 Persons
• 1 Coupon
Per
Customer

• Expires
3-31-90

29145 Northwestern Hwy. at 12 Mile Rd.
356.2310
Franklin Shopping Center

66

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 1990

Westin's New Riverside Bistro
Is A Great Place To Relax, Enjoy

DANNY RASKIN

Local Columnist

M

ake sure my table
isn't by the kitchen"
has been a request
for many years by customers
calling in their reservations.
Now the new Riverside
Bistro in the Westin Hotel,
former La Fontaine, goes
them one better . . . "How
about your lunch reservations
in the kitchen?"
Tis a fact, folks, on Wednes-
day afternoons the Riverside
Bistro will seat people in the
kitchen if they'd like!
But seating is very limited
at the Wednesday chef's table
dining . . . for only about 12 or
14 people.
Not that the kitchen is
small . . . it is probably one of
the largest anywhere (2,500
square feet) at a restaurant
the size of River Bistro with
its seating for 120 plus
another 36 in a rear party
room on an upper level .. .
and another 70 capacity of
booths and two 2-tops in a
lounge area.
Diners have another very
welcomed addition when they
enjoy dinner in the evening
. . . complimentary parking
with valet service is given at
the Westin Hotel Motor Lob-
by . . . a very distinctly
desirable feature . . . If per-
chance overcrowded because
of a convention, free parking
is in lots A and B.
Hours of operation at River
Bistro are . . . Lunch 11:30
a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday
through Friday . . . com-
plimentary hors d'oeuvres 4
p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday
through Friday . . . Dinner
5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday
through Thursday and 5:30
p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and
Saturday.
Remember La Fontaine
with its staid look? . . . River
Bistro is a direct opposite .. .
Even Maitre d' Joseph
Calemme, a favorite of so
many people for so many
years at the former Ben-
chmark in then Michigan
Inn, has a surprise for them
. . . Monsieur Joseph doesn't
wear a tux anymore . . . You
see him now in a business
suit . . . and know something?
. . . he looks so much better
. . . lending the look of
casualness to the atmosphere
of what is now just that . . . an
air of informal relaxation.
People dress as they wish
. . . suits, dresses, jackets or
sweaters . . . all in good taste
. . . River Bistro is the

epitome of less formal Euro-
pean dress tradition . . . but
in its own way.
River Bistro's decor is con-
temporary with its goldfish
sculptures and glass bowls
atop a large fountain in the
center as water overflows into
a molded channel . . . Each
holds a fresh gardenia . . .
The walls of River Bistro
come alive with colorful ac-
tivity in the playful air of wall
drawings depicting people
wearing hats topped with
fruit in true bistro fashion.
The setting is elegant but
relaxed . . . The frolicsome
hand-painted murals are a
clever backdrop for the
culinary expertise of Chef
Hans Fuchs, whose menu im-
agination fits in so well with
the soft and delightful
ambiance.
I don't get lost anymore
when going to the Westin .. .
haven't in a long time . . . and
getting to the River Bistro is
a snap . . . going past the lob-
by onto a down escalator to
the Promenade level.
There on the restaurant's
outside are three tables a la
French cafe style set against
a colorful hand-painted
mural.
Seeing Joseph is always a
treat . . . he's such a fine
gentleman . . . Joseph left the
Benchmark in 1983 and went
to La Fontaine . . . It closed
for remodeling July 4, 1987,
and reopened as River Bistro
in September of 1988.

Chef Hans of the magic
touch is also a very per-
sonable gent . . . He has been
with the Westin about a year-
and-a-half . . . one year at the
Summit and six months at
River Bistro . . . Prior to
these, Hans was Round Table
Club chef of Mayflower Hotel
in Plymouth.
Our waiter, Anis Habhab,
has the personality and
pleasantness you want in a
waitperson . . . His efficiency
is a chef and customer
pleasure.
Naturally, Joseph made his
famous Caesar salad at
tableside . . . on the wooden
cart designed by him . . . and
in a large wooden bowl .. .
When visiting Detroit,
celebrities make it a must to
have Joseph's Caesar salad
. . . While in town, Robert
Goulet had it every day.
Then Anis brought us a
bowl of River Bistro's award-
winning Boston clam chowder
soup and I can see now why
everybody • has been raving
about it . . . shimmering with

chunks of clams and potatoes
. . . no skimpiness here .. .
and a lot of excellent taste.
With white napkin on my
lap and the cleanliness of a
white tablecloth, Anis
. brought me a very delightful
roasted baby chicken com-
pletely skinned as requested
and stuffed with a dressing
that had healthy tastiness
with every mouthful . . . Hans
makes it with shallots, garlic,
carrots, celery, fresh herbs,
white bread, rosemary and
thyme.
Sure Anis had to roll out a
dessert cart with that evil
look in his eyes . . . The
gorgeous things were made
by Pastry Chef Hosten Pascal
. . . but Satan get behind thee
again . . . and like a good boy

It even offers
lunch reservations
in the kitchen.

I had a nice bowl of fresh
strawberries . . . passing up
things like strawberry
Napoleon swimming on a sea
of strawberry sauce and filled
with Bavarian cream . . . no
butter and extremely flaky
. . . hazelnut souffle, River
Bistro gateau, etc.
Joseph is also most adept at
tableside deboning of Dover
sole . . . which I would have
had but not wanting to eat
fish twice in the same day,
opted for the chicken . . . such
a fine touch of Chef Hans
Fuchs.
The fish statuettes atop
gray tiles of the overflowing
water fountain, fun graphics
on the wall, excellent dining,
superb service, elegant but
comfortable ambiance, were
just a part of the very en-
joyable evening at River
Bistro in the Westin Hotel.
To think this was at one
time the sober La Fontaine
. . . It's as if someone waved a
magic wand and poof! the
place came alive.
Put River Bistro at the
Westin Hotel in Renaissance
Center on your must list .. .
To be sure Joseph will say
or
"hello, monsieur
madamoiselle" more than
once to you.
NOW COMES Biff and
Moe . . . That's the name of
cooking being backed by
Susan Borin and Joyce Sher-
man at Motor City Muffin.
They call one of their
kosher products Cowgirls
Cookies in takeoff on Western
cowboy delights of oatmeal
and chocolate chips.

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